All of us who chose to come to earth also have an opportunity to become a “True Seer of God.” As Brigham Young has asked, are we “able to withstand all of the false deceptions of the devil?” Have we rejected God and His Holy Priesthood? What would it be like for every worthy person to have a seer stone or an opportunity to see all in the past, present, and future? I look at it as a blessing to live for.
“Joseph Smith, Jr. said, every man who lived on the earth was entitled to a seer stone, and should have one, but they are kept from them in consequence of their wickedness.” – Prophet Brigham Young, “History of Brigham Young,” Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star, v. 26, February 20, 1864
Joseph F. Smith also said, “These peep-stone men and women are inspired by the devil, and are the real witches” Make sure we understand the difference!
“The power of seership is one of the greatest gifts ever given to man; and the time is not far distant when every man who bears the Priesthood will be a seer. But it can only be when men have proved themselves able to withstand all of the false deceptions of the devil. Today the powers of crystal ball gazers, astrologers, ouija boards, etc., are abounding because men have forsaken or rejected the true seers of God. Thousands of people seek unto ‘wizards who peep and mutter’ etc., but they will not seek unto the living God. I can say to all the inhabitants of the earth that before what is called spiritualism was ever known in America, I told the people that if they would not believe the revelations that God had given, He would suffer the devil to give revelations that they–priests and people would follow after. . . I told the people that as true as God lived, if they would not have the truth they would have error sent to them, and they would believe it.” (Brigham Young, Des. News, June 18, 1871, p. 308) (See Revelation 2:17 and D&C 130:11)
“The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim. This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it; and this earth will be Christ’s. Then the white stone mentioned in Revelation 2:17, will become a Urim and Thummim to each individual who receives one, whereby things pertaining to a higher order of kingdoms will be made known; And a white stone is given to each of those who come into the celestial kingdom, whereon is a new name written, which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it. The new name is the key word.” D&C 130:9-11
“Brigham Young tells us a great thing. “I told the people that if they would not believe the revelations that God had given, He would suffer the devil to give revelations that they–priests and people would follow after. . . I told the people that as true as God lived, if they would not have the truth they would have error sent to them, and they would believe it.” It seems at many times we seek revelations from any source. We just want answers and we don’t take the time to determine which revelations come from God and which ones come from Satan. Our impatience and lack of faith in the Lord’s timing may be our downfall.
Once we receive revelation it is imperative to determine if that was meant just for you, just for your family or for someone to help them. We will not receive a revelation outside of our stewardship. This becomes the cause of great harm when we listen to others who have a great experience and misunderstand it, or the one giving the experience embellishes the story and makes money from publishing it to the world. Bruce R. McConkie as I recall said, “Them that know don’t tell, and them that tell, don’t know.” The Lord wants us to learn how to keep spiritual secrets sacred, as in the Temple.
SUPERSTITIOUS PRACTICES
by Joseph F. Smith. Improvement Era
“It was no uncommon thing for people of eastern nations, almost from time immemorial, to profess to hold communication with the spirit world through the medium of superstitious practices. There were magical formulae, lucky and unlucky days, incantations, horoscopes, and various other devices, and superstitious rites and practices through which magicians, astrologers, soothsayers, divines, wizards, witches, sorcerers, necromancers, conjurers, and enchanters, played upon the ignorance of their victims. It is, of course, impossible to tell what the secrets of their practices were, but it is safe to say that the power of a strong and cunning will over a weak one, was uppermost in their deceptions. The Children of Israel were forbidden to believe in these various classes of superstition, heathenism and idolatry, for they tended to draw men’s minds from God, the true source of knowledge and power. Says Isaiah: “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” They were forbidden to seek wizards that “peep and mutter,” but were commanded to obey the law and the testimony of the prophets.
One would think that in the day in which we live the belief in witches and witchcraft no more exists, and that the counsel given to ancient Israel in this respect would be unnecessary to the Latter-day Saints, but apparently this is not the case. Word comes from a northern stake of Zion which indicates that in a certain settlement the belief in these things is fairly rampant, and a great deal of trouble and unnecessary annoyance have been given to the authorities of the stake and ward because of this absurd belief entertained by certain foolish old men and women of the ward.
