JOSEPH SMITH’S LAST REVELATION
Joseph Smith gave his last revelation on
June 18,
1844
. Joseph was martyred on
June 27, 1844
, slightly over a week later.
Joseph had previously received four revelations that in the event of his
impending death that he would appoint “another” to be his successor in the
Prophetic Office to stand at the head of church; and that person would have to
be ordained, the same as Joseph, under the hands of angels (Utah D&C 28:7
35:18; 43:4-7; 90:4). On
June 18, 1844
, Joseph Smith wrote an official Letter of
Appointment to James J. Strang in
Burlington
,
Wisconsin
to be his successor in the Prophetic Office.
It was mailed on June 19; and bears the original Nauvoo post-mark.
It arrived in
Burlington
on July 9th and was immediately taken
from the post office by C. P. Barnes, Esq. and delivered to Mr. Strang. This
letter is now in the Yale University Library.
James claimed to have been ordained under the hands of angels the same
hour that Joseph died in
Carthage
,
Illinois
(although he was 400 miles away).
He was the only person who claimed both a direct appointment from Joseph
and an ordination under the hands of angels.
Click on any item below to
move forward to that item.
“ANOTHER” TO BE CALLED BY JOSEPH
LETTER OF APPOINTMENT
(Joseph's Smith's Last Revelation)
ORDINATION OF JAMES J. STRANG
SIDNEY RIGDON
BRIGHAM YOUNG
BY THEIR FRUITS YOU SHALL KNOW THEM
EVIDENCES OF INSPIRATION
WORKS OF THE LAST DAYS
LOSS OF THE GENTILE DISPENSATION
THE VERY SMALL REMNANT – HOPE GOES ON
There cannot be a subject
more important to us than understanding who, if any, among the followers of
Joseph Smith have a legitimate claim to the Melchisedec Priesthood.
Jesus went to John the Baptist for baptism of water because John was a
Priest of the Levitical Priesthood;
and held divine authority from God to baptize with water.
John, though, did not hold divine authority to baptize of the Spirit.
“11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after
me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you
with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” (Matt. 3)
How was Jesus mightier? He was
ordained by the Father to the higher Melchisedec
Priesthood. “4 And no man
taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 5
So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he [the
Father] that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. 10
Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.” (Heb. 5)
Jesus was not only ordained a High Priest, He was ordained a Prophet and a
Lawgiver like Moses. “22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet
shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him
shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 23 And it shall
come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be
destroyed from among the people.” (Acts 3)
Failure to abide by the will of God as given through His holy prophets is
a sure course to “being destroyed from among the people.”
No one can enter the
kingdom
of
God
except through the administration of an officer
of the Melchisedec Priesthood. This
is why Jesus organized the kingdom on earth with all of the officers of the
Melchisedec Priesthood. “11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets;
and some, evangelists [high priests]; and some, pastors [elders] and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith,
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of
the stature of the fulness of Christ.” (Eph. 4)
If we should fail in our search for the legitimate successor to Joseph
Smith, we have failed in our search for eternal life.
We are told to “15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2); and
to “21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” (1 Thess. 5) How do
we “prove all things”? “20 To
the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is
because there is no light in them.” (Isa. 8)
Joseph Smith wrote, “All men know that they must die. And it is important that
we should understand the reasons and causes of our exposure to the vicissitudes
of life and of death, and the designs and purposes of God in our coming into the
world, our sufferings here, and our departure hence. What is the object of our
coming into existence, then dying and falling away, to be here no more? It is
but reasonable to suppose that God would reveal something in reference to the
matter, and it is a subject we ought to study more than any other. We ought to
study it day and night, for the world is ignorant in reference to their true
condition and relation. If we have any claim on our Heavenly Father for
anything, it is for knowledge on this important subject.” (History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 50)
We all form opinions on spiritual matters. Every
man has a right to believe whatever his conscience will bear; but, we must seek
that straight and narrow path which leads into the
kingdom
of
God
and offers the opportunity to be resurrected in
the celestial glory. “14 Because
strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few
there be that find it.” (Matt. 7) “Opinions,
where we have the word of the Lord, are worth nothing.
Since the days of the Savior, they have strangely divided men into almost
as many sects, as the number of the name of the beast that John saw.
All men have a right to their opinions, but to adopt them for rules of
faith and worship, is wrong, and may finally leave the souls of them that
receive them for spiritual guides, in the telestial
kingdom.” (Evening and Morning Star,
Vol. 1, p. 69)
The truth of the matter is brief and sure. Joseph
provided us with directions concerning the succession of the Prophetic Office
and the Melchisedec Priesthood following his death.
“ANOTHER”
TO BE CALLED BY JOSEPH
God gave four revelations through Joseph that declared that, although Joseph
could not ordain his successor (as there can be only one Apostle and Lawgiver on
the earth at the same time), God provided that in the event of his imminent
death that Joseph would directly appoint “another” to succeed him.
Then it would be necessary for the successor to be ordained under the
hands of angel(s).
“6 And thou shalt not command him who is at thy head, and at the head of the
church; 7 For I have given him the keys of the mysteries, and the revelations
which are sealed, until I shall appoint
unto them another in his stead.” (
Utah
Doctrine and Covenants, Section 28)
“And I have given unto him the keys of the mystery of those things which have
been sealed, even things which were from the foundation of the world, and the
things which shall come from this time until the time of my coming, if he abide
in me, and if not, another will I plant in
his stead.” (Ibid., Section
35:18)
“3 Verily I say unto you, the keys of this kingdom shall never be taken from
you, while thou art in the world, neither in the world to come; 4 Nevertheless, through
you shall the oracles be given to another, yea, even unto the church.”
