Sunday The meeting was opened by Singing, & Prayer By W Woodruff Then Joseph the Seer
arose & said It is not wisdom that we should have all knowledge at once presented before
us but that we should have a little then we can comprehend it.
He then read the second Epistle of Peter 1st Ch 16 to last vers & dwelt upon
the 19th vers with som remarks Ad to your faith Knowledge &c The principl of
knowledge is the principle of Salvation the Principle can be comprehended, for any
one that cannot get knowledge to be saved will be damned. The Principl of Salvation
is given to us through the knowledge of Jesus Christ Salvation is nothing more or
less than to triumph over all our enemies & put them under our feet & when we have
power to put all enemies under our feet in this world & a knowledge to triumph over
all evil spirits in the world to come then we are saved as in the case of Jesus he
was to reign untill he had put all enemies under his feet & the last enemy was death
Perhaps there are principle here that few men have thought of. No power
person can have this Salvation except through a tabernacle
Now in this world mankind are naturly selfish ambitious & striving to excell one
above another While yet some are willing to build up others as well as
themselves so in the other world there is a variety of spirits some who seek to
excell, & this was the case with the devil when he fell he sought for things
which were unlawful hence he was cast down & it is said he drew away many with
him & the greatness of his punishment is that he shall not have a tabernacle
this is his punishment So the devil thinking to thwart the decree of God by
going up & down in the earth seeking whome he may destroy any person that
he can find that will yield to him he will bind him & take possession of the
body & reign there glorying in it mightily not thinking that he had got a stolen
tabernacle & by & by some one of Authority will come along & cast him out &
restore the tabernacle to his rightful owner but the devil steals a tabernacle
because he has not one of his own but if he steals one he is liable to be turned out of doors
¶ Now their is some grand secret ther & keys to unlock the subject Not withstanding
the Apostle exhorts them to make their Calling Add to their faith virtue
Knowledge temperance &C yet he exhorts them to make their Calling & election Shure & though
they had herd the audible voice from heaven bearing testinoy that Jesus was the Son of
God yet he says we have a more sure word of Prophecy where unto ye do well that ye take
heed as unto a light shining in a dark place. Now wherein could they have a more sure
word of prophecy than to hear the voice of God saying this is my Beloved Son &C Now
for the Secret & grand Key though they might hear the voice of God & know that
Jesus was the Son of God this would be no evidence that their election & Calling
& election was made shure that they had part with Christ & was a Joint heir
with him, they then would want that more sure word of Prophecy that they were sealed
in the heavens & had the promise of eternal live in the Kingdom of God then having
this promise sealed unto them it was as an anchor to the Soul Sure & Steadfast though
the thunders might roll & lightnings flash & earthquakes Bellow & war gather thick
around yet this hope & knowledge would support the soul in evry hour of trail [trial]
trouble & tribulation Then Knowledge through our Lord & savior Jesus Christ is the
grand Key that unlocks the glories & misteries of the Kingdom of heaven Compair this
principle once with Christondom at the present day & whare are they with all their
boasted religion piety & sacredness while at the same time they are Crying out against
Prophets Apostles Angels Revelation, Prophesyings, & Visions &C. 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 & treat with disdain & trample
under foot the main key that unlocks the heavens & puts in our possession the glories
of the Celestial world. Yes I say such will be damned with all their professed godliness
¶ Then I would exhort you to go on & continue to call upon God until you make your Calling & election sure for yourselves by obtaining this more sure word of Prophesey & wait patiently for the promise untill you obtain it Many other very useful remarks were made on the occasion by Joseph the Seer.
1. The theme here of calling and election was a frequent one over the course of this year. The text for many of these sermons was John 14, however here he takes 2 Peter 1:5-7 as his text. The progress in introducing aspects of the temple ritual is the subtext for these sermons. The final ordinances would be introduced in the fall of that year.