Latter-day Saint Seminar Volume 1, Number 38 January 24, 1999 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table of Contents -------------------------------------------------------------------------- GD 38: D&C 129-131 Article 1 - Praxis by Evelyn Zielke zielkee@delamar.lib.dixie.edu Article 2 - Textual Structure by D. Lynn Johnson dl-johnson@nwu.edu Article 3 - Comments by S. Kurt Neumiller kurtn@cybcon.com Compiled Historical Material -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Praxis, by Evelyn Zelke -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I want to begin my remarks with comments on section 130 today. The beginning verses reference John 14:23 - isn't it nice to have the hope that we too can entertain deity, if we live worthy of it? Surely we can each measure up to that hope. Verses 9 and 10 state: "This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummin to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, wehreby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it; and this earth will be Christ's. Then the white stone mentioned in Revelation 2:17, will become a Urim and Thummim to each individual who receives one, whereby things pertaining to a higher order of kingdoms will be made known;" It is interesting to note that not only does God know all things by the power of his spirit, but it would seem that the world on which he resides also serves to reveal to him all things. There seems to be some kind of physical consistency in that thought; that elements close to God might replicate or magnify his natural powers. Verses 14 through 16 carry a theme that must be familiar to all of us. Joseph received an answer to prayer that he didn't have a clue how to interpret, and the Lord didn't give him any assistance in his effort, either. He simply concluded as best he could that the Lord certainly wouldn't come before he became 85 years old. So much for plaguing the Lord with trivial questions! Verse 18 states: "Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection." This cause me to wonder what a 'principle of intelligence' might be. Is it something different from common knowledge? And, of course, verses 20 and 21 carry the familiar message about 'the law irrevocably decreed' and receiving blessings. I prefer to interpret 'the law' as Christ rather that as a host of decrees. I think that really as we strive to come unto Christ, we discover that it is a personal quest. We are dealing with a father or judge who is personally involved in our lives, and his judgment and assistance reflects that rather than a legalistic administration of justice. Such an interpretation also allows for some variance in decrees depending on the circumstances of the saints - something we have ample historical record of occurring. Section 131 contains such a hodge-podge of ideas. I like verse 6: "It is impossible to be saved in ignorance." So, let's study and learn all we can, and search our hearts to be able to discern the truth - something that is not too easy, especially if what we feel inside seems at variance with evidence from our senses. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Textual Structure, by D. Lynn Johnson -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 129:4-9 shows direct parallelism, with a point of emphasis (D). 130:6-11 shows interesting parallels as indicated, with an unrepeated point of emphasis (E), but the ordering is not regular. Such parallelism is easy to construct and does not involve the care required for the more ordered forms, particularly inverted parallelism. The patterns in the other systems shown are fairly obvious. Section 129:4-9 When a messenger comes saying he has a message from God, offer him your hand and request him to shake hands with you. 5 A If he be an angel B he will do so, C and you will feel his hand. 6 A If he be the spirit of a just man made perfect B he will come in his glory; for that is the only way he can appear--7 Ask him to shake hands with you, but he will not move, because it is contrary to the order of heaven for a just man to deceive; C but he will still deliver his message. 8 A If it be the devil as an angel of light, B when you ask him to shake hands he will offer you his hand, C and you will not feel anything; you may therefore detect him. 9 D These are three grand keys whereby you may know whether any administration is from God. Section 130:6-11, 14-21 A The angels do not reside on a planet like this earth; 7 But they reside B in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, D where all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord. 8 A The place where God resides B is a great Urim and Thummim. 9 A This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal B and will be a Urim and Thummim C to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, D whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it; E and this earth will be Christ's. 10 A Then the white stone mentioned in Revelation 2:17, B will become a Urim and Thummim C to each individual who receives one, D whereby things pertaining to a higher order of kingdoms will be made known; 11 A And a white stone is given to each of those who come into the celestial kingdom, whereon is a new name written, which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it. The new name is the key word. ***** A I was once praying very earnestly to know the time of the coming of the Son of Man, B when I heard a voice repeat the following: 15 Joseph, my son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years old, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man; C therefore let this suffice, and C trouble me no more on this matter. 16 B I was left thus, without being able to decide whether this coming referred to the beginning of the millennium or to some previous appearing, or whether I should die and thus see his face. 17 A I believe the coming of the Son of Man will not be any sooner than that time. 18 A Whatever principle of intelligence B we attain unto in this life, C it will rise with us in the resurrection. 