Church History

In part 1 of this series, we talked about some of the lessons we can learn from the young Prophet Joseph as he dealt with the adversary. In this article, we explore some of the more complex interactions Joseph or others had with the dark side and how he handled this as a more seasoned prophet. There are many more stories from Church history that could be called upon as examples. I have only chosen a few.

Heber C. Kimball[1] once spoke over the pulpit in the Tabernacle: “What contests [Joseph Smith] had had with the devil; [Joseph] told me that he had contests with the devil, face to face. He also told me how he was handled and afflicted by the devil.”[2] This statement about the Prophet Joseph has motivated me to learn more from him, how he dealt with Satan and to see if there are lessons for each of us in this part of the dispensation. There are. Let’s study them together.

Let’s look now at the spiritually mature, adult Joseph Smith and see if we can learn more about how he (and we) can deal with the temptations and battering of Satan.

Joseph Smith and the devil in Far West

From Heber C. Kimball we learn a great lesson that Joseph taught to him.

“Joseph … said the nearer a person approached to the Lord, the greater power would be manifest by the devil to prevent the accomplishment of the purposes of God.”

Pay attention to that in your own spiritual lives and notice the truthfulness of that statement. There is no need to fear the pursuit of deep spirituality, just know that Satan is tenacious and persistent and has plenty of helpers. But we have more.[3]

Heber continued: “He also gave me a relation of many contests that he [Joseph] had had with Satan, and his power that had been manifested from time to time since the commencement of bringing forth the Book of Mormon.

“I will relate one circumstance that took place in Far West, in a house which Joseph had purchased, which had been formerly occupied as a public house by some wicked people. A short time after he had moved into it, one of the children was taken very sick. He laid his hands upon the child, when it got better. As soon as he went outside, the child was taken sick again. He again laid his hands upon it, so that it again recovered. This transpired several times, and Joseph inquired of the Lord what it all meant, when he had an open vision, and saw it, the devil in person, who contended with Joseph face to face for some time. He said it was his house, it belonged to him, and Joseph had no right there. Then Joseph rebuked Satan in the name of the Lord, and he departed and troubled the child no more.”[4]

Lessons we can learn from Joseph’s admonition above and this horrible experience in Far West?

One. Satan will spurn us, thwart us, tempt us and keep us away from great spiritual experiences as much as he possibly can. “Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work.”[5]

Two. Inquire of the Lord when you cannot figure out why something is not going the way it should go. Keep inquiring. Pray until you receive an answer.

Three. Be in a position, with righteous priesthood power and, as women, with pure faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the use of His Holy Name, to rebuke Satan, and cast him out of your home, individual family members and whomever needs to have him cast out. That is so critically important when there are so many lying spirits in the world today who attach themselves to individuals, even to those we love.

Joseph Teaches Heber C. Kimball about the devils in Preston, England

A seven-elder contingency went to England in July 1837 to open the gospel to that nation, led by Apostles Heber C. Kimball and Orson Hyde, and Elder Willard Richards (who would later become an apostle) and four Canadians, Joseph Fielding, Isaac Russell, John Goodson and John Snyder. On the morning of the very first baptisms that were to be performed in that great nation, Sunday, July 30, 1837, the brethren were attacked by legions of devils who tried to destroy them. Heber C. Kimball talked about this experience.

““While thus engaged, I was struck with great force by some invisible power, and fell senseless on the floor. The first thing I recollected was being supported by Elders Hyde and Richards who were praying for me, Elder Richards having followed Russell up to my room. Elders Hyde and Richards then assisted me to get on the bed, but my agony was so great I could not endure it, and I arose, bowed my knees and prayed.

““I then arose and sat up on the bed, when a vision was opened to our minds, and we could distinctly see the evil spirits, who foamed and gnashed their teeth at us. We gazed upon them about an hour and a half (by Willard’s watch). We were not looking towards the window, but towards the wall. Space appeared before us, and we saw the devils coming in legions, with their leaders, who came within a few feet of us. They came towards us like armies rushing to battle. They appeared to be men of full stature, possessing every form and feature of men in the flesh, who were angry and desperate; and I shall never forget the vindictive malignity depicted on their countenances as they looked me in the eye; and any attempt to paint the scene which then presented itself or portray their malice and enmity, would be vain.

“I perspired exceedingly, my clothes becoming as wet as if I had been taken out of the river. I felt excessive pain, and was in the greatest distress for some time. I cannot even look back on the scene without feelings of horror; yet by it I learned the power of the adversary, his enmity against the servants of God, and got some understanding of the invisible world.  We distinctly heard these spirits talk and express their wrath and hellish designs against us. However, the Lord delivered us from them, and blessed us exceedingly that day.”

Elder Orson Hyde described that terrible morning in a letter to Heber:

“”Every circumstance that occurred at that scene of devils is just as fresh in my recollection at this moment as it was at the moment of its occurrence, and will ever remain so. After you were overcome by them and had fallen, their awful rush upon me with knives, threats, imprecations and hellish grins, amply convinced me that they were no friends of mine. While you were apparently senseless and lifeless on the floor and upon the bed (after we had laid you there), I stood between you and the devils and fought them and contended with them face to face, until they began to diminish in number and to retreat from the room. The last imp that left turned round to me as he was going out and said, as if to apologize, and appease my determined opposition to them, ‘I never said anything against you!’ I replied to him thus: ‘It matters not to me whether you have or have not; you are a liar from the beginning! In the name of Jesus Christ, depart!’ He immediately left, and the room was clear. That closed the scene of devils for that time.”

