Joseph Smith's October 5, 1840 General Conference talk, dictated to scribe Robert B Thompson
This is the only known pre-written talk given by Joseph Smith.
Original
Manuscript, in the hand of Robert B. Thompson
In order to
investigate the subject of the Priesthood so important to this as well as every
succeeding generation, I shall proceed to trace the subject as far as I
possibly can from the Old and new Testament.
There are two
Priesthoods spoken of in the Scriptures, viz the Melchisadeck and the Aaronic
or Levitical Altho there are two Priesthoods, yet the Melchisadeck Priesthood
comprehends the Aaronic or Levitical Priesthood and is the Grand head, and holds the highest Authority which pertains to the
Priesthood the keys of the Kingdom of God in all ages of the world to the
latest posterity on the earth and is the channel through which all knowledge,
doctrine, the plan of salvation and every important matter is revealed from
heaven. Its institution was prior to "the foundation of this earth or the morning
stars sang together or the Sons of God shouted for joy," and is the highest and holiest Priesthood and is after the order of the Son
[of] God, and all other Priesthoods are only parts, ramifications, powers and
blessings belonging to the same and are held controlled and directed by it. It
is the channel through which the Almighty commenced revealing his glory at the
beginning of the creation of this earth and through which he has continued to
reveal himself to the children of men to the present time and through which he
will make known his purposes to the end of time—Commencing with Adam who was
the first man who is spoken of in Daniel as being the "Antient of
days" or in other words the first and oldest of all, the great grand
progenitor of whom it is said in another place he is Michael because he was the
first and father of all, not only by progeny, but he was the first to hold the
spiritual blessings, the plan to whom was made known the plan of ordinances for the Salvation of his
posterity unto the end, and to whom Christ was first revealed, and through whom Christ has been
revealed from heaven and will continue to be revealed from henceforth. Adam
holds the Keys of the dispensation of the fulness of times, i.e. the
dispensation of all the times have been and will be revealed through him from
the begining to Christ and from Christ to the end of all world the
dispensations that have [been and] are to be revealed
Ephesians 1st Chap 9
& 10 verses. "Having made known unto us the mystery of his will,
according to his good pleasure which he has purposed in himself that in the
dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things
in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth in him" Now the
purpose in himself in the winding up scene of the last dispensation is, that
all things pertaining to that dispensation should be conducted precisely in
accordance with the preceeding dispensations. And again, God purposed in
himself that there should not be an eternal fulness until every dispensation
should be fulfilled and gathered together in one and that all things whatsoever
that should be gathered together in one in those dispensations unto the same
fulness and eternal glory should be in Christ Jesus, therefore he set the
ordinances to be the same for Ever and ever and set Adam to watch over them to
reveal them from heaven to man or to send Angels to reveal them Heb 1 Chap. 16 verse. Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to
minister to those who shall be heirs of Salvation. These angels are under the
direction of Michael or Adam who acts under the direction of Christ.
From the above
quotation we learn that Paul perfectly understood the purpose of God in
relation to his connexion with man, and that glorious and perfect order which
he established in himself whereby he sent forth power revelations and glory.
God will not acknowledge that which he has not called, ordained, and chosen. In
the begining God called Adam by his own voice See Genesis 3 Chap 9 & 10
verses. And the Lord called unto Adam and said unto him where art thou, and he
said I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and
hid myself. Adam received commandments and instruction from God. this was the
order from the begining: that he received revelations, Commandments, and
ordinances at the begining is beyond the power of controversy, else, how did
they begin to to offer Sacrifices to God in an acceptable manner? And if they
offered sacrifices they must be authorized by ordination. We read in Gen 4th
Chap. v. 4 That Abel brought of the firstlings of the flock and the fat thereof
and the Lord had respect to Abel and to his offring. And again Heb 11 Chap 4
verse. By Faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain by
which he obtained witness that he was righteous God testifying of his gifts and
by it he being dead yet speaketh. how doth ye yet speak? Why he magnified the
Priesthood which was confired upon him and died a righteous man, and therefore
has become a righteous man an angel of God by receiving his body from the dead, therefore holding still the keys of his dispensation and was sent down from
heaven unto Paul to minister consoling words & to commit unto him a
knowledge of the mysteries of Godliness and if this was not the case I would
ask how did Paul know so much about Abel and why should he talk about his
speaking after he was dead. How that he spoke after he was dead must be, by
being sent down out of heaven, to administer. This then is the nature of the
priesthood, every man holding the presidency of his dispensation and one man
holding the presidency of them all even Adam, and Adam receiving his presidency
and authority from Christ, but cannot receive a fulness, untill Christ shall
present. the kingdom to the Father which shall be at the end of the last dispensation.
