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Joseph Smith's Teachings
A Classified Arrangement of
The Doctrinal Sermons and Writings of the Great Latter-day Prophet
COMPILED 'BY EDWIN F. PARRY
From the Authorized '' History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints''
THE DESERET NEWS
Salt Lake City, Utah
1912
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Copyright by DWIN F. PARRY 1912
tOCKEO Mormonisiii
PREFACE.
This book is a compilation of the Prophet Joseph Smith's sermons and reUgious doctrinal writings as preserved in the authorized "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," written under his personal direction and supervision, and now published in six volumes.
The Prophet's teachings herein presented are of great value and interest to the earnest seeker after truth. Being largely devoted to amplify- ing and expounding the Holy Scriptures, they are supplementary to what is contained in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.
It should be understood that the Prophet's sermons, as recorded in the History of the Church, are not word for word as he preached them. His scribes wrote as best they could in longhand the substance of his remarks, and consequently the reports are incomplete.
4 PREFACE.
In this work the Prophet's utterances are ar- ranged according to subject and placed in alpha- betical order, so that they may be referred to readily. It is hoped that in this form they will be of service to the student of the Gospel.
The Compiler.
CONTENTS
Accusers of the Brethren 9
Adultery 9
Angels 9
Apostasy, the Sign of 9
Apostates, Reinstatement of 10
Apostles, the Authority they are Subject to 10
Apostles, Duty of the Twelve 10
Apostles Subject Only to First Presidency 11
Articles of Faith 11
Baptism 13
Baptism, a Holy Ordinance 14
Baptism for the Dead *&• j
Baptism, Sectarian 15
Baptism of Water and the Spirit 16
Bible, The 16
Book of Mormon, What it is 17
Book of Mormon, Keystone of Our Religion 17
Book of Mormon Title Page 17
Book of Mormon, Words of the A^gel Concerning
Its Translation 18
Bishops 18
Celestial Kingdom, Vision of the 18
Christ 20
Christian World, Condition of 20
Church Officers, Authority of 21
Comforters, Two 21
Condemnation in Refusing Blessings 26
Constitution of the United States 23
Constitution of the United States — Its One Fault.. 24
Councils, Order in 25
Creeds, Denominational 26
Debating, Advice on 26
Earth when Sanctified 27
Elias, Elijah, Messiah, Spirit of 27
Election 35
End of the World, Meaning of 36
Evangelist 37
Evil, Individual Responsibility for 37
Faith 38
Faith, How it Comes 38
Faith and Its Fruits 38
Faith and Spirtual Gifts 38
Freedom of Belief j^ 39
Gathering of Israel, Preparations for. . <^ 39
Gathering of Israel, The Time of 40
Gathering of Israel, Purpose of 41
CONTENTS.
Gathering of Saints in Last Days 43
Gentiles Grafted in 47
Gift of the Holy Ghost '.'.['. 49
Gift of Tongues 49
Gift of Tongues to be Exercised with Care 49
Gift of Tongues, Purpose of 50
Glory, Degrees of, in Eternal World 51
Glory, Prophet's Views on the Revelation on the
Degrees of 52
God, Coming in Presence of 53
God's Promises not to be Trifled with 53
God's Kingdom 54
Gods, Plurality of 54
Godhead, The 63
Gospel Adds to the Good People May Possess 64
Happiness 64
Healing of the Sick, Ordinance for 67
High Council, Instructions for 67
High Priests 68
High Priests, Duty of 69
Holy Ghost 69
Holy Ghost and Gift of Holy Ghost 69
Holy Ghost, Gift of 70
Humility Becoming to Saints 81
Humility and Brotherhood 81
Israel 82
Immortality, Conditions of 82
Indians, Policy of Government Respecting 83
Infidel, The, and Death-bed Repentance 84
Intemperance, Reflections on 84
Jesus Christ's Reign on Earth So
Jesus Christ's Second Coming 85
John the Baptist, Greatness and Mission 87
Judgment, Duty in Passing 89
Judgments, False Ideas About 90
Judgment, Doctrine of Eternal 90
Kingdom of God, The 92
Kingdom of God, Seeing and Entering the 97
Knowledge Saves Mankind 97
Law of the Lord 98
Lord's Supper, Partaking of it Worthily 98
Love, The Principle of 99
Man's Duty to Animal Creation 101
Man's Relationship to God 101
Marriage an Institution of Heaven 103
Marriage Covenant, Importance of the Eternity of 104
Matter, No Such Thing as Immaterial 104
Mercy and Forgiveness 105
Mercy of God Everlasting 105
Members of Church Not to Receive Instruction for
those Higher in Authority 105
Missionaries, Advice to 105
Missionaries, Duty of 106
Mormonism, One Fundamental Principle of 110
CONTENTS. 7
Murderer, Fate of a 110
Persecution to be Endured without Murmuring- 110
Priests Ill
Priesth43od Ill
Priesthood, Eternity of, Nature of, Its Restoration,
etc 121
Priesthood, The Melchisedek 125
Priesthood, The Sealing- Power in the 126
Priesthood, Fullness of — How Obtained.-.". 128
Prophet, Nature of a 128
Prophet Not Always a Prophet 129
Prophetic Calling, Defense of 130
Records, Importance of 133
Reincarnation 135
Repentance and Baptism 136
Repentance, Not to be Trifled with 136
Reproof, Necessity for 136
Resurrection, The 137
Revelation, No Salvation Without 142
Revelation, Spirit of 143
Revelation, Who Entitled to Receive 143
Revelation the Rock on which Christ's Church is
to be Built 144
Sacrifice Required of those who would Attain to
Greatest Reward 144
Saints and Sectarians, Difference Between 144
Salvation of Children 145
Salvation, Means of 145
Salvation, Meaning of 146
Salvation and Education 146
Salvation Through Knowledge 147
•Salvation Through Obedience to God 150
Salvation for the Dead 150, 152
Scripture Correction 154
Scripture Explanation 155
Scriptures Expounded 156
Self-Righteousness Reproved 161
Seventies, Calling of 161
Seventies, Duty and Rights of 162
Sign of the Son of Man 162
Sign Seekers 163
Sinning Wilfully 163
Sons of Perdition 164
Spirit and Body, Difference Between 164
Spriit, a Bad 164
Spirit of Elias ,. 164
Spirit and Matter 164
Spirits and Angels 164
Spirits, Character of 166
Spirit of Man Eternal 166
Spirits in Prison 166
Spirits to be Tested 167
Spirits, The World of 184
Spiritual Gifts 185
CONTENTS.
Temples, Laying- Corner Stones of 185
Tongues 186
Translated Bodies 186
Transmigration of Souls a Doctrine of the Devil.. 186
Treason, Beware of 187
Visions 188
Wicked, The Punishment of the 188
Women Not to Found Churches 188
Wrong-Doing to be Proved by Evidence 189
Zion, Importance of Gathering to 189
Zion, Warning to 189
Zion, Redemption of 190
Zion, What Prophets Have Said Concerning 191
Zion, Ransomed of the Lord to Come to 191
Zion, Whole of America 192
JOSEPH SMITH'S TEACHINGS.
I
Accusers of the Brethren — I charged the Saints not to follow the example of the adversary in accusing the brethren, and said, "If you do not accuse each other, God will not accuse you. If you have no accuser you will enter heaven, and if you follow the revelations and instructions which God gives you through me, I will take you into heaven as my back load. If you will not ac- cuse me, I will not accuse you. If you will throw a cloak of charity over my sins, I will over yours — for charity covereth a multitude of sins. What many people call sin is not sin ; I do many things to break down superstition, and I will break it down." — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 445.
Adultery — If a man commit adultery, he can- not receive the celestial kingdom of God. Even if he is saved in any kingdom, it cannot be the celestial kingdom. — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 81.
Angels — See Spirits and Angels.
Apostasy, The Sign of — I will give you one of the keys of the mysteries of the kingdom. It is an eternal principle, that has existed with God from all eternity : That man who rises up to con- demn others, finding fault with the Church, say- ing that they are out of the way while he him-
10 JOSEPH smith's teachings.
self is righteous, then know assuredly, that that man is in the high road to apostasy; and if he does not repent, will apostatize as God lives. The principle is as correct as the one that Jesus put forth in saying that he who seeketh a sign is an adulterous person; and that principle is eter- nal, undeviating, and firm as the pillars of heaven; for whenever you see a man seeking after a sign you may set it down that he is an adulterous man. — History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 385.
Apostates, Reinstatement of — Respecting an apostate, or one who has been cut off from the Church, and who wishes to come in again, the law of our Church expressly says that such shall repent, and be baptized, and be admitted as at first.— History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 338.
Apostles, The Authority They are Subject to
— I decided that the High Council had nothing to do with the Twelve, or the decisions of the Tw^elve. But if the Twelve erred they were ac- countable only to the General Council of the authorities of the whole Church, according to the revelations. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 285.
Apostles, Duty of the Twelve — Brother Jo- seph then addressed the Twelve, and said that in all our counsels, especially while on trial of any one, we should see and observe all things appertaining to the subject, and discern the spirit by which either party was governed. We
JOSEPH smith's teachings. 11
should be in a situation to understand every spirit and judge righteous judgment and not be asleep. We should keep order and not let the council be imposed upon by unruly conduct. The Saints' need not think because I am fa- miliar with them and am playful and cheerful, that I am ignorant of what is going on. Ini- quity of any kind cannot be sustained in the Church, and it will' not fare well where I am; for I am determined while I do lead the Church, to lead it right. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 411.
Apostles Subject only to First Presidency —
The Twelve are not subject to any other than the first Presidency, viz., "myself," said the Prophet, ''Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams, who are now my Counselors; and where I am not, there is no First Presidency over the Twelve." — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 374.
Articles of Faith — We believe in God the eternal Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgres- sion.
We believe that through the atonement of Christ all mankind may be saved by obedi- ence to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
We believe that the first principles and ordi- nances of the Gospel are: (1) Faith in the
12 JOSEPH smith's teachings.
Lord Jesus Christ; (2) Repentance; (3) Bap- tism by immersion for the remission of sins; (4) Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
We believe that a man must be called of God by prophecy and by the laying on of hands, by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances there- of.
We believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive Church, viz: apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc.
We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, etc.
We believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is translated correctly ; we also be- lieve the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
We believe in the literal gathering of Lsrael and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion will be built upon this [the American] continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and that the earth will be re- newed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
We claim the privilege of worshiping Al- mighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same
JOSEPH smith's teachings. 13
privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
We believe in being subject to kings, pres- idents, rulers and magistrates, in obeying, hon- oring, and sustaining the law.
We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men ; indeed we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul, We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek after these things. — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 540.
Baptism — God has made certain decrees which are fixed and immovable; for instance, — God set the sun, the moon, and the stars in the heavens, and gave them their laws, con- ditions and bounds', which' they cannot pass, except by His comm.andments; they all move in perfect harmony in their sphere and order, and are as lights, wonders and signs unto us. The sea also has its bounds which it cannot pass. God has set many signs on the earth, as well as in the heavens ; for instance, the oak of the forest, the fruit of the tree, the herb of the field — all bear a sign that seed hath been planted there ; for it is a decree of the Lord that every tree, plant, and herb bearing seed should bring forth of its kind, and cannot come forth after any other law or principle. Upon the
14 JOSEPH smith's teachings.
same principle do I contend that baptism is a sign ordained of God, for the believer in Christ to take upon himself in order to enter into the kingdom of God, for ''except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God," said the Savior. It is a sign and a commandment v^hich God has set for man to enter into His kingdom. Those who seek to enter in any other way will seek in vain; for God will not receive them, neither will the angels acknowledge their works as ac- cepted, for they have not obeyed the ordi- nances, nor attended to the signs which God ordained for the salvation of man, to prepare him for, and give him a title to, a celestial glory; and God had decreed that all who will not obey His voice shall not escape the Hai-|-ina- tion of hell. What is the damnation of helT? To go with that society who have not obeyed His commands.
Baptism is a sign to God, to angels, and to heaven that we do the will of God, and there is no other way beneath the heavens whereby God hath utid aligned for man to come to Him to be saved, and enter into the kingdom of God, except faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, and baptism for the remission of sins, and any other course is in vain ; then you have the promise of the gift of the Holy Ghost. — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 554.
Baptism, a Holy Ordinance — Baptism is a holy ordinance preparatory to the reception
i
JOSEPH smith's teachings. 15
of the Holy Ghost; it is the channel and key by which the Holy Ghost will be administered. —History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 379.
Baptism, Sectarian — Many objections are urged against the Latter-day Saints for not ad- mitting the validity of sectarian baptism, and for withholding fellowship from sectarian churches. Yet to do otherwise would be like putting new wine into old bottles, and putting old wine into new bottles. What ! new reve- lations in the old churches? New revelations would knock out the bottom of their bottom- less pit. New wine into old bottles! The bot- tles burst and the wine runs out ! What ! Sad- ducees in the new church ! Old wine in new leathern bottles will leak through the pores and escape. So the Sadducee saints mock at authority, kick out of the traces, and run to the mountains of perdition, leaving the long echo of their braying behind them. — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 426.
Baptism of Water and the Spirit — The gos- pel requires baptism by immersion for the re- mission of sins, which is the meaning of the word in the original languag'e — namely, to bury or immerse.
We ask the sects, Do you believe this ? They answer. No. I believe in being converted. I believe in this tenaciously. So did the Apostle Peter and the disciples of Jesus. But I further believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost by the
16 JOSEPH smith's teachings.
laying on of hands. Evidence by Peter's preach- ing on the day of Pentecost, Acts 2:38. You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man, if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy Ghost. Baptism by Avater is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half — that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
The Savior says, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 499.
Baptism for the Dead — He said the Bible supported the doctrine [of baptism for the dead], quoting I Cor., xv :29 : "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all, why are they then bap- tized for the dead?" If there is one word of the Lord that supports the doctrine of baptism for the dead, it is enough to establish it as a true doctrine. Again ; if we can, by the author- ity of the Priesthood of the Son of God, bap- tize a man in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, for the remission of sins, it is just as much our privilege to act as an agent, and be baptized for the remission of sins for and in behalf of our dead kindred, who have not heard the Gospel, or the fullness of it. — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 569.
Bible, The — I believe the Bible as it read when it came from the pen of the original
JOSEPH smith's teachings. 17
writers. Ignorant translators, careless trans- cribers, or designing or corrupt priests have committed many errors. — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 57.
Book of Mormon, What it is — The Book of Mormon is a record of the forefathers of our western tribes of Indians ; having been found through the ministration of a holy angel, and translated into our own language by the gift and power of God, after having been hid up in the earth for the last fourteen hundred years, containing the word of God which was deliv- ered unto them. By it we learn that our west- ern tribes of Indians are descendants from that Joseph who was sold into Egypt, and that the land of America is a promised land unto them, and unto it all the tribes of Israel will come, with as many of the Gentiles as shall comply with the requisitions of the new covenant. — History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 315.
Book of Mormon, Keystone of our Religion
—I told the brethren that the Book of Mor- mon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its pre- cepts, than by any other book. — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 461.
Book of Mormon Title Page — I wish to men- tion here, that the title-page of the Book of Mormon is a literal translation, taken from the very last leaf, on the left hand side of the col-
18 JOSEPH smith's teachings.
lection or book of plates, which contained the record which has been translated, the language of the whole running the same as all Hebrew waiting in general ; and that said title-page is not by any means a modern composition, either of mine or of any other man who has lived or does live in this generation. — History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 71.
Book of Mormon, Words of the Angel Con- cerning its Translation — These plates [from v/hich the Book of Mormon was translated] have been revealed by the power of God, and they have been translated by the poAver of God. The translation of them which you have seen is correct, and I command you to bear record of what you now see and hear. — History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 54.
Bishops — The Bishop is a High Priest, and necessarily so, because he is to preside over that particular branch of Church affairs, that is denominated the Lesser Priesthood, and be- cause we have no direct lineal descendant of Aaron, to whom it would of right belong. This is the same, or a branch of the same Priest- hood, which may be illustrated by the figure of the human body, which has different mem- bers, which have different offices to perform; all are necessary in their place, and the body is not complete without all the members. — His- tory of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 477.
Celestial Kingdom, Vision of the — The heav-
JOSEPH smith's teachings. 19
ens were opened upon us, and I beheld the celestial kingdom of God, and the glory there- of, whether in the body or out I cannot tell. I saw the transcendent beauty of the gate through which the heirs of that kingdom will enter, which was like unto circling flames of fire ; also the blazing throne of God, whereon was seated the Father and the Son. I saw the beautiful streets of that kingdom, which had the appearance of being paved with gold. I saw Fathers Adam and Abraham, and my father and mother, my brother, Alvin, that has long since slept, and marveled how it was that he had obtained an inheritance in that king- dom, seeing that he had departed this life be- fore the Lord had set His hand to gather Israel the second time, and had not been baptized for the remission of sins.
Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying —
All who have died without a knowledge of this Gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God ; also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom, for I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.
And I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountabil- ity, are saved in the celestial kingdom of heav- en.—History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 380,
20 JOSEPH smith's teachings.
Christ — See Jesus Christ.
Christian World, Condition of — For some length of time I have been carefully viewing the state of things, as it now appears, through- out our Christian land ; and have looked at it with feelings of the most painful anxiety. While upon one hand I behold the manifest withdrawal of God's Holy Spirit, and the veil of stupidity which seems to be drawn over the hearts of the people ; upon the other hand, I be- hold the judgments of God that have swept, and are still sweeping hundreds and thousands of our race (and I fear unprepared) down to the shades of death. With this solemn and alarming fact before me, I am led to exclaim, "O that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night."
I think that it is high time for a Christian world to awake out of sleep, and cry mightily to that God, day and night, whose anger we have justly incurred. Are not those things a suffi- cient stimulant to arouse the faculties, and call forth the energies of every man, woman or child that possesses feelings of sympathy for their fellows, or that is in any degree endeared to the budding cause of our glorious Lord? I leave an intelligent community to answer this important question, with a confession, that this is what has caused me to overlook my own in- ability, and expose my weakness to a learned world; but, trusting in that God who has said
JOSEPH smith's teachings. 21
that these things are hid from the wise and prudent and revealed unto babes, I step forth into the field to tell you what the Lord is do- ing, and what you must do, to enjoy the smiles of your Savior in these last days. — History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 312.
Church Officers, Authority of — No official member of the Church has authority to go into, any branch thereof, and ordain any minister for that church, unless it is by the voice of that branch. No Elder has authority to go into any branch of the Church, and appoint meetings, or attempt to regulate the affairs of the church, without the advice and consent of the presiding Elder of that branch. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 220.
Comforters, Two — There are two Comforters spoken of. One is the Holy Ghost, the same as given on the day of Pentecost, and that all Saints receive after faith, repentance, and bap- tism. This first Comforter or Holy Ghost has no other effect than pure intelligence. It is more powerful in expanding the mind, enlight- ening the understanding, and storing the in- tellect with present knowledge, of a man who is of the literal seed of Abraham, than one that is a Gentile, though it may not have half as much visible effect upon the body; fatLAS the Holy Ghost falls_ upon one of the literal seed of A^braham, it is calm and serene ; and his whole soul and body are only exercised by the pure spirit of intelligence; while the effect of the
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22 JOSEPH smith's teachings.
Holy Ghost upon a Gentile, is to purge out the old blood, and make him actually of the seed of Abraham. That man that has none of the blood of Abraham (naturally) must have a new creation by the Holy Ghost. In such a case, there may be more of a powerful effect upon the body, and visible to the eye, than upon an Israelite, while the Israelite at first might be far before the Gentile in pure intelligence.
The other Comforter spoken of is a subject of great interest, and perhaps understood by few of this generation. After a person has faith in Christ, repents of his sins, and is bap- tized for the rem.ission of his sins and receives the Holy Ghost, (by the laying on of hands) which is the first Comforter, then let him con- tinue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and living by every word of God, and the Lord will soon say unto him. Son, thou shalt be exalted. When the Lord has thoroughly proved him, and finds that the man is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then the man will find his calling and his election made sure, then it will be his priv- ilege to receive the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the Saints, as is recorded in the testimony of St. John, in the 14th chap- ter, from the 12th to the 27th verses.
Note the 16th, 17th, 18th, 21st, 23rd verses.
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y Now what is this other Comforter? It is no more nor less that the Lord Jesus Christ Him- self: and this is the sum and substance of the
JOSEPH smith's teachings. 23
whole matter ; that when any man obtains this last Comforter, he will have the personage of Jesus Christ to attend him, or appear unto him from time to time, and even He will manifest the Father unto him, and they will take up their abode with him, and the visions of the heavens will be opened unto him, and the Lord v/ill teach him face to face, and he may have a perfect knowledge of the mysteries of the King- dom of God ; and this is the state and place the ancient Saints arrived at when they had such glorious visions — Isaiah, Ezekiel, John upon the Isle of Patmos, St. Paul in the three heav- ens, and all the Saints who held communion with the general assembly and Church of the First Born. — History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 380.
Condemnation in Refusing Blessings — When God offers a blessing or knowledge to a man, and he refuses to receive it, he will be damned. The Israelites prayed that God would speak to Moses and not to them; in consequence of which He cursed them with a carnal law. — His- tory of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 555.
Constitution of the United States — The Con- stitution of the United States is a glorious stan- dard ; it is founded in the wisdom of God. It is a heavenly banner; it is, to all those who are privileged with the sweets of its liberty, like the cooHng shades and refreshing waters of a great rock in a thirsty and. weary land. It is like a great tree under whose branches men
24 JOSEPH smith's teachings.
from every clime can be shielded from the burning rays of the sun. — History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 304.
Constitution of the United States — Its One
Fault — It is one of the first principles of my life, and one that I have cultivated from my childhood, having been taught it by my father, to allow every one the liberty of conscience. I am the greatest advocate of the Constitution of the United States there is on the earth. In my feelings I am always ready to die for the pro- tection of the weak and oppressed in their just rights. The only fault I find with the Consti- tution is, it is not broad enough to cover the whole ground.
Although it provides that all men shall enjoy religious freedom, yet it does not provide the manner by which that freedom can be pre- served, nor the punishment of Government of- ficers who refuse to protect the people in their religious rights, or punish those mobs, states, or communities who interfere with the rights of the people on account of their religion. Its sentiments are good, but it provides no means of enforcing them. It has but this one fault. Under its provision, a man or a people who are able to protect themselves can get along well enough ; but those who have the misfortune to be weak or unpopular are left to the merciless rage of popular fury.
The Constitution should contain a provision that every officer of the Government who
JOSEPH smith's teachings. 25
should neglect or refuse to extend the protec- tion guaranteed in the Coiistituiton should be subject to capital punishment; and then the president of the United States would not say, "Your cause is just, but I can do nothing for you," a governor issue exterminating orders, or judges say, "The men ought to have the protection of law, but it won't please the mob ; the men must die, anyhow, to satisfy the clamor of the rabble; they must be hung, or Missouri be damned to all eternity." Executive writs could be issued v/hen they ought to be and not be made instruments' of cruelty to oppress the innocent, and persecute men whose religion is unpopular. — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 56.
Councils, Order in — But to return to the sub- ject of order; in ancient days councils were con- ducted with such strict propriety, that no one was allowed to whisper, be weary, leave the room, or get uneasy in the least, until the voice of the Lord, by revelation, or the voice of the council by the Spirit, was obtained, which has not been observed in this Church to the present time. It was understood in ancient days, that if one man could stay in council, another could ; and if the president could spend his time, the members could also; but in our councils, gener- ally, one will be uneasy, another asleep ; one praying, another not; one's mind on the busi- ness of the council, and another thinking on something else. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 25.
26 JOSEPH smith's teachings.
Creeds, Denominational — I cannot believe in any of the creeds of the different denomina- tions, because they all have some things in them I cannot subscribe to, though all of them have some truth. I want to come up into the presence of God, and learn all things; but the creeds set up stakes and say, ''Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further," which I cannot subscribe to. — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 57.
Debating, Advice on — When we arrived, some of the young Elders were about engaging in a debate on the subject of miracles. The question — ''Was it, or was it not, the design of Christ to establish His Gospel by miracles?" After an interesting debate of three hours or more, during which time much talent was dis- played, it was decided, by the President of the debate, in the negative, which was a righteous decision.
I discovered in this debate, much warmth displayed, too much zeal for mastery, too much of that enthusiasm that characterizes a lawyer at the bar, who is determined to defend his cause, right or wrong. I therefore availed my- self of this favorable opportunity to drop a few words upon this subject, by way of ad- vice, that they might improve their minds and cultivate their powers of intellect in a proper manner, that they might not incur the displeas- ure of heaven ; that they should handle sacred things very sacredly, and with due deference to
JOSEPH smith's teachings. 27
the opinions of others, and with an eye single to the glory of God. — History of the Church, Vol 2, p. 317.
Earth When Sanctified — While at dinner, I remarked to my family and friends present, that when the earth was sanctified and became like a sea of glass, it would be one great urim and thummim, and the Saints could look in it and see as they are seen. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 279.
Elias, Elijah, Messiah, Spirit of — There is a difference between the spirit and office of Elias and Elijah. It is the spirit of Elias I wish first to speak of; and in order to come at the sub- ject, I will bring some of the testimony from the Scripture and give my own.
