D&C 50:1-3

Section 50 gives some interesting insight into a topic that we’ve already talked about, the difference between the influence of the Holy Ghost and false spirits. The IM gives background as follows: “During all dispensations when the gospel has been on the earth, Satan has devised ways to counterfeit revelation. The Prophet Joseph Smith observed: ‘Soon after the Gospel was established in Kirtland, and during the absence of the authorities of the Church, many false spirits were introduced, many strange visions were seen, and wild, enthusiastic notions were entertained: men ran out of doors under the influence of this spirit, and some of them got upon the stumps of trees and shouted, and all kinds of extravagances were entered into by them; one man pursued a ball that he said he saw flying in the air, until he came to a precipice, when he jumped into the top of a tree, which saved his life; and many ridiculous things were entered into, calculated to bring disgrace upon the Church of God, to cause the Spirit of God to be withdrawn, and to uproot and destroy those glorious principles which had been developed for the salvation of the human family.’ John Whiter wrote: ‘Some had visions and could not tell what they saw, some would fancy to themselves that they had the sword of Laban, and would wield it as expert as a light dragoon; some would act like an Indian in the act of scalping; some would slide or scoot on the floor with the rapidity of a serpent, which they termed sailing in the boat to the Lamanites, preaching the gospel. And many other vain and foolish maneuvers that are unseeming and unprofitable to mention. Thus the devil blinded the eyes of some good and honest disciples. I write these things to show how ignorant and undiscerning children are, and how easy mankind is led astray, notwithstanding these things of God that are written concerning his kingdom.’ Elder Parley P. Pratt was also a witness to these unusual operations: ‘All these things were new and strange to me, and had originated in the Church during the absence, and previous to the arrival of President Joseph Smith from New York. Feeling our weakness and inexperience, and lest we should err in judgment concerning the spiritual phenomena, myself, John Murdock, and several other Elders, went to Joseph Smith, and asked him to inquire of the Lord concerning these spirits of manifestations.’” DJR quotes a little bit more of the Parley P. Pratt citation here which says, “As I went forth among the different branches, some very strange spiritual operations were manifested, which were disgusting, rather than edifying. Some persons would seem to swoon away, and make unseemly gestures, and be drawn or disfigured in their countenances. Others would fall into ecstasies, and be drawn into contortions, cramp, fits, etc. Others would seem to have visions and revelations, which were not edifying, and which were not congenial to the doctrine and spirit of the gospel. In short, a false and lying spirit seemed to be creeping into the Church.” So much of what we’re going to learn about in this section is the characteristics of the Holy Ghost and how He communicates with us. I know that many of us struggle with the question, “was that a prompting of the Holy Ghost or was it just my own thought?” Maybe this section will give us a little bit more insight into this concept.

A separate but very profitable concept is covered in the background information by DJR, and that is of the revelatory process used by Joseph Smith. DJR quotes Parley P. Pratt as describing, “After we had joined in prayer in his translating room, he dictated in our presence the following revelation (section 50): - (Each sentence was uttered slowly and very distinctly, and with a pause between each, sufficiently long for it to be recorded, by an ordinary writer, in long hand. This was the manner in which all his written revelations were dictated and written. There was never any hesitation, reviewing, or reading back, in order to keep the run of the subject; neither did any of these communications undergo revisions, interlinings, or corrections. As he dictated them so they stood, so far as I have witnessed; and I was present to witness the dictations of several communications of several pages each…)” Not necessarily relevant to the subject at hand, but very profitable for our own information.

50:1-3 - The Lord begins by acknowledging that there are indeed “many spirits which are false spirits, which have gone forth in the earth, deceiving the world.” The IM quotes the Prophet Joseph Smith as teaching, “The devil has great power to deceive; he will so transform things as to make one gape at those who are doing the will of God.’ The IM continues, “Latter-day Saints must observe the Lord’s counsel in order to escape Satan’s deceptions: ‘Let every man beware lest he do that which is not in truth and righteousness before me.’ President Joseph Fielding Smith taught: ‘From the time of the fall of man until now Satan and his followers who were cast out of heaven, have been deceiving men. Today, as in the beginning, Lucifer is saying, ‘I am also a son of God… believe it or not,’ and men today believe not for the same reason that they refused to believe in the beginning. ‘Some commandments are of men,’ so the Savior informed Joseph Smith… Some commandments are of devils, and these are also made manifest in various ways and in all communities. Some of the most startling and prevalent forms of false manifestations are in the false gifts of tongues, and in religious meetings particularly among some sects where the worshippers fall in fits, shout, sing and pray in  disorderly fashion, sometimes frothing at the mouth and their bodies partaking of unnatural contortions.’”