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Doctrine and Covenants (selections)
Degrees of glory and the cosmology of governed kingdoms
Five cosmological sections of the Doctrine and Covenants: the vision of the three degrees of glory (76), the Olive Leaf on light and governed kingdoms (88), the pre-existence of intelligence (93), and the Ramus instructions on embodied Gods and matter (130-131).
1
Hear, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth, and rejoice ye inhabitants thereof, for the Lord is God, and beside him there is no Savior.
2
Great is his wisdom, marvelous are his ways, and the extent of his doings none can find out.
3
His purposes fail not, neither are there any who can stay his hand.
4
From eternity to eternity he is the same, and his years never fail.
5
For thus saith the Lord, I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end.
6
Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their glory.
7
And to them will I reveal all mysteries, yea, all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom from days of old, and for ages to come, will I make known unto them the good pleasure of my will concerning all things pertaining to my kingdom.
8
Yea, even the wonders of eternity shall they know, and things to come will I show them, even the things of many generations.
9
And their wisdom shall be great, and their understanding reach to heaven; and before them the wisdom of the wise shall perish, and the understanding of the prudent shall come to naught.
10
For by my Spirit will I enlighten them, and by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my will—yea, even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet entered into the heart of man.
11
We, Joseph Smith, Jun., and Sidney Rigdon, being in the Spirit on the sixteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two
12
By the power of the Spirit our eyes were opened and our understandings were enlightened, so as to see and understand the things of God
13
Even those things which were from the beginning before the world was, which were ordained of the Father, through his Only Begotten Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, even from the beginning;
14
Of whom we bear record; and the record which we bear is the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the Son, whom we saw and with whom we conversed in the heavenly vision.
15
For while we were doing the work of translation, which the Lord had appointed unto us, we came to the twenty-ninth verse of the fifth chapter of John, which was given unto us as follows
16
Speaking of the resurrection of the dead, concerning those who shall hear the voice of the Son of Man:
17
And shall come forth; they who have done good in the resurrection of the just; and they who have done evil, in the resurrection of the unjust.
18
Now this caused us to marvel, for it was given unto us of the Spirit.
19
And while we meditated upon these things, the Lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were opened, and the glory of the Lord shone round about.
20
And we beheld the glory of the Son, on the right hand of the Father, and received of his fulness;
21
And saw the holy angels, and them who are sanctified before his throne, worshiping God, and the Lamb, who worship him forever and ever.
22
And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!
23
For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father
24
That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.
25
And this we saw also, and bear record, that an angel of God who was in authority in the presence of God, who rebelled against the Only Begotten Son whom the Father loved and who was in the bosom of the Father, was thrust down from the presence of God and the Son,
26
And was called Perdition, for the heavens wept over him—he was Lucifer, a son of the morning.
27
And we beheld, and lo, he is fallen! is fallen, even a son of the morning!
28
And while we were yet in the Spirit, the Lord commanded us that we should write the vision; for we beheld Satan, that old serpent, even the devil, who rebelled against God, and sought to take the kingdom of our God and his Christ
29
Wherefore, he maketh war with the saints of God, and encompasseth them round about.
30
And we saw a vision of the sufferings of those with whom he made war and overcame, for thus came the voice of the Lord unto us:
31
Thus saith the Lord concerning all those who know my power, and have been made partakers thereof, and suffered themselves through the power of the devil to be overcome, and to deny the truth and defy my power
32
They are they who are the sons of perdition, of whom I say that it had been better for them never to have been born;
33
For they are vessels of wrath, doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with the devil and his angels in eternity;
34
Concerning whom I have said there is no forgiveness in this world nor in the world to come
35
Having denied the Holy Spirit after having received it, and having denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father, having crucified him unto themselves and put him to an open shame.
36
These are they who shall go away into the lake of fire and brimstone, with the devil and his angels
37
And the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power;
38
Yea, verily, the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord, after the sufferings of his wrath.