19 A And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence B in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, C he will have so much the advantage in the world to come. 20 A There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, B upon which all blessings are predicated--21 B And when we obtain any blessing from God, A it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated. Section 131:7-8 A There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, B but it is more fine or pure, C and can only be discerned D by purer eyes; 8 C We cannot see it; B but when our bodies are purified A we shall see that it is all matter. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comments, by S. Kurt Neumiller -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comments on D&C 129 This section addresses some issues surrounding angels, and more specifically, how to discern between evil spirits and good ones. First, off we should recognize that the comments here are aimed at Smith's contemporaries. Thus, the angelology presented does not necessarily apply to previous dispensations. To avoid being obtuse, what I am specifically referring to is the statement in v. 1-2 that says that angels are resurrected personages. Previous to the advent of the First Resurrection, shortly after Jesus' death, there were no angels with resurrected bodies. So the first key Smith proposes would not be applicable to an OT setting. Another thing we should recognize is that Smith is referring to "beings in heaven" per v. 1. I would take this to mean that he is not specifically referring to translated persons, as they are not "in heaven" (however in HC 4:425 Smith makes a statement where he equates resurrected and translated messengers with respect to this point as a side note this same reference tends to forward the view that resurrected and translated persons minister to mortals and that postmortal spirits minister to other postmortal spirits). And finally, we should be aware that the term "angel" is a transliteration from the Greek "angelos" and would most literally translate to the English "messenger". In the Scriptures, the term "angel" is used in reference to unembodied spirits (i.e. premortal), disembodied spirits (i.e. postmortal), bodied spirits (i.e. mortals), and resurrected spirits. So, one cannot use v. 1-2 to say that all "angels" are necessarily resurrected personages. Smith is presenting a means of discerning between different manifestations of messengers for the purpose of distinguishing between good and evil spirits. He is not presenting a definition that is to be employed dogmatically. v1-3 The first two verses indicate resurrected personages do act as messengers for the Lord in carrying out His work. I would assume that in doing so they are acting under the office and authority of the Holy Ghost per. 2 Ne. 32:3. The statement that "there are two kinds of beings in heaven" must be referring to the Celestial Kingdom as the other two Kingdoms in heaven are not yet populated, and won't be until the Second Resurrection. And in this kingdom are those who participated in the first phase of the First Resurrection (cp. D&C 132:29) concurrent with Jesus' resurrection and those who will participate in the second phase of the First Resurrection concurrent with the Second Advent (v. 3, cp. D&C 137:5-6). v4-9 present the three keys, or methods of discerning who or what the messenger's intent is. The interpretation is straightforward, but there are some interesting implications. The first is that under certain circumstances one cannot tell the difference between the three types by casual visual observation. This means that all three types can appear to us such that they would look like a normal persons, thereby implying that spirit bodies superficially look just like mortal physical or resurrected bodies and wear clothing and so forth, or at the very least can appear as so. The second thing that comes to my mind is dealing with the third key, why would the evil spirit extend his hand when he knows perfectly well that you will not make contact with it in the same manner you would with the hand of a resurrected person? I would guess he would be hoping that he scares you terribly to the point where you develop such a fear of them that perhaps it shakes you from whatever your intended course of actions was. Or, perhaps he hopes that you would be so overwhelmed by the singularity of the experience you would be willing to rationalize it away and therefore open yourself up to deception. The final thing I get from this is that the supernatural is not limited to good spirits. As has been addressed previously in the D&C (cf. 28:11), there are matters of the spirit world that we simply cannot perceive and both good and evil spirits can and do take advantage of this to accomplish their respective purposes. Thus, a supernatural manifestation or seeming miracle does not necessarily imply that it is from God. Take for example the situation of the confrontation between Moses and Pharaoh's priests, where both sides performed rival miracles. Also recall the warning in John's Revelation that the Beast will have an assistant who will work many miracles through the power of the devil and deceive many thereby (cf. Rev. 13). Comments on D&C 130 This section is a compilation of a number of points of doctrine that are more connected in time than in subject. Meaning they are of different subjects but were revealed at a similar point in time. As such the text doesn't read as a connected work, but it best broken up by subject. v1-3 Here Smith is addressing a point of doctrine that Orson Hyde had stated earlier in a conference meeting wherein Hyde made a statement that was sufficiently ambiguous that it could have easily been misinterpreted by audience members as to forward a commonly held view among sectarians. Given what is recorded of Hyde's statement, I am not convinced that Hyde actually espoused the sectarian view, it seems to me more likely he was just too ambiguous in his statement. In any case, Smith corrects the matter. The issue is whether the Second Comforter is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit, with regard to the statements in John 14:23. Smith states that it is not, and that it is in fact a personal manifestation of the Son. As this is the case, the promise given in D&C 88:3- 4 cannot be the Second Comforter per John 14:23 as the Lord did not personally manifest Himself to them. Rather, D&C 88:3-4 is referring to the substance of John 7:39. v4-11 These verses address different measurements of time relative to where the person is living, and then goes on