apostasy
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When I closed, Mr. Randolph Alex- ander, who had never heard a "Mor- mon" Elder speak before, said, the people of the present day made him think of a pen of hogs; the keeper would make a trough, and pour into it hot or cold water, dish water, or anything else, and they would drink it; but let a stranger come along, and pour over a basket of corn on the back side of the pen, and the hogs would be frightened, and run and snort all over the pen. He said it was so with the people; the priests would feed them with any kind of doctrine, no matter how false, the people will swallow it down; but let a stranger come and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which will save the people, as Mr. Woodruff has done, and the peo- ple are afraid of him.
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(I had a dream which I will here relate I saw a fruit tree, & I went into the tree in search of fruit. I soon discovered that some of the main branches on ^the^ top g^r^oing from the main body was dead; It seemed necessary to cut off the dead branches in order to save the tree so I told some person to help me cut them off & they steped on to a large green limb they were afraid it would break, so I put my sholder under it & held it up while he cut off the dead branches it cracked the green limb but it did not break. after we cut of[f] the dry limbs the wounds healed up and the tree grew finely) now let us cut of the dead bran ches of the Church that good fruit may grow and the voice will soon be herd go and build Zion and the great Temple of the Lord.
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The Home was lyted by 3 chandeliers with 12 lights in each lighthed with gass there were some 1500 people present. Mr Barrett pledged him- self to prove th Book of Mormon false & water baptism ^not^ essential to Salvation while Brother Cordon pleged himself to prove the Book of Mormon true & water baptism essential to Salvation. As Mr Barrytt arose & declyaired to the Assembly that he would prove the Book of Mormon false & water baptism not essential to Salvation 4 glass chimneys in each of the chanderliers burst
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But their has been a great difficulty in getting anything into the heads of this generation it has been like splitting hemlock knots with a corn doger for a wedge & a pumpkin for a beetle; even the saints are slow to understand I have tried for a number of years to get the minds of the saints prepared to recieve the things of God, but we freequently see some of them after suffering all they have for the work of God will fly to peaces like glass as soon as any thing comes that is contrary to their traditions, they cannot stand the fire all at all. How many will be able to abide a celestial law & go through & recieve their exhaltation I am unable to say but many are called & few are chosen
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O ye Twelve and all saints, profit by this important key [FIGURE] that in all your trials, troubles, & temptations, afflictions bonds imprisionment & death see to it that you do not betray heaven, that you do not betray Jesus Christ, that you do not betray your Brethren, & that you do not betray the revela tions of God whether in the bible, Book of Mormon, or Doctrine & Covenants or any of the word of God. yea in all your kicking, & floundering see to it that you do not this thing lest innocent blood be found in your skirts & you go down to hell. We may ever know by this sign that there is danger of our being led to a fall & aposticy, when we give way to the devil so as to neglect the first known duty but whatever you do do not betray your Friend
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I have not any doubt but that the apostates will join with the others wicked powers to try to put down the power of God. and I am glad to have the power of the kingdom of God tested & when it is fully tried it will stand, I care not what sacrifice I am called to make for such a kingdom, if its friends, welth or even life at the purchase of such a kingdom it is cheap, did the ancient Apostles, Prophets or Saints who died pay two much for that kingdom they did not.
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Men will say I will never forsake you but will stand by you at all times but the moment you teach them some of the mysteries of God that are retained in the heavens and are to be revealed to the children of men when they are prepared, They will be the first to stone you & put you to death. It was the same principle that crusified the Lord Jesus Christ.
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when the Father appointed Jesus Christ the first born to come & redeem the Earth there was contention got up the second brother Lucipher the son of the morning He wanted the honour to come & redeem the Earth but Christ was the Appointed one it was his right by appoin tment & birthright. But the war & contention became so hot & the influence of Lucipher was so great that he got one third of the hosts of Heaven to Join his standard & when he was hurled down to Hell like lightning from Heaven one third was cast down with him whare is he & those that were cast down, with those spirts that accompanied him they are here on this Earth and they have blinded the child ren of men & still seeking to overthrow the kingdom of God He is a thorn in the flesh to the children of God but this is all right & we should be contented with what God sees fit to grant unto us & to contented with our lot. If the devil had been contented & acted in his place he would not have been thrust down to Hell. Any man who seeks to do a thing that he cannot do & should not do it cast him into Hell & makes a Hell for him when men ask for things that does not belong to him & it makes him unhappy.
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Do the Latter day Saints wish the Nations of the Earth any Evil No we would save them all if we could. But it was a mercy anciently to cut off the wicked from the Earth that their posterity should not inherit the Earth to follow the wickedness of their fathers Gog & Magog will ere long gather to fight against the Saints of the Lamb of God and when hope is almost fled Christ will come and End the scenery.
