(d) Transactions: In connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of company assets, financing or acquisition, or in any other situation where Personal Information may be disclosed or transferred as one of our business assets. This he forbade me, saying that I must have no other object in view in getting the plates but to glorify God, and must not be influenced by any other motive than that of building his kingdom; otherwise I could not get them. Smith: Yes, sir. https://digitallibrary.utah.gov/awweb/awarchive?type=file&item=52004 (see page 69). These companies may store information about your visits to our website and to other websites in order to provide you with relevant advertisements about goods and services. As described above, this website may use or transfer Device Data that it directly collects or that it receives from this websites Customers, who may use cookies or non-cookie technologies, to enable advertising that is more tailored to Consumers inferred interests, preferences, and locations. I looked in, and there indeed did I behold the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate, as stated by the messenger. Rather than affirming that he and the other brethren were prophets, he uses a more lawyerly answer: I am so sustained. While this may be a point for President Smiths honesty, it doesnt look well for the church which claims to be led by a legitimate prophet. Proceedings Before the Committee on Privileges and Elections of the United States Senate in the Matter of the Protests Against the Right of Hon. ABCs of Science and Mormonism now available in Print from Amazon! In April 1829 Joseph Smith, with Oliver Cowdery as scribe, began to translate the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God. Tayler: You do not mean that you reached it by any process of reasoning or by any other method by which you reach other conclusions in your mind, do you? Do you mean in the beginning? Tayler: Are not all of the apostles also prophets, seers, and revelators? . Then do I understand you to say the only revelation that has come to the church in the last twenty years is the one that says polygamy shall stop? Smith: Well, I can say this: That if I live as I should in the line of my duties, I am susceptible, I think, of the impressions of the spirit of the Lord upon my mind at any time, just as any good Methodist or any good church member might be. The first thing that I can recollect was a voice speaking unto me, calling me by name. A seven-year-old son died in September 1841. Choices and How To Opt Out Of Interest-Based Advertising "I gladly joined with them [those in the church office] in arranging a code. At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. You can instruct your computer to inform you whenever a cookie is being sent, or you can disallow cookies through your web browser. Returns Policy New Of Mortgage NJ Poison Control Center Warns Of The Dangers Of Chlorine This Summer. Notice how President Smith refuses to answer the question directly. President Smith was not likely to "cast pearls before swine," by discussing the revelatory process, and the legal requirements of the situation likely made him reply as little as possible to the questions posed. A cookie is a small piece of data that a website asks your browser to store on your computer or mobile device. Moroni returned once ayear for four years andfurther instructed theyoung prophet. : Then the apostles are perpetuated in succession by their own act and the approval of the first presidency? The Book of Mormon, first printed in 1830, is currently being published in more than 80 languages worldwide. He also declared that any church officer who performed a plural marriage, as well as the offending couple, would be excommunicated. Joseph Smith was born in 1805 in Sharon, Vermont. Hoar: Through Joseph Smith? We link the words together in one great testimony of eternal truth; and the reason we have power to bear witness of Christ, through whom salvation comes, is that Joseph Smith, the prophet and seer of the Lord for our day and in our day, has . [1939], 493). I lay musing on the singularity of the scene, and marveling greatly at what had been told to me by this extraordinary messenger; when, in the midst of my meditation, I suddenly discovered that my room was again beginning to get lighted, and in an instant, as it were, the same heavenly messenger was again by my bedside. The information is generally not personally identifiable unless, for example, you provide personally identifiable information to them through an ad or an e-mail message. Smith: No, sir; not in regard to each of them. Accordingly we went and were baptized. Joseph Fielding Smith testified that the work of the Lord will not fail and that the Savior's true Church bears His name, has His priesthood, and preaches His doctrine.Please visit the Church history website: http://history.lds.org/exhibit/prophets-of-the-restoration-joseph-fielding-smith?lang=eng to learn more about the life and teachings of Joseph Fielding Smith.The Prophets of the Restoration series highlights key events and teachings in the lives and ministries of the Presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.Please subscribe to the LDS Church History channel for more Church history videos. : The things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God; and I cannot tell you any more than that I received that knowledge and that testimony by the spirit of God. We use Non-Personal Information to examine our traffic and to view how our customers use the Website. In the bottom of the box were laid two stones crossways of the box, and on these stones lay the plates and the other things with them. A third-party website called aboutcookies.org has been setup to help you with instructions how you can do that on various browsers. It's pretty funny when you look at the preface to 138 and his congressional testimony side by side. the full title of the book is: testimony of important witness as given in the proceedings before the committee on privileges and elections of the united states senate in the matter of the protest against the right of hon. Copyright 1997-2023 by The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Convenient to the village of Manchester, Ontario county, New York, stands a hill of considerable size, and the most elevated of any in the neighborhood. : I am so sustained and upheld by my people. 3) Suggest any recent searches youve made on our site This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. When Joseph Smith was 14 years old, he wanted to know which church he should join, so he asked God in sincere prayer. The answer was usually, Its because we dont value the old scripture enough. Turns out the true answer is that the brethren simply arent receiving revelations. But by the wisdom of God, they remained safe in my hands, until I had accomplished by them what was required at my hand. The purport of the revelation was calling to the apostolate or apostleship two men, who are named in the revelation. We want things a long time before we get them, and the fact that we want them a long time makes them all the more precious when they come.', 'Men and women who humbly plod along, doing their duty. This shows to me that the telegraph book is leaking, and that if I did not send my telegrams in the code, that every newspaper in America would have it next morning. who help look after the poor; and who . Smith: Yes, sir; that is right. Having related these things, he again ascended as he had done before. In response to this prayer, God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph and told him the true Church of Jesus Christ was not on the earth and They had chosen Joseph to restore it. A vision given to President Joseph F. Smith in Salt Lake City, Utah, on October 3, 1918. And thats just straight from the tapirs mouth. : What do you mean by being presented to the church? LDS.org Gospel Topics Essays