to state that angels live in the presence of God and what that is like. The descriptions of v. 7-11 are drawn from John's Revelation, which is largely based upon the text in Ezekiel 1, 10 discussing the "merkabah", or chariot-throne of the Lord. Thus, the language is very symbolic, and is not to be taken literally. In general, the symbolism employed is intended to present the presence of God as being glorious, sanctified, and transcendent. On, the Urim and Thummim reference, see my comments on D&C 19:1. The reference implies the embodiment of all Truth and Light, as well as being eternal. The white stone and new name reference in drawn from Rev. 2:17 and Isa. 56:5, Isa. 62:2, Isa. 65:15. The new name is intended to be symbolic of the true, spiritual, or final nature of the person and has its origin in the accounts of the early patriarchs in Genesis. That the new name is only known by the Lord indicates that only the Lord can truly perceive the nature of one's heart. The symbolism of the white stone is probably drawn from Acts 26:10 where the identical Greek term (as that appearing in Rev. 17) is employed to describe a ballot. If this is the case, the white stone would indicate that you during mortality had cast your ballot or lot in with the Lord and that He has in turn sanctified your decision. v4 While some credit Smith with coming up with the theory of the relativity of time before Einstein, this question was in fact posed by William Clayton, Smith's scribe at the time. So v. 4 is not some kind of revelation posed as a rhetorical question by Smith. v12-13 Smith echoes the warning of D&C 87. According to William Clayton's journal entries this was a matter of considerable concern to Smith, and rightly so given its ultimate consequences with regard to lives lost and destruction wrought. v14-17 Smith enquires of the Lord concerning when the Second Coming is to be and the Lord pretty much refuses to answer him, and tells him to bother Him no more on this point following the line of Mark 13:32. v18-19 This is a popular and well known pair of verses, and rightly so. However, it is occasionally used out of context to say that academic learning or secular knowledge of the sciences or of history is what is being referred to. This is not the case. Using the definitions provided by the Scriptures we know that "intelligence" is "light and truth" (cf. D&C 93:36) and "knowledge" comes to "every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments" (cf. D&C 93:1, also cp. D&C 132:22-23). This passage is not referring to any kind of intellectual ascent, it is referring to learning by experience, or as Smith puts it "through ... diligence and obedience". While we should "seek wisdom out of the best books", it is only by a godly walk and by following Christ's example that we come to truly know Him and His Father, cf. John 15:1-15. v20-21 presents classical OT covenant theology, when you do what you've entered ito a contract with God to do He blesses you, cf. Lev. 26. This verse is talking about deliberate and specific covenants, such as baptism and the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage. Unfortunately, it is commonly used out of context and taken to be referring to any kind of blessings at all. Let us compare D&C 132:4-5, 10-11, and 28: 4 For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory. 5 For all who will have a blessing at my hands shall abide the law which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof, as were instituted from before the foundation of the world.... 10 Or will I receive at your hands that which I have not appointed? 11 And will I appoint unto you, saith the Lord, except it be by law, even as I and my Father ordained unto you, before the world was? ... 28 I am the Lord thy God, and will give unto thee the law of my Holy Priesthood, as was ordained by me and my Father before the world was. Here we have the same language being applied to a specific covenant, that of Eternal Marriage. When speaking of specific covenants, we can understand what v. 20-21 means. However, taken out of this context, we have to realize that v. 20-21 can only be taken to be referring to general coporate level covenants and blessings as those described in Lev. 26 because those are the overarching covenants that govern the details of the people in general. The covenants that govern the details of our particular lives are those we deliberately engage in, such as baptism, the Priesthood, Eternal Marriage, and so on. The reference to the "law" in these two verses is in the context of us invoking the law by covenant in order to obtain the blessing, as is made clear in the D&C 132 quote. Certain laws have specific covenants which have certain blessings associated with them. No covenant, no law, no promise of blessing. If you want the blessing, you have to engage in the covenant associated with that law. As is the case with Eternal Marriage. Taking this passage and saying that every perceived blessing we receive is because of our obedience to some eternal law is simply acontextual. It is also impossible, as it violates the doctrine of Grace, a blessing we cannot earn by obedience. Unfortunately, this passage is commonly taken out of context and applied to all kinds of things that have some sort of general "law" associated with it but have nothing to do with any sort of specific covenant. The result is people think they earn every blessing through obedience and if they are not getting some specific blessing it is because they are not being obedient to the right law. v22-23 makes explicit one of the doctrines that separates the LDS Church from the rest of Christendom, namely that the Father has a physical body. It is interesting to note that the proof text commonly employed to support the doctrine that the Father has no body (John 4:24) doesn't say that at all and non-LDS scholarly commentaries say as much. For a review of this matter see: http://www.cybcon.com/~kurtn/ldssemv3n05.txt These verses also comment on the Holy Ghost, and state that he must be disembodied in order to "dwell in us", which I would take to mean that he can have contact with our individual spirits, resulting in various spiritual manifestation (cf. Moroni 10:8-17), without our physical body being a barrier to him. As was noted in D&C 129:5, a resurrected body would not be able to do this in