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Source: Times and Seasons Vol. 4 Chapter 22 Page: 336

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336 TIMES AND SEASONS.

"Truth will prevail."

Vol. IV. No. 22.] CITY OF NAUVOO, ILL. October 1, 1843. [Whole No. 82.

HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH.

(Continued.)

It may be well to observe here, that the Lord greatly encouraged and strengthened the faith of his little flock, which had embraced the fulness [fullness] of the everlasting gospel, as revealed to them in the Book of Mormon, by giving some more extended information upon the scriptures, a translation of which had already commenced.

Much conjecture and conversation frequently occurred among the saints, concerning the books mentioned, and referred to in various places in the Old and New Testaments, which were now no where to be found. The common remark was, they were lost books; but it seems the apostolic churches had some of these writings, as Jude mentions or quotes the prophesy of Enoch, the seventh from Adam. To the joy of the flock, which in all, from Colesville to Canandaigua, N. York, numbered about seventy members, did the Lord reveal the following doings of olden times, from the prophesy [prophecy] of Enoch.

Extract from the Prophesy of Enoch.

And it came to pass that Enoch continued his speech saying, Behold our father Adam taught these things, and many have believed and become the sons of God, and many have believed not and perished in their sins, and are looking forth with fear, in torment, for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God to be poured out upon them. And from that time forth Enoch began to prophesy, saying unto the people that, as I was journeying and stood upon the place Manhujah, I cried unto the Lord, and there came a voice out of heaven, saying Turn ye and get ye upon the mount Simeon.-And it came to pass that I turned and went upon the mount, and as I stood upon the mount, I beheld the heavens open and I was clothed upon with glory, and I saw the Lord; he stood before my face, and he talked with me, even as a man talks one to another face to face; and he said unto me, Look, and I will show unto you the world for the space of many generations. And it came to pass that I beheld the valley Shum, and lo, a great people which dwelt in tents, which were the people of Shum. And again the Lord said unto me, Look, and I looked towards the north, and I beheld the people of Canaan, which dwelt in tents. And the Lord said unto me, Prophesy, and I prophesied saying, Behold the people of Canaan, which are numerous, shall go forth in battle array against the people of Shum, and shall slay them that they shall utterly be destroyed; and the people of Canaan shall divide themselves in the land, and the land shall be barren and unfruitful, and none other people shall dwell there but the people of Canaan; for behold the Lord shall curse the land with much heat, and the barrenness thereof shall go forth forever: And there was blackness come upon all the children of Canaan, that they were despised among all people. And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me, Look, and I looked and beheld the land of Sharon, and the land of Enoch, and the land of Omner, and the land of Heni, and the land of Shem, and the land of Haner, and the land of Hanannihah, and all the inhabitants thereof: and the Lord said unto me, Go to this people and say unto them, Repent, lest I come out and smite them with a curse, and they did. And he gave unto me a commandment that I should baptize in the name of the Father and the Son, which is full of grace and truth, and the Holy Spirit, which bears record of the Father and the Son.

And it came to pass, that Enoch continued to call upon all the people, save it were the people of Canaan, to repent: and so great was the faith of Enoch, that he lead the people of God, and their enemies came to battle against them, and he spake the word of the Lord, and the earth trembled; and the mountains fled, even according to his command; and the rivers of water were turned out of their course; and the roar of the lion was heard out of the wilderness; and all nations feared greatly, so powerful was the word of Enoch, and so great was the power of language, which God had given him. There also came up a land out of the depth of the sea; and so great was the fear of the enemies of the people of God, that they fled and stood afar off, and went upon the land which came up out of the depths of the sea. And the giants of the land, also, stood afar off; and there went forth a curse upon all the people which fought against God: and from that time forth there were wars and bloodsheds among them; but the Lord came and dwelt with his people, and they dwelt in righteousness. The fear of the Lord was upon all nations, so great was the glory of the Lord, which was upon his people. And the Lord blessed the land, and they were blessed upon the mountains, and upon the high places, and did flourish. And the Lord called his people Zion,

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