(Ibid., 90)
“4 But verily, verily, I say unto you, that none else shall be appointed unto
this gift except it be through him; for if it be taken from him he shall not
have power except to appoint another
in his stead. 5 And this shall be a law unto you, that ye receive not the
teachings of any that shall come before you as revelations or commandments; 6
And this I give unto you that you may not be deceived, that you may know they
are not of me. 7 For verily I say unto you, that he
that is ordained of me shall come in at the gate and be ordained as I have told
you before, to teach those revelations which you have received and shall
receive through him whom I have appointed.” (Ibid., 43)
Joseph did appoint “another” in his stead.
Had Joseph failed in this most important duty, the conclusion would
follow that those revelations had fallen to the ground; and that Joseph proved
himself a false prophet. But, in
fact, Joseph did appoint “another” in his stead—James J. Strang. The two
conditions given by God for any person to make a legitimate claim to stand at
the head of the church as Prophet and Lawgiver after Joseph were: (1)
to receive a direct calling from Joseph; and (2) to be ordained under the hands
of angel(s) as Joseph before.
LETTER
OF APPOINTMENT
(Joseph's Smith's Last Revelation)
I quote from “The Diamond,” a tract published by James J. Strang at Voree
(near
Burlington
),
Wisconsin
, in 1848. The
Letter of Appointment from Joseph and the comments by James J. Strang starting
on page 2 follow:
Nauvoo
,
Ill.
,
June 18th, 1844
.
My Dear Son:--Your epistle of May 24th,
proposing the planting a Stake of Zion in Wisconsin, and the gathering of the
Saints there, was duly received, and I, with most of the brethern whose advice I
called in, were of opinion that you was deceived by a spirit not of this world,
great but not good. Brother Hyrum, however, thought otherwise, and favored the
project, not doubting it was of God. I, however, determined to return you an
unfavorable answer for the present. But, Oh! the littleness of man in his best
earthly state! Not so the will of the Almighty. God hath ruled it otherwise, and
a message from the throne of grace directed me as it hath inspired you, and the
faith which thou hast in the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel, hath been repaid to
thee a thousand fold, and thou shalt be like unto him; but the flock shall find
rest with thee, and God shall reveal to thee his will concerning them.
I have long felt that my present work was almost done, and that I should soon be
called to rule a mighty host, but something whispers me it will be in the land
of spirits, where the wicked cease from troubling and the bands of the prisoner
fall off. My heart yearns for my
little ones, but I know God will be a father to them, and I can claim face to
face the fulfillment of promises from him who is a covenant-keeping God, and who
sweareth and peformeth and faileth not to the uttermost.
The wolves are upon the scent, and I am waiting to be offered up, if such be the
will of God, knowing that though my visage be more marred than that of any, it
will be unscarred and fair when archangels shall place on my brow the double
crown of martyr and king in a heavenly world.
In the midst of darkness and boding danger, the spirit of Elijah came upon me,
and I went away to inquire of God how the Church should be saved.
I was upon the hill of the
Temple
. The calm father of waters rolled below,
changeless and eternal. I beheld a light in the heavens above, and streams of
bright light illuminated the firmament, varied and beautiful as the rainbow,
gentle, yet rapid as the fierce lightning.
The Almighty came from his throne of rest. He clothed himself with light as with
a garment. He appeared, and moon and stars went out. The earth dissolved in
space. I trod on air and was borne on wings of Cherubims. The sweetest strains
of heavenly music thrilled in my ear, but the notes were low and sad as though
they sounded the requiem of martyred Prophets.
I bowed my head to the earth and asked only wisdom and strength for the Church.
The voice of God answered, My servant Joseph, thou hast been faithful over many
things and thy reward is glorious; the crown and sceptre are thine, and they
wait thee. But thou hast sinned in some things, and thy punishment is very
bitter. The whirlwind goeth before, and its clouds are dark, but rest followeth,
and to its days there shall be no end. Study the words of the vision for it
tarrieth not.
And now behold my servant James J. Strang hath come to thee from far for truth
when he knew it not, and hath not rejected it, but had faith in thee, the
Shepherd and Stone of Israel, and to him shall the gathering of the [Page
3] people
be, for he shall plant a stake of Zion in Wisconsin, and I will establish it;
and there shall my people have peace and rest and shall not be moved, for it
shall be established on the prairie on White River, in the lands of Racine and
Walworth; and behold my servants James and Aaron shall plant it, for I have
given them wisdom, and Daniel shall stand in his lot on the hill beside the
river, looking down on the prairie, and shall instruct my people, and shall
plead with them face to face.
Behold my servant James shall lengthen the cords and strengthen the stakes of
Zion
, and my servant Aaron shall be his counselor,
for he hath wisdom in the gospel, and understandeth the doctrines, and erreth
not therein.
And I will have a house built unto me there of stone, and there will I show
myself to my people by many mighty works, and the name of the city shall be
called Voree, which is, being interpreted, garden of peace, for there shall my
people have peace and rest and wax fat and pleasant in the presence of their
enemies.
But I will again stretch out my arm over the river of waters, and on the banks
thereof shall the house of my choice be. But now the city of Voree shall be a
stronghold of safety to my people, and they that are faithful and obey me I will
there give them great prosperity, and such as they have not had before; and unto
Voree shall be the gathering of my people, and there shall the oppressed flee
for safety, and none shall hurt or molest them.
And by this shall they know that I have spoken it; the people there and the
owners of the land shall show kindness to them, for great calamities are coming
on the church, and such as have not been, and if they scatter, the ungodly of
the world shall swallow them up, but if they gather to my city of Voree there
will I keep them under the shadow of my wings, and the cities from whence my
people have been driven shall be purged with a high hand, for I will do it, and
my people shall be again restored to their possession; but dark clouds are
gathering, for the church is not yet wholly purged.
