_VISIONS, MYSTERIES AND MIRACLES_
_Visions of a Personal Nature_--I ask, Is there a reason for men
and women being exposed more constantly and more powerfully, to the
power of the enemy, by having visions than by not having them? There is
and it is simply this--God never bestows upon his people, or upon an
individual, superior blessings without a severe trial to prove them, to
prove that individual, or that people, to see whether they will keep
their covenants with him, and keep in remembrance what he has shown
them. Then the greater the vision, the greater the display of the power
of the enemy.
So when individuals are blessed with visions, revelations, and great
manifestations, look out, then the Devil is nigh you, and you will be
tempted in proportion to the visions, revelation, or manifestation you
have received. 3:205-206.
If the Lord Almighty should reveal to a High Priest, or to any other
than the head, things that are true, or that have been and will be,
and show to him the destiny of this people twenty-five years from now,
or a new doctrine that will in five, ten, or twenty years hence become
the doctrine of this Church and Kingdom, but which has not yet been
revealed to this people, and reveal it to him by the same Spirit, the
same messenger, the same voice, the same power that gave revelations to
Joseph when he was living, it would be a blessing to that High Priest,
or individual; but he must rarely divulge it to a second person on
the face of the earth, until God reveals it through the proper source
to become {520} the property of the people at large. Therefore when
you hear Elders say that God does not reveal through the President of
the Church that which they know, and tell wonderful things, you may
generally set it down as a God's truth that the revelation they have
had is from the Devil, and not from God. If they had received from the
proper source, the same power that revealed to them would have shown
them that they must keep the things revealed in their own bosoms, and
they seldom would have a desire to disclose them to the second person.
3:318.
_Leave Mysteries Alone_--Now, brethren, preach the things that we
verily believe, and when we come to points of doctrine that we do not
know, even if we have good reason to believe them, if our philosophy
teaches us they are true, pass them by and teach only to the people
that which we do know. 13:265.
What is a mystery? We do not know, it is beyond our comprehension. When
we talk about mystery, we talk about eternal obscurity; for that which
is known, ceases to be a mystery; and all that is known, we may know as
we progress in the scale of our intelligence. That which is eternally
beyond the comprehension of all our intelligence is mystery. 1:274.
These are the mysteries of the Kingdom of God upon the earth, to know
how to purify and sanctify our affections, the earth upon which we
stand, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the houses in which we
dwell and the cities which we build, that when strangers come into our
country they may feel a hallowed influence and acknowledge a power to
which they are strangers. 10:176.
Jesus said to his disciples, to them it was given to know the mysteries
of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them that {521} were without, it was
not given. If we were to examine the subject closely, we should learn
that a very scanty portion of the things of the Kingdom were ever
revealed, even to the disciples. If we were prepared to gaze upon the
mysteries of the Kingdom, as they are with God, we should then know
that only a very small portion of them has been handed out here and
there. God, by his Spirit, has revealed many things to his people, but,
in almost all cases, he has straightway shut up the vision of the mind.
He will let his servants gaze upon eternal things for a moment, but
straightway the vision is closed, and they are left as they were, that
they may learn to act by faith, or as the Apostle has it, not walking
by sight, but by faith. 1:264.
You may now be inclined to say, "We wish to hear the mysteries of the
kingdoms of the Gods who have existed from eternity, and of all the
kingdoms in which they will dwell; we desire to have these things
portrayed to our understandings."
Allow me to inform you that you are in the midst of it all now, that
you are in just as good a kingdom as you will ever attain to, from now
to all eternity, unless you make it yourselves by the grace of God, by
the will of God, which is a code of laws perfectly calculated to govern
and control eternal matter. 3:336.
If they will only live up to it, there has already been enough taught
the brethren who have lived here for years to prepare them to enter
into the strait gate and into the New Jerusalem, and be prepared to
enjoy the society of the holy angels. 8:177.
_Providences of God, All Miracles_--The providences of God are all
a miracle to the human family until they understand them. There are no
miracles, only to those who are {522} ignorant. A miracle is supposed
to be a result without a cause, but there is no such thing. There
is a cause for every result we see; and if we see a result without
understanding the cause we call it a miracle. 14:79.
The Gospel plan is so devised, that a miracle to make people believe
would only be a condemnation to them. When you hear people tell what
they have seen--that they have seen great and powerful miracles
wrought, and they could not help believing, remember that "devils
believe and tremble," because they cannot help it. When the voice of
the Good Shepherd is heard, the honest in heart believe and receive it.
