History of Joseph Smith, the Prophet and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Joseph F. Smith

natural business man, he made his own way in the world, and after figuring as a sutler during the war of 1812, and taking part in the battle of Plattsburg, near Lake Champlain, he established himself as an Indian trader at Green Bay, Lake Michigan. He next settled in Ohio, where he made the acquaintance of Algernon Sidney Gilbert, a merchant of Painesville, whose partner he became in the successful firm of Gilbert and Whitney at Kirtland. In October, 1822, he married Elizabeth Ann Smith, a young lady from Connecticut, who is known in Church history as "Mother Whitney." When Oliver Cowdery and his fellow missionaries came to Kirtland, en route to Missouri, the Whitneys were Campbellites, members of Sidney Rigdon's flock, but upon hearing the fulness of the Gospel as preached by those Elders, they embraced it. In the Whitney family folk lore the incident of the Prophet's arrival at Kirtland is thus related: "About the first of February, 1831, a sleigh containing four persons drove through the streets of Kirtland and drew up in front of the store of Gilbert and Whitney. One of the men, a young and stalwart personage alighted, and springing up the steps walked into the store and to where the junior partner was standing. 'Newel K. Whitney! Thou art the man!' he exclaimed, extending his hand cordially, as if to an old and familiar acquaintance. 'You have the advantage of me,' replied the merchant, as he mechanically took the proffered hand, 'I could not call you by name as you have me.' 'I am Joseph the Prophet,' said the stranger smiling. 'You've prayed me here, now what do you want of me?'" The Prophet, it is said, while in the East had seen the Whitneys, in vision, praying for his coming to Kirtland. "Mother Whitney" also tells how on a certain night prior to the advent of Elder Cowdery and his companions, while she and her husband were praying to the Lord to know how they might obtain the gift of the Holy Ghost, which of all things they desired, they saw a vision as of a cloud of glory resting upon their house, and heard a voice from heaven saying, "Prepare to receive the word of the Lord, for it is coming." Shortly afterwards Oliver Cowdery and his associates came with the Book of Mormon, and with the message of the restored Gospel. Moreover, in further fulfilment of this vision, under the rooftree of the Whitneys the Prophet received a number of the revelations contained in this volume.

      5. This organization, called "the family," came into existence before the Gospel was preached in Kirtland, through an effort of the people of this neighborhood to live as the early Christians are said to have lived, viz., "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common."—(Acts 4:32.)

      6. Doctrine and Covenants, sec. 41.

      7. This refers to the promise which the Lord gave in the revelation of January 1831, see p. 142, verse 32.

      8. Doctrine and Covenants, sec. 42.

      9. The words, "or High Priests," were added by the Prophet some years after: and also the words, "High Council," in the 34th verse.—Orson Pratt.

      10. The words, "or High Priests," were added by the Prophet some years after.—Orson Pratt.

      11. Verses 74 to 93 inclusive, were given some days after the first 73 verses.—Orson Pratt.

      12. This woman's name, according to the history of the church kept by John Whitmer, was Hubble. "She professed to be a prophetess of the Lord, and professed to have many revelations, and knew the Book of Mormon was true, and that she should become a teacher in the church of Christ. She appeared to be very sanctimonious and deceived some who were not able to detect her in her hypocrisy; others, however, had the spirit of discernment and her follies and abominations were manifest." John Whitmer's History of the Church, ch. 3.

      13. Doctrine and Covenants, sec. 43.

      14. Doctrine and Covenants, sec. 44.

      CHAPTER XIV.

       Table of Contents

      Effort to Overwhelm the Church by Falsehood—Sundry Revelations Leading to Doctrinal Development.

      Efforts through the Press to Retard the Work.

      At this age of the Church [i. e., early in the spring of 1831] many false reports, lies, and foolish stories, were published in the newspapers, and circulated in every direction, to prevent people from investigating the work, or embracing the faith. A great earthquake in China, which destroyed from one to two thousand inhabitants, was burlesqued in some papers, as "Mormonism in China."¹ But to the joy of the Saints who had to struggle against every thing that prejudice and wickedness could invent, I received the following:

       Revelation at Kirtland, given March 7th, 1831. ²

      1. Hearken, O ye people of my Church, to whom the kingdom has been given—hearken ye and give ear to Him who laid the foundation of the earth, who made the heavens and all the hosts thereof, and by whom all things were made which live, and move, and have a being.

      2. And again, I say, hearken unto my voice, lest death shall overtake you; in an hour when ye think not the summer shall be past, and the harvest ended, and your souls not saved.

      3. Listen to Him who is the Advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before Him,

      4. Saying, Father, behold the sufferings and death of Him who did no sin, in whom Thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of Thy Son which was shed—the blood of Him whom Thou gavest that Thyself might be glorified;

      5. Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life.

      6. Hearken, O ye people of my Church, and ye Elders listen together, and hear my voice while it is called today, and harden not your hearts,

      7. For verily I say unto you that I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the light and the life of the world—a light that shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not.

      8. I came unto my own, and my own received me not; but unto as many as received me, gave I power to do many miracles, and to become the sons of God, and even unto them that believed on my name gave I power to obtain eternal life.

      9. And even so, I have sent mine everlasting covenant into the world, to be a light to the world, and to be a standard for my people, and for the Gentiles to seek to it, and to be a messenger before my face to prepare the way before me;

      10. Wherefore, come ye unto it, and with him that cometh, I will reason as with men in days of old, and I will show unto you my strong reasoning,

      11. Wherefore hearken ye together and let me show unto you, even my wisdom—the wisdom of Him whom ye say is the God of Enoch, and his brethren,

      12. Who were separated from the earth, and were received unto myself—a city reserved until a day of righteousness shall come—a day which was sought for by all holy men, and they found it not because of wickedness and abominations;

      13. And confessed they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth;

      14. But obtained a promise that they should find it and see it in their flesh.

      15. Wherefore, hearken and I will reason with you, and I will speak unto you and prophesy, as unto men in days of old;

      16. And I will show it plainly, as I showed it unto my disciples as I stood before them in the flesh, and spake unto them, saying, as ye have asked of me concerning the signs of my coming in the day when I shall come in my glory in the clouds of heaven, to fulfil the promises that I have made unto your fathers,

      17. For as ye have looked upon the long absence of your spirits from your bodies to be a bondage, I will show unto you how the day of redemption shall come, and also the restoration of the scattered Israel.

      18. And now ye behold this temple which is in Jerusalem, which ye call the house of God, and your enemies say that this house shall never fall.

      19. But, verily, I say unto you, that desolation shall come upon this generation as a thief in the night,