SECTION IX.
1. The Breaking up at Kirtland.—The keys of knowledge respecting the great doctrines treated in the last two sections were received in the Kirtland temple; and for a time it appeared that the Saints would long enjoy the blessings of their temple and the communion and instruction of heavenly messengers. But not so. With prosperity which attended them there, came pride, envyings, jealousies and heart-burnings. Their temporal prosperity existed but a brief period. It was carried away by the wave of financial disaster which swept over the United States in 1837. Then came financial embarrassment, accompanied with charges and counter-charges of fraud and dishonesty. Apostasy among men high in authority was rife. Several of the twelve apostles went down in those dark days, and became bitter enemies to the Prophet Joseph. To such an extent did the spirit of apostasy prevail that it became murderous; and the prophet and a number of his most devoted friends had to flee from Kirtland for their lives. [See note 1, end of section.]
2. The Founding of Far West—Expulsion From Missouri.—Meantime the Saints in Missouri who were driven from Jackson county, in the latter part of 1833, removed from their temporary locations in Clay County, and settled in the new county of Caldwell, where they founded the city of Far West. It was to Far West that the Prophet Joseph and other church leaders fled when compelled to leave Kirtland. But there was little rest for the church in Missouri; persecution was threatened before the prophet arrived, and his presence only seemed to hasten the impending storm. In the autumn of 1838 it broke upon the church in all its fury, and during that winter the entire church was expelled from the State by order of its governor, Lilburn W. Boggs. [See note 2, end of section.]
3. The Rise of Nauvoo.—While the Saints were being expelled from the state the Prophet Joseph and several other leading elders were imprisoned in Liberty jail, Clay county, Missouri, having been betrayed into the hands of their enemies by the treachery of false brethren. They were held on false charges of murder, arson and treason. They finally made their escape from their enemies and joined the body of the church, which had found a temporary resting place in the city of Quincy and vicinity, in Illinois. Shortly afterwards they settled at Commerce, in Hancock county, in the same state. The church purchased several large tracts of land at this place of Dr. Galland, a Mr. White, Hubbard, Wells, Hotchkiss, and others; and soon from the wilderness and bogs of Commerce—[See note 3, end of section]—rose the city of Nauvoo—meaning The Beautiful; "carrying with it also," says the Prophet Joseph, "the idea of rest."
4. Although both Joseph and the Saints saw some of their best days in Nauvoo, there was not much "rest" for them there, especially for the former. The toil and anxiety of founding a city, establishing manufactures, publishing a paper, and converting the surrounding country into fields and gardens; sending the apostles to preach the gospel in foreign lands, being all the time tormented by their enemies in Missouri and Illinois, kept the church, and especially the Prophet Joseph, busy during the whole time they remained in Nauvoo. Here the translation of the Book of Abraham was published. [See note 4, end of section.] A magnificent temple was constructed in which to carry on the work of salvation for the dead, and in which the living could receive those washings and anointings, endowments and sealings, necessary to prepare them for their entrance into and their exaltation in heaven.
5. Celestial Marriage Introduced.—It was in Nauvoo also that the prophet introduced celestial marriage,—the marriage system which obtains in celestial worlds. It consists of the eternity of the marriage covenant, that is, the marriage covenant between a man and his wife is made for time and all eternity, and being sealed by that power of the priesthood which binds on earth and in heaven, the covenant holds good in heaven as well as on earth; and by reason of it men will have claim upon their wives, and wives upon their husbands, in and after the resurrection. Celestial marriage may also include a plurality of wives.
6. Eternity of the Marriage Covenant.—This new marriage system—new at least to this generation—completely revolutionized the ideas of the Saints in respect to the marriage institution. In common with the Christian sects, they had regarded marriage vaguely as an institution to exist in this world only; and married their wives as other Christians did and now do—until death shall them part. But by the revelation which the prophet made known at Nauvoo, they learned that in celestial spheres the marriage covenant exists eternally, and that the pleasing joys of family ties and associations coupled with the power of endless increase, contributes to the happiness, power and dominion of those who attain to the celestial glory. What a revelation was here! Instead of the God-given power of pro-creation being one of the things that is to pass away, it is one of the chief means of man's exaltation and glory in that great eternity, which like an endless vista stretches out before him! Through it man attains to the glory of the endless increase of eternal lives, and the right of presiding as priest and patriarch, king and lord, over his ever-increasing posterity. Instead of the commandment—"Be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth," being an unrighteous law, it is one by means of which the race of Gods is perpetuated, and it is as holy and pure as the commandment, "Repent and be baptized." Through that law, in connection with an observance of all the other laws of the gospel, man will yet attain unto the power of the Godhead,[199] and like his Father—God—his chief glory shall be to bring to pass the eternal life and happiness of man.
7. Plurality of Wives.—Celestial marriage, as already observed, may include a plurality of wives. This was as great an innovation as marriage for eternity. It came in conflict with the education and tradition of the Saints, and the sentiments of the age. Still God had commanded it through his prophet, and though their prejudices—the fruit of their traditions—revolted against it, the faithful to whom it was revealed resolved to obey it.
8. It was in 1831 that plural marriage was first made known to Joseph Smith. In that year he was engaged in revising by inspiration the Jewish Scriptures;[200] and observing with what favor the Lord regarded the early patriarchs, and many of the kings and prophets of the Jews who had a plurality of wives, he inquired of God how it was he justified them in that thing. The Lord in answer revealed the law of celestial marriage. But the time had not come for the Saints to enter into its practice, and hence the prophet kept it locked up a secret in his own breast, with the exception of saying to one or two of his most confidential friends that plural marriage was a correct principle. [See note 4, end of section.] In 1841 the prophet introduced the practice of this principle into the church by taking to himself plural wives.[201] He also taught the principle to a number of the leading elders and they obeyed it.
