Edward Partridge, the first bishop
Section 41 is the first revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants given in Ohio. The Prophet Joseph Smith and his wife Emma had arrived in Kirtland a few days before this revelation was received, and they found that the Kirtland Branch had grown to nearly one hundred members. Many of the new converts had belonged to a religious society known as “Disciples.” Even after joining the Church, these converts continued to practice what was called “common stock,” or the holding of all property in common. But discord arose among members over the manner in which this system should operate. Some considered that what belonged to one member belonged to anyone in the branch. “Therefore,” wrote John Whitmer, “they would take each other’s clothes and other property and use it without leave, which brought on confusion and disappointments, for they did not understand the scripture” (“Church History,” Journal of History, Jan. 1908, p. 50).
The Prophet Joseph Smith wrote:
“The branch of the Church in this part of the Lord’s vineyard, which had increased to nearly one hundred members, were striving to do the will of God, so far as they knew it, though some strange notions and false spirits had crept in among them. With a little caution and some wisdom, I soon assisted the brethren and sisters to overcome them. The plan of ‘common stock,’ which had existed in what was called ‘the family,’ whose members generally had embraced the everlasting Gospel, was readily abandoned for the more perfect law of the Lord; and the false spirits were easily discerned and rejected by the light of revelation.
“The Lord gave unto the Church the following: [D&C 41].” (History of the Church, 1:146–47.)
“Because there were those who had professed the name of the Lord and made covenant to serve him, like James Covill, for instance, and then they showed by their works that they did not act in sincerity, the Lord gave a revelation for the guidance of the members and a warning to those who had professed his name who had not obeyed him. This is one of the most solemn and pointed declarations that can be found in any scripture against the hypocrite and the person who professes in sincerity, and apparently accepts in good faith, a covenant and then departs from the covenant.” (Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:177–78; see also Matthew 23:27–28; Isaiah 32:6.)
The Prophet Joseph Smith persuaded the members of the Kirtland Branch to abandon the “common stock” plan for the more perfect law of the Lord to be revealed according to the promise given at Fayette, New York (see D&C 38:32). In Doctrine and Covenants 41:2–4 the Lord directed the elders of the Church to assemble in Kirtland to receive this law. The law was given a few days later and is known as the law of consecration (see D&C 42).
In this verse are given the two characteristics of disciples of the Lord: they receive his law, and they do it.
Speaking of becoming a Zion people, President Spencer W. Kimball said: “As important as it is to have this vision in mind, defining and describing Zion will not bring it about. That can only be done through consistent and concerted daily effort by every single member of the Church. No matter what the cost in toil or sacrifice, we must ‘do it.’ That is one of my favorite phrases: ‘Do It.’” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1978, p. 122; or Ensign, May 1978, p. 81.)
President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote: “The things of the kingdom are not for the unworthy, whether they are in or out of the Church. It is the duty of the members to hold in the most solemn and sacred manner every commandment, every covenant, every principle of truth which the Lord has revealed for their salvation. He has given to the members, if they will humbly receive them, covenants and obligations which are not for the world. Things that are most holy and sacred, which are revealed to those who have made covenant to be ‘just and true,’ and who have ‘overcome by faith,’ things which are imparted to them as a means of bringing to pass their exaltation, should not be lightly treated, ridiculed, or spoken of before the world. ‘For it is not meet that the things which belong to the children of the kingdom should be given to them that are not worthy, or to dogs, or the pearls to be cast before swine.’ Yet how often do we see the foolish, the ignorant and those who fail to comprehend the vastness of these sacred principles and covenants, treating them lightly and unworthily even before the world!” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:179–80.)
“Earlier definitions of the word meet, which are now listed as archaic in some modern dictionaries, include the idea of being proper, fit, acceptable, permissible, right, necessary, or desirable. Thus, the statement it is ‘not meet that I should command in all things’ (D&C 58:26) essentially means that it is not necessary or desirable for the Lord to tell us everything we should know.” (Ludlow, Companion, 2:175.)
In the law of consecration, the bishop was the spiritual and temporal agent who directed the program, assigned inheritances, received properties, and so on (see D&C 42:33; 72:9–15). The law was to be revealed shortly, so it was appropriate that Edward Partridge should be called as the first bishop in the Church.
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Edward Partridge, the first bishop |
Once the Prophet moved to Kirtland, Ohio, he acted swiftly to set the Church in order. Under direction from the Lord, he appointed the first bishop of the Church, put an end to an incorrect system of having all things in common (see D&C 41), and defined many policies and procedures. Several problems developed as other members from New York began flooding into Kirtland. This place was already an area of rapid growth for the Church, because many of the people there had been prepared by Sidney Rigdon to embrace the truth.
The Prophet had been told that the Lord would reveal His law to the Saints once they had moved to Ohio (see D&C 38:32). However, after Joseph Smith arrived in Kirtland, the Lord added one further stipulation: the elders had to agree upon the word of the Lord and were to unite in a prayer of faith. Only then would they receive the law designated to help the Saints live peaceably together (see D&C 41:2–3).
Accordingly, on 9 February 1831 twelve men were called together by Joseph Smith and united in prayer and in faith and desire to receive the law. In response the Lord revealed His law to them (see History of the Church, 1:148). Only verses 1–73 of section 42 were given at that time. The rest of the revelation was received two weeks later, on 23 February. This latter part, according to President Joseph Fielding Smith, was “given for the establishment of the City of Zion—New Jerusalem—which was to be built by the law of consecration and obedience to the fulness of the Gospel” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:184).
Because section 42 is comprised of two distinct, though closely related, revelations, it was originally printed in the Book of Commandments as two chapters: verses 1 through 73 were chapter 44; verses 74 through 93, though not in that order, comprised chapter 47.
Speaking of the importance of this revelation known as the law of the Lord, President George Q. Cannon said: “Altogether this was a most important revelation. It threw a flood of light upon a great variety of subjects and settled many important questions. Faithful men and women were greatly delighted at being members of a Church which the Lord acknowledged as His own, and to which He communicated His word through his inspired Prophet as he did at this time.” (Life of Joseph Smith, p. 109.)
The word law in a gospel sense refers to the statutes, judgments, and principles of salvation revealed by the Lord to man. Christ is the law (see 3 Nephi 15:9)—He gave it and embodies its principles. In this sense, the law of the Lord is a revelation of His character and attributes.
