Book of Commandments
Book of Commandments
_______________ This book is the second sacred book published by the Mormons. It contains sixty-five revelations said to have been given direct by Jesus Christ to Joseph Smith. Some are given to the general church, but most of them to individuals. In one of the early ones Joseph Smith is made the Prophet, Seer, Revelator, Translator, Apostle and sole mouthpiece to the church, and the church is robbed of its liberty and thrown into slavery by the statement, "Thou shalt give heed unto all his word, and commandments, which he shall give unto you. For his words ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith."Doctrine and Covenants10:1-2,Book of Commandments22, 1-5.
"No one shall be appointed to receive revelations and Commandments in this church excepting my servant Joseph Smith, Jr."Doctrine and Covenants27:2. This book was published by order of the church in Independence, Missouri, by W. W. Phelps and Company, in 1833. Many of the Mormons objected to the publication of these revelations, because they said, "If the world read those revelations, and the threats to destroy them or drive them from their lands, they will drive us away."
"The reason why the printing press was destroyed was because they published the Book of Commandments. It fell into the hands of the world, and the people of Jackson Co., Mo., saw from the revelations that they were considered by the church as intruders upon the land of Zion, and that they should be cut off and sent out of the land of Zion. The people seeing these things in the Book of Commandments became the more enraged, tore down the printing press and drove the church out of Jackson County." Whitmer’s Address, page 54;Doctrine and Covenants52:9; 64, 7; 45, 15.
Elder Phelps was by revelation made printer to the church, and by revelation Cowdery was to assist him by copying and selecting, etc that all things may be done right before me. Cowdery and John Whitmer were sent by revelation with the revelations to the printer.Doctrine and Covenants57:5; 69:1. The Reorganized Church takes the position that the book was never completed, but this is absolutely false. Journal of Hist., Vol. 5, page 148. That the said Reorganized Church is willing to misrepresent the facts about this, as other matters, may be proved by the following:
"After the book was completed the question of binding them was discussed, and it was decided to just put a paper cover on them, and many of them were bound in leather by, private persons. I had the copy of the complete book sent to me from the Elder to whom David Whitmer gave his complete book and the leather binding on the book was placed there by Whitmer’s own hand." So stated the man to whom Whitmer gave the book, Elder Snider of Kansas City.
After the book was completed Smith wrote from Kirtland, saying: "Consign the box of the Book of Commandments to N. K. Whitney & Co., Kirtland, Ohio." Times and Seasons, Vol. 6, pages 800-801; La Rue, page 85. That these books were completed and sent to Smith care of Whitney, and that Smith received them is proved from the fact that Smith later wrote as follows: "The following errors we have found in the Commandments as printed." Times and Seasons, Vol. 6, pages 800-801. That the Book of Commandments was completed and published and was quoted as an authority, is seen by the following: "It will be seen by reference to the Book of Commandments, page 135, that the Lord had said to the church," and also "But if any man will take the pains to read the one hundred and fifty-third page of the Book of Commandments, he will find there," etc.Church History, Vol. 1, pages 509, 510; Mill. Star, Vol. 15, page 823.
Whitmer says: "Early in the spring of 1833 at Independence, Mo., the revelations were printed in the Book of Commandments. Many of the Books were finished and distributed among the members of the church. When I objected to the revelations being published in a Book of Commandments, Brother Joseph prophesied as follows: "Any man who objects to having these revelations published shall have his part taken out of the tree of life, and out of the Holy City." "I prophesied that if they sent those revelations to Independence to be published in a book the people would come upon them and tear down the printing press, and the church would be driven out of the country." Whitmer’s Address, pages 54-55. The book was printed, the mob arose, the people were driven from the county and many of the books were destroyed and only a few left. But what shall we do with the Lord’s revelation to Smith regarding this book which says:
"This is mine authority and my preface unto the Book of Commandments which I have given them to publish unto you, Oh inhabitants of the earth. These commandments are of me. Search these Commandments for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled."Church History, Vol. 1, page 228; 13. B. C page 1.
"This I know that in the year 1834, they say that some of the revelations had to be changed-so the Book of Doctrine and Covenants was printed in Whitmer’s Address, page 56.
"When it became known that important changes had been made in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, many left the church." Whitmer’s Address, page 61.
"Joseph Smith took a copy of the Book of Commandments into the pulpit in Kirtland, Ohio, and declared that it was faulty." Saints’ Herald, March 12th, 1887.
What shall we think of the leaders of the Reorganized Church who with all this evidence in their possession will willfully misrepresent saying the Book of Commandments was never completed, and was not published?
We append some of the changes made, changes which alter the, sense of the revelations and make additions that change the whole face of the church, both in organization and doctrine.
"If thou lovest Me thou shalt serve me and keep all my commandments, and behold thou shalt consecrate all thy properties, that which thou hast unto me, with a covenant and a deed which cannot be broken, and they shall be laid before the Bishop of my church and two of the Elders such as be shall appoint and set apart for that purpose, and it shall come to pass that the Bishop of my church after that he has received the properties of my church that it cannot be taken from the church, be shall appoint every man a steward over his own property, or that which he has received inasmuch as is sufficient for himself and family."Book of Commandmentspage 75, Chap. 44, 26.
