George A. Smith was baptized. John Smith, his father, was a brother of Joseph Smith's father, and he was a cousin of the the Prophet Joseph Smith. Asael Smith, Joseph Smith's paternal grandfather, received a letter from Joseph Smith, Sen., informing him of some of the visions the youthful Prophet had received, and the letter was read in the hearing of George A. Smith, and it made a deep impression on him. "The letter declared that the judgments of God would overtake the wicked of this generation unless they repented." George Albert championed the Book of Mormon... "he never afterwards ceased to advocate the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon." The letter is worth reading in its entirety. Here is an introduction to it:
"The letter is produced here for two reasons: first for its own intrinsic interest as a literary relic of one of the Prophet's ancestors, and of the American Revolutionary period; second, as showing the character of the stock from which the Prophet Joseph descended. This letter exhibits in Asael Smith a noble independence of character, united with a childlike humility before God, together with unbounded faith and trust in the wisdom of Providence and of His over-ruling hand in the affairs of nations. Loyalty to his country and faith in the stability of the government under the over-ruling providences of God are equally conspicuous. The letter will go far towards refuting the slanders which untruthful writers have been pleased to circulate concerning the character of that race from which the Prophet descended." (p. 286)
And here is the letter:
"ASAEL SMITH'S LETTER TO MB. JACOB TOWN.
"TUNBRIDGE, Jan. 14th, 1796.
"Respected Sir:" Having a favorable opportunity, altho' on very short notice, I with joy and gratitude embrace it, returning herewith my most hearty thanks for your respect shown in your favor of the 30th of November, by Mr. Willis, which I view as a singular specimen of friendship, which has very little been practiced by any of my friends in Topsfield, altho' often requested.
"My family are all, through the goodness of the Divine Benediction, in a tolerably good state of health, and desire to be remembered to you and to all inquiring friends.
"I have set me up a new house since Mr. Willis was here and expect to remove into it next spring, and begin again on an entire new farm, and my son Joseph will live on the old farm ( if this that has been but four years occupied can be called old), and carry it on at the halves, which half I hope will nearly furnish my family with food, whilst I with my four youngest sons shall endeavor to bring to another farm, etc.
"As to news, I have nothing, as I know of, worth noticing, except that grain has taken a sudden rise amongst us, about one-third.
"As to the Jocobin party, they are not very numerous here, or if they are they are pretty still; there are some in this state, viz., in Bennington, who like other children crying for a rattle, have blared out against their rulers, in hopes to wrest from them, if possible, what they esteem the plaything of power and trust. But they have been pretty well whipped and have become tolerably quiet again, and I am in hopes if they live to arrive to the years of discretion, when the empire of reason shall take place, that they will then become good members of society, notwithstanding their noisy, nucious behavior in their childhood, for which they were neither capable of hearing or giving any reason."
"For my part, I am so willing to trust the government of the world in the hands of the Supreme Ruler of universal nature, that I do not at present wish to try to wrest it out of his hands, and I have so much confidence in his abilities to teach our Senators wisdom, that I do not think it worth while for me to interpose, from the little stock of knowledge that he has favored me with, in the affair, either one way or the other. He has conducted us through a glorious revolution and has brought us into the promised land of peace and liberty, and I believe that he is about to bring all the world into the same beatitude in his own time and way; which, altho' his ways may appear never so inconsistent to our blind reason, yet may be perfectly consistent with his designs. And I believe that the stone is now cut out of the mountain without hands, spoken of by Daniel, and has smitten the image upon his feet, by which the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold (viz.,), all the monarchial and ecclesiastical tyranny will be broken to pieces and become as the chafi of the summer thrashing floor, the wind shall carry them all away, that there shall be no place found for them. "Give my best regards to your parents and tell them that I have taken up with the Eleventh commandment, that the negro taught to the minister, which was thus - "The minister asked the negro how many commandments there were, his answer was, 'Eleben, sir.' 'Aye/ replied the other, 'what is the Eleventh? that is one I never heard of.' *The Elebenth commandment, sir, is mind your own business.' "So I choose to do, and give myself but little concern about what passes in the political world. "Give my best regards to Dr. Meriam, Mr. Willes, Joseph Dorman, and Mr. Cree, and tell Mr. Cree I thank him for his respects and hope he will accept of mine. Write to me as often and as large as you can and oblige your sincere friend and well wisher," asael smith. "Mr Jacob Town, Jun."