In the first place, suffice it to say, I went into the woods to inquire of the Lord, by prayer, His will concerning me, and I saw an angel, and he laid his hands upon my head, and or- dained me to a Priest after the order of Aa- ron, and to hold the keys of this Priesthood, which office was to preach repentance and bap- tism for the remission of sins, and also to bap- tize. But I was informed that this office did not extend to the laying on of hands for the giving of the Holy Ghost; that that office was a greater work, and was to be given after- ward; but that my ordination was a prepara- tory work, or a going before, which was the spirit of Elias ; for the spirit of Elias was a go- ing before to prepare the way for the greater^
28 JOSEPH smith's teachings.
which was the case with John the Baptist. He came crying through the wilderness, ''Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." And they were informed, if they could receive it, it was the spirit of Elias ; and John was very particular to tell the people, he was not that Light, but was sent to bear wit- ness of that Light.
He told the people that his mission was to preach repentance and baptize with water; but it was He that should come after him that should baptize with fire and the Holy Ghost.
If he had been an imposter, he might have gone to work beyond his bounds, and under- took to have performed ordinances which did not belong to that office and calling, under the spirit of Elias.
The spirit of Elias is to prepare the way for a greater revelation of God, which is the Priest- hood of Elias, or the Priesthood that Aaron was ordained unto. And when God sends a man into the world to prepare for a greater work, holding the keys of the power of Elias, it was called the doctrine of Elias, even from the early ages of the world.
John's mission was limited to preaching and baptizing; but what he did was legal; and when Jesus Christ came to any of John's dis- ciples. He baptized them with fire and the Holy Ghost.
We find the apostles endowed with greater power than John : their office was more under the spirit and power of Elijah than Elias.
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In the case of Phillip when he went down to Samaria, when he was under the spirit of Elias, he baptized both men and women. When Peter and John heard of it, they went down and laid hands upon them, and they received the Holy Ghost. This shows the distinction be- tween the two powers.
When Paul came to certain disciples, he asked if they had received the Holy Ghost? They said, No. Who baptized you, then? We were baptized unto John's baptism. No, you were not baptized unto John's baptism, or you would have been baptized by John. And so Paul went and baptized them, for he knew what the true doctrine was, and he knew that John had not baptized them. And these prin- ciples are strange to me, that men who have read the Scriptures of the New Testament are so far from it.
What I want to impress upon your minds is the difference of power in the different parts of the Priesthood, so that when any man comes among you, saying, 'T have the spirit of Elias," you can know whether he be true or false ; for any man that comes, having the spirit and power of Elias, he will not transcend his bounds.
John did not transcend his bounds, but faith- fully performed that part belonging to his of- fice; and every portion of the great building should be prepared right and assigned to its proper place ; and it is necessary to know who
30 JOSEPH smith's TEyN^CHINGS.
holds the keys of power, and who does not, or we may be likely to be deceived.
That person who holds the keys of Elias hath a preparatory work.
This is the Elias spoken of in the last days, and here is the rock upon which many split, thinking the time was past in the days of John and Christ, and no more to be. But the spirit of Elias was revealed to me, and I know it is true; therefore I speak with boldness, for I know verily my doctrine is true.
Now for Elijah. The spirit, power, and call- ing of Elijah is, that ye have power to hold the key of the revelation, ordinances, oracles, powers and endowments of the fullness of the Melchisedec Priesthood and of the kingdom of God on the earth ; and to receive, obtain, and perform all the ordinances belonging to the kingdom of God, even unto the turning of the hearts of the fathers unto the children, and the hearts of the children unto the fathers, even those who are in heaven.
Malachi says, *'I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord : and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."
Now, what I am after is the knowledge of God, and I take my own course to obtain it. What are we to understand by this in the last days?
In the days of Noah, God destroyed the
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world by a flood, and He has promised to de- stroy it by fire in the last days : but before it should take place, Elijah should first come and turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, &c.
Now comes the point. What is this office and work of Elijah? It is one of the greatest and most important subjects that God has re- vealed. He should send Elijah to seal the chil- dren to the fathers, and the fathers to the chil- dren.
Now was this merely confined to the living, to settle difficulties with families on earth? By no means. It was a far greater work. Eli- jah! what would you do if you were here? Would you confine your work to the living alone? No; I would refer you to the Scrip- tures, where the subject is manifest : that is, without us, they could not be made perfect, nor we without them ; the fathers without the children, nor the children without the fathers.
I wish you to understand this subject, for it is important ; and if you will receive it, this is the spirit of Elijah, that we redeem our dead, and connect ourselves with our fathers which are in heaven, and seal up our dead to come forth in the first resurrection ; and here we want the power of Elijah to seal those who dwell on earth to those who dwell in heaven. This is the power of Elijah and the keys of the kingdom of Jehovah.
Let us suppose a case. Suppose the great God who dwells in heaven should reveal Him-
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self to Father Cutler here, by the opening heavens, and tell him, "1 offer up a decree that whatsoever you seal on earth with your decree, I will seal it in heaven ; you have the power then ; can it be taken off? No. Then what you seal on earth, by the keys of Elijah, is sealed in heaven ; and this is the power of Elijah, and this is the difference between the spirit and power of Elias and Elijah; for while the spirit of Elias is a forerunner, the power of Elijah is sufficient to make our calling and election sure; and the same doctrine, where we are ex- horted to go on to perfection, not laying again the fotmdation of repentance from dead works, and of laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, &c.
We cannot be perfect without the fathers, &c. We must have revelation from them, and we can see that the doctrine of revelation far transcends the doctrine of no revelation ; for one truth revealed from heaven is worth all the sectarian notions in existence.
This spirit of Elijah was manifest in the days of the apostles, in delivering certain ones to the buffetings of Satan, that they might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. They were sealed by the spirit of Elijah unto the damnation of hell until the day of the Lord, or revelation of Jesus Christ.
Here is the doctrine of election that the world has quarreled so much about; but they do not know anything about it.
The doctrine that the Presbyterians and
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Methodists have quarreled so much about — once in grace, always in grace, or falling away from grace, I will say a word about. They are both wrong. Truth takes a road between them both, for while the Presbyterian says "once in grace, you cannot fall ;" the Methodist says : "You can have grace to day, fall from it to- morrow, next day have grace again ; and so fol- low on, changing continually." But the doc- trine of the Scriptures and the spirit of Elijah would show them both false, and take a road between them both ; for, according to the Scripture, if men have recived the good word of God, and tasted of the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, it is impos- sible to renew them again, seeing they have cucified the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame ; so there is a possibility of falling away; you could not be renewed again, and the power of Elijah cannot seal against this sin, for this is a reserve made in the seals and power of the Priesthood. * * *
A murderer, for instance, one that sheds in- nocent blood, cannot have forgiveness. David sought repentance at the hand of God carefully with tears, for the murder of Uriah; but he could only get it through hell ; he got a prom- ise that his soul should not be left in hell.
Although David was a king, he never did obtain the spirit and power of Elijah and the fullness of the Priesthood ; and the Priesthood that he received, and the throne and kingdom of David is to be taken from him and given
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to another by the name of David in the last days, raised up out of his lineage.
Peter referred to the same subject on the day of Pentecost, but the multitude did not get the endowment that Peter had ; but several days after, the people asked "What shall we do?" Peter says, "I would ye had done it ig- norantly," speaking of crucifying the Lord, &c. He did not say to them, "Repent and be bap- tized, for the remission of your sins;" but he said, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the pres- ence of the Lord." (Acts 3 :19.)
This is the case with murderers. They could not be baptized for the remission of sins for they had shed innocent blood.
Again : The doctrine or sealing power of Elijah is as follows : — if you have power to seal on earth and in heaven, then we should be wise. The first thing you do, go and seal on earth your sons and daughters unto yourself, and yourself unto your fathers in eternal glory. * * * I will walk through the gate of heav- en and claim what I seal, and those that fol- low me and my counsel.
The spirit of Elias is first, Elijah second, and Messiah last. Elias is a forerunner to prepare the way, and the spirit and power of Elijah is to come after, holding the keys of power, build- ing the Temple to the capstone, placing the seals of the Melchisedec Priesthood upon the house of Israel, and making all things ready;
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then Messiah comes to His Temple, which is last of all.
Messiah is above the spirit and power of Elijah, for He made the world, and was that spiritual rock unto Moses in the wilderness. Elijah was to come and prepare the way and build up the kingdom before the coming of the great day of the Lord, although the spirit of Elias might begin it. — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 249.
Election — He then spoke on the subject of election, and read the 9th chapter of Romans, from vs^hich it is evident that the election there spoken of was pertaining to the flesh, and had reference to the seed of Abraham, according to the promise of God made to Abraham, say- ing, "In thee, and in thy seed, all the families of the earth shall be blessed." To them be- longed the adoption and the covenants, &c. Paul said, when he saw their unbelief, "I wish myself accursed" — according to the flesh — not according to the spirit. Why did God say to Pharaoh, ''For this cause have I raised thee up"? Because Pharaoh was a fit instrument — a wicked man, and had committed acts of cru- elty of the most atrocious nature. The election of the promised seed still continues, and in the last day, they shall have the Priesthood re- stored unto them, and they shall be the ''saviors on Mount Zion," the ministers of our God; if it were not for the remnant which was left, then might men now be as Sodom and Gomor- rah. The whole of the chapter had reference to
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the Priesthood and the house of Israel ; and unconditional election of individuals to eternal life was not taught by the Apostles. God did elect or predestinate, that all those who would be saved, should be saved in Christ Jesus, and through obedience to the Gospel : but He passes over no man's sins, but visits them with cor- rection, and if His children will not repent of their sins He will discard them. — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 359.
End of the WorldJ Meaning of — The end of
the world is the destruction of the wicked, the harvest and the end of the world have an al- lusion directly to the human family in the last days, instead of the earth, as many have im- agined ; and that which shall precede the com- ing of the Son of Man, and the restitution of all things spoken of by the mouth of a^ll the holy prophets since the world began; and the angels are to have something to do in this great work, for they are the reap- ers. As, therefore, the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of the world ; that is, as the servants of God go forth warning the nations, both priests and people, and as they harden their hearts and re- ject the light of truth, these first being deliv- ered over to the buffetings of Satan, and the law and the testimony being closed up, as it Vv^as in the case of the Jews, they are left in darkness, and delivered over unto the day of burning; thus being bound up by their creeds, and their bands being made strong by their
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priests, are prepared for the fulfillment of the saying of the Savior — ''The Son of Man shall send forth His angels, and gather out of His Kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire, there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 271.
Evangelist — An Evangelist is a Patriarch, even the oldest man of the blood of Joseph or of the seed of Abraham. Wherever the Church of Christ is established in the earth, there should be a Patriarch for the benefit of the posterity of the Saints, as it was with Jacob in giving his patriarchal blessing unto his sons, &c.— History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 381.
Evil, Individual Responsibility for — He com- menced his observations by remarking that the kindness of our Heavenly Father called for our heartfelt gratitude. He then observed that Satan was generally blamed for the evils which we did, but if he was the cause of all our wick- edness, men could not be condemned. The devil could not compel mankind to do evil ; all was voluntary. Those who resisted the Spirit of God, would be liable to be led into tempta- tion, and then the association of heaven would be withdrawn from those who refused to be made partakers of such great glory. God would not exert any compulsory means, and the devil could not; and such ideas as were entertained [on these subjects] by many were
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absurd. The creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but Christ subjected the same in hope — all are subjected to vanity while they travel through the crooked paths and diffi- culties which surround them. AVhere is the man that is free from vanity? None ever were perfect but Jesus; and why was He perfect? Because He was the Son of God, and had the fullness of the Spirit, and greater power than any man. But notwithstanding their vanity, men look forward with hope (because they are "subjected in hope") to the time of their de- liverance.— History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 358.
Faith— See Articles of Faith.
Faith, How it Comes — Faith comes by hear- ing the word of God, through the testimony of the servants of God ; that testimony is al- ways attended by the spirit of prophecy and revelation. — History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 379.
Faith and its Fruits — Faith comes by hear- ing the word of God. If a man has not faith enough to do one thing, he may have faith to do another: if he cannot remove a mountain, he may heal the sick. Where faith is there will be some of the fruits : all gifts and power which were sent from heaven, were poured out on the heads of those who had faith. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 355.
Faith and Spiritual Gifts — Because faith is wanting, the fruits are. No man since the
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world was had faith without having something along with it. The ancients quenched the vio- lence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, women received their dead, &c. By faith the worlds were made. A man who has none of the gifts has no faith ; and he deceives himself, if he supposes he has. Faith has been want- ing, not only among the heathen, but in pro- fessed Christendom also, so that tongues, heal- ings, prophecy, and prophets and apostles, and all the gifts and blessings have been wanting. —History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 218.
Freedom of Belief — I want the liberty of thinking and believing as I please. It feels so good not to be trammelled. It does not prove that a man is not a good man because he errs in doctrine. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 340.
Gathering of Israel, Preparations for — Pes- tilence, hail, famine, and earthquake will sweep the wicked of this generation from off the face of the land, to open and prepare the way for the return of the lost tribes of Israel from the north country. The people of the Lord, those who have complied with the requirements of the new covenant, have already commenced gathering together to Zion, which is in the state of Missouri ; therefore I declare unto you the warning which the Lord has commanded me to declare unto this generation, remembering that the eyes of my Maker are upon me, and that to Him I am accountable for every word
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I say, wishing nothing worse to my fellow- men than their eternal salvation ; therefore, "Fear God, and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come." Repent ye, repent ye, and embrace the everlasting covenant, and flee to Zion, before the overflowing scourge overtake you, for there are those now living upon the earth whose eyes shall not be closed in death until they see all these things, which I have spoken, fulfilled. — History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 315.
Gathering of Israel, The Time of — The time has at last arrived when the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has set His hand again the second time to recover the remnants of His people, which have been left from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Gush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea, and with them to bring in the fullness of the Gen- tiles, and establish that covenant with them, which was promised when their sins should be taken away. See Isaiah 11; Romans 11:25, 26 and 27, and also Jeremiah 31 : 31, 32 and 33. This covenant has never been established with the house of Israel, nor with the house of Ju- dah, for it requires two parties to make a cove- nant, and those two parties must be agreed, or no covenant can be made.
Ghrist, in the days of His flesh, proposed to make a covenant with them, but they rejected Him and His proposals, and in consequence
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thereof, they were broken off, and no covenant was made with them at that time. But their unbelief has not rendered the promise of God of none effect; no, for there was another day limited in David, which was the day of His power; and then His people, Israel, should be a willing people ; — and He would write His law in their hearts, and print it in their thoughts; their sins and their iniquities He would remem- ber no more. — History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 313.
Gathering of Israel, Purpose of — This subject was presented to me since I came to the stand. What was the object of gathering the Jews, or the people of God in any age of the world? I can never find much to say in expounding a text. A man never has half so much fuss to unlock a door, if he has a key, as though he had not, and had to cut it open with his jack-knife.
The main object was to build unto the Lord a house whereby He could reveal unto His people the ordinances of His house and the glories of His kingdom, and teach the people the way of salvation ; for there are certain ordinances and principles that when they are taught and prac- ticed, must be done in a place or house built for that purpose.
It was the design of the councils of heaven before the world was, that the principles and laws of the priesthood should be predicated upon the gathering of the people in every age of the world. Jesus did everything to gather
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the people, and they would not be gathered, and He therefore poured out curses upon them. Or- dinances instituted in the heavens before the foundation of the world, in the priesthood, for the salvation of men, are not to be altered or changed. All must be saved on the same prin- ciples.
It is for the same purpose that God gathers together His people in the last days, to build unto the Lord a house to prepare them for the ordinances and endowments, washings and anointings, &c. One of the ordinances of the house of the Lord is baptism for the dead. God decreed before the foundation of the world that that ordinance should be administered in a font prepared for that purpose in the house of the Lord. "This is only your opinion, sir," says the sectarian. ^ * ^
If a man gets a fullness of the priesthood of God, he has to get it in the same way that Jesus Christ obtained it, and that was by keep- ing all the commandments and obeying all the ordinances of the house of the Lord.
Where there is no change of priesthood, there is no change of ordinances, says Paul, if God has not changed the ordinances and the priest- hood. Howl, ye sectarians ! If he has, when and where has He revealed it? Have ye turned revelators? Then why deny revelation? * "
The doctrine of baptism for the dead is clear- ly shown in the New Testament; and if the doctrine is not good, then throw the New Tes- tament away ; but if it is the word of God, then
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let the doctrine be acknowledged; and it was the reason why Jesus said unto the Jews, "How oft would I have gathered thy children to- gether, even as a hen gathereth her chickens un- der her wings, and ye would not!" — that they might attend to the ordinances of baptism for the dead as well as other ordinances of the priesthood, and receive revelations from heav- en, and be perfected in the things of the king- dom of God— but they would not. This was the case on the day of Pentecost: those bless- ings were poured out on the disciples on that occasion. God ordained that He would save the dead, and would do it by gathering His peo- ple together. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 423.
Gathering of Saints in Last Days — All that the prophets have written, from the days of righteous Abel, down to the last man that has left any testimony on record for our con- sideration, in speaking of the salvation of Is- rael in the last days, goes directly to show that it consists in the work of the gathering.
First, I shall begin by quoting from the prophecy of Enoch, speaking of the last days : ''Righteousness will I send down out of heav- en, and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten, His resurrection from the dead (this resurrection I understand to be the corporeal body) ; yea, and also the resurrection of all men ; righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine own elect from
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the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, a holy city, that my peo- ple may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming, for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a new Jerusalem." (Pearl of Great Price, ch. 7:62, 1902 edition.)
Now I understand by this quotation, that God clearly manifested to Enoch the redemp- tion which He prepared, by offering the Mes- siah as a Lamb slain from before the founda- tion of the world ; and by virtue of the same, the glorious resurrection of the Savior, and the resurrection of all the human family, even a resurrection of their corporeal bodies, is brought to pass ; and also righteousness and truth are to sweep the earth as with a flood. And now, I ask, how righteousness and truth are going to sweep the earth as with a flood? I will answer. Men and angels are to be co- workers in bringing to pass this great work, and Zion is to be prepared, even a New Jeru- salem, for the elect that are to be gathered from the four quarters of the earth, and to be es- tablished a holy city, for the tabernacle of the Lord shall be with them.
Now Enoch was in good company in his views upon this subject: "And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying. Behold, the taber- nacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God." (Revelation 21 :3.)
i
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I discover by this quotation, that John upon the isle of Patmos, saw the same things con- cerning the last days, which Enoch saw. But before the tabernacle can be with men, the elect must be gathered from the four quarters of the earth. And to show further upon this sub- ject of the gathering, Moses, after having pro- nounced the blessing and cursing upon the children of Israel, for their obedience or dis- obedience, says thus :
"And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind, among all the nations whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee, and shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and shalt obey His voice, according to all that I com- mand thee, this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee. If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will He fetch thee." (Deut. 30:1-4.)
It has been said by many of the learned and wise men, or historians, that the Indians or ab- origines of this continent, are of the scattered tribes of Israel. It has been conjectured by many others, that the aborigines of this conti- nent are not of the tribes of Israel, but the ten
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tribes have been led away into some unknown regions of the north. Let this be as it may, the prophecy I have just quoted ''will fetch them," in the last days, and place them in the land which their fathers possessed. And you will find in the 7th verse of the 30th chapter, quoted, ''And the Lord thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee."
Many may say that this scripture is fulfilled, but let them mark carefully what the prophet says : "If any are driven out unto the utmost parts of heaven," (which must mean the breadth of the earth). Now this promise is good to any, if there should be such, that are driven out, even in the last days, therefore, the children of the fathers have claim unto this day. And if these curses are to be laid over on the heads of their enemies, woe be unto the Gen- tiles. (See Book of Mormon, III Nephi, ch. 16, current edition.) "Woe unto the unbeliev- ing of the Gentiles, saith the Father." And again, (see Book of Mormon, III Nephi 20:22, current edition, which says), "Behold this peo- ple will I establish in this land, unto the fulfill- ing of the covenant which I made with your father Jacob, and it shall be a New Jerusalem." Now we learn from the Book of Mormon the very identical continent and spot of land upon which the New Jerusalem is to stand, and it must be caught up according to the vision of John upon the isle of Patmos.
Now many will feel disposed to say, that this
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New Jerusalem spoken of, is the Jenisalem that was built by the Jews on the eastern conti- nent. But you will see, from Revelation 21 :2, there was a New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, adorned as a bride for her husband; that after this, the Revelator was caught away in the Spirit, to a great and high mountain, and saw the great and holy city de- scending out of heaven from God. Now there are two cities spoken of here. As everything cannot be had in so narrow a compass as a letter, I shall say with brevity, that there is a New Jerusalem to be established on this conti- nent, and also Jerusalem shall be rebuilt on the eastern continent (see Book of Mormon, Ether 13 :1-12). ''Behold, Ether saw the days of Christ, and he spake also concerning the house of Is- rael, and the Jerusalem from whence Lehi should come; after it should be destroyed, it should be built up again, a holy city unto the Lord, wherefore it could not be a New Jeru- salem, for it had been in a time of old." This may suffice, upon the subject of gathering, un- til my next. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 260.
Gentiles Grafted in — Thus after this chosen family had rejected Christ and His proposals, the heralds of salvation said to them, "Lo we turn unto the Gentiles;" and the Gentiles re- ceived the covenant, and were grafted in from whence the chosen family were broken off : but the Gentiles have not continued in the good-
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ness of God, but have departed from the faith that was once delivered to the Saints, and have broken the covenant in which their fath- ers were established (see Isaiah 24:5); and have become higli-minded, and have not feared ; therefore, but few of them will be gathered with the chosen family. Have not the pride, high-mindedness, and unbelief of the Gentiles, provoked the Holy One of Israel to withdraw His Holy Spirit from them, and send forth His judgments to scourge them for their wick- edness? This is certainly the case.
Christ said to His disciples (Mark 16:17 and 18), that these signs should follow them that believe : — "In my name shall they cast out devils ; they shall speak with new tongues ; they shall take up serpents ; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them ; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall re- cover;" and also, in connection with this, read I Corinthians, 12th chapter. By the forego- ing testimonies we may look at the Christian world and see the apostasy there has been from the apostolic platform ; and can we look at this and not exclaim, in the language of Isaiah, *'The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinances, and broken the everlasting covenant" ?
The plain fact is this, the power of God be- gins to fall upon the nations, and the light of the latter-day glory begins to break forth through the dark atmosphere of sectarian wick-
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edness, and their iniquity rolls up into view, and the nations of the Gentiles are like the waves of the sea, casting up mire and dirt, or all in commotion, and they are hastily prepar- ing to act the part allotted them, when the Lord rebukes the nations, when He shall rule them with a rod of iron, and break them in pieces like a potter's vessel. — History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 313.
Gift of the Holy Ghost— See Holy Ghost.
Gift of Tongues — Be not so curious about tongues ; do not speak in tongues except there be an interpreter present; the ultimate design of tongues is to speak to foreigners, and if persons are very anxious to display their in- telligence, let them speak to such in their own tongues. The gifts of God are all useful in their places, but when they are applied to that which God does not intend, they prove an in- jury, a snare and a curse instead of a bless- ing.— History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 31.
Speak not in the gift of tongues without un- derstanding it, or without interpretation. The devil can speak in tongues; the adversary will come with his work : he can tempt all classes ; can speak in English or Dutch. Let no one speak in tongues unless he interpret, except by the consent of the one who is placed to pre- side; then he may discern or interpret or an- other may. — History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 392.
Gift of Tongues, to be Exercised with Care—
50 JOSEPH smith's teachings.
As to the gift of tongues, all we can say is, that in this place, we have received it as the ancients did : we wish you, however, to be careful, lest in this you be deceived. Guard against evils which may arise from any accounts given by women, or otherwise; be careful in all things lest any root of bitterness spring up among you, and thereby many be defiled. Satan will no doubt trouble you about the gift of tongues unless you are careful; you cannot watch him too closely, nor pray too much. — History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 369.
Gift of Tongues, Purpose of — I read the 13th chapter of First Corinthians, also a part of the 14th chapter, and remarked that the gift of tongues was necessary in the Church ; but that if Satan could not speak in tongues, he could not tempt a Dutchman, or any other nation, but the English, for he can tempt the English- man, for he has tempted me, and I am an Eng- lishman ; but the gift of tongues by the power of the Holy Ghost in the Church, is for the benefit of the servants of God to preach to un- believers, as on the day of Pentecost. When devout men from every nation shall assemble to hear the things of God, let the Elders preach to them in their own mother tongue, whether it is German, French, Spanish or "Irish," or any other, and let those interpret who under- stand the language spoken, in their own mother tongue, and this is what the Apostle meant in First Corinthians 14:27. — Flistory of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 485.
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President Joseph Smith then gave an ex- planation of the gift of tongues, that it was par- ticularly instituted for the preaching of the Gospel to other nations and languages, but it was not given for the government of the Church.
He further said, if Brother Gordon intro- duced the gift of tongues as a testimony against Brother Carpenter, it was contrary to the rules and regulations of the Church, be- cause in all our decisions, we must judge from actual testimony. * * "^
President Smith advised that we speak in our own language in all such matters, and then the adversary cannot lead our minds astray. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 162.