1. Prosperity and Disaster which Overwhelmed the Church at Kirtland.—Speculation was rife all over the United States at that time, [1837] and the Saints did not escape the contagion. They started a banking institution, engaged in mercantile pursuits and land speculation. For a time they were prosperous and wealth rapidly accumulated among them. Sidney Rigdon declared, in a burst of enthusiasm, that the glory of the latter days was now being ushered in, and that Zion would soon become the glory of the whole earth; when the Lord for silver would bring gold; for iron, brass; and for stones, iron. But a wave of financial disaster swept over the entire country. Banking institutions went down before it; thousands of merchants were hopelessly ruined; and in the general disaster Kirtland did not escape. Like the inhabitants of other towns, her people were overwhelmed with financial embarrassment. "Distress, ruin and poverty," says Elder Taylor, "seemed to prevail. Apostates and corrupt men were prowling about as so many wolves seeking whom they might devour. They were oppressive, cruel, heartless, devising every pretext that the most satanic malignity could invent to harass the Saints. Fraud, false accusation and false swearing, vexatious law suits, personal violence, and bare-faced robbery abounded. They were truly afficted, persecuted and tormented."—Life of John Taylor, p. 52.
2. Persecution of the Saints in Missouri.—This brings us to the close of our story of the Missouri Persecutions. We have seen a people start out under the direction of the Lord to build up the city of Zion to his holy name; but who, through their disobedience and failure to observe strictly those conditions upon which the Lord promised them success in accomplishing so great and glorious a work, were driven entirely from the State where that city is to be erected. We have seen a proud, sovereign state, with a constitution that guaranteed the largest possible religious and civil liberty to its citizens, ignore the spirit and letter of that constitution; shamelessly violate the laws passed in pursuance of it; and the officers of the state, from the chief executive down, combine to destroy the Saints of God, or drive them from the State: in accomplishing which they were guilty of the most cruel barbarity. It is no palliation of their offense to say that the Saints had not strictly kept the commandments of God. Their offenses were against the laws of God rather than the laws of man. So far as the state of Missouri was concerned, she was not justified in trampling on her own constitution and laws, and committing outrages that would bring to the cheek of a savage the blush of shame. It was a case where offenses must needs come, but woe, woe, unto them by whom they come!—Missouri Persecutions—Roberts.
3. Commerce, Afterwards Nauvoo.—The place was literally a wilderness. The land was mostly covered with trees and bushes, and much of it was so wet that it was with the utmost difficulty a footman could get through, and totally impossible for teams. Commerce was unhealthful, very few could live there; but believing that it might become a healthful place by the blessing of heaven to the Saints, and no more eligible place presenting itself, I considered it wisdom to make an attempt to build up a city.—Joseph Smith.
4. The Book of Abraham.—The rolls of papyrus filled with Egyptian characters and hieroglyphics, from which Joseph translated the Book of Abraham, came into his possession in the following manner: In 1831 the celebrated French traveler, Antonio Sebolo, penetrated Egypt as far as the ancient city of Thebes, under a license procured from Mehemet Ali—then Viceroy of Egypt—through the influence of Chevalier Drovetti, the French Consul. Sebolo employed four hundred and thirty-three men for four months and two days, either Turkish or Egyptian soldiers, paying them from four to six cents a day per man. They entered the Catatombs near ancient Thebes on the seventh of June, 1831, and procured eleven mummies. These were shipped to Alexandria, and from there the great traveler started with his treasures for Paris. But en route for the French capital, Sebolo put in at Trieste, where he was taken sick, and after an illness of ten days, died. This was in 1832. Previous to his death he willed his Egyptian treasures to his nephew, Michael H. Chandler, who was then living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but whom Sebolo believed to be in Dublin, to which city he ordered the mummies shipped. Mr. Chandler ordered the mummies forwarded to New York from Dublin, where he took possession of them. Here the coffins for the first time were opened, and in them was found two rolls of papyrus covered with engraving. While still in the customs house, Mr. C. was informed by a gentleman, a stranger to him, that no one in the city could translate the characters; but was referred to Joseph Smith, who, the stranger informed him, possessed some kind of gift or power by which he had previously translated similar characters. Joseph Smith was then unknown to Mr. C. The mummies were shipped to Philadelphia; and from there Mr. C. traveled through the country, exhibited them and the rolls of papyrus, reaching Kirtland in July, 1835, and the Saints purchased some of the mummies and the two rolls of papyrus, one of which was the writing of Abraham and the other of Joseph, who was sold into Egypt. The Book of Abraham has been translated and published, at least in part. [See Pearl of Great Price. Elder George Reynolds has published a work on this subject, "The Divine Authenticity of the Book of Abraham," which should be carefully studied by every elder in Israel.]
5. The Establishment of Plural Marriage.—The principle of plural marriage was first revealed to Joseph Smith in 1831, but being forbidden to make it public, or to teach it as a doctrine of the gospel, at that time, he confided the facts to only a very few of his intimate associates. Among them were Oliver Cowdery and Lyman E. Johnson, the latter confiding the fact to his traveling companion, Elder Orson Pratt, in the year 1832. And this great principle remained concealed in the bosoms of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the few to whom he revealed it, until he was commanded, about 1842, to instruct the leading members of the priesthood, and those who were most faithful and intelligent, and best prepared to receive it. In relation thereto, at which time and subsequently until his martyrdom, the subject in connection with the great principles of baptism, redemption and sealing for the dead, became the great theme of his life, and as the late President George A. Smith repeatedly said to me and others—"The prophet seemed irresistibly moved by the power of God to establish that principle not only in theory, in the hearts and minds of his brethren, but in practice also, he himself having led the way."—Joseph F. Smith.
REVIEW.