39
For all the rest shall be brought forth by the resurrection of the dead, through the triumph and the glory of the Lamb, who was slain, who was in the bosom of the Father before the worlds were made.
40
And this is the gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us
41
That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness;
42
That through him all might be saved whom the Father had put into his power and made by him;
43
Who glorifies the Father, and saves all the works of his hands, except those sons of perdition who deny the Son after the Father has revealed him.
44
Wherefore, he saves all except them—they shall go away into everlasting punishment, which is endless punishment, which is eternal punishment, to reign with the devil and his angels in eternity, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, which is their torment
45
And the end thereof, neither the place thereof, nor their torment, no man knows;
46
Neither was it revealed, neither is, neither will be revealed unto man, except to them who are made partakers thereof;
47
Nevertheless, I, the Lord, show it by vision unto many, but straightway shut it up again;
48
Wherefore, the end, the width, the height, the depth, and the misery thereof, they understand not, neither any man except those who are ordained unto this condemnation.
49
And we heard the voice, saying: Write the vision, for lo, this is the end of the vision of the sufferings of the ungodly.
50
And again we bear record—for we saw and heard, and this is the testimony of the gospel of Christ concerning them who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just
51
They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this according to the commandment which he has given
52
That by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power;
53
And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true.
54
They are they who are the church of the Firstborn.
55
They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things
56
They are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory;
57
And are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son.
58
Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God
59
Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
60
And they shall overcome all things.
61
Wherefore, let no man glory in man, but rather let him glory in God, who shall subdue all enemies under his feet.
62
These shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and ever.
63
These are they whom he shall bring with him, when he shall come in the clouds of heaven to reign on the earth over his people.
64
These are they who shall have part in the first resurrection.
65
These are they who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just.
66
These are they who are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly place, the holiest of all.
67
These are they who have come to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of Enoch, and of the Firstborn.
68
These are they whose names are written in heaven, where God and Christ are the judge of all.
69
These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood.
70
These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written of as being typical.
71
And again, we saw the terrestrial world, and behold and lo, these are they who are of the terrestrial, whose glory differs from that of the church of the Firstborn who have received the fulness of the Father, even as that of the moon differs from the sun in the firmament.
72
Behold, these are they who died without law;
73
And also they who are the spirits of men kept in prison, whom the Son visited, and preached the gospel unto them, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh;
74
Who received not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it.
75
These are they who are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men.
76
These are they who receive of his glory, but not of his fulness.
77
These are they who receive of the presence of the Son, but not of the fulness of the Father.
78
Wherefore, they are bodies terrestrial, and not bodies celestial, and differ in glory as the moon differs from the sun.
79
These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God.
80
And now this is the end of the vision which we saw of the terrestrial, that the Lord commanded us to write while we were yet in the Spirit.
81
And again, we saw the glory of the telestial, which glory is that of the lesser, even as the glory of the stars differs from that of the glory of the moon in the firmament.
82
These are they who received not the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus.
83
These are they who deny not the Holy Spirit.
84
These are they who are thrust down to hell.
85
These are they who shall not be redeemed from the devil until the last resurrection, until the Lord, even Christ the Lamb, shall have finished his work.
86
These are they who receive not of his fulness in the eternal world, but of the Holy Spirit through the ministration of the terrestrial;
87
And the terrestrial through the ministration of the celestial.
88
And also the telestial receive it of the administering of angels who are appointed to minister for them, or who are appointed to be ministering spirits for them; for they shall be heirs of salvation.
89
And thus we saw, in the heavenly vision, the glory of the telestial, which surpasses all understanding;
90
And no man knows it except him to whom God has revealed it.
91
And thus we saw the glory of the terrestrial which excels in all things the glory of the telestial, even in glory, and in power, and in might, and in dominion.
92
And thus we saw the glory of the celestial, which excels in all things—where God, even the Father, reigns upon his throne forever and ever;
93
Before whose throne all things bow in humble reverence, and give him glory forever and ever.
