"His lofty soul
comprehended the grandeur of his mission upon earth;
and with divine fortitude he fulfilled the destiny which God
had ordained for him before the world was. . . .
"Though full of
personal and prophetic dignity whenever occasion
demanded, he could at other times unbend and be as happy and
unconventional as a boy. This was one of his most striking
characteristics; and it was sometimes held up to scorn by
his traducers, that the chosen 'man of God' should at
times mingle as a man of earth with his earthly
bretheren. And yet it is a false ridicule; for Savior
and prophets must, like other men, eat, drink and wear
apparel. . . .
"The Prophet's
life was exalted and unselfish. His death was a
sealing martyrdom, following after that which was completed
upon Calvary for the redemption of a world."
Life of Joseph Smith, the Prophet (1958), 19–21.
