-- Mar 11, 1843
[Joseph Smith Diary] Saturday, March 11th Too cold last night as to freeze water in the warmest rooms in the city. River filled with anchor ice. 8 1/2 o'clock in the office, Joseph said he had tea with his breakfast. His wife asked him if [it] was good. He said if it was a little stronger he should like it better, when Mother Granger remarked, "It is so strong and good I should think it would answer Both for drink and food."
A dream then related. Night before last I [Joseph] dreamed that an /old/ man came to me /and said/ there was a mob force coming upon him, and he was likely to loose his life, that I was Lieut[enant] General and had the command of a large force. I was also a patriot and disposed to protect the innocent and unoffending and wanted I should assist him. I told him I wanted some written documents to show the facts that they are the agressors, and I would raise a force sufficient for his protection, that I would call out the Legion. He turned to go from me, but turned again and said to me. "I have any amount of men at my command and will put them under your command."
The words of Joseph: "While conversing about the sign in the heavens last evening, as sure as there is a God who sits enthroned in the heavens, and as sure as he ever spoke by me. So sure there will be a speedy and bloody war, and the broad sword seen last evening is the sure sign thereof."/ ... (1)
-- Mar 15, 1843
[Joseph Smith Diary] Wednesday, March 15th Dictated a letter to G[eorge] J. Adams [and] read letter from Butterfield and [James] Arlington Bennet. Signed deeds for Sister Granger and Smith and Alread.
Spent the day mostly in the office. Gave the following [new] name to the ''Wasp" enlarged as is contemplated "The Nauvoo Neighbor", [with the following in the masthead:] "Our Motto, the Saints Singularity" "Is unity, liberty, charity".
Joseph prophecied in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that [Orrin] Porter Rockwell will get away from the Missourians.
Told [Peter] Hawes he must curtail his boys or they will get into State Prison.
Dream, last night dreamed of swimming in a river of pure water, clear as crystal, over a school of fish of the largest /size/ I ever saw. They were directly under my belly. I was astonished and felt afraid they might drown me or do me injury. They were the largest I ever saw.
Conversed much about Porter, wishing the boy well. (1)
-- Apr 2, 1843
(1) (Sunday Afternoon). Ramus, Illinois.
William Clayton Diary
P.M. Joseph preached on Revelations chap. 5. he called on me to open the meeting. He also preached on the same subject in the evening. During the day president Joseph made the following remarks on doctrine. "I was once praying very ernestly to know the time of the coming of the son of man when I heard a voice repeat the following 'Joseph my son, if thou livest untill thou art 85 years old thou shalt see the face of the son of man, therefore let this suffice and trouble me no more on this matter.' I was left thus without being able to decide wether this coming referred to the beginning of the Millenium, or to some previous appearing, or wether I should die and thus see his face. I believe the coming of the son of man will not be any sooner than that time." In correcting two points in Er Hydes discourse he observed as follows, "The meaning of that passage where it reads 'when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is' is this, When the savior appears w
eshall see that he is a man like unto ourselves, and that same sociality which exists amongst us here will exist among us there only it will be coupled with eternal glory which we do not enjoy now. Also the appearing of the father and the son in John c 14 v 23 is a personal appearing and the idea that they will dwell in a mans heart is a sectarian doctrine and is false"
In answer to a question which I [William Clayton] proposed to him as follows, 'Is not the reckoning of gods time, angels time, prophets time & mans time according to the planet on which they reside['] he answered yes "But there is no angel ministers to this earth only what either does belong or has belonged to this earth and the angels do not reside on a planet like our earth but they dwell with God and the planet where he dwells is like crystal, and like a sea of glass before the throne. This is the great Urim & Thummim whereon all things are manifest both things past, present & future and are continually before the Lord. The Urim & Thummim is a small representation of this globe. The earth when it is purified will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim & Thummim whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom or all kingdoms of a lower order will be manifest to those who dwell on it. and this earth will be with Christ Then the white stone mentioned in Rev. c 2 v
17 isthe Urim & Thummim whereby all things pertaining to an higher order of kingdoms even all kingdoms will be made known and a white stone is given to each of those who come into this celestial kingdom, whereon is a new name written which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it. The new name is the key word.
"Whatever principle of intelligence we obtain in this life will rise with us in the ressurection: and if a person gains more knowledge in this life through his diligence & obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come. There is a law irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundation of this world upon which all blessings are predicated; and when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.