94
They who dwell in his presence are the church of the Firstborn; and they see as they are seen, and know as they are known, having received of his fulness and of his grace;
95
And he makes them equal in power, and in might, and in dominion.
96
And the glory of the celestial is one, even as the glory of the sun is one.
97
And the glory of the terrestrial is one, even as the glory of the moon is one.
98
And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars is one; for as one star differs from another star in glory, even so differs one from another in glory in the telestial world;
99
For these are they who are of Paul, and of Apollos, and of Cephas.
100
These are they who say they are some of one and some of another—some of Christ and some of John, and some of Moses, and some of Elias, and some of Esaias, and some of Isaiah, and some of Enoch;
101
But received not the gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus, neither the prophets, neither the everlasting covenant.
102
Last of all, these all are they who will not be gathered with the saints, to be caught up unto the church of the Firstborn, and received into the cloud.
103
These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.
104
These are they who suffer the wrath of God on earth.
105
These are they who suffer the vengeance of eternal fire.
106
These are they who are cast down to hell and suffer the wrath of Almighty God, until the fulness of times, when Christ shall have subdued all enemies under his feet, and shall have perfected his work;
107
When he shall deliver up the kingdom, and present it unto the Father, spotless, saying: I have overcome and have trodden the wine-press alone, even the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God.
108
Then shall he be crowned with the crown of his glory, to sit on the throne of his power to reign forever and ever.
109
But behold, and lo, we saw the glory and the inhabitants of the telestial world, that they were as innumerable as the stars in the firmament of heaven, or as the sand upon the seashore;
110
And heard the voice of the Lord saying: These all shall bow the knee, and every tongue shall confess to him who sits upon the throne forever and ever;
111
For they shall be judged according to their works, and every man shall receive according to his own works, his own dominion, in the mansions which are prepared;
112
And they shall be servants of the Most High; but where God and Christ dwell they cannot come, worlds without end.
113
This is the end of the vision which we saw, which we were commanded to write while we were yet in the Spirit.
114
But great and marvelous are the works of the Lord, and the mysteries of his kingdom which he showed unto us, which surpass all understanding in glory, and in might, and in dominion;
115
Which he commanded us we should not write while we were yet in the Spirit, and are not lawful for man to utter;
116
Neither is man capable to make them known, for they are only to be seen and understood by the power of the Holy Spirit, which God bestows on those who love him, and purify themselves before him;
117
To whom he grants this privilege of seeing and knowing for themselves;
118
That through the power and manifestation of the Spirit, while in the flesh, they may be able to bear his presence in the world of glory.
119
And to God and the Lamb be glory, and honor, and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
1
Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you who have assembled yourselves together to receive his will concerning you:
2
Behold, this is pleasing unto your Lord, and the angels rejoice over you; the alms of your prayers have come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded in the book of the names of the sanctified, even them of the celestial world.
3
Wherefore, I now send upon you another Comforter, even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the Holy Spirit of promise; which other Comforter is the same that I promised unto my disciples, as is recorded in the testimony of John.
4
This Comforter is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial kingdom;
5
Which glory is that of the church of the Firstborn, even of God, the holiest of all, through Jesus Christ his Son
6
He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth;
7
Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made.
8
As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made;
9
As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made;
10
And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand.
11
And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings;
12
Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space
13
The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things.
14
Now, verily I say unto you, that through the redemption which is made for you is brought to pass the resurrection from the dead.
15
And the spirit and the body are the soul of man.
16
And the resurrection from the dead is the redemption of the soul.
17
And the redemption of the soul is through him that quickeneth all things, in whose bosom it is decreed that the poor and the meek of the earth shall inherit it.
18
Therefore, it must needs be sanctified from all unrighteousness, that it may be prepared for the celestial glory;
19
For after it hath filled the measure of its creation, it shall be crowned with glory, even with the presence of God the Father;
20
That bodies who are of the celestial kingdom may possess it forever and ever; for, for this intent was it made and created, and for this intent are they sanctified.
