Chapter XXXIII

A Mason's Estimate of Nauvoo and the Prophet--Organization of the Female Relief Society--"Try the Spirits"--The Prophet's Editorial.

_Monday, March 21, 1842_.--I commenced a settlement with William Marks, who had loaned money and property to the Church at various times.

_Tuesday, 22_.--I was at the general business office through the day, and at home in the evening.

The following is from the _Advocate_, printed at Columbus, the residence of Grand Master [i. e. grand master mason] Jonas:

Nauvoo and the Mormons.

Mr. Editor.--Having recently had occasion to visit the city of
Nauvoo, I cannot permit the opportunity to pass without expressing
the agreeable disappointment that awaited me there. I had
supposed, from what I had previously heard, that I should witness
an impoverished, ignorant and bigotted population, completely
priest-ridden, and tyrannized over by Joseph Smith, the great
prophet of these people.

On the contrary, to my surprise, I saw a people apparently happy,
prosperous and intelligent. Every man appeared to be employed in
some business or occupation. I saw no idleness, no intemperance,
no noise, no riot--all appeared to be contented, with no desire to
trouble themselves with anything except their own affairs. With
the religion of these people I have nothing to do; if they can be
satisfied with the doctrines of their new revelation, they have a
right to be so. The Constitution of the country guarantees to them
the right of worshiping God according to the dictates of their own
conscience, and if that can be so easily satisfied, why should we
who differ from them complain?

But I protest against the slanders and persecutions that are
continually heaped upon these people. I could see no disposition on
their part to be otherwise than a peaceable and law-abiding people,
and all they ask of the country is to permit them to live under the
protection of the {566} laws, and to be made amenable for their
violations. They may have among them bad and desperate characters,
and what community has not? But I am satisfied the Mormon people,
as a body, will never be the aggressors or violators of the law.

While at Nauvoo I had a fine opportunity of seeing the people in
a body. There was a Masonic celebration, and the Grand Master of
the state was present for the purpose of publicly installing the
officers of a new lodge. An immense number of persons assembled
on the occasion, variously estimated from five to ten thousand
persons, and never in my life did I witness a better-dressed or
a more orderly and well-behaved assemblage; not a drunken or
disorderly person to be seen, and the display of taste and beauty
among the females could not well be surpassed anywhere.

During my stay of three days, I became well acquainted with
their principal men, and more particularly with their Prophet,
the celebrated "Old Joe Smith." I found them hospitable, polite,
well-informed and liberal. With Joseph Smith, the hospitality of
whose house I kindly received, I was well pleased; of course on
the subject of religion, we widely differed, but he appeared to
be quite as willing to permit me to enjoy my right of opinion,
as I think we all ought to be to let the Mormons enjoy theirs;
but instead of the ignorant and tyrannical upstart, judge my
surprise at finding him a sensible, intelligent, companionable and
gentlemanly man. In frequent conversations with him he gave me
every information that I desired, and appeared to be only pleased
at being able to do so. He appears to be much respected by all the
people about him, and has their entire confidence. He is a fine
looking man about thirty-six years of age, and has an interesting
family.

The incorporated limits of Nauvoo contains, it is said, about
seven thousand persons; the buildings are generally small and
much scattered. The Temple and Nauvoo House, now building, will
probably, in beauty of design, extent and durability, excel any
public building in the state, and will both be enclosed before
winter.

From all I saw and heard, I am led to believe that, before many
years, the city of Nauvoo will be the largest and most beautiful
city of the west, provided the Mormons are unmolested in the
peaceable enjoyment of their rights and privileges, and why
they should be troubled while acting as good citizens, I cannot
imagine; and I hope and trust that the people of Illinois have no
disposition to disturb unoffending people who have no disposition
but to live peaceably under the laws of the country, and to worship
God under their own vine and fig tree.--An Observer, Adams County.

_Extract from a Letter from Elder E. P. Maginn, Salem,
Massachusetts_.

I am on a visit to assist Elder Erastus Snow in his successful
and {567} extended field of labor in this branch. Sixty-five have
been obedient to the faith of the Gospel, and hundreds of others
almost persuaded. In Boston near forty have obeyed through the
faithful labors of Elder Freeman Nickerson. I have been absent
from Peterborough two weeks; have preached three or four times in
Boston, Salem, Marblehead, Chelsea, &c., and purpose returning to
Peterborough next Sunday, where I have been laboring with good
success, thirty-six have obeyed since last fall; at New Salem,
Massachusetts, thirty-five to forty have obeyed since August last;
Leverett, eighteen or twenty; Gilsum, New Hampshire, twenty to
thirty. I have preached from one to three times every day, and
cannot fill one in twenty of the calls for preaching; there is the
greatest excitement in this country that I ever beheld during my
travels since I left Nauvoo--a period of near three years, in which
I have traveled through eighteen states and British provinces.

