Wilford Woodruff Journal

[1] Sunday The meeting was opened by Singing, & Prayer By W Woodruff Then Joseph the Seer arose & said It is not wisdom that we should have all knowledge at once presented before us but that we should have a little then we can comprehend it. He then read the second Epistle of Peter 1st Ch 16 to last vers & dwelt upon the 19th vers with som remarks Ad to your faith Knowledge &c [2] The principl of knowledge is the principle of Salvation the Principle can be comprehended, for any one that cannot get knowledge to be saved will be damned. The Principl of Salvation is given to us through the knowledge of Jesus Christ Salvation is nothing more or less than to triumph over all our enemies & put them under our feet & when we have power to put all enemies under our feet in this world & a knowledge to triumph over all evil spirits in the world to come then we are saved as in the case of Jesus he was to reign untill he had put all enemies under his feet & the last enemy was death [3] Perhaps there are principle here that few men have thought of. No powerperson can have this Salvation except through a tabernacle Now in this world mankind are naturly selfish ambitious & striving to excell one above another While yet some are willing to build up others as well as themselves [4] so in the other world there is a variety of spirits some who seek to excell, & this was the case with the devil when he fell he sought for things which were unlawful hence he was cast down & it is said he drew away many with him [5] & the greatness of his punishment is that he shall not have a tabernacle this is his punishment So the devil thinking to thwart the decree of God by going up & down in the earth seeking whome he may destroy any person that he can find that will yield to him he will bind him & take possession of the body & reign there glorying in it mightily not thinking that he had got a stolen tabernacle & by & by some one of Authority will come along & cast him out & restore the tabernacle to his rightful owner but the devil steals a tabernacle because he has not one of his own but if he steals one he is liable to be turned out of doors

Now their is some grand secret ther[e] & keys to unlock the subject Not withstanding the Apostle exhorts them to make their Calling Add to their faith virtue Knowledge temperance &C yet he exhorts them to make their Calling & election Shure [6] & though they had herd the audible voice from heaven bearing testimony that Jesus was the Son of God yet he says we have a more sure word of Prophecy where unto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light shining in a dark place. [7] Now wherein could they have a more sure word of prophecy than to hear the voice of God saying this is my Beloved Son &C Now for the Secret & grand Key though they might hear the voice of God & know that Jesus was the Son of God this would be no evidence that their election & Calling & election was made shure that they had part with Christ & was a Joint heir with him, they then would want that more sure word of Prophecy that they were sealed in the heavens & had the promise of eternal live in the Kingdom of God then having this promise sealed unto them it was as an anchor to the Soul Sure & Steadfast though the thunders might roll & lightnings flash & earthquakes Bellow & war gather thick around yet this hope & knowledge would support the soul in evry hour of trail trouble & tribulation Then Knowledge through our Lord & savior Jesus Christ is the grand Key that unlocks the glories & misteries of the Kingdom of heaven [8] Compair this principle once with Christondom at the present day & whare are they with all their boasted religion piety & sacredness while at the same time they are Crying out against Prophets Apostles Angels Revelation, Prophesyings, & Visions &C. Why they are Just ripening for the damnation of hell, they will be damned for they reject the more glorious principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ & treat with disdain & trample under foot the main key that unlocks the heavens & puts in our possession the glories of the Celestial world. [9] Yes I say such will be damned with all their professed godliness

Then I would exhort you to go on & continue to call upon God untill you make your Calling & election sure for yourselves by obtaining this more sure word of Prophesey & wait patiently for the promise untill you obtain it Many other vary useful remarks were made on the occasion by Joseph the Seer.

Brigham Young Diary

Herd Br Joseph Smith Preach.

—14 May 1843

Notes

[1] See History of the Church, 5:387-90, and Teachings, pp. 297-99. The entries in History of the Church and Teachings come from the Wilford Woodruff Diary. "Yelrome" is "Morley" spelled backwards. Now called Tioga, Illinois, this Mormon settlement, located twenty-five miles south of Nauvoo, was presided over by Patriarch Isaac Morley. The Brigham Young report is here published for the first time.

[2] 2 Peter 1:5-7.

[3] 1 Corinthians 15:26.

[4] D&C 93:12; Matthew 10:39.

[5] Revelation 12:3 4 7-9; D&C 29:36-37.

[6] Comparison between 2 Peter 1:5-7 and 2 Peter 1:10.

[7] Comparison between 2 Peter 1:16-18 and 2 Peter 1:19.

[8] 2 Peter 1:10-11.

[9] Ibid.