The family is the most important unit of strength in the Lord’s kingdom.
This is the last of a series of four revelations given to the Prophet Joseph Smith in September 1830 at Fayette, New York.
This revelation is directed to Thomas B. Marsh. Elder Marsh had just been baptized into the Church and ordained an elder by Oliver Cowdery. Here indeed was a man called to greatness by the Lord. (See History of the Church, 1:117.)
“Thomas B. Marsh had embraced the gospel on the testimony of the Spirit concerning sixteen pages of the Book of Mormon, and he moved to Palmyra in order to join the Church. This was faith. Many ‘inquirers’ cannot be moved, though they have an entire library from which to draw information. God commends him for his faith.” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p. 165.)
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The family is the most important unit of strength in the Lord’s kingdom. |
“The great work of every man is . . . to create and perfect an eternal family unit. . . . Salvation is a family affair.” (Bruce R. McConkie, in Conference Report, Apr. 1970, pp. 26–27.)
“As long as Thomas B. Marsh was faithful he was an eloquent speaker. At the time of the troubles in Clay County, Mo., he was elected a member of a committee to lay the grievances of the Saints before the authorities of the State. On that occasion he spoke so impressively that General Atchison, who was present, shed tears, and the meeting passed resolutions to assist the Saints in finding a new location.” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p. 165.)
“The principle of gathering had just been revealed (Sec. 29:2–8). Marsh was to be one of the servants of the Almighty whose duty it would be to strengthen and prepare the people for gathering. It takes both strength of character and preparation to gather to Zion, and this will be still more the case, when the City of Zion is to be built up, and the laws of God must be observed. Marsh, in the autumn of 1832, led a company of Saints to Jackson Co., Mo.” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p. 166.)
“The Lord here imparts special instructions for the guidance of His servant. Among these are:—Be patient in afflictions; revile not against those that revile; govern your house and be steadfast; pray always, lest you enter into temptation and lose your reward; and be faithful unto the end.
“The Lord knew the dangers threatening Thomas B. Marsh and warned him of them.” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p. 166.)
There are many recorded instances of Thomas B. Marsh’s giving his time to help members of the Church resolve their problems. Elder Marsh also participated in many Church disciplinary councils as the presiding authority. Here, through the rules and laws of the Church, he offered hope to the repentant. Even though Thomas B. Marsh had acquired some skills in the use of mild herbs and was able to help people with his knowledge, his greater calling was the healing of souls.
“Oliver Cowdery and Peter Whitmer had been called to go on a mission to the Lamanites (Sec. 28:8; 30:5). There was great interest among the Saints in this mission, for it was hoped that the time had come for the redemption of the scattered Remnant, according to the promises in the Book of Mormon ([1 Nephi] 15:13–18, and many other places). The Prophet laid the matter before the Lord in prayer and received this Revelation, in which Parley P. Pratt and Ziba Peterson were called to join Oliver Cowdery and Peter Whitmer, Jr., on that important mission.” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p. 169.)
“The Lamanite missionaries commenced their work with the Catteraugus tribe near Buffalo, New York. Here they were fairly well received, and after leaving copies of the Book of Mormon they continued their journey west. They took a slight detour to teach the gospel to a minister friend of Parley P. Pratt and his congregation near Kirtland, Ohio. . . . What must have been thought to be a diversion from their mission turned out to be a major accomplishment. Here lived Sidney Rigdon, a Reformed Baptist preacher. Parley P. Pratt was apparently convinced that with the feelings and beliefs that Sidney Rigdon held he would respond to the gospel message. He was not disappointed.
“Not only Sidney Rigdon but many of his congregation joined the Church. In a short period of time, 130 people were baptized into the Church in that area, making it the largest single group of Latter-day Saints on the earth at the time. After introducing Sidney Rigdon and the others to the gospel, the missionaries pursued their journey west toward more populous Lamanite tribes. The missionaries now numbered five, with the addition of a convert from Kirtland, Frederick G. Williams. Their missionary labors were temporarily delayed with the arrest of Parley P. Pratt [as part of the attempt to prevent the missionaries from further successes]. . . .
“The missionaries visited the Wyandot tribe at Sandusky, Ohio. From here they commenced the most difficult part of their journey through the wilderness, to the frontier village of Independence, Missouri. . . .
“Upon arriving at Independence, two of the missionaries took work to help finance their mission while the other three continued a short distance to the Indian lands. Here it appeared they would have their greatest success among the Delaware Indians. Although the Indians were at first suspicious of the missionaries because they had been exploited by some previous Christian missionaries, this suspicion was soon alleviated by the moving address delivered by Oliver Cowdery. . . .
“Chief Anderson of the Delaware Tribe was very impressed and asked the missionaries to remain during the winter and teach them the Book of Mormon. Success appeared imminent, but it was shattered when other Christian missionaries influenced the Indian agent to evict the Mormon elders from Indian lands. Asked to leave, the disappointed missionaries made their way back to Independence. Here they stayed, with the exception of Parley P. Pratt, who was chosen to report their labors to Joseph Smith and to visit the Saints they had left behind in Kirtland.” (Doctrine and Covenants, Section 1 through 102 [Sunday School Gospel Doctrine teacher’s supplement, 1978], pp. 69–70.)
Some idea of the commitment of these early brethren can be found in the formal covenants they made at the time of their call. For example, Oliver Cowdery wrote: “I, Oliver, being commanded by the Lord God, to go forth unto the Lamanites, to proclaim glad tidings of great joy unto them, by presenting unto them the fullness of the Gospel, of the only begotten Son of God; and also, to rear up a pillar as a witness where the temple of God shall be built, in the glorious New Jerusalem; and having certain brothers with me, who are called of God to assist me, whose names are Parley, and Peter and Ziba, do therefore most solemnly covenant with God that I will walk humbly before him, and do this business, and this glorious work according as he shall direct me by the Holy Ghost; ever praying for mine and their prosperity, and deliverance from bonds, from imprisonment, and whatsoever may befall us, with all patience and faith. Amen. [Signed] Oliver Cowdery.” (Journal History, 17 Oct. 1830).
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Parley P. Pratt, an early missionary to the Lamanites |
President Spencer W. Kimball spoke and wrote much of today as the day of the Lamanite.
“The Lamanite people are increasing in numbers and influence. When the Navajos returned from Fort Sumner after a shameful and devastating captivity, there were only 9,000 of them left; now there are more than 100,000. There are nearly 130 million Lamanites worldwide. Their superstitions are giving way. They are becoming active politically and responsible in their communities wherever they dwell. Their employment and standard of living are increasing.
“The Church has been established among them to a degree, and it will continue to be established on an ever-increasing scale. There are now more than 350,000 Lamanite members of the Church. They attend their meetings faithfully. They have the priesthood among them. There are branch presidents, quorum leaders, bishops, stake presidents, high councilors, mission presidents, and leaders in all phases of the work among them. They are attending the temple and receiving the ordinances necessary for exaltation. They are intelligent and faithful; they are a great people and a blessed people. . . .
