Mormon Interpretation.
A good anecdote of Joe Smith is told by the Journal of Commerce, illustrating his exegetical powers. It was in a conversa-tion which he held with some eastern gen-tlemen, who made him a visit in Illinois not long before the violent proceedings which resulted in his death. We believe the anecdote was never before in print.—The conversation very naturally, under the circumstances in which the Mormons were placed, or rather had placed themselves, as antagonists to the rest of the state, turned upon the rights of self-defence; and Joseph was asked what he thought of the words of the scripture which required him who had been smitten on the cheek, to turn the other also.
"A very remarkable passage," he an-swered, "spoke by Jesus himself, striking-ly illustrative of his thorough acquaintance with human nature. A man may strike you at first under a mistake, or without intending any harm; and you ought not to strike back immediately, but turn the oth-er cheek and give him an opportunity to explain, or, if he is in earnest to repeat the offence. However , you need not turn a third time but if a man strikes you twice, then into him like a thousand of brick.
