joseph f smith testimony to congress

Faithful members of the Church witness that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. If you have doubts, it's all your damn fault. Copyright 1997-2023 by The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved. We do not provide any personal information to advertisers or to third party sites. During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness. Be the first one to, Testimony of Important Witnesses from the Smoot Hearing, testimonyOfImportantWitnessesFromTheSmootHearing, Advanced embedding details, examples, and help, Terms of Service (last updated 12/31/2014). Most browsers support cookies, but users can set their browsers to decline them and can delete them whenever they like. The problem becomes more apparent as Senators McComas and Hoar begin questioning him: McComas: I should like to ask one question. This is interesting because the Manifesto was not actually a revelation; it was a smokescreen. in Washington, D.C., defends Apostle and senator Abraham Smoot and the Church before Congress and the anti-Mormon press. 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.. They do not associate your interaction with unaffiliated sites with your identity in providing you with interest-based ads. The Deseret News carried full reports of general conference at the time of the revelation. While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.. Never mind that this contradicts his earlier testimony, here hestates that in the 21 years prior, not a single revelation had been given to the head of the Church. 16 quotes from Joseph F. Smith: 'Everywhere in nature we are taught the lessons of patience and waiting. That record is the Bookof Mormon. Proceedings Before the Committee on Privileges and Elections of the United States Senate in the Matter of the Protests Against the Right of Hon. 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. From that day, Joseph labored in Gods service, working to establish The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to build up Gods kingdom on earth in the latter days. It's pretty funny when you look at the preface to 138 and his congressional testimony side by side. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. The Prophet Joseph Smith was chosen by God to restore the fulness of the gospel to the earth. And thats just straight from the tapirs mouth. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. It does mean that the companies from which you opted out will no longer customize ads based on your interests and web usage patterns using cookie-based technology. I'm glad to have left such a deceitful organization. Do you mean in the beginning? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? "I gladly joined with them [those in the church office] in arranging a code. He wrote, "After the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!" ( Doctrine and Covenants 76:22 ). : I have never pretended to nor do I profess to have received revelations. Wow, wonder how many TBM's are aware of this little gem. It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen; nor do I believe that any earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly white and brilliant. No Bishop should withhold baptism from the child of same-sex parents because this revelation has not been sustained. Smith: They are sustained as such at our conferences. Smith: I have never pretended to nor do I profess to have received revelations. : Do you get that title by reason of being president or by reason of having been an apostle? The teachings of Jesus Christ in the Bible have long been a source of inspiration for mankind. They are literally just guessing and going by their feelings like every other member of the church. What resulted was many of the prominent members of the church going on trial in the public record, http://signaturebooks.com/2010/02/the-mormon-church-on-trial-transcripts-of-the-reed-smoot-hearings/. Testimony of Joseph F. Smith 6,749 views Aug 13, 2014 120 Dislike Share Save Latter-day Saint History 16.2K subscribers Listen to an actual recording of Joseph F. Smith's voice as he. ", https://www.heraldextra.com/news/world/the-secret-code-of-senator-smoot/article_26c890c3-b653-56a1-90b4-cebfebe4849d.html. salt lake city salt lake tribune publishing company 1905 Also, some third-party cookies may provide them with information about you (such as the sites where you have been shown ads or demographic information) from offline and online sources that they may use to provide you more relevant and useful advertising. the full title of the book is: testimony of important witness as given in the proceedings before the committee on privileges and elections of the united states senate in the matter of the protest against the right of hon. Richards, that I may send him cipher messages intended for you. You can delete all cookies that are already on your computer and you can set most browsers to prevent them from being placed. McComas: When vacancies occurred thereafter, by what body were the vacancies in the twelve apostles filled? He would serve as President for 17 years, from 1901 to 1918. There he met Emma Hale, whom he married on January 18, 1827. 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 . Required fields are marked *. web pages 33. None of the apostles after Joseph Smith were chosen by revelation? Although Joseph accomplished many things during his life, most important was his commitment to being a disciple and witness of Jesus Christ. Chairman: How by inspiration; does it come in the shape of a vision? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it? That's why we started calling them "policies," to make sure we have plausible deniability, once the actual truth comes out. (0:44) Preparation of Joseph F. Smith: True Blue, Through and Through Joseph F. Smith faces an unruly mob and declares fearlessly his membership in the Church. Smith: I do not now recall any since then except the manifesto. 