shall not have their names enrolled with the people of God; their
genealogy shall not be found in the records of the church, neither
shall the names of the fathers or children be written in the book of
the law of God.
104. 1 the united order to be an everlasting order for the salvation of
men until Christ come.
4-10 the penalty of breaking the covenants of the united order.
11-13 every man's stewardship to be appointed unto him.
15, 16 the Lord will provide for his Saints in his own way.
54, 55 the properties of the Saints are the Lord's, or else is their
faith vain.
105. 2 were it not for the transgressions of my people, they might have
been redeemed even now.
4 are not united according to the law of the celestial kingdom.
5 Zion cannot be built up except by the law of the celestial kingdom.
9 elders to wait a little season for the redemption of Zion.
Pearl of Great Price.
_Pages_ 18, 19, 20 an account of the city of Enoch.
_See Sermon by B. Young, J. of D., Vol. 15, page 220_.
" " " " " _17_, " _56_.
" " _J. Taylor_, " " _17_, " _47_.
" " _G. A. Smith_, " " _17_, " _58_.
" " _W. Woodruff_, " " _17_, " _69_.
" " _E. Snow_. " " _17_, " _74_.
" " _O. Pratt_, " " _17_, "_ 103_.
" " _L. Snow,_ " " 18, " 371.
" " _E. Snow_, " " 19, " 179.
" " _L. Snow,_ " " _19_, " _341_.
" " _J. Taylor_, " " _20_, " _55_.
" " _L. Snow_, " " _20_, " _361_.
" " _J. Taylor_, " " _21_, " _53_.
" " _O. Pratt_, " " _21_, " _146_.
GEMS FROM THE HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH.
_May_, 25, 1835, in a Council of the Twelve, Brigham Young, one of the
Twelve, Elders John P. Greene and Amos Orton were set apart to open the
door of the Gospel to the remnants of Joseph.
PRESIDENCY OF THE TWELVE.--_January_ 16, 1836, in a Council of the
Twelve the Prophet Joseph made the following remark: "The Twelve are
not subject to any other than the First Presidency, viz.: myself,
Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams, who are now my Counselors;
(and where I am not, there is no First Presidency over the Twelve.)"
A Vision.--_January_ 21, 1836, the Prophet Joseph says of this time;
"The heavens were opened upon us, and I beheld the celestial kingdom of
God, and the glory thereof, 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 marvelled how it was that he had obtained an inheritance in that
kingdom, seeing that he had departed this life before 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 all children who die before they arrive at years of
accountability, are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven. * * *
"Many of my brethren who received the ordinance with me saw glorious
visions also. Angels ministered unto them as well as myself, and the
power of the Highest rested upon us, the house was filled with the
glory of God, and we shouted Hosanna to God and the Lamb."
THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY.--_On the evening of March_ 27, 1836, President
Joseph Smith met the Quorums of the Priesthood in the Temple, and
instructed them respecting the ordinance of washing of feet, and in
relation to the Spirit of prophecy, "And called upon the congregation
to speak, and not to fear to prophesy good concerning the Saints,
for if you prophesy the falling of these hills, and the rising of
the valleys, the downfall of the enemies of Zion, and the rising of
the kingdom of God, it shall come to pass. Do not quench the Spirit,
for the first one that opens his mouth shall receive the spirit of
prophecy. Brother G. A. Smith arose, and began to prophesy, when a
noise was heard like the sound of a rushing mighty wind, which filled
the Temple, and all the congregation simultaneously arose, being
moved upon by an invisible power; many began to speak in tongues, and
prophesy; others saw glorious visions; and I beheld the Temple was
filled with angels, which fact I declared to the congregation. The
people of the neighborhood came running together, (hearing an unusual
sound within, and seeing a bright light like a pillar of fire resting
upon the Temple,) and were astonished at what was transpiring."
WHAT THE ELDERS SHOULD PREACH.--_March_ 30, 1836, the Elders met in the
Kirtland Temple, to attend to the ordinance of washing of feet, under
the direction of the Prophet Joseph. He made the following remarks:
"That the time that we were required to tarry in Kirtland to be endued,
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."
THE COMFORTER.--From instructions of the Prophet Joseph, given at a
Conference of the Twelve, _June_ 27, 1839.
"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 baptism. This first Comforter or Holy Ghost has no
other effect than pure intelligence. It is more powerful in expanding
the mind, enlightening the understanding, and storing the intellect
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; for as the Holy Ghost falls upon one of the
literal seed of Abraham, 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 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 hath faith
in Christ, repents of his sins, and is baptized for the remission of
his sins and receives the Holy Ghost, (by the laying on of hands,)
which is the first Comforter, then let him continue 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, etc. 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 privilege to receive the _other Comforter_, which the Lord hath
promised the Saints, as is recorded in the testimony of St. John, in
the 14th chapter, from the 12th to the 27th verses. * *
Now, what is this _other Comforter_? It is no more or less than the
LORD JESUS CHRIST himself; and this is the sum and substance of the
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 will teach him face to face, and
he may have a perfect knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom 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 heavens, and all the Saints who held
communion with the general assembly and _Church of the First Born_, etc.