1. What appeared to be the prospects of the Saints at Kirtland?
2. What influence did wealth have upon them?
3. What did the great apostasy at Kirtland result in?
4. State what you can about the founding of Far West.
5. What effect did the presence of the Prophet Joseph have in Missouri?
6. Tell what you can of the expulsion from Nauvoo.
7. Where did the church find a temporary resting place after its expulsion from Missouri?
8. Where did the church next settle?
9. What is the meaning of the word "Nauvoo?"
10. What can you say of Nauvoo being a place of rest to the Prophet Joseph and the Saints?
11. Enumerate the several things which employed the attention of the Prophet and the Saints at Nauvoo.
12. Where was celestial marriage introduced?
13. What is celestial marriage?
14. In what light was celestial marriage looked upon by the Saints?
15. What was the effect of this principle upon their minds?
16. Is it sacrilege to believe that man may become like his Father—God? (See note.)
17. What beside marriage for eternity may celestial marriage include?
18. When was the rightfulness of plural marriage first made known to the Prophet Joseph?
19. About what time was this principle introduced into the Church?
20. Under what circumstances and on what date was the revelation on celestial marriage written out? (See foot note, also note 5.)
SECTION X.
1. Martyrdom of the Prophets.—The relentless persecution which had followed the Prophet Joseph Smith ever since he first announced that he had received a revelation from God, culminated at last in his and his brother Hyrum's martyrdom, at Carthage jail, Hancock county, Illinois, on the 27th of June, 1844. Religious prejudices and political jealousies, combined with the treason of wicked apostates from the church in Nauvoo, are the forces which led to this sad result. The two brothers were murdered in Carthage prison while awaiting trial on a false charge of treason against the State of Illinois. They were under the immediate protection of the officers of the state, the governor thereof having only the day before pledged the honor of the State for their protection. Notwithstanding all this a mob of from one to two hundred surrounded the prison where they were confined, forced the door, killed the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum, and severely wounded Apostle John Taylor, who, with Willard Richards, was a voluntary inmate of the prison with the brothers Smith.[202]
2. The martyrdom of the prophet has an importance second only to the crucifixion of Messiah; for in his martyrdom he sealed his testimony with his blood, and thenceforth it is made binding on all the world. "For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth."[203] The Dispensation of the Fullness of Times doubtless required a testimony such as Joseph Smith bore to the world, to be sealed with his blood, else the tragedy at Carthage would not have been permitted.
3. The Twelve Apostles Succeed in Presidency.—After the death of the Prophet Joseph, the Twelve—the quorum standing next to the First Presidency, and equal in authority to that quorum—took charge of the affairs of the church. Sidney Rigdon, who with Hyrum Smith was a counselor in the first presidency, pressed his claims to be recognized as the "guardian" or president of the church, but he was rejected by the Saints, and the twelve were sustained for the time being as the presiding quorum of the church.[204]
4. Expulsion from Illinois.—When the enemies of the Saints in Illinois saw that the killing of the prophet did not destroy the church, they agitated the question of driving them from the state, and such was the influence of the mob, and such the cowardice and weakness of the state officials, that they were entirely successful in the undertaking. The Saints were compelled to leave the state under circumstances of the utmost cruelty, sacrificing very much of their property, the city they had founded and the temple they had built.
5. Flight to the West—Why.—When compelled to leave Illinois, the Saints turned their faces westward. The country west of the Missouri was unoccupied, except by wandering tribes of Indians, and they might look for that peace in the vast wilderness of the west which had been refused them in the Christian, civilized states of the east. But what caused them to look to the west for an abiding place—even more than the fact that the west was unoccupied—was the frequent predictions of the Prophet Joseph that the Saints would yet remove to the Rocky Mountains and become a great people. [See note 1, end of section.] Here, too, in the tops of the Rocky Mountains they could fulfill better than anywhere else the predictions of the ancient prophets. [See note 2, end of section.]
6. Arrival in Salt Lake Valley.—Westward, therefore, they turned their faces; the pioneer company—consisting of one hundred and forty-three men and three women—crossed the plains in 1847, arriving in Salt Lake Valley on the 24th of July of that year. They made their encampment on the present site of Salt Lake City, and soon afterwards laid off the city and began the erection of permanent homes.
7. Reorganization of the First Presidency.—At Winter Quarters, December 5, 1847, the first presidency of the church was reorganized. Brigham Young was nominated and sustained as the president, with authority to choose his two counselors. He selected Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards for first and second counselors, respectively, and they were unanimously sustained by the church.
8. Brigham Young.[205]—Brigham Young acted as the president of the church for thirty years—for thirty-three years, if the three years that the quorum of the twelve (of which he was president) acted as the presiding quorum of the church, be counted. In the course of these thirty-three eventful years this truly great man conducted the exodus of the Saints from Nauvoo; led them across the wide extended plains which form the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains; established them in Salt Lake and surrounding valleys, located and laid out many of their settlements, and taught them not only the moral precepts of the gospel, but how to produce from the elements, sterile as they then seemed, the necessaries and comforts of life. Through his wisdom—God-given—he laid the foundation of the present commonwealth of Utah. Just previous to his death he organized the settlements of the church into Stakes of Zion, as we now know them, and set in order the various quorums of the priesthood.
9. President Young was a natural leader among men—a master spirit. His genius especially manifested itself in his ability to organize and govern men. He had not only been the president of the church and the first governor of Utah, but he was also the friend of the people. In times of trial and sorrow they turned to him for comfort; in times of danger they looked to him to direct their action; in times of perplexity they went to him for the word of the Lord; and Brigham Young, full of heaven-inspired wisdom, never failed them in any of these things. [See note 3, end of section.]
10. The Twelve again Presiding.—At the death of President Brigham Young, August 29, 1877, the quorum of the twelve apostles again became the temporary presiding quorum of the church, with John Taylor at their head. [See note 4, end of section.] The quorum of the twelve continued to act as the presiding quorum of the church until the October conference of 1880, when the first presidency was again organized. John Taylor was chosen president, and he selected George Q. Cannon for his first, and Joseph F. Smith for his second counselor.
11. John Taylor.—President John Taylor came to the high office of president of the church late in life, in his seventy-second year. He joined the church in his early manhood, in 1836, and two years later was ordained into the quorum of the twelve apostles. He was a trusted friend of the Prophet Joseph, and was in prison with him when he was martyred, and he himself was wounded nigh unto death. He had been prominent in all leading events of the church from the time he was ordained an apostle until he became the president thereof. He was a man of wide experience, profound judgment, and unwavering integrity. [See note 5, end of section.] He entered upon the performance of his high duties with a zeal and vigor only to be expected of a younger man. He was careful to set in order the several quorums of the priesthood, and insist upon each man doing his duty. The seven years of his administration as president of the church will be remembered as among the most eventful in the history of the church. It was during those years that the judicial crusade was inaugurated by the United States and most vigorously carried on against the Saints for the suppression of plural marriage.
