FORMS OF CREDENTIALS OF THE TWELVE--CONFERENCE At MANCHESTER,
ENGLAND--DEATH OF JUDGE ELIAS HIGBEE--"THE PURPOSE OF GATHERING," A
DISCOURSE BY THE PROPHET.
_Thursday, June 1, 1843_.--Presided in the city council, which passed
"An ordinance to establish a ferry across the Mississippi river at the
city of Nauvoo."
And also passed "An ordinance respecting mad dogs and other animals."
I addressed the council, and criticized James Sloan's account current
charging for room, candles, fuel, etc., etc., as extras. Willard
Richards, Newel K. Whitney, and William Clayton [were engaged] all day
preparing papers for the settlement of the Lawrence estate.
I gave the following recommend to Elder Brigham Young.
_Credentials of Brigham Young_.
_To all Saints and Honorable Men of the Earth, Greeting_:
DEAR BRETHREN AND FRIENDS:--I, Joseph Smith, a servant of the
Lord, and trustee-in-trust for the Temple of the Lord at Nauvoo,
do hereby certify that the bearer hereof, Brigham Young, an elder
and one of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, has deposited with me his bond and security, to
my full satisfaction, according to the resolution of the conference
held in this city on the 6th day of April last.
He, therefore, is recommended to all Saints and honorable people
as a legal agent to collect funds for the purpose of building the
Nauvoo House and Temple of the Lord. Confident that he will honor
this high trust, as well as ardently fulfill his commission as a
messenger of peace and salvation, as one of the Lord's noble men, I
can fervently say, May {417} the Lord clear his way before him and
bless him, and bless those that obey his teaching, wherever there
are ears to hear and hearts to feel.
He is the friend of Israel, and worthy to be received and
entertained as a man of God; yea, he has, as had the ancient
apostles, the good word, even the good word that leadeth unto
eternal life.
Wherefore, brethren and friends, while you have the assurance of
the integrity, fidelity and ability of this servant of the living
God, and trusting that your hearts and energies will he enlivened
and deeply engaged in the building of those houses directed by
revelation for the salvation of all Saints, and that you will not
rest where you are until all things are prepared before you, and
you are gathered home with the rest of Israel to meet your God,
I feel strong in the belief and have a growing expectation that
you will not withhold any means in your power that can be used to
accomplish this glorious work.
Finally, as one that greatly desires the salvation of men, let me
remind you all to strive with godly zeal for virtue, holiness,
and the commandments of the Lord. Be good, be wise, be just, be
liberal; and above all, be charitable, always abounding in all
good works. And may health, peace and the love of God our Father,
and the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord be and abide with you all,
is the sincere prayer of your devoted brother and friend in the
everlasting Gospel,
JOSEPH SMITH. City of Nauvoo, June 1, 1843.
Similar letters were given to Elders Heber C. Kimball, Orson Pratt,
Orson Hyde, Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith.
Signed a conveyance of Eric Rhodes' bonds to Joseph Smith to William
Clayton.
Gave a letter of instruction to George J. Adams, who is to accompany
Elder Orson Hyde on his mission to Russia.
Elders Addison Pratt, Benjamin F. Grouard, Knowlton F. Hanks and Noah
Rogers started on their mission for the Society Islands at two p.m., on
the steamer _Sarah Ann_, for St. Louis.
The quorum of the Twelve Apostles met in council in my office, to make
arrangements to start on their mission to collect funds for the Temple
and Nauvoo House.
_Friday, 2_.--Closed the contract whereby I gave two notes for $1,375,
and became half owner of the steamboat {418} _Maid of Iowa_. Continued
in the office with Captain Dan Jones most of the morning, which was
very rainy.
In the afternoon rode out in the city to invite several friends to take
an excursion on _Maid of Iowa_ tomorrow, and had a long conversation
with a Presbyterian minister.
Outrages were committed in Wales on public property, under an organized
band called "Rebecca and her daughters."
[Sidenote: An Excursion on the Mississippi.]
_Saturday, 3_.--This morning, I, with my family and a large company of
brethren and sisters, started for Quincy, on a pleasure voyage on the
steamboat _Maid of Iowa_, had a fine band of music in attendance, and
arrived there at about one p.m.
