Signs and Wonders

Mormon History: 1830 to 1839

Signs and Wonders

Signs follow believers but seeking them is the mark of a wicked and adulterous generation.

Old Testament §. New Testament §. Book of Mormon §. 1827–1837 §.
		Old Testament
Stars, sun, moon	10	For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.	Isa. 13:10, 13 (also 2 Ne. 23:10)
Earth	13	Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce danger.

		New Testament
Can't discern? Wicked, adulterous generation seeks Sign of Jonas	3	And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring, O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.	Matthew 16:3–4
Imposters show signs and wonders	4	For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.	Matthew 24:24 (also Mark 13:22)
	24	But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,	Mark 13:24
Exorcism, tongues, snakes, poison, healing	17	And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them: they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.	Mark 16:17–18
Signal the end	11	And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.	Luke 21:11
Jesus performs	22	Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:	Acts 2:22
Apostles perform	43	… and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.	Acts 2:43
Peter and John pray for	29	And now, Lord, … grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.	Acts 4:29–30
Apostles perform	12	And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people;	Acts 5:12
Signs of an apostle	12	Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.	2 Corinthians 2:12
God bears witness with signs and wonders	3	How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?	Hebrews 2:3–4

		Book of Mormon
	15	And many signs, and wonders, and types, and shadows showed he unto them, …	Mos 3:15
	10	But behold, as I said unto you concerning another sign, a sign of his death, behold, in that day that he shall suffer death the sun shall be darkened and refuse to give his light unto you; and also the moon and the stars; and there shall be no light upon the face of this land, even from the time that he shall suffer death, for the space of three days, to the time that he shall rise again from the dead.	Hel. 14:10
	28	And the angel said unto me that many shall see greater things than these, to the intent that they might believe that these signs and these wonders should come to pass upon all the face of this land, to the intent that there should be no cause for unbelief among the children of men—	Hel. 14:28
	4	For behold, Nephi was baptizing, and prophesying, and preaching, crying repentance unto the people, showing signs and wonders, working miracles among the people, that they might know that the Christ must shortly come—	Hel. 16:4
	23	And notwithstanding the signs and the wonders which were wrought among the people of the Lord, and the many miracles which they did, Satan did get great hold upon the hearts of the people upon all the face of the land.	Hel. 16:23
	26	And thus the ninety and second year did pass away, bringing glad tidings unto the people because of the signs which did come to pass, according to the words of the prophecy of all the holy prophets.	3 Ne. 1:26
	3	And it came to pass that the people began to wax strong in wickedness and abominations; and they did not believe that there should be any more signs or wonders given	3 Ne. 2:3
	22	And as many as had devils cast out from them, and were healed of their sicknesses and their infirmities, did truly manifest unto the people that they had been wrought upon by the Spirit of God, and had been healed; and they did show forth signs also and did do some miracles among the people.	3 Ne. 7:22
	7	And when these things come to pass that thy seed shall begin to know these things—it shall be a sign unto them, that they may know that the work of the Father hath already commenced unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the people who are of the house of Israel.	3 Ne. 21:7
	24	And these signs shall follow them that believe—in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover;	Morm. 9:24
	18	… and signs shall follow them that believe in my name.	Eth. 4:18
	13	And that he manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost; yea, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, working mighty miracles, signs, and wonders, among the children of men according to their faith.	2 Ne. 26:13

		Doctrine and Covenants
	14	But, behold, I say unto you that before this great day shall come the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall be turned into blood, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and there shall be greater signs in heaven above and in the earth beneath;	D&C 29:14
	9	But before that great day shall come, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon be turned into blood; and the stars shall refuse their shining, and some shall fall, and great destructions await the wicked.	D&C 34:9
	39	And it shall come to pass that he that feareth me shall be looking forth for the great day of the Lord to come, even for the signs of the coming of the Son of Man.	D&C 45:39–42
	40	And they shall see signs and wonders, for they shall be shown forth in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath.
	41	And they shall behold blood, and fire, and vapors of smoke.
	42	And before the day of the Lord shall come, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon be turned into blood, and the stars fall from heaven.	D&C 45:42

		Joseph Smith–Matthew
	22	For in those days there shall also arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according to the covenant.	Joseph Smith–Matthew 1:22
	33	And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken.	Joseph Smith–Matthew 1:33–34
	34	Verily, I say unto you, this generation, in which these things shall be shown forth, shall not pass away until all I have told you shall be fulfilled.

		Last Dispensation
September 22, 1827		Heber C. Kimball
Signs in the heavens	¶	Sept. 22, 1827, while living in the town of Mendon, I having retired to bed, John P. Greene, a travelling reformed Methodist preacher, waked me up calling upon me to behold the scenery in the heavens.	¶ Heber C. Kimball (h1)
		I called my wife and sister Fanny Young (sister of Brigham Young) who was living with me; it was so clear that you could see to pick up a pin, we looked to the eastern horizon and beheld a white smoke arise towards the heavens, and as it ascended it formed itself into a belt and made a noise like the rustling of a mighty wind, and continued southwest, forming a regular bow dipping in the western horizon.
Army in the sky		After the bow had formed it began to widen out and grow clear and transparent of a bluish cast, it grew wide enough to contain twelve men abreast.
	¶	In this bow an army moved, commencing from the east and marching to the west. They moved in platoons, and walked so close, the rear ranks trod in the steps of their file leaders, until the whole bow was literally crowded with soldiers.
		We could see distinctly the muskets, bayonets, and knapsacks of the men, who wore caps and feathers like those used by the American soldiers in the last war with Britain; also their officers with their swords and equipage, and heard the clashing and jingling of their instruments of war and could discover the form and features of the men. The most profound order existed throughout the entire army, when the foremost man stepped, every man stepped at the same time: I could hear the step.
Battle		When the front rank reached the Western horizon a battle ensued, as we could distinctly hear the report of the arms and the rush.
	¶	No man could judge of my feelings when I beheld that army of men, as plainly as I ever saw armies of men in the flesh it seemed as though every hair of my head was alive. This scenery was gazed upon for hours, until it began to disappear.
Same night Joseph retrieves the plates		Subsequently I learned this took place the same evening that Joseph Smith received the records of the Book of Mormon from the Angel Moroni.