_Wednesday, 23_.--In council with Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards and others at my office.

[Sidenote: Organization of the Relief Society.]

_Thursday, 24_.--I attended by request, the Female Relief Society, whose object is the relief of the poor, the destitute, the widow and the orphan, and for the exercise of all benevolent purposes. Its organization was completed this day. Mrs. Emma Smith takes the presidential chair; Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Whitney and Sarah M. Cleveland are her counselors; Mrs. Elvira Cole is treasurer, and our well-known and talented poetess, Miss Eliza R. Snow, secretary. There was a very numerous attendance at the organization of the society, and also at the subsequent meetings, of some of our most intelligent, humane, philanthropic and respectable ladies; and we are well assured from a knowledge of those pure principles of benevolence that flow spontaneously from their humane and philanthropic bosoms, that with the resources they will have at command, they will fly to the relief of the stranger; they will pour in oil and wine to the wounded heart of the distressed; they will dry up the tears of the orphan and make the widow's heart to rejoice.

[Sidenote: Character of the Mormon Women.]

Our women have always been signalized for their acts of benevolence and kindness; but the cruel usage that they {568} received from the barbarians of Missouri, has hitherto prevented their extending the hand of charity in a conspicuous manner; yet in the midst of their persecution, when the bread has been torn from their helpless offspring by their cruel oppressors, they have always been ready to open their doors to the weary traveler, to divide their scant pittance with the hungry, and from their robbed and impoverished wardrobes, to divide with the more needy and destitute; and now that they are living upon a more genial soil, and among a less barbarous people, and possess facilities that they have not heretofore enjoyed, we feel convinced that with their concentrated efforts, the condition of the suffering poor, of the stranger and the fatherless will be ameliorated.

We had the privilege of being present at their organization, and were much pleased with their _modus operandi_, and the good order that prevailed. They are strictly parliamentary in their proceedings.

An earthquake at Falmouth this morning.

_Friday, 25_.--Attending to a variety of business; counseling, &c.

[Sidenote: Mission of John Snyder.]

_Saturday, 26_.--Elder John Snyder received his final instructions from the President, and received his blessing from Elder Brigham Young, with the laying on of the hands of President Joseph Smith, John E. Page and Willard Richards, and started for England this day.

_Sunday, 27_.--After speaking to the Saints for some time on the subject of baptism for the dead, I baptized one hundred and seven individuals.

[The following brief extract is from Elder Woodruff's journal.]

_Synopsis of the Prophet's Sermon on Baptism for the Dead_.

This was an interesting day. A large assembly met in the grove near
the Temple. Brother Amasa Lyman addressed the people in a very
{569} interesting manner. He was followed by Joseph, the Seer,
who made some highly edifying and instructive remarks concerning
baptism for the dead. He said the Bible supported the doctrine,
quoting 1 Cor., xv: 29: "Else what shall they do which are baptized
for the dead, if the dead rise not at all, why are they then
baptized for the dead?" If there is one word of the Lord that
supports the doctrine of baptism for the dead, it is enough to
establish it as a true doctrine. Again; if we can, by the authority
of the Priesthood of the Son of God, baptize a man in the name of
the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, for the remission of
sins, it is just as much our privilege to act as an agent, and be
baptized for the remission of sins for and in behalf of our dead
kindred, who have not heard the Gospel, or the fullness of it.

After meeting closed, the congregation again assembled upon the
banks of the river, and Joseph, the Seer, went into the river, and
baptized all that came unto him.

I also witnessed the landing of 170 English brethren from the steamer _Ariel_, under the presidency of Elder Lyman Wight; also about $3,000 worth of goods for the Temple and Nauvoo House.

_Monday, 28_.--I was at the office. Received Parley P. Pratt's donations from England, and attended to a variety of business; as also on the 29th and 30th.

The following extract is from a letter received from Elder Lorenzo D. Barnes--

Bristol, March 28, 1842.

_Letter of Lorenzo D. Barnes to Parley P. Pratt--Reporting Labors_.

_Elder Pratt_.

