FURTHER LIGHT and KNOWLEDGE
Understanding the Mysteries of the Kingdom
INTRODUCTION
We have all been commanded to consider ourselves as if we were respectively "Adam" or
"Eve.” As we therefore study the lives of Adam and Eve in order to vicariously learn what is
required of us in OUR probationary states, we discover that from the very moment that Adam
and Eve were placed into the "Lone and Dreary World" they began to seek for further light and
knowledge; instructions to guide them back into the presence of their Father. They specifically
sought for messengers to teach them. Inasmuch as Adam and Eve were the only mortals upon
the earth at that time, they were seeking for messengers from on High, angels. At first they
received angelic messengers from the adversary that tried to deceive them. However, Adam
and Eve had received certain keys while still in the garden that they could exercise to discern
the validity of any messengers they should entertain. Through utilization of those keys they
verified the authenticity of messengers claiming to be sent forth from the throne of the Father.
Adam and Eve received instructions from time to time and were then tried or tested to see if
they would remain true and faithful in all the things they had received. As they continued to
receive line upon line and precept upon precept, their knowledge increased. Years passed, and
their instructor messengers taught them laws necessary for admittance back into the Celestial
Kingdom. Finally they received all that was lawful for them to learn without personally
receiving from the very fountain of all knowledge. Thus their quest ultimately brought them to
the limits of the veil, standing, knocking, waiting as they had been commanded, to receive
further light and knowledge by conversing directly with their Lord. He heard their request and
spoke to them from within the veil. Their hearts were gladdened. They obeyed all that He told
them to do and thus they prepared themselves for that glorious day when the veil was finally
parted and they were admitted back into the presence of their Lord.
Adam and Eve are our prototypes. We should emulate their every action if we desire the same
blessings that they received. As was previously stated, Adam and Eve immediately began their
search for further light and knowledge when they were found in the Lone and Dreary
World. We are presently in that world and it is our responsibility to do as they did, to
immediately begin the process of gaining further light and knowledge for ourselves. The
purpose of gaining this knowledge is to prepare us to eventually part the veil, as they did, and
return to the presence of our Father. Simply living a good life will not qualify one to eternally
live in the society of the Gods. It is requisite that all of the laws governing that society be
learned prior to being initiated into the same. Not only must one learn those laws but also a
testing process must be passed in order to prove faithfulness in keeping the celestial laws
received. The process of gaining this "further light and knowledge" is the purpose of this
paper. To truly understand this concept it is necessary that an individual be familiar with the
following subjects:
Calling and Election
Sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise
Church of the First Born
Second Comforter or "Other Comforter"
Holy Order
Second Anointings
Council of 50 and the Government of God
Kings and Priests unto God (Queens & Priestesses)
The Inner Circle of the Faithful
The "Quorum"
How to "Approach the Throne of Grace and be Recognized"
Knowing how to ask and receive
True Order of Prayer
Signs, Tokens, and Keys of Access to God
Spirits of Just Men made Perfect (Mission of)
Keys of Personal Revelation
Seer Stones
Keys of Detection of the Spirits
Fullness of the Priesthood
Communion with the General Assembly and Innumerable
Company of Angels
Keys of the Sealing Powers
All of these subjects are interrelated and interdependent. To speak of or to study about one will
naturally lead to the others. Indeed it is almost impossible to totally isolate any of these subjects
from the others, particularly if the subject to isolate is the "order of prayer" or the use of the
signs and tokens of the Priesthood in gaining personal revelation. The scope of this paper is to
gain insight into how one exercises the keys of the Priesthood to receive further light and
knowledge through personal revelation. Consequently many of the subjects will be touched
upon but will not be elaborated upon.
Obviously, scripture study is the place to begin this process. However, "scriptures" entail much
more than the four standard works of the Church, though they of course form the
foundation. "Scriptures" in a broader meaning encompasses the writings and public addresses
of the Prophets and Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They also
include the prompting of the Spirit to individuals who have sought for personal revelation from
the Lord. This broader definition of "Scriptures" and their study is what President Spencer W.
Kimball referred to when he made the following statement. Please note that he was not
speaking of the individual who was not familiar with the gospel, rather, he was speaking about
the process of gaining further light and knowledge once a person has joined the Church and
gained a testimony of it. He was speaking to those of us who are trying to follow the pattern
established by Adam and Eve in their eternal quest.
"Scripture study is commanded. The Lord is not trifling with us when he gave us these things,
for "unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required." (Luke 12:48.) Access to
these things means responsibility for them. We must study the scriptures according to the
Lord's commandment (see 3 Nephi 23:1-5). One cannot receive eternal life without becoming a
"doer of the word" (see James 1:22) and being valiant in obedience to the Lord's
commandments. And one cannot become a "doer of the word" without first becoming a
"hearer." And to become a "hearer" is not simply to stand idly by and wait for chance bits of
information: it is to seek out and study and pray and comprehend.....The Lord's teachings have
always been to those who have "eyes to see" and "ears to hear." The voice is clear and
unmistakable, and against those who neglect so great an opportunity the witness is sure.
Understanding requires desire and patience. One's faith can be strengthened by a program
involving several elements -- by reading the scriptures with a happy frame of mind and desire
to absorb additional truth. This reading needs to be done with a constructive attitude -- a
reaching for truth and a ready acceptance of it. As one reads something which does not for the
moment seem to have meaning he can put that item on the shelf and move forward with the
reading (or study). In most instances the additional information gained and faith developed
seem to provide the background so that the un-understandable item falls naturally into place. If
anything seems to counter previous concepts, one can read and study and ponder and pray and
wait and usually a clarification comes. To increase testimony (and knowledge) one must want
very much to do so." (Spencer W. Kimball; Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball P. 127-136.)
President Kimball explained that we can not stand by and wait for “chance bits" of information
to come to us. Unfortunately that is exactly what most of us do at Church each Sunday. We
never study the gospel during the week and then attend Church meetings almost in an attitude
of "I dare you to teach me something." We have all been spoon fed the same doctrine and
history for years until we think we know it all, without even realizing that the mission of the
Church is to take new converts from kindergarten through elementary school. If we want a
high school education, college education or graduate school education in the gospel we must do
it on our own for the Church will not give it to us. It is apparent from the Church's course that
it's mission is to convert the non-member.
Further, President Kimball teaches that as we begin the process of gaining further light and
knowledge (above and beyond that which is taught in Church), it will not be easy or apparent
for, as he states, the Lords truths are always for those who have "eyes to see" and "ears to
hear." Then once understood we must have "ready acceptance of it."
Often we will learn things that seem to contradict or counter what we have previously learned
in our "church approved curriculum." President Kimball teaches that when this happens we
should place that non-understandable bit of information on a shelf in our mind and continue to
"read and study and ponder and pray and wait and usually a clarification comes." It is this
process of gaining further light and knowledge, above and beyond that which is publicly taught
in the Church system, the obtaining of collegiate and graduate school levels of personal
revelation, knowledge, and testimony to which this paper is dedicated.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter I
Keys of Mysteries
7
Chapter II
Attempts to Teach Further Light & Knowledge
9
Chapter III
Leave the Mysteries Alone
Advice to Missionaries
Advice to the Faint Hearted
Stewards of the Mysteries
23
24
24
25
Chapter IV
Seek for Knowledge
29
Chapter V
Keep Secret or Share With Others
41
Share Knowledge With Others
Our Duty
Areas of Truth
Revelation Given to the Church
Revelation Given to Individuals
Unrevealed Truths
45
46
47
47
51
52
Chapter VI
Knowledge Lost
Knowledge Lost Through Apathy
Knowledge Lost Through Reluctance
Knowledge Lost Through Rejection
54
54
56
60
Chapter VII
Consequences of Rejection
Premortal Existence
Mortal Probation
Post-Mortal State
63
63
65
66
Chapter VIII
Must Know God Through Personal Revelation
Must Know God
Celestial Kingdom
Terrestrial Kingdom
Telestial Kingdom
68
70
77
77
77
Chapter IX
Tested by the Priesthood
Commandments that Have Been Revoked
79
81
Chapter X
The True Order of Gaining Knowledge
Restoration of the True Order
The Meaning & Use of the Signs
Implementing the True Order of Prayer Today
Ask -- Seek – Knock
Prayer Alone
Prayer as Husband & Wife
Prayer in the Family
Important Concepts Regarding Prayer
84
85
88
92
97
100
101
101
103
Chapter XI
Testing the Angels and Trying the Spirits
104
Chapter XII
Administering to the Sick
Levels of Administration
115
117
Chapter XIII
Receiving the Oracles of God, Angels and
Just Men Made Perfect
119
~~ Chapter I ~~
KEYS OF MYSTERIES
When we are born into the "Lone and Dreary World" as infants we know nothing about either
the spiritual or the temporal world into which we have just been born. Everything is a mystery
to us. Slowly, as we grow and develop, we begin to understand some of the simple
phenomenon around us; we learn to walk, talk, and to think. Growing to maturity our abilities
to reason are expanded and we become aware that there is much more to life than food, drink,
and sleep. We realize that there are many things that we do not know or understand. Our
desire to learn is struck and we begin our quest to gain knowledge of the unknown (mysteries).
The particular thrust of this paper is to begin to understand in some small degree the process
that one may follow in order to gain greater knowledge through personal revelation to dispel
the gloom about the unknown. Though we may be ignorant at present, there is no knowledge
possessed anywhere in the eternities that we may not gain for ourselves. The only criteria for
gaining that knowledge is; first- that it not be contrary to the will of the Father that we should
gain that knowledge; second- that we are worthy to receive and apply that which we would
learn; third- that we understand the process involved in gaining further light and knowledge
and be willing to apply that process.
Knowledge, as all elements of the eternities, can be controlled and governed only upon
principles of righteousness and by the power of the Priesthood. Those Elders in Israel who
properly exercise the keys of the Priesthood which they hold can and should be receiving
personal revelations which will teach them "more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine,
in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient
for you to understand" (D&C 88:78). The Lord explained:
"The power and authority of the higher, or Melchizedek Priesthood, is to hold
the keys of all spiritual blessings of the church-To have the privilege of receiving
the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the heavens opened unto them,
to commune with the general assembly and church of the Firstborn, and to enjoy
the communion and presence of God the Father, and Jesus the mediator of the
new covenant." (D&C 107:18-19.)
"And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the
mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God." (D&C 84:19.)
"Behold, thou shalt observe all these things, and great shall be thy reward; for
unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom but unto the world it
is not given to know them." (D&C 42:65.)
Joseph Smith tried to teach the saints the great importance of this privilege. Said he:
"How vain and trifling have been our spirits, our conferences, our councils, our
meetings, our private as well as public conversations – too low, too mean, too
vulgar, too condescending for the dignified characters of the called and chosen of
God, according to the purposes of His will, from before the foundation of the
world! We are called to hold the keys of the mysteries of those things that have
been kept hid from the foundations of the world until now. Some have tasted a
little of these things, many of which are to be poured down from heaven upon
the heads of babes; yea, upon the weak, obscure and despised ones of the earth.
Therefore we beseech of you, brethren, that you bear with those who do not feel
themselves more worthy than yourselves, while we exhort one another to a
reformation with one and all..." (TPJS, p. 137.)
However, if a man puts forth the effort to gain knowledge from the Lord, this gives him no
authority to share that knowledge with others only as the Spirit dictates; for only the prophet
and president of the church holds the keys of teaching the Church new doctrines of the
kingdom. When moved upon by The Holy Ghost, however, an individual may share his newly
acquired knowledge with selected individuals. As Alma explained:
"It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid
under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion
of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed
and diligence which they give unto him...and he that will not harden his heart, to
him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know
the mysteries of God until he know them in full." (Alma 12:9-10.)
~~ Chapter II ~~
ATTEMPTS TO TEACH FURTHER LIGHT AND KNOWLEDGE
Throughout the history of the earth, from Adam to our present day, all the prophets have
attempted to prepare the people to receive higher laws than they previously had. They
attempted to reveal the mysteries of the kingdom by teaching the people line upon line and
precept upon precept until they could bring them to a point where the laws of the Celestial
Kingdom could be taught and obeyed. With but few exceptions all these attempts were in
vain. The reason for the failure of the prophets to accomplish their desire was not of their own
doing but was the wickedness and hardness of the hearts of the people. Moses, for example,
tried to bring his people into the presence of God but they would not. In 1832 the Lord stated:
"Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and
sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God;
but they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the
Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they
should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fullness of
his glory. Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood
also; and the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holdeth the key of
the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel." (D&C 84:23-26.)
Moses greatly desired to help the Israelites acquire the second comforter and perhaps even
translation, as Enoch had done in a preceding dispensation. But the people were too steeped in
their traditions and spiritual darkness. Because of this they were forbidden their endowments
and the Melchizedek Priesthood. President Brigham Young explained:"
If they had been sanctified and holy, the children of Israel would not have
traveled one year with Moses before they would have received their
endowments and the Melchizedek Priesthood. But they could not receive them,
and never did. Moses left them, and they did not receive the fullness of that
Priesthood...The Lord told Moses that he would show himself to the people; but
they begged Moses to plead with the Lord not to do so." (J.D. 6:100.)
Referring to this same incident Orson Pratt wrote:
"It was, in ancient days, a great calamity to Israel, when the Lord swore in his
wrath that he would not go up in their midst, but that he would send an angel
before them. Why did the Lord do this? Because of the wickedness and
stiffneckedness of that people...they would not hearken to the words of Moses,
they would not obey the voice of the Lord, but they stiffened their necks and
hardened their hearts against the counsels that they received, and for this reason
the Lord was under the necessity of leading them for forty years in the
wilderness." (J.D. 17:304.)
When Jesus Christ came into the world, he knew that the Jews would ultimately kill him, but he
still desired to try and father his followers and make of them a Zion society where they could
also partake of the powers of heaven. But, because of their wickedness, he was unable to do so,
thus he lamented:
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them which
are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, even
as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not." (Matt.
23:37.)
Concerning the above passage, Joseph Smith wrote:
"This subject was presented to me since I came to the stand. What was the object
of fathering the Jews, or the people of God in any age of the world? The main
object was to build unto the Lord a house whereby He could reveal unto His
people the ordinances of His house and the glories of His Kingdom, and teach
the people the way of salvation...It was the design of the councils of heaven
before the world was, that the principles and laws of the priesthood would be
predicated upon the gathering of the people in every age of the world. Jesus did
everything to father the people, and they would not be gathered, and He
therefore poured out curses upon them. (D.H.C. 5:423.)
After long years of apostasy, the Lord again organized the Church here upon the earth, with
Joseph Smith at the head. To him was given the charge to gather the saints and make of them a
Zion society where they would have the powers of the Holy Spirit at their command to prepare
them to behold the face of God, converse with Him, and eventually to be brought back into His
presence having pierced the veil.
"We are commanded to gather into one place, and purify ourselves, and sanctify
ourselves," said Heber C. Kimball, "that we may be prepared for His coming."
(JD 2:159.)
This is what Joseph Smith tried to do but the people were unprepared spiritually. Their minds
were divided on whom they should serve. The Lord then stated that the redemption of Zion
would have to wait a "little season." Why?
"Behold, I say unto you, were it not for the transgressions of my people, speaking
concerning the church and not individuals, they might have been redeemed even
now. But behold, they have not learned to be obedient to the things which I
required at their hands, but are full of all manner of evil, and do not impart of
their substance, as becometh saints, to the poor and afflicted among them; And
are not united according to the union required by the law of the Celestial
Kingdom; And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of
the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself. And my
people must needs be chastened until they learn obedience, if it must needs be,
by the things which they suffer." (D&C 105:2-6.)
The law of consecration and stewardship had been revealed to the people, but, as the Lord
stated, they were too selfish to live the law. The celestial law of plural marriage had also been
revealed to Joseph Smith for the benefit of the people, so that they could organize a Zion society
as Enoch had done. However, as Joseph tested the saints he found them to be very unreceptive
to this higher law. John D. Lee wrote:
"During the winter, Joseph, the Prophet set a man by the name of Sidney Hay
Jacobs, to select from the Old Bible such scriptures as pertained to polygamy, or
celestial marriage, and to write it in pamphlet form, and to advocate that
doctrine. This he did as a feeler among the people, to pave the way for celestial
marriage. This, like all other notions, met with opposition, while a few favored
it. The excitement among the people became so great that the subject was laid
before the Prophet. No one was more opposed to it than was his brother Hyrum,
who denounced it as from beneath. Joseph saw that it would break up the
Church, should he sanction it, so he denounced the pamphlet through the Wasp,
a newspaper published at Nauvoo, by E. Robinson, as a bundle of nonsense and
trash. He said if he had known its contents he would never have permitted it to
be published, while at the same time other confidential men were advocating it
on their own responsibility. Joseph himself said on the stand, that should he
reveal the will of God concerning them, that they, pointing to President W.
Marks, P. P. Pratt, and others, would shed his blood. He urged them to surrender
themselves to God instead of rebelling against the stepping stone of
exaltation. In this way he worked upon the feelings and minds of the people,
until they feared that the anger of the Lord would be kindled against them, and
they insisted upon knowing the will of heaven concerning them. But he dared
not proclaim it publicly, so it was taught confidentially to such as were strong
enough in the faith to take another step." (Mormonism Unveiled, p.146)
In 1855, President George A. Smith explained:
"Now if the Lord had considered it wisdom, on the day of the Kirtland
endowment and great solemn assembly, to come forward and reveal to the
children of men the facts that are laid down plainly in the Bible, and had told
them that without the law of sealing, no man could be exalted to a throne in the
celestial kingdom that is, without he had a woman by his side; and that no
woman could be exalted in the celestial world, without she was exalted with a
man at her head...had He revealed this simple sentiment, up would have jumped
some man, saying, "What! Got to have a woman sealed to me in order to be
saved, in order to be exalted to thrones, dominions, and eternal increase?" "Yes!"
"I do not believe in any of this nonsense." At the same time, perhaps somebody
else might have had faith to receive it. Again up jumps somebody else, "Brother
Joseph, I have had two wives in my lifetime, cannot I have them both in
eternity?" "No." If he had said yes, perhaps we should all have apostatized at
once." (JD 2:216.)
President Smith explained this problem in greater detail years later after the people were better
able to understand the principle of sealing, stating that in 1843 Joseph once again went to the
stand and taught the law of plural marriage:
"Whereupon, the Prophet goes upon the stand, and, after preaching about
everything else he could think of in the world, at last hints at the idea of the law
of redemption, makes a bare hint at the law of sealing, and it produced such a
tremendous excitement that, as soon as he had go this dinner half eaten, he had
to go back to the stand, and unpreach all that he had preached, and left the
people to guess at the matter. While he was thus preaching he turned to the men
sitting in the stand, and who were the men who should have backed him up,
(Marks, Law, Cowles, & others) and said, "If I were to reveal the things that God
has revealed to me, if I were to reveal to this people the doctrines that I know are
for their exaltation, these men would spill my blood."" (JD 2:217.)
How discouraging it must have been for the prophet to know doctrines essential for exaltation
yet be unable to teach or share them with others because of their lack of faith or their
stiffneckedness. How must he have felt to know that if he were to reveal the laws of the
celestial kingdom that even his most trusted and closest friends, his counselors in the First
Presidency, Stake Presidency and even some of the members of the Quorum of the Twelve
would seek his life. How alone he must have felt! Elder John Taylor explained some of the
many problems Joseph had in trying to teach doctrine to the saints by saying:
"When Joseph Smith had anything from God to communicate to the children of
men or to the Church, what was it he had to fight against all the day long? It was
the prejudices of the people; and, in many instances, he could not and dare not
reveal the word of God to the people, for fear they would rise up and reject
it. How many times he faltered? It was not that he was particularly afraid; but
he had to look after the welfare and salvation of the people. If the Prophet Joseph
had revealed everything which the Lord manifested to him, it would have
proven the overthrow of the people in many instances; hence he had to treat
them like children, and feed them upon milk, and unfold principles gradually,
just as they could receive them. Was all this because it was so hard to
comprehend correct principles? No, it was because we were babes and children,
and could not understand." (JD 6:165.)
On another occasion Joseph was speaking with Brigham Young and remarked:
"Brother Brigham, if I was to reveal to this people what the Lord has revealed to
me there is not a man or a woman (that) would stay with me." (Ref. unlisted.)
The brethren quoted here point out some very important concepts. Joseph Smith had great
knowledge revealed to him which is necessary for all of us to receive, being essential for our
exaltation. The saints were not spiritually capable of receiving or understanding it at that time
however. They, like most of us, had to be fed milk or they would have killed him. So, Joseph
had to find some way to break down their traditions and prejudices so that he could get them to
live higher laws and at the same time retain his life, and save the Church from splitting
up. Wilford Woodruff wrote:
"Brother Joseph used a great many methods of testing the integrity of men; and
he taught a great many things which, inconsequence of tradition, required
prayer, faith, and a testimony from the Lord, before they could be believed by
many of the Saints. His mind was opened by the visions of the Almighty, and
the Lord taught him many things by vision and revelation that were never
taught publicly in his days; for the people could not bear the flood of intelligence
which God poured into his mind." (JD 5:83-84.)
When Joseph received revelations from God, He was commanded many times not to reveal all
of the revelation to the people. This was the case with the vision of the Glories as is now
recorded in the 76th section of the Doctrine and Covenants. Referring to this revelation the
Prophet said: "I could explain a hundred fold more than I ever have of the glories of the
kingdoms manifested to me in the vision, were I permitted, and were the people prepared to
receive it." (Historical Record, p. 515; JD 20:70.) The same holds true for the revelation on plural
marriage now recorded in D&C 132, for the present text is but a small portion of the original
revelation.
Joseph Smith was very open in expressing his frustrations at attempting to teach the doctrines
of exaltation to the saints of his day. Said he just six months before his death:
"But there has been a great difficulty in getting anything into the heads of this
generation. It has been like splitting hemlock knots with a corn-dodger for a
wedge, and a pumpkin for a beetle. Even the Saints are slow to understand."
(Sunday, 21 Jan. 1844; TPJS, p. 331)
"Using more current terminology, this sentence translates: "It has been like
splitting the knots of hemlock trees using a piece of corn bread for a wedge and a
pumpkin for a sledge hammer."" (Words of Joseph Smith, p. 386)
About this same time the Prophet made the following comments:
"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
(how) far God may reveal and I will believe." (TPJS, p. 309.)
"I have tried for a number of years to get the minds of the Saints prepared to
receive the things of God; but we frequently see some of them, after suffering all
they have for the work of God, will fly to pieces like glass as soon as anything
comes that is contrary to their traditions; they cannot stand the fire at all. How
many will be able to abide a celestial law, and go through and receive their
exaltation, I am unable to say, as many are called, but few are chosen." (Sunday,
21 Jan. 1844; TPJS, p. 331.)
All who are familiar with church history know of the many acts of wickedness committed
against the saints by the non-members but even many of the saints were so stiff necked that
they qualified for the denunciation that the Prophet made concerning those of his time period,
saying:
"This generation is as corrupt as the generation of the Jews that crucified Christ;
and if He were here today and should preach the same doctrine He did then,
they would put Him to death." (TPJS, p. 328.)
Amplifying upon this theme the Prophet continued:
"Many men will say, "I will never forsake you, but will stand by you at all times."
But the moment you teach them some of the mysteries of the kingdom of God
that are retained in the heavens and are to be revealed to the children of men
when they are prepared for them they will be the first to stone you and put you
to death. It was this same principle that crucified the Lord Jesus Christ, and will
cause the people to kill the prophets in this generation." (TPJS, p. 309.)
This is a very interesting statement by the prophet and at the same time a very discouraging
concept. He states that not only will those from without seek to overthrow and destroy truth
but that even those from within, the Judas's of the group, will be the most treacherous. Coming
from their positions of trust and friendship, totally unexpected, they will be the first to crucify
or stone you as you attempt to follow truth. Joseph elaborated upon this concept on another
occasion:
"I desire the learning and wisdom of heaven alone. (I) have not the least idea but
if Christ should come and preach such rough things as he preached to the Jews,
but this generation would reject him for being so rough." (Sunday, 11 June 1843;
Joseph Smith Diary; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 210) "If the Church knew all the
commandments, one-half they would condemn through prejudice and
ignorance." (TPJS, p. 112.)
Try as he did, Joseph was unable to prepare the saints as a body to receive the knowledge he
had received from God. This was undoubtedly very frustrating to the Prophet. Andy Ehat
explains that:
"Joseph Smith was already recognizing the difficulty he would have attempting
to introduce all the knowledge and ordinances he had received by
revelation. Undoubtedly the recently announced doctrine of baptism for the
dead challenged the faith of some. Likewise also, he had only recently begun to
preach the practice of plural marriage (1840), which met with decided
opposition. It was these and other doctrinal developments that would try the
faith of many saints and fly in the face of their prejudice. Often throughout the
remainder of his life, Joseph Smith would lament that many saints were
unwilling to accept the glorious things revealed to him from heaven." (Words of
Joseph Smith, p. 55.)
During one of his public lamentations over the lack of desire to gain knowledge the Prophet
expressed:
"The great thing for us to know is to comprehend what God did institute before
the foundation of the world - Who knows it? ...had I inspiration, revelation, and
lungs to communicate what my soul has contemplated in times past there is not a
soul in this congregation but would go to their minds and shut their mouths in
everlasting silence on religion, till they had learned something. Why be so certain
that you comprehend the things of God, when all things with you are so
uncertain? You are welcome to all the knowledge...the sound saluted my
ears. We are come to Mt. Zion. What could profit us to come unto the Spirits of
Just Men but to learn, and come to the knowledge of the Spirits of the Just?"
(Sunday, 13 Aug. 1843; Joseph Smith Diary; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 238-239.)
Joseph's greatest desire in life was to share the knowledge he had gained with others. He
longed to bring the saints up to a level of spirituality and understanding that would allow him
to open everything up to them. Unfortunately he was never able to do so. Said he:
"It is my meditation all the day and more than my meat and drink to know how I
shall make the Saints of God to comprehend the visions that roll like an
overflowing surge, before my mind. O how I would delight to bring before you
things which you never thought of, but poverty and the cares of the world
prevent. But I am glad I have the privilege of communicating to you some
things, which if grasped closely will be a help to you when the clouds are
gathering, and the storms are ready to burst upon you like pearls of
thunder. Lay hold of these things and let not your knees tremble, nor your
hearts faint." (16 Apr. 1843; Joseph Smith Diary; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 196.)
Brigham Young recalled Joseph addressing this subject as follows:
"I recollect, in Far West, Joseph talking upon these matters, said: "The people
cannot bear the revelations that the Lord had for them. There were a great many
revelations if the people could bear them." (JD 18:242.)
Likewise John Taylor reminisced:
"No wonder that Joseph Smith should say that he felt himself shut up in a
nutshell - there was no power of expansion; it was difficult for him to reveal and
communicate the things of God, because there was no place to receive
them. What he had to communicate was so much more comprehensive,
enlightened, it was difficult for him to speak; he felt fettered and bound, so to
speak, in every move he made." (JD 10:148.)
Heber C. Kimball echoed the selfsame sentiments:
"There are quite a number of this congregation who knew Joseph Smith the
Prophet, and he used to say in Nauvoo that when he came before the people he
felt as though he were enclosed in an iron case, his mind was closed by the
influences that were thrown around him; he was curtailed in his wishes and
desires to do good; there was no room for him to expand, hence he could not
make use of the revelations of God as he would have done; there was no room in
the hearts of the people to receive the glorious truths of the Gospel that God
revealed to him. I refer to these things to show that this feeling has been
experienced by others as well as myself, and if as great and good a man as the
Prophet Joseph felt like this, no wonder that I would be effected and be wrought
upon by surrounding influences." (27 June 1863; JD 10:233-234.)
All this comes down to one main point: The Lord reveals doctrines and principles to the saints
according to their spiritual capacity and willingness to accept and understand. Throughout the
centuries, from Adam on down to the present, history is full of examples where the Lord,
through his prophets, leads his people forward little by little. You can always tell the spiritual
level of a people by seeing the doctrines and principles that are taught to them and by seeing
how they react to them. What is the spiritual level of the saints today? What will history say
concerning us in our current generation when it is finished?
After the death of Joseph Smith, President Young took the saints west, hoping to build a Zion in
the desert and thereby achieve that which Joseph had hoped to accomplish, but could not. He
taught many of the doctrines that Joseph could not openly teach during his lifetime. Plural
marriage was introduced and many glorious doctrines were revealed to strengthen the saints
and to give them hope. However, the saints did not live up to the laws and commandments
given to them, and over the years, as they became interwoven with the gentiles again, they
began to decline spiritually as they became more and more of the world. Finally these laws
were repealed (taken away) because the saints were unworthy of them. Zion could have been
built in the days of Joseph and Brigham had the Saints been willing.
George A. Smith points out that Brigham Young had the same problems with the saints that
Joseph had. But Brigham still desired to bring the people to a knowledge of God, and so
instituted the laws of a Zion society and taught higher principles and doctrines that they might
come to know God personally. But when he did, the saints refused to heed his counsels or
believe his words. They would not let him teach them about God, nor about the eternities and
he lamented because of their hardness. The doctrines and principles that President Young
taught, he learned from Joseph Smith and from the Lord, said he:
"What I have received from the Lord, I have received by Joseph Smith; he was
the instrument made use of. If I drop him, I must drop these principles; they
have not been revealed, declared, or explained by any other man since the days
of the Apostles." (JD 6:279.)
"From the first time I saw the Prophet Joseph I never lost a word that came from
him concerning the kingdom. And this is the key of knowledge that I have
today, that I did hearken to the words of Joseph, and treasure them up in my
heart, laid them away, asking my Father in the name of His Son Jesus to bring
them to my mind when needed." (6 June 1877; Deseret News.)
Brigham Young's mind was continually open to the visions of eternity and communion with the
other side of the veil (JD 3:212). He knew of what he spoke just as sure as he knew he
lived. Referring to the confidence he had in teaching what he taught he declared:
"I know just as well what to teach this people and just what to say to them and
what to do in order to bring them into the celestial kingdom, as I know the road
to my office. It is just as plain and easy. The Lord is in our midst. He teaches the
people continually. I have never yet preached a sermon and sent it out to the
children of men, that they may not call it scripture." (29 Jan. 1880; Deseret News;
JD 13:95.)
"I say now when they (my sermons) are copied and approved by me they are as
good as scripture as is couched in the Bible, and if you want to read revelation,
read the sayings of him who knows the mind of God." (JD 13:264.)
"I am a witness that those are the revelations of the Lord through Joseph Smith,
in this the last dispensation for the gathering of the people; and all who reject my
testimony will go to hell, so sure as there is one, no matter whether it be hot or
cold; they will incur the displeasure of the Father and of the Son." (JD 3:212.)
"Where is the divine who knows the least thing about the Being who is the Father
of our spirits and the author of our bodies? I have had many revelations; I have
seen and heard for myself and know these things are true, and nobody on earth
can disprove them...What I know concerning God, concerning the earth,
concerning government, I have received from the heavens, not alone through my
natural ability, and I give God the glory and the praise." (JD 16:46.)
Brigham was sure of the source of his knowledge. As he endeavored to share his knowledge
with others he found few who would believe him. Most people needed explanations based
upon human reasoning before they could believe what he told them. Few indeed were the
saints in tune with the Spirit sufficiently to have witness born to their souls of the truthfulness
of what they were hearing. President Young stated:
"A declaratory statement is sufficient for those who are prepared to receive the
spirit of revelation for themselves, but with most of the human family, we have
to reason and explain. A really pure person is very scarce; but when the heart is
truly pure, the Lord can write upon it, and the truth is received without
argument, or doubt, or disputation." (Deseret News, 7 June 1873.)
President Young was a very holy, righteous man. Before Joseph's death, he (brother Young)
had been sealed up to eternal life and had made his calling and election sure (see JD
12:103). This gave him, among other things, the privilege of conversing with those beyond the
veil, as Apostle Cannon explained:
"The importance of our callings (as Apostles) was portrayed and our privileges
were named. Among these were the privileges of having the ministration of
angels, and of seeing the Savior Himself; of hearing the voice of God as audibly
as we hear a man's voice; of continually be engender the direction of the Holy
Ghost; of being prophets and revelators." (George Q. Cannon Diary; Monday, 7
Oct. 1889.)
Brigham once commented "I know my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ whom He has sent,
and this is eternal life." (JD 4:218) Heber C. Kimball remarked that "He (Brigham) does right all
the time. God is with him, angels are with him and round about him night and day. The
wisdom of God is given to him, and it will supersede the wisdom of the world. I know this as
well as I know that you are here this day" (JD 2:357). George A. Smith said that "If he was any
better than he is, God would have to take him, or we would have to improve with the rapidity
of lighting to keep up with him" (JD 2:367).
President Young was a man through whom revelation poured. He once stated that "If an
Apostle magnifies his calling, he is the word of the Lord to this people all the time, or else he
does not magnify his calling; - either one or the other. If he magnifies his calling, his words are
the words of eternal life and salvation to those who hearken to them, just as much so as any
written revelations contained in these books (Bible, Book of Mormon, D&C)." (JD 6:282.)
Later he said:
"When I tell the truth, that is enough, and I care not whether those who hear it
believe it or not, for that is their business...If we do not speak to you by the Spirit
of revelation and the power of God, we do not magnify our calling. I think that I
tell you the words of the Lord Almighty every time I rise here to speak to you...If
I do not speak here by the power of God, if it is not revelation to you every time I
speak to you here, I do not magnify my calling." (JD 9:140-141.)
So careful was the Prophet Brigham in his teachings, that Heber C. Kimball was led to say:
"Do you suppose that he (Brigham) is so unwise to say a thing which he does not
know to be true? He understands what he speaks, and he looks before he jumps,
and God Almighty will lead him straight, and he will never stumble - no, never,
from this time forth." (JD 5:32.)
George Q. Cannon immediately recognized the great gift of revelation that Brigham Young
possessed and was thus impressed to say: "Talk about revelation! You go and read the sermons
of President Young, and if you do not believe now that he was a Prophet, I think after you have
read them you will be sure he was, because he talked as a Prophet to this people concerning
their future, and his words were full of godlike wisdom, and he poured them out in a constant
stream during his lifetime." (Gospel Truth; p. 328.)
Heber C. Kimball testified:
"Just think of your position; you have heard the teachings and instructions of
President Young, and his instructions are the word of God to us, and I know that
every man and woman in this Church who rejects his testimony, and the
testimony of those that he sends, rejects the testimony of God his Father. I know
that, just as well as I know that I see your faces today." (JD 4:2.)
Thus we see that President Brigham Young was filled with the spirit of revelation throughout
his entire life. He gained his knowledge from Joseph Smith and from the Lord God
Almighty. He continually basked in the light of restored truth and took advantage of every
opportunity to share his inspired knowledge with others.
Even though Brigham Young labored with all his might to teach the people the doctrines of the
kingdom that were necessary for their exaltation, he met with extremely limited success. In
later years he almost lamented having tried so hard to teach truth. Said he:
"You need exhorting rather than teaching. You have been taught doctrine in
abundance, and I have sometimes thought it a pity the Lord has revealed quite as
much as He has. And I can truly say that I believe, if I am guilty in any one point
in my walk before this people, it is in telling them things they are not worthy of that I have given unto them things that they could not receive." (JD 7:238.)
