Adam-ondi-Ahman: Altars
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Of the Seventy General Church Recorder and Clerk to First Presidency 19 sat The next morning we struck our tents, and marched crossed Grand river at the mouth of Honey Creek at a place called Nelsons ferry, Grand River is a large beautifull deep and rapid stream and will undoubtedly admit of steam Boat and other water craft navigation, and at the mouth of honey creek is a splendid harbour for the safety of such crafts, and also for landing freight We next kept up the river mostly in the timber for ten miles, untill we came to Col. Lyman Wight’s who lives at the foot of Tower Hill, a name appropriated by Prest smith, in consequence of the remains of an old Nephitish Alter an Tower, where we camped for the sabath, In the after part of the day, Prests. smith and Rigdon and myself, went to Wights. Ferry about a half mile from this place up the river, for the purpose of selecting and laying claims to city plott near said Ferry, in Davis Daviess County Township 60, Range 27 & 28, and Sections 25, 36, 31, 30, which was called Spring Hill a name appropriated by the bretheren present, But after wards named by the mouth of [the] Lord and was called
Elder George W. Robinson
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Autobiography Volume 3 circa 1865-1866, 141, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org.
Elder Wilford Woodruff
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Again President Young said Joseph the Prophet told me that the garden of Eden was in Jackson Co Missouri, & when Adam was driven out of the garden of Eden He went about 40 Miles to the Place which we Named Adam Ondi Ahman, & there built an Alter of stone & offered sacriaficze, that Altar remains to this day I saw it as Adam left it as did many others, & through all the revolutions of the world that Altar had not been disturbed. Joseph also said that when the City of Enoch fled & was translated it was whare the gulf of Mexico now is, it left that gulf a body of water Journal (January 1, 1873 – February 7, 1880), 25, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org.
Elder Wilford Woodruff
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Adam Ondi Ahman
Elder Wilford Woodruff
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Adam Ondi Ahman
John D. Lee
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What followed, Heber’s record thus relates: "After hearing of the mobbing, burning and robbing in Gallatin, Daviess Co., and the region round about, the brethren of Caldwell went directly to Adamondi-Ahman, which is on the west fork of Grand River. Thomas B. Marsh, David W. Patten, Brigham Young, myself, Parley P. Pratt and John Taylor amongst the number. When we arrived there we found the Prophet Joseph, Hyrum Smith and Sidney Rigdon, with hundreds of others of the Saints preparing to defend themselves from the mob who were threatening the destruction of our people. Men, women and children were fleeing to that place for safety from every direction; their houses and property were burnt and they had to flee half naked, crying, and frightened nigh unto death, to save their lives. While there we laid outa city on a high elevated piece of land, and set the stakes for the four corners of a temple block, which was dedicated, Brother Brigham Young being mouth; there were from three to five hundred men present on the occasion, under arms. This elevated spot was probably from two hundred and fifty to five hundred feet above the level of Grand River, so that one could look east, west, north or south, as far as the eye could reach; it was one of the most beautiful places I ever beheld. The Prophet Joseph called upon Brother Brigham, myself and others, saying, ‘Brethren, come, go along with me, and | will show you something.’ He led us a short distance to a place where were the ruins of three altars built of stone, one above the other, and one standing a little back of the other, like unto the pulpits in the Kirtland Temple, representing the order of three grades of Priesthood; ‘There,’ said Joseph, ‘is the place where Adam offered up sacrifice after he was cast out of the garden.’ The altar stood at the highest point of the bluff. I went and examined the place several times while I remained there."