Much Esteemed Brother:--I am happy to be able to state to you
that I arrived here in safety and in health on Saturday, the 26th
instant, after making a tour through a number of churches on my
way from Cheltenham, which place I left in the evening of the
14th; visited the church at Lea; in the neighborhood of which I
preached twice. I then went to Garway, where I preached five times
to overflowing congregations; from thence visited Abergavenny, and
preached three times. The work appears to be upon the onward march
in all these places. Many are inquiring after truth and embracing
it. The brethren and friends appeared very anxious for me to tarry
longer, but being desirous to commence my labors in this city, I
took my leave on Saturday, the 26th, and came _via_ Newport, by
the packet to this city, and preached {570} three times yesterday.
There appears to be a good feeling manifested here at present.
In the evening our hall was quite full, and the people listened
very attentively; persons of respectable appearance were present.
We intend getting a large hall, and putting out bills shortly.
Enclosed is an order for ten shillings, it being a donation for the
building of the Temple at Nauvoo, mostly from the branch of the
Church at Frogmarsh.

Yours in the bonds of the new covenant,

Lorenzo D. Barnes.

_Wednesday, 30_.--I met with the Female Relief Society, and gave them some instructions, of which the following brief sketch was reported by Miss Eliza R. Snow--

_Synopsis of the Prophet's Remarks to the Female Relief Society_.

President Joseph Smith arose. Spoke of the organization of the
Female Relief Society; said he was deeply interested, that it
might be built up to the Most High in an acceptable manner; that
its rules must be observed; that none should be received into
it but those who were worthy; proposed a close examination of
every candidate; that the society was growing too fast. It should
grow up by degrees, should commence with a few individuals, thus
have a select society of the virtuous, and those who would walk
circumspectly; commended them for their zeal, but said sometimes
their zeal was not according to knowledge. One principal object
of the institution was to purge out iniquity; said they must be
extremely careful in all their examinations, or the consequences
would be serious.

All difficulties which might and would cross our way must be
surmounted. Though the soul be tried, the heart faint, and the
hands hang down, we must not retrace our steps; there must be
decision of character, aside from sympathy. When instructed, we
must obey that voice, deserve the laws of the kingdom of God, that
the blessing of heaven may rest down upon us. All must act in
concert, or nothing can be done, and should move according to the
ancient Priesthood; hence the Saints should be a select people,
separate from all the evils of the world--choice, virtuous, and
holy. The Lord was going to make of the Church of Jesus Christ
a kingdom of Priests, a holy people, a chosen generation, as in
Enoch's day, having all the gifts as illustrated to the Church in
Paul's epistles and teachings to the churches in his day--that it
is the privilege of each member to live long and enjoy health. He
then blessed the Saints.

_Monday, 31_.--In council at my office with Elders {571} Brigham Young, John Taylor, Willard Richards, &c., and wrote an epistle to the Female Relief Society, and spoke to the society in the afternoon.

_Friday, April 1, 1842_.--I was engaged in the general business office.

"_Try the Spirits"--The Prophet's Editorial in the Times and
Seasons_.

Recent occurrences that have transpired amongst us render it an
imperative duty devolving upon me to say something in relation to
the spirits by which men are actuated.

It is evident from the Apostles' writings, that many false spirits
existed in their day, and had "gone forth into the world," and
that it needed intelligence which God alone could impart to detect
false spirits, and to prove what spirits were of God. The world in
general have been grossly ignorant in regard to this one thing, and
why should they be otherwise--"for no man knows the things of God,
but by the Spirit of God."

The Egyptians were not able to discover the difference between the
miracles of Moses and those of the magicians until they came to
be tested together; and if Moses had not appeared in their midst,
they would unquestionably have thought that the miracles of the
magicians were performed through the mighty power of God, for they
were great miracles that were performed by them--a supernatural
agency was developed, and great power manifested.

The witch of Endor is a no less singular personage; clothed with a
powerful agency she raised the Prophet Samuel from his grave, and
he appeared before the astonished king, and revealed unto him his
future destiny. Who is to tell whether this woman is of God, and
a righteous woman--or whether the power she possessed was of the
devil, and she a witch as represented by the Bible? It is easy for
us to say now, but if we had lived in her day, which of us could
have unravelled the mystery?

It would have been equally as difficult for us to tell by what
spirit the Apostles prophesied, or by what power the Apostles spoke
and worked miracles. Who could have told whether the power of
Simon, the sorcerer, was of God or of the devil?

There always did, in every age, seem to be a lack of intelligence
pertaining to this subject. Spirits of all kinds have been
manifested, in every age, and almost amongst all people. If we go
among the pagans, they have their spirits; the Mohammedans, the
Jews, the Christians, the Indians--all have their spirits, all have
a supernatural agency, and all contend that their spirits are of
God. Who shall solve the mystery? "Try the spirits," says John, but
who is to do it? The learned, the {572} eloquent, the philosopher,
the sage, the divine--all are ignorant. The heathens will boast
of their gods, and of the great things that have been unfolded by
their oracles. The Mussulman will boast of his Koran, and of the
divine communications that his progenitors have received. The Jews
have had numerous instances, both ancient and modern, among them
of men who have professed to be inspired, and sent to bring about
great events, and the Christian world has not been slow in making
up the number.