"And I will say, as I have said before, if guilt before my God and my brethren
rests upon me in the least, it is in this one thing that I have revealed too much
concerning God and His Kingdom, and the designs of our Father in Heaven. If
my skirts are stained in the least with wrong, it is because I have been too free in
telling who God is, how He lives, the nature of His provinces and designs in
creating the world...in bringing the human family on the earth, His designs
concerning them, etc. If I had, like Paul, said - "But if any man be ignorant, let
him be ignorant," perhaps it would have been better for the people." (Deseret
News-27 June 1860.)
Upon the death of President Young the saints lost a tremendous source of knowledge. Not that
the Lord would refuse to reveal truth to any who earnestly sought it but none were so free to
share what they had received as was President Young. By their unwillingness to put forth the
effort to gain personal revelation, the saints proved themselves unworthy to receive more. This
left them in the condition described by Nephi when he said:
"Yea, wo be unto him that saith: We have received, and we need no more! And in
fine, wo unto all those who tremble, and are angry because of the truth of
God! For behold, he that is built upon the rock receiveth it with gladness; and he
that is built upon a sandy foundation trembleth lest he shall fall. Wo be unto him
who shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the
word of God, for we have enough! For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will
give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little
and there a little; and blessed are those who harken unto my precepts, and lend
an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I
will give more; and from them that shall say, we have enough, from them shall
be taken away even that which they have." (2 Nephi 28:27-30.)
In essence the saints as a body were and are saying exactly what Nephi here states; "We have
received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have
enough! "Even though there were some individuals who remained true and faithful, the
majority of the saints were slothful or even out-right rebellious in their rejection of the teachings
of President Young and therefore, as Nephi explained, what they had received would be taken
from them. Thus as the body of the saints became more interwoven with the gentiles they
began to decline spiritually. They became more and more of the world. Finally the higher,
celestial laws, doctrines, and principles that President Young had labored so hard to teach the
people were repealed (denied) and taken from the saints. They entered once again into a
spiritually fallen and degenerate world when they could have had a portion of the celestial
world while yet in mortality.
Each of us as individuals are now in the same position as the saints in Brigham's day. We may
either remain where we are in our fallen state or we may chose to put forth the effort to gain
further light and knowledge and thereby raise ourselves and our families to a higher plain of
spirituality. Insofar as the Lord will reveal to us individually and inasmuch as we are willing to
obey Him and follow His instructions to us when He does reveal knowledge to us, we can
become individually sanctified, piercing the veil and return again into His presence, while yet
in this life.
The path is not an easy one to follow. The road is difficult and rocky. To those who diligently
seek for understanding the Lord will reveal knowledge “line upon line and precept upon
precept, here a little and there a little." This process was plainly taught by Joseph Smith:
"When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by
step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the gospel- you
must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of
exaltation." (TPJS; p. 348.)
"Here, then, is eternal life - to know the only wise and true God; and you have
got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the
same as all Gods have done before you, namely, by going from one small degree
to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from
exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead, and are
able to dwell in everlasting burnings, and to sit in glory, as do those who sit
enthroned in everlasting power." (TPJS; p. 346-347.)
President Young endorsed this same process, said he:
"For precept must be upon precept, line upon line, here a little, and there a
little. That is, He gives a little to His humble followers today, and if they
improve upon it, tomorrow He will give them a little more, and the next day a
little more. He does not add to that which they do not improve upon, but they
are required to continually improve upon the knowledge they already possess,
and thus obtain a store of wisdom. Still, there may be added to this, more power,
wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. It is the privilege of all Saints to grow
and increase in understanding, and to spread abroad. If they receive a little, it is
their privilege to improve upon that little, and so receive more, until they become
perfect in the Lord - knowing and understanding perfectly His ways." (JD 2:2;
5:330.)
Through this process of personal revelation, many things are revealed to the
faithful concerning the gospel, life, and of heaven itself. "As Saints in the last
days we have much to learn; there is an eternity of knowledge before us; at most
we receive but very little in this stage of our progression," said President Young
(JD 3:354). Knowledge must be suited to our level of understanding or we will
not understand, even though angels were to preach to us, "consequently the Lord
has to descend to our capacities and give us a little here and a little there, line
upon line, and precept upon precept, as the Prophet has said." (JD 3:354) The
ability to ETERNALLY progress in knowledge and understanding "is inherent in
the organization of all intelligent beings, so that we are capable of receiving and
receiving, and receiving from the inexhaustible fountain of knowledge and
truth." (JD 3:354.)
Progression in knowledge was not meant to be limited to the knowledge that is now generally
held among the Latter-day Saints. We are to learn these things, it is true, but even greater
"treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures" will be unfolded to our understanding. Things
that have been a mystery will cease to be such, for knowledge will take the place of ignorance.
Indeed, there is "no such thing(s) as a mystery but to the ignorant." (JD 2:91.)
The Lord has promised:
"But unto him that keepeth my commandments I will give the mysteries of my
kingdom, and the same shall be in him a well of living water, springing up unto
everlasting life." (D&C 63:23.)
Our goal is "everlasting life" and, therefore, we must have the "well of living water" which are
the "mysteries of my Kingdom". Those saints who keep the commandments will automatically
receive of the mysteries - at least they will be worthy to receive of them if they will put forth the
effort to read and study the many revelations which have already been given and then strive
earnestly to receive more from the Lord.
In a person's search for truth and knowledge of heaven and of eternity, he must remember to
not put his trust in the arm of flesh for answers. God can and will reveal unto us the truth,
while man can and will deceive us. This does not mean that we will be deceived by all men
through a premeditated plan on their part for surely much deception can be the result of
ignorance. In order to avoid being deceived by men, either intentionally or out of ignorance, we
must go to the fountain of all truth - to God himself - to gain the truth which we seek. As Nephi
expressed:
"O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my
trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the
arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in manor maketh flesh his
arm. Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God
will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I
will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness." (2 Nephi 4:34-35.)
When a person gains revelation from the Lord he might be taught things that never before
entered into his mind, perhaps even things which have been kept hid from before the
foundation of the world. (See Alma 26:22; DC 76:5-10.) When this type of revelation is received
it can be frightening and can cause a person to doubt what he has received. (See Isaiah 55:89.) He may be tempted to run to someone else whom is considered somewhat of an authority
(man - woman or arm of flesh) upon the subject, or perhaps to someone from whom he can gain
comfort or reassurance. The new knowledge is thus shared with others for whom it was not
intended. All too often the opinions of these second parties are accepted as gospel truth rather
than the revelation received, because what they say is not as frightening or as strange as what
was received from the Lord. This should be totally avoided because it is impossible to live on
borrowed light, a testimony cannot be based upon someone else's opinion. If God is to trust us
with His revelations, we must learn that the highest form of obedience is to personal
revelation. He is the highest source there is and for us to test our personal revelation on man is
an offense to God. But, concerning those individuals who cannot believe what they receive
from the Lord without confirmation received from some other mortal, Brigham Young wrote:
"Now those men, or those women, who know no more about the power of God,
and the influences of the Holy Spirit, than to be led entirely by another person,
suspending their own understanding, and pinning their faith upon another's
sleeve, will never be capable of entering into the celestial glory, to be crowned as
they anticipated; they will never be capable of becoming Gods. They cannot rule
themselves, to say nothing of ruling others, but they must be dictated to in every
trifle, like a child." (JD 1:312.)
Very few of the saints who seek knowledge will go directly to the Lord for the answer. They
would much rather rely upon the arm of flesh - for this, they suppose, will not fail
them. George Q. Cannon wrote:
"The Lord designs that the principle of knowledge shall be developed in every
heart, that all may stand before Him in the dignity of their manhood, doing
understandingly what Here quires of them, not depending upon nor being
blindly led by their priests or leaders, as is the universal custom.
If we, in our experience, have not yet proved the truth of the words of the
Prophet - "Cursed is he that trusteth in man, or maketh flesh his arm" - probably
we will do if we live long enough. There is a curse attending every man and
woman who does this...We must all learn to depend upon God and upon Him
alone. Why, the very man upon whom we think we can rely with unbounded
confidence, and trust with all we possess, may disappoint us sometimes, but
trust in God and He never fails...He is omnipotent, and in Him only can we trust
under all circumstances, therefore we perceive why the Prophet has said "Cursed is he that trusteth in man."" (JD 12:45-46.)
President Joseph Fielding Smith has stated:
"Revelation is promised us through our faithfulness; so, also, is knowledge
pertaining to the mysteries and government of the Church. The Lord withholds
much that He would otherwise reveal if the members of the Church were
prepared to receive it." (Doctrines of Salvation 1:283.)
"Why did Nephi say the Holy Ghost carries the message "unto" the hearts of men
rather than saying "into" the hearts of men? (see 2 Nephi 33:1). Truths can only be
OFFERED and their acceptance or rejection is a deliberate act taken by each
individual." (The Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Teachers Supplement p. 36;
Sunday School Course of Study.)
Thus the quest for Further Light and Knowledge is an individual quest and is undertaken at a
customized pace suited for each individual. Men then become personally responsible for their
reaction to the knowledge granted unto them and they stand alone before God, not man, as to
their accountability to the knowledge accorded them. Every individual born into this mortal
existence whether man or woman, has the privilege and responsibility to seek the face of God
and part the veil. Every individual has the responsibility of learning for himself through
personal revelation the truths of eternity and how they apply to him or her in the process of
exaltation. And, unfortunately, too many of us draw the line and dictate what God may and
may not reveal about Himself and His kingdom. We, like the saints in the days of Moses or
Christ, seal our fate by rejecting the word of the Lord and thus block our exaltation because of
our unwillingness to be obedient to the truths revealed. Each will raise as high in the eternities
as we are willing to accept truth or will sink as low as the level of rejection and disbelief we
exhibit for the laws of God.
~~ Chapter III ~~
LEAVE THE MYSTERIES ALONE
Truths which are unknown constitute "Mysteries." The Bible Dictionary in the back of the
newly published L.D.S. edition of the Bible defines a mystery as:
A spiritual truth that was once hidden but now is revealed, and that, without
special revelation, would have remained unknown. It is generally used along
with words denoting revelation or publication. (Bible Dictionary, p. 736.)
Smith and Sjodahl have defined the word "mystery" in a similar manner, stating that:
A mystery is a truth that cannot be known except through divine revelation - a
sacred secret. (Doctrine & Covenants Commentary, p. 141.)
Most members of the Church are under the impression that we are commanded to stay away
from the mysteries, to leave them alone. By using the two definitions above, this advice would
translate as "Stay away from spiritual truths that were once hidden but are now
revealed." Obviously this approach would be entirely out of place. To strictly follow this
approach would cause one to not study the restored gospel at all, nor to have anything to do
with the Church inasmuch as it is the greatest spiritual truth that was ever hidden but now
revealed.
The word "Mystery" is used 51 times in the standard works of the Church. In none of those
passages are we ever told to leave the mysteries alone; on the contrary, 26 of the 51 passages
contain phrases such as:
1) "...the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them,"(1 Nephi 10:19).
2) "...we might read and understand of his mysteries," (Mosiah 1:5).
3) "...mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view." (Mosiah 2:9).
4) "...mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you," (D&C 6:7).
5) "...thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things-" (D&C 42:61).
6) "And to them will I reveal all mysteries, yea, all..." (D&C 76:7).
7) "To have the privilege of receiving the mysteries of the kingdom of..." (D&C
107:19).
8) "...in expounding all scriptures and mysteries to the..." (D&C 97:5).
9) "And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of
the mysteries of the kingdom," (D&C 84:19).
10) "How that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery;..." (Eph. 3:3).
Clearly the Lord teaches us in the scriptures that mysteries are nothing to fear but that
understanding of them should be diligently sought. Nephi indicates that we must diligently
seek if we are to receive the mysteries:
"For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be
unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in
times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the
course of the Lord is one eternal round." (1 Ne. 10:19.)
Then what does it mean when we are told to leave the mysteries alone? There are basically two
situations in which it would be appropriate to counsel someone to cease studying or speaking
of mysteries. Every recorded instance in which a general authority has given this counsel to
someone, the counsel has been based upon one of these reasons: 1) counsel to missionaries; 2)
counsel to the fainthearted.
ADVICE TO MISSIONARIES
Missionaries are sent out to preach the "Gospel of Repentance." Engaging in deep discussions
of gospel mysteries is contrary to the stewardship they are given. Not only does it consume
precious time which they could more effectively use to perform their assigned labors, but
attempting to teach mysteries to their investigators or converts could literally destroy them.
Those new in the gospel are as little children spiritually. No infant can survive on meat and
potatoes. Its body is physically not capable of digesting this food; to feed it much would cause
it to die of starvation. It must be fed on milk until it more fully develops. In a very real manner,
new converts (member or non) and investigators are not spiritually capable of digesting the
meat of the gospel mysteries. Attempting to feed them this diet too soon would cause them to
die spiritually, having starved them of the essential milk necessary for their proper spiritual
development, thus overthrowing the work of God. Joseph Smith was very emphatic upon this
point. Said he:
"Oh, ye elders of Israel, harken to my voice; and when you are sent into the
world to preach, tell those things you are sent into the world to preach, tell those
things you are sent to tell; preach and cry aloud, "Repent ye, for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand; repent and believe the Gospel." Declare the first principles,
and let mysteries alone, lest ye be overthrown." (TPJS, p. 292.)
In modern day revelation the Lord echoes this same counsel to missionaries:
"And of tenets thou shalt not talk, but thou shalt declare repentance and faith on
the Savior, and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy
Ghost." (D&C 19:31.)
ADVICE TO THE FAINT HEARTED
The second reason that we may be instructed to refrain from studying the mysteries, is that
study brings knowledge. Deep study, if persisted in long enough and in the proper manner,
will bring deep knowledge. Knowledge in turn brings responsibility, and deep knowledge
brings deep responsibilities. Thus study of the "Mysteries of Godliness" should never be
attempted by individuals who are not willing to shoulder the added responsibility which their
newfound knowledge may require of them! Unfortunately it is impossible for one to know the
nature of the responsibility until after it is given. Once obtained we are accountable for our
knowledge as well as for our actions with respect to our new responsibilities. This is the
principle which required Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac (though in his case the sacrifice was
arrested). This is also the principle which caused an angel with a drawn sword to appear before
Joseph Smith and command him to obey the law of Abraham by entering into plural marriage
or forfeit his life (in his case the requirement was not arrested).
Another excellent example of this principle can be found in the book of Ether. The brother of
Jared saw the finger of the Lord and asked the Lord to reveal the rest of Himself. Before doing
so, however, the Lord asked a very important question. He asked: "Believest thou the words
which I shall speak?" (Ether 3:11.) The Lord wanted the brother of Jared to realize that by
granting him his request there would come very sacred responsibilities and that he would be
under obligation to accept them or be destroyed. The brother of Jared demonstrated his
willingness to accept the responsibility so the Lord granted him his desire. He was then
commanded to write this new knowledge in an unknown language so that the children of men
could not read it least they gain knowledge prior to being spiritually prepared to receive it.
These examples point out the necessity of those seeking knowledge of the mysteries of God, to
cease their studies, unless they are willing to pay the consequences of responsibility which
comes from receiving the knowledge for which they seek. But, one must thoughtfully consider,
that he is one that is about to "harden his heart.” If one knowingly refuses to progress towards
the "greater portion,” he could then suffer the results Alma declares in chapter 12 verse 11. To
carefully and earnestly prepare to receive the "greater portion" by diligently perusing the "lesser
portion" might be very wise for some.
STEWARDS OF THE MYSTERIES.
The story is told by President Harold B. Lee of two general authorities traveling to a distant
conference. One of them was a relatively new general authority and was quite concerned about
his speaking assignment. He turned to his older, more experienced, companion and asked;
"Brother Morrill, have you got any suggestions for a sermon at the coming
conference?" President Lee continues the story:
"Brother Morrill answered; "Well my dear brother, I don't know that we are
under the responsibility to bring forth anything new." That brought the younger
man down to size. Now it isn't your business to bring forth anything new, you
teachers of religion. Yours is to teach the old truths, the simple truths, the
foundation teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and not be concerned about
new speculations that are startling and intriguing, whether true or not." (Talk
given at BYU, Aug. 21, 1953.)
Thus "truthfulness" is not the criteria used to determine whether or not a specific concept or
idea may be taught. Teachers of religion are not authorized to teach new doctrines, or give
startling speculation even if they are TRUE!! Only one man on the earth holds the keys of
determining which doctrines will be taught openly. The Prophet and President of the Church
has the right to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ as he sees fit. Elder J Reuben Clark Jr., counselor
in the First Presidency, explains this in greater detail, saying:
"Here we must have in mind - must know - that only the President of the
Church, the presiding High Priest, is sustained as Prophet, Seer, and Revelator
for the Church, and he alone has the right to receive revelations for the Church,
either new or amendatory, or to give authoritative interpretations of scriptures
that shall be binding on the Church, or change in anyway the existing doctrines
of the Church. He is God's sole mouthpiece on the earth for the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, the only true Church. He alone may declare the mind
and will of God to the people." (Church News, July 31, 1954.)
There are many eternal truths which are not taught to the Church membership. Individuals may
qualify to learn of them, and many do, by direct and personal revelation; nevertheless they have
no authority to share their knowledge with anyone on the face of the earth unless prompted to
do so by the Holy Ghost.
The Apostle Paul quite adequately explained the position of the general authorities and
particularly the President of the Church in this matter when he said:
"Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the
mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found
faithful." (I Cor. 4:1-2.)
These men hold the keys of stewardship, they are literally "stewards of the mystery" of
Godliness. Individuals may gain knowledge from God but only these men can determine what
will be publicly taught regarding any subject. Paul specifically taught this doctrine when he
stated that"...the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets." (I Cor. 14:32) Meaning, of
course, that no one, not even other General Authorities (or lay members), is authorized to teach
openly or publicly doctrines, principles, or ideas, or to prophecy without the express consent of
and approval of "The Prophet." Anything which he has spoken about, others are free to discuss,
but if he or one of his predecessors has not publicly discussed it, then no one else is at liberty to
do so either. It is essential that in all our teachings we remain within the guidelines the
Brethren establish. Common sense tells us that there are several reasons that this is the way it
should be.
Those who have received mysteries must respect the doctrine of sacred silence as Alma stated:
And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying: It is given unto
many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict
command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word
which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and
diligence which they give unto him. (Alma 12:9.)
More often than not, however, those who talk about things upon which the Brethren are silent
don't know what they are talking about.
The saints in our day are no different than the saints that have lived in previous days. Not
content to discuss those matters publicly which are known, they speculate openly upon
spurious tenets and obscure points of doctrine. Brigham Young counseled the saints of his days
very wisely; we, too, could profit from his advice:
"Now, brethren, preach the things that we verily believe, and when we come to
points of doctrine that we do not know, even if we have good reason to believe
them, if your philosophy teaches us they are true, pass them by and teach only to
the people that which we do know." (JD 13:265.)
Therefore, if you don't know with absolute certainty that what you are talking about is
expressly approved by the prophets of this dispensation, it would probably be best not to speak
of it publicly. Take care especially not to teach it publicly. This does not mean that you cannot
study it in an effort to learn and understand, but do not openly teach it. There is always the
possibility that you could be wrong. Brigham once stated that the best place to teach great
mysteries was from the pulpit in a meeting where the brethren preside. This way we can be
corrected if in error. Said he:
"Here is the place to teach great mysteries to your brethren, because here are
those who can correct you. This fault the Elders of Israel do not fall into in this
tabernacle, although they may in private houses and neighborhoods. When a
man is capable of correcting you, and of giving you light, and true doctrine, do
not get up an altercation, but submit to be taught like little children, and strive
with all your might to understand. When your duties call you into foreign
lands...let mysteries alone, for this is the only place you can be corrected if
wrong." (JD 1:46-47.)
This was good advice in Brigham Young's day. But, today the Church is so large and the
general level of doctrinal knowledge at such an elementary ("lesser portion") level, it would
probably be unwise. That is possibly why council has been given from time to time to stay
away from the mysteries. Perhaps it was with reference to this low level of understanding of
most and the inability of most people to keep their mouths shut and thereby fail to preserve the
secrets of the Lord, which he as given to a few, that Joseph Fielding Smith was prompted to
write the following words of counsel:
"Leave the "mysteries" alone. We should keep our feet on the ground and not get
off in the realm of the mysterious, the speculative, the things which the Lord has
not yet made plain...Whether we are right or wrong in the field of the mysteries,
will make no difference...and will neither exalt nor damn us." (Doctrines of
Salvation, 1:305-306.)
Even if the things we feel inclined to teach are true, they should not be publicly taught until
sanctioned by the Prophet. Again this was clearly taught by President Young.
"If the Lord Almighty should reveal to a High Priest, or to any other than the
head...a new doctrine that will in five, ten, or twenty years hence become the
doctrine of this Church and Kingdom, but which has not yet been revealed to
this people...he must rarely divulge it to a second person on the face of the earth,
until God reveals it through the proper source to become the property of the
people at large." (JD 3:318.)
The reason for this is that when information is freely and indiscriminately shared with others it
can cause them to sin, or it could erect stumbling blocks which cause them to fall. The
responsibility for their fall would then rest upon the shoulders of the one who spoke too freely
of sacred things. Or worse yet, a person could become so embittered in his fallen state that he
tries to "blow the whistle" on the Church by telling all he knows to the world. Such a reaction is
best phrased by Hugh Nibley when he said that they "Let the cat out of the bag because they
became privy to information they should never have received." (Ancient Matriarchies.) This is
the spirit of many apostates.
It behooves us, therefore, to learn to keep our new found knowledge to ourselves. We have not
the right to openly teach anything new. Let us not forget who is the steward of the mysteries of
God to His earthly kingdom in general. We only share when God instructs us through
promptings from the Holy Ghost.
~~ Chapter IV ~~
SEEK FOREKNOWLEDGE
Upon finding themselves in the "Lone and Dreary World", Adam and Eve began their quest for
further light and knowledge; which knowledge, if properly applied, would enable them to
return to the presence of their Father from whence they had fallen. We, like they, have to
continue our own personal search for that further light and knowledge. In so doing we are
complying with the command of God.
When a couple is married by the power of the Priesthood, they form the basic unit of eternity:
the family. The Church is nothing more than a collection of eternal family units that have been
organized for the express purpose of exalting the members thereof. Upon what has the Lord
based his Church? Joseph Smith explained:
"Jesus, in his teachings says, "Upon this rock I will build my Church and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it." What rock? Revelation!" (Sunday, 22
Jan. 1843; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 158.)
Inasmuch as the Church must be built upon the foundation of continuing revelation, and the
family being the basic unit of the Church, it only stands to reason that it is essential that the
family also be built upon the principle of continuing revelation to guide and direct it through all
it must endure. Furthermore, we have been counseled to:
"Put forth your ability to learn as fast as you can, and gather all the strength of
mind and principle of faith you possibly can." (Brigham Young; JD 8:146.)
In another revelation the Lord has equated the gaining of knowledge, or the understanding of
the mysteries of God, with obtaining eternal life. Said he:
"Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be
unfolded unto you, and then shall you be rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is
rich." (D&C 6:7; D&C 11:7.)
Abraham understood this principal very clearly and desired knowledge of the Lord. Not only
did he desire this knowledge but systematically set out to obtain it. When he recorded his
personal history he included the following remarks about his desire:
"And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought
for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to
administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring
also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of
righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many
nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the
commandments of God. I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right
belonging to the fathers." (Abraham 1:2.)
Nephi had similar feelings:
"I Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things,
by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who
diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest
himself unto the children of man. For he is the same yesterday, today, and
forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if
it so be that they repent and come unto him. For he that diligently seeketh shall
find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the
Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old
as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round." (I
Nephi 10:17-19.)
These two great Patriarchs understood the principle of gaining instruction from on high. They
knew that without personal instruction from God it would be impossible for them to return to
the presence of their Father and receive the exaltation he has promised the faithful. Joseph
Smith likewise counseled the saints of his day that they could have all knowledge if they so
desired.
"God has not revealed anything to Joseph, but what He will make known unto
the twelve, and even the least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to
bear them." (Joseph Smith; D.H.C., 3:380.)
Joseph here states that it is possible for even the least of the saints, that is, the weakest and most
ignorant of them, to gain knowledge as fast as they are able to bear, accept, understand, and
IMPLEMENT what they learn. Is it possible for an individual to learn too much too quickly of
the things of God? The answer to this is both Yes, and No. Yes, it is possible for an individual
to learn too much too quickly, for if he does not understand what is taught it will only serve to
frustrate and discourage; and if he does not accept and obey, it could lead to his destruction.
However, if an individual puts forth the effort to understand what he learns as well as accept
and implement what he is taught, insofar as he is permitted (limited by his fear of man), it is
impossible for him to learn too fast. Said Joseph upon this point:
"...If you do right, no danger in going to fast; he said he did not care how fast we
run the path of virtue. Resist evil and there is no danger." (Words of Joseph
Smith, p. 117.)
Wilford Woodruff echoed the same feeling saying:
"It is our privilege to follow the dictates of the Spirit of the Lord and to have it for
our guide and companion and by doing this the blessings of the heavens will be
upon us as fast as we are prepared to receive them." (JD 8:270.)
Not only is it permissible for the Saints to gain knowledge if they so desire but such a course is
part of the gospel plan. Brigham Young stated:
"The religion embraced by the Latter-day Saints, if only slightly understood,
prompts them to search diligently after knowledge. There is no other people in
existence more eager to see, hear, learn, and understand truth." (JD 8:6.)
Implied in this statement is the fact that any Latter-day Saint who does not have a strong desire
to diligently search after greater knowledge, does not even slightly understand the religion they
have embraced. This desire to gain knowledge can lead an individual into any subject he may
desire to learn about. There are absolutely no restrictions for there is no subject that is unlawful
for the saints of God to inquire after. Orson Pratt explained this very clearly.
"We should not get into that old sectarian notion, that we have no right to know
anything about this, that, or the other; and that we must not pry into this, that, or
the other. That is an old sectarian notion, which we have fought against all the
day long, and we do not want it to creep into the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. It is the privilege of its members to let their minds expand,
and to ponder upon the things of God, and to inquire of Him, and by and by,
when we have prepared ourselves by getting all the knowledge we possibly can
from that which is written, God will give us more." (JD 16:336.)
In our pursuit of knowledge we are free to study the sciences, the fine arts, or any other field of
interest. Yet there is one subject area that we have a greater responsibility to understand than
any other, and that area is theology. Concerning the education of the saints Brigham Young
commented:
"There are a great many branches of education: some go to college to learn
languages, some to study law, physics, or study astronomy and various other
branches of science. We want every branch of science taught in this place that is
taught in the world. But our favorite (sic) study is that branch which particularly
belongs to the Elders of Israel--namely, theology. Every Elder should become a
profound theologian--should understand this branch better than all the world."
(JD 6:317.)
Thus, we as Elders in Israel have a great responsibility to learn theology, the things of God,
above every other study we may pursue. Knowledge of God can be obtained to a limited
degree from studying the scriptures and other books but eventually one must go to the source
of that knowledge, even God and enquire for himself.
Orson Pratt was one of the finest writers our generation has produced. He had a unique ability
to study the scriptures, hear the words of the living prophets, and use his reasoning powers to
gain deep insights into eternal principles. He also had the ability to then share those insights
with others in a profound manner. Yet for all his understanding he was counseled by the
President of the Church, Brigham Young, to:
"...lay aside his philosophical reasoning and get revelation from God to govern
him and enlighten his mind more; and it would be a great blessing to him to lay
aside his books and go into the canyons as some of the rest of us were going (for
the purpose of communing with God and receiving personal revelation), and it
would be better for him." (Journal of Wilford Woodruff, 17 Sep. 1854.)
Most of us hardly think twice about the things of God. We go to church each Sunday, listen to
the speakers and attend our classes, most of which are very superficial. Upon returning to our
homes we become so involved in daily living and the hectic pace of life that we seldom think of
studying the gospel; especially since most members of the Church feel they already understand
the gospel in every detail anyway. So who and what do we serve? Their studies, when they
have them, are simply a rehash of the same old thing, they become bored and quickly lose
interest because of the superficiality of their studies. Such should not be the case. Joseph Smith
advised the saints to...
"...go on to perfection, and search deeper and deeper into the mysteries of
Godliness. A man(or woman) can do nothing for himself unless God directs him
in the right way and the Priesthood is for that purpose." (T.P.J.S., p. 364.)
By following this process of searching deeper and deeper into the mysteries of Godliness we
will qualify to receive the blessing of obtaining that knowledge for which we are seeking, even
as the Lord had promised:
"Behold thou shalt observe all these things, and great shall be thy reward; for
unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom, but unto the world it
is not given to know them." (D&C 42:65.)
Joseph Smith has instructed us of the great importance of obtaining this knowledge when he
said:
"What is the object of our coming into existence, then dying and falling away to
be heard no more? This is a subject we ought to study more than any other,
which we ought to study day and night. If we have any claim on our Heavenly
Father for anything, it is for knowledge on this important subject-could we read
and comprehend all that has been written from the days of Adam on the
relations of man to God and angels in a future state, we should know very little
about it. Could you gaze in heaven five minutes you would know more than
you possibly can know by reading all that ever was written on the subject...What
did they (the Hebrew saints) learn by coming to the spirits of just men made
perfect? Is it written? No! The spirits of just men are made ministering servants
to those who are sealed up to life eternal and it is through them that the sealing
power comes down." (Words of Joseph Smith, p. 254; Mon. 9 Oct 1843.)
One rule of caution should be emphasized however. As a person desires and searches after
knowledge from God, he should be prepared to receive the information he may be given. Often
we may not expect to learn what the Lord will reveal to us. The brother of Jared will serve as a
good example of this principle. He prayed unto the Lord that He would touch the sixteen
crystalline stones that they might give light in the boats during their long crossing of the
ocean. As the Lord touched the stones, the brother of Jared was amazed to see the finger of the
Lord and expressed his fear and wonder. The Lord asked him if he had seen more than His
finger, to which the prophet replied "Nay; Lord, show thyself unto me." However the Lord was
not going to comply with this request simply because it was made, rather He asked the brother
of Jared a pointed question first. Said He, "Believest thou the words which I SHALL speak?"
(Ether 3:5-13) The prophet had to first commit himself to believe all that the Lord would teach
him. Upon reflection it will be readily apparent that if the Lord's teachings at that moment
would have been logical or easy to understand and believe, the question would have had no
purpose. The Lord was about to reveal things to the prophet which were so new, so
"unbelievable,” that it was necessary for the Lord to get a commitment from him prior to the
revelation.
THE SAME PRINCIPLE APPLIES TO ALL WHO DESIRE TO BE TAUGHT OF THE LORD,
whether they desire revelation on doctrinal issues, history of the earth, or assistance in solving
family problems. Prior to inquiring of the Lord each individual should make a firm
commitment that whatever the Lord may teach him or require of him he will believe and
obey. For IF HE (SHE) RECEIVES IT WITH A DOUBTFUL HEART IT WILL ONLY SERVE TO
CONDEMN HIM (HER). Joseph Smith stated:
"I believe all that God ever revealed, and I never heard of a man being damned
for believing too much but they are damned for unbelief." (Sunday, 16 June 1844;
Words of Joseph Smith, p. 381.)
Now what is the purpose of gaining all of this knowledge? As was stated earlier we are all
trying to return to the presence of our Father in Heaven. He dwells in Celestial Burnings and
lives in a society of Gods, all of whom keep Celestial law. At this point in man's progression he
is totally ignorant of those Celestial laws and is therefore unable to conform his life to them.
Therefore he is prevented from achieving his goal of returning to God's presence because he is
not living the law of the Celestial Kingdom. It is for this reason that man yearns to gain further
light and knowledge; so that he may learn of Celestial law and begin to incorporate them into
his life. Then when he has fully mastered them he will be capable of returning to the presence
of his Father. Joseph Smith explained this very clearly:
"We consider that God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a
faculty which may been enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given
to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect and that the nearer man
approaches perfection, the clearer are his views, and the greater his enjoyments,
till he has overcome the evils of his life and lost every desire for sin; and like the
ancients, arrives at the point of faith where he is wrapped in the power and glory
of his Maker and is caught up to dwell with Him. But we consider that this is a
station to which no man ever arrived in a moment: he must have been instructed
in the government and laws of that kingdom by proper degrees, until his mind is
capable in some measure of comprehending the propriety, justice, equality, and
consistency of the same...it is necessary for men to receive an understanding
concerning the laws of the heavenly kingdom, before they are permitted to enter
it: we mean the celestial glory. So dissimilar are the governments of men, and so
diverse are their laws, from the government and laws of heaven, that a man, for
instance, hearing that there was a country on this globe called the United States
of North America, could take his journey to this place without first learning the
laws of governments; but the conditions of God's kingdom are such, that all who
are made partakers of the glory, are under the necessity of learning something
respecting it previous to their entering into it." (Joseph Smith; TPJS, p. 51.)
Thus we see that it is essential to learn the laws of the Celestial Kingdom prior to our being
admitted therein. "To become a joint heir of the heirship of the Son," Joseph explained, "one
must put away all his false traditions." (TPJS, p. 321) Knowledge to do this can only be obtained
by gaining personal revelation upon the subject, for it is not available in any other manner. As
these laws are made known to us, it is required that we practice them in our lives, insofar as we
are permitted, so that we may elevate ourselves to a higher level of righteousness until
ultimately we are qualified to be admitted into the Celestial Society, having proven ourselves
capable of living their higher laws. We should study, seek for, and pray continually for these
blessings. As Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained:
"It is clear that we should pray for all that in wisdom and righteousness we
should have. Certainly we should seek for a testimony, for revelations, for all of
the gifts of the Spirit, including the fulfillment of the promise in Doctrine and
Covenants 93:1 of seeing the face of the Lord. But above all our other petitions,
we should plead for the companionship of the Holy Ghost in this life and for
eternal life in the world to come." (Ensign, Jan. 1976, p. 10.)
This must be done in faith, for as Joseph explained:
"Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh to God must
believe that he is, and that he is a revealer to those who diligently seek him."
(Words of Joseph Smith, p. 41.)
Our ability to receive personal revelation from God, instructing us in the knowledge which we
seek, as well as our ability to comprehend the mysteries of the Kingdom when they are
revealed, is contingent upon and "enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the
light communicated from heaven," in previous revelation. (TPJS, p. 51.) As our diligence in
keeping the commandments increases, our faith will likewise increase, our self confidence
among men will also increase and, as the scriptures state, our confidence "shall wax strong in
the presence of God," (D&C 121:45).
This means that we will feel very comfortable in His presence and long to be there. Through
this association with Him we may gain eternal life, for of truth, "This is life eternal, that they
might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3). Brother
McConkie said:
"To know God in that full sense that will enable us to gain eternal salvation
means that we must know what he knows, enjoy what he enjoys, experience
what he experiences." (Conference Report, Apr. 1966, p. 79.)
