Dear Seeker of Truth,
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS was established for one purpose, and one purpose only: to prepare the way for the Second Coming of Christ. That's all. Will Christ return riding upon clouds, with angelic armies, spitting fire-balls upon the wicked? Or, will he come "as a thief in the night"? Now, a "thief in the night" comes and goes without waking up the sleeping inhabitants of the dwelling. Thieves in the night do not burst through the front door with torches flaring and trumpets blazing. They come in through the back window, and sneak around unnoticed. The inhabitants continue to sleep and don't notice anything amiss until he is long gone. That is what "a thief in the night" does.
I believe that Joseph Smith was a true Prophet of God. I believe that all of his prophecies were fulfilled; including his 1891 prophecies. In the Book of Deuteronomy, the LORD told Moses that if a man arises claiming to be a Prophet, and prophesies of an event, and that even does not happen, does not come to pass, then that prophet is a pretender, a false prophet, and the LORD did not speak to that man (Deut. 18:18-22). That means, all true prophecies uttered by true prophet must come to pass. There is no such thing as "a true prophecy that does not come to pass because the conditions of that prophecy were not met". Using this "conditional prophecy" excuse, all false prophecies can be explained-away as "true but conditional and the conditions were not met". Mormon apologists use this "conditional prophecy" excuse to explain-away Joseph Smith's 1891 prophecies; that the Son of Man would come in the year 1891.
Mormon apologists (defenders of the Church) declare that Joseph Smith did prophesy that the Son of Man would come in or about the year 1891, but that these prophecies were "conditional" and the "conditions" were not met, so the Son of Man did not appear in 1891. In other words, Joseph Smith's 1891 prophecies were true, but conditional, and since the conditions were not met, the prophecy was not fulfilled. But, the LORD told Moses, that if a prophet prophesies, the the prophecy is not fulfilled, then that man is a false prophet.
I believe that Joseph Smith was a true Prophet of God, and that his "1891 prophecies" were true prophecies that truly "came to pass" exactly as they were intended to, but not as Latter-day Saints expected them to. In this article I will show how his prophecies concerning the coming of the Son of Man in the year 1891 were fulfilled.
Why Did the Jews Reject Jesus?
Why did the Jews reject Jesus? It was because they expected the Messiah to descend from heaven with angelic armies, and then cast out the Romans and establish His kingdom and sit upon the throne of David his father. Jesus did descend from heaven, via the womb. He did not cast out the Romans. He had no angelic armies, but a rag-tag crew of a few fishermen and tax-collectors. He had no throne of David, and not even a place to lay his head. He was not the Messiah the Jews expected. The priesthood of the Jews said that Jesus was an imposture, a deceiver, "mad" (insane/deluded), and the people believed their human leaders. Jesus preached to hundreds, if not thousands, but he had only 12 disciples, and even one of them was "a devil". He was the Messiah, but he did not fulfill the "traditions" of the Jews concerning the coming of the Messiah. So, they rejected him. All but twelve did anyway. Of all the millions of Jews at that time, all praying for the Messiah to appear, all but twelve rejected Him when He did appear; because He did not appear as they expected the Messiah to appear to them.
Notice why the Jews (all save 11 or 12 of them) rejected the Savior of the World:
*He did not descend from heaven as they expected the Messiah would.
*He led no heavenly armies, but worked as a carpenter.
*He was a flesh and blood man like themselves; not an angelic being.
*Sure, He worked miracles, but Satan of course gave Him power to do this.
*He taught some doctrines which contradicted the traditions of the fathers.
*He threatened their "position of authority" over the people, although He told the people: "Do what they say, but not what they do".
*He had no impressive throne or temple, but had no place to lay His head.
The Second Coming
How will Christ return? Most Christians believe that Christ will return be descending from a cloud upon the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. Mormons believe that Jesus will come riding upon a cloud, with thousands of angels blowing trumpets. Latter Day Saints believe that Jesus will come “suddenly” to His Temple.
How most Christians view the Second Coming of Christ
The Jews rejected Jesus as Christ. All but 12 Jews did anyway. Why? Because Jesus did not appear to them as they expected the Messiah to appear. The Jews expected the Messiah to descend from heaven with legions of angelic armies, kick out the Romans, and sit upon the Throne of David. Jesus said “I came down from heaven” (John 6:33,38). Indeed He did “come down from heaven”. He did so via the womb.
"I came down from heaven!"
Jesus had no angelic legions, but a very small following. Although He preached to hundreds, perhaps thousands, over a three year ministry, He only really had 12 disciples before His death and resurrection.
Jesus sat upon no throne, but had not a place to lay His head. To the Jewish Priesthood, Jesus seemed like a wandering beggar with no means of support, followed by a small rag-tag crew of fishermen and tax-collectors and one woman known to have been a prostitute.
Jesus did not come as the Jews expected the Messiah to come, so, they rejected Him. All but 12 anyway. And even one of the 12 betrayed Him.
The Jews followed their human leaders, the teachers of the Law and the Jewish priesthood, who told them that Jesus was just one false Messiah among many, a madman, and a deceiver. To the Jewish priesthood, Jesus was just one false claimant among many. He was to them insane, false, a deceiver, self-deluded, a wandering beggar with but a few rag-tag followers of no repute. Without a glorious Temple as they had. Without hundreds of thousands of followers as they had. What about the purported miracles? Well, cannot Satan also perform miracles? It was very clear to the Jewish Priesthood that this Jesus of Nazareth was just one self-deluded claimant among many. The fact that Jesus apparently could perform supernatural miracles was, to them, not a sign that He was from God, but it was just another sign that Satan was inspiring Him.
The Dream of Lehi
In the first book of Nephi, chapter 8, Lehi has a dream. In the dream Lehi sees a great and spacious building with people all over it. The people standing on the Great and Spacious Building are jeering at and mocking a few who are walking on the other side of the river who grad hold of a rod of iron and make their way toward a tree with delicious fruit. Only a few grab hold of the rod of iron, and even some of them fall by the wayside. Some of those who are holding the rod of iron let go and fall into a chasm (First Nephi):
And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.
And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.
And it came to pass that as I followed him, I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.
And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness I began to pray unto the Lord, that he would have mercy on me according to the multitude of his tender mercies.
And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord, I beheld a large and spacious field.
And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.
And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet above all that I ever before tasted.
Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.
And as I partook of the fruit thereof, it filled my soul with exceeding great joy;
Wherefore I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.
And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might discover my family also, I beheld a river of water; and it ran along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the fruit.
And I looked to behold from whence it came; and I saw the head thereof a little way off;
And at the head thereof I beheld your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi; and they stood as if they knew not whither they should go.
And it came to pass that I beckoned unto them; and I also did say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit.
And it came to pass that they did come unto me, and partake of the fruit also.
And it came to pass that I was desirous that Laman and Lemuel should come and partake of the fruit also;
Wherefore, I cast mine eyes towards the head of the river, that perhaps I might see them.
And it came to pass that I saw them, but they would not come unto me, and partake of the fruit.
And I beheld a rod of iron; and it extended along the bank of the river, and led to the tree by which I stood.
And I also beheld a straight and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood;
And it also led by the head of the fountain unto a large and spacious field, as if it had been a world;
And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which I stood.
And it came to pass that they did come forth and commence in the path which led to the tree.
And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceeding great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.
And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron;
And they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree.
And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed.
And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld on the other side of the river of water a great and spacious building;
And it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth;
And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female;
And their manner of dress was exceeding fine;
And they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at, and were partaking of the fruit.
And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.
And now I, Nephi, do not speak all the words of my father.
But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.
And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building.
And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of the fountain;
And many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads.
