Discourse, 16 May 1841, as Reported by Unidentified Scribe
Source Note
JS, Discourse, [, Hancock Co., IL], 16 May 1841. Featured version copied as “Remarks by Joseph May 16th. 1841” in a collection of discourses, pp. [1]–[2]; unidentified handwriting; JS Collection, CHL.
Bifolium measuring 9⅞ × 7¾ inches (25 × 20 cm) and ruled with twenty-eight blue lines per page. The bifolium was originally part of a larger document recording multiple discourses; the text at the top of the recto of the first leaf starts in the middle of a sentence and the text at the bottom of the verso of the second leaf ends in the middle of a sentence. Also, residue remains from adhesive wafers (four on the recto of the first leaf and two on the verso of the second leaf), indicating that the bifolium was at one point fastened to more pages. This discourse was inscribed on the recto and verso of the first leaf.
Although the custodial history of this document is uncertain, by 1973 it had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL).
There are three independant principles; the spirit of God. the spirit of Man. & the spirit of the Devil. All men have power to resist the Devil. They who have Taber[n]acles have power over those who have not. The docterine of eternal judgement acts 2— 41 Peter preached repent & be in the name of jesus Christ for the remision of sins &c but in act 3 19 he says repent and be converted that your sins my be forgiven blotted out when the times of refreshing <redemption> shall come & he shall send jesus &c remission of sins by baptisom was not to be preached to murderers. all the preasts in crisendom might pray for a murderer on the [p. [1]]
A September 1830 revelation taught that “it Must needs be that the Devil should tempt the children of men or they could not be agents unto themselves for if they never should have bitter they could not k[n]ow the Sweet.” (Revelation, Sept. 1830–A [D&C 29:39].)
In a January 1841 sermon, JS taught, “All beings who have bodies have power over those who have not.” In another, separate discourse that month, he further explained that “before foundation of the Earth in the Grand-Counsel that the spirits of all men ware subject to opression & the express purpose of God in Giveing it a tabernicle was to arm it against the power of Darkness.” (Accounts of Meeting and Discourse, 5 Jan. 1841; Account of Meeting, ca. 19 Jan. 1841.)