"THE SPIRIT OF REVELATION is in connection with these blessings. A
person may profit by noticing the first intimations of the Spirit of
Revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing unto
you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas, that by noticing it,
you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon; (i. e.,) those things
that were presented unto your mind by the Spirit of God, will come to
pass; and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you
may grow into the principle of Revelation, until you become perfect in
Christ Jesus."
FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER.--"Ever keep in exercise the principle of mercy,
and be ready to forgive our brother on the first intimations of
repentance, and asking forgiveness; and should we even forgive our
brother, or even our enemy, before they repent or ask forgiveness, our
Heavenly Father would be equally as merciful unto us."
KEYS.--_July_ 2, 1839, at a meeting of the Twelve and some of the
Seventies, President Joseph Smith made the following remarks: "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 betray
_Jesus Christ_; that you do not betray the _brethren_; that you do not
betray the _revelations_ 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 kicking and flounderings, see to it that you do not
this thing, lest innocent blood be found in your skirts, and you go
down to hell. All other sins are not to be compared to sinning against
the Holy Ghost, and proving a traitor to thy brethren.
I will give unto 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 condemn others, finding fault
with the Church, saying that they are out of the way, while he himself
is righteous, then know assuredly, that that man is in the highroad to
apostacy; and if he does not repent, will apostatize, as God lives.
The principle is as correct as the one Jesus put forth in saying, that
he who seeketh a sign is an adulterous person; and that principle is
eternal, 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.
COMING OF THE SON OF MAN.--On another occasion about this time the
prophet Joseph made the following remarks: "Men profess to prophesy.
I will prophesy that the signs of the coming of the Son of Man are
already commenced. One pestilence will desolate after another. We shall
soon have war and bloodshed. The moon will be turned into blood. I
testify of these things, and that the coming of the Son of Man is nigh,
even at your doors. If our souls and our bodies are not looking forth
for the coming of the Son of Man; and after we are dead, if we are not
looking forth, &c.; we shall be among those who are calling for the
rocks to fall upon us, &c. * * * The time is soon coming when no man
will have any peace but in Zion and her Stakes.
"I saw men hunting the lives of their own sons, and brother murdering
brother, women killing their own daughters, and daughters seeking the
lives of their mothers. I saw armies arrayed against armies. I saw
blood, desolation, fires. &c.
"The Son of Man has said that the mother shall be against the daughter,
and the daughter against the mother, &c. These things are at our doors.
They will follow the Saints of God from city to city. Satan will rage,
and the spirit of the devil is now enraged. I know not how soon these
things will take place; and with a view of them, shall I cry peace? No!
I will lift up my voice and testify of them. How long you will have
good crops, and the famine be kept off, I do not know; when the fig
tree leaves, know then that the summer is nigh at hand."
THE SAINTS MUST SUFFER.--_September_ 29, 1839, "Explained concerning
the coming of the Son of Man, &c.; 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 weakness of the flesh, and yet be
saved in the kingdom of God. So that it is an unhallowed 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 said, 'Judge not, lest ye be judged.'"
TRANSLATION.--_October_ 5, 1840. "Many may have supposed that the
doctrine of translation was a doctrine whereby men were taken
immediately into the presence of God, and into an eternal fulness,
but this is a mistaken idea. Their place of habitation is that of the
terrestrial order, and a place prepared for such characters, be held in
reserve to be ministering angels unto many planets, and who as yet have
not entered into so great a fulness as those who are resurrected from
the dead. * * * This distinction is made between the doctrine of the
actual resurrection and translation: translation obtains 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."
SACRIFICE TO BE RESTORED.--"It is generally supposed that sacrifice was
entirely done away when the Great Sacrifice was offered up, and that
there will be no necessity for the ordinance of sacrifice in future;
but those who assert this are certainly not acquainted with the duties,
privileges, and authority of the Priesthood, or with the Prophets. * *
"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 attended to in all
their powers, ramifications, and blessings. This ever did and will
exist when the powers of the Melchizedec Priesthood are sufficiently
manifest; else how can the restitution of all things spoken of by all
the holy Prophets be brought to pass?"
BOOK OF MORMON.--_November_ 28, 1841. In council with the Twelve
Apostles, Joseph Smith said, "I told the brethren that the Book of
Mormon 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
precepts, than by any other book."
THE RESURRECTION.--_March_ 20, 1842. From a sermon of Joseph Smith's:
"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."
SPIRIT AND MATTER.--_April_ 1, 1842. The Prophet Joseph said, "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 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."