Now, here’s the lesson from Joseph which is so powerful (and this puts his teaching in context):

“When he returned home, Heber C. Kimball asked the Prophet Joseph Smith, ‘What was the matter of us? What had we done that we had to be submitted to such an experience?’

“Joseph responded, ‘Brother Heber, at that time you were nigh unto the Lord; there was only a veil between you and him, but you could not see him. When I [Joseph] heard, it gave me great joy, for I then knew that the work of God had taken root in that land. It was this that caused the devil to make a struggle to kill you. The nearer a person approaches the Lord, a greater power will be manifested by the adversary to prevent the accomplishment of his purposes.”[6]

Some takeaways from this almost overwhelming brush with the evil ones:

One.  In the midst of such darkness, as in the Sacred Grove, as in the small digs in Preston, England, the Lord is always near. This is a lesson we need to remember when all we seem to feel is darkness. Hold on. Exercise great faith. Keep in your mind that Jesus is just beyond us through a veil.

Two. Again, on that morning when the very first baptisms in this dispensation in England were to be performed, Satan attacked those who would, by priesthood authority, do those ordinances. Whenever great light is about to be poured out (like, for example, the First Vision or the Vision of the Three Degrees of Glory), darkness or an onslaught of temptation or challenge will likely be just around the corner. You can take this as a sign that the great spiritual experiences that you are richly given from the Lord are true and verified by the presence of opposition.

Three. Those on the other side of the veil who uphold the work of Satan are committed to our destruction. They are not to be trusted. They will use every means possible to lead us away from the light and teachings and ordinances of Christ.

Joseph Smith and the first Miracle of the Church with the Knight Family

Joseph was very close to the Joseph and Polly Knight family of Colesville, New York. He and Newel Knight, one of the Knight’s 13 children, were especially close and often had “serious conversations on the important subject of man’s eternal salvation.” Joseph and the Knights would employ much prayer in the course of their meetings together and Newel had been called upon to pray vocally in the group. Joseph reported:

“[Newel] deferred praying until next morning, when he retired into the woods; where, according to his own account afterwards, he made several attempts to pray, but could scarcely do so, feeling that he had not done his duty, in refusing to pray in the presence of others. He began to feel uneasy, and continued to feel worse both in mind and body, until, upon reaching his own house, his appearance was such as to alarm his wife very much. He requested her to go and bring me to him. I went and found him suffering very much in his mind, and his body acted upon in a very strange manner; his visage and limbs distorted and twisted in every shape and appearance possible to imagine; and finally, he was caught up off the floor of the apartment, and tossed about most fearfully.

“His situation was soon made known to his neighbors and relatives and in a short time as many as eight or nine grown persons had got together to witness the scene. After he had thus suffered for a time, I succeeded in getting hold of him by the hand, when almost immediately he spoke to me, and with great earnestness requested me to cast the devil out of him, saying that he knew he was in him, and that he also knew that I could cast him out.

“I replied, “If you know that I can, it shall be done,” and then almost unconsciously I rebuked the devil, and commanded him in the name of Jesus Christ to depart from him; when immediately Newel spoke out and said that he saw the devil leave him and vanish from his sight. This was the first miracle which was done in the Church, or by any member of it; and it was done, not by man, nor by the power of man, but it was done by God, and by the power of godliness; therefore, let the honor and the praise, the dominion and the glory, be ascribed to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.

“This scene was now entirely changed, for as soon as the devil had departed from our friend, his countenance became natural, his distortions of body ceased, and almost immediately the Spirit of the Lord descended upon him, and the visions of eternity were opened to his view. So soon as consciousness returned, his bodily weakness was such that we were obliged to lay him upon his bed, and wait upon him for some time. He afterwards related his experience as follows:

“I now began to feel a most pleasing sensation resting on me, and immediately the visions of heaven were opened to my view. I felt myself attracted upward, and remained for some time enwrapt in contemplation, insomuch that I knew not what was going on in the room. By and by, I felt some weight pressing upon my shoulder and the side of my head, which served to recall me to a sense of my situation, and I found that the Spirit of the Lord had actually caught me up off the floor, and that my shoulder and head were pressing against the beams.

“All this was witnessed by many, to their great astonishment and satisfaction, when they saw the devil thus cast out, and the power of God, and His Holy Spirit thus made manifest. As may be expected, such a scene as this contributed much to make believers of those who witnessed it, and finally the greater part of them became members of the Church.”[7]

This account was taken directly out of the History of the Church and there is much to be learned from it.

One. Just as we witnessed in the Sacred Grove with the young Prophet Joseph, Satan does not want us to pray vocally or to pray at all for that matter. Satan will employ the tactics of making us feel worse and worse in both body and mind to keep us from praying. When we around those that we know and love, we can even detect the presence of an evil spirit because the very countenance of the person can change.

