Apostle John with the 9½ Tribes of Israel
My Life’s Review, 1947, pg 93; “I was then really ‘the bosom friend and companion of the Prophet Joseph.’ … Sometimes when at my house I asked him questions relating to the past, present and future; … one of which I will relate: I asked where the nine and a half tribes of Israel were. ‘Well,’ said he, ‘you remember the old caldron or potash kettle you used to boil maple sap in for sugar, don’t you?’ I said yes. ‘Well,’ said he, ‘they are in the north pole in a concave just the shape of that kettle. And John the Revelator is with them, preparing them for their return.’” – Benjamin Johnson
Genesis 49:3; “Reuben…”
Genesis 49:5; “Simeon and Levi…”
Genesis49:8; “Judah…”
Genesis 49:13; “Zebulun…”
Genesis 49:14; “Issachar…”
Genesis49:16; “Dan…”
Genesis 49:19; “Gad…”
Genesis 49:20; “Asher…”
Genesis 49:21; “Naphtali…”
Genesis 49:22; “Joseph…”
Genesis 49:27; “Benjamin…”
Benjamin Johnson was a private secretary to Joseph Smith and served fourteen terms in the Utah State Legislature. He was a devout follower of Joseph Smith, married to at least seven women and the father of 47 kids. Needless to say he was very astute and loyal to the teachings and ways of Joseph.
Shame on Joseph Smith for teaching lies. And shame on Benjamin Johnson for propagating the same lies to those 54 people.
The Lord has made it so simple for us! He gives details of each tribe in describing who they were and what their name meant. He made it compact and easy to find by putting it all in one area. It just doesn’t get much simpler than that my friend!
And finally God doesn’t change the rules or game plan. What an insane story of 9½ tribes and the apostle John being with them.
How did he figure 9 1/2? Where is the missing 1/2, according to Smith?
Well your guess is as good as mine on that one. Who knows what lurked in that mind of his and how he came up with 1/2 or 9 or any of it at all for that matter. I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry when I saw that one or the many others that are similar to it.
Wow, that is crazy! How could anyone believe that? The North Pole?
Yeah, I’ve wondered the same thing myself on many an occasion – who could believe that? Praising the Lord that not many do!
Note on the British Israelism, this theory was promulgated some years ago, then denounced, and resurfaced with the old Worldwide Church of God in the 1960’s. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Israelism
see Armstrong, father and son, who have passed away. The church changed their doctrine since that time and denounced Armstrongism, etc.
My late Father was involved with them in the 1960’s-1970’s so I have studied them vigorously in the past.)
I’m going to quote part of it here as it is really relevant to Mormonism. Read the entire history as to the DATES and tie them with Smith’s writings.
“The theory of British Israelism was also vigorously promoted by Herbert W. Armstrong,[10] founder and former Pastor General of the Worldwide Church of God. Armstrong believed that the theory was a key to understanding biblical prophecy: “One might ask, were not biblical prophecies closed and sealed? Indeed they were—until now! And even now they can be understood only by those who possess the master key to unlock them.” (Armstrong, 1967, p. 5)[11] Armstrong believed that he was called by God to proclaim the prophecies to the Lost Tribes of Israel before the “end-times”.[12] Armstrong’s belief caused his separation from the Church of God Seventh Day because of its refusal to adopt the theory.
Armstrong created his own church, first called the “Radio Church of God” and later renamed the “Worldwide Church of God”.[12] He described British Israelism as a “central plank” of his theology.[13] (See ‘Armstrongism’.)
After Armstrong’s death, his former church, which changed its name to Grace Communion International (GCI) in 2009, abandoned its belief in British Israelism. It offers an explanation of the doctrine’s origin and its abandonment by the church at its official website.[14] Church members who disagreed with such doctrinal changes left the Worldwide Church of God/GCI to form offshoot churches. Many of these organizations, including the Philadelphia Church of God and the United Church of God, still teach British Israelism. Armstrong promoted other genealogical history theories, such as teaching that modern-day Germany now represents ancient Assyria. He wrote in chapter 5 of his Mystery of the Ages (1985), “The Assyrians settled in central Europe, and the Germans, undoubtedly, are, in part, the descendants of the ancient Assyrians.” (p. 183).”
I mention this here as much of Mormonism is from all different world religions Since Smith and this theory were around at the same time, he may have gotten some of his tribe ideas from this British Israelism and changed some of if it to fit in with his version of things. This would be perhaps Smith’s writings about the peoples coming to America, etc.
Smith did this with the Masonry so it may be possible.