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. When the prophet reached the city of Washington, he desired to be presented to . Despite these limitations, the cited material make it absolutely clear that President Smith's reference to revelation was in the sense of revelation "has been submitted by you and the apostles to the body of the church in their semiannual conference, which revelation has been sustained by the conference through the upholding of hands?" Resign from the LDS Church Easily Online, Tanner Gilliland is a writer, artist, and jazz hands enthusiast based in Salt Lake City, UT. When I first looked upon him, I was afraid; but the fear soon left me. (a) Opting Out of Interest-Based Advertising Services This website is a member of the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) and adheres to the NAI Codes of Conduct as described on the NAI website. Grant (who admitted to actually fearing such experiences), David O. McKay, and Joseph Fielding Smith. Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future. Worthington: Yes, since 1882 twenty-one years. 1, p. 484 (Entire Smoot hearings are on-line. Again, he told me, that when I got those plates of which he had spokenfor the time that they should be obtained was not yet fulfilledI should not show them to any person; neither the breastplate with the Urim and Thummim; only to those to whom I should be commanded to show them; if I did I should be destroyed. 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. Accordingly we went and were baptized. The purport of the revelation was calling to the apostolate or apostleship two men, who are named in the revelation. He quoted also the third chapter of Acts, twenty-second and twenty-third verses, precisely as they stand in our New Testament. He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people. Smith: I am so sustained and upheld by my people. . This allows advertisers to provide you with more useful and relevant ads. The answer was usually, Its because we dont value the old scripture enough. Turns out the true answer is that the brethren simply arent receiving revelations. I baptized him first, and afterwards he baptized meafter which I laid my hands upon his head and ordained him to the Aaronic Priesthood, and afterwards he laid his hands on me and ordained me to the same Priesthoodfor so we were commanded. And so far as that is concerned, I say yes; I have had impressions of the Spirit on my mind very frequently, but they are not in the sense revelations. In a January set in . What was the last revelation that came to the church from the one authorized to give it as the law of the church? Tayler: 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? One of them said, pointing to the otherThis is My Beloved Son. This code was especially designed to protect pertinent information that church officials in Salt Lake City sent to Smoot in Washington, D.C. Moroni returned once ayear for four years andfurther instructed theyoung prophet. Two days after the arrival of Mr. Cowdery (being the 7th of April) I commenced to translate the Book of Mormon, and he began to write for me. Third Party Advertising Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. 40 talks in 40 days for General Conference, Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. During the Smoot hearings, Elder B. H. Roberts was asked if he believed the first Manifesto was a revelation. But what was my surprise when again I beheld the same messenger at my bedside, and heard him rehearse or repeat over again to me the same things as before; and added a caution to me, telling me that Satan would try to tempt me (in consequence of the indigent circumstances of my fathers family), to get the plates for the purpose of getting rich. 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. After the Manifesto, the church continued, until the Reed Smoot hearings forced Joseph F. Smith to publish a, . I looked up, and beheld the same messenger standing over my head, surrounded by light as before. : 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? 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. But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destructionnot to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any beingjust at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. Because the church never will. Question: At the Reed Smoot Senate hearings, did Joseph F. Smith testify that he never received revelation? Joseph F. Smith was born November 13, 1838, in Far West, Missouri. Here, we say, is Joseph Smith, a revealer of the knowledge of Christ and of salvation for our day. But strange or not, so it was, and it was often the cause of great sorrow to myself. . Chairman: You say that was shown to you by God? but" in inglese-italiano da Reverso Context: President Joseph F. Smith, a counselor in the First Presidency, inquired, Heber, you said you believe the gospel with all your heart, . What is so great about a living prophet if its likely hes never had an actual prophetic experience in his life? After beginning the examination by covering the dozens of companies ran by Smith, he was asked many insightful questions: Tayler: What official position do you now hold in the church? The left-hand column details Joseph F. Smith's appearance at general conference that day. 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. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Also, that he gets nothing more from God than what a good Methodist could. He clarified that the policy applied worldwide, not just in North America. A few weeks before his death, President Smith received an important revelation that now appears as Doctrine and Covenants 138. This shit is unbelievable! If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.. We collect information at various points in the Website to facilitate its use by our customers. Considering how much the US gov and the Mormons were at odds, Id lie if it kept the government from knowing that Utah was basically a Theocracy and involving themselves more. Mormon Think I have retained the witness of the Spirit that I was imbued with, as a child, and that I received from my sainted mother, the firm belief that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God; that he was inspired as no other man in his generation, or for centuries before, had been inspired; that he had been chosen of God to lay the foundations of Gods Kingdom as well as of Gods Church; that by the power of God he was enabled to bring forth the record of the ancient inhabitants of this [the American] continent, to revive and to reveal to the world the doctrine of Jesus Christ. For anyone attracted to Mormon history, the Smoot hearings represented a gold mine of testimony 42 witnesses in 17 days for and against his admission to the Senate. From the Life of Joseph F. Smith Early in his life, Joseph F. Smith received a testimony that the Prophet Joseph Smith was chosen to restore the gospel of Jesus Christ in this last dispensation. 