What is the meaning of this dream-vision? There are dozens of different interpretations. Mormons interpret the Great and Spacious Building to represent the World, and the rod of iron to represent the LDS Church. Other Book of Mormon churches have similar interpretations.
The Blessings of the Three Witnesses
In 1834 the Three Witnesses to The Book of Mormon gave the Apostles “blessings”. Joseph Smith then ordained Lyman Wight:
“And the Spirit fell upon Lyman and he prophesied concerning the coming of Christ He said that there were some in the congregation that should live until the Savior should descend from heaven with a shout, with all the holy angels with Him” (D.H.C. 1:176)
In the blessing to Lyman Johnson it was said:
“He shall see the Savior come and stand upon the earth with power and great glory.” (D.H.C. 2:188).
In the blessing to William Smith it reads:
“He shall be preserved and remain on the earth until Christ shall come….” (D.H.C. 2:191)
On February 14th, 1835, Franklin D. Richards, the secretary to Joseph Smith, recorded the following:
“President Smith then stated that the meeting had been called, because God had commanded it; and it was made known to him by vision and by the Holy Spirit…and it was the will of God that those who went to Zion, with a determination to lay down their lives, if necessary, should be ordained to the ministry, and go forth to prune the vineyard for the last time, or the coming of the Lord, which was nigh [near], even fifty-six years should wind-up the scene.” (D.H.C. 2:182)
In the Index of the Documentary History of the Church, published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, one reads under the heading "Second Coming" we read the following:
"Joseph indicates would happen in 1891" 2:182"
If you add 56 years to 1835 it comes to the year 1891. In General Conference in 1843 Joseph Smith declared:
“There are those of the rising generation who shall not taste death til Christ comes.” (6 April 1843, Nauvoo, Illinois)
How many of the "rising generation" living in 1843 are still alive today? Not one. Yet, many of them were still alive in 1891.
He wrote in his diary for that day (6 April 1843):
“I was once praying very earnestly on the subject [of the Second Coming] and a voice said unto me, My son, if thou livest till thou art 85 years of age [1891], thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man – I was left to my own conclusions concerning this & took the liberty to conclude that if I did live till that time He would make His appearance or I shall go where He is – I prophesy in the name of the Lord God -- & let it be written, that the Son of Man will not come in the heavens till I am 85 years old, 48 years hence or about 1890.” (Diary of Joseph Smith, April 6, 1843)
This is not an “off the cuff remark” but a direct prophecy! 48 years “hence” of 1843 is 1891. True prophecies are always fulfilled! No true prophecy can fail (Deut. 18:22). The Three Witnesses gave blessings to several of his apostles in whom he promised that they would “live to see the face” of their Savior on the Earth. In 1886, Mormon apostle Moses Thatcher said:
“It is my belief that the time of our deliverance will be within five years; the time indicated being February 14th, 1891.” (Journal of Abraham O. Cannon, Oct. 14, 1886, BYU Library)
Moses Thatcher made this conclusion based upon Joseph Smith’s remarks on Feb. 14, 1835, that “the coming of the Lord, which is nigh, even 56 years shall wind-up the scene.”
In 1887, the Utah Church produced a book by Robert Smith, cousin to Joseph Smith, titled The Signs of the Times, to be used in Mormon Sunday Schools in Utah, which said:
“Now, we will prove by the prophet Joseph Smith that the year 1891, is the commencement of the Reign of Righteousness. In Section 130 of the Doctrine and Covenants, Joseph was told that if he lived to be 85 years old he would live to see the Redeemer on the earth.” (Signs of the Times, 1887, p.1)
In 1890, Brigham H. Roberts, the historian for the Mormon Church, said in General Conference in Salt Lake City:
“Before another General Conference shall be reached we shall have entered the year 1891. My faith in the matter is whatever the Lord has in mind to accomplish in that year will be performed. It may be something, however, that would scarcely create a ripple. The organization of the Church was one of the greatest events in the history of the world. It was organized with six members, and but little was known concerning it even in the neighborhood where it occurred, at the time. It may be that the greatness of what shall occur in 1891 will not be comprehended until succeeding years.” (Collected Discourses 2:105-6)
On the 21st of May, 1888, Mormon Church President Wilford Woodruff declared:
“We will not end the practice of plural marriage until the coming of the Son of Man.” (Journal of John Henry Smith, 21 May 1888, LDS Church Archives)
The Mormon Church ended plural marriage in 1890. So, where was the Son of Man?
On January 1st, 1891, Wilford Woodruff wrote in his journal:
“This is New Years’ Day, and the year that has been looked upon by many as one of the most important years of the world.” (Journal of Wilford Woodruff, Jan. 1, 1891)
He wrote that because he expected the Son of Man to appear in 1891; based upon two direct prophecies of Joseph Smith; the first made in 1835 and the second made in 1843.
Many Mormons in Utah expected the Lord Jesus to appear in the sky over Salt Lake City in 1891, spitting out fireballs upon the wicked, and descending to the Salt Lake Temple. Did the Latter Day Saints of the Reorganized Church expect something in 1891? Did the members of the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) expect something that year, based upon the two 1891 prophecies of Joseph Smith? Only the historians of those respective churches know the answer to that question.
Did these blessings by the Three Witnesses fail? Did the “1891 prophecies” of Joseph Smith also fail? How many prophecies can a true Prophet make that do NOT come to pass? All must come to pass according to Deuteronomy 18:22! The prophecies did not fail! They were fulfilled to the letter!
The Baby Resurrection
According to Eliza R. Snow, a plural wife of Joseph Smith, the Prophet taught her that reincarnation was true, and that we are resurrected as babies born of new mothers. Many early Latter-day Saints, including Lorenzo Snow, who later became the President of the LDS Church, believed in the "Baby Resurrection". There are many accounts of this in the journals of the early Mormons; which is one reason why these journals are "off limits" to most historical researchers, and why researchers must sign legal waivers to have the Church "edit" their notes and not to publish items from early journals which Church leaders consider to be "too controversial". Hyrum Smith once said, and this was published by Joseph Smith:
"There were prophets before Adam, and Joseph has the Spirit of all the Prophets" (Millennial Star ????)
By the time of Heber J. Grant, the LDS Church became anti-reincarnation, and excommunicated anyone who taught it. At that time, Hyrum's words were "edited" by a committee to read thusly:
"There were prophets before, and Joseph has the spirit of all the prophets" (Documentary History of the Church ?????)
Church leaders in the 1920s believed that reincarnation and the notion of prophets before Adam, which Hyrum Smith taught and Joseph Smith approved us (since he published it), were wrong, but that if the members knew that, they'd be "confused" by it. So, to help the Members not be "confused" the Brethren decided to "change" what Hyrum said. Much similar "editing" would take place after that.
In 1856, a man named Joseph Morris arose in Utah, claiming to be a Prophet. He received many "Thus Saith the LORD" Revelations. Brigham Young uttered one "Thus Saith the LORD" Revelation in 1846 (D&C 136), but none after that. Why? You were not allowed to ask that question! Joseph Morris taught reincarnation under the name "multiple mortal probations". He gathered several hundred followers to South Weber, Utah. In 1863, a Mormon Sheriff killed him, while Morris was kneeling in prayer. His followers were forced out of Utah. The Revelations of Joseph Morris were published in The Spirit Prevails.
In 1863, a man named George Williams, who was not a Morrisite, had a vision of Jesus, in the clouds, with thousands of angels blowing trumpets, at Cottonwood Canyon, in Salt Lake Valley. Williams claimed he was a Prophet. He taught reincarnation too. He made some disciples. His Revelations were published, and he went back to England, from which he came.
