Learn how . Advertisers and other third-parties (including the ad networks, ad-serving companies, and other service providers they may use) may assume that users who interact with or click on a personalized ad or content are part of the group that the ad or content is directed towards (for example, readers in the Pacific Northwest who read certain types of articles). If an image is displaying, you can download it yourself. 2022 FAIR Conference videos are now available to watch! Thats a good point. Joseph F. Smith was born November 13, 1838, in Far West, Missouri. Isnt continuing revelation the churchs pet doctrine? Hear Him!. Either you must accept Joseph F. Smith as the prophet of God, ordained to speak falsehoods or truth at his pleasure, ratified by God as a liar or a truth teller to meet the prophets needs; or, you must consider him a false, deceiving, lying, hypocritical old man, who clings to his power with selfish hands, and who fain would live out the balance of his life with his five wives . I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.. This leads to a discussion about revelation. We use cookies to: It stuck out and it was one of the first times is said what? Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction. President Joseph F. Smith had an understanding of the eternal nature of man that few others have ever possessed. CES Letter His head and neck were also bare. 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. One of these, concerning the Saviors visit to the spirits of the dead while His body was in the tomb, President Smith had received the previous day. 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. After beginning the examination by covering the. The problem becomes more apparent as Senators McComas and Hoar begin questioning him: McComas: I should like to ask one question. 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. Crap, when I think I've heard it all. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. : How by inspiration; does it come in the shape of a vision? This type of information will not allow you to be personally identified. Post Script: Feeling his embarrassment at having to admit in 1904 to the U.S. Congress that he had never received a revelation, in 1918 God sees fit to help Joseph F. Smith save face and gives him the 138th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants how convenient. As a child I have listened to him preach the gospel that God had committed to his charge. They do not associate your interaction with unaffiliated sites with your identity in providing you with interest-based ads. When asked, he defended his family relationships, telling the committee that he had cohabited with his wives and fathered children with them since 1890. Smith: By inspiration. He then again related unto me all that he had related to me the previous night, and commanded me to go to my father and tell him of the vision and commandments which I had received. Smith: I am so sustained and upheld by my people. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. 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. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the otherThis is My Beloved Son. As Joseph F. Smith himself used to say, Put that in your pipe and smoke it! (, Joseph Smith Translated Bogus Kinderhook Plates, Egyptologists React to the Book of Abraham, Mormons, Ex-Mormons, and Censorship Culture. They can also know the peace and happiness that come through the Savior Jesus Christ, whom Joseph Smith worshipped and served. He said this Aaronic Priesthood had not the power of laying on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, but that this should be conferred on us hereafter; and he commanded us to go and be baptized, and gave us directions that I should baptize Oliver Cowdery, and that afterwards he should baptize me. [1939], 493). If you only take one thing away from this. I soon found that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion, and was the cause of great persecution, which continued to increase; and though I was an obscure boy, only between fourteen and fifteen years of age, and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the world, yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public mind against me, and create a bitter persecution; and this was common among all the sectsall united to persecute me. Although obviously reluctant to speak about the details of other revelation, he insists that he has it (see images of Smoot hearings on the right). Hell that is the absolute central teaching of Mormonism! Hear Him!, It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. : What do you mean by being presented to the church? : 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? They are literally just guessing and going by their feelings like every other member of the church. Smith: I am now the president of the church. Press J to jump to the feed. ABCs of Science and Mormonism now available in Print from Amazon! Smith: Since 1882? Every stratagem that could be invented was resorted to for that purpose. After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. The column to the right addresses the Spanish Flu . For a description of the DAA Program, please visit the DAA website. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. A vision given to President Joseph F. Smith in Salt Lake City, Utah, on October 3, 1918. No Personal Information will be shared in this manner. The council of the apostles have had a voice ever since in the selection of their successors. You can opt out of participating in interest-based advertising networks but opting out does not mean you will no longer receive online advertising. (1:31) Do you mean in the beginning? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it? 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. In 1903, Apostle Reed Smoot was elected by the Utah legislature to the U.S. senate. 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. Check Out. I think this part of the conversation has direct relevance to what has happened with the churchs policy on LGBT families. He first quoted part of the third chapter of Malachi; and he quoted also the fourth or last chapter of the same prophecy, though with a little variation from the way it reads in our Bibles. (c) Statistical Analysis: We may share Non-Personal Information and aggregated information with third parties, including but not limited to for advertising or marketing purposes. The list includes at least Brigham Young, Heber J. Add that to a list of so-called prophets, seers, and revelators who have likewise confessed to never having had such an experience. Required fields are marked *. : No, sir; not in regard to each of them. During this exchange, then, Joseph F. Smith was essentially being examined as a "hostile witness." 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. (b) Where required by law: We may share the collected information where required by law, specifically in response to a demand from government authorities where such demand meets the legal requirements. Worked with United Way Bay Area on their Theory of Change, gathered with 10 powerful Marin change Smith: No, sir; not that I know of. For example, if they know what ads you are shown while visiting our site, they can be careful not to show you the same ones repeatedly. Smith: Presented in conference. Most browsers support cookies, but users can set their browsers to decline them and can delete them whenever they like. Joseph Smith was such a prophet. We still continued the work of translation, when, in the ensuing month (May, 1829), we on a certain day went into the woods to pray and inquire of the Lord respecting baptism for the remission of sins, that we found mentioned in the translation of the plates. And he further stated that the fulness of the Gentiles was soon to come in. He would serve as President for 17 years, from 1901 to 1918. Reed Smoot, a Senator from the State of Utah, to Hold His Seat 3, https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/answers/index.php?title=Question:_At_the_Reed_Smoot_Senate_hearings%2C_did_Joseph_F._Smith_tesify_that_he_never_received_revelation%3F&oldid=216182. Here Joseph F. Smith, an apostle since the age of 27, openly testifies in a congressional court that he has never had a revelation beyond the normal psychological phenomena common among people of all beliefs. web pages Worthington: What do you mean by being presented to the church? Every time an apostle speaks anywhere, members of the church go full-on fan girl, tripping over themselves to hear from a mouthpiece of the Lord. What they fail to realize is that an apostle isnt half a furlong better at receiving revelation than the lowest member of the church. For no sooner was it known that I had them, than the most strenuous exertions were used to get them from me. Testimony of Joseph Smith Sixth President of the Church, 1901-1918 Testimony of Joseph Smith "As a child I knew the Prophet Joseph Smith. And it is not binding upon them as members of the church until they accept it. If there was indeed a revelation from God labeling same-sex couples apostate and barring their children from full participation in church, then it must be presented before the church in conference for a sustaining vote. : Are not all of the apostles also prophets, seers, and revelators? Members of the church love to speak in hushed tones about the supposed spiritual manifestations to which the brethren are privy. I made an attempt to take them out, but was forbidden by the messenger, and was again informed that the time for bringing them forth had not yet arrived, neither would it, until four years from that time; but he told me that I should come to that place precisely in one year from that time, and that he would there meet with me, and that I should continue to do so until the time should come for obtaining the plates. How are the apostles selected? It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. We may have third-party advertising companies serving ads to you when you visit our website. The number is probably* too high if you're just using the Temple Lot case, and the number is way, way too low* using all . "Tonight I have written to E.H. Callister that if I send him an cipher telegrams, he is to take them immediately to you and he is to tell the same to James H. Anderson. I continued to pursue my common vocations in life until the twenty-first of September, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-three, all the time suffering severe persecution at the hands of all classes of men, both religious and irreligious, because I continued to affirm that I had seen a vision. Now to have full context you have to understand that the mormons believed at that time, that it was no sin to lie to the federal government and so this is probably Joseph F. Smith lying through his teeth, knowing all the members would understand it. Smith: Yes, sir; I think it is. The reason that I do