[Joseph Smith Diary] Thursday, June 8th 1843 Elias Higbee born October 23rd 1795, Died June 8th 1843, aged 48 years or 47 /yr/ 7 /mo/ 17 /days/ [of] Cholera morbus, inflammation, and mortification. [He was] one of the Temple committee.
Called at office just at night. Emma sick. P.M. Rode out on horseback. Called at garden where W[illard] Richards was at work. Asked who gave him leave to occupy that lot? Ans[wer], Your honer [honor]. [Joseph said,] "You are perfectly welcome to it so far as I am concerned." (1)
[Joseph Smith Journal] He [Elias Higbee] has been sick only five days of cholera morbus and inflammation, which produced mortification, and his death was unexpected by all. His loss will be universally lamented, not only by his family, but by a large circle of brethren who have long witnessed his integrity and uprightness, as well as a life of devotedness to the cause of truth. He has endured a great share of persecution and tribulation for the cause of Christ, both during the Missouri troubles and other times. On the 6th day of October, 1840, he was appointed one of the committee to build the Temple in Nauvoo, which office he maintained during his life. In that station he has shown a disposition to do right at all times, and always manifested a great anxiety for the prosperity of the Temple as well as the work at large. He has left a large family to mourn his departure; but he is gone to his rest for a little season, even until the morning of the resurrection, when he will
again come forth and strike hands with the faithful, and share the glory of the kingdom of God for ever and ever. (2)
-- Jun 8, 1843. Thursday.
[William Clayton Journal] Â…Made deed to H[eber] C. and H[elen] M[ar] Kimball for N.E 1/4L 2 B 118. (3)
-- Jun 9, 1843
[Joseph Smith Diary] Friday, June 9th 1843 Rode out to look at lots in the city. P.M. mostly with Emma who was sick. Br[other] Lewis wanted to purchase. (1)
-- Jun 10, 1843
Gov. Ford of Illinois receives a letter from Missouri stating that upon the urgings of John C. Bennett, Gov. Reynolds of Missouri will soon be asking Gov. Ford to arrest Joseph Smith and send him back to Missouri to stand trial for the 1838 charge of treason. (4)
-- Jun 11, 1843
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] June 11th A large assembly of Saints met at the Temple & were addressed by president Joseph Smith. He took for the foundation of his discourse the words of Jesus to the Jews how oft would I have gathered you togetherd as a hen gathereth her chickens under wings But ye would not &c.
He then asked what was the object of Gathering the Jews together or the people of God in any age of the world. The main object was to build unto the Lord an house whereby he Could reveal unto his people the ordinances of his house and glories of his kingdom & teach the people the ways of salvation. For their are certain ordinances & principles that when they are taught and practized, must be done in a place or house built for that purpose. This was purposed in the mind of God before the world was & it was for this purpose that God designed to gather together the Jews oft but they would not. It is for the same purpose that God gathers together the people in the last days to build unto the Lord an house to prepare them for the ordinances & endowments washings & anointings &c.
One of the ordinances of the house of the Lord is Baptism for the dead. God decreed before the foundation of the world that that ordinance should be administered in a house prepared for that purpose. If a man gets the fulness of God he has to get [it] in the same way that Jesus Christ obtained it & that was by keeping all the ordinances of the house of the Lord.
Men will say I will never forsake you, but will stand by you at all times. But the moment you teach them some of the mysteries of God that are retained in the heavens and are to be revealed to the children of men when they are prepared, They will be the first to stone you & put you to death. It was the same principle that crusified the Lord Jesus Christ.
I will say something about the spirits in prision. Theire has been much said about the sayings of Jesus on the cross to the thief saying this day thou shalt be with me in paradise. The commentators or translators make it out to say Paradise. But what is Paradise? It is a modern word. It does not answer at all to the original that Jesus made use of. Their is nothing in the original in any language that signifies Paradise. But it was this day I will be with thee in the world of spirits & will teach thee or answer thy inquiries. The thief on the Cross was to be with Jesus Christ in the world of spirits. He did not say Paradise or heaven.
The doctrin of Baptism for the dead is clearly shown in the new testament. And if the doctrin is not good then throw away the new testament. But if it is the word of God then let the doctrin be acknowledged & it was one reason why Jesus said how oft would I have gathered you (the Jews) together that they might attend to the ordinance of the baptism for the dead as well as the other ordinances, the Priesthood Revelations &c. This was the case on the day of Pentecost. These Blessings were poured out upon the deciples on that occasion.
Their has been Also much said about the word Hell & the sectarian world have preached much about it. But what is hell? It is annother modern term. It is taken from hades the greek or shaole, the (hebrew) & the true signification is a world of spirits.
Hades shaole paradise, spirits in prision is all one. It is a world of spirits. The righteous & the wicked all go to the same world of spirits. But says one I believe in one hell & one heaven. All are equally miserable or equally happy. But St Paul informs us of three glories & three heavens. He knew a man caught up to the third heavens, & Jesus said their were many mansions in my Fathers kingdom.
Any man may believe Jesus Christ is good & be happy in it & yet not obey his commands & at last be cut down by his righteous commandments. A man of God should be endowed with all wisdom knowledge & understanding in order to teach & lead people. The blind may lead the blind & both fall into the death together.
Their is much said concerning God the Godhead &c. The scripture says their is Gods many & Lords many. The teachers of the day say that the father is God the Son is God & the Holy Ghost is God & that they are all in one body & one God. Jesus says or prays that those that the father had given him out of the world might be made one in us as we are one. But if they were to be stuffed into one person they would make a great God.
If I were to testify that the world was wrong on this point it would be true. Peter says that Jesus Christ sat on the right hand of God. Any person that has seen the heavens opened knows that their is three personages in the heavens holding the keys of power. As the father hath power in himself so the Son hath power in himself. Then the father has some day laid down his body & taken it again. /So he has a bo[d?]y of his own./ So has his Son a body of his own. So each one will be in their own body.
Many of the sects cry out O I have the testimony of Jesus. I have the spirit of God. But away with Jo Smith. He says he is a Prophet But their is to be no Prophets nor revelations in the last days; But stop sir the Revelator says that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of Prophecy. So by your own mouth you are condemned.
But to the text. Why gather the people together in this place? For the same purpose that Jesus wanted to gather the Jews. To receive the ordinances, the blessings & the glories that God has in store for his Saints. And I would now ask this assembly and all the Saints if they will now build this house & receive the ordinances & Blessings which God has in store for you, or will you not build unto the Lord this house & let him pass by & bestow these blessings upon another? I pause for a reply.
[ ]
After Joseph closed Elder Cutler spoke concerning the Temple & also the Death of Elder Elias Higby one of the Temple Committee who Died June 8th 1843. Aged 47 years 7 months and 17 days. At the close of the meeting President J. Smith gave out an appointment for the Rev Mr DeWolff an Episcopal Minister in the afternoon.
The meeting assembled in the afternoon & the Rev Mr DeWolf deliverd a short discourse from Hebrews 6 ch. 1 & 2 verses. We herd nothing vary objectionable in his discourse. Of course he is not a mormon. (5)
Footnotes:
1 - Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1843
2 - Scott H. Faulring, An American Prophet's Record: Journal, ca. 1841-43 'The Book of the Law of the Lord'
3 - George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995
4 - Conklin, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology
5 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993
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