The accounts of the Lawrence estate were presented to the probate
judge, to which he made objections, when a new account was made out by
William Clayton, which we made oath to, when the accounts were accepted
by the probate judge.
At five p.m. started on our return, but tied up at Keokuk, at one a.m.
on account of a severe storm until daylight, when we started home and
were glad to arrive in Nauvoo at seven a.m. of the 4th.
_Sunday, 4_.--At ten a.m. I engaged in conversation with Mr. De Wolf, a
clergyman of the Episcopal order, who was much of a gentleman.
_Minutes of a Conference Held at Manchester, England, June 4,
1843_.
A conference was commenced in the New Corn Exchange, Manchester,
and by adjournment moved into the large room at Hayward's Hotel,
Bridge street. The assembly was large, although the weather was
unfavorable.
Elder Thomas Ward was president, and William Walker, clerk.
President Ward and Elders Hiram Clark and Amos Fielding preached
giving excellent teachings on the plan of salvation, and the Lord's
Supper. There were present six high priests, fifty-eight elders,
sixty-four priests, forty teachers, ten deacons.
{419} The representations of the churches being next called for,
the following statements were made:
[Image]
The sacrament was administered in the afternoon.
_Monday, 5_.--The following persons devoted themselves to the work of
the ministry--viz., Osmond Shaw, Thomas Shaw, Samuel Downes, Elders
William Speakman and George Eyres.
The following persons were then ordained elders--viz., R. Cowen, T.
Pratt, Samuel Downe, John Williams, Peter McCue, Joseph Walker, and
Levi Rigg.
Priests: J. Flint, Joseph Smith, J. Nightingale, J. Lee, Thomas
Jackson, Samuel Wells, Charles Turner, Christopher Riding, George
Robinson.
Teachers: George Hewitt, Thomas Jennings.
Elder Barradale was appointed to preside over Cheltenham {420} branch;
Elder Rudd, over the Nottingham circuit; Elder Pritchard, to labor in
Derbyshire; Elder Speakman, with Elder Robert Parker, in the Bradford
conference; Osmond Shaw, Addingham, Yorkshire; Elder George Eyers, in
Lincolnshire and Hull, in connection with Elder Henry Cuerdon and Elder
Samuel Downes, in Derbyshire, with Elder Hibbert.
_Tuesday, 6_.--I rode out to the Prairie Farm.
Earthquake occurred in Java, destroying Nias and burying its
inhabitants in the ruins.
The total national debt of Europe is estimated at $10,499,710,000. A
century ago the European treasury was comparatively unencumbered.
_Wednesday, 7_.--Concluded a settlement with J. W. Coolidge. Gave him a
deed for city lot.
Visited Elias Higbee, who was very sick.
John Workman and a company of 30 Saints, mostly his own family, arrived
from Tennessee.
_Thursday, 8_.--This morning, about daybreak, Elder Elias Higbee died
at his residence near the Temple.[A]
[Footnote A: He was son of Isaac and Sophia Higbee, born 23rd October,
1795, in Galloway, Gloucester county, New Jersey. In 1803, removed with
his parents to Clermont county, Ohio. At the age of 22 he married Sarah
Ward, and removed to Cincinnati. He received the gospel in the spring
of 1832, and in the summer of the same year went to Jackson county,
Missouri, where he was baptized, and returned to Cincinnati, and was
ordained an elder under the hands of his brother, Isaac Higbee, 20th
February, 1833. Arrived in Jackson county with his family in March,
and was driven by the mob to Clay county in the fall of 1833; ordained
a high priest under the hands of Amasa M. Lyman, by order of the
high council in Clay county. 26th March, 1835, started on a mission,
preaching the gospel through the states of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana,
and Ohio. Arriving at Kirtland, he labored on the Temple until it was
finished, and received his endowment therein. In the spring of 1836,
returned to his family in Missouri; removed them to Caldwell County,
where he was appointed County Judge.
Judge Higbee was also appointed to with the Prophet to Washington to
plead the cause of the Saints before congress, and perhaps will be
chiefly remembered for his earnest but temperate zeal in their cause;
also for the courage and judgment he manifested before the Senate
Committee on Judiciary, before which the hearing was had. The case was
conducted by Judge Higbee, practically alone. See his reports to the
Prophet, Vol. IV, pp. 81-91. His course approved, _Ibid_. p. 96.]
