Fetting’s first reported messenger visit

At our solicitation Brother Fetting of the Quorum of Twelve has kindly sent me an account of the remarkable experience as herein told. We are assuming the liberty of submitting it to readers of the Advocate. “A Messenger appeared to me February 4th 1927, at my home 801, 10th St., Port Huron, Mich., at 5:30 A. M. I got up at 5:00 A. M., fixed the furnace, washed and sat down in an easy rocker to wait for the fire to start up good so I could shut off the furnace. I had turned off the light but the street light shining through the front door made it somewhat light in the room. I was not thinking about the Church at all at the time, but was about to doze a little when all at once someone gave me a slap on my shoulder. He slapped me real hard and I looked up and saw the form of a man standing just a little way from me in the light from the door. He was about six feet three inches, very fine build and about thirty or thirty-five years of age. His hair was down to his coat collar. He had a beard. His voice was soft and his looks mild but much in earnest. He said “Don’t change the Articles of Faith and Practice, because the Lord inspired the men that wrote them.” He said, “See to it that they are not changed.” Then he said “The revelation that was given for the building of the Temple was true and the Temple soon will be started.” He said, “Three more men will be placed in the Twelve this Spring and that they were much needed in the quorum. These men will be chosen at the Spring Conference.” He said “The temple will be built, if not by the people in charge, the Lord will raise up a people that will built it.” He said, “The coming of Christ is near at hand and Christ will not delay his coming because of the unfaithfulness of the people.” He said, “The blood of this generation will be required of all those that profess the name of Christ.” He said, “He would not hold us responsible for the mistakes of others but would require us to be true to our calling and tell the truth.” He said, “I will hold others responsible for their work in their day.” He said, “Fear not, while things may look dark to you now, God would overrule and the future would be brighter.” Then he said, “There is Thomas E. Barton, Joseph H. Camp, and Alma O. Frisby. They are good men.” But he did not say that they should be placed in the quorum of Twelve, just said, “They are good men.” Now this is the essence of what he told me. He further said, “Be humble, if you want your work accepted of men and God, it will be by the spirit of humanity. You will win favor with God and man and your success is in telling the truth in humility.” I sat down and wrote it soon after the Messenger left and this is as near correct as I can give it. I could see the form of a man, I heard his voice, I felt the slap on my shoulder and I felt his influence in the room in my presence. OTTO FETTING, Port Huron, Mich. Feb. 4, 1927.