--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young, Richard W. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 6 number: 5 published: 1903-03 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Richard W. Young, "Mission and Teachings of Joseph Smith," *Improvement Era* 6, no. 5 (March 1903): 333–339.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0605unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera0605unse start_page: 333 end_page: 339 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1903-03) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0605unse publication_year: 1903 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1903, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Mission and Teachings of Joseph Smith MISSION AND TEACHINGS OF JOSEPH SMITH. BY MAJOR RICHARD W. YOUNG, SALT LAKE CITY. [The following compilation of scriptural quotations, historical statements, and inspired utterances, was arranged by Major Richard W. Young and recited by the members and teachers of the Twentieth Ward Sunday School, in turn, December 28, 1902. It is an outline in quota- tions of the prophet's mission and teachings, valuable for study and ref- erence.—Editors.] Condition of the World. (1) The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; be- cause they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.—Isaiah 24: 5. The Restoration of the Gospel. (2) And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.—Revelation 14: 7. (3) If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.—James 1: 5. (4) And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you, and whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitu- tion of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.—Acts 3: 20, 21, (5) Joseph, this is my beloved son ! Hear him.—Vision of Joseph Smith. (6) Who of all these parties are right? Are they all wrong to- gether? If any of them is right, which is it, and how shall I know it?— Pearl of Great Price, p. 86. 334 IMPROVEMENT ERA. (7) Join none of them, for they are all wrong. Their creeds are an abomination in my sight; the professors of them are all corrupt. They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; they teach for doctrine the commandments of men; having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.—Vision of Joseph Smith. (8) Where there is no vision, the people perish.—Prov. 29: 18. (9) Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.—Malachi 4: 5. (10) Elijah the prophet * * * stood before us, and said, Be- hold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi, testifying that he (Elijah) should be sent before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse. Therefore the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands, and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.—Doc. and Gov. section 110: 13-16. (11) Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I con- fer the priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.—Doc. and Gov. section 13. (12j By Peter, James, and John I have ordained you and confirmed you to be apostles, and especial witnesses of my name.—Doc. and Gov. section 27: 11. The Book of Mormon. (13) Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: ****** The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.—Genesis 49: 22, 26. (14) Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.—Ezekiel 37: 19. (15) Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.—Psalm 85: 11. MISSION AND TEACHINGS OF JOSEPH SMITH. 335 (16) And thy speech shall be low out of the dust; and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.—Isaiah 29: 4. (17) And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed. And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying. Read this, I pray thee, and he saith, I am not learned.—Isaiah 29: 11, 12. The Gospel Message. (18) And I heard another voice from heaven, saying. Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye re- ceive not of her plagues.—Revelation 18: 4. (19) And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations: and then shall the end come.— Matt. 24: 14. (20) And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days.—Doc. and Gov. section 1:4. (21) For, verily, the sound must go forth from this place into all the world, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth—the gospel must be preached ui^to every creature, with signs following them that believe. —Doc. and Gov. section 58: 64. (22) And the poor and the meek shall have the gospel preached un- to them, and they shall be looking forth for the time of my coming, for it is nigh at hand.—Doc. and Gov. section 35: 15. The Signs Restored. (23) Therefore, as I said unto mine apostles I say unto you again, that every soul who believeth on your words, and is baptized by water for the remission of sins shall receive the Holy Ghost; and these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name they shall do many wonder- ful works; in my name they shall cast out devils; in my name they shall heal the sick; in my name they shall open the eyes of the blind, and unstop the ears of the deaf; and the tongue of the dumb shall speak; and if any man shall administer poison unto them it shall not hurt them; and the poison of a serpent shall not have power to harm them.—Doc. and Gov. section 84: 64-72. In Kirtland Temple. (24) The power of the Highest rested upon us, the house was filled 886 IMPROVEMENT ERA. with the glory of God, and we shouted Hosanna to God and the Lamb.— History of Joseph Smith. The Fullness of the Gospel Revealed. (25) And I have sent forth the fullness of my gospel by the hand of my servant Joseph; and in weakness have I blessed him.—Doc. and Gov. section 35: 17, (26) God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.—I Corinthians 12: 28. (27) And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.—Hebrews 5: 4. (28) God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.—I Corinthians 1: 26. (29) That which is without body, parts, and passions is nothing. There is no other God in heaven but that God who has flesh and bones. God himself was once as you are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heaven.—History of Joseph Smith, April 7, 1844. (30) Men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.—Articles of Faith. (31) Wherefore, men are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great mediation of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity of the devil,—II Nephi 2: 27. (32) Through the atonement cf Christ, all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.—Articles of Faith. (33) In my Father's house are many mansions—John 14: 2. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and an- other glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead.—I Corinthians 15: 41, 42. (34) The first principles and ordinances of-the gospel are: faith, repentance, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, and laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.