Tongues were given for the purpose of preaching among those whose language is not understood ; as on the day of Pentecost, etc., and it is not necessary for tongues to be taught in the Church particularlv, for any man that has the Holy Ghost, can speak of the things of God in his own tongue as well as to speak in another; for faith comes not by signs, but by hearing the word of God. — His- tory of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 379.
Glory, Degrees of, in Eternal World — From sundry revelations which had been received, it was apparent that many important points touching the salvation of man, had been taken from the Bible, or lost before it was compiled. It appeared self-evident from what truths were left, that if God rewarded everv one accord-
52 JOSEPH smith's teachings.
ing to the deeds done in the body the term "Heaven" as intended for the Saints' eternal home, must include more kingdoms ^than one. Accordingly, on the 16th of February, 1832, while translating St. John's Gospel, myself and Elder Rigdon saw the following vision : [Vision of the Glories, Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. 76].— History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 245.
Glory, Prophet's Views on the Revelation on the Degrees of — Nothing could be more pleas- ing to the Saints upon the order of the King- dom of the Lord, than the light which burst upon the world through the foregoing vision. [The vision of the Glories, Doctrine and Cove- nants, Sec. 76.] Every law, every command- ment, every promise, every truth, and every point touching the destiny of man, from Gen- esis to Revelation, where the purity of the Scriptures remains unsullied by the folly of men, go to shov/ the perfection of the the- ory [of different degrees of glory in the future life] and witnesses the fact that that docu- ment is a transcript from the records of the eternal world. The sublimity of the ideas ; the purity of the language; the scope for ac- tion ; the continued duration for completion, in order that the heirs of salvation may con- fess the Lord and bow the knee; the rewards for faithfulness, and the punishments for sins, are so much beyond the narrow-mindedness of men, that every honest man is constrained to exclaim : *Tt came from God." — History of the Church, Vol 1, p. 252.
JOSEPH smith's teachings. 53
God, Coming in Presence of — It is a great thing to inquire at the hands of God, or to come into His presence ; and we feel fearful to approach Him on subjects that are of little or no consequence, to satisfy the queries of in- dividuals, especially about things the knowl- edge of which men ought to obtain in all sin- cerity, before God, for themselves, in humil- ity by the prayer of faith ; and more espe- cially a Teacher or a High Priest in the Church. I speak these things not by way of reproach, but by way of instruction. — Historv of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 339.
God's Promises not to be Trifled with — Mar- tin Harris having boasted to the brethren that he could handle snakes with perfect safety, while fooling with a black snake with his bare feet, he received a bite on his left foot. The fact was communicated to me, and I took oc- casion to reprove him, and exhort the brethren never to trifle with the promises of God. I told them it was presumption for any one to provoke a serpent to bite him, but if a man of God was accidentally bitten by a poisonous ser- pent, he might have faith, or his brethren might have faith for him, so that the Lord would hear his prayer and he might be healed ; but when a man designedly provokes a serpent to bite him, the principle is the same as when a man drinks deadly poison, knowing it to be such. In that case no man has any claim on the promises of God to be healed. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 95.
54 JOSEPH smith's teachings.
God's Kingdom — See Kingdom of God.
Gods, Plurality of — I have always declared God to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct personage from God the Father, and that the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage and a Spirit: and these three con- stitute three distinct personages and three Gods. If this is in accordance with the New Testament, lo and behold ! we have three Gods anyhow, and they are plural ; and who can con- tradict it?
Our text says, "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father." The Apos- tles have discovered that there were Gods above, for Paul says God was the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. My object was to preach the scriptures, and preach the doctrine they con- tain, there being a God above, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am bold to declare I have taught all the strong doctrines publicly, and always teach stronger doctrines in public than in private.
John was one of the men, and apostles de- clare they w^ere made kings and priests unto God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It reads just so in the Revelation. Hence, the doctrine of a plurality of Gods is as prominent in the Bible as any other doctrine. It is all over the face of the Bible. It stands beyond the power of controversy. A wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein.
Paul says there are Gods many and Lords
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many. I want to set it forth in a plain and simple manner ; but to us there is but one God — that is pertaining to us ; and he is in all and through all. But if Joseph Smith says there are Gods many and Lords many, they cry, "Away with him ! Crucify him ! Crucify him !"
Mankind verily say that the scriptures are with them. Search the scriptures, for they testify of things that these apostates would gravely pronounce blasphemy. Paul, if Jo- seph Smith is a blasphemer, you are. I say there are Gods many and Lords many, but to us only one, and we are to be in subjection to that one, and no man can limit the bounds or the eternal existence of eternal time. Hath he beheld the eternal world, and is he authorized to say that there is only one God? He makes himself a fool if he thinks or says so, and there is an end of his career or progress in knowl- edge. He cannot obtain all knowledge, for he has sealed up the gate to it.
Some say I do not interpret the scripture the same as they do. They say it means the heath- en's gods. Paul says there are Gods many and Lords many; and that makes a plurality of Gods, in spite of the whims of all men. With- out a revelation, I am not going to give them the knowledge of the God of heaven. You know and I testify that Paul had no allusion to the heathen gods. I have it from God, and get over it if you can. I have a witness of the Holy Ghost, and a testimony that Paul had no allusion to the heathen gods in the text. I
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will show from the Hebrew Bible that I am correct, and the first word shows a plurality of Gods ; and I want the apostates and learned men to come here and prove to the contrary, if they can. An unlearned boy must give you a little Hebrew. "Berosheit baurau Eloheim ait aushamayeen vehau auraits," rendered by King James' translators, "In the beginning God cre- ated the heaven and the earth." I v/ant to an- alyze the word "Berosheit." "Rosh," the head ; ''Sheit," a grammatical termination. The "Baith" was not originally put there when the inspired man wrote it, but it has been since added by an old Jew. "Baurau signifies to bring forth ; "Eloheim" is from the word "Eloi," God, in the singular number; and by adding the word "heim," it renders it Gods. It read first, "In the beginning the head of the Gods brought forth the Gods," or, as others have translated it, "The head of the Gods called the Gods together." I want to show a little learning as well as other fools —
A little learning is a dangerous thing, Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring, There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, And drinking largely sobers us up again.
All this confusion among professed trans- lators is for want of drinking another draught.
The head God organized the heavens and the earth. I defy all the world to refute me. In the beginning the heads of the Gods organized the heavens and the earth. Now the learned priests and the people rage, and the heathen
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imagine a vain thing. If we pursue the He- brew text further, it reads, ''Berosheit baurau Eloheim ait aashamayeen vehau auraits" — ''The head one of the Gods said, Let us make a man in our own image." I once asked a learned Jew, 'Tf the Hebrew language compels us to render all words ending in heim in the plural, why not render the first Eloheim plural?" He replied, ''That is the rule with few exceptions; but in this case it would ruin the Bible." He acknowledged I was right. I came here to in- vestigate these things precisely as I believe them. Hear and judge for yourselves ; and if you go av/ay satisfied, well and good.
In the very beginning the Bible shows there is a plurality of Gods beyond the power of refutation. It is a great subject I am dwelling on. The word Eloheim ought to be in the plaural all the way through — Gods. The heads of the Gods appointed one God for us ; and when you take [that] view of the subject, it sets one free to see all the beauty, holiness and perfection of the Gods. All I want is to get the simple, naked truth, and the whole truth.
Many men say there is one God ; the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are only one God ! I say that is a strange God anyhow — three in one, and one in three ! It is a curious organi- zation. "Father, I pray not for the world, but I pray for them which thou hast given me." "Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are." All are to be crammed into
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one God, according to sectarianism. ^ * * * * * ^^ '' ^ ^1^ I ^vant to read the text to you myself — ''I am agreed with the Father and the Father is agreed with me, and we are agreed as one." The Greek shows that it should be agreed. ''Father, I pray for them which Thou hast given me out of the world, and not for those alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word, that they all may be agreed, as Thou, Father, art with me, and I with Thee, that they also may be agreed with us," and all come to dwell in unity, and in all the glory and everlasting burnings of the Gods; and then we shall see as we are seen, and be as our God and He as His Father. I want to reason a little on this subject. I learned it by translating the papy- rus which is now in my house. I learned a testimony concerning Abraham, and he rea- soned concerning the God of heaven. 'Tn or- der to do that," said he, "suppose we have two facts: that supposes another fact may exist — two men on the earth, one wiser than the other, would logically show that another who is wiser than the wisest may exist. Intelligences exist one above another, so that there is no end to them."
If Abraham reasoned thus — If Jesus Christ was the Son of God, and John discovered that God the Father of Jesus Christ had a Father, you may suppose that He had a Father also. Where was there ever a son without a father? And where was there ever a father without first
i
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being a son? Whenever did a tree or anything spring into existence without a progenitor? And everything comes in this way. Paul says that which is earthly is in the likeness of that which is heavenly, Hence if Jesus had a Father, can we not believe that He had a Father also? I despise the idea of being scared to death at such a doctrine, for the Bible is full of it.
I want you to pay particular attention to what I am saying. Jesus said that the Father wrought precisely in the same way as His Father had done before Him. As the Father had done before. He laid down His life, and took it up the same as His Father had done be- fore. He did as He was sent, to lay down His life and take it up again; and then was com- mitted unto Him the keys, &c. I know it is good reasoning.
>tc ^ ^ 5|i ifi ^
I want to stick to my text, to show that when men open their lips against these truths they do not injure me, but injure themselves. To the law and to the testimony, for these prin- ciples are poured out all over the scriptures. When things that are of the greatest impor- tance are passed over by weak-minded men without even a thought, I want to see truth in all its bearings and hug it to my bosom. I believe all that God ever revealed, and I never hear of a man being damned for believing too much ; but they are damned for unbelief.
They found fault with Jesus Christ because He said He was the Son of God, and made
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Himself equal with God. They say of me, like they did of the apostles of old, that I must be put down. What did Jesus say? "Is it not written in your law, I said. Ye are Gods? If He called them Gods unto whom the word of God came, and the scriptures cannot be brok- en, say ye of Him whom the Father had sancti- fied and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I said I am the Son of God?" It was through Him that they drank of the spiritual rock. Of course He would take the honor to Himself. Jesus, if they were called Gods unto whom the word of God came, why should it be thought blasphemy that I should say I am the son of God?
Go and read the vision in the Book of Cove- nants. There is clearly illustrated glory upon glory — one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and a glory of the stars ; and as one star dififereth from another star in glory, even so do they of the telestial world differ in glory, and every man who reigns in celestial glory is a God to his dominions. ^. * *
Paul says, ''There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars ; for one star differeth from another star in glory. So is also the resurrec- tion of the dead." They who obtain a glorious resurrection from the dead, are exalted far above principalities, powers, thrones, domin- ions and angels, and are expressly declared to
JOSEPH smith's teachings. CI
be heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, all having eternal power.
The scriptures are a mixture of very strange doctrines to the Christian world, v/ho are blind- ly led by the blind. I will refer to another scripture. "Now," says God, when He visited Moses in the bush, (Moses was a stammering sort of a boy like me) God said, "Thou shalt be a God unto the children of Israel." God said, "Thou shalt be a God unto Aaron, and he shall be thy spokeman." I believe those Gods that God reveals as Gods to be sons of God, and all can cry, "Abba, Father !" Sons of God who exalt themselves to be Gods, even from before the foundation of the world, arid are the only Gods I have a reverence for.
John said he was a king. "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God, and His Father ; to Him be glory and do- minion forever and ever. Amen." Oh, Thou God who art King of kings and Lord of lords, the sectarian world, by their actions, declare, "We cannot believe Thee."
The old Catholic church traditions are worth m.ore than all you have said. Here is a prin- ciple of logic that most men have no more sense than to adopt. I will illustrate it by ar old apple tree. Here jumps off a branch and says, I am the true tree, and you are corrupt
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If the whole tree is corrupt, are not its branches corrupt? If the Catholic religion is a false religion, how can any true religion come out of it? If the Catholic church is bad, how can any good thing come out of it? The char- acter of the old churches have always been slandered by all apostates since the world be- gan.
I testify again, as the Lord lives, God never will acknowledge any traitors or apostates. Any man who will betray the Catholics will betray you; and if he will betray me, he will betray you. All men are liars who say they are of the true Church without the revelations of Jesus Christ and the Priesthood of Melchis- edec, which is after the order of the Son of God.
It is in the order of heavenly things that God should always send a new dispensation into the world when men have apostatized from the truth and lost the priesthood ; but when men come out and build upon other men's foundations, they do it on their own responsi- bility, without authority from God ; and when the floods come and the winds blow, their foundations will be found to be sand, and their whole fabric will crumble to dust.
Did I build on any other man's foundation? I have got all the truth which the Christian world possessed, and an independent revela- tion in the bargain, and God will bear me off triumphant. I will drop this subject. I wish I could speak for three or four hours ; but it is
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rxot expedient on acccount of the rain : I would still go on, and show you proof upon proofs ; all the Bible is equal in support of this doctrine, one part as another. — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 474.
Godhead, The — There is much said about God and the Godhead. The scriptures say there are Gods many and Lords many, but to us there is but one living and true God, and the heaven of heavens could not contain him ; for he took the liberty to go into other heavens. The teachers of the day say that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God, and they are all in one body and one God. Jesus prayed that those that the Father had given Him out of the world might be made one in them, as they were one; [one in spirit, in mind, in purpose]. If I were to testify that the Chris- tian world were wrong on this point, my testi- mony would be true.
Peter and Stephen testify that they saw the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God. Any person that had seen the heavens opened knows that there are three personages in the heavens who hold the keys of power, and one presides over all.
If any man attempts to refute what I am about to say, after I have made it plain, let him beware.
As the Father hath power in Himself, so hath the Son power in Himself, to lay down His life and take it again, so He has a bod}^ of His own. The Son doeth what He hath seen
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the Father do : then the Father hath some day laid down His life and taken it again ; so He has a body of His own; each one will be in His own body; and yet the sectarian world be- lieve the body of the Son is identical with the Father's.
Gods have an ascendency over the angels who are ministering servants. In the resurrec- tion, some are raised to be ang^els ; others are raised to become Gods. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 426.
Gospel adds to the Good People may Possess
— We do not ask any people to throw away any good they have got; we only ask them to come and get more. What if all the world should embrace this Gospel? They would then see eye to eye, and the blessings of God v/ould be poured out upon the people, which is the desire of my whole heart. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 259.
Happiness — Happiness is the object and de- sign of our existence ; and will be the end there- of, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God. But we cannot keep all the command- ments without first know^ing them, and we can- not expect to know^ all, or more than we now know unless we comply w^th or keep those we have already received. That which is wrong under one circumstance, may be, and often is, right under another.
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God said, "Thou shalt not kill ;" at another time He said "Thou shalt utterly destroy." This is the principle on which the government of heaven is conducted — by revelation adapted to the circumstances in which the children of the kingdom are placed. Whatever God re- quires is right, no matter what it is, although we may not see the reason thereof till long af- ter the events transpire. If we seek first the kingdom of God, all good things will be added. So with Solomon : first he asked wisdom, and God gave it him, and with it every desire of his heart, even things which might be considered abominable to all who understand the order of heaven only in part, but which in reality were right because God gave and sanctioned by spe- cial revelation.
A parent may whip a child, and justly, too, because he stole an apple ; whereas if the child had asked for the apple, and the parent had given it, the child would have eaten it with a better appetite; there would have been no stripes ; all the pleasure of the apple would have been secured, all the misery of stealing lost.
This principle will justly apply to all of God's dealings with His children. Everything that God gives us is lawful and right ; and it is proper that we should enjoy His gifts and blessings whenever and wherever He is dis- posed to bestov/ ; but if we should seize upon those same blessings and enjoyments without law, without revelation, without command-
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ment, those blessings and enjoyments would prove cursings and vexations in the end, and we should have to lie down in sorrow and wailings of everlasting regret. But in obedi- ence there is joy and peace unspotted, unal- loyed; and as God has designed our happiness — and the happiness of all His creatures. He never has — He never will institute an ordi- nance or give a commandment to His people that is not calculated in its nature to promote that happiness which He has designed, and which will not end in the greatest amount of good and glory to those who become the recipi- ents of His law and ordinances. Blessings of- fered, but rejected, are no longer blessings, but become like the talent hid in the earth by the wicked and slothful servant ; the proffered good returns to the giver; the blessing is be- stowed on those who will receive and occupy ; for unto him that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundantly, but unto him that hath not or will not receive, shall be taken away that which he hath, or might have had.
Be wise today; 'tis madness to defer: Next day the fatal precedent may plead. Thus on till wisdom is pushed out of time Into eternity.
Our heavenly Father is more liberal in His views, and boundless in His mercies and bless- ings, than we are ready to believe or receive ; and, at the same time, is more terrible to the workers of iniquity, more awful in the execu- tions of His punishments, and more ready to
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detect ever}^ false way, than we are apt to sup- pose Him to be. He will be inquired of by His children. He says : ''Ask and ye shall re- ceive, seek and ye shall find; but if you will take that which is not your own, or which I have not given you, you shall be rewarded according to your deeds ; but no good thing will I withhold from them who walk uprightly before me, and do my will in all things — who will listen to my voice and to the voice of my servant whom I have sent; for I delight in those who seek diligently to know my pre- cepts, and abide by the law of my kingdom ; for all things shall be made known unto them in mine own due time, and in the end they shall have joy." — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 134.
Healing of the Sick, Ordinance for — What
is the sign of the healing of the sick ? The lay- ing on of hands is the sign or way marked out by James, and the custom of the ancient Saints as ordered by the Lord, and we cannot obtain the blessing by pursuing any other course ex- cept the way marked out by the Lord. What if we should attempt to get the gift of the Holy Ghost through any other means except the signs or way which God hath appointed — would we obtain it? Certainly not; all other means would fail. The Lord says do so and so, and I will bless you. — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 555.
High Council, Instructions for — The High
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Council met at my office, when I taught them principles relating to their duty as a Council, and that they might be guided by the same in future, I ordered it to be recorded as follows: ''That the Council should try no case without both parties being present or having an oppor- tunity to be present; neither should they hear one person's complaint before his case is brought up for trial ; neither should they suf- fer the character of any one to be exposed be- fore the High Council without the person be- ing present and ready to defend him or her- self; that the minds of the councilors be not prejudiced for or against any one whose case they may possibly have to act upon." — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 154.
High Priests — A High Priest is a member of the same Melchisedec Priesthood with the Presidency, but not of the same power or au- thority in the Church. The Seventies are also members of the same Priesthood, [i. e., the High Priesthood], are a sort of traveling coun- cil or Priesthood, and may preside over a church or churches, until a High Priest can be had. The Seventies are to be taken from the quorum of Elders, and are not to be High Priests. They are subject to the direction and dictation of the Twelve, who have the keys of the ministry. And are to preach the Gospel, by the power and influence of the Holy Ghost ; and no man can preach the Gospel without the Holy Ghost. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, r^. 477.
m
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High Priests, Duty of — The duty of a High Priest is to administer in spiritual and holy things, and to hold communion with God ; but not to exercise monarchial government, or to appoint meetings for the Elders without their consent. And again, it is the High Priests' duty to be better qualified to teach principles and doctrines, than the Elders; for the office of Elder is an appendage to the High Priest- hood, and it concentrates and centers in one. And again, the process of laboring with mem- bers : We are to deal with them precisely as the Scriptures direct. If thy brother trespass against thee, take him between him and thee alone; and, if he make thee satisfaction, thou hast saved thy brother; and if not, proceed to take another with thee, etc., and when there is no Bishop, they are to be tried by the voice of the Church; and if an Elder, or a High Priest be present, he is to take the lead in managing the business; but if not, such as have the high- est authority should preside. — History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 338.
Holy Ghost — No man can receive the Holy Ghost without receiving revelations. The Holy Ghost is a revelator. — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 58.
Holy Ghost and Gift of Holy Ghost — There is a difiference between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized, which was the convincing power of God unto him of
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the truth of the Gospel, but he could not re- ceive the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he was baptized. Had he not taken this sign or ordinance upon him, the Holy Ghost which convinced him of the truth of God, would have left him. Until he obeyed these ordinances and received the gift of the Holy Ghost, by the lay- ing on of hands, according to the order of God, he could not have healed the sick or com- manded an evil spirit to come out of a man, and it obey him ; for the spirits might say unto him, as they did to the sons of Sceva: "Paul we know and Jesus we know, but who are ye?" It mattereth not whether we live long or short on the earth after we come to a knowledge of these principles and obey them unto the end. I know that all men will be damned if they do not come in the way which He hath opened, and this is the way marked out by the word of the Lord. — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 555.
Holy Ghost, Gift of — Various and conflict- ing are the opinions of men in regard to the gift of the Holy Ghost. Some people have been in the habit of calling every supernatural manifestation the effects of the Spirit of God, whilst there are others that think there is no manifestation connected with it at all ; and that it is nothing but a mere impulse of the mind, or an inward feeling, impression, or secret testimony or evidence, which men possess, and that there is no such a thing as an outward manifestation.
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It is not to be wondered at that men should be ignorant, in a great measure, of the princi- ples of salvation, and more especially of the nature, office, power, influence, gifts, and bless- ings of the gift of the Holy Ghost; when we consider that the human family have been en- veloped in gross darkness and ignorance for many centuries past, without revelation, or any just criterion [by which] to arrive at a knowl- edge of the things of God, which can only be known by the Spirit of God. Hence it not infre- quently occurs, that when the Elders of this Church preach to the inhabitants of the world, that if they obey the Gospel they shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, that the people ex- pect to see some wonderful manifestation, some great display of power, or some extraordinary miracle performed ; and it is often the case that young members of this Church for want of bet- ter information, carry along with them their old notions of things, and sometimes fall into egre- gious errors. We have lately had some infor- mation concerning a few members that are in this dilemma, and for their information make a few remarks upon the subject.
We believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost being enjoyed now, as much as it was in the Apostles' days; we believe that it [the gift of the Holy Ghost] is necessary to make and to organize the Priesthood, that no man can be called to fill any office in the ministry with- out it; we also believe in prophecy, in tongues, in visions, and in revelations, in gifts, and in
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healings; and that these things cannot be en- joyed without the gift of the Holy Ghost. We believe that the holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, and that holy men in these days speak by the same princi- ple ; we believe in its being a comforter and a v/itness bearer, that it brings things past to our remembrance, leads us into all truth, and shows us of things to come; we believe that "no man can know that Jesus is the Christ, but by the Holy Ghost." We believe in it [this gift of the Holy Ghost] in all its fullness, and power, and greatness, and glory ; but whilst we do this, we believe in it rationally, consistent- ly, and scripturally, and not according to the wild vagaries, foolish notions and traditions of men.
The human family are very apt to run to extremes, especially in religious matters, and hence people in general, either Avant some mir- aculous display, or they will not believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost at all. If an Elder lays his hands upon a person, it is thought by many that the person must immediately rise and speak in tongues and prophesy; this idea is gathered from the circumstance of Paul laying his hands upon certain individuals who had been previously (as they stated) baptized unto John's baptism ; Avhich when he had done, they "spake in tongues and prophesied." Phillip also, when he had preached the Gospel to the inhabitants of the city of Samaria, sent for Peter and John, who when they came laid
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their hands upon them for the gift of the Holy- Ghost; for as yet he was fallen upon none of them ; and when Simon Magus saw that through the laying on of the Apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money that he might possess the same power, (Acts 8.) These passages are considered by many as affording sufficient evidence for some miraculous, visible manifestation, whenever hands are laid on for the gift of the Holy Ghost. We believe that the Holy Ghost is imparted by the laying on of hands of those in author- ity, and that the gift of tongues, and also the gift of prophecy are gifts of the Spirit, and are obtained through that medium; but then to say that men alwa3^s prophesied and spoke in tongues when they had the imposition of hands, would be to state that which is untrue, con- trary to the practice of the Apostles, and at variance with holy writ; for Paul says, "To one is given the gift of tongues, to another the gift of prophecy, and to another the gift of heal- ing;" and again: ''Do all prophesy? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?" evident- ly showing that all did not possess these sev- eral gifts; but that one received one gift, and another received another gift — all did not prophesy, all did not speak in tongues, all did not work miracles ; but all did receive the gift of the Holy Ghost ; sometimes they spake in tongues and prophesied in the Apostles' days, and sometimes they did not. The same is the case with us also in our administrations, while
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more frequently there is no manifestation at all ; that is visible to the surrounding multitude; this will appear plain when we consult the writings of the Apostles, and notice their pro- ceedings in relation to this matter. Paul, in 1st Cor. 12, says, "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignor- ant;" it is evident from this, that some of them were ignorant in relation to these matters, or they would not need instruction.
Again in chapter 14, he says, ''Follow after charity and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy." It is very evident from these Scriptures that many of them had not spiritual gifts, for if they had spiritual gifts where was the necessity of Paul telling them to follow after them, and it is as evident that they did not all receive those gifts by the imposition of the hands; for they as a Church had been baptized and confirmed by the laying on of hands — and yet to a Church of this kind, under the immediate inspection and superin- tendency of the Apostles, it was necessary for Paul to say, ''Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may proph- esy," evidently showing that those gifts were in the Church, but not enjoyed by all in their outward manifestations.
