Salt Lake City, USA - Brent Ashworth, a memorabilia collector, rediscovered a notebook from an original LDS apostle, William E. McLellin. McLellin was excommunicated from the church and openly expressed his disdain for it. He wrote, “I do not endorse many of the acts of Joseph Smith. And the older he grew, the wider of the mark his course until finally he died at the hands of his enemies, as ‘a fool dieth.’ In his afterlife he introduced great wickedness, and even abominations the "church of Latter Day Saints." And to day that people at the great Salt Lake valley are carrying out the measures introduced by him in Nauvoo. I firmly believe that the people called Latter Day Saints are the wickedest people of any that now live on this wide earth. But here I will stop, but could say more.”
He continues with stories of the lives of the eight witnesses to the Book of Mormon including the beating of Hiram Page which took place in 1833. The mob meant to beat him to death or until he denied the Book of Mormon, but he would not. After beating him until they thought he would surely deny God and the book they asked, “Now what do you think of your God, when he don't save you?” Hiram Page answered, “I believe in God.” As McLellin put it, one of the more intelligent of the mob spoke saying, “I believe the damned fool will stick to it though we kill him. Let us let him go.” Because of this, Hiram was confined to a bed for some time. Acknowledging Hiram’s insistence of the truth of the Book of Mormon and his belief in God, McLellin noted, “So much for a man who knows for himself. Knowledge is beyond faith or doubt. It is positive certainty.”
Although McLellin had strong derogatory feelings toward the church, his feelings toward Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon were positive. “I have read the Book many, many times through; and am well acquainted with the manner of its coming to light, and the circumstances of the organization of the "church of Christ", as probably any man who (is) now living. I was personally and intimately acquainted with Joseph Smith, the man who read off thethetranslator translation of the book, for five years near the beginning of his ministry. He attended my High school during the winter of 1834. He attended my school and learned science all winter. I learned the strength of his mind as to the study and principles of science. Hence I think I knew him. And I here say that he had one of the strongest, well balanced, penetrating, and retentive minds of any man with which whom I ever formed an acquaintance, among the thousands of my observation. Although when I took him into my school, he was without scientific knowledge or attainments. And I knowthat I do know the truth of this great work of the Last Days. And I would advise all people, kindreds, and tongues to believe and embrace the Book, and the doctrine, and the principles, and government and practice of the true "church of Christ." For the time of Christ's second coming is soon at hand.”
The church of Christ was one of the original names the church before God revealed that the name of the church should be the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. McLellin testified of the truth of the Book of Mormon and its doctrine despite his excommunication and implored that “all people, kindreds, and tongues believe and embrace the Book, and the doctrine, and the principles, and government and practice of the true church...”