Subject 1st on the Gospel By father Cole he Said that Some thought that He Difered from president Smith Concerning the time of the Giving of the Holy Ghost--as teach that all men receive the Holy Ghost before Baptizem-- Joseph said we Do not take Notice of things as they Read them--or they might know things as they Read them--he quotes rather 2d Repent & be Baptized &c--& ye Shall Receive the Gift of the Holly Ghost--Now said he (taking up his Cap & presenting to Prd [William] Law) in Giveing you this Gift is not giving myself. However there is a prist-Hood with the Holy Ghost & Key--the Holy Ghost over shadows you & witness unto you of the authority & the Gifts of the Holly Ghost--1
he said was the provence of the father to preside as the Chief or President--Jesus as the Mediator & Holy Ghost as the testator or witness-- the Son Had a Tabernicle & so had the father But the Holly Ghost is a personage of spirit without tabernicle2
the Great God has a name By wich He will be Called which is Ahman-- also in asking have Referance to a personage Like Adam for God made Adam Just in his own Image Now this a key for you to know how to ask & obtain. 3
Next was [Ebenezer] Robinson in the Gospel he spoke of Adam pertaking of the forbiden fruit & so on--Joseph said a person ought always take his subject along--for instance Jesus in all his Doctrines & parables-set it forth Like a tree or Mustard Stock Commencing at the foundation or Root thence up to the first Branch & out along it then back to the body of the tree or subject & thence to the Next Branch & so--on Now as to Adam the Lord said in the Day thous Shalt Eat there of thou shalt shurely Die
Now the Day the Lord has Refferance too is spoken of by Petter a thousand of our years is with the Lord as one Day &c at the time the Lord said this to Adam there was No mode of Counting time By Man, as man Now Counts time.4
1. Compare the 1843 instruction which found its way into the Doctrine and Covenants. (section 130 - see 2Apr43).
2. The instruction on the Godhead here is neither the first nor the last of its kind. See note 1. William Clayton records this from (undated) similar remarks:
An Everlasting covenant was made between three personages before the organization of this earth and relates to their dispensation of things to men on the earth. These personages according to Abraham's record are called God the first, the Creator; God the second, the Redeemer; and God the third, the Witness or Testator [Extracts from Wm Clayton's Private Book, 10-11, Nuttall collection, BYU Library].
3. The word "Ahman" surfaces in several revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants (see sections 95, 116 and 117) and in a speech by Orson Pratt who said:
There is one revelation that this people are not generally acquainted with. I think it has never been published, but probably it will be in the Church History. It is given in questions and answers. The first question is, "What is the name of God in the pure language?" The answer says, "Ahman." "What is the name of the Son of God?" Answer, "Son Ahman--the greatest of all the parts of God excepting Ahman." "What is the name of men?" "Sons Ahman," is the answer. "What is the name of angels in the pure language?" "Anglo-man." This revelation goes on to say that Sons Ahman are the greatest of all the parts of God excepting Son Ahman and Ahman, and that Anglo-man are the greatest of all the parts of God excepting Sons Ahman, Son Ahman, and Ahman, showing that the angels are alittle lower than man. [JD 2:342]The text of this revelation was unknown otherwise until the rediscovery of "The Book of Commandments of Revelations" with the Joseph Smith papers project. The revelation will be published in 2009. The use of key-words in religious ceremony is linked to facsimile no. 2 of the Book of Abraham. See also the (then) recently received revelation (D&C 124:95). This signals the "endowment" to be given the following year (see HC for May 1842).
4. Again, the unpublished text of the Book of Abraham surfaces here. See Abr. 3.