Such knowledge, joy, and experiences are not easily obtained. One must be willing to pay the
sacrificial price requisite of personal revelation. It is impossible to obtain knowledge of God in
any other way, as President John Taylor expressed:
"The philosophers in the world understand something of the rules of natural
philosophy, but those rules will never lead a man to the knowledge of God; if he
ever obtains this knowledge, it must be by the principle of revelation. All the
works of God, whether on the earth or in the heaven, are constructed on strictly
philosophical principles. We understand in part the things of Earth; when we
see the things as God sees them, we shall then understand the philosophy of the
heavens; the mysteries of eternity will be unfolded and the operations of mind,
matter, spirit, purpose, and designs, causes and effects and all the stupendous
operations of God will be developed, and they will be bound to accord with the
strictest principles of philosophy, even the philosophy of the heavens." (JD
10:117-118.)
In our quest foreknowledge we must understand that there is no subject which should frighten
us. At present our minds understand only a few finite subjects, but we must not be content to
remain on that level. Joseph Smith and John Taylor both explained the expanding effect that
revelation has upon the human mind:
"Thy mind, O man! If thou wilt lead a soul unto salvation must stretch as high as
the utmost heavens, and search unto and contemplate the darkest abyss, and the
broad expanse of eternity - thou must commune with God." (Joseph Smith;
History of the Church 3:295.)
"The light of revelation - the light of truth, the gift of the Holy Ghost, the power
of God...it is as high as heaven...it is deeper than hell...it is as wide as the
universe, it extends over all creation. It goes back into eternity and forward into
eternity. It associates with the past, present and future; it is connected with time
and eternity, with men, angels and Gods, with beings that were, that are, and
that are to come." (John Taylor; JD 15:24-25.)
It is so essential that we, the saints of God understand these principles, that our very salvation
and exaltation hinges upon it. We cannot continue on borrowed light but must obtain
knowledge for ourselves.
YOU MIGHT PONDER THE ABOVE QUOTES. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW
THE THINGS OF GOD, YOU MUST PLACE YOURSELF IN SUCH A POSITION
THAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO BE DESTROYED AND THAT ONLY GOD CAN
SAVE YOU; GIVING THE IDEA THAT YOU WILL EITHER BE DIVINELY
DELIVERED (AND THUS INSTRUCTED), OR YOU WILL BE DESTROYED BY
THE ADVERSARY. (Also study D&C 98.)
Brigham Young explained that it was necessary that we not even accept the teachings of the
prophet of the Church merely because HE said it, rather we should have personal revelation
confirming the validity of those teachings to our souls. Said he:
"If I should undertake to tell the people what I believe in my heart and what
seemeth...to me to be eternal truth, how would they know unless they had the
spirit of revelation to say to them whether it was a truth or untruth?"
(Manuscript Addresses of B.Y., April 25, 1855; The Adam-God Maze, p. 14.)
On another occasion he taught:
"Brethren and sisters, it is your privilege to enjoy the spirit of revelation as much
as any person or people that ever lived on the face of this earth." (JD 7: May 29,
1859.)
Inasmuch as it is our privilege to receive personal revelation as much as any one else; each
person could properly ask himself: "How many revelations have I received? Has my life been
directed by the promptings of the Spirit? Have I gazed upon the eternities and had the heavens
opened unto my view?" Have many of us received the same revelations that the prophets have
received?
The Prophet Lehi received certain revelations from the Lord which he shared with his
family. Most of them reacted the same way that we react when we read that account. They
accepted it with varying levels of belief. Nephi, however, reacted differently. Upon hearing his
father recount his vision Nephi retired into the wilderness alone and knelt down to offer up the
desires of his heart. What was that desire? Said he:
"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceeding young, nevertheless being
large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God,
wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord: and behold he did visit me...For it came to
pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and
believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat
pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an
exceeding high mountain, which I never had before seen and upon which I never
had before set my foot. And the Spirit said unto me: Behold, what desirest
thou? And I said: I desire to behold the things which my father saw. And the
Spirit said unto me...Thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired." (I
Nephi 2:16; 11:1-6.)
Nephi was the only member of his family who trusted in the Lord so totally, that with
confidence he could go before the Lord and make such a request, and not only make the request
but firmly believe that the Lord would hear his prayers and grant him that same vision. This
same attitude should be deeply cultivated and developed by each one of us. As Brigham
admonished the saints:
"If you would take my counsel you never would cease to plead with the Lord,
until He opened the eyes of your understanding and revealed eternity to you,
that you might know for yourselves how things are, and when you know and
keep in that spirit, you will never be deceived, but the spirit of truth will always
be with you, and if you cleave to that, it will lead you into all truth and holiness."
(JD 3:157; May 6, 1855.)
If we repent of our sins and humble ourselves before the Lord, He will hear our prayers. Then
we, like Nephi of old, may behold the visions of eternity. The Lord has promised this blessing
unto all who will observe the law.
"For thus saith the Lord - I the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who
fear me, and delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth
unto the end. Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their glory. And to
them will I reveal all mysteries, yea, all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom
from days of old, and for ages to come, will I make known unto them the good
pleasure of my will concerning all things pertaining to my kingdom." (D&C 76:57.)
That this process of obtaining further light and knowledge is not an easy one is without doubt,
but just as certain is the reward for diligence. Joseph Smith, our dispensation head and the man
who understood more clearly the principles of personal revelation than any other man of our
time, has commanded us saying:
"Search the scriptures -search the revelations which we publish, and ask your
Heavenly Father, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to manifest the truth unto
you, and if you do it with an eye single to His Glory nothing doubting, He will
answer you by the power of His Holy Spirit. You will then know for yourselves
and not from another. You will not then be dependent on man for the
knowledge of God; nor will there be any room for speculation, No; for when men
receive their instruction from Him that made them, they know how He will save
them." (Joseph Smith; TPJS, p. 11-12.)
By heeding this process, we may each receive that portion of the revealed word which the Lord
in His wisdom sees fit to grant us. Then we each may testify, as Elder McConkie has:
"I know man can commune with his Maker, can petition the throne of grace and
receive answers to his prayers, because I have done so. I know man can receive
revelations, because I have received them." (General Conference, Ensign, Dec.
1969, p. 85.)
What applies to men in these matters also applies to women. God is no respecter of persons,
personal righteousness is all that matters, not gender.
"Where spiritual things are concerned, as pertaining to all of the gifts of the
Spirit, with reference to the receipt of revelation, the gaining of testimonies, and
the seeing of visions, in all matters that pertain to godliness and holiness and
which are brought to pass as a result of personal righteousness - in all these
things men and women stand in a position of absolute equality before the Lord."
(Bruce R. McConkie; Our Sisters From the Beginning, Ensign Jan. 1979, p. 61.)
Thus it behooves all of us to follow the instruction given to us of the Lord when he said:
"If Thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge
upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal." (D&C 42:61.)
Again we are commanded to ask God for knowledge:
"Ask that you may know the mysteries of God...and according to your
faith shall it be done unto you." (D&C 8:11.)
The very church to which we belong is based upon the principle of asking God for knowledge
which we lack. Joseph read a now famous passage in the Bible which he took to be literally
true.
"If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally,
and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." (James 1:5.)
The Lord reemphasized this counsel in modern revelation in almost identical language.
"Therefore, he that lacketh wisdom, let him ask of me, and I will give him
liberally and upbraid him not." (D&C 42:68.)
The Lord is our loving Father. He desires only that which is best for us. If it were improper for
us to ask Him regarding subjects upon which we had no previous knowledge, or upon which
He had not previously revealed His will, He would have so instructed. On the contrary,
however, He twice states that He will not upbraid us for seeking this knowledge. To upbraid is
to criticize, scold, reproach, or to find fault with. The Lord will not upbraid us for seeking for
knowledge by asking him in prayer about anything which we desire to learn. The important
thing is to ask, for he will not reveal anything unto us if we do not ask. He instructed us as
follows:
"If thou wilt inquire, thou shalt know mysteries which are great and
marvelous;..." (D&C 6:11.)
It almost seems that the Lord is baiting us to inquire of Him, tantalizing us with the promise of
"great and marvelous" revelations; almost begging, as it were to inquire of Him. How
frustrated He must feel when we pay no attention to His invitation. Nephi, the great seer of
old, clearly understood this principle:
"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceeding young, nevertheless being
large in stature, and also having a great DESIRE to know of the mysteries of God,
wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me..." (I Nephi 2:16.)
"Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by
visions in the nighttime. And by day I have waxed bold in mighty prayer before
him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and
ministered unto me. And upon the wings of the Spirit hath my body been
carried away upon exceeding high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great
things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write
them."
"Yea I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will
give me if I ask not amiss..." (II Nephi 4:23-25,35.)
"...-If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall
receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall
be made known unto you..."And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did
pray oft unto the Lord, wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things." (I
Nephi 15:11; 18:3.)
The principle of asking God foreknowledge is so important that without asking the right
questions of Him it is impossible for Him to teach us. For example: When Christ was upon the
earth during His mortal ministry, He told His disciples that He had other sheep which were not
of this (their) fold. The apostles erroneously assumed that He was referring to the gentiles and
therefore never asked Him to clarify that statement. Christ knew of their misunderstanding yet
He did nothing to correct it because they did not ask Him for further understanding upon this
subject. When Jesus then visited the Nephites following His resurrection He again spoke of His
other sheep. Only this time He specifically stated that:
1) The Nephites were one of the groups that He had reference to when He made
that statement to His original twelve in Jerusalem
2) The Twelve had misunderstood His meaning.
3) They did not ask Him regarding His meaning and therefore He was
commanded by His Father to say nothing more upon this subject to them even
though they were the governing board of the Church, the Quorum of the Twelve.
4) The Lord used some very strong language to describe this lack of desire on the
part of His original Twelve to understand His meaning. He said that He
withheld more information from them because of their "stiffneckedness and
unbelief" and "it is because of their iniquity that they know not.
5) The Lord then commands the Nephite disciples to write the true meaning of
His statements so that if his original Twelve (they that were "with me in my
ministry") never ask for this knowledge it will be preserved for future
generations and will be brought forth during the time of the "fullness of the
Gentiles." (See 3 Nephi 15:14; 16:4.)
This is only an example of the type of knowledge that is lost to us because we do not ask. How
heavy must be the heart of our Father because of our lack of faith, our lack of desire to learn of
Him. He calls to us to search for Him. He beckons us to seek His face. He pleads for us to
learn great mysteries at His hand. Typical of the instructions He longs to share with us are the
writings of the Brother of Jared and John the Revelator.
Mormon, that great Nephite abridger, explained that the writings of these two prophets were
sealed up by him according to the command of the Lord.
"For the Lord said unto me: They shall not go forth unto the gentiles until the day
that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord. And in
that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of
Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them
the things which the brother of Jared saw; even to the unfolding unto them all
my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and
of the earth, and all things that in them are. And he that will contend against the
word of the Lord, let him be accursed; and he that shall deny these things, let
him be accursed; for unto them will I show no greater things, saith Jesus Christ;
for I am he who speaketh. But he that believeth these things which I have
spoken, him will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall know
and bear record. For because of my Spirit he shall know that these things are
true; for it persuadeth men to do good... Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I will
show unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of
unbelief... Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you
to remain in your awful state of wickedness...then shall the great and marvelous
things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you - yea,
when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a
contrite spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant
which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel. And then shall my
revelation which I have caused to be written by my servant John be unfolded in
the eyes of all the people." (Ether 4:6-15; see also D&C 6:26-28.)
It is so important to learn to pray, asking for knowledge, that Joseph Smith stated that this form
of gaining knowledge was much superior to learning from books, presumably even including
the scriptures.
"The only way to obtain truth and wisdom, is not to ask it from books, but to go
to God in prayer and obtain divine teaching." (Joseph Smith; 3 Oct 1841; Times
and Seasons 2:577-578; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 77.)
King Benjamin, the Nephite Prophet/King assembled his subjects that he might speak with them
just prior to his death. He likewise commanded his followers to unfold their minds to the
mysteries of God:
"My brethren, all ye that have assembled yourselves together, you that can hear
my words which I shall speak unto you this day; for I have not commanded you
to come up hither to trifle with the words which I shall speak, but that you
should hearken unto me, and open your ears that ye may hear, and your hearts
that ye may understand, and your minds that the mysteries of God may be
unfolded to your view." (Mosiah 2:9.)
If we follow the admonitions of Benjamin and the other prophets we will receive the reward of
knowledge that no one else on the face of the earth has received or has even contemplated. Said
the Lord:
"God shall give unto you knowledge by his Holy Spirit, yea, by the unspeakable
gift of the Holy Ghost, that has not been revealed since the world was until now."
(D&C 121:26.)
Some times when we ask the Lord questions He does not answer us immediately. Sometimes
He makes us ask again and again. On occasions it may even seem that he has lent us a deaf
ear. On these occasions it is important to not stop asking until an answer of some kind is
received. It is necessary to weary the Lord in persistent asking, with faith, nothing doubting,
and He will eventually answer. The Savior gave us two examples or parables to teach us the
principle of not becoming discouraged in our asking, when no apparent answer is given. The
first parable is the story of the widow and the unjust judge.
"And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray,
and not to faint; Saying. There was in a city a judge, which feared not God,
neither regarded man; And there was a widow in that city, and she came unto
him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for awhile: but
afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet
because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming
she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall
not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear
long with them?" (Luke 18:1-7.)
Notice that the Lord prefaced this parable by saying that the purpose of it was to teach men that
they "ought always to pray" even to "weary" their God. The Second great parable dealing with
this subject was told by the Lord immediately after he recounted what is known as "The Lord's
Prayer." He is instructing his disciples in the principles of prayer.
"And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him
at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine
in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from
within shall answer and say, Trouble me not; the door is now shut, and my
children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though
he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his
importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto
you, Ask, and it shall be given you; Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be
opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh
findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." (Luke 11:5-10.)
Let us therefore press forward in our search foreknowledge by asking the Lord the questions
which will grant us the knowledge we seek, and persist in asking, seeking, and knocking, until
He sees fit to answer our questions and teach us the things we desire to know. We may be
surprised to learn on that great day of judgment that our failure to persistently ask will be
viewed by the Lord as wickedness and iniquity. SEE D&C 136:32, ACTS 17:27
~~ Chapter V ~~
KEEP SECRET OR SHARE WITH OTHERS?
In the previous section we learned about the responsibility we all have of actively seeking for
further light and knowledge. As we continue to humble ourselves, repent of our sins, and call
upon the Lord, he will answer our desires by opening the windows of heaven and pouring
down upon our heads knowledge and instruction. When a person receives instruction from on
high he is filled with intense joy and happiness that can be obtained in no other manner. His
natural desire is to share his new found joy with others.
However, the only way for others to understand this joy is for them to also understand the
newly acquired knowledge. Thus an individual is tempted to talk of sacred knowledge and
experiences in an attempt to instill the same joy in others that he himself has
experienced. Unfortunately, it is impossible for others to obtain this inner peace and joy by the
sheer acquisition of knowledge alone. Accompanying the knowledge MUST BE A WITNESS
OF THE HOLY GHOST that it is true. For this reason individuals must take great care when
sharing knowledge to be sure that they are being prompted to do so by the Holy Ghost rather
than merely a desire to share their joy (or for praise of man) for:
"...That which comes from above is sacred and must bespoken with care, by
constraint of the spirit and as received by prayer." (D&C 63:64.)
If knowledge is shared prematurely it would serve no useful purpose and could be treated
lightly by the recipients or even trampled underfoot as the pearls cast before swine. Knowing
the lack of spiritual preparedness among men generally, and sadly even among those who
profess membership in His Church, the Lord has wisely counseled his servants to refrain from
speaking of sacred matters to those who would not understand. Why? The Lord explains:
"For they cannot bear meat now, but milk they must receive; wherefore, they
must not know these things, lest they perish." (D&C 19:22.)
In an attempt to further clarify his point the Lord stated during His mortal ministry:
"And the mysteries of the Kingdom ye shall keep within yourselves; for it is not
meet to give that which is holy unto the dogs; neither cast ye your pearls unto
swine, lest they trample them under their feet. For the world cannot receive that
which ye, yourselves, are not able to bear; wherefore ye shall not give your
pearls unto them, lest they turn again and rend you." (JST Matt. 7:10-11.)
Though Jesus warned his Jewish disciples not to reveal the mysteries of the kingdom unto the
world, He did instruct them as follows concerning what they should say to those who had not
embraced the gospel:
"Say unto them, Ask of God; ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall
find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh, receiveth;
and he that seeketh, findeth; and unto him that knocketh, it shall be opened. And
then said his disciples unto him, they will say unto us, We ourselves are
righteous, and need not that any man should teach us. God, we know, heard
Moses and some of the Prophets; but us he will not hear. And they will say, We
have the law for our salvation, and that is sufficient for us. Then Jesus answered,
and said unto his disciples, thus shall ye say unto them, What man among you,
having a son, and he shall be standing out, and shall say, Father, open thy house
that I may come in and sup with thee, will not say, Come in, my son; for mine is
thine, and thine is mine? Or what man is there among you, who, if his son ask
bread, will give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye
then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much
more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"
(JST Matt. 7:12-20.)
In other words, Jesus told his disciples to instruct the non-believers in the principles of personal
prayer, according to their level of order of understanding. Armed with this understanding, nonbelievers whether members of the Church or not, who sincerely search for the truth might learn
how to approach God in humble prayer, be heard and recognized by Him, receive answers to
their petitions and thereby learn for themselves of that for which they seek. Naturally, the
answers they receive will be tempered by the Holy Ghost to the level of spiritual preparedness
of the individual. Thus any sincere seeker of truth who earnestly searches for understanding
will learn line upon line and precept upon precept until that glorious day when he may have
access to all the knowledge possessed by the Father. Inasmuch as this process can be followed
by anyone who is willing to pay the price of self discipline, it is not our duty to teach anything
new to an individual unless we are prompted by the Holy Ghost to do so!
For example: Joseph Smith was a man who possessed tremendous knowledge about God, man's
relationship to him and the eternal perspective from which all things must ultimately be
viewed. Yet he seldom spoke of these things unless prompted to do so. Once, while speaking
from the pulpit he exclaimed:
"I could explain a hundredfold more than I ever have of the glories of the
kingdoms manifested to me in vision, were I permitted, and were the people
prepared to receive it." (Joseph Smith, TPJS, p. 305.)
Joseph's successor to the Presidency, Brigham Young, was another man who understood much
more than he felt free to teach the people. After addressing one particular point of doctrine at
length he concluded by saying:
"I could tell you much more about this, but were I to tell you the whole truth,
blasphemy would be nothing to it, in the estimation of the superstitious and over
righteousness of mankind. However, I have told you the truth as far as I have
gone." (JD 1:51.)
Wilford Woodruff recorded a talk in his journal given by Joseph Smith in which the Prophet
emphasized the importance of keeping secrets. Said he:
"The reason we do not have the secrets of the Lord revealed unto us is because
we do not keep them but reveal them, we do not keep our own secrets but reveal
our difficulties to the world, even to our enemies, then how would we keep the
secrets of the Lord. Joseph says I can keep a secret till dooms day." (Joseph
Smith; 19 Dec. 1841: Wilford Woodruff Journal; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 80-81;
TPJS, p. 195: HC 4:479.)
Brigham Young gave a powerful discourse upon the subject of keeping the secrets of the Lord
as they are revealed to us:
"The man who cannot know millions of things that he would not tell his wife,
will never be crowned in the celestial kingdom, never, never, NEVER. It cannot
be: it is impossible. And that man who cannot know things without telling any
other living being upon the earth, who cannot keep his secrets and those that
God reveals to him, never can receive the voice of his Lord to dictate him and the
people on this earth... ...I know that many can keep secrets, but that is no reason
why I should tell them my secrets. When I find a person that is good at keeping
a secret, so am I: you keep yours and I mine. Now I want to tell you that which,
perhaps, many of you do not know. Should you receive a vision or revelation
from the Almighty, one that the Lord gave you concerning yourselves, or this
people, but which you are not to reveal on account of your not being the proper
person, or because it ought not to be known by the people at present, you should
shut it up and seal it as close and lock it as tight as heaven is to you, and make it
as secret as the grave. The Lord has no confidence in those who reveal secrets,
for he cannot safely reveal Himself to such persons. It is as much as He can do to
get a particle of sense into some of the best and most influential men in the
church, in regard to real confidence in themselves. They cannot keep things
within their own bosoms.
...If a person understands God and godliness, the principles of heaven, the
principles of integrity, and the Lord reveals anything to that individual, no
matter what, unless He gives permission to disclose it, it is locked up in eternal
silence. And when persons have proven to their messengers that their bosoms
are like the lock-ups of eternity, then the Lord says, I can reveal anything to
them, because they never will disclose it until I tell them to. Take persons of any
other character, and they sap the foundations of the confidence they ought to
have in themselves and in their God.
...If we are His friends, we will keep the secrets of the Almighty. We will lock
them up, when He reveals them to us, so that no man on earth can have them,
and no being from heaven, unless HE BRINGS THE KEYS WHEREWITH TO
GET THEM LEGALLY. No person can get the things the Lord has given to me,
unless by legal authority; then I have a right to reveal them, but not
without. When we can keep our own secrets, when we can keep the secrets of
the Almighty strictly, honestly, truly in our own bosoms, the Lord will have
confidence in us. Will He before? No! Are we going to become secret keepers in
any other way than by applying our lives to the religion we profess to
believe? No!!!" (JD 4:287-289.)
On another occasion he explained more upon this important subject.
"You often hear people desiring more of the knowledge of God, more of the
wisdom of God, more of the power of God. They want more revelation, to know
more about the kingdom of heaven, in heaven and on the earth, and they wish to
learn and increase. There is one principle that I wish the people would
understand and lay to heart. Just as fast as you will prove before your God that
you are worthy to receive the mysteries, if you please to call them so, of the
kingdom of heaven - that you are full of confidence in God - that you will never
betray a thing that God tells you - that you will never reveal to your neighbor
that which ought not to be revealed, as quick as you prepare to be entrusted with
the things of God, there is an eternity of them to bestow upon you. Instead of
pleading with the Lord to bestow more upon you, plead with yourselves to have
confidence in yourselves, to have integrity in yourselves, and know when to
speak and what to speak, what to reveal, and how to carry yourselves and walk
before the Lord.
And just as fast as you prove to Him that you will preserve everything secret that
ought to be - that you will deal out to your neighbors all which you ought, and
no more, and learn how to dispense your knowledge to your families, friends,
neighbors, and brethren, the Lord will bestow upon you and give to you, and
bestow upon you, until finally he will say to you, "You shall never fall; your
salvation is sealed unto you; you are sealed up unto eternal life and salvation,
through your integrity."
Let every person be the friend of God, that whatever He reveals to you, you can
wisely handle without asking Him whether you shall tell your wife of it or
not. You can recollect the backhanded blow I gave to some of the brethren last
winter. They were in pain, because they knew something which they could not
tell to their wives. I would not trust such men out of sight with my dinner. God
will not trust the least thing to such persons. Sister if you are in pain, because
you cannot tell your husbands everything, you had better take a little catnip tea,
and get over it, if you can. What will God reveal to such persons? Just enough to
keep them from the gulf of despair, and lead them along until they get a little
sense. I say this that you may learn to reveal that which you ought, and to keep
the rest to yourselves. By so doing you prove to God that you are His friends,
and will keep His secrets. The world may howl around you and plead for the
secrets of the Lord which He has given you, but they will not get them. When
the Lord has proved His children true to what He has given into their charge,
and that they will do His bidding, He will tell such persons anything that they
should know. A great many desire just enough of knowledge to damn them and
it does damn a great many." (JD 4:371-372; June 28, 1857.)
Lorenzo Snow provides us with a good example of the proper procedure to follow when we
gain new information from the Lord:
"Early in his life, Lorenzo Snow developed a remarkable understanding about the nature of
God and man. In Kirtland, Ohio, he met Joseph Smith, Sr., the first patriarch to the Church,
who promised him that he would soon be baptized into the Church and then said, "You will
become as great as you can possibly wish - EVEN AS GREAT AS GOD, and you cannot wish to
be greater."
Four years later, in 1840, Lorenzo received a personal revelation that clarified Father Smith's
mysterious saying: "The Spirit of the Lord rested mightily upon me - the eyes of my
understanding were opened, and I saw as clear as the sun at noonday, with wonder and
astonishment, the pathway of God and man. I formed the following couplet which expressed
the revelation, as it was shown to me, and explains Father Smith's dark saying to me at a
blessing meeting in the Kirtland Temple prior to my baptism... "As man now is, God once was:
As God now is, man may be."
At first he shared this revelation with no one except his sister Eliza. Then he privately related it
to Brigham Young, who wisely told him: "Brother Snow, that is a new doctrine: if true, it has
been revealed to you for your own private information, and will be taught in due time by the
Prophet of the Church; till then I advise you to lay it upon the shelf and say no more about
it. This Lorenzo did until the Prophet
Joseph delivered the King Follett discourse and taught the same doctrine
publicly for the first time. Thereafter, Lorenzo Snow felt free to teach it." (My
Kingdom Shall Roll Forth, Readings in Church History, p. 68.)
In contrast to the example of Lorenzo Snow, President Young informs us of the probable source
of knowledge and expected course of action of individuals who are not divinely inspired.
"If the Lord Almighty should reveal to a High Priest, or to any other than the
head, things that are, or that have been and will be, and show to him the destiny
of this people twenty-five years from now, or a new doctrine that will in five, ten,
or twenty years hence become the doctrine of this Church and kingdom, but
which has not yet been revealed to this people, and reveal it to him by the same
Spirit, the same messenger, the same voice, the same power that gave revelations
to Joseph when he was living, it would be a blessing to that High Priest, or
individual; but he must rarely divulge it to a second person on the face of the
earth, until God reveals it through the proper source to become the property of
the people at large. Therefore when you hear Elders...say that God does not
reveal the President of the Church that which they know, and tell wonderful
things, you may generally set it down as a God's truth that the revelation they
have had is from the Devil, and not from God. If they had received from the
proper source, the same power that revealed to them would have shown them
that they must keep the things revealed in their own bosoms, and they seldom
would have a desire to disclose them to the second person." (Brigham Young; JD
3:318.)
SHARE KNOWLEDGE WITH OTHERS
As we have just seen it is usually best to keep revealed knowledge locked up within you, never
to speak of it to another soul unless specifically directed to do so by the spirit. Nevertheless,
there are circumstances in which it would be entirely appropriate to share personal revelation
with others. If you revealed knowledge which concerns someone else, who is within the proper
bounds of your stewardship, such as a family member if you are a parent, or a quorum
member, if you are the quorum president, etc., then it would be proper to direct that individual
according to the revelation you have received unless restrained by the Spirit from so doing.
The President of the Church is the steward over Church doctrine, policy, and procedure. Thus
if a personal revelation were to touch upon these matters it would NOT be proper to confide in
another what has been received (UNLESS OF COURSE, DIRECTED BY THE SPIRIT TO DO
SO). However, if the revelation deals with accepted doctrine, policy or procedure then it would
be permissible to share with others inasmuch as by so doing, the position of the Church is
strengthened. Brigham Young counseled the Saints of his day to be quite free in disseminating
this type of knowledge. Said he:
"Put forth your ability to learn as fast as you can, and gather all the strength of
mind and principle of faith you possibly can, and then distribute your
knowledge to the people." (JD 8:146.)
On another occasion he added:
"Let there be a mutual desire in every man to disseminate knowledge, that all
may know. I have always followed out the rule of dispensing what I know to
others, and been blessed in so doing. After all our endeavors to obtain wisdom
from the best books, etc., there still remains an open fountain for all; "If any man
lack wisdom let him ask of God." (JD 9: 370; Brigham Young, Aug. 31, 1862.)
There is a very important reason why revelations of this type should be shared with all. By so
doing others are strengthened and lives are blessed; but if kept bottled up inside, the new found
knowledge is soon lost. Referring to this President Young explained:
"If God has given me light, if I possess the light of the Spirit of revelation, and
bestow that knowledge upon my brethren, that same fountain increases in me;
whereas, if I were to shut it up - to close up the vision - and keep it from the
people, it would be like the candle lighted and put under the bushel, where of
course the want of free air would extinguish it." (Brigham Young, March 8, 1857;
JD 4:265-266.)
Jedediah M. Grant expressed the thought that it is quite selfish of individuals to continually
absorb the knowledge that others are willing to share without putting forth the effort to gain
personal revelation to add to the knowledge pool. Said he:
"We want you to impart what you know, if you have light of God, or any
information about heaven, earth or hell. We want you to furnish your share to
the fund of information, and not cry out the day long, give, give, give, without
imparting anything to the giver." (Jedediah M. Grant, JD 4:126.)
Now, what is the purpose for obtaining this knowledge and of sharing it with
others? Ultimately of course, it is that we may all be exalted and return back to the presence of
our Father. That is too big of a step for most of us to take in one fell swoop, so there must needs
be some smaller, preparatory steps along the way. One of these preparatory steps is for every
individual to become a prophet unto himself that he may bless the lives of his family and others
as George Q. Cannon explained:
"The genius of the kingdom with which we are associated is to disseminate
knowledge through all the ranks of the people, and to make every man a prophet
and every woman a prophetess, that they may understand the plans and
purposes of God." (JD 12:46.)
Even this step is too great for most of us and so the Lord has provided temporary teachers for
us -Prophets - to teach us until we can arrive at the point of becoming prophets ourselves, able
to receive our own instructions from the same eternal source from which they receive theirs. In
order to accomplish this it is necessary that knowledge and doctrines publicly taught be
"...adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called
saints." (D&C 89:3.)
OUR DUTY
What then is our precise duty? Do we actively seek to obtain divine revelation and then share it
with others? Do we remain silent when knowledge from on High is poured out upon us? Do
we sit back like bumps on a log daring God to reveal something to us? Do we just wait for
someone else to tell us what we should know? Should we even be concerned about the matter?
It appears that there are three areas in which we may classify truth as it applies to mortal
man. The continuum below indicates these areas and the degree of freedom we posses to
discuss the truths contained in each area.
AREAS OF TRUTH
CONTINUUM OF ALL TRUTH & KNOWLEDGE
Truth revealed to
individuals and to
the Church.
Truth revealed to
individuals but not
to the Church.
Truth not revealed
to anyone.
____________________________________________________
1) Freedom to discuss all
insights with anyone. General
distribution only.
1) Not free to discuss with
anyone. Intended for personal
knowledge.
2) Commanded to share and
discuss with other that all my
benefit.
2) Commanded to not share
or discuss with anyone.
3) Can include some
revelations concerning
personal stewardship.
3) Can include some
revelations concerning
personal stewardship.
1) Free to speculate with
anyone interested.
2) Speculations will probably
not be true since these truths
“have not entered into the
heart of man.”
3) Can be a waste of time but
often prompts individuals to
ask of God. He then often
reveals truth previously
unknown.
Our freedom to discuss revelations we may have received will vary greatly depending upon
which area of truth it falls into, as indicated by the continuum graph above. Let's examine each
of these areas to determine just exactly what our responsibilities are and how free we may be in
sharing our knowledge with others in these areas.
REVELATION GIVEN TO THE CHURCH
Revelation given to the Church at large becomes public domain. Such revelations can be freely
shared with all who will put forth the effort to listen, read, or receive them through personal
experience. Public domain revelations can be further subdivided into two subject types:
Spiritual (doctrinal-like Adam-God) and temporal (like food storage).
In chapter three of this work we learned that the Brethren have given the specific charge being
"Stewards of the Mysteries" of Godliness, and that as such they are the ones designated to
determine the doctrine, policy, and procedures of the Church. Only the Lord's anointed
servants, as a body, or His Prophet, the President of the Church, as an individual, can determine
which doctrines will be taught and which doctrines will not be taught, in the Church, regardless
of their truthfulness. Upon their shoulders rests the responsibility for the eternal welfare of
millions of God's children. It would be foolish of them to cause the Church to run after
righteousness or knowledge faster than the weakest of the saints can run. Therefore, they must
retard the public progress of the more capable in order to prevent them from achieving at the
expense, perhaps the eternal expense of the less capable.
For example: The law of consecration and stewardship is a Celestial law. Before an individual
can become exalted he must live this law for it is the law practiced in the Celestial Kingdom
among the Gods. Today there are many members of the Church who could live this law and
rejoice in it's application. Yet we do not live it or even preach of it. Why? Because the Brethren
rightly know that to implement that doctrine and practice right now would exalt some but
would also become the ruin of countless thousands of members of the Church.
The Prophet and President of the Church is thus the only individual upon the face of the earth
who has the authority and responsibility to reveal what will be taught to the general Church
membership. Anyone who publicly teaches doctrines contrary to the express desires of the
President of the Church does so without authority or divine sanction. Regardless of the
truthfulness of doctrines taught by such individuals they may be subject to harsh disciplinary
action by the Church. Such action will be approved and endorsed by the Lord for those
individuals were in essence usurping authority and stewardship to which they were not
entitled and were endeavoring to thwart the work of God. Thus it can be safely assumed that
anyone who is publicly teaching doctrines contrary to those taught by the President of the
Church is an apostate and should be dealt with accordingly.
Individuals who receive revelation from the Lord regarding doctrinal subjects will therefore be
instructed by the Lord to not discuss their revelations or insights with others (or perhaps the
Lord may indicate specific individuals with whom they may share the revelation), or else the
Lord will restrict their revelations to information that can be freely shared with others as a
support or augmentation to what the Prophet has already taught.
In the area of temporal knowledge, however, there is a much wider freedom for sharing
knowledge with others. The same rules of not teaching anything contrary to the teachings of
the Prophet still apply; but due to the vastness of the field of temporal knowledge there has
been relatively little spoken by the Prophet in areas of specific application.
"Our religion incorporates every act and word of man. No man should go to
merchandising unless he does it in God; no man should go to farming or any
other business unless he does it in the Lord...No nation ever did live that counsel,
and transacted its national affair's without the Lord, but what sooner or later
went to pieces and came to naught. The same is true of all nations that now live
or ever will live." (Brigham Young, JD 13:60.)
There is so much to learn in the areas of farming, manufacturing and business that the Prophet
simply cannot dictate it all to the people. Furthermore there are so many variables involved in
each of these areas that general instructions are often not completely applicable. Thus each
individual should labor diligently to gain personal revelation to solve his personal temporal
problems. This knowledge is then free to be shared with others who may be facing similar
problems or difficulties in their temporal affairs. President Young has indicated that the
application of the principle of revelation is much more important to solve present problems
than it is for gaining knowledge of events which happened thousands of years ago or which are
still in the future. Said he:
"My mission to the people is to teach them with regard to their every-day lives. I
presume that there are many here who have heard me say, years and years ago,
that I cared very little about what will take place after the Millennium. Elders
may preach long discourses concerning what took place in the days of Adam,
what occurred before the creation, and what will take place thousands of years
from now, talking of things which have occurred or that will occur yet, of which
they are ignorant, feeding the people on wind; but that is not my method of
teaching. My desire is to teach the people what they should do now, and let the
Millennium take care of itself. To teach them to serve God and to build up his
kingdom is my mission. I have taught faith, repentance, baptism for the
remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy
Ghost. We are to be taught with regard to our every-day life in a temporal point
of view." (JD 12:228.)