God has given laws to assist us in our quest to become like the Father and the Son. No one can come to the Father except through obedience to the laws that Christ has given (see D&C 132:12). The violation of these laws is what constitutes sin (see 1 John 3:4). The Lord in His infinite love and wisdom often gives laws to His children suited to their level of preparation. The law of Moses was given to prepare the children of Israel for higher laws. The laws given in section 42 were to enable the Saints to purify their lives in preparation for the establishment of Zion. (A further discussion of what the Doctrine and Covenants teaches about law can be found in Enrichment G in the Appendix.)
Elder Spencer W. Kimball spoke of the special obligations resting on those who teach the gospel:
“Apparently there were in the early church those who taught for doctrines the sophistries of men. There are those today who seem to take pride in disagreeing with the orthodox teachings of the Church and who present their own opinions which are at variance with the revealed truth. Some may be partially innocent in the matter; others are feeding their own egotism; and some seem to be deliberate. Men may think as they please, but they have no right to impose upon others their unorthodox views. Such persons should realize that their own souls are in jeopardy. The Lord said to us through the Prophet Joseph: [D&C 42:12–14].
“The great objective of all our work is to build character and increase faith in the lives of those whom we serve. If one cannot accept and teach the program of the Church in an orthodox way without reservations, he should not teach. It would be the part of honor to resign his position. Not only would he be dishonest and deceitful, but he is also actually under condemnation, for the Savior said that it were better that a millstone were hanged about his neck and he be cast into the sea than that he should lead astray doctrinally or betray the cause or give offense, destroying the faith of one of ‘these little ones’ who believe in him. And remember that this means not only the small children, it includes even adults who believe and trust in God. . . .
“In our own society, the murderer who kills the body is hunted, imprisoned, and executed, but the character who kills the soul by implanting doubt and shattering faith is permitted not only to go free but also is often retained in high places. The body which is killed will rise again in the resurrection with little damage to its eternal welfare, but he whose faith has been shattered may suffer long ages before complete restoration of spiritual stature can be had, if at all.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1948, pp. 109–10; see also D&C 52:9.)
President Joseph Fielding Smith stated that “no one should be called upon to teach and no one should attempt to teach the doctrines of the Church unless he is fully converted and has an abiding testimony of their truth. This testimony can only be received through prayerful study and obedience to all the commandments of the Lord. No man or woman can teach by the Spirit what he or she does not practice. Sincerity, integrity and loyalty are essential factors, and these will be accompanied by the spirit of prayer. The Comforter, ‘who knoweth all things,’ we should rely on, and then our teachings shall be approved of our Father in Heaven.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:184–85.)
Verse 14 can be read either as a command or as a statement of fact, and either way the statement is true. If a person does not have the Spirit, he should not teach; and in the sense of true teaching, he cannot teach.
President Joseph Fielding Smith emphasized that the Ten Commandments are part of the laws of God and that they are as binding today as they were in the days of Moses (see Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:185). The Lord repeats these commandments in section 42 as a part of His law and gives for each the penalty (see also D&C 64:12).
Murder (vv. 18–19). “John says there are two kinds of sins [see 1 John 5:16–17]. One kind that can be forgiven; the other kind a sin unto death, for which there is no forgiveness. Murder is one of the latter class. That is where one deliberately sheds innocent blood. . . . There is a forgiveness for all those who truly repent and forsake their sins and show their sincerity by their continued repentance to the end of their mortal lives. The mercy of the Almighty, through the atonement of Jesus Christ, reaches out and embraces every soul who will forsake his sins, except those who have wilfully sinned, as John says, ‘unto death.’” (Joseph Fielding Smith, The Restoration of All Things, pp. 204–5.)
Those who are guilty of murder are excommunicated from the Church. They may only be rebaptized with First Presidency approval.
Stealing (v. 20). Those who will not repent are then excommunicated.
Lying (v. 21). Those who will not repent are then excommunicated.
Adultery and lust (vv. 22–26). Lust results in the loss of the Spirit, the loss of testimony, and excommunication if there is no repentance. Those who commit adultery may repent; but if they repeat the sin, they are excommunicated.
See Notes and Commentary on Doctrine and Covenants 59:5–12.
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The Ten Commandments are as binding today as they were anciently. |
Only two commandments in all the scriptures require us to love with all our heart. We are commanded to love God with all our heart (see Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37), and we are commanded to love our spouse with all our heart. Elder Spencer W. Kimball explained the all-encompassing nature of this commandment:
“When the Lord says all thy heart, it allows for no sharing nor dividing nor depriving. And, to the woman it is paraphrased: ‘Thou shalt love thy husband with all thy heart and shalt cleave unto him and none else.’
“The words none else eliminate everyone and everything. The spouse then becomes preeminent in the life of the husband or wife, and neither social life nor occupational life nor political life nor any other interest nor person nor thing shall ever take precedence over the companion spouse. We sometimes find women who absorb and hover over the children at the expense of the husband, sometimes even estranging them from him.
“The Lord says to them: ‘Thou shalt cleave unto him and none else.’
“Marriage presupposes total allegiance and total fidelity. Each spouse takes the partner with the understanding that he or she gives totally to the spouse all the heart, strength, loyalty, honor, and affection, with all dignity. Any divergence is sin; any sharing of the heart is transgression. As we should have ‘an eye single to the glory of God,’ so should we have an eye, an ear, a heart single to the marriage and the spouse and family.” (Faith Precedes the Miracle, pp. 142–43.)
There is a distinct similarity between the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament and the law given here to the Church. The ninth commandment given to Moses forbids the bearing of false witness against one’s neighbor (see Exodus 20:16). Here the law is made more inclusive, and any evil speaking of one’s neighbor is forbidden. Elder Adam S. Bennion explained why such a commandment is so important to Saints today:
“Murder, adultery, and stealing, dealing respectively with life, virtue, and property, are generally considered more serious offenses before the law than the bearing of false witness. And yet, what the latter may lack in severity, it more than makes up for in prevalence. As a matter of fact, most of the readers of these lessons will likely shun—as they would a plague—the first three of these major social offenses; but consciously or unconsciously, we may all at times be tempted into the carelessness of rumor and other forms of bearing false witness. . . .
“To bear false witness is to testify to or to pass along reports, insinuations, speculations, or rumors as if they were true, to the hurt of a fellow human being. Sometimes the practice stems from a lack of correct information—sometimes from lack of understanding—sometimes from misunderstandings—sometimes from a vicious disposition to distort and misrepresent.
