Wilford Woodruff, Fourth President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: History of His Life and Labors, as Recorded in His Daily JournalsWoodruff, Wilford
Religion
Wilford Woodruff, Fourth President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: History of His Life and Labors, as Recorded in His Daily Journals
Woodruff, Wilford
Woodruff, Wilford, 1807-1898
Referring to the administration of the Temple ordinances on that
occasion, he writes in his journal: "The Prophet Joseph arose and
addressed the congregation for the space of three hours. He was
clothed with the power, spirit, and image of God. He presented many
things of great importance to the elders of Israel. O, that the record
could be written as with an iron pen, of the {67} light, principles,
and virtue that came from the mouth and heart of the Prophet Joseph,
whose soul, like that of Enoch, seemed as wide as eternity! That day
strikingly demonstrated that he was, indeed, a prophet of God raised
up for the deliverance of Israel. He presented to us a plan of the
city of Kirtland which was given him by vision. The future will prove
that the visions of Joseph concerning Jackson County and concerning
the various stakes of Zion will be fulfilled in the time appointed of
the Lord. After his remarks, the Sacrament was administered and all
were made glad at the table of the Lord in association with apostles,
prophets, patriarchs, evangelists, and teachers. In the evening a
meeting was held in which many took part by speaking in tongues, giving
the interpretations thereof, prophesying, etc.,--a veritable feast of
Pentecost."
Temple work in Kirtland in the early part of 1837 afforded him that
spiritual satisfaction which was so helpful in those subsequent years
of his life when he was employed in missionary service and upon the
plains as a pioneer. He also learned during those days in Kirtland
that the more remarkable the spiritual manifestations, the greater the
opposition of the evil one. He was present at the Sunday services in
the Temple, April 9th, when Heber C. Kimball, Orson Pratt, and Sidney
Rigdon laid before the Saints the condition of the Church respecting
temporal affairs.
A financial panic was on throughout the United States. Its depressing
influence was severely felt in Kirtland. Before it reached that
place, however, many of the leading brethren had given their time and
talent to speculation and were absorbed in schemes detrimental to
their religious standing, and quite contrary to the counsel of the
Prophet. Speculations brought on jealousies and hatreds, and those evil
attributes manifested themselves toward Joseph who sought so diligently
to suppress them. Prominent men--men who had shown the highest
degree of loyalty to the Prophet became disaffected. Their financial
speculations brought on a spirit of self-sufficiency, and that spirit
made them wise in their own conceit. The affairs of the Church were put
to the test of "wisdom"--wisdom as they understood it. Such wisdom,
however, was undermining their integrity to the Church. The meek and
humble maintained their fidelity and brought encouragement {68} and
solace to the Prophet, and the noble men who stood with him in the
hours of financial distress.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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