This temporal view of the purpose for receiving revelation should not only be extended to our
vocations but to ecology and every other aspect of mortal life. Again President Young has
counseled us saying:
"These are the mysteries of the kingdom of God upon the earth, to know how to
purify and sanctify our affections, the earth upon which we stand, the air we
breath, the water we drink, the houses in which we dwell and the cities which
we build, that when strangers come into our country they may feel a hallowed
influence and acknowledge a power to which they are strangers." (JD 10:176.)
Yet with all of this the most important area in which we should be seeking personal revelation
is to LEARN HOW TO GOVERN OURSELVES. Knowledge alone cannot save us. We must
bring our actions, words, thoughts and feelings into subjection to the principles of
righteousness. This Brigham clearly taught.
"The greatest mystery a man ever learned is how to control the human mind, and
bring every faculty and power of the same in subjection to Jesus Christ. This is
the greatest mystery we have to learn while in these tabernacles of clay." (JD
1:46.)
Man, by his nature, is a curious creature. He continually probes into areas unknown to
him. Most of us will readily discuss the eternities and have strongly formed opinions
concerning events and circumstances there. But few of us are as enthusiastic when it comes to
discussing the mundane day to day tasks of mortality, let alone self improvement. Again
President Young counsels us in this matter:
"You may now be inclined to say, "We wish to hear the mysteries of the
kingdoms of the Gods who have existed from eternity, and of all the kingdoms in
which they will dwell; we desire to have these things portrayed to our
understandings." Allow me to inform you that you are in the midst of it all now,
that you are in just as good a kingdom as you will ever attain to, from now to all
eternity, unless you make it yourselves by the grace of God, by the will of God,
which is a code of laws perfectly calculated to govern and control eternal matter."
(JD 3:336.)
Thus we are now in the midst of eternity. This is why we were sent here. All truth, whether
revealed at the present or not, could have been learned and probably was learned before we
came here. But the lessons of mortality can only be learned by one process, by experience. That
is why we are here. A man can learn all about the theory of swimming, in fact he could be the
world's foremost authority on the theory of swimming, but until he gets into the water he really
doesn't know how to swim. And so it is with life. We knew much before we slept in the veil of
forgetfulness. Our purpose now is to practice what we then knew. We are to swim!!! We are
free to teach others how to swim, that is to share with others personal revelations received as
they relate to our purpose here on the earth but we must remember that they can only learn to
swim by personal experience.
George Q. Cannon also spoke on the subject of man's natural desire to learn of heavenly things,
to communicate with heavenly beings at the expense of God's mortal messengers. Said he:
"We often talk about and desire to see angels. Every person who has joined this
Church has had a desire to have revelations from God our Heavenly Father, and
have knowledge poured out upon him as it was poured out in abundance upon
the prophets of old. I merely suppose that this is so with everybody else, because
I have these feelings myself, and judge others in this respect by myself. But, until
we learn to control and resist those evil influences that are now invisible, I think
it would be unprofitable to have the administration of angels personally or
visibly unto us. Until we can do this, I do not expect that we can have those
other blessings profitably bestowed upon us. I do not expect that in the
providence of God we will be favored with those other blessings until we can
listen to and obey the counsels of those appointed to preside over us. I know it is
natural for people to be anxious to have some ministering spirit wait on them,
and reveal itself unto them...how could I expect, if I disobeyed Brother Joseph
Smith's counsel, that I could be favored with the presence and instruction of any
being further advanced than he was when he was in the flesh?...If we disobey his
counsel (the President of the Church), disregard his warning voice, and are
careless respecting his teachings and the teachings of those associated with him,
we are indeed unworthy of the presence of persons who have been glorified and
who now dwell in the presence of God. I do not expect the day to come when
this people will be favored with the administration of angels - with the presence
of those holy and immortal beings - until we can learn to appreciate the teachings
and instructions of the men of God in our midst. When that day does come that
this people will implicitly obey the voice of them whom God has placed over
them, and give heed to every instruction imparted to them by the SPIRIT OF
REVELATION through the servants of God, then I shall expect visits from holy
angels, and the glory and power of God to rest upon us to that extent it has never
done hitherto but I cannot expect it before that time arrives, because if these
blessings were to be bestowed upon us before we are prepared to receive them, I
should fear they would turn to our condemnation, as they have done to many in
the early history of this Church." (Nov. 13, 1864, JD 11:30-31.)
President Cannon's words are similar in tone to the parable Jesus told of Lazarus and the rich
man. You will recall that when they died, Lazarus was taken to the bosom of Abraham and the
rich man was cast down to hell. Near the close of their conversation the rich man turned to
Abraham and begged him to send Lazarus to the home of his (the rich man's) father to warn his
five brothers. Abraham refused, saying that his brothers had their prophets to direct them in
the path they should go and that even if one from the dead, such as Lazarus, should appear
before them and call them to repentance they would not heed, for if they would not listen to
their prophets they would not listen to a heavenly messenger. (see Luke 16:19-31.)
So it is with us. If we are not diligent in following the council of our living prophet then we will
certainly not follow the advice of a heavenly messenger. Therefore to send messengers to those
who are not prepared to receive them will only add condemnation upon their heads, for though
the messages may be the same the consequences of disobedience are much greater. Let us
therefore prepare ourselves now for future ministrations by obeying the council, given by the
spirit, of the prophet.
There has already been sufficient revealed to enable us to be brought to the point where we
stand ready to enter the straight and narrow gate. President Young explained:
"If they will only live up to it, there has already been enough taught the brethren
who have lived here for years to prepare them to enter into the strait gate and
into New Jerusalem, and be prepared to enjoy the society of the holy angels." (JD
8:177.)
REVELATION GIVEN TO INDIVIDUALS
When we have diligently applied the principles we have been taught by the prophets and have
used every means at our disposal to purify ourselves and repent of our sins, we stand at the
entrance to that strait and narrow gate to which President Young made reference. We are then
prepared to receive further light and knowledge, personal revelation designed to take us
beyond the basic principles which must be taught by the Church.
The teachings of the Church are much like the lessons taught students in a one room school
house. To be effective, the teacher must stimulate all students in all grades at the same
time. The advanced students must be challenged but not at the expense of the less prepared
students, for if the less prepared student is left in the dust the purpose of the school will be
destroyed. If a teacher in a one room school (the Church), could somehow close the class to
prevent other students from entering the student body (prevent church membership from
increasing), so that the teacher always had the same students to work with it would be possible
to eventually teach each and every student all there was to learn on every subject taught in the
school (Church). Though the rate of instruction would be geared to the level of the slowest
student, progress would be made and ultimately even the slowest or youngest student would
be on par with the brightest or oldest student, even if this means that the faster learning
students must periodically wait patiently until the younger ones catch up. Then all could move
on to a big school for more knowledge.
In reality, however, this is impossible to achieve because the membership of the class cannot be
controlled. Each day there are new students being added to the rolls. All new students enter at
the 1st grade level hence the teacher has to continually reteach what was previously taught.
New converts are added to the Church (school) every day by the hundreds. They must all be
taught the basics of the gospel. Thus all teachings of the Church are geared to the level of the
new or relatively new convert. The Church spends its time re-teaching the same principles,
adapting them "...to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be
called saints." (D&C 89:3.) These teachings are designed such that if an individual truly applies
them in his life he will reach the point where he can take the next step and begin receiving
"higher studies" as it were, instructions that can only be obtained by personal revelation. These
instructions cannot be taught openly by the Church because to do so would destroy those who
are "...the weak and weakest of all saints," the new converts.
When an individual is brought to this point, there are several things he must know that will
allow him access to the further light and knowledge he seeks. It is for this purpose that this
paper is written. The key factor to remember, however, is that all knowledge revealed to an
individual by the Lord after he has "graduated from the one room school house" is revealed to
him for his own personal instruction alone. He should rarely divulge it to another individual
upon the face of the earth. If he were to do so he would jeopardize the individual to whom he
revealed it because he doesn't know the level of understanding of the person with whom he is
sharing it. The information he divulges could be the source of ruin for that individual.
Furthermore, by so revealing he jeopardizes himself because he is usurping the stewardship
and authority of those charged to be the "Stewards of the Mysteries." Therefore prior to sharing
personal revelation with others it is IMPERATIVE THAT THE INDIVIDUAL FEEL THE
PROMPTING OF THE SPIRIT TO DO SO OR BE WILLING TO SUFFER THE ETERNAL
CONSEQUENCES OF SHARING THAT WHICH IS BEYOND A PERSON'S ABILITY TO
ACCEPT.
It was to this class of individuals, those who were receiving personal revelation wherein they
learned things above and beyond that publicly taught by the Church, that President Young was
addressing when he said:
"If the Lord Almighty should reveal to a High Priest, or to any other than the
head...a new doctrine that will in five, ten, or twenty years hence become the
doctrine of this Church and Kingdom, but which has not yet been revealed to
this people...he must rarely divulge it to a second person on the face of the earth,
until God reveals it through the proper source to become the property of the
people at large." (JD 3:318.)
"Now I want to tell you that which, perhaps, many of you do not know. Should
you receive a vision or revelation from the Almighty, one that the Lord gave you
concerning yourselves, or this people, but which you are not to reveal on account
of your not being the proper person, or because it ought not to be known by the
people at present, you should shut it up and seal it as close and lock it as tight as
heaven is to you, and make it as secret as the grave." (JD 4:287-288.)
UNREVEALED TRUTHS
There is an infinite amount of truth that God has never revealed to any mortal. Most of these
truths will forever remain beyond the reach of man while he is in this mortal state.
We are totally free to speculate, or study in any area where truth has not been revealed. We are
free to discuss these subjects openly with others. However there are three things that must be
kept clearly in mind when discussing matters of speculation.
1) It often becomes a waste of valuable time to enter into lengthy discussions of
obscure points of doctrine. It is not wrong to exercise the mind and let it stretch
by contemplation of the unknown, however, to abuse this privilege by excess use
can cause one to neglect more important matters.
2) It is sometimes difficult to separate speculation from belief and hence "Gospel
Truth." More than once have contention and harsh feelings developed between
individuals trying to support and strengthen their particular speculative view
point. Speculation is simply not worth the effort when it creates contention, and
at that point can develop into sin.
3) By definition, speculation means delving into the unknown, or forming
opinions and beliefs about the unknown. The Lord has said that the truth of
these areas of the unknown has never entered into the heart of man. Therefore
any conclusions based upon speculation must be recognized as not valid
inasmuch as the Lord has said that the truth of the matter will not even enter into
the heart of a man until revealed to him, and then it ceases to be speculation
because it becomes pure knowledge.
If all of these factors can be kept in proper perspective then speculation can serve a very useful
purpose. First, it will enable one who understands these factors to keep his mind flexible,
capable of considering things from a different view point. Then, when new revelation is
received it will not be discarded or misrepresented due to prejudice or pre-conceived
notions. It can keep a man from becoming set in his ways.
The Greatest use of speculation however is that it forms the springboard for receiving
revelation. When you admit that you do not know something and then begin thinking about it,
studying about it, and sincerely trying to understand it, you begin to place yourself in a position
where the Lord can talk to you. Virtually every major revelation received in this dispensation
came about by the Prophet recognizing that he was ignorant on a certain subject, studied it out,
and then asked the Lord for the answer. For an example of this process, read the 138th section
of the Doctrine and Covenants. We as individuals are entitled to freely consider, discuss, study,
etc., any unrevealed truth we are interested in. Keep in mind the three rules listed above and
then bear in mind also, that any revelation the Lord may deem to grant upon the subject will
probably be revealed to us and us alone. We will not be able to share it with any other person
without incurring the wrath of a just God unless He prompts us to do so.
~~ Chapter VI ~~
KNOWLEDGE LOST
When Adam and Eve were upon the earth they walked and talked with their Father and
God. They, with the exception of Jesus Christ, held a closer relationship with God than any
other mortal to grace this earth. They communed with Him personally, face to face. There was
nothing withheld from them by God that was expedient for them to understand. They
understood the plan of salvation and prophesied the history of the world down through the
ages until it should be no more in this fallen state. Nor did they bottle their knowledge up
inside of themselves but caused a Book of Remembrance to be kept wherein all of this was
recorded for the benefit of their posterity. They actively taught the gospel message to their
children and shared all of their divinely given knowledge with them. It is not the fault of Adam
and Eve that today the world lacks knowledge of God.
Beginning with Cain and continuing down through the ages, mankind has lost the divinely
given knowledge, understanding, and hence, blessings that could have been his. This, of course,
is the direct result of sin having been introduced into the world, both sins of commission and
sins of omission as well as the love and obedience that men have heaped upon Satan rather than
upon their Father and true God.
Some individuals, such as Cain, had full knowledge of what they were doing, the choices they
were making, the being they chose to serve, and the ultimate consequences of their choices. Yet
they still chose to serve the "Destroyer of Knowledge," the "Father of Lies."
Through ignorance, others lost the knowledge they had, and thus prevented their posterity
from obtaining it, because of apathy, reluctance, or rejection. It is for this reason that mankind
today is struggling so desperately with life. This is why we have wars, contentions, and even
different religious beliefs; because somewhere along the line, from Adam to the present
generation, someone failed to pass along correct or complete knowledge to their children. Thus
apathy, reluctance, and rejection are the cause for knowledge having been lost to the present
generation. Inasmuch as complete knowledge is no longer upon the earth, those desiring it
must go back to the original source, to God, and gain it from Him through personal revelation.
KNOWLEDGE LOST THROUGH APATHY
Apathy is a failure to seek for knowledge. When Adam and Eve taught the principles of the
Gospel (there was no corporate Church) to their children, some received it with outstretched
arms while others closed their ears. They were more interested in the things of this world;
boredom, lack of interest, and certainly lack of application and diligence to gospel principles
resulted. Thus knowledge was lost to them and to their posterity.
Others of Adam and Eve's children accepted the gospel message in pretense but failed to put
forth the extra effort to learn for themselves, relying on others (arm of flesh), not seeking the
Spirit, those sacred things that can only be learned by personal study and revelation. They did
not internalize the gospel message by developing personal testimonies.
Those who succumb to the bonds of apathy are those who are satisfied with the status quo, they
are bound by tradition and are too ignorant to know that they are missing something because of
a lack of spiritual sensitivity. They are accurately described by Joseph Smith when he
compared them to ignorant beasts:
"There are but a very few beings in the world who understand rightly the
character of God. The great majority of mankind do not comprehend anything,
either that which is past, or that which is to come, as it respects their relationship
to God. They do not know, neither do they understand the nature of that
relationship and consequently they know but little above the brute beast, or more
than to eat, drink and sleep. This is all man knows about God or his existence,
unless it is given by the inspiration of the Almighty.
If a man learns nothing more than to eat, drink and sleep, and does not
comprehend any of the designs of God, the Beast comprehends the same things.
It eats, drinks, sleeps, and knows nothing more about God; yet it knows as much
as we, unless we are able to comprehend by the inspiration of Almighty God. If
men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend
themselves. I want to go back to the beginning, and so lift your minds into a
more lofty sphere and a more exalted understanding than what the human mind
generally aspires to." (Joseph Smith, TPJS, p. 343.)
This class of individuals does not want to be instructed in the things of righteousness. They
intentionally close their ears and eyes to understanding. Because they intentionally shut out
understanding, the Lord also intentionally shields them from gaining further
understanding. This is why he teaches them in parables. He explained his reasoning as
follows:
"Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing
they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy
of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and
seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross,
and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any
time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should
understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal
them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear."
(Jesus Christ, JST Matt. 13:13-18.)
Thus the knowledge presented in parables is available for all if they will put forth the effort to
see beyond the symbolism. But if they, of their own accord, close their minds to further
understanding, they are left with the superficial story of the parable. Joseph Smith referred to
this class of individuals when he said:
"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." (TPJS, p. 309.)
People who are "too wise to be taught" certainly do not "believe" the higher teachings which
could be theirs. "I believe all that God ever revealed," remarked Joseph Smith, "and I never
heard of a man being damned for believing too much: but they are damned for unbelief." (TPJS,
p. 374.) Thus those who through apathy never learn the higher laws and principles which are
gained by personal revelation must suffer damnation. On another occasion the Prophet taught
"...any man that does not receive revelation for himself must be damned..." (Words of Joseph
Smith, p. 230.) Just what this damnation consists of and how the willfully ignorant will suffer, it
will be covered in greater detail in the next chapter.
KNOWLEDGE LOST THROUGH RELUCTANCE
Members of the Church who receive instructions or counsel from God, either directly or
through His anointed servants, may exercise their agency in following the counsel
given. Failure to apply or implement the revealed instructions may be due to one of three
causes: 1) Fear of God or man; 2) Unwillingness to pay the price of hard work, or 3) A desire to
continue in the old ways of sin.
The Lord has told us "...(I am) bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye
have no promise." (D&C 82:10.) The converse of this is also true. When we do not keep His
commandments nor put forth the effort to honestly try to bring our lives into harmony with
Him He is prevented –His hands are tied - He is bound against revealing further light and
knowledge to us. He must obey the eternal law irrevocably decreed before the foundations of
this world which states that He must reveal unto the faithful until they posses all knowledge,
but He must also take away from the unfaithful until they know nothing at all:
"...It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God...and he that will not
harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given
unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full. And they
that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until
they know nothing, concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by
the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by
the chains of hell." (Alma 12:9-11.)
Our generation can be compared with the Israelites at the time of Moses. The Lord knew their
capabilities and limitations. He knew that it was within their power to live the higher laws of
the Kingdom. Therefore, He gave Moses the laws which would bring Israel back into His
presence in a Zion type society. Israel, however, was reluctant to grasp the higher law. Thus the
Lord was bound to remove the higher law from among the people and in its place reveal the
law of Carnal Commandments which burdened Israel like a school master for 2,000 years.
In our dispensation the Lord has given us an intermediate law, a step higher than the Law of
Carnal Commandments, which governs a people who are allowed personal access to the
presence of God. Membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is but a
stepping stone -the "Outward Church Below" (Hymn #102). This is but a preparatory church for
membership into the higher and more holy "Church of the Firstborn," (not to be confused with
an apostate group by the same name) the "Inner Circle of Faithful Saints.” Membership into this
higher organization is granted to those who make their calling and election sure. Elder Bruce R.
McConkie explained membership into this organization as follows:
"Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who so devote
themselves to righteousness that they receive the higher ordinances of exaltation
become members of the CHURCH OF THE FIRSTBORN. Baptism is the gate to
membership in the Church of Jesus Christ but celestial marriage is the gate to
membership in the Church of the Firstborn, the inner circle of faithful saints who
are heirs of exaltation and the fulness of the Father's kingdom. The Church of the
Firstborn is made up of the sons of God, those who are destined to be joint-heirs
with Christ in receiving all that the Father hath." (Bruce R. McConkie; Mormon
Doctrine, p. 139-140.)
There are two church organizations. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is an agent
to the higher and more holy Church of the Firstborn. This is pointed out in modern revelation:
"...this is the testimony of the gospel of Christ concerning them who shall ("shall"
was added after 1880) come forth in the resurrection of the just- They are they
who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were
baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in the water in his name,
and this according to the commandment which he has givenThat by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed from all
their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands of him who is
ordained and sealed unto this power; And who overcome by faith, and are
sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those
who are just and true.
They are they who are the Church of the Firstborn.
They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things-They are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fullness, and
of his glory;
And are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after
the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son.
Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God-Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things
to come, all are theirs and they are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
And they shall overcome all things.
Wherefore, let no man glory in man, but rather let him glory in God, who shall
subdue all enemies under his feet.
These shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and ever.
These are they whom he shall bring with him, when he shall come in the clouds
of heaven to reign on the earth over his people.
These are they who shall have part in the first resurrection.
These are they who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just.
These are they who are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living
God, the heavenly place, the holiest of all.
These are they who have come to an innumerable company of angels, to the
general assembly and church of Enoch, and of the Firstborn.
These are they whose names are written in heaven, where God and Christ are the
judge of all.
These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the
new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of
his own blood.
These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the
glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written
of as being typical." (D&C 76:50-70.)
As individuals humble themselves before the Lord, He will reveal His will unto them line upon
line and precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. The Lord has stated that as an
individual begins this process of receiving personal revelation he must receive and apply what
he receives or suffer the consequences.
"...for whosoever receiveth, to him shall be given and he shall have more
abundance but whosoever continueth not to receive from him shall be taken
away even that he hath." (JST Matt. 13:12.)
When a person receives revelation from God he will be taught things which never before
entered his mind. This can be very frightening - like recorded in the parable of the man who
put new wine into old bottles (see Luke 5:36-39). At the conclusion of the parable he describes
the feelings of a person who may have just received personal revelation that was extremely
frightening to him. Said he:
"No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new; for he saith The
old is better." (Luke 5:39.)
Luke's statement that "The old (wine) is better" could mean that when a person receives
personal revelation he will learn things that never before entered into his heart or mind. This
could be frightening and he may be prone to say in his heart "The old wine is better” or in other
words "My old ways or old understanding were better because it is less frightening, therefore I
will reject the new and remain with the old." In an attempt to justify his reluctant attitude or to
even justify his complete rejection of what the Lord had just revealed to his mind he may run to
a supposed authority figure to learn their feelings upon the subject. Since the authority figure
has not received the same revelation, and since the "revelation" contains instructions or
information foreign to the understanding traditionally had among church members he will of
certainty counsel the individual to forget the "revelation" he has received. He may even tell the
individual that he is off the beaten path, on the high road to apostasy, and clearly deceived in
the matter. The highest form of obedience (as in the first covenant made in the endowment) is
to personal revelation from God. There is no higher authority than instruction from God
through personal revelation. UNFORTUNATELY, individuals who are reluctant to do the will
of the Father will almost always accept the uninspired counsel of an authority figure at the
expense of the revelation just received from God. Blessings are lost, opportunity is passed by,
and the individual is truly set on a path which, if not repented of, will surely lead them down
the road to ignorance.
On the other hand, if a person is faithful and receives the instructions given him from God he
will be tested to see if he remains true and faithful to that new knowledge. As Brigham Young
explained:
"I ask, is there a reason for men and women being exposed more constantly and
more powerfully, to the power of the enemy, by having visions than by not
having them? There is and it is simply this – God never bestows upon his
people, or upon an individual, superior blessings without a severe trial to prove
them, to prove that individual, or that people, to see whether they will keep their
covenants with him, and keep in remembrance what He has shown them. Then
the greater the vision, the greater the display of the power of the enemy. So when
individuals are blessed with visions, revelations, and great manifestations,
LOOK OUT, THEN THE DEVIL IS NIGH YOU, AND YOU WILL BE TEMPTED
IN PROPORTION TO THE VISIONS, REVELATION, OR MANIFESTATION
YOU HAVE RECEIVED." (JD 3:205-206.)
This testing process which the Lord will put an individual through may come in many different
ways, not necessarily in the form of direct temptations of the Devil. A person could conceivably
be enticed by his church file leader or even by the President of the Church to do something
contrary to what the individual has just been instructed by the Lord to do. A classic example of
this type of testing by the Priesthood can be found in the Old Testament. In the thirteenth
chapter of I Kings is found a beautiful yet tragic story of a minor prophet who had been
commanded by the Lord to call king Jeroboam and his people to repentance. This prophet was
further instructed by the Lord to "...eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same
way that thou camest." (I Kings 13:9) King Jeroboam and his people did repent of the evil they
had done and as a token of his deep gratitude to the prophet he invited him to come and eat
with him. To this invitation the prophet replied, "If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will
not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place for so was it charged
me by the word of the Lord..." (I Kings 13:8-9.)
This minor prophet was faithful to the word of the Lord when the king invited him to
dine. However, as the prophet was in route to his home he was entreated by another prophet, a
prophet of higher authority (the "Old Prophet"), to come and visit with him. The minor prophet
did so and during the course of conversation the "Old Prophet" said: "Come home with me, and
eat bread." The minor prophet was true to the instructions he had personally received from the
Lord and responded saying:
"I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee; neither will I eat bread nor drink
water with thee in this place: for it was said to me by the word of the Lord, Thou
shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that
thou camest." (I Kings 13:16-17.)
We are informed in the Joseph Smith Translation of this story that the Lord instructed the Old
Prophet to TEST the younger prophet to see if he would remain true to the instruction he had
received. To further test him the Old Prophet stated:
"...I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the
Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread
and drink water, that I may prove him; and he lied not unto him." (JST I Kings
13:18.)
This placed the younger prophet in a very difficult position. The Lord had personally told him
to not eat or drink until he returned to his own home, yet here was his file leader, the Old
Prophet, telling him that the Lord had changed his mind and that an angel of the Lord had told
him to feed and refresh the younger prophet. The challenge was designed to test the young
prophet according to his level of understanding. The tragic outcome of this story is that the
younger prophet accepted his file leader's invitation and he did eat and drink contrary to what
the Lord had specifically instructed him. At the conclusion of the meal the Old Prophet rebuked
his young companion saying:
"Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the Lord,
and hast not kept the commandment which the Lord thy God commanded thee,
But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which
the Lord did say to thee, Eat not bread, and drink no water, thy carcass shall not
come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers." (I Kings 13:21-22.)
The younger man was undoubtedly shocked and mortified at his disobedience at trusting in the
word of the Old Prophet (arm of flesh) rather than that of the Lord. He immediately resumed
his journey to his own home and enroute was killed by a lion. (I Kings 13:24) The Old Prophet
mourned his death bitterly but understood the justice of the Lords judgment and the price that
must be paid for disobedience.
The question before all of us then is, will we be valiant in the testing process when the Lord
reveals personal knowledge to us or will we be reluctant to obey? Will we press forward until
we receive sufficient revelation and testing to qualify for membership in the Church of the
Firstborn, or will we dwindle in unbelief, being reluctant to accept the Lord's mind and will?
Brigham Young stated it well when he said:
"According as a people are willing to receive the things of God, so the heavens
send forth their blessings. If the people are stiffnecked, the Lord can tell them
but little." (JD 9:311.)
Let us, therefore, not lose knowledge due to reluctancy in following the instructions of the Lord
to us whether received through the Lords anointed servants or through personal revelation. Let
us be faithful in obeying the Lord when He subjects us to the testing process, however that test
may come. Let us remove the question marks from His instructions and replace them with
exclamation marks in the spirit of Nephi when he said:
"I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the
Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a
way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."
(I Nephi 3:7.)
KNOWLEDGE LOST THROUGH REJECTION
As we have just observed, people react differently when eternal truths are revealed to
them. Some are too complacent in their lives to accept the glorious principles that could be
theirs. Through apathy, the most common form of rejection, they seal the door to divine
knowledge not only against themselves but also against their posterity. Others are quick to
discuss and study theological points but are reluctant to implement principles which are
designed for their exaltation. The greatest destroyer of their faith is unbelief. Lack of belief
destroys not only faith in what has just been learned but also undermines faith in what was
previously believed and, if not repented of, will eventually rob a person of that which was
formerly cherished. Because of fear, misunderstanding, or unwillingness to do what is required
by God, these individuals seal the door of divine revelation and forfeit blessings which would
otherwise be within their grasp.
Yet there is another class of individuals who are even more destructive to the work of God, and
the knowledge He reveals from heaven. Those who "flat-out" reject the revealed word often
take one more step. Not able to live and let live, these individuals openly attempt to squelch,
stamp out, rebel against, and destroy the things of God. This is the principle that crucified
Christ and took the life of Joseph Smith. Referring to this class of individuals Joseph stated:
"They are crying out against Prophets, Apostles, Angels, Revelation,
Prophesying, and Visions etc. Why, they are just ripening for the damnation of
hell, they will be damned for they reject the more glorious principle of the gospel
of Jesus Christ and treat with disdain and trample under foot the main key that
unlocks the heavens and puts in our possession the glories of the Celestial
world. Yes I say such will be damned with all their professed godliness."
(Sunday 14 May 1843; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 202.)
Throughout history peoples and nations have rejected the truths of the gospel. As Joseph
stated, they have rejected the idea of Angels, Revelation, Prophesying, and Visions. Because of
their rejection of these things they have suffered the consequences of their actions. Individuals
are no exception, for "...When God offers a blessing or knowledge to a man (or woman), and he
refuses to receive it he will be damned." (Joseph Smith, Words of Joseph Smith, p. 247.)
Nephi explained this principle in the following manner.
"Yea, wo be unto him that saith: We have received, and we need no more! And in
fine, wo unto all those who tremble, and are angry because of the truth of
God! For behold, he that is built upon the rock receiveth it with gladness; and he
that is built upon a sandy foundation trembleth lest he shall fall.
Wo be unto him who shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need
no more of the word of God, for we have enough! For behold, thus saith the Lord
God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept,
here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who harken unto my
precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto
him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, we have
enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have." (2 Nephi
28:27-30.)
And thus through their rebellion their knowledge becomes lost, not only to themselves, but also
to their posterity and they risk eternal damnation. Again Joseph explained:
"...if we have direct revelations given us from heaven, surely those revelations
were never given to be trifled with, without the trifler's incurring displeasure
and vengeance upon his own head..." (TPJS, p. 54.)
Once God reveals truth to an individual or to the people they can no longer stand on neutral
ground. They must either embrace it or fight against God. Joseph Smith recognized why former
members of the Church became so bitter in their opposition. If we do not continually receive
revelations from God we are not recognized by Him as His people. Joseph clearly taught this
truth, said he:
"The plea of many in this day is that we have no right to receive revelations. But
if we do not get revelations we...are not the people of God." (Sunday 22 Jan. 1843;
Words of Joseph Smith, p. 156.)
We should be receiving revelations not only as a people from our prophet, but we should also
be receiving detailed personal revelations for governing our own lives. Let us not be guilty of
rejecting revelations from God either by way of apathy, reluctancy to implement his will, or
through open rebellion. For whatever the reason it appears that the consequences are much the
same: blessings forfeited, opportunities lost, and ultimately, if not repented of, eternal
damnation.
~~ Chapter VII ~~
CONSEQUENCES OF REJECTION
We previously learned that an individual can reject the knowledge of God through apathy,
reluctance, or outright rebellion. Naturally the penalty for rejecting the word of God will vary
according to the nature of the individual. Those who oppose God in open rebellion must suffer
a more severe penalty than those who in affect reject His word because they are to apathetic to
learn His word. Nevertheless, there are natural consequences for rejecting the knowledge of
God regardless of the reasons for or circumstances surrounding the rejection.
Wilford Woodruff recorded in his journal the following remarks made by Joseph Smith during
the general conference in April of 1844.
"But if ye are not led by revelation how can ye escape the damnation of
hell? (Joseph Smith; April 7, 1844; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 345.)
On other occasions the Prophet stated:
"The principle of knowledge is the principle of salvation. This principle can be
comprehended by the faithful and diligent; and anyone that does not obtain
knowledge sufficient to be saved will be condemned." (TPJS, p. 297.)
"Knowledge saves a man and in the world of spirits no man can be exalted but
by knowledge." (TPJS, p. 357.)
It becomes apparent that when individuals reject the knowledge of God which He tries to
bestow upon them, whether their rejection be caused by apathy, reluctance, or rebellion the
natural consequences are the same. They forfeit the exaltation they could have received and in
its place receive condemnation or the "damnation of hell."
God is a kind and loving Father. He gets no pleasure at condemning His children. Our
condemnation causes Him pain and suffering just as earthly parents suffer pain when they
watch their children suffer the natural consequences of their mistakes and follies. He knows the
end from the beginning and, therefore, tries to guide us in order to protect and shield us from
the consequences we experience from mistakes. He warns us, calls us to repentance, tries to
teach us of the grave danger we are in unless we heed His voice of warning. But He cannot live
our lives for us and wisely allows us to choose our own destiny.
In order to more clearly understand why the acquisition of knowledge is so important, let us
place our lives in their historical setting from an eternal perspective. Examining our pre-mortal
existence, our present probationary state, and our post-mortal spiritual state we can understand
how knowledge or the lack thereof can affect us.
PRE-MORTAL EXISTENCE
The traditional understanding of most Latter-day Saints is to think of our premortal existence as
a place of extreme happiness and joy. We lived in the very presence of our Father in
Heaven. There was no contention or difficulty whatsoever, except for the rebellion of
Lucifer. The nature of that rebellion is quite nebulous in our minds and is generally thought of
being fairly short in duration.
With that one exception, our past lives for countless thousands of earth years, perhaps even
billions of earth years, have been lives filled with peace and contentment, in which we prepared
for coming to this probationary state. Though that picture serves a purpose, it is not entirely
accurate. Joseph Smith made some statements which would indicate that perhaps life there was
not all that different from life here. There were great difficulties associated with our pre-mortal
existence; difficulties which were so severe that only knowledge and the obtaining of corporeal
bodies could enable us to overcome them. While speaking upon the subject of our pre-mortal
existence the Prophet said:
"It is natural...with those spirits that (have) the most power to bare down on
those of lesser power." (Joseph Smith; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 68.)
In our pre-mortal life some beings had more power than others and that they used that power
unrighteously to bear down on beings of lesser power. That sounds much like this mortal life of
strife and power struggles. That God did organize his spirit children along ecclesiastical lines of
some sort cannot be denied, but as soon as any of His leaders begin to exercise any degree of
unrighteous dominion they would be immediately removed from their office, "Amen to their
Priesthood," as it were, and thus eliminated the oppression they were causing. We see this
same thing in wicked men upon this earth who unrighteously wield power and authority over
individuals and nations due to their knowledge of science or technology, or their ability to
manipulate circumstances both spiritually and physically.
Joseph Smith made another blanket statement regarding power when he explained:
"All beings who have bodies have power over those who have not." (Words of
Joseph Smith, p. 60.)
This is a concept readily accepted by most Latter-day Saints. It is for this reason that evil spirits
have no power over us unless we permit them, because we have bodies and they do
not. However, coupling this statement with the previous statement by Joseph, can we deduce
that there were tabernacled beings who dwelt in our pre-mortal state who exercised
unrighteous dominion over our spirits, hence they had bodies and we did not? Be not too hasty
in rejecting this line of reasoning even though it flies against everything we have traditionally
been taught. Addressing this very idea the Prophet Joseph taught the following:
"God is good and all his acts (are) for the benefit of inferior intelligences - God
saw that those intelligences had NOT power to defend themselves against those
that had a tabernacle, therefore the Lord calls them together in counsel and
agrees to form them tabernacles." (Words of Joseph Smith, p. 68.)
We, therefore, learn that in our pre-mortal estate, God called the counsel together to present a
plan whereby those who did not have tabernacles could be provided with corporeal
bodies. Joseph explained that the express purpose for granting tangible bodies to the children
of God was so that they could defend themselves against the oppressions of an unrighteous
group that already had tabernacles.