“Whereas murder involves the taking of human life, bearing false witness centers in the destruction of character or its defamation. It reaches to the ruin of reputation.” (“The Ninth Commandment,” Ten Commandments Today, pp. 134–36.)
“In this revelation the Law of Consecration is stated definitely as the law on which the New Jerusalem is to be built. This law is given for the benefit of the poor, for the building of Zion and the work of the ministry. . . . Through this celestial law (Consecration) the Saints are to become the covenant people of the Lord. We cannot enter into the fulness of the covenants pertaining to Zion until we have reached the point where we can live such a divine law. Those who cannot abide the law of tithing cannot partake of this law of consecration, or the higher law and they will be deprived of an inheritance when the inheritances are divided.” (Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:185; see also Enrichment L.)
The Book of Mormon speaks in more than one place of the role of a great gentile nation in the last days (see 1 Nephi 22:7; 3 Nephi 20:27–28). These prophecies no doubt refer to the modern nations of the Americas, most of which were founded by Europeans. These nations have members of the house of Israel among them, but as nations they are not thought of as part of the house of Israel. From the early days of the Church, North America in particular has enjoyed prosperity unknown to most of mankind throughout history. The Saints in these nations, through their tithes, offerings, and support for missionaries, have helped the work of the kingdom to go forth to nations all over the earth. Now Saints in many nations that enjoy temporal prosperity join in the work so the kingdom can more quickly fulfill its destiny.
Elder George Albert Smith, later to be President of the Church, offered this commentary on of Doctrine and Covenants 42:40:
“This [verse] doesn’t refer to the time of Isaiah nor to the time of Alma, but comes right down to the day in which we live. Through His prophets He admonishes us with reference to our duties, and among the things He says are these: ‘And again, thou shalt not be proud in thy heart; let all thy garments be plain, and their beauty the beauty of the work of thine own hands.’ What a splendid thing to contemplate in our community. . . .
“Now, my brethren and sisters, I think that is worthy of our consideration. When discussing the high cost of living, examine your own household, and I am talking to myself while I talk to you. Am I increasing the cost of living by extravagance, or am I teaching my family to make the garments they wear? . . .
“Let us set an example; let us live within our means; let us be lenders instead of borrowers; let us not place our homes or the lands that produce our living under mortgages, in order that we may ride in fine conveyances or keep up with the pace set by our neighbors who may be able to afford it. Let us be more concerned about the adornment of our minds that are eternal, rather than adornment of our persons with things that are of no lasting benefit.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1915, p. 97.)
Sometimes members of the Church have the mistaken idea that all sickness should be dealt with only through priesthood administrations. As stated in a Church News editorial: “Every man, woman and child should care for his or her body as the temple of God which it is. Attention should be given to proper rest and exercise, and a well-balanced diet. The Lord has given us the Word of Wisdom to assist us further in better caring for our bodies.
“There are times when we should pray for the sick, and through the priesthood lay hands upon the head of the ill and bless them. . . .
“But our belief in the divine power of healing should in no way preclude seeking competent medical assistance. Dr. James E. Talmage, a member of the Council of the Twelve, in 1921 said in an address:
“‘I say some have charged us with inconsistency, for they say: “If you believe in the gift of healing, what is the need of doctors, what is the need of surgeons, why build hospitals?” Because we know that “there is a law irrevocably decreed in heaven, before the world was, and when we attain any blessing it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated;” and the law is, in the instance under consideration, that we shall do all we can of ourselves. . . .
“‘We must do all we can, and then ask the Lord to do the rest, such as we cannot do. Hence we hold the medical and surgical profession in high regard. . . . When we have done all we can then the Divine Power will be directly applicable and operative.’
“The fact that faithful Latter-day Saints today are among some of the world’s eminent physicians and surgeons affirms our continuing adherence to the statement of Dr. Talmage made 56 years ago.” (Church News, 19 Feb. 1977, p. 16.)
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Wise exercise and diet are important in caring for one’s body as a temple of God. |
Some may think this phrase is a promise of translation, but President Joseph Fielding Smith interpreted it in this way: “To some members of the Church the saying that those who die in the Lord shall not taste of death has been a hard saying. They have seen good faithful men and women suffer days and at times for months before they were taken. But here the Lord does not say they shall not suffer pain of body, but that they shall be free from the anguish and torment of soul which will be partaken of by the wicked, and although they may suffer in body, yet death to them will be sweet in that they will realize that they are worthy before the Lord. The Savior said to Martha: ‘and whosoever liveth and believe in me shall never die.’ That is to say, they shall never die the second death and feel the torment of the wicked when they come face to face with eternity.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:186.)
Elder Spencer W. Kimball, commenting on this phrase in the Doctrine and Covenants, said: “I am confident that there is a time to die. I am not a fatalist. I believe that many people die before ‘their time’ because they are careless, abuse their bodies, take unnecessary chances, or expose themselves to hazards, accidents and sickness. . . .
“God controls our lives, guides and blesses us, but gives us our agency. We may live our lives in accordance with His plan for us or we may foolishly shorten or terminate them.
“I am positive in my mind that the Lord has planned our destiny. We can shorten our lives but I think we cannot lengthen them very much. Sometime we’ll understand fully, and when we see back from the vantage point of the future we shall be satisfied with many of the happenings of this life which seemed so difficult for us to comprehend.” (Tragedy or Destiny, pp. 9, 11.)
Smith and Sjodahl added some brief but important insights to these verses:
“53. Thou] Refers to all the Saints, as in paragraphs 42 and 45.
“54. Thou shalt not take thy brother’s garment] Business must be coupled with humane considerations. Do not exact the ‘pound of flesh.’
“Thou shalt pay] Avoid debt. On this point modern legislators might study the Mosaic legislation with profit.
“56. My Scriptures shall be given] The [Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible]. . . .
“57. Until ye have received them in full] Note the injunction against teaching the new version as long as it was incomplete.
“59–60. The things which thou hast received] Refers to the Revelations given. They are the law by which the Church shall be governed. According to that law men will be saved or condemned.
“61–64. Here is a promise that, in answer to prayer, the Saints shall receive revelations and knowledge. The Spirit of Revelation is with the Saints whose hearts are opened to let the light in. The promise embraces especially a Revelation concerning the location of the New Jerusalem.
“68–69. In view of such promises it is the duty of the Saints to pray for wisdom and to rejoice before the Lord. . . .