“And can we not exercise our faith to expand this work even further? Enos prayed a prayer of mighty faith and secured a promise from the Lord that the Lamanite would be preserved. How glorious it would be if a million Latter-day Saint families were on their knees daily asking in faith that the work among these their brethren would be hastened, that the doors might be opened.
“The Lamanites must rise again in dignity and strength to fully join their brethren and sisters of the household of God in carrying forth his work in preparation for that day when the Lord Jesus Christ will return to lead his people, when the millennium will be ushered in, when the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory and its lands be united and become one land. For the prophets have said, ‘The remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built upon this land; and it shall be a land of their inheritance; and they shall build up a holy city unto the Lord, like unto the Jerusalem of old; and they shall no more be confounded, until the end come when the earth shall pass away.’ (Eth. 13:8.)
“In this I have great faith.” (“Our Paths Have Met Again,” Ensign, Dec. 1975, pp. 5, 7.)
“Parley P. Pratt was admonished to be meek and lowly of heart. In the year 1837, there were ‘jarrings and discord’ in the Church at Kirtland, and he was overcome with that spirit. He even tried to turn John Taylor from the Prophet by pointing out to him what he regarded as Joseph’s error. Elder Taylor rebuked him as a brother, and Parley P. Pratt went to the Prophet in tears and confessed his sin, whereupon the Prophet frankly forgave him, prayed with him, and blessed him. This was meekness. It was also manliness. Only a really strong character can possess true humility.” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, pp. 170–71.)
“The Lord, who is ever ready to instruct such as diligently seek in faith, gave the following revelation at Fayette, New York: [D&C 33].” (History of the Church, 1:126.)
“Ezra Thayre and Northrop Sweet came in the Church at the time of the preaching of the Lamanite missionaries. On October, 1830, they were called by revelation to enter the ministry and hearken to the voice of the Lord, ‘whose word is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of the joints and marrow.’ It was not long after this that Northrop Sweet left the Church and, with some others, formed what they called ‘The Pure Church of Christ,’ an organization that soon came to its end.” (Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:152.)
The scriptures clearly teach that there is life and power in the word of God (see 2 Nephi 1:26–29; 32:3; Jacob 4:9; Alma 4:19; 31:5; 32:27–42; D&C 1:37–38; 21:4–6; 84:44–47, 85).
President Joseph Fielding Smith explained:
“There are many debts which we owe to the Lord. There is the debt of preaching this gospel to a wicked and a perverse generation. . . .
“The Lord has given unto men their agency. They may act for themselves, they can choose to do good, or they can choose to do evil. The Lord said that men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. Yet our mission, I say, is, so far as it is within our power, to regenerate, to bring to repentance, just as many of the children of our Father in heaven as it is possible for us to do. That is one of our debts; that is an obligation the Lord has placed upon the Church, and more particularly upon the quorums of the priesthood of the Church, and yet this obligation belongs to every soul.
“It is the duty of every member of this Church to preach the gospel by precept and by example.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:307–8.)
The phrase “the eleventh hour” seems to refer to the parable of the ten virgins (see Matthew 25:1–13). The bridegroom came at midnight, catching unaware half of those waiting. Thus, to say that it is the eleventh hour is to imply that the time of the coming of the Bridegroom is drawing near.
President Joseph Fielding Smith showed how the phrase is also related to another parable given by the Master: “The time in which we live is compared to the eleventh hour, and so it is in the Lord’s reckoning, for we are in the closing scenes of the present world. Elder Orson F. Whitney referred to our dispensation as the ‘Saturday night’ of time. And, according to the parable of the men employed in the vineyard [Matthew 20:1–16], we who labor in this hour will be rewarded if we are faithful, with equal compensation with those who labored in the previous hours, or dispensations, in the history of mankind.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:153.)
“By the ‘last time’ the Lord meant the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times” (Joseph Fielding Smith, in Conference Report, Apr. 1946, p. 155; see also D&C 43:28–30; 112:30–32).
Elder Hyrum M. Smith defined the special use of the term corrupt in this passage:
“Let me explain, when I use the term ‘corrupt’ with reference to these ministers of the gospel, that I use it in the same sense that I believe the Lord used it when he made that declaration to Joseph Smith, the Prophet, in answer to the Prophet’s prayer. He did not mean, nor do I mean, that the ministers of religion are personally unvirtuous or impure. I believe as a class they, perhaps, in personal purity, stand a little above the average order of men. When I use the term ‘corrupt’ I mean, as I believe the Lord meant, that they have turned away from the truth . . . and have turned to that which is false. A false doctrine is a corrupt doctrine; a false religion is a corrupt religion; a false teacher is a corrupt teacher. Any man who teaches a false doctrine, who believes in and practices and teaches a false religion is a corrupt professor, because he teaches that which is impure and not true.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1916, p. 43.)
This imagery is drawn from the book of Revelation where the Church of Jesus Christ, symbolized as a woman, is driven into the wilderness, or apostasy, by the great dragon who is Satan (see Revelation 12:1–17; note especially JST, Revelation 12:7; compare with D&C 86:1–3). Therefore, to call the Church from out of the wilderness refers to the Restoration of the Church upon the earth after centuries of apostasy.
“Eastern potentates, when traveling from one part of the kingdom to another, would proclaim their coming and order their subjects to prepare the way for them, by building roads where there were none, if necessary; by leveling hills and filling up depressions, and straightening out the winding paths. Semiramis is said to have had roads constructed especially for her journeys. In modern times the Turkish government built a good road from Jaffa to Jerusalem, when the German Emperor signified his intention of visiting the Holy City. To prepare the way of the Lord and make His paths straight is to acknowledge His sovereignty and to make all necessary preparations for His reception. He will not come to reign until all necessary preparations for his coming have been made. ‘Hear this, O Earth! The Lord will not come to reign over the righteous, in this world, in 1843 . . . nor until everything for the Bridegroom is ready’ (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, Vol. V., p. 291.)” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p. 174.)
Here the Lord again drew on the imagery of New Testament parables. This phrase, too, has reference to the parable of the ten virgins (see Matthew 25:1–13). When the hour of the bridegroom’s coming arrived, the virgins arose and trimmed, or prepared, their lamps. It was then that the five foolish virgins discovered they had no oil. This admonition is clearly a warning for the Saints to maintain a state of spiritual readiness as the coming of the Lord draws ever closer.
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The wise have their lamps trimmed and burning and filled with oil. |
The Prophet wrote in his journal that “in the fore part of November, Orson Pratt, a young man nineteen years of age, who had been baptized at the first preaching of his brother, Parley P. Pratt, September 19th (his birthday), about six weeks previous, in Canaan, New York, came to inquire of the Lord what his duty was, and received the following answer: [D&C 34].” (History of the Church, 1:127–28.)