"Try the spirits," but what by? Are we to try them by the creeds of
men? What preposterous folly--what sheer ignorance--what madness!
Try the motions and actions of an eternal being (for I contend that
all spirits are such) by a thing that was conceived in ignorance,
and brought forth in folly--a cobweb of yesterday! Angels would
hide their faces, and devils would be ashamed and insulted, and
would say, "Paul we know, and Jesus we know, but who are ye?" Let
each man of society make a creed and try evil spirits by it, and
the devil would shake his sides; it is all that he would ask--all
that he would desire. Yet many of them do this, and hence "many
spirits are abroad in the world."

One great evil is, that men are ignorant of the nature of
spirits; their power, laws, government, intelligence, &c., and
imagine that when there is anything like power, revelation, or
vision manifested, that it must be of God. Hence the Methodists,
Presbyterians, and others frequently possess a spirit that will
cause them to lie down, and during its operation, animation is
frequently entirely suspended; they consider it to be the power
of God, and a glorious manifestation from God--a manifestation of
what? Is there any intelligence communicated? Are the curtains
of heaven withdrawn, or the purposes of God developed? Have they
seen and conversed with an angel--or have the glories of futurity
burst upon their view? No! but their body has been inanimate, the
operation of their spirit suspended, and all the intelligence that
can be obtained from them when they arise, is a shout of "glory,"
or "hallelujah," or some incoherent expression; but they have had
"the power."

The Shaker will whirl around on his heel, impelled by a
supernatural agency or spirit, and think that he is governed by the
Spirit of God; and the Jumper will jump and enter into all kinds of
extravagances. A Primitive Methodist will shout under the influence
of that spirit, until he will rend the heavens with his cries;
while the Quakers (or Friends) moved as they think, by the Spirit
of God, will sit still and say nothing. Is God the author of all
this? If not of all of it, which does He recognize? Surely, such a
heterogeneous mass of confusion never can enter into the kingdom of
heaven.

{573} Every one of these professes to be competent to try his
neighbor's spirit, but no one can try his own, and what is the
reason? Because they have not a key to unlock, no rule wherewith
to measure, and no criterion whereby they can test it. Could any
one tell the length, breadth or height of a building without a
rule? test the quality of metals without a criterion, or point
out the movements of the planetary systems, without a knowledge
of astronomy? Certainly not; and if such ignorance as this is
manifested about a spirit of this kind, who can describe an angel
of light? If Satan should appear as one in glory, who can tell his
color, his signs, his appearance, his glory?--or what is the manner
of his manifestation? Who can detect the spirit of the French
prophets with their revelations and their visions, and power of
manifestations? Or who can point out the spirit of the Irvingites,
with their apostles and prophets, and visions and tongues, and
interpretations, &c., &c. Or who can drag into daylight and develop
the hidden mysteries of the false spirits that so frequently are
made manifest among the Latter-day Saints? We answer that no man
can do this without the Priesthood, and having a knowledge of
the laws by which spirits are governed; for as "no man knows the
things of God, but by the Spirit of God," so no man knows the
spirit of the devil, and his power and influence, but by possessing
intelligence which is more than human, and having unfolded through
the medium of the Priesthood the mysterious operations of his
devices; without knowing the angelic form, the sanctified look and
gesture, and the zeal that is frequently manifested by him for the
glory of God, together with the prophetic spirit, the gracious
influence, the godly appearance, and the holy garb, which are so
characteristic of his proceedings and his mysterious windings.

A man must have the discerning of spirits before he can drag into
daylight this hellish influence and unfold it unto the world in all
its soul-destroying, diabolical, and horrid colors; for nothing
is a greater injury to the children of men than to be under the
influence of a false spirit when they think they have the Spirit of
God. Thousands have felt the influence of its terrible power and
baneful effects. Long pilgrimages have been undertaken, penances
endured, and pain, misery and ruin have followed in their train;
nations have been convulsed, kingdoms overthrown, provinces laid
waste, and blood, carnage and desolation are habiliments in which
it has been clothed.

The Turks, the Hindoos, the Jews, the Christians, the Indian; in
fact all nations have been deceived, imposed upon and injured
through the mischievous effects of false spirits.