We copy the following from page 315 of the Law of the Lord--[B]
[Footnote B: The "Law of the Lord" is a manuscript book kept personally
by the Prophet, wherein, with other specially valuable documents, he
recorded character sketches and the good deeds of the faithful Saints;
also the blessings he pronounced upon them. See this Vol., pp. 108,
124-128.]
{421} JUDGE ELIAS HIGBEE.
He has been sick only five days of cholera morbus and inflammation,
which produced mortification, and his death was unexpected by all.
His loss will be universally lamented, not only by his family, but
by a large circle of brethren who have long witnessed his integrity
and uprightness, as well as a life of devotedness to the cause of
truth. He has endured a great share of persecution and tribulation
for the cause of Christ, both during the Missouri troubles and
other times. On the 6th day of October, 1840, he was appointed
one of the committee to build the Temple in Nauvoo, which office
he maintained during his life. In that station he has shown a
disposition to do right at all times, and always manifested a great
anxiety for the prosperity of the Temple as well as the work at
large. He has left a large family to mourn his departure; but he is
gone to his rest for a little season, even until the morning of the
resurrection, when he will again come forth and strike hands with
the faithful, and share the glory of the kingdom of God for ever
and ever.
Emma was sick.
In the afternoon, rode out on horseback; called on Willard Richards,
who was at work in his garden; asked him who gave him leave to occupy
that lot. He answered, "Your honor?" When I replied, "You are perfectly
welcome to it, so far as I am concerned;" then continued my journey to
the prairie.
_Friday, 9_.--Rode out to show Mr. Lewis some lots in the city.
Continued most of the day with Emma, who was very sick.
_Saturday, 10_.--At home. Brothers Livingston and Goodrich, from
Peterboro, New Hampshire, visited me about establishing a cotton
factory in Nauvoo.
City council met and passed "An ordinance to regulate the rates of
toll at the ferry in the city of Nauvoo," which is published in the
_Neighbor_.
Several petitions were presented to repeal the hog law, which were
rejected.
{422} The court-martial ordered an arsenal to be built in the city
of Nauvoo, for the security of the public arms; and also ordered
Brigadier-General Charles C. Rich to organize the 2nd battalion, 1st
regiment, 2nd cohort, into a regiment of light infantry, to be the 5th
regiment, 2nd cohort.
To show the wickedness and rascality of John C. Bennett and the corrupt
conspiracy formed against me in Missouri and Illinois, I insert the
following under date of the letter:--
_Letter of Samuel C. Owens to Governor Ford--Informing the
Latter of an Indictment Against Joseph Smith_.
INDEPENDENCE, Mo., June 10, 1843.
_To His Excellency Governor Ford_.
SIR:--For the last three months I have been corresponding with Dr.
John C. Bennett relative to one certain Joe Smith, Mormon Prophet,
etc., of your state. In several of Dr. Bennett's letters to me, he
informs me that my name is known to you. Taking this for granted
authorizes me without hesitation to write you full upon a subject
that the people of this part of our state feel themselves vitally
interested in.
At the last term of the Circuit court of Daviess county, an
indictment was found by the grand jury of said county against
Joseph Smith for treason against this state. The necessary papers
are now on their way to Governor Reynolds, who, on the receipt
thereof, I have no doubt, will make a requisition on you for the
apprehension and delivery of said Smith to the bearer, Mr. Joseph
Reynolds, who goes as a special agent to attend to this business;
and I am in hopes that, so soon as the proper papers come to hand,
you will take that course that will secure this imposter and have
him delivered over to Mr. Reynolds.
Dr. Bennett further writes me that he has made an arrangement with
Harmon T. Wilson, of Hancock county (Carthage, seat of justice) in
whose hands he wishes the writ that shall be issued by you to be
put. From the tenor of his letters I am induced to believe that he
has made the same suggestions to you. The only wish of the people
of this state is, that this man, Joseph Smith, may be brought to
that justice which the magnitude of his crime merits.
Respectfully your obedient servant,
SAM. C. OWENS, [Commander-in-chief of the mob in Jackson county].
{423} A steamship of iron, called the _Great Britain_, was built at
Bristol, England, at a cost of 90,000 pounds. She has six masts, and is
320 feet in length on deck, and is said to be the largest vessel that
has been built since the days of Noah.
