As recorded by Joseph Smith:
About 3 o’clock P.M. I dismissed the school and the presidency retired to the loft attic storey of the printing office, where we attended to the ordinance of washing our bodies in pure water. We also perfumed our bodies and our heads, in the name of the Lord. At early candlelight I met with the presidency, at the west school room in the Chapel Temple to attend to the ordinance of anointing our heads with holy oil: Also the councils of Kirtland and Zion met in the two adjoining rooms, who waited in prayer while we attended to the ordinance.
I took the oil in my left hand, Father Smith being seated before me, and the remainder of the presidency encircled him round about. We then stretched our right hands towards heaven and blessed the oil and consecrated it in the name of Jesus Christ. We then laid our hands on our aged Father Smith, and invoked the blessings of heaven. I then anointed his head with the consecrated oil, and sealed many blessings upon him; The presidency then in turn laid his hands upon his head, beginning at the eldest until they had all laid their hands upon him, and pronounced such belessings upon his head, as the Lord put into their hearts, all blessing him to be our Patriarch to anoint our heads and attend to all duties that pertain to that office.
The presidency then took the seat in their turn, according to their age, beginning at the eldest, and received their anointing and blessing under the hand, of father Smith; and in my turn my father anointed my head, and sealed upon me the blessings of Moses, to lead Israel in the latter Days, even as Moses led him in days of old; also the blessings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. All of the Presidency laid th[e]ir hands upon me, and pronounced upon my head many prophecies, and blessings, many of which I shall not notice at this time.
But as Paul said, so say I, let us come to visions and revelations. The heavens were opened upon us, and I beheld the celestial kingdom of God, and the glory thereof, whether in the body or out I cannot tell. I saw the transcendent beauty of the gate, through which the heirs of that kingdom will enter, which was like unto circling flames of fire. Also the blazing throne of God, wherein was seated the Father and the Son. I saw the beautiful streets of that kingdom, which had the appearance of being paved with Gold. I saw Father Adam, and Abraham, and Michael, and my Father and Mother, my brother Alvin that has long since slept and marveled how it was, that he had obtained an inheritance in that kingdom, seeing that he had depated this life before the Lord had set his hand to gather Israel the second time, and had not been baptized for the remission of sins. Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me saying. All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry shall be heirs of the celestial Kingdom of God: also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts shall be heirs of that kingdom, for I the Lord will jude an all men according to their works, according to the desires of their hearts.
And I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive to the years of accountability, are saved in the celestial Kingdom of heaven. I saw the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb, who are now upon the earth, who hold the keys of this last ministry in foreign lands, standing together in a circle, much fatigued, with their clothes tattered and feet swoolen, with their eyes cast downward, and Jesus standing in their midst, and they did not behold him. The Savior looked upon them and wept. I also beheld Elder McLellin in the South, standing upon a hill, surrounded with a vast multitude, preaching to them, and a lame man standing before him, supported by his crutches; he threw them down at his word and leaped as an hart, by the mighty power of God.
Also Elder Brigham Young standing in a strange land, in the far south west, in a desert place, upon a rock, in the midst of about a dozen men of color who appeared hostile He was preaching to them in their own tongue, and the angel of God standing above his head, with a drawn sword in his hand protecting him, but he did not see it: and I finally saw the Twelve in the celestial kingdom of God. I also beheld the redemption of Zion, and many things which the tongue of man cannot describe in full. Many of my brethren who received this ordinance with me saw glorious visions also, angels ministered unto them, as well as myself, and the power of the highest rested upon us; the house was filled with the glory of God, and we shouted hosanna to God and the Lamb. My scribe also received his anointing with us, and saw in a vision the armies of heaven protecting the saints in their return to Zion— and many things which I saw.