“70–73. The law of remuneration is that those who administer in spiritual affairs must have their stewardships and labor for their living, ‘even as the members.’ This is wisdom. For in that position they are absolutely independent and can preach the truth without fear. Those who administer in temporal affairs and give their entire time to public business are to have a just remuneration. If they were to earn a living for themselves, they could not give all their time and energy to the community.” (Commentary, pp. 233–34.)
President N. Eldon Tanner gave the following counsel on the ways those appointed to judge should deal with transgressors:
“Every mission president, stake president, and bishop is directed and instructed how to investigate and handle all cases of transgression. A person who is guilty of a serious transgression cannot progress, and he is not happy while the guilt is upon him. Until he has confessed and repented he is in bondage. The transgressor who is dealt with as he should be, with love and with proper discipline, will later express his appreciation for your concern, your interest, and your leadership. As he is properly dealt with, he is in a position to repent and come back to full activity. But he must be dealt with. . . .
“It has been reported to me that some bishops and even stake presidents have said that they never have excommunicated or disciplined anyone and that they do not intend to. This attitude is entirely wrong. Judges in Israel have the responsibility to sit in righteous judgment where it becomes necessary. Let me read from the twentieth section of the Doctrine and Covenants an important reminder to those who have the responsibility of judging: ‘Any member of the Church of Christ transgressing, or being overtaken in a fault, shall be dealt with as the scriptures direct.’ (D&C 20:80.)
“Brethren, study the scriptures and the handbook and do as they direct and discipline the members of the Church when necessary. Remember that it is no kindness to a transgressor for his local authority to ignore or overlook or try to cover up his iniquity.
“Let me read a quotation from President John Taylor wherein he discussed this subject: ‘Furthermore, I have heard of some Bishops who have been seeking to cover up the iniquities of men: I tell them, in the name of God, they will have to bear . . . that iniquity, and if any of you want to partake of the sins of men, or uphold them, you will have to bear them. Do you hear it, you Bishops and you Presidents? God will require it at your hands. You are not placed in position to tamper with the principles of righteousness, nor to cover up the infamies and corruptions of men.’ (Conference Report, Apr., 1880, p. 78.)
“These are very strong words, brethren, and they were spoken by a president of the Church, a prophet of God. Also, George Q. Cannon makes this significant statement: ‘The Spirit of God would undoubtedly be so grieved that it would forsake not only those who are guilty of these acts, but it would withdraw itself from those who would suffer them to be done in our midst unchecked and unrebuked.’” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1974, p. 110; or Ensign, Nov. 1974, p. 78.)
On 6 April 1830 the Lord instructed the Saints about the channel through which revelation would come to build Zion. He said, speaking of the President of the Church, “Him have I inspired to move the cause of Zion in mighty power” (D&C 21:7). This instruction was difficult for some of the Saints to follow. Many had come from religious backgrounds that permitted any member of the congregation to proclaim doctrine for the entire assembly. Yet on the day the Church was organized, the Lord taught the principle that only one person has the right to receive revelation for the entire Church. Even by September 1830 the Saints had not fully learned this lesson, for many believed in the revelations of Hiram Page.
In February 1831 it became necessary for the Lord to further instruct the Saints on this matter. Section 43 was given in response to the activity of a Mrs. Hubble, who “came making great pretensions of revealing commandments, laws and other curious matters” (History of the Church, 1:154). John Whitmer recorded the following about Mrs. Hubble: “She professed to be a prophetess of the Lord, and professed to have many revelations, and knew the Book of Mormon was true, and that she should become a teacher in the church of Christ. She appeared to be very sanctimonious and deceived some who were not able to detect her in her hypocrisy; others, however, had the spirit of discernment and her follies and abominations were manifest.” (History of the Church, 1:154n.)
Mrs. Hubble was one of many who falsely claimed revelations to guide the Church or to correct the Prophet. In a discourse in Ogden, Utah, Elder George A. Smith gave several examples of the problem and said: “There was a prevalent spirit all through the early history of this church, which prompted the Elders to suppose that they knew more than the Prophet. Elders would tell you that the Prophet was going wrong.” (In Journal of Discourses, 11:7.) Many members became confused and bewildered by the different claims. Under these circumstances the Prophet went to the Lord for guidance and received the revelation recorded as Doctrine and Covenants 43.
See Notes and Commentary on Doctrine and Covenants 21:7 and Enrichment F in the Appendix.
If we take the Holy Spirit as our guide and if we study and follow the Lord’s written word, then we will be on a course of safety. With this foundation we are prepared to discern true prophets from false prophets. The Lord has provided an additional guide to ensure that the Saints are not deceived. President Joseph F. Smith explained:
“It is not my business nor that of any other individual to rise up as a revelator, as a prophet, as a seer, as an inspired man, to give revelation for the guidance of the Church, or to assume to dictate to the presiding authorities of the Church. . . . We can accept nothing as authoritative but that which comes directly through the appointed channel, the constituted organizations of the Priesthood, which is the channel that God has appointed through which to make known His mind and will to the world. . . .
“. . . the moment that individuals look to any other source, that moment they throw themselves open to the seductive influences of Satan, and render themselves liable to become servants of the devil; they lose sight of the true order through which the blessings of the Priesthood are to be enjoyed; they step outside of the pale of the kingdom of God, and are on dangerous ground. Whenever you see a man rise up claiming to have received direct revelation from the Lord to the Church, independent of the order and channel of the Priesthood, you may set him down as an impostor.” (In Journal of Discourses, 24:188–90.)
Avoiding deception is dealt with in detail in Enrichment J.
There is tremendous value in making commitments to one another and to the Lord. By entering into covenants or making commitments with others, we bind ourself by our own integrity to act in a certain way. This arrangement becomes a fortification against the powers of opposition. In other words, covenants bring a sense of responsibility, which in turn becomes a power of reinforcement for positive action and a deterrent to slothfulness. Covenant making can help us break away from routines or habits of the past as we clearly identify a course to pursue and then establish a means of accountability by making the commitment known to others. There are always positive consequences for keeping divine covenants and negative consequences for breaking them. When we make commitments based on a correct understanding of consequences, we then unify the forces within us and secure the blessings of heaven. The Lord, seeing our willingness to make commitments, gives us His Spirit, which strengthens us to do what we have committed to do.