Two. Satan can actually intervene in someone’s spirit and toss them about physically (and mentally). In this situation, as with the Prophet Joseph, it’s important to take the afflicted person by the hand to bring them to consciousness of the presence of an evil spirit.

Three. Faith in Jesus Christ is a key component in casting out Satan and his followers.

Four. Often after evil is cast out, the person is filled with light, joy, happiness and other fruits of the Spirit.[8]

Joseph Smith and the Devils in Kirtland

We learn from Lucy Diantha Morley Allen, daughter of Isaac and Lucy Morley in Kirtland, of an experience many witnessed on her parents’ farm.

“When the Prophet returned [from the Johnson’s in Hiram, Ohio] and learned the condition he called a meeting in a little schoolhouse on Isaac Morley’s farm, and those who desired attended.

“When a crowd was gathered, Joseph arose and said in a powerful voice:

‘Let the spirits be made manifest.’

“Immediately, some began to sing, some to shout, some to cry, etc. When Joseph rebuked them, all became quiet except two, whom he rebuked separately.”[9]

From Parley P. Pratt we learn of the effect evil spirits can have, even upon the most faithful (including Parley himself):

“About this time, after I had returned from Canada, there were jarrings and discords in the Church at Kirtland, and many fell away and became enemies and apostates. There were also envyings, lyings, strifes and divisions, which caused much trouble and sorrow. By such spirits I was also accused, misrepresented and abused. And at one time, I also was overcome by the same spirit in a great measure, and it seemed as if the very powers of darkness which war against the Saints were let loose upon me.”

John Taylor, who was one of Parley’s converts during his mission to Toronto, Canada just a year earlier, came to Parley at this time, and said:

“I am surprised to hear you speak so, Brother Parley. Before you left Canada you bore a strong testimony to Joseph Smith being a Prophet of God, and to the truth of the work he has inaugurated; and you said you knew these things by revelation, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. You gave to me a strict charge to the effect that though you or an angel from heaven was to declare anything else I was not to believe it. Now Brother Parley, it is not man that I am following, but the Lord. The principles you taught me led me to Him, and I now have the same testimony that you then rejoiced in. If the work was true six months ago, it is true today; if Joseph Smith was then a prophet, he is now a prophet.”[10]

“I went to brother Joseph Smith in tears, and, with a broken heart and contrite spirit, confessed wherein I had erred in spirit, murmured, or done or said amiss. He frankly forgave me, prayed for me and blessed me. Thus, by experience, I learned more fully to discern and to contrast the two spirits, and to resist the one and cleave to the other. And, being tempted in all points, even as others, I learned how to bear with, and excuse, and succor those who are tempted.”[11]

What can we learn from these two situations in Kirtland?

One. Evil spirits can be tenacious and can manifest themselves in different ways through multiple people. We should pray for the spirit of discernment so that can prevent ourselves from being deceived.

Two. The fruits of the spirit of Satan (in great contrast to the fruits of the Spirit) are: jarrings, discords, envyings, lyings, strifes, divisions, trouble, sorrow, darkness. It is good to pay strict attention when we notice any of these “fruits” in our relationships with others or with the Lord.

Three. If you begin to doubt the things you have known in the past, remember, that “if the work was true six months ago, it is true today.” As with John Taylor’s admonition to Parley, so with the Lord’s admonition to Oliver Cowdery:

22 Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things.

23 Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?

The witnesses that have built our testimonies of the truth are from God. They are sure: the reality of a living, loving Heavenly Father and the Divinity of His Only Begotten Son. The truthfulness of the calling and mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith. The fact that the Book of Mormon is holy scripture and is the word of God for our day. And the witness of the Spirit that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint is indeed the Kingdom of God on the earth today—these are all witnessed to us by the Holy Spirit and are warred upon by the spirit of Satan.

Let us learn the tactics and deceits of the evil one and be firm, steadfast and immovable in our witness of the truths that God has given us.

Notes:

[1] Heber C. Kimball was one of Joseph Smith’s most loyal followers. Born in Sheldon, Vermont, June 14, 1801, Heber was called as one of the original members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. His loyalty  to Joseph, along with that of Brigham Young’s, was legendary and unwavering.

[2] From a Discourse of Heber C. Kimball delivered in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, March 2, 1856, Journal of Discourses, 3:230.

[3] See 2 Kings 6:15-17.

[4] Journal of Heber C. Kimball, p.80. Emphasis added.

[5] Doctrine and Covenants 10:5.

[6] Whitney, Orson F., The Life of Heber C. Kimball, Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, 1888, pp. 131-32.

[7] Smith, Joseph Jr. and B.H. Roberts, History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, 1902, pp. 82-84.

[8] Galatians 5: 22-23.

[9] Lucy Diantha Morley Allen, “Joseph Smith, the Prophet,” Young Woman’s Journal 17, no. 12 (December 1906): 537.

[10] Roberts, B.H., Life of John Taylor, Bookcraft, Salt Lake City, 1953, pp 39-40.

[11] Pratt, Parley P. The Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, 1874, p. 144.