| 496 Times and Seasons.
"Truth will prevail,"
Vol. V, No 8.] CITY OF NAUVOO, ILL. APRIL, 15,1844. [Whole No. 92
HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH.
(continued.)
After this revelation was received, some conversation was had concerning revelations and language; I received the following
Revelation given November, 1831.
Behold, and hearken, O ye elders of my church, who have assembled yourselves together, whose prayers I have heard, and whose hearts I know, and whose desires have come up before me. Behold and lo, mine eyes are upon you; and the heavens and the earth are in mine hands, and the riches of eternity are mine to give. Ye endeavored to believe that ye should receive the blessing which was offered unto you, but behold, verily I say unto you, there were fears in your hearts; and verily this is the reason that ye did not receive.
And now I the Lord give unto you a testimony of the truth of these commandments which are lying before you: your eyes have been upon my servant Joseph Smith, jr.; and his language you have known; and his imperfections you have known; and you have sought in your hearts knowledge, that you might express beyond his language: this you also know; now seek ye out of the book of commandments, even the least that is among them, and appoint him that is the most wise among you; or if there be any among you that shall make one like unto it, then ye are justified in saying that ye do not know that they are true: but if ye cannot make one like unto it, ye are under condemnation if ye do not bear record that they are true: for ye know that there is no unrighteousness in them; and that which is righteous, cometh down from above, from the Father of lights.
And again, verily I say unto you, that it is your privilege, and a promise I give unto you that have been ordained unto this ministry, that inasmuch as you strip yourselves from jealousies and fears, and humble yourselves before me, for ye are not sufficiently humble, the vail [veil] shall be rent and you shall see me and know that I am; not with the carnal, neither natural mind, but with the spiritual; for no man has seen God at any time in the flesh, except quickened by the Spirit of God; neither can any natural man abide the presence of God; neither after the carnal mind; ye are not able to abide the presence of God now, neither the ministering of angels; wherefore continue in patience until you are perfected.
Let not your minds turn back; and when ye are worthy, in mine own due time, ye shall see and know that which was conferred upon you by the hands of my servant Joseph Smith, jr. Amen.
After the above was received, William E. McLellin, as the wisest man, in his own estimation, having more learning than sense, endeavored to write a commandment like unto one of the least of the Lord's, but failed, it was an awful responsibility to write in the name of the Lord. The elders and all present, that witnessed this vain attempt of a man to imitate the language of Jesus Christ, renewed their faith in the fulness [fullness] of the gospel, and in the truth of the commandments and revelations which the Lord had given to the church through my instrumentality; and the elders signified a willingness to bear testimony of their truth to all the world.
As the following elders were desirous to know the mind of the Lord concerning themselves, I enquired [inquired] and received,
AS Revelation given November, 1831, to Orson Hyde, Luke Johnson, Lyman Johnson and Wm. E. Mc'Lellin. The mind and will of the Lord, as made known by the voice of the Spirit to a conference concerning certain elders; and also certain items, as made known, in addition to the covenants and commandments.
My servant, Orson Hyde, was called, by his ordinance, to proclaim the everlasting gospel, by the spirit of the living God, from people to people, and from land to land, in the congregations of the wicked, in their synagogues, reasoning with and expounding all scriptures unto them: and behold and lo, this is an ensample unto all those who were ordained unto this priesthood, whose mission is appointed unto them to go forth: and this is the ensample unto them, that they shall speak as they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, shall be scripture; shall be the will of the Lord; shall be the mind of the Lord; shall be the word of the Lord; shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation; behold this is the promise of the Lord unto you, O ye my servants: wherefore be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God; that I was, that I am, and that I am to come. This is the word of the Lord
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