12. Wilford Woodruff—His Administration.—President Taylor died on the 25th of July, 1887, and once more the quorum of the twelve apostles became the presiding quorum of the church. They continued to act in that capacity, with Wilford Woodruff as president, until April 7, 1889, when the first presidency was again reorganized, with Wilford Woodruff as president. He retained the counselors of the late President Taylor, George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith, as his counselors.
13. The persecution which the United States had inflicted upon the church on the pretext of suppressing plural marriage culminated in 1890 in the discontinuance of the practice of that principle. It may be well here to enumerate those circumstances which led to the above result. It has already been stated how plural marriage was introduced and practiced in Nauvoo. After the church settled in Salt Lake valley it was publicly proclaimed as a doctrine of the church in 1852. The practice of it then was public, the whole church—and at that time the members of the church comprised nearly the whole community—approving the principle, which was at once recognized as a proper religious institution.
14. Enactments of Congress Against Plural Marriage.—For ten years the practice in Utah of this system of marriage met with no opposition from the United States. But in 1862 a law was enacted by Congress to punish and prevent the practice of polygamy in the Territories of the United States.[206] The penalties affixed were a fine, not to exceed five hundred dollars, and imprisonment not to exceed five years. For twenty years, however, the law remained practically a dead letter. It was claimed by the Saints that it was an infringement of the religious liberty guaranteed by the Constitution [207] of the United States, since it prohibited the free exercise of religion. For twenty years no pronounced effort was made by the officers of the general government to enforce the law. In 1882, however, the law enacted twenty years before was supplemented by what is known as the Edmunds Law. In addition to defining the crime polygamy—for which it retained the same penalties as the law of 1862—the Edmunds law also made the cohabiting with more than one woman a crime, punishable by a fine not to exceed three hundred dollars, and by imprisonment not to exceed six months. This law also rendered persons who were living in polygamy, or who believed in its rightfulness, incompetent to act as grand or petit jurors; and also disqualified all polygamists for voting or holding office. This law of 1882 was supplemented by the Edmunds-Tucker law—enacted in 1887—which made the legal wife or husband, in case of polygamy or unlawful cohabitation, a competent witness, provided the accused consented thereto; it also enlarged the powers of United States commissioners and marshals, and required certificates of all marriages to be filed in the office of the probate court. The violation of this last provision was a fine of one thousand dollars, and imprisonment for two years. The law disincorporated the church, and ordered the supreme court to wind up its affairs, and take possession of the escheated property.
15. The laws were rigorously enforced by the United States officials, special appropriations being made by Congress to enable them to carry on a judicial crusade against the Saints. The prominent church officials were driven into retirement; others into exile. Homes were disrupted; family ties were rent asunder. Upwards of a thousand men endured fines and imprisonment in the penitentiary rather than be untrue to their families. Every effort of the government to deprive the people of what was considered their religious liberty was stubbornly contested in the Courts until the decision of the supreme court of the United States was obtained. While some of the proceedings of the courts in Utah in enforcing the anti-polygamy laws were condemned, the laws were sustained as constitutional. The court also held that the first amendment to the Constitution, which provides that Congress shall not prohibit the free exercise of religion, cannot be invoked against legislation for the punishment of plural marriages. Meantime government was relentless, and still more stringent measures than those already enacted were threatened.
16. Discontinuance of Plural Marriages.—In the midst of these afflictions and threatening portents President Wilford Woodruff besought the Lord in anguish and prayer and the Lord inspired him to issue the manifesto which discontinued the practice of plural marriages. At the semi-annual conference in October following, the action of President Woodruff was sustained by unanimous vote of the conference and plural marriages are discontinued in the church. [See notes 6, 7, 8, end of section.]
17. In this matter of plural marriage the Latter-say Saints are neither responsible for its introduction nor for its discontinuance. The Lord commanded its practice, and in the face of the sentiment of ages, and in opposition to the teachings of their own traditions, many of the Saints obeyed the commandment, and in the midst of weakness, difficulties and dangers sought to carry out the law as revealed to them. For about half a century they maintained its practice in the face of opposition sufficient to appall the stoutest hearts. They defended it in the public press proclaimed it from the pulpit, debated it on the platform with all those who chose to assail it, and practiced it in their lives, notwithstanding fines and imprisonments threatened; and when the power of the government was vigorously employed to enforce its laws against this institution, hundreds of men cheerfully endured both fines and imprisonment rather than be untrue to it. A whole generation had been grown and had grown to manhood and womanhood in this marriage system, and the affections of family ties were entwined with it. Then, under the pressure of suffering brought upon the people through the laws of the United States, the Lord inspired the president of the church to proclaim its discontinuance, and the people, with hearts bursting with grief submitted to the will of heaven, and there the matter rests. If the labors and sufferings of the church of Christ for this principle have done nothing more, this much at least has been accomplished—the Saints have borne testimony to the truth. And it is for God to vindicate his own law and open the way for its establishment on the earth, which doubtless he will do when his kingdom shall come in power, and when his will shall be done in earth as it is in heaven.
18. Laying of the Cap-Stone of the Salt Lake Temple.—One of the most pleasing and at the same time one of the most important events in the history of the church during the administration of President Woodruff, was laying the cap-stone of the Salt Lake Temple, on the 6th of April, 1892. It was laid by President Woodruff amid the rejoicing of thousands of the Saints; and a resolution was adopted to complete the sacred edifice and dedicate it on the 6th of April, 1893—forty years from the time the corner-stones thereof was laid.