21
And they who are not sanctified through the law which I have given unto you, even the law of Christ, must inherit another kingdom, even that of a terrestrial kingdom, or that of a telestial kingdom.
22
For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory.
23
And he who cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory.
24
And he who cannot abide the law of a telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory; therefore he is not meet for a kingdom of glory. Therefore he must abide a kingdom which is not a kingdom of glory.
25
And again, verily I say unto you, the earth abideth the law of a celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and transgresseth not the law
26
Wherefore, it shall be sanctified; yea, notwithstanding it shall die, it shall be quickened again, and shall abide the power by which it is quickened, and the righteous shall inherit it.
27
For notwithstanding they die, they also shall rise again, a spiritual body.
28
They who are of a celestial spirit shall receive the same body which was a natural body; even ye shall receive your bodies, and your glory shall be that glory by which your bodies are quickened.
29
Ye who are quickened by a portion of the celestial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.
30
And they who are quickened by a portion of the terrestrial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.
31
And also they who are quickened by a portion of the telestial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.
32
And they who remain shall also be quickened; nevertheless, they shall return again to their own place, to enjoy that which they are willing to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have received.
33
For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift.
34
And again, verily I say unto you, that which is governed by law is also preserved by law and perfected and sanctified by the same.
35
That which breaketh a law, and abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself, and willeth to abide in sin, and altogether abideth in sin, cannot be sanctified by law, neither by mercy, justice, nor judgment. Therefore, they must remain filthy still.
36
All kingdoms have a law given;
37
And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom.
38
And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions.
39
All beings who abide not in those conditions are not justified.
40
For intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light; mercy hath compassion on mercy and claimeth her own; justice continueth its course and claimeth its own; judgment goeth before the face of him who sitteth upon the throne and governeth and executeth all things.
41
He comprehendeth all things, and all things are before him, and all things are round about him; and he is above all things, and in all things, and is through all things, and is round about all things; and all things are by him, and of him, even God, forever and ever.
42
And again, verily I say unto you, he hath given a law unto all things, by which they move in their times and their seasons;
43
And their courses are fixed, even the courses of the heavens and the earth, which comprehend the earth and all the planets.
44
And they give light to each other in their times and in their seasons, in their minutes, in their hours, in their days, in their weeks, in their months, in their years—all these are one year with God, but not with man.
45
The earth rolls upon her wings, and the sun giveth his light by day, and the moon giveth her light by night, and the stars also give their light, as they roll upon their wings in their glory, in the midst of the power of God.
46
Unto what shall I liken these kingdoms, that ye may understand?
47
Behold, all these are kingdoms, and any man who hath seen any or the least of these hath seen God moving in his majesty and power.
48
I say unto you, he hath seen him; nevertheless, he who came unto his own was not comprehended.
49
The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not; nevertheless, the day shall come when you shall comprehend even God, being quickened in him and by him.
50
Then shall ye know that ye have seen me, that I am, and that I am the true light that is in you, and that you are in me; otherwise ye could not abound.
51
Behold, I will liken these kingdoms unto a man having a field, and he sent forth his servants into the field to dig in the field.
52
And he said unto the first: Go ye and labor in the field, and in the first hour I will come unto you, and ye shall behold the joy of my countenance.
53
And he said unto the second: Go ye also into the field, and in the second hour I will visit you with the joy of my countenance.
54
And also unto the third, saying: I will visit you;
55
And unto the fourth, and so on unto the twelfth.
56
And the lord of the field went unto the first in the first hour, and tarried with him all that hour, and he was made glad with the light of the countenance of his lord.
57
And then he withdrew from the first that he might visit the second also, and the third, and the fourth, and so on unto the twelfth.
58
And thus they all received the light of the countenance of their lord, every man in his hour, and in his time, and in his season
59
Beginning at the first, and so on unto the last, and from the last unto the first, and from the first unto the last;
60
Every man in his own order, until his hour was finished, even according as his lord had commanded him, that his lord might be glorified in him, and he in his lord, that they all might be glorified.