As we have noticed before, the great difficulty lies in the
ignorance of the nature of spirits, of the laws by which they are
governed, and the signs by which they may be known; if it requires
the Spirit of God {574} to know the things of God; and the spirit
of the devil can only be unmasked through that medium, then it
follows as a natural consequence that unless some person or persons
have a communication, or revelation from God, unfolding to them the
operation of the spirit, they must eternally remain ignorant of
these principles; for I contend that if one man cannot understand
these things but by the Spirit of God, ten thousand men cannot; it
is alike out of the reach of the wisdom of the learned, the tongue
of the eloquent, the power of the mighty. And we shall at last have
to come to this conclusion, whatever we may think of revelation,
that without it we can neither know nor understand anything of God,
or the devil; and however unwilling the world may be to acknowledge
this principle, it is evident from the multifarious creeds and
notions concerning this matter that they understand nothing of
this principle, and it is equally as plain that without a divine
communication they must remain in ignorance. The world always
mistook false prophets for true ones, and those that were sent of
God, they considered to be false prophets, and hence they killed,
stoned, punished and imprisoned the true prophets, and these had
to hide themselves "in deserts and dens, and caves of the earth,"
and though the most honorable men of the earth, they banished them
from their society as vagabonds, whilst they cherished, honored and
supported knaves, vagabonds, hypocrites, impostors, and the basest
of men.

A man must have the discerning of spirits, as we before stated,
to understand these things, and how is he to obtain this gift
if there are no gifts of the Spirit? And how can these gifts be
obtained without revelation? Christ ascended into heaven, and
gave gifts to men; and He gave some Apostles, and some Prophets,
and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers. And how were
Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers and Evangelists chosen? By
prophecy (revelation) and by laying on of hands:--by a divine
communication, and a divinely appointed ordinance--through the
medium of the Priesthood, organized according to the order of God,
by divine appointment. The Apostles in ancient times held the
keys of this Priesthood--of the mysteries of the kingdom of God,
and consequently were enabled to unlock and unravel all things
pertaining to the government of the Church, the welfare of society,
the future destiny of men, and the agency, power and influence of
spirits; for they could control them at pleasure, bid them depart
in the name of Jesus, and detect their mischievous and mysterious
operations when trying to palm themselves upon the Church in a
religious garb, and militate against the interest of the Church and
spread of truth. We read that they "cast out devils in the name of
Jesus," and when a woman possessing the spirit of divination, cried
before Paul and Silas, "these are the servants of the Most High God
that show unto us the way of salvation," they detected the {575}
spirit. And although she spake favorably of them, Paul commanded
the spirit to come out of her, and saved themselves from the
opprobrium that might have been heaped upon their heads, through
an alliance with her, in the development of her wicked principles,
which they certainly would have been charged with, if they had not
rebuked the evil spirit.

A power similar to this existed through the medium of the
Priesthood in different ages. Moses could detect the magician's
power, and show that he [himself] was God's servant--he knew when
he was upon the mountain (through revelation) that Israel was
engaged in idolatry; he could develop the sin of Korah, Dathan and
Abiram, detect witches and wizards in their proceedings, and point
out the true prophets of the Lord. Joshua knew how to detect the
man who had stolen the wedge of gold and the Babylonish garment.
Michaiah could point out the false spirit by which the four hundred
prophets were governed; and if his advice had been taken, many
lives would have been spared, (II Chronicles xviii) Elijah, Elisha,
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and many other prophets possessed this
power. Our Savior, the Apostles, and even the members of the
Church were endowed with this gift, for, says Paul, (I Corinthians
xii), "To one is given the gift of tongues, to another the
interpretation of tongues, to another the working of miracles, to
another prophecy, to another the discerning of spirits." All these
proceeded from the same Spirit of God, and were the gifts of God.
The Ephesian church were enabled by this principle, "to try those
that said they were apostles, and were not, and found them liars,"
(Revelation ii: 2.)

In tracing the thing to the foundation, and looking at it
philosophically, we shall find a very material difference between
the body and the spirit; the body is supposed to be organized
matter, and the spirit, by many, is thought to be immaterial,
without substance. With this latter statement we should beg leave
to differ, and state that spirit is a substance; that it is
material, but that it is more pure, elastic and refined matter
than the body; that it existed before the body, can exist in the
body; and will exist separate from the body, when the body will
be mouldering in the dust; and will in the resurrection, be again
united with it.