19. The Growth and Present Condition of the Church (1892).—Since the Saints settled in the valleys of the Rocky mountains the church has been making steady growth in numbers, and its territorial boundaries are constantly extending. The church is no longer confined within the boundary lines of the territory of Utah. It has five stakes organized in the state of Idaho, one in the state of Colorado, one in Wyoming, four in the territory of Arizona, and colonies in Mexico and Canada. The settlements of the Saints are noted for peace and good order; for the cleanliness, thrift, sobriety and the comfortable circumstances of the people. But few individuals in the church can be considered wealthy, yet as a whole the community is rich, most of the people owning their homes, the lands they cultivate and the flocks and herds they tend. The land has been blessed for their sakes, and made to yield in its strength. They are a contented, happy, and fast becoming a mighty people. They are diligently preaching the gospel to the world, having sent missionaries to nearly all the nations of the earth. In the British Isles, and among the Scandinavian and German people the missionaries have been especially successful. Of late years great progress has been made also among the natives of New Zealand, Sandwich Islands, and other islands of the Pacific, notably in Samoa.
20. The church is also devoting much of its energies to the work for the dead. Four magnificent temples have been reared by the Saints. One in St, George, dedicated January 1st, 1877; one in Logan, dedicated 17th of May, 1884; another in Manti, dedicated 21st of May, 1888; and one in Salt Lake, dedicated on the 6th of April, 1893. In these temples the faithful Saints are doing a noble and a mighty work for their ancestors, as well as a very important work for the living.
21. A Preparatory Work.—The work of God, as revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith, has a peculiar significance to this generation. It is essentially a preparatory work; its direct mission is to prepare for the glorious coming of the Son of God to reign over the earth. Nothing can be more explicitly stated in the scripture than the fact that the Son of God will come to the earth in the glory of his Father, to reward the righteous with a speedy resurrection from the dead, and destroy the wicked by the judgments of famine, pestilence and war; to establish his kingdom in power, bringing in a reign of peace, liberty and righteousness. In proof of this let the student consider the following scripture:
I. Promise of Messiah's Glorious Return:—"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And, while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold two men [angels] stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."[208]
"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."[209]
II. Messiah to Come to Judgment:—"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."[210]
"And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day."[211] "For the Son of Man cometh at an hour when we think not."[212] [See note 9, end of section.]
III. The World to be Warned of Coming Judgments:—To a number of elders in Kirtland, in 1832, who had been called to the ministry, the Lord gave these instructions, and, of course, they apply to all elders called to the same ministry:—"Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that is expedient for you to understand. * * * That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you. Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor. Therefore, they are left without excuse, and their sins are upon their own heads. * * * Therefore, tarry ye, and labor diligently, that ye may be perfected in your ministry to go forth among the Gentiles for the last time, as many as the mouth of the Lord shall name, to bind up the law and seal up the testimony, and to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come; that their souls may escape the wrath of God, the desolation of abomination which awaits the wicked, both in this world and the world to come. * * * Abide ye in the liberty wherewith ye are made free; entangle not yourselves in sin, but let your hands be clean, until the Lord come; for not many days hence and the earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man, and the sun shall hide his face, and shall refuse to give light, and the moon shall be bathed in blood, and the stars shall become exceeding angry, and shall cast themselves down as a fig that falleth from off a fig tree.
"And after your testimony cometh wrath and indignation upon the people; for after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of her, and men shall fall upon the ground, and shall not be able to stand. And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of the tempest, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds. And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men's hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people; and angels shall fly through the midst of heaven, crying with a loud voice, sounding the trump of God, saying, Prepare ye, prepare ye, O inhabitants of the earth; for the judgment of our God is come; behold and lo! the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him."[213]
IV. The Coming of the Kingdom of God from Heaven:—"Hearken, and lo, a voice as of one from on high. * * * Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. The keys of the kingdom of God are committed unto man on the earth, and from thence shall the gospel roll forth unto the ends of the earth, as the stone which is cut out of the mountains without hands shall roll forth, until it has filled the whole earth; yea, a voice crying—Prepare ye the way of the Lord, prepare ye the supper of the Lamb, make ready for the Bridegroom; pray unto the Lord, call upon his holy name, make known his wonderful works among the people; call upon the Lord, that his kingdom may go forth upon the earth, that the inhabitants thereof may receive it, and be prepared for the days to come, in which the Son of Man shall come down from heaven, clothed in the brightness of his glory, to meet the kingdom of God which is set up on the earth."[214]
V. A Prayer:—"Wherefore may the kingdom of God go forth, that the kingdom of heaven may come, that thou, O God, mayest be glorified in heaven so on earth, that thy enemies may be subdued; for thine is the honor, power and glory, forever and ever. Amen."[215]
22. Conclusion.—Such then is the work of God in the great Dispensation of the Fullness of Times—a preparatory work for the glorious coming and reign of Messiah. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ restored to the earth through the ministration of angels to Joseph Smith and others whom the Lord called to the work. In it are found all the principles, ordinances, authorities, powers, gifts, graces, callings and appointments necessary to accomplish the eternal salvation of the living and the dead—it is the fullness of the gospel; and has or will gather into it all that has ever been revealed concerning the redemption of the earth and the human race. This great work of God, as we have seen, contemplates the gathering of Israel and the restoration of the "lost tribes;" the return of the Jews to Jerusalem, which city they will rebuild; the redemption of the Lamanites and the building of a glorious city upon the American continent to be called Zion; the advent of Messiah in power and glory to reign in righteousness over the earth for a thousand years, with all the ancient Saints and those of modern days who are worthy; it contemplates the final redemption of the earth, and teaches that it will become a celestial sphere, the abode of resurrected celestial beings forever. This work of God accepts and includes within its boundary lines all truth. It is progressive and is destined to become the religion of the age. Within it is scope for all the intelligence that shall flow unto it—"within its atmosphere is room for every intellectual wing." It does not, as some have supposed, thrive best where ignorance is most profound; nor does it depend upon superstition for its existence or perpetuity; but it possesses within itself principles of native strength that will enable it to weather every storm, outlive all hatred born of ignorance and prejudice, and will yet prove itself to be what indeed it is—the power of God unto salvation to all those who believe and obey it.
