| Smith diary | Burgess Notebook | Richards' record |
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¶ Elders have a privilege to appeal from any decision of a branch to know if they shall retain their office or membership. [Makes extensive remarks on local real estate problems and especially in the state of Iowa - for the complete text, consult WJS.] ¶ The question has been asked can a Member not belonging to the church1 bring a member before the high council, for trial? I answer No! I ask no Jurisdiction in [local] religious matters I merely give my opinion when asked. If there was any feelings at Nashville because I gave my opinion, there is no occasion for it.. I only advice the brethren to come from Iowa, & they may do as they please about coming. |
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Joseph said when he was asking to know of the time of Christs second Coming he obtained for answer my son if thou shalt live untill thou art Eighty five years old thou shalt see the son of man on Earth Joseph was born in Sharon Windsor County Vermont Dec 23 1805. He is therefore now 37 years old last Dec which leaves 48 years yet to transpire untill the tim [time] of Promise that Joseph should see Christ. | |
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¶ I prophecy in the name of the Lord God.--& let it be written. that the Son of Man will not come in the heavens till I am 85 years old 48 years hence or about 1890.--the Read 14 Rev. 6 verse another angel fly in the midst of heaven; for the hour of his judgment is come. to extermination--from commencement. commence when angel commences preaching this gospel 1 day--1000 years. 1000 years as 1 day.--41 yrs 8 months.-- only 6 years from the voice, saying. if thou live till thou art 85. years old. Hosea 6th chapter after 2 days &c 2520 years which bring it to 1890.--the Son of man never will be, never can be till the judgments spoken of for this hour are poured out, which judments are commenced.- ¶ Paul says ye are the children of light--& not of the darkness, that that day should not overtake us as a theif in the night.--it is not the design of the Almighty to come upon the earth & crush it & grind it to powder) he will reveal it to his servants the prophets. O what wondrous wise men there are going about & braying like--like an ass cry O, Lord, where is Joe Smith--Joe Smith.--whare--O Away up on the top of the topless throne aha.--&c-- ¶
Jerusalem must be rebuilt.--& Judah return, must return & the temple water come out from under the
temple--the waters of the dead sea be healed.--it will take some time to build the walls & the Temple.
&c & all this must be done before Son of Man will make his appearance; wars & rumours of wars. signs
in the heavens above on the earth beneath Sun turned to darkness moon to blood, |
again we find Paul 1st Thesslonians 5th Chapter expressly points out the characters who shall not know the day nor the hour when the Son of Man cometh for says he it will come upon them as theif or unawares. Who are they they are the children of darkness or night. But to the Saints he says yea are not of the night nor of darkness of that that day should come upon you unawares. John the revelator says 14 chap 7th verse that the hour of his judgements is come they are precursers or forerunners of the comeing of Christ. read Matthew 24 Chap and all the Prophets. He says then shall they see the Sign of the domeing of the Son of Man in the clouds of Heaven. How are we to see it Ans. As the lighting up of the morning or the dawning of the morning cometh from the east and shineth unto the west--So also is the comeing of the Son of Man. The dawning of the Morning makes its appearance in the east and moves along gradualy so also will the comeing of the Son of Man be. it will be small at its first appearance and gradually becomes larger untill every eye shall see it. Shall the Saints understand it Oh yes. Paul says so. Shall the wicked understand Oh no they attribute it to a naturn cause. They will probably suppose it is two great comets comeing in contact with each other ¶ It will be small at first and will grow larger and larger untill it will be all in a blaze so that every eye shall see it. Joseph Smith the Prophet. |
1. Meaning, branch of the Church, that is, can a member from one local jurisdiction have standing in another local jurisdiction? The answer was no. There was an appeals process which at this time went from branch, to conference of local branches, to Nauvoo High Council to General conference of the Church. The appeals process was later modified to eliminate conferences from the process to only private councils. Moses Martin was reinstated on appeal. Presently, the appeals process in stakes moves from ward bishopric to stake high council to First Presidency who may assign some other body to conduct a review of the case.
2. Compare 2Apr43, D&C 130, March 10, 1844, February 14, 1835. Joseph's opinion regarding the meaning of the words he received seems to have gradually modulated from a strict interpretation - Christ *will* come in his 85th year, to the present interpretation. Perhaps this understanding or flexibility evolved from the difficult experiences of Missouri and the postponement of the "redemption" of Zion.
3. The reference to Amos 3:7 here is not found in the other accounts, but the Burgess record continues with a reference 2 Thess. 5, and suggests that the stricture on knowledge of the time of the Parousia was limited both in time and space. Burgess may have heard the story before, hence the part he recorded found more resonance with him.