RLDS Church History Search

Chapter Context

RLDS History Context Results

Source: Church History Vol. 4 Chapter 42 Page: 730 (~1830)

Read Previous Page / Next Page

730 On the 21st of December, 1876, he was married to Miss Cassie Bishop, daughter of Mr. John and Mrs. Mary J. Bishop, of Malvern, Iowa. From this union they now have a family of eight children, five boys and three girls.

During his law-practice in the year 1878, while considering certain matters which were urged by some of the leading elders of the church touching the life and character of Joseph Smith, the prophet, and the authenticity of a few of the revelations in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, he was greatly impressed by an experience one evening at his home in the month of October, which brought him, as he states, so far at least as having a sensation of the reality, into the presence of the Creator and Judge of all, where he was instructed, according to his own report as follows:

"Men should be judged by their public acts and not by their private lives. If I were to pass upon men according to their merits, you nor no other man would stand before me. The revelations in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants I gave to my servant, Joseph Smith."

This, the second evening after it was given, was rehearsed to Jason W. Briggs, President of the Quorum of Twelve, who had made a visit to the home of Mr. Kelley and with whom he was considering these questions.

Elder Briggs seemed considerably perplexed at the statement and suggested that it was possible for men to go too far in trying to pry into the private business of others in which they were not rightfully concerned. The experience, with the subject of this sketch, served the purpose of cutting off any possible association with those who were trying to build themselves up by parading what they regarded as faults in the private life of Joseph Smith, and also confirmed him as to the correctness of the revelations given to govern the church, and has been one of the suggestive points used in determining the proper procedure in meeting in a fair way serious problems which have arisen in his work both as a lawyer and preacher.

No request for special church work came to him till the fall of 1881, when he was placed upon a committee with Zenos H. Gurley of Decatur County, Iowa, to present to the Congress

(page 730)

Read Previous Page / Next Page

Amazing Testimony: When a NON-Christian finds the Book of Mormon..

RLDS Church History Search