But suppose the gifts of the Spirit were im- mediately, upon the imposition of hands, en- joyed by all, in all their fullness and power ; the skeptic would still be as far from receiving any testimony except upon a mere casualty as be-
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fore, for all the gifts of the Spirit are not vis- ible to the natural vision, or understanding of man; indeed very few of them are. We read that "Christ ascended into heaven and gave gifts unto men; and He gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers." (Eph. 4.)
The Church is a compact body composed of different members, and is strictly analogous to the human system, and Paul, after speaking of the different gifts, says, "Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular; and God hath set some in the Church, first Apostles, secondarily Prophets, thirdly Teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, gov- ernments, diversities of tongues. Are all Teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?" It is evident that they do not; yet are they all members of one body. All members of the natural body are not the eye, the ear, the head, or the hand — yet the eye cannot say to the ear I have no need of thee, nor the head to the foot, I have no need of thee; they are all so many component parts in the perfect machine — the one body ; and if one member suffer, the whole of the members suffer with it: and if one mem- ber rejoice, all the rest are honored with it.
These, then, are all gifts ; they come from God ; they are of God ; they are all the gifts of the Holy Ghost; they are what Christ ascended into heaven to impart ; and yet how few of them could be known by the generality of men.
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Peter and John were Apostles, yet the Jewish court scourged them as impostors. Paul was both an Apostle and Prophet, yet they stoned him and put him into prison. The people knew nothing about it, although he had in his pos- session the gift of the Holy Ghost. Our Savior was "anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows," yet so far from the people know- ing Him, they said He was Beelzebub, and cru- cified Him as an impostor. Who could point out a Pastor, a Teacher, or an Evangelist by their appearance, yet had they the gift of the Holy Ghost.
But to come to the other members of the Church, and examine the gifts as spoken of by Paul, and we shall find that the world can in general know nothing about them, and that there is but one or two that could be imme- diately known, if they were all poured out im- mediately upon the imposition of hands. In I Cor. 12, Paul says, "There are diversities of gifts yet the same spirit, and there are differ- ences of administrations but the same Lord; and there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given unto every man to profit withal. For to one is given, by the Spirit, the word of wisdom, to another, the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith, by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing, by the same Spirit ; to an- other the working of miracles; to another prophecy ; to another the discerning of spirits ;
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to another divers kinds of tongues ; to aonther the interpretation of tongues. But all these worketh that one and the self same Spirit, di- viding to each man severally as he will."
There are several gifts mentioned here, yet which of them all could be known by an ob- server at the imposition of hands? The word of wisdom, and the word of knowledge, are as much gifts as any other, yet if a person pos- sessed both of these gifts, or received them by the imposition of hands, who would know it? Another might receive the gift of faith, and they would be as ignorant of it. Or suppose a man had the gift of healing or power to work m.iracles, that would not then be known ; it would require time and circumstances to call these gifts into operation. Suppose a man had the discerning of spirits, who would be the wiser for it? Or if he had the interpretation of tongues, unless someone spoke in an unknown tongue, he of course would have to be silent ; there are only two gifts that could be made visible — the gift of tongues and the gift of prophecy. These are things that are the most talked about, and yet if a person spoke in an unknown tongue, according to Paul's testi- mony, he would be a barbarian to those pres- ent. They v/ould say that it vv^as gibberish ; and if he prophesied they would call it nonsense. The gift of tongues is the smallest gift per- haps of the whole, and yet it is one that is the most sought after.
So that according to the testimony of Scrip-
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ture and the manifestations of the Spirit in an- cient days, very little could be known about it by the surrounding multitude, except on some extraordinary occasion, as on the day of Pente- cost.
The greatest, the best, and the most useful gift would be known nothing about by an ob- server. It is true that a man might prophesy, which is a great gift, and one that Paul told the people — the Church — to seek after and to covet, rather than to speak in tongues ; but what does the world know about prophesy- ing? Paul says that it "serveth only to those that believe." But does not the Scriptures say that they spake in tongues and prophesied? Yes ; but who is it that v/rites these Scriptures? Not the men of the world or mere casual ob- servers, but the Apostles — men who knew one gift from another, and of course were capable of writing about it ; if we had the testimony of the Scribes and Pharisees concerning the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pente- cost, they would have told us that it was no gift, but that the people were "drunken with new wine," and we shall finally have to come to the same conclusion that Paul did — "No man knows the things of God but by the Spirit of God;" for with the great revelations of Paul v/hen he was caught up into the third heaven and saw things that wxre not lawful to utter, no man was apprised of it until he mentioned it himself fourteen years after ; and when John had the curtains of heaven withdrawn, and by
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vision looked through the dark vista of future ages, and contemplated events that should transpire throughout every subsequent period of time, until the final winding up scene — while he gazed upon the glories of the eternal world, saw an innumerable company of angels and heard the voice of God — it was in the Spirit, on the Lord's day, unnoticed and unob- served by the world.
The manifestations of the gift of the Holy Ghost, the ministering of angels, or the devel- opment of the power, majesty or glory of God were very seldom 'manifes.ted publicly, and that generally to the people of God, as to the Israelites; but most generally when angels have come, or God has revealed Himself, it has been to individuals in private, in their cham- ber ; in the wilderness or fields, and that gen- erally without noise or tumult. The angel de- livered Peter out of prison in the dead of night ; came to Paul unobserved by the rest of the crew; appeared to Mary and Elizabeth with- out the knowledge of others ; spoke to John the Baptist whilst the people around were ig- norant of it.
V/hen Elisha saw the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof, it was unknown to oth- ers. When the Lord appeared to Abraham it was at his tent door ; when the angels went to Lot, no person knew them but himself, which was the case probably with Abraham and his wife ; when the Lord appeared to Moses, it was in the burning bush, in the tabernacle, or in
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the mountain top; when Elijah was taken in a chariot of fire, it was unobserved by the world ; and when he was in a cleft of a rock, there was loud thunder, but the Lord was not in the thunder; there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and then there was a still small voice, which was the voice of the Lord, saying, "What doest thou hear, Elijah?"
The Lord cannot always be known by the thunder of His voice, by the display of His glory or by the manifestation of His power; and those that are the most anxious to see these things, are the least prepared to meet jthem, and were the Lord to manifest His power as He did to the children of Israel, such characters v/ould be the first to say, "Let not the Lord speak any more, lest we His people die."
We would say to the brethren, seek to know God in your closets, call upon Him in the fields. Follow the directions of the Book of Mormon, and pray over and for your families, your cat- tle, your flocks, your herds, your corn, and all things that you possess ; ask the blessing of God upon all your labors, and everything that you engage in. Be virttious and ptire ; be men of integrity and truth ; keep the command- ments of God; and then you will be able more perfectly to understand the difference between right and wrong — between the things of God and the things of men ; and your path will be like that of the just, which shineth brighter and
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brighter unto the perfect day." — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 26.
The gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, cannot be revealed through the medi- um of any other principle than the principle of righteousness, for if the proposals are not com- plied with, it is of no use, but withdraws. — History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 379.
Humility Becoming to Saints — If there are any among you who aspire after their own aggrandizement, and seek their own opulence, while their brethren are groaning in poverty, and are under sore trials and temptations, they cannot be benefited by the intercession of the Holy Spirit, which maketh intercession for us day and night vv^ith groanings that cannot be uttered.
We ought at all times to be very careful that such high-mindedness shall never have place in our hearts ; but condescend to men of low estate, and with all long-suffering bear the in- firmities of the weak. — History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 299.
Humility and Brotherhood — Again, let the Twelve and all Saints be willing to confess all their sins, and not keep back a part ; and let the Twelve be humble, and not be exalted, and beware of pride, and not seek to excel one above another, but act for each other's good, and pray for one another, and honor our brother or make honorable mention 6f his
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name, and not backbite and devour our brother. Why will not man learn wisdom by precept at this late age of the world, when we have such a cloud of witnesses and examples before us, and not be obliged to learn by sad experi- ence ever3^thing we know?
When the Twelve or any other witnesses stand before the congregations of the earth, and they preach in the power and demonstra- tion of the Spirit of God, and the people are astonished and confounded at the doctrine, and say, ''That man has preached a powerful dis- course, a great sermon," then let that man or those men take care that they do not ascribe the glory unto themselves, but be careful that they are humble, and ascribe the praise and glory to God and the Lamb ; for it is by the power of the Holy Priesthood and the Holy Ghost that they have povv^er thus to speak. —History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 383.
Israel — See Gathering of Israel.
Immortality, Conditions of — God Almighty, Himself dwells in eternal fire ; flesh and blood cannot go there, for all corruption is devoured by the fire. Our God is a consuming fire. AVhen our flesh is quickened by the spirit, there wnll be no blood in this tabernacle. Some dwell in higher glory than others. Those who have done wrong always have that wrong gnawing them. Immortality dwells in ever- lasting burnings. * * ^ You cannot go anvwhere but where God can find vou out. All
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men are born to die, and all men must rise; all must enter eternity.
In order for you to receive your children to yourselves you must have a promise — some ordinance ; some blessing, in order to ascend above principalities, or else it may be an angel. They must rise just as they died; we can there hail our lovely infants with the same glory — the same loveliness in the celestial glory, where they all enjoy alike. They differ in stature, in size, the same glorious spirit gives them the likeness of glory and bloom ; the old man with his silvery hairs will glory in bloom and beauty. No man can describe it to you — no man can write it. — History of the Chiirch, Vol. 6, p. 366.
Indians, Policy of Government Respecting —
The Book of Mormon has made known who Israel is, upon this continent. And while we behold the government of the United States gathering the Indians, and locating them upon lands to be their own, how sweet it is to think that they may one day be gathered by the Gos- pel ! — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 358.
The joy that we shall feel, in common with every honest American, and the joy that will eventually fill their bosoms on account of na- tionalizing the Indians, will be reward enough wlien it is shown that gathering them to them- selves, and for themselves, to be associated with themselves, is a wise measure, and it re- flects the highest honor upon our government.
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^lay they all be gathered in peace, and form a happy union among themselves, to which thou- sands may shout, Esto perpetua. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 362.
Infidel, The, and Death-bed Repentance —
What chance is there for infidelity when we are parting with our friends almost daily? None at all. The infidel will grasp at every straw for help until death stares him in the face, and then his infidelity takes its flight, for the realities of the eternal world are resting upon him in mighty power; and when every earthly support and prop fails him, he then sensibly feels the eternal truths of the im- mortality of the soul. We should take warning and not wait for the death-bed to repent, as we see the infant taken away by death, so may the youth and middle-aged, as well as the in- fant be suddenly called into eternity. Let this, then, , prove as a warning to all not to procrastinate repentance, or wait till a death- bed, for it is the will of God that men should repent and serve Him in health, and in the strength and power of his mind in order to secure His blessings, and not wait until he is called to die. — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 553.
Intemperance, Reflections on — I was in- formed today that a man by the name of Clark, who was under the influence of ardent spirits froze to death last night, near this place. How long, O Lord, will this monster intern-
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perance find its victims on the earth ! I fear until the earth is swept with the wrath and indignation of God, and Christ's kingdom be- comes universal. O, come, Lord Jesus, and cut short Thy work in righteousness. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 406.
Jesus Christ's Reign on Earth — While in conversation at Judge Adams' during the eve- ning, I said, Christ and the resurrected Saints will reign over the earth during the thousand years. They will not probably dwell upon the earth, but will visit it when they please, or vv^hen it is necessary to govern it. There will be wicked men on the earth during the thou- sand years. The heathen nations who will not come up to worship will be visited with the judgments of God, and must eventually be de- stroyed from the earth. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 212.
Jesus Christ's Second Coming — Were I go- ing to prophesy, I would say the end [of the world] would not come in 1844, 5, or 6, or in forty years. There are those of the rising gen- eration who shall not taste death till Christ comes.
I was once praying earnestly upon this sub- ject, and a voice said unto me, ''My son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years of age, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man." I was left to draw my own conclusions con- cerning this ; and I took the liberty to conclude that if I did live to that time. He would make
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His appearance. But I do not say whether He will make His appearance or I shall go where He is. I prophesy in the name of the Lord God, and let it be written — the Son of Man will not come in the clouds of heaven till I am eighty-five years old. =!= * * "Yhe coming of the Son of Man never will be — never can be till the judgments spoken of for this hour are poured out : which judgments are commenced. Paul says, "Ye are the children of the light, and not of the darkness, that that day should over- take you as a thief in the night." It is not the design of the Almighty to come upon the earth and crush it and grind it to powder, but He will reveal it to His servants the prophets.
Judah must return, Jerusalem must be re- built, and the temple, and water come out from under the temple, and the waters of the Dead Sea be healed. It will take some time to re- build the walls of the city and the temple, &c., and all this must be done before the Son of Man will make His appearance. There will be wars and rumors of wars, signs in the heavens above and on the earth beneath, the sun turned into darkness and the moon to blood, earth- quakes in divers places, the seas heaving be- yond their bounds ; then will appear one grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But what will the world do? They will say it is a planet, a comet, &c. But the Son of Man will come as the sign of the coming of the Son of Man, which v/ill be as the light of the morning com-
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eth out of the east. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 336.
I have asked the Lord concerning His com- ing ; and while asking the Lord, H^ gave a sign and said, "In the days of Noah I set a bow in the heavens as a sign and token that in any year that the bow should be seen the Lord would not come; but there should be seed time and harvest during that year; but when- ever you see the bow withdrawn, it shall be a token that there shall be famine, pestilence, and great distress among the nations, and that the coming of the Messiah is not far distant."
But I will take the responsibility upon my- self to prophesy in the name of the Lord, that Christ will not come this year, as Father Miller has prophesied, for we have seen the bow ; and I also prophesy, in the name of the Lord, that Christ will not come in forty years ; and if God ever spoke by my mouth, He will not come in that length of time. Brethren, when you go home write this down that it may be remembered.
Jesus Christ never did reveal to any man the precise time that He would come. Go and read the Scriptures, and you cannot find any- thing that specifies the exact hour He will come; and all that say so are false teachers. — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 254.
John the Baptist, Greatness and Mission — The question arose from the saying of Jesus — "Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist;
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but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." How is it that John was con- sidered one of the greatest of prophets? His miracles could not have constitued his great- ness.
First. He was entrusted with a divine mis- sion of preparing the way before the face of the Lord. Whoever had such a trust com- mitted to him before or since? No man.
Secondly. He was entrusted with the im- portant mission, and it was required at his hands, to baptize the Son of Man. Whoever had the honor of doing that? Whoever had so great a privilege and glory? Whoever led the Son of God into the waters of baptism, and had the privilege of beholding the Holy Ghost descend in the form of a dove, or rather in the sign of the dove, in witness of that adminis- tration? The sign of the dove was instituted before the creation of the world, a witness for the Holy Ghost, and the devil cannot come in the sign of a dove. The Holy Ghost is a per- sonage, and is in the form of a personage. It does not confine itself to the form of the dove, but in sign of the dove. The Holy Ghost can- not be transformed into a dove ; but the sign of a dove was given to John to signify the truth of the deed, as the dove is an emblem or token of truth and innocence.
Thirdly. John, at that time, was the only legal administrator in the aflfairs of the king- dom there was then on the earth, and holding the keys of power. The Jews had to obey his
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instrnctions or be damned, by their own law ; and Christ Himself fulfilled all righteousness in becoming obedient to the law which He had given to Moses on the mount, and thereby magnified it and made it honorable, instead of destroying it. The son of Zacharias wrested the keys, the kingdom, the power, the glory from the Jews, by the holy anointing and de- cree of heaven, and these three reasons con- stitute him the greatest prophet born of a woman.
Second question : — How was the least in the kingdom of heaven greater than he?
In reply I asked — Whom did Jesus have ref- erence to as being the least? Jesus was looked upon as having the least claim in God's king- dom, and [seemingly] was least entitled to their credulity as a prophet ; as though He had said — *'He that is considered the least among you is greater than John — that is I mvself." — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 260. "
Judgment, Duty in Passing — Our acts are recorded, and at a future day they will be laid before us, and if we should fail to judge right and injure our fellow-beings, they may there, perhaps, condemn us ; there they are of great consequence, and to me the consequence ap- pears to be of force, beyond anything which I am able to express. Ask yourselves, breth- ren, how much you have exercised yourselves in prayer since you heard of this council; and if you are now prepared to sit in council upon
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the soul of your brother. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 26.
No man is capable of judging a matter, in council, unless his own heart is pure ; and that we frequently are so filled with prejudice, or have a beam in our own eye, that we are not capable of passing right decisions. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 25.
Judgments, False Ideas About — I spoke and explained concerning the uselessness of preach- ing to the world about great judgments, but rather to preach the simple Gospel. Explained concerning the coming of the Son of Man ; also that it is a false idea that the Saints will escape all the judgments, whilst the wicked suffer ; for all flesh is subject to suffer, and ''the righteous shall hardly escape ;" still many of the Saints will escape, for the just shall live by faith ; yet many of the righteous shall fall a prey to disease, to pestilence, etc., by reason of the vv^eakness of the flesh, and yet be saved in the Kingdom of God. So that it is an un- hallowed principle to say that such and such have transgressed because they have been preyed upon by disease or death, for all flesh is subject to death; and the Savior has said, ''Judge not, lest ye be judged." — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 11.
Judgment, Doctrine of Eternal — That the doctrine of eternal judgment was perfectly un- derstood by the Apostles, is evident from sev-
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eral passages of Scripture. Peter preached re- pentance and baptism for the remission of sins to the Jews who had been led to acts of vio- lence and blood by their leaders; but to the rulers he said, ''I would that through ignor- ance ye did it^ as did also those ye ruled." "Re- pent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of re- freshing (redemption) shall come from the presence of the Lord, for He shall send Jesus Christ, who before was preached unto you," &c. The time of redemption here had reference to the time when Christ should come ; then, and not till then, would their sins be blotted out. Why? Because they were murderers, and no murderer hath eternal life. Even David must wait for those timics of refreshing, before he can come forth and his sins be blotted out. For Peter, speaking of him says, "David hath not yet ascended into heaven, for his sepulchre is with us to this day." His remains were then in the tomb. Now, we read that many bodies of the Saints arose at Christ's resurrection, probably all the Saints, but it seems that David did not. Why? Because he had been a mur- derer. If the ministers of religion had a proper understanding of the doctrine of eternal judg- ment, they would not be found attending the m.an who forfeited his life to the injured laws of his country, by shedding innocent blood; for such characters cannot be forgiven, until they have piid the last farthing. The prayers of all the ministers in the world can never close the
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gfates of hell asfainst a murderer. — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 359.
God, the Kingdom of — Some say the kingdom
of God was not set up on the earth until the day of Pentecost, and that John did not preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins ; but I say, in the name of the Lord, that the kingdom of God was set up on the earth from the days of Adam to the present time. Whenever there has been a righteous man on earth unto whom God revealed His word and gave power and authority to administer in His name, and where there is a priest of God — a minister who has power and authority from God to administer in the ordinances of the gos- pel and officiate in the priesthood of God, there is the kingdom of God ; and, in consequence of rejecting the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the prophets whom God hath sent, the judgments of God have rested upon people, cities, and na- tions, in various ages of the world, which was the case with the cities of Sodom and Gomor- rah, that were destroyed for rejecting the Prophets.
Now I will give my testimon}^ I care not for man. I speak boldly and faithfully and with authority. How is it with the kingdom of God? Where did the kingdom of God begin? Where there is no kingdom of God there is no salva- tion. What constitutes the kingdom of God? Where there is a prophet, a priest, or a right- eous man unto whom God gives His oracles,
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there is the kingdom of God; and where the oracles of God are not, there the kingdom of God is not.
In these remarks, I have no allusion to the kingdoms of the earth. We will keep the laws of the land; we do not speak against them; we never have, and we can hardly make mention of the state of Missouri, of our persecutions there. Sic, but what the cry goes forth that we are guilty of larceny, burglary, arson, treason, murder, &c., which is false. We speak of the kingdom of God on the earth, not the kingdoms of men.
The plea of many in this day is, that we have no right to receive revelations ; but if we do not get revelations, we do not have the or- acles of God ; and if they have not the oracles of God, they are not the people of God. But say you. What will become of the world, or the various professors of religion who do not be- lieve in revelation and the oracles of God as continued to His Church in all ages of the world, when He has a people on earth? I tell you, in the name of Jesus Christ, they will be damned; and when you get into the eternal world, you will find it will be so, they cannot escape the damnation of hell.
As touching the Gospel and baptism that John preached, I would say that John came preaching the Gospel for the remission of sins ; he had his authority from God, and the oracles of God were with him, and the kingdom of God for a season seemed to rest with John alone.
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The Lord promised Zacharias that he should have a son who was a descendant of Aaron, the Lord having promised that the priesthood should continue with Aaron and his seed throughout their generations. Let no man take this honor upon himself, except he be called of God, as was Aaron ; and Aaron received his call by revelation. An angel of God also ap- peared unto Zacharias while in the Temple, and told him that he should have a son, whose name should be John, and he should be filled with the Holy Ghost. Zacharias was a priest of God, and officiating in the Temple, and John was a priest after his father, and held the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood, and was called of God to preach the Gospel of the kingdom of God. The Jews, as a nation, having departed from the law of God and the Gospel of the Lord, prepared the way for transferring it to the Gentiles.
But, says one, the kingdom of God could not be set up in the days of John, for John said the kingdom was at hand. But I would ask if it could be any nearer to them than to be in the hands of John. The people need not wait for the days of Pentecost to find the kingdom of God, for John had it with him, and he came forth from the wilderness crying out, "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is nigh at hand," as much as to say, ''Out here I have got the kingdom of God and I am coming after you ; I have got the kingdom of God, and you can get it, and I am coming after you ; and if you don't
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receive it, you will be damned ;" and the scrip- tures represent that all Jerusalem went out unto John's baptism. There was a legal admin- istrator, and those that were baptized were sub- jects for a king; and also the laws and oracles of God were there; therefore the kingdom of God was there; for no man could have better authority to administer than John ; and our Savior submitted to that authority Himself, by being baptized by John ; therefore the kingdom of God was set up on the earth, even in the days of John.
There is a difference between the kingdom of God and the fruits and blessings that flow from the kingdom ; because there were more miracles, gifts, visions, healings, tongues, &c., in the days of Jesus Christ and His apostles, and on the day of Pentecost, than under John's administration, it does not prove by any means that John had not the kingdom of God, any more than it would that a woman had not a milkpan because she had not a pan of milk, for while the pan might be compared to the king- dom, the milk might be compared to the bless- ings of the kingdom.
John was a priest after the order of Aaron, and had the keys of that priesthood, and came forth preaching repentance and baptism for the remission of sins, but at the same time cries out, "There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose," and Christ came according to the words of John, and He was
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greater than John, because He held the keys of the Melchisedek Priesthood and kingdom of God, and had before revealed the priesthood of Moses, yet Christ was baptized by John to fulfill all righteousness ; and Jesus in His teach- ings says, "Upon 'this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." What rock? Revelation.
Again he says, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God ;" and, "heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." If a man is born of water and of the Spirit, he can get into the kingdom of God. It is evident the kingdom of God was on the earth, and John prepared subjects for the kingdom, by preach- ing the Gospel to them and baptizing them, and he prepared the way before the Savior, or came as a forerunner, and prepared subjects for the preaching of Christ; and Christ preached through Jerusalem on the same ground where John had preached ; and when the apostles were raised up, they worked in Jerusalem, and Jesus commanded them to tarry there until they were endowed with power from on high. Had they not work to do in Jerusalem? They did work, and prepared a people for the Pentecost. The kingdom of God was with them before the day of Pentecost, as well as afterwards ; and it was with John, and he preached the same Gospel and baptism that Jesus and the apostles preached after him. The endowment was to
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prepare the disciples for their missions unto the world.
Whenever men can find the will of God and find an administrator legally authorized from God, there is the kingdom of God; but where these are not, the kingdom of God is not. All the ordinances, systems, and administra- tions on the earth are of no use to the children of men, unless they are ordained and authorized of God ; for nothing will save a man but a legal administrator ; for none others will be acknowl- edged either by God or angels. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 256.
Kingdom of God, Seeing and Entering the —
It is one thing to see the Kingdom of God, and another tiling to enter into it. We must have a change of heart to see the kingdom of God, and subscribe the articles of adoption to enter therein. — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 58.
Knowledge Saves Mankind — If you wish to go where God is, you must be like God, or pos- sess the principles which God possesses, for if we are not drawing towards God in principle, we are going from Him and drawing towards the devil. Yes, I am standing in the midst of all kinds of people.
Search your hearts, and see if you are like God. I have searched mine, and feel to repent of all my sins.
We have thieves among us, adulterers, liars, hypocrites. If God should speak from heaven. He would command vou not to steal, not to
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commit adultery, not to covet, nor deceive, but be faithful over a few things. As far as we de- generate from God, we descend to the devil and lose knov/ledge, and without knowledge we cannot be saved, and while our hearts are filled with evil, and we are studying evil, there is no room in our hearts for good, or studying good. Is not God good? Then you be good; if He is faithful, then you be faithful. Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, and seek for every good thing.