President Heber C. Kimball
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Mon., Sept
Elder Andrew Jensen
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Adam-ondi-Ahman.—At that very spot, Spring Hill, Davis County, Missouri, in the year 1838, the Latter-day Saints, by direction of the Prophet, began to build a city, naming it Adam-ondi-Ahman, afterwards abbreviated to Diahman. While engaged in making the survey, some of the brethren came upon the ruins of an ancient altar, which the Prophet, on beholding, declared to be the identical altar upon which Adam offered sacrifices after he was expelled from Eden. The Garden of Eden, Joseph said, was in Jackson County, Missouri, from which part the Saints had been driven, as if to typify reminiscently the original expulsion. In both instances, the tree of disobedience bore the same bitter fruit. In Jackson County the New Jerusalem is to be built, and a people prepared for the glorious coming of the Lord. That America is the
Elder Orson F. Whitney
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Sanctuaries On Mountain Tops
President Joseph Fielding Smith
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Adam-ondi-Ahman: Altars
Elder Bruce R. McConkie
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Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles I feel this morning to begin my remarks to you to bear my testimony to you as a servant of God that Joseph Smith is truly a prophet of God. And this pleasant and happy occasion calls to mind that if it were not for the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which has been sent forth in the presence of God, that men might be made partakers of the glories to come, none of us would be here today. And this through the instrumentality of the prophet Joseph Smith. Apostle Widtsoe made this statement. Joseph Smith is the key figure in the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the latter days. The foundation of the Church which he was instrumental in restoring to earth with every doctrine, organization and movement must be attributed directly or indirectly to him. It is true, no doubt, that had he proven unfaithful to that which was entrusted to him, another would have been chosen in his stead. But the fact is that he did prove faithful. And that is why we are here today, the day and time that we should honor him because of that which is transpiring in the world and in the Church in the preparation for the Second Coming of the Son of God. It is fitting also that in connection with this that we should recognize that he was the first witness of the new dispensation of the gospel for Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The prophet himself bore record of the completion of his task here upon the earth. This happened upon an occasion not long before his martyrdom, prior to which he had hastened his preparations, and had conferred upon the twelve all of the keys, covenants, endowments, and sealing ordinances of the priesthood that he had received from heavenly messengers. And having done this, he declared, “The Lord is about to lay the burden on your shoulders, and if they kill me, the kingdom of God will roll on as I have now finished the work that was laid upon me.” Each of the successors of the prophet Joseph Smith have upon many occasions borne witness to the faithful completion of his work. President Joseph F. Smith, who knew the prophet as a boy, gave this testimony of his work. "Joseph Smith was true to the covenants that he made with the Lord, true to his mission, and the Lord enabled him to accomplish his work even to the sealing of his testimony with his shed blood." President David McKay has said, “Not only did he receive guidance and instruction from the divine head, but once received, he defended it with invincible resolution, and his reliance on truth, on virtue, and in God were most unfaltering.” Joseph Smith, foreordained as a chosen spirit in the premortal realms to be the instrument of God in this last dispensation, without question, has proved faithful and true to the great trust placed upon him. I say this with regard to the fact that the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in their hidden documents proclaim Joseph Smith to have been a fallen prophet. And even to this day, there is written in the crevices of their philosophy and their teachings this concept which nullifies the position that they attempt to hold in the world. This great prophet and seer who has done more save Jesus only for the salvation of men in this world than any other man that ever lived in it stands as a martyred witness for Jesus Christ the Redeemer of the world and of mankind. It is probably common knowledge now throughout the Church, at least I hear the reverberations of it wherever I go. But not long ago, in fact only seven months ago in June of 1966 with President David McKay, President Joseph Fielding Smith and several others, I stood in the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman in Daviess County, Missouri. I have in my folder the journal record of our memorable visit. But in our thoughts that day there loomed before us the importance of this hallowed place to the future of the Church and the kingdom of God. Our automobile rested in the large valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman at the base of Spring Hill and we could clearly see Spring Hill, on the bluff of which a temple site has been dedicated and where the altar of Adam once stood which was used for sacrifice. The other altar on Tower Hill, which is also nearby, was usually used for prayer. And according to the prophet Joseph Smith, this is the altar where Adam gathered together his children at eventide. But the altar of sacrifice, wherein the angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, and asked him why he offered sacrifice, and he said, I know not, save the Lord hath commanded me. And that altar is on the place we call Spring Hill, near the temple site. I stood on that bluff not many months ago on the very place where the storehouse had been erected. And there is still discernable the broken red brick of the storehouse. And the storehouse was very close to