[Lucy Mack Smith] At a family blessing meeting, Joseph Sr. refers to his and Lucy's firstborn dead son (Lucy later remembered this child as a daughter) and at least one occasion when he had been intoxicated. He pronounces patriarchal blessings on members of the family, recorded by Oliver Cowdery. (1)
-- 1834: 9 December
[Patriarchal Blessings] Hyrum Smith. (Given by Joseph Smith, Sen.)
"Hyrum, thou art my oldest son whom the Lord has spared unto me: my eldest was taken at an untimely age, but thy next brother, whom thou didst love, around whose heart thine affections were twined, has been taken in the vigor of youth, even in the morning of his days: his seat is vacant this day, but his spirit is at rest. Wo be to the man who sought his fall, by which means he was deprived of leaving seed to rise up in his inheritance to call him blessed. I, therefore, that his name may not be forgotten, make this mention of him, in thy blessing, that it may be recorded with the same, for my posterity to look upon; and as you are now my eldest, your seed may look upon this in after years and remember the sorrows of thy father, and the sorrows of my family: God is just, and he will reward the enemy of my son four fould. So much I have found in my heart to say, to perpetuate the memory of thy brother, who was an upright man. Behold, thou art Hyrum; the Lord has called thee by
that name, and by that name he has blessed thee. Thou has borne the burden and heat of the day; thou hast toiled hard and labored much for the good of thy father's family: thou has been a stay many times to them, and by thy diligence they have often been sustained. Thou has loved thy father's family with a pure love, and hast greatly desired their salvation: Thou has always stood by thy father, and reached forth the helping hand to lift him up when he was in affliction; and though he has been out of the way through wine, thou has never forsaken him nor laughed him to scorn. for all these kindnesses the Lord my god will bless thee. I now ask my heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, to bless the[e] with the same blessings with which Jacob blessed his son Joseph; for thou art his true descendant, and thy posterity shall be numbered with the house of Ephraim, and with them thou shalt stand up to crown the tribes of Israel, when they come shouting to Zion. Thou shalt liv
e to see thy Redeemer come in the clouds of heaven and thou shalt lift up thy head with gladness and hail the holy throng with uplifted hands. Thou shalt stand before kings and rulers, and bear testimony of the Lord. Thou shalt proclaim the gospel to many nations, and bring many souls to the knowledge of the truth: Thou are numbered with the horns of Joseph, for thou shalt push many people together. Thou shalt escape the hands of thine enemies, and triumph over all who oppose thy way, in truth. Thou shalt be blessed with the good things of this earth in rich abundance: the Lord will multiply his choice blessings upon thee and thy seed after thee and thou, with them, shall have an inheritance in Zion; and they shall possess it from generation to generation, and thy name shall never be blotted out from among the just, for the righteous shall rise up, and also thy children after thee, and say thy memory is just; that thou wert a just man, and perfect in thy day. Thy name is wri
tten in heaven, and thy salvation sealed on high, even so. Amen." (From typescript, private collection.) [Age, 34; Scribe, Oliver Cowdery.] (2)
Footnotes:
1 - Anderson, Lavina Fielding, Editor, Lucy's Book: A Critical Edition of Lucy Mack Smith's Family Memoir, 2001, Signature Books, http://bit.ly/lucys-book
2 - Selected LDS Patriarchal Blessings, New Mormon Studies CD ROM, Signature Book, 2009, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
LDS History Chronology: the Word of Wisdom
Mormon Timeline: the Word of Wisdom
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