The Church must be cleansed, and I proclaim against all iniquity. A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge, for if he does not get knowledge, he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other world, as evil spirits will have more knowledge, and conse- quently more power than many men who are on the earth. Hence it needs revelation to as- sist us, and give us knovvdedge of the things of God.— History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 588.
Law of the Lord — ]\Iy soul delighteth in the law of the Lord, for He forgiveth my sins, and will confound mine enemies. — Historv of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 46.
Lord's Supper, Partaking of it Worthily —
Previous to the administration, I spoke of the propriety of this institution in the Church, and urged the importance of doing it with accep- tance before the Lord, and asked. How long do you suppose a^man may partake of this ordi- nance unworthily, and the Lord not withdraw
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His spirit from him? How long will he thus trifle with sacred things, and the Lord not give him over to the buffetings of Satan until the day of redemption? The Church should know if they are unworthy from time to time to par- take, lest the servants of God be forbidden to administer it. Therefore our hearts ought to be humble, and we to repent of our sins, and put away evil from among us. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 204.
Love, the Principle of — Sectarian priests cry out concerning me, and ask, "Why is it this babbler gains so many followers, and retains them?" I answer. It is because I possess the principle of love. All I can offer the world is a good heart and a good hand.
The Saints can testify whether I am willing to lay down my life for my brethren. If it has been demonstrated that I have been willing to die for a "Mormon." I am bold to declare be- fore heaven that I am just as ready to die in defending the rights of a Presbyterian, a Bap- tist, or a good man of any other denomination ; for the same principle which would trample up- on the rights of the Latter-day Saints would trample upon the rights of the Roman Catho- lics, or of any other denomination who may be unpopular and too weak to defend themselves.
It is a love of liberty which inspires my soul — civil and religious liberty to the whole of the human race. Love of liberty was diffused into my soul by my grandfathers while they dandled
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me on their knees; and shall I want friends? No.
The inquiry is frequently made of me, "Wherein do you differ from others in your re- ligious views?" In reality and essence we do not differ so far in our religious views, but that we could all drink into one principle of love. One of the grand fundamental principles of "Mormonism" is to receive truth, let it come from whence it may.
We believe in the Great Eloheim who sits enthroned in yonder heavens. So do the Pres- byterians. If a skilful mechanic, in taking a welding heat, uses borax, alum, etc., and suc- ceeds in welding together iron or steel more perfectly than any other mechanic, is he not de- serving of praise? And if by the principles of truth I succeed in uniting men of all denomina- tions in the bonds of love, shall I not have at- tained a good object?
If I esteem mankind to be in error, shall I bear them down? No. I will lift them up, and in their own way too, if I cannot persuade them my way is better ; and I will not seek to compel any man to believe as I do, only by the force of reasoning, for truth will cut its own way. Do you believe in Jesus Christ and the Gospel of salvation which He revealed? So do I. Christians should cease wrangling and contending with each other, and cultivate the principles of union and friendship in their midst; and they will do it before the millen- nium can be ushered in and Christ takes pos-
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session of His kingdom. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 498.
Man's Duty to Animal Creation — In pitching my tent we found three massasaugas or prairie rattlesnakes, which the brethren were about to kill, but I said, "Let them alone — don't hurt them ! How will the serpent ever lose its venom, while the servants of God possess the same disposition, and continue to make war upon it? Men must become harmless, before the brute creation ; and when men lose their vicious dispositions and cease to destroy the animal race, the lion and the lamb can dwell together, and the sucking child can play with the serpent in safety." The brethren took the serpents carefully on sticks and carried them across the creek. I exhorted the brethren not to kill a serpent, bird, or an animal of any kind during our journey unless it became necessary in order to preserve ourselves from hunger. — History of the Church. Vol. 2, p. 71.
Man's Relationship to God — All men know that they must die. And it is important that we should understand the reasons and causes of our exposure to the vicissitudes of life and of death, and the designs and purposes of God in our coming into the world, our sufferings here, and our departure hence. What is the object of our coming into existence, then dying and fall- ing away, to be here no more? It is but rea- sonable to suppose that God would reveal something in reference to the matter, and it is a
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subject we ought to study more than any other. We ought to study it day and night, for the world is ignorant in reference to their true con- dition and relation. If we have any claim on our Heavenly Father for anything, it is for knowledge on this important subject. Could we read and comprehend all that has been writ- ten from the days of Adam, on the relation of man to God and the angels in a future state, we should know very little about it. Reading the experience of others, or the revelation given to them, can never give us a comprehensive view of our condition and true relation to God. Knowledge of these things can only be ob- tained by experience through the ordinances of God set forth for that purpose. Could you gaze into heaven five minutes, you would know more than you would by reading all that ever was written on the subject.
We are only capable of comprehending that certain things exist, which we may acquire by certain fixed principles. If men would acquire salvation, they have got to be subject, before they leave this world, to certain rules and prin- ciples, which were fixed by an unalterable de- cree before the world was.
The disappointment of hopes and expecta- tions at the resurrection would be indescribably dreadful.
The organization of the spiritual and heav- enly worlds, and of spiritual and heavenly be- ings, was agreeable to the most perfect order and harmony: their limits and bounds were
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fixed irrevocably, and voluntarily subscribed to in their heavenly estate by themselves, and were by our first parents subscribed to upon the earth. Hence the importance of embracing and subscribing to principles of eternal truth by all men upon the earth that expect eternal life. — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 50.
Marriage an Institution of Heaven — I had an invitation to attend a wedding at Brother Hy- rum Smith's in the evening; also to solemnize the matrimonial ceremony between Newel Knight and Lydia Goldthwaite. My wife ac- companied me. On our arrival a considerable company had collected. The bridegroom and bride came in, and took their seats, which gave me to understand that they were ready. After prayers, I requested them to rise, and join hands. I then remarked that marriage was an institution of heaven, instituted in the garden of Eden ; that it was necessary it should be solemnized by the authority of the everlasting Priesthood. The ceremony was original with me, and in substance as follows — You covenant to be each other's companions through life, and discharge the duties of husband and wife in every respect; to which they assented. I then pronounced them husband and wife in the name of God, and also pronounced upon them the blessings that the Lord conferred upon Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, that is, to multiply and replenish the earth, with the addition of long life and prosperity. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 320.
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Marriage Covenant, Importance of the Eter- nity of — Except a man and his wife enter into an everlasting covenant and be married for eternity, while in this probation, by the power and authority of the Holy Priesthood, they will cease to increase when they die; that is, they will not have any children after the resurrec- tion. But those who are married by the power and authority of the priesthood in this life, and continue without committing the sin against the Holy Ghost, will continue to increase and have children in the celestial glory. The un- pardonable sin is to shed innocent blood, or be accessory thereto. All other sins will be visited with judgment in the flesh, and the spirit being delivered to the buffetings of Satan until the day of the Lord Jesus.
The way I know in whom to confide — God tells me in whom I may place confidence.
In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees ; and in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of priesthood, [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage;] and if he does not, he cannot obtain it. He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom : he cannot have an in- crease."— History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 391.
Matter, No Such Thing as Immaterial — There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes. We can- not see it, but when our bodies are purified, we
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shall see that it is all matter. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 393.
Mercy and Forgiveness — Ever keep in exer- cise the principle of mercy, and be ready to for- give our brother on the first intimations of re- pentance, and asking forgiveness ; and should we even forgive our brother, or even our ene- my, before he repent or ask forgiveness, our heavenly Father would be equally as merciful unto us. — History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 383.
Mercy of God Everlasting — There is never a time when the spirit is too old to approach God. All are within the reach of pardoning mercy, who have not committed the unpar- donable sin, which hath no forgiveness, neither in this world nor in the v/orld to come. — His- tory of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 425.
Members of Church Not to Receive In- struction for Those Higher in Authority — It is contrary to the economy of God for any member of the Church, or any one, to receive instructions for those in authority higher than themselves; therefore you will see the impro- priety of giving heed to them ; but if any per- son have a vision, or a visitation from a heav- enly messenger, it must be for his own benefit and instruction. — History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 338.
Missionaries, Advice to — Oh ye elders of Israel, barken to my voice; and when you are
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sent into the world to preach, tell those things you are sent to tell ; preach and cry aloud, ''Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; repent and believe the Gospel." De- clare the first principles, and let mysteries alone, lest ye be overthrown. Never meddle with the visions of beasts and subjects you do not understand. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 344.
Missionaries, Duty of — While waiting, I made the following remarks : that the time that we were required to tarry in Kirtland to be endowed, would be fulfilled in a few days, and then the Elders would go forth, and each must stand for himself, as it was not necessary for them to be sent out, two by two, as in former times, but to go in all meekness, in sobriety, and preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified ; not to contend with others on account of their faith, or systems of religion, but pursue a steady course. This I delivered by way of commandment ; and all who observe it not, will pull down persecution upon their heads, while those who do, shall always be filled with the Holy Ghost ; this I pronounced as a prophecy, and sealed with hosanna and amen. Also that the Seventies are not called to serve tables, or preside over churches, to settle difficulties, but are to preach the Gospel and build them up, and set others, who do not belong to these quorums, to preside over them, who are High Priests, The Twelve also are not to serve
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tables, but to bear the keys of the Kingdom to all nations, and unlock the door of the Gospel to them, and call upon the Seventies to follow after them, and assist them. The Twelve are at liberty to go wheresoever they will, and if any one will say, I wish to go to such a place, let all the rest say amen. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 431.
First, it becomes an Elder when he is traveling through the world, warning the inhabitants of the earth to gather together, that they may be built up a holy city unto the Lord, instead of commencing with chil- dren, or those who look up to parents or guardians to influence their minds, thereby drawing them from their duties, which they rightfully owe these legal guardians, they should commence their labors with parents, or guardians; and their teachings should be such as are calculated to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers ; and no influence should be used with children, contrary to the consent of their parents or guardians; but all such as can be persuaded in a lawful and righteous manner, and with common consent, we should feel it our duty to influence them to gather with the people of God. But otherwise let the responsibility rest upon the heads of parents or guardians, and all condemnation or conse- quences be upon their heads, according to the dispensation which he hath committed unto us ; for God hath so ordained, that His work shall
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be cut short in righteousness, in the last days ; therefore, first teach the parents, and then, with their consent, persuade the children to em- brace the Gospel also. And if children em- brace the Gospel, and their parents or guardi- ans are unbelievers, teach them to stay at home and be obedient to their parents or guardians, if they require it; but if they consent to let them gather with the people of God, let them do so, and there shall be no wrong; and let all things be done carefully and righteously and God will extend to all such His guardian care. And secondly, it is the duty of Elders, when they enter into any house, to let their labors and warning voice be unto the master of that house ; and if he receive the Gospel, then he may extend his influence to his wife also, with consent, that peradventure she may receive the Gospel ; but if a man receive not the Gospel, but gives his consent that his wife may re- ceive it, and she believes, then let her receive it. But if a man forbid his wife, or his chil- dren, before they are of age, to receive the Gospel, then it should be the duty of the Elder to go his way, and use no influence against him, and let the responsibility be upon his head ; shake off the dust of thy feet as a testimony against him, and thy skirts shall then be clear of their souls. Their sins are not to be an- swered upon such as God hath sent to warn them to flee the wrath to come, and save them- selves from this untoward generation. The servants of God will not have gone over the
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nations of the Gentiles, with a warning voice, until the destroying angel will commence to waste the inhabitants of the earth, and as the prophet hath said, ''It shall be a vexation to hear the report." I speak thus because I feel for my fellow men ; I do it in the name of the Lord, being moved upon by the Holy Spirit. Oh, that I could snatch them from the vortex of misery, into which I behold them plunging themselves, by their sins ; that I might be en- abled by the warning voice, to be an instru- ment of bringing them to unfeigned repentance, that they might have faith to stand in the evil day!
Thirdly, it should be the duty of an Elder, when he enters into a house, to salute the mas- ter of that house, and if he gain his consent, then he may preach to all that are in that house; but if he gain not his consent, let him not go unto his slaves, or servants, but let the responsibility be upon the head of the master of that house, and the consequences thereof, and the guilt of that house is no longer upon his skirts, he is free; therefore, let him shake off the dust of his feet, and go his way. But if the master of that house give consent, the Elder may preach to his family, his wife, his children and his servants, his man-servants, or his maid-servants, or his slaves; then it should be the duty of the Elder to stand up boldly for the cause of Christ, and warn that people with one accord to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins, and for the Holy Ghost,
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always commanding them in the name of the Lord, in the spirit of meekness, to be kindly af- fectionate one toward another, that the fathers should be kind to their children, husbands to their wives, masters to their slaves or servants, children obedient to their parents, wives to their husbands, and slaves or servants to their masters. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 262.
Mormonism, One Fundamental Principle of
— The inquiry is frequently made of me, "Wherein do you differ from others in your re- ligious views?" In reality and essence we do not differ so far in our religious views, but that we could all drink into one principle of love. One of the grand fundamental principles of "Mormonism" is to receive truth, let it come from whence it may. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 499.
Murderer, Fate of a — A murderer, for in- stance, one that sheds innocent blood, cannot have forgiveness. David sought repentance at the hand of God carefully with tears, for the murder of Uriah ; but he could only get it through hell ; he got a promise that his soul should not be left in hell. — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 253.
Persecution to be Endured Without Mur- muring— Every exertion should be made to maintain the cause you have espoused, and to contribute to the necessities of one another, as much as possible, in this your great calamity,
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and remember not to murmur at the dealings of God with His creatures. You are not as yet brought into as trying circumstances as were the ancient Prophets and Apostles. Call to mind a Daniel, the three Hebrew children, Jeremiah, Paul, Stephen, and many others, too numerous to mention, who were stoned, sawn asunder, tempted, slain with the sword, and wandered about in sheep skins and goat skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and in mountains, and hid in dens, and caves of the earth ; yet they all obtained a good report through faith ; and amidst all their afflic- tions they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to receive persecution for Christ's sake. —History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 450.
Priests — From a retrospect of the require- ments of the servants of God to preach the Gospel, we find few qualified even to be Priests, and if a Priest understands his duty, his calling, and ministers and preaches by the Holy Ghost, his enjoyment is as great as if he were one of the Presidency; and his services are necessary in the body as are also those of Teachers and Deacons. Therefore, in viewing the Church as a whole, we may strictly denom- inate it one Priesthood. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 478.
Priesthood — In order to investigate the sub- ject of the Priesthood, so important to this, as well as every succeeding generation, I shall
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proceed to trace the subject as far as I possibly can from the Old and New Testaments.
There are two Priesthoods spoken of in the Scriptures, viz., the Melchisedek and the Aa- ronic or Levitical. Although there are two Priesthoods, yet the Melchisedek Priesthood comprehends the Aaronic or Levitical Priest- hood, and is the grand head, and holds the highest authority which pertains to the Priest- hood, and the kcA^s of the Kingdom of God in all ages of the world to the latest posterity on the earth, and is the channel through which all knowledge, doctrine, the plan of salvation, and every important matter is revealed from heaven.
Its instiution was prior to "the foundation of this earth, or the morning stars sang together, or the Sons of God shouted for joy," and is the highest and holiest Priesthood, and is after the order of the Son of God, and all other Priest- hoods are only parts, ramifications, powers and blessings belonging to the same, and are held, controlled, and directed by it. It is the channel through which the Almighty commenced re- vealing His glory at the beginning of the cre- ation of this earth, and through which He has continued to reveal Himself to the children of men to the present time, and through which He will make known His purposes to the end of time.
Commencing with Adam, who was the first man, who is spoken of in Daniel as being the "Ancient of Davs," or in other words, the first
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and oldest of all, the great, grand progenitor of whom it is said in another place he is Michael, because he was the first and father of all, not only by progeny, but the first to hold the spir- itual blessings, to whom was made known the plan of ordinances for the salvation of his pos- terity unto the end, and to whom Christ was first revealed, and though whom Christ has been revealed from heaven, and will continue to be revealed from henceforth. Adam holds the keys of the dispensation of the fullness of times, i. e., the dispensation of all the times have been and will be revealed through him from the be- ginning to Christ, and from Christ to the end of all the dispensations that are to be revealed. ''Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself: that in the dis- pensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth ; even in him." (Ephesians, 1st chap., 9th and 10th verses.)
Now the purpose in Himself in the winding up scene of the last dispensation is that all things pertaining to that dispensation should be conducted precisely in accordance with the pre- ceding- dispensations.
And again. God purposed in Himself that there should not be an eternal fullness until every dispensation should be fulfilled and gath- ered together in one, and that all things what- soever, that should be gathered together in one
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in those dispensations unto the same fullness and eternal glory, should be in Christ Jesus ; therefore He set the ordinances to be the same forever and ever, and set Adam to watch over them, to reveal them from heaven to man, or to send angels to reveal them. "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salation?" (He- brews 1 :14.)
These angels are under the direction of Michael or Adam, who acts under the direction of the Lord. From the above quotation we learn that Paul perfectly understood the pur- poses of God in relation to His connection with man, and that glorious and perfect order which He established in Himself, whereby he sent forth power, revelations, and glory.
God will not acknowledge that which He has not called, ordained, and chosen. In the beginning God called Adam by His own voice. ''And the Lord called unto Adam and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, and hid myself." (See Genesis 3rd chap. 9, 10.) Adam received com- mandments and instructions from God: this was the order from the beginning.
That he received revelations, commandments and ordinances at the beginning is beyond the power of controversy ; else how did they begin to offer sacrifices to God in an acceptable man- ner? And if they offered sacrifices they must be authorized by ordination. We read in Gen-
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esis, 4th chap. 4th), that Abel brought of the firstlings of the flock and the fat thereof, and the Lord had respect to Abel and to his offer- ing. And, again, "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was right- eous, God testifying of his gifts ; and by it he being dead, yet speaketh." (Hebrews 11:4.) How doth he yet speak? Why he magnified the Priesthood which was conferred upon him ; and died a righteous man, and therefore has be^t:: come an angel of God by receiving his body from the dead, holding still the keys of his dis- pensation ; and was sent down from heaven un- to Paul to minister consoling words, and to commit unto him a knowledge of the mysteries of godliness.
And if this was not the case, I would ask, how did Paul know so much about Abel, and why should he talk about his speaking after he was dead? Hence, that he spoke after he was dead must be by being sent down out of heaven to administer.
This, then, is the nature of the Priesthood; every man holding the Presidency of his dis- pensation, and one man holding the Presidency of them all, even Adam ; and Adam receiving his Presidency and authority from the Lord, but cannot receive a fullness until Christ shall present the Kingdom to the Father, which shall be at the end of the last dispensation.
The power, glory and blessings of the Priest- hood could not continue with those who re-
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ceived ordination only as their righteousness continued ; for Cain also being authorized to offer sacrifice, but not offering it in righteous- ness, was cursed. It signifies, then, that the ordinances must be kept in the very way God has appointed ; otherwise their Priesthood will prove a cursing instead of a blessing.
If Cain had fulfilled the law of righteousness as did Enoch, he could have walked with God all the days of his life, and never failed of a blessing. "And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah 300 years, and begat sons and daughters, and all the days of Enoch were 365 years ; and Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him." (Gen. 5th chap. 22nd ver.) Now this Enoch God reserved unto Himself, that he should not die at that time, and appointed unto him a ministry unto ter- restrial bodies, of whom there has been but lit- tle revealed. He is reserved also unto the Pres- idency of a dispensation, and more shall be said of him and terrestrial bodies in another treatise. He is a ministering angel, to min- ister to those who shall be heirs of salvation, and appeared unto Jude as Abel did unto Paul ; therefore Jude spoke of him (14, 15 verses). And Enoch, the seventh from Adam, revealed these sayings : "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of His Saints."
Paul was also acquainted with this character, and received instructions from him. "By faith Enoch was translated, that he should not see death, and was not found, because God had
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translated him; for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God; but without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a revealer to those who dili- gently seek him." (Heb. 11:5.)
Now the doctrine of translation is a power which belongs to this Priesthood. There are many things which belong to the powers of the Priesthood and the keys thereof, that have been kept hid from before the founda- tion of the world ; they are hid from the wise and prudent to be revealed in the last times.
Many have supposed that the doctrine of translation was a doctrine whereby men were taken immediately into the presence of God, and into an eternal fullness, but this is a mis- taken idea. Their place of habitation is that of the terrestrial order, and a place prepared for such characters He held in reserve to be min- istering angels unto many planets, and who as yet have not entered into so great a fullness as those who are resurrected from the dead. ''Others were tortured, not accepting deliv- erance, that they might obtain a better resur- rection." (See. Heb. 11th chap., part of the 35th verse.)
Now it was evident that there was a better resurrection, or else God would not have re- vealed it unto Paul. Wherein then, can it be said a better resurrection. This distinction is made between the doctrine of the actual res- urrection and translation : translation obtains
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deliverance from the tortures and sufferings of the body, but their existence will prolong as to the labors and toils of the ministry, before they can enter into so great a rest and glory.
On the other hand, those who were tor- tured, not accepting deliverance, received an immediate rest from their labors. "And I heard a voice from heaven, saying. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, for from henceforth they do rest from their labors and their works do follow them." (See Revelation, 14th chap. 13th verse.)
They rest from their labors for a long time, and yet their work is held in reserve for them, that they are permitted to do the same work, after they receive a resurrection for their bodies. But we shall leave this subject and the subject of the terrestrial bodies for another time, in order to treat upon them more fully.
The next great, grand Patriarch [after Enoch] who held the keys of the Priesthood was Lamech. "And Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years and begat a son, and he called his name Noah, saying, this same shall comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands because of the ground which the Lord has cursed." (See Gen. 5th chap., 28th and 29th verses.) The Priesthood continued from Lamech to Noah: "And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is before me, for the earth is filled with violence through them, and beliold I will destroy them with the earth." (Gen. 6:13.)
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Thus we behold the keys of this Priesthood consisted in obtaining the voice of Jehovah that He talked with him [Noah] in a familiar and friendly manner, that He continued to him the keys, the covenants, the power and the glory, with which he blessed Adam at the beginning; and the offering of sacrifice, which also shall be continued at the last time; for all the ordi- nances and duties that ever have been required by the Priesthood, under the directions and commandments of the Almighty in any of the dispensations, shall all be had in the last dispen- sation, therefore all things had under the au- thority of the Priesthood at any former period, shall be had again, bringing to pass the restor- ation spoken of by the mouth of all the Holy Prophets ; then shall the sons of Levi offer an acceptable offering to the Lord. "And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord. (See Malachi 3:3.)
It will be necessary here to make a few ob- servations on the doctrine set forth in the above quotation, and it is generally supposed that sac- rifice was entirely done away when the Great Sacrifice [i. e., the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus] was offered up, and that there will be no neces- sity for the ordinance of sacrifice in future : but those who assert this are certainly not ac- quainted with the duties, privileges and au- thority of the priesthood, or with the Prophets.
The offering of sacrifice has ever been con-
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nected and forms a part of the duties of the Priesthood. It began with the Priesthood, and will be continued until after the coming of Christ, from generation to generation. We fre- quently have mention made of the offering of sacrifice by the servants of the Most High in ancient days, prior to the law of Moses ; which ordinances will be continued when the Priest- hood is restored with all its authority, power and blessings.
Elijah was the last Prophet that held the keys of the Priesthood, and who will, before the last dispensation, restore the authority and deliver the keys of the Priesthood, in order that all the ordinances may be attended to in right- eousness. It is true that the Savior had au- thority and power to bestow this blessing; but the sons of Levi were too prejudiced. **And I will send Elijah the Prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord," etc. Why send Elijah? Because he holds the keys of the au- thority to administer in all the ordinances of the Priesthood ; and without the authority is given, the ordinances could not be administered in righteousness.
It is a very prevalent opinion that the sacri- fices which were offered were entirely con- sumed. This was not the case ; if you read Leviticus, second chapter, second and third verses, you will observe that the priests took a part as a memorial and offered it up before the Lord, while the remainder was kept for the maintenance of the priests ; so that the offerings
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and sacrifices are not all consumed upon the altar — but the blood is sprinkled, and the fat and certain other portions are consumed.
These sacrifices, as well as every ordinance belonging to the Priesthood, will, when the Temple of the Lord shall be built, and the sons of Levi be purified, be fully restored and at- tended to in all their powers, ramifications, and blessings. This ever did and ever will exist when the powers of the Melchisedek Priesthood are sufficiently manifest ; else how can the resti- tution of all things spoken of by the holy Prophets be brought to pass? It is not to be understood that the law of Moses will be es- tablished again with all its rites and variety of ceremonies; this has never been spoken of by the Prophets; but those things which ex- isted prior to Moses' day, namely, sacrifice, will be continued.
It may be asked by some, what necessity for sacrifice, since the Great Sacrifice was ofi^ered? In answer to which, if repentance, baptism, and faith existed prior to the days of Christ, what necessity for them since that time? The Priest- hood has descended in a regular line from father to son, through their succeeding genera- tions. (See Book of Doctrine and Covenants.) —History of the Church. Vol. 4, p. 207.
Priesthood, Eternity of, Nature of, its Res- toration, etc. — The Priesthood was first given to Adam ; he obtained the First Presidency, and held the keys of it from generation to genera-
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tion. He obtained it in the Creation, before the world was formed, as in Gen. 1 :26, 27, 28. He had dominion given him over every living creature. He is Michael the Archangel, spoken of in the Scriptures. Then to Noah, who is Gabriel ; he stands next in authority to Adam in the Priesthood; he was called of God to this office, and was the father of all living in his day, and to him was given the dominion. These men held keys first on earth, and then in heaven.
