CHAPTER II.

 BIRTH OF JOSEPH—FAMILY CIRCUMSTANCES—TOIL¹ AND POVERTY—REMOVAL TO NEW YORK—INTENSE RELIGIOUS EXCITEMENT.

 

The circumstances and surroundings of the elder Joseph were of the humblest, when unto his house was born, on the 23rd of December, 1805, Joseph, the Prophet of the Last Dispensation. The family were still living in the little town of Sharon, in Windsor County, Vermont; and were, at the time, greatly impoverished². Very early, therefore, was the future Prophet compelled to learn the lessons of labor³, patience and self-denial. The father was striving, with every faculty⁴, to repair his shattered fortunes, that he might educate his children and provide for their comfort and well-being⁵; but successive disasters consumed his little savings⁶. After a time, he removed from Sharon, and later, in 1815, left the State of Vermont, locating at Palmyra, Ontario County, New York: in which place and the adjoining town of Manchester, whither the family moved four years afterward⁷, they dwelt for several years. Here they engaged in clearing land and farming, the boys, including the young Joseph, giving their constant aid to the family work. With the severest toil they could only compass a frugal⁸ mode of life. But they wasted no time in useless repining. They were able to pay their obligations, to maintain their honest name, to live in happiness, and to devote some hours of each week to the rudimentary education of the younger children.

 

The offspring of Joseph and Lucy Smith, with the dates and places of their birth, are named as follow:[1]

 

Alvin, born February 11th, 1798, at Tunbridge, Vermont.

 

Hyrum, born February 9th, 1800, at Tunbridge, Vermont.

 

Sophronia, born May 18th, 1803, at Tunbridge, Vermont.

 

Joseph, born December 23rd, 1805, at Sharon, Vermont.

 

Samuel, born March 13th, 1808, at Tunbridge, Vermont.

 

Ephraim, born March 13th, 1810, at Royalton, Vermont.

 

William, born March 13th, 1811, at Royalton, Vermont.

 

Catherine, born July 8th, 1812, at Lebanon, New Hampshire.

 

Don Carlos, born March 25th, 1816, probably at Palmyra, New York.

 

Lucy, born July 18th, 1821, probably at Palmyra, New York.

 

The first quarter of the nineteenth century was a time of intense religious excitement, and New York and surrounding states were the scenes of many revivals¹⁰ and much strife¹¹. Not only among preachers and exhorters was the enthusiasm manifested, but the people themselves became much exercised over their sinful condition, and ran here and there in a wild search for the salvation¹² for which their souls seemed to yearn¹³. The movement originated with the Methodists; but it soon spread to other sects¹⁴ in the neighborhood, until the whole region was infected by it, and the greatest excitement was created, in which all the good effects of a revival⁹ were swallowed up in bitter contests of opinions and the strife of words between the adherents¹⁵ of the various creeds¹⁶.

 

The Smith family inclined towards the Presbyterian faith, and the mother, two sons and a daughter united themselves with that church. Joseph was at the time in his fifteenth year—just at an age, with his limited experience, he might be deemed most susceptible¹⁸ to the example of others. He listened and considered, yet could not profess¹⁹ the faith of his family. The clergymen of other sects assailed²⁰ him; but although he became somewhat partial to the Methodist creed¹⁷, their soft words and direful threats were alike unavailing. The tempest could not reach the depths of the boy's nature. Unknown to himself he was awaiting the hour when the divine message should stir the waters of his soul.

1 toil   

vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事

参考例句：

• The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。
• Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。

2 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

4 faculty   

n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员

参考例句：

• He has a great faculty for learning foreign languages.他有学习外语的天赋。
• He has the faculty of saying the right thing at the right time.他有在恰当的时候说恰当的话的才智。

5 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

6 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

7 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

8 frugal   

adj.节俭的，节约的，少量的，微量的

参考例句：

• He was a VIP,but he had a frugal life.他是位要人，但生活俭朴。
• The old woman is frugal to the extreme.那老妇人节约到了极点。

9 revival   

n.复兴，复苏，（精力、活力等的）重振

参考例句：

• The period saw a great revival in the wine trade.这一时期葡萄酒业出现了很大的复苏。
• He claimed the housing market was showing signs of a revival.他指出房地产市场正出现复苏的迹象。

10 revivals   

n.复活( revival的名词复数 )；再生；复兴；（老戏多年后）重新上演

参考例句：

• She adored parades, lectures, conventions, camp meetings, church revivals-in fact every kind of dissipation. 她最喜欢什么游行啦、演讲啦、开大会啦、营火会啦、福音布道会啦--实际上各种各样的娱乐。 来自辞典例句
• The history of art is the history of revivals. 艺术的历史就是复兴的历史。 来自互联网

11 strife   

n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争

参考例句：

• We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
• Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。

12 salvation   

n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困

参考例句：

• Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。
• Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。

13 yearn   

v.想念；怀念；渴望

参考例句：

• We yearn to surrender our entire being.我们渴望着放纵我们整个的生命。
• Many people living in big cities yearn for an idyllic country life.现在的很多都市人向往那种田园化的生活。

14 sects   

n.宗派，教派( sect的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Members of these sects are ruthlessly persecuted and suppressed. 这些教派的成员遭到了残酷的迫害和镇压。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had subdued the religious sects, cleaned up Saigon. 他压服了宗教派别，刷新了西贡的面貌。 来自辞典例句

15 adherents   

n.支持者，拥护者( adherent的名词复数 )；党羽；徒子徒孙

参考例句：

• He is a leader with many adherents. 他是个有众多追随者的领袖。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The proposal is gaining more and more adherents. 该建议得到越来越多的支持者。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 creeds   

（尤指宗教）信条，教条( creed的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• people of all races, colours and creeds 各种种族、肤色和宗教信仰的人
• Catholics are agnostic to the Protestant creeds. 天主教徒对于新教教义来说，是不可知论者。

17 creed   

n.信条；信念，纲领

参考例句：

• They offended against every article of his creed.他们触犯了他的每一条戒律。
• Our creed has always been that business is business.我们的信条一直是公私分明。

18 susceptible   

adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的

参考例句：

• Children are more susceptible than adults.孩子比成人易受感动。
• We are all susceptible to advertising.我们都易受广告的影响。

19 profess   

v.声称，冒称，以...为业，正式接受入教，表明信仰

参考例句：

• I profess that I was surprised at the news.我承认这消息使我惊讶。
• What religion does he profess?他信仰哪种宗教？

20 assailed   

v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对

参考例句：

• He was assailed with fierce blows to the head. 他的头遭到猛烈殴打。
• He has been assailed by bad breaks all these years. 这些年来他接二连三地倒霉。 来自《用法词典》