"If thou loveth me thou shalt serve me and keep all my commandments, and behold thou wilt remember the poor, and consecrate of thy properties for their support, that which thou hast to impart unto them, with a covenant and a deed which cannot be broken, and inasmuch as ye impart of your substance unto the poor, ye will do it unto me, and they shall be laid before the bishop of my church and his counselors, two of the Elders or High Priests, such as he shall or has appointed, and set apart for that purpose, and it shall come to pass after they are laid before the Bishop of my church and after that he has received these testimonies concerning the consecration of the properties of my church, agreeable to my commandments, every man shalt be made accountable unto me, a steward over his own property, or that which he has received by consecration, inasmuch as is sufficient for himself and family."Doctrine and Covenants42:8-9. The reader will see many changes in this revelation, but the most important one is that inBook of CommandmentsIt says the man "shall consecrate all his property," but inDoctrine and Covenantsit says "consecrate of thy property."
Here is a splendid one that brought into prominence the crooked stick or witch hazel rod, with which Joseph Smith and his father before him professed to find water and gold, and which Cowdery is to do wonderful things.
"Oliver Cowdery, remember this is your gift. Now, this is not all, for you have another gift, which is the gift of working with the rod, behold there is no other power save God that can cause this rod of nature to work in your hands, for it is the work of God, and therefore, whatsoever you shall ask me to tell you by that means that will I grant unto you, that you should know." B. C page 16, Ch. 7, 3.
"Oliver Cowdery, remember this is your gift, now this is not all thy gift, for you have another gift which is the gift of Aaron, behold it has told you many things. Behold, there is no other power save the power of God that can cause this gift of Aaron to be with you, therefore, doubt not for it is the gift of God, and you shall hold it in your hands, and do marvelous works, and no power shall be able to take it away out of your hands for it is the work of God, and, therefore whatsoever you shall ask me to tell you by that means that will I grant unto you, and you shall have knowledge concerning it."Doctrine and Covenants8:3.
David Whitmer affirms that he was present in Fayette, N. Y in 1830, when Smith gave the revelation entitled "The Articles and Covenants of the Church of Christ." This revelation appears inBook of CommandmentsCh. 24, and inDoctrine and CovenantsSec. 17. There are many changes in this revelation when you compare the revelation as found in B. C and the same revelation as published inDoctrine and Covenants17:chief among them are the additions of the two whole paragraphs numbered inDoctrine and Covenantsas par. 16, 17. Not a word of those two paragraphs appearing inDoctrine and Covenantsare found in the original revelation, and the worst of it is as stated by Whitmer and others, it changes the whole face of the church organization and places such officers as Presidency, High Council and High Priests, which are nowhere mentioned in all tile revelations up to that date. Why, it is asked, did Joseph Smith make such wonderful changes in the revelations which God gave to the church.
We herewith append the extra two paragraphs as they appear inDoctrine and Covenants:
"16 -- No person is to be ordained to any office in this church where there is a regularly organized branch of the same, without the vote of that church; but the presiding Elders, traveling Bishops, High Counselors, High Priests, and Elders, may have the privilege of ordaining, where there is no branch of the church, that a vote may be called."
"17 -- Every president of the High Priesthood (or presiding older), Bishop, High Counselor, and High Priest is to be ordained by the direction of a High Council, or general conference."Doctrine and Covenants17:16-17.
Here are eighty-nine words, added to a sacred revelation said to have been given by the lips of Jesus Christ, yet Smith and his comrades in crime deliberately make this change, which alters the whole face of the church organization, this to those who believe God gave the first revelation, is an unpardonable sin, and to those who refuse to believe that God had anything to do with the matter, fail to see how the faithful can respect Smith after seeing this indubitable evidence of his rascality.
Here is another change that is made to give Smith greater power, "And he (Joseph Smith) has a gift to translate the book, and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift."Book of Commandments, Ch. 4, par. 2, page 9.
"And you (Joseph Smith) have a gift to translate the plates, and this is the first gift that I have bestowed upon you, and I have commanded that you should pretend to no other gift until it is finished."Doctrine and Covenants5:1. The most remarkable thing in connection with the Smith revelations is, the Book of Commandments was published in 1833, and the Doctrine and Covenants in 1835, yet in neither of these books, the greatest revelation of all time, said to have been given to Smith in 1820, wherein God left heaven to introduce Christ to Joseph, and then lapsed into silence, and then Smith gave Christ the theological nut to crack "which of all the churches are right?" And Christ told him the churches were all wrong, the creeds all an abomination in his sight and all the professors corrupt, drawing near God with lip service while their hearts were far from him."Church History, Vol. 1, pages 9-10. This was Smith’s greatest revelation. Here was the foundation of his church mission as Prophet, Seer, Revelator. Here was the great denunciation of all the churches, and the pronouncement of divine judgment upon all the hypocritical men and women who formed the Christianity of the world, yet not a word is said in his revelations as to this most wonderful and greatest manifestation of divine personality since the world began.
Moses was raised in the royal palace of the Kings of Egypt, associated with royalty all his life, yet when he was permitted to meet God, it is said that Mount was a flame of glory and filled with smoke, and the great mountain quaked greatly. If the people touched the mountain they were to die; the thunders roared; the lightning flashed. So great was the glory of the Lord that beamed upon the face of Moses, that he had to place a veil upon his face so that the people could look upon him. Read Exodus, Ch. 19, 20, 34. But Smith the young farmer boy, unacquainted with men, had no trouble to stand in the presence of God and Christ, and chat with them both. It is true he tells us of both the great power of evil and good that was present during the vision, but the strangeness is that he never printed the story in the collection of revelations made in 1833 or 1835, but be waited for eighteen years to place that story in print, and now it is denied by the Reorganized Church in Child’s History, page 1. The Book of Doctrine and Covenants. This is the third book published by the Mormons, the first was the Book of Mormon, 1830, the Book of Commandments, published in 1833, and the history shows that the church was changing its doctrine and organization to such a degree that it was necessary to change many of the revelations to fit the changes made, and so the Book of Commandments was set aside and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants was published in 1835.