Elder Orson Pratt made a journal entry about this revelation: “In October, 1830, I traveled westward over two hundred miles to see Joseph Smith the Prophet. I found him in Fayette, Seneca County, New York, residing at the home of Mr. Whitmer. I soon became intimately acquainted with this good man, and also with the witnesses of the Book of Mormon. By my request, on the 4th of November, the Prophet Joseph inquired of the Lord for me and received the revelation published in the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 34.” (Journal History, Nov. 1830, p. 1.)
The Lord’s calling Orson Pratt “my son” is one example of the many times he has taught that all mankind may come unto him and become his sons and daughters (see D&C 25:1; Mosiah 5:7–8; 15:10–16; Moses 1:4–6; 6:68; Romans 8:14–18; 1 John 3:1–3).
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Lorenzo Snow taught a great doctrinal principle concerning man’s relationship with God. |
President Lorenzo Snow wrote a poem about the doctrine of becoming sons and daughters of God.
Hast thou not been unwisely bold,
Man’s destiny to thus unfold?
To raise, promote such high desire,
Such vast ambition thus inspire?Still ’tis no phantom that we trace
Man’s ultimatum in life’s race;
This royal path has long been trod
By righteous men, each now a God:As Abra’m, Isaac, Jacob, too,
First babes, then men—to gods they grew.
As man now is, our God once was;
As now God is, so man may be,—
Which doth unfold man’s destiny.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The boy, like to his father grown,
Has but attained unto his own;
To grow to sire from state of son,
Is not ’gainst Nature’s course to run.A son of God, like God to be,
Would not be robbing Deity;
And he who has this hope within,
Will purify himself from sin.(Lorenzo Snow, “Man’s Destiny,” Improvement Era, June 1919, pp. 660–61.)
Elder Orson Pratt said of his calling to prophesy: “‘Lift up your voice and prophesy, and it shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost.’ This was a particular point in the revelation that seemed to me too great for me ever to attain to, and yet there was a positive command that I should do it. I have often reflected upon this revelation, and have oftentimes inquired in my heart—‘Have I fulfilled that commandment as I ought to have done? Have I sought as earnestly as I ought to obtain the gift of prophecy, so as to fulfill the requirement of heaven?’ And I have felt sometimes to condemn myself because of my slothfulness, and because of the little progress that I have made in relation to this great, heavenly, and divine gift. I certainly have had no inclination to prophesy to the people unless it should be given to me by the inspiration and power of the Holy Ghost; to prophesy out of my own heart is something perfectly disagreeable to my feelings, even to think of, and hence I have oftentimes, in my public discourses, avoided, when a thing would come before my mind pretty plain, uttering or declaring it for fear that I might get something out before the people in relation to the future that was wrong.” (In Journal of Discourses, 17:290–91.)
Though Orson Pratt felt inadequate in this calling, a study of his writings clearly shows that he did indeed fulfill the Lord’s admonition to prophesy. His writings are full of prophetic insights and promises.
The phrase “I come quickly” refers to the nearness of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and is found in at least thirteen sections of the Doctrine and Covenants. Although over 170 years have passed since some of these revelations were given, that is a relatively short period of time when compared to the nearly 6,000 years that the earth has existed in a telestial condition. The fulfillment of many of the prophecies pertaining to the Second Coming indicates that that event is indeed near.
President Joseph Fielding Smith explained the phrase and its significance:
“‘I come quickly.’ This is a scriptural expression that occurs frequently, especially in the book of Revelation. This is ‘speaking after the manner of the Lord.’ (D. & C. 63:53.) This does not mean that immediately the Lord will make his appearance, but when he does come he will come suddenly, when he is least expected. He told his disciples that the day would come when men were unawares, as the thief in the night. For this reason we should watch and pray, ‘For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.’ (Luke 21:34–35.) There is no excuse for any of us, then, not to be prepared, for we have been fully and frequently warned.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:157.)
Enrichment H in the Appendix gives a further treatment of the events associated with the Second Coming.
Sidney Rigdon was living in Mentor, Ohio, on what was called the Western Reserve in 1830 when he first heard the message of the restored gospel and was baptized. Soon after his baptism he traveled to Fayette, New York, to meet the Prophet. The Prophet Joseph Smith recorded: “In December Sidney Rigdon came to inquire of the Lord, and with him came Edward Partridge; the latter was a pattern of piety, and one of the Lord’s great men. Shortly after the arrival of these two brethren, thus spake the Lord: [D&C 35].” (History of the Church, 1:128.)
At the time Joseph Smith was translating the Bible. Oliver Cowdery and John Whitmer, who had been scribes for the Prophet, were called to serve as missionaries, leaving the Prophet without a scribe. In this revelation Sidney Rigdon was divinely appointed to fill the vacancy.
“God governs by law—wholly, completely, invaryingly, and always. He has ordained that identical results always flow from the same causes. There is no respect of persons with him, and he is a Being ‘with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.’ ([James] 1:17; D. & C. 3:1–2.) Hence, the Lord’s ‘course is one eternal round, the same today as yesterday, and forever.’ (D. & C. 35:1.)” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 545–46.)
President Brigham Young asked: “How is it that the Latter-day Saints feel and understand alike, are of one heart and one mind, no matter where they may be when they receive the Gospel? . . . They receive that which was promised by the Savior when he was about to leave the earth, namely, the Comforter, that holy unction from on high which recognizes one God, one faith and one baptism, whose mind is the will of God the Father, in whom there dwelleth unity of faith and action, and in whom there cannot be division or confusion; when they received thus further light, it matters not whether they have seen each other or not, they at once become brothers and sisters, having been adopted into the family of Christ through the bonds of the everlasting covenant, and all can then exclaim, in the beautiful language of Ruth, ‘Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God!’ [Ruth 1:16.]” (In Journal of Discourses, 18:259.)
In Doctrine and Covenants 11:30, believing on the name of the Savior is equated with believing in Him, or in other words, receiving Him as the Savior. Believing on His name is demonstrated by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel (see 2 Nephi 25:13).
President Joseph Fielding Smith showed how Sidney Rigdon had been prepared long before the missionaries came to Ohio and met him: “The Lord told Sidney that he had looked upon him and his works, having reference to his ministry as a Baptist and later as one of the founders of the ‘Disciples’ with Alexander Campbell and Walter Scott. During those years the hand of the Lord was over him and directing him in the gathering of many earnest souls who could not accept the teachings of the sects of the day. His prayers in which he sought further light than the world was able to give, were now to be answered. The Lord informed him that he had been sent to prepare the way, and in the gathering of his colony and the building up of his congregation in and around Kirtland, the hand of the Lord was directing him, and the way for the reception of the fulness of truth was being prepared. It should be carefully noted that a great number of forceful, intelligent men who became leaders in the Church had been gathered by Sidney Rigdon, with the help of the Lord, in this part of the land. Without any question, the Spirit of the Lord had rested upon these men, as it did on Sidney Rigdon and Parley P. Pratt, to direct them to gather in Kirtland at that early day. When, therefore, Parley P. Pratt, Ziba Peterson and their companions came to Kirtland they found the way prepared for them through the preaching, very largely, of Sidney Rigdon, so that it was not a difficult matter for these missionaries to convince this group of the truth. While Sidney was preaching and baptizing by immersion without authority, which the Lord informed him in this revelation, yet it all resulted in good when the Gospel message reached them. These men were not only convinced and ready for baptism, but were in a condition by which the Priesthood could be given them, and this was done.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:160.)