The Brethren don't want you to know that many early Saints believed in "The Baby Resurrection". That might confuse you. That might lead you to believe in reincarnation, which they believe is a false doctrine. That may lead you to "question"; and they don't don't want you to "question". They want you to "obey".
The Advent of James Brighouse
In the year 1885, a man named James Brighouse arose in Jackson County, claiming to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. He made some disciples among the Latter Day Saints. He met with William Smith (who was promised in a blessing by Joseph Smith that he would not die until he saw the face of the Savior on Earth). He met with David Whitmer, in Richmon, Missouri. All of these men, of course, rejected his claims. They expected Jesus to return by riding upon a cloud with thousands of angels in tow. Joseph Smith wrote: "When he shall appear we shall see him as he is; we shall see that he is a Man like ourselves" (Diary of Joseph Smith, 3 April 1943).
James Brighouse formed the “Order of Enoch”. He then went to see Lyman E. Johnson (who was promised he would see the Savior before he died), who also rejected him. Brighouse then traveled to Utah and arrived in Salt Lake City in 1886. During this time Brighouse lived and preached to the inhabitants of Salt Lake City. He worked as a miner off and on. He had no place to preach, so he preached under a large tree, next to the Jordan River, in what was then west of Salt Lake City, next to what is now the Utah State Fairgrounds. He wrote a publication called The Voice of the Seventh Angel and published Volume One. Volume Two he did not publish, but handed it to one of his disciples to preserve it. Here are excerpts from Volume One:
"The Son of Man is now upon the Earth, and has come to Salt Lake City..." (p. 30)
"...the Father and the Son are indeed now upon the earth, and doth indeed dwell with man, and have bodies of flesh and bones, and are men like yourselves, and have the same sociality..." (p. 47)
"Will the High Priests [First Presidency], Apostles and Leaders of the Church, ever receive the teachings of the Saviour; who hath appeared and is now a man in your midst? Just as much as the scribes, pharisees, and hypocrites did in the meridian of time....The heavens are brass over them, there is no answer from God--the light that was in them hath become darkness." (p. 48)
"Have any of the Latter-day Saints seen the face of the Son of Man? Yes, many have seen his face and heard his voice but only a few know that he is the Son of Man, and those who would believe his testimony dare not acknowledge the fact, for fear of being cast out of the Church." (p. 48)
Brigham Young declared in 1857:
"Jesus has been upon the earth a great more times than you are aware of. When Jesus makes his next appearance upon the earth, but few in this church will be prepared to receive him and see him face to face and converse with him, but he will come to his temple." (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 7:142)
He Shall Come To His Temple
In the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith, a "Temple" was not a place where Endowment rites took place, but merely a place of worship. The Kirkland Temple had no Endowment, no secret rites, as do Mormon Temples today. It was just a place of worship; like any meetinghouse. The LORD told Joseph Smith to build a "house" in Jackson County, Missouri, on a very specific piece of land. This "house" would not be a "temple" like Mormons think of temples today; as large Endowment Houses. This "house" in Jackson County would simple be a house of worship, like the Kirkland Temple. This "house" would be the "House of the Lord" where the Lord Himself would visit in 1891. Because of persecution, no house of worship was built.
After Joseph and Hyrum Smith were killed in 1844, a number of men claimed to be his successor. Apostle John Page, rejected the leadership of Brigham Young. He did not go to Utah. He claimed that the LORD told him that Brigham Young would lead the Saints astray. Page ordained a man named Granville Hedricks to become a "Prophet, Seer, Revelator". Granville Hedricks claimed to receive a Revelation from the LORD, commanding him to go to Jackson County, Missouri, and build a house of worship. He did so, and a very small, and very humble, "House of the Lord" was built upon the Temple Lot, in Jackson County. The followers of Granville Hedricks became known as "The Church of Christ-Temple Lot".
Granville Hedricks (c. 1867)
According to the Revelations that Granville Hedricks received, Joseph Smith had become a "fallen prophet" because of sexual sin, and his actions after the year 1835 (i.e. the rewriting of the Book of Commandments into the D&C, plural marriage, the Kinderhook Plates, the Book of Abraham, teachings about the plural of Gods, the Endowment), were not inspired of God and had to be rejected. Nevertheless, a "house" had to be built upon that sacred Temple Lot in Jackson County, to prepare for the coming of the Son of Man, in the year 1891, in fulfillment of the prophecies. Granville Hedricks told his followers to await for the year 1891, when the Son of Man would appear in His "house" on the Temple Lot. Hedricks died in 1888.
Mormons don't believe that Granville Hedricks was a Prophet of God, because they are taught from birth that there can only be one true Prophet on Earth at a time, even though The Book of Mormon, First Nephi, first chapter, says "many prophets" arose in Jerusalem at the time of Lehi.
In 1891 Brighouse traveled by, by train, from Salt Lake City, to Kansas City, Missouri, and took a hired wagon to Independence, and appeared at the small Temple Lot Church, the "house" built upon the Sacred Ground, but, again, he was rejected. By that time Hedricks was dead, and no prophet succeeded him over the Church of Christ. The Church of Christ (Temple Lot) preached that a Temple had to be constructed on the sacred site before the generation living in 1832 were all dead. Indeed, the Church of Christ built a small church building on the site in 1887, but they did not call it a “temple”. They had plans for a much larger structure. That small building was burned down in 1898. But, in 1891, James Brighouse appeared at the building, but, he was rejected by Temple Lot leaders. Why? Because they expected Jesus to return in the clouds of the sky, with thousands of angels in tow, blowing trumpets. They did not expect a red-haired and red-bearded man, a man like themselves, who ate, got tired, slept, and was subject to all the ills of any mortal man.
The Elders of the Temple Lot Church believed that the LORD would not come to them unless they built a glorious temple on the Temple Lot, with Greek columns, marble, and covered with all sorts of precious stones. They tried to build such a Temple in the 1920s and 30s, but failed. But, they did not one this one fact, that the LORD does not need a great and glorious building to return to. The prophecy that a “temple” (house of worship) would be build upon the sacred spot, before those living in 1832 were all dead, was fulfilled with the first Temple Lot structure built in 1887, and visited by the Son of Man in 1891. It was a very small and humble building; kind of like the manger the Son of Man was born at, in Bethlehem, 1900 years before.
Having been rejected by the Temple Lot leaders, Brighouse then traveled back to Salt Lake City and appeared at the Salt Lake Temple (then under construction). He tried to enter but was prevented. He was mocked and jeered by the Mormon men working on the Salt Lake Temple (a "great and spacious building"); so he returned under the tree, at the end of a rail line, next to the Jordan River, and continued to preach to those few brave enough to risk excommunication in order to come out to hear him.
Salt Lake Temple (1891)
He could not find a place to preach in the city, so he went east of the city and preached under a small tree; just to the east of the Jordan River, next to a railroad tract (“rod of iron”). Mormons who came to listen to him asked him how he could claim to be the Son of Man, when it said in their D&C that “the Son of Man cometh not in the form of a woman, nor of a man who travels upon the earth.” (D&C 49:22). Brighouse replied that he did not travel on the earth (ground) but upon rods of iron (rails).
James Brighouse (c. 1890)
James Brighouse had blood-red hair and beard. The LORD told Joseph the Seer:
"And the Lord shall be red in his apparel like him who treadeth the wine vat..." (D&C 108:9c)
Mormons interpret this to mean that Jesus will return wearing a red robe, or a robe covered with blood. In other words, He will come riding upon a cloud, wearing a blood-covered robe, sitting upon a throne, with thousands of angels blowing trumpets, and somehow everyone on Earth will "see" this at the same time via some sort of optical miracle. He will appear like this over Kansas City and all ships at sea, close enough that all will recognize Him and see Him in his robe covered with blood. Does that sound like a "thief in the night" to you?
Over several years, hundreds of Mormons, out of curiosity, came to hear James Brighouse as he preached under a tree next to the railroad tracts. Some believed, but most did not. Of those that believed, most did not become his disciples; because they were threatened with excommunication; which would have meant their neighbors would have shunned them, their families would have shunned them, and no Mormons would have bought their crops or shopped in their stores. So, even most who believed refused to publicly acknowledge that they believed. Mormon leaders said Brighouse was a “madman” and a “deceiver”; the very things the Jewish high priests said of Jesus.
Brighouse then traveled to St. George to see Wilford Woodruff (who wintered in that city) but he was refused an audience. He wiped the dust of that town off his shoes, and there was immediately a great earthquake in that city. He returned to Salt Lake City and published a book titled “The Voice of the Seventh Angel”. Sections from Volume I of the book reads as follows:
“Then Brigham Young was not a prophet, seer, and revelator? No, verily No.” (p.8)
“Joseph Smith is a true Prophet of God and Young Joseph was his legal successor to that office, but some strange spirit hath gotten hold of him.” (p.18)
“The Son of Man is now in the midst of his people.” (p.20)
“The Prophet of the 19th century [Joseph Smith] fell into transgression.” (p.25)
“Why did ye not consider the pointer that the prophet Joseph gave? Did he not give you to understand that ye might expect to see the Son of Man in the year 1891? He also said 56 years will wind up the scene.” (p.35)
“Why do the people reject the Son of Man? Because their shepherds are hypocrites, who deceive the people with flatteries and lies and warn them not to listen to this Man, and threaten to cast out any who should receive Him on His testimony.” (p.37)
“Thousands of the Latter-day Church have looked forward to the year 1891 as the great year of His Coming…Yes, many have seen His Face and heard His Voice, but only a few know that He is the Son of Man. Will the present leader of the [Mormon] Church ever receive the testimony of the Son of Man? Just as much as Herod did the teachings of Jesus Christ.” (pp.47-48)
James Brighouse taught some unique doctrines. He taught:
*Adam and Eve were not the first humans, but the first of a new race of mankind: the first to grow beards (Volume II).
*Adam lived on the planet Venus, which once held life, when the Sun was smaller, and so did we, and as the Sun grows the Earth will be consumed in flames, the very elements will melt, and Mars will become a new Earth (Volume II) and we shall incarnate upon it, all save the sons of perdition (Volume II).
*Multiple mortal probations (consecutive incarnation--one mortal probation per material world) on many material worlds before we are resurrected on a heavenly planet where there is no ageing or pain or sorrow or death. (Volume II)
*Celestial Glory means to have the power to lay down one's life and raise it up again (reincarnation on many worlds), and Terrestrial glory means to have one mortal probation per planet, and Telestial Glory means one final probation, and a Son of Perdition means one has failed their final probation and their soul will be annihilated (Volume II)
*Negroes belong to a pre-Adamic race, and they are not incarnations of the sons and daughters of God unless they have at least one Adamic ancestor, and they only have the blood of Cain in them if they have the blood of the ancient Egyptians in them, but most do not (Volume II)
*Because the leaders of the Latter-day Church rejected the Son of Man (Brighouse), they will no longer receive Thus Saith the LORD Revelations, but the heavens will seem as brass to them (Volume I), and they will call their own thoughts and ideas "Revelation" and will make many mistakes and be prophets and seers and revelators in name only (Volume II).
*Polygamy and concubinage are "whoredoms" as The Book of Mormon teaches (Volume I)
*The Cainites refer to the ancient Egyptians and not to the Negroes, who are pre-Adamites (Volume II)
*Brigham Young was a fallen prophet, and taught false doctrines (God has sex with Mary, Negroes are cursed, Blood atonement, etc.) and had led away the Latter-day Saints to believe in his false doctrines (Volume I)
*The souls of the sons of Adam are copies of the Soul of Adam, which is why the sons of Adam inherit the Fall of Adam and had to be redeemed from the Fall (Volume II)
*All life on this planet originated in the oceans and all animals and the body of men evolved from lesser creations on this world, but mankind never had souls until Adam.(Volume II)
*Between the Fall and Adam and the Atonement of Jesus on the Cross, the souls of the Adamites were dead in the Spirit-World, but the Atonement reversed soul-death for all the sons and daughters of Adam in the spirit-world (Volume II) Note: i.e. there was no soul-death in the Spirit-World before the Fall of Adam, but death has always existed in the Physical Realm. (Volume II)
*Adam has had many lives upon this planet, and was once an Egyptian pharaoh, and Eve was his granddaughter and queen, and returned to this world as Jesus of Nazareth (Volume II).
*The Fall of Adam was a sexual sin; not the eating of a literal apple or fig (Volume II)
*The Book of Mormon is a prophetic parable about America, not a literal ancient history. The Nephites represent the white race in America, and the Lamanites the coloured races. The colored races in America will eventually become the majority and eventually “utterly destroy” (save a few) the white race; because of the pride, greed, materialism, and “whoredoms” of the white race, just as the Lamanites “utterly destroyed” the Nephites in the Book of Mormon (Volume II). Note: By the year 2060, the white race will become a minority in America and continue to get smaller as time goes on.
*Reincarnation is a true principle (Volumes I and II)
*Granville Hedricks was a true prophet of God (Volume II)
*Baptisms for the dead have no benefit to the dead, because the dead cannot repent or perform any work but have already been judged as The Book of Mormon teaches (Volume II)
*He (Brighouse) was the Son of Man, the Son of God (Volume I and II)
*There is only One True God, as The Book of Mormon teaches, but this One True God is the Divine Mind of the Universe, and this one True God exists in a multitude of tabernacles (Volume II)
*The Son of Man has incarnated upon this planet 19 times and will incarnate a total of 24 times, as the
Four and Twenty Elders (Volume II)
*The Son of Man will come again in the 20th century, and be born in Jerusalem in the year 1909 (Volume II)
*The Son of Man will come as King of kings and Lord of lords in the 24th century; coming down from heaven then as He came down the first time (Volume II)
*The Father and the Son were both upon the earth (1890=91), and both had bodies of flesh and bone and were "men like yourselves" (Volume I) NOTE: Indeed, at this time (1890-91) a Man named Baha'u'llah (baw-haw-Oh-Law), a Persian prince living in the Holy Land in 1890-91, claimed to be the incarnation of the Father, and James Brighouse claimed to be an incarnation of the Son of God. The follows of Baha'u'llah are called Baha'is (baw-highzz), and there are about 6 million Baha'is in 120 countries around the world today.
The teachings of James Brighouse are contained in The Voice of the Seventh Angel. Volume One of this work was published in 1892. Volume Two was not published, but given to the main disciple of Brighouse, a man named Henry I. Doremus, a Mormon who had been excommunicated from the LDS Church because he told others to come listen to James Brighouse, who taught under a tree, next to a iron rail, next to the Jordan River. Henry I. Doremus became the Trustee of the Order of Enoch, and appointed a successor, who appointed a successor, and so on. The current Trustee of the Order of Enoch is Aenon E. Moss (a pseudonym). The Trustees are not prophets, nor seers, nor revelators. The function/duty of the Trustees of the Order of Enoch were to preserve the Sacred Record (The Voice of the Seventh Angel). Volume I has been published on the Internet. Volume II has not yet been published. Eventually, both volumes will be published in book form, and available to the world-at-large in bookstores (not LDS bookstores--who will refuse to sell them). The Voice of the Seventh Angel (Volumes One and Two together) will be published as a book, and become available via Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, and for sale in many "New Age" bookstores; since LDS bookstores will, naturally, refuse to carry the work.
