Appendix 5, Document 4. Blessing to William Smith, 28 September 1835
Source Note
JS, Blessing, to , , Geauga Co., OH, 28 Sept. 1835. Featured version copied 28 Sept. 1835 in Patriarchal Blessing Book 1, pp. 10–11; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information on Patriarchal Blessing Book 1, see the source note for Blessing from Joseph Smith Sr., 9 Dec. 1834.
Historical Introduction
On 28 September 1835, entered a blessing into the patriarchal blessing book that had been dictated by JS for his brother on 18 December 1833. The blessing was originally recorded by in JS’s journal. However, as entered by Cowdery in 1835, the text of the blessing was greatly expanded; over fifty-six percent of the text in the patriarchal blessing book is not present in the journal version. The additions discuss miracles that Smith would perform, as well as promises that he would be greatly rewarded in the hereafter for his service and preaching on earth.
shall be opened, the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped, the tongue of the dumb shall be made to speak, and the lame man shall leap as a heart [hart]; and his adversaries shall not have power to withstand his words. Hell shall tremble because of him, and satan shall flee from before his face; and he shall be as a roaring lion of the forest, in the midst of his pray [prey]— so shall his hand be in the midst of his enemies, among those who know not the Lord, but seek the injury of the righteous: and the hand of his generation shall be lifted up also against those who are set on high, that fight the God of Israel: fearless and unda[u]nted shall they be in battle, in avenging the wrongs of the innocent and relieving the oppressed. Therefore, the blessings of the God of Jacob shall be upon him to the uttermost, and in the midst of his house, from generation to generation, forever; and he shall be lifted up at the last day and shall come up before the Lord like as <a full> shock of corn, laden with his tens of thousands, as a reward of his labors, with songs of everlasting joy, with hozannahs upon his lips, to God and to the Lamb, to go no more out. Amen.
, Clerk and Recorder.
Given in , Ohio, December 18th, 1833, and recorded September 28th, 1835. [p. 11]