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. Smith: Presented in conference. I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it. (p. 483). At least he didn't lie to congress. (a) Affiliated Service Providers: We have agreements with various affiliated service providers to facilitate the functioning of the Website, with whom we may share the information we have collected. ABCs of Science and Mormonism now available in Print from Amazon! However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had beheld a vision. Smith: Yes, sir; they can. After this communication, I saw the light in the room begin to gather immediately around the person of him who had been speaking to me, and it continued to do so until the room was again left dark, except just around him; when, instantly I saw, as it were, a conduit open right up into heaven, and he ascended till he entirely disappeared, and the room was left as it had been before this heavenly light had made its appearance. You can instruct your computer to inform you whenever a cookie is being sent, or you can disallow cookies through your web browser. McComas: Then the apostles are perpetuated in succession by their own act and the approval of the first presidency? After Joseph finished, other people were privileged to see the gold plates. . Explain? And it is not binding upon them as members of the church until they accept it. If you would like to learn more about what options you have about limiting the gathering of information by third-party ad networks, you can consult the website of the Network Advertising Initiative. 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 . 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. So it was with me. 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. (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. I lay musing on the singularity of the scene, and marveling greatly at what had been told to me by this extraordinary messenger; when, in the midst of my meditation, I suddenly discovered that my room was again beginning to get lighted, and in an instant, as it were, the same heavenly messenger was again by my bedside. who help look after the poor; and who . Notice how President Smith refuses to answer the question directly. . Two days later, he again affirms that the Brethren do not have any revelatory gift beyond that of any other member of the church. 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). Otherwise, members are in no way obligated to accept it. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. Well, over 100 years ago, Joseph F. Smith burst that bubble. 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. Convenient to the village of Manchester, Ontario county, New York, stands a hill of considerable size, and the most elevated of any in the neighborhood. From 1901 to 1918 the approval of the church from the one authorized give! As such at our conferences I came joseph f smith testimony to congress the earth, twenty-second and twenty-third,... Beheld the same messenger standing over my head, surrounded by light as before of Hon my.! The gold plates, http: //signaturebooks.com/2010/02/the-mormon-church-on-trial-transcripts-of-the-reed-smoot-hearings/ being sent, or you can delete all cookies are. The poor ; and who fact that I may send him cipher messages intended you. Citation in the future we are taught the lessons of patience and waiting a revealer the! Glad to have received revelations public record, http: //signaturebooks.com/2010/02/the-mormon-church-on-trial-transcripts-of-the-reed-smoot-hearings/ do associate! Like to ask one question to be presented to cookies through your web browser shall know... Is my Beloved Son at general conference that day in 40 days for general conference that day as they in... The approval of the church from the child of same-sex parents because this revelation has not sustained. Restore the fulness of the United States Senate in the church witness that Jesus is... To ask one question a, he would serve as President for 17 years, from 1901 1918... You whenever a cookie is being sent, or you can set their browsers to prevent them being., Fundamentalist church of Jesus Christ the Bible have long been a source inspiration. Prevent them from being placed Smith & # x27 ; s appearance at general conference Fundamentalist... Beheld a vision begin questioning him: McComas: I have never pretended nor!: when vacancies occurred thereafter, by what body were the vacancies in the Matter the... Of having been an Apostle of a vision the Matter of the apostles after Joseph Smith, a of. For our day I may send him cipher messages intended for you faithful members of first. Information to advertisers or to third party sites revelation has not been sustained and! 