It is generally understood that at the time of the grand counsel in heaven the only being to
possess a corporeal body was God himself, all others being spirit entities only. This, however,
is not entirely correct according to Joseph Smith. There were other beings - unrighteous, wicked
individuals, who also possessed physical bodies. Inasmuch as they were not righteous let's call
them children of the devil rather than children of God. These physical bodied children of the
devil lived among us in our pre-mortal state and caused such terrible oppression upon us that
God called a counsel to put into action the eternal plan to protect His children from the
onslaught of these wicked personages by arming His children with physical bodies. Thus reenacting the eternal drama and setting in motion that which has been done on other worlds.
Joseph amplified upon this theme explaining:
"Before (the) foundation of the earth in the Grand counsel...the Spirits of all men
were subject to oppression and the express purpose of God in giving it a
tabernacle was to arm it against the power of darkness." (Words of Joseph Smith,
p. 62.)
Clearly the oppressive tabernacled beings mentioned in the earlier quotes and the tabernacled
powers of darkness Joseph mentioned in this passage are one and the same. They are the ones
who oppressed us in our pre-mortal state and it is because of their oppression that God desired
to extend to us the privilege of mortality. In other words, there were some wicked, evil
tabernacled beings who resided in our pre-mortal existence who bore down upon and
oppressed those who did not have bodies. God saw that this was not fair and so said in effect,
"I will organize an earth and allow men to take upon them tabernacles of flesh for the express
purpose of placing them on equal footing with these wicked tabernacled beings who are
oppressing my spirit children. Since all beings with tabernacles have power over those without
tabernacles, it is impossible for my spirit children to defend themselves against the more
advanced wicked ones who emanate powers of darkness." Thus clothed with a tabernacle, and
gaining sufficient knowledge of how to use the tabernacle, we will be able to overcome the
powers of darkness and go on to receive our exaltation. At present we are as infants and do not
even begin to understand the powers within us by virtue of having a physical tabernacle. It is
to this end that our search for knowledge must take us.
MORTAL PROBATION
It is very evident to all here upon the earth that knowledge is power. Because of knowledge our
economic differences abound, one knows how to acquire material goods and another does
not. Knowledge in the scientific field makes technological advances possible, thereby granting
one society power over another that lacks those advances.
Knowledge, in and of itself, brings with it certain associated powers regardless of the
righteousness or wickedness to which the powers are applied. For example: mechanical forces
can accomplish an amazing amount of labor but is quickly outworked by electrical
power. Electrical power, however, is easily dwarfed by nuclear power. Knowledge of these
forms of power grant to the user certain powers regardless of how righteous or wicked the user
may be. A war fought between two countries, one armed with swords and spears and another
with nuclear weapons would be no contest at all.
In like manner we are engaged in an eternal war over our souls. During our pre-mortal
existence the battle was very one sided. The powers of darkness possessed physical bodies (at
least some did). This gave them a tremendous advantage. Here on earth we have been given a
temporary reprieve against direct confrontation with these powers so that we might learn how
to govern and control our bodies. When we gain sufficient knowledge of self mastery as well as
other knowledge which God will grant us as we become prepared to receive it, we will be able
to continue on with the fight until we eventually are able to triumph over the enemy
completely. Ultimately, the war must be won or lost on an individual by individual basis. No
one can fight our battle for us. No one, no matter how much they love us, can win the war for
us. We alone, each of us individually, must gain sufficient knowledge and strength of self to
totally overcome the powers of darkness in the eternal battle for our souls.
It is important that we take advantage of our time here in mortality, for when we leave this
earth we will also leave the protective shield which momentarily prevents direct confrontation
with the powers of darkness and affords us the opportunity to develop self mastery and to
acquire the needed knowledge to overcome the adversary. Satan knows this so he tries to
prevent us from gaining sufficient self mastery and the knowledge we need to triumph over
him by side tracking us with the cares of the world or by interesting us in gaining knowledge
about things which, though interesting, have no real consequence upon our eternal standing.
The Lord has told us that:
"Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us
in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in
this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much
the advantage in the world to come." (D&C 130:18-19.)
The Lord is not referring to scholastic learning or the acquiring of secular knowledge. A
profound knowledge of hydro dynamics, electrical engineering or foreign languages will not
give us any advantage in the next world. The kind of knowledge and intelligence the Lord
refers to in this verse can, as He stated, only be obtained by "diligence" and "obedience.� Thus
"diligence" in keeping the commandments of the lord and "obedience" to the mind and will of
the Lord are the schoolmasters we need to follow. The question then is, over what will we have
advantage in the next world by gaining knowledge here in mortality? Let's consider the next
world and see.
POST-MORTAL STATE
It is evident that one of the purposes for coming to this earth is to obtain a body and knowledge
of how to overcome the powers of darkness we will encounter in the next world. Those who
neglect their responsibility or reject the knowledge God desires to pour out upon them must
suffer the natural consequences by being brought into captivity and oppressed by the powers of
darkness in the next life. Joseph Smith taught that:
"A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge, for if he does not get
knowledge, he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other
world, as evil spirits (and perhaps tabernacled beings too) have more knowledge,
and consequently more power than many men who are on the earth. Hence it
needs revelation to assist us, and give us knowledge of the things of God." (TPJS,
p. 217.)
Knowledge gained by personal revelation is the key that will unlock the door to freedom in the
next world. Those who reject the key to their freedom must pay the price. As with every other
principle of the gospel, disobedience to this one will bring about a wide variety of punishment,
or subjection to the powers of darkness, depending upon the degree of rejection.
Heber C. Kimball was shown the powers of darkness in vision and learned how they are
organized in the spirit world, or the world into which we will pass when we leave this state. He
saw that they there continue the war on the souls of men, particularly upon the righteous. He
cautioned us lest we be overcome by them even in that estate. Said he:
"As for the departure from this state of existence (mortality), it is but for a
moment; and though I have not tasted death, yet I have seen in vision the
invisible enemies of God, and they were organized and arranged in battle against
one or two men, simply because those men were going to proclaim the
Gospel...and the devil did not like it...they will have great power in the last days
(evil spirits), and if you do not overcome them, you will fall into the same spirit
and you will be as liable to be deceived in that state of existence as you are in
this..." (Heber C. Kimball; JD 4:5.)
In referring to the future life of individuals who would not subject themselves to the powers of
the Priesthood of God, but would rather subject themselves to the powers and influences of
darkness in this life Orson Pratt said:
"The whole spirit world in the lower orders is full of deception, and unless you
have something to detect and understand the truth from the false you are liable
to be led astray and destroyed. I do not know that I need to say anything further
about these two powers, only that all evil powers will go to their own place; and,
unless these men repent, the same being that has power over them here in the
flesh will hold them in captivity in the next world; unless they repent, the same
being who gives them revelation here will hold the mastery over them there, and
will control them; and if they do not find a dictating and controlling power in the
Priesthood, they will find it among those beings to whom they have yielded
themselves subject to obey; and so will every other person that yields to false
influences; they will be overcome and Satan will destroy them, unless they
repent." (JD 13:74-75.)
Partial rejection of the knowledge of God will exclude one from the presence of God and
exaltation. These individuals will be assigned to some other kingdom of glory in which they
will beheld captive by the powers of darkness to a greater or lesser degree as determined by
their knowledge.
One comforting thought is that complete rejection of the word of God and open rebellion to his
plan is simply not possible for most of us. To completely reject the plan one must first have had
the heavens opened to him, know God, and receive the order of blessings and ordinances
attending the visitation of the Second Comforter. (See Words of Joseph Smith, p. 347 & 396.) To
have enjoyed this blessing and then reject the higher knowledge would cause one to become a
son of perdition. Those suffering this punishment will be cast into outer darkness where they
will be turned over completely to the powers of darkness and made captive to them.
It seems very clear that the punishment we will receive in the next world will be very closely
linked to the amount of knowledge we gain in this world. Obviously the knowledge needed to
overcome the powers of darkness is not the type of secular knowledge learned in the public
school system but rather knowledge of righteousness, knowledge of faith, and knowledge of
repentance which can only be gained by experience, obedience, faithfulness and diligence to the
revealed word of God. Our Father knows the tremendous powers of subjugation possessed by
the evil one, and is therefore eager to teach His children through the Light of Christ, the Gift of
the Holy Ghost, living oracles, scriptures, and most importantly through personal revelation so
that we can overcome those powers and win the battle for our soul.
~~ Chapter VIII ~~
MUST KNOW GOD THROUGH PERSONAL REVELATION
Inasmuch as complete and correct knowledge about God and His plan of exaltation for His
children has been lost through the ages, mankind today is left to grope and struggle in
darkness. Only within the Church is found a ray of light shining upon this spiritually darkened
orb. Even within the Church however there still exists more darkness than necessary.
In Chapter four it was pointed out that the Church is built upon a foundation of revelation and
the family is the basic unit of the Church. Therefore, the family should also be built upon a
foundation of continuing personal revelation. The purpose for such revelation is two fold; 1)
the family requires continuous revelation in order to guide and direct it through the difficult
times in which we live, and 2) there are certain eternal truths which will never be discussed
openly even among devout members of the Church. The only way for an individual to learn
these truths is to humble himself before his Father in Heaven and gain this knowledge
personally from Him. As Joseph Smith explained:
"...Verily brethren there are things in the bosom of the Father, that have been hid
from the foundation of the world, that are not known neither can be except by
direct revelation...add faith, virtue, etc. to godliness, brotherly kindness, ...(and)
ye shall neither be barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ...knowledge is revelation hear all ye brethren, this grand key." (Sunday, 21
May 1843; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 206-207.)
"But," says one, "I have no right to receive personal revelation, especially regarding things kept
hid since before the foundation of the world." Others may say in their hearts, "I have never
been commanded to seek for personal revelation, that's what we have prophets for. I'll wait
until he gets a revelation that he cares to share with the Church since I have never been
commanded to gain any new revelation on my own." Obviously individuals who harbor these
feelings do not understand the command which they received when they were confirmed a
member of the Church.
During confirmation, those who are authorized and empowered to do so, place their hands on
our head and confirm us a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Then
they add this command: "Receive the Holy Ghost." This command is not directed to the Holy
Ghost ordering him to come to us - the command is directed to us, requiring us to receive him
when he comes.
What is the purpose for the Holy Ghost coming to us, and the command to us to receive him
when he comes? Joseph Smith explained the mission of the Holy Ghost in the following
manner:
"No man can receive the Holy Ghost without receiving revelations. The Holy
Ghost is a revelator." (Sunday, 15 Oct. 1843; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 256.)
To determine whether or not the command to "Receive the Holy Ghost" has been complied
with, an individual need only ask himself when was the last time he received a personal
revelation, and how frequently does he receive them. In addition to confirmation and the
reception of the Holy Ghost, it appears that there are also specific priesthood keys which aid in
obtaining personal revelation. More detail will be given to this subject in subsequent chapters.
Once again we turn to the Prophet Joseph for enlightenment:
"...the spirit, power and calling of Elijah is that ye have power to hold the keys of
the revelations, ordinances, oracles, powers and endowments of the fullness of
the Melchizedek Priesthood and of the Kingdom of God on the earth and to
receive, obtain and perform all the ordinances belonging to the Kingdom of
God...Now what I am after is the knowledge of God and I take my own course to
obtain it...we must have revelations then and we can see that the doctrine of
revelation far transcends the doctrine of no revelation." (Sunday, 10 March 1844;
Words of Joseph Smith, p. 329-330.)
If a person receives revelation would that not qualify him to be called a prophet, at least within
the jurisdiction of his stewardship? Joseph refers to the writings of John the Revelator and then
makes the following comments:
"John the Revelator says that the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of
Prophecy. Now if any man has the testimony of Jesus has he not the spirit of
prophecy and if he has the spirit of prophecy, I ask is he not a prophet and if a
prophet well he can receive revelation. And any man that does not receive
revelation for himself must be damned for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of
prophecy, for Christ says, ask and you shall receive. And if he happens to
receive anything. I ask, will it not be a revelation? And if any man has not the
testimony of Jesus or the spirit of God he is none of his Christs' namely. And if
not his, he must be damned. What are we to understand by a Prophet? It is his
character to predict things that are in the future." (Sunday, 9 July 1843; Words of
Joseph Smith, p. 230.)
As we read the scriptures and learn of the experiences of others in ages past, of such men as
Moses, Abraham, Nephi, Enoch, we learn of the great revelations they received. We may even
read of the content of their revelations in the brief synoptical writings they have left. But what
real value do they serve? Certainly their contribution is invaluable but it could be that the most
important reason they have been preserved is to help us become curious of the designs of God
and thereby seek to obtain the same or greater revelations for ourselves, Joseph Smith taught:
"Reading the experiences of others, or the revelations given to them, can never
give us a comprehensive view of our condition and true relation to
God. Knowledge of these things, can only be obtained by experience in those
things, through the ordinances of God set forth for that purpose...truth in
reference to these matters, can, and may be known, through the revelations of
God in the way of his ordinances, and in answer to prayer." (Monday, 9 Oct.
1843; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 253.)
This is the same principle that Nephi understood when his father Lehi related visions he had
received. Nephi listened attentively then retired to the wilderness, bowed before the Lord and
in humble, sincere prayer, requested the Lord to grant him the same revelations his father had
received. We too are entitled to the same blessings; in fact, it is our privilege to receive the
same. Joseph said:
"It is the privilege of the children of God to come to God and get revelation."
(Words of Joseph Smith, p. 13.)
As was pointed out in chapter two, Joseph continually labored to teach the saints of his day this
principle, to educate them that there is much more to the gospel than is generally understood,
and which is essential to their salvation and exaltation in the eternal worlds. Joseph taught that
the saints need only ask God to reveal it to them. Unfortunately, the saints then were much like
the saints now, they simply would not put forth the effort to learn on their own. For this reason
they had to experience many of the hardships of persecution which they otherwise would have
avoided had they been more in harmony with the Spirit of the Lord and with each
other. Joseph was so bold as to say that without revelation there could be no salvation,
meaning both spiritual and temporal. He also stated that men preach and teach, seemingly
with much knowledge and authority, about subjects upon which they are totally ignorant
because they lack personal revelation concerning the matter. Said he:
"...salvation cannot come without revelation, it is in vain for anyone to minister
without it. No man is a minister of Jesus Christ without being a prophet. No
man can be the minister of Jesus Christ, except he has the testimony of Jesus and
this is the Spirit of Prophecy...Men at the present time testify of Heaven and of
hell and have never seen either. I will say that no man knows these things
without this (revelation)." (Words of Joseph Smith, p. 10.)
MUST KNOW GOD
The scriptures boldly state "...this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God,
and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent." (John 17:3.) Many of us would say we know God when
in reality we mean to say that we KNOW OF GOD. We have been taught of him by our leaders
and the scriptures record his dealings with his children throughout history. Through
promptings and impressions made by the quiet whisperings of the Holy Ghost many of us have
deep faith in God yet this does not mean that we KNOW GOD. Joseph Smith taught:
"He (Peter [2 Peter 1:3]) says that all things that pertain to life and godliness were
given unto them through the knowledge of God and our Savior Jesus
Christ. And if the question is asked, how were they to obtain the knowledge of
God? (for there is a great difference between believing in God and knowing him:
knowledge implies more than faith. And notice, that all things that pertain to life
and godliness, were given through knowledge of God) the answer is given,
through faith they were to obtain this knowledge; and having power by faith to
obtain the knowledge of God, they would with it obtain all other things which
pertain to life and godliness. By these sayings of the Apostle we learn, that it was
by obtaining a knowledge of God, that men got all things which pertain to life
and godliness; and this knowledge was the effect of faith." (Seventh Lecture of
Faith, Paragraphs 16-17.)
Thus we learn from the Prophet that by virtue of our belief in God and through application of
the power derived from our faith in God we are brought to the point where we, like the
ancients, may know God - personally rather than merely knowing of God. This is the grand
object in our quest for receiving further light and knowledge. Having been cast out of the
presence of God at birth, due to the effects of the fall of Adam and Eve, we struggle to obey the
commands of our Father in an effort to part the veil to return to his presence. Such an effort is
made possible through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Because of the atonement of Christ all mankind may be saved. Certainly His expiating sacrifice
is the focal point of the entire plan of salvation. Everything in all eternity hinges upon that one
transcendent event. Nevertheless, His sacrifice will have been in vain if man fails to do his
part. Those who refrain from obeying the commandments of God or from learning to know
their God will awaken to the awful realization on the day of judgment that neither the spilt
blood of Christ nor His boundless love for them will save them from the eternal doom that is
theirs.
The thrust of this paper is to point out what man must do to know his God in order to return to
His presence. Obviously man can do nothing for himself of an eternal nature without the
atonement of Christ. Yet the atonement alone will not save a man either. In this paper we will
be addressing only one side of this dual process. The atonement, certainly the more important
element in this process, will be left for another paper to expound upon. This paper will deal
only with man's responsibilities for returning to the presence of God.
Joseph taught that "It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the character of
God." (TPJS, p. 345.) On another occasion Joseph explained that the first principle contained one
more step. Said he:
"I ask this congregation what kind of a being is God? Turn your thoughts in
your hearts, and say have any of you seen or heard Him or communed with
Him? This is a question that may occupy your attention...It is the first principle
to know that we may converse with him..." (Sunday, 7 April 1844; Words of
Joseph Smith, p. 344.)
According to the Prophet, not only must we know the character of God but we must realize that
we can communicate with him - and not only can we communicate with Him but He will
communicate with us in return. This principle is so important that the Prophet emphasized it
so that the saints would have no chance of misunderstanding. He asked the saints, "Have any
of you seen or heard him?" He then drove his point home by stating: "It is the first principle to
know we may converse with him (God) same as a man." (Words of Joseph Smith, p. 350.)
If conversation with God, which as Joseph explained, comprises both seeing and hearing the
audible voice of God same as a man, is the first principle of the gospel, we might do well to ask
ourselves if we have mastered this principle. If not then we are truly as babes, struggling to
understand and master the basic of basics, the fundamental and first principle. Until we have
mastered the first principle there will be no revelation of a second or third principle. How can
we, then, become competent in the ways of God without conversing with Him?
Obviously very few mortals have ever achieved this first principle, nevertheless we should be
working with this grand objective in mind. Joseph explained that to begin this process we must
have faith. Said he:
"But without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh to God must
believe that he is, and that he is a revealer to those who diligently seek him."
Monday, 5 Oct. 1840; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 41.)
Faith that God will reveal Himself to those who diligently seek Him then, is the spring board
from which we must begin our quest. Yet faith and diligence alone are insufficient. The
Prophet Joseph gave a discourse on the Keys of the Priesthood in which he referred to several of
the Biblical Prophets. In reference to Noah he said:
"Thus we behold the keys of this priesthood consisted in obtaining the voice of
Jehovah, that He talked with him (Noah) in a familiar and a friendly manner."
(Monday, 5 Oct. 1840; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 42.)
From this we learn that there are certain keys of the Priesthood which one must possess which
enable him to converse with God. That these Priesthood keys are not reserved for just the
prophets but are freely available to anyone who will learn to exercise them is pointed out by the
Prophet when he said:
"I want you all to know God, to be familiar with Him." (Sun., Apr. 7, 1844; Words
of Joseph Smith, p. 349.)
Joseph's desire for all to know God and to be familiar with Him was so literal that in reference
to the number of individuals comprising the Godhead he very matter-of-factly stated, as if this
were a common event which all his listeners had experienced:
"Any person that has seen the heavens opened knows that there (are) three
personages in the heavens holding the keys of power." (Sun., 11 June 1843;
Words of Joseph Smith, p. 213.)
Joseph taught that it is so essential to know God and to become familiar with Him that without
this experience it is impossible for an individual to obtain salvation. Said he:
"If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend
themselves. What kind of being is God? Eternal life (is) to know God - if man
does not know God, (he) has not eternal life...Every man has a right to be a true
prophet...Soon as we begin to understand the character of God He begins to
unfold the heavens to us." (Words of Joseph Smith, p. 340-341.)
Following this same line of reasoning he maintained that:
"Eternal life is to know the only true God and his son Jesus without which there
is no salvation." (Sun., 13 Aug. 1843; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 241.)
Amplifying upon this theme the Prophet further taught:
"I ask this congregation what kind of a being is God? Turn your thoughts in
your hearts, and say, have any of you seen or heard Him or communed with
Him? This is a question that may occupy your attention. The scriptures inform
us that this is eternal life to know the only wise God and Jesus Christ whom He
has sent. If any inquire what kind of a being God is, I would say if you don't
know God you have not eternal life."
Then to give us instructions as to how to know God and thus have eternal life, the Prophet
continued:
"...go back and find out what kind of a being god is...It is the first principle to
know that we may converse with Him (as one man to another)...having a
knowledge of God we know how to approach him and ask and he will answer."
(Words of Joseph Smith, p. 344-345.)
Joseph did not mean that we would be able to commune with God through the medium of
prayer only, but to converse with Him face to face, as one man does with another. Regarding
this process he gave further clarifying instructions:
"Let us here observe, that after any portion of the human family are made
acquainted with the important fact that there is a God who has created and does
uphold all things, the extent of their knowledge, respecting his character and
glory, will depend upon their diligence and faithfulness in seeking after him,
until like Enoch, the brother of Jared, and Moses, they shall obtain faith in God,
and power with him to behold him face to face." (Second Lecture on Faith, Par.
55.)
Coupling this quote with the previous one, it appears that Joseph is saying that unless we
behold the Savior face to face as did Moses and the other prophets that we will not have eternal
life. The prophet was adamant about the fact that not only can an individual behold and
converse with the Son but also with the Father.
"Also the appearing of the Father and the Son in John 14:23 is a personal
appearing and the idea that they will dwell in a man's heart is a sectarian
doctrine and is false...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." (Sunday 2 April 1843;
Words of Joseph Smith, p. 169.)
If an individual follows the instructions he receives from the Lord and diligently seeks him, the
Lord is bound to appear unto him. If he does not appear it can only be because of one of two
reasons. Said Joseph:
"It is a privilege to view the Son of Man himself...I will not leave you comfortless,
I will come to you, abide with you forever, seal you up to eternal life...I will
manifest myself to (you). If He does not He has not told you the truth." (Words
of Joseph Smith, p. 14.)
Obviously the Lord cannot tell an untruth. Therefore if he does not appear to an individual the
reason must lie with that individual. As Joseph explained:
"when any person receives a vision of heaven, he sees things that he never
thought of before...the Father could not be glorified in the Son on any other
principle than we coming to God, asking, receiving, heavens open, visions, etc. they are done away because of unbelief." (Words of Joseph Smith, p. 14.)
Thus the Lord does not appear to us because we do not believe that he will, and our disbelief is
manifest in disobedience to God's commandments. But if we are faithful in keeping the
commandments of God and if we diligently seek God's presence, we will obtain it. This Joseph
clearly taught:
"We may come to the general assembly and Church of the First Born, Spirits of
Just Men made perfect, unto Christ...It is our privilege to pray for and obtain
these things." (Words of Joseph Smith, p. 14.)
Joseph indicated, at least vaguely, that there is one specific event which could be used as a
guide, as a measuring stick, to determine whether or not a person really knows the Lord and
without this knowledge there can be no salvation. Said he:
"No one can truly say he knows God until he has handled something and this
can only be in the Holiest of Hollies." (Sunday, 1 May 1842; Words of Joseph
Smith, p. 119-120.)
When can this event be expected? Again Joseph was very specific in giving a time table:
"The other Comforter spoken of is a subject of great interest and perhaps
understood by few of this generation. After a person hath faith in Christ, repents
of his sins and is baptized for the remission of his sins and receives the Holy
Ghost (by the laying on of hands) which is the First Comforter, then let him
continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after
righteousness, and living by every word of God and the Lord will soon say unto
him "son thou shalt be exalted."
When the Lord has thoroughly proved him and finds that the man is determined
to serve him at all hazard, then the man will find his calling and election made
sure. Then it will be his privilege to receive the other Comforter which the Lord
hath promised the saints as is recorded in the testimony of St. John in the 14th
chapter from the 12th to the 27th verses...
Now what is this other Comforter? It is no more or less than the Lord Jesus
Christ himself and this is the sum and substance of the whole matter, that when
any man obtains this last Comforter he will have the personage of Jesus Christ to
attend him or appear unto him from time to time, and even he will manifest the
Father unto him and they will take up their abode with him, and the visions of
the heavens will be opened unto him and the Lord will teach him face to face and
he may have a perfect knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God."
(Words of Joseph Smith, p. 5.)
This same doctrine of beholding the Savior face to face is taught in the Book of Mormon. Nephi
expounded upon the principle of receiving the Holy Ghost and living by the promptings
received from him and then stated:
"Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them
it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought
into the light, but must perish in the dark. For behold, again I say unto you that
if ye will enter in by the way and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you
all things what ye should do. Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will
be no more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto you in the
flesh. And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things
which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do." (2 Nephi 32:4-6.)
Nephi is referring to a personal appearance of the Lord to each individual who listens to and
obeys the promptings of the Holy Ghost, for it is the responsibility of the Holy Ghost to bring us
to the point where we can endure the presence of the Savior. He is the preparer of the way, and,
as Nephi explains, we should do as he prompts us until the Lord appears to us
personally. When this happens the Lord will reveal to us other things which will go beyond
that which the Holy Ghost could reveal. These blessings are freely available to all as quickly as
they qualify themselves to receive them. Joseph Smith was very open about the glorious
blessings that await us if we would only prepare ourselves to receive them.
"God is not a respecter; we all have the same privilege, come to God, weary him
until he blesses you. We are entitled to the same blessings, Jesus, revelations,
Just Men, angels, etc...Obtain that Holy Spirit of Promise - then you can be sealed
to Eternal Life." (Joseph Smith; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 15.)
One's calling and election is made sure when the Keys of the Priesthood are exercised to
perform the ordinances requisite for that blessing and when the voice of the Lord informs a
person that he will be exalted. Seldom does anyone else ever find out about such experiences
but a few have been preserved in the scriptures. One such record we have is that of Alma.
"And it came to pass that after he (Alma) had poured out his whole soul to God,
the voice of the Lord came to him, saying: Blessed art thou, Alma...thou art my
servant; and I covenant with thee that thou shalt have eternal life...And he that
will hear my voice shall be my sheep...therefore I say unto you, that he that will
not hear my voice, the same shall ye not receive into my church, for him I will
not receive at the last day." (Mosiah 26:14-28.)
As the Lord tells Alma in these verses it is necessary for all to "hear my voice" or
they cannot be received into his church (the Church of the First Born), nor can
they be received by him at the last day. Oliver Cowdery taught this same
principle when he addressed the saints in 1834, saying that the Saints...
"...make their calling and election sure when they obtain the promise from the
Lord of Glory ("hear his voice...and receive a promise from His mouth") that their
salvation was sealed that their election was sure." (The Evening and The
Morning Star, vol. 2, p. 167, June 1834.) Furthermore, in 1835 Joseph Smith wrote
to his uncle Silas to convince him that revelation was still necessary, reasoning
that the modern Saints had to hear an audible voice from the Lord by revelation
to know that their salvation was secure, just as their ancient counterparts had
received such assurances by revelation. (see Andrew Ehat; Words of Joseph
Smith, p. 18.)
As an overview of this important section, it would do well to quote a rather lengthy portion of a
discourse that the Prophet Joseph gave upon this subject. Several sentences of this discourse
have already been quoted but it might do well to now quote the entire section of his discourse
so as to put the subject into context for the reader. In reference to the 14th chapter of the Gospel
of John the Prophet Joseph stated:
"It is the privilege of the children of God to come to God and get
revelation...When any person receives a vision from Heaven, he sees things that
he never thought of before...The Father could not be glorified in the Son on any
other principle than we coming to God, asking, receiving, heavens open, visions,
etc., they are done away because of unbelief. Vs. 16 I will pray the Father and he
shall send you another Comforter. There is one Comforter (i.e., the Holy Ghost)
and another Comforter to abide with you forever, reach to things within the veil,
know that you are Sealed. If you get it, it will stand by you forever. How is it
obtained? Keep my commandments and I will pray etc. Vs. 17 It is a privilege to
view the Son of Man himself, he dwelleth with you and shall be in you, his spirit
shall be in you. Vs. 18 I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you, abide
with you forever, Seal you up to eternal life. Vs. 19 Yet a little while and you
shall see me not more, but ye see me. Vs. 21 He that hath my commandments
and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. I will manifest myself to him. If he
does not he has not told you the truth. I will put promises in your hearts, that
will not leave you, that will seal you up. We may come to the General Assembly
and Church of the First Born, Spirits of Just Men made perfect, unto Christ. The
innumerable company of Angels are those that have been resurrected from the
dead. The Spirits of Just Men made perfect are those without bodies. It is our
privilege to pray for and obtain these things... Vs. 23 If a man love me he will
keep my words, and my Father will love him and we both, me and my Father
will take our abode with him. There are certain characters that walked with God,
saw him, conversed about heaven etc. Vs. 26 But the comforter that I will send,
(not the other comforter) shall teach you all things. Who? He that loveth me
etc. This shall bring all things to remembrance whatsoever things I have said
unto you, he shall teach you until you come to me and my father. God is not a
respecter of persons, we all have the same privilege. Come to God, weary Him
until he blesses you - we are entitled to the same blessings, Jesus, Revelations,
Just Men, and Angels, etc., not laying against the doctrine of Christ go on unto
perfection. Obtain that Holy Spirit of Promise - Then you can be sealed to
Eternal Life." (Words of Joseph Smith, p. 13-15.)
One of the reasons that it is so important to make one's calling and election sure and thereby
qualify to "Know the Lord" is that during the second coming of the Lord in power and glory he
will cleanse the earth of all unrighteousness. Only those who are worthy will remain upon the
earth during the millennium. ONE OF THE QUALIFICATIONS THAT MUST BE MET IS
THAT AN INDIVIDUAL'S CALLING AND ELECTION MUST HAVE BEEN MADE SURE TO
BE A "KING" IN ZION, PRIOR TO HIS SECOND ADVENT. Joseph taught this in the following
manner:
"God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what he will make known unto
the Twelve and even the least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to
bear them. For the day must come when no man need say to his neighbor "Know
ye the Lord?" for all shall know him (who remain) from the least to the
greatest. How is this to be done? It is to be done by this sealing power and the
other comforter spoken of which will be manifest by REVELATION." (Words of
Joseph Smith, p. 4.)
On another occasion Joseph asked rhetorically how the Lord's restatement (D&C 84:98) of
Jeremiah's great prophecy (that every man could know the Lord) (see Jer. 31:31-34), was to be
fulfilled. He answered that it would be fulfilled when the Saint's callings and elections are
made sure and when they receive the Second Comforter." (Andrew Ehat; Words of Joseph
Smith, p. 19.)
Joseph Smith's entire philosophy on this subject is adequately summarized by the following
statement he made just three months prior to his death:
"Now what I am after is the knowledge of God and I take my own course to
obtain it." (Words of Joseph Smith, p. 329.)
The blessing of knowing God by personal appearance is not only essential in order to avoid
being consumed with the wicked at the time of the second advent but is also necessary in order
for us to become exalted in the Celestial Kingdom. A close examination of the 76th section of
the Doctrine and Covenants, in light of the quotation of Joseph Smith already cited, reveals a
doctrine that is not publicly taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and
which certainly is not orthodox in its acceptance. Nevertheless it appears to be eternally true
that ONLY THOSE WHO RECEIVE THE PERSONAL MINISTRY OF CHRIST AND OF THE
FATHER IN THEIR BEHALF WHILE YET IN THIS MORTAL LIFE WILL RECEIVE
EXALTATION IN THE CELESTIAL KINGDOM, WITHOUT HAVING TO DO WORK OR
PAYMENT UNDER THE LAW OF RETRIBUTION. Or having work done for them while
needing to wait. Verses 50 thru 119, describe the inhabitants of the three degrees of glory as
follows:
CELESTIAL KINGDOM
Vs. 50 And again we bear record - for we saw and heard, and this is the testimony of the gospel
of Christ concerning them who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just-- Vs. 51 They are
they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized after the
manner of his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this according to the
commandment which he has given-- Vs. 52 That by keeping the commandments they might be
washed and cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the
hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power; Vs. 53 And who overcome by faith,
and are sealed by the Holy spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who
are JUST AND TRUE. Vs. 54 They are they who are the church of the FIRSTBORN. Vs. 55 They
are they into whose hands the Father has GIVEN ALL THINGS---Vs. 56 They are they who are
priests and kings, who have received of his FULLNESS, and of his GLORY; Vs. 57 And are
PRIESTS OF THE MOST HIGH, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of
ENOCH, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son. Vs. 58 Wherefore, as it is written,
they ARE GODS, even the sons of God-- Vs. 59 Wherefore, ALL THINGS ARE THEIRS,
whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, ALL are theirs and they are Christ's
and Christ is God's. Vs. 61 Wherefore, LET NO MAN GLORY IN MAN, but rather let him glory
in God, who shall subdue ALL enemies under his feet. Vs. 62 These shall dwell in the presence
of God and his Christ forever and ever. Vs. 64 These are they who shall have part in the first
resurrection. Vs. 65 These are they who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just. Vs. 67
These are they who have come to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly
and church of Enoch, and of the Firstborn. Vs. 70 These are they whose bodies are celestial,...
TERRESTRIAL KINGDOM D&C 76:71 THRU 80
Vs. 72 Behold, these are they who died without law; Vs. 74 Who received not the testimony of
Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it. Vs. 75 These are they who are honorable men of
the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men. (church members too) Vs. 76 These are
they who receive of his glory, but not of his fullness. Vs. 77 These are they who receive of the
presence of the Son, but not of the FULLNESS OF THE FATHER. Vs. 79 These are they who are
not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of
our God.
TELESTIAL KINGDOM D&C 76:81 THRU 86
Vs. 82 These are they who received not the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus.
Vs. 83 These are they who deny not the Holy Spirit. Vs. 85 These are they who shall NOT be
redeemed from the devil until the last resurrection, until the Lord, even Christ their lamb, shall
have finished His work. Vs. 86 These are they who receive not of his fullness in the eternal
world, but of the Holy Spirit through the ministration of the terrestrial;
A careful study of these verses reveals that those individuals inheriting the Telestial Kingdom
are those who never accepted of the Gospel of Jesus Christ regardless of the kind of life they
lived; those who inherit the Terrestrial Kingdom must have accepted of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ but did not receive the testimony of Christ-which as Joseph Smith explained is to "know
Christ" through personal experience; and those who inherit the Celestial Kingdom have not
only excepted the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but have also been valiant in keeping the
commandments, received personal manifestation, become members of the general assembly
and the Church of the Firstborn, making their calling and election sure by receiving the Holy
Spirit of Promise and being ordained Kings and Priests and being sealed up unto Eternal
Life. This is why it is so important that we understand our position in relation to God and
strive with all our might to overcome ourselves and seeking earnestly to be brought back into
the presence of the Father. NOW!! While yet in this life. The process whereby this can be
accomplished will be the specific topic of chapter ten.
