| In the later decades of the nineteenth century,
those who knew Joseph grew older and fewer. Some began relating
novel teachings of the Prophet and peculiar incidents not recorded earlier
(as far as is known), and embellishments of known episodes. Some of these
accounts clearly fall within the category of folklore— as, for example,
the introduction of an angel in the context of ¶ D&C
27. With others it is difficult to say how much is authentic Joseph
Smith and how much has been supplied by the dreams, imaginations, and faulty
recollections of the reporters. One must also consider the possibility
tt Joseph made statements in a humorous vein that were taken seriously
by his hearers. |
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Inhabitants of the Moon |
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O Huntington
Oliver B. Huntington Diaries. Photocopy of typescript.,3 vols. in webmaster's possession. Original, 20 vols. + 10 items. + 4 typescripts (vol. 8-11) at BYU Special Collections, Manuscripts, MSS 162.
2:166. |
| 6' tall |
¶ |
The inhabitants of the moon are more of a uniform
size than the inhabitants of the earth, being about 6 feet in height. |
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| Quaker dress |
¶ |
They dress very much like the quaker style and
are quite general in style, or the one [old] fashion of dress. |
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| Thousand year sold |
¶ |
They live to be very old; coming generally,
near a thousand years.”
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| Joseph the Seer |
¶ |
This is the description of them as given by
Joseph the Seer, and he could “See” whatever he asked the father
in the name of Jesus to see. |
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| Anything he asks |
¶ |
I heard him say that “he could ask what
he would ask what he would of the Father in the name of Jesus and it would
be granted” and I have no more doubt of it than I have that the mob
killed him. … |
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| Moonmen described to Philo Dibble |
¶ |
The Moon was described by the Prophet Joseph
to Philo Dibble as inhabited by a people tall well formed measuring general
6 feet or over in height. Dressed very uniformly in style resemblying the
Quaker fashion and lived to be generally near a thousand years old. |
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O Huntington
Oliver B. Huntington Diaries. Photocopy of typescript.,3 vols. in webmaster's possession. Original, 20 vols. + 10 items. + 4 typescripts (vol. 8-11) at BYU Special Collections, Manuscripts, MSS 162.
2:168. |
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Haunted Houses |
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Joseph: spirits remain in houses
Remove them |
¶ |
On an occasion when I was a boy I heard Joseph Smith
say, speaking with regard to moving into old houses that other people
had lived in, that had been inhabited by wicked people, they leave spirits
in the house like unto themselves and as the wicked are always opposed
to God and the good we ought to dispossess the spirits of wicked persons
before we move into their haunts, or else they will try and kill the
most innocent and pure.
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O Huntington
Oliver B. Huntington Diaries. Photocopy of typescript.,3 vols. in webmaster's possession. Original, 20 vols. + 10 items. + 4 typescripts (vol. 8-11) at BYU Special Collections, Manuscripts, MSS 162.
2:202. |
| Spirits watch the living |
¶ |
That when wicked men and women inhabit a house; invisible
spirits congregate there also, that are of the same stamp as the living.
Kindred spirits mingle together and the invisible look on, laugh at and
enjoy the wicked sports of the living and when the living, or people in
bodies, move away the others often stay in the house having acquired a
sort of right by possession and are the agents by which others that move
in afflicted are. |
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Half of Joseph's Kingdom |
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Dimick Huntington gave Joseph two sisters
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¶ |
Dimick [Huntington] was a shoemaker and was mending a pair
of boots for the Prophet soon after Dimick had given our sisters Zina and
Presenda to Joseph as wives for eternity. Joseph was waiting for the boots
to be mended and talking upon the gifts and powers of the Priesthood, the
future of this work and the great glory and high positions of the faithful
hereafter. |
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O Huntington
Oliver B. Huntington Diaries. Photocopy of typescript.,3 vols. in webmaster's possession. Original, 20 vols. + 10 items. + 4 typescripts (vol. 8-11) at BYU Special Collections, Manuscripts, MSS 162.
2:202. |
| Joseph: what do you want? |
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Joseph said to Dimick “ask of me what you will, and
it shall be given you even to the half of my kingdom. Dimick studied a
moment and with a heart full of liberality and unselfishness replied. |
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| To be with your family |
¶ |
“I ask not for riches nor worldly honors, but brother
Joseph I ask that where you and your fathers family are, there I and my
father’s family may also be.” |
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| Shall be |
¶ |
Joseph replied “in the name of Jesus Christ” it
shall be even as you desire.
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¶ |
This promise we all expect with the greatest confidence
will be fulfilled in eternity. |
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Beliefs and Practices
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