[1] 11 A. M. Cool. calm, cloudy. stand east end of the temple. singing Prayer By P. P. Pratt. Joseph preached.

It is one of the first principles of my life & one that I have cultivated from my childhood, having been taught it of my father. to allow every one the liberty of conscience.

I am the greatest advocate of the C. of U. S. there is there on the earth. in my feeling the only fault I can find with it is it is not broad enough to cover the whole ground.

I cannot believe in any of the creeds of the different denominations, because they all have some things in them I cannot subscribe to though all of them have some thruth. but I want to come up into the presence of God & learn all things but the creeds set up stakes, & say hitherto shalt thou come, & no further.—which I cannot subscribe to.

I believe the bible, as it ought to be, as it came from the pen of the original writers. as it read it repented the Lord that he had made man. [2] and also God is not a man that he should repent. [3]—which I do not believe.—but it repented Noah that God made man.—this I believe. & then the other quotation stands fair.—if any man will prove to me by one passage of Holy writ, one item I believe, to be false. I will renounce it disclaim it far as I have promulg[at]ed it.—

The first principles of the gospel as I believe. first Faith. Repentance. Baptism for the remission of sins, with the promise of the Holy Ghost.

Heb 6th. contradictions "Leaving the principle of the doctrine of crist. if a man leave the principles of the doctrine of C. how can he be saved in the principles? [4] a contradiction. I dont believe it. I will render it therefore not leaving the P. of the doctrin of crist. [5] &c. Resurrection of the dead & eternal judgment. [6]

one thing to see the kingdom. [7] & another to be in it. [8] Must have a change of heart to see the kingdom of God. & subscribe the articles of adoption to enter therein.

no man can not receive the Holy Ghost without receiving revelations, The H. G. is a revelator.

I prophecy in the name of the Lord God anguish & wrath & trembulity [trembling?] & tribulation and the withdrawing of the spirit of God await this generation. until they are visited with utter destruction. this generation is as corrupt as the generation of the Jews that crucified Christ. and if he were here today & should preach the same doctrine he did then why they would crucify him. I defy all the world & I prophecy they never will overthrow me till I get ready [9]

on the economy of this city.—I think there is to many merchants among you more wool and raw materials & the money be brought here to pay the poor for manufacturing—set our women to work & stop this spinning street yarn and talking about spiritual wives. [10]—Send out your money in the country, get grain, cattle flax.—&c

I proclaim in the name of the Lord God that I will have nothing but virtue & integripity [integrity] & uprightness.—

We cannot build up a city on merchandize. I would not run after the merchants, I would sow a little flax if I had but a garden and.—lot.

the temporal economy of this people should be to establish manufactoring and not to take usury for his money I do not want to bind the poor here and starve. go out in the count[r]y and get food. & in cities. and gird up your loins. & be sober.

when you get food return if you have a mind to.—

some say It is better, say some to give [to] the poor than build the temple.—the building of the temple has kept the poor who were driven from Missouri from starving. as has been the best means for this object which could be devised

all ye rich men of the Latter Day Saints.—from abroad I would invite to bring up some of their money and give to the temple. we want Iron steel powder.—&c—a good plan to get up a forge[?]. bring in raw materials, & manu[f]act[ur]ing establishments of all kinds.—& surround the rapids—

I never stole the value of a pinhead or a picayune in my life. & when you are hungry and steal, come to me & I will feed you.—

the secrets of masonry is to keep a secret. it is good economy to entertain stranger, to entertain sectarians. come up ye sectarian priests. of the everlasting gospel, as they call it & they shall have my pulpit all day.

wo to ye rich men. give to the poor. & then come and ask me for bread, away with all your meanness & be liberal we need purging, purifying & cleansing you have little faith in your Elders get some little simple remedy in the first stages—if you send for a Dr at all send in the first stages

all ye Drs.—who are fools not well read do not understand the human constitution. stop your practice.—

Lawyers who have no business only as you hatch up. would to God you would go to work or run away. [11]

1/4 past past 2. closed—

Willard Richards Diary

Meeting 1/2 Joseph P[reached]. 3 1/4 economy of Nauvoo.

—15 October 1843

Notes

[1] See History of the Church, 6:56-59, and Teachings, pp. 326-29. The original source for the reports in History of the Church and Teachings is the Joseph Smith Diary. The brief notation concerning this discourse in the Willard Richards Diary is here published for the first time.

[2] Genesis 6:6.

[3] 1 Samuel 15:29.

[4] See King James Version, Hebrews 6:1.

[5] JST Hebrews 6:1.

[6] See 27 June 1839, note 5.

[7] John 3:3.

[8] John 3:5.

[9] The Prophet made a similar remark on two other occasions. See discourse dated 28 April 1842 at note 11 &, and 27 August 1843 after notes 5 & and 48 &.

[10] Spiritual wives; that is, rumors about plural marriage, which was not yet taught publicly.

[11] See 13 April 1843, note 15.