History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844]

  • Source Note
  • Historical Introduction
Page 1968
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<​April 7.​> At 3¼ <​p.m.​> The President having arrived: the choir sung a hymn. Elder offered prayer.
President Joseph Smith delivered the following discourse before about 20,000 Saints, being the Funeral Sermon of Elder , Reported by , , , and . [HC 6:301]
“Beloved Saints:— I will call the attention of this congregation, while I address you on the subject of the dead. The decease of our beloved brother, Elder , who was crushed in a well by the falling of a tub of rock, has more immediately led me to that subject. I have been requested to speak by his friends and relatives; but inasmuch as there are a great many in this congregation who live in this , as well as elsewhere, who have lost friends I feel disposed to speak on the subject in general, and offer you my ideas so far as I have ability, and so far as I shall be inspired by the Holy Spirit to dwell on this subject. I want your prayers and faith that I may have the instruction of Almighty God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, so that I may set forth things that are true, and which can be easily comprehended by you; [HC 6:302] and that the testimony may carry conviction to your hearts and minds of the truth of what I shall say; pray that the Lord may strengthen my lungs, stay the winds, and let the prayers of the Saints to heaven appear, that they may enter into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth; for the effectual prayers of the righteous availeth much. There is strength here, and I verily believe that your prayers will be heard. Before I enter fully into the investigation of the subject which is laying before me, I wish to pave the way, and bring up the subject from the beginning, that you may understand it. I will make a few preliminaries, in order that you may understand the subject when I come to it. I do not calculate or intend to please your ears with superfluity of words or oratory, or with much learning; but I calculate to edify you with the simple truths from heaven. In the first place I wish to go back to the beginning to the morn of creation; there is the starting point for us to look to, in order to understand and be fully acquainted with the mind, purposes, and decrees of the great Eloheim, who sits in yonder heavens as he did at the creation of this world. It is necessary for us to have an understanding of God himself in the beginning. If we start right, it is easy to go right all the time; but if we start wrong, we may go wrong, and it will be a hard matter to get right. There are but a very few beings in the world who understand rightly the character of God. The great majority of mankind do not comprehend anything either that which is past, or that which is to come, as it respects their relationship to God; they do not know, neither do they understand the nature of that relationship; and consequently, they know but little above the brute beast, or more than to eat, drink and sleep; this is all man knows about God, or his existence, unless it is given by the inspiration of the Almighty. If a man learns nothing more than [p. 1968]
April 7. At 3¼ p.m. The President having arrived: the choir sung a hymn. Elder offered prayer.
President Joseph Smith delivered the following discourse before about 20,000 Saints, being the Funeral Sermon of Elder , Reported by , , , and . [HC 6:301]
“Beloved Saints:— I will call the attention of this congregation, while I address you on the subject of the dead. The decease of our beloved brother, Elder , who was crushed in a well by the falling of a tub of rock, has more immediately led me to that subject. I have been requested to speak by his friends and relatives; but inasmuch as there are a great many in this congregation who live in this , as well as elsewhere, who have lost friends I feel disposed to speak on the subject in general, and offer you my ideas so far as I have ability, and so far as I shall be inspired by the Holy Spirit to dwell on this subject. I want your prayers and faith that I may have the instruction of Almighty God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, so that I may set forth things that are true, and which can be easily comprehended by you; [HC 6:302] and that the testimony may carry conviction to your hearts and minds of the truth of what I shall say; pray that the Lord may strengthen my lungs, stay the winds, and let the prayers of the Saints to heaven appear, that they may enter into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth; for the effectual prayers of the righteous availeth much. There is strength here, and I verily believe that your prayers will be heard. Before I enter fully into the investigation of the subject which is laying before me, I wish to pave the way, and bring up the subject from the beginning, that you may understand it. I will make a few preliminaries, in order that you may understand the subject when I come to it. I do not calculate or intend to please your ears with superfluity of words or oratory, or with much learning; but I calculate to edify you with the simple truths from heaven. In the first place I wish to go back to the beginning to the morn of creation; there is the starting point for us to look to, in order to understand and be fully acquainted with the mind, purposes, and decrees of the great Eloheim, who sits in yonder heavens as he did at the creation of this world. It is necessary for us to have an understanding of God himself in the beginning. If we start right, it is easy to go right all the time; but if we start wrong, we may go wrong, and it will be a hard matter to get right. There are but a very few beings in the world who understand rightly the character of God. The great majority of mankind do not comprehend anything either that which is past, or that which is to come, as it respects their relationship to God; they do not know, neither do they understand the nature of that relationship; and consequently, they know but little above the brute beast, or more than to eat, drink and sleep; this is all man knows about God, or his existence, unless it is given by the inspiration of the Almighty. If a man learns nothing more than [p. 1968]
Page 1968