The Saints were counseled that if they desired to receive the mysteries and glories of the kingdom, they should provide the temporal necessities for Joseph Smith so he could spend his time doing what only he could do—fulfilling his prophetic calling. The Prophet was told that “the greatest blessings which God had to bestow should be given to those who contributed to the support of his family while he was translating the fulness of the Scriptures” (Teachings, p. 9).
Though the Saints were somewhat helpful, Joseph did not receive enough to support his family, despite several attempts by Church leaders to get members to contribute (see History of the Church, 4:136–37, 164, 187, 493, 517). The process of translation was slowed, and efforts to prepare a manuscript for press were delayed. As a result he was unable to finish his translation, even though the Lord had instructed that it be published (see D&C 94:10; 104:58–59; 124:89). The neglect by the early Saints of this counsel was very costly in knowledge and spiritual blessings.
These verses contain important instructions from the Lord to those who are called to preach the gospel. Teachers in God’s kingdom are not to teach from the doctrines and philosophies of the world but are to base their teachings on the revelations of the Holy Spirit.
The Lord promises an endowment of power to those who sanctify themselves. The Saints had the gift of the Holy Ghost and the priesthood, and they would soon receive the endowment that was to be given in holy temples.
See Notes and Commentary on Doctrine and Covenants 88:95–101.
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Brigham Young spoke of the destruction and calamities that must come. |
The lightnings spoken of in verse 22 do not actually speak in the sense of talking, but they will be as much a warning to the inhabitants of the earth as is the warning given by the missionaries. According to verse 25, the Lord uses all kinds of natural phenomena, along with the efforts of His Church leaders, missionaries, angels, and even His own voice, to convince the people of the earth to repent and prepare for the future.
Speaking of this method of warning the world, President Brigham Young said: “Do you think there is calamity abroad now among the people? Not much. All we have yet heard and all we have experienced is scarcely a preface to the sermon that is going to be preached. When the testimony of the elders ceases to be given, and the Lord says to them, ‘Come home; I will now preach my own sermons to the nations of the earth,’ all you now know can scarcely be called a preface to the sermon that will be preached with fire and sword, tempests, earthquakes, hail, rain, thunders and lightnings, and fearful destruction. . . . You will hear of magnificent cities, now idolized by the people, sinking in the earth, entombing the inhabitants. The sea will heave itself beyond its bounds, engulphing mighty cities. Famine will spread over the nations.” (In Journal of Discourses, 8:123; see also D&C 88:88–92.)
In 1980, a few weeks after the eruption of Mount Saint Helens, a volcano in the Western United States, the following editorial appeared in the Church News:
“A series of most unusual events happened within the past few weeks. Of course the most startling was the Mt. St. Helens eruption, with all its damage and toll of human life.
“But while it was belching forth, a series of tornadoes swept through the middle section of the United States. More than 900 ‘freak’ storms struck America within that month. In a single day 50 tornadoes were counted in six states. The very next day 24 more tornadoes struck Iowa and Nebraska. And during this same period earthquakes shook California. . . .
“It is important that we look for significance in these upheavals. Can it be that they are signs of the times? Can it be that the Lord is speaking . . . by these frightful disasters?
“He said that in the latter days, He would declare His testimony by means of tempests, floods, earthquakes and epidemics. He didn’t mention volcanoes, but surely they are within His realm as much as earthquakes. Did He force Mt. St. Helens into eruption as a warning . . . to repent and recognize Him?
“We have a tendency to forget our pains quickly, even as does a mother when her child is born. Little is said even now about the Arizona floods, although the debris and broken bridges remain.
“Even the volcano is off the front pages. And the 50 tornadoes in one day? They got only two inches of space on the front page as part of a news summary. Not so much as a headline was given them!
“It is possible to become so hardened that we brush aside the warning voice, and even forget our sufferings. Those who lost their homes and loved ones won’t easily forget, though, even if the general public does.
“Must the Lord speak in louder tones? Must He send greater disasters before we listen to His warning voice?
“How much does it take to waken us to a realization that God is real, that there is an end to His patience, and that the only true security in these troubled times is through obedience to the Most High? Why fly in the face of Providence?” (Church News, 21 June 1980, p. 12.)
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George Q. Cannon explained how Satan will be bound. |
In speaking of the millennial era, Nephi said that “because of the righteousness of his [the Lord’s] people, Satan has no power; wherefore, he cannot be loosed for the space of many years; for he hath no power over the hearts of the people, for they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth” (1 Nephi 22:26).
President Joseph Fielding Smith taught concerning the binding of Satan: “There are many among us who teach that the binding of Satan will be merely the binding which those dwelling on the earth will place upon him by their refusal to hear his enticings. This is not so. He will not have the privilege during that period of time to tempt any man. (D. & C. 101:28.)” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:192.)
These two statements at first may seem to be at variance, but in reality they are not. It is true that the result of the righteousness of the Saints is that Satan cannot exert power over them. The restrictions that will come upon Satan will be a result of two important actions by the Lord: (1) He will destroy telestial wickedness from the earth at His Second Coming; and (2) He will reward the righteous by pouring out His Spirit on them to such an extent that Satan’s power will be overwhelmed. Satan will not have the power to tempt or negatively influence the Lord’s people. Both the righteousness of the Saints and the operation of the Lord’s power are necessary to bind Satan: if the Saints do not give heed to God’s word, He will not give them His Spirit. And without the Spirit, they on their own cannot withstand the force of the adversary.
President George Q. Cannon explained:
“We talk about Satan being bound. Satan will be bound by the power of God; but he will be bound also by the determination of the people of God not to listen to him, not to be governed by him. The Lord will not bind him and take his power from the earth while there are men and women willing to be governed by him. That is contrary to the plan of salvation. To deprive men of their agency is contrary to the purposes of our God. . . .
“Satan only gains power over man through man’s exercise of his own agency; and when Satan shall be bound, as the Lord says he will be for a thousand years, one of the great powers that will help bring this to pass will be man’s agency. The Lord has never forced men against their will to obey Him. He never will do so. If Satan, therefore, has power with man, it is because man yields to his influence. . . .
“The time is not far distant when great judgments will be poured out upon the wicked inhabitants of the earth. Every Prophet who has looked forward to our day has seen and predicted that the wicked would be destroyed. Their destruction means the destruction of Satan’s power. The righteous will be left, and because of their righteousness the Lord will have mercy upon them; they, exercising their agency in the right direction, will bring down His blessings upon them to such an extent that Satan will be bound.” (Gospel Truth, 1:86–87; see also 2 Nephi 30:18; Ether 8:26.)
