On 24 March 1844, JS gave a discourse in , Illinois, explaining the source of his religious authority. This sermon was the second of two discourses he delivered at a meeting held that morning at the construction site. Earlier in the same meeting, JS had exposed a reported plot by , , , , and to murder the entire Smith family. Following JS’s remarks on this subject, and both spoke on JS’s influence. Spencer noted how he once had heard a man acknowledge that the ’s work “might be true” but that he opposed it because “it gave Jo Smith power.” Spencer, however, justified JS’s influence because it was “subordinate” to God’s. He explained that God had the ability to build up and destroy kingdoms, which angered those who “will not submit to the kingdom of God.” Spencer concluded that he did not have “any doubt but that the Apostates will Join with the others wicked powers to try to put down the power of God.” In a similar vein, Rigdon observed how power brings “strength & glory,” while its absence brings disorder. Yet, when “God sends a man to use the power of God,” people become “afraid of power.” Once these speakers concluded, JS briefly spoke again, emphasizing that his power came from the truth of the doctrine he taught rather than by compelling others to believe his teachings. He also compared himself to John the Baptist while inviting his audience to repent of their sins.

heard JS give this second discourse and, at some point, recorded an account of it in his journal, which is featured here. The quality of Woodruff’s handwriting suggests that his account was a fair copy. It is unknown, however, if Woodruff created his account from notes he took during the sermon or whether he reconstructed it from memory. , a member of JS’s office staff, also recorded a short summary of JS’s discourse in his journal. He wrote that JS “shewed that his Power was in the Doctrines he taught, and defied all men to upset it.” Bullock noted that JS “called aloud ‘as the voice of one bawling in the Wilderness Repent ye Repent ye for the Kingdom of God is at hand.’”