Joseph Smith on the Holy Ghost
 

I've been doing a little investigating of Joseph Smith's teachings about the Holy Ghost, and came across something unusual. The following is from Franklin D. Richards' notes on Joseph Smith's Aug. 27, 1843 sermon in Nauvoo. According to Richards, Joseph Smith taught:

"That the Holy Ghost is now in a state of Probation which if he should perform in righteousness he may pass through the same or similar course of things that the Son has."

Where did you find that? That's fascinating.

I believe it's in the Words of Joseph Smith, though I don't have my copy handy.

"We don't talk about that or think about it or preach it. It's in the past."

Van Hale wrote an interesting article on "I am Liberal in My Sentiments Towards All Men: Exploring the Mind Of Joseph Smith on Diversity Among the Saints" in the December 2006 Sunstone. That article is a treasure trove of quotes. Hale give the source as Words of Joseph Smith, 245.

I look at sorting through some of these early church quotes/teachings like a Bayesian optimization problem. You plug in all the data, which includes the scriptures, the other teachings of the early church, and the teachings today. There's no exact fit. But there's an optimization that creates the most likely view of correct doctrine.

My accepted view is to completely reject some of the early church statements, like this one, and write it off with the explanation that they were hitting and missing on what they were receiving as pure revelation from God, which God has since helped them straighten out.

makes sense to me. HG as a a kind of office. Filled by spirits in the spirit world, who are on their way to ressurection, Godhood, etc.

Of course, to some Mormons, theosis is a lie.

My goal in this instance is to get a better sense of Joseph's views, and how they changed, and how they interacted with other teachings at the time.

Putting this JS quote together with Alma 7:12-13 is a real mind bender:

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

I think you mean "I don't know that we teach that".