A Prophet Among You

“Spiritual Gifts,” Volume 2

In order to follow the chronological development of the set of volumes known as Spiritual Gifts, volumes 1-4, it is necessary to break into the story of the development of the expanded great controversy account. Spiritual Gifts, volume 2, is an autobiographical work bearing the subtitle My Christian Experience. This was a book of more than three hundred pages, in contrast with the sixty-four pages of the original Experience and Views. The plan for this book antedated that of The Great Controversy, but the work was delayed until the great controversy vision could be published. Again a glance at the preface gives insight into the reasons for the expanded life story. APAY 303.1

“Having borne my testimony, and scattered several books containing my visions, in the Eastern, Middle, and Western States, and formed many happy acquaintances, I have felt it my duty to give to my friends and to the world a sketch of my Christian experience, visions, and labors in connection with the rise and progress of the third angel’s message.... APAY 303.2

“As the cry of Mormonism is often raised, especially in the west, at the introduction of the Bible argument of the perpetuity of spiritual gifts, I have felt anxious that my brethren should know what my experience has been, and where it has been. APAY 303.3

“When at Knoxville, Iowa, March, 1860, we learned that a man had been reporting that he knew me and my husband twenty years ago, when we were leaders among the Mormons at Nauvoo! At that time I was only twelve years old. APAY 303.4

“The statements in this work, backed up by the testimonies of those who have been personally acquainted with my experience and labors for the past sixteen years, may help the minds of some. The tongue of slander will not harm unworthy me. It has been with the hope to benefit, in some degree, the cause of truth, that I have prepared this work. And may God add His blessing, that it may feed and cheer the little flock.” Spiritual Gifts 2:3, 4. APAY 303.5

Seldom has the path of a prophet of God been an easy one. Almost always there have been questionings and skepticism. Frequently his motives have been impugned, his experience assailed. Some of this has been the result of prejudice, some of ignorance; and a fair share has resulted from defiance. God’s warning to Jeremiah was one that might well have been given to every prophet: “And they shall fight against thee.” Jeremiah 1:19. But the sentence does not end at that point. It continues, “but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.” Spiritual Gifts, volume 2, gives no impression of having been written as a defense, but merely to set before the advent believers and others the facts so that they would be prepared to make their own decisions on the basis of evidence presented. APAY 304.1