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Sidney Rigdon was a spokesman for Joseph Smith. |
The phrase “arm of the Lord” suggests God’s power, might, and authority (see Notes and Commentary on D&C 1:14). To say that it is not shortened means that His power is not limited in any way and that He will use His arm and make it felt, especially in these last days (see D&C 133:3).
“This distinctive phrase appears in three sections of the Doctrine and Covenants: 35:11; 86:3; 88:94, 105. In each instance it is used in connection with Babylon (representing the apostate world and church) or with the ‘great church, the mother of abominations’ (representing the apostate church of the devil). Those who ‘drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication’ participate in the worldly pleasures and sins of the apostate world and church, and thus will reap the desolations and destruction that will come upon the wicked when they are judged.” (Ludlow, Companion, 1:219.)
“This expression is found in Habakkuk 3:12. Threshing, in olden times, was done by treading out the grain on a threshing-floor. The going forth of the messengers of the gospel among the nations is like trampling the wheat sheaves on the hard floor. The valuable kernels are carefully gathered up; the straw is left.” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p. 186.)
See Notes and Commentary for Doctrine and Covenants 45:34–38.
Elder Wilford Woodruff taught clearly how the Prophet Joseph Smith fulfilled the great prophecies of the Restoration: “Here is laid the foundation of the fulfillment of that mighty flood of prophecy delivered since the days of Father Adam down to the last Prophet who breathed the breath of life. There has been more prophecy fulfilled in the last forty-three years upon the face of the earth, than in two thousand years before. These mighty prophecies . . . like a band of iron, governed and controlled Joseph Smith in his labors while he lived on the earth. He lived until he received every key, ordinance and law ever given to any man on the earth, from Father Adam down, touching this dispensation. He received powers and keys from under the hands of Moses for gathering the House of Israel in the last days; he received under the hands of Elias the keys of sealing the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers; he received under the hands of Peter, James and John, the Apostleship, and everything belonging thereto; he received under the hands of Moroni all the keys and powers required of the stick of Joseph in the hands of Ephraim; he received under the hands of John the Baptist the Aaronic Priesthood, with all its keys and powers, and every other key and power belonging to this dispensation, and I am not ashamed to say that he was a Prophet of God, and he laid the foundation of the greatest work and dispensation that has ever been established on the earth.” (In Journal of Discourses, 16:267.)
Elder George Q. Cannon explained: “To Sidney He gave a special command that he should write for Joseph. The Lord made known to Sidney what Joseph already understood—that the Scriptures should be given, even as they were in God’s own bosom, to the salvation of His elect. And soon after this time, Joseph began a new translation of the scriptures. While he labored, many truths, buried through scores of ages, were brought forth to his understanding, and he saw in their purity and holiness all the doings of God among His children, from the days of Adam unto the birth of our Lord and Savior.” (Life of Joseph Smith, pp. 83–84.)
During the infancy of the Church, the Lord raised up righteous men to stand beside the Prophet Joseph Smith in building the kingdom. The year 1830 saw many of these future leaders join the Church, one of whom was Edward Partridge. He was born in Massachusetts and first heard the gospel in Kirtland, Ohio, when the missionaries who had been sent to the Lamanites stopped there on the way to Missouri. Shortly thereafter he traveled with Sidney Rigdon to New York, arriving in Fayette in December 1830.
Edward Partridge had not been baptized at the time he first visited the Prophet. Lucy Mack Smith recorded the following:
“In December of the same year [1830], Joseph appointed a meeting at our house. While he was preaching, Sidney Rigdon and Edward Partridge came in and seated themselves in the congregation. When Joseph had finished his discourse, he gave all who had any remarks to make, the privilege of speaking. Upon this, Mr. Partridge arose, and stated that he had been to Manchester, with the view of obtaining further information respecting the doctrine which we preached; but, not finding us, he had made some inquiry of our neighbors concerning our characters, which they stated had been unimpeachable, until Joseph deceived us relative to the Book of Mormon. He also said that he had walked over our farm, and observed the good order and industry which it exhibited; and, having seen what we had sacrificed for the sake of our faith, and having heard that our veracity was not questioned upon any other point than that of our religion, he believed our testimony, and was ready to be baptized, ‘if,’ said he, ‘Brother Joseph will baptize me.’
“‘You are now,’ replied Joseph, ‘much fatigued, brother Partridge, and you had better rest to-day, and be baptized tomorrow.’
“‘Just as Brother Joseph thinks best,’ replied Mr. Partridge, ‘I am ready at any time.’
“He was accordingly baptized the next day.” (History of Joseph Smith, pp. 191–92.)
“In this Revelation our Lord announces Himself as ‘the Mighty One of Israel.’ This name also occurs in Isaiah (1:24; 30:29). It means Jehovah, the Lord of Hosts, who led His people out of Egypt, with a strong arm. While the ‘mighty one’ of Assyria was a winged bull, and while earthly kingdoms adopt images of eagles, lions, etc., as emblems of strength, the ‘Mighty One’ of the Kingdom of God is Jehovah.” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p. 191.)
Trumpets were used anciently to sound an alarm, to signal for battle, or to announce the coming of royalty. The sounding of trumpets, therefore, symbolizes heralding or announcing something highly significant. The sound of a trumpet is loud and clear and draws the attention of those within its range. Edward Partridge was called to preach in that manner—not quietly or timidly, but boldly, with clarity and authority.
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Edward Partridge received the priesthood “by the hand of my servant Sidney Rigdon” (D&C 36:2). |
Edward Partridge, who had just been baptized, was promised in this verse the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is given by the laying on of hands. He was also called into the ministry. The spirit and authority to fill such calls is similarly given by the laying on of hands.
Elder Harold B. Lee referred to this verse as an example of how the Lord manifests His power through His servants: “The Lord here is saying that when one of his authorized servants puts his hands by authority upon the head of one to be blessed, it is as though he himself was putting his hand on with them to perform that ordinance. So we begin to see how he manifests his power among men through his servants to whom He has committed the keys of authority.” (Be Secure in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year [Provo, 11 Feb. 1958], p. 6.)
Shortly before He was crucified, Jesus promised His disciples the gift of peace (see John 14:27). This peace is not the peace of the world but the inner peace that comes from the knowledge that one has found the truth, has had his sins remitted, and is on the path that leads to eternal life. This knowledge and assurance comes from the Holy Ghost, who is appropriately called the Comforter (see John 14:26). Thus, all Saints may in this world of strife and turmoil receive peace from Christ by the Holy Ghost and the assurance that the course they are pursuing is correct (see D&C 6:22–23; 59:23).