See Notes and Commentary on Doctrine and Covenants 29:22–25.
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “some shall rise to the damnation of their own filthiness, which is as exquisite a torment as the lake of fire and brimstone” (Teachings, p. 361). Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained:
“The nature of burning brimstone [sulfur] is such that it perfectly symbolized to the prophetic mind the eternal torment of the damned. Accordingly we read that the wicked are ‘tormented with fire and brimstone’ (Rev. 14:9–11; 19:20; 20:10), or in other words that ‘their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever and has no end.’ (2 Ne. 9:16; Alma 12:17.) This burning scene, a horrifying ‘lake of fire and brimstone,’ symbolizes ‘endless torment’ (2 Ne. 9:19, 26; 28:23; Jac. 6:10; Alma 14:14; D. & C. 76:36); those who find place therein are subject to the second death. (Jac. 3:11; D. & C. 63:17.) They suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. (D. & C. 29:28; 43:33; 76:44, 105.)” (Mormon Doctrine, pp. 280–81.)
The word solemnity means something very serious or sublimely important. The Lord tells the members of the Church to let the serious things of eternity—their covenants and the great blessings that will be given the faithful—rest upon their minds. What changes could come into the lives of mortal men and women if they continually let the eternal perspective guide them!
Since the organization of the Church, three major Church conferences had been held. The first was on 9 June 1830, the second on 26 September 1830, and the third on 2 January 1831. All of these conferences were held in Fayette, New York.
In February 1831 the Lord commanded the Prophet to call another conference. This conference convened in Kirtland on 3 June 1831, the fourth general conference of the Church and the first in Ohio. Section 44 of the Doctrine and Covenants contains the commandment and outlines some of the major purposes for gathering the Saints together in conferences.
President David O. McKay explained:
“Reference to the Doctrine and Covenants will disclose the fact that there are four principal purposes of holding conferences of the Church:
“First, to transact current Church business [D&C 20:62],
“Second, to hear reports and general Church statistics [D&C 73:2],
“Third, to ‘approve of those names which I (the Lord) have appointed, or to disapprove of them’ [D&C 124:144],
“Fourth, to worship the Lord in sincerity and reverence, and to give and to receive encouragement, exhortation, and instruction [D&C 58:56; 72:7]” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1938, pp. 130–31).
Doctrine and Covenants section 52 states that one important purpose of the fourth general conference was to select brethren to go to Missouri to learn the location of the city of Zion. The conference, then, was to prepare the Saints for events and challenges yet to come. Elder Hugh B. Brown testified, “These great conferences are called for the purpose of inspiring us to prepare for the battle” (Church News, July 1968, p. 10).
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A general conference session in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City |
While this verse refers specifically to the general conference to be held at that time, the promise given can be applied to any gathering of the Saints. Compare Matthew 18:20: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
President Spencer W. Kimball bore this testimony at the conclusion of the April 1977 general conference: “We have all felt the outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord as we have assembled in his name to worship and be instructed by the power of the Holy Ghost. This has always been the pattern of the meetings of the saints.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1977, pp. 112–13; or Ensign, May 1977, p. 76.)
“When the Lord restored the Gospel the spirit of gathering came with it. The Lord commanded the people to gather together, and that they should not only be organized as a Church, but that they should be organized under the laws of the land, so that they might not be helpless and dependent and without influence or power; but that by means of united effort and faith they should become a power for the accomplishment of righteousness in the earth (D. & C. Sec. 44; 4–5).” (Joseph F. Smith, in Conference Report, Apr. 1900, p. 47.)
President George Q. Cannon wrote: “At no time during the Prophet’s career did the care of the poor escape his attention or become a matter of indifference to him. He was a man of large benevolence, and his sympathies were quickly aroused by any tale of sorrow or appeal for relief. In the most busy and trying periods of his life those who went to him for counsel in their troubles, always found him willing to listen, and they were sure to receive encouragement and assistance. To extend comfort to the bruised spirit, and to help the needy and distressed appeared a constant pleasure to him. His hospitality, also, was a marked feature in his character. His house was always open to entertain the stranger. One of the most cherished recollections of many of the old members of the church is the kindness with which they were treated by ‘Brother Joseph,’ and the warm welcome he gave them to his house upon their arrival at Kirtland and other places where he lived.” (Life of Joseph Smith, pp. 109–10.)
The arrival of the Prophet Joseph Smith in Kirtland, Ohio, marked the beginning of a period of rapid growth in the membership of the Church. By early June 1831, the Church had grown to about two thousand members. Among those who joined the Church at this time were Sidney Rigdon’s mother and oldest brother; Luke S. Johnson, one of the first missionaries in the Church; and Ezra Booth, who joined the Church after witnessing a miracle.
Civic leaders, ministers, newspaper editors, and parishioners joined together in an effort to stop the conversion of their neighbors to the new religion. The Prophet recorded, “Many false reports, lies, and foolish stories, were published in the newspapers, and circulated in every direction, to prevent people from investigating the work, or embracing the faith” (History of the Church, 1:158).
During these trying times of slander and abuse, the Lord blessed the Saints with revelations of comfort, peace, and assurance. One of these revelations was section 45, of which the Prophet wrote, “To the joy of the Saints who had to struggle against every thing that prejudice and wickedness could invent, I received the following: [D&C 45]” (History of the Church, 1:158).
President Joseph Fielding Smith noted that “one of the great failings of mankind is to ignore warnings of punishment for sin. In all ages of the world it has been the peculiar belief of men that the sayings of the prophets were to be fulfilled in times still future. That is true of the people today. We have had ample warning of the nearness of the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. The signs are upon us in all their power. . . . In this revelation we are given the warning that the summer is passing and if we are heedless of the warning we will find the summer past, the harvest ended and our souls not saved. While no man knows the day or the hour, yet if we are taken unawares, we will be without excuse, for the signs are ample and we now see them being fulfilled.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:195.)
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“The hour and the day no man knoweth” (D&C 49:7). |
The imagery of a judicial system is often invoked when the Last Judgment is mentioned in scriptures. Man goes before the “judgment bar” (2 Nephi 33:15), there to be “arraigned” (Alma 11:44) and face God, “the Judge of all” (Hebrews 12:23). As part of that imagery, Jesus is called the Advocate (paraclaytos). In the King James Version of the New Testament, Jesus is called the “advocate” only once (1 John 2:1). The same word (paraclaytos) is used for the Holy Ghost, although it is translated “Comforter” (John 14:16). Thus, Jesus is one Paraclete, or Comforter, and the Holy Ghost is called “another Comforter” (John 14:16). The Greek word comes from para, to the side of, and kalayo, to summon. “Hence, originally, one who is called to another’s side to aid him, as an advocate in a court of justice” (Vincent, Word Studies, 1:486).
