Twenty (1825)
twined linen, and all manner of precious clothing,”^37 the exploration and exploitation of
new land discoveries was very good.
It was not good that the natives in North and South America, as well as those in
Africa, were ripped from their culture and families to become slaves to the European’s
desire for wealth. But to the “kings and merchants of the earth,” these “savage
barbarians” were a very good source of cheap labor to enhance the joy they received in
their possessions.
Christian missionaries thought it was a very good thing to travel throughout the
world and tell people that their (the peoples’) culture and religious beliefs were wrong and
that they needed to convert to Christianity. But to the people who believed that their own
beliefs were just fine, what these religious missionaries did was not good.^38 The Muslims
believed it was good to destroy the Christians. The Christians believed it was good to destroy
the Muslims. The Americans believed it was good to destroy Communism. Communists
believed it was good to destroy Capitalism. Nations believed that it was good to hate and
curse their enemies and to not let anyone despitefully use them and persecute them.^39
Patriots believed it was good to defend their honor, their country, their family, and their God
from any who threatened them.^40 And it is still the same today.
Lessons not Learned in any Textbook
Joseph was taught by incredibly knowledgeable and educated professors (who had
hundreds of years of actual, firsthand experience). By attending his History classes, Joseph
learned about the elements of life that the human race thought were good, which were
actually “bad.” And being “bad,” meant the aspects (class distinction, wealth, etc.) that did
not enhance the human experience, because they did not afford all people an equal
opportunity to experience joy.
Mathoni and Mathonihah taught Joseph everything he needed to know about the
development of the Native North, Central, and South American nations.^41 From the time
that all of the white-skinned people were destroyed leaving only the darker-skinned
people among the native inhabitants,^42 these two darker-skinned brothers remained and
patiently taught the people. From their interaction and teachings, the Native Americans
became a peaceful and loving society long before the Europeans reached their shores to
take their land and exploit their peace. Joseph learned nothing about the Native
Americans from any textbook, as some of his critics want to believe. He didn’t need a
textbook in which to learn incorrect and biased opinions of history. He was in the
presence of two men who themselves lived for hundreds of years on the Western
Continents and who knew the real truth.
Joseph’s mother later reported in her biography, covering the time after Joseph told
them about his interaction with Moroni:
Accordingly, by sunset the next day, we were all seated, and Joseph
commenced telling us the great and glorious things which God had
manifested to him; but, before proceeding, he charged us not to mention
out of the family that which he was about to say to us, as the world was so
wicked that when they came to a knowledge of these things they would
try to take our lives; and that when we should obtain the plates, our
names would be cast out as evil by all people. Hence the necessity of