Discourse, 9 April 1842, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff
Source Note
JS, Discourse, , Hancock Co., IL, 9 [Apr. 1842]. Featured version copied [ca. 9 Apr. 1842] in Wilford Woodruff, Journal, vol. 4, 1 Jan. 1841–31 Dec. 1842, pp. [144]–[145]; handwriting of ; Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898, CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Discourse, 7 Nov. 1841, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff.
Historical Introduction
On Saturday, 9 April 1842, JS delivered a discourse at the funeral of member . The son of and Rosannah Robinson Marks, twenty-four-year-old Ephraim died of an undisclosed cause two days earlier. On Saturday morning, mourners assembled at the home of William Marks in , Illinois, and made their way in a procession to a of trees near the for funeral and burial services. In his sermon JS reflected on the untimely death of Ephraim Marks, as well as on the difficulty of losing his own brothers and in their youth. JS also considered his own mortality, telling those gathered at the service that he, too, was “liable to die as other men” although his life had been spared on previous occasions so that he could “accomplish such & such things.”
, who was in the audience, may have taken notes on the discourse when JS delivered this sermon or shortly thereafter. He later recorded portions of the discourse in his journal. That version is featured here. Woodruff’s text appears to be the earliest surviving version of the 9 April sermon, and it was later copied into JS’s 1838–1856 history.
I can say in my heart that I have not done any thing against that I am sorry for & I would ask any of his Companions if they have done any thing against him that they are sorry for. or that they would not like to meet at the bar of God if so let it prove as a warning to all men to deal justly before God & with all men then we shall be clear in the day of judgment When we loose a near & dear friend upon whom we have set our hearts we can never feel the same afterwards Knowing that if we set our hearts upon others they may in like manner be taken from us President Smith made many other interesting remarks[.] [p. [145]]