And now I command my servants, the Apostles and Priests and Elders of the Church
of the Saints, that they communicate and proclaim this, my word, to all the
saints of God in all the world, that they may be gathered unto and round about
the city of Voree and be saved from their enemies, for I will have a people to
serve me.
And I command my servant Moses Smith, that he go unto the saints with whom he is
acquainted, and unto many people, and command them in my name to go unto my city
of Voree, and gain inheritances therein, and he shall have an inheritance
therein, for he hath left all for my sake; and I will add unto him many fold if
he is faithful, for he knows the land and can testify to them that it is very
good.
So spake the Almighty God of heaven. Thy duty is made plain, and if thou lackest
wisdom, ask of God, in whose hands I trust thee, and he shall give thee
unsparingly, for if evil befall me thou
shalt lead the flock to pleasant pastures. God sustain thee.
JOSEPH SMITH.
[Comments of] JAMES J. STRANG
This letter was received at
Burlington
by regular course of mail, coming through the
distributing office at
Chicago
, and bears the Nauvoo post-mark of June 19, the
day following its date. It arrived at Burlington July 9th, and was immediately
taken from the office by C. P. Barnes, Esq., a distinguished lawyer at that
place, who, in consequence of the rumors of persecution and civil war against
the Mormons, and a [Page 4) general
anxiety to hear the latest news, immediately carried
it to Mr. Strang, with the request to be informed of any news of public interest
which it might contain. It therefore became public the same evening.
As much pains have been taken to belie this document and to derogate from its
authority, it is proper to add that from the day of its reception to this
(April, 1848), it has always been kept open to public inspection, and not an
iota of evidence has yet been produced derogatory to its authenticity. The
Brighamites and other apostates have reported far and near that it had a black
postmark, and that such were not used in the office at Nauvoo.
This report is a falsehood. The
postmark is red. They also started a
story that no proper entry of the mailing of such a letter could be found in the
register of “mails sent” from Nauvoo. But
Mr. Strang caused the register to be examined, and under date of
June 19th, 1844
, the proper entry was found of such a letter to
the distributing P. O. at
Chicago
, and the register at
Burlington
of “mails received” contains the proper
entry from
Chicago
. In
the winter of 1845-6 these facts were publicly proclaimed in the
Temple
at Nauvoo by Moses Smith, Samuel Shaw, and
others, and an examination of the registers called for.
The next day crowds were at the P. O. to inspect the register.
But, though the register of every other quarter of the establishment of
that P. O. was safely there, that particular quarter was nowhere to be found.
It has never since been produced. Comment is unnecessary.
Mrs. Emma Smith recollects well of her husband receiving a letter from Mr.
Strang, and holding a council on the
subject, and names Hyrum Smith, Willard Richards, and John P. Green as present
at that council; and also that a letter was sent to Mr. Strang in answer, but of
the import of the answer she was not informed.
Immediately after the martyrdom of Joseph, John Taylor, Willard Richards, and
William W. Phelps took a kind of temporary direction of the affairs of the
church, instructing the saints to wait patiently the hand of the Lord, assuring
them that he had not left them without a shepherd, and that all things would be
made known in due season. To every
question of the saints, who is the prophet?
replies were made in substance that the saints would know in due season,
but that nothing could be done till the Twelve got home, because the appointment
of a prophet, and the directions for salvation of the church from the perils
they were in, was contained in sealed packages directed to them.
Orson Hyde, and others of the Twelve who were then in the east, stated in
public congregations in New York, Philadelphia, and other cities, that Willard
Richards had written to them that the appointment of a prophet was left with him
under seal, to be opened on the return of the Twelve.
This assertion was so often made that the whole church were daily
expecting to hear a new prophet proclaimed.
On
the eighth of August, 1844
, when Sidney Rigdon endeavored to obtain
authority to lead the church, John P. Green, marshal of the city of
Nauvoo
, told them “they need not trouble themselves
about it for Joseph had appointed one James J. Strang, who lived up north, to
stand in his stead.” The sudden
death of John P. Green immediately after this declaration (under very
extraordinary circumstances) left Willard Richards and John Taylor sole
repositors of all documents on this subject, except this letter.
They had simply to suppress documents in their hands to set themselves up
in power, or overthrow themselves and their pretensions by publishing [Page
5] them.
These and many other facts, which we have not room to state, make an
array of testimony of the strongest kind in favor of this letter.
It is worthy of consideration that no one fact has been relied on against
it, but that in various quarters different false tales have been told to
disparage it, which a mere inspection of the letter or of public records would
prove false. The only reason which
can be given for this continued resort to falsehood is that there is no truth
against it.
ORDINATION
OF JAMES J. STRANG
From the Church Records
James J. Strang was the only person to be both called directly by Joseph and
also to be ordained under the hands of angel(s). Again, I quote from The Diamond (page 5).
1. On the twenty-seventh day of
June, 1844, at
five and a half o’clock
in the afternoon, James J. Strang
was in the Spirit, and the Angel of God came unto him and saluted him, saying:
2. Fear God and be strengthened and
obey him, for great is the work which he hath required at thy hand.
Go on in hope and strength, and falter not, and he will sustain thee, and
thou shalt triumph, for the voice of the Lord, by the mouth of Joseph, will be
fulfilled.
3. And the Angel of the Lord
stretched forth his hand unto him and touched his head, and put oil upon him and
said, Grace is poured upon thy lips, and God blesseth thee with the greatness of
the Everlasting Priesthood. He
putteth might, and glory, and majesty upon thee, and in meekness, and truth, and
righteousness will he prosper thee.
