Speaking in Tongues

Speaking in Tongues

[December] 1830		Kirtland Saints
Speaking Indian dialects		[In November or December 1830 skeptical John Corrill attends a Mormon service in Kirtland.] The meeting lasted all night, and such a meeting I never attended before. They administered the sacrament, and laid on hands, after which I heard them prophecy and speak in tongues unknown to me. Persons in the room, who took no part with them, declared, from the knowledge they had of the Indian languages, that the tongues spoken were regular Indian dialects, which I was also informed, on inquiry, the persons who spoke had never learned. I watched closely and examined carefully, every movement of the meeting, and after exhausting all my powers to find the deception, I was obliged to acknowledge, in my own mind that the meeting had been inspired by some supernatural agency.	A Brief History, 9.
June 1831		Kirtland Saints
June 1831 Carried away in the spirit Gift of tongues	¶	"Being carried away in the spirit" and "I know it to be [184] so by the spirit," are well known phrases, and in common use in the Mormonite church. We will first notice the gift of tongues, exercised by some when carried away in the spirit. These persons were apparently lost to all surrounding circumstances, and wrapt up in the contemplation of things, and in communicating with persons not present.—	¶ Letters of Ezra Booth (1) Written October 24, 1831—about 6 weeks after leaving the church, disillusioned by his trip to Independence with Joseph, Sidney, and other leading men.
Indian dialect		They articulated sounds, which but few present professed to understand; and those few, declared them to be the Indian language. A merchant, who had formerly been a member of the Methodist society, observed, he had formerly traded with the Indians, and he knew it to be their dialect.
Chapters from the Bible		Being myself present on some of these occasions, a person proffered his services as my interpreter, and translated these sounds, which to me were unintelligible, into English language. One individual could read any chapter of the Old or New Testament, in several different languages. This was known to be the case by a person who professed to understand those languages.
Imagine addressing Indians		In the midst of this delirium, they would, at times, fancy themselves addressing a congregation of their red brethren; and mounted upon a stump, or the fence, or from some elevated situation, would harangue their assembly, until they had convinced and converted them. They would then lead them into the water, and baptize them, and pronounce their sins forgiven.
Imitate Indians		In this exercise, some of them actually went into the water; and in the water, performed the ceremony used in baptizing. These actors assumed the visage of the savage, and so nearly imitated him, not only in language, but in gestures and actions, that it seemed the soul and body were completely metamorphosed into the Indian. No doubt was then entertained but that was an extraordinary work of the Lord, designed to prepare those young men for the Indian mission; and many who are still leaders of the church, could say, "we know by the spirit that it is the work of the Lord."
Gift of tongues abandoned		And now [185] they can say, "they know it is the work of the devil." Most of those who were the principal actors, have since apostatized, and the work is unanimously discarded by the church.
December 1831		Painesville Meeting
Jabbering		At other times they are taken with a fit of jabbering that which they neither understand themselves nor anybody else, and this they call speaking foreign languages by divine inspiration.	Painesville Telegraph, February 15, 1832
January 1832		Columbia Branch, Brigham, Joseph, Kirtland
Brigham and Heber witness in Pennsylvania		I took my horses and sleigh and started for Pennsylvania; Brigham and Phineas Young and their wives went along with me. We stayed with the Church there about six days, attended their meetings, heard them speak in tongues, interpret and prophecy, which truly caused us to rejoice and praise the Lord.	¶ Heber C. Kimball (h2) Original: Phinehas
Gift travels from Columbia branch to Mendon	¶	We received the gift of tongues and interpretation a few days after we were baptized. The brethren who brought the Gospel to us belonged to the first Branch of the Church that received the gift of tongues, and the Branch at Mendon was the next.	¶ Heber C. Kimball (h2)
		Brothers Brigham and Joseph Young and myself went of Kirtland, with my horses and wagon, to visit the Prophet, a distance of three hundred miles.
Brigham speaks in tongues First experience for Joseph Gift becomes general in Kirtland		We saw Brother Joseph Smith and had a glorious time; during which Brother Brigham spoke in tongues before Brother Joseph, it being the first time he had heard any one speak in tongues; he testified that the gift was from God, and spoke in tongues himself. Soon the gift of tongues became general in the Church in Kirtland. We had a precious season and returned with a blessing in our souls.
Missionaries confirm tongues on mission		Eliel Strong's and Eleazer Miller's letter to The Evening and the Morning Star, refers to "several of us" going to Mendon, where "the work of the Lord commenced." From Mendon they went to Warsaw, Lake Erie, and Angelica, "preaching the word, and blessed be the name of the Lord, signs followed them that believed, insomuch that some who were sick was healed, and some spake with tongues and glorified God."	The Evening and the Morning Star vol. 1 no. 12 (May 1833) (not paginated).