See Notes and Commentary on Doctrine and Covenants 19:37.
The same expression is found in Acts 2:40, referring to the people of that day. An untoward people is an unruly, rebellious people whose lives are not turned toward the Lord. President Joseph Fielding Smith, in reference to those of the latter days said, “This is an untoward generation, walking in spiritual darkness” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:163).
This part of verse 6 is an allusion to Jude 1:23. Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote of that scripture: “To stay the spread of disease in ancient Israel, clothing spotted by contagious diseases was destroyed by burning. (Lev. 13:47–59; 15:4–17.) And so with sin in the Church, the saints are to avoid the remotest contact with it; the very garments, as it were, of the sinners are to be burned with fire, meaning that anything which has had contact with the pollutions of the wicked must be shunned. And so also with those yet in the world who are invited to join the kingdom.” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:428.)
“In Biblical language, to ‘gird up the loins’ is to prepare for a journey, or for work. The Hebrews wore girdles [sashes] when traveling, and when at work. On such occasions they girt their clothes about them [by tucking them under the sash] to ensure free movement of the limbs. The servants of the Lord must be prepared to do His work, and to go when He calls.” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p. 201.)
Concerning the need for the Saints to “gird up their loins” and proclaim the gospel, President Spencer W. Kimball said:
“I feel that when we have done all in our power that the Lord will find a way to open doors. . . .
“But I can see no good reason why the Lord would open doors that we are not prepared to enter. . . .
“When I ask for more missionaries, I am not asking for more testimony-barren or unworthy missionaries. I am asking that we start earlier and train our missionaries better in every branch and every ward in the world. That is another challenge—that the young people will understand that it is a great privilege to go on a mission and that they must be physically well, mentally well, spiritually well, and that ‘the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.’
“I am asking for missionaries who have been carefully indoctrinated and trained through the family and the organizations of the Church, and who come to the mission with a great desire.” (“When the World Will Be Converted,” Ensign, Oct. 1974, p. 7.)
This revelation was given eight months after the Church was officially organized. Since 6 April 1830, the Church had grown to about 200 Saints in the state of New York. Missionary efforts had been extended westward to Kirtland, Ohio, and to the borders of Missouri. Missionaries had been particularly successful in the Kirtland area, where they baptized about 127 people during the two or three weeks they spent there on their way to Missouri (see Roberts, Comprehensive History of the Church, 1:231). The Church continued to grow rapidly in that area after they departed.
By the time of this revelation, such notable leaders as Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, Sidney Rigdon, Edward Partridge, and Thomas B. Marsh had joined the Church. Revelations had poured down from heaven as the Prophet Joseph Smith received guidance for individual Saints, direction in revising the Bible, and the records of Moses and Enoch. But Satan’s efforts were unrelenting. Persecution raged, and the Prophet was arrested a number of times on false charges. Now, in December 1830, the voice of the Lord was heard again. But this time the Lord’s will was that Joseph cease revising the Bible and move to Ohio. Section 37 is the first revelation directing the Saints to gather to a central place. In it the Lord charted a westward course for the restored Church.
This passage refers to the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. The Prophet Joseph had, of course, finished the translation of the Book of Mormon. But though his work on the Bible was very important, the need to move to Ohio “because of the enemy” took priority (D&C 37:1). The work on the revision of the Bible was continued later in Ohio, mainly at the home of John Johnson.
President Joseph Fielding Smith explained: “The call to the Ohio was for two reasons. The opposition to the Church in and around Fayette had become bitter. There had been many converts made among the followers of Sidney Rigdon in Kirtland, and the spirit there was friendly. The trend of the Church was ever westward; as persecution arose, and it became necessary to seek protection, the Church moved farther and farther west. The Lord had a design in this. The place of the City of Zion was west and it was necessary that eventually the Church be located there, although it would not be a permanent residence until Zion is redeemed. Not only were Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon commanded to go to Ohio, but this came as a command to the entire Church.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:163.)
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Kirtland, Ohio, as viewed from the Kirtland Temple tower (c. 1900). |
Oliver Cowdery had been on a mission to the Lamanites since 15 October 1830 (see D&C 30:5–6; 32:2). This mission took him and his companions on a fourteen-hundred-mile journey through New York and Ohio to Missouri. The Saints were commanded to move to Ohio in preparation to receive further instructions concerning the establishment of Zion after Oliver Cowdery’s return from “the borders by the Lamanites” (D&C 28:9).
As the year 1831 dawned, Joseph Smith envisioned “a prospect great and glorious for the welfare of the kingdom” (History of the Church, 1:140). The Lord had previously charged the Church to “seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion” (D&C 6:6; 11:6; 12:6; 14:6). From the time this commandment was first given until his martyrdom, the Prophet labored diligently to this end. He once said, “We ought to have the building up of Zion as our greatest object” (History of the Church, 3:390).
During the month of December 1830, Joseph Smith received by revelation the remainder of the book of Moses. Chapters 6 and 7 dealt specifically with the establishment of Zion in Enoch’s day. Two things were needed before Zion could be built in this dispensation, however: revelation from the Lord giving His law and the order of Zion, and the preparation and sanctification of the Saints. The fulfillment of the first requirement was begun on 2 January 1831. During the third conference of the Church, the Prophet received Doctrine and Covenants 38. In it the Lord said that He was “the same which had taken the Zion of Enoch into mine own bosom” (D&C 38:4). He further revealed why He had commanded the Saints to move to Ohio: “There I will give unto you my law; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high” (D&C 38:32). This revelation was the Lord’s answer to those who wondered why they should move three hundred miles to the west in the dead of winter.
President Joseph Fielding Smith described the significance of the name-title “I AM”: “When Moses was tending the flocks of his father-in-law, Jethro, at Horeb, the mountain of God, the Lord appeared to him in a flaming bush and gave him commandment to go to Egypt and lead Israel from bondage. Moses said to the Lord: ‘Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of our Fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I am that I am; and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.’ . . . The name given to Moses is the same as given by Jesus Christ to the Jews [see John 8:58], and the meaning of it is expressed in the saying that God is ‘omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient; without beginning of days or end of life; and that in him every good gift and every good principle dwell.’ (Lectures on Faith, No. 2.) Jesus declared to the Jews that which they were incapable of understanding, which is that the great I Am who appeared to Moses, was himself, and that he was God and gave commandments to Abraham.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:165–66; see also Exodus 3:14; D&C 39:1.)
Alpha and omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, which was used widely at the time of Christ’s mortal ministry. The expression “Alpha and Omega” is thus the equivalent of the English expression “from A to Z.” Elder Bruce R. McConkie said, “These words, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, are used figuratively to teach the timelessness and eternal nature of our Lord’s existence, that is, that ‘from eternity to eternity he is the same, and his years never fail.’ (D. & C. 76:4.)” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 31).
