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Discourse, 24 March 1844–B, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff

Source Note

JS, Discourse, [
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

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, Hancock Co., IL, 24 Mar. 1844]. Featured version inscribed [ca. 24 Mar. 1844] in Wilford Woodruff, Journal, vol. 5, 1 Jan. 1843–31 Dec. 1844, pp. [217]–[218]; handwriting of
Wilford Woodruff

1 Mar. 1807–2 Sept. 1898. Farmer, miller. Born at Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of Aphek Woodruff and Beulah Thompson. Moved to Richland, Oswego Co., New York, 1832. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Zera Pulsipher,...

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; Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Discourse, 17 Jan. 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff.

Historical Introduction

On 24 March 1844, JS gave a discourse in
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
, 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
temple

Located in portion of Nauvoo known as the bluff. JS revelation dated Jan. 1841 commanded Saints to build temple and hotel (Nauvoo House). Cornerstone laid, 6 Apr. 1841. Saints volunteered labor, money, and other resources for temple construction. Construction...

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construction site. Earlier in the same meeting, JS had exposed a reported plot by
William Law

8 Sept. 1809–12/19 Jan. 1892. Merchant, millwright, physician. Born in Co. Tyrone, Ireland. Son of Richard Law and Ann Hunter. Immigrated to U.S. and settled in Springfield Township, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, by 1820. Moved to Delaware Township, Mercer Co...

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,
Wilson Law

26 Feb. 1806–15 Oct. 1876. Merchant, millwright, land speculator, farmer. Born in Ireland. Son of Richard Law and Ann Hunter. Immigrated to U.S. and settled in Springfield Township, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, by 1820. Moved to Delaware Township, Mercer Co....

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,
Robert D. Foster

14 Mar. 1811–1 Feb. 1878. Justice of the peace, physician, land speculator. Born in Braunston, Northamptonshire, England. Son of John Foster and Jane Knibb. Married Sarah Phinney, 18 July 1837, at Medina Co., Ohio. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of ...

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,
Chauncey L. Higbee

7 Sept. 1821–7 Dec. 1884. Lawyer, banker, politician, judge. Born in Tate Township, Clermont Co., Ohio. Son of Elias Higbee and Sarah Elizabeth Ward. Lived in Fulton, Hamilton Co., Ohio, 1830. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1832...

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, and
Joseph H. Jackson

?–? Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, by fall 1842. Moved to Carthage, Hancock Co., winter 1842–1843. Returned to Nauvoo, spring 1843. Hired to sell land for JS, 20 May 1843. Appointed aide-de-camp to lieutenant general in Nauvoo Legion, by 5 Jan. 1844...

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to murder the entire Smith family.
1

JS, Journal, 24 Mar. 1844; Discourse, 24 Mar. 1844–A.


Following JS’s remarks on this subject,
Orson Spencer

14 Mar./13 May 1802–15 Oct. 1855. Teacher, minister, university professor and chancellor. Born in West Stockbridge, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Daniel Spencer and Chloe Wilson. Moved to Lenox, Berkshire Co., 1817; to Schenectady, Schenectady Co.,...

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and
Sidney Rigdon

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

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both spoke on JS’s influence. Spencer noted how he once had heard a man acknowledge that the
church

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

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’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.”
2

Woodruff, Journal, 24 Mar. 1844.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

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.
Wilford Woodruff

1 Mar. 1807–2 Sept. 1898. Farmer, miller. Born at Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of Aphek Woodruff and Beulah Thompson. Moved to Richland, Oswego Co., New York, 1832. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Zera Pulsipher,...

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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.
Thomas Bullock

23 Dec. 1816–10 Feb. 1885. Farmer, excise officer, secretary, clerk. Born in Leek, Staffordshire, England. Son of Thomas Bullock and Mary Hall. Married Henrietta Rushton, 25 June 1838. Moved to Ardee, Co. Louth, Ireland, Nov. 1839; to Isle of Anglesey, Aug...

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, 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.’”
3

Historian’s Office, Journal, 24 Mar. 1844.


Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS, Journal, 24 Mar. 1844; Discourse, 24 Mar. 1844–A.

  2. [2]

    Woodruff, Journal, 24 Mar. 1844.

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

  3. [3]

    Historian’s Office, Journal, 24 Mar. 1844.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Discourse, 24 March 1844–B, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff Discourse, 24 March 1844–B, as Reported by Thomas Bullock History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page [218]

not reproved you in the gate,
1

See Isaiah 29:21.


I ask did I ever exercise any compulsion over any man.
2

In 1839 JS wrote an epistle to the Latter-day Saints in which he taught that “[No power or in]f[luence] can or ought to be maintained by [vi]rt[ue] of the Priesthood only by persuasion by long suffering by gentleness and meekness and by love unfaigned by kindness by pure knowledge which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy and without guile.” (Letter to Edward Partridge and the Church, ca. 22 Mar. 1839 [D&C 121:41–42].)


did I not give him the liberty of disbelieveing any doctrin I have preached if he saw fit, why do not my enemies strike a blow at the doctrin, they cannot do it it is truth, And I am as the voice of one crying in the wilderness repent of your sins & prep[a]re the way for the coming of the Son of Man, for the Kingdom of God has come unto you and henceforth the ax is laid unto the root of the tree and evry tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, God— Almighty (and not Jo Smith) shall hew down & cast it into the fire.
3

See Matthew 3:1–3, 10; Mark 1:2–3; Luke 3:4, 9; and John 1:23.


[p. [218]]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Discourse, 24 March 1844–B, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff
ID #
13264
Total Pages
2
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Handwriting on This Page
  • Wilford Woodruff

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See Isaiah 29:21.

  2. [2]

    In 1839 JS wrote an epistle to the Latter-day Saints in which he taught that “[No power or in]f[luence] can or ought to be maintained by [vi]rt[ue] of the Priesthood only by persuasion by long suffering by gentleness and meekness and by love unfaigned by kindness by pure knowledge which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy and without guile.” (Letter to Edward Partridge and the Church, ca. 22 Mar. 1839 [D&C 121:41–42].)

  3. [3]

    See Matthew 3:1–3, 10; Mark 1:2–3; Luke 3:4, 9; and John 1:23.

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