the temple site. And the altar of sacrifice was not many yards from this sacred place. According to many accounts given to us in the various histories of the church and in the journal records of many of the brethren. There in this area where we stood that day according to the revelations is where Adam or the ancient of days spoken of by Daniel the prophet will sit to receive from those who will stand before him the keys of all dispensations. Among these will be the prophet Joseph Smith representing the dispensation of the fullness of times as testified to by the Lord himself and as contained in section 27 of the Doctrine and Covenants. At this great council meeting of Adam-ondi-Ahman, not many years hence, the Son of Man will appear, and will receive from Adam the stewardship which will contain the keys of the universe. We're given to understand that many others by appointment will be present at this great priesthood meeting. But the world will not know of it, nor will many within the church. According to the prophet Joseph Smith, this will be a day of judgment, a day of preparation, for the Lord will receive of the dominion and the glory of the earth as plans will go forward for the culmination of God's work here upon the earth and the millennial reign of the Son of God to be officially established by His glorious Second Coming. As we contemplate this great event of the future, our thought broadens to the prophecies of Joseph Smith of the gathering of the saints out of the world in response to the message of the restoration. For said he of events preceding the final gathering of the saints to the center place of Zion. And we are acquainted with the initial preparations which God made in the first settling of the consecrated and dedicated land of Zion in Jackson County, Missouri, wherein God knew the beginning and the end. And he knew that the saints would not redeem Zion at that time. And they were subsequently expelled. And in light of that expulsion, there came to the prophet Joseph Smith the manner in which the children of God would be gathered from throughout the world in preparation for the day when the revelation would come that would begin the final gathering of the children of God from throughout the world. And this is to be accomplished in the manner that the prophet has explained here and which you and I are a part of this very day. For said he, "There will be here and there a stake for the gathering of the saints. Some may have cried peace, but the saints and the world will have little peace henceforth. But let this not hinder us from going to the stakes. For God has told us to flee, not dallying, or we shall be scattered, one here and another there. For there your children shall be blessed, that is in the stakes of Zion, wherever they are established throughout the world. And you shall be in the midst with your friends, where you may be blessed. For the gospel net gathers of every kind." But of the final gathering of the saints in the due time of the Lord, not many years hence, the prophet makes this further declaration. And I quote, “You know, there has been a great discussion in relation to Zion, where it is and where the gathering of this dispensation is, and which I am now going to tell you. The prophets have spoken and written about it. But I will make a proclamation that will cover a broader ground. The whole of America is Zion itself from north to south and is described by the prophets who declare that it is Zion where the mountain of the Lord shall be and that it should be in the center of the land. When the elders shall take up and examine the old prophecies in the Bible, they will see it.” In the prophecies of Micah, Isaiah, and Nephi, and later in the revelations from God contained in section 133 of the Doctrine and Covenants, we learn that the term mountain of the Lord's house means the place where the authority and where the power of God resides. And that the mountains referred to are not specifically geographical eruptions, but pertain to the house of God. The psalmist once said that he prayed that his mountain would be faithful unto the commandments of God. And this mountain to be above all other mountains means that it shall rise above all other houses and all other kingdoms of the earth. Concerning the gathering of the saints first to the stakes wherever they may be throughout the earth for the purposes intended of teaching those who come into the church the principles and the ordinances of heaven that they may be blessed by the commandments of God and then to the center of the land in America. Joseph Smith uttered this prophecy. “I prophesy that that man who tarries after he has an opportunity of going will be afflicted by the devil. Wars are at hand. We must not delay. We ought to have the building up of Zion as our greatest object. When wars come, we shall flee to Zion. The cry is to make haste. But the last revelation says, ‘Ye shall not have time to have gone over the earth until these things shall come.’” The Zion of God, or the place where the city of the new Jerusalem shall be built, which shall be the first of the cities of Zion, shall therefore be established in Jackson County, Missouri. For following the expulsion of the saints from Jackson County, Missouri, the consecrated centerplace of Zion in November of 1833, and the failure because of the rebelliousness of its volunteers of Zion's Camp to redeem Zion in the months that followed. The Lord gave a revelation to the prophet Joseph at Fishing River, Missouri in June of 1834 at the very scene of the Zion's Camp encampment where many died because of a deadly scourge from which the following is taken. “Therefore, in consequence of the transgressions of my people, it is expedient in me that mine elders should wait for a little season for the redemption of Zion.” Previously, but after the Jackson County expulsion, the Lord had assured the prophet that Zion shall not be moved out of her place, that no other place has been appointed. The key to the initial settlement in Jackson County, Missouri, the consecrated land of the center place was declared by the Lord who knows the beginning and the end. Wherein he said, that you might be honored