A Compendium of the Doctrines of the Gospel

by Unknown

SIGNS.—"There are signs in heaven, earth, and hell; the Elders must know them all, to be endowed with power, to finish their work and prevent imposition. The devil knows many signs, but does not know the sign of the Son of Man, or Jesus. No one can truly say he knows God until he has handled something, and this can only be in the Holiest of Holies."

A PROPHECY.—August 6, 1842. "I prophesied that the Saints would continue to suffer much affliction and would be driven to the Rocky Mountains, many would apostatize, others would be put to death by our persecutors, or lose their lives in consequence of exposure or disease, and some of you will live to go and assist in making settlements and build cities and see the Saints become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains."

THE MILLENNIUM.—December 30, 1842. "Christ and the resurrected Saints will reign over the earth during the thousand years. They will not probably dwell on the earth, but will visit it when they please, or when it is necessary to govern it. There will be wicked men on the earth during the thousand years. The heathen nations who will not come up to worship will be visited with the judgments of God, and must eventually be destroyed from the earth."

SIGN OF A DOVE.—January 29, 1843. "The sign of the dove was instituted before the creation of the world, a witness for the Holy Ghost, and the Devil cannot come in the sign of a dove."

COMING OF THE SON OF MAN.—April 6, 1843. "Judah must return, Jerusalem must be rebuilt, and the Temple, and water come out from under the Temple, and the waters of the Dead Sea be healed. It will take some time to build the walls of the city and the Temple, &c.; and all this must be done before the Son of Man will make his appearance. There will be wars and rumors of wars, signs in the heavens above and on the earth beneath, the sun turned into darkness and the moon to blood, earthquakes in divers places, the seas heaving beyond their bounds; then will appear one grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But what will the world do? They will say it is a planet, a comet, &c. But the Son of Man will come as the sign of the coming of the Son of Man, which will be as the light of the morning cometh out of the east."

SOME SEEK TO EXCEL.—May 14, 1843. "In this world, mankind are naturally selfish, ambitious, and striving to excel above one another. * * So in the other world there is a variety of spirits. Some seek to excel. And this was the case with Lucifer when he fell. He sought for things which were unlawful. Hence he was cast down, and it is said he drew away many with him; and the greatness of his punishment is, that he shall not have a tabernacle. This is his punishment."

THE MORE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY.—"Now for the secret and grand key. Though they might hear the voice of God and know that Jesus was the Son of God, this would be no evidence that their election and calling was made sure, that they had part with Christ, and were joint heirs with him. They then would want that more sure word of prophecy, that they were sealed in the heavens and had the promise of eternal life in the kingdom of God. Then, having this promise sealed unto them, it was an anchor to the soul, sure and steadfast."

HID WITH CHRIST IN GOD.—May 16, 1843. "Your life is hid with Christ in God, and so are many others. Nothing but the unpardonable sin can prevent you from inheriting eternal glory, for you are sealed up by the power of the Priesthood unto eternal life, having taken the step necessary for the purpose. * * * The unpardonable sin is to shed innocent blood, or be accessory thereto. All other sins will be visited with judgment in the flesh, and the spirit being delivered to the buffetings of Satan until the day of the Lord Jesus."

THREE DEGREES IN CELESTIAL GLORY.—"In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees; and in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the Priesthood; and if he does not, he cannot obtain it. He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom: he cannot have an increase."

SALVATION.—May 17, 1843. "Salvation means a man's being placed beyond the power of all his enemies. The more sure word of prophecy means a man's knowing that he is sealed up unto eternal life by revelation and the spirit of prophecy, through the power of the holy Priesthood. It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance."