The Papers
Browse the PapersDocumentsJournalsAdministrative RecordsRevelations and TranslationsHistoriesLegal RecordsFinancial RecordsOther Contemporary Papers
Reference
PeoplePlacesEventsGlossaryLegal GlossaryFinancial GlossaryCalendar of DocumentsWorks CitedFeatured TopicsLesson PlansRelated Publications
Media
VideosPhotographsIllustrationsChartsMapsPodcasts
News
Current NewsArchiveNewsletterSubscribeJSP Conferences
About
About the ProjectJoseph Smith and His PapersFAQAwardsEndorsementsReviewsEditorial MethodNote on TranscriptionsNote on Images of People and PlacesReferencing the ProjectCiting This WebsiteProject TeamContact Us
Published Volumes
  1. Home > 
  2. The Papers > 

Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff

Source Note

JS, Discourse, [, Hancock Co., IL, 10 Mar. 1844]. Featured version inscribed [ca. 10 Mar. 1844] in Wilford Woodruff, Journal, vol. 5, 1 Jan. 1843–31 Dec. 1844, pp. [205]–[212]; handwriting of ; Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Discourse, 17 Jan. 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff.

Historical Introduction

On Sunday, 10 March 1844, JS delivered a discourse in , Illinois, on the spirit of Elias, the spirit of Elijah, and the “spirit of Messiah.” JS delivered this sermon in a morning meeting held at the construction site. The meeting was attended by “a very large . . . congregation.”
In his sermon, JS taught that the spirit of Elias was to prepare the way for greater revelations or a greater work while the spirit of Elijah was to redeem the dead and bind generations together through the power of the . Both spirits prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah. JS also preached about the doctrine of election, explaining that if a person fell from grace by blaspheming against the Holy Ghost or shedding innocent blood, it would be impossible for him or her to be forgiven. JS concluded his discourse with two prophecies concerning the second coming of Jesus Christ in response to statements made by and his followers that Christ’s return was imminent. First, JS explained that Christ would not come in any year a rainbow was seen, stating that he had recently seen a rainbow and therefore Christ would not return in 1844. Second, he declared that Christ would not come anytime within the next forty years. JS closed by instructing his listeners to write down this prophecy.
JS’s sermon was reportedly received by an “attentive congregation.” concluded that the subject of JS’s discourse was “one of the most important & interesting . . . ever presented to the saints” and that “the principles presented were of the greatest importance to be understood.”
JS’s injunction to his audience to write down his concluding prophecy may be why several members wrote accounts of the discourse. These members included , James Burgess, Franklin D. Richards, Thomas Bullock, John S. Fullmer, and Willard Richards. While all of these church members’ accounts are featured here, Woodruff’s version, which he wrote in his own journal, is substantially longer than the other accounts.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS, Journal, 10 Mar. 1844.

  2. [2]

    Historian’s Office, Journal, 10 Mar. 1844.

  3. [3]

    JS had referenced Elijah in previous discourses. In late January 1844, for example, JS spoke on the coming of Elijah, referring to the prophecy in the book of Malachi that Elijah would return before the second coming of Jesus Christ to “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children & the hearts of the children to their fathers.” He explained that this prophecy was fulfilled as the Latter-day Saints received keys, preached the gospel, gathered together, built up Zion, constructed temples, and acted as proxies for their dead in receiving sacred ordinances, such as baptism, which are necessary for salvation. JS’s journal entry for 3 April 1836 notes that JS and Oliver Cowdery experienced a vision of Elijah appearing to them in the House of the Lord in Kirtland, Ohio, announcing the fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy and therefore conveying to them the “Keys” associated with sealing. (Discourse, 21 Jan. 1844, underlining in original; see also Minutes and Discourse, 1–5 Oct. 1841; Discourse, 13 Aug. 1843–A; and Visions, 3 Apr. 1836 [D&C 110:13–16].)

  4. [4]