in laying the foundation and in bearing record of the land upon which the Zion of God shall stand. It is the responsibility and the obligation of every servant of God in this dispensation according to this revelation to bear record unto the children of men that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored first for the redemption of the individual and secondly for the gathering of the children of God from throughout the earth that there may be ushered in the millennial reign. And this is stated in many of the revelations. The time has come, I believe, to reestablish the image of Christ's church more formidably in the consecrated and dedicated land of Missouri. I think that President McKay feels this. And only recently he has authorized that the things that transpired on the memorable visit we had seven months ago to Adam-ondi-Ahman and the cities of Far West, Missouri and Jackson County in general and Independence that these things now can be written that we may in some way bring back to the consciousness of the people of this church, those who are faithful to their covenants, that God established his work in that place, and that to fulfill it, there must be built the city of the New Jerusalem as revealed by the Lord, by the Gentiles, who shall come in and be numbered among the children of Israel, by the sons and daughters of Ephraim, and by the remnant of Jacob, who are the Lamanites, and they shall build the city of the New Jerusalem. And there shall be erected in that city a temple complex such has never been known in the annals of earth's lifetime wherein there shall be as the center of that complex the temple of the New Jerusalem where the Lord will make his appearance in the administrative responsibilities of the government of the earth and it will be sustained and supported by 23 other temples, all named after various orders of the priesthood. And we know the exact location of these temples in the city of Zion. And it is of particular interest to note that when the temple land was purchased by Bishop Partridge for and in behalf of the Church, it constituted 63.27 acres. Whereas according to the plat of the city of Zion, which is to be the city of New Jerusalem, and the first of the cities of Zion, which will be constructed in multiple fashion, for when one city is filled, then the same measurement and dimension of another city will be erected, and so on until it fills the earth, or until it fills all of the land of Zion. But the temple complex will be so arranged that the government of the earth will be carried forward through the priesthood of God under the direct leadership and direction of the Son of God who will live and reign upon the earth. Among these 23 other temples are three temples of communication whereby the voice of God will go throughout all the earth to testify of the things that are to happen in the culmination of the Lord's work here upon the earth. And these things the Lord has made known to us. Well, now my brothers and sisters, the Church has gone through many vicissitudes with its initial expulsion from the state of Missouri and its exile in the city of Nauvoo and their eventual expulsion from there to the state of Utah where many troubles developed, reaching the turn of the century and then the more solidification of the programs of the Church leading to its great position in the world today. The children of God have truly been occupied in these many years. But we need, I believe, to reflect upon the initial things which God has restored to us that pertain to the establishment of these great cities to culminate the work of the Lord. The student of the revelations will find that the greater preponderance of the revelations given from God in this dispensation as contained in the Doctrine and Covenants refer directly or indirectly to the establishing of the cities of Zion and the founding of the Law of Consecration to be administered under the United Order. And these constitute the things which God chose to reveal mainly unto his servant, the prophet Joseph Smith. In concluding my remarks, I should like to quote a statement by Orson F. Whitney concerning the land of Missouri. For said he, "Here in the most ancient region, where parallel with the stream of time, the great river of mortal life arose, had pitched their tents, the saints of the latter day. Here dwelt Adam and Eve in the world's infancy. Here they tasted of the fruit forbidden and were driven forth from Eden, their fall foreordained that mortal man might be. Here the great sire of mankind built altars unto God, offering sacrifice unto the Father in commemoration of the atonement of the Son. Here fell the first martyr." And it is of interest. And we contemplated this fact as we stood on the ground at Far West, a most holy and consecrated place, and when the prophet of our own dispensation, President McKay said, “I feel a great spiritual influence in this place.” And we have reason to believe by the testimony of the brethren that it was at Far West that Abel was martyred by his brother Cain. That was their dwelling place in the early day in that area. And it was in that vicinity that the first martyr of this dispensation took place. And so here fell the first martyr. Here righteous Abel's blood was spilled. Here burst the awful thunders of heaven's awakened wrath upon the guilty head of earth's first murderer. Here Adam bowed with age blessed the righteous residue of his seed and predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity to the latest generation. Of all this ere the days of Peleg in whose days was the earth divided ere Enoch city rose to heaven or the ark of Noah floated over a wave-buried world, ere Babel's towering folly mocked the skies, ere wrecked was language on confusion strand ere the great river of humanity dividing into rills went forth to water with the streams of life, the soil of every land. Here in the time of restitution, when all things in Christ are gathered in one, Adam, Michael, the Great Prince, the Ancient of Days, is to come in power and glory, revisiting the scenes of his earthly pilgrimage. America, the old world, not the new. Cradle of man, mother of nations, grave of empires.