The power, glory, and blessings of the priesthood could not continue with those
who received ordination only as their righteousness continued, for Cain also being authorized to offer sacrifice but not offering it in
righteousness, therefore he was cursed. It signifies then, that the ordinances
must be kept in the very way God has appointed, otherwise their priesthood will
prove a cursing instead of a blessing. If Cain had fulfilled the law of righteousness as did Enoch he could have
walked with God all the days of his life and never failed of a blessing. Gen
[5:22] And Enock walked with God after he begat Mathusalah 300 years and begat
Sons and Daughters and all the days of Enoch were 365 years and Enoch walked
with God and he was not for God took him. Now this Enoch God reserved unto
himself that he shoud not die at that time and appointed unto him a ministry
unto terrestiral bodies of whom there has been but little revealed, He is
reserved also unto the presidency of a dispensation. and more shall be said of
him and terrestrial bodies in another treaties He is a ministring Angel to minister to those who shall be heirs of Salvation
and appered unto Jude as Abel did unto Paul. therefore Jude spoke of him 14
& 15 verses in Jude. and Enoch the seventh revealed these sayings. Behold
the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints Paul was also aquainted with
this character and received instructions from him. Heb 11 Chap. 5 ver By Faith
Enoch was translated that he should not see death, and was not found because
God had translated him for before his translation he had this testimony that he
pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that
cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a revealer to those who diligently seek him.
Now the doctrine of
translation is a power which belongs to this priesthood, there are many things
which belong to the powers of the priesthood and the keys thereof that have
been kept hid from before the foundation of the world. they are hid from the wise and prudent to be revealed in the last times many
may have supposed that the doctrine of translation was a doctrine whereby men
were taken immediately into the presence of God and into an Eternal fulness but
this is a mistaken idea. There place of habitation is that of the terrestrial order and a place prepared for such characters, he had in he held in reserve to
be ministring angels unto many planets, and who as yet have not entered into so
great a fulness as those who are resurrected from the dead. See Heb 11 Chap
part of the 35 verse "others were tortured not accepting deliverance that
they might obtain a better resurrection" Now it was evident, that there
was a better resurrection or else God would not have revealed it unto Paul
wherein then can it be said a better ressurrection? This distinction is made
between the doctrine of the actual ressurrection and the doctrine of
translation, the doctrine of translation obtains deliverance from the tortures
and sufferings of the body but their existence will prolong as to their labors
and toils of the ministry before they can enter into so great a rest and glory,
but on the other hand those who were tortured not accepting deliverance
received an immediate rest from their labors, See Rev [14:13] And I heard a
voice from heaven saying blessed are the dead who die in the Lord for from
henceforth they do rest from their labors and their works do follow them—They
rest from their labors for a long time and yet their work is held in reserve
for them, that they are permitted to do the same works after they receive a
ressurection for their bodies, but we shall leave this subject and the subject
of the terresteal bodies for another time in order to treat upon them more
fully The next great grand patriarch who held the Keys of the priesthood was Lamech See Gen 5 Chap 28 & 29 verses—And Lamech lived 182 years and begat a Son
and he called his name Noah saying this same shall comfort us concerning our
work and the toil of our hands because of the ground which the Lord has curst.
"The priesthood continued from Lamech to Noah Gen 6 Chap 13 verse. And God
said unto Noah the end of all flesh is before me, for the earth is filled with
violence through them, and behold I will destroy them with the earth,"
thus we behold the Keys of this priesthood consisted in obtaining the voice of
Jehovah that he talked with him in a familiar and friendly manner, that he continued to
him the Keys, the Covenants, the power and the glory with which he blessed Adam
at the beginning and the offring of Sacrifice which also shall be continued at
the last time, for all the ordinances and duties that ever have been required
by the priesthood under the direction and commandments of the Almighty in the
last dispensation at the end thereof in any of the dispensations, shall all be
had in the last dispensation. Therefore all things had under the Authority of the Priesthood at any former
period shall be had again—bringing to pass the restoration spoken of by the
mouth of all the Holy Prophets. Malachi 3 then shall the sons of Levi offer
unto the Lord an acceptable offring" then shall the sons of Levi offer an
acceptable sacrifice to the Lord Se[e] Malichi 3 Chap. 3 & 4 And he shall
sit as a refiner and purifier of Silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi,
and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord
It will be necessary
here to make a few observations on the doctrine, set forth in the above
quotation, As it is generally supposed that Sacrifice was entirely done away
when the great sacrife was offered up—and that there will be no necessity for
the ordinance of Sacrifice in future, but those who assert this, are certainly
not aquainted with the duties, privileges and authority of the priesthood. or
with the prophets The offering of Sacrifice has ever been connected and forms a
part of the duties of the priesthood. It began with the prieshood and will be
continued untill after the coming of Christ from generation to generation—We
freequently have mention made of the offering of Sacrifice by the servants of
the most high in antient days prior to the law of moses, See which ordinances will be continued when the priesthood is restored with all its authority power and blessings. Elijah
was the last prophet that held the keys of this priesthood, and who will, before the last dispensation, restore the authority and delive[r] the Keys of
this priesthood in order that all the ordinances may be attended to in
righteousness.