the same manner. Also, v. 23 indicates that the presence of the Holy Ghost is not a permanent endowment, but can be transient. This would imply to me that, given his being a personage of spirit per v. 22 and not some essence or energy field, he has agency as well and when he sees fit to leave or attend he does so. Comments on D&C 131 Again we have a section that is a composite of subjects. v1-4 state that within the Celestial Kingdom there are three major divisions, the topmost of which must be achieved by Eternal Marriage. That v. 1 is referring to the Celestial Kingdom in specific and not the Three Degrees of Glory in general (as the word "celestial" means "heavenly" some questions have arisen as to whether this is not simply a restate of the substance of D&C 76 where three degrees of glory are presented as opposed to the new revelation of additional divisions in the Celestial Kingdom in particular) is necessarily implied by the substance of v. 2. Verse 2 states that in order to enter into the highest degree one must have an eternal marriage. But, this is not necessary to gain access to the Celestial Kingdom alone as unmarried ministering angels will be present there also, cf. D&C 132:16-17. Thus, this passage must be referring specifically to three additional degrees within the Celestial Kingdom proper. v5-6 refer to the making of one's calling and election sure. For the KJV on 2 Peter 1:19 "more sure word of prophecy" modern translations typically render it something like "the word of prophecy made sure". What Peter is referring to is the making the promises from the scriptures (i.e. the word of prophecy) sure for one's self by maintaining an ever more godly walk and ultimately the personal revelation that makes the promise offered in the Scriptures certain and sure. Participating in the various ordinances of the Priesthood are obviously required, and these various ordinances make certain conditional promises which echo and are based upon the various Scriptural promises. The reference to not being saved in ignorance uses the term ignorance in the sense of deliberate ignorance and not any kind of genuine lack of knowledge. For example, consider Smith's use of the term in the following: 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 fulness 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. (TPJS, p. 309) v7-8 indicate that spirits are composed of matter, only that the matter is of a finer nature than that which composes our physical bodies. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Compiled Historical Material -------------------------------------------------------------------------- D&C 129 Spent most of the day in conversation with Parley P. Pratt and others. [Section 129, follows.] A man came to me in Kirtland, and told me he had seen an angel, and described his dress. I told him he had seen no angel, and that there was no such dress in heaven. He grew mad, and went into the street and commanded fire to come down out of heaven to consume me. I laughed at him, and said, You are one of Baal's prophets; your God does not hear you; jump up and cut yourself: and he commanded fire from heaven to consume my house. (Joseph Smith, HC 5:267-68, February 9, 1843; Nauvoo, Illinois.) He explained the difference between an angel and a ministering spirit; the one a resurrected or translated body, with its spirit ministering to embodied spirits the other a disembodied spirit, visiting and ministering to disembodied spirits. Jesus Christ became a ministering spirit (while His body was lying in the sepulchre) to the spirits in prison, to fulfill an important part of His mission [1 Peter 3:18-20] , without which He could not have perfected His work, or enter into His rest. After His resurrection He appeared as an angel to His disciples. Translated bodies cannot enter into rest until they have undergone a change equivalent to death. Translated bodies are designed for future missions. (Joseph Smith, HC 4:425, October 3, 1841.) I saw legions of wicked spirits that night, as plain as I now see you, and they came as near to me as you now are, and company after company of them rushed towards me; and brother [Orson] Hyde and brother [Willard] Richards also saw them. It was near the break of day, and I looked upon them as I now look upon you. They came when I was laying hands upon brother [Isaac] Russell, the wicked spirits got him to the door of the room, I did not see them till after that took place, and soon afterwards I lay prostrate upon the floor. That was in England, pious England, in the little town of Preston, at the corner of Wilford Street, and they struggled and exerted all their power and influence. That was the first introduction of the Gospel into England, and I was shown those spirits as plainly as ever I saw anything. . . . I saw their hands, their eyes, and every feature of their faces, the hair on their heads, and their ears, in short they had full-formed bodies. If evil spirits could come to me, cannot ministering spirits and angels also come from God? Of course they can, and there are thousands of them, and I wish you to understand this, and that they can rush as an army going to battle, for the evil spirits came upon me and brother Hyde in that way. . . . The spirits of the wicked, who have died for thousands of years past, are at war with the Saints of God upon the earth. Do I ever pray that I may see them again? No, I do not. . . . When I returned home I called upon brother Joseph, and we walked down the bank of the river. He there told me what contests he had had with the devil; he told me that he had contests with the devil, face to face. He also told me how he was handled and afflicted by the devil, and said, he had known circumstances where Elder [Sidney] Rigdon was pulled out of bed three times in one night. After all this some persons will say to me, that there are no evil spirits. I tell you they are thicker than the "Mormons" are in this country, but the Lord has said that there are more for us than there can be against us. "Who are they," says one? Righteous men who have been upon the earth. But do you suppose that angels will pay friendly visits to those who do not live up to their privileges? Would you? No, you would not like to visit with persons who lie, and steal your goods, and borrow and never pay. Would you not forsake such persons? (Heber