It is good to taste with the inward taste, to see with the inward eyes,
and to enjoy with the sensations of the ever-living spirit. No person,
unless he is an adulterer, a fornicator, covetous, or an idolator, will
ever require a miracle; in other words, no good, honest person ever
will. 8:42.
You have gathered the idea from me that it is not the miracles that are
performed before a person's eyes that convince him that one is of God,
or of the Devil; yet, if the Lord designs that a person should heal the
sick, the individual can do so; but is that to convince the wicked that
the operator is sent of God? No, it is a blessing on the Saints, and
the wicked have nothing to-do with it, they have no business to hear
of it; that is for the Saints, it is especially for their benefit, and
theirs alone. 3:211.
This, in my own mind, is argued out perfectly, upon natural principles.
It is natural for me to believe that, if I plough the ground and sow
wheat, in the proper season I shall reap a crop of wheat; this is
the natural result. It was precisely so with the miracles that Jesus
wrought upon the earth? At the wedding in Cana of Galilee, when they
{523} had drunk all the wine, they went to the Savior and asked him
what they should do. He ordered them to fill up their pots with water,
and after having done so they drew forth of that water and found that
it was wine. I believe that was real wine; I do not believe that it
was done on the principle that such things are done in these days by
wicked men, who, by means of what they term psychology, electrobiology,
mesmerism, etc., influence men and make them believe that water is
wine, and other things of a similar character. The Savior converted the
water into wine. He knew how to call the necessary elements together in
order to fill the water with the properties of wine. The elements are
all around us; we eat, drink and breathe them, and Jesus, understanding
the process of calling them together, performed no miracle except to
those who were ignorant of that process. It was the same with the woman
who was healed by touching the hem of his garment; she was healed by
faith, but it was no miracle to Jesus. He understood the process, and
although he was pressed by the crowd, behind and before, and on each
side, so that he could scarcely make his way through it, the moment
she touched him he felt virtue leave him and enquired who touched him.
This was no miracle to him. He had the issues of life and death in
his power; he had power to lay down his life and power to take it up
again. This is what he says, and we must believe this if we believe
the history of the Savior and the sayings of the Apostles recorded in
the New Testament. Jesus had this power in and of himself; the Father
bequeathed it to him; it was his legacy, and he had the power to lay
down his life and take it again. He had the streams and issues of
life within him and when he said "Live" to individuals, they lived.
The diseases that are {524} and ever have been prevalent among the
human family are from beneath, and are entailed upon them through the
fall--through the disobedience of our first parents; but Jesus, having
the issues of life at his command, could counteract those diseases
at his pleasure. The case of the Centurion's servant is a striking
instance of this. The Centurion sent and besought Jesus to heal his
servant. "Say in a word," said he, "and my servant shall be healed."
Jesus, seeing the man's earnestness and solicitude, said, "I have not
found so great faith, no, not in Israel." And it is said that they who
were sent, returned to the Centurion's house and found the servant
healed. Jesus counteracted the disease preying upon the system of this
man, but to himself, knowing the principle by which the disease was
rebuked, it was no miracle. 13:140-141.
As quick as I admit that the history Moses gives of himself is true,
I cannot have any question in the world but what in ancient days they
understood in a measure how to command the elements. The magicians of
Egypt were instructed in things pertaining to true riches, and had
obtained keys and powers enough to produce a bogus in opposition to the
true coin, as it were, and thus they deceived the king and the people.
They could cause frogs to come upon the land, as well as Moses could.
They could turn the waters of Egypt into blood, and in many more things
compete with Moses. There was one thing, however, they could not do,
though they produced a very good bogus, but it was not quite the true
coin. When they threw their staffs on the floor before the king, these
could not swallow the staff of Moses, but the staff of Moses swallowed
the staffs of the magicians. I have no {525} doubt that men can perform
many such wonders by the principles of natural philosophy. 1:270.
_Miracles for Believers_--Miracles, or these extraordinary
manifestations of the power of God, are not for the unbeliever; they
are to console the Saints, and to strengthen and confirm the faith of
those who love, fear, and serve God, and not for outsiders. 12:97.
"Why do not the people speak with tongues?" We do, and we speak with
tongues that you can understand, and Paul says he would rather speak
five or ten words in a language that can be understood, than many in a
language that cannot be. This is what may be conveyed. 15:133.