Elder Alvin R. Dyer
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Counselor in the First Presidency Since the altar stones are not to be found at the location described above, the question naturally rises, “What then became of them?” It is of course a custom of tourists, and parties interested in visiting historic sites, to carry away certain objects as a reminder of their visit, and to feel a sense of possession or closeness to the significance of historical background. We have observed in this respect, how the “altar of prayer,” at the top of Tower Hill, just across the small valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, to the southeast from Spring Hill, has disappeared, stone by stone, now in the possession of well meaning visitors to this sacred and historic spot. This, in the same manner, could be true to some extent with the altar stones on Spring Hill. However the description of the size of these stones, given by Hyrum Smith (see the foregoing account) would preclude the possibility of visitors carrying them away in the usual manner. The statement of Clayt Barlow is much more logical, and would appear to give the answér to their disappearance. The author has discussed this with Clayt Barlow many times. His statement has always been the same, and gives strong evidence of the truth of a respected man concerning that which he had witnessed with his own eyes. (Tape Narrative pp. 18, 19, 20.) Pope: — Now, the highest point of the bluff. Now where is that at? Barlow: It is the northeast corner of the land you bought from Dustman. Pope: The northeast corner. Timothy: That is right on the road. Barlow: No. You see you bought that sieve on the hill there. You go to the rock pile and you go northeast until you come to where the fences come together like that. That is the next highest place and there used to be a ferry road on the north side of the fence and if you will go down there to Lyman Wight’s fjord and you go to the fence and climb over the fence, and I judge you go to about 50 or 60 feet, and you will see the prints of the old road there where they crossed the ferry after the Mormons left here and a fellow by the name of Cravens and Nations run the ferry there for several years and you can see the prints of the road there. I could see them now if I could stand to walk, I would go down there and show you, but on the north side of that road and north side of that fence there is a road there 60 feet wide and that has been a ferry road and it has come up there to where this high spot is on and the road went straight north for about half a mile until it hits Wilford Neildas place and then it angled off to the northeast again. It used to be that you could see the print of that old road. Pope: Now right there in what you are describing is that high point of the bluff. Barlow: Yes, that would be the highest point of the bluff. The Statement of Barlow on the Removal of the Stones Barlow: Right there where that high place is where Brigham Young and Joseph Smith and the brethren met. You might say you go pretty straight west because there is a fence and Wilford said it was right straight north of his front door. And Dick Millard said there ain't no rock there. I can’t find it. Timothy: It could have been carried off. Barlow: Not many of these rocks have been moved. Timothy: You mentioned to me here one time that somebody came up there and took a lot of stone away from there. What happened? Barlow: It was a man by the name of Joe Miller. He come here and I was running the store and he came in and said— Timothy: What year is this about? Barlow: Must have been about 22, somewhere along there. And Roy Dickersen owned that place down there and lived there. Timothy: The Dustman Farm. Barlow: The Dustman Farm where the Dustman tore the house down at the bottom close to the altar, and he said do you know anybody who wants to hire a hand and I said no I don't. I do to. Roy Dickersen lives down on Di-Ahman and he did tell me that he wanted to hire a hand and he said I'll make a good farm hand, I will work for him reasonable in order to be down on Di-Ahman. He worked for Roy for years. Roy boarded him and he got 50¢ a day. The next year he rented a little Mormon house to live in down by Tower Hill and he was there for a year, but he worked for Roy. Well, when his year was up he got Roy’s team, got two or three of the neighbors to help him load the stuff in it in one box about 5 feet long and it took about four men to lift it into the wagon and pack it to the door and slide out into the wagon and he had five boxes all together and so when they come up to town here, they come up the street down there where the people used to stand off that steeples, and there were two men standing there on the platform. He said go on up and weight this stuff and bring it on back down to this boxcar. So I had a pair of scales and I weighted it, but I don’t have any recollection of what it weighed or didn’t pay much attention to it at that time. Timothy: It was real heavy though. Barlow: So when they went to put it up on the wagon into the car, the boxcar, there was about 5 men to lift it up and slip it up in there and it was about all they could lift. They put five boxes there and when they put the five boxes in, some of these strange men standing there at the depot, he pulled the door shut and put a seal on it. So this fellow told me when he came there, he came there from Salt Lake City, but Dickersen told me he didn’t come from Salt Lake City, he came from Illinois. There I was throwed off, and so Dickersen told me several different times, said I don’t know much. Miller said he is a good worker, but says he is kind of odd and strange. He would get out and stay out around the hills over there when the moon is shining and ramble around over there in the hills way up till midnight. I don’t know what he is hunting for, but he found something and he shipped it away. I wouldn’t have any idea how big the three altars was, you don’t have any dimensions of how big the altars was do you. Pope: No. Barlow: Was there just three stones, one sitting above the other. I have always thought that he was the one that got the three altars. I could be wrong. Timothy: What was the boy’s name again? Barlow: Joe Miller. Timothy: About how old a boy was he when he came in the 20s. Barlow: He must have been around 50.
President Alvin R. Dyer
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Fuss about Historical Documents
Bishop Glenn L. Pace
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