Entitled to a Seer Stone
“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
As you think about this quote, can we compare our smart phones of today with a seer stone as explained above? With todays technology we can see places, pictures and things all over the world. We can speak with a worldwide audience of people and communicate with them in a moments notice. We can look at evil images and watch inappropriate media on demand. We can listen to uplifting or downgrading music. We can do Family History research with our hand held devices or we can break up families with a simple innuendo of guilt about an innocent person.
It seems as Brigham Young said, we are all entitled to a seer stone and in today’s society we all have one don’t we? Are we using it for good or evil. Are we wasting time or saving time with its use? Are we striving to learn truth on our smart phone, or are we seeking out our next prank or illegal venture? This day is truly a test of our faith. How will we use the technology the Lord has blessed us with? Remember the Lord said,
“For by the power of my Spirit I them; yea, all things both and temporal— , secondly temporal, which is the beginning of my work; and again, first temporal, and secondly spiritual, which is the last of my work.” D&C 29:31-32
“That which is spiritual being in the likeness of that which is temporal; and that which is temporal in the likeness of that which is spiritual; the of man in the likeness of his person.” D&C 77:2
All things were created spiritually before they were created physically. See Moses 3:5–7; Genesis 2:4–5.
In other words there is nothing in the material world that man has created that was not first created spiritually by God before. God knows the value of a “Seer Stone” or a “Smart Phone”, but Satan understands how to use them as deception and evil unless we have the Spirit of God within us as we use these inventions.
The Power of Seership
“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)
SUPERSTITIOUS PRACTICES.
Joseph F. Smith said, “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 foolishness, 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 fur 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.Vol. V. The Glory of God is Intelligence. No. II. Organ of Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations. PUBLISHED BY THE GENERAL. BOARD. Joseph F. Smith, Heber J. Grant,
https://archive.org/stream/improvementera0511unse/improvementera0511unse_djvu.txt
Joseph Smith: Seer Stone in a Hat or Two Stones in a Silver Bow Attached to a Breastplate?
Joseph Smith used a seer stone he had found as a young boy by digging in a well. Maybe he liked collecting beautiful stones, or he could gaze in it and see or imagine wonderful things. We have heard all kinds of stories about how Joseph may have used this single stone, but do we really know exactly what he did with it? No! The one thing I believe is that Joseph never used that single stone to translate the gold plates.
Why do I seem so confident of that statement? Because you can never find a first hand witness that claims they used such a stone and put it in a hat for translation. You can find second hand witnesses such as Emma Smith, David Whitmer and Martin Harris who claimed the stone in a hat process. None of these people however saw all three instruments used during translation. The Plates, Breastplate and Spectacles that were inside the stone box where Joseph found the plates. (No Emma did not see the Gold Plates, Breastplate nor the Spectacles See Paintings below).
The biggest reason that I believe Joseph used the 3 articles above, is because there are many scriptures that say Joseph used these two stones in a silver bow and attached to the breastplate to translate. See the Scriptures. See, JSH 1:35,52,62,75*; Mosiah 28:13, 20; Ether 3:22-23; 4:5; Alma 37:21, 24-25
Paintings Suggest Translation Methods
Painting Title:
“Mother, I have got the Key” Lucy Mack Smith by Anne Marie Oborn
“That of which I spoke, which Joseph termed a key, was indeed nothing more nor less than a Urim and Thummim by which the angel manifested those things to him that were shown him in vision; by which also he could at any time ascertain the approach of danger, either to himself or the record, and for this cause he kept these things constantly about his person.” (History of Joseph Smith, Revised and Enhanced, p. 139, 145)
How could Joseph keep his oath of non-concealment without a curtain? It seems wearing the breastplate under his shirt and blocking the vision of the scribe with his farmers hat, would be an excellent way of concealment. Lucy also said of the breastplate,
“It is composed of pure gold and is made to fit the breast very exactly.” Lucy Mack Smith (in Henry Caswall, The City of the Mormons
Painting Title:
“These Stones, fastened to a Breastplate” Lucy Mack Smith by Anne Marie Oborne
Since Oliver is quoted as saying he saw the Interpreters, and he at one time had an opportunity to try the translation method, it is likely the Lord gave Joseph permission to allow Oliver to see the plates, spectacles, and breastplate during translation.
“I wrote with my own pen, the entire Book of Mormon (save a few pages) as it fell from the lips of the Prophet Joseph Smith, as he translated it by the gift and power of God, by means of the Urim and Thummim, or, as it is called by the book, “holy interpreters. I beheld with my eyes, and handled with my hands, the gold plates from which it was translated. I also saw with my eyes and handled with my hands the “holy interpreters.” The book is true.” Oliver Cowdery, Testimonies of Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris,” Millennial Star, Aug. 20, 1859, 544
“When Brother Samuel W. Richards was eighty-two, (1906) he dictated a statement reporting Oliver Cowdery’s recollections of Book of Mormon translation: “He represented Joseph as sitting at a table with the plates before him, translating them by means of the Urim and Thummim, while he (Oliver) sat beside him writing every word as Joseph spoke them to him. This was done by holding the ‘translators’ over the hieroglyphics, the translation appearing distinctly on the instrument, which had been touched by the finger of God and dedicated and consecrated for the express purpose of translating languages. Every word was distinctly visible even to every letter; and if Oliver omitted a word or failed to spell a word correctly, the translation remained on the ‘interpreter’ until it was copied correctly.” Richard Lloyd Anderson Ensign/1977
“He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants; Also, that there were two stones in silver bows—and these stones, fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim—deposited with the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted “seers” in ancient or former times; and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book.” JSH 1:34-35
“In fact, Elizabeth Anne Whitmer Cowdery, Oliver’s wife, said, “Joseph never had a curtain drawn between him and his scribe” (quoted in John W. Welch and Tim Rathbone, “The Translation of the Book of Mormon: Basic Historical Information,” F.A.R.M.S.). Emma likewise said of her days as scribe, early on, that Joseph dictated “hour after hour with nothing between us” (“Last Testimony of Sister Emma,”). “Of course, the real revelatory process involved Joseph’s mind and faith, which could not be seen by others in any case…” By Elder Neal A. Maxwell “By the Gift and Power of God
Painting Title:
Lucy Smith saw, handled and described the Spectacles and Breastplate. By Anne Marie Oborn
I knew not what he meant, but took the article in my hands and, examining it with no covering but a silk handkerchief, found that it consisted of two smooth three-cornered diamonds set in glass, and the glasses were set in silver bows connected with each other in much the same way that old-fashioned spectacles are made. He took them again and left me, but did not tell me anything of the record….
That of which I spoke, which Joseph termed a key, was indeed nothing more nor less than a Urim and Thummim by which the angel manifested those things to him that were shown him in vision; by which also he could at any time ascertain the approach of danger, either to himself or the record, and for this cause he kept these things constantly about his person.” (History of Joseph Smith, Revised and Enhanced, p. 139, 145)
“The story that doesn’t work is the currently popular narrative that Joseph Smith never translated anything, that he merely read words off a stone in a hat (and it doesn’t matter whether that was a “peep stone” he found in a well or the spectacles, if he didn’t even use the plates), and Joseph and Oliver misled people by claiming he translated the engravings on the plates by means of the Nephite interpreters.” Jonathan Neville
Joseph Smith DID NOT peep and mutter as the wizards did,
Joseph TRANSLATED the plates by the gift and power of God.