October–November 1831		Lamanite missionaries' sham miracles
		They say much about working miracles, and pretend to have that power. Cowdery and his fellows, essayed to work several while they tarried in Kirtland, one in particular, the circumstances of which I had from the Mormonites themselves. It was a young female who had been confined to her bed for two years —they prayed over her, laying on hands, and commanded her in the name of Jesus Christ to rise up and walk; however, no effect appeared until the next day, when she was persuaded to leave her couch and attempt to walk. She arose, walked three or four steps, (which they told as a miracle) she then almost fainted, and was assisted back to her bed from which she's not since arisen. But as all their miracles have proved to be a mere sham, to speak vulgarly, the Mormonites have endeavored to save the credit of their prophets, by declaring that they never pronounced these people whole but only prayed for them— but when confronted by one of the disciples in Kirtland upon the instance just mentioned, as it was so public they could not deny it, one of them said that he did not know but Cowdery did command her to arise, but if he did it was in a laughing, jesting way!!!	PT, Feb. 15, 1831. Source

Kirtland		Joseph and A. S. Hayden
Early sign seekers		When the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was first founded, you could see persons rise up and ask, "What sign will you show us that we may be made to believe?"	George A. Smith discourse in the Salt Lake Tabernacle, June 24, 1855, JD 2:326. A. S. Hayden (1813–1880), author of Hayden history, began to hold meetings at age nineteen (1832). Source
Campbellite preacher		I recollect a Campbellite preacher who came to Joseph Smith, I think his name was Hayden. He came in and made himself known to Joseph, and said that he had come a considerable distance to be convinced of the truth.
Hayden wants proof		"Why," said he, "Mr. Smith, I want to know the truth, and when I am convinced, I will spend all my talents and time in defending and spreading the doctrines of your religion, and I will give you to understand that to convince me is equivalent to convincing all my society, amounting to several hundreds."
Wants miracle		Well, Joseph commenced laying before him the coming forth of the work, and the first principles of the Gospel, when Mr. Hayden exclaimed, "O this is not the evidence I want, the evidence that I wish to have is a notable miracle; I want to see some powerful manifestation of the power of God, I want to see a notable miracle performed; and if you perform such a one, then I will believe with all my heart and soul, and will exert all my power and all my extensive influence to convince others; and if you will not perform a miracle of this kind, then I am your worst and bitterest enemy."
Joseph offers to have him struck blind or paralyzed, etc.		"Well," said Joseph, "what will you have done? Will you be struck blind, or dumb? Will you be paralyzed, or will you have one hand withered? Take your choice, choose which you please, and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ it shall be done."
Hayden declines		"That is not the kind of miracle I want," said the preacher.
Joseph: Satan tempted Jesus to perform miracle		"Then, sir," replied Joseph, "I can perform none, I am not going to bring any trouble upon any body else, sir, to convince you. I will tell you what you make me think of—the very first person who asked a sign of the Savior, for it is written, in the New Testament, that Satan came to the Savior in the desert, when he was hungry with forty days' fasting, and said, "If you be the Son of God, command these stones to be made bread."
Wicked and adulterous generation that seeks signs		"And now," said Joseph, "the children of the devil and his servants have been asking for signs ever since; and when the people in that day continued asking him for signs to prove the truth of the Gospel which he preached, the Savior replied, "It is a wicked and an adulterous generation that seeketh a sign," &c.

October 1834		Joseph promises
60-year-old recollection		… Although it is over sixty years since I heard [Joseph] utter those words, and I at that time was little over 13 years of age, the words are imprinted so strongly on my mind that they are as bright in my memory as they were at the very moment I heard them. These are the very words of the Prophet:	¶ Edward Stevenson Reminiscence (2)
Joseph promises speaking in tongues and signs		And as a servant of God I promise you, inasmuch as you will repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins, you shall receive the Holy Ghost, and speak with tongues, and the signs (of the Gospel) shall follow you, and by this you may test me as a Prophet sent of God.
Angel told Joseph	¶	Now, my young readers, who would dare to utter such words and great promises, and offer them as a test, unless he most assuredly knew what he was talking about? Well, he did know, for an angel from heaven had talked with him and given him promises which he neither doubted nor feared to declare.

January 25, 1837		Clouds of fire & blood
	¶	[Wilford Woodruff:] At early Candlelight the heavens began to show forth the signs in fulfillment of the Prophecy of JOEL …The clouds of fire & blood began to arise in the N. E & reached unto the N. W which principly covered the horizon. The reflection of the Clouds upon the earth which was covered with Snow presented a very read appearance. It commenced at 6 oclock & continued untill 10 or past [shorthand text:] when the heavens were covered with pure red.	WWJ 1:123. "I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke." Joel 2:30
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