It is needless to assert that to those who are intelligent, and not bound by old notions and superstitions, there is no truth in what people call witchcraft. Men and women who come under the influence of a belief therein are bewitched by their own foolish- ness, and are led astray by pretenders and mischief-makers who “peep and mutter.” It is really astonishing that there should be any to believe in these absurdities. No man or woman who enjoys the Spirit of God and the influence and power of the holy priesthood can believe in these superstitious notions; and those who do, will lose, indeed have lost, the influence of the Spirit of God and of the priesthood, and are become subject to the witchery of Satan, who is constantly striving to draw away the Saints from the true way, if not by the dissemination of such nonsense, then by other insidious methods.
One individual can not place an affliction upon another in the way that these soothsayers would have the people believe. It is a trick of Satan to deceive men and women, and to draw them away from the Church and from the influence of the Spirit of God, and the power of his holy priesthood, that they may be destroyed. These peep-stone men and women are inspired by the devil, and are the real witches, if any such there be. Witchcraft, and all kindred evils, are solely the creations of the superstitious imaginations of men and women who are steeped in ignorance, and derive their power over people from the devil, and those who submit to this influence are deceived by him. Unless they repent, they will be destroyed. There is absolutely no possibility for a person who enjoys the Holy Spirit of God to even believe that such influences can have any effect upon him. The enjoyment of the Holy Spirit is absolute proof against all influences of evil; you never can obtain that Spirit by seeking diviners, and men and women who “peep and mutter.” That is obtained by imposition of hands by the servants of God, and retained by right living. If you have lost it, repent and return to God, and for your salvation’s sake and for the sake of your children, avoid the emissaries of Satan who “peep and mutter,” and who would lead you down to darkness and death.
It is impossible for anyone possessing the spirit of the gospel and having the power of the holy priesthood to believe in or be influenced by any power of necromancy.
My advice to the Saints is to so live that they may have the Spirit and influence of the Lord with them; for, having that influence, it is a wall of protection against all powers of evil that may seek an inroad into their hearts and thoughts. The possession of the Holy Spirit is a sure defense against evil thoughts, superstitions, ignorance, and the follies and machinations of evil disposed men and women. Every Latter-day Saint should so conduct himself that he may enjoy this Spirit, and there will be no danger of his being led away by the foolish nonsense that ignorance and superstition seek to implant in the minds of people concerning the existence of witches and witchcraft.
There is no danger to anyone in so-called witchcraft itself; the evil effect lies in the belief therein. The person who believes injures himself through fear and belief; no other person has power to injure him; it is himself who injures himself through the superstition of his own mind. In the Sandwich Islands this superstitious belief was very prevalent, years ago. They call it pule anaana, or the prayer of sorcery. It was no uncommon thing for a person who became beset with the thought that he was being “prayed to death” actually to wither away, and die. I knew a good woman, wife of a leading native Latter-day Saint whom I often visited, who one day became very ill. I asked what was the matter. She said she was being “prayed to death,” and she was actually seriously ill, and getting ready to die; so great was her fear and faith in what some evil-designing, but in himself impotent, person, had whispered about her. I told her it was all wrong, that she must not believe it; it was impossible; she must believe, on the contrary, that she would live, and be well. I labored with her in this way for some time, and she finally believed and was restored, and such nonsense never had power over her again. It was not so with a young native cook whom the missionaries employed. Some of the jealous natives, one day when we were off on a visit, brought him word that be was being “prayed to death,” and it so frightened him, and so great was his belief in this superstition, that he died within a week, and we were without a cook when we returned.
As Israel of old were enjoined to obey the law and the testimony given to them by Moses, so the Latter-day Saints are commanded to turn to the gospel law restored anew to them, and to live so that they may enjoy the Holy Spirit of promise. A sentiment against belief in the power of witchcraft, and all other evil things should be cherished among the Latter-day Saints, for persons who believe or express faith therein are in danger of losing the Spirit of God, and of f lacing themselves under the influence of the adversary whose footsteps lead to death.”
Joseph F. Smith. Improvement Era 5 (September 1902): 897,
“President Joseph F. Smith also weighed in on this divisive and pivotal discussion: no man or woman who enjoys the Spirit of God and the influence and power of the holy Priesthood can believe in these superstitious notions, and those who do, will lose, indeed have lost, the influence of the Spirit of God and of the Priesthood, and are become subject to the witchery of Satan . . . These peepstone-men and women are inspired by the devil . . . “ Improvement Era 5 (September 1902): 897, https://archive.org/details/improvementera0511unse/ page/896; emphasis added