this is, that every year the Secretary of the Senate makes a report to the Senate, which is published, containing the names of the senders, receivers and the destination of all telegrams sent at government rates, and I do not care to have it appear that most of my telegrams go to Brother George F. Gibbs. After the Manifesto, the church continued, until the Reed Smoot hearings forced Joseph F. Smith to publish a, . This is the simple, direct testimony of Joseph Smith, giving some of the events that led to the Restoration of the gospel and the founding of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1, p. 484 (Entire Smoot hearings are on-line. The information generated by the cookie about your use of our website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. On the west side of this hill, not far from the top, under a stone of considerable size, lay the plates, deposited in a stone box. Your email address will not be published. Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. : No, sir; it has been the choice of the body. Accordingly we went and were baptized. , he was asked many insightful questions: : What official position do you now hold in the church? At least he didn't lie to congress. Worthington: Except the manifesto? He stated to me that having been teaching school in the neighborhood where my father resided, and my father being one of those who sent to the school, he went to board for a season at his house, and while there the family related to him the circumstances of my having received the plates, and accordingly he had come to make inquiries of me. Tayler: Are you prophet, seer, and revelator? It is a document without parallel. : Then the apostles are perpetuated in succession by their own act and the approval of the first presidency? This is interesting because the Manifesto was not actually a revelation; it was a smokescreen. During this exchange, then, Joseph F. Smith was essentially being examined as a "hostile witness." We are a volunteer organization. United States Senate (1904a), Burrows, Julius Caesar; Foraker, Joseph Benson, eds.. United States Senate (1904b), Burrows, Julius Caesar; Foraker, Joseph Benson, eds.. United States Senate (1905), Burrows, Julius Caesar; Foraker, Joseph Benson, eds.. A forum for ex-mormons and others who have been affected by mormonism to get support and share news, commentary, and comedy about the Mormon church. H.R.5687 97th Congress (1981-1982) A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize former members of the armed forces who are totally disabled as the result of a service-connected disability to travel on military aircraft in the same manner and to the same extent as retired members of the armed forces are permitted to travel . Tayler: Until they accept it? Returning later as aresurrected being, hetold Joseph Smithabout the ancientrecord, which containsthe fulness of thegospel as delivered bythe Savior to ancientinhabitants of theAmerican continent. There heread, Ask of God.. I left the field, and went to the place where the messenger had told me the plates were deposited; and owing to the distinctness of the vision which I had had concerning it, I knew the place the instant that I arrived there. The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person. ", https://www.heraldextra.com/news/world/the-secret-code-of-senator-smoot/article_26c890c3-b653-56a1-90b4-cebfebe4849d.html. Joseph Francis Smith (January 24, 1920 - May 14, 1999), was an American politician from Pennsylvania who served as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district from 1981 to 1983. I looked up, and beheld the same messenger standing over my head, surrounded by light as before. And again, so soon as I had been baptized by him, I also had the spirit of prophecy, when, standing up, I prophesied concerning the rise of this Church, and many other things connected with the Church, and this generation of the children of men. Jesus Christ. Three years afterJoseph Smiths FirstVision, God sent theangel Moroni toinstruct Joseph aboutrestoring the gospel of On 17 October 1901, a week after the death of President Lorenzo Snow, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles ordained and set apart Joseph F. Smith as the sixth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. One of the witnesses summoned to testify was President Joseph F. Smith. Smith: In the first place they were chosen by revelation. Well, over 100 years ago, Joseph F. Smith burst that bubble. On the twenty-second day of September, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven, having gone as usual at the end of another year to the place where they were deposited, the same heavenly messenger delivered them up to me with this charge: that I should be responsible for them; that if I should let them go carelessly, or through any neglect of mine, I should be cut off; but that if I would use all my endeavors to preserve them, until he, the messenger, should call for them, they should be protected. A third-party website called aboutcookies.org has been setup to help you with instructions how you can do that on various browsers. Accordingly, as I had been commanded, I went at the end of each year, and at each time I found the same messenger there, and received instruction and intelligence from him at each of our interviews, respecting what the Lord was going to do, and how and in what manner his kingdom was to be conducted in the last days. 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