4. Thou shalt save his people from
their enemies when there is no arm to deliver, and shall bring salvation when
destruction walketh in the house of thy God.
Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore thy God hath
anointed thee with oil and set thee above all thy fellows.
5. Thy words shall be like sharp
arrows in the hearts of the wicked. Thou shalt rebuke those who pervert the word
of thy God. Thou shalt preach
righteousness and the sublime mysteries in the ears of many people, and shall
bring the gospel to many who have not known it, and to the nations afar off.
6. Thou shalt drive backward and put
to shame those that do evil, and the workers of iniquity shall fall.
They shall be cast down and shall not be able to rise.
With purity will the Lord thy God arm thee, and purity and truth shalt
thou teach.
7. Keep the law of the Lord thy God
in thy heart, and none of thy steps shall slide.
With thee is the fountain of truth. In
thy light shall the people of thy God see, for thou shalt speak his word unto
them, and from thy lips shall they receive it.
8. The blessing of their God shalt
thou put upon them, and his curse upon evil doers, if, after being oft rebuked,
they repent not, and before my people shalt thou go to lead them unto my ways,
for unto thee has the Lord thy God given salvation.
9. In righteousness shalt thou rule.
Thou shalt redeem the poor and the needy from suffering and violence, and
to thee God giveth judgment for them. Thou
shalt deliver the prey from the spoiler, for God, thy God, hath put them in thy
hand.
10. And in weakness will he make
thee strong. Thou shalt rule among
his people. Thou shalt break in
pieces the rod of the oppressor and the yoke of the unjust ruler.
They shall flee away, but the way of peace shall they not find.
11. While the day of the wicked
abideth, shall thou prepare a refuge for the oppressed, and for the poor and
needy. Unto thee shall they come,
and their brethren who are scattered shall [Page 6]
come with them, and the destruction of the
ungodly shall quickly follow, for it already worketh.
Go thy way and be strong.”
It is evident that James was given a dual mission—one in mortality and one in
immortality; even as Elijah, Joseph, and others. When the final dispensation is
opened to the world and God brings again
Zion
, James will stand as a King in
Zion
. “7 How beautiful upon the
mountains [among the kingdoms] are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings,
that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth
salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! 8 Thy watchmen shall lift up
the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to
eye, when the LORD shall bring again
Zion
.” (Isa. 52) “7 Questions by
Elias Higbee: What is meant by the command in Isaiah, 52d chapter, 1st verse,
which saith: Put on thy strength, O Zion--and what people had Isaiah reference
to? 8 He had reference to those whom God should call in the last days, who
should hold the power of priesthood to bring
again Zion, and the redemption of Israel; and to put on her strength is to
put on the authority of the priesthood, which she, Zion, has a right to by
lineage; also to return to that power
which she had lost.” (
Utah
D&C 113)
James wrote in the Prophetic Controversy, “We
are... obliged, by our faith in Joseph as a true prophet, to say that
"through him God has appointed another in his stead.
“Who has been so appointed? It is
needless to say that there is not a person on earth who pretends to have
received such an appointment except myself.
During the ten years since the martyrdom of Joseph, I, and I alone, have
stood up as a prophet of God, claiming to have been appointed by revelation of
God through Joseph, and to have been sent by the hands of Angels, as he was.
“Therefore there is no escaping the conclusion that either I am a true
prophet, and his lawful successor, or Joseph is a false prophet, and Mormonism
an imposture. This is the only
alternate with you. With me there is
none. Called by the voice of God,
and ordained by the hand of Angels, since the day of his death I have known my
calling, as he did his in the days of his ministry.
“So forcible is the position I have above stated, that for years after Brigham
Young assumed to stand at the head of the church, the promise was held out
continually that a prophet was yet to rise, who had been appointed by Joseph.”
(p. 3)
SIDNEY
RIGDON
For many years there were only three claims to the Presidency: (1) James J.
Strang, (2) Brigham Young and the Twelve, and (3) Sidney Rigdon. Sidney Rigdon
was a member of the Presidency as a second degree Apostle, Prophet, and
Counselor. This office is inferior
to that held by Joseph as a first degree Apostle and Lawgiver.
Sidney
would have had a legitimate claim to stand at
the head had Joseph called him and if God had not already called James to the
higher office. James labored with
Sidney
to take his rightful place in the kingdom; but,
Sidney
would not. James
took the matter to the Lord and on
October 19, 1846
received a revelation concerning
Sidney
. “Behold verily my servant Sidney Rigdon
rebelleth against me and hath rebelled against me for a long time and I was
grieved with him yet I felt after him and had compassion on him and remembered
his faith and his labours, and reproved him by my Spirit and by afflictions and
by judgments but he would none of reproofs. Satan troubleth him and he hath
sought to establish his own work and not mine; for Satan inspireth him thereto
and hath entered into him and giveth him thoughts and dreams and visions.
Therefore he shall not stand in his Presidency for I do take his office from him
and give it unto one who will serve me [George J. Adams].” (Chronicles of Voree, p. 118) Those
who followed
Sidney
left him to follow another man and his claim
falls to the ground.
