JS, Discourse, , Geauga Co., OH, 14 Feb. 1835. Featured version copied [not before 25 Feb. 1836] in Minute Book 1, p. 147; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minute Book 1.
President Smith arose and stated the reason why this meeting was called. It was this. God had commanded it and it was made known to him by vision and by the Holy Spirit. he then gave a relation of some of the circumstances attending us while journeying to Zion, our trials, sufferings &c &c. He said God had not designed all this for nothing, but he had it in remembrance yet, and those who went to Zion, with a determination to lay down their lives, if necessary, it was the Will of God, that they should be to the ministry and go forth to prune the vineyard for the last time, or the coming of the Lord, which was nigh, even fifty six years, should wind up the scene. He said many things such as the weak things, even the smallest and weakest among us shall be powerful and mighty and great things, should be accomplished by you, even from this hour. He said, you shall begin to feel the whisperings of the Spirit of God, and the works of God, shall begin to break forth from this time. you shall be with power from on high. [p. 147]
In 1843, JS told a group, “I was once praying very earnestly to know the time of the comeing of the son of man when I heard a voice repeat the following ‘Joseph my son, if thou livest untill thou art 85 years old thou shalt see the face of the son of man.’” He continued, “I was left thus without being able to decide wether this coming referred to the beginning of the Millenium, or to some previous appearing, or wether I should die and thus see his face. I believe the coming of the son of man will not be any sooner than that time.” As JS was twenty-nine at the time of this February 1835 meeting, he would have been eighty-five in fifty-six years. However, it is not clear when he had the revelation to which he referred in 1843. (William Clayton, Journal Excerpt, 1–4 Apr. 1843 [D&C 130:14–17].)