"The Holy Ghost is a personage, and a person cannot have the personage of the H. G. in his heart. A man receive the gifts of the H. G., and the H. G. may descend upon a man but not to tarry with him.["]
He also related the following dream. "I dreamed that silver-headed old man came to see me and said he was invaded by a gang of robbers, who were plundering his neighbors and threatening distruction to all his subjects. He had heard that I always sought to defend the oppressed, and he had come to hear with his own ears what answer I would give him. I answered, if you will make out the papers and shew that you are not the agressor I will call out the Legion and defend you while I have a man to stand by me. The old man then turned to go away. When he got a little distance he turned suddenly round and said I must call out the Legion and go and he would have the papers ready when I arrived, and says he I have any amount of men which you can have under your command.
[Note: the above paragraph is crossed through with a penciled line and at the beginning in handwriting that is not William Clayton's, a comment simply says "repeated his of 10 March." ]
Er Hyde gave this interpretation "The old man represents the government of these United States who will be invaded by a foreign foe, probably England. The U. S. government will call on you to defend probably all this Western Territory, and will offer you any amount of men you may need for that purpose.
Once when prest. Joseph was praying ernestly to know concerning the wars which are to preceed the coming of the son of man, he heard a voice proclaim that the first outbreak of general bloodshed would commence at South Carolina---see Revelation
The sealing of the 144000 was the number of priests who should be anointed to administer in the daily sacrifice &c. During Prest. Joseph's remarks he said their was a nice distinction between the vision which John saw as spoken of in Revelations & the vision which Daniel saw, the former relating only to things as they actually existed in heaven---the latter being a figure representing things on the earth. God never made use of the figure of a beast to represent the kingdom of heaven---when they were made use of it was to represent an apostate church.
Joseph Smith Diary, by Willard Richards
1. P.M. attended meeting. Joseph read 5th Chapter of [DEL: Johns :DEL] revelation. referring particularly to the 6th verse. showing from that the actual existence of beasts in heaven probable those were beasts which had lived on another planet than ours---
God never made use of the figure of a beast to represent the kingdom of heaven.---Beasts 7 eyes Priesthood. ---this is the first time I have ever taken a text in Revelation.---and if the young elders would let such things alone it would be far better.---then corrected Elder Hyde as in private. [We here include the text of the corrections made to Orson Hyde]
after breakfast called on Sister Sophronia 10 A. M. to meeting. Elder Hyde Preached 1 epistle John 1. chap 1st 3 verses---when he shall appear we shall be like him &c. he will appear on a white horse, as a warrior, & maybe we shall have some of the same spirit.---our god is a warrior.---John 14.23---it is our privilege to have the father & son dwelling in our hearts.
ÃÂdined at Sophrona's & soon as we arrived.---Elder Hyde I am going to offer some corrections to you. Elder H. replied---they shall be thankfully received.---When he shall appear we shall see him as he is. we shall see that he is a Man like ourselves.---And that same sociality which exists amongst us here will exist among us there only it will be coupled with eternal glory which glory we do not now enjoy.
14 John 23.---the appearing of the father and of the Son in that verse is a personal appearance.---to say that the father and the Son dwell in a mans heart is an old Sectarian notion. and is not correct.
There are no angels who administer to this earth but who belong or have belonged to this earth. The angels do not reside on a planet like this earth. but they reside in the presence of God---but on a Globe like a sea of glass & fire. "Sea of glass before the throne, &c." where all things are manifest past present & to come.---The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummin. This earth in its sanctified & immortal state will be a Urim & Thummin for all things below it in the scale of creation, but not above it. ---related the Dream written on page 3d Book B Interpretation By O. Hyde--- [The dream referred to is located at the beginning of the second volume of Joseph Smith's Diary under the date 11 March 1843 and is as follows:]
A dream, then related. Night before last I dreamed that an old man come to me and said there was a mob force coming upon him, and he was likely to loose his life, that I was Lieut General and had the command of a large force, and I was also a patriot and disposed to protect the innocent & unoffending. & wanted I should assist him. I told him I wanted some written documents to show the facts that they are the aggressors, & I would raise a force sufficient for his protection, that I would call out the Legion,---He turned to go from me, but turned again and said to me. "I have any amount of men [DEL: at my command :DEL] and will put them under your command." [Then follows the] Interpretation by O. Hyde---
old man.---Government of these United States, who will be invaded by a foreign foe. probably England. U. S. Government will call on Gen Smith to defend probably all this western territory and offer him any amount of men he shall desire & put them under his command.
I prophecy in the Name of the Lord God that the commencement of bloodshed as preparatory to the coming of the son of man. will commence in South Carolina,---(it probably may come through the slave trade.)---this the voice declared to me. while I was praying earnestly on the subject 25 December 1832. ---
I earnestly desired to know concerning the coming of the Son of Man & prayed, when a voice Said to me, Joseph, my son, if thou livest until thou art 85 years old thou shalt see the face of the son of man. therefore let this suffice & trouble me no more on this matter --- (2)
Footnotes:
1 - Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1843
2 - The Words of Joseph Smith by Joseph Smith by Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook
Mormon Timeline: Dreams
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