Thirteen (1818)Owing to the many reports which have been put in circulation by evil designing
persons in relation to the rise and progress of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day^17 Saints, all of which have been designed by the authors thereof to militate
against its character as a church, and its progress in the world, I have been
induced to write this history, so as to disabuse the public mind, and put all
enquirers [inquirers] after truth into possession of the facts as they have
transpired in relation both to myself and the church, so far as I have such facts in
possession.^18Interestingly, it wasn’t until the next publication on April 1, 1842, that Joseph finally
made an official public statement about who he saw in this “vision.” Did he tell them the
whole truth? No, he did not! He was not allowed to. As indicated in the previous chapter,
the LDS people had rejected the simplicity of the “fullness of the everlasting Gospel”^19 in
living the Law of Consecration. They desired a “golden calf”^20 instead of the “higher law,”^21
and in such a state of rebellion, “looking beyond the mark,” Joseph was commanded to give
them what they wanted so that they would stumble.^22 (Ironically the modern LDS/Mormons
have used golden oxen in their architecture for the “baptisms for the dead” ceremony.)^23
The Nature of Advanced Human Beings
One of the greatest evidences of the controversy in Joseph’s mind was in the
promulgation of the revelation purportedly given by him on Hyrum’s birthday (February
9 th), just the month before his story was initiated in 1842. Now contained in the LDS Doctrine
and Covenants as section 129, it is clear he was conflicted over how to explain the nature of
beings who are not mortal and how they interact from time-to-time with mortals. Knowing
that the people believed in visions, and yet being under mandate to place stumbling blocks
according to their rebellion, Joseph prepared the minds of the LDS to receive his story by
giving them a “revelation” that would appeal to their false beliefs in “angels.”
In this “revelation” he gave “the three grand keys” of understanding how to not be
fooled by “administrations” of angels/devils:
There are two kinds of beings in heaven, namely: Angels, who are
resurrected personages, having bodies of flesh and bones—For instance,
Jesus said: Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not a flesh and bones, as ye see me
have. Secondly: the spirits of just men made perfect, they who are not
resurrected, but inherit the same glory. When a messenger comes saying he
has a message from God, offer him your hand and request him to shake
hands with you. If he be an angel he will do so, and you will feel his hand. If
he be the spirit of a just man made perfect he will come in his glory; for that
is the only way he can appear—Ask him to shake hands with you, but he will
not move, because it is contrary to the order of heaven for a just man to
deceive; but he will still deliver his message. If it be the devil as an angel of
light, when you ask him to shake hands he will offer you his hand, and you
will not feel anything; you may therefore detect him. These are three grand
keys whereby you may know whether any administration is from God.^24