_Sunday, 11_.--Ten a.m., meeting at the stand.
The following report is from the journals of Elders Willard Richards
and Wilford Woodruff:--
_The Prophet's Discourse--The Purpose of the Gathering of
Israel_.
A large assembly of the Saints met at the Temple stand. Hymn by the
choir. Prayer by Elder Parley P. Pratt, and singing.
President Joseph Smith remarked--"I am a rough stone. The sound of
the hammer and chisel was never heard on me until the Lord took
me in hand. I desire the learning and wisdom of heaven alone. I
have not the least idea, if Christ should come to the earth and
preach such rough things as He preached to the Jews, but that this
generation would reject Him for being so rough."
He then took for his text the 37th verse of 23rd chapter of
Matthew--"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets
and stonest them which are sent unto thee; how often would I
have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her
chickens under her wings, and ye would not."
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 practiced, 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 the people, and they would not be
gathered, and He therefore poured out curses upon them. Ordinances
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 principles.
{424} 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,
etc. 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
keeping 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 priesthood. Howl, ye sectarians! If he has, when and where has
He revealed it? Have ye turned revelators? Then why deny revelation?
Many men will say, "I will never forsake you, but will stand by you
at all times." But the moment you teach them some of the mysteries
of the kingdom of God that are retained in the heavens and are to
be revealed to the children of men when they are prepared for them,
they will be the first to stone you and put you to death. It was
this same principle that crucified the Lord Jesus Christ, and will
cause the people to kill the prophets in this generation.
Many things are insoluble to the children of men in the last days:
for instance, that God should raise the dead, and forgetting that
things have been hid from before the foundation of the world, which
are to be revealed to babes in the last days.
There are a great many wise men and women too in our midst who are
too wise to be taught; therefore they must die in their ignorance,
and in the resurrection they will find their mistake. Many seal
up the door of heaven by saying, So far God may reveal and I will
believe.
All men who become heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ
will have to receive the fullness of the ordinances of his kingdom;
and those who will not receive all the ordinances will come short
of the fullness of that glory, if they do not lose the whole.
I will say something about 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." King James' translators make it out to say paradise. But
what is paradise? It is a modern word it does not answer at all to
the original word that Jesus made use of. Find the original of the
word paradise. You may as easily find a needle in a haymow. Here
is a chance for battle, ye learned men. There is nothing in the
original word in Greek from which this was taken that signifies
paradise; but it was--This day {425} 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 answered by proxy by
those who live on the earth, etc.
The doctrine of baptism for the dead is clearly shown in the New
Testament; and if the doctrine is not good, then throw the New
Testament away; but if it is the word of God, then let the doctrine
be acknowledged; and it was the reason why Jesus said unto the
Jews, "How oft would I have gathered thy children together, even
as a hen gathereth her chickens under 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 heaven, and be perfected in the things of the
kingdom of God--but they would not. This was the case on the day of
Pentecost: those blessings were poured out on the disciples on that
occasion. God ordained that He would save the dead, and would do it
by gathering His people together.
It always has been when a man was sent of God with the priesthood
and he began to preach the fullness of the gospel, that he was
thrust out by his friends, who are ready to butcher him if he teach
things which they imagine to be wrong; and Jesus was crucified upon
this principle.
I will now turn linguist. There are many things in the Bible which
do not, as they now stand, accord with the revelations of the Holy
Ghost to me.
I will criticize a little further. 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. I'll
hunt after hades as Pat did for the woodchuck.
Hades, the Greek, or Shaole, the Hebrew: these two significations
mean a world of spirits. Hades, Shaole, paradise, spirits in
prison, are all one: it is a world of spirits.
The righteous and the wicked all go to the same world of spirits
until the resurrection. "I do not think so," says one. If you will
go to my house any time, I will take my lexicon and prove it to you.
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
{426} murderers, and whoremongers, 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."
Any man may believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and be
happy in that belief, and yet not obey his commandments, and
at last be cut down for disobedience to the Lord's righteous
requirements.
A man of God should be endowed with wisdom, knowledge, and
understanding, in order to teach and lead the people of God. The
sectarian priests are blind, and they lead the blind, and they will
all fall into the ditch together. They build with hay, wood, and
stubble, on the old revelations, without the true priesthood or
spirit of revelation. If I had time, I would dig into hell, hades,
shaole, and tell what exists there.