~~ Chapter IX ~~
TESTED BY THE PRIESTHOOD
It is one of the basic tenants of the Church that man was sent to the earth to be, among other
things, tried and tested to see if he would remain faithful in all things. When Adam and Eve
were placed in the garden they were immediately tested by having two conflicting
commandments (at least from their point of view). They were tested to see if they would be
selfish and remain in the garden or if they would take the harder route (sacrifice) and keep the
higher commandment. After being cast out of the garden they were further tested, even by
angelic ministrants, to see if they would divulge certain information they had previously
received. They would not and thus they passed the test and were given even further light and
knowledge.
In a previous chapter we read of the experience of one of the minor Old Testament prophets
who failed his test by obeying the instructions of his file leader, the "Old Prophet," rather than
obeying the word of the Lord to him personally (see I Kings chapter 13). Because he obeyed his
file leader and failed to follow the Lord he forfeited his life. Though most of us will never
(hopefully) face such a dramatic test we will never the less be tested. One purpose for our being
sent here to the earth was to be tested. Therefore, tested we will be.
The Lord has designed a testing procedure, or series of tests, to test each person according to the
level of understanding and spiritual sensitivity he has acquired. The basic test that each of us
face whether we are righteous or wicked, whether a member of the Church or not and
regardless of our station in life or the dispensation in which we live is the family. God could
have placed each of us upon the earth in a fully grown and mature state as he did Adam and
Eve, however, He chose to have us born as infants, be reared with siblings, being subject to
parents and being married to an "opposite sex". Then to make matters even more interesting, He
gave us a language to speak.
Language, by its very nature, makes it nearly impossible for us to communicate completely, or
fully and accurately, with anyone else upon the face of the earth. Words are only symbols of
emotions and experiences which we try to use in an attempt to exchange "feelings" with
others. Because of our individualized backgrounds, words mean different things to each of us.
Though the dictionary is an attempt to standardize, true meanings often get lost in the effort to
communicate. Understanding each other is much more difficult then talking. One person
expressed this problem as follows: "What you think you heard is not what I said, and what I
said is not what I meant."
Marriage and family life are a real challenge for all of us. Bringing individuals together from
different backgrounds, who have different values (belief systems) and goals in life; people who
don't even mean the same thing when they speak and then expect them to live together in
perfect harmony so that they can qualify for eternal life and marriage forever. It is one of the
greatest tests we will all face. This universal (to most) test, as great and difficult as it is, is only
the basic test. It is the fundamental test that we all experience even if we are only Telestial
Kingdom bound. If we expect any higher reward in the next life we need to do more than just
have a happy family life. Although this is where success must start.
If you intend to get into the Celestial Kingdom you must learn to do whatever God wants you
to do. We must become like Abraham of old who was obedient unto the Lord in all things, even
to the offering of his own son as a sacrifice unto God. He would not withhold anything from
God nor shrink from obeying any commandment.
The Lord intends to exalt us all and will therefore send the proper trials to us that will teach us
lessons we will need to know. An interesting rhetorical question is asked in the Gospel
Doctrine Sunday School manual: "May it be that some trials come to you because God has in his
design to refine you and make you pure? Do you pray that God will take from you the very
experiences and trials which he has designed to improve you? Do you submit to them (Mosiah
3:19) and learn from them, and trust them as having come from an all wise and loving
Father?" (The Life and Teachings of Jesus and his Apostles, p. 305, Gospel Doctrine S. S. Class
Student Manual, New Testament.)
"...God hath said that He would have a tried people, that He would purge them
as gold..." (TPJS, p. 135.) "It is for God to declare the furnace, and the day and the
time; and it is for man to submit and endure, for gold becomes gold by passing
through the fire and men may become what God has designed they become only
by passing through trial." (The Life and Teachings of Jesus and his Apostles; p.
304. Student Manual for Religion 211-212. BYU Religion Dept. New Testament
See entire page for process of how gold is refined.)
Brigham Young said:
"Joseph could not have been perfected, though he had lived a thousand years, if
he had received no persecution. If he had lived a thousand years, and led this
people, and preached the Gospel without persecution, he would not have been
perfected as well as he was at the age of thirty-nine years. You may calculate,
when this people are called to go through scenes of affliction and suffering and
are driven from their homes, and cast down, and scattered, and smitten, and
peeled, the Almighty is rolling on his work with greater rapidity." (Discourses of
Brigham Young, p. 351.)
Also President John Taylor said:
"You will have all kinds of trials to pass through. And it is quite as necessary for
you to be tried as it was for Abraham and other men of God, and (said he) God
will feel after you, and he will take hold of you and wrench your very heart
strings, and if you cannot stand it you will not be fit for an inheritance in the
Celestial Kingdom of God." (JD 24:197.)
In the story of Abraham & Isaac, Melchizedek was his file leader; but Abraham did not go to his
file leader and seek advice or counsel. How would Melchizedek have reacted if Abraham told
him he was going to offer up his son as a human sacrifice? He would have told Abraham he
was deceived and that if he did that he would be excommunicated from the Church and civil
charges would have been brought against him. Can you relate now to the experience and
probable emotions of Abraham during the test?
If you are serious about gaining personal revelation be prepared to do anything the Lord would
require, even if it means going against your file leader - but be SURE OF YOUR SOURCE for
you are dealing with your eternal salvation as well as that of others. As Joseph stated:
"Whatever God commands is right!" There is virtually no commandment God has ever given,
except the commandment to love and obey Him, where he has not at some point in history
commanded to the contrary. Therefore to place our testimonies upon commandments given to
others and thereby refuse to obey new commandments, given to us, will result in disobedience
and forfeiture of the exaltation we seek.
EXAMPLES OF COMMANDMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN REVOKED
1) Thou shall not commit murder.
a) Nephi commanded to kill Laban.
b) Moses and Joshua commanded to kill all inhabitants of the land of Cannan, even the
women, children, infants, and animals, showing no mercy whatsoever, all were to be
killed.
c) Saul commanded to kill all inhabitants in the land of Amalek, including all their
animals.
2) Thou shalt not lie.
a) Abraham was commanded to tell Pharaoh that Sarah, his wife, was not his wife at all
but his sister.
b) Nephi, pretending to be Laban, commanded Zoram, the servant of Laban, to follow
him, stating that he was Laban and that he needed Zoram's help.
3) Thou shalt not steal.
a) Nephi took the brass plates of Laban when Laban refused to sell them to Nephi and
after Nephi had killed.
b) Moses told the Israelites to take their masters belongings, their jewels, silks, food, etc.
c) Moses and Joshua had the Israelites kill the inhabitants of the land of Cannan and take
their possessions as their own.
4) Thou shall not commit adultery.
a) The daughters of Lot begat children by their father yet there is no scriptural mention
that this was wrong. In fact a great nation sprang from this seemingly illicit union.
b) Prophet commanded to go in unto the widow to beget her children. Another old
testament Prophet lays with his son's widow, yet still remained the prophet.
Study the terms, Trials, Tribulation, Affliction, etc. in the bible dictionary. The above are but a
few examples.
President John Taylor said:
"Men do not know how to approach God, and none are willing to listen to His
teachings but the Latter-day Saints, and it is sometimes hard work for them to do
it. We have been gathered together from among the nations of the earth in order
that God might have a people who would obey HIS LAW...and who had, as I
said before, learned to approach the Lord in the proper way; for there is a
medium opened out whereby men can approach God and learn His mind and
will...And I want to say; that God having gathered us together, and we having
entered into a covenant with Him, He expects us to obey HIS LAW, and be
governed by the principles He has revealed...and to be on hand to do
WHATEVER God requires." (JD 24:200-201.)
Everyone who seeks after knowledge, should know and be willing to except sorrow. Christ was
"A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." Joseph yearned to teach others but could not
and was therefore troubled. Enoch wept, even the Lord wept. Why? Paul & Brigham said "If
any be ignorant let them be ignorant.
"Knowledge brings responsibilities. Responsibility brings about sorrow, for self
(because others impede your progress), for others (because you can't elevate
them to higher planes.
It seems the gospel is designed as a trial or test:
"And it came to pass after he (Alma) made an end of speaking unto the people
many of them did believe on his words, and began to repent, and to search the
scriptures. But the more part of them were desirous that they might destroy
Alma and Amulek; for they were angry with Alma, because of the plainness of
his words unto Zeezrom; and they also said that Amulek had lied unto them,
and had reviled against their law and also against their lawyers and judges."
(Alma 14:1-2.)
Notice how the word of God tends to divide people. Why? Could this be part of what Jesus
meant when he said that he came to bring not peace but a sword and that because of the gospel
a man's foes might be those of his own household? (Matt. 10:34-36)
"The Gospel of Salvation is perfectly calculated to cause division. It strikes at the
root of the very existence of mankind in their wickedness, evil designs, passions,
and wicked calculations. There is no evil among the human family, but at the
foundation of which it strikes effectually, and comes in contact with every evil
passion that rises in the heart of man. It is opposed to every evil practice of men,
and consequently it disturbs them in the wicked course they are pursuing."
(Brigham Young; JD 1:235.)
Also:
"To my mind, (God's rest) means entering into the knowledge and love of God,
having faith in his purpose and his plan, to such an extent that we know we are
right, and that we are not hunting for something else, we are not disturbed by
every wind of doctrine, or by the cunning and craftiness of men who lie in wait
to deceive. We know of the doctrine that it is of God, and we do not have to ask
any questions of anybody about it; they are welcome to their opinions, to their
ideas and to their vagaries. The man who has reached that degree of faith in God
that all doubt and fear have been cast from him, he has entered into "God's rest.”
I pray that we may all enter in God's rest - rest from doubt, from fear, from
apprehension of danger, rest from the religious turmoil of the world." (Joseph F.
Smith; Gospel Doctrine, p. 58.)
President Joseph F. Smith then made a few remarks on the subject of the Second Anointing. He
said:
"...that it was the crowning blessing of and the highest gift to be conferred by the
Melchizedek Priesthood. Elders should do something to be worthy to receive
this great blessing and there are many ways out of the ordinary routine duties by
which a man could earn the good will of God to the obtaining of his
blessing. Every man should be determined to place every thing on the altar even
to the laying down of life itself for the gospel sake in order to be truly worthy of
this blessing." (Journal of Thomas A. Clawson; 1895-1904 Book, p. 226-229, April
8, 1901.)
There are many tests that can be studied in the scriptures. However the most important ones
are our own tests.
~~ Chapter X ~~
THE TRUE ORDER OF GAINING KNOWLEDGE
At the April 1844 General Conference of the Church, the Prophet Joseph said that it was "...the
first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the Character of God, and to know that we
may converse with him as one converses with another..." (6 Apr. 1844.) Joseph Smith learned
the reality of this principle early in his life, when still a boy of fourteen. He learned that the
Father and Son do actually exist, and that he could see them, and speak to them, and have his
prayers answered. This concept that one may converse with God has been a true principle from
the days of Adam down to the present time.
But apparently there is more to praying than just praying. According to the Prophet Joseph, a
person must learn how to approach God in the proper manner if he ever expects a reply:
"Having a knowledge of God, we begin to know how to approach him and how
to ask so as to receive an answer. When we understand the character of God,
and know how to come to him, he begins to unfold the heavens to us, and to tell
us all about it. When we are ready to come to him, he is ready to come to us."
(Joseph Smith 6 April 1844; Words of Joseph Smith.)
Apparently it is only when we learn how to approach God in the proper manner that we are
able to have the heavens unfolded to us. On another occasion when Joseph was addressing a
group of Relief Society sisters:
"He spoke of delivering the Keys of the Priesthood to the Church, and said that
the faithful members of the Relief Society should receive them with their
husbands, and the Saints whose integrity has been tried and proved faithful,
might know how to ask the Lord and receive an answer." (TPJS, p. 226.)
This statement by the Prophet clearly points out that the saints of his day did not know how to
pray so as to receive an answer from God, or at least not a full and complete answer. And how
did they pray? They prayed just as we do now: they addressed their prayers to the Father,
expressed thanks for their blessings, petitioned the Father's assistance in their lives, and closed
in the name of Jesus Christ. Yet Joseph believed and openly taught that these steps were not
sufficient.
Bathsheba W. Smith, wife of Apostle George A. Smith reemphasized this same point. She states
that Joseph told her:
"...that we did not know how to pray and have our prayers answered. But when I
and my husband had our endowments...Joseph Smith presiding, he taught us the
order of prayer." (Words of Joseph Smith, p. 54.)
Thus as Sister Smith points out, prayers other than those offered in the true order, as Joseph
taught her, lack power - they fall short and do not constitute a complete pattern of the proper
way to pray. Obviously, anything less than the proper order, or the "true order" of addressing
Deity, is by its very nature an improper or incomplete order of prayer.
The true order of prayer is the most proper way to pray. It is the ideal way in which prayer
should be offered. Unfortunately our circumstances and surroundings do not always lend
themselves to the proper mode of prayer and so the Lord has made provisions for prayers in
other than the true order- the optimum manner - to ascend to him. Nevertheless, we should not
become complacent, being content to allow the lower orders of prayer to suffice but should
always approach as nearly as possible the proper, complete, true order of prayer.
Baptism for the dead is performed in the temples of the Lord and is carried out in a specifically
prescribed manner. However, when circumstances in the early days of the Church would not
permit these baptisms to be done "properly" the Lord allowed and accepted them when
performed in the Mississippi river. He then suspended this practice when it became possible to
perform them in the "proper" manner. And so it is with prayer - form and format are
important, but when circumstances prevent full implementation then the Lord will accept
prayers offered according to the circumstances and knowledge of the person offering them. The
material presented in this chapter is done so in an attempt to better understand how the true
order of prayer should be applied in our daily lives.
The reader is cautioned to accept this material only as a guide to historical events in Church
history and as general information on this subject. This is an extremely sensitive and sacred
subject and must be approached with the sacredness and reverence which it deserves. Personal
instruction by the Spirit must be received on this matter for this sacred order is not something
with which to trifle.
The author does not teach, encourage, endorse, advocate, advise, counsel, or recommend that
others engage in the practice of this sacred principle except as you are expressly authorized by
God. Obedience to personal revelation is the key to a successful relationship with God and it is
through personal revelation that you should weigh the material contained herein.
RESTORATION OF THE TRUE ORDER OF PRAYER
There is some evidence to indicate that Joseph Smith discovered the true order of prayer even
before he had the first vision. In an 1835 account of the first vision, in which Joseph related his
experience in the grove to a man by the name of Matthias, he states:
"Being thus perplexed in mind I retired to the silent grove and there bowed
down before the Lord, under a realizing sense (if the Bible be true), ask and you
shall receive, Knock and it shall be opened, seek and you shall find, and again, if
any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and
upbraideth not." (Joseph Smith, 9 Nov 1835.)
The formula of asking, seeking, and knocking is, in parable form, the summation of what a
person must do to open the heavens and is encompassed in the true order of prayer. More
information on this topic will be presented later in this chapter.
In January of 1833, the Prophet taught the brethren of the School of the Prophets how to pray so
as to receive revelation. They would gather together in the morning about sunrise and engage
"...in silent prayer, kneeling, with our hands uplifted each one praying in silence, no one
whispered above his breath..." and on this occasion the Father and the Son appeared to them.
(see report of Zebedee Coltrin, 3 Oct. 1883 -Minutes of the School of the Prophets.)
Inasmuch as this was done almost twelve years prior to the saints receiving their endowments it
is a clear example of the fact that though this order of prayer is taught in the endowment it is
not dependent upon the endowment nor upon the temple for implementation.
In 1835 Joseph Smith taught the father of Lorenzo Dow Young how to get the power to heal his
son. "Join in prayer," the Prophet said, "one by mouth and the others repeat after him in
unison. After prayer...anoint with oil; then lay hands on him, one being mouth and the other
two repeating in unison after him...continuing the administration in this way until you receive a
testimony that he will be restored." (1835 - Words of Joseph Smith.)
In October of 1840, the Prophet Joseph commented that the "keys of this priesthood
(Melchizedek) consisted in obtaining the voice of Jehovah..." (Words of Joseph Smith, p. 42.) In
January of 1841 the lord revealed to Joseph that He would restore the "...fulness of the
Priesthood..." in a temple built to His name. In this revelation Joseph was also commanded to
teach both Hyrum Smith and William Law how to pray, thereby giving them "...the keys
whereby (they) may ask and receive blessings." (See D&C 128:95 &97.) In the 1879 edition of the
Doctrine and Covenants, Orson Pratt, in the heading to the section, indicated that these keys
were "the order of God for receiving revelations.
"In January of 1842 Wilford Woodruff records how Joseph Smith as the Editor of
the Times & Seasons with John Taylor assisting, were setting the type for
printing the first piece of the Book of Abraham, which contains facsimile #1,
depicting Abraham upon the alter about to be sacrificed. "But by using the keys
of prayer, Abraham is able to call down an angel from heaven and thereby save
himself." (19 Feb. 1842) This same principle is very prominent in religious art as
well. Many of the prophets of old are depicted as praying with their arms raised
heavenward. Many of the paintings of Joseph Smith's first vision depict him
praying in the same manner.
On March 30, 1842, Joseph Smith addressed the Relief Society sisters in Nauvoo
and, basing his remarks around Mark 16:15-18, states that women could anoint
with oil and administer to the sick (this he indicated would be better understood
in the temple), and that the keys to detect evil spirits would be given in the
endowment. (30 Mar. 1842.)
Nearly a month later, the Prophet again addressed the sisters of the Relief Society:
"He spoke of delivering the keys of the Priesthood to the Church, and said that
the faithful members of the Relief Society should receive them in connection with
their husbands, that the Saints whose integrity has been tried and proved
faithful, might know how to ask the Lord and receive an answer.
He exhorted the sisters...to...arm and sustain (their husbands)...for the keys of the
kingdom are about to be given to them, that they may be able to detect
everything false; as well as to all the Elders who shall prove their integrity in due
season." (CH 28 April 1842.)
The keys of how to ask and receive an answer also contain the knowledge of how to detect false
from true messengers from the unseen world. The Prophet was vitally concerned about this
aspect of the true order, for he knew that once the brethren were able to commune with heaven,
that they would also experience appearances and revelations from evil sources. On May 1,
1842, Joseph preached in the grove and said:
"...the keys are certain signs and words by which false spirits and personages
may be detected from true, which cannot be revealed to the Elders till the Temple
is completed." (Joseph Smith, 1 May 1842.)
These signs and words which would be revealed in the Temple were necessary to detect true
and false messengers. Apparently the Prophet knew that the keys used to call upon the Throne
of Grace in the proper manner would unlock the heavens to all classes of messengers. For this
purpose additional keys -signs and words - were necessary to authenticate the messages
delivered by the "angelic" ministrants. It is for this cause that great caution must be exercised
before consideration is given to implementation of this sacred order, and then only when
prompted to do so by the Spirit.
On May 4, 1842, the keys of which Joseph had been speaking were finally delivered to nine of
the brethren who had assembled in the upper room of the store in Nauvoo (not a temple). He
instructed:
"...them in the principles and order of the Priesthood, attending to washings,
anointings, endowments and the communication of keys pertaining to the
Aaronic Priesthood, and so on to the highest order of the Melchizedek
Priesthood, setting forth the order pertaining to the Ancient of Days, and all
those plans and principles by which any one is enabled to secure the fullness of
those blessings which have been prepared for the Church of the Firstborn, and
come up and abide in the presence of the Eloheim in the eternal worlds."
The Prophet also said that all these things would be revealed to all the saints as soon as there
was a temple built in which the keys could be given. These keys were given to Judge James
Adams on this date (4 May 1842). Said Joseph:
"I anointed him to the patriarchal power...to receive the keys of knowledge and
power, by revelation to himself. He has had revelations concerning his
departure, and has (now) gone to a more important word (world?)."
On the 27th of August, 1843, Brigham Young commented that "...any person can ask the Lord
for a witness concerning himself and get an answer, but not to lead the Church." In February of
1844 Joseph Smith met with the Twelve and discussed the Oregon and California Exploring
Expedition, and stated that he wanted "every man that goes to be a king and a priest. When he
gets on the mountains he may want to talk with his God." (23 Feb 1844) When a person is
anointed and ordained a king and priest he receives the sealing power which enables him to
open the heavens through the use of the keys of prayer, and to "stand in the presence of God."
(Gen. 14:31 JST.)
In June of 1844 William Clayton, personal secretary to Joseph Smith, recorded in his journal
that:
"The g(rand) key word was the first word Adam spoke and is a word of
supplication. He (Joseph) found the word by the Urim & Thummim - it is that
key word to which the heavens is (sic) opened."
In August of 1844 Brigham Young stated that he has "the keys and therefore the means of
obtaining the mind of God upon (any) subject." (7 Aug. 1844) In the journal of Heber C.
Kimball, he records that the "key word" is given in the Terrestrial Kingdom which is the five
points of fellowship. (11 Dec 1845) In the journal of John Lee Jones, November 1879, he records
that "the Grand Key...is given to the Citizens of the Kingdom of God, which Key will give man
power to gaze upon the Celestial Heavens, and the inhabitants thereof...This Grand Key gives
us the privilege (sic) of vesting these far distant planets of exchanging our views & relationship
to each other..."
The keys whereby an individual may "ask and receive an answer" were incorporated into, and
made a part of, the endowment ceremony. All who receive their endowments also receive the
keys of how to ask and receive an answer, however, these keys can be used only on a
conditional basis. All those who receive the Fullness of the Priesthood (going beyond the
preliminary preparatory anointing and actually becoming a King and a Priest by having calling
and election made sure coupled with the higher temple ordinances associated therewith), have
the conditional basis removed. To understand what these "keys" are and how they are used is
the next topic of discussion. Even though they can be referred to in only vague generalities it is
assumed that the reader will understand sufficiently to comprehend the message contained in
this important section. The prerequisite is to know the endowment.
THE MEANING & USE OF THE SIGNS
During general conference on April 6, 1853, President Brigham Young made the following
comments about the endowment after the First Presidency and the Patriarch had laid the South
East corner stone of the Salt Lake Temple:
"Your endowment is, to receive all those ordinances in the House of the Lord,
which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, to enable you to
walk back to the presence of the Father, passing the angels who stand as
sentinels, being enabled to give them the key words, the signs and tokens,
pertaining to the Holy Priesthood, and gain your eternal exaltation in spite of
earth and hell." (JD 2:31; also see JD 12:163; 2:315; 10:172; 6:63; 6:154-155.)
In a discourse given in the Nauvoo Temple, December 28, 1845, President Brigham Young
explained concerning the signs and tokens:
"After his fall, another name was given to Adam, and being full of integrity, and
not disposed to follow the woman nor listen to her, was permitted to receive the
tokens of the Priesthood...the name that was given to Adam was more ancient
than he was - The name Adam was given him because he was the first man - but
his New Name pertained to the Holy Priesthood and as I before stated is more
ancient than he was - there are 4 Penal Signs & 4 Penal Tokens and should I want
to address the Thorone (sic) to enquire after ancient things which transpired on
Plannets (sic) that roled (sic) away before this Plannet (sic) came into existence, I
should use my New Name which is Ancient and refers to Ancient things Should I wish to Enquire for Present things I should use my own Name which
refers to present things & should I want to Enquire for Future things I would use
the 3rd Name which refers to the first token of the Melchizedek Priesthood - or is
the 3rd token that is given - &refers to the son - the 2nd Token of the M.
Priesthood is to be given only in one place and nowhere else - but these signs
&tokens that pertain to the Priesthood should never be given anywhere only in
such places as belong to the order of the Priesthood." (Brigham Young 28 Dec.
1845; record of the Seventies, Book B, 28 Dec. 1845; N. B. Lundwall Mss.
Microfilm Roll #1; Heber C. Kimball "Journal" Book 93; Woman's Exponent Vol.
12, No. 6 p. 42; William Clayton's Minutes, Church Historical Dept. 28 Dec. 1845;
John Doyle Lee "Journal", 14d, p. 56-57; Minutes of the Nauvoo Temple Record
Sunday, Dec. 28, 1845.)
The use of the fourth sign and token was never mentioned by President Young in this particular
discourse as far as we have record. However, from other LDS sources we are able to piece
together that the 4th sign is used specifically to open the heavens, to see and not just to
communicate, and to have messengers appear so that the person praying might be taught from
on high by them face to face.
Let it be remembered that we should consider ourselves as if we were respectively "Adam" or
"Eve." After being cast into the lone and dreary world (this one) they began to seek for further
light and knowledge which would contain instructions to guide them back into the presence of
their Father. They sought for messengers to teach them face to face. They built an altar and
offered prayer. After offering up the signs of the Priesthood, Adam uses the last sign to open
the heavens, and he receives a visitor - Satan. Then one of Satan's ministers appears to instruct
Adam in false doctrine hoping to convince him to pursue the false path. Finally three angelic
ministers from the Father appear whom Adam tests in a sacred manner to verify their
authenticity. Finding him to be true and faithful in all things, they give him the additional light
and knowledge he was seeking. There are those who may question the propriety of reviewing
the drama just related, however this story comes from several ancient documents which have
been translated and commented upon by scholars who are not LDS. Dr. Hugh Nibley has
gathered together some of these texts and published them in his books "Nibley On The Timely
and Timeless", and "The Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri" from which I quote in part as
follows: (Quoted from the Combat of Adam)
297-8. Leaving the glorious garden, they (Adam and Eve) were seized with fear
and "they fell down upon the earth and remained as if dead." 299. While Adam
was still in that condition, Eve, stretching high her hands, prayed: "O Lord...Thy
servant has fallen from the Garden" and is banished to a desert place. (p. 15.) 3078. The next morning as Adam prayed with upraised hands, Satan appeared to
him saying, "Adam, I am an angel of the great God. The Lord has sent me to
you." It was his plan to kill Adam and thus "remain sole master and possessor of
the earth." But God sent three heavenly messengers to Adam bringing him the
signs of the Priesthood and Kingship. 309. And Adam wept because they
reminded him of his departed glory, but God said they were signs of the
atonement to come, whereupon Adam rejoiced. 323-4. After a forty-day fast
Adam and Eve were very weak, stretched out upon the floor of the cave as if
dead, but still praying. Satan then came, clothed in light, speaking sweet words
to deceive them saying: "I am the first created of God...now God has commanded
me to lead you to my habitation...to be restored to your former glory." 325. But
God knew that he (Satan) planned to lead them (Adam & Eve) to far-away places
and destroy them. Adam said, Who was this glorious old man who came to
us? Answer: He is Satan inhuman form come to deceive you by giving you signs
to prove his bonafides but I have cast him out. (p. 17.) 326. Adam and Eve, still
weak from fasting and still praying, are again confronted by Satan... 329. Again
Adam and Eve were sacrificing with upraised arms in prayer, Asking God to
accept their sacrifice and forgive their sins... At this Adam and Eve rejoiced. God
said: When the terms of my covenant are fulfilled, I will again receive you into
my Garden and my Grace. So Adam continued to make this sacrifice for the rest
of his days. 330. On the fiftieth day, Adam offering sacrifice as was his custom,
Satan appeared in the form of a man and smote him in the side with a sharp
stone even as Adam raised his arms in prayer. (p. 19.) (Hugh Nibley; Nibley On
The Timely and Timeless, p. 11,15,17,19.)
"In Judeo-Christian tradition the first representative of the arrested sacrifice is
Adam, who, as he was sacrificing on an altar, calling upon God with upraised
hands, was accosted by Satan, who tried to sacrifice him, smiting him on the
right side with a sharp stone. Adam fell upon the altar and Satan fled. While
Eve attempted to raise up her husband, and just as he was at the point of death,
God accepted his blood flowing upon the altar as a sacrifice, "and thus sent down
his word and healed Adam." Thus, as in the cases of Abraham and Isaac, the
sacrifice, though arrested, was no mere empty form, since it was clearly in the
process of being carried out to the end in good faith." (Hugh Nibley; The
Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri, p. 217.)
There are several principles revealed here which could be treated in another chapter. 1) The fact
that when dealing with such sacred subjects one should be prepared to combat the forces of evil
in a direct manner because the protective shield referred to in chapter eight will be removed in
direct proportion to the degree of further light and knowledge understood by an individual,
even to the point of personal face to face confrontation with Satan himself; 2) Once a person has
made his calling and election sure, receiving the temple ordinances which accompany that
blessing, being made a King and Priest, and having parted the heavens to commune with Deity,
the blood of Christ spilt in the atonement will no longer atone for his sins, thereby requiring his
personal sacrifice or atonement to be made as Adam was here depicted as in the process of
doing.
(The following are remarks made concerning the drawing of the ka-sign and a
worshipper): "Candidate petitioning for admission, (usually at sunrise); with
upraised hands of praise and supplication." (Hugh Nibley; The Message of the
Joseph Smith Papyri, p. 117.)
It's most impressive symbol (of the celestial embrace) is the Ka-sign itself, whose upraised arms
signify the act of calling upon God, of praising him in the rising Sun, of receiving his protection,
and of fusing with his being. (Hugh Nibley; The Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri, p. 244.)
This same sign was apparently used by Abraham to free himself from the altar as he was about
to be slain by the idolatrous priest. As previously stated the facsimile itself shows Abraham
with his arms raised with an angel of the Lord appearing to free him. Solomon also prayed in
this sacred manner and was visited by the Lord. "And Solomon stood before the altar of the
Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward
heaven...And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and
supplication unto the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his
knees with his hands spread up to heaven...And it came to pass...that the Lord appeared to
Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon." (I Kings 8:22; 9:2.)
At the early meetings of the school of the Prophets in 1833, Zeebadee Coltrin describes what
happened on several instances while praying with uplifted hands:
"Once Joseph gave notice to the school for all to get up before sunrise, then wash
themselves and put on clean clothing and be at the school by sunrise, as it would
be a day of revelation and vision. They opened with prayer. Joseph then gave
instruction to prepare their minds. He told them to kneel and pray with uplifted
hands. Brother Coltrin then gave an account of the appearance of the Father and
Son as given in the Minutes of the 3rd inst. Jesus was clothed in modern
clothing, apparently of grey cloth." (Minutes of the Salt Lake School of the
Prophets; Oct. 11, 1883, p. 69.)
"At one of these meetings after the organization of the school, the school being
organized on the 23rd of January, 1833, when we were all together, Joseph
having given instructions, and while engaged in silent prayer, kneeling, with our
hands uplifted each one praying in silence, no one whispered above his breath, a
personage walked through the room from East to West, and Joseph asked if we
saw him. I saw him and suppose the others did, and Joseph answered that is
Jesus, the Son of God, our elder brother. Afterward Joseph told us to resume our
former position in prayer, which we did. Another person came through; He was
surrounded as with aflame of fire. He (Brother Coltrin) experienced a sensation
that it might destroy the tabernacle as it was of consuming fire of great
brightness. The Prophet Joseph said this was the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ. I saw him." (Minutes of the Salt Lake School of the Prophets; Oct. 11,
1883, p. 58-60.)
"About the time the school was first organized some wished to see an angel, and
a number joined in the circle, and prayed. When the vision came, two of the
brethren shrank and called for the vision to close or they would perish, these
were Bros. Hancock and Humphries. When the Prophet came in they told him
what they had done and he said the angel was no further off then the roof of the
house, and a moment more he would have been in their midst." (Minutes of the
Salt Lake School of the Prophets; Oct. 11, 1883, p. 69.)
From the context of the above quotes it is very evident that the Prophet Joseph had instructed
the members of the School of the Prophets in 1833, eleven years prior to the building of the
Nauvoo Temple or the bestowal of the endowment upon anyone, that there was a specific
format which must be adhered to if they wanted to commune with heavenly beings face to
face. Without following that format they may receive answers to their prayers through the
medium of inspiration or impressions, dreams, visions, etc., but if they wanted specific answers
to their prayers delivered by a heavenly messenger face to face then they must follow the
prescribed pattern.
Joseph knew full well that once he had instructed these men in the method of prayer that they
would apply his teachings and was therefore not surprised when they prayed for an angel. He
seemed only concerned that they had feared and closed the glorious vision they could have
received. In an effort to help them gain greater confidence in the understanding of the true
order of prayer he then subsequently knelt with them and prayed with them in that sacred
pattern and upon doing so the record states that the group was visited by both the Father and
the Son.
On another occasion the Prophet instructed a sister, Mary Elizabeth Rawlins Lightner, in the
order of prayer. This sister too was frightened by the appearance of an angel in answer to her
prayers. She hid her face in fear and the angel departed. She later asked Joseph to help her
pray to receive the angel again. Joseph's reply was that she had offended the angel by her
actions and that he would not return again. He, also, said she might receive another one and,
"...if you are faithful you shall see greater things than that." (Mary E. Lightner's Testimony,
delivered at B.Y.U., Original in Lundwall Rare Manuscript Collection, Item #743, Microfilm Roll
#3.)
Obviously there is much more to praying in this sacred manner than merely stretching one's
arms and hands heavenward while offering prayer. Further instructions can be received
through the Spirit as one attends the Temple and puts forth real intent to understand the
concepts and principles taught there.
IMPLEMENTING THE TRUE ORDER OF PRAYER TODAY
It is important to remember that the Prophet Joseph Smith restored to the earth precious truths,
ordinances and principles that had been lost to the earth for many centuries. The concept of
how to pray was known by Adam, and from him it was transmitted down to his worthy
descendants. His descendants always had special places they would go to talk with the Lord
through the true order. Abraham at "Peniel" with his son Isaac and grandson Jacob going to the
same place to pray. Mountains, groves, wildernesses and temples have always been the places
where individuals have gone to commune with the Lord. Now, in these latter days the concept
of a "true order of prayer "which has been used since Adam and Eve walked upon the earth had
been restored, for the benefit of all the faithful saints of these days.
The Prophet Joseph stated:
"Having a knowledge of God, we begin to know how to approach him and how
to ask so as to receive an answer. When we understand the character of God,
and know how to come to him, he begins to unfold the heavens to us, and to tell
us all about it. When we are ready to come to him, he is ready to come to us."
(Joseph Smith, 6 April 1844.)
This statement is repeated here again because of the tremendous ideas that it raises. When we
come to the point in our lives where "we begin to know how to approach him, and how to ask
so as to receive an answer" then God can begin "to unfold the heavens to us, and to tell us all
about it." But, says Joseph, we must first be ready - and when we are ready to come to God,
then He is ready "to come to us." All this deeply implies that there is a proper manner in which
we are to approach God. Obviously the correct way to pray had been lost over the centuries of
apostasy, and it was important for Joseph to help the saints come to the correct understanding
of how to pray. But apparently the correct way was not to be possessed by everyone - only
those who had proven themselves faithful and who were now ready in their lives to approach
the Throne of Grace and petition the Lord for His blessings, knowing how to ask, and for what
to ask.
The following entry from the Journal of Heber C. Kimball explains a little more clearly how the
principle of prayer should be applied. Elder Kimball is quoting remarks made by Elder George
A. Smith.
"...when we pray to the Lord we ought to come together clad in proper garments
(robes?), and when we do so, and unite our hearts and hands together and act as
one mind, the Lord will hear us and will answer our prayers. Our (under)
garments should be properly marked and we should understand these marks
and we should wear these garments continually, by night and by day, in prison
or free...if we have the garments upon us at all times we can at anytime offer up
the signs...said that whenever they (George A. Smith and Wilford Woodruff)
could get an opportunity they retired to the wilderness or to an upper room they did so and offered up the signs, and were always answered. It would be a
good thing for us to put on our garments (robes?) everyday and pray to God, and
in private circles, when we can do so with safety." (Journal of Heber C. Kimball,
Sunday Dec. 21, 1845.)
