CHAPTER XVI.

Mormon Revelations

We have already given the reader a pretty fair view of this artful imposition,
which may be considered all that is requisite to stamp it with infamy, in the
estimation of rational minds. The preceding letters alone are amply sufficient to
scatter the whole system of deception to the four winds; but we have yet many
curious and rare documents in store. A few revelations will be here inserted, as
a specimen of the manner in which the Prophet governs and rebukes his dupes.
The first will show the means he employed to get over and obviate the
contentions among them, on their first visit to Missouri, briefly alluded to by Mr.
Booth. In this the cloven foot is very prominent.
"Zion, August 3d, 1831.
"Hearken, O ye Elders of my church, and give ear to my word, and
learn of me what I will concerning you; for verily I say unto you,
blessed is he that keepeth my commandments, whether in life or
in death; and he that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the
same is greater in the
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Kingdom. Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present
time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall
follow after much tribulation, for after much tribulation cometh the
blessing. Wherefore, the day cometh that ye shall be rewarded
with much glory -- the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand;
remember this, which I tell you before, that you may lay it to
heart, and receive that which shall follow. "Behold, verily I say
unto you, for this cause I have sent you -- that ye might be
obedient, and that your hearts might be prepared to bear
testimony of the things which are to come, and also that you
might be favored of laying the foundation, and bearing record of
the land upon which the Zion of God shall stand, and also, that a
feast of fat things might be prepared for the poor, yea a feast of
fat things, of wine on the lees well refined, that the earth may
know that the mouths of the prophets shall not fail; yea, a supper
of the house of the Lord, well prepared; unto which all nations
shall be invited: firstly, the rich, and the learned, the wise and the
noble; and after that cometh the day of my power -- then shall
the poor, the lame and the blind, and the deaf, come in unto the
marriage of the Lamb, prepared for the great day to come; behold
I the Lord hath spoken it, and that the testimony might go forth
from Zion, yea from the mouth of the city of the heritage of God:
yea, for this cause I have sent you hither, and have selected my
servant Edward and appointed unto him his mission in this land; but
if he repent not of his sins, which is unbelief and blindness of
heart, let him take heed lest he fall. Behold his mission is given
unto him and it shall not be given again; and whosoever standeth
in that mission is appointed to be a judge in Israel, like as it was
in ancient days, to divide the lands of the heritage of God unto his
children, and to judge his people by the testimony
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of the just, and by the assistance of his counsellors, according to
the laws of the kingdom which are given by the prophets of God:
for, verily I say unto you, my laws shall be kept in the land; let no
man think that he is ruler, but let God rule, that judgeth according
to the council of his own will, or in other words, him that sitteth
upon the judgement seat. Let no man break the laws of the land,
wherefore, be subject to the powers that be, until he reigns whose
right it is to reign and subdue all enemies under his feet. Behold
the laws which ye have received from my hand, are the laws of
the church -- in this light shall ye hold them forth. Behold, here is
wisdom, and as I speak concerning my servant Edward, this land
is the land of his residence, and those whom he hath appointed for
his counsellors, and all the land of the residence of him whom I
have appointed to keep my store-house: Wherefore let them bring
their families to this land, as they shall counsel between
themselves and me; for behold it is not meet that I should
command in all things, for he that is compelled in all things, is a
slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore, he receiveth no
reward. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good
cause, and do many things of their own free will and bring to pass
much righteousness, for the power is in them, wherein they are
agents unto themselves; and inasmuch as men do good, thay shall
in no wise loose their reward; but he that doeth not any thing until
he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful
heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned. Who
am I that made man, saith the Lord, that have ordained and have
not fulfilled. I command, and a man obey not; I revoke and they
receive not the blessing -- then they say in their hearts, this is
not the work of the Lord, for his promises
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are not fulfilled; but wo unto such, for their reward lurketh
beneath, and not from above. And now I give unto you further
directions concerning this land; it is wisdom in me, that my servant
Martin, should be an example unto the church, in laying his money
before the bishop of the church; and also, this is the law unto
every man that cometh into this land to receive an inheritance;
and he shall do with his money according as the law directs; and
it is wisdom also, that there should be lands purchased in
Independence, for the place of the storehouse, and also for the
house of the printing, and other directions concerning my servant
Martin, of the spirit that he may receive his inheritance as seemeth
him good -- and let him repent of his sins, for he seeketh the
praise of the world; and also let my servant William stand in the