C. Kimball, JD, March 2, 1856, 3:229-30.) The substance of section 129 was revealed to Joseph Smith before 1843. Although the exact date of his receiving these principles of detecting false spirits is not known, it can safely be set before 27 June 1839. On that day members of the First Presidency and Quorum of Twelve met in council in Nauvoo, and in this meeting the Prophet presented the following instructions for the benefit of the Twelve prior to their leaving for England: In order to detect the devel when he transforms himself nigh unto an angel of light. When an angel of God appears unto man face to face in personage & reaches out his hand unto the man he takes hold of the angels hand & feels a substance the same as one man would in shaking hands with another he may then know that it is an angel of God & he should place all confidence in him Such personages or angels are Saints with their resurrected Bodies, but if a personage appears unto man & offers him his hand & the man takes hold of it & feels nothing or does not sens[e] any substance he may know it is the devel, for when a Saints whose body is not resurrected appears unto man in the flesh he will not offer him his hand for this is against the law given him. On the evening of 7 February 1843, Parley P. Pratt arrived in Nauvoo from his mission to England. Two days later, while he was in conversation with the Prophet Joseph Smith, the keys of detecting false spirits (section 129) were explained. The Prophet's scribe, William Clayton, was present and recorded section 129, and Clayton's account was the source for the 1876 publication of the revelation. Compare the following entry in the Joseph Smith Diary for 9 February 1843. Although this entry, in the hand of Willard Richards, is abbreviated and unclear as a result of poor punctuation, the substance is essentially the same. The Joseph Smith Diary entry is undoubtedly based on Clayton's report. Parley Pratt & others came in & Joseph explained the following there 3 asministerer Angels, spirits Devils one class in heaven angels the spirits of just men made perfect innumerable co of angels & spirits of just men made perfect an angel appears to you how will you prove him. ask him to shake hands If he has flesh & bones. he is an angel. "spirit hath not flesh & bones" spirit of a just man made perfect person in its tabernacle could hide its glory if David Patten or the Devil come. how would you determine should you take hold of his hand you would not feel it. If it were a false administration. he would not do it. True spirit will not give his hand The devil will Three keys. (Lyndon W. Cook, _The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith_) D&C 130 At ten a.m. went to meeting. Heard Orson Hyde preach.... Alluding to the coming of the Savior, he said, "When He shall appear, we shall be like Him, etc. He will appear on a white horse as a warrior, and maybe we shall have some of the same spirit. Our God is a warrior. (John 14:23.) It is our privilege to have the Father and Son dwelling in our hearts, etc." We dined with my sister Sophronia McCleary, when I told Elder Hyde that I was going to offer some corrections to his sermon this morning. He replied, "They shall be thankfully received." [Section 130:1-16, follows.] At one p.m. attended meetings.... Then corrected Elder Hyde's remarks, the same as I had done to him privately.... At seven o'clock meeting.... [Section 130:17-23, follows.] (Joseph Smith, HC 5:323-25, April 2, 1843; Ramus, Illinois.) After a person has 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. 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 nor 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 [6:1] , Ezekiel [1:1] , John upon the Isle of Patmos [Rev. 1:1-3] , St. Paul in the three heavens [2 Cor. 12:1-5] , and all the Saints who held communion with the general assembly and Church of the First Born. (Joseph Smith, HC 3:380-81, June 27, 1830.) In 1860, Brothers Orson Pratt, Erastus Snow, myself, and others, were going on missions, and we arrived at Omaha in the month of November of that year. A deputation of the leading citizens of that city came to our camp and tendered to us the use of the Court House, as they wished to hear our principles. The invitation was accepted, and Elder Pratt preached to them. During the service, there was read the revelation to which I have referred the revelation concerning the division between the South and the North. [Sec. 87.] The reason probably, for reading it was that when we reached Omaha, the news came that trouble was already brewing, and several States were threatening to secede from the Union. Its reading made considerable impression upon the people. A good many had never heard of it before, and quite a number were struck with the remarkable character of the prophecy.... You doubtless remember it was for a good while doubtful whether the rebellion should commence at South Carolina or not. I was in England at the time, and engaged in publishing the Millennial Star, and took a great deal of notice of the American papers, and I well remember that to all human appearances it seemed for a while as though the trouble would break out at Fort Pickens, Florida. But the word of God had been spoken concerning that event, and consequently it had to be fulfilled as predicted, and the war did commence at South Carolina. It was fulfilled, as you all know, to the letter, Fort Sumter being the place where the rebellion broke out. [Sec. 87:1.] (George Q. Cannon, JD, November 1879, 21:265-66.) It is a part of a prophet's work not only to foretell and warn of impending conflicts and calamities, but also to show the means of escape. Joseph Smith was a prophet-statesman. He predicted the war which would terminate in the death and misery of many souls [Sec. 87:1] ; but this great prophet had a peace offering to give to the people. He told them of ways and means to avoid war.... In 1844 the Prophet Joseph Smith gave the following counsel with respect to a coming event which was soon to cast its black shadow over the land, and which was of great and general concern. "Pray Congress to pay every man a reasonable price for his slaves out of the surplus revenue arising from the sale of public lands, and from deduction of pay from the members of Congress, break off the shackles from the poor black man, and hire