It is true that the
Savior had authoritity and power to bestow this blessing but the Sons of Levi
were too predjudi[ced]
And I will send
Elijah the Prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord &c &c.
Why send Elijah
because he holds the Keys of the Authority to administer in all the ordinances
of the priesthood and without the authority is given the ordinances could not
be administered in righteousness. 25
It is a very
prevalent opinion that in the sacrifices of sacrifices which were offered were
entirely consumed, this was not the case if you read Leviticus [2] Chap [2-3]
verses you will observe that the priests took a part as a memorial and offered
it up before the Lord, while the remainder was kept for the benefit maintenance
of the priests. So that the offerings and sacrifices are not all consumed upon the Alter, but
the blood is sprinkled and the fat and certain other portions are consumed
These sacrifices as well as every ordinance belonging to the priesthood will
when the temple of the Lord shall be built and the Sons Levi be purified be
fully restored and attended to then all their powers ramifications
ramifications and blessings—this the Sons of Levi shall be purified. ever was
and will exist when the powers of the Melchisid Priesthood are sufficientIy
manifest. Else how can the restitution of all things spoken of by all the Holy Prophets
be brought to pass be brought to pass It is not to be understood that, the law of moses will be established again
with all it rights and variety of ceremonies, ceremonies, this had never been
spoken off by the prophets but those things which existed prior Mose's day viz
Sacrifice will be continued 29—It
may be asked by some what necessity for Sacrifice since the great Sacrifice was
offered? In answer to which if Repentance Baptism and faith were necessary to
Salvation existed prior to the days of Christ what necessity for them since
that time —
The priesthood has
descended in a regular line from Father to Son through their succeeding
generations
See Book of Doctrine
& Covenants [107:40-52].
—5 October 1840 [the following is found as a footnote in "The Words of Joseph Smith"]
- 1. See History of the Church, 4:207-212 and Teachings, pp. 166-173. The original source for the reports of this discourse in History of the Church and Teachings is the account given in this text. This discourse is apparently the only discourse for which the Prophet ever prepared a text. He did not personally deliver this "Treatise on Priesthood," but had his scribe, Robert B. Thompson, read it to the Saints assembled in general conference. The dictation of the text by the Prophet has a fascinating background. We are indebted to Howard Coray, another of Joseph's clerks at the time, for the following account preserved in his autobiography (Special Collections, Brigham Young University):
- One morning, I went as usual, into the Office to go to work: I found Joseph sitting on one side of a table and Robert B. Thompson on the opposite side, and the understanding I got was that they were examining or hunting in the manuscript of the new translation of the Bible for something on Priesthood, which Joseph wished to present, or have read to the people the next Conference: Well, they could not find what they wanted and Joseph said to Thompson "put the manuscript one side, and take some paper and I will tell you what to write." Bro. Thompson took some foolscap paper that was at his elbow and made himself ready for the business. I was seated probably 6 or 8 feet on Joseph's left side, so that I could look almost squarely into Joseph's left eye — I mean the side of his eye. Well, the Spirit of God descended upon him, and a measure of it upon me, insomuch that I could fully realize that God, or the Holy Ghost, was talking through him. I never, neither before or since, have felt as I did on that occasion. I felt so small and humble I could have freely kissed his feet.
- Much like the Prophet's dictated revelations, this text has few editorial changes. Furthermore, the document demonstrates the Prophet's knowledge of the scriptures. With no Bible at hand, he accurately cited and dictated the text of fourteen scriptural passages. Only twice did the Prophet not remember the chapter and verse of a passage. Nevertheless, he quoted those passages accurately. In this important address the Prophet makes many important statements on Temple Priesthood the day after announcing plans for the construction of the Nauvoo Temple.
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