In 2006, Aenon E. Moss published Volume I of The Voice of the Seventh Angel on the Internet, and also published Thief in the Night on the Internet.
James Brighouse made about a 12 disciples in Jackson County, all members of the Reorganized Church. He then travelled to Utah and made exactly 12 disciples of the Mormon Church. William Smith and Lyman E. Johnson, both of whom were told in Revelation that they would live to see the face of the Son of Man, both saw His Face before they died; as did Joseph Smith III, David Smith, and David Whitmer.
According to a number of people who knew Joseph Smith personally (such as Eliza R. Snow), he taught them the “baby resurrection”; that we are “resurrected” as babies, born of new mothers. Many Members in Nauvoo believed in the Baby Resurrection (i.e. reincarnation). Joseph said we had to go from “grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation” (D.H.C. 6:306).
Did Joseph Smith Reject Reincarnation?
In November 1835 a man who went by the name of “Joshua the Jewish Minister” (whose real name was Robert Mathias) paid a visit to Joseph Smith in Kirkland, Ohio. The man evidently had some truth for Joseph said he made some "excellent remarks". However, Joseph Smith was suspicious of him and discovered that he was Robert Mathias of New York who had endured trials for "murder, man slaughter, contempt of court, whipping his daughter, etc." Despite this Joseph entertained him for a few days and finally asked him to enlighten him "on his views respecting the resurrection." Matthias made four statements 1. He was a literal descendant of Matthias, the apostle. 2. The spirit of Matthias was resurrected in him. 3. The scheme of eternal life was the transmigration of the spirit from father to son. 4. He was the spirit of truth itself and possessed the soul of Christ.
To this Joseph Smith said "I told him that his doctrine was of the devil, that he was in reality in possession of a wicked and depraved spirit." Joseph pressed him to leave and upon his departing he said: "And so I, for once, cast out the devil in bodily shape, and I believe a murderer." History of the Church Vol. 2; pages 304-307.
Joseph Smith was not condemning reincarnation. He called “his doctrine” (i.e. the doctrine of Mathias that he was the Spirit of Truth and Christ was in him and that the spirit passed from father to son) “a doctrine of the devil”.
Joseph Smith condemned "his doctrine" (i.e. the doctrine of Robert Mathias) which said:
*He (Mathias) had the Soul of Christ in him
*He (Mathias) was the Spirit of Truth.
*He (Mathias) had the spirit of the Apostle Mathias resurrected in him.
*The spirit/soul passes from father to son.
All these doctrines are false. All these doctrines were of the Devil. Reincarnation does not teach that the soul passes form father to son. Nor does the doctrine of reincarnation teach that the soul of Christ dwelt in Robert Mathias (a.k.a. Joshua the Jewish Minister). Robert Mathias was not the Spirit of Truth. Joseph Smith considered Mathias to be, literally, an incarnation of the Devil.
Most Mormons today reject reincarnation as "a doctrine of the Devil" because most Mormons today (at least those over the age of 40) grew up reading Elder Bruce R. McConkie's book Mormon Doctrine. From the 1960s to the 1990s, Mormon Doctrine was the most read book among Mormons. It was everywhere, and quoted from in almost all Church meetings and Church manuals. In that book, Elder McConkie wrote that reincarnation was "a doctrine of the Devil" and that Joseph Smith taught that. But, Joseph Smith taught no such thing! Joseph Smith said that the doctrines of Robert Mathias were doctrines of the Devil, and they indeed were!
It was also Mormon Doctrine which declared that Negroes were the cursed children of Cain and would not get the priesthood until sometime after the Millennium was over. Elder McConkie taught that Jesus was begotten in the say manner that mortal men beget mortal sons. Elder McConkie also taught, as did his father-in-law, Joseph Fielding Smith, that a Temple would be built by the Mormon Church in Jackson County, Missouri, on the Sacred Ground on the Temple Lot, before all those living in 1832 were all dead, that there were no Pre-Adamites, and that Adam and Eve were the first humans on this planet, and that death did not exist on this planet before the Fall of Adam. In 1999, LDS Church leaders asked Bookcraft publishers to cease publishing Mormon Doctrine. The book had been proven wrong too many times, and had given Church leaders too many headaches.
It was Joseph Fielding Smith, the son of Joseph F. Smith (the son of Hyrum Smith), the 10th President of the LDS Church, who originated the notion that Joseph Smith taught that reincarnation was "a doctrine of the Devil" based upon Joseph Smith's condemnation of the doctrines of Robert Mathias in 1838. Joseph Fielding Smith taught:
*Negroes are the cursed children of Cain, an inferior race, whose black skin was "emblematic of eternal darkness"; who would not receive the priesthood until long after the Millennium.
*There were no pre-Adamites: Adam and Eve were the first humans.
*There was no death anywhere on this planet before the Fall of Adam.
*The Earth will fly back through space to Kolob just before the Second Coming
*Men will never land on the Moon (Hawaii Stake Conference, June 1962)
*A Temple will be built in Jackson County, Missouri, on the Temple Lot, before the generation living in
1832 had all died.
*During the Millennium all those who were resurrected with the Just, but who did not receive Celestial Glory,
must undergo operations to remove their reproductive organs so they cannot have children.
*Before the Second Coming the Continents will rejoin together so that the Lost Tribes, who live near
the North Polar regions, can come to the Land of Zion.
*Reincarnation is a doctrine of the Devil, and the Prophet Joseph Smith taught that.
Are we to trust the teachings of Joseph Fielding Smith and Bruce R. McConkie, or are we to trust the Word of the LORD?
The LORD told Joseph the Seer on March 8th, 1833 (before Joseph fell):
13 And when you have finished the translation of the prophets, you shall from thenceforth preside over the affairs of the church and the school;
14 And from time to time, as shall be manifested by the Comforter, receive revelations to unfold the mysteries of the kingdom;
15 And set in order the churches, and study and learn, and become acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues, and people.
16 And this shall be your business and mission in all your lives, to preside in council, and set in order all the affairs of this church and kingdom. (D&C section 90)
According to the Joseph Lee Robinson, Eliza R. Snow, and a number of others, Joseph Smith taught them the doctrine of “Multiple Mortal Probations”; that we must have multiple lives of many worlds before we can earn the resurrection of the dead.
Joseph Smith was a Celestial Being, but because he "fell" (sinned in regards to polygamy) he became a Terrestrial Being (one mortal life per material planet), and will continue as a Terrestrial Being until once again he is "born again" on some other world. The only way to become a Celestial Being, and have the power to lay down one's life and raise it up again (reincarnation) is to become a Celestial Being, and that takes place only if we are "born again".
Does the Bible Reject Reincarnation?
In the Book of Hebrews 9:27 it says that “it is appointed for man to die once then the judgment”. Is this referring to reincarnation?
Most scholars would say it does not. Some believe it does. Also, Paul is not the author of Hebrews. The Book of Hebrews was not part of the first New Testament canon. The first New Testament canon included “The Wisdom of Solomon” which does teach reincarnation. Most Bible scholars think that the Book of Hebrew was written by either Titus or by Hermas; the brother of an early Roman bishop who also wrote The Pastor of Hermas (part of the New Testament Apocrypha). One thing all Bible scholars agree on: Paul did not write the Book of Hebrews.
Many early Christians believed in reincarnation under the term “Pre-Existence of Souls” (not to be confused with the Mormon doctrine by the same name). This was taught by the Christian School of Alexandria, founded by John Mark, author of the Gospel of Mark. The Christian Emperor Justinian did not like this doctrine, so he called a council of bishops to vote upon it in the 4th century. Those who voted for it were threatened. The bishop of Rome did not want to vote against reincarnation (called them "The Pre-Existence of Souls"), so Justinian kept him a prisoner until he changed his mind and voted the way the Emperor wanted. When the Pope returned to Rome, he repudiated his vote. The “Doctrine of the Pre-Existence of Souls” (reincarnation) was voted down in the 4th century, thanks to the political maneuvering and threats to the bishops by the Emperor Justinian.