Spring 1832		A few weeks after my baptism [April 14, 1832] I was at brother Kimball's house one morning, and while family prayer was being offered up, brother Alpheus Gifford commenced speaking in tongues. Soon the Spirit came on me, and I spoke in tongues, and we thought only of the day of Pentecost, when the Apostles were clothed upon with cloven tongues of fire.	Brigham Young, Millennial Star, vol. 25 (July 11, 1863), 439.

November 14, 1832 Joseph		… came to Kirtland to Brother Joseph Smith and heard him speak with Tongues and sing in Tongues also."	Zebedee Coltrin journal

Fall 1832 Brigham		Brigham, his brother Joseph, and Heber C. Kimball, enroute from Mendon to Kirtland for their first meeting with Joseph:	Brigham Young, Millennial Star, vol. 25 (July 11, 1863), 439.
In Branches		We visited many friends on the way, and some Branches of the Church. We exhorted them and prayed with them, and I spoke in tongues. Some pronounced it genuine and from the Lord, and others pronounced it of the Devil.
		The night of their arrival in Kirtland,
In Kirtland		… a few of the brethren came in, and we conversed together upon the things of the Kingdom. He [Joseph] called upon me to pray; in my prayer I spoke in tongues.
Joseph: the pure Adamic language Brigham will preside		As soon as we arose from our knees the brethren flocked around him [Joseph] and asked him his opinion concerning the gift of tongues that was upon me. He told them it was the pure Adamic language. … "It is of God, and the time will come when Brother Brigham Young will preside over this church."
1833
January 6, 1833 Wndsor Lyuns		[Warsaw] … after breakfast I was baptized with my Aunt Phebe Angel by Leonard Rich, [cousin] Mary Ann [Angel] having been baptized about one week before. We were confirmed by Aaron C. Lyons about 11:00 o'clock A.M.	Joseph Holbrook, Autobiography, BYU Special Collections, Writings of Early Latter-day Saints 25
		They had a meeting, the first I had ever been to. Different elders occupied the time during the day and evening. Windsor C. Lyons then spoke in tongues which was the first I had ever heard.

January 22–23, 1833 Joseph and congregation		Joseph speaks in tongues, opening a two-day conference, followed by Zebedee Coltrin. All elders and many members, male and female, experience the gift, including singing and praying in tongues.	Minutes of January 22–23, 1833

January 24, 1833 School of Prophets		School of Prophets studies "the gift of tongues and the interpretation thereof" under Sidney Rigdon.	Zebedee Coltrin, qtd. in Journal History, January 24, 1833.

June 1833 in Zion		… in the fall of the year 1832, the disciples at Ohio received the gift of tongues and in June 1833 we received the gift of tongues in Zion.	From Historian, 37.

April or May 1833 Heber confirms 18–20, 10–12 speak in tongues.	¶	Brother Ezra Landan preached in Avon and Genesee, baptized eighteen or twenty, and being afraid to confirm them and promise the Holy Ghost, he requested me to confirm, them, which I did …	¶ Heber C. Kimball (h2)
		Immediately the Holy Ghost fell upon them and several commenced speaking in tongues before they arose from their knees, and we had a joyful time; some ten or twelve spoke in tongues, neither of whom had ever heard any person speak in tongues, they being the first baptized in that place.

August 21, 1833 Discussion of, in Zion		Lengthy discussion of "the gift of tongues &c. And a rebuke of the Lord for reasoning in our wisdom, &c."	Minutes of August 21, 1833

September 11, 1833 W. W. Phelps sings in tongues		A Hymn was sung by Br W W Phelps in tongues and interpreted by Lyman [Wight] Ideas &c. concerning the travelling of the Nephites their toils troubles & tribulations &c.	Minutes of September 11, 1833.

