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Times and Seasons, 15 June 1842

Source Note

Times and Seasons, (
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
, Hancock Co., IL), 15 June 1842, vol. 3, no. 16, 815–830; edited by JS. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.

Historical Introduction

As editor of the Times and Seasons, JS oversaw the publication of the newspaper’s 15 June 1842 issue.
1

John Taylor assisted JS in editing the Times and Seasons, but JS, as editor, assumed primary responsibility for the content in the issues. (Woodruff, Journal, 19 Feb. 1842; “To Subscribers,” Times and Seasons, 1 Mar. 1842, 3:710.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

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

The issue opened with an excerpt from the church’s newspaper in
England

Island nation consisting of southern portion of Great Britain and surrounding smaller islands. Bounded on north by Scotland and on west by Wales. Became province of Roman Empire, first century. Ruled by Romans, through 447. Ruled by Picts, Scots, and Saxons...

More Info
, the Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star, emphasizing the necessity of a restoration of the gospel. This was followed by the seventh installment of the serialized “History of Joseph Smith” and excerpted articles from several eastern newspapers about JS and 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...

View Glossary
.
2

The first installment of JS’s history was published in the 15 March 1842 issue of the Times and Seasons.


The issue also included a letter from traveling
elder

A male leader in the church generally; an ecclesiastical and priesthood office or one holding that office; a proselytizing missionary. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto...

View Glossary
George J. Adams

7 Nov. 1810–11 May 1880. Tailor, actor, clergyman. Born in Oxford, Sussex Co., New Jersey. Lived in Boston during 1820s and 1830s. Became Methodist lay preacher. Married Caroline. Moved to New York City, before 1840. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of...

View Full Bio
in
New York City

Dutch founded New Netherland colony, 1625. Incorporated under British control and renamed New York, 1664. Harbor contributed to economic and population growth of city; became largest city in American colonies. British troops defeated Continental Army under...

More Info
, who had just returned from his mission in England, and the minutes of a 14 May 1842 church
conference

A meeting where ecclesiastical officers and other church members could conduct church business. The “Articles and Covenants” of the church directed the elders to hold conferences to perform “Church business.” The first of these conferences was held on 9 June...

View Glossary
held in Grafton, Ohio. The issue concluded with a poem on 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...

More Info
by
William W. Phelps

17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...

View Full Bio
and a public notice that the
First Presidency

The highest presiding body of the church. An 11 November 1831 revelation stated that the president of the high priesthood was to preside over the church. JS was ordained as president of the high priesthood on 25 January 1832. In March 1832, JS appointed two...

View Glossary
had withdrawn “the hand of fellowship” from
John C. Bennett

3 Aug. 1804–5 Aug. 1867. Physician, minister, poultry breeder. Born at Fairhaven, Bristol Co., Massachusetts. Son of John Bennett and Abigail Cook. Moved to Marietta, Washington Co., Ohio, 1808; to Massachusetts, 1812; and back to Marietta, 1822. Married ...

View Full Bio
.
3

Although the notice was written on 11 May 1842, it was withheld from publication until this mid-June issue. (See Historical Introduction to Letter to the Church and Others, 23 June 1842; Notice, 11 May 1842; and JS, Journal, 26 May 1842.)


In addition to these items, the issue included editorial content that was presumably written by JS or his editorial staff. This editorial content, which is featured here, includes three items: commentary on a popular book on American antiquities,
4

Priest, American Antiquities, 205–208.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Priest, Josiah. American Antiquities and Discoveries in the West. . . . 5th ed. Albany: Hoffman and White, 1838.

with quotations from the Book of Mormon; a letter to the editor denouncing a pair of missionaries in Tennessee, together with an editorial response; and an article on the
gift of the Holy Ghost

A right or privilege bestowed through the confirmation ordinance. Individuals were confirmed members of the church and received the gift of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands. The Book of Mormon explained that remission of sins requires not only...

View Glossary
.
Note that only the editorial content created specifically for this issue of the Times and Seasons is annotated here. Articles reprinted from other papers, letters, conference minutes, and notices, are reproduced here but not annotated. Items that are stand-alone JS documents are annotated elsewhere; links are provided to these stand-alone documents.
5

See “Editorial Method”.


Footnotes

  1. [1]

    John Taylor assisted JS in editing the Times and Seasons, but JS, as editor, assumed primary responsibility for the content in the issues. (Woodruff, Journal, 19 Feb. 1842; “To Subscribers,” Times and Seasons, 1 Mar. 1842, 3:710.)

