Essentials in Church History: A History of the Church from the Birth of Joseph Smith to the Present Time (1922), with Introductory Chapters on the Antiquity of the Gospel and the "Falling Away"Smith, Joseph Fielding
History
Essentials in Church History: A History of the Church from the Birth of Joseph Smith to the Present Time (1922), with Introductory Chapters on the Antiquity of the Gospel and the "Falling Away"
Smith, Joseph Fielding
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- History
Early in January, 1843, in discoursing on the kingdom of God, the
Prophet said: "Some say the kingdom of God was not set up on the earth
until the day of Pentecost, and John the Baptist did not preach the
baptism for repentance for the remission of sins. But I say, in the
name of the Lord, that the kingdom of God was set up on the earth from
the days of Adam to the present time. . . . Where there is no kingdom
of God, there is no salvation. What constitutes the kingdom of God?
Where there is a prophet, a priest, or a righteous man unto whom God
gives his oracles, there is the kingdom of God; and where the oracles
of God are not, there the kingdom of God is not." In relation to the
Gospel and baptism preached by John, he said: "John came preaching the
Gospel for the remission of sins. He had his authority from God, and
the oracles of God were with him." Speaking of the sign of the Holy
Ghost, he stated: "The Holy Ghost is a personage, and in the form of
a personage. It does not confine itself to the form of a dove, but
in the sign of a dove. The Holy Ghost cannot be transformed into the
form of a dove; but the sign of a dove was given to John to signify
the truth of the deed [baptism of Christ], as the dove is an emblem or
token of truth and innocence." In February he received a revelation
embodying the following principle: There are two kinds of beings in
heaven; angels, who are resurrected personages, having bodies of
flesh and bones; and spirits of just men made perfect who are not
yet resurrected, but inherit the same glory. In April, 1843, he gave
instructions at Ramus, as follows: "When the Savior shall appear, we
shall see him as he is. We shall see that he is a man like ourselves
and that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us
there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do
not now enjoy." The reckoning of God's time, angel's time and man's
time is according to the planet on which they reside. All angels who
minister on this earth, have belonged to it. Angels reside in the
presence of God on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all
things for their glory are manifest. The place where God dwells is a
great Urim and Thummim. This earth, in its sanctified and immortal
state, will be like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the
inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an
inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest
to those who dwell on it. The white stone mentioned in Revelation 2:17
will become a Urim and Thummim to each individual who receives one,
through which things of a higher order will be made known. Again, he
taught that all principles of intelligence we attain unto in this life,
will rise with us in the resurrection. The Father has a body of flesh
and bones as has the Son, Jesus Christ, also, but the Holy Ghost is a
personage of Spirit. During the time of the trial at Springfield, in
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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