ELIAS, SPIRIT OF (Teachings of Joseph Smith)

Responsibilities of the Aaronic Priesthood — Wilford Woodruff (March 10, 1844)

I will bring some of the testimony from the scripture & give my own, in the first place suffice it to say I went into the woods to inquire of the Lord by prayer his will concerning me— & I saw an angel & he laid his hands upon my head & ordained me to be a priest after the order of Aaron & to hold the keys of this priesthood which office was to preach repentance & Baptism for the remission of sins & also to baptise but was informed that this office did not extend to the laying on of hands for the giving of the Holy Ghost— that that office was a greater work & was to be given afterwards but that my ordination was a preparetory work or a going before which was the spirit of Elias

Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, p. 205, The Joseph Smith Papers.

John the Baptist Connected with the Spirit of Elias — Wilford Woodruff (March 10, 1844)

. . . for the spirit of Elias was a going before to prepare the way for the greater, which was the case with John the Baptist he came balling through the wilderness prepare ye the the way of the Lord & make his paths strait & they were informed if they could receive it it was the spirit of Elias & John was vary particular to tell the people He was not that light but was sent to bear witness of that light, He told the people that his mission was to preach repentanc & baptise with water, but it was he that should come after him that should baptise with fire & the Holy Ghost if he had been an imposture he might have gone to work beyound, his bounds & undertook to have performed ordinances that did not belong to that office & calling under the spirit of Elias.

Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, pp. 205-206, The Joseph Smith Papers.

The Spirit of Elias Prepares the Way for a Greater Work — Wilford Woodruff (March 10, 1844)

The spirit of Elias is to prepare the way for a greater revelation of God which is the priesthood of Elias or the Priesthood that Aaron was ordained unto, And when God sends a man into the world to prepare for a greater work holds the keys of the power of Elias it was called the doctrin of Elias even from the early ages of the world. John’s mission was limited to preaching & Baptizing but what he done was legal & when Jesus Christ came to any of John’s deciples He baptized them with fire & the Holy Ghost

Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, p. 206, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Jesus’ Disciples Could Do a Greater Work with the Spirit of Elijah than with Elias — Wilford Woodruff (March 10, 1844)

. . . we find the [New Testament] Apostles endowed with greater power than John their office was more under the spirit & power of Elijah than Elias. In the case of Philip when he went down to Samaria was under the spirit of Elias he baptised both men & women, when Peter & John herd of it they went down & lade hands on them & they received the Holy Ghost this shows the distinction between the two powers. when paul came to certain deciples He asked if they had received the Holy Ghost they said no, who baptized you then we were Baptizd unto Johns Baptism No John did not baptized you for he did his work right, & so Paul went & baptized them for He knew what the true doctrin was & he knew that John Had not Baptised them, & these principles and is strange to me that men who have red the scriptures of the New Testament are so far from it.

Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, pp. 206-207, The Joseph Smith Papers.

A Man with the Spirit of Elias Will Not Transcend His Priesthood Bounds — Wilford Woodruff (March 10, 1844)

What I want to impress upon your minds is the difference of power in the different parts of the Priesthood, so that when any man comes among you saying I have the spirit of Elias you can know whether he be true or fals, for any man that comes having the spirit & power of Elias he will not transend his bounds, John did not transend his bound but faithfully performd that part belonging to his office, and evry portion of the great building should be prepared right & assigned to its proper place, & it is necessary to know who holds the keys of power & who dont or we may be likely to be decieved

Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, p. 207, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Spirit of Elias and the Elias in the Last Days — Wilford Woodruff (March 10, 1844)

That person who holds the keys of Elias hath a preparitory work, But if I spend much more time in conversing about the spirit of Elias I shall not have time to do justice to the spirit & power of Elijah, this is the Elias spoken of in the last days & here is the rock upon which many split thinking the time was past in the days of John & Christ & no more to be, but the spirit of Elias was revealed to me & I know it is true therefore I speak with boldness for I know varily my doctrin is true.

Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, p. 207, The Joseph Smith Papers.

The Spirit of Elias Is First, Elijah Second, Messiah Last — Wilford Woodruff (March 10, 1844)

. . . the spirit of Elias is first, Elijah second, & Mosiah [Messiah] last. Elias is a forerunner to prepare the way, & the spirit & power of Elijah is to come after holding the keys of power buildng the Temple to the cap stone placing the seals of the Melchezedeck priesthood upon the house of Israel & making all things ready then Mesiah comes to his Temple which is last of all

Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, pp. 211-212, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Messiah Is above the Spirit and Power of Elijah and Elias — Wilford Woodruff (March 10, 1844)

Mesiah is above the spirit & power of Elijah for he made the world & was that spiritual rock unto Moses in the wilderness. Elijah was to come & prepare the way & build up the kingdom before the coming of the great day of the Lord Although the spirit of Elias might begin it

Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, p. 212, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Power of Elias connected to Aaronic Priesthood — James Burgess (March 10, 1844)

Joseph Smith Prophet of the spirit of Elias I must go back to the time at susquahannah river when I retired in the woods pouring out my soul in prayr to Almighty God, An Angel came down from heaven and laid his hands upon me and ordained me to the power of Elias and that authorised me to babtise with water unto repentance, It is a power or a preparatory work for something greater, you have not power to lay on hands for the gift of the holy ghost but you shall have power given you hereafter, that is the power of the Aronick priesthood, this is the power which John the babtist was clothed with when he came bounding out of the wilderness saying repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is come unto you or is at hand, For there standeth one among you whose shoes latchett I am not worthy to unloose. he has greater power than I have he will babtise you with fire and with the holy ghost.

Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by James Burgess, pp. 19-20, The Joseph Smith Papers.

John the Baptist Could Not Have Been an Elias If the People Rejected Christ — James Burgess (March 10, 1844)

Jesus said of John this is Elias which was for to come if you will receive me otherwise he cannot do the work of an Elias, for Elias is preparatory for something greater to prepare my way before me I have power to restore all things and establish my kingdom amongst you, but if you will not receive me and my doctrine, he is not that Elias which was for to come for he cannot accomplish that for which he was sent, see 1st chap of John 19 to 22 verse for he confessed that he was not Elias why because they would not receive him that was coming after him, namely Christ.

Philip was clothed with the power of Elias when he went to samaria he could babtise for remission of sins, but could not lay on hands for the gift of the holy ghost, but sent for Peter and John who had the power of Eligah . . .

Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by James Burgess, p. 20, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Difference between Spirit of Elias and Spirit of Elijah — Franklin D. Richards (March 10, 1844)

On Sunday March 10 Joseph the Priest delivered the following concerning the Spirits & Powers of Elias Elijah

The power of Elias is not the power of Elijah related the vision of his ordination to the priesthood of Aaron on the Susquehannah river to preach the preparatory Gospel This said the Angel is the spirit of Elias

Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Franklin D. Richards, p. 32, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Spirit of Elias Will Prepare the Way for Someone Greater — Franklin D. Richards (March 10, 1844)

The spirit of Elias is to prepare the way for one greater to come

Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Franklin D. Richards, p. 32, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Analogy of Hewing (Spirit of Elias) Or Cementing (Spirit of Elijah) Stones for Temple — Franklin D. Richards (March 10, 1844)

This power of Elijah is to that of Elias what in the architecture of the Temple of God those who seal or cement the stone to their places are to those who cut or hew the stones the one preparing the way for the other to accomplish the work By this we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise ie Elijah

Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Franklin D. Richards, p. 33, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Spirit of Elias is a Forerunner — Thomas Bullock (March 10, 1844)

Joseph spoke on the Spirit of Elias— the Spirit of Elijah and the Spirit of Messiah— the Spirit of Elias is a forerunner same as John the Baptist

Discourse, 10 March 1844, as Reported by Thomas Bullock, p. 3, The Joseph Smith Papers.