BRIGHAM
YOUNG
When Brigham Young returned to Nauvoo after the death of Joseph, he immediately
attempted to take the head; but, knowing that he was never ordained to the
Prophetic Office, he announced in the official church journal on August 15,
1844: “You are now without a prophet present with you in the flesh to guide
you; but you are not without apostles, who hold the keys of power to seal on
earth that which shall be sealed in heaven, and TO PRESIDE OVER ALL THE AFFAIRS
OF THE CHURCH IN ALL THE WORLD... Let no
man presume for a moment that his place will be filled by another.” (Times
and Seasons, Vol. 5, p. 618)
These apostles, who Brigham (President of the twelve) referenced to are the
lower third degree apostles, have no ruling authority in
Zion
, and can act only under the direction of the
Presidency. “33 The Twelve are a Traveling Presiding High Council, to
officiate in the name of the Lord, under
the direction of the Presidency of the Church, agreeable to the institution
of heaven; to build up the church, and regulate all the affairs of the same in
all nations, first unto the Gentiles and secondly unto the Jews.” (
Utah
D&C 107)
At a special meeting called by Sidney Rigdon on September 1, 1844, Brigham
called the meeting to order and Apostle Phelps noted that “for
the first time in the kingdom of God, the Twelve Apostles... present themselves before the saints” to stand at the head of the
church.” “While the prophet lived, we all walked by ‘sight;’ he is taken
from us, and we must now walk by ‘faith.’ After he had explained so
satisfactorily that every saint could see that Elijah’s
mantle had truly fallen upon the ‘TWELVE,’ he asked the saints what they
wanted. Do you want a guardian, a PROPHET, a spokesman, or what do you want? If
you want any of these officers,
signify it by raising the right hand. Not
a hand was raised.” (Times and
Seasons, Vol. 5, p. 637) What
greater admission can there be to an illegitimate claim to stand at the head?
The Twelve were given no such authority from God.
The voice of the people has never been the voice of God. “4 And no man
taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.”
(Heb. 5) Aaron was called by a
revelation given to Moses and ordained by Moses who held the highest office of
the priesthood. Joseph was called
directly by God and ordained under the hands of Peter, James, and John.
This is the only gate into the Prophetic Office. 7
For verily I say unto you, that he that is ordained of me shall come in at the
gate and be ordained as I have told you before.” (
Utah
D&C 43) “1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth
not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the
same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he that entereth in by the door is the
shepherd of the sheep.” (John 10)
From
August 15, 1844
to
December 25, 1847
, the press addressed Brigham and his apostles as
the “Twelvites.” James
continued, through the official church journals, to prove to Brigham that the
Church
of
Christ
cannot stand without a Prophet at its head.
The only calling and ordination that Brigham ever received to an
apostolic office was on February 14, 1835, when he was ordained as one of the
Twelve lower order (third degree) apostles (Kirtland
Council Minute Book, p. 72)
Then on December 25, 1847, at a conference in Council Bluffs, Apostle Pratt
stated they were in an “unorganized state” and “at this period of the
church, they had to select a First
Presidency and they would admit the first argument of the apostates (viz. by
James that the organization was not complete) WAS CORRECT.”
“It was moved and seconded that Brigham Young should be our First
President.” No calling of God and
no ordination according to the law; but, Brigham became their man-made prophet
solely by popular vote of the people.
What say you Brigham? "I do not profess to be a Prophet.
I never called myself so; but I actually believe I am, because people are
all the time telling me I am." (Journal
of Discourses, 5:177) "A person was mentioned to-day who did not
believe that Brigham Young was a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator.
I wish to ask every member of this whole community, if they ever heard
him profess to be a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, as Joseph Smith was?...Who
ordained me to be First President of this Church on earth?
I answer, It is the choice of the people, and that is sufficient."
(Ibid,
6:32
) "The brethren testify that Brother Brigham
is Joseph's legal successor. You
never heard me say so. I say I am a
good hand to keep the dogs and wolves out of the flock." (Ibid, 8:69)
"It has been remarked sometimes, by certain individuals, that President
Young has said in public that he was NOT A PROPHET NOR THE SON OF A
PROPHET." (Ibid, 13:166)
BY THEIR FRUITS YOU SHALL KNOW THEM
“20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 Not every one that saith
unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth
the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 7)
Not one professed prophet in
Utah
has ever fulfilled the duties of a Prophet,
Seer, Revelator, and Translator. In
1906, Joseph F. Smith appeared before the United States Senate.
Here is what this man-made prophet declared: “Mr. Smith. I HAVE NEVER
PRETENDED TO NOR DO I PROFESS TO HAVE RECEIVED REVELATIONS. I never said I had a
revelation except so far as God has shown to me that so-called Mormonism is
God’s divine truth; THAT IS ALL.” “Senator DuBois. Have you received ANY
REVELATION FROM GOD, which has been submitted by you and the apostles to the
body of the church in their semiannual conference, which revelation has been
sustained by that conference through the upholding of their hands?” “Mr.
Smith. NO, SIR; NONE WHATEVER.”
Brigham did do a wonderful work in bringing numerous false doctrines into his
church sufficient to guarantee the damnation of all.
“36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said
unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment.”
(Matt. 22) “3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only
true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17)
Joseph taught, “2 Let us here observe, that three things are necessary, in
order that any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in God unto
life and salvation. 3 First, The idea that he actually exists. 4 Secondly, A
correct idea of his character, perfections and attributes.5 Thirdly, An actual
knowledge that the course of life which he is pursuing, is according to his
will."
Brigham introduced a new god of his own invention for his followers to worship.
He claimed that Adam was actually the eternal heavenly Father and that God had
once been a man and progressed to His present state of perfection. Brigham Young
taught that God had a mortal existence,
"...God has passed through all the trials and experience that we
have." (Wilford Woodruff,
Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 1833 - 1898, Typsescript, 9 vols., ed. Scott G.
Kenney, Midvale, Utah: Signature
Books, later referred to as WWJ). "... you believe Adam was made of the
dust of this earth. This I do not
believe." (Journal of Discourses, 2:6)
"Brother Pratt... could not believe that Adam
was our God or the Father of Jesus Christ.