him to labor with other human beings, for an hour of virtuous liberty on earth is worth a whole eternity of bondage..." Abraham Lincoln, the Great Emancipator, probably knew Joseph Smith very well. During a political campaign he wrote a letter in which "he gives a long list of names to which he wants documents to be sent," and in the same letter he tells a candidate "that Joseph Smith is an admirer of his, and that a few documents had better be mailed to the Mormon people." Abraham Lincoln was familiar with the prophetic message that Joseph Smith delivered and the means to escape that the Prophet opened up to the nation to save the people from the dreadful calamity which bathed the land in the blood of human bodies. Just two months before the war closed the famous Hampton Roads Conference was held. Lincoln appealed to Alexander Stephens, Vice President of the Southern Confederacy. "Stephens," said he, "let me write the word 'Union' at the top of this page, and you may put under it what you please, for," continued President Lincoln, "there are men in the North, the mention of whose names would surprise you, who are in favor of paying for the slaves. I, too," he said, "am in favor of giving the southerners a fair equivalent for the loss of their property." When he returned to Washington, Lincoln wrote, in his own hand, the joint resolution to be presented to Congress, providing an appropriation of $400,000,000 to be paid to the owners of the slaves if war should cease immediately. He laid this proposition before his cabinet, but it was unanimously disapproved. The great and lonely Lincoln, the best friend the South had, turned away sadly. "I see," he said, "you are all against me. The war is costing us $3,000,000 a day, and think of the lives being lost." (Abraham Lincoln, A History, by John G. Nicolay and John Hay, Volume 10, Chapter 7, pages 132-139.) Oh, if the words of Joseph Smith, the prophet-statesman, had been heeded, what an effusion of blood would have been prevented! Those young men buried in soldiers' graves would have walked the earth in the full vigor of youth and splendid manhood if the nation had accepted the means of escape which Joseph Smith pointed out to them. (Charles Callis, CR, October 1938, pp. 24-25.) I was once praying earnestly upon this subject [time of the coming of the Son of Man] , 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 concerning this; and I took the liberty to conclude that if I had lived to that time, He would make 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. Then read the 14th chapter of Revelation, 6th and 7th verses "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come." And Hosea, 6th chapter, After two days, etc., 2,520 years; which brings it to 1890. The 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 day should overtake you as a thief in the night." [1 Thess. 5:1-5.] 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 rebuilt, and the waters of the Dead Sea be healed. [Ezek. 47:8-12.] It will take some time to rebuild 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 [Sec. 29:14-20; 34:9; 45:31-42; 88:87-91]; then will appear one grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. [Sec. 88:93.] 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. [Sec. 43:20-27.] (Joseph Smith, HC 5:336-37, April 6, 1843.) Now, then, if men, without much of the advantage of what is termed education in this world, are filled with the Spirit of God, the revelations of the Holy Ghost, and can comprehend the relationship of man to God, can know their duties, and can teach a people, a nation, or a world how they may be saved and obtain thrones, principalities, powers and dominions in the eternal worlds, if men can understand these principles by the gift of the Holy Ghost and the revelations of the Most High, and are enabled to place them before the people so that they can comprehend them, then, I say, these are the men of education the men of intellect the men who are calculated to bless and ennoble the human family. This is the kind of education that we want; and the more simple those principles can be conveyed the better: they are more adapted to the wants and intelligence of the human family.... Do you repudiate education, then? No not at all. I appreciate all true intelligence, whether moral, social, scientific, political, or philosophical; but I despise the folly that they hang on to it and the folly that they call education. (John Taylor, JD, September 20, 1857, 5:260-61.) 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 [1 Cor. 8:5-6] ; 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 they were one; (one in spirit, in mind, in purpose). [John 17:22.] 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. [Acts 3:22; 1 Pet. 3:22; Acts 7:55-56.] Any person that has seen the heavens opened knows that there are three personages in the heavens who hold the keys of power, and one presides over all. (Joseph Smith, HC 5:426, June 11, 1843.) Ramus is a Latin word meaning "branch." The city of Ramus, Illinois (later known as Macedonia), was laid out in September 1840, after the same plan as the city of Nauvoo, by members of the Church residing near Crooked Creek. Located twenty miles east of Nauvoo, Ramus was situated in Hancock County on the county road leading from Nauvoo through Carthage to Macomb. Members of the Church began settling the Crooked Creek area early in 1839, and a branch of the Church was organized there in January 1839. Hyrum Smith organized a stake at Ramus 5 July 1840. Joel H. Johnson was chosen and ordained president of the stake.... Section 130 consists of a variety of statements made by Joseph Smith while visiting members of the Church in Ramus, Illinois. On 1 April 1843 Joseph Smith, Orson Hyde, and William Clayton traveled from Nauvoo to Ramus, where they spent the evening with Benjamin F. Johnson. The following morning, Sunday, Orson Hyde preached to the Saints in Ramus, taking his text from John 14:23 and 1 John 3:2. After the morning meeting, while Joseph Smith and Orson Hyde dined with Sophronia McLeary (the Prophet's sister), the Prophet declared that he was going to "offer some corrections" to Hyde's sermon. The William Clayton Diary (as structured and amplified in the Joseph Smith Diary) is the source for all the published versions of these instructions. William Clayton