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

  2. [2]

    The first installment of JS’s history was published in the 15 March 1842 issue of the Times and Seasons.

  3. [3]

    Although the notice was written on 11 May 1842, it was withheld from publication until this mid-June issue. (See Historical Introduction to Letter to the Church and Others, 23 June 1842; Notice, 11 May 1842; and JS, Journal, 26 May 1842.)

  4. [4]

    Priest, American Antiquities, 205–208.

    Priest, Josiah. American Antiquities and Discoveries in the West. . . . 5th ed. Albany: Hoffman and White, 1838.

  5. [5]

    See “Editorial Method”.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Times and Seasons, 15 June 1842 *Times and Seasons, 15 June 1842 *Times and Seasons, 15 June 1842 *Letter from George J. Adams, 21 April 1842 Times and Seasons, 15 June 1842 *Notice, 11 May 1842 Times and Seasons, 15 June 1842 *Letter from John D. Lee and Others, 18 May 1842 Times and Seasons, 15 June 1842

Page 825

in an unknown tongue, he of course would have to be silent; there are only two gifts that could be made visible—the gift of tongues and the gift of prophecy. These are things that are the most talked about, and yet if a person spoke in an unknown tongue, according to Paul’s testimony, he would be a “barbarian to those present.”
53

See 1 Corinthians 14:11.


They would say that it was giberish; and if he prophesied they would call it nonsense. The gift of tongues is the smallest gift perhaps of the whole, and yet it is one that is the most sought after. So that according to the testimony of scripture and the manifestations of the spirit in ancient days, very little could be known about it by the surrounding multitude; except on some extraordinary occasion as on the day of Pentecost.
54

See Acts chap. 2.


The greatest, the best, and the most useful gifts would be known nothing about by an observer. It is true that a man might prophecy, which is a great gift; and one that Paul told the people—the church—to seek after and to covet, rather than to speak in tongues; but what does the world know about prophesying? Paul says that it “serveth only to those that believe.”—
55

See 1 Corinthians 14:22.


But does not the scriptures say that they spake in tongues and prophesied? Yes; but who is it that writes these scriptures? Not the men of the world or mere casual observers, but the Apostles—men who knew one gift from another, and of course were capable of writing about it; if we had the testimony of the scribes and pharisees concerning the out-pouring of the spirit on the day of Pentacost, they would have told us that it was no gift, but that the people “were drunken with new wine,”
56

See Acts 2:13.


and we shall finally have to come to the same conclusion that Paul did, that “no man knows the things of God but by the spirit of God,”
57

See 1 Corinthians 2:11.


for with the great revelations of Paul, when he was caught up into the third heaven and saw things that were not lawful to utter, no man was apprised of it until he mentioned it himself fourteen years after;
58

See 2 Corinthians 12:2.


and when John had the curtains of heaven withdrawn, and by vision looked through the dark vista of future ages, and contemplated events that should transpire throughout every subsequent period of time until the final winding up scene—while he gazed upon the glories of the eternal world, saw an innumerable company of angels and heard the voice of God—it was in the spirit on the Lord’s day; unnoticed and unobserved by the world.
59

Revelation 1:10; chaps. 8–12.


The manifestatitions of the
gift of the Holy Ghost

A right or privilege bestowed through the confirmation ordinance. Individuals were confirmed members of the church and received the gift of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands. The Book of Mormon explained that remission of sins requires not only...

View Glossary
; the ministering of angels; or the development of the power, majesty or glory of God were very seldom manifested publicly, and that generally to the people of God; as to the Israelites; but most generally when angels have come, or God has revealed himself, it has been to individuals in private—in their chamber—in the wilderness or fields; and that generally without noise or tumult. The angel delivered Peter out of prison in the dead of night—came to Paul unobserved by the rest of the crew—appeared to Mary and Elizabeth without the knowledge of others—spoke to John the Baptist whilst the people around were ignorant of it.
60

See Acts 12:5–7; 27:21–25; and Luke 1:26–27, 41.


When Elisha saw the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof, it was unknown to others.
61

See 2 Kings 2:12.