61
Therefore, unto this parable I will liken all these kingdoms, and the inhabitants thereof every kingdom in its hour, and in its time, and in its season, even according to the decree which God hath made.
62
And again, verily I say unto you, my friends, I leave these sayings with you to ponder in your hearts, with this commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall call upon me while I am near
63
Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
64
Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you;
65
And if ye ask anything that is not expedient for you, it shall turn unto your condemnation.
66
Behold, that which you hear is as the voice of one crying in the wilderness—in the wilderness, because you cannot see him—my voice, because my voice is Spirit; my Spirit is truth; truth abideth and hath no end; and if it be in you it shall abound.
67
And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.
68
Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.
69
Remember the great and last promise which I have made unto you; cast away your idle thoughts and your excess of laughter far from you.
70
Tarry ye, tarry ye in this place, and call a solemn assembly, even of those who are the first laborers in this last kingdom.
71
And let those whom they have warned in their traveling call on the Lord, and ponder the warning in their hearts which they have received, for a little season.
72
Behold, and lo, I will take care of your flocks, and will raise up elders and send unto them.
73
Behold, I will hasten my work in its time.
74
And I give unto you, who are the first laborers in this last kingdom, a commandment that you assemble yourselves together, and organize yourselves, and prepare yourselves, and sanctify yourselves; yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands and your feet before me, that I may make you clean;
75
That I may testify unto your Father, and your God, and my God, that you are clean from the blood of this wicked generation; that I may fulfil this promise, this great and last promise, which I have made unto you, when I will.
76
Also, I give unto you a commandment that ye shall continue in prayer and fasting from this time forth.
77
And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.
78
Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;
79
Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms
80
That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you.
81
Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor.
82
Therefore, they are left without excuse, and their sins are upon their own heads.
83
He that seeketh me early shall find me, and shall not be forsaken.
84
Therefore, tarry ye, and labor diligently, that you may be perfected in your ministry to go forth among the Gentiles for the last time, as many as the mouth of the Lord shall name, to bind up the law and seal up the testimony, and to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come;
85
That their souls may escape the wrath of God, the desolation of abomination which awaits the wicked, both in this world and in the world to come. Verily, I say unto you, let those who are not the first elders continue in the vineyard until the mouth of the Lord shall call them, for their time is not yet come; their garments are not clean from the blood of this generation.
86
Abide ye in the liberty wherewith ye are made free; entangle not yourselves in sin, but let your hands be clean, until the Lord comes.
87
For not many days hence and the earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man; and the sun shall hide his face, and shall refuse to give light; and the moon shall be bathed in blood; and the stars shall become exceedingly angry, and shall cast themselves down as a fig that falleth from off a fig-tree.
88
And after your testimony cometh wrath and indignation upon the people.
89
For after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of her, and men shall fall upon the ground and shall not be able to stand.
90
And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds.
91
And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men's hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people.
92
And angels shall fly through the midst of heaven, crying with a loud voice, sounding the trump of God, saying: Prepare ye, prepare ye, O inhabitants of the earth; for the judgment of our God is come. Behold, and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
93
And immediately there shall appear a great sign in heaven, and all people shall see it together.
94
And another angel shall sound his trump, saying: That great church, the mother of abominations, that made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, that persecuteth the saints of God, that shed their blood—she who sitteth upon many waters, and upon the islands of the sea—behold, she is the tares of the earth; she is bound in bundles; her bands are made strong, no man can loose them; therefore, she is ready to be burned. And he shall sound his trump both long and loud, and all nations shall hear it.
95
And there shall be silence in heaven for the space of half an hour; and immediately after shall the curtain of heaven be unfolded, as a scroll is unfolded after it is rolled up, and the face of the Lord shall be unveiled;
96
And the saints that are upon the earth, who are alive, shall be quickened and be caught up to meet him.
