-- Jun 22, 1856 (Afternoon)
[Brigham Young Sermon] ... In the first rise of the Church, when the gifts of the Gospel were bestowed on an individual, or upon individuals, the people could not understand but that the giver of the gift gave also the exercise of it; how much labor the Elders that understood this matter have had to make it plain to the understandings of the people. Take, for instance, the gift of tongues; years ago in this Church you could find men of age, and seemingly of experience, who would preach and raise up Branches, and when quite young boys or girls would get up and speak in tongues, and others interpret, and perhaps that interpretation instructing the Elders who brought them into the Church, they would turn round and say, '"I know my duty, this is the word of the Lord to me and I must do as these boys or girls have spoken in tongues.'" You ask one of the Elders if they understand things so now, and they will say, '"No, the gifts are from the Lord, and we are agents to use them as we please.'" If a man is called to be a Prophet, and the gift of prophecy is poured upon him, though he afterwards actually defies the power of God and turns away from the holy commandments, that man will continue in his gift and will prophecy lies. He will make false prophecies, yet he will do it by the spirit of prophecy; he will feel that he is a prophet and can prophecy, but he does it by another spirit and power than that which was given him of the Lord. He uses the gift as much as you and I use ours. The gift of seeing with the natural eyes is just as much a gift as the gift of tongues. The Lord gave that gift and we can do as we please with regard to seeing; we can use the sight of the eye to the glory of God, or to our own destruction. The gift of taste is the gift of God, we can use that to feed and pamper the lusts of the flesh, or we can use it to the glory of God. The gift of communicating one with another is the gift of God, just as much so as the gift of prophecy, of discerning spirits, of tongues, of healing, or any other gift, though sight, taste, and speech, are so generally bestowed that they are not considered in the same miraculous light as are those gifts mentioned in the Gospel. We can use these gifts, and every other gift God has given us, to the praise and glory of God, to serve Him, or we can use them to dishonor Him and His cause; we can use the gift of speech to blaspheme His name. ... (1)
-- September 4, 1856
[James Henry Martineau] Had an excellent meeting (fast) to day. Sister Zilpha Smith, wife of Geo. A. Smith spoke powerfully in tongues. I had to some extent the gift of interpretation for which I have long prayed. (2)
-- January 18, 1857
[James Henry Martineau] "Now I look at you [Julia Sherman] I see you have his [Lyman R. Sherman] eyes exactly - and his hair. He was a good man - Joseph's right hand man. He was a most beautiful singer, especially in singing in tongues - the finest I ever saw. He died a martyr to the Gospel, and will receive a Martyr's crown."
I was much rejoiced to hear Br. Kimball say this, for it shows to me that a truly good man will never be forgotten, in time, nor in eternity. (2)
-- Aug 23, 1857
Heber C. Kimball preaches: "Some of you, ladies, that go abroad from house to house, blessing the sick, having your little circles of women come together, why are you troubling yourselves to bless and lay your hands on women, and prophesy on them, if you do not believe the principle? You make yourselves fools to say that that same power should not be on the man that has got the Priesthood, and with sisters that have not got any, only what they hold in connection will their husbands. We can tell what will come to pass; and one of you can talk in tongues and pour out your souls to God, and then one interpret; that is the course you take, and it is all right: go ahead, and God bless you and multiply blessings on you; but do not go round tattling about your husbands and talking against the Priesthood you are connected to. I do not say many of you do it; but you that do it are poor, miserable skunks." ... (3)
-- Jun 6, 1858
[Brigham Young Sermon] .... Some do not understand duties which do not coincide with their natural feelings and affections. Do you comprehend that statement? I have tried to tell you; but I am sometimes at a loss to convey a correct understanding with words. I should have the language of angels to enable me to exactly convey my ideas, and that would require an audience who understand that language. ... (1)
Endnotes:
1 - The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Ed. Richard S. Van Wagoner, Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City (2009)
2 - An Uncommon Common Pioneer: The Journals of James Henry Martineau 1828-1918, edited by Donald G. Godfrey XXX Rebecca S. Martineau-McCarty
3 - Advent Adam website (defunct) - based on http://amzn.to/originsofpower
LDS History Chronology: Speaking in Tongues
Mormon History Timeline: the gift of Tongues
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