Without attempting to describe this mysterious connection, and
the laws that govern the body and the spirit of man, their
relationship to each other, and the design of God in relation to
the human body and spirit, I would just remark, that the spirits
of men are eternal, that they are governed by the same Priesthood
that Abraham, Melchizedek, and the Apostles were: that they are
organized according to that Priesthood which is everlasting,
"without beginning of days or end of years,"--that they all move in
their respective spheres, and are governed by the law of God; that
when they appear upon the earth they are in a {576} probationary
state, and are preparing, if righteous, for a future and greater
glory; that the spirits of good men cannot interfere with the
wicked beyond their prescribed bounds, for Michael, the Archangel,
dared not bring a railing accusation against the devil, but said,
"The Lord rebuke thee, Satan."

It would seem also, that wicked spirits have their bounds, limits,
and laws by which they are governed or controlled, and know their
future destiny; hence, those that were in the maniac said to our
Savior, "Art thou come to torment us before the time," and when
Satan presented himself before the Lord, among the sons of God, he
said that he came "from going to and fro in the earth, and from
wandering up and down in it;" and he is emphatically called the
prince of the power of the air; and, it is very evident that they
possess a power that none but those who have the Priesthood can
control, as we have before adverted to, in the case of the sons of
Sceva.

Having said so much upon general principles, without referring to
the peculiar situation, power, and influence of the magicians of
Egypt, the wizards and witches of the Jews, the oracles of the
heathen, their necromancers, soothsayers, and astrologers, the
maniacs or those possessed of devils in the Apostles' days, we will
notice, and try to detect (so far as we have the Scriptures for our
aid) some few instances of the development of false spirits in more
modern times, and in this our day.

The "French Prophets" were possessed of a spirit that deceived;
they existed in Vivaris and Dauphany, in great numbers in the year
1688; there were many boys and girls from seven to twenty-five;
they had strange fits, as in tremblings and faintings, which made
them stretch out their legs and arms, as in a swoon; they remained
awhile in trances, and coming out of them, uttered all that came in
their mouths [see Buck's Theological Dictionary].

Now God never had any prophets that acted in this way; there was
nothing indecorous in the proceeding of the Lord's prophets in any
age; neither had the apostles, nor prophets in the apostles's day
anything of this kind. Paul says, "Ye may all prophesy, one by
one; and if anything be revealed to another let the first hold his
peace, for the spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets;"
but here we find that the prophets are subject to the spirit, and
falling down, have twitchings, tumblings, and faintings through the
influence of that spirit, being entirely under its control. Paul
says, "Let everything be done decently and in order," but here we
find the greatest disorder and indecency in the conduct of both men
and women, as above described. The same rule would apply to the
fallings, twitchings, swoonings, shaking, and trances of many of
our modern revivalists.

{577} Johanna Southcott professed to be a prophetess, and wrote a
book of prophecies in 1804, she became the founder of a people that
are still extant. She was to bring forth, in a place appointed,
a son, that was to be the Messiah, which thing has failed.
Independent of this, however, where do we read of a woman that was
the founder of a church, in the word of God? Paul told the women in
his day, "To keep silence in the church, and that if they wished to
know anything to ask their husbands at home;" he would not suffer a
woman "to rule, or to usurp authority in the church;" but here we
find a woman the founder of a church, the revelator and guide, the
Alpha and Omega, contrary to all acknowledged rule, principle, and
order.

Jemimah Wilkinson was another prophetess that figured largely
in America, in the last century. She stated that she was taken
sick and died, and that her soul went to heaven, where it still
continues. Soon after, her body was reanimated with the spirit and
power of Christ, upon which she set up as a public teacher, and
declared that she had an immediate revelation. Now the Scriptures
positively assert that "Christ is the first fruit, afterwards
those that are Christ's at His coming, then cometh the end." But
Jemimah, according to her testimony, died, and rose again before
the time mentioned in the Scriptures. The idea of her soul being in
heaven while her body was [living] on earth, is also preposterous.
When God breathed into man's nostrils, he became a living soul,
before that he did not live, and when that was taken away his body
died; and so did our Savior when the spirit left the body, nor
did His body live until His spirit returned in the power of His
resurrection. But Mrs. Wilkinson's soul [life] was in heaven, and
her body without the soul [or life] on earth, living [without the
soul, or] without life!

The Irvingites, are a people that have counterfeited the truth,
perhaps the nearest of any of our modern sectarians. They commenced
about ten years ago in the city of London, in England; they have
churches formed in various parts of England and Scotland, and some
few in Upper Canada. Mr. Irving, their founder, was a learned
and talented minister of the Church of Scotland, he was a great
logician, and a powerful orator, but withal wild and enthusiastic
in his views. Moving in the higher circles, and possessing talent
and zeal, placed him in a situation to become a conspicuous
character, and to raise up a society similar to that which is
called after his name.

The Irvingites have apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers,
evangelists, and angels. They profess to have the gift of tongues,
and the interpretation of tongues, and, in some few instances, to
have the gift of healing.