“Seraphs are angels who reside in the presence of God. . . . it is clear that seraphs include the unembodied spirits of pre-existence, for our Lord ‘looked upon the wide expanse of eternity, and all the seraphic hosts of heaven, before the world was made.’ (D. & C. 38:1.) Whether the name seraphs also applies to perfected and resurrected angels is not clear. . . .
“In Hebrew the plural of seraph is seraphim.” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 702–3.)
Some have questioned whether God is omniscient, that is, whether He knows all things. They say that He knows all things relative to man but that He Himself is still learning. This scripture shows that God has all knowledge (see also 2 Nephi 9:20; D&C 88:41; 130:7; Moses 1:6).
Knowledge brings power, and to say that God is limited in knowledge is to limit His power. This principle is taught in Lectures on Faith, compiled under the direction of the Prophet Joseph Smith: “Without the knowledge of all things, God would not be able to save any portion of his creatures; for it is by reason of the knowledge which he has of all things, from the beginning to the end, that enables him to give that understanding to his creatures by which they are made partakers of eternal life; and if it were not for the idea existing in the minds of men that God had all knowledge it would be impossible for them to exercise faith in him.” (4:43; see also Enrichment D in the Appendix.)
“Under the direction of his Father, Jesus Christ created this earth. No doubt others helped him, but it was Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, who, under the direction of his Father, came down and organized matter and made this planet, so that it might be inhabited by the children of God.” (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:74; see also 2 Nephi 9:5–6; 3 Nephi 9:15; Moses 1:33; 2:1, 27.)
To be “in the bosom” of someone is a Hebrew idiom. Anciently people wore loose robes bound around the waist with a sash. The cloth above the sash formed a pocket in which people might carry objects of all kinds, even small children. Something carried in this way was close to the chest or bosom, so the phrase “to be in the bosom of” implied a close and favored relationship (see 2 Samuel 12:8; Luke 16:22; John 1:18).
“Enoch, the seventh from Adam (Jude 14) built a city called Zion, after the people of God, so named by the Lord, because they were united, righteous, and prosperous. This city of Enoch flourished for three hundred and sixty-five years and then the Lord, by some process not known to us, took it with all its inhabitants, ‘to His bosom,’ thus saving them from destruction in the flood that was to come. ‘And from thence went forth the saying, Zion is fled’ (. . . Moses 7:18, 19, 68, 69).” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p. 199; see also D&C 45:11–14; Enrichment B.)
The Lord promises that all who have believed in His name will also be taken into His bosom.
President Joseph Fielding Smith explained: “When Christ comes the second time it will be in the clouds of heaven, and it shall be the day of vengeance against the ungodly, when those who have loved wickedness and have been guilty of transgression and rebellion against the laws of God will be destroyed. All during the ministry of Christ wickedness ruled and seemed to prevail, but when he comes in the clouds of glory as it is declared in this message of Malachi to the world, and which was said by Moroni to be near at hand, then Christ will appear as the refiner and purifier of both man and beast and all that pertains to this earth, for the earth itself shall undergo a change and receive its former paradisiacal glory.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:11; see also 2 Nephi 23:6–11; Malachi 3:2–5; 4:1.)
When Christ comes, only the purified will be able to abide the day (see D&C 38:8).
President Harold B. Lee said: “I have a session with the missionary groups as they go out, in the temple, where they are permitted to ask intimate questions that wouldn’t be proper to be discussed elsewhere. They sometimes ask, Could you tell us a certain place in the temple where the Savior has been seen? My answer is, ‘Keep in mind that this is the house of the Lord; this is the place that we try to keep as pure and holy and sacred as any building we have. This is the most likely place he would come when he comes on earth. Don’t ask for a certain place because he has walked these halls. How do you know but what he is here in your midst?” (In Conference Report, British Area Conference 1971, pp. 135–36; or Ensign, Nov. 1971, pp. 12–13.)
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The Tokyo Temple |
President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote:
“He has given to us the kingdom. He has made us the promise that the enemy of the kingdom shall not overcome. We may have trouble. We have had trouble. We may meet with opposition, but that opposition shall fail in its endeavor to destroy the work of God.
“The gospel has been restored, and the kingdom given to his saints according to the prophecy of Daniel. It is not again to be removed, destroyed, or given to other people, and in his own way and time he is going to break down all other systems, that his kingdom may prevail and that he may come and reign as Lord of lords and King of kings upon the face of the whole earth.
“The Lord has called attention to the fact that he is going to destroy systems and organizations and combinations that are false. And how is he going to do it? By giving their members the truth, if they will receive it; by giving them the privilege of coming out of those organizations to receive the truth and have every opportunity to come into his kingdom, for his hand is outstretched ready to greet them. If they will not come; if they will not receive his message; then, of course, they must fall with their systems. Truth will prevail; truth will stand when all else is removed, and it is destined to cover the face of the earth.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:241.)
The imagery of angels waiting to reap down the fields comes from the parable of the wheat and the tares (see Matthew 13:24–43; D&C 86:1–7). Elder Wilford Woodruff explained: “It certainly is time that we prepare ourselves for that which is to come. Great things await this generation—both Zion and Babylon. All these revelations concerning the fall of Babylon will have their fulfillment. Forty-five years ago, in speaking to the Church, the Lord said—[D&C 38:10–11]. This causes silence to reign, and all eternity is pained. The angels of God are waiting to fulfill the great commandment given forty-five years ago, to go forth and reap down the earth because of the wickedness of men. How do you think eternity feels to-day? Why there is more wickedness, a thousand times over, in the United States now, than when that revelation was given. The whole earth is ripe in iniquity; and these inspired men, these Elders of Israel, have been commanded of the Almighty to go forth and warn the world, that their garments may be clear of the blood of all men.” (In Journal of Discourses, 18:128.)
Notes and Commentary on Doctrine and Covenants 86:5 discusses the time when those angels will be given the command to reap down the earth.
To better understand the Lord’s promise in these verses, one needs to understand that the Lord created the earth for His children and that it reflects the level of life that they live. Elder Bruce R. McConkie described four of the stages the earth has gone through and will yet go through:
“Edenic earth. Following its physical creation, the earth was pronounced good. It was a terrestrial or paradisiacal state. There was no death either for man or for any form of life, and ‘all the vast creation of animated beings breathed naught but health, and peace, and joy.’ (2 Ne. 2:22; Voice of Warning, pp. 89–91.)
“Telestial earth. When Adam fell, the earth fell also and became a mortal sphere, one upon which worldly and carnal people can live. This condition was destined to continue for a period of 6,000 years, and it was while in this state that the earth was baptized in water. (D. & C. 77:6–7, 12; Man: His Origin and Destiny, pp. 415–436, 460–466.)