office which I have appointed him, and receive his inheritance in
the land; and also, he hath need to repent, for I the Lord am not
pleased with him, for he seeketh to exult, and he is not sufficie ntly
meek. Behold, he that hath repented of his sins, the same is
forgiven, and I the Lord remembereth them no more -- by this may
ye know if a man repenteth of his sins, behold he will confess them
and forsake them; and now verily I say, concerning the residue of
the Elders of my church, the time has not yet come for many
years, for them to receive their inheritance in this land; except
they desire it through prayer only, as it shall be appointed unto
them, for behold they shall push the people together from the ends
of the earth, wherefore assemble yourselves together, and he that
is not appointed to stay in this land, let them preach the gospel in
the regions round about; and after that let them return to their
homes. Let them preach by the way, and bear testimony of the
truth in all places, and call upon the rich, the high, and the low,
and the poor, to repent; and let them build up churches inasmuch
as the inhabitants of
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the earth will repent; and let there be an agent appointed, by the
voice of the church. And I give unto my servant Sidney, a
commandment, that he shall write a description of the land of Zion,
and a statement of the will of God, as it shall be made known by
the spirit, unto him; and an epistle and subscription, to be
presented unto all the churches, to obtain moneys, to be put into
the hands of the Bishop, to purchase lands for an inheritance for
the children of God, of himself or of the agent as seemeth him
good, or as he shall direct, for behold, the Lord willeth that the
disciples and the children of men should open their hearts, even to
purchase this whole region of country, as soon as time will permit;
behold here is wisdom, lest they receive none inheritance, save by
the shedding of blood; and again, inasmuch as there is lands
obtained, let there be workmen sent forth, of all kinds, unto this
land, to labor for the saints of God: let all these things be done in
order, and let the privilege of the land be made known from time
to time by the Bishop or the agent of the church; and let the work
of the gathering be not by haste nor by flight, but let it be done
as it shall be counselled by the Elders of the church at the
conference -- according to the knowledge which they shall receive
from time to time; and let my servant Sidney consecrate and
dedicate this land, and the spot of the temple, unto the Lord; and
let a conference meeting be called. And after that, let my servant
Sidney and Joseph return, and also my servant Oliver with them,
to accomplish the residue of the work which I have appointed unto
them in their own land; and the residue as shall be ruled by the
conference. And let no man return from this land, except he bear
record by the way of that which he knows and most assuredly
believes; let that which has been bestowed upon Ziba, be taken
from him, and let him stand as a member in the church, and labor
with his own hands with the brethren, until he is sufficiently
chastened for all his
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sins, for he confesseth them not; and he thinketh to hide them.
Let the residue of the Elders of this church who are coming to this
land, some of whom are exceedingly blessed, also hold a
conference upon this land, and let my servant Edward direct the
conference which shall be held by them; and let them also return,
preaching the Gospel by the way, bearing record of the things
which are revealed unto them, for the sound must go forth from
this place into all the world, and unto the uttermost ends of the
earth, the gospel must be preached unto every creature, with
signs following them that believe, and behold the son of man
cometh. -- Amen."
In many of the special revelations, Martin Harris' money has been the ostensible
object with the prophet: he being a willing dupe and an excellent stool-pigeon,
by which the fiscal department and designs could be accomplished. The spiritual
eye of the prophet ever kept in view the finances of his devoted followers, and
to filch from their pockets he had only to issue a revelation. In the foregoing
manifesto, Martin is called upon, in propria persona, to lay his money before the
Bishop, merely as an example to all others. In this, the prophet judged correctly;
he well knew the manner in which Martin was associated with him, and the case
with which, through his agency, others could be deceived. A small volume of
these revelations has been published, but has been carefully and studiously kept
from the "aliens from the house of Israel," and only used by the "strong in faith;"
even those of the dupes who dared to think for themselves, have been denied a
copy. A great variety of commandments are delivered orally, on special occasions.
And such is the infatuation of the followers of Smith, that every lit tle domestic
transaction which he wishes to control, nothing is necessary but a commandment
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and the mandate is obeyed. The control of Smith over his simple devotees, is well
exhibited in a revelation which secured to his heirs and assigns, the fee simple of
one hundred and forty-two acres of valuable land, adjoining their stone temple,
in Kirtland; for which the grantor acknowledges the receipt of Two other small
lots are also deeded to Smith, as president, and his successor in office. (Query
-- will he ever appoint a successor!) Sidney Rigdon also has a deed of two small
lots of land, for which $550 purports to be the consideration money. Oliver
Cowdery being the next umportant personage, has a deed of but one small lot.