David Whitmer says: "A few of the brethren knew about most of the important changes that had been put in the Doctrine and Covenants. In time it was generally found out and the result was some of the members left the church on account of it. The changes were made by a committee consisting of Joseph Smith, F. G. Williams and Sidney Rigdon." Whitmer’s Address, page 61.
Before we attempt to show some of the hundreds of changes made in the revelations, we will let the Mormon prophets explain how they receive the revelations, which we are commanded to believe are spoken by Christ.
Joseph Smith gave the following revelation to Oliver Cowdery. This man Cowdery was promised that he should have power to translate. He tried and failed and hence the explanation:
"Behold you have not understood, you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought, save it was to ask me, but behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind, then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right, I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you, therefore you shall feel that it is right but if it be not right, you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought, that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong, therefore you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me. Now if you had known this, you could have translated, nevertheless it is not expedient that you should translate now."Doctrine and Covenants9: 3-4.
Here we have the method of Smith’s translating and receiving revelations, surely as stated by Martin Harris, David Whitmer, Isaac Hale(his father-in-law,) and Emma, his wife. He did not require to see the plates or any manuscript when translating, he just thought it out in his mind, and if he had a burning in his bosom the thing he thought was the inspiration of heaven, thus then we find how the Book of Mormon and Book of Abraham was translated, and how he received the revelations that are found in the Book of Commandments and Book of Doctrine and Covenants.
Joseph Smith, the son of the founder of Mormonism, who became the prophet, seer, revelator and mouthpiece of the Lord, to the Reorganized church, gave his experience as to how revelations were received:
"Revelations, as I understand it, are received in different ways, sometimes by impression, sometimes by the person becoming conscious of it, and sometimes by audible voice heard by the individual by whom the revelation is received and sometime by a direct messenger, and sometimes by what we understand to be the direct intervention of the spirit. A man may be mistaken though he be the president of the church as to the genuineness or authenticity of revelations claimed to have been received." Evidence in Temple Lot suit, pages 75-76.
It was strange to hear this man when under oath make the above statement when we had read the law of the church to be as follows:
"Wherefore, meaning the church, thou shalt give heed unto all his word and commandments which he shall give unto you for his words we shall receive as if from Mine own mouth."Doctrine and Covenants19:2.
"No one shall be appointed to receive revelations and commandments in this church excepting my servant Joseph Smith Jr., for he receiveth them even as Moses, thou shalt be obedient unto all things which I shall give unto him."Doctrine and Covenants27:2.
"And it shall be given thee in the very moment what thou shalt speak and write and they shall hear it, or I will send unto them a cursing instead of a blessing."Doctrine and Covenants23:3.
We will now present some of the thousands of changes that have been made in the revelations. I admit that if the Lord made these mistakes he should be permitted to correct them, but is it not blasphemy to attribute such mistakes to the Lord? Why not say Smith did the best he could, and when he improved in the art of revelating, that he made some corrections.
"Now for this cause, I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed, but now mine eyes, mine own eyes, but not mine eyes for mines eyes could not have beheld."Doctrine and Covenants22:2, pub. 1901.
"Now for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed, but now mine eyes (have beheld God) but not mine natural but my spiritual eyes, for mine natural eyes could not have beheld, for I should have withered and died in His presence."Doctrine and Covenants22:7, 1913. The reader can see the awful grammar and the many changes made here. Was God guilty of such nonsense and then did He make the alterations? Are we to be cursed because we do not believe that these words fell from the lips of Jesus Christ, or that Smith did not receive revelations like Moses?
Now the readers might not be so critical had it not been that the Lord revealed the preface of the book, saying: "Behold this is mine authority and the authority of my servants, and my preface unto the Book of my Commandments which I have given them to publish unto you, O inhabitants of the earth. What I the Lord have spoken I have spoken, and I excuse not myself. The sword of the Lord is bathed in heaven, and it shall fall upon the inhabitants of the earth who refuse to give heed unto these prophecies and commandments."Doctrine and Covenants1833;Doctrine and Covenants1913. From the above we learn that God gave the preface of the book, (not many books have their preface written by the Almighty), and further God makes no apologies and says: "I excuse not myself."
Now the cold facts are, the Doctrine and Covenants claim is that the revelations and commandments there in contained came direct from God, and the world will be cursed if they do not believe and obey them, while many who read it affirm that the revelations are a jumbled mass of bad grammar, poor spelling that they contradict themselves in many hundreds of places and that the very revelations which we will be cursed if we refuse to believe, have been altered in hundreds of cases, and whenever they have been republished, in many of them, most every paragraph has been changed in word and meaning. Sometimes hundreds of words, have been added or taken from a single revelation. We affirm that having read several publications of these revelations, as made from 1832 to l913, that they have been altered in thousands of places. To record the changes, would fill a large volume. If God will condemn a person for not believing them as first published, then why should we believe them when changed in thousands of places?