When the Lord appeared to Abraham it was at his tent door,
62

See Genesis 18:1.


when the angels went to Lot no person knew them but himself,
63

See Genesis 19:1.


which was the case probably with Abraham and his wife;
64

See Genesis 18:1–15.


when the Lord appeared to Moses it was in the burning bush, in the tabernacle, or on the mountain top;
65

See Exodus 3:2–4; 19:3; and Deuteronomy 31:15.


when Elijah was taken in a chariot of fire, it was unobserved by the world;
66

See 2 Kings 2:11.


and when he was in the cleft of a rock, there was loud thunder, but the Lord was not in the thunder; there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and then there was a still small voice, which was the voice of the Lord, saying, what dost thou here, Elijah?
67

See 1 Kings 19:11–13.


The Lord cannot always be known by the thunder of his voice; by the display of his glory, or by the manifestation of his power; and those that are the most anxious to see these things, are the least prepared to meet them; and were the Lord to manifest his power as he did to the children of Israel, such characters would be the first to say “let not the Lord speak any more, lest we his people die.”
68

See Exodus 20:19.


We would say to the brethren seek to know God in your closets, call upon him in the fields; follow the directions of the Book of Mormon, and pray over, and for, your families, your cattle, your flocks, your herds, your corn, and all things that you possess; ask the blessing of God upon all your labors, and every thing that you engage in;
69

See Book of Mormon, 1840 ed., 312 [Alma 34:17–26].


be virtuous, and pure, be men of integrity and truth, keep the commandments of God, and then you will be able more perfectly to understand the difference between right and wrong, between the things of God, and the things of men; and your path will be like that of the just, “which shineth brighter, and brighter, unto the perfect day.”
70

See Proverbs 4:18.


Be not so curious about tongues, do not speak in tongues except there be an interpreter present;
71

Three years earlier, JS taught the Saints, “Speak not in the gift of Tongues without understanding it, or without interpretation.” (Discourse, between ca. 26 June and ca. 4 Aug. 1839–A.)


the ultimate design of tongues is to speak to foreigners, and if persons are very anxious to display their intelligence, let them speak to such in their own tongues.
72

Although JS had earlier taught that the gift of tongues included both glossolalia and xenoglossia, the editorial here prioritizes the latter—speaking to others in foreign languages. In the summer of 1839, JS taught that the gift of tongues was “given for the purpose of preaching among those whose language is not understood as on the day of Pentecost.” (Discourse, between ca. 26 June and ca. 2 July 1839; see also Discourse, 26 Dec. 1841.)


The gifts of God are all useful in their place, but when they are applied to that which God [p. 825]
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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Times and Seasons, 15 June 1842
ID #
8150
Total Pages
16
Print Volume Location
JSP, D10:146–162
Handwriting on This Page
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Footnotes

  1. [53]

    See 1 Corinthians 14:11.

  2. [54]

    See Acts chap. 2.

  3. [55]

    See 1 Corinthians 14:22.

  4. [56]

    See Acts 2:13.

  5. [57]

    See 1 Corinthians 2:11.

  6. [58]

    See 2 Corinthians 12:2.

  7. [59]

    Revelation 1:10; chaps. 8–12.

  8. [60]

    See Acts 12:5–7; 27:21–25; and Luke 1:26–27, 41.

  9. [61]

    See 2 Kings 2:12.

  10. [62]

    See Genesis 18:1.

  11. [63]

    See Genesis 19:1.

  12. [64]

    See Genesis 18:1–15.

  13. [65]

    See Exodus 3:2–4; 19:3; and Deuteronomy 31:15.

  14. [66]

    See 2 Kings 2:11.

  15. [67]

    See 1 Kings 19:11–13.

  16. [68]

    See Exodus 20:19.

  17. [69]

    See Book of Mormon, 1840 ed., 312 [Alma 34:17–26].

  18. [70]

    See Proverbs 4:18.

  19. [71]

    Three years earlier, JS taught the Saints, “Speak not in the gift of Tongues without understanding it, or without interpretation.” (Discourse, between ca. 26 June and ca. 4 Aug. 1839–A.)

  20. [72]

    Although JS had earlier taught that the gift of tongues included both glossolalia and xenoglossia, the editorial here prioritizes the latter—speaking to others in foreign languages. In the summer of 1839, JS taught that the gift of tongues was “given for the purpose of preaching among those whose language is not understood as on the day of Pentecost.” (Discourse, between ca. 26 June and ca. 2 July 1839; see also Discourse, 26 Dec. 1841.)

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