[Joseph Smith Sermon] Sermon 3thd.
on the death of Judge Higbee.
There is a thought more dreadful than that of total annihilation That [DEL: thought :DEL] is the an [DEL: assurance :DEL] thought that we shall never again meet with those we loved here on earth Suppose I had [DEL: died believing that when having :DEL] some Idea of a resurection and glory beyond the grave which God and angels had secured and yet had not any knowledge intelligence of any Law or any order by which it is to obtained. Well you lose a friend you come up in the resurection hoping to [meet] him again but find yourself separated from them to all eternity and become aware of the fact that through ignorance of the principles of the resurection and reunion you will never behold that dear friend nor ever enjoy his society this thought I say of being disappointed in meeting my friend in the resurection is to me more dreadful than of ceasing to suffer by a cessation of being [DEL: Were I :DEL] could I tell the fact as it is all that heard me would go home and never say on
e word more about God or Christ or religion until they had received that assurance from Heaven which would set their souls at rest by placing all beyond a doubt.
What consolation have we what power what reason to expect one thing more than another in eternity
Hebrews 12 ch 22 [DEL: & 22 :DEL] v [DEL: You :DEL] You have come to an innumerable company of angels to the general assembly and church of the first born And for have were they brought thus far--I answer [DEL: you :DEL] that they came to these personages to learn of the things of God and to hear revealed through them the order and glory of the kingdoms of God.
I would ask again Is there a word on record that was revealed by those angels and spirits if there is where is it to be [DEL: found :DEL] found
Again I enquire what is the order and organization of the Spirits of the just made perfect Let me tell you brethren That which is to be revealed which was kept his from the foundation of the world will be revealed to sucklings and babes
Malachi 4th ch Behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven and all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble and they that cometh shall burn them up [DEL: But :DEL] although in the beginning God created the Earth standing in the water and out of the water still in the End it shall be burned and few men left --but before that God shall send unto them Elijah the prophet and he shall reveal unto them the covenants of the fathers [DEL: wi :DEL] with relation to the children and the covenants of the children in relation to the Fathers that they may have the priviledge of entering into the same in order to effect their mutual salvation And I saw another angel ascending from the east having the Seal of the living God and he cried &c. sayin Hurt not the Earth nor sea nor trees till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
Now I would ask who know the seal of the living God Behold the ignorance of the World.
A measure of this sealing is to confirm upon their head in common with Elijah the doctrine of election or the covenant with Abraham --which which when a Father & mother of a family have entered into their children who have not transgressed are secured by the seal wherewith the Parents have been sealed. And this is the Oath of God unto our Father Abraham and this doctrine shall stand forever.
Mourners: I exhort you to do as your Father and husband would direct--be sealed by the by the servants of God. Eternal life is to know the only true God and his son Jesus without which there is no salvation.
[Howard and Martha Coray Notebook] (1)
[Polygamy] John Smith is sealed to his first plural wife, Mary Aikens. (2)
Sidney S Rigdon: Cut off from Church 13 August 1843 for plotting with apostates to have Prophet arrested and taken to Missouri. Subsequently reinstated. (3)
-- Aug 13, 1843 (Sunday Morning)
[Joseph Smith Sermon] (Location: Temple Stand, Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, USA
Source: Levi Richards Diary -Words of Joseph Smith, 242) 13 AM attended meeting at Temple stand heard Pres. Smith preach Judge Higbee's funeral discourse. (4)
[Joseph Smith Sermon] (Location: Temple Stand, Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, USA
Source: Willard Richards Diary -Words of Joseph Smith, 242) Meeting Joseph preached Judge Higbys funeral sermon. (4)
-- Aug 13, 1843. Sunday.
[William Clayton Journal] Went to meeting heard Joseph preach on 2 Peter 3. 10 and 11 being a funeral sermon on the death of E[lias] Higbee. When speaking of the passage "I will send Elizah the prophet &c." he said it should read and he shall turn the hearts of the children to the covenant made with their fathers. Also where it says and they shall seal the servants of God in their foreheads &c. it means to seal the blessing on their heads meaning the everlasting covenant thereby making their calling and election sure. When a seal is put upon the father and mother it secures their posterity so that they cannot be lost but will be saved by virtue of the covenant of their father. P.M. President Joseph offered some complaints of the citizens of Nauvoo 1st because some young men sat on the ladies camp ground and laughed and mocked during meeting. He next spake of Walter Bagby and the little skirmish he had with him about a week ago. He spoke of Esq. [Daniel] Wells interfering whe
n he had no business. He then spake of the abuses he received at the election by King and the board of Judges. Also of the Grog and Beer shops and said he should rip them up. He then showed that Sidney Rigdon had bound himself by an oath to Governor [Thomas] Carlin to deliver Joseph into the hands of the Missourians if he could and finally in the name of the Lord withdrew the hand of fellowship from him and put it to the vote of the people. He was cut off by an unanimous vote and orders to demand his licenseÂ…At night my wifes mother went into the garden to pray just as we were going to bed. Margaret and Lydia went out and found her on her knees. She was deranged. She came into the bed room trembling and seemed as though she had been frightened but was altogether delirious. Her feet and legs were cold and I feared she was going to die. She got into bed and we got some hot water to her feet and rubbed her legs and feet with flannel and went to bed. She soon seemed some better
. From her conversation with Lydia this afternoon it seems she took President Joseph's remarks very deeply to heart and that with her fears for Margaret overwhelmed her. I feel as though I was in some measure a child of sorrow but am determined to try to do right in all things. May the Lord bless my family and my fathers house and save us with an everlasting salvation and let peace and intelligence beam upon us in the name of Jesus Christ Amen. (5)
Footnotes:
1 - The Words of Joseph Smith by Joseph Smith by Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook
2 - Hales, Brian C., Joseph Smith's Polygamy: History and Theology, 2 vols., Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2011 (www.JosephSmithsPolygamy.com)
3 - Cook, Lyndon W., The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith: A Historical and Biographical Commentary of the Doctrine and Covenants, Seventy's Mission Bookstore, Provo UT, 1985
4 - The Woodland Institute, http://www.woodlandinstitute.com
5 - George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995
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