“Terrestrial earth. ‘We believe . . . that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.’ (Tenth Article of Faith.) Thus, the earth is to go back to the primeval, paradisiacal, or terrestrial state that prevailed in the days of the Garden of Eden. Accompanying this transition to its millennial status the earth is to be burned, that is, receive its baptism of fire. It will then be a new heaven and a new earth, and again health, peace, and joy will prevail upon its face. (D. & C. 101:23–32; Isa. 65:17–25; Mal. 3:1–6; 4:1–6; Man: His Origin and Destiny, pp. 380–397.)
“Celestial earth. Following the millennium plus ‘a little season’ (D. & C. 29:22–25), the earth will die, be resurrected, and becoming like a ‘sea of glass’ (D. & C. 130:7), attain unto ‘its sanctified, immortal, and eternal state.’ (D. & C. 77:1–2.) Then the poor and the meek—that is, the godfearing and the righteous—shall inherit the earth; it will become an abiding place for the Father and the Son, and celestial beings will possess it forever and ever. (D. & C. 88:14–26, 111.)” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 211.)
The statement that there will be no curse on the land when the Lord comes (see D&C 38:18) refers to the terrestrial earth during the Millennium, whereas the promise that the Saints will possess it during eternity (see D&C 38:18) reflects the earth’s eventual celestial state.
“Christ is the King. (Ps. 5:2; 10:16; 44:4; 47:6–7; 89:18; Isa. 6:5; 43:15; Jer. 23:5; 46:18; 1 Tim. 1:17.) By this is meant that he is the Ruler, Lawgiver, and Sovereign in whom all power rests. As King he rules over the heavens and the earth and all things that are in them (Alma 5:50); and also, in a particular sense, he rules over the kingdom of God on earth which is the Church and over the kingdom of God in heaven which is the celestial kingdom.” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 414.)
Though Jesus is King by right and authority, President Joseph Fielding Smith taught that at the council of Adam-ondi-Ahman, Christ will be crowned the actual, political ruler of the world (see Notes and Commentary on D&C 116:1). President Smith further explained that the kingdom of God includes both political and spiritual aspects, for “when our Savior comes to rule in the millennium, all governments will become subject unto his government, and this has been referred to as the kingdom of God, which it is; but this is the political kingdom which will embrace all people whether they are in the Church or not. Of course, when every kindred, tongue and people become subject to the rule of Jesus Christ such will be in that political kingdom. We must keep these two thoughts in mind. But the kingdom of God is the Church of Jesus Christ, and it is the kingdom that shall endure forever. When the Savior prayed, ‘Thy kingdom come,’ he had reference to the kingdom in heaven which is to come when the millennial reign starts.
“When Christ comes, the political kingdom will be given to the Church. The Lord is going to make an end to all nations; that means this nation as well as any other. The kingdom of God is the Church, but during the millennium, the multitudes upon the face of the earth who are not in the Church will have to be governed, and many of their officers, who will be elected, may not be members of the Church.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:229–30.)
Elder Harold B. Lee explained:
“If we are not united, we are not his. Here unity is the test of divine ownership as thus expressed. If we would be united in love and fellowship and harmony, this Church would convert the world, who would see in us the shining example of these qualities which evidence that divine ownership. Likewise, if in that Latter-day Saint home the husband and wife are in disharmony, bickering, and divorce is threatened, there is an evidence that one or both are not keeping the commandments of God.
“If we, in our wards and our branches, are divided, and there are factions not in harmony, it is but an evidence that there is something wrong. If two persons are at variance, arguing on different points of doctrine, no reasonable, thinking persons would say that both were speaking their different opinions by the Spirit of the Lord. . . .
“If it is so important, then, that this people be a united people, we might well expect that upon this principle the powers of Satan would descend for their greatest attack. We might well expect, also, that if there be those of apostate mind among us, they would be inclined to ridicule and to scorn this principle of oneness and unity as being narrow-minded or as being unprogressive. We would likewise expect that those who are enemies would also seek to fight against that principle.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1950, pp. 97–98.)
The Saints should not be surprised when the world opposes the kingdom and tries to thwart the work of God, for He Himself promised that such would be the case. Elder Joseph F. Smith said that “the hatred of the wicked always has and always will follow the Priesthood and the Saints. The devil will not lose sight of the power of God vested in man—the Holy Priesthood. He fears it, he hates it, and will never cease to stir up the hearts of the debased and corrupt in anger and malice towards those who hold this power, and to persecute the Saints, until he is bound.” (In Journal of Discourses, 19:24.)
Elder Bruce R. McConkie made this observation in general conference:
“Nor are the days of our greatest sorrows and our deepest sufferings all behind us. They too lie ahead. We shall yet face greater perils, we shall yet be tested with more severe trials, and we shall yet weep more tears of sorrow than we have ever known before. . . .
“The way ahead is dark and dreary and dreadful. There will yet be martyrs; the doors in Carthage shall again enclose the innocent. We have not been promised that the trials and evils of the world will entirely pass us by.
“If we, as a people, keep the commandments of God; if we take the side of the Church on all issues, both religious and political; if we take the Holy Spirit for our guide; if we give heed to the words of the apostles and prophets who minister among us—then, from an eternal standpoint, all things will work together for our good.
“Our view of the future shall be undimmed, and, whether in life or in death, we shall see our blessed Lord return to reign on earth. We shall see the New Jerusalem coming down from God in heaven to join with the Holy City we have built. We shall mingle with those of Enoch’s city while together we worship and serve the Lord forever.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1980, pp. 98–100; or Ensign, May 1980, pp. 71, 73.)
President Ezra Taft Benson commented on this verse in one of his general conference addresses:
“What are some of the calamities for which we are to prepare? In section 29 the Lord warns us of ‘a great hailstorm sent forth to destroy the crops of the earth.’ (D&C 29:16.) In section 45 we read of ‘an overflowing scourge; for a desolating sickness shall cover the land.’ (D&C 45:31.) In section 63 the Lord declares he has ‘decreed wars upon the face of the earth. . . .’ (D&C 63:33.)
“In Matthew, chapter 24, we learn of ‘famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes. . . .’ (Matt. 24:7.) The Lord declared that these and other calamities shall occur. These particular prophecies seem not to be conditional. The Lord, with his foreknowledge, knows that they will happen. Some will come about through man’s manipulations; others through the forces of nature and nature’s God, but that they will come seems certain. Prophecy is but history in reverse—a divine disclosure of future events.
“Yet, through all of this, the Lord Jesus Christ has said: ‘. . . if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.’ (D&C 38:30.)
“What, then, is the Lord’s way to help us prepare for these calamities? The answer is also found in section 1 of the Doctrine and Covenants, wherein he says: [D&C 1:17–18, 37].
“Here then is the key—look to the prophets for the words of God, that will show us how to prepare for the calamities which are to come [see D&C 1:38].” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1973, p. 89; or Ensign, Jan. 1974, p. 68.)
This scripture contains one of the clearest statements found anywhere in scripture about the proper attitude one should have toward the riches of the world.