We can only take time and space to briefly present a few cases in point.
Book of Commandments, Chap. 4, pub. 1833, compared with the same revelation published in Doctrine and Covenants Section 5, pub. 1913, is changed in every paragraph and in one paragraph the Lord, describing the abominations of the people uses 144 words, when the same denouncement is made in the other edition there is 216 words used, the most abominable feature of the revelation is that Martin Harris is commanded to say he saw the plates of the Book of Mormon long before he claims to have seen them, if he refuses to so testify he is to be placed under condemnation, and the worst of it is that some of the very words which he is commanded to say, are found in his testimony as recorded in the Book of Mormon, more than a year after.
Turn to the Articles and Covenants of the Church of Christ. This revelation was published in a paper called the Morning and Evening Star, June 1832, the reader will find a paragraph of over one hundred words at the end of that revelation that is not found in the same revelation as published in the Book of Commandments, 1833, called chapter 24. Then let the reader turn to the Doctrine and Covenants of 1835 and other editions and he will find that the paragraph published in 1832 is not published in the revelation and worse and more of it, he will find two whole paragraphs containing eighty-nine words published in this revelation that were not published in the Evening and Morning Star of June, 1832, nor were they published in the Book of Commandments of 1833. The two paragraphs added in another part of the revelation introduces a new system of church organization, thus changing the whole face of the church organization as taught and understood by the membership from 1828 to 1830.
Some, late writers have tried to make it appear that this section or chapter is not a revelation, but this is false as the following will prove. David Whitmer, the sixth man baptized into Mormonism and one of the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon, left the church in 1838. He testifies: "I was present when brother Joseph gave this revelation. Two paragraphs have been added to it having been thrust into the middle of it-as if God had made a mistake and left these high offices out of that revelation when it was first given." Whitmer’s Address, pages 59-60.
"Of the date of the reception of this section, Joseph Smith states:
"In this manner did the Lord continue to give us instructions from time to time concerning the duties which now devolve upon us and among other things of the kind. We obtained from him the following by the spirit of prophecy and revelation, which not only gave us much information but also pointed out to us the precise day upon which, according to His will and commandment, we should proceed to organize the Church once again upon the earth." Times and Seasons, Vol. 3, pages 928-9; Lambert Objections, page 87; Ch. Hist., Vol. 1, page 67. The reader will see the opening statement of this revelation start out to command them to organize the church on April 6th and further we are therein informed that that was the date on which Christ came in the flesh, or was born. This is contradicted by most every historian, Christ is said to have been born in the spring A. D. 4. Smith’s God was about four years out on that matter. Dict of Bible, Wm. Smith Art. Jesus Christ.
We now invite your attention to Book of Commandments, Chapter 44, compare that with Doctrine and Covenants Section 42, claimed to be the same revelation given under date of Feb. 1831. There is a difference of nearly six paragraphs, hundreds of words, which changes the whole face of the revelation. Yet we are to be damned if we do not believe the original and I presume we will be damned if we believe silly twaddle recorded in the present publication of that much contradicted revelation.
Perhaps we would do injustice if we neglected to notice Chapter 28 of the Book of Commandments and compare Section 26 of the Doctrine and Covenants given Sept., 1830. Several hundred words are added to this revelation, several angels, excluding a visit from Peter, James and John who ordained Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to the high priesthood, is told very nicely. The horror of it all is that after the edition has been made for over fifty years to this famous revelation, now to have the son of Joseph Smith, the president of the Reorganized church, come out flat footed and deny that Peter, James and John ever filled any such a mission, we cannot resist the temptation to make a paragraph of this statement and its contradiction.
"And also with Peter, James and John, whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you to be Apostles and especial witnesses of my name."Doctrine and Covenants26:3.
"I was present with Joseph when the higher or Melchisedec Priesthood was conferred by the Holy Angel from on high. This priesthood was then conferred on each other by the will and commandment of God." Myth of the Manuscript Found, page 80. Statement of Oliver Cowdery.
"Mr. Smith testifies that Peter, James and John came to him in the capacity of ministering angels and by the laying on of hands ordained him an apostle." Apostle Orson Pratt, Divine Authority, page.4.
Now hear young Joseph Smith, son of the original Joseph Smith and prophet, seer, and, revelator of the church for over fifty years, give the frank lie to the statement of his father, the revelation of Section 26, the statement of Oliver Cowdery, and also Apostle Pratt and the combined testimony of the church for over eighty years.
"There is no historical evidence of such an event, nor is there any that Peter, James and John were present, either when the instruction was given to ordain or when the ordination actually took place. It is not safe then to write historically that Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were ever ordained literally under the hands of Peter, James and John." Reorganized Church History, Vol. 1, pages 64-65.
If the revelation Smith, Cowdery, Pratt and all Mormonism for eighty years has to acknowledge this angelic ordination to be a false position as stated by young Joseph Smith, what credit can be given to Mormonism. We close the examination of the revelations given by old Joseph Smith, the first prophet, with one more glimpse just to show the autocracy of Smith, read B. C ch. 45 andDoctrine and CovenantsSec. 43, revelations given Feb. 1831, and there we are informed Joseph Smith is the only one appointed by God to give revelations to the church, that if the church desires the mysteries of the kingdom revealed, they must provide Smith with food, and raiment and whatsoever thing he needeth to accomplish the work, but to the last he was game. He tells them that if God would deem him unworthy to speak through any more, that he would still have power to appoint his successor. Just think, suppose a young man loved a girl because of her virgin purity, but discovered that she was filthy and vile, he denounced her and left her because she had undervalued the virgin crown, and then said, now while you have forfeited your right to be my wife., you still have the right to select the woman whom I shall marry. With this we leave the first prophet Joseph, and give a brief examination of his son, the prophet of the Reorganized church.