The Priesthood is an everlasting principle, and existed with God from eternity, and will to eternity, without beginning of days or end of years. The keys have to be brought from heaven whenever the Gospel is sent. When they are revealed from heaven, it is by Adam's authority.
Daniel in his seventh chapter speaks of the Ancient of Days; he means the oldest man, our Father Adam, Michael, he will call his children together and hold a council with them to pre- pare them for the coming of the Son of Man. He (Adam) is the father of the human family, and presides over the spirits of all men, and all that have had the keys must stand before him in this grand council. This may take place before some of us leave this stage of action. The Son of Man stands before him, and there is given him glory and dominion. Adam delivers up his stewardship to Christ, that which was delivered to him as holding the keys of the uni- verse, but retains his standing as head of the
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human family. ^ * * The Father called all spirits before Him at the creation of man, and organized them. He (Adam) is the head, and was told to multiply. The keys were first given to him, and by him to others. He will have to give an account of his stewardship, and they to him.
The Priesthood is everlasting. The Savior, Moses, and Elias, gave the keys to Peter, James, and John, on the mount, when they were transfigured before him. The Priesthood is everlasting — without beginning of days or end of years ; without father, mother, etc. If there is no change of ordinances, there is no change of Priesthood. Wherever the ordinances of the Gospel are administered, there is the Priest- hood.
How have we come at the Priesthood in the last days? It came down, down, in regular suc- cession. Peter, James, and John had it given to them and they gave it to others. Christ is the Great High Priest; Adam next. Paul speaks of the Church coming to an innumerable company of angels — to God the Judge of all — the spirits of just men made perfect; to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant. — Heb. 12 :23.
I saw Adam in the valley of Adam-ondi-Ah- man. He called together his children and blessed them with a patriarchal blessing. The Lord appeared in their midst, and he (Adam) blessed them all, and foretold what should be- fall them to the latest generation.
This is why Adam blessed his posterity; he
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wanted to bring them into the presence of God. They looked for a city, etc., [''whose builder and maker is God." — Heb. 11:10]. Moses sought to bring the children of Israel into the presence of God, through the power of the Priesthood, but he could not. In the first ages of the world they tried to establish the same thing; and there were Eliases raised up who tried to restore these very glories, but did not obtain them ; but they prophesied of a day when this glory would be revealed. Paul spoke of the dispensation of the fullness of times, when God would gather together all things in one, etc. ; and those men to whom these keys have been given, Avill have to be there ; and they without us cannot be made perfect.
These men are in heaven, but their children are on the earth. Their bowels yearn over us. God sends down men for this reason. "And the Son of Man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that give oflfense and them that do ini- quity."—(Matt. 13:41.) All these authoritative characters will come down and join hand in hand in bringing about this work.
The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed. The mustard seed is small, but brings forth a large tree, and the fowls lodge in the branches. The fowls are the angels. Thus angels come down, combine together to gather their children, and gather them. We . cannot be made perfect without them, nor they without us ; when these things are done, the
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Son of Man will descend, the Ancient of Days sit; we may come to an innumerable company of angels, have communion with and receive in- structions from them. Paul told about Moses' proceedings ; spoke of the children of Israel be- ing baptized. — (I Cor. 10:1-4.) He knew this, and that all the ordinances and blessings were in the Church. Paul had these things, and we may have the fowls of heaven lodge in the branches, etc.
The ''Horn" made war with the Saints and overcame them, until the Ancient of Days came; judgment was given to' the Saints of the Most High from the Ancient of Days ; the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom. This not only makes us ministers here, but in eternity.
The hearts of the children of men will have to be turned to the fathers, and the fathers to the children, living or dead, to prepare them for the coming of the Son of Man. If Elijah did not come, the whole earth would be smitten. — History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 385.
Priesthood, The Melchisedek — The Melchis- edek High Priesthood was no other than the Priesthood of the Son of God; that there are certain ordinances which belong to the Priest- hood, from which flow certain results; and the Presidents or Presidency are over the Church ; and revelations of the mind and will of God to the Church, are to come through the Presi- dency. This is the order of heaven, and the
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power and privilege of this Priesthood. It is also the privilege of any officer in this Church to obtain revelations, so far as relates to his particular calling and duty in the Church. All are bound by the principles of virtue and hap- piness, but one great privilege of the Priesthood is to obtain revelations of the mind and will of God. It is also the privilege of the Melchise- dek Priesthood, to reprove, rebuke, and admon- ish, as well as to receive revelation. If the Church knew all the commandments, •one-half they would condemn through prejudice and ig- norance.— History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 477.
Priesthood, The Sealing Power in the —
The Bible says, "I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord ; and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."
Now, the word ''turn" here should be trans- lated ''bind," or "seal." But what is the ob- ject of this important mission? or how is it to be fulfilled? The keys are to be delivered, the spirit of Elijah is to come, the Gospel to be established, the Saints of God gathered, Zion built up, and the Saints to come up as saviors on Mount Zion.
But how are they to become saviors on Mount Zion? By building their temples, erect- ing their baptismal fonts, and going forth and receiving all the ordinances, baptisms, con-
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firmations, washings, anointings, ordinations, and sealing powers upon their heads, in behalf of all their progenitors who are dead, and re- deem them that they may come forth in the first resurrection and be exalted to thrones of glory with them ; and herein is the chain that binds the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, which fulfills the mission of Elijah. * * * *
The Saints have not too much time to save and redeem their dead, and gather together their living relatives, that they may be saved also, before the earth will be smitten, and the consumption decreed falls upon the world.
I would advise all the Saints to go to with their might and gather together all their living relatives to this place, that they may be sealed and saved, that they may be prepared against the day that the destroying angel goes forth ; and if the whole Church should go to with all their might to save their dead, seal their pos- terity, and gather their living friends, and spend none of their time in behalf of the world, they would hardly get through before night would come, when no man can work ; and my only trouble at the present time is concerning ourselves, that the Saints will be divided, broken up, and scattered, before we get our sal- vation secure ; for there are so many fools in the world for the devil to operate upon, it gives him the advantage oftentimes.
The question is frequently asked, "Can we not be saved without going through with all
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those ordinances, &c.?" I would answer, No, not the fullness of salvation. Jesus said, "There are many mansions in my Father's house, and I will go and prepare a place for you." ''House" here named should have been translated king- dom ; and any person who is exalted to the highest mansion has to abide a celestial law, and the whole law too.
But there has been a great difficulty in get- ting anything into the heads of this generation. It has been like splitting hemlock knots with a corn-dodger for a wedge, and a pumpkin for a beetle. Even the Saints are slow to under- stand.— History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 183.
Priesthood, Fullness of — How Obtained —
If a man gets a fullness of the priesthood of God, he has to get it in the same way that Jesus Christ obtained it, and that was by keep- ing all the commandments and obeying all the ordinances of the house of the Lord. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 424.
'^ Prophet, Nature of a — At the suggestion of the company, I explained the nature of a prophet.
If any person should ask me if I were a prophet, I should not deny it, as that would give me the lie ; for, according to John, the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy; therefore, if I profess to be a witness or teacher, and have not the spirit of prophecy, which is the testimony of Jesus, I must be a false witness; but if I be a true teacher and
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witness, I must possess the spirit of prophecy, and that constitutes a prophet; and any man who says he is a teacher or preacher of right- eousness, and denies the spirit of prophecy, is a liar, and the truth is not in him ; and by this key false teachers and impostors may be de- tected.— History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 215.
I was this morning introduced to a man from the east. After hearing my name, he remarked that I was nothing but a man, indicating by this expression, that he had supposed that a person to whom the Lord should see fit to re- v^eal His will, must be something more than a man. He seemed to have forgotten the saying that fell from the lips of St. James, that Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, yet he had such power with God, that He, in answer to his prayers, shut the heavens that they gave no rain for the space of three years and six months ; and again, in answer to his prayer, the heavens gave forth rain, and the earth gave forth fruit. Indeed, such is the darkness and ignorance of this generation, that they look upon it as incredible that a man should have any intercourse- with his Maker. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 302.
Prophet Not Always a Prophet — This morn- ing, I read German, and visited with a brother and sister from Michigan, who thought that "a, prophet is always a prophet;" but I told them that a prophet was a prophet only when
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he was acting as such. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 265.
Prophetic Calling, Defense of — The Savior has the words of eternal life. Nothing else can profit us. There is no salvation in believ- ing an evil report against our neighbor. I ad- vise all to go on to perfection, and search deeper and deeper into the mysteries of Godli- ness. A man can do nothing for himself un- less God direct him in the right way; and the priesthood is for that purpose.
The last time I spoke on this stand it was on the resurrection of the dead, when I prom- ised to continue my remarks upon that subject. I still feel a desire to say something on this subject. Let us this very day begin anew, and now say, with all our hearts, we will forsake our sins and be righteous. I shall read the 24th chapter of Matthew, and give it a literal rendering and reading; and when it is rightly understood, it will be edifying. [He then read and translated it from the German.]
I thought the very oddity of its rendering v/ould be edifying anyhow — "And it will preached be, the Gospel of the kingdom, in the whole world, to a witness over all people : and then will the end come." I will now read it in German [which he did, and many Germans who were present said he translated it correct-
ly].
The Savior said when these tribulations should take place, it should be committed to a
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man who should be a witness over the whole world : the keys of knowledge, power and reve- lations should be revealed to a witness who should hold the testimony to the world. It has always been my province to dig up hidden mys- teries— new things — for my hearers. Just at the time when some men think that I have no right to the keys of the Priesthood just at that time I have the greatest right. The Ger- mans are an exalted people. The old German translators are the most correct — most honest of any of the translators ; and therefore I get testimony to bear me out in the revelations that I have preached for the last fourteen years. The old German, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew trans- lations all say it is true : they cannot be im- peached, and therefore I am in good company.
All the testimony is that the Lord in the last days would commit the keys of the priest- hood to a witness over all people. Has the Gos- pel of the kingdom commenced in the last days ? And will God take it from the man until He takes him Himself? I have read it precisely as the words flowed from the lips of Jesus Christ. John the Revelator saw an angel fly- ing through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth.
The scripture is ready to be fulfilled when great wars, famines, pestilence, great distress, judgments, &c., are ready to be poured out on the inhabitants of the earth. John saw the an- gel having the holy priesthood, who should
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preach the everlasting Gospel to all nations. God had an angel — a special messenger — or- dained and prepared for that purpose in the last days. Woe, woe be to that man or set of men who lift tip their hands against God and His witness in these last days : for they shall de- ceive almost the very chosen ones !
My enemies say that I have been a true prophet. Why, I had rather be a fallen true prophet than a false prophet. When a man goes about prophesying, and commands men to obey his teachings, he must either be a true or false prophet. False prophets always arise to oppose the true prophets and they will prophesy so very near the truth that they will deceive almost the very chosen ones.
The doctrine of eternal judgments belongs to the first principles of the Gospel, in the last days. In relation to the kingdom of God, the devil always sets up his kingdom at the very same time in opposition to God. Every man who has a calling to minister to the inhabitants of the world was ordained to that very purpose in the Grand Council of heaven before this world was. I suppose that I was ordained to this very office in that Grand Council. It is the testimony that I want that I am God's ser- vant, and this people His people. The ancient prophets declared that in the last days the God of heaven should set up a kingdom which should never be destroyed, nor left to other people ; and the very time that was calculated
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on, this people were struggling to bring it out. He that arms himself with gun, sword, or pis- tol, except in the defense of truth, will some- time be sorry for it. I never carry any weapon with me bigger than my penknife. When I was dragged before the cannon and muskets in Missouri, I was unarmed. God will always protect me until my mission is fulfilled.
I calculate to be one of the instruments of setting up the kingdom of Daniel by the word of the Lord, and I intend to lay a foundation that will revolutionize the whole world. I once offered my life to the Missouri mob as a sacrifice for my people, and here I am. It will not be by sword or gun that this kingdom will roll on : the power of truth is such that all na- tions will be under the necessity of obeying the Gospel. The prediction is that army will be against army: it may be that the Saints will have to beat their plows into swords, for it will not do for men to sit down patiently and see their children destroyed. — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 363.
Records, Importance of — After prayer by President Joseph Smith, Jun., he said, if we heard patiently, he could lay before the council an item which would be of importance. He had for himself, learned a fact by experience, which, on recollection, always gave him deep sorrow. It is a fact, if I now had in my pos- session, every decision which had been had upon important items of doctrine and duties
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since the commencement of this work, I would not part with them for any sum of money ; but we have neglected to take minutes of such things, thinking, perhaps, that they would never benefit us afterwards ; which, if we had them now, would decide almost every point of doctrine which might be agitated. But this has been neglected, and now we cannot bear record to the, Church and to the world, of the great and glorious manifestations which have been made to us with that degree of power and authority we otherwise could, if we now had these things to publish abroad.
Since the Twelve are now chosen, I wish to tell them a course which they may pursue, and be benefited thereafter, in a point of light of which they are not now aware. If they will, every time they assemble, appoint a person to preside over them during the meeting, and one or more to keep a record pi their proceedings, and on the decision of every question or item, be it what it may, let such decision be written, and such decision will forever remain upon record, and appear an item of covenant or doc- trine. An item thus decided may appear, at the time, of little or no worth, but should it be pub- lished, and one of you lay hands on it after, you will find it of infinite worth, not only to your brethren, but it will be a feast to your own souls.
Here is another important item. If you as- semble from time to time, and proceed to dis- cuss important questions, and pass decisions
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upon the same, and fail to note them down, by and by you will be driven to straits from which you will not be able to extricate yourselves, be- cause you may be in a situation not to bring your faith to bear with sufficient perfection or power to obtain the desired information ; or, perhaps, for neglecting to write these things when God had revealed them, not esteeming them of sufficient worth, the Spirit may with- draw, and God may be angry; and there is, or was, a vast knowledge, of infinite importance, which is now lost. What was the cause of this? It came in consequence of slothfulness, or a neglect to appoint a man to occupy a few mo- ments in writing all these decisions.
Here let me prophesy. The time will come, when, if you neglect to do this thing, you will fall by the hands of unrighteous men. Were you to be brought before the authorities, and be accused of any crime or misdemeanor, and be as innocent as the angels of God, unless you can prove yourselves to have been somewhere else, your enemies will prevail against you ; but if you can bring twelve men to testify that you were in a certain place, at that time, you will escape their hands. Now, if you will be careful to keep minutes of these things, as I have said, it will be one of the most important records ever seen; for all such decisions will ever after remain as items of doctrine and covenants. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 198.
Reincamation — See Transmigration of Souls.
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Repentance and Baptism — Therefore we be- lieve in preaching the doctrine of repentance in all the world, both to old and young, rich and poor, bond and free, as we shall endeavor to show hereafter how, and in what manner, and how far, it is binding on the consciences of mankind, making proper distinctions between old and young, men, women, children and ser- vants. But we discover, in order to be bene- fited by the doctrine nf ;-pppntanrej we must Re- lieve in obtaining the_remission_of^ sins. And in lbrderto__ob1:ain the remission of sins, we imiaL-bilieve in the r]ortrin£_ol baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ And if we'Be- lieve in baptism for the remission of sins, we may expect a fulfillment of the promise of the Holy Ghost, for the promise extends to all whom the Lord our God shall call ; and hath He not surely said, as you will find in the last chap- ter of Revelation — *'And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." (Rev. 22 :17.)— Historv of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 256.
Repentance Not to be Trifled With— Repent- ance is a thing that cannot be trifled with every day. Daily transgression and daily repentance is not that which is pleasing in the sight of God.— History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 379.
Reproof, Necessity for — I frequently rebuke and admonish my brethren, and that because
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I love them, not because I wish to incur their displeasure, or mar their happiness. Such a course of conduct is not calculated to gain the good-will of all, but rather the ill-will of many ; therefore, the situation in which I stand is an important one ; so, you see, brethren, the higher the authority the greater the difficulty of the station ; but these rebukes and admonitions be- come necessary from the perverseness of the brethren, for their temporal as well as spiritual welfare. They actually constitute a part of the duties of my station and calling. Others have other duties to perform that are important, and far more enviable, and may be just as good, like the feet and hands, in their relation to the hu- man body — neither can claim priority, or say to the other, I have no need of you. After all that has been said, the greatest and most im- portant duty is to preach the gospel. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 478.
Resurrection, The — Almost all who have fallen in these last days, in the Church have fallen in a strange land. This is a strange land to those who have come from a distance.
We should cultivate sympathy for the af- flicted among us. If there is a place on earth where men should cultivate the spirit and pour in the oil and wine in the bosoms of the af- flicted, it is in this place; and this spirit is man- fest here ; and although a stranger and afflicted when he arrives, he finds a brother and a friend ready to administer to his necessities.
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I would esteem it one of the greatest bless- ings, if I am to be afflicted in this world to have my lot cast where I can find brothers and friends all around me. But this is not the thing I referred to : it is to have the privilege of having our dead buried on the land where God has appointed to gather His Saints together, and where there will be none but Saints, where they may have the privilege of laying their bodies where the Son of Man will make His appearance, and where they may hear the sound of the trump that shall call them forth to behold Him, that in the morn of the resur- rection they may come forth in a body, and come up out of their graves and strike hands immediately in eternal glory and felicity, rather than be scattered thousands of miles apart. There is something good and sacred to me in this thing. The place where a man is buried is sacred to me. This subject is made mention of in the Book of Mormon and other scrip- tures. Even to the aborigines of this land, the burying places of their fathers are more sacred than anything else.
When I heard of the death of our beloved Brother Barnes, it would not have affected me so much, if I had the opportunity of burying him in the land of Zion.
I believe those who have buried their friends here, their condition is enviable. Look at Jacob and Joseph in Egypt, how they required their friends to bury them in the tomb of their fathers. See the expense which attended the
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embalming and the going up of the great com- pany to the burial.
It has always been considered a great calam- ity not to obtain an honorable burial : and one of the greatest curses the ancient prophets could put on any man, was that he should go without a burial.
I have said, Father, I desire to die here among the Saints. But if this is not Thy will, and I go hence and die, wilt Thou find some kind friend to bring my body back, and gather my friends who have fallen in foreign lands, and bring them up hither, that we may all lie together.
I will tell you what I want. If tomorrow I shall be called to lie in yonder tomb, in the morning of the resurrection let me strike hands with my father, and cry, "My father," and he will say, ''My son, my son," as soon as the rock rends and before we come out of our graves.
And may we contemplate these things so? Yes, if we learn how to live and how to die. When we lie down we contemplate how we may rise in the morning; and it is pleasing for friends to lie down together, locked in the arms of love, to sleep and wake in each other's em- brace and renew their conversation.
Would you think it strange if I relate what I have seen in vision in relation to this interest- ing theme? Those who have died in Jesus Christ may expect to enter into all that fruition of joy when they come forth, which they pos- sessed or anticipated here.
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So plain was the vision, that I actually saw men, before they had ascended from the tomb, as though they were getting up slowly. They took each other by the hand and said to each other, "My father, my son, my mother, my daughter, my brother, my sister." And when the voice calls for the dead to arise, suppose I am laid by the side of my father, what would be the first joy of my heart? To meet my father, my mother, my brother, my sister : and when they are by my side, I embrace them and they me.
It is my meditation all the day, and more than my meat and drink, to know how I shall make the Saints of God comprehend the visions that roll like an overflowing surge before my mind.
Oh ! how I would delight to bring before you things which you never thought of! But pov- erty and the cares of the world prevent. But I am glad I have the privilege of communicating to you some things which, if grasped closely, will be a help to you when earthquakes bellow, the clouds gather, the lightnings flash, and the storms are ready to burst upon you like peals of thunder. Lay hold of these things and let not your knees or joints tremble, nor your hearts faint; and then what can earthquakes, wars and tornadoes do? Nothing. All your losses will be made up to you in the resurrec- tion, provided you continue faithful. By the vision of the Almighty I have seen it.
More painful to me are the thoughts of anni-
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hilation than death. If I have no expectation of seeing my father, mother, brothers, sisters and friends again, my heart would burst in a mo- ment, and I should go down to my grave.
The expectation of seeing my friends in the morning of the resurrection cheers my soul and makes me bear up against the evils of life. It is like their taking a long journey, and on their re- turn we meet them with increased joy.
God has revealed His Son from the heavens and the doctrine of the resurrection also; and we have a knowledge that those we bury here God will bring up again, clothed upon and quickened by the Spirit of the great God; and what mattereth it whether we lay them down, or we lay down with them, when we can keep them no longer? Let these truths sink down in our hearts, that we may even here begin to enjoy that which shall be in full hereafter.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna to Almighty God, that rays of light begin to burst forth upon us even now. I cannot find words in which to express myself. I am not learned, but I have as good feelings as any man.
O that I had the language of the archangel to express my feelings once to my friends ! But I never expect to in this life. When others rejoice, I rejoice ; when they mourn, I mourn.
To Marcellus Bates let me administer comfort. You shall soon have the company of your com- panion in a world of glory, and the friends of Brother Barnes and all the Saints who are mourning. This has been a warning voice to us
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all to be sober and diligent and lay aside mirth, vanity and folly, and to be prepared to die to- morrow.— History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 360.
As concerning the resurrection, I will merely say that all men will come from the grave as they lie down, whether old or young; there will not be ''added unto their stature one cubit," neither taken from it ; all will be raised by the power of God, having spirit in their bodies, and not blood. — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 555.
To a remark of Elder Orson Pratt's, that a man's body changes every seven years, Pres- ident Joseph Smith replied : There is no funda- mental principle belonging to a human system that ever goes into another in this world or in the world to come ; I care not what the theories of men are. We have the testimony that God will raise us up, and He has the power to do it. If any one suppose that any part of our bodies, that is, the fundamental parts thereof, ever goes into another body, he is mistaken. — History of the Church. Vol. 5, p. 339.
Revelation, No Salvation Without — Salva- tion cannot come without revelation ; it is in vain for anyone to minister without it. No man is a minister of Jesus Christ without be- ing a prophet. No man can be a minister of Jesus Christ except he has the testimony of Jesus ; and this is the spirit of prophecy. When-
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ever salvation has been administered it has been by testimony. Men of the present time testify of heaven and hell, and have never seen either; and I will say that no man knows these things without this. — History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 389.
Revelation, Spirit of — The spirit of revela- tion is in connection with these blessings. A person may profit by noticing the first intima- tion of the spirit of revelation ; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas, so that by noticing it, you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon; (i. e.) those things that were presented unto your minds by the Spirit of God, will come to pass; and thus by learn- ing the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation, until you become perfect in Christ Jesus. — History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 381.
Revelation, Who Entitled to Receive — We
do not consider ourselves bound to receive any revelation from any one man or woman with- out his being legally constituted and ordained to that authority, and giving sufficient proof of it. I will inform you that it is contrary to the economy of God for any member of the Church, or any one, to receive instruction for those in authority, higher than themselves ; therefore you will see the impropriety of giving heed to them ; but if any person have a vision or a vis-
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itation from a heavenly messenger, it must be for his own benefit and instruction; for the fundamental principles, government, and doc- trine of the Church are vested in the keys of the kingdom. — History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 338.
Revelation the Rock on which Christ's Church is to be Built. — Jesus says, ''Upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." What rock? Revelation. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 258.
Sacrifice Required of those who would At- tain to Greatest Reward — The sacrifice re- quired of Abraham in the offering up of Isaac, shows that if a man would attain to the keys of the kingdom of an endless life, he must sac- rifice all things. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 555.
Saints and Sectarians, Difference Between —
Had a pleasant interview with Mr. Butterfield, Judge Douglas, Senator Gillespie, and others, in reply to Mr. Butterfield, I stated that the most prominent difiference in sentiment be- tween the Latter-day Saints and sectarians was, that the latter were all circumscribed by some peculiar creed, which deprived its members the privilege of believing anything not contained therein, whereas the Latter-day Saints have no creed, but are ready to believe all true princi- ples that exist, as they are made manifest from
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time to time. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 215.
Salvation of Children — The doctrine of bap- tizing children, or sprinkling them, or they must welter in hell, is a doctrine not true, not supported in Holy Writ, and is not consistent with the character of God. All children are re- deemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the m.om.ent that children leave this world, they are taken to the bosom of Abraham. The only dif- ference between the old and young dying is, one lives longer in heaven and eternal light and glory than the other, and is freed a little sooner from this miserable, wicked world. Notwith- standing all this glory, we for a moment lose sight of it, and mourn the loss, but we do not mourn as those without hope. — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 554.
Salvation, Means of — And now what remains to be done, under circumstances like these? I will proceed to tell you what the Lord re- quires of all people, high and low, rich and poor, male and female, ministers and people, professors of religion and non-professors, in order that they may enjoy the Holy Spirit of God to a fullness, and escape the judgments of God, which are almost ready to burst upon the nations of the earth. Repent of all your sins, and be baptized in water for the remission of them, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and receive the ordinance of the laying on of the hands of him
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who is ordained and sealed unto this power, that ye may receive the Holy Spirit of God; and this is according to the Holy Scriptures, and the Book of Mormon; and the only way that man can enter into the celestial kingdom. These are the requirements of the new cove- nant, or first principles of the Gospel of Christ: then "Add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge ; and to knowledge, temperance : and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness ; and to godliness, brotherly kindness ; and to brotherly kindness, charity [or love] ; for if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor un- fruitful, in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."— History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 314.
