“And what do we have to support Smith’s claim?”
The personal witness of the Holy Ghost. I’ll take that over any man’s opinion of what a proper test should be and their evaluation of the the results of any such test. Finding an excuse to reject a true prophet (or even Christ) is easy.
>> The personal witness of the Holy Ghost. <<
That answer SOUNDS so essential and meaningful: who could possibly refute the personal witness of the Holy Ghost? But can you provide an answer to how do we know it is the Holy Ghost speaking to us? Too often all sorts of Christians end up sounding like they are talking about Tinkerbell (”Do YOU believe in faeries,” as Wendy asked). The test of the truth of the bible isn’t in our hearts, for all manners of pagans believe deeply in their hearts the truth of what they say. The test of the bible is in the mind.
So, now, tell me what do you mean by “the personal witness of the Holy Ghost”? And how is this to be distinguished from what was experienced by so many members of other denominations which Smith considered so much rubbish that he thought far more highly of Mohammed?