As found in Zion’s Ensign on November 7th, 1918
This was given amidst Smith’s entheogenic period, and could reasonably be seen as him explaining how entheogens have been a part of his visionary experiences
I may here be permitted a moment to digress; to speak very briefly of some of the aspects of revelation. It has been apparent to me, as a result of my travels in recent months, and particularly as a result of some of the disaffections which have crept in in certain quarters, that a danger confronts this people, and that is a disposition to set stakes as to how God shall reveal his will to his people. There are those in the church, and their number is not few, who believe that only through a “Thus saith the Lord”, or an audible voice by some person who is seized in an occult way by the powers of God, is the will of God to be revealed to man. To attempt to thus limit the manifestations of God is entirely wrong, and is dangerous. We have been splendidly told, in a certain chapter written by that great defender of the religious faith, Paul, how the manifestations of God to man are multitudinous, and appear in various forms, and each form is designed for the blessings of his people, and for the support, particularly, of the individual, and that his manifestations are adapted to the needs of his people in all their conditions.
At a certain time of my life it became necessary for me, especially since I was asked to accept a position that is unique among all the organizations of the world, to give considerable thought to this question of how God shall reveal himself to his people. There was a disposition at one time on my part to limit God as to how he should reveal his will. But I passed this point and have been able to say, If thou, oh God, art desirous of revealing thy will to us, or to me, be it far from me to say how. If it be that thou desirest to write across the arch of thy heaven those words that thou shalt see fit to transmit to thy people, then give me the wisdom to read. Or if thou dost choose to manifest thy power in the thunderous tones that thou art capable of giving, so that they will ring through all the arch of heaven, let my ears be open. Or if, in the still, small voice that comes from within, thou shalt choose to reveal thy will to me, then let thy Spirit attune my spiritual ear to the reception of thy word. Or if thou dost choose to utilize those powers with which thou hast by nature endowed me, quickened by thine own proc- esses of development, to transmit through them the message that thou hast to give to thy people, then my pen shall be ready. Or if thou dost choose to bathe my soul in thy spirit until my spiritual vision shall behold what thou dost desire thy people to accomplish, even then shall I endeavor as thy instrument to transmit the message to thy people.
And strange to say, at times the very last of the ones that I would have believed probable, in trying to express his will through me to this people is the one he has chosen to use; for I have felt that quickening of spiritual vision until my spiritual eyes were enabled to see almost as a panoramic vision extending over the years yet to come, not in detail, but in one grand, general ensemble, the work to be accomplished by this people. And when I have thus seen the work yet to be done spread out before me, I have been at times suddenly turned from contemplation of these splendid things, and with my own natural eyes and powers have looked upon the work already done, I could not but exclaim, “How long, oh Lord, how long!”
And so, when there arise persons claiming that they have had the will of the Lord revealed to them, that such and such is wrong in the church, and that such and such would be right, the safeguard that God himself has placed before you is always available for your protection, and you have the right, and not only the right, but the duty to weigh that which shall come, and be alert to the fact that God will reveal himself in the way that pleaseth him best; but always and at all times will that will be in harmony and consistent with his revealments in the past, however they may have come.