97
And they who have slept in their graves shall come forth, for their graves shall be opened; and they also shall be caught up to meet him in the midst of the pillar of heaven
98
They are Christ's, the first fruits, they who shall descend with him first, and they who are on the earth and in their graves, who are first caught up to meet him; and all this by the voice of the sounding of the trump of the angel of God.
99
And after this another angel shall sound, which is the second trump; and then cometh the redemption of those who are Christ's at his coming; who have received their part in that prison which is prepared for them, that they might receive the gospel, and be judged according to men in the flesh.
100
And again, another trump shall sound, which is the third trump; and then come the spirits of men who are to be judged, and are found under condemnation;
101
And these are the rest of the dead; and they live not again until the thousand years are ended, neither again, until the end of the earth.
102
And another trump shall sound, which is the fourth trump, saying: There are found among those who are to remain until that great and last day, even the end, who shall remain filthy still.
103
And another trump shall sound, which is the fifth trump, which is the fifth angel who committeth the everlasting gospel—flying through the midst of heaven, unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people;
104
And this shall be the sound of his trump, saying to all people, both in heaven and in earth, and that are under the earth—for every ear shall hear it, and every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess, while they hear the sound of the trump, saying: Fear God, and give glory to him who sitteth upon the throne, forever and ever; for the hour of his judgment is come.
105
And again, another angel shall sound his trump, which is the sixth angel, saying: She is fallen who made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication; she is fallen, is fallen!
106
And again, another angel shall sound his trump, which is the seventh angel, saying: It is finished; it is finished! The Lamb of God hath overcome and trodden the wine-press alone, even the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God.
107
And then shall the angels be crowned with the glory of his might, and the saints shall be filled with his glory, and receive their inheritance and be made equal with him.
108
And then shall the first angel again sound his trump in the ears of all living, and reveal the secret acts of men, and the mighty works of God in the first thousand years.
109
And then shall the second angel sound his trump, and reveal the secret acts of men, and the thoughts and intents of their hearts, and the mighty works of God in the second thousand years
110
And so on, until the seventh angel shall sound his trump; and he shall stand forth upon the land and upon the sea, and swear in the name of him who sitteth upon the throne, that there shall be time no longer; and Satan shall be bound, that old serpent, who is called the devil, and shall not be loosed for the space of a thousand years.
111
And then he shall be loosed for a little season, that he may gather together his armies.
112
And Michael, the seventh angel, even the archangel, shall gather together his armies, even the hosts of heaven.
113
And the devil shall gather together his armies; even the hosts of hell, and shall come up to battle against Michael and his armies.
114
And then cometh the battle of the great God; and the devil and his armies shall be cast away into their own place, that they shall not have power over the saints any more at all.
115
For Michael shall fight their battles, and shall overcome him who seeketh the throne of him who sitteth upon the throne, even the Lamb.
116
This is the glory of God, and the sanctified; and they shall not any more see death.
117
Therefore, verily I say unto you, my friends, call your solemn assembly, as I have commanded you.
118
And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.
119
Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;
120
That your incomings may be in the name of the Lord; that your outgoings may be in the name of the Lord; that all your salutations may be in the name of the Lord, with uplifted hands unto the Most High.
121
Therefore, cease from all your light speeches, from all laughter, from all your lustful desires, from all your pride and light-mindedness, and from all your wicked doings.
122
Appoint among yourselves a teacher, and let not all be spokesmen at once; but let one speak at a time and let all listen unto his sayings, that when all have spoken that all may be edified of all, and that every man may have an equal privilege.
123
See that ye love one another; cease to be covetous; learn to impart one to another as the gospel requires.
124
Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.
125
And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.
126
Pray always, that ye may not faint, until I come. Behold, and lo, I will come quickly, and receive you unto myself. Amen.
127
And again, the order of the house prepared for the presidency of the school of the prophets, established for their instruction in all things that are expedient for them, even for all the officers of the church, or in other words, those who are called to the ministry in the church, beginning at the high priests, even down to the deacons
128
And this shall be the order of the house of the presidency of the school: He that is appointed to be president, or teacher, shall be found standing in his place, in the house which shall be prepared for him.