Jesus said the John the Baptist was the “return” of the spirit of Elijah. He meant that literally.
We do not believe that humans have multiple mortal lives on one planet, but one mortal probation per material planet; which is called "consecutive incarnation" (one mortal life per material planet). Whereas "reincarnation" (many lives on each planet) is a reward for Celestial Beings only.
Doctor Dahesh
James Brighouse made a total of 24 disciples he called "The Order of Enoch". Then he (and they) disappeared from history. Some say they went up into the mountains of Utah and were killed by Piutes or died from the elements, but no remains were ever found. They simply vanished; like the City of Enoch; save only the Trustee of the Order who was to remain on earth to preserve the records.
James Brighouse preached to dozens of people in Jackson County and perhaps to several hundred in Utah. He told them that he would return, in the 20th century. He would be born in Jerusalem in the year 1909 (Volume II).
In that year, 1909, a man-child was born in Jerusalem, whom many later believed was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. He was born Saleem Ameer Moosa Achi (“Prince of Peace Moses Cook”). He became known as “Doctor Dahesh” ("Wonderful Counselor" in the Assyrian language). He was born of Assyrian parents from Iraq who migrated to Palestine in 1908. Doctor Dahesh became the most prolific worker of supernatural miracles of all time. In 1942 He founded His own religion called “The Noble Spiritual Faith” in Beirut, Lebanon. He died in 1947 in Iran, but was raised from the dead as was Lazarus. His final death was in 1984 in New York City. Dr. Dahesh performed thousands of supernatural miracles, and even taught His disciples how to perform miracles of healing via the "Raamz" rite. He wrote 150 books, including 5 books of scripture.
The Christ-Spirit will incarnate 24 times on this planet—one time per century—from the 1st century to the 24th century. His “Millennial Kingdom” will be established in the 24th century. The Christ-Spirit will be born a man-child in the 21st century. He will “come down from heaven” the same way He did in the 1st century (via the womb). Another sinless Prophet will be born in the 21st century, and also be a Man of Miracles. This will occur in the 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and (finally) in the 24th centuries. This is what Jesus meant by saying He was the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last. Greek has 24 letters. Jesus said He would incarnate 24 times on this planet. This is the meaning of the Four and Twenty Elders in the Book of Revelations (chapters 4 and 6 and 19).
The Purpose of the Restoration
The Restoration was for one purpose only: to prepare the way for the coming of the Son of Man. Yet, the Restoration rejected the Son of Man when He appeared to them; just as the Jews rejected Jesus; because he did not come as they expected him. Paul wrote that Jesus was the chief cornerstone; the stone that the builders rejected. In like manner, the Son of Man was rejected both by the Reorganized Church and by the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) and by the Mormon Church. Why? Because he did not appear to them as they expected the Son of Man to appear: riding upon a cloud with thousands of angels blowing trumpets. Instead, he came to them as a thief in the night and as "a man like ourselves" (Diary of Joseph Smith, 3 March 1843, also Utah D&C 130:1). A “thief in the night” does not kick the front door in with trumpets blazing. A “thief in the night” sneeks through the back door, when the inhabitants of the house are sleeping. He comes and goes quietly, unnoticed, and the sleepers remain asleep. A "man like ourselves" does not ride clouds, and does not have a train of flying angels blowing trumpets. A "man like ourselves" (Utah D&C 130:1) gets hungry, feels pain, is born a baby, ages, and dies like we do.
The leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Community of Christ, the Restoration Branches, the Church of Christ (Temple Lot), Church of Jesus Christ, and the Church of Christ with the Elijah Message shall, of course completely reject this testimony. It is not according to their traditions, but goes against their traditions. And like the Jews of old, they do love their traditions. And the rank-and-file will, as usual, follow their priesthood leaders.
The 1832 Prophecy
In Doctrine & Covenants section 83 it says:
1a A revelation of Jesus Christ unto his servant Joseph Smith, Jr., and six elders, as they united their hearts and lifted their voices on high;
1b yea, the word of the Lord concerning his church, established in the last days for the restoration of his people, as he has spoken by the mouth of his prophets, and for the gathering of his saints to stand upon Mount Zion, which shall be the city New Jerusalem;
1c which city shall be built, beginning at the Temple Lot, which is appointed by the finger of the Lord, in the western boundaries of the state of Missouri, and dedicated by the hand of Joseph Smith, Jr., and others, with whom the Lord was well pleased.
2a Verily, this is the word of the Lord, that the city New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning at this place, even the place of the temple, which temple shall be reared in this generation;
83:2b for verily, this generation shall not all pass away until an house shall be built unto the Lord, and a cloud shall rest upon it, which cloud shall be even the glory of the Lord, which shall fill the house.
If you ask the leader of "Community of Christ" why the 1832 prophecy that the Lord would come to His Temple in before the generating living in 1832 all passed away, they will say: "It is a true prophecy, but we failed as a church, so the Lord has delayed his coming." If you ask the leaders of the Church of Christ (Temple Lot), or the Church of Jesus Christ, or the Church of Christ with the Elijah Message, they too will say: "It was a true prophecy, but we as a church were not ready to fulfill it, so the Lord delayed his coming!" But, Dear Reader, no "true prophecy" can fail (see Deut. 18:22)! A true prophecy is always fulfilled. Only false prophecies fail, and only false prophets utter them. The "1832 Prophecy" was fulfilled! In 1891 the Son of Man appeared in the
Temple (house of worship) on the sacred spot, the temple lot, in Independence Missouri. But, he was rejected. The Son of Man did not need any glorious temple with Geek columns and marble walls studded with rubies and emeralds! The Son of Man came to his temple. This temple was a small wooden structure called a "church" (but the church refers to the people not the building). This temple was built in 1887, and burned down in 1898.
Church of Christ Temple Lot (1887-1898)
You say: "Oh, but this cannot be a temple! It is not grand and expensive! It had no Greek columns, no marble walls, no expensive pews, no stained-glass windows, and no marvelous steeples! This cannot be the temple expected and prophesied of in 1832?"
Why not? Jesus Christ, the Lord of heaven and earth, was not born in a glorious palace but He was born in a animal manger in a little insignificant village, with a floor consisting of hay and dung and walls of dirt and rough stone! "The Church of Christ" is not a building, but a people! A "temple" means any house of worship; no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. A "temple" (house of worship) would be built on the Sacred Spot (temple lot) before the generation living in 1832 were all dead. In 1891, the Son of Man came to his "temple" on that little patch of ground, but the Presiding Elder of the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) rejected him out of hand. He did not come as they expected Christ to come: riding upon a cloud with thousands of angels blowing trumpets.
The leaders of the Mormon Church, the Community of Christ, the Restoration Branches, the Church of Jesus Christ (Monogehela Pennsylvania), the Church of Christ (Temple Lot), and the Church of Christ with the Elijah Message all cry: "The prophecy is true, but we as a people failed the Lord in that we did not properly prepare ourselves, so the Lord has delayed his coming!" Jesus said "that evil servant saying in his heart, My Lord delayth his coming." (Matt. 14:48). Truly did the LORD say unto Joseph the Seer, "...and they shall say that Christ delayeth his coming until the end of the earth." (Utah D&C 45:26)
The current leaders of "Community of Christ" (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) probably do not believe that Jesus is returning at all. Many of them, if not most, see Jesus as an inspired man who taught many noble truths, such as peace, helping one's neighbors, etc. They see themselves as wanting to promote these truths to the world. Little do they know is that Jesus did come to Joseph Smith III, but he was rejected. The Savior appeared to William Smith, who was promised he would see the Savior in the flesh before he died, and he did. But, William Smith too did not recognize Him. Perhaps several hundred people recognized the face of the Savior when he came to them, but only about two dozen were brave enough to follow him.