Elder Kimball continues with his journal entry and quotes himself in there marks he gave to a
group of saints assembled in the temple earlier that day. He instructed them as follows:
"Doubtless with the most of the present assembly it is the beginning of a new era,
in their lives...they have come to the commencement of a knowledge of things,
and it (is) necessary they should be riveted on their minds, - one important thing
to be understood is this, that those portions of the Priesthood which you have
received are all essential matters - it is not merely that you may see these things,
but it is, matter of fact, a matter that has to do directly with your salvation - for
which you have talked and labored many years - it is not for amusement you are
brought hereto receive these things - but to put you in possession of the means of
Salvation and be brought into a proper relationship to God - hence a man
becomes responsible for his own conduct, and that of his wife if he has one. It is
not designed that the things that are presented today should be forgotten
tomorrow - But (they should be) remembered and practiced through all (your)
coming life - Hence it is a step stone to approach the favor of God...This is why
you are required to be sober, to be honest, that you could ask and receive, knock
and it should be opened, and that when you sought for things you would find
them. It is putting you in possession of those keys by which you can ask for
things you need and obtain them - This is the key by which to obtain all glory
and felicity of eternal life - It is the key by which you approach God... You have
now learned how to pray. You have been taught how to approach God and be
recognized...those who have learned to approach God and receive these
blessings, are they better than you? The difference is, they have been permitted
to have these things revealed to them. The principles which have been opened to
you are the things which ought to occupy your attention all your lives. They are
not second to anything; you have the key by which if you are faithful, you will
claim on you, and on your posterity, all the blessings of the Priesthood. The
sisters ought not to gather together in schools to pray unless their husbands or
some man be with them." (Journal of Heber C. Kimball, Church Historical Dept.,
Sunday, 21 Dec. 1845.)
From the above quotations we learn several very important points regarding the true order of
prayer, and from Brother Kimball’s point of view:
1) If we are wearing our garments at all times we can at any time offer up the
signs of the Priesthood and pray in the true order.
2) Ideally we should also wear our temple robes to pray but this is not necessary
if circumstances prevent.
3) We should pray in this manner every day throughout our entire lives,
providing we can do so safely, meaning in private.
4) This order deals directly with our salvation. Evidently doing so is essential.
5) This sacred order places within our possession the keys by which we can ask
for things and obtain them.
6) We have been taught how to pray and are expected to use that key to
approach God and thereby claim the blessings of the Priesthood.
7) This is the key by which we approach God and are recognized by him.
These journal entries by Elder Kimball give the most clear and specific instruction regarding the
true order of prayer of any single source. Brigham Young added another dimension to this
concept, stating that if brethren in the Priesthood had doctrinal questions for which they could
not get answers that they should pray for revelation on the matter. Furthermore, he specifically
taught that:
"...Three High Priests form a Quorum; five form a Quorum; seven form a
Quorum; twelve form a Quorum. Let a Quorum of High Priests go into an upper
room, and there appear before the Lord in the garments of the holy Priesthood,
and offer up before the Father, in the name of Jesus, the signs of the holy
Priesthood, and then ask God to give a revelation concerning that doctrine, and
they have a right to receive it. If you cannot get the information in any other
way...you are entitled to the administration of angels who administer in the
terrestrial kingdom; and they have a right to receive administrations from the
celestial. In this capacity you could ask for revelations pertaining to doctrine."
(Brigham Young; JD 9:91.)
From President Young's instruction it is clear that he did not believe that he or any other mortal
had all the answers to all doctrinal questions. Furthermore he indicates that a High Priest, using
the keys of revelation and prayer, could receive answers to doctrinal questions and thereby give
him more knowledge on that subject than even the President of the Church. Should this
happen, of course, that person would have no right to disseminate what he learned, except as
directed by the Spirit.
The scriptures indicated that God is not pleased with those who have no faith. And the book of
James in the New Testament tells us that if a person has faith, that his faith will be manifested to
the Lord and to the world by his works, or in other words, by what he does, says and thinks
(James 2:14-26). For instance, the Lord revealed to the earth the law of sacrifice and the manner
in which it was to be performed. Now those individuals who performed the sacrifice in the
way God intended it to be done were manifesting their believe in, trust in, and faith in the living
God. To perform the ordinance in any other way than in the manner in which God prescribed
would show the person's lack of belief and faith in God. The same concept holds true for
prayer. If we believe in God, and if we know that blessings will come only if we do certain
things, then to pray in a different manner than that which God has revealed to us would
indicate our lack of faith in Him.
The most important thing is always the attitude in which we do things. If I am prevented from
praying in the way God has revealed because I might be in a group of people, then the Lord
understands those circumstances.
In a very significant message to the general membership of the Church during an April General
Conference, President Spencer W. Kimball gave some very specific instruction regarding
prayer. Said he:
"However, it is the sad truth that if prophets and people are unreachable, the
Lord generally does nothing for them. Having given them free agency, their
Heavenly Father calls, persuades, and directs aright his children, but waits for
their up reaching hands, their solemn prayers, their sincere, dedicated approach
to him. If they are heedless, they are left FLOUNDERING IN MIDNIGHT'S
DARKNESS WHEN THEY COULD HAVE THE NOONDAY SUN." (April
General Conference; Ensign, May 1977, p. 76.)
President Kimball here instructs us very clearly that the Lord waits for us to pray, not just any
prayer but "solemn prayers" with "up reaching hands." And when we pray thus what would be
appropriate to say? Elder Bruce R. McConkie answers this question in another General
Conference talk which he entitled "Patterns of Prayer." He instructs us that:
"...it would be appropriate for us to use words that convey such thoughts as these
in our prayers: Father, we ask thee, in the name of Jesus Christ, to hear the words
of our mouth." (April General Conference; Ensign, May 1984, p. 32-33.)
The Psalmist echoed similar feelings when he exclaimed:
"Hear my prayer, O God: give ear to the words of my mouth." (Psalm 54:2.)
Obviously from the above quotes we learn that there is much more to praying than just
praying. On another occasion Elder McConkie gave some interesting instruction upon the
manner of prayer.
"In this setting, then, seeking to learn and live the law of prayer so that we, like
him, can go where he and his Father are, let us summarize what is truly involved
in the glorious privilege of approaching the throne of grace. Let us learn how to
do so boldly and efficaciously, not in word only but in spirit and in power, so
that we might pull down upon ourselves, even as he did upon himself, the very
powers of heaven." (Ensign, January 1976, p. 8-9.)
Though Elder McConkie has here used slightly different words than those who have spoken
before him he never the less conveys the same ideas as Joseph Smith and Heber C.
Kimball. First he states that there is a "law of prayer" (an order of prayer?), which we must
"seek to learn," implying that not everyone knows of or understands the "law of prayer" to
which he refers. Then he explains that once this law is understood it can be used to "approach
the throne of grace." This last phrase is almost always used in connection with the true order of
prayer and will be addressed later in this paper. Elder McConkie is saying we must learn to
pray "boldly and efficaciously." The word "boldly,” as used here, is synonymous with
"confidently," and shows that a person praying in this order will have confidence that his
prayers will be heard because he is petitioning God in the proper manner. The word
"efficaciously" means having the power or capacity to produce the desired effect or the ability to
achieve the expected results. This is the same concept which Joseph expressed when he said
that we need to know "...how to ask so as to receive an answer." Finally Elder McConkie
explains, as did Heber C. Kimball, that we should be guided by the Spirit in these matters while
praying in the power of the Priesthood in order to pull down upon ourselves the "very powers
of Heaven." Elder Howard W. Hunter alluded to the true order of prayer as he concluded his
General Conference address in 1974. He bore his testimony saying:
"I bear this witness that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, our Savior
and Redeemer by reason of his atoning sacrifice to give life everlasting to all
men. May the Lord bless us with the desire for an upward reach to the spiritual to know God, to find him, and to have the determination to serve him and keep
his commandments. This is my humble prayer in the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen." (To know God; Ensign, Nov. 1974, p. 97.)
The Apostle Paul instructed Timothy with the following words: "I Will (desire) therefore that
men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." (I Timothy
2:8.) And in Hebrews he said, "Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down..." (Heb. 12:12.)
Now that we have read some of the remarks of the brethren regarding the use of the signs of
the Priesthood it would only seem fitting to ask where it would be proper to do so. Based upon
the journals which Heber C. Kimball kept we learn that he assembled his family for prayer
around a family altar in his home.
"Family prayer was an institution in the Kimball household. Morning and
evening the members were called in to surround the family altar and offer up
praise and petitions to the Throne of Grace." (Life of Heber C. Kimball; 1888 ed,
p. 437-438.)
This concept of a family altar was amplified upon by Wilford Woodruff where in his journal he
records some remarks of Brigham Young on this subject. "President Young said the family altar
was the same as an Altar in the prayer circle. It is for parents and children to join hands over
the altar and pray." (Journal of Wilford Woodruff; April 25, 1858.)
President Young even recorded the dimensions of the altar for those who may desire to build
one.
"The altar is 2 1/2 feet long X 2 1/2 feet high X (one) foot wide rising from a
platform about 8 or 9 inches high and extending out on all sides about afoot
forming a convenient place to kneel upon. The top of the altar and the platform
for kneeling upon are covered with cushions of scarlet damask cloth; the sides of
the upright part or body of the altar are covered with white linen." (Mss. Hist. of
Brigham Young; By Elden J. Watson, p. 8.)
Prayer in the true order used to be a very common experience by members of the Church. Not
too many years ago Bishopric meetings, Stake Presidency meetings and High Council meetings
were opened by offering up the signs of the Priesthood and one, by mouth, approaching the
throne of grace. Many of the older members of the Church will remember this. Many meeting
houses were also built with special prayer rooms. One of the ward meeting houses in the
author's old stake had such a room in the uppermost story. However it has subsequently been
remodeled and converted into a class or storage room. Over the years the saints have stopped
seeking and learning. They have become complacent, desiring in large measure to be like the
rest of the world. They do not want to be different but would rather lead "normal" lives while
pursuing the affluence of the world at the expense of spiritual development. Thus knowledge
and implementation of the true order of prayer has gradually declined in direct proportion to
the affluence of the saints and their desire to be acceptable to the world, which is
SATAN'S. Until now the flickering flame of knowledge is almost extinguished. So rare is the
individual today who understands these principles that his ideas will be rejected and he will be
viewed as odd or eccentric even radical by those who become aware of his beliefs. Yet the
General Authorities of the church understand these principles completely and seem to be doing
everything in their power to teach these truths to those who have ears to hear while at the same
time leaving ignorant those who would rather be like the rest of the world.
ASK - SEEK - KNOCK
We have been commanded and counseled many times to ask, seek and knock, but because of
our lack of understanding of what these three words mean we are left in the dark. Elder Boyd
K. Packer wrote:
"It is clear that the Lord wants us to come unto Him and ask Him for whatever
we need. The simple invitation to "ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye
shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" was repeated by the Lord on
many occasions. He gave this message to the people He taught while He lived
on earth. He repeated it twice to the people of the New World at the time of His
visit to them following His resurrection, including His last words He gave them
before returning to His Father in heaven. Interestingly, the Lord repeated the
same invitation seven times in the Doctrine and Covenants. In varying ways
throughout the scriptures, He has invited us to ask HIM for whatever we need in
righteousness, that He might give it unto us. The initiative, is ours. We must ask
and pray and seek, and then we will find.
There are several paintings depicting Christ at the door, illustration a New
Testament scripture: "Behold, I stand at the door, and Knock: If any man hear my
voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and wills up with him, and he
with me. (Rev. 3:20.) In the more famous paintings he is shown holding a lantern
as he knocks at the door." (Teach Ye Diligently, p. 14-15; 1975.)
In the above quotation Elder Packer exchanges the word "knock" for the word "pray,” thus
equating the two. President Spencer W. Kimball also equates prayer and knocking in his
message to the youth of the Church, wherein he uses the example of Enos who went to the
forest to pray. This message was modified and again printed for the Church members to read,
this time in the Ensign:
"There is a knowledge that our Father in Heaven wants each of us to have, and
that is a personal knowledge that he hears and answers our prayers.
I have always loved the story of Enos, who had great need. Like all of us - for
none of us is perfect - he had strayed. How dark were his sins I do not know, but
he wrote, "I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God, before I received
a remission of my sins." The account is graphic and his words impressive:
"Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forest..." But he took no animals. He was
searching his soul, reaching, knocking, asking, pleading. (the idea of reaching
when one prays is indicative of the use of the signs). He was being born again.
He would have lived all his life in a weed patch, but now he sought a watered
garden... If we will do so (pray always), we shall gain for ourselves personal
knowledge that our Father in Heaven truly hears and answers prayers. This
knowledge he wants each of us to have, Seek it, my beloved brothers and
sisters! Seek it!" (Spencer W. Kimball; Ensign, Oct. 1981, p. 3-6.)
But how does an individual "ask" and "seek"? To do what these two words counsel us to do
would be to do more than mentally or verbally ask questions or seek answers while we pray. In
fact, these are things which we must do in addition to knocking or praying. If we are truly
converted Latter-day Saints, then we will want to become clean and pure so that we might see
God and dwell with him. That is our goal. But how can we know what we must do to return to
His presence? We must ask. But since the lord has already revealed what we must do in the
scriptures, we should ask through reading what the Lord has already revealed. The act of
reading and studying the scriptures shows the Lord that we are desirous of gaining further light
and knowledge - we are taking the first step in asking through studying. I ask the Lord for light
and he gives me the printed word and says, "Here, read this if you want to know more about
me and my ways."
As I study and learn I realize that my life is not in harmony with all that God has revealed. And
in order for me to become clean and pure I must live what I come to know to be true. This is
called "keeping the commandments." And this is how an individual "seeks." He is seeking the
Lord by changing his patterns of habit and thought to correspond with the Lord's. By doing so
he or she can actually become clean and enter the Lord's presence. How else can one effectively
"seek" the Lord? Sin will always keep us out of the Lord's presence, if we eliminate sin as much
as possible in our lives to where we abhor sin and desire to do good continually, then we can
become clean and realize the goal for which we have been seeking.
Finally, prayer is how we knock. But it is not just any kind of prayer that "knocks." Only
through the true order of prayer can a person knock. Knocking reminds us of the series of taps
given in sacred places and which symbolically allows us to enter into the presence of the
Lord. Recall how prayer is offered prior to that ceremonial entrance. Nevertheless, this is how
an individual can actually knock at the real veil - through the true order of prayer, and if he is
ready to come to God (clean and pure), THEN God is ready to open the heavens and tell (him)
all about it.
Have the Brethren encouraged the saints to read the scriptures, keep the commandments and
pray in faith? We all know that they have. But on several occasions they have counseled us to
do exactly these three things, together, and that if we did them, we could have the revelations
we desire and we could develop a personal relationship with the Lord. (See Elder Faust General
Conference talk, Oct 1976.)
Church leaders have done everything they can to prevent the weaker saints from knowing more
than they can handle (and there are many, if not most, of the saints who attend the temple who
are not ready for this), and yet they have tried to open the door for those who have eyes to see
and ears to hear. For instance, the following questions could be asked regarding why each of
these policies are practiced:
1) If the brethren really didn't want anyone to engage in the true order of prayer
outside the temple, they would have stopped the sale of temple clothing over the
counter to endowed saints. Why let them have their own clothing if it could only
be used inside the temple?
2) Why not just make them rent clothing at the temple so that the clothing would
never leave the temple?
3) Why teach them the true order of prayer in the temple if they are to never use
it?
4) Why is the order taught there called the "True Order of Prayer" (implying that
any other order of prayer is false or at least incomplete), unless the instruction is
given to prick our spiritual awareness of what we should be doing in private
(obviously no one who understood the meaning of the words "True Order"
would want to pray in an order that was not "True" even in the privacy of their
own homes)?
5) Why show patrons how to go through the veil if they are not to do so? At the
altar in the temple, why show them a sign in use if they are not expected to use
it?
6) Why are we shown a cosmic drama about the quest Adam and Eve have to
gain further light and knowledge, including instruction on how to gain it and
how to detect and test the angelic messengers who bring it to verify their
authenticity, and be commanded to consider ourselves as if we are Adam and
Eve unless we are expected to do exactly as they have done?
7) The drama presented in the temple shows how Adam and Eve, from the first
breath they took, sought for further light and knowledge. It shows the process
they went through and the outcome of that process. Once the drama is concluded
the balance of the endowment is quickly passed through to teach the remaining
signs and tokens in rapid session.
8) The entire endowment proceedings from beginning to end is a portrayal of
how to ask God for instructions, inviting the patrons to join in a prayer circle to
use what they have been taught and then symbolically showing them that by so
doing they will be brought into the presence of the Lord. Is this not a waste of
time and effort if we are not expected to use what we were taught?
9) Why do we go into the temple and learn all that we do about the Godhead,
about prayer, about detecting angels, about going through the veil if we are not
ever expected to use the knowledge?
10) All of this would not make any sense unless we are expected to pray in the
right way, the true order, in our quest to follow Adam and Eve in obtaining
further light and knowledge. Is not our home supposed to be the most sacred
place on earth next to the temple? Why?
11) Why are we supposed to dedicate our homes and cast out Satan (as we were
shown how to do in the endowment ceremony)? This principle is so important
that the latest edition of the General Handbook of Instructions states that the
home can and should be dedicated even before it is paid for.
Prayer is communion with the Lord. Obviously there are right and wrong ways to try to
communicate with Him. How fulfilling would it be for someone to attend a church meeting
and sit in the congregation and listen to someone else pray? Even though the individual
listening may agree with everything that was expressed by the person offering the prayer,
nevertheless the prayer was not offered by the person in the congregation. He may have had
needs, questions, or desires that he wanted to discuss with his Father in Heaven which the
person offering the prayer never expressed. Then if the person in the congregation was told
that he could not pray at home or anywhere else, but only in the church, and that even then he
could only sit and listen to someone else pray, how would he feel? Could he ever feel that he
had personally communed with God?
And so it is with the true order of prayer. We are instructed in how to do it. We are told that
this is "the true order of prayer," implying that our former understanding of how to pray was
incorrect. And then we sit in the congregation and listen to a worker offer prayer as an example
of how it is done. This is done to teach us in a manner in which those who have ears to hear
will hear and those who are not spiritually in tune will not be placed under
condemnation. Nevertheless, unless we personally offer the prayer as instructed in the true
order, we never really pray in the true order because it is someone else's prayer.
The saints are purposely left on their own, without specific instruction as to the course of action
they are expected to take. It is anticipated that the saints will come to their own conclusions
about these things and do what they feel prompted by the Spirit to do. No one can say to
another – you should pray thus and so. That is up to the person and the Lord. And because
God is no respecter of persons and desires all to come back to His presence, it is reasonable to
assume that these keys of revelation were destined to be possessed by all the faithful. Joseph
Smith promised that "...there was nothing made known to these men (the Apostles) but what
will be made known to all the saints of the last days, so soon as they are prepared to
receive...even the weakest of the saints..." (4 May 1842.) With these keys the Latter-day Saints
are able, through the exercise of their faith, to approach God in the proper manner and learn to
commune with the heavens.
The following pages provide a brief summary in outline form of the principles covered in this
chapter. The ideas expressed in this outline are the author's, representing the way I understand
these principles, and as such I alone am responsible for this interpretation. As used in this
outline the word "rich" means "where able or possible to do so." The word "poor" means "where
you are unable to do so or where circumstances prevent doing so."
I. PRAYER ALONE
(RICH):
1) Dress in Priesthood robes. The room should already be dedicated.
2) Face the Southeast (if north of equator - Northeast if south of equator). If
close, face the temple. If the Spirit directs, cast out Satan.
3) Offer all the signs, repeat names in the mind (including 2nd of Mel. Phd.), then
kneel at the altar and offer the sign desired respective to the purpose of the
prayer. Repeat in the mind the name of the sign you are using. Offer the
prayer. The altar should have already been dedicated.
4) Select something to use as brace for the arm (arms).
5) Either husband & wife can do this when acting as mouth.
6) When praying, the wife should veil her face.
(POOR):
1) Can pray at anytime as long as you have the garments on.
2) Stand, facing the southeast to offer the signs. Or face the temple if close. If the
Spirit directs cast out Satan first.
3) Offer all the signs, then kneel at the altar, offer the sign desired and pray.
4) If in nature, you can use a fallen tree, rock or tree stump as an altar or arm
brace. If at home there are other items that could be used.
5) Always dedicate the spot you are praying at before beginning the prayer.
6) When praying alone, the woman should look down which represents her veil
when she is praying without one.
II. PRAYER AS HUSBAND AND WIFE
(RICH):
1) Dress in the temple clothes (robes).
2) If directed by the Spirit, cast out Satan. Husband/wife leads in offering the
signs & names (in mind) with the spouse following.
3) Wife veils her face.
4) Both kneel at the altar, and whichever one is mouth will offer the sign & name
(in mind) and pray with the other person repeating the words of the prayer. The
one who is voice faces southeast, or the temple if close.
(POOR):
1) If the Spirit directs, cast out Satan. With the garments on, offer up the signs &
names as above.
2) Kneel at the dedicated altar, the one acting as voice facing southeast, or the
temple if close.
3) Offer the appropriate sign.
4) One being voice the other repeating the words of the prayer. The wife looks
down while praying, representing the veil.
III. PRAYER IN THE FAMILY
(RICH):
1) With unendowed children:
a) Do not wear Priesthood robes.
b) Do not offer the signs.
c) Kneel in a circle without an altar, with the one who is voice facing southeast,
or the temple if close, even though the others are not aware of it.
d) Husband and wife across from each other.
e) Husband and wife hold hands with the children placing their hand on top of
their parents hands and placing their left hand on the shoulder of the person next
to them.
f) As the prayer begins the husband and wife, whose hands are clasped under
those of the children, discreetly use the fourth token.
g) The person (husband or wife) who offers the prayer may or may not have the
others in the circle repeat the words of the prayer. As the Spirit directs.
h) Break the circle when through.
i) Have the children keep this type of prayer within the family only.
j) Pray in any room of the house, Southeast if available.
2) With Endowed children:
a) Parents, endowed children, and spouses, if married in the temple, may join in
the prayer. Any child not endowed may not join in the prayer or even be present
during prayer.
b) Anyone who is not a member of the immediate family by birth or marriage
may not join in the prayer even though they have been endowed.
c) If the Spirit directs, cast out Satan. All dress in Priesthood robes.
d) All form a circle around the altar.
e) The father, as patriarch, usually leads in offering the signs with those in the
circle following him.
f) The women in the circle veil their faces.
g) Form the circle as the temple instructs.
h) The father faces Southeast, or the temple if close.
i) Select the appropriate sign and pray, with all in the circle repeating the prayer.
j) After the prayer, the circle is broken and the women unveil their faces.
k) All must be done in safety.
(POOR):
The same procedure is used as indicated above, except the people involved would not have to
dress in the robes, and the location may be anywhere private that has been dedicated for that
purpose.
IMPORTANT CONCEPTS REGARDING PRAYER
1) Must always have the garments on when praying. Do not always have to have
the robes on when praying.
2) Do not engage in prayer with anyone not endowed.
3) Must not have any ill feelings in prayer towards anyone in the prayer circle.
4) Determine what you are going to ask the Lord, before you engage in prayer.
5) Pray always as directed by the Spirit.
6) The home is the most sacred place on earth outside the temple. It should be the
temple of the family.
7) A Melchizedek Priesthood holder may bless and dedicate his home to the Lord
although not paid for.
8) A room and an altar should be selected and dedicated.
9) Purchase your own temple clothes.
10) Prayer can be given anywhere. Secluded spots in nature and mountain tops
are ideal places to pray.
11) When praying, the person should face the greatest source of light, which for
us is the sun as it arises in the Southeast. However, if we are nearest to the
celestial room in the temple we would face that room, regardless of the
direction. If we are outside the temple and close enough to it that we can see it,
then we would face the structure. Otherwise we would face the southeast.
12) In all cases, seek the Spirit to direct when, where, how and what to pray
for. Learn to be specific in asking questions.
~~ Chapter XI ~~
TESTING THE ANGELS AND TRYING THE SPIRITS
Each office of the Priesthood of God gives to the bearer various powers or authorities to
perform functions on behalf of himself and others. The keys of the Aaronic Priesthood are for
the ministering of angels. In order for a bearer of the Aaronic Priesthood to hold the keys to the
ministering of angels he must also hold the key to detecting false angels and differentiating
them from true messengers. Thus the authority to test angels and try spirits rests with the
Aaronic Priesthood whereas the key to behold the face of God and commune with Him rests
solely with the Melchizedek Priesthood. The principles discussed in this chapter therefore are
principles which appertain to the Aaronic Priesthood even though they are seldom understood
in this manner. Also, we will deal with the keys and authorities of the Higher Priesthood as it
pertains to direct communication with God.
From personal experience Joseph Smith knew that there was a power of darkness, and that not
all manifestations or revelations were of the Lord. From the time the Church was organized in
1830, Joseph had a difficult time with individuals in the Church who were receiving revelations
and manifestations from false spirits, but yet who believed they were of God. As the time
approached nearer to the day when "the keys of how to ask and receive" would be given to the
saints in the endowment (on May 4th 1842), Joseph taught more and more about how to
distinguish between good and evil. He realized that once the saints began to pray in the true
order that Satan and his ministers would also be allowed to go forth answering their prayers,
even to appearing if that were necessary. With this thought in mind, it becomes more
important than ever to understand Joseph's teachings upon this subject.
In a revelation given to Joseph in May of 1831, the Lord revealed that if after prayer a spirit
would not manifest itself, the person involved would have power to rebuke the spirit (D&C
50:30-35). Joseph Smith himself had this type of manifestation when on the banks of the
Susquehanna River, Michael appeared to intervene and detect the devil when he appeared as an
angel of light (D&C 128:20). Satan has also appeared to several others as an angel of light and
was successful in deceiving some (Alma 30:53; Moses 1:9-23; 2 Cor 11:14). In April of 1833 the
Prophet warned Jared Carter and other saints, that "if any person have a vision or a visitation
from a heavenly messenger, it must be for his own benefit and instruction," and not for those in
authority above him. (TPJS, p. 21.) In July of 1839 Joseph gave several keys to the saints on how
to detect messengers. In summary, he said:
1) We must prove all spirits as they come to us.
2) If you see a vision, pray for the interpretation; "If you get not this, shut it up."
3) "An open vision will manifest that which is more important."
4) There are lying spirits going around giving great manifestations. They are not
all of God.
5) A spirit cannot come except in his glory because it has no physical body to
hide the glory.
6) An angel has flesh and bones, and the devil may appear as an angel of light.
7) If you receive a messenger, "ask God to reveal it; if it be of the devil he will flee
from you; if of God, He will manifest Himself, or make it manifest."
8) God will adapt himself to your capacity.
9) The devil can speak in tongues.
10) Every Spirit or vision or singing is not of God.
In December of 1840, William Clayton, the Prophet's personal secretary, recorded some
comments which the Prophet had made concerning detection:
1) If an angel (embodied) or spirit (unembodied) appears, offer him your hand,
and when you do:
a) The spirit from God will still stand and not offer you his hand. A good spirit
will not deceive.
b) "If from the Devil he will either shrink back from you or offer his hand and
you will feel nothing."
2) Angels are beings who have bodies and appear to men in the form of man.
A month before the endowment was given by Joseph, he gave another lengthy
discourse on how to "try the spirits." A summary of that discourse is given here:
1) Men are ignorant of the nature of spirits and are thus more easily
deceived.
2) No one can detect false spirits without the Priesthood (keys).
3) Satan and false spirits use "angelic form"; a sanctified look and gesture;
zeal for the glory of God; a prophetic spirit; gracious influence; godly
appearance; holy garb, etc.
4) A man must have the discerning of spirits before he can expose a false
spirit.
5) Some are under a false spirit when they think they are under the spirit
of God.
6) It requires the spirit of God to understand revelation from God and
Satan.
7) Spirits are governed by the priesthood (Good and bad ones).
8) Wicked spirits have their bounds, limits, and laws by which they
are governed and controlled.
9) False spirits have sandy colored hair.
10) By the messenger contradicting a former revelation from God; he
(she) proves to be a false messenger.
Speaking to the Relief Society on April 28th 1842, Joseph told the sisters that "the devil has great
power to deceive" and can "so transform things as to make one gape at those who are doing the
will of God." (TPJS, p. 227.) Then on May 1st, he told the assembled saints that there are" certain
signs and words by which false spirits and personages may be detected from true" and that
these keys would be given them in the temple as soon as it was finished. He went on to say that
"there are signs in heaven, earth and hell" and that "the elders must know them all," in order "to
be endowed with power," and "to finish their work and prevent imposition." The devil
apparently knows many signs, but he does not know the sign of the Son of Man. (is prevented
from using the sign of the Son of Man) (1 May 1842).
On February 9, 1843, while in Nauvoo, Joseph again elaborated upon the keys of how to detect
messengers. His remarks were:
1) There are two kinds of beings in heaven-a) Angels who are resurrected personages;
b) Spirits of just men made perfect, who are not yet resurrected.
2) When a messenger comes, saying he is of God, offer him your hand and request him to
shake hands with you. (as shown in the temple)
a) If he is an angel he will shake hands, and you will feel his hand (and the token used to
test).
b) If he is a just man made perfect, he will appear in his glory, but will not move, and
will deliver his message anyway.
c) If he is the devil as an angel of light, when you ask him to shake hands, he will offer
you his, but you will not feel anything (i.e., won't feel the token, he can not use them to
deceive).
The above comments are recorded in D&C 129. They were apparently given to help those who
had received their endowments to understand the principle of detection in greater detail. In
this revelation he said as much as he could outside of the temple knowing full well that the
endowed saints would be able to put two and two together.
One of Joseph Smith's final comments about detection came on Oct 9th 1843, while giving a
funeral address at the services of Judge James Adams, who had been a close friend to him. In
the sermon he commented "spirits (of just men made perfect) can only be revealed in flaming
fire or glory," but that angels have advanced further and their light and glory can be
tabernacled. (TPJS, p. 325.) The mission of the spirits of just men made perfect is that they are
made ministering servants to those (on earth) who are sealed up unto life eternal, and it is
through them that the sealing power comes down. (TPJS, p. 325.)
During the Nauvoo, Illinois days, Elder Parley P. Pratt wrote a book entitled "Key To The
Science of Theology" which was later published. In his treatise on spirits, he elaborates on some
concepts which were only touched upon by the Prophet:
"The good spirits are they who in this life partook of the Holy Priesthood, and of
the fullness of the gospel. This class of spirits minister to the heirs of salvation
both in this world and in the world of spirits. They can appear unto men, when
permitted: but not having a fleshly tabernacle, they cannot hide their glory.
Hence, an unembodied spirit, if it be a holy personage, will be surrounded with a
halo of resplendent glory, or brightness, above the brightness of the sun.
Whereas, spirits not worthy to be glorified will appear without this brilliant halo;
and, although they often attempt to pass as angels of light there is more or less
darkness about them. So it is with Satan and his hosts who have not been
embodied. (Parley P. Pratt; Key to the Science of Theology, written in 1840's, 1965
ed. p. 116.)
It is always the responsibility of the "presiding" individual to detect false spirits or
revelations. In the family it is the father, or mother where there is not a father. In a quorum it is
the president. In the ward it is the bishop. In the stake it is the stake president. These people
hold the right to detect for their stewardship. However, if the person on the lower level
detected incorrectly, the person who presides over him can make the truth known. It takes both
the priesthood and spirit of discernment to detect truth from error. All can go to the Lord for
confirmation and this as many times as it takes.
The New Testament gives us a scripture that we should study, and pray about as to just what
John was trying to tell us.
"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God:
because many false prophets are gone out into the world." (I John 4:1.)
The following quotes and ideas are food for thought.
1) I will inform you that it is contrary to the economy of God for any member of the Church, or
any one, to receive instruction for those in authority, higher than themselves; therefore you will
see the impropriety of giving heed to them; but if any person have a vision or a visitation from a
heavenly messenger, it must be for his own benefit and instruction; for the fundamental
principles, government, and doctrine of the Church are vested in the keys of the kingdom."
(Joseph Smith 13 Apr 1833, Kirtland, Ohio.; Instruction by Joseph to brother Jared Carter. TPJS,
p. 21.)
2) We may look for angels and receive their ministrations, but we are to try the spirits and prove
them, for it is often the case that men make a mistake in regard to these things. God has so
ordained that when he has communicated, no vision is to betaken but what you see by the
seeing of the eye, or what you hear by the hearing of the ear. When you see a vision, pray for
the interpretation; if you get not this, shut it up; there must be certainty in this matter. An open
vision will manifest that which is more important. Lying spirits are going forth in the
earth. There will be great manifestations of spirits, both false and true...
...An angel of God never has wings. Some will say that they have seen a spirit; that he offered
them his hand, but they did not touch it. This is a lie. First, it is contrary to the plan of God: a
spirit cannot come but in glory. An angel has flesh and bones, we see not their glory. The Devil
may appear as an angel of light. Every spirit, or vision, or singing, is not of God. The devil is an
orator; he is powerful; he took our Savior on to a pinnacle of the Temple, and kept Him in the
wilderness for forty days. The devil can speak in tongues; the adversary will come with his
work; he can tempt all classes...Let us seek for the glory of Abraham, Noah, Adam, the Apostles,
who have communion with (knowledge of) these things, and then we shall be among that
number when Christ comes. (HC 3:391-92; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 12.)
3) If an Angel or spirit appears, offer him your hand; if he is a spirit from God he will stand still
and not offer you his hand. If from the Devil he will either shrink back from you or offer his
hand, which if he does you will feel nothing, but be deceived. A good Spirit will not deceive.
Angels are beings who have bodies and appear to men in the form of man. (Joseph Smith Dec.
1840; William Clayton's Private Book; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 44.)
4) Unlike other versions of these instructions given by Joseph Smith from 1839-1843, this
account indicates that the Devil is not compelled to "offer his hand." Apparently Joseph Smith
believed that the Devil had sense enough to avoid obvious detection but that unlike "a spirit
from God," he would not remain motionless. (Moses 1:11-23; 4:6) (Andy Ehat, Words of Joseph
Smith, p. 56.)
Remember how Adam tested Peter, James, and John when they appeared unto him and
declared themselves to be true messengers of the Father. Adam asked them how he should
know that they were true messengers. Peter then extended the hand and proved his identity by
shaking hands in the sacred manner reserved for testing messengers. Is not this the same
manner of testing or shaking hands to which Joseph is making reference?
5) Jesus replied, Thus it behooveth us to fulfill all righteousness thus signifying to John the
claim of the Aaronic Priesthood which holds the keys of entrance into the Kingdom. Then the
three signs which were given were conclusive. The dove which sat upon his shoulder was a
sure testimony that he was of God. Brethren, be not deceived nor doubtful of this fact, a spirit
of a good man...from heaven who has not a body will never undertake to shake hands with you
for he knows you cannot perceive his touch and never will extend his hand. But any spirit or
body that is attended by a dove you may know to be a pure spirit. Thus you may in some
measure select the spirits who may come unto you. (Joseph Smith, 21 Mar 1841; Words of
Joseph Smith, p. 66.)