Strange Statement Made in The Revelations of The Reorganized Church Prophets.
I confess that for years, before leaving Mormonism, I had grave doubts with regard to the revelations that were given by Joseph the second, there was nothing definite about them, too much guess work, too much "if" and "perhaps." They seemed to be a guess of a human being rather than a revelation from the divine, but we submit a brief examination of a few points for the consideration of the honest searcher for truth:
"Inasmuch as there has been much discussion in the past concerning the Sabbath of the Lord, the church is admonished that until further revelation is received, or the quorums of the church are assembled to decide concerning the law in the church articles and covenants, the saints are to observe the first day of the week commonly called the Lord’s Day, as a day of rest, as a day of worship, as given in the covenant,, and commandments."Doctrine and Covenants. 119, 7.
It just seems to me that if the Lord had spoken he would have told them which was the right day. He would have settled the matter once and for all and not told them to wait for another revelation to settle it.
"The epistle is to be left without approval or disapproval by tile conference, as the judgment of the quorum of twelve, until further experience shall have tested the matters therein stated."Doctrine and Covenants., 120, 1.
It just looks to me that if the Lord had condescended to speak on the position taken by the apostles that he would have confirmed their opinion or denounced it. Are we to believe that the Lord had not arrived at a proper conclusion regarding the matter, or will we say the man who presented the paper to the church was not settled in his mind? Or, if he was, there were strong men on each side of the controversy and he did not care to run up against them?
"The voice of the spirit is that E. C. Briggs be sustained for the present. J. W. Briggs and Z. H. Gurley are in your hands to approve, or disapprove as wisdom may direct." This E. C. Briggs was sustained for years. "For the present" sounds very indefinite, when we are asked to believe that the Lord said it. The other two men, one the most brilliant apostles of his time, the other the president of that august body, had denounced the body and soon after left the church and both believed to their death that Joseph Smith, the founder of the church, received the infamous revelations on polygamy and had many wives. Yet it looks like as if someone was afraid to say "put them out," or "keep them in," and so threw the burden upon poor weak man to decide the fate of these two stalwarts. But this milk and water policy did not keep these two brave men from giving to the world what they believe concerning the conduct of Joseph Smith.
"The one whom I had called to preside over the church (Joseph Smith) (R. C.) had not yet approved himself unto the scattered flock, and I gave this commandment (regarding money matters) (R. C.) unto the quorum next in authority in spiritual things, that the scattered ones, and those who had been made to suffer might have assurance that I would not suffer that he whom I had called should betray the confidence of the faithful, nor squander the moneys of the treasury for the purpose of self."Doctrine and Covenants122:5. Does this look as if God was not sure that young Joseph would not go in the path another had walked in, and so the faithful would again be robbed by his squandering their money? So he ordered the Twelve to watch the money chest till the young prophet would prove himself. This seems like a good thing in one way, and it would not be a real bad move if the Lord, or the church, or someone would take a hand right now, so that the moneys of the faithful be not squandered. When we think of the hundreds of thousands that have been squandered of late years, and if the auditors report correctly and the Bishops spoke truthfully this year, while at general conference, I think it about time for the Lord to kindly give further instructions on this matter.
"My servant Thomas W. Smith is in my hand, and his bishopric shall be continued for a season. If he fully recover he will enter again into the work. If I take him unto myself another will be appointed in his stead when the quorum is filled."Doctrine and Covenants122:15. The plot thickens. We are asked to believe that the Lord of heaven gave this revelation to his people. He advised that Apostle Smith be continued in office for a season. Fact is, the God who gave that revelation did not seem to know whether this very sick apostle would get better or not, but he wanted the people to permit him to hold office for a season till he had decided whether he would die or not. Was this the guess of a God or a man? "If he fully recover he will enter into the work. Did God not know that he would remain a helpless creature for a long time and never do any more apostolic work in this world? It appears not. But He gave the assurance that "if I take him to myself another shall be appointed in his stead, when the quorum is filled."
"The quorum of twelve, my servants may choose and appoint one of their number to take the place of my servant Alexander H. Smith, and if they shall choose William H. Kelley from among them for this place it will be pleasing unto me. Nevertheless if directed by the spirit of revelation and wisdom they may choose another."Doctrine and Covenants124:3.
Here we are asked to believe that the Lord will be pleased in the selection of one man, but he warns them what steps to take if the spirit of revelation directs them to select another. We had always thought that it was the Lord that bestowed the spirit of revelation. Surely this revelation should put to shame the poor, deluded sectarian world who know not God, and have not received of the spirit of revelation.
