JS journal, 1835–1836 in Personal, 2nd ed., 109–110.

the vile calumnies and reproaches of this ungodly generation and that you delight in so doing:—darkness prevails at this time as it was at the time Jesus Christ was about to be crucified

Joseph is determined to uphold the Twelve, "although I may do many things <invertarilly> that are not right in the sight of God "

I supposed I had established this church on a permanent foundation when I went to the Missouri and indeed I did so, for if I had been taken away it would have been enough, but I yet live, and therefore God requires more at my hands:—

Washing of feet

The item to which I wish the more particularly to call your attention to night is the ordinance of washing of feet, this we have not done as yet but is necessary now as much as it was in the days of the Saviour, and we must have a place prepared, that we may attend to this ordinance, aside from the world.

This ordinance is reserved for members of the church. It is "calculated to unite our hearts … that our faith may be strong, so that satan cannot … have any power over us."

The Twelve could not understand the endowment now, even if Gabriel himself should explain it. They must be faithful and clean,

<and> if God gives you a manifestation, keep it to yourselves, be watchful and prayerful, and you shall have a prelude of those joys that God will pour out on that day,

do not watch for iniquity in each other if you do you will not get an endowment for God will not bestow it on such;

but if we are faithful and living by every word that procedes forth from the mouth of God I will venture to prophesy that we shall get a blessing that will be worth remembering if we should live as along as John the Revelator, our blessings will be such as we have not realized before, nor in this generation.

The order of the house of God has and ever will be the same, even after Christ comes, and after the termination of the thousand years it will be the same, and we shall finally roll into the celestial kingdom of God and enjoy it forever:—

you need an endowment brethren in order that you may be prepared and able to over come all things,

and those that reject your testimony will be damned the sick will be healed the lame made to walk the deaf to hear and the blind to see through your instrumentality;

But let me tell you that you will not have power after the endowment to heal those who have not faith, nor to beifit them, for you might as well expect to benefit a devil in hell as such an one, who is possessed of his spirit and are willing to keep it for they are habitations for devils and only fit for his society

but when you are endowed and prepared to preach the gospel to all nations kindred and toungs in there own languages you must faithfully warn all and bind up the testimony and seal up the [83] law and the destroying angel will follow close at your heels and execute his tremendous mission upon the children of disobediance, and destroy the workers of iniquity,

while the saints will be gathered out from among them and stand in holy places ready to meet bride groom when he comes.

I feel disposed to speak a few words more to you my brethren concerning the endowment, all who are prepared and are sufficiently pure to abide the presence of the Savior will see him in the solem assembly.

The brethren expressed their gratifycation for the instruction I had given them, we then closed by prayer.—I then returned home and retired to rest