The 1832 "house" on the Temple Lot prophecy before those living in 1832 did not fail! The 1891 prophecies of Joseph Smith DID NOT FAIL! They all came to pass and came true, but not in ways that the Saints expected them to. The LORD said:
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. (Isaiah 55:8)
The Soul of Jesus will be reincarnated sometime in the 21st century. The year or decade we don't know. According to the prophecies of Doctor Dahesh (the miracle-working Prophet of Lebanon), he will be born in Nazareth, the same village Jesus grew up in, but this time among the Druze of that city. He will speak from the cradle, and perform supernatural miracles as a young boy. He will not announce Who He really is until the age of 30.
When the Jewish priesthood rejected Jesus, and that rejection was final, the veil in the Jewish Temple was rent, and the priests heard the rush of a mighty wind. The Spirit left that Temple for good. In like manner, when the Son of Man appeared to the leaders of the Reorganized Church (the rightful heir) he was rejected. Then he appeared to the leaders of the Mormon Church, and was rejected. Then he appeared at the house of the Lord on the Temple Lot in 1891, and the leaders of the Church of Christ likewise rejected him; because he was not riding a cloud with thousands of angels in tow blowing trumpets. He was "a man like unto ourselves". Because he was rejected by the leaders of these churches, the Son of Man rejected these churches, and the Spirit was taken from them. That is why no Mormon leader received any Revelation since 1889. That is why the Revelations to the Reorganized Church seemed "different" after 1885. That is why the LORD did not send prophecies or revelations to the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) after Hedricks died. All of The Book of Mormon believing churches rejected their LORD, so the LORD had no choice but to reject them.
Conclusion
James Brighouse proclaimed he was the Son of Man. He appeared to William Smith and Lyman Johnson. He tried to meet with Joseph Smith III but was rejected. He appeared in Utah at the Salt Lake Temple but was mocked and jeered (the large and spacious building). He preached under a tree next to a train tract (rod of iron). Many who came to hear him believed, but did not become his followers because of the scorn and shunning of their Mormon relatives and threats of excommunication from the Church. He appeared at the "house of the Lord" on the Temple Lot in 1891, but we rejected and cast out of it. If James Brighouse was not the Son of Man, then we must conclude:
*The 1832 Prophecy regarding a temple (house of worship) being built at the Temple Lot in Independence Missouri by the generation living in 1832 failed.
*The prophecy of Amasa Lyman in 1832, which was wholeheartedly endorsed by Joseph Smith at the time, that many in the congregation would live until the Savior returned failed
*The 1835 prophecy of Joseph Smith that the coming of the Lord was nigh (near) even "56 years shall wind up the scene" failed.
*The 1843 prophecy of Joseph Smith that the Son of Man would appear "48 years hence" of 1843 (1891) failed.
*The blessings of the Three Witnesses upon William Smith and Lyman Johnson that they would live to see the Savior in the flesh failed.
How many failed prophecies and blessings can a true Prophet give? According to Deuteronomy:
"If a prophet prophesieth a thing and that thing comes not to pass, thou shalt not be afraid of him for I have not sent him." (Deut. 18:22)
This Verse does not leave room for "good reasons" why a true prophecy can fail to come to pass! There are no such things as "true prophecies" which "fail because we as a people were not ready"! All false prophecies can be explained away as "true" but "we weren't ready". The followers of all false prophets say this! If the prophecies of Joseph Smith failed to come to pass then he was a false prophet. No excuses. No explain-aways. The Verse is simple: failure to come to pass=a false prophecy=a false prophet who uttered it. Joseph Smith once said: "Ye need not suppose that one jot or tittle of the prophecies of all the holy prophets shall fail." (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church p.252)
Read that again:
"Ye not need suppose that one jot or tittle of the prophecies of all the holy prophets shall fail." (Teachings, p. 252)
The 1891 prophecies of Joseph Smith did not fail! They came to pass! But not as Mormon leaders, and the Mormon people (all save a few) expected them to come to pass.
Joseph Smith was a true Prophet of God, and all his prophecies did come to pass exactly as they were prophesied, but not necessarily in the way or manner that the Saints expected. The Son of Man did not come riding upon a cloud with thousands of angels in tow blowing trumpets. He came "as a man like ourselves". And, like he was 2,000 years ago, he was rejected by the very people who were supposed to prepare the way for his coming.
You don't want this to be true, so you won't believe it. But truth doesn't work like that. Truth is truth, regardless of whether we like it or not. "Truth" is not necessarily what we "want" to believe. It is "what is" regardless of our likes dislikes whims, wants, desires, and the traditions of our fathers or organizations.
When Jesus appeared 2,000 years ago, born in an animal den with dung as a floor, raised a humble carpenter, a wandering beggar with no visible means of support, with a small rag-tag following of a dozen no'er-do-wells and a known prostitute, without a place to lay His head, the leaders of the Jews dismissed Him out of hand, calling Him "mad" (insane) and "that deceiver". But, Jesus did have something on His side. He was able to perform supernatural miracles, and the other claimants to messiahship (and there were many) could not. "No problem" said the leaders of the Jews, "He casts out demons with the power of the prince of Demons". So too did Dr. Dahesh perform thousands of supernatural miracles, and you can read about them online in The Book of Testimonies About Dr. Dahesh (eye-witness first-hand accounts of His supernatural miracles). But, like the Jews before you, most of you will dismiss these as illusions, deceptions, or the Devil's work.
The Jews rejected Jesus as the Messiah, because their religious leaders did. They blindly followed their human leaders. Their religious leaders rejected Jesus as the Messiah because He did not arrive according to the traditions of their fathers. He did not descend from heaven like they thought Christ should. He did not sit upon the Throne of David. He did not lead angelic armies. His miracles were attributed to Satan. He did not come as they expected, so He was rejected.
The Restoration was established for ONE PURPOSE ONLY: to prepare the way for the coming of the the Son of Man. When the Son of Man came, in the correct year, in "red apparel", he was rejected; because he was not riding upon a cloud with thousands of angels blowing trumpets. After that point, the leaders of the LDS Church have no prophesied, nor received even one "Thus Saith the LORD" Revelation. Joseph F. Smith did claim to have a dream in 1918, which was published as a "vision" of the Redemption of the Dead. Although the Brethren are still sustained twice a year as "Prophets~Seers~Revelators" they in fact do not prophesy, do not see supernatural visions, and do not receive "Thus Saith the LORD" Revelations. They are "prophets" in name only. This is because Church leaders rejected the Son of Man when He came to them in 1891; because He came to them "as a man like ourselves" and not as a glorious being who flew in the air with thousands of angels blowing trumpets! He came to them "as a thief in the night".
Joseph Smith said:
"When the Savior shall appear we shall see him as he is, as a man like ourselves." (Diary of Joseph Smith 3 April 1843, Utah D&C 130:1)
A man "like ourselves" is born, grows up, gets hungry, and ultimately dies. He does not fly around in the sky spitting out fire-balls upon the wicked.
The final "reincarnation" of Jesus will be in the 24th century (2300s) when He comes as King and kings and Lord of lords. He will establish His Kingdom then. All else is only a "preparation" for that.
The book by James Brighouse, The Voice of the Seventh-Angel, Volume One, is currently available online under that title. Anyone can read Volume One online. Volume Two is only for members of the Order at this time. Eventually, both volumes will be published into one book for all the world to read, if they cared to read it.