"The seer of the church has a vision in which he sees Frederick M. Smith and R. C. Evans sitting with the presidency (himself). When he beheld these men in that exalted station, he says: "I asked what was meant by the choosing of members of the presidency so young in years. I was informed that it was for the purpose that before the presidency should be invaded by death these younger men should be prepared by association to be of assistance to whomsoever should be chosen as the president upon the emergency which should occur."Doctrine and Covenants126:6, 8. Not one that I have talked to in all the years since that time has been able to explain this to me. Both the present prophet and his father admitted their inability to make it clear, for several reasons. Let us examine. First, why ask the question: why speak of those two men being so young in years to occupy that position? I was older than Joseph Smith was when he was called of God to do the marvelous work. Yes, dear reader, older than Joseph Smith, and (then) present prophet who saw the vision when he became the president of the church. Joseph 1st was not 25 years old when the church was organized. Joseph 2nd was not 28 years old when he was made president. R. C. Evans was over 40 years of age when he was called to the first presidency of the church. I was older than many others who had occupied that position. I had a thousand times more experience in church work than many of them, including both prophets. For I had been ordained and labored for years as a Priest, Elder, Seventy and an apostle. They had none of these offices before they were called to the important work. So, to many the very question seemed absurd. But worse and more of it. The reason for calling the two young men was that before death invaded the presidency that is, before the prophet Joseph should die, these younger men should be prepared by association to be of assistance to whomsoever should be chosen upon the emergency which should occur. If language is a science to convey ideas, then this means that these two young men would remain in the presidency, learning the ways of the prophet till death should call him away, and then these two younger men would be of assistance, or be the counselors to the person who should be chosen by the Lord to be the next president. I have never talked to a man in the church but has considered that this position was the best light they could see this revelation in, and if that be correct it proves that Frederick M. Smith is not the prophet of the Lord. It was not the Lord’s wish that he should occupy in his father’s place, but that when death took his father away he would be counselor with me to the incoming president. Now, if the Lord gave that revelation, what are we to think of one that came years late, calling Frederick M. Smith to be the president? Is it unfair to say that if this revelation is the word of the Lord, that the time came when poor old Joseph became stone blind and almost totally deaf and agonizing under a complication of diseases that a strong two hundred and thirty pound man had an influence over this blind, deaf and now childish father to make arrangements for his son to take his father’s place as president of the church.
There is another point in this vision that trouble the people. Joseph Caffall, of the Apostles, was seen sitting with the evangelical ministers. This never came to pass. Caffall never believed the revelation but left the Twelve and died a disappointed man.
Section 127 contains a lengthy revelation concerning the building of a church sanitarium for sick folk. Joseph Luff, one of the most brilliant apostles of the church, had given some attention to the study of medicine, and the Lord is supposed to have said that he said Joseph Luff should "be associated with this sanatorium as a medical director and physician to the church and be put in charge-and this my servant Joseph Luff, may do and retain and exercise, his apostleship."
I may say that in my many years of association with the prophet Joseph Smith this was the first time that I had the courage to go to him and refuse to submit to the revelation that he said came from God. I compared the revelation as given by Jesus Christ in defining the commission of an apostle in the Bible, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature," and "They went forth and preached the, gospel everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming tile word with signs following."Mark 15:12;Mark 15:20. And we are told "He gave them power to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease." Matthew 10.
Now, this modern prophet tells us the apostle could both go into all the world, preaching the gospel and heal the sick, and stay at home and make pills to heal the sick in a sanatorium. I felt that the great gospel apostolic mission was degraded, and that this revelation was an evidence of humanity and at that time devoid of Divinity. This revelation was given April 141h, 1906.
Just three years later, April 18th, 1909, the Lord , we are asked to believe, had so changed his mind upon this matter that we hear Him say, through the same prophet: "My servant Joseph Luff cannot fulfill the duties of a member of the quorum of Twelve in actively looking after and caring for the missionary work in the field and discharge the duties of his calling as a physician, ministering to the many seeking his advice and aid with safety to himself and others. It is wise, therefore, that the church release him from the responsibility of the active apostleship as a member of the quorum, that he may act unreservedly in his calling.Doctrine and Covenants129:2.
Shades of Latter Day Saintism.
Here is a clear backdown by the Lord or someone else and worse and more of it, the most eloquent apostle of the quorum is told to lay aside his holy apostleship in the sacred quorum of apostles, so that he can devote his time to the sanatorium. Bro. Luff has left the sanatorium and the doctor job, too.
"The voice of the spirit to me is: Under conditions which have occurred, it is no longer wise that my servant R. C. Evans be continued as counselor in the presidency; therefore, it is expedient that he be released from this responsibility and another be chosen to the office. He has been earnest and faithful in service and his reward is sure.Doctrine and Covenants129:1. The treatment I had received from some of the leading men, together with several other reasons, which I give in this paper, enabled me to conclude that it was best for me to tender my resignation as one of the first presidency, and I dictated it to R. C. Russell and he wrote it. I presented it to Joseph Smith. He wept and acknowledged that the treatment accorded me was enough to break the stoutest heart, but urged me not to insist on handing in my resignation. That we together would pray that the Lord would release me. I waited and prayed and lived a life of perplexity and sorrow, till this revelation came and I was then released. And immediately upon my release the prophet arose and told the conference that he had received direction from the Lord to present my name for ordination as Bishop. The presiding Bishop and others testified that they knew the Lord had so called me" and without one single objection, even from those who had hounded me all the time I was in the presidency, I was ordained a Bishop.