—Articles of Faith. (35) The Bible is the word of God, as far as it is translated cor- rectly.—Articles of Faith. (36) God will yet reveal many great and important things pertain- ing to the kingdom of God.—Articles of Faith. (37) Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?—I Cor- inthians 15: 29, (38) And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife, and make a covenant with her for time and for all eternity, if that covenant is not by me, or by my word, which is my law, and is not sealed by the MISSION AND TEACHINGS OF JOSEPH SMITH. 337 Holy Spirit of promise, through him whom I have anointed and ap- pointed unto this power—then it is not valid, neither of force when they are out of the world, because they are not joined by me, saith the Lord, neither by my word.—Doc. and Gov. section 132: 18. (39) And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's; it is holy unto the Lord.—Leviticus 27: 30. (40) Every man shall be made accountable unto me, a steward over his own property.—Doc. and Gov. 42: 32. (41"! For if ye are not equal in earthly things, ye cannot be equal in obtaining heavenly things.—Doc. and Gov. 78: 6: (42) Israel will be gathered; Zion will be built upon this conti- nent, and Ghrist will reign personally upon the earth.—Articles of Faith. (43) All men should have the privilege of worshiping how, where, and what they may.—Joseph Smith. (44) We believe in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.— Joseph Smith. (45) The rich cannot be saved without charity, given to feed the poor when and how God requires.—Joseph Smith. (46) If we would secure and cultivate the love of others, we must love others, even our enemies as well as friends.—Joseph Smith. (47) A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things, never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation.—Joseph Smith. (48) It is a false idea that the saints will escape all the judg- ments, whilst the wicked suffer; for all flesh is subject to suffer, and the righteous will hardly escape, still many of the saints will escape, for the just shall live by faith; yet many of the righteous shall fall a prey to disease, to pestilence, etc., by reason of the weakness of the flesh, and yet be saved in the kingdom of God. So that it is an unhallowed principle to say that such have transgressed because they have been preyed upon by disease or death, for all flesh is subject to death; and the Savior said, "Judge not, lest ye be judged."—Joseph Smith. (49) Spirit is a substance; it is material, but it is more pure, elastic, and refined matter than the body; it existed before the body, can exist in the body, and will exist separate from the body, when the body will be mouldering in the dust; and will, in the resurrection, be again united with it. We cannot see it; but when our bodies are puri- fied, we shall see it is all matter.—Joseph Smith. (50) All sins, and all blasphemies, and every transgression, except one, that man can be guilty of, may be forgiven; and there is a sal- 838 IMPROVEMENT ERA. vation for all men, either in this world or the world to come, who have not committed the unpardonable sin, there being a provision either in this world or the world of spirits.—Joseph Smith. (51) All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall ba heirs of the celestial kingdom of God; also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom, for I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts,— Joseph Smith. (52) If the soul of man had a beginning, it will surely have an end.—Joseph Smith, (53) And I also beheld all children who die before they arrive at years of accountability, are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven,— Joseph Smith. (54) A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge, for if he does not get knowledge, he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other world, as evil spirits will have more knowledge, and consequently more power than many men who are on the earth.—Joseph Smith. (55) It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance,—Joseph Smith, The Land of Promise. (56) This is the land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion. * * * Behold, the place which is now called Independence, is the center place, and the spot for the temple is lying westward.—Doc. and Gov. section 57: 2, 3. (57) Nevertheless, if they pollute their inheritances, they shall be thrown down, for I will not spare them if they pollute their inherit- ances.—Doc. and Gov. 103: 8-14. Liberty Jail. (58) I have seen ministers of justice, clothed in ministerial robes, and criminals arraigned before them, while life was suspended upon a breath, in the courts of England; I have witnessed a congress in solemn session to give laws to nations; I have tried to conceive of kings, of royal courts, of thrones and crowns, and of emperors assembled to de- cide the fate of kingdoms; but dignity and majesty hare I seen but once. MISSION AND TEACHINGS OF JOSEPH SMITH. 339 as it stood in chains, at midnight, in a dungeon, in an obscure village of Missouri.—Life of Parley P. Pratt, p. 270. The Sojourn in the Rocky Mountains Foretold. (59) August 6, 1842. I prophesied that the- saints would con- tinue to suffer much affliction, and would be driven to the Rocky Moun" tains; many would apostatize, others would be put to death by our per- secutors, or lose their lives in consequence of exposure or disease; and some would live to go and assist in making settlements, and building cities, and see the saints become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains.—Joseph Smith. Persecution and Martyrdom. (60) Your name shall be had for good or evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues. (61) Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward shall be great in heaven; for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.—Luke 6: 22, 23. (62) There are many that lie in wait to destroy thee from off .the face of the earth.—Doc. and Gov. 5: 33. (63) I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but I am calm as a summer's morning. I have a conscience void of offense toward God and toward all men. I shall die innocent, and it will yet be said of me, "He was murdered in cold blood."—Joseph Smith. (64) Where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.—Hebrews 9: 16. (65) Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.—John 15: 13. Josiah Quincy's Prophetic Question. (66) It is by no means improbable that some future text-books, for the use of generations yet unborn, will contain a question something like this: What historical American of the nineteenth century has ex- erted the most powerful influence on the destinies of his countrymen? and it is by no means impossible that the answer to that interrogatory may be thus written: Joseph Smith, the "Mormon" prophet.—Figures of the Past, p. 376. Subsequent Career of the Church. (67) But in the last days, it shall come to pass, that the house o f