Salvation, Meaning of — Salvation means a man's being placed beyond the power of all his enemies. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 392.
Salvation and Education — The more sure word of prophecy means a man's knowing that he is sealed up unto eternal life by revelation and the spirit of prophecy, through the power of the holy priesthood. It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 392.
Salvation is for a man to be saved from all his enemies ; for until a man can triumph over death, he is not saved. A knowledge of the priesthood alone will do this. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 403.
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Salvation Through Knowledge^ — It is not
wisdom that we should have all knowledge at once presented before us|; but that we should have a little at a time; then we can comprehend it. President Smith then read the 2nd Epistle of Peter, 1st chapter, 16th to last verses, and dwelt upon the 19th verse with some remarks.
Add to your faith knowledge, &c. The prin- ciple of knowledge is the principle of salvation. This principle can be comprehended by the faith- ful and diligent; and every one that does not obtain knowledge sufficient to be saved will be condemned. The principle of salvation is given us through the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Salvation is nothing more nor less than to triumph over all our enemies and put them un- der our feet. And when we have power to put all enemies under our feet in this world, and a knowledge to triumph over all evil spirits in the world to come, then we are saved, as in the case of Jesus, who was to reign until He had put all enemies under His feet, and the last enemy was death.
Perhaps there are principles here that few men have thought of. No person can have this salvation except through a tabernacle.
Now, in this world, mankind are naturally self- ish, ambitious and striving to excel one above an- other ; yet some are willing to build up others as well as themselves. So in the other world there are a variety of spirits. Some seek to excel. And this was the case with Lucifer when he fell. He sought for things which were unlawful, Hence
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he was sent down, and it is said he drew many away with him ; and the greatness of his pun- ishment is that he shall not have a tabernacle. This is his punishment. So the devil, thinking to thwart the decree of God, by going up and down in the earth, seeking whom he may de- stroy— any person that he can find that will yield to him, he will bind him, and take posses- sion of the body and reign there, glorying in it mightily, not caring that he had got merely a stolen body; and by-and-by some one having authority will come along and cast him out and restore the tabernacle to its rightful owner. The devil steals a tabernacle because he has not one of his own : but if he steals one, he is al- ways liable to be turned out of doors.
Now, there is some grand secret here, and keys to unlock the subject. Notwithstanding the apostle exhorts them to add to their faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, &c., yet he ex- horts them to make their calling and election sure. And though they had heard an audible voice from heaven bearing testimony that Jesus was the Son of God, yet he says we have a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light shining in a dark place. Now, wherein could they have a more sure word of prophecy than to hear the voice of God saying. This is my beloved Son, &c.
Now for the secret and grand key. Though they might hear the voice of God and know that Jesus was the Son of God, this would be
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no evidence that their election and calling was made sure, that they had part with Christ, and were joint heirs with Him. They then would want that more sure word of prophecy, that they were sealed in the heavens and had the promise of eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Then, having this promise sealed unto them, it was an anchor to the soul, sure and steadfast. Though the thunders might roll and lightnings flash, and earthquakes bellow, and war gather thick around, yet this hope and knowledge would support the soul in every hour of trial, trouble and tribulation. Then knowledge through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the grand key that unlocks the glories and mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.
Compare this principle once with Christen- dom at the present day, and where are they, with all their boasted religion, piety and sacredness while at the same time they are crying out against prophets, apostles, angels, revelations, prophesying and visions, &c. Why, they are just ripening for the damnation of hell. They will be damned, for they reject the most glor- ious principle of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and treat with disdain and trample under foot the key that unlocks the heavens and puts in our possession the glories of the celestial world. Yes, I say, such will be damned, with all their professed godliness. Then I would exhort you to go on and continue to call upon God until you make your calling and election sure for yourselves, by obtaining this more sure word
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of prophecy, and wait patiently for the promise until you obtain it. — History of the Church Vol. 5, p. 387.
Salvation Through Obedience to God — To
get salvation we must not only do some things, but everything which God has commanded. Men may preach and practice everything ex- cept those things which God commands us to do, and will be damned at last. We may tithe mint and rue, and all manner of herbs, and still not obey the commandments of God. The ob- ject with me is to obey and teach others to obey God in just what He tells us to do. It mattereth not whether the principle is popular or unpopular, I will always maintain a true principle, even if I stand alone in it. — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 223.
Salvation for the Dead — My text is on the resurrection of the dead, which you will find in the 14th chapter of John — 'Tn my Father's house are many mansions." It should be "In my Fathers kingdom are many kingdoms," in order that ye may be heirs of God and joint- heirs with me. I do not believe the Methodist doctrine of sending honest men and noble- minded men to hell, along with the murderer and the adulterer. They may hurl all their hell and fiery billows upon me, for they will roll off me as fast as they come on. But I have an or- der of things to save the poor fellows at any rate, and get them saved ; for I will send men to preach to them in prison and save them if I can.
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There are mansions for those who obey a ce- lestial law, and there are other mansions for those who come short of the law, every man in his own order. There is baptism, &c., for those to exercise who are alive, and baptism for the dead who die without the knowledge of the Gospel.
I am going on in my progress for eternal life. It is not only necessary that you should be bap- tized for your dead, but you will have to go through all the ordinances for them, the same as you have gone through to save yourselves. There will be 144,000 saviors on Mount Zion, and with them an innumerable host that no man can number. Oh ! I beseech you to go for- ward, go forward and make your calling and your election sure ; and if any man preach any other Gospel than that which I have preached, he shall be cursed; and some of you who now hear me shall see it, and know that I testify the truth concerning them.
In regard to the law of the priesthood, there should be a place where all nations shall come up from time to time to receive their endow- ments ; and the Lord has said this shall be the place for the baptisms for the dead. Every man that has been baptized and belongs to the king- dom has a right to be baptized for those who have gone before ; and as soon as the law of the Gospel is obeyed here by their friends who act as proxy for them, the Lord has administrators there to set them free.
A man may act as proxy for his own rel-
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atives ; the ordinances of the Gospel which were laid out before the foundation of the world have thus been fulfilled by them, and we may be baptized for those whom we have much friendship for; but it must first be revealed to the man of God, lest we should run too far. "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." All shall be raised from the dead. The Lamb of God hath brought to pass the resurrection, so that all shall rise from the dead. — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 365.
Salvation for the Dead — There is never a time when the spirit is too old to approach God. All are within the reach of pardoning mercy, who have not committed the unpardonable sin, which hath no forgiveness, neither in this world, nor in the world to come. There is a way to release the spirits of the dead ; that is by the power and authority of the Priesthood — by binding and loosing on earth. This doctrine appears glorious, inasmuch as it exhibits the greatness of divine compassion, and benevo- lence in the extent of the plan of human salva- tion.
This glorious truth is well calculated to en- large the understanding, and to sustain the soul under troubles, difficulties and distresses. For illustration, suppose the case of two men, brothers, equally intelligent, learned, virtuous and lovely, walking in uprightness and in all good conscience, so far as they have been able
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to discern duty from the muddy stream of tra- dition, or from the blotted page of the book of nature.
One dies and is buried, having never heard the Gospel of reconciliation; to the other the message of salvation is sent, he hears and em- braces it, and is made the heir of eternal life. Shall the one become the partaker of glory and the other be consigned to hopeless perdition? Is there no chance for his escape? Sectarian- ism answers "none," Such an idea is worse than atheism. The truth shall break down and dash in pieces all such bigoted Pharisaism ; the sects shall be sifted, the honest in heart brought out, and their priests left in the midst of their corruption, hj * *
This doctrine presents in a clear light the wisdom and mercy of God in preparing an or- dinance for the salvation of the dead, being baptized by proxy, their names recorded in heaven and they judged according to the deeds done in the body. This doctrine was the burd- en of the scriptures. Those Saints who neg- lect it in behalf of their deceased relatives, dO' it at the peril of their own salvation. The dis- pensation of the fullness of times will bring to light the things that have been revealed in all former dispensations ; also other things that have not been before revealed. He shall send Elijah, the Prophet, &c., and restore all things in Christ. History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 425.
Salvation for the Dead — See Baptism for the Dead.
a
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Scripture Correction — "The Spirit maketh in- tercession for us with groanings and cannot be uttered." It would be better thus : — ''The Spir- it maketh intercession for us with striving which cannot be expressed." — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 264.
The 7th verse of the 2nd chapter of Genesis ought to read — God breathed into Adam his spirit [i. e. Adam's spirit] or breath of life; but when the word **rauch" applies to Eve, it should be translated lives. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 392. '
Genesis 6:6, "It repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth;" also Numbers 23:19, *'God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son of man that he should repent ;" which I do not believe. But it ought to read, "It repented Noah that God made man." This I believe, and then the other quotation stands fair. — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 57.
The first principles of the gospel, as I be- lieve, are faith, repentance, baptism for the re- mission of sins, with the promise of the Holy Ghost. Look at Hebrews 6:1 for contradic- tions— "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrines of Christ, let us go on unto perfec- tion." If man leaves the principles of the doc- trine of Christ how can he be saved in the principles? This is a contradiction, I don't believe it. I will render it as it should be — "Therefore not leaving the principles of the
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doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection." ■ — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 57.
Jesus said, "There are many mansions in my Father's house, and I will go and prepare a place for you." "House" here named should have been translated kingdom ; and any person who is exalted to the highest mansion has to abide a celestial law, and the whole law too. — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 184.
The Bible says, "I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord ; and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, lest I- come and smite the earth with a curse." Now, the word "turn" here should be trans- lated "bind" or "seal." — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 183.
Scripture Explanation — Elder Jedediah M. Grant enquired of me the cause of my turning pale and losing strength last night while bless- ing children. I told him that I saw that Luci- fer would exert his influence to destroy the chil- dren that I was blessing, and I strove with all the faith and spirit that I had to seal upon them a blessing that would secure their lives upon the earth ; and so much virtue went out of me into the children, that I became weak, from which I have not yet recovered ; and I referred to the case of the woman touching the hem of the garment of Jesus. (Luke 8th chapter.) The virtue here referred to is the spirit of life ;
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and a man who exercises great faith in admin- istering to the sick, blessing little children, or confirming, is liable to become weakened. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 303.
Scriptures Expounded — The subject I in- tend to speak upon this morning is one that I have seldom touched upon since I commenced my ministry in the Church. It is a subject of great speculation, as well amongst the elders of this Church, as amongst the divines of the day: it is in relation to the beasts spoken of by John the Revelator. I have seldom spoken from the revelations ; but as my subject is a constant source of speculation amongst the elders, caus- ing a division of sentiment and opinion in re- lation to it, I now do it in order that division and difference of opinion may be done away with, and not that correct knowledge on the subject is so much needed at the present time.
It is not very essential for the elders to have knowledge in relation to the meaning of beasts, and heads and horns, and other figures made use of in the revelations ; still, it may be neces- sary, to prevent contention and division and do away with suspense. If we get puffed up by thinking that we have much knowledge, we are apt to get a contentious spirit, and correct knowledge is necessary to cast out that spirit.
The evil of being puffed up with correct (though useless) knowledge is not so great as the evil of contention. Knowledge does away with darkness, suspense and doubt; for these cannot exist where knowledge is.
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There is no pain so awful as that of suspense. This is the punishment of the wicked; their doubt, anxiety and suspense cause weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth.
In knowledge there is power. God has more power than all other beings, because He has greater knowledge; and hence He knows how to subject all other beings to Him. He has power over all.
I will endeavor to instruct you in relation to the meaning of the beasts and figures spoken of. I should not have called up the subject had it not been for this circumstance: Elder Pela- tiah Brown, one of the wisest old heads we have among us, and whom I now see before me, has been preaching concerning the beast which was full of eyes before and behind ; and for this he was hauled up for trial before the High Council.
I did not like the old man being called up for erring in doctrine. It looks too much like the Methodist, and not like the Latter-day Saints. Methodists have creeds which a man must be- lieve or be asked out of their church. I want the liberty of thinking and believing as I please. It feels so good not to be trammelled. It does not prove that a man is not a good man be- cause he errs in doctrine.
The High Council undertook to censure and correct Elder Brown, because of his teachings in relation to the beasts. Whether they actu- ally corrected him or not, I am a little doubt-
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ful, but don't care. Father Brown came to me to know what he should do about it. The sub- ject particularly referred to was the four beasts and four-and-twenty elders mentioned in Rev. 5 :8 — "And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four-and-twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints."
Father Brown has been to work and con- founded all Christendom by making out that the four beasts represented the different king- doms of God on the earth. The wise men of the day could not do anything with him, and why should we find fault? Anything to whip sectarianism, to put down priestcraft, and bring the human family to a knowledge of the truth. A club is better than no weapon for a poor man to fight with.
Father Brown did whip sectarianism, and so far so good ; but I could not help laughing at the idea of God making use of the figure of a beast to represent His kingdom on the earth, consisting of men, when He could as well have used a far more noble and consistent figure. What! the Lord make use of the figure of a creature of the brute creation to represent that which is much more noble, glorious, and impor- tant— the glories and majesty of His kingdom? By taking a lesser figure to represent a greater, you missed it that time, old gentleman ; but the sectarians did not know enough to detect you.
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When God made use of the figure of a beast in visions to the prophets He did it to represent those kingdoms which had degenerated and be- come corrupt, savage and beast-like in their dispositions, even the degenerate kingdoms of the wicked world; but He never made use of the figure of a beast nor any of the brute kind to represent His kingdom.
I am now going to take exceptions to the present translation of the Bible in relation to these matters. Our latitude and longitude can be determined in the original Hebrew with far greater accuracy than in the English version. There is a grand distinction between the actual meaning of the prophets and the present trans- lation. The prophets do not declare that they saw a beast or beasts, but that they saw the "image" or '"figure" of a beast. Daniel did not see an actual bear or a lion, but the images or figures of those beasts. The translation should have been rendered ''image" instead of "beast," in every instance where beasts are mentioned by the prophets. But John saw the actual beast in heaven, showing to John that beasts did ac- tually exist there, and not to represent figures of things on the earth. When the prophets speak of seeing beasts in their visions, they mean that they saw the images, they being types to represent certain things. At the same time they received the interpretation as to what those images or types were designed to repre- sent.
I make this broad declaration, that whenever
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God gives a vision of an image, or beast, or fig- ure of any kind, He always holds Himself re- sponsible to give a revelation or interpretation of the meaning thereof, otherwise we are not responsible or accountable for our belief in it. Don't be afraid of being damned for not know- ing the meaning of a vision or figure, if God has not given a revelation or interpretation of the subject. * * *
Oh, ye elders of Israel, harken to my voice ; and when you are sent into the world to preach, tell those things you are sent to tell ; preach and cry aloud, "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand ; repent and believe the Gos- pel." Declare the first principles, and let mys- teries alone, lest ye be overthrown. Never meddle with the visions of beasts and subjects you do not understand. Elder Brown, when you go to Palmyra, say nothing about the four beasts, but preach those things the Lord has told you to preach about — repentance and bap- tism for the remission of sins. * * — His- tory of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 339.
At one p. m., attended meeting, I read the 5th chapter of Revelation, referring particularly to the 6th verse, showing from that the actual existence of beasts in heaven. Probably those were beasts which had lived on another planet, and not ours. God never made use of the fig- ure of a beast to represent the kingdom of heaven. When it is made use of, it is to rep- resent an apostate church. This is the first
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time I have ever taken a text in Revelation; and if the young Elders would let such things alone it would be far better. * * *
At seven o'clock meeting, I resumed the sub- ject of the beast, and showed very plainly that John's vision was very different from Daniel's prophecy — one referring to things actually ex- isting in heaven ; the other being a figure of things which are on earth. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 324.
Self-Righteousness Reproved — I do not think there have been many good men on the earth since the days of Adam ; but there was one good man and his name was Jesus. Many per- sons think a prophet must be a great deal bet- ter than anybody else. Suppose I would con- descend, yes, I will call it condescend to be a great deal better than any of you, I would be raised up to the highest heaven ; and who should I have to accompany me?
I love that man better who swears a stream as long as my arm yet deals justice to his neigh- bors and mercifully deals his substance to the poor, than the long, smooth-faced hypocrite.
I do not want you to think that I am very righteous, for I am not. God judges men ac- cording to the use they make of the light which He gives them. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 401.
Seventies, Calling of — The Seventies are to constitute traveling quorums, to go into all the
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earth, whithersoever the Twelve Apostles shall call them. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 202.
Seventies, Duty and Rights of — If the first Seventy are all employed, and there is a call for more laborers, it will be the duty of the seven presidents of the first Seventy to call and or- dain other Seventy and send them forth to la- bor in the vineyard, until, if needs be, they set apart seven times seventy, and even until there are one hundred and forty-four thousand thus set apart for the ministry.
The Seventy are not to attend the confer- ences of the Twelve, unless they are called up- on or requested so to do by the Twelve. The Twelve and the Seventy have particularly to depend upon their ministry for their support, and that of their families; and they have a right, by virtue of their offices, to call upon the churches to assist them. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 221.
Sign of the Son of Man — Among the many signs of the times and other strange things which are continually agitating the minds of men, I notice a small speculation in the "Chi- cago Express," upon the certificate of one Hy- rum Redding, of Ogle county, Illinois, stating that he has seen the sign of the Son of Man as foretold in the 24th chapter of Matthew. * * Mr. Redding may have seen a wonderful appearance in the clouds one morning about sunrise (which is nothing very uncommon in
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the winter season,) he has not seen the sign of the Son of Man, as foretold by Jesus ; neither has any man, nor will any man, until after the sun shall have been darkened and the moon bathed in blood; for the Lord hath not shown me any such sign ; and as the prophet saith, so it must be — ''Surely the Lord God will do noth- ing, but He revealeth His secret unto His ser- vants the prophets." (See Amos 3 :7.) There- fore hear this, O earth : The Lord will not come to reign over the righteous, in this world, in 1843, nor until everything for the Bride- groom is ready. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 290.
Sign Seekers — When I was preaching in Philadelphia, a Quaker called out for a sign. I told him to be still. After the sermon, he again asked for a sign. I told the congregation the man was an adulterer; that a wicked- and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and that the Lord had said to me in a revela- tion, that any man who wanted a sign was an adulterous person. "It is true,'' cried one, "for I caught him in the very act," which the man afterwards confessed, when he was baptized. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 268.
Sinning Wilfully — If men sin wilfully after they have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation to come. — History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 232.
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Sons of Perdition — See Devil and his Angels.
Spirit and Body, Difference Between — In
tracing the thing to the foundation, and look- ing at it philosophically, we shall find a very material difference between the body and the spirit; the body is supposed to be organized matter, and the spirit, by many, is thought to be immaterial, without substance. With this latter statement we should beg leave to differ, and state that spirit is a substance; that it is material, but that it is more pure, elastic and refined matter than the body; that it existed before the body, can exist in the body; and will exist separate from the body, when the body will be mouldering in the dust; and will in the resurrection, be again united with it. — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 575.
Spirit, a Bad — It is in vain to try to hide a bad spirit from the eyes of them who are spir- itual, for it will show itself in speaking and in writing, as well as in all our other conduct. It is also needless to make great pretensions when the heart is not right; the Lord will expose it to the view of His faithful Saints. — History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 317.
Spirit of Elias — See Elias.
Spirit and Matter — See Matter.
Spirits and Angels — An angel of God never has wings. Some will say that they have seen a spirit ; that he offered them his hand, but they
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did not touch it. This is a lie. First, it is con- trary to the plan of God : a spirit cannot come but in glory ; an angel has flesh and bones ; we see not their glory. The devil may appear as an angel of light. Ask God to reveal it; if it be of the devil, he will flee from you ; if of God, He will manifest Himself, or make it mani- fest. We may come to Jesus and ask Him ; He will know all about it; if He comes to a little child. He will adapt Himself to the language and capacity of a little child.
Every spirit, or vision, or singing, is not of God. The devil is an orator; he is powerful; he took our Savior on to a pinnacle of the Tem- ple, and kept Him in the wilderness for forty days. The gift of discerning spirits will be given to the Presiding Elder. Pray for him that he may have this gift. — History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 392.
Spirits can only be revealed in flaming fire or glory. Angels have advanced further, their light and glory being tabernacled; and hence they appear in bodily shape. The spirits of just men are made ministering servants to those who are sealed unto life eternal, and it is through them that the sealing power comes down. * * *
Jesus showed Himself to His disciples, and they thought it was His Spirit, and they were afraid to approach His spirit. Angels have advanced higher in knowledge and power than spirits. * * *
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The spirits of the just are exalted to a greater and more glorious work; hence they are blest in their departure to the world of spirits. En- veloped in flaming fire, they are not far from us, and know and understand our thoughts, feelings, and motions, and are often pained therewith.
Flesh and blood cannot go there ; but flesh and bones, quickened by the Spirit of God can. — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 51.
Spirits, Character of — The spirits in the eter- nal world are like the spirits in this world. When those have come into this world and received tabernacles, then died and again have risen and received glorified bodies, they will have an ascendency over the spirits who have received no bodies, or kept not their first es- tate, like the devil. The punishment of the devil was that he should not have a habitation like men. The devil's retaliation is, he comes into this world, binds up men's bodies, and oc- cupies them himself. When the authorities come along, they eject him from a stolen hab- itation.— History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 403.
Spirit of Man Eternal — The spirit of man is not a created being ; it existed from eternity, and will exist to eternity. Anything created can- not be eternal ; and earth, water, etc., had their existence in an elementary state from eternity. —History of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 387.
Spirits in Prison — I will say something about
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the spirits in prison. There has been much said by modern divines about the words of Jesus (when on the cross) to the thief, saying, ''This day shalt thou be with me in paradise." * * * * Find the origin of the word para- dise. * * * There is nothing in the original word in Greek from which this was taken that signifies paradise ; but it was — This day thou shalt be with me in the world of spirits : then I will teach you all about it and answer your inquiries." And Peter says He went and preached to the world of spirits (spirits in prison, I Peter, 3rd chap., 19th verse), so that they who would receive it could have it an- swered by proxy by those who live on the earth. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 424.
Spirits to be Tested — Recent occurrences that have transpired amongst us render it an imperative duty devolving upon me to say something in relation to the spirits' by which men are actuated.
It is evident from the Apostles' writings, that many false spirits existed in their day, and had "gone forth into the world," and that it needed intelligence which God alone could impart to detect false spirits, and to prove what spirits were of God. The world in general have been grossly ignorant in regard to this one thing, and why should they be otherwise — "for no man knows the things of God, but by the Spirit of God." * * =i^ *
One great evil is, that men are ignorant of the
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nature of spirits; their power, laws, govern- ment, intelligence, &c., and imagine that when there is anything like power, revelation, or vis- ion manifested, that it must be of God. Hence the Methodists, Presbyterians, and others fre- quently possess a spirit that will cause them to lie down, and during its operation, animation is frequently entirely suspended ; they consider it to be the power of God, and a glorious man- ifestation from God — a manifestation of what? Is there any intelligence communicated? Are the curtains of heaven withdrawn, or the pur- poses of God developed? Have they seen and conversed with an angel — or have the glories of futurity burst upon their view? No! but their body has been inanimate, the operation of their spirit suspended, and all the intelligence that can be obtained from them when they arise, is a shout of "glory," or "hallelujah," or some incoherent expression ; but they have had "the power."
The Shaker will whirl around on his heel, impelled by a supernatural agency or spirit, and think that he is governed by the Spirit of God; and the Jumper will jump and enter into all kinds of extravagances. A Primitive Methodist will shout under the influence of that spirit, until he will rend the heavens with his cries ; while the Quakers (or Friends) moved as they think, by the Spirit of God, will sit still and say nothing. Is God the author of all this? If not of all of it, which does He recognize? Surely,
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such a heterogeneous mass of confusion never can enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Every one of these professes to be compe- tent to try his neighbor's spirit, but no one can try his own, and what is the reason? Because they have not a key to unlock, no rule where- with to measure, and no criterion whereby they can test it. Could any one tell the length, breadth or height of a building without a rule? test the quality of metals without a criterion, or point out the movements of the planetary systems, without a knowledge of astronomy? Certainly not; and if such ignorance as this is manifested about a spirit of this kind, who can describe an angel of light? If Satan should ap- pear as one in glory, who can tell his color, his signs, his appearance, his glory? — or what is the manner of his manifestation? Who can de- tect the spirit of the French prophets with their revelations and their visions, and power of manifestations ? Or who can point out the spir- it of the Irvingites, with their apostles and prophets, and visions and tongues, and inter- pretations, &c. Or who can drag into daylight and develop the hidden mysteries of the false spirits that so frequently are made manifest among the Latter-day Saints ? We answer that no man can do this without the Priesthood, and having a knowledge of the laws by which spir- its are governed; for as "no man knows the things of God, but by the Spirit of God," so no man knows the spirit of the devil, and his power and influence, but by possessing
12
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intelligence which is more than human, and having unfolded through the medium of the Priesthood the mysterious operations of his devices; without knowing the angelic form, the sanctified look and gesture, and the zeal that is frequently manifested by him for the glory of God, together with the prophetic spirit, the gracious influence, the godly appear- ance, and the holy garb, which are so character- istic of his proceedings and his mysterious windings. * * * *
A man must have the discerning of spirits, as we before stated, to understand these things, and how is he to obtain this gift if there are no gifts of the Spirit? And how can these gifts be ob- tained without revelation? "Christ ascended into heaven, and gave gifts to men ; and He gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers. And how were Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers and Evangelists chosen? By proph- ecy (revelation) and by laying on of hands : — by a divine communication, and a divinely ap- pointed ordinance — through the medium of the Priesthood, organized according to the order of God, by divine appointment. The Apostles in ancient times held the keys of this Priesthood — of the mysteries of the kingdom of God, and consequently were enabled to unlock and un- ravel all things pertaining to the government of the Church, the welfare of society, the future destiny of men, and the agency, power and in- fluence of spirits ; for they could control them
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at pleasure, bid them depart in the name of Jesus, and detect their mischievous and mys- terious operations when trying to palm them- selves upon the Church in a religious garb, and militate against the interest of the Church and spread of truth. We read that they "cast out devils in the name of Jesus," and when a wom- an possessing the spirit of divination, cried be- fore Paul and Silas, "these are the servants of the Most High God that show unto us the way of salvation," they detected the spirit. And al- though she spake favorably of them, Paul com- manded the spirit to come out of her, and saved themselves from the opprobrium that might have been heaped upon their heads, through an alliance with her, in the development of her wicked principles, which they certainly would have been charged with, if they had not re- buked the evil spirit.
