MESSAGE 6

SEPTEMBER 1, 1928 | 12:30 A.M. - 1:25 A.M.

PORT HURON, MICHIGAN

   Received at 12:30 a.m. to 1:25 a.m., September 1, 1928, at Port Huron, Michigan.

   I was awake in my bed, not feeling very strong, and was somewhat discouraged, when all at once the room became light, and I knew that the Messenger was not far away. I gazed at the light, when all at once he stood at my bedside, and this is what he said:  OTTO  FETTING
  
   1 I am John, the servant of the Lord, a messenger sent from God, a co-laborer with you to prepare a people for Christ when He shall come again, which will not be long; but before that time many things will come to pass, as it is written. The Temple must be built, but it will be built through great tribulation, when trying times will be on the earth; and because of the iniquity that shall be in the hearts of men, many shall have no faith in the gospel of Christ. God will chasten many, for He wants a tried people. You have had losses but you will have more; and it is best that you isolate yourself from the business world, for behold, you shall be tried as Joseph of Egypt was tried, for some of your brethren are seeking to destroy your life; and you will also be accused of adultery, the same as Joseph was; and while trials shall come to you, and losses, yet you shall not want for bread; and if faithful to your trust, at the end you shall receive your reward for your labor.
   2 Joseph Smith did a great work in his day; yet he sinned before the Lord in many things by not keeping the commandments that were given to him, and in not building the house of the Lord; yet he repented, and in the end he will be numbered with the prophets of old. Be ye not like him, but build ye the house according to the pattern that shall be given to you. Let the Temple be ninety feet in width, and one hundred and eighty feet in length, and let there be an inner court, fifty-five feet by sixty-five feet; and let there be an outer court. Let there also be a lower court, or basement as I told you before, and let it be twelve feet in height from the lower floor. Let the walls be made of concrete and steel. Let the foundation be two feet six inches in width. Let the foundation go to the rock. Let the outside be covered with cement and tar, and tile perpendicular, so that the lower rooms may be dry; for the people shall gather there for their prayers and fastings unto the Lord. Let the room be light. Let the frames of the windows be of steel, and let them be placed in cement. Let the glass be heavy. Let the steel of the whole building go to the foundation, and let them be tied with angle steel and concrete every four feet, that the building may be strong; for trying times will come; for the heaven and the earth will be shaken, and men's hearts will be filled with fear; but to you who are faithful, the Lord shall be with you; nevertheless, your faith shall be tried and many shall wax cold.
   3 I will come to you from time to time to give you the plans of the house of the Lord; but remember, inasmuch as you and your brethren shall be humble before the Lord, and shall do His will, I shall come to you; but if you are not true, your minds will be darkened, and these plans shall be withheld from you. Pray often; heed not the advice of men, for God will direct in the building of His house; for the Lord spoke to Joseph Smith thus:
   4 "Verily I say unto you my friends, I speak unto you with my voice, even the voice of my Spirit, that I may show unto you my will concerning your brethren in the land of Zion, many of whom are truly humble, and are seeking diligently to learn wisdom and to find truth; verily I say unto you, blessed are all such for they shall obtain, for I, the Lord, showeth mercy unto all the meek, and upon whomsoever I will, that I may be justified, when I shall bring them into judgment.
   5 "And inasmuch as my people build an house unto me, in the name of the Lord, and do not suffer any unclean thing to come into it, that it be not defiled, my glory shall rest upon it, and my presence shall be there, for I will come into it, and all the pure in heart that shall come into it, shall see God; but if it be defiled I will not come into it, and my glory shall not be there, for I will not come into unholy temples.
   6 "Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, whom I love, and whom I love I also chasten, that their sins may be forgiven, for with the chastisement I prepare a way for their deliverance, in all things, out of temptation; and I have loved you; wherefore you must needs be chastened, and stand rebuked before my face, for ye have sinned against me a very grievous sin, in that ye have not considered the great commandment in all things, that I have given unto you, concerning the building of mine house, for the preparation wherewith I design to prepare mine apostles to prune my vineyard for the last time, that I may bring to pass my strange act, that I may pour out my Spirit upon all flesh. But, behold, verily I say unto you, there are many who have been ordained among you, whom I have called, but few of them are chosen; they who are not chosen have sinned a very grievous sin, in that they are walking in darkness at noonday; and for this cause, I gave you a commandment, that you should call your solemn assembly; that your fasting and your mourning might come up into the ears of the Lord your God.
   7 "Yea, verily I say unto you, I gave you a commandment, that you should build a house, in which house I design to endow those whom I have chosen with power from on high, for this is the promise of the Father unto you; therefore, I command you to tarry, even as mine apostles at Jerusalem; nevertheless my servants sinned a very grievous sin.
   8 "Verily, I say unto you, it is my will that you should build an house; if you keep my commandments, you shall have power to build it; if you keep not my commandments, the love of the Father shall not continue with you; therefore you shall walk in darkness. Now here is wisdom and the mind of the Lord; let the house be built after the manner which I shall show unto three of you, whom ye shall appoint and ordain unto this power. And the size thereof shall be fifty and five feet in width, and let it be sixty-five feet in length, in the inner court thereof; and let the lower part of the inner court be dedicated unto me for your sacrament offering, and for your preaching, and your fasting, and your praying, and the offering up of your most holy desires unto me," saith your Lord. For thus spoke He unto Joseph Smith who heeded not His words.
   9 But let this house be built, for great shall be the joy of the people of the Lord, not so much because of the house, but because the Lord shall sanctify His people; His power will be with them and His Spirit will fill their souls with joy. The house shall be a sheltering rock to them, a haven of rest, wherein they will find spiritual food and knowledge, a school wherein they will learn of God's goodness.
   10 Take this message to your brethren who have obeyed the gospel. Many will believe it, but some will reject it, because darkness has clouded their mind; nevertheless, in time to come others will accept it.
   11 Be humble in your work. Be long suffering with others; and if you will do this God will give you His Spirit from time to time to enlighten your mind, that the work you do might be accepted of Him. Amen.