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Show GOD in the flesh triumphant hell for all mankind. over sin, death and See Notes Chapter II Did Joseph Smith see the Father and the Son in 1820? All kinds of claims can be made and teachings e To man, BUT THE LORD SAID, the law (word of God) and to the testimony: IF THEY SPEAK NOT ACCORDING TOTHISWORD IT IS BECAUSE THERE IS NO LIGHT (truth) IN THEM." 1 The question we want to consider in this chapter is, DID JOSEPH SMITH SEE A VISION OF THE FATHER AND THE SON IN 1820?" This claim is made by the Latter Day Saints (the majority of factions) and held firmly to as a basis for their understanding of the Godhead in the teaching of two and three Gods, and even BY THE MOR MONS OF MANY GODS. We will take as a basis to investigate this claim THEIR OWN PUBLICATIONS up to and includ ing the year of 1844, when Joseph Smith was killed. We have ALL of the official Latter Day Saints' publications during this period from which we write. The publications and historians' writings 18201844 were all as follows: put forth by 1830 1831-1844 1832-1834 1833 1834-1837 e The Book of Mormon John Whitmer's History The Evening and Morning Star The Book of Commandments The Messenger and Advocate 4 1835 1835 1837-1838 183 The Doctrine and Covenants The Book of Abraham The Elders' Journal John Corrill's History of Latter Day Saints 1839-1846 Times and Seasons 1840-Millennial Star The Book of Mormon IS CLEAR IN ITS TEACH INGS CONCERNING GOD; that there is ONLY ONE GOD, LORD OF HEAVEN AND OF EARTH, and that Jesus Christ was and is THE GREAT ETERNAL GOD manifested in the flesh. There is NO I?L URALITY OF GODS IN THE TEACHINGS OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. John Whitmer as the appointed Church Histor ian makes no mention in his written history of this claim of Joseph Smith seeing two Gods-the Father and the Son. N either does the Evening and Morning Star or the Book of Commandments mention this manifestation of the Father and the Son. The Doctrine and Covenants, The Elders' Journal and John Corrtll, another historian of the Latter Day Saints, are all silent on this claim of the 1820 manifestation. Oliver Cowdery, who served as the first historian of the Latter Day Saints, 2 before John Whitmer was appointed as historian, published as the editor in the Messenger and Advocate in 1834 THE FIRST RECORDED ACCOUNT of the rise of the Latter Day Saints and the visit of the angel to Joseph Smith, with the knowledge, consent and aid of J 0seph Smith and this introduction to the ehistory e was printed as follows (emphasis ours): we have thought that a FULL HISTORY of the rise of the church of Latter Day Saints, and the MOST INTERESTING PARTS OF ITS PROGRESS, TO THE PRESENT TIME, (1834) wouldbeworthy - • 5 • •• |