President Young said that He was that he came from another world &
made this brought Eve with him." (WWJ, Sept. 17, 1854) On
Oct. 8, 1854
, Brigham Young stated, "... Adam is the
Father of our spirits... and Adam obeyed his Master the Lord, and probably many
of his wives did the same, and they did the same, and they lived, and died upon
an earth, and then were resurrected again to Immortality and Eternal Life."
(Brigham Young,
Oct. 8, 1854
, Afternoon Session of the General Conference, Church Archives.
Quoted from Craig L. Tholson, Adam-God, Publishment,
Payson
,
Utah
, 1991, p. 60)
On Oct. 8, 1854, Brigham stated, "... so we had a grandfather or we would
have had no father, and our grandfather had a father and grandfather and
great-great-great- grandfather so far back there is no beginning - They always
existed on some world - and when this world was made - our God who is Adam came
and commenced the peopling of it -
Though he is God and had lived and died and had been resurrected on some other
planet - and obtained his exaltation and begat the Spirits of children enough to
people this world." (John Pulsipher account of same discourse.
Quoted from The Teachings of President Brigham Young, Vol. 3, 1852 -
1854, Comp. and Ed. by Fred D. Collier, Collier's Publishing Co., October 1987,
p. 369) The followers of Brigham
have continued Brigham’s doctrines of eternal progression and the Adam-God
doctrine. On
Jan. 10, 1886
, Apostle Lorenzo Snow stated, "As man now
is, God once was." (JD, 26:368)
The Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants all teach contrary to
these dogmas.
The Bible: If God was once mortal,
then at some point God died. God
alone has immortality. "15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the
blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; 16 Who only
hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no
man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen."
(1 Tim. 6) "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and
cometh down from the Father of lights, with
whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1:17)
Only God never changes.
"For I am the LORD, I change not;
therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." (Mal. 3:6; 3 Nephi 24:6)
The
Book of Mormon: "For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and
forever, and in him there is no
variableness neither shadow of changing?...19 And behold, I say unto you he
changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and
is a God of miracles." (Mormon 9:9)
"For behold, I am God;
and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I
am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children
of men save it be according to their faith." (2 Nephi 27:23; 2 Nephi 29:9;
Alma 31:17)
The
Doctrine and Covenants: "By these
things we know that there is a God in heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from
everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable
God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all things which are in them."
(D&C 20:17) "For God doth not walk in crooked paths, neither doth he
turn to the right hand nor to the left, neither doth he vary from that which he
hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and his
course is one eternal round." (D&C 3:2) "Listen to the voice
of the Lord your God, even Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, whose
course is one eternal round, the same
today as yesterday, and forever." (D&C 35:1)
The 1835 Edition of the Doctrine and Covenants was the only edition during the
life of Joseph that was approved by the Presidency, the High Council, all
quorums of the priesthood, and by the General Assembly.
In the Preface it is written, “The first part of this book will be
found to contain a series of Lectures as delivered before a Theological class in
this place, and in consequence of their embracing the important doctrine of
salvation, we have arranged them into the following work.”
Brigham Young removed Part One from his Utah Edition.
Why? Joseph taught, “21.
But it is equally as necessary that men should have the idea that he
is a God who changes not, in order to have faith in him, as it is to have
the idea that he is gracious and long suffering.
For without the idea of unchangeableness in the character of the Deity,
doubt would take the place of faith. But with
the idea that he changes not, faith lays hold upon the excellencies in his
character with unshaken confidence, believing he is the same yesterday,
to-day and forever, and that his course is one eternal round.” (1835 D&C,
Part One, Lecture 3)
The three great commandments, relative to God, are: (1) “2 I am the LORD thy
God, which have brought thee out of the
land
of
Egypt
, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have
no other gods before me... 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in
vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 8
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do
all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God.” (Ex.
20)
Brigham Young invented a new god for his people to worship. Brigham Young was
never called and ordained a Prophet and thus took the name of God in vain. James
J. Strang labored with him for a considerable time to take his proper place in
the kingdom; but, he would not. On
January 13, 1846
, Brigham and his apostles were summoned to
appear before the High Council in Voree (Chronicles
of Voree, p. 56). Finally, on
April 7, 1846
, the High Council met to hear the case of
Brigham and his apostles. “It is adjudged that Brigham Young, Heber C.
Kimball, Orson Hyde, Parley P. Pratt, John Taylor, Willard Richards and George
A. Smith, be excommunicated from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints:
their Priesthood taken away; and they delivered over to the buffetings of Satan
in the flesh.” (Ibid, p. 75)
The Sabbath was given as a sign between God and His people forever.
“16 Wherefore the children of
Israel
shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath
throughout their generations, for a perpetual
covenant. 17 It is a sign between me
and the children of
Israel
for ever:
for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he
rested, and was refreshed.” (Ex. 31) We
know that Jesus, the Apostles, and the early Christians all kept the seventh day
Sabbath. It was the unbaptized,
pagan Roman Emperor,
Constantine
, who changed it to “the venerable day of the
sun.” For whatever reason, God
choose to give Joseph a special dispensation not to return the Sabbath to its
correct day. That was changed when
James J. Strang translated The Book of the
Law of the Lord in 1850. Brigham,
having refused to take his proper place, was left to honor the sun god with all
of his followers.
James J. Strang wrote in the Prophetic Controversy, “There is a single
additional evidence which I wish to bring before I leave this branch of the
subject. In the revelation given for
the establishment of the saints at Nauvoo, (D. & C. p.13 or 124:45) God
says: ‘If my people will hearken unto my voice, and unto the voice of my
servants, whom I have appointed to lead my people, behold, verily, I say unto
you, they shall not be moved out of their place.’