"Yea, thus saith the still small voice, which whispereth through and pierceth all things, and often times it maketh my bones to quake while it maketh manifest, saying:
And it shall come to pass that I, the Lord God, will send one mighty and strong, holding the scepter of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, eternal words; while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth, to set in order the house of God, and to arrange by lot the inheritances of the saints whose names are found, and the names of their fathers, and of their children, enrolled in the book of the law of God;
While that man, who was called of God and appointed, that putteth forth his hand to steady the ark of God, shall fall by the shaft of death, like as a tree that is smitten by the vivid shaft of lightning.
And all they who are not found written in the book of remembrance shall find none inheritance in that day, but they shall be cut asunder, and their portion shall be appointed them among unbelievers, where are wailingand gnashing of teeth.
These things I say not of myself; therefore, as the Lord speaketh, he will also fulfil."
"The letter is produced here for two reasons: first for its own intrinsic interest as a literary relic of one of the Prophet's ancestors, and of the American Revolutionary period; second, as showing the character of the stock from which the Prophet Joseph descended. This letter exhibits in Asael Smith a noble independence of character, united with a childlike humility before God, together with unbounded faith and trust in the wisdom of Providence and of His over-ruling hand in the affairs of nations. Loyalty to his country and faith in the stability of the government under the over-ruling providences of God are equally conspicuous. The letter will go far towards refuting the slanders which untruthful writers have been pleased to circulate concerning the character of that race from which the Prophet descended." (p. 286)
And here is the letter:
"ASAEL SMITH'S LETTER TO MB. JACOB TOWN.
"TUNBRIDGE, Jan. 14th, 1796.
"Respected Sir:" Having a favorable opportunity, altho' on very short notice, I with joy and gratitude embrace it, returning herewith my most hearty thanks for your respect shown in your favor of the 30th of November, by Mr. Willis, which I view as a singular specimen of friendship, which has very little been practiced by any of my friends in Topsfield, altho' often requested.
"My family are all, through the goodness of the Divine Benediction, in a tolerably good state of health, and desire to be remembered to you and to all inquiring friends.
"I have set me up a new house since Mr. Willis was here and expect to remove into it next spring, and begin again on an entire new farm, and my son Joseph will live on the old farm ( if this that has been but four years occupied can be called old), and carry it on at the halves, which half I hope will nearly furnish my family with food, whilst I with my four youngest sons shall endeavor to bring to another farm, etc.
"As to news, I have nothing, as I know of, worth noticing, except that grain has taken a sudden rise amongst us, about one-third.
"As to the Jocobin party, they are not very numerous here, or if they are they are pretty still; there are some in this state, viz., in Bennington, who like other children crying for a rattle, have blared out against their rulers, in hopes to wrest from them, if possible, what they esteem the plaything of power and trust. But they have been pretty well whipped and have become tolerably quiet again, and I am in hopes if they live to arrive to the years of discretion, when the empire of reason shall take place, that they will then become good members of society, notwithstanding their noisy, nucious behavior in their childhood, for which they were neither capable of hearing or giving any reason."