"Thus saith the voice of the spirit: in order that the quorum of Twelve may be placed in better condition to carry on the work of the ministry in various fields of occupation, it is expedient that Elders W. H. Kelley, I. N White and J. W. Wight, be released from the active duties of the apostolic quorum on account of increasing infirmities of age and incapacity caused by illness of body, and stand with their associates among the high priests and patriarchs of the church for such special service as may be open to them, according to wisdom and the call of the spirit. To fill the vacancies caused by the release of these elders from the apostolic quorum, Elder James E. Kelley, William H. Aylor, Paul M. Hanson and James A. Gillen may be chosen as Apostles."
Two funny things appear here. The three men released lived and lived and worked well. One has passed away, and other two still here and J. W. Wight has traveled extensively and done a great work up to date. While he was released because of illness of body and infirmities of age, he has been a hard worker in many parts of the United States and Canada up to this hour; and James E. Kelley was sick when he was called, and has occupied the hospitals and sanatoriums and been sick and a great expense to the church most of the time, and has passed away. The other men all working while he lay dying and two of them still living, and one of them very active. Did the God who gave that revelation know that Brother Wight was going to live and do the great work he has accomplished since his obituary notice was given by revelation, and did he know that James E. Kelley was to live in the sanatoriums for the sick and die without doing the work to which he called him? Though the Lord released W. H. Kelley and instructed that be was to work as a patriarch, he refused to be ordained a patriarch and died.
I submit the history of the revelation known as Section 117 of the Doctrine and Covenants, given under date of March 3rd, 1873.
It is alleged that Joseph Smith gave the revelation to President J. W. Briggs to submit to the quorum of the twelve, April 6th, 1873, accompanying the written revelation is a statement as follows: --
"I received the following as there stood by me the sensible presence of the Holy Messenger, filling my soul with light and peace."
Then followed the revelation just as published in the Doctrine and Covenants, with the exception of the paragraphs objected to. The revelation was presented to the quorum and they rejected it as being contrary to the law of God, as found in former revelations. They returned the revelation to Joseph Smith, and he is alleged to have written a letter to the Twelve, from which we quote the following: --
"Plano, Ill., April 8th, 1873. Brethren of the Twelve, I am privileged after a sleepless night, to offer for your consideration the following: "Thus saith the spirit that portion of the revelation which is perplexing to you should be "The Bishop of my church may also choose and appoint bishops agents until it shall be wisdom in Me to ordain other bishops in the districts and large branches of My church. They being appointed and ordained in a similar manner that I commanded my servant, Newal K. Whitney should be an agent unto my disciples who tarried in Kirtland."
"This explanation is unto you of the Twelve. Not unto the Church. Let the revelation be corrected." Joseph Smith, President of the church." The part in the original revelation of March to which objection was made read in the original revelation as follows: "The Bishop of My church may also ordain other bishops in the several districts and large branches of My church."
I may add that I have a complete copy of the original revelation, as rejected by the Twelve, because it was contrary to the law and a flat contradiction to former revelations, and I have before me a copy of the letter alleged to have been written by the Prophet to the Twelve in which is found the confession of the false revelation, and the other revelation quietly given April 8th, in which the Lord, or the Prophet, took back the mistake and made the correction, after which the prophet of the Lord was weak enough to say: "This explanation is unto you of the Twelve, not unto the church. Let the revelation be corrected."
It is alleged that both revelations were written by Joseph Smith, both were given to Jason W. Briggs, the copies were made and certified to as being correct by one high in authority in the Reorganized church and given to me.
Comment-- First we have the prophet claiming that the angel of the Lord stood by while the first revelation was given him, March 1st, 1873. Second, the twelve received the false revelation and rejected it, April 8th, 1873, and returned it to the prophet. Third, we have the prophet writing on April 8th, 1873 to the Twelve, after a sleepless night, and admitting the revelation was wrong and sending a correction. Fourth, when the correction was given, only part of the second revelation was accepted by the Twelve, and the rest set aside and never published. Fifth, when the two revelations were fixed up and parts of both objected to, the parts of both revelations were published as the one revelation under date of March 3rd, 1873, when according to the Prophet’s letters one was given March 1st, the other April 8th, and last of all, the letters alleged to have been written by the prophet seems to show acknowledged guilt, when be said: "This explanation is unto you of the Twelve, not unto the Church. Let the revelation be corrected."
Here was a false revelation, then a correction, think of it. God gave a revelation, He admitted it was wrong and then corrected it and he was afraid or ashamed for His people to know of the blunder, and so they were kept in ignorance and the whole blundering thing published under a false date, part given March 1st, part given April 8th, yet published under date of March 3rd.
They accuse me of loving Joseph. So I did. I looked upon him as God’s mouthpiece to the church, His prophet and seer, but while I loved him, I am compelled to acknowledge that the Lord has opened my eyes. I have been made to see that in His effort to protect his father, and endorse his father’s conduct, he too partook to some extent of the spirit that governed his father, and in his desire to be President of the church and prophet, seer and revelator, that he gave revelations that were contradictory and false.
Apostle Jason W. Briggs to whom these two revelations were sent, for the examination by the quorum of Twelve, stumbled at the thought that God made the mistake, and then corrected it, and that God was ashamed to tell the whole church about it, and so the Twelve were requested to keep the secret of the Lord’s mistake to themselves and from the church according to the instructions of the Prophet. These matters troubled the Apostle and first president of the Reorganized church till, unable to bear up any longer he tendered his resignation and became like thousands before him, an outcast and an apostate from the church.