“Such is the oath of God, upon the faith of which the Saints assembled at
Nauvoo. Joseph led them till his
death, and they were not removed. After
his death the Twelve led them, and they were removed.
Yet Heber C. Kimball and others of the Twelve, bore public testimony at
the April Conference, 1845, and frequently afterwards, that they were the most
obedient people that ever existed (Times and Seasons, Vol. 6, p. 987). In
the name of truth, tell me, sister, why were they removed?
Was it not because they followed the wrong leaders?
Is not the reason given in the language of God, which follows immediately
after? ‘But if they will not
hearken to my voice, nor to the voice of those men whom I have appointed, they
shall not be blest.’ Does not this
witness prove strong as the oath of God, that in following Brigham Young and the
Twelve they followed leaders whom God had not appointed?
And as I am truly the only alternate, does it not prove by the same oath
that I am the leader appointed by God, whom they at Nauvoo refused to follow?
(pp. 19, 20)
EVIDENCES
OF INSPIRATION
Now let us weigh James J. Strang in the balance of the law and the testimony.
He was the only person that ever claimed to have been directly called by
Joseph and to be ordained according to the law by angel(s).
He received his divine authority from the throne of grace.
James wrote, “As First President, I have regularly presided over the Church
and took the direction of its affairs in all the world, according to the law of
God.
“As prophet, I have foretold in the name of God, the ills that were coming on
men, and directed all who received the word of the Lord how and where to
come out from among the wicked, that they receive not of their plagues.
“I have obtained covenants and promises of God and at his hand obtained an
everlasting inheritance for the Saints, which I have divided among them by lot,
without cost or price. God is our
God and we are his people forevermore.
“As a Seer, I have seen the visions of the Almighty, and as a Revelator have
received knowledge of his purposes and commandments, and made them known among
the children of men. As a
translator, I have brought forth hidden treasures, and revealed the old record
to all who love the truth, and seek unto it.
The visions of the past and the hidden lore of future ages are laid by
the side of present hopes and future knowledge.
“As an apostle I have borne a faithful testimony of the kingdom and the coming
of the Lord Jesus. I have fought a
good fight. I have kept the faith. I
have not shunned to declare the whole counsel of God.
In the treasure‑house of the Almighty there is laid up for me a
crown of glory richer than all diadems of earthly kings.
“Of all that dwell on earth, God has made me the most happy.
From men I fear no evil. May
God bless you abundantly with the same blessings, and especially with the love
of the truth.
“Truly
and sincerely,
“JAMES
J. STRANG.”
If
you would like to read more about the spiritual works of James click on the link
below.
JAMES
J. STRANG, PROPHET LIKE UNTO MOSES
WORKS
OF THE LAST DAYS
The Book of Mormon was not the only work that was to be translated during the
final gentile dispensation. “19 Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD;
Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph
[Book of Mormon], which is in the hand of Ephraim [Joseph Smith], and the tribes
of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick
of Judah [Book of the Law of the Lord], and make them one stick, and they
shall be one in mine hand.” (Ezek. 37) This stick of
Judah
could not be the Bible as it is a work of the
latter days and follows the stick of Joseph.
In 1850, James translated what is unquestionable the most valuable book of
Scripture: The Book of the Law of the Lord.
James wrote in the Book of the Law, “But of all the lost books the most important was
the Book of the Law of the Lord. This
was kept in the ark of the covenant, and was held too sacred to go into the
hands of strangers. When the Septuagint translation was made, the Book
of the Law was kept back, and the Book lost to the Jewish nation in the time
that they were subject to foreign powers. The various books in the Pentateuch,
containing abstracts of some of the laws, have been read instead of it, until
even the existence of the book has come to be a matter of doubt.
“It is from an authorized copy of that book, written on metallic plates long
previous to the Babylonish captivity, that this translation is made. [These were
recovered by Joseph; but, he was not permitted to translate them.] And being
made by the same spirit by which the words were originally dictated, it is
beyond doubt as perfect as the language will admit of.
The utmost pains has been taken to make the execution of it in all
respects what it should be, and the editor flatters himself that no error has
crept into the body of the work, and none of importance into the notes. That a
little ambiguity may exist in some places, by means of the ambiguous or double
import of words, is not doubted. Until a perfect language exists, it is not
possible that it should be otherwise.” (p. 8)
Had Brigham Young taken his proper place in the kingdom he would have had the
law of God on the Sabbath. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six
days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath
of the LORD thy God.” (Book of the Law,
p. 22)
The Brighamite church publishes the nine commandments found in the Old Testament
as the Ten Commandments. Brigham’s
church still ignores the second most important commandment ever given to man.
“36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said
unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And
the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two
commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matt. 22)
The Book of the Law of the Lord is the only source of the complete Ten
Commandments as given to Moses. The fourth commandment states in part, “Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: thou shalt not revile him, nor speak evil of
him, nor curse him: thou shalt do not injustice unto him; and thou shalt
maintain his right, against his enemy.” Why
was Brigham as blind as the sectarian churches about him?
He held no authority from God and never spoke with God.
His teachings were based on his own personal interpretations of
Scripture. His candlestick had gone
out.
LOSS
OF THE GENTILE DISPENSATION
The Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants all teach that the final
dispensation to the gentiles in the fullness of times would be rejected by them;
as was the first. The Prophet Isaiah
wrote, “3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD
hath spoken this word. 4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world
languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. 5 The
earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have
transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. 6
Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are
desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and
few men left.” (24) This prophecy could only apply to the last days. “8
And the daughter of
Zion
is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge
in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. 9 Except the LORD of hosts had
left unto us a very small remnant, we
should have been as
Sodom
, and we should have been like unto
Gomorrah
.” (Isa. 1)
The major gentile dispensation was to be lost before the major harvest
dispensation could begin, just as the Jews had to reject the authority of God
before it could go to the Gentiles. “22 Behold therefore the goodness and
severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if
thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” (
Rom.
