McIntire Minute Book[1]

Next Meetting … Joseph said Concerning the Godhead it was Not as many imagined—three Heads & but one body, he said the three were separate bodys [2]—God the first & Jesus the Mediator the 2d & the Holy Ghost & these three agree in one & this is the maner we Should aproach God in order to get his blessings [3] & he also said Every Man were st stimulated by a certain Motive, to act motive preceeds action & if we want to know ourselves this is the Key to Examin the motive what it is, & the fact will be manifest.

—16 February 1841

Notes

[1] This report of the Prophet's remarks at the Nauvoo Lyceum is here published for the first time.

[2] See 9 March 1841, note 5.

[3] 1 John 5:7-8; Matthew 18:19-20; D&C 124:95-97. Undoubtedly the Prophet knew what he was going to teach Hyrum Smith and William Law as a result of D&C 124:95, 97. In addition to his allusion to this subject, the 9 and 21 March 1841 discourses also refer to these keys. It is interesting that Joseph Smith was not commanded to teach these keys to the other members of the First Presidency, namely Sidney Rigdon and John C. Bennett. When the Prophet first revealed these keys on 4 May 1842 Hyrum Smith and William Law were present, but Sidney Rigdon and John C. Bennett were conspicuously absent.