October 1833 Mount Pleasant, Ontario		Joseph, Sidney, and Freeman return to Mount Pleasant, Upper Canada (now Ontario) on October 24th. Joseph finds the people "very superstitious." But on Sunday the 27th they begin baptizing—twelve on Sunday, two on Monday. "One of the sisters got the gift of tongues which made the saints rejoice may God increse the gifts among them for his sons sake."	Joseph Smith 1835–1836 diary in Personal Writings, 20.
1834
July 31, 1834 Gift suspended in Clay county, except Hulet branch		In the summer of 1834, as part of a public relations campaign to improve conditions in Clay county, Mormons were asked not to exercise the gift of tongues. Certain members of the Hulet branch took exception, resulting in action by the high council.
Samuel Brown		On July 31, evidence is presented that Samuel Brown has been encouraging others to "improve their gifts" secretly, and that Sally Crandle and Sylvester Hulet had been speaking in tongues and interpreting. Brown, who has other issues as well, surrenders his priesthood licenses the next day.	¶ Minutes of July 31, 1834 Minutes of August 1, 1834
Branch judges all by their gifts		On August 6, evidence is presented that members of the Hulet Branch, "received the word of the Lord by the gift of tongues and would not proceed to their temporal business without receiving the word of the Lord." They insist all teachings, even Joseph's, just be confirmed through their gifts before they can be accepted.	Minutes of August 6, 1834
Sylvester Hulet and Sally Crandle		Sylvester Hulet speaks in tongues before the high council. Sally gives the interpretation that "there are many who are seeking to pry into your [the branch's] privileges." (Sally is also considered a seer in the branch.)
		President David Whitmer assigns Amasa Lyman (h) and Simeon Carter to labor with Sally Crandall, Sylvester Hulet, and others.
Branch accepts decision		Apparently successful, Lyman and Carter report to the high council on August 21 that the branch accepts the council's decision regarding false spirits.	Minutes of August 21, 1834


October 1834		In Pontiac, Michigan, Joseph tells Saints they can "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."	¶ Edward Stevenson Reminiscence (2)
1836
January 17, 1836		…at an early hour all authorities of the church regularly organized met in the school room under our printing office, and the presidents commenced the meeting by confessing their sins and forgiving their brethren and the world. … The Lord poured out his Spirit in such a manner as you never witnessed. When I was speaking, which was but few words, the Spirit of the Lord came upon me so that I could not speak, and I cried as little children cry in earnest and the tears from my eyes ran in streams; the audience, which was the largest ever convened in the said room, sobbed and wept aloud. The presidency and the "Twelve" occupied the forenoon. There was speaking and singing in tongues, and prophesying, as on the day of Pentecost.	W. W. Phelps to Sally, January 13. 1836 Journal History in New Mormon Studies.
May 1836		Shortly after baptism, John and Leonore Taylor speak in tongues, as do others of Parley Pratt's converts. (The Fieldings do not.)	¶ Joseph Fielding to Millennial Star, 1841
1837
January 5, 1837 Prayer meeting, Wilford interprets		I repaired to the house of the Lord for a Prayer meeting at 2 oclock PM. We had a good time. One man gave us an account of the general gathering of Israel in the gift of tongues. I interpreted the Substance of the same.	WWJ 1:120.
January 8, 1837		Wilford estimates fifteen hundred people assembled at the House of the Lord in Kirtland for Sunday meeting.
Elder Sherman in Kirtland House of the Lord		Their was two discourses deliverd from the Aaronic Priesthood one from Councellor Knight & the other from Priest Willey. Priest Willey had much of the spirit of God in Preaching to the Church after breaking bread Elder Sherman Sung in the gift of tongues & proclaimed great & marvelous things while clothed upon by the power & spirit of God. …	WWJ 1:120–121.
At Bishop Whitney's		I spent the evening with Priest Turpin at Bishop Whitney's. Had a vary happy time in speaking Singing hearing & interpeting tongues & in prayer with the family.	WWJ 1:121.
December 17, 1837		Wilford preaches twice in the day. In the evening he blesses two children, "& I spake in tongues & interpeted & Prophesy'd & we rejoiced."	North Haven, Fox Islands, Maine. WWJ 1:191.
December 23, 1837		I Preached at Mr John M Sullers. the Power of God rested upon me. I spoke in tongues & Interpeted & some cryed aloud & one wished to be baptized.	Vinalaven, Fox Islands, Maine. WWJ 1:191.
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