The first prophetic spirit that was manifested was in some Misses
{578} Campbell that Mr. Irving met with, while on a journey in
Scotland; they had [what is termed among their sect] "utterances,"
which were evidently of a supernatural agency. Mr. Irving,
falling into the common error of considering all supernatural
manifestations to be of God, took them to London with him, and
introduced them into his church.

They were there honored as the prophetesses of God, and when they
spoke, Mr. Irving or any of his ministers had to keep silence.
They were peculiarly wrought upon before the congregation, and
had strange utterances, uttered with an unnatural, shrill voice,
and with thrilling intonations they frequently made use of a few
broken, unconnected sentences, that were ambiguous, incoherent, and
incomprehensible; at other times they were more clearly understood.
They would frequently cry out, "There is iniquity! There is
iniquity!" And Mr. Irving has been led, under the influence of this
charge, to fall down upon his knees before the public congregation,
and to confess his sin, not knowing whether he had sinned, nor
wherein, nor whether the thing referred to him, or somebody else.
During these operations, the bodies of the persons speaking were
powerfully wrought upon, their countenances were distorted, they
had frequent twitchings in their hands, and the whole system was
powerfully convulsed at intervals: they sometimes, however, (it is
supposed) spoke in correct tongues, and had true interpretations.

Under the influence of this spirit the church was organized by
these women; apostles, prophets, &c. were soon called, and a
systematic order of things introduced, as above mentioned. A Mr.
Baxter (afterwards one of their principal prophets) upon going
into one of their meetings, says, "I saw a power manifested, and
thought that was the power of God, and asked that it might fall
upon me, and it did so, and I began to prophesy." Eight or nine
years ago they had about sixty preachers going through the streets
of London, testifying that London was to be the place where the
"two witnesses" spoken of by John, were to prophesy; that (they)
"the church and the spirit were the witnesses, and that at the
end of three years and a half there was to be an earthquake and
great destruction, and our Savior was to come. Their apostles were
collected together at the appointed time watching the event, but
Jesus did not come, and the prophecy was then ambiguously explained
away. They frequently had signs given them by the spirit to prove
to them that what was manifested to them should take place. Mr.
Baxter related an impression that he had concerning a child. It was
manifested to him that he should visit the child, and lay hands
upon it, and that it should be healed; and to prove to him that
this was of God, he should meet his brother in a certain place,
who should speak unto him certain words. His brother addressed
him precisely in the way {579} and manner that the manifestation
designated. The sign took place, but when he laid his hands upon
the child it did not recover. I cannot vouch for the authority
of the last statement, as Mr. Baxter at that time had left the
Irvingites, but it is in accordance with many of their proceedings,
and the thing never has been attempted to be denied."

It may be asked, where is there anything in all this that is wrong?

1st. The church was organized by women, and God placed in the
Church (first apostles, secondarily prophets), and not first women;
but Mr. Irving placed in his church first women (secondarily
apostles), and the church was founded and organized by them. A
woman has no right to found or organize a church--God never sent
them to do it.

2nd. Those women would speak in the midst of a meeting, and rebuke
Mr. Irving or any of the church. Now the Scripture positively says,
"Thou shalt not rebuke an Elder, but entreat him as a father:" not
only this, but they frequently accused the brethren, thus placing
themselves in the seat of Satan, who is emphatically called "the
accuser of the brethren."

3rd. Mr. Baxter received the spirit on asking for it, without
attending to the ordinances, and began to prophesy, whereas the
scriptural way of attaining the gift of the Holy Ghost is by
baptism, and by laying on of hands.

4th. As we have stated in regard to others, the spirit of the
prophets is subject to the prophets; but those prophets were
subject to the spirits, the spirits controlling their bodies at
pleasure.

But it may be asked how Mr. Baxter could get a sign from a second
person? To this we would answer, that Mr. Baxter's brother was
under the influence of the same spirit as himself, and being
subject to that spirit he could be easily made to speak to Mr.
Baxter whatever the spirit should dictate; but there was not power
in the spirit to heal the child.

Again it may be asked, how it was that they could speak in tongues
if they were of the devil! We would answer that they could be made
to speak in another tongue, as well as their own, as they were
under the control of that spirit, and the devil can tempt the
Hottentot, the Turk, the Jew, or any other nation; and if these men
were under the influence of his spirit, they of course could speak
Hebrew, Latin, Greek, Italian, Dutch, or any other language that
the devil knew.

