CREATION (Teachings of Joseph Smith)  

Spirits Were Not Created — Willard Richards (Between circa June 26 and circa August 4, 1839)

The Spirit of Man is not a created being; it existed from Eternity & will exist to Eternity. Any thing created cannot be Eternal & earth, water &c—all these had their existence in an elementary state from Eternity.

Discourse, between circa 26 June and circa 4 August 1839–A, as Reported by Willard Richards, p. 64, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Father Organized Spirits at the Creation of Man — Willard Richards (Between circa June 26 and circa August 4, 1839)

The father called all spirits before him at the creation of Man & organized them. He (Adam) is the head. & was told to multiply.

Discourse, between circa 26 June and circa 4 August 1839–A, as Reported by Willard Richards, p. 64, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Elements and Principles are Eternal — William Clayton (January 5, 1841)

The world and earth are not synonymous terms. The world is the human family. This earth was organized or formed out of other planets which were broke up and remodelled and made into the one on which we live. The elements are eternal. That which has a beginning will surely have an end.

Take a ring, it is without beginning or end; cut it for a beginning place, and at the same time you will have an ending place.

A key, every principle proceeding from God is eternal, and any principle which is not eternal is of the Devil. The sun has no beginning or end, the rays which proceed from himself have no bounds, consequently are eternal. So it is with God. If the soul of man had a beginning it will surely have an end. In the translation; “without form and void” it should read “empty and desolate” The word “created” should be formed or organized.

Discourse, 5 January 1841, as Reported by William Clayton, pp. 5-6, The Joseph Smith Papers; underline in original.

No Substance Can Be Created From Nothing — William P. McIntire (January 5, 1841)

did the Lord God make​ the Earth out of nothing;— By D. Ells— says he God did not make th earth out of nothing— for it is contrary to ​a rashanal mind & reason. that a something could be brought from— a nothing;— also it is contrary to the principle & means by witch God does work; for instance; when God fomed man, he made him of something; the dust of the Earth, & he allways took a somthing to afect a something Else; oft he takes man to​ scorge his fellow man, or watter to destroy man— or fire to distroy man or angels for istance the angel that went forth to distroyed a hundred thousand one knight Joseph Smith said to D Ells, & to the Congragetion that he for a lenth of time, thought on phreknoledgee; & that he had a revalation. the Lord rebukeing him sharply on Creating such a thing; & further said there was no reality in such a science but was the workes of the Devil; . . . the Earth was made out of sumthing for it was imposible for samthng to be made out of nothing fire,— air, & watter are eternal existant principles which are the Composition of which the earth— has been Composed; also this, earth has been organized owt of portions of other globes that has be disorganized; in testimony that this earth was not the first of Gods work; he quoted a pasage from the testament where Jesus said all things that he had saw the father do he had done & that he done nothing but what he saw the father do John the 5^th.

Account of Meeting and Discourse, 5 January 1841, as Reported by William P. McIntire, pp. 2-4, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Meaning of the Hebrew Word “Bara” to “Organize” — Thomas Bullock (April 7, 1844)

what does Boro mean it means to organize same as you wo^d. organize a Ship— God himself had materials to org the world out of chaos which is Element & in which dwells all the glory— that nothing can destroy they never can have an ending they exist eternally—

Discourse, 7 April 1844, as Reported by Thomas Bullock, p. 18, The Joseph Smith Papers; underline in original.

Eternal Elements of Chaotic Matter Organized by God — William Clayton (April 7, 1844)

Learned Docters tell us God created the heavens & earth out of nothing they account it blasphemy to contradict the idea— they will call you a fool— you ask them why they say dont the bible say he created the world & they infer that it must be out of nothing The word create came from the word Barau— dont mean so— it means to organize— same as a man would use to build a ship— hence we infer that God had materials to organize from— chaos— chaotic matter— element had an existence from the time he had. The pure pure principles of element are principles that never can be destroyed— they may be organized— and reorganized— but not destroyed.

Discourse, 7 April 1844, as Reported by William Clayton, pp. 15-16, The Joseph Smith Papers.