NOTES.
1. Prophecy that the Saints would Remove to the West.—I passed over the river to Montrose, Iowa, in company with General Adams, Colonel Brewer and others, and witnessed the installation of the officers of the Rising Sun Lodge of Ancient order of Masons, at Montrose, by General James Adams, deputy grand master of Illinois. While the deputy grand master was engaged in giving the requisite instructions to the master-elect, I had a conversation with a number of the brethren in the shade of the building on the subject of our persecutions in Missouri, and the constant annoyance which has followed us since we were driven from that state. I prophesied that the Saints would continue to suffer much affliction and would be driven to the Rocky Mountains, many would apostatize, others would be put to death by their persecutors, or lose their lives in consequence of exposure or disease, and some of you will live to go and assist in making settlements and build cities and see the Saints become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains.—Joseph Smith's journal for 6th of August, 1842.
2. Why the Church Came West.—"Many living witnesses can testify that we proposed moving to California [then a general name for the great West, including what is now Utah] leaving the land of our oppression, preaching the gospel to the Lamanites, building up other temples to the living God, establishing ourselves in the far distant West. The cruel and perfidious persecutions that we endured tended to hasten our departure, but did not dictate it. It jeopardized our lives, property and liberty, but was not the cause of our removal. Many a time have I listened to the voice of our beloved prophet, while in council, dwell on this subject with delight; his eyes sparkling with animation, and his soul fired with the inspiration of the Spirit of the living God. It was a theme that caused the bosoms of all who were privileged to listen to thrill with delight; intimately connected with this were themes upon which prophets, patriarchs, priests and kings dwelt with pleasure and delight; of them they prophesied, sung, wrote, spoke and desired. to see, but died without the sight. My spirit glows with sacred fire while I reflect upon these scenes, and I say, O Lord, hasten the day! Let Zion be established! Let the mountain of the Lord's house be established in the tops of the mountains!"—a thing, I may add—and which he plainly intimates—could not have been done had the Saints remained in Nauvoo. The Saints did not come to the Rocky Mountain valleys because they were compelled to by their enemies, but came here because it was their destiny to come; because the Lord would have them here; and because there were problems to work out in connection with the work of God which could be worked out nowhere else.—Life of John Taylor p. 179.
3. Character of Brigham Young.—Brigham Young was colonizer, statesman, philosopher, philanthropist, reformer, prophet leader, priestly-king, an honest man, God's noblest work! * * * His greatness shines forth in conduct and leadership and colonization and in the building of a mighty commonwealth in these mountain valleys. * * * On all great occasions promptness and decision were characteristics of his organization; and let a question arise where it might, all Israel felt when it reached God's prophet-leader, it would find proper solution, and when solved would be endorsed by wisdom.—Moses Thatcher.
4. Succession of the Twelve on the Death of President Young.—On the 4th of September, 1877, the two counselors of the late President Young and ten of the Twelve Apostles—Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith, the other two members, were absent in England—held a meeting and waited upon the Lord. With humble, contrite and saddened hearts they earnestly sought to learn his will concerning themselves and the church. The Lord blessed them with the spirit of union, and revealed to them what steps should be taken, and the following is what was done: Elder Taylor was unanimously sustained as the president of the twelve; and with the same unanimity it was voted that the twelve apostles should be sustained as the presiding authority in the church, while the counselors to the late President Young, John W. Young and Daniel H. Wells, were sustained as one with, counselors to, and associated with the twelve apostles. To facilitate the transaction of business it was also voted that for the time being President Taylor should be assisted by John W. Young, Daniel H. Wells and George Q. Cannon, in attending to business connected with the temples, the public works and other financial affairs of the Church.—Life of John Taylor.
5. John Taylor.—There was a beautiful harmony in the character of his mind and the lineaments of his person. If the habitation was splendid, the inmate was worthy of it. His noble form and bearing were but the outward expression of the spirit within. A universal benevolence, powerful intellect, splendid courage, physical as well as moral, a noble independence of spirit, coupled with implicit faith and trust in God, a high sense of honor, unimpeachable integrity, indomitable determination and passionate love of liberty, justice and truth marked the outlines of his character.—Life of John Taylor.
6. The Discontinuance of Plural Marriage.—The clause in President Woodruff's manifesto which discontinued plural marriage is as follows: "Inasmuch as laws have been enacted by Congress forbidding plural marriages, which laws have been pronounced constitutional by the court of last resort, I hereby declare my intention to submit to those laws, and to use my influence with the members of the church over which I preside to have them do likewise. * * * And I now publicly declare that my advice to the Latter-day Saints is to refrain from contracting any marriage forbidden by the law of the land."
Following is the resolution presented to the semi-annual conference in the October following. It was presented by Lorenzo Snow, the president of the twelve apostles:—"I move that, recognizing Wilford Woodruff as the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the only man on the earth at the present time who holds the keys of the sealing ordinances, we consider him fully authorized by virtue of his position to issue the manifesto which has been read in our hearing, and which is dated September 24, 1890; and that as a church in general conference assembled, we accept his declaration concerning plural marriage as authoritative and binding." The vote to sustain the foregoing motion was unanimous.
7. Basis on which the Manifesto was Issued.—Verily, verily I say unto you, that when I give a commandment to any of the sons of men, to do a work unto my name, and those sons of men go with all their might, and with all they have to perform that work, and cease not their diligence, and their enemies come upon them and hinder them from performing that work; behold, it behooveth me to require that work no more at the hands of those sons of men, but to accept of their offerings. [Revelation given 19th Jan., 1841, Doc. and Cov., sec. cxxiv.] It is on this basis that President Woodruff has felt himself justified in issuing this manifesto. * * * We have waited for the Lord to move in this matter, and on the 24th of September, President Woodruff made up his mind that he would write something, and he had the spirit of it. He had prayed about it and he had besought the Lord repeatedly to show him what to do. At that time the spirit came upon him, and the document that has been read in your hearing was the result. I know that it was right, much as it has gone against the grain with me in many respects. * * * But when God speaks and when God makes known his mind and will, I hope that I and all Latter-day Saints will bow in submission to it.—Geo. Q. Cannon, in a sermon Oct. 6th, 1890.