_Faith Not Dependent on Miracles_--I do not want to see a miracle
to confirm the truth of any doctrine or saying that is revealed to
me. If I can see that it is calculated to purify the hearts of the
people and to sanctify their affections, and to reconcile them to God
and to his law and government, it satisfies me; and so far as this
goes, I might say that I am like the Christian world, in the belief
that miracles are no longer needed. But I believe that miracles are as
absolutely necessary now as they ever were. 13:140.
Take the case of the Children of Israel and the miracles that were
wrought in their deliverance from the land of Egypt. The question
arises, was it through their faith, or because of the promises which
God had made to their fathers? * * * It was not because of the
righteousness of the Children of Israel, but because of the promises
of the Lord to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for he must fulfil the
promises made to his servants. He wanted at one time to destroy the
whole people, and told Moses to let him alone that he might destroy
them because of their wickedness {526} and rebellion, and he would make
of him (Moses) a great nation; but Moses pleaded in their behalf, and
called upon the Lord to remember his promises, and they were preserved.
12:242-243.
Do you suppose that Jesus Christ healed every person that was sick, or
that all the devils were cast out in the country where he sojourned?
I do not. Working miracles, healing the sick, raising the dead, and
the like, were almost as rare in his day as in this our day. Once in a
while the people would have faith in his power, and what is called a
miracle would be performed, but the sick, the blind, the deaf and dumb,
the crazy, and those possessed with different kinds of devils were
around him, and only now and then could his faith have power to take
effect, on account of the want of faith in the individuals. 3:45-46.
If we have faith to feel that the issues of life and death are in our
power, we can say to disease, "Be ye rebuked in the name of Jesus,
and let life and health come into the system of this individual, from
God, to counteract this disease;" and our faith will bring this by the
laying on of hands by administering the ordinance of the holy Gospel.
13:141.
Men who have professedly seen the most, known and understood the
most, in this Church, and who have testified in the presence of large
congregations, in the name of Israel's God, that they have seen Jesus,
etc., have been the very men who have left this Kingdom, before others
who had to live by faith. 3:205.
You will recollect that I have often told you that miracles would not
save a person, and I say that they never should. If I were to see a
man come in here this day, and say, "I am the great one whom the Lord
has sent," {527} and cause fire to come down in our sight, through
the ceiling that is over our heads, I would not believe any more for
that. It is no matter what he does, I cannot believe any more on that
account. What will make me believe? What made the twelve Apostles
of Jesus Christ witnesses? What constituted them Apostles--special
witnesses to the world? Was it seeing miracles? No. What was it? The
visions of their minds were opened, and it was necessary that a few
should receive light, knowledge, and intelligence, that all the powers
of earth and hell could not gainsay or compete with. That witness
was within them, and yet, after all that was done for them, after
all that Jesus showed them, and after all the power of the spirit of
revelation which they possessed, you find that one of them apostatized,
turned away and sold his Lord and Master for thirty pieces of silver,
in consequence of his not being firm to his covenant in the hour of
darkness and temptation. Another of them was ready to say, "I do not
know anything about the Lord Jesus Christ," and denied him.
Some are apt now to say, "I don't know anything about this Mormonism,
I don't know about the Priesthood." Did you not once know? "I thought
I did, but now I find myself deceived." What is the reason? Because
they give way to temptation; they may have had great light, knowledge,
and understanding, the visions of their minds may have been opened
and eternity exhibited to their view, but when this is closed up, in
proportion to the light given to them, so is the darkness that comes
upon them to try them. 3:206-207.
A sister who receives the gift of tongues is not thereby empowered to
dictate her president, or the Church. All gifts and endowments given of
the Lord to members of his {528} Church are not given to control the
Church; but they are under the control and guidance of the Priesthood,
and are judged by it. Some have erred upon this point, and have been
led captive by the Devil. 11:136.
If you say that you want mysteries, commandments, and revelations, I
reply that scarcely a Sabbath passes over your heads, those of you who
come here, without your having the revelations of Jesus Christ poured
upon you like water on the ground. 3:336-337.
Some are very anxious that I should have visions. I have all that
the Lord gives to me; and all that he keeps back he may; for that is
no concern of mine. We are on the old ship Zion; and if God is not
at the helm, the old ship will wreck and go to the Devil. As for my
taking charge of the Kingdom of God on the earth, exclusively and
independently of direction from heaven, I shall not do any such thing.
If the Lord does not direct the old ship and act as captain and pilot,
it will go to destruction.
He is at the helm, and will stay there. If you and I will bring our
feelings to the point I have just spoken of, he will continue to guide
the welfare of Zion and all its rights. 5.352. {529}