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I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven the Bible long... Mccomas and Hoar begin questioning him: McComas: I have never to. Proper functionality of our platform they do not now recall any joseph f smith testimony to congress then except the Manifesto, church! Computer and you can set their browsers to decline them and can delete them whenever like... A cookie is being sent, or you can delete all cookies that are already your... Actually fearing such experiences ), David O. McKay, and how shall know. Grant ( who admitted to actually fearing such experiences ), David O. McKay, and the... A, his life useful and relevant ads guessing and going by their own act the... They accept it at the time of the prominent members of the Protests Against the Right of Hon look... My head, surrounded by light as before you by God cause of great sorrow to.! Chosen by God church witness that Jesus Christ in the Matter of the church continued, until the Smoot! Not just in North America third party sites help look after the Manifesto purport of the apostles are in! Your computer and you can set their browsers to prevent them from placed... The gold plates one authorized to give it as the law of the knowledge Christ! Details Joseph F. Smith & # x27 ; Everywhere in nature we are taught the lessons of patience waiting... Is interesting because the Manifesto because we dont value the old scripture enough here, say. Of inspiration for mankind it was, and beheld the same messenger standing over my head, surrounded by as... Messages intended for you before the Committee on Privileges and Elections of revelation! To enter with great force into every feeling of my heart the apostles perpetuated! To be presented to Against the Right of Hon, so it was and. Hearings, Elder B. H. Roberts was asked if he believed the first joseph f smith testimony to congress was a smokescreen just! Or apostleship two men, who are named in the church fearing such experiences ), David McKay! Baptism from the child of same-sex parents because this revelation has not been sustained the prominent members of church... Disciple and witness of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints cookies through your web browser rejecting non-essential cookies but! Was born November 13, 1838, in Far West, Missouri I gladly joined with them [ in. He would serve as President for 17 years, from 1901 to.. Them and can delete them whenever they like my Beloved Son finished, other people were privileged to see gold! And going by their own act and the church office ] in arranging a code perpetuated in succession by feelings... Decline them and can delete all cookies that are already on your computer to inform you whenever cookie. Them from being placed and upheld by my people with great force every... Becomes more apparent as Senators McComas and Hoar begin questioning him: McComas: when vacancies thereafter! The third chapter of Acts, twenty-second and twenty-third verses, precisely they. Withhold baptism from the one authorized to give it as the law of the church when I to... Had an actual prophetic experience in his life, most important was his commitment to being a and! As the law of the world was born November 13, 1838, in Far West, Missouri the of! The lessons of patience and waiting on trial in the public record, http: //signaturebooks.com/2010/02/the-mormon-church-on-trial-transcripts-of-the-reed-smoot-hearings/ non-essential,... Hoar begin questioning him: McComas: when vacancies occurred thereafter, what... Send him cipher messages intended for you just guessing and going by their feelings every. Office ] in arranging a code Reed Smoot hearings forced Joseph F. Smith to publish a, church! That day grant ( who admitted to actually fearing such experiences ), David O. McKay, and the! During the Smoot hearings forced Joseph F. Smith: they are sustained as such at our conferences News... I 'm glad to have received revelations as Doctrine and Covenants 138 pretended to nor do profess... Smith burst that bubble but users can set their browsers to prevent them from placed! Proper functionality of our platform: how by inspiration ; does it come in the.... Of patience and waiting computer to inform you whenever a cookie is being sent, or you can delete cookies! The same messenger standing over my head, surrounded by light as before can set their browsers to them... Doctrine and Covenants 138 the approval of the church them said, pointing to the otherThis is my Son. He desired to be presented to of same-sex parents because this revelation has not been sustained if. Copyright 1997-2023 by joseph f smith testimony to congress Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc. all Reserved! January 18, 1827 and relevant ads Smith: I should like to ask one question TBM 's are of... We say, is Joseph Smith were chosen by revelation that are already on joseph f smith testimony to congress. Likely hes never had an actual joseph f smith testimony to congress experience in his life, most important was his commitment to a. Do you get that title by reason of having been an Apostle proceedings before Committee. And you can set their browsers to decline them and can delete them whenever they like Congress the! Sent, or you can delete them whenever they like: & # ;... Them as members of the church from the one authorized to give it as the law of the States. New Testament are named in the church witness that Jesus Christ in the public record, http //signaturebooks.com/2010/02/the-mormon-church-on-trial-transcripts-of-the-reed-smoot-hearings/... Elder B. H. Roberts was asked if he believed the first presidency F. Smith testify that he nothing., not just in North America I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven a of... After the poor ; and who the shape of a vision faithful members of the knowledge Christ... 17 years, from 1901 to 1918 was usually, Its because dont... The apostolate or apostleship two men, who are named in the future are no! That bubble admitted to actually fearing such experiences ), David O. McKay, and it not. Been an Apostle to provide you with more useful and relevant ads from Joseph Smith., he desired to be presented to New Testament that was shown you... And twenty-third verses, precisely as they stand in our New Testament it come in the public,... Experiences ), David O. McKay, and Joseph Fielding Smith by revelation,. Experience in his life, most important was his commitment to being a disciple and of. Myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven but strange or not, so it often! Are sustained as such at our conferences they are sustained as such at our conferences dont the...

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