I want to say to all Israel that the step which I have taken in issuing this manifesto has not been done without earnest prayer before the Lord. * * * I have done my duty, and the nation of which we form a part must be responsible for that which has been done in relation to that principle [plural marriage.]—President Woodruff, in a sermon Oct.6th, 1890.
8. Testimony from God Promised that the Manifesto was Inspired.—I have received a revelation and commandment from the Lord, which I have not revealed to any man, which I shall reveal to this assembly, and the command of the Lord I shall give to this people, which is this: The Lord has revealed to me that there are many in the church who feel badly tried about the manifesto, and also about the testimony of the presidency and apostles before the master in chancery. The Lord has commanded me to put the following question to the Saints, and those who will give strict attention to it shall have the Holy Ghost to be with them to inspire them to answer that question for themselves, and the Lord has promised that the answer will be to all alike. The question is this: which is the wisest course for the Latter-day Saints to pursue—to continue to attempt to practice plural marriage with the laws of the nation against it and the opposition of 60,000,000 of people, and at the cost of the confiscation, and loss of all the temples, and the stopping of the ordinances therein, both for the living and the dead; and the imprisonment of the first presidency and the twelve, and the leaders of heads of families in the church, and the confiscation of the personal property of the people (all of which of themselves would stop the practice) or after doing and suffering what we have through our adherence to this principle, to cease the practice and submit to the law, and through doing so leave the prophets, apostles and fathers at home, so that they can instruct the people and attend to the duties of the church, and also leave the temples in the hands of the Saints so that they can attend to the ordinances of the gospel, both for the living and the dead? Now the inspiration of the Lord will reveal to any person which course wisdom would dictate us to pursue. And the Latter-day Saints throughout all Israel should understand that the first presidency of the church and the twelve apostles are led and guided by the inspiration of the Lord, and the Lord will not permit me nor any other man to lead the people astray.—President Woodruff, at Box Elder quarterly conference, Oct. 25th. 1891. Juvenile Instructor, vol. xxvi: p. 671.
9. Sign of the Coming of Messiah.—I have asked the Lord concerning his coming; and while asking the Lord, he gave me a sign and said: "In the days of Noah I set a bow in the heavens as a sign and a token that in any year that the bow should be seen the Lord would not come; but there should be seed time and harvest during that year; but whenever you see the bow withdrawn, it shall be a token that there shall be famine, pestilence and great distress among the nations, and that the coming of the Messiah is not far distant. * * Jesus Christ never did reveal to any man the precise time that he would come."—Joseph Smith.
REVIEW.
1. Relate the circumstances connected with the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith.
2. Who succeeded to the presidency of the church after the death of the Prophet Joseph?
3. Give an account of the expulsion of the church from Illinois.
4. State the reasons why the church in its flight went westward.
5. Give an account of the arrival in Salt Lake valley.
6. When and where was the first presidency of the church reorganized?
7. State the leading achievements in the career of Brigham Young.
8. What was the character of President Young? (Note 3.)
9. Who again took the presidency of the church at the death of Brigham Young?
10. When was the first presidency again organized?
11. State what you can of the life and character of John Taylor.
12. For what is John Taylor's administration noted?
13. Who succeeded to the presidency of the church after the death of President Taylor?
14. What led to the discontinuance of the practice of plural marriage?
15. When was plural marriage publicly announced as a doctrine of the Church?
16. Give an account of the enactments of Congress against plural marriage.
17. State in what spirit these laws were enforced.
18. State in what way plural marriage was finally discontinued.
19. What was the basis of this action of the Church? (Notes 6, 7, 8.)
20. Were the Saints responsible either for the introduction or discontinuance of plural marriage?
21. What has been their course in relation to this principle since its introduction?
22. Give an account of the laying of the cap-stone on the Salt Lake temple.
23. Make a statement of the growth and present position of the church.
24. What is the immediate purpose of the work began by the Prophet Joseph Smith?
25. State several promises to be found in the Jewish scriptures respecting the glorious return of Messiah.
26. Quote those that predict Messiah will come to judgment.
27. What hath God decreed concerning the time of his coming? (Note 9.)
28. For what especial purpose hath God sent forth his servants to the world in this dispensation?
29. What will be the crowning event to the work of this dispensation?
30. State what is contemplated by the work of God in the dispensation of the fullness of times.
THE END.
Footnotes
1. Jaques' Catechism, page 77.
2. "God having made known unto us * * * that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him." (Ephesians i:9, 10.)
3. Note 2, end of section.
4. Ontario County has since been divided, and the north part of it, in which Palmyra is located, is now called Wayne County.
5. While the Prophet Joseph in describing this first great vision refers to the Lord and his Son Jesus Christ as two glorious personages without giving at that time any particular description of their persons, it is clear that they were in the form of men. Teaching the church the character of the Godhead some years later, the prophet said: "God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted Man and sits enthroned in yonder heavens. That is the great secret. If the vail was rent today and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself visible—I say if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form—like yourselves, in all the person, image and very form as a man, for Adam was created in the very fashion, image and likeness of God, and received instruction from and walked and talked, and conversed with him, as one man talks and communes with another."—Journal of Discourses, Vol. VI, page 3.
6. Most likely the first part of the third chapter, as that relates to the coming of a messenger to prepare the way for the glorious coming of Messiah. (See Mal. iii: 1-6.)
7. Pearl of Great Price, page 90. The words in Italics indicate the difference between the passages as quoted by Moroni and as they stand in our English version of the Bible. The student should compare the passages as quoted above with the Bible and mark how superior is the angel's rendering of them.
