The Latter-Day Prophet: Young People's History of Joseph Smith
George Q. Cannon
Paperback
(Forgotten Books, July 25, 2012)
In sending out this little work, the author hopes with all his heart that he has made interesting and instructive a subject that has been a source of inspiration to him. The book was called forth mainly by the need of the Sunday Schools for such a publication. In many schools the authors Life of Joseph Smith is being used, but that book was not written as a text-book for children. This little volume can be put to such a use, and can be placed in the hands of the children themselves. Teachers may gather new material to give them from any source they desire, but the children have a foundation furnished here. In this book there may be words that a child of ten or twelve years will not understand; but a childs vocabulary would never grow if hemet no new words. However, the author believes there are few if any places where an intelligent child cannot gather the meaning from the context. The work is purposely arranged in forty chapters, as that is the number of Sundays, fast-days excluded, in the year; but if possible, a little time once a month should be given to review work. Special attention is called to the chapter headings, which may be used as the topics on which different members of the class may prepare to talk. The maps and illustrations will be found valuable in aiding the childs understanding. While these suggestions apply to the use of this volume as a text-book, it has also been the aim to have the history suitable for general reading as well. It has been the authors desire through life to aid in giving the young Latter-day Saints so much that is good and pure in literature that they will have no excuse for reading that which is trashy or improper. Good books, if not the strongest outside influence, are at least very strong in the building of character. The story of life upon the earth is beautiful, and has absorbing interest if that life is natural, (Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)