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 thy 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 Christian world
were wrong on this point, my testimony 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 arm 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 body
of His own. The Son doeth what He hath seen 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 believe the body of the Son is identical with
the Father's.
Gods have an ascendancy over the angels, who are ministering
servants. {427} In the resurrection, some are raised to be angels;
others are raised to become Gods.
These things are revealed in the most holy place in a Temple
prepared for that purpose. Many of the sects cry out, "Oh, I have
the testimony of Jesus; I have the Spirit of God: but away with Joe
Smith; he says he is a prophet; but there are to be no prophets or
revelators in the last days." Stop, sir: The Revelator says that
the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy; so by your own
month you are condemned. But to the text. Why gather the people
together in this place? For the same purpose that Jesus wanted to
gather the Jews--to receive the ordinances, the blessings, and
glories that God has in store for His Saints.
I will now ask this assembly and all the Saints if you will now
build this house and receive the ordinances and blessings which
God has in store for you; or will you not build unto the Lord this
house, and let Him pass by and bestow these blessings upon another
people? I pause for a reply.
[Sidenote: Rev. De Wolf Preaches at Nauvoo.]
At half-past two p.m., I introduced to the congregation Mr. De Wolf,
a clergyman of the Episcopal church, and requested the attention of
the congregation in his behalf. He read the 6th chapter of Hebrews,
and then kneeled and prayed, dressed in his black clerical gown, which
excited some curiosity among some of the Saints. After the choir sang
a hymn, he preached from Hebrews, 6th chapter, 1st and 2nd verses,
touching on such principles only that are acknowledged and received
by the Church. In his closing remarks he observed--"I may never meet
you all again this side of the eternal world; but I will appoint a
meeting--i. e. when the Lord Jesus shall descend with his angels to
call the dead from their graves, and sit in judgment on all the world."
[Sidenote: Conference at Lima.]
A conference was held at Lima, and the branch reorganized, under the
direction of Elder Heber C. Kimball; Isaac Morley, President; Walter
Cox and Edwin Whiting, counselors; Gardiner Snow, bishop; Clark Hallet
and Henry Dean, counselors; William Woodland, Solomon Hancock, James C.
Snow, James Israel, Edmond Durfee, Daniel Stanton, Moses Clawson, {428}
Joseph S. Allen, Philip Garner, Henry Ettleman, Reuben Daniels, and
Horace Rawson, high council; James C. Snow, clerk of the branch.
During the appointing of the high council, Elder Kimball made some
general remarks upon the Word of Wisdom.
[Sidenote: Heber C. Kimball on the Word of Wisdom.]
He commenced by saying that he always despised a penurious principle
in any man, and that God despised it also; for he was liberal and did
not look at every little thing as we do. He looked at the integrity of
the heart of man. He said some would strain, nip and tuck at the Word
of Wisdom, and at the same time they would turn away a poor brother
from their door when he would ask for a little meal for his breakfast.
He compared it to the man that was stretched upon the iron bedstead;
if he was too long, they would cut him off; if he was too short, they
would stretch him out. And again, he said, it made him, think of the
old Indian's tree, which stood so straight that it leaned a little the
other way, and the best way was to stand erect.
In the after part of the day he renewed the subject by saying that he
did not wish to have any one take any advantage of what he had said,
for he spoke in general terms; but said he had always obeyed the Word
of Wisdom, and wanted every Saint to observe the same. He said that,
when he was in England, he only taught it once or twice in public, and
the Saints saw his example and followed it. So likewise when the elders
go to preach, if they will observe the Word of Wisdom, all of those
will whom they bring into the kingdom; but if they do not, they cannot
expect their children will, but they will be just like themselves; for
every spirit begets its own. Neither will such elders be able to do
much good; for the Holy Ghost will not dwell in them, neither will the
Father nor the Son; for they will not dwell where the Holy Ghost will
not, and neither of them will dwell in unholy temples. {429} He said
that he wanted wise and honorable men to fill responsible offices who
were worthy. He then closed his subject by recommending the Saints to
observe the counsel of President Morley. He made some very appropriate
remarks with regard to the Temple and Nauvoo House.
Elder William Curtis was appointed to go with Elder Aaron M. York to
the State of Maine.
{430}