129
Therefore, he shall be first in the house of God, in a place that the congregation in the house may hear his words carefully and distinctly, not with loud speech.
130
And when he cometh into the house of God, for he should be first in the house—behold, this is beautiful, that he may be an example
131
Let him offer himself in prayer upon his knees before God, in token or remembrance of the everlasting covenant.
132
And when any shall come in after him, let the teacher arise, and, with uplifted hands to heaven, yea, even directly, salute his brother or brethren with these words:
133
Art thou a brother or brethren? I salute you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, in token or remembrance of the everlasting covenant, in which covenant I receive you to fellowship, in a determination that is fixed, immovable, and unchangeable, to be your friend and brother through the grace of God in the bonds of love, to walk in all the commandments of God blameless, in thanksgiving, forever and ever. Amen.
134
And he that is found unworthy of this salutation shall not have place among you; for ye shall not suffer that mine house shall be polluted by him.
135
And he that cometh in and is faithful before me, and is a brother, or if they be brethren, they shall salute the president or teacher with uplifted hands to heaven, with this same prayer and covenant, or by saying Amen, in token of the same.
136
Behold, verily, I say unto you, this is an ensample unto you for a salutation to one another in the house of God, in the school of the prophets.
137
And ye are called to do this by prayer and thanksgiving, as the Spirit shall give utterance in all your doings in the house of the Lord, in the school of the prophets, that it may become a sanctuary, a tabernacle of the Holy Spirit to your edification.
138
And ye shall not receive any among you into this school save he is clean from the blood of this generation;
139
And he shall be received by the ordinance of the washing of feet, for unto this end was the ordinance of the washing of feet instituted.
140
And again, the ordinance of washing feet is to be administered by the president, or presiding elder of the church.
141
It is to be commenced with prayer; and after partaking of bread and wine, he is to gird himself according to the pattern given in the thirteenth chapter of John's testimony concerning me. Amen.
1
Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am;
2
And that I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world;
3
And that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one
4
The Father because he gave me of his fulness, and the Son because I was in the world and made flesh my tabernacle, and dwelt among the sons of men.
5
I was in the world and received of my Father, and the works of him were plainly manifest.
6
And John saw and bore record of the fulness of my glory, and the fulness of John's record is hereafter to be revealed.
7
And he bore record, saying: I saw his glory, that he was in the beginning, before the world was;
8
Therefore, in the beginning the Word was, for he was the Word, even the messenger of salvation
9
The light and the Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth, who came into the world, because the world was made by him, and in him was the life of men and the light of men.
10
The worlds were made by him; men were made by him; all things were made by him, and through him, and of him.
11
And I, John, bear record that I beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, even the Spirit of truth, which came and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt among us.
12
And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace;
13
And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness;
14
And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first.
15
And I, John, bear record, and lo, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove, and sat upon him, and there came a voice out of heaven saying: This is my beloved Son.
16
And I, John, bear record that he received a fulness of the glory of the Father;
17
And he received all power, both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him.
18
And it shall come to pass, that if you are faithful you shall receive the fulness of the record of John.
19
I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness.
20
For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace.
21
And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn;
22
And all those who are begotten through me are partakers of the glory of the same, and are the church of the Firstborn.
23
Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth;
24
And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;
25
And whatsoever is more or less than this is the spirit of that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning.
26
The Spirit of truth is of God. I am the Spirit of truth, and John bore record of me, saying: He received a fulness of truth, yea, even of all truth;
27
And no man receiveth a fulness unless he keepeth his commandments.
28
He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.
29
Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be.
30
All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence.
31
Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light.
32
And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation.
33
For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy;
34
And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy.
35
The elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, man is the tabernacle of God, even temples; and whatsoever temple is defiled, God shall destroy that temple.
36
The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth.
37
Light and truth forsake that evil one.
38
Every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning; and God having redeemed man from the fall, men became again, in their infant state, innocent before God.
39
And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers.