6) TRY THE SPIRITS -- One great evil is, that men are ignorant of the nature of spirits; their
power, laws, government, intelligence, etc., and imagine that when there is anything like
power, revelation, or vision manifested, that it must be of God...If Satan should appear as one in
glory, who can tell his color, his signs, his appearance, his glory? – or what is the manner of his
manifestations? - Who can drag into daylight and develop the hidden mysteries of the false
spirits that so frequently are made manifest among the Latter-day Saints? We answer that no
man can do this without the Priesthood, and having a knowledge of the laws by which spirits
are governed; for as "no man knows the things of God, but by the Spirit of God," so no man
knows the spirit of the devil, and his power and influence, but by possessing intelligence which
is more than human, and having unfolded through the medium of the Priesthood the
mysterious operations of his devices; without knowing the angelic form, the sanctified look and
gesture, and the zeal that is frequently manifest by him for the glory of God, together with the
prophetic spirit, the gracious influence, the godly appearance, and the holy garb, which are so
characteristic of his proceedings and his mysterious windings. A man must have the discerning
of spirits before he can drag into daylight this hellish influence and unfold it unto the world in
all its soul destroying, diabolical, and horrid colors; for nothing is a greater injury to the
children of men than to be under the influence of a false spirit when they think they have the
Spirit of God...As we have noticed before, the great difficulty lies in the ignorance of the nature
of spirits, of the laws by which they are governed, and the signs by which they may be known;
if it requires the Spirit of God to know the things of God; and the spirit of the devil can only be
unmasked through the medium, then it follows as a natural consequence that unless some
person or persons have a communication or revelation from God, unfolding to them the
operation of the spirit, they must eternally remain ignorant of these principles; for I contend
that if one man cannot understand these things but by the Spirit of God, ten thousand men
cannot...the world always mistook false prophets for true ones, and those that were sent of God,
they considered to be false prophets, and hence they killed, stoned, punished and imprisoned
the true prophets, and these had to hid...A man must have the discerning of spirits, as we before
stated, to understand these things...The true Apostles could control them at pleasure, bid them
depart in the name of Jesus, and detect their mischievous and mysterious operations when
trying to palm themselves upon the church in a religious garb. The spirits of men are eternal,
that they are governed by the same Priesthood that Abraham, Melchizedek, and the Apostles
were (governed by): that they are organized according to that prescribed bounds, for "Michael,
the Archangel, dared not bring a railing accusation against the devil, but said, The Lord rebuke
thee, Satan." It would seem also, that wicked spirits have their bounds, limits, and laws by
which they are governed or controlled, and know their future destiny. Satan is emphatically
called the prince of the power of the air; and, it is very evident that they possess a power that
none but those who have the Priesthood can control, as we have before adverted to, in the case
of the sons of Sceva. No man or set of men without the regular constituted authorities, the
Priesthood and discerning of spirits, can tell true from false spirits. This power they possessed
in the Apostles day, but it has departed from the world for ages. Soon after the Gospel was
established in Kirtland, and during the absence of the authorities of the Church, many false
spirits were introduced, many strange visions were seen, and wild, enthusiastic notions were
entertained. There have also been ministering angels in the Church which were of Satan
appearing as an angel of light. A sister in the state of New York had a vision, and saw a
glorious personage descending, arrayed in white, with sandy colored hair; he commenced and
told her to fear God, and said that her husband was called to do great things. Many true things
were spoken by this personage, and many things that were false. How, it may be asked, was
this known to be a bad angel? By the color of his hair; that is one of the signs that he can be
known by, and by his contradicting a former revelation. (Joseph Smith, Friday - 1 Apr 1842; HC
4:572-581)
7) He spoke of delivering the key of the Priesthood to the Church, and said that the faithful
members of the Relief Society should receive them with their husbands, that the Saints whose
integrity has been tried and proved faithful, might know how to ask the Lord and receive an
answer... He exhorted the sisters always to concentrate their faith and prayers for, and place
confidence in their husbands, whom God has appointed for them to honor, and in those faithful
men whom God has placed at the head of the Church to lead His people; that we should arm
and sustain them with our prayer; for the keys of the kingdom are about to be given to them,
that they may be able to detect everything false; as well as to all the Elders who shall prove their
integrity in due season. (Joseph Smith, 28 Apr 1842, Remarks to the Relief Society; TPJS, p. 226.)
8) I preached in the grove, on the keys of the kingdom, charity, &c. The keys are certain signs
and words by which false spirits and personages maybe detected from true, which cannot be
revealed to the Elder still the Temple is completed. The rich can only get them in the Temple
the poor may get them on the mountain top as did Moses. The rich cannot be saved without
charity, giving to feed the poor when and how God requires, as well as building. There are
signs in heaven, earth, and hell; the Elders must know them all, to be endowed with power, to
finish their work and prevent imposition. The devil knows many signs, but does not know the
sign of the Son of Man, or Jesus. No one can truly say he knows God until he has handled
something, and this can only be in the holiest of holies. (Joseph Smith, Sunday 1 May 1842; HC
4:608; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 119-120.)
9) There are two kinds of beings in heaven - viz, angels, who are resurrected personages, having
bodies of flesh and bones, for instance, Jesus said, "Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh
and bones, as ye see me have. 2nd The spirits of just men made perfect - they who are not
resurrected, but inherit the same glory. When a messenger comes, saying he has a message
from God, offer him your hand, and request him to shake hands with you. If he be an angel he
will do so, and you will feel his hand. If he be the spirit of a just man made perfect, he will
come in his glory; for that is the only way he can appear. 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; but he
will still deliver his message. If it be the devil as an angel of light, when you ask him to shake
hands he will offer you his hand, and you will not feel anything; you may therefore detect
him. These are three grand keys whereby you may know whether any administration is from
God. 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 comedown 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, 9 Feb 1843; Nauvoo, Illinois; HC 5:267-268; see also D&C 129:1-9.)
Note that if the way to tell that Satan was a false angel is that you could not feel a body, why do
you need tokens? Why couldn't it just be said that you would not feel a body? Just as you learn
in the temple, that which you will not feel is the "key" to detection, the token. Also, since an
angel has a body of flesh and bone, and Satan is an (fallen) angel (see D&C 76) he WILL OFFER
HIS HAND, to deceive, thus we need the tokens.
10) The quorum of the Twelve Apostles in Philadelphia held a meeting in the Canaanite
Church. About three hundred Saints were present. Meeting was opened by Jedediah M. Grant,
and President Brigham Young addressed the congregation at considerable length. He said that a
man or woman may ask of God, and get a witness and testimony from God concerning any
work or messenger that is sent unto them; but if a person asks for a thing that does not concern
him, such as governing the Church, as a member of the Church inquiring concerning the duty
of a presiding Elder, what the prophet or the Twelve ought to do, &c, he will not get an
answer. If he does it will not be from God. (Brigham Young, Sunday 6 Aug 1843; HC 5:527.)
11) The Hebrew Church "came unto the spirits of just men made perfect, and unto an
innumerable company of angels, unto God the Father of all, and to Jesus Christ, the Mediator of
the new covenant." What did they learn by coming to the spirits of just men made perfect? Is it
written? What object was gained by this communication with the spirits of the just? It was the
established order of the kingdom of God: the keys of power and knowledge were with them to
communicate to the Saints. Hence the importance of understanding the distinction between the
spirits of the just and angels. Spirits can only be revealed in flaming fire or glory. Angels have
advanced further, their light and glory being tabernacled; and hence they appear in bodily
shape. The spirits of just men are made ministering servants to those who are sealed unto life
eternal, and it is through them that the sealing power comes down. Angels have advanced
higher in knowledge and power than spirits. I anointed him (Judge Adams) to the patriarchal
power - to receive the keys of knowledge and power, by revelation to himself. He has had
revelations concerning his departure, and has gone to a more important work. The spirits of the
just are exalted to a greater and more glorious work; hence they are blessed in their departure to
the world of spirits. Enveloped inflaming fire, they are not far from us, and know and
understand our thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and are often pained therewith. (Joseph
Smith, Mon. 9 Oct., 1843, 2:00 pm, Funeral Sermon of Judge Adams; Times & Seasons 4:331-332;
HC 6:51-52; TPJS, p. 325.)
12) ...the Son of man said that the Saints shall judge the world and Angels. God has revealed
himself. When they (the Saints) come up before God they will be asked did this Angel perform
this or that, that he was sent to do. If not they will be judged. The Son of God will do as he ever
has done from the beginning. Send forth his Angels. If the reapers do not come, the wheat
cannot be saved...the Angels have begun to be revealed...it is the privilege of the children of
God to come to God and get revelation. (Joseph Smith; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 13.)
13) And now come, saith the Lord, by the Spirit, unto the elders of his church, and let us reason
together, that ye may understand; Let us reason even as a man reasoneth one with another face
to face. Now when a man reasoneth he is understood of man, because he reasoneth as a man;
even so will I, the Lord, reason with you that you may understand. Wherefore, I the Lord ask
you this question - unto what were ye ordained? To preach my gospel by the Spirit, even the
Comforter which was sent forth to teach the truth. And then received ye spirits which ye could
not understand, and received them to be of God; and in this are ye justified? Behold ye shall
answer this question yourselves; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto you; he that is weak
among you hereafter shall be made strong. (D&C 50:10-16.)
14) Wherefore, it shall come to pass, that if you behold a spirit manifested that you cannot
understand, and you receive not that spirit, ye shall ask of the Father in the name of Jesus; and if
he give not unto you that spirit, than you may know that it is not of God. And it shall be given
unto you, power over that spirit; and you shall proclaim against that spirit with a loud voice
that it is not of God - not with railing accusation, that ye be not overcome, neither with boasting
nor rejoicing, lest you be seized therewith. (D&C 50:31-33.)
15) And not marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (2 Cor 11:14.)
16) Satan was transformed into an angel of light before Joseph Smith and Michael had to come
to detect him (cast him out?) See D&C 128:20. He, Satan, can evidently do this because he is
able to take light and truth away from the disobedient (D&C 93:39), he can attempt to pass as an
angel of glory (2 Cor 11:14; D&C 129:8; Moses 1:2-25). As indicated in this discourse, Joseph
Smith thereafter revealed additional keys of detection. Far from saying that when the
instructions of this discourse were followed, the adversary's only recourse was to attempt to
return the handshake, in a Dec. 1840 discourse Joseph says, "The Devil...will either shrink
back..., or offer his hand." He will not remain absolutely still if he is tested. George A. Smith,
and who also was a witness to all the dimensions of Joseph's teachings on this subject, later said,
"There was no point upon which the Prophet Joseph dwelt more than the discerning of Spirits"
(Minutes of Meetings held in Provo City, 28 Nov 1869, Church Archives). This may be true
because the Prophet insisted that true religion was one of individual participation in revelation
from God but that in their zeal many could be deceived. (Andy Ehat; Words of Joseph Smith, p.
20-21.)
17) See the Poem by Orson F. Whitney "The Fair Friend,” p. 80 of Voices From the Mountain.
18) All beings who have bodies have power over those who have not. The Devil has no power
over us only as we permit him. (Andy Ehat; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 60.)
19) Evil spirits and messengers can be detected by:
a) Color of hair.
b) Color of eyes.
c) Presence of any bird other than dove.
d) Presence of wings.
e) Grasping hands and feeling nothing (no token).
f) Shrink back after request hand shake.
g) If after prayer a spirit will not manifest itself, the individuals involved will have
power to rebuke the spirit.
h) Michael can appear to intervene and detect the devil when he appears as an angel of
light.
i) If he contradicts a previous revelation.
20) The difference between an angel and a ministering spirit is the one is a resurrected or
translated body, with its spirit, ministering to embodied spirits; the other is a disembodied
spirit, vesting and ministering to disembodied spirits. (Joseph Smith; Words of Joseph Smith, p.
77.)
21) At this time (10 Apr 1842) the subject of detecting evil spirits apparently occupied the
Prophets mind very much. Only a few days before, as managing editor of the Times & Seasons,
he had published a lengthy treatise entitled, "Try the Spirits.” (Vol. 5, p. 743-748; 1 Apr 1842.)
Within three weeks, he would twice refer to this subject in public discourse (see 28 Apr 1842, 1
May 1842). These public teachings reflected his private thought and revelations concerning the
endowment ordinances, in which a fuller knowledge of this subject was first communicated on
4 May 1842 (HC, 5:1-2 or Teachings, p. 137) (Andy Ehat; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 139.)
22) Regarding the signifying to the angels of man's willingness to obey his covenants, See D&C
63:54; 38:12; 89:21; 132:17-19.
23) The second coming must come in a period of modern revelation when angels appear again.
(Matt 13:39-42; TPJS, p. 101-102.)
24) If you do right (there is) no danger of going too fast; he said he did not care how fast we run
the path of virtue. Resist evil and there is no danger. God, man, angels and devils can't
condemn those that resist everything that is evil, as well might the devil seek to dethrone
Jehovah, as that soul that resists everything that is evil...If you live up to those principles how
great and glorious - If you live up to your privilege the angels cannot be restrained from being
your associates. (Joseph Smith; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 117.)
25) One of the Apostles said to me years ago, "Brother Woodruff, I have prayed for a long time
for the Lord to send me the administration of an angel. I have had a great desire for this, but I
have never had my prayers answered." I said to him this, if he were to pray a thousand years to
the God of Israel for that gift, it would not be granted, unless the Lord had a motive in sending
an angel to him. I told him that the Lord never did nor never will send an angel to anybody
merely to gratify the desire of the individual to see an angel. If the Lord sends an angel to
anyone, He sends him to perform a work that cannot be performed only by the administration
of an angel. I said to him that those were my views. The Lord had sent angels to men from the
creation of the world, at different times, but always with a message or with something to
perform that could not be performed without...Now, I have always said, and I want to say it to
you, that the Holy Ghost is what every Saint of God needs. It is far more important that a man
should have that gift than he should have the ministration of an angel, unless it is necessary for
an angel to teach him something that he has not been taught. (Wilford Woodruff; Weber Stake
Conference, 19 Oct 1896, Spiritual Food 1830-1980, p. 62.)
26) Zachariah...being the only lawful administrator in his day...and Zachariah having no
children, knew that the promise of God must fail, consequently he went into the temple to
wrestle with God according to the order of the priesthood to obtain a promise of a son, and
when the Angel told him that his promise was granted, he, because of unbelief, was struck
dumb. (Joseph Smith; Sunday 23 July 1843; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 235.)
Some have thought it a little harsh that Zachariah was so severely chastened for his disbelief,
considering his age and all, and particularly since in the Biblical account there is no indication
that he was expecting or even seeking a revelation. The Prophet, Joseph, however explained the
following reasons why Zachariah was fully expecting and soliciting a personal revelation. For
seeking it and then disbelieving it he was chastened.
a) Zachariah was the only legal administrator of the Priesthood, meaning that he was as
the president of the Church.
b) He clothed in the robes of the Priesthood.
c) He entered the Holy of Holies in the temple.
d) He wrestled with the Lord according to the order of the Priesthood - offering up the
signs in true order of prayer.
e) He asked for a son using the signs in this prayer.
f) An angel appeared and told him (after testing) that his request would be granted.
g) He does not believe even though he had exercised faith by offering up the signs and
testing with the Priesthood.
h) for this he was struck dumb.
Think about what an affront doubt is to the Lord when he does so much for us.
27) To know one of the requirements to see the Father, the Son, or one of their angels. Read
both columns of JD 1:125.
28) Joseph was speaking inside the Nauvoo temple and made the following statement. "This is
the place that is appointed for the oracles of God to be revealed." (Thur 13 Apr 1843; Words of
Joseph Smith, p. 191.)
29) Luke 1:8-11 while the Melchizedek Priesthood keys would enable direct intercourse with
God, Zachariah holding the Aaronic Priesthood had the keys of access to the ministering of
angels. (See D&C 84:19-26; 107:18-20, Andy Ehat; Words of Joseph Smith.)
Aaronic Priesthood holds the keys to the detection (ministration?) of angels. This is particularly
born out from the fact that Wilford Woodruff wanted to split the temple ceremony into two
portions, that which pertains to Aaronic Priesthood and its attendant signs, tokens and
penalties, and that which pertains to the Melchizedek Priesthood and its attendant signs, tokens
and penalties. The key to testing the identity and validity of angelic ministrants pertains to the
Aaronic Priesthood.
30) God is not a respecter, we all have the same privilege. Come to God, weary him until he
blesses you. We are entitled to the same blessings, Jesus, revelations, Just Men, Angels,
etc...Obtain that Holy Spirit of promise - then you can be sealed to Eternal life. (Joseph Smith;
Words of Joseph Smith, p. 15.)
31) A great many men suppose there is no difference between an angel and a spirit of a just man
made perfect but Paul makes a distinction in the 12th chapter of Hebrews he tells us that the
Hebrew Church had come into the presence of god and angels and to the spirits of just men
made perfect. The spirit of a just man, if he made his appearance he would appear or be
enveloped inflaming fire and no man in this mortal state could endure it, but an angel could
come and appear as another man for Paul says be careful to entertain strangers for some have
entertained angels unawares, but to prove spirits view the Savior after his resurrection when he
appeared unto his disciples. They were afraid and thought they had seen a spirit but he
convinces them of their mistake by telling them to handle him for he says a spirit has not flesh
and bones as ye see me have. (Joseph Smith, Monday 9 Oct 1843; Words of Joseph, p. 255.)
32) Three days later Joseph Smith revealed these sacred keys to nine men - in accordance with
his plans as announced to the Relief Society just six days before (28 April 1842). To these men he
taught the keys of prayer and detection whereby all false documents, revelations, or
manifestations could be tested (Times and Seasons, Vol. 5 (15 Sept 1844):649-650) (Words of
Joseph Smith, p. 20-21.)
~~ Chapter XII ~~
ADMINISTERING TO THE SICK
One of the earliest practices of the Church, both in ancient and modern times, is to administer to
the sick. The Lord explained, as recorded in Matthew, that "...these signs shall follow them that
believe...they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Matt. 16:17-18.) Joseph Smith
gave further clarification stating that this sign would follow anyone who believed, whether they
held the Priesthood or not, whether they were a member of the Church or not. It was with this
justification that he stated that women were justified in exercising their faith and laying their
hands upon the heads of the sick and blessing them with their prayers to be healed.
"No matter who believeth, these signs, such as healing the sick, casting out devils, etc., should
follow all that believe, whether male or female. He asked the Society if they could not see by
this sweeping promise, that wherein they are ordained, if it is the privilege of those set apart to
administer in that authority, which is conferred on them; and if the sisters should have faith to
heal the sick, let all hold their tongues, and let everything roll on." "Respecting females
administering for the healing of the sick, he further remarked, there could be no evil in it, if God
gave His sanction by healing; that there could be no more sin in any female laying hands on and
praying for the sick, than in wetting the face with water; it is no sin for anybody to administer
that has faith, or if the sick have faith to be healed by their administration." (Teachings of The
Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 224-225.)
Therefore, anyone who believes may exercise faith and lay hands on the sick and bless them
through their prayers to be healed. However, there is an order of the Priesthood which has
authority to do more than merely pray over the sick through faith. James tells us:
"Is any sick among you? Let him call for the Elders of the Church; and let them
pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." (James 5:14.)
Bearers of the Priesthood may do more than exercise their faith and prayer son behalf of the
sick, they may anoint with oil and with authority rebuke the infirmity and command it to
depart. Thus faith, co-mingled with the power of the Priesthood, is used to heal the
sick. However, why did James specify that the Elders have to be sent for to pray over the
sick? Without doubt they were necessary to perform the anointing but what was so special
about the way the Elders prayed over the sick that they were sent for? Could not anyone offer
prayer? Or is there more to the order of prayer mentioned here than meets the eye? Elder
Wilford Woodruff explained that there is more. Said he:
"What is the sign of the healing of the sick? The laying on of hands is the sign or
way marked out by James and the custom of the ancient saints as ordered by the
Lord, and we should not obtain the blessing by pursuing any other cause except
the way which God has marked out. The Lord says do so and so and I will bless
so and so. There are certain key words and signs belonging to the Priesthood
which must be observed in order to obtain the blessings." (Wilford Woodruff's
Journal, 22 Mar 1842.)
Elder Woodruff specifically states that there are certain key words and signs which belong to
the Priesthood which must be observed in order to administer to the sick. This terminology
typically refers to keys and signs received in the endowment. Does Elder Woodruff mean to
suggest that it is proper to exercise these words and signs in administration to the sick?
We are told in Acts that Paul was stoned to death by the Jews. After the crowd dispersed the
Apostles exercised their Priesthood authority and raised Paul from the dead. The record states:
"And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded
the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had
been dead. Howbeit, as THE DISCIPLES STOOD ROUND ABOUT HIM, HE
ROSE UP, and came into the city; and the next day he departed with Barnabas to
Derbe." (Acts 14:19-20.)
Note that the disciples "...stood round about him..." Could this have reference to an ordinance
of the Priesthood in regard to healing other than the way most Elders of the Church today
administer to the sick? We have seen in previous chapters of this paper that the keys of the
Priesthood, jointly with their names, signs, and tokens, are used by those so authorized, to
communicate with the heavens to learn the will of God. What more important thing is there to
learn from God than whether or not a sick individual should be commanded by the power of
the Priesthood to be healed or whether he should be sealed up unto death? Would it then be
appropriate to exercise the names, signs, and tokens of the Priesthood during administrations of
the sick? In response to this question one may want to consider the unusual administration and
prophecy bestowed upon Lorenzo Dow Young and the healing miracle that followed in light of
the Temple and prayer circle: "My disease was pronounced (sic) to be the quick consumption. I
sank rapidly for six or seven weeks. For two weeks I was unable to talk. Dr. Williams, one of
the brethren, came to see me, and, considering my case a bad one, came the next day and
brought with him Dr. Seely, an old practicing physician, and another doctor whose name I have
forgotten. They passed me through an examination. Dr. Seely asserted that I had not as much
lungs left as would fill a tea saucer. He appeared a somewhat rough, irreligious man. Probably,
with what he considered a good-natured filing at our belief in miracles, he said to my father, as
he left the house: "Mr. Young, unless the Lord makes your son a new pair of lungs, there is not
hope for him!" At this time I was so low and nervous that I could scarcely bear any noise in the
room. The next morning after the visit of the doctors, my father came to the door of the room to
see how I was. I recollect his gazing earnestly at me with tears in his eyes. As I afterwards
learned, he went from there to the Prophet Joseph, and said to him: "My son Lorenzo is dying;
can there not be something done for him?" The Prophet studied a little while and replied,
"Yes! Of necessity, I must go away to fill an appointment, which I cannot put off. But you go
and get my brother Hyrum, and with him, get together twelve or fifteen good faithful brethren;
go to the house of Brother Lorenzo, and all join in prayer. One by mouth and the others repeat
after him in unison. After prayer, divide into quorums of three. Let the first quorum who
administer, anoint Brother young with oil; then lay hands on him, one being mouth and the
other two repeating in unison after him. When all the quorums have, in succession, laid their
hands on Brother Young and prayed for him, begin again with the first quorum, by anointing
with oil as before, continuing the administration in this way until you receive a testimony that
he will be restored." My father came with the brethren, and these instructions were strictly
followed. The administration was continued until it came the turn of the first quorum the third
time. Brother Hyrum Smith led. THE SPIRIT RESTED MIGHTILY UPON HIM. HE WAS FULL
OF BLESSING AND PROPHECY. AMONG OTHER THINGS, HE SAID THAT I SHOULD
LIVE TO GO WITH THE SAINTS INTO THE BOSOM OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, TO
BUILD UP A PLACE THERE, AND THAT MY CELLAR SHOULD OVERFLOW WITH WINE
AND FATNESS. At that time, I had not heard about the Saints going to the Rocky Mountains:
possibly Brother Smith had. After he had finished HE SEEMED SURPRISED AT SOME
THINGS HE HAD SAID, AND WONDERED AT THE MANIFESTATIONS OF THE SPIRIT. I
coughed no more after that administration, and rapidly recovered. (Cleon Skousen, Gifts of the
Spirit, p. 220, see also Fragments of Experience p. 445.)
This example of using the keys of power which all Priesthood bearers receive in the
endowment, as well as following the directions of the living Prophet is the point of this story. It
is not given as an example of how we should administer to the sick - although if we knew and
understood the Priesthood well enough we probably would have a great example here for
administrations and would not have as much need for doctors.
In a journal entry of January, 1887, another early day pioneer, Oliver B. Huntington, recorded
instructions for administration to the sick as follows:
"Thursday, 27th...evening at just dark I met Brother Thomas Tew of the prayer
circle, at Dimicks to administer to Ovanda. I chose these brethren because I
knew that they were in perfect accord with me, as none others could be in the
circle, but of that kind, I invited every other person out of the room except
Dimick among whom was her father, an apostate. I then, when alone put Dimick
and his wife Ovanda under a promise to obey the Gospel and keep the law of
God. After that we (I) prayed, Brother Tew anointed her and I was mouth in the
administration. We each laid our left hand on her head and raised the right arm
to the square. I then prayed and blessed her as the Spirit gave utterance in short
sentences waiting for the other brethren to repeat each sentence exactly as I
spoke it. When this manner of administration is rightly performed, the sick will
be healed, unless they are sick unto death. One more method I sometimes
practice, administering to those neigh unto death. Which is this: each elder prays
in turn, and all the rest repeat, with hands upon head of the sick. It must be done
with the whole heart in faith and every one in perfect accord, or union (not
doubting, in full faith), with all the others. I generally prefer only about 3 and not
more than 4 for either of these ways of administering, both on account of the
time it takes and the uncertainty of all hearts being united as one, when there is
many, for union must exist, that the effect may be produced." (Thursday –
January 27, 1887.) Oliver B. Huntington "Journal" BYU Special Collections,
Under date given.)
Dimick was a brother of Oliver B. Huntington. Ovanda was NOT a member of the Church. She
soon died, and Oliver B. Huntington wrote to his sister, Zina D. Huntington, and asked her to
perform the ordinance work of the temple for Ovanda.
These examples are recorded here as food for thought as to how Priesthood Brethren may
consider administration to the sick when called upon to do so. In all things, however, the
instructions of the Spirit should be followed.
Interesting side note: Joseph Smith explained that anyone who was miraculously healed by the
power of the Priesthood was also forgiven of all sin. That one of the signs of forgiveness of sin
was the healing of physical infirmities in miraculous manners.
From the brief statements of the Brethren listed above it becomes apparent that there are several
levels of administration to the sick. These levels are as follows:
LEVELS OF ADMINISTRATION:
1) Those with faith shall heal - either within the Church or without - membership is not a
requisite. Non-members with sufficient faith can heal. In fact, many non-LDS churches openly
practice "Faith Healings.”
2) Women may lay on hands, even with oil, and bless and heal, example: Mary Fielding Smith
blessed her oxen while crossing the plains.
3) Elders are legal administrators and should be used when possible. A woman can add her
hands to the head of a sick person even with a bearer of the priesthood present and exercise her
faith.
4) The arm of the officiator can be raised to the square - example: Oliver B. Huntington.
5) Kneel in prayer prior to the blessing to invoke the Spirit (kneel around sick person).
6) The True Order of Prayer can be entered into by those performing the blessing as they
surround the individual to be blessed. Example: Brother Young instructed by Joseph to do so.
See Acts 19:11-12 and page 125 of Gospel Doctrine teachers manual on healing with
handkerchiefs. Seek diligently.
~~ Chapter XIII ~~
RECEIVING THE ORACLES OF GOD, ANGELS AND JUST MEN MADE PERFECT
A few years after the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, Joseph Smith
saw fit to establish "The Kingdom of God" and teach people about it; so far as he ordained men
and women into the Kingdom of God.
It appears that the ordinances that were introduced in the Church were necessary so an
individual could use them to "Call down the Oracles of God" and receive them, thus enabling a
person to become a member of the Kingdom of God.
Oracles of God, are messengers sent forth from His throne. They do His will to bless
mankind. It seems their presence is a sign that the Kingdom of God exists. Franklin D.
Richards said:
"Wherever the Oracles of God are received and found there is the Kingdom of
God" (Scriptural Items, Sunday Jan 22, 1843; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 159.)
In William Clayton Diary we find this:
"He said where the oracles of God are revealed there is the Kingdom of
God. Wherever the oracles of God are and subjects to obey those oracles there is
the Kingdom of God. What constitutes the Kingdom of God? An administrator
who has the power of calling down the oracles of God, and subjects to receive
those oracles no matter if there are but 3, 4, or 6, there is the Kingdom of God."
(Sunday - Jan 22, 1843; Words of Joseph Smith, p. 159.)
The prophet Joseph, indicated that "power to call down" must be there. We get this power
through knowledge, given to us in the Church. Brother Heber C. Kimball taught:
"Perhaps you will not agree with me in what I am now going to state, but be this
as it may, I am satisfied that it is true. This people will never improve in their
minds or advance in spiritual intelligence until they improve and advance their
temporal interests (stewardship on earth, over material things, for the right
reasons)...Now, I can tell you all candidly that unless you advance in these
temporal improvements you never will increase in spiritual knowledge; the one
cannot thrive without the other. You may think it strange that you cannot enjoy
religion and the Spirit of God in a little, miserable log cabin, but you must
remember that the temporal and spiritual go hand in hand, they are inseparably
connected, and you may rest assured that the one cannot advance far along the
path of progression without the other (We must pass the tests in both areas to
progress). This has been one of my principles ever since I came to a knowledge
of the truth...To the people of Provo I will say...go forward with
such...improvements as will rouse up your spirits, elevate your minds to action
and make you energetic in the Work of God, and the blessings of the Almighty
will rest upon you and you will increase in the knowledge of the principles of
eternal life. This I know by experience and by practice...If you wish salvation, go
to work with your might and strength to do what the Lord requires at your
hands through his servants whom he has appointed. You need not expect Him
to come to you, especially as you are not prepared to see Him. As members of
the body of Christ we are called upon to labor and to do our part towards
building up His kingdom, and should all have equal interest in the
kingdom. We manifest our attachment to the principles of progress and
improvement, both of which are intimately connected with the building up of
ZION, when we plant orchards and vineyards, and when we make good
gardens, good farms, and when we build good houses in doing all of which we
get a liberal reward as we go along. Then let us stretch forth our hands and
build up the towns and cities of ZION...Now I want to see you do these things
here that you may make yourselves happy and comfortable, and also that you
may place yourselves in a situation that your Father and God can send his angels
to visit and to bless you. Don't you think that angels would like to see a garden
around your houses if they were to come and visit you? Who are angels? They
are sanctified men who once lived upon this earth and held the Priesthood just as
we do now, and who are co-workers with us..." (JD 10:233-237.)
Does any of this sound familiar? Has not our prophet today told us the same things? But note
why we do these things!!!! NOT FOR MONEY. "But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for
if they labor for money they shall perish.” (2 Nephi 26:31.)
We see in D&C and Church history when the people are poverty stricken they may receive
great spiritual blessing sin a hovel but when they can do better with their stewardship than they
are doing, then they will not receive the blessings they desire. For example baptisms in the
Mississippi river until they could afford a temple, etc. Endowments on mountain tops,
endowment house, then temples. This is the principle of doing the best you can with what you
have to work with. The Lord is not against poverty, He is against staying there when you can
move ahead. But always for Him, not selfish and prideful reasons. Also read Joseph Smith
about poverty and cares of the world preventing revelation. (Words of Joseph Smith, p. 196.)
All of this knowledge must come together as we progress. Seeking the Kingdom of God, and
desiring it to be here on earth so we may be a part of it, requires us to use the knowledge we
gain.
"We may look for angels and receive their ministrations, but we are to TRY the
spirits and PROVE them, for it is often the case that men make a mistake in
regard to these things. God has so ordained that when He has communicated,
no vision is to be taken but what you see by the seeing of the eye, or what you
hear by the hearing of the ear. When you see a vision, pray for a interpretation; if
you get not this, shut it up; there must be certainty in this matter. An open
vision will manifest that which is more important. Lying spirits are going forth
in the earth. There will be great manifestations of spirits, both false and true."
(Teachings of Joseph Smith, p. 161.)
This quote is repeated because it contains many truths to study. The act of using our power to
"call down" will bring the Kingdom of God to us, as stated before. One must be aware of the
council given about doing these things. Ponder the following:
"Do angels live at the present day as they did in ancient times? Everyone will say
that they still live. Are they the messengers of the Most High now as they were
in ancient times? Yes...Is there anything in the Bible that indicates that a period
or day would come when the ministration of angels would no longer be
necessary? No...to the contrary, we find that the Apostle Paul, in speaking of
angels, says - "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those
who shall be heirs of salvation?" Now, if there be any heirs of salvation on the
earth in the 19th (20th or 21st) century, why not these ministering spirits be sent
forth to minister for them? And if sent forth, why should they withhold their
glory and their personal presence from those to whom they administer? Why
not reveal themselves as they did in ancient times, personally and bodily, so that
the eye of the individual to whom they administer may behold them? We can
see nothing whatsoever that indicates, in the least degree, that these privileges
are to be withheld from the children of men (that are worthy). (Orson Pratt, Sept.
28, 1873; JD 16:212-213.)
Brother Kimball had some to say about why this may not happen.
"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 repay. Would not you
forsake such persons? Yes, you would. Will the Holy Ghost dwell with a man
who will lie, steal and swear? No. It is written that where the Holy Ghost takes
up its abode the Father and Son will come and abide. That is the God whom I
serve, one who has millions of angels at His command.” (March 2, 1856; JD
3:230.)
Also see "God, Man, and Universe" under Second Comforter, Calling and Election, and More
Sure Word of Prophecy. Salvation in the Kingdom of God, means different things to different
people; based on their level of knowledge and what they do with the knowledge.
"A man may be saved, after the judgment, in the terrestrial kingdom, or in the
telestial kingdom, but he can never see the celestial kingdom of God, without
being born of water and the Spirit. He may receive a glory like unto the moon, or
a star, but he can never come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living
God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels; to the
general assembly and Church of the Firstborn, which are written in heaven, and
to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus
the Mediator of the new covenant, unless he becomes as a little child (teachable),
and is taught by the Spirit of God. Wherefore, we again say, SEARCH THE
REVELATIONS OF GOD; study the prophecies, and rejoice that God grants unto
the world Seers and Prophets. They are they who saw the mysteries of
godliness; they saw the flood before it came; they saw angels ascending and
descending upon a ladder that reached from earth to heaven;...And, fellow
sojourners upon earth, it is your privilege to purify yourselves and come up to
the same glory, and see for yourselves, and know for yourselves. Ask, and it
shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto
you." (Joseph Smith Aug 1832; Teachings, p. 12-13; HC 1:282-284.)
So do we begin to see what the Kingdom of God is like? Do we want to be a part of it?
We can!!!