Elder George Q. Cannon said: “There is something in the human heart of that character that when human beings are prospering they are apt to be lifted up in pride and to forget the cause or the source of their prosperity; they are apt to forget God, who is the fountain of all their blessings, and to give glory to themselves. It requires a constant preaching of the word of God, a constant pleading with the people, a constant outpouring of the Spirit of God upon the people to bring them to a true sense of their real condition. . . . Is it right that we should be prudent, that we should take care of those gifts and blessings which God has given unto us, that we should husband our resources, that we should be economical, and not extravagant? Certainly; this is right, this is proper, we should be culpable if we were not so. But with this there is also something else required, and that is, to keep constantly in view that the management and care of these things is not the object that God had in sending us here, that is not the object of our probation. . . . I have been in reduced circumstances; been on missions when I did not know where to get a mouthful to eat; turned away by the people who dare not entertain me because of the anger that was kindled against us. I could stand by and weep, being a boy and away from all my friends. But I, nevertheless, was happy. I never enjoyed myself in my life as I did then. I know that happiness does not consist in the possession of worldly things. Still it is a great relief when people can have the means necessary for the support of themselves and families. If they possess these things and the Spirit of God with them, they are blessed.” (In Journal of Discourses, 22:100–101.)
“In ancient Israel, certain vessels (bowls, urns, vases, and other containers) and utensils were used in religious feasts and ceremonies. The vessels that were to be used in the temple had special significance and were handled only by those who were worthy and authorized and who had properly prepared themselves. In a somewhat similar manner, the Lord has indicated that his saints should come ‘out from among the wicked’ (38:42) and leave the worldliness of Babylon so they will be worthy to ‘bear the vessels of the Lord’ (see 133:5).” (Ludlow, Companion, 2:317.)
“Many are called, but few are chosen” (D&C 121:40). Such is the story of James Covill, a man called by a personal revelation through the Prophet Joseph Smith to labor in the Lord’s vineyard, and a man who failed to give heed to the counsel given him. Every call to serve in the latter-day building of Zion requires personal sacrifice. James Covill had been a minister for about forty years. He was now called to be baptized into the Lord’s Church and to preach the gospel. To accept such a call would require him to forsake many of his former beliefs, to confess to his followers that he had now found a fulness of the truth, and to move to Ohio to join the Saints. It would also require that he find another way to make a living.
Shortly after the Church conference of 2 January 1831, the Prophet Joseph Smith recorded: “There was a man came to me by the name of James Covill, who had been a Baptist minister for about forty years, and covenanted with the Lord that he would obey any command that the Lord would give to him through me, as His servant, and I received the following: [D&C 39].” (History of the Church, 1:143.)
Marvelous promises had been made to James Covill if he would obey the word of the Lord that had been given to him. What thoughts might have filled his mind as he contemplated leaving the ministry he had been engaged in for forty years? What sacrifices would be required of him to join the Church and move to Ohio? Whatever his thoughts, James Covill decided to reject the revelation of God. The Prophet Joseph Smith recorded simply: “As James Covill rejected the word of the Lord, and returned to his former principles and people, the Lord gave unto me and Sidney Rigdon the following revelation [D&C 40], explaining why he obeyed not the word” (History of the Church, 1:145).
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The Lord’s vineyard is to be “pruned for the last time” (D&C 39:17). |
Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained the significance of the word gospel:
“The gospel of Jesus Christ is the plan of salvation. . . .
“Literally, gospel means good tidings from God or God-story. Thus it is the glad tidings or good news concerning Christ, his atonement, the establishment of his earthly kingdom, and a possible future inheritance in his celestial presence. ‘And this is the gospel,’ the Prophet recorded by way of revelation, ‘the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us—That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness; That through him all might be saved whom the Father had put into his power and made by him.’ (D. & C. 76:40–42.)” (Mormon Doctrine, pp. 331–32.)
In Doctrine and Covenants 39:5–6, the Lord explained to James Covill that repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost are essential if one would receive Christ.
Verse 9 indicates that James Covill had rejected the Lord many times because of pride and the cares of the world. Little is known about James Covill, other than what Joseph Smith recorded. It is therefore impossible to say what things he had done that caused the Lord to give him this solemn warning. But Elder Spencer W. Kimball gave modern Saints a similar warning:
“Frequently, pride gets in our way and becomes our stumbling block. But each of us needs to ask himself the question: ‘Is your pride more important than your peace?’
“All too frequently, one who has done many splendid things in life and made an excellent contribution will let pride cause him to lose the rich reward to which he would be entitled otherwise.” (Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 297; see also D&C 121:34–40.)
In these verses the use of the word if is an indication that the blessings James Covill was to receive were conditional. President Harold B. Lee said:
“I sat in a class in Sunday School in my own ward one day, and the teacher was the son of a patriarch. He said he used to take down the blessings of his father, and he noticed that his father gave what he called ‘iffy’ blessings. He would give a blessing, but it was predicated on . . . ‘if you will cease doing that.’ And he said, ‘I watched these men to whom my father gave the “iffy” blessings, and I saw that many of them did not heed the warning that my father as a patriarch had given, and the blessings were never received because they did not comply.’
“You know, this started me thinking. I went back into the Doctrine and Covenants and began to read the ‘iffy’ revelations that have been given to the various brethren in the Church. If you want to have an exercise in something that will startle you, read some of the warnings that were given through the Prophet Joseph Smith to Thomas B. Marsh, Martin Harris, some of the Whitmer brothers, William E. McLellin—warnings which, had they heeded, some would not have fallen by the wayside. But because they did not heed, and they didn’t clear up their lives, they fell by the wayside, and some had to be dropped from membership in the Church.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1972, p. 130; or Ensign, Jan. 1973, pp. 107–8.)
In this revelation given in 1831, the Lord revealed some important truths about His Second Coming:
1. The kingdom of heaven is at hand (see v. 19).
2. The servants of God are to prepare the way for His coming (see v. 20).
3. No one knows the day and hour of His coming (see v. 21).
4. Those who receive the Holy Ghost will be looking for His coming and will know Him (see v. 23).
5. He will come quickly (see v. 24).
Elder Bruce R. McConkie said: “We do not know when the calamities and troubles of the last days will fall upon any of us as individuals or upon bodies of the Saints. The Lord deliberately withholds from us the day and hour of his coming and of the tribulations which shall precede it—all as part of the testing and probationary experiences of mortality. He simply tells us to watch and be ready.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1979, pp. 132–33; or Ensign, May 1979, p. 93.)
President Joseph Fielding Smith explained that James Covill “was convinced of the truth, for it is clear that the Lord revealed to him things which he and the Lord alone knew to be the truth. However, when he withdrew from the influence of the Spirit of the Lord and had time to consider the fact that he would lose the fellowship of the world, and his place and position among his associates, he failed and rejected the promises and blessings which the Lord offered him.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:174.)
The Lord, in His explanation of James Covill’s rejection, used language from the parable of the soils (see Matthew 13:1–9; 20–22).