8. That was the name of the hill among the Nephites. The Jaredites, a still more ancient people, called it Ramah.
9. Book of Mormon, pp. 114, 115.
10. This messenger was a resurrected personage. It will be remembered that John the Baptist was beheaded by Herod Antipas before the crucifixion of the Lord; and that after the resurrection of Messiah, "the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his [Christ's] resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." (Matt. xxvii: 52, 53.) As John the Baptist was one of the most worthy of the saints, and a martyr for righteousness, it is but reasonable to conclude that he was among the number resurrected immediately after the resurrection of Jesus.
11. For the words of the angel see Doc. and Cov., sec. 13.
12. These baptisms were, of course, by immersion. The Savior when teaching the Nephites how to baptize, said: "Ye shall go down and stand in the water, and * * * these are the words ye shall say, calling them by name, saying—Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. And then shall ye immerse them in the water, and come forth again out of the water." (III Nephi xi: 23-26.) It was this passage which led Joseph and Oliver to inquire of the Lord about baptism, with the result stated in the text.
13. See Cannon's Life of Joseph Smith, p. 73.
14. Doc. and Cov., sec. cxxviii: 20; also article by Joseph F. Smith on Restoration of the Melchisedek Priesthood, "Contributor," vol x, p. 310.
15. Matt. xvi: 19.
16. Cannon's Life of Joseph Smith, p. 73.
17. Doc. and Cov., sec. cvii: 18, 19.
18. Their names were Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Hyrum Smith, Peter Whitmer, Jun., Samuel H. Smith, and David Whitmer. There were a number of others who had been baptized, but as six persons were sufficient to fill the requirements of the laws of the State of New York in respect to organizing religious societies, the church was organized with that number.
19. The words "of Latter-day Saints," were not used until some time after April 26, 1838, when they were added by revelation from the Lord. (Doc. and Cov., sec. cxv.)
20. See Doc. and Cov. sec. xxi.
21. The revelation giving these instructions was given in the chamber of Peter Whitmer, Sen., and is the "voice of God in the chamber of old Father Whitmer," alluded to in the letter of Joseph to the church under date of Sep. 6, 1842, contained in sec. cxxviii of the Doc. and Cov.
22. Page 297.
23. It is the law of the church that "no person is to be ordained to any office in this church, where there is a regularly organized branch of same, without the vote of that church." (Doc. and Cov., sec. xx: 65.)
24. Doc. and Cov., sec. xxvi.
25. The voice of the people is the voice of God.
26. The voice of God is the voice of the people.
27. The voice of God and the voice of the people.
28. This revelation is the one found in sec. xx., Doc. and Cov. The Prophet Joseph precedes it in his history with these remarks: "Among many other things of the kind [spiritual manifestations], we obtained of Him the following, by the spirit of prophecy and revelation, which not only gave us much information, but also pointed out to us the precise day upon which, according to his will and commandment, we should proceed to organize his church once again here upon the earth." Then followed the revelation above referred to.—Hist. Joseph Smith, Mill Star (Supplement) vol. xiv, p.22
29. See part I.
30. Subsequently when some persons desired to join the church without baptism at the hands of the elders, having been baptized by the ministers of other churches, the Lord said: "All old covenants have I caused to be done away in this thing, and this is a new and everlasting covenant, even that which was from the beginning. Wherefore, although a man should be baptized an hundred times, it availeth him nothing, for you cannot enter in at the straight gate by the law of Moses, neither by your dead works. For it is because of your dead works, that I have caused this last covenant and this church to be built up unto me even as in days of old. Wherefore enter ye in at the gate, as I have commanded, and seek not to counsel your God." Doc. and Cov. sec. xxii.
31. Eight years is fixed as the age of baptism for children. Doc. and Cov. sec. lxviii: 27.
32. These are the same words given to the Nephites, except that the opening clause in the Book of Mormon is: "Having authority given me of Jesus Christ" (III Nephi xi: 25), and that means the same as "Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ," etc.
33. All officers in the church holding higher authority than those named would, of course, have authority to administer the sacrament.
34. A few months after the organization of the church, viz., early in the month of August, 1830, when the Prophet Joseph left his house in Harmony, Penn., for the purpose of procuring wine to administer the sacrament to a few saints visiting him at his home—he had gone but a short distance when he was met by a heavenly messenger and received the revelation contained in the Doc. and Cov. sec. xxvii, a portion of which is as follows: "Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Lord, your God and your Redeemer, whose word is quick and powerful. For behold I say unto you, that it mattereth not what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink when ye partake of the sacrament, if it so be that ye do it with an eye single to my glory, remembering unto the Father my body which was laid down for you, and my blood which was shed for the remission of your sins; wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, that ye shall not purchase wine, neither strong drink of your enemies; wherefore you shall partake of none except it is made new among you; yea, in this my Father's kingdom, which shall be built up on the earth." This revelation is the authority the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has for using water instead of wine in the sacrament.
35. It must be remembered that this revelation was given before the church was organized; at that time there were a number who had been baptized, and who had children not old enough to be baptized, and had not yet been blessed of the elders. This commandment, therefore, was directed more especially to them, but applies, of course, to people placed in like circumstances. Subsequently, in November 1831, the Lord said: "Inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, who teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ, the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents; for this shall be a law unto the inhabitants of Zion, or in any of her stakes when organized; and their children shall be baptized for the remission of sins when eight years old and receive the laying on of hands, and they shall also teach their children to pray and walk uprightly before the Lord." (Doc. and Cov. sec. lxviii:25-28.)
36. The term "elder" is both a general and a specific title. That is, it may be applied to an apostle or a seventy; as, for instance, in the revelation under consideration (Doc. and Cov. sec. xx), it is said: "An apostle is an elder," etc. We shall see also further on that it is the name of a specific office in the church; that ninety-six elders constitute a quorum; that they constitute a standing ministry in the stakes of Zion; and that they have authority to do all that is enumerated in the text above.
37. The closing phrases of paragraph 37, sec. xx; Doc. and Cov., are what Oliver objected to—"And truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of sins."
38. Doc. and Cov. sec. xxviii
39. Doc. and Cov. xxviii, and sec. xliii:1-6
40. Doctrine and Covenants, sec. xxviii.
41. Doctrine and Covenants, sec. xxxvii.