reveal things differently from what we expect? He remarked
that he was continually rising—altho' he had every thing
bearing him down, standing in his way & opposing—after all
he always comes out right at the end.
Respecting females laying on hands, he further remarkd
there could be no devil in it if God gave his sanction by healing
that there could be no more sin in any female laying hands
on the sick than in wetting the face with water that it
is no sin for any body to do it that has faith, or if the sick
has faith to be healed by the administration.
He reproved thatose that were disposed to find fault
with the management of concerns—saying if he undertook to
lead the church he would lead it right—that he calculates
to organize the church in proper order &c.
Pres Smith continued by speaking of the difficulties
he had to surmount ever since the commencement of the
work in consequence of aspiring men, "great big Elders" as he
called them, who had caused him much trouble, whom he
had taught in the private council; & they would go forth into
the world & proclaim the things he had taught them; as
there own revelations—said the same aspiring disposition will
be in this Society—& must be guarded against—that every
person should stand & act in the place appointed, & thus
sanctify the society & get it pure.
He said he had been trampled under foot by as-
piring Elders, for all were infected with that spirit, for
instance P. Pratt, O. Pratt, O. Hyde & J. Page had been aspiring
they could not be exalted but run away as tho' the care &
authority of the church were vested with them—he said he
had a subtile devil to deal with & could only curb him
by being humble.
He said as he had this opportunity he was
going to instruct the society & point out the way for them
to conduct, that they might act according to the will
of God—that he did not know as he should have many
opportunities of teaching them as they were going to be
left to themselves. they would not long have him to
instruct them, that the church would not have
his instruction long, & the world would not be troubled
with him a great while, & would not have his teaching
He spoke of delivering the Keys to this Society & the church
that according to his prayers God had appointed him
reveal things differently from what we expect? He remarked
that he was continually rising - altho' he had every thing
bearing him down, standing in his way & opposing - after all
he always comes out right at the end.
Respecting females laying on hands, he further remarkd
there could be no devil in it if God gave his sanction by healing
that there could be no more sin in any female laying hands
on the sick than in wetting the face with water that it
is no sin for any body to do it that has faith, or if the sick
has faith to be healed by the administration.
He reproved those that were disposed to find fault
with the management of concerns - saying if he undertook to
lead the church he would lead it right - that he calculates
to organize the church in proper order &c.
Pres Smith continued by speaking of the difficulties
he had to surmount ever since the commencement of the
work in consequence of aspiring men, "great big Elders" as he
called them, who had caused him much trouble, whom he
had taught in the private council: & they would go forth into
the world & proclaim the things he had taught them; as
there own revelations - said the same aspiring disposition will
be in this Society - & must be guarded against - that every
person should stand & act in the place appointed, & thus
sanctify the society & get it pure.
He said he had been trampled under foot by aspiring Elders, for all were infected with that spirit, for
instance P. Pratt, O. Pratt, O. Hyde & J. Page had been aspiring
they could not be exalted but run away as tho' the care &
authority of the church were vested with them - he said he
had a subtile devil to deal with & could only curb him
by being humble.
He said as he had this opportunity he was
going to instruct the Society & point out the way for them
to conduct, that they might act according to the will
of God - that he did not know as he should have many
opportunities of teaching them as they were going to be
left to themselves, they would not long have him to
instruct them, that the church would not have
his instruction long, & the world would not be troubled
with him a great while, & would not have his teaching.
He spoke of delivering the Keys to this Society & the church
that according to his prayers God had appointed him
"Journal (January 1, 1841 – December 31, 1842)," April 28, 1842, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed October 8, 2024, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/qo7