But he responded that they themselves had deprived him of the power to aid them. Then, after a little time, his angel came once more and said: "Joseph, why are you here?"
And he responded: "Mine enemies fell upon me, bound me, and threw me into this pit."
The angel took him by the hand and drew him up, and they went away together.
Impressive as was the recital of this dream, his brethren failed to comprehend its full significance; but scores of them recalled it at a later time and preserved it as a sacred remembrance.
On Sunday, the 16th day of June, 1844, Joseph preached in the grove east of the temple to the assembled Saints. The rain fell heavily, but the people would not disperse while the Prophet spoke. Nor would he be stayed by all these tears of nature, for it was one of his last opportunities to advise the people for whom he was willing to give his life. Often before the Prophet had counseled his brethren that it was not necessary yet to preach from the revelations of St. John the Divine; that the plain principles of the gospel should first be taught. But now, with the consciousness of his approaching death upon him, he read to the people the third chapter of Revelation. It was to be a message of comfort to the Saints when he was gone. He then turned to the first chapter and read:
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Rev. 1:5-6.)
He carried the Saints into a profounder depth of revealed theology than ever before. He talked of the plurality of Gods and the different glories of the eternal realm. He said:
Go and read the vision in the Book of Covenants. There is clearly illustrated glory upon glory—one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and a glory of the stars; and as one star differeth from another star in glory, even so do they of the telestial world differ in glory, and every man who reigns in the celestial glory is a God to his dominion.
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It is in the order of heavenly things that God should always send a new dispensation into the world when men have apostatized from the truth and lost the Priesthood; but when men build without authority from God, and when the floods come and the winds blow, their whole fabric will crumble.
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Oh thou God who art King of kings and Lord of lords!
After the city had been declared under martial law, the Legion was drawn up in front of the mansion to be addressed by the Prophet. He stood upon the frame of a building opposite his house, dressed in his full uniform as lieutenant general.
William W. Phelps read from an extra issue of the Warsaw Signal of the day before, calling upon all the old citizens to assist the mob in exterminating the leaders of the Saints and driving the people into exile.