Some will say, "try the spirits" by the word. "Every spirit that
confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God, and
every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the
flesh is not of God." John 4: 2, 3. One of the Irvingites once
quoted this passage whilst under the influence of a spirit, and
then said, "I confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh." And
yet these prophecies failed, {580} their Messiah did not come; and
the great things spoken of by them have fallen to the ground. What
is the matter here? Did not the Apostle speak the truth? Certainly
he did--but he spoke to a people who were under the penalty of
death, the moment they embraced Christianity; and no one without
a knowledge of the fact would confess it, and expose themselves
to death, and this was consequently given as a criterion to the
church or churches to which John wrote. But the devil on a certain
occasion cried out, "I know thee, who thou art, the Holy One of
God!" Here was a frank acknowledgment under other circumstances
that "Jesus had come in the flesh." On another occasion the devil
said, "Paul we know, and Jesus we know"--of course, "come in the
flesh." No man nor set of men without the regular constituted
authorities, the Priesthood and discerning of spirits, can tell
true from false spirits. This power they possessed in the Apostles'
day, but it has departed from the world for ages.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has also had its
false spirits; and as it is made up of all those different sects
professing every variety of opinion, and having been under the
influence of so many kinds of spirits, it is not to be wondered at
if there should be found among us false spirits.

Soon after the Gospel was established in Kirtland, and during the
absence of the authorities of the Church, many false spirits were
introduced, many strange visions were seen, and wild, enthusiastic
notions were entertained; men ran out of doors under the influence
of this spirit, and some of them got upon the stumps of trees and
shouted, and all kinds of extravagances were entered into by them;
one man pursued a ball that he said he saw flying in the air, until
he came to a precipice, when he jumped into the top of a tree,
which saved his life; and many ridiculous things were entered into,
calculated to bring disgrace upon the Church of God, to cause the
Spirit of God to be withdrawn, and to uproot and destroy those
glorious principles which had been developed for the salvation of
the human family. But when the authorities returned, the spirit was
made manifest, those members that were exercised with it were tried
for their fellowship, and those that would not repent and forsake
it were cut off.

At a subsequent period a Shaker spirit was on the point of being
introduced, and at another time the Methodist and Presbyterian
falling down power, but the spirit was rebuked and put down,
and those who would not submit to rule and good order were
disfellowshiped. We have also had brethren and sisters who have
had the gift of tongues falsely; they would speak in a muttering
unnatural voice, and their bodies be distorted like the Irvingites
before alluded to; whereas, there is nothing unnatural in the
Spirit of God. A circumstance of this kind {581} took place in
Upper Canada, but was rebuked by the presiding Elder; another, a
woman near the same place, professed to have the discerning of
spirits, and began to _accuse_ another sister of things that she
was not guilty of, which she said she knew was so by the spirit,
but was afterwards proven to be false; she placed herself in the
capacity of the "_accuser_ of the brethren," and no person through
the discerning of spirits can bring a charge against another, they
must be proven guilty by positive evidence, or they stand clear.

There have also been ministering angels in the Church which were
of Satan appearing as an angel of light. A sister in the state
of New York had a vision, who said it was told her that if she
would go to a certain place in the woods, an angel would appear to
her. She went at the appointed time, and saw a glorious personage
descending, arrayed in white, with sandy colored hair; he commenced
and told her to fear God, and said that her husband was called to
do great things, but that he must not go more than one hundred
miles from home, or he would not return; whereas God had called him
to go to the ends of the earth, and he has since been more than one
thousand miles from home, and is yet alive. Many true things were
spoken by this personage, and many things that were false. How, it
may be asked, was this known to be a bad angel? By the color of his
hair; that is one of the signs that he can be known by, and by his
contradicting a former revelation.

We have also had brethren and sisters who have written revelations,
and who have started forward to lead this Church. Such was a young
boy in Kirtland, Isaac Russel, of Missouri, and Gladden Bishop, and
Oliver Olney of Nauvoo. The boy is now living with his parents who
have submitted to the laws of the Church. Mr. Russell stayed in Far
West, from whence he was to go to the Rocky Mountains, led by three
Nephites; but the Nephites never came, and his friends forsook him,
all but some of the blood relations, who have since been nearly
destroyed by the mob. Mr. Bishop was tried by the High Council, his
papers examined, condemned and burned, and he cut off the Church.
He acknowledged the justice of the decision, and said "that he now
saw his error, for if he had been governed by the revelations given
before, he might have known that no man was to write revelations
for the Church, but Joseph Smith," and begged to be prayed for, and
forgiven by the brethren. Mr. Olney has also been tried by the High
Council and disfellowshiped, because he would not have his writings
tested by the word of God; evidently proving that he loves darkness
rather than light, because his deeds are evil.

{582}