did not segregate the morning and evening instructions as clearly as it is done in the Joseph Smith Diary. Moreover, it is likely that Joseph Smith gave the same instructions in the afternoon and evening. Since Willard Richards (who kept the Prophet's diary) was not on this trip to Ramus, undoubtedly either the Prophet or William Clayton had to direct Richards in separating the diary entry into different times of the day. The contemporary report by William Clayton is here included in its entirety: P.M. Joseph preached on Revelations chap. 5. he called on me to open the meeting. He also preached on the same subject in the evening. During the day president Joseph made the following remarks on doctrine. "I was once praying very ernestly to know the time of the coming of the son of man when I heard a voice repeat the following 'Joseph my son, if thou livest until thou art 85 years old thou shalt see the face of the son of man, therefore let this suffice and trouble me no more on this matter.' I was left thus without being able to decide wether this coming referred to the beginning of the Millenium, or to some previous appearing, or wether I should die and thus see his face. I believe the coming of the son of man will not be any sooner than that time." In correcting two points in Er Hydes discourse he observed as follows, "The meaning of that passage where it reads 'when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is' is this, When the savior appears we shall see that he is a man like unto ourselves, and that same sociality which exists amongst us here will exist among us there only it will be coupled with eternal glory which we do not enjoy now. Also the appearing of the father and the son in John c 14 v 23 is a personal appearing and the idea that they will dwell in a mans heart is a sectarian doctrine and is false" In answer to a question which I [William Clayton] proposed to him as follows, 'Is not the reckoning of gods time, angels time, prophets time & mans time according to the planet on which they reside he answered yes "But there is no angel ministers to this earth only what either does belong or has belonged to this earth and the angels do not reside on a planet like our earth but they dwell with God and the planet where he dwells is like crystal, and like a sea of glass before the throne. This is the great Urim & Thummim whereon all things are manifest both things past, present & future and are continually before the Lord. The Urim & Thummim is a small representation of this globe. The earth when it is purified will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim & Thummim whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom or all kingdoms of a lower order will be manifest to those who dwell on it. and this earth will be with Christ Then the white stone mentioned in Rev. c 2 v 17 is the Urim & Thummim whereby all things pertaining to an higher order of kingdoms even all kingdoms will be made known and a white stone is given to each of those who come into this celestial kingdom, whereon is a new name written which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it. The new name is the key word. "Whatever principle of intelligence we obtain in this life will rise with us in the ressurection: and if a person gains more knowledge in this life through his diligence & obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come. There is a law irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundation of this world upon which all blessings are predicated; and when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated. "The Holy Ghost is a personage, and a person cannot have the personage of the H.G. in his heart. A man receive the gifts of the H.G., and the H.G. may descend upon a man but not to tarry with him. He also related the following dream. "I dreamed that silver-headed old man came to see me and said he was invaded by a gang of robbers, who were plundering his neighbors and threatening distruction to all his subjects. He had heard that I always sought to defend the oppressed, and he had come to hear with his own ears what answer I would give him. I answered, if you will make out the papers and shew that you are not the agressor I will call out the Legion and defend you while I have a man to stand by me. The old man then turned to go away. When he got a little distance he turned suddenly round and said I must call out the Legion and go and he would have the papers ready when I arrived, and says he I have any amount of men which you can have under your command. Er Hyde gave this interpretation "The old man represents the government of these United States who will be invaded by a foreign foe, probably England. The U.S. government will call on you to defend probably all this Western Territory, and will offer you any amount of men you may need for that purpose. Once when prest. Joseph was praying ernestly to know concerning the wars which are to preceed the coming of the son of man, he heard a voice proclaim that the first outbreak of general bloodshed would commence at South Carolina see Revelation The sealing of the 144000 was the number of priests who should be anointed to administer in the daily sacrifice &c. During Prest. Joseph's remarks he said their was a nice distinction between the vision which John saw as spoken of in Revelations & the vision which Daniel saw, the former relating only to things as they actually existed in heaven the latter being a figure representing things on the earth. God never made use of the figure of a beast to represent the kingdom of heaven when they were made use of it was to represent an apostate church. Benjamin F. Johnson, at whose home the Prophet and others stayed, vividly remembered the visit, and later stated, On April 2d and May 16th 1843 the Prophet was at my house with Wm Clayton as scribe at which time was written in answer to questions asked all of sections 130 & 131 Doc & Cov and he then gave to us all keys of knowledge contained in sec 129 & 132 of the both before it was written. (Lyndon W. Cook, _The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith_) D&C 131 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 resurrection. (Joseph Smith, HC 5:391, May 16, 1843.) The increase of those who are exalted in that kingdom will endure for ever; and the bringing forth of children will not