"For my part, I am so willing to trust the government of the world in the hands of the Supreme Ruler of universal nature, that I do not at present wish to try to wrest it out of his hands, and I have so much confidence in his abilities to teach our Senators wisdom, that I do not think it worth while for me to interpose, from the little stock of knowledge that he has favored me with, in the affair, either one way or the other. He has conducted us through a glorious revolution and has brought us into the promised land of peace and liberty, and I believe that he is about to bring all the world into the same beatitude in his own time and way; which, altho' his ways may appear never so inconsistent to our blind reason, yet may be perfectly consistent with his designs. And I believe that the stone is now cut out of the mountain without hands, spoken of by Daniel, and has smitten the image upon his feet, by which the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold (viz.,), all the monarchial and ecclesiastical tyranny will be broken to pieces and become as the chafi of the summer thrashing floor, the wind shall carry them all away, that there shall be no place found for them. "Give my best regards to your parents and tell them that I have taken up with the Eleventh commandment, that the negro taught to the minister, which was thus - "The minister asked the negro how many commandments there were, his answer was, 'Eleben, sir.' 'Aye/ replied the other, 'what is the Eleventh? that is one I never heard of.' *The Elebenth commandment, sir, is mind your own business.' "So I choose to do, and give myself but little concern about what passes in the political world. "Give my best regards to Dr. Meriam, Mr. Willes, Joseph Dorman, and Mr. Cree, and tell Mr. Cree I thank him for his respects and hope he will accept of mine. Write to me as often and as large as you can and oblige your sincere friend and well wisher," asael smith. "Mr Jacob Town, Jun."
It was during this time, in 1832, when the Prophet Joseph Smith received the revelation on the priesthood now recorded in D&C 84. The Oath and the Covenant of the Priesthood, the new covenant of the Book of Mormon, Christ calling us His friends, on your right hand and on your left, the new song, etc. Joseph Smith continues the translation of the Bible. Joseph and Emma had three children, a son who died at birth, and twins, a son and a daughter who lived only three hours. After 9 days, they adopted the Murdock twins who were born the same day as their own children who had died. (p. 295) Joseph Young, Brigham Young, and Heber Kimball met in Kirkland. Brigham Young and John P. Greene spoke in tongues. There is a brief biography of Brigham Young in this chapter, worth reviewing.
One of the best things in this chapter is the account of Brigham Young, Joseph Young and Heber C. Kimball when they met the Prophet Joseph Smith. Here is an excerpt:
"We rested a few minutes, took some refreshments and started to see the Prophet. We went to his father's house, and learned that he was in the woods chopping. We immediately repaired to the woods, where we found the Prophet, and two or three of his brothers, chopping and hauling wood. Here my joy was full at the privilege of shaking the hand of the Prophet of God, and receiving the sure testimony, but the spirit of prophecy, that he was all that any man could believe him to be as a true prophet. He was happy to see us and bid us welcome. We soon returned to his house, he accompanying us."
In this account, Brigham Young also prayed in tongues, and Joseph Smith told him that he had prayed in the pure Adamic language. How cool is that?
Joseph Smith also recorded the following revelation (a portion here):
And it shall come to pass that I, the Lord God, will send one mighty and strong, holding the scepter of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, eternal words; while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth, to set in order the house of God, and to arrange by lot the inheritances of the saints whose names are found, and the names of their fathers, and of their children, enrolled in the book of the law of God;
While that man, who was called of God and appointed, that putteth forth his hand to steady the ark of God, shall fall by the shaft of death, like as a tree that is smitten by the vivid shaft of lightning.
And all they who are not found written in the book of remembrance shall find none inheritance in that day, but they shall be cut asunder, and their portion shall be appointed them among unbelievers, where are wailingand gnashing of teeth.
These things I say not of myself; therefore, as the Lord speaketh, he will also fulfil."
"Oh Lord, when will the time come when Brother William, thy servant, and myself, shall behold the day that we may stand together and gaze upon eternal wisdom engraven upon the heavens, while the majesty of our God holdeth up the dark curtain until we may read the round of eternity, to the fulness and satisfaction of our immortal souls? O Lord God, deliver us in due time from the little narrow prison, almost as it were, total darkness of paper, pen and ink; and a crooked, broken, scattered and imperfect language."
Awesome.
