History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Volume 6Smith, Joseph, Jr.
History
History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Volume 6
Smith, Joseph, Jr.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844
The declaration this morning is, that as soon as the Temple and
baptismal font are prepared, we calculate to give the Elders of
Israel their washings and anointings, and attend to those last
and more impressive ordinances, without which we cannot obtain
celestial thrones. But there must be a holy place prepared for
that purpose. There was a proclamation made during the time that
the foundation of the Temple was laid to that effect, and there
are provisions made until the work is completed, so that men may
receive their endowments and be made kings and priests unto the
Most High God, having nothing to do with temporal things, but their
whole time will be taken up with things pertaining to the house
of God. There must, however, be a place built expressly for that
purpose, and for men to be baptized for their dead. It must be
built in this the central place; for every man who wishes to save
his father, mother, brothers, sisters and friends, must go through
all the ordinances for each one of them separately, the same as for
himself, from baptism to ordination, washings and anointings, and
receive all the keys and powers of the Priesthood, the same as for
himself.
_I have received instructions from the Lord that from henceforth
wherever the Elders of Israel shall build up churches and branches
unto the Lord throughout the States, there shall be a stake of
Zion. In the great cities, as Boston, New York, &c., there shall
be stakes._ It is a glorious proclamation, and I reserved it to
the last, and designed it to be understood that this work shall
commence after the washings, anointings and endowments have been
performed here.
The Lord has an established law in relation to the matter: there
must be a particular spot for the salvation of our dead. I verily
believe there will be a place, and hence men who want to save
their dead can come and bring their families, do their work by
being baptized and attending to the other ordinances for their
dead, and then may go back again to live and wait till they go
to receive their reward. I shall leave my brethren to enlarge on
this subject: it is my duty to teach the doctrine. I would teach
it more fully--the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. God is
not willing to let me gratify you; but I must teach the Elders, and
they should teach you. God made Aaron to be the mouth piece for the
children of Israel, [1] and He will make me be god to you in {320}
His stead, and the Elders to be mouth for me; and if you don't like
it, you must lump it. I have been giving Elder Adams instruction in
some principles to speak to you, and if he makes a mistake, I will
get up and correct him.
Elder G. J. Adams preached a discourse which occupied three hours,
and which could be heard a great distance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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