be attended with sorrow, pain and distress as it is here: these evils have come in consequence of the fall of man and the transgression by him of God's holy laws. (Orson Pratt, JD, January 19, 1873, 15:320.) Section 131 consists of a variety of doctrinal statements made by Joseph Smith while visiting members of the Church in Ramus, Illinois. The Prophet's personal scribe, William Clayton, accompanied him on this occasion and preserved Joseph Smith's remarks in his personal diary On 16 May 1843 Joseph Smith, William Clayton, George Miller, Eliza Partridge, Lydia Partridge, and Lorin Walker traveled to visit the Saints in Ramus. The Prophet and William Clayton spent the evening with Benjamin F. Johnson and the others at the home of William G. Perkins. Before retiring, the Prophet gave Benjmin F. Johnson and his wife some instructions on priesthood, which included verses 1-4 of section 131. Putting his hand on the knee of William Clayton, the Prophet said, "Your life is hid with Christ in God, and so is many others." Addressing Benjamin F., Joseph said: Nothing but the unpardonable sin can prevent him [Clayton] from inheriting eternal glory for he is sealed up by the power of the priesthood unto eternal life having taken the step which is necessary for that purpose." The Prophet continued, 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 (ie. they will not have any children in the resurrection, but those who are married by the power & authority of the priesthood in this life & continue without committing the sin against the Holy Ghost will continue to increase & have children in the celestial glory. The unpardonable sin is to shed innocent blood or be accessory thereto. All other sins will be visited with judgement in the flesh and the spirit being delivered to the buffetings of satan untill the day of the Lord Jesus. . . . Prest J. said that the way he knew in whom to confide, God told him in whom he might place confidence. He also said that in the celestial glory there was three heavens or degrees, and in order to obtain the highest a man must enter into this order of the priesthood and if he dont he cant obtain it. He may enter into the other but that is the end of his kingdom he cannot have increase. The following morning, 17 May 1843, the Prophet preached from the first chapter of 2 Peter, when verses 5-6 were recorded, At 10 [a.m.] Prest. J. preached on 2nd Peter ch 1. He shewed that knowledge is power & the man who has the most knowledge has the greatest power. Also that salvation means a mans being placed beyond the powers of all his enemies. He said the more sure word of prophecy meant, a mans knowing that he was sealed up unto eternal life by revelation & the spirit of prophecy through the power of the Holy priesthood. He also showed that it was impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance. Paul had seen the third heavens and I more. Peter penned the most sublime language of any of the apostles. In the evening of the same day, the Prophet went to hear Samuel A. Prior, a Methodist preacher. At the close of the preacher's remarks, Joseph Smith offered some corrections that included verses 7-8: P.M. pres. J. attended the City council & afterwards rode out with B.F. Johnsons family. In the evening we went to hear a Methodist preacher lecture. After he got through Pres. J. offered some corrections as follows. The 7th verse of C[hapter] 2 Genesis ought to read God breathed into Adam his spirit or breath of life, but when the word "ruach" applies to Eve it should be translated lives. Speaking of eternal duration of matter he 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 cant see it but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all matter. The gentleman seemed pleased & said he should visit Nauvoo immediately. (Lyndon W. Cook, _The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith_) On his return home from Ramus, on the 18th of May, 1843, the Prophet took dinner with Judge Stephen A. Douglas, at Carthage, and gave him, at his request, a detailed account of the persecutions the Saints had suffered. He concluded his narrative with a prophecy which B. H. Roberts considers "one of the most remarkable prophecies either in ancient or modern times" (Hist. of the Church, Vol. V., p. 395). The Prophet concluded as follows: "Judge, you will aspire to the presidency of the United States; and if ever you turn your hand against me or the Latter-day Saints, you will feel the weight of the hand of the Almighty upon you; and you will live to see and know that I have testified the truth to you; for the conversation of his day will stick to you through life." Judge Douglas did aspire to the presidency so effectively that, on the 23rd of June, 1860, he was nominated by the Democratic party. Judging from appearances, his election was sure, for his party, in the preceding election, polled over half a million votes more than the opposing parties. But the Judge failed miserably. On the 12th of June, 1857, he turned his hand against the Latter-day Saints, in spite of the warning of the Prophet, when, in a speech delivered at Springfield, III., he accused the Latter-day Saints, then living in Utah, of all the crimes known to the penal code, well knowing that he did so falsely, to gain favor among the enemies of the Church. The result was as the Prophet had told him would be the case, he was defeated. Abraham Lincoln carried 18 States; Breckinridge, 11; Bell, 3; and Judge Douglas, only one! Less than a year after his nomination he died, disappointed, heartbroken, only 48 years of age (Hist. of the Church, Vol. V., pp. 393-8). (Hyrum M. Smith and Janne M. Sjodahl, _Doctrine and Covenants Commentary_) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Next assignment: D&C 132 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- A note to readers: LDS Seminar Digest [LDSS-D] is a summary of posts made to LDS Seminar, an open forum for discussion on upcoming Gospel Doctrine lessons. LDS Seminar [LDSS] posts are open to exegesis, textual analysis, historical issues, and life applications. Submissions to LDSS will not be edited for content, but not all submissions will be automatically included in LDSS-D. LDSS-D is a one way list, subscribers cannot post to LDSS-D. If you wish to post you must join LDSS. 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