11) Jesus gave the timing for the official end
of the major dispensation. “24 And
they [Jews] shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive
into all nations: and
Jerusalem
shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until
the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” (Luke 21) This prophecy was
fulfilled after the six-day war, when
Jerusalem
was no longer “trodden down of the
Gentiles.” The end of the major gentile dispensation in the fullness of times
was over in 1967. “7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and
night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge
them speedily. Nevertheless when the
Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on
the earth?” (Luke 18)
“32 Wo be unto the Gentiles, saith the Lord God of Hosts!
For notwithstanding I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from day to
day, THEY WILL DENY ME; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them, saith the
Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out
all the day long, saith the Lord God of Hosts.” (2 Nephi 28)
“28 And when the times of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth
among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fulness of my gospel [begun
by Joseph]; 29 BUT THEY PERCEIVE IT NOT; for they perceive not the light, and
they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men. 30 And in that
generation shall the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” (
Utah
D&C 45)
THE
VER
Y SMALL REMNANT – HOPE GOES ON
Joseph taught that as long as one person remained on the earth with a legitimate
claim to the Melchisedec Priesthood that the
kingdom
of
God
remains on the earth. I have proved beyond all
doubt that James J. Strang was the legitimate successor of Joseph Smith in the
Prophetic Office. Like Joseph,
though, he was to seal his testimony with his own blood.
The Prophet Micah saw our day. “8 And thou, O tower of the flock [James
J. Strang], the strong hold of the
daughter of
Zion
, unto thee shall it come, even the first
dominion [
July 8, 1850
]; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of
Jerusalem
. 9 Now why dost thou cry out aloud?
is there no king in thee? is
thy counseller perished? for pangs
have taken thee as a woman in travail. 10 Be in pain, and labour to bring forth,
O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of
the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to
[spiritual] Babylon; there shalt thou be
delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine
enemies.” (Micah 4)
Two apostate Strangites (Thomas Bedford and Alexander Wentworth) with the help
of the captain of the U. S. Steamer Michigan assassinated James on
June 16, 1856
. The
murderers fled back on board the ship and were taken to Mackinac (home of their
enemies) where Bedford and Wentworth were given a mock trial and released—so
they could never be tried again. James
was taken back to his parent’s home in Voree where he died on
July 9, 1856
.
On
July 14, 1856
, Apostle Chidester, who was with Bro. Strang at
his death, wrote Apostle Post, “I received your letter today, and hasten to
answer. If you have not received the
news ahead of this, it will be sad news to you.
I closed the prophet’s eyes in the sleep of death the 9th of
July, fifteen minutes before
ten o’clock
. You
inquire what to do. His direction
was for every man to take care of his family and do the best he could till he
found out what to do.” (Record of the Apostles of James 1844 – 1856,
p. 31)
Apostle Chidester wrote Apostle Post on
August 3, 1856
, “In the first place we are without a head to
our knowledge, in the flesh, our Prophet and King has been stricken down by the
hands of wicked men... I suppose you understand there are two Priesthoods as
well as myself, and in the Priesthood of an endless life two Orders, and that the
Quorum of the Twelve are the third Degree of the First Order, and can only act
under the direction of their superiors.
The Twelve are without a President to their Quorum, and you speak of a
meeting to consult about matters that concern us all.
That is what Bro. Miller, Hickey, & myself were in favor of; but we
were apposed, & no one authorized to take the lead, so we have
concluded that the trial of the getting up such a meeting would be vain.” (Record
of the Apostles of James 1844 – 1856, p. 33)
On
February 10, 1857
, five of the Apostles met together to consider
this situation. “We became
satisfied, that the Twelve could not lead the Church without a Prophet;
and concluded to take care of ourselves & families; and when occasion
offered; minister to the necessities of the Saints, according to our
abilities.” (Ibid., p. 45)
This is a great testimony for both James and for the apostles.
Rather than placing a man-made head on the church, they followed the will
of God. Various Apostles, High
Priests, and Elders have made considerable efforts to assist the saints and
spread the gospel. As I wrote at the
beginning of this article, the most important thing we must determine is if
there is still a legitimate claim to the Melchisedec Priesthood on the earth.
The Prophet James J. Strang ordained L. D. Hickey one of the Twelve
Apostles, who ordained Samuel Martin a High Priest, who ordained Lloyd Flanders
a High Priest, who ordained me an Elder.
There is still hope. Any
person who is earnestly seeking truth has the opportunity to follow the
principles of the gospel and enter the
kingdom
of
God
. These
are members of the Church of the Firstborn and have that great opportunity to
endure faithful and obedient, be resurrected into the celestial glory, and
inherit the earth in all its glory. The
gate is open to you. “13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate,
and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in
thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth
unto life, and few there be that find it. 15 Beware
of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they
are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits.” (Matt. 7) “9
But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of
men.” (Matt. 15)
Here with true followers of Jesus, Joseph Smith, and James J. Strang are no
great church buildings. “16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and
that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Cor. 3) But, here is the “small
remnant” that was to remain until the return of our Lord. Here is truth, the
Melchisedec Priesthood, and the opportunity to walk on the path to eternal life.
“33 Seek ye first the
kingdom
of
God
, and his righteousness; and all these things
shall be added unto you.” (Matt. 6)
Samuel E. West
Elder in latter day
Zion