MUST BE LIKE GOD.--_April_ 10, 1842. Joseph Smith said, "If you wish to
go where God is, you must be like God, or possess 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. * * * 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 consequently more power
than many men who are on the earth. Hence it needs revelation to assist
us, and give us knowledge of the things of God.".
KEYS.--_May_ 1, 1842. "The KEYS are certain signs and words by which
false spirits and personages may be detected from true, which cannot be
revealed to the Elders till the Temple is completed. The rich can only
get them in the Temple, the poor may get them on the mountain top as
Moses did."
CHARITY.--"The rich cannot be saved without charity, giving to feed the
poor when and how God requires."
SIGNS.--"There are signs in heaven, earth, and hell; the Elders must
know them all, to be endowed with power, to finish their work and
prevent imposition. The devil knows many signs, but does not know the
sign of the Son of Man, or Jesus. No one can truly say he knows God
until he has handled something, and this can only be in the Holiest of
Holies."
A PROPHECY.--_August_ 6, 1842. "I prophesied that the Saints would
continue to suffer much affliction and would be driven to the Rocky
Mountains, many would apostatize, others would be put to death by our
persecutors, or lose their lives in consequence of exposure or disease,
and some of you will live to go and assist in making settlements and
build cities and see the Saints become a mighty people in the midst of
the Rocky Mountains."
THE MILLENNIUM.--_December_ 30, 1842. "Christ and the resurrected
Saints will reign over the earth during the thousand years. They will
not probably dwell on the earth, but will visit it when they please,
or when it is necessary to govern it. There will be wicked men on the
earth during the thousand years. The heathen nations who will not come
up to worship will be visited with the judgments of God, and must
eventually be destroyed from the earth."
SIGN OF A DOVE.--_January_ 29, 1843. "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."
COMING OF THE SON OF MAN.--_April_ 6, 1843. "Judah must return,
Jerusalem must be rebuilt, 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 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, earthquakes in divers places, the seas heaving beyond 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 will be as the light of the morning cometh out of the east."
SOME SEEK TO EXCEL.--_May_ 14, 1843. "In this world, mankind are
naturally selfish, ambitious, and striving to excel above one another.
* * So in the other world there is 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 he was cast down, and it is said he
drew away many with him; and the greatness of his punishment is, that
he shall not have a tabernacle. This is his punishment."
THE MORE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY.--"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 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."
HID WITH CHRIST IN GOD.--_May_ 16, 1843. "Your life is hid with Christ
in God, and so are many others. Nothing but the unpardonable sin can
prevent you from inheriting eternal glory, for you are sealed up by
the power of the Priesthood unto eternal life, having taken the step
necessary for the purpose. * * * The unpardonable 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."
THREE DEGREES IN CELESTIAL GLORY.--"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 the Priesthood; 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 increase."
SALVATION.--_May_ 17, 1843. "Salvation means a man's being placed
beyond the power of all his enemies. 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."
ETERNAL DURATION OF MATTER.--"Speaking of the eternal duration of
matter, I said.--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 cannot see it; but when our bodies are purified, we
shall see that it is all matter."
THE PUNISHMENT OF THE DEVIL.--_May_ 21, 1843. "The spirits in the
eternal world are like the spirits in this world. When those spirits
have come into this world and received tabernacles, then died, and
again have risen and received glorified bodies, they will have an
ascendancy over the spirits who have no bodies, or kept not their first
estate, 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 occupies them himself. When
the authorities come along, they eject him from a stolen habitation."
THE THREE KEYS.--"We have no claim in our eternal compact, in relation
to eternal things, unless our actions and contracts and all things tend
to this end. But after all this, you have got to make your calling and
election sure.
"If this injunction would lie largely on those to whom it was spoken,
how much more those of the present generation. First key: Knowledge
is the power of salvation. Second key: Make your calling and election
sure. Third key: It is one thing to be on the mount and hear the
excellent voice, &c., &c.; and another to hear the voice declare to
you, you have a part and lot in that kingdom."
JOHN THE BAPTIST.--_May_ 24, 1843. "After naming his text, the Prophet
remarked that some one had asked him the meaning of the expression of
Jesus--'Among those born of women, there has not arisen a greater than
John;' and said he had promised to answer it in public and he would do
it then.
"It could not have been on account of the miracles John performed, for
he did no miracles; but it was--First, because he was trusted with a
divine mission of preparing the way before the face of the Lord. Who
was trusted with such a mission before or since? No man. Second, he
was trusted and it was required at his hand to baptize the Son of Man.
Whoever did that? Who ever had so great a privilege or glory? Who ever
led the Son of God into the waters of baptism, beholding the _Holy
Ghost_ descend upon him in the sign of a dove? _No man_.
"Third, John at that time was the only legal administrator holding the
keys of power there was on earth. The keys, the kingdom, the power,
the glory had departed from the Jews; and John, the son of Zachariah,
by the anointing and decree of heaven, held the keys of power at that
time."