Revision as of 13:34, 16 October 2014

Wilford Woodruff's References to the First Vision

Parent page: First Vision

Wilford Woodruff (1855): "Joseph Smith, whom I did call upon by mine angels, my ministering servants, and by mine own voice out of the heavens"

Wilford Woodruff:

That same organization and Gospel that Christ died for, and the Apostles spilled their blood to vindicate, is again established in this generation. How did it come? By the ministering of an holy angel from God, out of heaven, who held converse with man, and revealed unto him the darkness that enveloped the world, and unfolded unto him the gross darkness that surrounded the nations, those scenes that should take place in this generation, and would follow each other in quick succession, even unto the coming of the Messiah. The angel taught Joseph Smith those principles which are necessary for the salvation of the world; and the Lord gave him commandments, and sealed upon him the Priesthood, and gave him power to administer the ordinances of the house of the Lord.He told him the Gospel was not among men, and that there was not a true organization of His kingdom in the world, that the people had turned away from His true order, changed the ordinances, and broken the everlasting covenant, and inherited lies and things wherein their was no profit. He told him the time had come to lay the foundation for the establishment of the Kingdom of God among men for the last time, preparatory to the winding up scene. Joseph was strengthened by the Spirit and power of God, and was enabled to listen to the teachings of the angel. He told him he should be made an instrument in the hands of the Lord, if he kept His commandments, in doing a good work upon the earth, that his name should be held in honor by the honest in heart, and in dishonor throughout the nations by the wicked. He told him he should be an instrument in laying the foundation of a work that should gather tens of thousands of the children of men, in the generation in which he lived, from every nation under heaven, who should hear the sound of it through his instrumentality. He told him the nations were wrapt in wickedness and abomination, and that the judgments of God were ready to be poured out upon them in their fulness; that the angels were holding the vials of His wrath in readiness; but the decree is that they shall not be poured out until the nations are warned, that they may be left without an excuse. This man to whom the angel appeared obeyed the Gospel;^[1]

Wilford Woodruff (1880): "Joseph Smith, an illiterate boy, was raised up by the power of God. His teachers were the angels of heaven. He was administered unto by the Son of God"

Wilford Woodruff:

The Lord has said by the mouth of the Prophet Isaiah, that he would proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder; and when I look at the rise and progress of this Church, when I behold the great work the Lord has performed, it was a marvelous work and a wonder indeed. There never has been, in my view, any generation in which the same amount of prophecies and important events have to be fulfilled as in the generation in which we live. Joseph Smith, an illiterate boy, was raised up by the power of God. His teachers were the angels of heaven. He was administered unto by the Son of God. He received the Aaronic priesthood of John the Baptist, who was beheaded for the testimony of Jesus Christ. He received the apostleship and Melchizedek Priesthood under the hands of Peter, James and John^[2]

Woodruff (1880): "Joseph's First Vision. 1820"

Contributor, 2.2 (November, 1880): 60:

MISSIONARY APPOINTMENTS.

THE brethren whose names were called at the young men's conference, October 6, have received their appointments and will make arrangements to fill them at the earliest opportunity. The Territory has been divided into seven districts, and the appointments issued for two or more missionaries to each district. ... We desire the young men to take up the study of the Scriptures and Church History, and proceed systematically in their researches. We have examined the lists of subjects taken from the records, and prepared by Brother Milton H. Hardy, and recommend their adoption to the Associations. Complete lists of these subjects will appear, in their order, in the CONTRIBUTOR. We here present an extract from each, which will give you an idea of their character, and supply you with an example to speak from:

BIBLE SUBJECTS. BOOK OF MORMON SUBJECTS. CHURCH HISTORY SUBJECTS.

First Period, Joseph Smith: 1. Ancestry and birth of the Prophet, 1805. 2. Joseph's First Vision. 1820. ... These subjects may be presented as follows: A member should be assigned one of the subjects as: The Creation, Lehi's Vision, or Birth of Joseph; and all of the members be instructed to read that portion of the Records relating to the subjects. ... Your brethren in the Gospel,

W. Woodruff, Jos. F. Smith, Moses Thatcher. General Superintendency Y. M. M. I. A. ^[3]

Woodruff (1889): "Our testimony of him is that he was taught of God Himself and of the angels who visited him"

Wilford Woodruff, GC October 6, 1889, Collected Discourses 1. 383.

A greater prophet than he [Joseph Smith], excepting Jesus Christ, I do not believe ever lived. In saying this I give it as my own personal views. I don’t believe God ever raised up a greater prophet, save Jesus himself…. Our testimony of him is that he was taught of God Himself and of the angels who visited him.^[4]

Notes

1. ↑ Wilford Woodruff, (2 February 1855) Journal of Discourses 2:196-197.
2. ↑ Wilford Woodruff, (6 June 1880) Journal of Discourses 21:124-125.
3. ↑ Contributor, 2.2 (November, 1880): 60
4. ↑ Wilford Woodruff, General Conference, October 6, 1889, Collected Discourses 1. 383