In the terminology of today’s legal system, an advocate is a lawyer who pleads another’s cause in a court of law, or in other words, an attorney for the defense. Usually, the attorney for the defense pleads the cause on the basis that the client is innocent; or if guilty, that extenuating circumstances should be considered and mercy extended. At the time of eternal judgment, we will stand before the bar of God accused of being imperfect and unworthy to enter God’s presence, “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). At that time we have an Advocate with the Father. He will stand beside us to plead our cause before the Great Judge; however, He does not plead our case by pointing to our lack of guilt; rather, it is His own sinlessness to which He calls God’s attention (see D&C 45:4). His perfection and His suffering pay the price to satisfy justice for those of His “brethren that believe on my name” (v. 5). Imagine the indescribable sorrow of standing before the judgment bar with no one to step forward, no one to speak for you. How tragic that some will not come to Him in true faith and repentance so that He can take their guilt upon Him and become their advocate with the Father.
Three scriptures contribute to an understanding of this phrase. Modern revelation states that the earth’s temporal history spans seven thousand years, divided into periods of one thousand years each (see D&C 77:6–7). Peter and Abraham taught that time on earth, compared to the time where God dwells, is at a ratio of a thousand of earth’s years to one day of God’s time (see 2 Peter 3:8; Abraham 3:4). Since the earth will have a temporal existence before it is celestialized, and since it is known that the earth is now in the sixth period of a thousand years, or the sixth “day,” in the Lord’s terminology the present period is “today” and Christ will come “tomorrow.” In a later revelation, the Lord used this same terminology, indicating that “now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man,” that “after today cometh the burning,” that “tomorrow all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble” (D&C 64:23–24; italics added).
“When the Millennial reign comes, the holy men of old shall see it in their ‘flesh,’ for they will be resurrected and take their place among the Saints” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p. 255; see also Moses 7:61–64).
Most of this revelation is the Savior’s retelling of one of His sermons while He was in Jerusalem. After leaving the temple, the Savior and His disciples climbed the Mount of Olives, where they had a dramatic view of the temple and Jerusalem. Here His disciples asked, “When shall these things be . . . and what is the sign of thy coming?” (JS—M 1:4). His lengthy answer provides one of the most detailed revelations on the signs of the times and of the Second Coming. Known as the Olivet Discourse because it was given on the Mount of Olives, the full sermon is given in Matthew 24–25. Joseph Smith’s inspired corrections of the Olivet Discourse are so significant that they have been included in the Pearl of Great Price (see Joseph Smith—Matthew). Mark and Luke also recorded portions of the discourse, though not as fully as did Matthew (see Mark 13:1–37; Luke 21:5–36).
The Lord’s citation of the same discourse in Doctrine and Covenants 45 begins in verse 16 with the words “As ye have asked of me.” The Savior interrupts the quotation after verse 33 to make an explanatory comment but continues it in verse 35 with “Be not troubled.” He seems to end the account at the end of verse 59 and begins speaking directly to Joseph Smith in verse 60.
“One reason for their anxiety to know the signs is here stated. The separation of the spirits from the bodies is, even to those who are Christ’s own, a ‘bondage,’ which is ended only by a glorious resurrection, and they were interested in knowing by what signs they might recognize that their day of redemption was drawing near, when spirit and body should be united. The departed saints are, we may be sure, looking for the signs of the coming of the Lord, with an intense interest as the saints still in mortality. Jesus graciously showed them ‘how the day of redemption shall come, and also the restoration of scattered Israel.’ The two events are inseparably connected.” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p. 259.)
For a more complete treatment of the subject of the Second Coming and the signs of the times, see Enrichment H in the Appendix.
“In the year 66 A.D., Cestus Gallus marched into Judea and threatened Jerusalem. He might have taken the City, but he retreated and met with defeat near Beth-Horon. The Christians in the City, remembering the words of our Lord, fled to the little city of Pella, but the Jews were fired, by their temporary success, to renewed resistance. Vespasian was then sent from Rome to crush the rebellion. He took some of the strongholds of the Country and approached Jerusalem. Internal strife prevailed there, and such horrors were perpetrated that Vespasian decided to give his army a rest, while the Jews destroyed each other. Vespasian was elevated to the throne, and his son, Titus, was left to continue the conquest. The siege began in the year 70 A.D. Soon famine prevailed. Citizens who ventured outside the walls to search for roots to eat, if seized, were crucified by the Roman soldiers. Sometimes hundreds in that awful position could be seen from the walls. A trench was dug around the City, in order to make its isolation complete. Prisoners of war were cut open, while alive, to enable soldiers to search their bodies for gold which they might have swallowed. Six hundred thousand persons died within the walls, and the dead bodies, too numerous to be buried, were left in the houses. The Zealots, a fanatical sect whose members maintained that God would save them at the last moment, went about murdering and urging the people to resistance. Even Titus was sick at heart at the daily horrors he witnessed or heard of. At length the temple became a fort. Titus attacked it as such. A Roman soldier, contrary to order, set fire to it. After a while the scene was one of carnage and plunder. Six thousand Jews perished in the flames. In this awful war more than a million and a half of the Jews perished, and many were sold into slavery, and thus ‘scattered among all nations.’” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, pp. 260–61.)
The Savior spoke the words of the Olivet Discourse during the last week of His life, in A.D. 33. Jerusalem fell in A.D. 70. His promise “that this generation of Jews shall not pass away until every desolation . . . shall come to pass” (D&C 45:21) was fulfilled. Some of the disciples who heard Jesus speak those words were still alive when the legions of Titus put the temple to the torch.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained the special way this phrase is used in the scriptures: “The end of the world is the end of unrighteousness or of worldliness as we know it, and this will be brought about by ‘the destruction of the wicked.’ ([JS—M] 1:4.) When our world ends and the millennial era begins, there will be a new heaven and a new earth. (Isa. 65:17–25; D. & C. 101:23–24.) Lust, carnality, and sensuousness of every sort will cease, for it will be the end of the world.” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 848.)
