Joseph Smith

[Maureen]

Originally posted by Snow@Oct 26 2005, 10:44 PM
Here's something interesting (pp 150-1)

Many were attracted to the very early restored Church because of the manifestations of spiritual gifts - healing, speaking in tongues. etc....

I first came upon this style of worship for 19th century Mormons when reading Zina Huntington Jacob's diary on-line. I thought it was quite interesting, here's an excerpt:

March …1845…

…31. Quite cool. Amacy Limon and wife returned from Laharp.40 He is not very well. Apr. the 1st, 1845. Went to Br Brewers to see Mother Brewer, the first time I have ben there. Father Huntington came in in the evening. He spake in tong[ue]s. Henry also Sung in tungs. It was very good. I interpreted the talk by the help of the speret of God. Had an agreeable viset.

http://www.lds-mormon.com/zina1.shtml

M.

[Snow]

It was kind of a two edged thing for Joseph.

He couldn't very well condemn all the spiritual manifestations because it was the lure of the Spirit that brought in so many converts but on the other hand, too much hopping about and tongues, etc was offputting to more conversative folk and then members started getting their own revelations about how things ought to be and then others started believing the revelations of others and then Joseph's control was threatened so he had to elimate the threat of other revelation that might undercut him and yet not discourage well-intentioned spiritual manifestations.

Originally posted by Snow@Oct 27 2005, 08:59 PM
It was kind of a two edged thing for Joseph.

He couldn't very well condemn all the spiritual manifestations because it was the lure of the Spirit that brought in so many converts but on the other hand, too much hopping about and tongues, etc was offputting to more conversative folk and then members started getting their own revelations about how things ought to be and then others started believing the revelations of others and then Joseph's control was threatened so he had to elimate the threat of other revelation that might undercut him and yet not discourage well-intentioned spiritual manifestations.

[snapback]79580[/snapback]

Did he really have to worry? Or did he just have to do what he had to do and leave the rest to the Lord to sort through the rubble?