    Miller was a Baptist who maintained that a thorough examination of the books of Daniel and Revelation revealed that the second advent of Christ was imminent. He did not claim the gift of prophecy, but merely that he had correctly read the biblical prophecies and accurately calculated the proper chronology. His premillennial message was accepted by thousands of Christians in the early 1840s. Miller began preaching in 1831 that the second advent of Christ would occur “in the year 1843 or before.” His views became widely known after the publication of Evidence from Scripture and History of the Second Coming of Christ, about the Year 1843: Exhibited in a Course of Lectures (Troy, NY: Kemble and Hooper, 1836). As followers of Miller’s interpretation of scripture grew in number, he was joined by several other prominent millennialists, including Joshua Himes, George Storrs, Josiah Litch, Henry Dana Ward, and Charles Fitch. By November 1842, Miller had set the “period extending from March 21, 1843 to March 21, 1844” for the second coming of Christ. One of Miller’s disciples who visited Nauvoo in late January 1844 reportedly taught that Christ would “make his appearance” by 1 April 1844. JS had earlier made comments on Miller’s message and the Second Coming. The Times and Seasons also published numerous articles on Millerism. (Rowe, God’s Strange Work, chaps. 4–7; “Mr. Miller’s Apology and Defence,” Advent Herald, and Morning Watch, 13 Aug. 1845, [4]; JS, Journal, 29–30 Jan. 1844; News Item, Nauvoo Neighbor, 31 Jan. 1844, [2]; see also JS, Journal, 12 Feb. 1843; 2–3 and 6 Apr. 1843; Clayton, Journal, 2 Apr. 1843; “Millerism,” Times and Seasons, 15 Feb. 1843, 4:103–105; “Millerism,” Times and Seasons, 1 Mar. 1843, 4:114–116; “Millerism,” Times and Seasons, 15 Apr. 1843, 4:168–171; “Millerism—Fanaticism,” Times and Seasons, 1 Sept. 1843, 4:307–308; “Millerism,” Times and Seasons, 1 Jan. 1844, 5:391; and “Millerism,” Times and Seasons, 1 Mar. 1844, 5:454.)

    Miller, William. Evidence from Scripture and History of the Second Coming of Christ, about the Year 1843; Exhibited in a Course of Lectures. Troy, NY: Kemble and Hooper, 1836.

    Rowe, David L. God’s Strange Work: William Miller and the End of the World. Library of Religious Biography. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2008.

    Advent Herald, and Morning Watch. Boston. 1845–1846.

    Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.

    Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

  5. [5]

    Historian’s Office, Journal, 10 Mar. 1844.

  6. [6]

    Woodruff, Journal, 10 Mar. 1844.

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

  7. [7]

    The quality of Woodruff’s handwriting suggests that the account in his journal was a fair copy and that he first inscribed the text elsewhere before transferring it to his journal. It is unclear, however, if Woodruff created his account from notes he took during the sermon or whether he reconstructed it from memory.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff *Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by James Burgess *Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Franklin D. Richards *Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Thomas Bullock *Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by John S. Fullmer *Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Willard Richards Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 4, 1 March–22 June 1844 History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844] “History of Joseph Smith” “History of Joseph Smith”

Page [209]

of the kingdom of Jehovah. Let us suppose a case. suppose the great God who dwells in heaven should reveal himself to here by the opening heavens and tell him I offer up a decree that whatsoever you on earth with your decree I will seal it in heaven, you have power then can it be taken of[f] No, Then what you seal on earth by the of Elijah is sealed in heaven & this is the power of Elijah, & this is the differenc between the spirit & power of Elias and Elijah for while the spirit of Elias is a forerunner the power of Elijah is sufficient to make our Calling & Election sure & the same doctrin whare we are exhorted to go on unto perfection not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works but of resurrection of the dead &c we cannot be perfect without the fathers, &c we must have revelations them & we can see that the doctrin of revelation as far transcends the doctrin of no revelation as knowlede is above ignorance for one truth revealed from heaven is worth all the sectarian notions in exhistance. This spirit of Elijah was manifest in the days of the Apostles in delivering certain ones to the buffitings of Satan that they may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus they were sealed by the spirit of Elijah unto the damnation of Hell untill the day of the Lord or revelation of Jesus Christ Here is the doctrin of Election that the world have quarreled so much about but they do not know any thing about it, The doctrin that the Prysbeterians & Methodist have quarreled so much about once in grace always in grace, or falling away from Grace I will say a word about they are both wrong truth takes a road between them both. for while the Presbyterian says once in grace you cannot fall the [p. [209]]
View entire transcript

|

Cite this page

Source Note

Document Transcript

Page [209]

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff
ID #
1297
Total Pages
8
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • Wilford Woodruff

Footnotes

  1. [20]

    See Matthew 16:19; and Book of Mormon, 1840 ed., 423 [Helaman 10:7].

  2. [21]

    See 2 Peter 1:10. JS had spoken previously about 2 Peter 1 in relation to the coming of Elijah and the sealing power in August 1843. (Discourse, 13 Aug. 1843–A.)

  3. [22]

    See Hebrews 6:1–2.

  4. [23]

    A later copy of Woodruff’s account of JS’s 10 March discourse renders this sentence as follows: “We must have revelations from them.” (See Historian’s Office, “Sermons by Joseph Smit[h] and Others,” 49, italics added.)

    Historian’s Office. Sermon Book / Historian’s Office. “Sermons by Joseph Smit[h] and Others,” ca. 1854–ca. 1856. Verso of Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, CHL.

  5. [24]

    See 1 Corinthians 5:5.

© 2024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Terms of UseUpdated 2021-04-13Privacy NoticeUpdated 2021-04-06