Joseph Smith Boasted he did more
than Jesus to keep a church together.... |
"God is in the still small voice. In all these
affidavits, indictments, it is all of the devil--all corruption.
Come on! ye prosecutors! ye false swearers! All hell, boil over!
Ye burning mountains, roll down your lava! for I will come out on
the top at last. I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I
am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church
together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole
have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did
it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers
of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran
away from me yet . . . " (History of the Church, Vol. 6, p.
408-409). |
Entire Quote In
Context
History of the Church, Vol. 6, pp. 408-409
Address of the Prophet - His Testimony
Against the Dissenters at Nauvoo. President Joseph Smith read
the 11th Chap. II Corinthians. My object is to let you know that I
am right here on the spot where I intend to stay. I, like Paul,
have been in perils, and oftener than anyone in this generation.
As Paul boasted, I have suffered more than Paul did. I should be
like a fish out of water, if I were out of persecutions. Perhaps
my brethren think it requires all this to keep me humble. The Lord
has constituted me so curiously that I glory in persecution. I am
not nearly so humble as if I were not persecuted. If oppression
will make a wise man mad, much more a fool. If they want a
beardless boy to whip all the world, I will get on the top of a
mountain and crow like a rooster: I shall always beat them. When
facts are proved, truth and innocence will prevail at last. My
enemies are no philosophers: they think that when they have my
spoke under, they will keep me down; but for the fools, I will
hold on and fly over them. God is in the still small voice.
In all these affidavits, indictments, it is all of the devil--all
corruption. Come on! ye prosecutors! ye false swearers! All hell,
boil over! Ye burning mountains, roll down your lava! for I will
come out on the top at last. I have more to boast of than ever any
man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole
church together since the days
page 409
of Adam. A large
majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter,
nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as
I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day
Saints never ran away from me yet.
You know my daily walk and conversation. I am in the bosom of a
virtuous and good people. How I do love to hear the wolves howl!
When they can get rid of me, the devil will also go. For the last
three years I have a record of all my acts and proceedings, for I
have kept several good, faithful, and efficient clerks in constant
employ: they have accompanied me everywhere, and carefully kept my
history, and they have written down what I have done, where I have
been, and what I have said; therefore my enemies cannot charge me
with any day, time, or place, but what I have written testimony to
prove my actions; and my enemies cannot prove anything against me.
They have got wonderful things in the land of Ham. I think the
grand jury have strained at a gnat and swallowed the camel. A
man named Simpson says I made an affidavit against him, &c. Mr.
Simpson says I arrested him. I never arrested Mr. Simpson in my
life. He says I made an affidavit against him. I never made an
affidavit against him in my life. I will prove it in court. I will
tell you how it was: Last winter I got ready with my children to
go to the farm to kill hogs. Orrin P. Rockwell was going to
drive. An Englishman came in and wanted a private conversation
with me. I told him I did not want any private conversations. "I
demand one of you! " Such a one I am bound to obey anyhow. Said
he-"I want a warrant against the man who stabbed Brother Badham.
He said it was a man who boarded at Davis'. He said it was Mr.
Simpson-it answered his description. I said I had no jurisdiction
out of the city. He said-"The man must be arrested, or else he
will go away." I told him-"You must go to Squire Wells, Johnson,
or Foster." Mr. Lytle stepped up and said-"I am a policeman." I
jumped into my carriage, and away I went.
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