-- These lands were no doubt honestly acquired, in their way of doing business;
but we very much doubt whether these large sums of money were obtained in the
ordinary way. Thus it is that these self-made prophets and high priests are
acquiring possession of real estate in a rich and flourishing country, while their
dupes are packed off to the wilds of Missouri, and compelled to "lay their moneys
before the bishop," and receive an "inheritance" of about 40 acres of land, if they
are so fortunate as to have enough to buy it.
ANOTHER REVELATION
"A word of wisdom for the benefit of the council of high priests,
assembled in Kirtland, and the church; and, also, the saints in
Zion: to be sent greeting: not by commandment or constraint, but
by revelation and the word of wisdom: showing forth the order and
will of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days.
Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the
weak, and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called
saints.
"Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, in consequence of
evils and designs which do, and will exist in the hearts of
conspiring men in the last days, I have warned
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you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by
revelation, that inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink
among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your
Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your
sacraments before him. -- And behold, this should be wine, yea,
pure wine of the grape of the vine of your own make. "And, again,
strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your
bodies. "And again, tobacco is not for the body, neither for the
belly; and is not good for man; but is an herb for bruises, and all
sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill. "And again, hot
drinks are not for the body or belly. "And again, verily I say unto
you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution,
nature, and use of man. Every herb in the season thereof, and
every fruit in the season thereof. All these to be used with
prudence and thanksgiving. Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the
fowls of the air, I the Lord, hath ordained for the use of man, with
thanksgiving. Nevertheless, they are to be used sparingly; and it
is pleasing unto me, that they should not be used only in times of
winter or of cold, or famine. All grain is ordained for the use of man
and beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man, but for the
beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals
that run or creep on the earth: and these hath God made for the
use of man only in times of famine, and excess of hunger.
"All grain is good for the food of man, as also the fruit of the vine,
that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the
ground. Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and
oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls, and for swine, and for all
beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild
drinks; as also other grain.
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"And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings,
walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in
their navel and marrow in their bones; and shall find wisdom and
great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; and shall run
and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint; and I, the Lord
give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by
them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them: -- Amen."
In the above revelation, we are presented with the will of heaven, not by way of
commandment, but by the word of wisdom adapted to the weakest of all saints.
If such commands originate in the wisdom of God, let us examine them. The first
is, that strong drink is forbid, except as an external application -- in this we are
inclined measurably to agree with the mandate; but believe there might be
reasonable arguments urged in favor of its internal use, under particular
circumstances; besides the inspiration of olden time restrained the excessive use
and abuse of wine and strong drink, and not its entire abandonment. But like all
other modern Mormon inspirations, a little improvement is made to God's former
will, as he made it known through his apostles and prophets. The next command
forbids the use of tobacco, but is recommended for all sick cattle as an excellent
remedy. -- For the first time we are presented with a remedy direct from heaven,
but requires human skill to apply it. To this mode of revealing we object, for this
reason, that it requires less research to find remedies, than to apply them;
therefore, to say that tobacco is a good remedy for sick cattle, and not defining
the quantity nor the quality, nor in what sickness, is the summit of folly and
ignorance, and none but a religious maniac would give credence to such
pretensions. We are next told that every wholesome herb, God ordained
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for the use of man!! and we should infer that the writer or the recording angel
had been inducted into the modern use of herbs, by the celebrated Doct. F. G.
Williams, who is associated with the prophet and the nominal proprietor of a
monthly paper, which is issued from the Mormon kennel, in Kirtland. F. G. Williams
is a revised quack, well known in this vicinity, by his herbarium on either side of
his house; but whether he claims protection by right of letters patent from the
General Government or by communion with spirits from other worlds, we are not
authorized to determine, but should conclude he would be adequate to dictate
the above mockery at revelation and rigmarole, in relation to food for cattle, &c.
In conclusion, it is revealed to the "weak saints," that if they live without ardent
spirits and tobacco, and use all the herbs which are wholesome, (which they are
left to guess at,) and feed each kind of domestic animal their appropriate grain,
and feed no corn to horses, they shall have health in their navel and marrow in
their bones. -- Humph. It is likewise promised them that they shall improve in
wisdom, and that their muscular powers shall be strengthened -- no little
consideration for a weak saint.