A power similar to this existed through the medium of the Priesthood in different ages. Moses could detect the magician's power, and show that he [himself] was God's servant — he knew when he was upon the mountain (through revelation) that Israel was engaged in idolatry ; he could develop the sin of Korah, Dathan and Abiram, detect witches and wiz-. ards in their proceedings, and point out the true prophets of the Lord. Joshua knew how to detect the man who had stolen the wedge of gold and the Babylonish garment. Michaiah could point out the false spirit by which the four hundred prophets were governed; and if
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his advice had been taken, many lives would have been spared, (II Chronicles 18) Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and many other prophets possessed this power. Our Savior, the Apostles, and even the members of the Church were endowed with this gift, for, says Paul, (I Corinthians 12), "To one is given the gift of tongues, to another the interpreta- tion of tongues, to another the working of mir- acles, to another prophecy, to another the dis- cerning of spirits." All these proceeded from the same Spirit of God, and were the gifts of God. The Ephesian church were enabled by this principle, "to try those that said they were apostles, and were not, and found them liars," (Revelation 2:2).
In tracing the thing to the foundation, and looking at it philosophically, we shall find a very material difference between the body and the spirit; the body is supposed to be organ- ized matter, and the spirit, by many, is thought to be immaterial, without substance. With this latter statement we should beg leave to differ, and state that spirit is a substance ; that it is material, but that it is more pure, elastic and refined matter than the body; that it existed before the body, can exist in the body; and will exist separate from the body, when the body will be mouldering in the dust; and will in the resurrection, be again united with it.
Without attempting to describe this mys- terious connection, and the laws that govern the body and the spirit of man, their relation-
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ship to each other, and the design of God in re- lation to the human body and spirit, I would just remark, that the spirits of men are eternal, that they are governed by the same Priesthood that Abraham, Melchisedek, and the Apostles were : that they are organized according to that Priesthood which is everlasting, "without be- ginning of days or end of years," — that they all move in their respective spheres, and are governed by the law of God ; that when they appear upon the earth they are in a probation- ary state, and are preparing, if righteous, for a future and greater glory ; that the spirits of good men cannot interfere with the wicked be- yond their prescribed bounds, for "Michael, the Archangel, dared not bring a railing accusa- tion against the devil, but said, "The Lord re- buke thee, Satan."
It would seem also, that wicked spirits have their bounds, limits, and laws by which they are governed or controlled, and know their fu- ture destiny; hence, those that were in the maniac said to our Savior, "Art thou come to torment us before the time," and when Satan presented himself before the Lord, among the sons of God, he said that he came "from go- ing to and fro in the earth, and from wander- ing up and down in it ;" and he is emphatically called the prince of the power of the air; and, it is very evident that they possess a power that none but those who have the Priesthood can control, as we have before adverted to, in the case of the sons of Sceva. * * *
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The "French Prophets" were possessed of a spirit that deceived; they existed in Vivaris and Dauphany, in great numbers in the year 1688; there were many boys and girls from seven to twenty-five ; they had strange fits, as in tremblings and faintings, which made them stretch out their legs and arms, as in a swoon ; they remained awhile in trances, and coming out of them, uttered all that came in their mouths [see Buck's Theological Dictionary].
Now God never had any prophets that acted in this way; there was nothing indecorous in the proceeding of the Lord's prophets in any age ; neither had the apostles, nor prophets in the apostles' day anything of this kind. Paul says, "We may all prophesy, one by one ; and if anything be revealed to another let the first hold his peace, for the spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets ;" but here we find that the prophets are subject to the spirit, and falling down, have twitchings, tumblings, and faintings through the influence of that spirit, being entirely under its control. Paul says, "Let everything be done decently and in or- der," but here we find the greatest disorder and indecency in the conduct of both men and wom- en, as above described. The same rule would apply to the fallings, twitchings, swoonings, shaking, and trances of many of our modern revivalists.
Johanna Southcott professed to be a prophet- ess, and wrote a book of prophecies in 1804, she became the founder of a people that are still
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extant. She was to bring forth, in a place ap- pointed, a son, that was to be the Messiah^ which thing has failed. Independent of this, however, where do we read of a woman that was the founder of a church, in the word of God? Paul told the women in his day, "To keep silence in the church, and that if they wished to know anything to ask their husbands at home;" he would not suffer a woman *'to rule, or to usurp authority in the church ;" but here we find a woman the founder of a church, the revelator and guide, the Alpha and Omega, contrary to all acknowledged rule, principle, and order.
Jemimah Wilkinson was another prophetess that figured largely in America, in the last cen- tury. She stated that she was taken sick and died, and that her soul went to heaven, where it still continues. Soon after, her body was re- animated with the spirit and power of Christ, upon which she set up as a public teacher, and declared that she had an immediate revelation. Now the Scriptures positively assert that "Christ is the first fruit, afterwards those that are Christ's at His coming, then cometh the end." But Jemimah, according to her testi- mony, died, and rose again before the time mentioned in the Scriptures. The idea of her soul being in heaven while her body was [liv- ing] on earth, is also preposterous. When God breathed into man's nostrils, he became a living soul, before that he did not live, and when that was taken away his body died; and
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so did our Savior when the spirit left the body, nor did His body live until His spirit returned in the power of His resurrection. But Mrs. Wilkinson's soul [life] was in heaven, and her body without the soul [or life] on earth, living [without the soul, or] without life!
The Irvingites, are a people that have counterfeited the truth, perhaps the. nearest of any of our modern sectarians. They com- menced about ten years ago in the city of London, in England ; they have churches formed in various parts of England and Scot- land, and some few in Upper Canada. Mr. Irving, their founder, was a learned and tal- ented minister of the Church of Scotland, he was a great logician, and a powerful orator, but withal wild and enthusiastic in his views. Moving in the higher circles, and possessing talent and zeal, placed him in a situation to become a conspicuous character, and to raise up a society similar to that which is called after his name.
The Irvingites have apostles, prophets, pas- tors, teachers, evangelists, and angels. They profess to have the gift of tongues, and the in- terpretation of tongues, and, in some few in- stances, to have the gift of healing.
The first prophetic spirit that was manifested was in some Misses Campbell that Mr. Irving met with, while on a journey in Scotland ; they had [what is termed among their sect] "ut- terances," which were evidently of a super- natural agency. Mr. Irving, falling into the com-
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mon error of considering all supernatural man- ifestations to be of God, took them to London with him, and introduced them into his church.
They were there honored as the prophetesses of God, and when they spoke, Mr. Irving or any of his ministers had to keep silence. They were peculiarly wrought upon before the con- gregation, and had strange utterances, uttered with an unnatural, shrill voice, and with thrill- ing intonations they frequently made use of a few broken, unconnected sentences, that were ambiguous, incoherent, and incomprehensible; at other times they were more clearly understood. They would frequently cry out, "There is ini- quity! There is iniquity!" And Mr. Irving has been led, under the influence of this charge, to fall down upon his knees before the public congregation, and to confess his sin, not know- ing whether he had sinned, nor wherein, nor whether the thing referred to him, or some- body else. During these operations, the bodies of the persons speaking were powerfully wrought upon, their countenances were dis- torted, they had frequent twitchings in their hands, and the whole system was powerfully convulsed at intervals ; they sometimes, how- ever, (it is supposed) spoke in correct tongues, and had true interpretations.
Under the influence of this spirit the church was organized by these women; apostles, prophets, &c., were soon called, and a system- atic order of things introduced, as above men-
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tioned. A Mr. Baxter (afterwards one of their principal prophets) upon going into one of their meetings, says, "I saw a power mani- fested, and thought that was the power of God, and asked that it might fall upon me, and it did so, and I began to prophesy." Eight or nine years ago they had about sixty preachers going through the streets of London, testify- ing that London was to be the place where the "two witnesses" spoken of by John, were to prophesy; that (they) "the Church and the spirit were the witnesses, and that at the end of three years and a half there was to be an earth- quake and great destruction, and our Savior was to come. Their apostles were collected to- gether at the appointed time watching the event, but Jesus did not come, and the proph- ecy was then ambiguously explained away. They frequently had signs given them by the spirit to prove to them that what was mani- fested to them should take place. Mr. Baxter related an impression that he had concerning a child. It was manifested to him that he should visit the child and lay hands upon it, and that it should be healed; and to prove to him that this was of God, he should meet his brother in a cer- tain place, who should speak unto him certain words. His brother addressed him precisely in the way and manner that the manifestation designated. The sign took place, but when he laid his hands upon the child it did not recover. I cannot vouch for the authority of the last statement, as Mr. Baxter at that time had left
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the Irvingites, but it is in accordance with many of their proceedings, and the thing never has been attempted to be denied.
It may be asked, where is there anything in all this that is wrong?
1st. The Church was organized by women, and *'God placed in the Church (first apostles, secondarily prophets), and not first women; but Mr. Irving placed in his church first wom- en (secondarily apostles, and the church was founded and organized by them. A woman has no right to found or organize a church — God never sent them to do it.
2nd. Those women would speak in the midst of a meeting, and rebuke Mr. Irving or any of the church. Now the Scripture positive- ly =says, "Thou shalt not rebuke an Elder, but entreat him as a father;" not only this, but they frequently accused the brethren, thus placing themselves in the seat of Satan, who is emphatically called "the accuser of the brethren."
3rd. Mr. Baxter received the spirit on ask- ing for it, without attending to the ordinances, and began to prophesy, whereas the scriptural way of attaining the gift of the Holy Ghost is by baptism, and by laying on of hands.
4th. As we have stated in regard to others, the spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets; but those prophets were subject to the spirits, the spirits controlling their bodies at pleasure.
But it may be asked how Mr. Baxter could
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get a sign from a second person? To this we would answer, that Mr. Baxter's brother was under the influence of the same spirit himself, and being subject to that spirit he could be easily made to speak to Mr. Baxter whatever the spirit should dictate; but there was not power in the spirit to heal the child.
Again it may be asked, how it was that they could speak in tongues if they were of the devil ! We would answer that they could be made to speak in another tongue, as well as their own, as they were under the control of that spirit, and the devil can tempt the Hotten- tot, the Turk, the Jew, or any other nation ; and if these men were under the influence of his spirit, they of course could speak Hebrew, Latin, Greek, Italian, Dutch, or any other lan- guage that the devil knew.
Some will say, "try the spirits" by the word. "Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God." John 4:2, 3. One of the Irvingites once quoted the passage whilst under the influence of a spirit, and then said, *T confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh." And yet these prophecies failed, their Messiah did not come ; and the great things spoken of by them have fallen to the ground. What is the matter here? Did not the Apos- tle speak the truth? Certainly he did — but he spoke to a people who were under the penalty of death, the moment they embraced Chris-
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tianity ; and no one without a knowledge of the fact would confess it, and expose themselves to death, and this was consequently given as a criterion to the church or churches to which John wrote. But the devil on a certain occa- sion cried out, "I know thee, who thou art, the Holy One of God V Here was a frank ac- knowledgment under other circumstances that **Jesus had come in the flesh." On another oc- casion the devil said, 'Taul we know, and Jesus we know" — of course, ''come in the flesh." No man nor set of men without the regular consti- tuted authorities, the Priesthood and discern- ing of spirits, can tell true from false spirits. This power they possessed in the Apostles' day, but it has departed from the world for ages.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has also had its false spirits ; and as it is made up of all those different sects profess- ing every variety of opinion, and having been under the influence of so many kinds of spir- its, it is not to be wondered at if there should be found among us false spirits.
Soon after the Gospel was established in Kirtland, and during the absence of the author- ities of the Church, many false spirits were introduced, many strange visions were seen, and wild, enthusiastic notions were enter- tained ; men ran out of doors under the influ- ence of this spirit, and some of them got upon the stumps of trees and shouted, and all kinds of extravagances were entered into by them ; one man pursued a ball that he said he saw fly-
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ing in the air, until he came to a precipice, when he jumped into the top of a tree, which saved his life ; and many ridiculous things were entered into, calculated to bring disgrace upon the Church of God, to cause the Spirit of God to be withdrawn, and to uproot and destroy those glorious principles which had been de- veloped for the salvation of the human family. But when the authorities returned, the spirit was made manifest, those members that were exercised with it were tried for their fellow- ship, and those that would not repent and for- sake it were cut off.
At a subsequent period a Shaker spirit was on the point of being introduced, and at an- other time the Methodist and Presbyterian falling down power, but the spirit was rebuked and put down, and those who would not submit to rule and good order were disfellowshiped. We have also had brethren and sisters who have had the gift of tongues falsely; they would speak in a muttering unnatural voice, and their bodies be distorted like the Irvingites before alluded to ; whereas, there is nothing un- natural in the Spirit of God. A circumstance of this kind took place in Upper Canada, but was rebuked by the presiding Elder; another, a woman near the same place, professed to have the discerning of spirits, and began to "accuse" another sister of things that she was not guilty of, which she said she knew was so by the spirit, but was afterwards proven to be false; she placed herself in the capacity of the
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*' 'accuser' of the brethren," and no person through the discerning of spirits can bring a charge against another, they must be proven guilty by positive evidence, or they stand clear.
There have also been ministering angels in the Church which were of Satan appearing as an angel of light. A sister in the state of New York had a vision, who said it was told her that if she would go to a certain place in the woods, an angel would appear to her. She went at the appointed time, and saw a glorious per- sonage descending, arrayed in white, with sandy colored hair; he commenced and told her to fear God, and said that her husband was called to do great things, but that he must not go more than one hundred miles from home, or he would not return; whereas God had called him to go to the ends of the earth, and he has since been more than one thousand miles from home, and is yet alive. Many true things were spoken by this personage, and many things that were false. How, it may be asked, was this known to be a bad angel? By the color of his hair; that is one of the signs that he can be known by, and by his contra- dicting a former revelation.
We have also had brethren and sisters who have written revelations, and who have started forward to lead this Church. Such was a young boy in Kirtland, Isaac Russell, of Missouri, and Gladden Bishop, and Oliver Olney of Nauvoo. The boy is now living with his parents who have submitted to the laws of the Church. Mr.
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Russell stayed in Far West, from whence he was to go to the Rocky Mountains, led by three Nephites; but the Nephites never came, and his friends forsook him, all but some of the blood relations, who have since been nearly destroyed by the mob. Mr. Bishop was tried by the High Council, his papers examined, condemned and burned, and he cut off the Church. He acknowledged the justice of the decision, and said "'that he now saw his error, for if he had been governed by the revelations given before, he might have known that no man was to write revelations for the Church, but Joseph Smith," and begged to be prayed for, and forgiven by the brethren. Mr. Olney has also been tried by the High Council and disfellowshiped, because he would not have his writings tested by the word of God ; evi- dently proving that he loves darkness rather than light, because his deeds are evil. — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 571.
Spirits, The World of — There has been much said about the word hell, and the sectarian world have preached much about it, describing it to be a burning lake of fire and brimstone. But what is hell? It is another modern term, and is taken from hades. * * * Hades, the Greek, or Shaole, the Hebrew: these two sig- nifications mean a world of spirits. Hades, Shaole, paradise, spirits in prison are all one; and it is a world of spirits.
The righteous and the wicked all go to the same world of spirits until the resurrection. ♦ * * ♦
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The great misery of departed spirits in the world of spirits, where they go after death, is to know that they come short of the glory that others enjoy and that they might have enjoyed themselves; and they are their own accusers. *'But," says one, "I believe in one universal heaven and hell, where all go, and are all alike, and equally miserable or equally happy."
What ! where all are huddled together — the honorable, virtuous, and murderers, and whore- mongers, when it is written that they shall be judged according to the deeds done in the body? But St. Paul informs us of three glories and three heavens. He knew a man that was caught up to the third heavens. Now, if the doctrine of the sectarian world, that there is but one heaven, is true, Paul, what do you tell that lie for, and say there are three? Jesus said unto His disciples, "In my Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and I will come and receive you to myself, that where I am ye may be also." — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 425.
Spiritual Gifts — See "Faith and Spiritual Gifts."
Temples, Laying Comer Stones of — If the strict order of the Priesthood were carried out in the building of Temples, the first stone would be laid at the south-east corner, by the First Presidency of the Church. The south- west corner should be laid next. The third, or
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north-west corner next; and the fourth, or north-east corner last. The first Presidency should lay the south-east corner stone and dic- tate who are the proper persons to lay the other corner stones.
If a Temple is built at a distance, and the First Presidency are not present, then the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are the per- sons to dictate the order for that Temple ; and in the absence of the Twelve Apostles, then the Presidency of the Stake will lay the south- east corner stone ; the Melchisedek Priesthood laying the corner stones on the east side of the Temple, and the Lesser Priesthood those on the west side. — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 331.
Tongues — See Gift of Tongues.
Translated Bodies — Translated bodies can- not enter into rest until they have undergone a change equivalent unto death. Translated bodies are designed for future missions. The angel that appeared to John on the Isle of Pat- mos was a translated body. — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 425.
Transmigration of Souls a Doctrine of the Devil — Tuesday, November 10. — I resumed conversation with Matthias, and desired him to enlighten my mind more on his views respect- ing the resurrection.
He said that he possessed the spirit of his fathers, that he was a literal descendant of
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Matthias, the Apostle, who was chosen in the place of Judas that fell ; that his spirit was res- urrected in him; and that this was the way or scheme of eternal life — this transmigration of soul or spirit from father to son.
I told him that his doctrine was of the devil, that he was in reality in possession of a wicked and depraved spirit, although he professed to be the Spirit of truth itself; and he said also that he possessed the soul of Christ.
He tarried until Wednesday, 11th, when, after breakfast, I told him, that my God told me, that his god was the devil, and I could not keep him any longer, and he must depart. And so I, for once, cast out the devil in bodily shape, and I believe a murderer. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 307.
Treason, Beware of — O ye Twelve ! and all Saints ! profit by this important key — that in all your trials, troubles, temptations, afflictions, bonds, imprisonments and death, see to it, that you do not betray heaven ; that you do not be- tray Jesus Christ; that you do not betray the brethren ; that you do not betray the revela- tions of God; whether in the Bible, Book of Mormon or Doctrine and Covenants, or any other that ever was or ever will be given and revealed unto man in this world or that which is to come. Yea, in all your kickings and flounderings, see to it that you do not this thing, lest innocent blood be found upon your skirts, and you go down to hell. AH other sins are not to be compared to sinning against
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the Holy Ghost, and proving a traitor to the brethren. — History of the Church, Vol. 3, p.
385.
Visions — We may look for angels and receive their ministrations, but we are to try the spir- its and prove them, for it is often the case that men make a mistake in regard to these things. God has so ordained that when He has com- municated, no vision is to be taken but what you see by the seeing of the eye, or what you hear by the hearing of the ear. When you see a vision, pray for the interpretation ; if you get not this, shut it up; there must be certainty in this matter. An open vision will manifest that which is more important. Lying spirits are going forth in the earth. There will be great manifestations of spirits, both false and true. — Hstory of the Church, Vol. 3, p. 391.
Wicked, The Punishment of the — There is no pain so awful as that of suspense. This is the punishment of the wicked ; their doubt, anxiety and suspense cause weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. — History of the Church, Vol. 5, p. 340.
Women Not to Found Churches — A woman has no right to found or organize a church — God never sent them to do it. — History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 579.
Wrong-Doing to be Proved by Evidence —
A woman, near the same place, professed
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to have the discerning of spirits, and be- gan to "accuse" another sister of things that she was not guilty of, which she said she knew was so by the spirit, but was afterwards proven to be false; she placed herself in the capacity of the " 'accuser' of the brethren," and no per- son through the discerning of spirits can bring a charge against another, they must be proven guilty by positive evidence, or they stand clear. —History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 581.
Zion, Importance of Gathering to — Take away the Book of Mormon and the revelations, and where is our religion? We have none; for without Zion, and a place of deliverance, we must fall ; because the time is near when the sun will be darkened, and the moon turn to blood, and the stars fall from heaven, and the earth reel to and fro. Then, if this is the case, and if we are not sanctified and gathered to the places God has appointed, with all our former professions and our great love for the Bible, we must fall; we cannot stand; we can- not be saved; for God will gather out His Saints from the Gentiles, and then comes des- olation and destruction, and none can escape except the pure in heart who are gathered. — History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 52.
Zion, Warning to — The Lord will have a place whence His word will go forth, in these last days, in purity; for if Zion will not purify herself, so as to be approved of in all things, in His sight, He will seek another people ; for His
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work will go on until Israel is gathered, and they who will not hear His voice, must expect to feel His wrath. Let me say unto you, seek to purify yourselves, and also all the inhab- itants of Zion, lest the Lord's anger be kindled to fierceness. Repent, repent, is the voice of God to Zion ; and strange as it may appear, yet it is true, mankind will persist in self-justi- fication until all their iniquity is exposed, and their character past being redeemed, and that which is treasured up in their hearts be ex- posed to the gaze of mankind. I say to you (and what I say to you I say to all), hear the warning voice of God, lest Zion fall, and the Lord swear in His wrath the inhabitants of Zion shall not enter into His rest. — History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 316.
Zion, Redemption of — I know that Zion, in the due time of the Lord, will be redeemed but how many will be the days of her purification, tribulation, and affliction, the Lord has kept hid from my eyes ; and when I inquire concern- ing this subject, the voice of the Lord is: Be still, and know that I am God! all those who suffer for my name shall reign with me, and he that layeth down his life for my sake shall find it again.
Now, there are two things of which I am ig- norant ; and the Lord will not show them unto me, perhaps for a wise purpose in Himself — I mean in some respects — and they are these: Why God has suffered so great a calamity to
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come upon Zion, and what the great moving cause of this great affliction is; and again, by what means He will return her back to her inheritance, with songs of everlasting joy upon her head. These two things, brethren, are in part kept back that they are not plainly shown unto me; but there are some things that are plainly manifest which have incurred the dis- pleasure of the Almighty. — History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 453.
Zion, What Prophets have said Concerning —
But all these impediments vanish when it is recollected what the Prophets have said con- cerning Zion in the last days ; how the glory of Lebanon is to come upon her; the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box tree together, to beautify the place of His sanctuary, that He may make the place of His feet glorious. Where for brass. He will bring gold ; and for iron. He will bring silver; and for wood, brass; and for stones, iron ; and where the feast of fat things will be given to the just; yea, when the splendor of the Lord is brought to our consideration for the good of His people, the calculations of men and the vain glory of the world vanish, and we exclaim, ''Out of Zion the perfection of beauty, God hath shined." — History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 198.
Zion, Ransomed of the Lord to come to^ —
But the tribe of Judah will return to old Jeru- salem. The city of Zion spoken of by David, in the one hundred and second Psalm, will be
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built upon the land of America, "And the ran- somed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads" (Isaiah 35:10); and then they will be delivered from the overflowing scourge that shall pass through the land. But Judah shall obtain deliverance at Jerusalem. See Joel 2: 32 ; Isaiah 26 :20 and 21 ; Jeremiah 31 :12 ; Psalm 1 :5; Ezekiel 34:11, 12 and 13. These are testi- monies that the Good Shepherd will put forth His own sheep, and lead them out from all na- tions where they have been scattered in a cloudy and dark day, to Zion, and to Jerusalem ; besides many more testimonies which might be brought. — History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 315. Zion, Whole of America — You know there has been great discussion in relation to Zion — where it is, and where the gathering of the dis- pensation is, and which I am now going to tell you. The prophets have spoken and written upon it; but I will make a proclamation thai will cover a broader ground. The whole of America is Zion itself, from north to south, and is described by the Prophets, who declare it is the Zion, where the mountain of the Lord should be, and that it should be in the center of the land. When Elders will take up and examine the old prophecies in the Bible, they will see it. — History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 318.
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