Discourse, 19 December 1841, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff

Joseph the Seer arose & read a chapter in the New Testiment containing the parable of the vine & its branches & explained it much to our edification & said “if we kept the commandments of God we should bring forth fruit & be the friends of God & know what our Lord did, “Some say Joseph is a fallen Prophet because he does not bring forth more of the word of the Lord” “Why does he not do it” are we able to receive it No (says he) not one in this room, He then chastized us for our wickedness & unbelief knowing that whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth & scourgeth evry son & daughter whom He receiveth & if we do not receive chastizements then are we Bastards & not Sons. On Revelation He said “A man would command his son to dig potatoes, saddle his horse but before he had done either tell him to do somthing els, this is all consider[ed] right “But as soon as the Lord gives a commandment & revokes that decree & commands somthing els then the prophet is considerd fallen &c” Because we will not receive chastizment at the hand of the Prophet & Apostles the Lord chastizeth us with sickness & death “Let not any man publish his own righteousness for others can do that for him.” sooner let him confess his sins & then he will be forgiven & he will bring forth more fruit [p. [115]]