The Order of Enoch is not a polygamist group. We believe that polygamy is an "abomination before the LORD" as The Book of Mormon clearly teaches. Most of us are still active Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A few of us are ex-Mormons, or inactive Mormons. We do not seek to form a rival "Church". We seek only to understand the Mysteries of God, and to promote the work of James Brighouse and to make it known to all the Latter-day Saints. If you are an active Member of the Church we implore you to remain active in the Church. Do not leave it. There is no place else to go. Let others know about this article, and the website of the Order, but only those you feel you can trust. When the Spirit directs, say: "Hey, did you ever hear of a guy named James Brighouse?" Give them the URL of this article, and say: "You should read this!"
http://orderofenoch.angelfire.com
If you are excommunicated because you tell others about James Brighouse and his teachings, do not think you have lost your share of the Kingdom. You have not! Keep attending the Church. Raise your children in the Church. Send your sons and daughters on missions if you can. Please known that the Brethren lost all direct revelation and priesthood authority when they rejected the Son of Man, when he came to them, in the form of a man, in 1891. This also applies to their successors, the current leaders of the Church. They may be sincere and well-intended men, but they are "prophets/seers/revelators" in name only. This is the reason why the Brethren have not received any verbal ("Thus Saith the LORD") Revelations since 1889. They do not receive supernatural visions. They have not seen the Savior in vision as some Members think they have. Their own ideas, their own thoughts, they now call "Revelation", and this is why one "Living Prophet" can often contradict a previous "Living Prophet"; because they are "prophets" in name only. Some of the Brethren believe that Brigham Young taught false doctrine (such as the Adam-God Doctrine), or that Joseph Smith "fell" because of sin (such as his affair with Fanny Algers or his marrying the wives of men he sent on mission to England), but they keep this to themselves, because they fear that if they preached this openly, it would hurt the Members and cause many of them to lose faith altogether. So, "for the good of the Church and the Members" they keep all this to and among themselves.
If you were an active Mormon in the 1940s, and you said "I do not believe that Negroes are the cursed children of Cain and I believe this is a false doctrine!" then you would be told, "Repent, for our prophets have taught it, and this is a doctrine of the Church, and if you do not repent, and if you do not cease what you are saying, you will be excommunicated!" Today, if an active Mormon says: "I believe that blacks are the children of Cain, and were cursed by God, and this was a doctrine of the Church, taught by all Church leaders, for 130 years!" you will be told, "Repent, for our prophets never taught it, but it may have been the opinion of a few, or speculation, but it was never a doctrine of the Church, and if you do not repent, and if you do not cease saying what you are saying, you will be excommunicated!"
True doctrines never "change". True prophets do not teach false doctrine; nor do they try to cover-up things that were taught as Church doctrines for over a century. The Adam-God Doctrine cannot be "true" in Brigham's Young day, land "false" today. That is contradiction, and God is not the Author of Confusion. Nor do true prophets lie and say: "Oh, well, the Curse of Cain doctrine was never a doctrine of the Church, just some speculation and personal opinion by some the Members". True prophets don't do that. True prophets don't contract true prophets who came before them. True Prophets prophesy. True Seers see supernatural visions. True Revelators revelate by receiving "Thus Saith the LORD" Revelations". When is the last time a President of the LDS Church prophesied, or saw a supernatural vision, or received a verbal "Thus Saith the LORD" Revelation? When? You can't ask them. If you even "ask" you risk excommunication. Why? If a man came up to Joseph Smith and said, "Have you prophesied? Have you seen supernatural visions? Have you received verbal Revelations? Joseph Smith would have said, "Yes I have...here they are. Read them for yourself!" Can you ask the same thing of Thomas S. Monson? You cannot! Why not! You can't even ask that question! Truly, James Brighouse wrote in 1891:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is in full apostasy, but we don't want you to leave the Church. It is in apostasy, but there is no place else to go. The LORD will come as King of kings and Lord or lords in the 24th century, and then, and only then, make all paths straight. He will bring His Kingdom with Him. You will be judged not by how much tithing you paid, nor how many meetings you attended, nor by how many Temple sessions you went through, nor by how many baptisms for the dead you performed, nor by how many Church callings you fulfilled, nor by how many priesthood positions you held, but by how you treated others. That is all. According to the teachings of James Bridghouse, and Doctor Dahesh, we are judged solely by what we do to other sentient beings; how we "treat" our fellow human beings and even animals which can feel joy and sorrow. We are judged by nothing else! We are not even judged by what doctrines we believe in or don't believe. We are judged by our "works" (actions toward others). Jesus told us to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, and to take care of the widow and orphan. Only about 1 per cent of tithing goes for humanitarian purposes. 99% of tithing goes to build temples, meetinghouses, to sustain Brigham Young University, for the salaries of top Church leaders, and to sustain Church businesses; such as the Deseret Management Corporation, Bonneville International, large tracts of land used as cattle ranches, Deseret Bookstores, City Creek Mall and so forth. On the other hand, just about all of Fast Offerings actually goes to help those in need.
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. He said, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last". Alpha is "A" in Greek, and Omega is "O": the last letter. Greek has 24 letters; beginning with Alpha and ending with Omega. Jesus was saying: "I will incarnate as a Jewish Nazarene in the first century, as my Alpha incarnation, and I will reincarnate one time, one time per century, from the first century to the 24th century, when I will incarnate as my Omega incarnation, when I will come as King of kings and Lord of lords; I will be all of the Four and Twenty-four Elders, from the First to the Last". Joseph Smith was not among these 24 Elders, but he was a true Prophet of God, until he "fell" because of sexual sin. Joseph Smith was warned by the LORD:
THOU WILT FALL
Joseph Smith "fell" into sexual sin. He was told that if he rejected the commandments of God to seek his own carnal lusts, and if he boasted of his own strength, he would "fall". He did. This explains the fiasco of the Kinderhook Plates, and the so-called "Book of Abraham". He fell after 1835. That is what the LORD told Granville Hedricks. But, he was still a Prophet of God, called forth "to write The Book of Mormon" (D&C 1:????) as a parable about what would happen to the white race in the Americas if they rejected the true Prophets, and became prideful, and arrogant, and worshipped riches, and practiced whoredoms. They would be utterly destroyed by the dark-skinned races, save only a few.
The Order of Enoch is not a "Church". It does not seek to replace the Church. Stay in the Church. Do not leave it. Stay away from the polygamist cults as you would the synagogues of satan! Remain where you are. Stay active in the Church if you can, but let others know about Thief in the Night, but only if the Spirit directs you. Give more in Fast and Offerings. Tithing was supposed to be ten per cent of your "increase" (that which is left over or "saved" every month) and not 10% of your gross income! Pay a biblical tithe (10 per cent of your monthly savings not your monthly gross income), but give more in Fast Offerings. In Testimony Meeting, give your testimony of Jesus Christ as Savior and Son of God, and Joseph Smith as His "instrument" in bringing about the Restoration, but don't testify of Thomas S. Monson as "a Prophet of God" unless you really believe he is a Prophet of God.
If you are a member of "Community of Christ", or the Restoration Branches, or the Church of Christ (Temple Lot), of the Church of Jesus Christ (Monogehela PA), or the Church of Christ with the Elijah Message, or any other Restoration church, stay were you are. The LORD is not coming as King of kings and Lord of lords until the 24th century. All you can do, is to do good. Follow the Golden Rule. Do as your leaders tell you to do, if they tell you to do good, be honest, be moral, and work righteously. But do not do always as they do. I testify that these things are true, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Aenon E. Moss
Trustee-in-Trust for the Order of Enoch
orderofenoch@yahoo.com
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