40
But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth.
41
But verily I say unto you, my servant Frederick G. Williams, you have continued under this condemnation;
42
You have not taught your children light and truth, according to the commandments; and that wicked one hath power, as yet, over you, and this is the cause of your affliction.
43
And now a commandment I give unto you—if you will be delivered you shall set in order your own house, for there are many things that are not right in your house.
44
Verily, I say unto my servant Sidney Rigdon, that in some things he hath not kept the commandments concerning his children; therefore, first set in order thy house.
45
Verily, I say unto my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., or in other words, I will call you friends, for you are my friends, and ye shall have an inheritance with me
46
I called you servants for the world's sake, and ye are their servants for my sake
47
And now, verily I say unto Joseph Smith, Jun.You have not kept the commandments, and must needs stand rebuked before the Lord;
48
Your family must needs repent and forsake some things, and give more earnest heed unto your sayings, or be removed out of their place.
49
What I say unto one I say unto all; pray always lest that wicked one have power in you, and remove you out of your place.
50
My servant Newel K. Whitney also, a bishop of my church, hath need to be chastened, and set in order his family, and see that they are more diligent and concerned at home, and pray always, or they shall be removed out of their place.
51
Now, I say unto you, my friends, let my servant Sidney Rigdon go on his journey, and make haste, and also proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the gospel of salvation, as I shall give him utterance; and by your prayer of faith with one consent I will uphold him.
52
And let my servants Joseph Smith, Jun., and Frederick G. Williams make haste also, and it shall be given them even according to the prayer of faith; and inasmuch as you keep my sayings you shall not be confounded in this world, nor in the world to come.
53
And, verily I say unto you, that it is my will that you should hasten to translate my scriptures, and to obtain a knowledge of history, and of countries, and of kingdoms, of laws of God and man, and all this for the salvation of Zion. Amen.
1
When the Savior shall appear we shall see him as he is. We shall see that he is a man like ourselves.
2
And that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy.
3
John 14:23—The appearing of the Father and the Son, in that verse, is a personal appearance; and the idea that the Father and the Son dwell in a man's heart is an old sectarian notion, and is false.
4
In answer to the question—Is not the reckoning of God's time, angel's time, prophet's time, and man's time, according to the planet on which they reside?
5
I answer, Yes. But there are no angels who minister to this earth but those who do belong or have belonged to it.
6
The angels do not reside on a planet like this earth;
7
But they reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord.
8
The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim.
9
This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it; and this earth will be Christ's.
10
Then the white stone mentioned in Revelation 2:17, will become a Urim and Thummim to each individual who receives one, whereby things pertaining to a higher order of kingdoms will be made known;
11
And a white stone is given to each of those who come into the celestial kingdom, whereon is a new name written, which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it. The new name is the key word.
12
I prophesy, in the name of the Lord God, that the commencement of the difficulties which will cause much blood—shed previous to the coming of the Son of Man will be in South Carolina.
13
It may probably arise through the slave question. This a voice declared to me, while I was praying earnestly on the subject, December 25th, 1832.
14
I was once praying very earnestly to know the time of the coming of the Son of Man, when I heard a voice repeat the following:
15
Joseph, my son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years old, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man; therefore let this suffice, and trouble me no more on this matter.
16
I was left thus, without being able to decide whether this coming referred to the beginning of the millennium or to some previous appearing, or whether I should die and thus see his face.
17
I believe the coming of the Son of Man will not be any sooner than that time.
18
Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.
19
And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.
20
There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—
21
And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.
22
The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.
23
A man may receive the Holy Ghost, and it may descend upon him and not tarry with him.
1
In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees;
2
And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage];
3
And if he does not, he cannot obtain it.
4
He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase.
5
(May 17th, 1843.) The more sure word of prophecy means a man's knowing that he is sealed up unto eternal life, by revelation and the spirit of prophecy, through the power of the Holy Priesthood.
6
It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance.
7
There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes;
8
We cannot see it; but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all matter.