He left the original revelation and the letter above referred to where I was permitted to secure a certified copy of the original which is alleged to be in the handwriting of the Prophet Joseph Smith. The New Prophet, Seer, Revelator-
God’s Mouthpiece to the Church.
Having briefly examined the revelations purporting to come direct from Christ to the founder of Mormonism and his son, now let its look at the only attempt made by Frederick M. Smith, the grandson of the first prophet and son of the second prophet, who is now the prophet of the Reorganized church. He surely has made a mess of the prophet business already. But to the revelation:
"The voice of the spirit to me is that Bishop E. L. Kelley should be released from the responsibilities of Presiding Bishop, though he may act as traveling Bishop, counseling and advising on the law of temporalities in harmony with his successor and the Presidency. Let Benjamin R. McGuire be set apart and ordained presiding bishop of the church and two of the brethren be set apart as counselors to him, one to be selected by him and supported by the Conference, the other to be Bishop James F. Keir." The history of this revelation, as published in the Saints’ Herald for April 19th, 1916, shows clearly that the new prophet had no faith in his first revelation himself. Space forbids the publication here of the entire proceedings, but the facts therein related are as follows:
Bishop Blakeslee was looked upon, according to a former revelation, as the coming Presiding Bishop, but he was holding back. If Smith believed his revelation, he would at once have proclaimed it. But did he? No, verily no. He tells the story himself. Let us see, he hides the revelation calling McGuire, telling but a few near friends about it. He makes arrangements to meet Bishop Blakeslee in Chicago. Blakeslee and his wife meet Smith and his wife, they have a nice time in the windy city. Smith tries his best to have Blakeslee accept the Presiding Bishop’s office. Blakeslee gave a decided refusal on March 20th, about five o’clock in the afternoon. Had Blakeslee accepted the responsibility, the general church would doubtless never heard a word about the McGuire revelation. But when he made a positive refusal, Smith says: "Then came freedom to act. I am, therefore, now prepared to say-" Say what? "Why-, that God, had given had given him a revelation calling McGuire.
If Smith knew that God had given him a revelation calling McGuire to be the presiding Bishop, why spend time and money to go to Chicago to coax Blakeslee to accept the position. Why did he not rise in all the glory of the prophetic office and say: "The Lord has spoken, Bishop Kelley is to be released, and Benjamin R. McGuire is called to fill the, sacred office.
There is another very great mistake in this blundering revelation in that it is in direct contradiction to two former revelations. A revelation through his grandfather says "the Bishop to choose two counselors."Doctrine and Covenants104:32. Another revelation through his father says: "The Bishop shall choose two counselors."Doctrine and Covenants117:60.
Now, the new boss sets these two revelations aside. They had been the law under which the church had been governed through the years. Was he afraid that when he gave McGuire the job he might make choice of two strong men whom Smith could not control? So he made the thing sure and the Bishop was told he might select one counselor, but Bishop Keir was to be the other. The other counselor is not yet selected. Why? Since writing the above, Smith’s own brother has been made the other counselor, so the prophet is safe.
If there was nothing else but this first attempt to play the role of Prophet, Seer, Revelator and God’s sole mouthpiece to the church on the part of Fred Smith, it should be enough to convince all that God had nothing to do with his call to be a prophet. In conclusion upon this subject permit me to say. It has been a great trial of my faith when from time to time I have heard some of the Twelve Apostles and other leading men of the church denounce the revelations of the Smiths in round terms. Robert G. Ingersol has never made the strong attack upon the revelations of the Bible that some of the Apostles in my hearing have made upon the revelations of the Smith prophets.
I was present when one of the revelations was presented for the endorsement of the Apostolic quorum. We struggled for days in the elimination. Its publication was delayed for a time. One great Apostle said: "I have watched the revelations coming for more than twenty years. They have been weaker and weaker and weaker, and this one is the weakest of them all." This man still lives but has been deposed from the Apostolic quorum. Another apostle rejected the instruction imparted to him in the revelation, was dropped from his office and never accepted the office to which the new revelation called him. He went down to death. Another Apostle said in my hearing: "If that thing, (the revelation) came from God, then I have never known anything about the spirit of God in all my ministry." Another suggested that we return it to the prophet and all unite to ask the Lord for more light on the revelation, when the former Apostle sprang to his feet and with emotion said "Light, more light, did you say? My God, man, if I were to ask the Lord anything about it I would not ask for more light, but for light, for that thing is the darkest thing that he has ever beclouded the face of the church." The same Apostle speaking of the revelation said to me: "Richard, I cannot believe a word of that revelation. I would be willing to work in California on burning stones if the Lord would show me that he gave that message. All I ask is one ray of light, but all is midnight darkness. He also was soon disposed of by another revelation, that is was dropped from the quorum.
It is a significant fact that many of the most prominent and leading of the church to whom these revelations were given have discovered Smith to be a false prophet, and they have left the church denouncing him as about everything that was vile. I may mention a few of the most prominent ones. The Three Witnesses to the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon, Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris, those who have occupied in the First Presidency, Sidney Rigdon, Frederick G. Williams, John C. Bennett, William Law, Jason W. Briggs and R. C. Evans. I could enlarge the list with many of the Apostles, Bishops, High Priests, Seventies and Elders, and thousands of the membership. So I have but followed in the way of tens of thousands who were deceived and who, when they discovered the deception, did the only thing left for an honest person to do, that was to leave and denounce the lying wonder of the latter days.
CHAPTER IX.