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what is there here in this valley that should hendor this people from being happy I am happy because I do not fret about any thing that I cannot do. I wont fret about any thing what henders your praying & praising God No body but your own selves if you are seeking to weed your neighbors garden you will have business enough. but this is a happy people I wish they would prize their blessings. You have not got to mourn as did the Ancients because their children would Apostitise turn from God & be cursed Our children will not Apostitze they will not have time but will have all they can do to perform the work of God as it rolls upon them to prepare the kingdom for the coming of Christ gather up the Nations &c Then be happy & do the things required of you
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Excerpt:Joseph uttered the feelings of his soul in pain while viewing the poverty & afflictions of Ephraim or the Saints in Kirtland at least that fals brethren should be whited walls & bring perrils upon the Saints. Joseph is as a father to Ephraim & to all Israel in these last days, he mourns because of unbelief & the negligence manifest with ma ny who have receieved the gospel in obeying the commands of God he fears lest ^but^ few be left to receieve an inheritance. There is ...Dates:April 10, 1837 -
Excerpt:May 14, 1837 ~ Sunday May 14th we wrote two Letters to our friends in the state of Maine May 23, 1837 ~ Tuesday 23rd Spent several of the Last weeks in labour- ing with my hands for Elder Joseph Young. Spent the fore part of this day in attending a Patriarch- al meeting I wrote a Patriarchal Blessing for Brother Henry Harmon May 25, 1837 ~ Thursday ^25th I comenced boarding with ElderDates:May 14, 1837 May 23, 1837 May 25, 1837 May 27, 1837 May 28, 1837 -
Excerpt:December 29th 1833 were neither contending nor receievi ng the faith once delivered to the Sain ts I could not discover the Church or body of Christ visible among men. I believed the Church of Christ was in the wilderness and that there had been a falling away from the pure and undefiled religion before God And I was a looking for the Church to arise and again to be esstablished upon the foundation of the ancient Apostles and Prophets Christ Jesus the Chief Corner Stone. After ...Dates:December 29, 1833 -
Excerpt:May 11, 1835 ~ Monday May 11th Rode from Br Crawley's to Br Utleys 8 miles May 12, 1835 ~ Tuesday 12th Rode to Lewis Barkers. Preached at his hous. Br Parrish Baptized 2 persons distance 6 miles May 13, 1835 ~ Wednesday 13th Rode to Mr John Jackson. Preached at his house Baptized 2 one of them at the 11th hour of the Night distance 7 miles May 14, 1835 ~ Thursday ...Dates:May 11, 1835 May 12, 1835 May 13, 1835 May 14, 1835 May 15, 1835 May 16, 1835 May 17, 1835 May 18, 1835 May 19, 1835 May 21, 1835 May 22, 1835 May 23, 1835 May 24, 1835 May 25, 1835 May 26, 1835 May 27, 1835 May 28, 1835 May 29, 1835 May 30, 1835 May 31, 1835 June 1, 1835 June 2, 1835 -
Excerpt:at the hand of their friends or soldiers & obtained it becaus they [were] Defeated in battle. It is observed that not one of those who had a hand in the Death of Caesar Died a natural Death but either killed themselves or were killed by others, in fine suicide was a common thing among the grecian & Roman Generals soldiers & poets, many Died by the use of hemlock & other poisons, as well as by the Dagger. Cleopatra sought Death by the sting of ... -
Excerpt:PREFACE My parents were born and bred in the town of Farmington Hartford County Connecticut My father Aphek Woodruff was the son of Eldad Woodruff My mother Bulah Thompson was the daughter of Lot Thompson all of Farmington Cont The occupation of my father was a miller from his youth. I was born in the north part of the town of Farmington (now called Avon) Hartford County Connecticut on the 1st of March AD 1807. I was the third son of my father and ... -
Excerpt:October 2, 1842 ~ Sunday Oct 2 Sunday Elder John Taylor called upon me & informed me that I was not going to Keokurk but Joseph wished me to assist in the printing in Nauvoo. Elder Allexander arived from the South & called upon me. Our babe has been preserved unto us she appeared to be deliverd from her fever & is fast recover- ing. it has been vary healthy in Nauvoo ...Dates:October 2, 1842 October 3, 1842 October 8, 1842 October 9, 1842 October 10, 1842 October 11, 1842 October 12, 1842 October 13, 1842 October 15, 1842 October 16, 1842 -
Excerpt:The following is a synopsis of the address deliverd by President Joseph Smith to the citizens of Nauvoo June 30th 1843 I repuire attention. I discoverd what the emotions of the people were on my arival to this city, & I have come here to say, how do you do to all parties & I do now say How do you do at this time. I meet you with a heart full of gratitude to Almighty God & I presume you all feel the same I ... -
Excerpt:me from the hands of wicked and ungodly men who seek my destruction while their angor is kindled against me. We sailed acrosst the Penobscot bay and went up the goose river. We here took the parting hand with Br. Ames who returned home while walked to James Andrews, who is ingaged in making the baggage waggons for Brother Nathaniel Thomas & the saints to journey to the land of Zion with Brother Thomas possesses the true spirit of Christ and ...Dates:August 14, 1838 August 15, 1838 August 16, 1838 August 17, 1838 August 18, 1838 -
Excerpt:of the kingdom of Jehovah. Let us suppose a case. suppose the great God who dwells in heaven should reveal himself to Father Cutler here by the opening heavens and tell him I offer up a decree that whatsoever you seal on earth with your decree I will seal it in heaven, you have power then, can it be taken of? No. Then what you seal on earth by the keys of Elijah is sealed in heaven & this is the power of Elijah, & this is the difference between the ...