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 > 
Interim Content

Discourse, 7 April 1844, as Reported by Thomas Bullock

Source Note

JS, Discourse,
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
, IL, 7 Apr. 1844; handwriting of
Thomas Bullock

23 Dec. 1816–10 Feb. 1885. Farmer, excise officer, secretary, clerk. Born in Leek, Staffordshire, England. Son of Thomas Bullock and Mary Hall. Married Henrietta Rushton, 25 June 1838. Moved to Ardee, Co. Louth, Ireland, Nov. 1839; to Isle of Anglesey, Aug...

View Full Bio
; nine pages; General Church Minutes, CHL.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Discourse, 7 April 1844, as Reported by Thomas Bullock *Discourse, 7 April 1844, as Reported by William Clayton *Discourse, 7 April 1844, as Reported by Willard Richards Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 4, 1 March–22 June 1844 *Discourse, 7 April 1844, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff *Discourse, 7 April 1844, as Published in Times and Seasons History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page 15

I do not calculate to please your ears with oratory with much lea[rni]ng but I calculate to edify you with simple truths from Heaven— I wish to go back to the begin[ning]: of creation— it is necessary to know the mind decree & ordina[tio]n. of the great Eloe [Elōheem or Elohim] begin[nin]g at the creat[io]n. & it is nec[essar]y. for us to have an understand[in]g. of God in the beging. if we start right it is very easy for us to go right all the time but if we start wrong it is hard to get right there are very few who understand rightly the char[acter] of God— they do not comprehend any thing that is past or that which is to come & com: but little more than the brute beast if a man learns know nothing more than to eat, drink, sleep, & does not comprehend any of the des[ig]ns of God the Beast can the same thing eats drin[ks] sleeps— noes [knows] nothing more & how are we to do it by no o[the]r. way than the Insp[iratio]n of A[lmighty] God I want to go back to the begin & so get you into a more lofty sphere than what the human being generally understands I want to ask this cong[regation]: every man wom[an]: & child to ans[we]r. the quest[io]n. in their own heart what kind of a being is God I ag[ai]n. rep[ea]t. the questn. what kind of a being is God does any man or woman know have any of you seen, him heard him, communed with him, here is the questn. that will peradventure from <​this time​> henceforth occupy your attentn.— the Apos[tle]: says this is Eternal life to know God & J. C [Jesus Christ] who he has sent— that is etern[a]l. life if any man enquire what kind of a being is God if he will search deligently his own heart that unless he knows God he has no eternal life— my first object is to find out the character of the true God & if I sho[ul]d. be the man to com[prehend]: the God & I com: them to your heart let every man & woman henceforth shut their mouths & never say anything ag[ain]st. the man of God & If I do not do it I have no right to rev[elatio]n. inspn. if all are pretension to the God they will all be as bad off as I am they will all say I ought to be d[amne]d there is not a man or wom who wo[ul]d not breath[e] out an anathema on my head & some wod. feel auth[orize]d to take away my life— if any man is authd. to take away my life who say I am a false teacher so I shod. have the same right to all false teacher & where wod. be the end of the blood & there is no law in the heart of God that wod. allow any one to interfere with the rights of man every man has a right to be a false as well as a true prophet— if I shew verily that I have the truth of God & shew that [p. 15]
View entire transcript

|

Cite this page

Source Note

Document Transcript

Page 15

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Discourse, 7 April 1844, as Reported by Thomas Bullock
ID #
1321
Total Pages
9
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • Thomas Bullock

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