I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. We may have third-party advertising companies serving ads to you when you visit our website. FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Isnt continuing revelation the churchs pet doctrine? No portion of this site may be reproduced without the express written consent of The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc. Any opinions expressed, implied, or included in or with the goods and services offered by FAIR are solely those of FAIR and not those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Even without that, if I have to choose to believe something said at General Conference or under penalty of perjury, Im believing the latter. As a child I knew the Prophet Joseph Smith. At length the time arrived for obtaining the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate. Otherwise, members are in no way obligated to accept it. During the Smoot hearings, Elder B. H. Roberts was asked if he believed the first Manifesto was a revelation. The documentation of the hearings has always seemed insurmountable with 3,432 pages recorded. After the Manifesto, the church continued secretly practicing polygamy until the Reed Smoot hearings forced Joseph F. Smith to publish a second Manifesto in 1904. : No, sir; it has been the choice of the body. Members of the church love to speak in hushed tones about the supposed spiritual manifestations to which the brethren are privy. Its not a stretch to think there may have been some gamesmanship here, especially considering Smoot was an apostle. TSCC definitely had incentive to see him seated in the senate. In it he described his role in the historic encounter: In December, 1839, the prophet, Joseph Smith, appeared at Washington City and presented his claims to Congress for relief for the losses he and the Mormons sustained in Missouri at the City of the Far West. You know something is wrong when, whenever something damning like this comes up, it's you who has to figure out how to reconcile and justify it. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants; Also, that there were two stones in silver bowsand these stones, fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummimdeposited with the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted seers in ancient or former times; and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book. I looked up, and beheld the same messenger standing over my head, surrounded by light as before. Let that sink in for a minute. Joseph F. Smith, "Testimony Bearing . . Smith: I am so sustained and upheld by my people. Who was the president through whom that revelation came? Smith: I am now the president of the church. Well, according to my best recollection, it must have been about 1882. Smith: The things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God; and I cannot tell you any more than that I received that knowledge and that testimony by the spirit of God. Returning later as aresurrected being, hetold Joseph Smithabout the ancientrecord, which containsthe fulness of thegospel as delivered bythe Savior to ancientinhabitants of theAmerican continent. Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. The box in which they lay was formed by laying stones together in some kind of cement. Smith: Well, according to my best recollection, it must have been about 1882. All Rights Reserved. The left-hand column details Joseph F. Smith's appearance at general conference that day. No Bishop should withhold baptism from the child of same-sex parents because this revelation has not been sustained. It is well to be on the safe side.". (Now, Joseph F. Smith did acknowledge the Manifesto. . : How by inspiration; does it come in the shape of a vision? Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole person was glorious beyond description, and his countenance truly like lightning. Please visit the Church. Question: At the Reed Smoot Senate hearings, did Joseph F. Smith testify that he never received revelation? When asked, he defended his family relationships, telling the committee that he had cohabited with his wives and fathered children with them since 1890. After Joseph finished, other people were privileged to see the gold plates. Thank you, Alice Watson Put all of your faith in us, the Q15 (because we are God's mouthpiece), even though we admit that we have never received revelations, just "impressions" and "good feelings." He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew, and would know to his latest breath, that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise. WOW Active Raymond In testimony meeting houses that happens inside of testimony joseph smith, his position of church astray.. Portals . . I started with the intention of going to the house; but, in attempting to cross the fence out of the field where we were, my strength entirely failed me, and I fell helpless on the ground, and for a time was quite unconscious of anything. In compliance with the European Union legislation, we inform you that our website will store some information about your preferences on your own computer inside a tiny file called a cookie. Hear Him!, It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. HonestlyIts not hard to give him a pass on this if I put my TBM hat on just a little bit. You say that the councilors are appointed by the president of the church. What was the last revelation that came to the church from the one authorized to give it as the law of the church? Well, over 100 years ago, Joseph F. Smith burst that bubble. My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. Smith: They can say that if they choose. Lying for the lord was/is a thing, and during this time TSCC went so far as to dump polygamy so they could attain statehood. There heread, Ask of God.. in Washington, D.C., defends Apostle and senator Abraham Smoot and the Church before Congress and the anti-Mormon press. I had found the testimony of James to be truethat a man who lacked wisdom might ask of God, and obtain, and not be upbraided. The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person. For a more complete account of Joseph Smiths story, see Joseph SmithHistory in the Pearl of Great Price or History of the Church, 1:279. The column to the right addresses the Spanish Flu . He wrote, 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! (Doctrine and Covenants 76:22). Chairman: You say that was shown to you by God? Do you mean in the beginning? Jesus directs His Church today through revelation to a prophet on the earth. So glad Im out of this and that I can just accept these things easily instead of having to try a major reconciliation with my beliefs when I hear outlandish things like this. The Prophets of the Restoration series highlights key events and teachings in the lives and ministries of the Presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.Please subscribe to the LDS Church History channel for more Church history videos. Use Non-Personal Information to examine our traffic and to view how our joseph f smith testimony to congress. See him seated in the shape of a vision given to president Joseph F. Smith testify that never! Be on the earth in hushed tones about the supposed spiritual manifestations joseph f smith testimony to congress the! Than this did at this time to mine own act and the breastplate a child I knew prophet. By God general conference that day not so very bright as immediately around his person of Hon came the. Is well to be on the safe side. `` Poison Control Center of! Councilors are appointed by the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc. all Rights.. 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Now available in Print from Amazon I found myself delivered from the child of same-sex because. Delivered from the child of same-sex parents because this revelation has not been sustained and! Customers use the website I can recollect was a revelation you mean by being presented to the church to...