President Joseph Fielding Smith explained that “the times of the Gentiles commenced shortly after the death of our Redeemer. The Jews soon rejected the Gospel and it was then taken to the Gentiles. The times of the Gentiles have continued from that time until now. The Lord said: ‘But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.’ In that day the Gospel was given first to the Jews and then taken to the Gentiles. In this dispensation it was taken first to the Gentiles and afterwards it will go to the Jews.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:196.)
The times of the Gentiles began with Peter’s vision and the baptism of Cornelius (see Acts 10). Paul and the other Apostles then began the great missionary work to the Gentiles, since the Jewish nation, for the most part, had rejected Jesus. As President Smith indicated, the times that the major gospel effort would be with gentile nations continued with the Restoration. The times of the Gentiles will be over, or fulfilled, when the major efforts of gospel teaching begin to focus on the house of Israel: the Lamanites, the Jews, and the ten tribes.
In the Olivet Discourse, the Savior gave four signs to indicate when the times of the Gentiles were over. Three are given in section 45, and one is given in Luke’s account of the great discourse.
1. The Jews will be gathered back to the land of Jerusalem (see D&C 45:25). In the April 1960 general conference, Elder George Q. Morris of the Quorum of the Twelve discussed this sign:
“I think perhaps we may well now not continue saying the Jews are going to gather in Jerusalem. I think now we may well say they have gathered. The ultimate returns will come later as they develop this land and are joined by others. . . .
“This statement by a writer is very interesting:
“‘Strangely enough when the State of Israel was reborn in 1948, it was a nation of 600,000, the same number which the Bible reports that Moses led out of bondage in Egypt. It now numbers some two million, the same number which it is said populated the ancient Kingdom of Solomon, when Israel was in all its glory.’
“That is why we may now say that the Jews have returned to Palestine.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1960, pp. 100–101.)
2. It will be in a time of great social turmoil (see D&C 45:26–27). One need only follow current events as reported in the news media for a day or two to see turmoil like the Savior described.
3. The Gentiles will for the most part reject the gospel (see D&C 45:28–30). President Joseph Fielding Smith, writing about these verses, said: “‘And when the times of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fulness of my Gospel,’ the Lord said in this revelation [D&C 45:28]. The meaning is that when the time had come for the restoration of the Gospel—in the times of the Gentiles—that it would not be perceived because the hearts of the people are turned away by the precepts of men. However, in that generation this should happen, the times of the Gentiles should be fulfilled.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:196.)
4. Jerusalem will no longer be “trodden down of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24). Again President Smith explained: “When we consider the words of the Savior to his disciples, that the Jews should be scattered and ‘Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled,’ we have a fair understanding of the meaning of this . . . verse [D&C 45:30] in this revelation. Jerusalem was trodden down of the Gentiles from the day of its destruction until the close of the year 1917, when it was freed from Turkish rule by General Edmund H. Allenby of the British forces. After the war Palestine became a British mandate, and Great Britain by proclamation declared that country to be a refuge for the Jews, who were invited to return. . . . It is very significant, however, that Jerusalem is no longer trodden down by the Gentiles and the Jews are again gathering there. This is the sign given by our Lord, for the end of the times of the Gentiles. We are now in the transition period and shortly the day of the Jew will dawn and the Gospel will be taken to them and to the remnants on this land.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:196–97.)
When Joseph Fielding Smith wrote those words in 1947, Israel had not yet been made a state; they were still under the British mandate. But on 15 May 1948, Israel became an independent nation and declared Jerusalem to be her capital. In the war that followed this declaration, the Jews could maintain control of western Jerusalem only. East Jerusalem became part of the state of Jordan. In general conference in 1966, Elder Smith, now President of the Quorum of the Twelve, said: “Jesus said the Jews would be scattered among all nations and Jerusalem would be trodden down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles were fulfilled. (Luke 21:24.) The prophecy in Section 45, verses 24–29, of the Doctrine and Covenants regarding the Jews was literally fulfilled. Jerusalem, which was trodden down by the Gentiles, is no longer trodden down but is made the home for the Jews. They are returning to Palestine, and by this we may know that the times of the Gentiles are near their close.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1966, p. 13.)
During the Six-Day War of 1967, Israel conquered the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and for the first time since the city fell to the legions of Titus in A.D. 70, Jerusalem came completely under the control of a Jewish government.
President Ezra Taft Benson noted:
“We live in an age when, as the Lord foretold, men’s hearts are failing them, not only physically but in spirit. (See D&C 45:26.) Many are giving up heart for the battle of life. Suicide ranks as a major cause of the deaths to college students. As the showdown between good and evil approaches with its accompanying trials and tribulations, Satan is increasingly striving to overcome the Saints with despair, discouragement, despondency, and depression.
“Yet, of all people, we as Latter-day Saints should be the most optimistic and the least pessimistic. For while we know that ‘peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion,’ we are also assured that ‘the Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst.’ (D&C 1:35–36.)” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1974, p. 90; or Ensign, Nov. 1974, p. 65.)
“The expression is the same as that found in Matt. 24:12, where we read (translated literally), ‘And because lawlessness has abounded, the love of the many [this indicates more than a few] shall wax cold.’ ‘Love’ here means Christian unity, harmony. Where . . . does that love, that oneness, prevail? There is an abundance of co-operation based on self-interest, or family connections: but where is there genuine Christian love, true, unselfish, constant? Its absence in the majority of men is one of the signs of the end.” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p. 262.)
The fulfilling or closing out of the times of the Gentiles is one of the great signs given by the Savior in answer to the question of the disciples, “What is the sign of thy coming?” (JS—M 1:4). Doctrine and Covenants 45:31 shows its great significance: “There shall be men standing in that generation [in which the times of the Gentiles will be fulfilled] that shall not pass.” That language is almost identical with the Savior’s warning to the Jews, as he recounts in verse 21, and the fulfillment will be just as sure (see Notes and Commentary for D&C 45:21).
Elder Bruce R. McConkie warned:
“Be it remembered that tribulations lie ahead. There will be wars in one nation and kingdom after another until war is poured out upon all nations and two hundred million men of war mass their armaments at Armageddon.
“Peace has been taken from the earth, the angels of destruction have begun their work, and their swords shall not be sheathed until the Prince of Peace comes to destroy the wicked and usher in the great Millennium.
“There will be earthquakes and floods and famines. The waves of the sea shall heave themselves beyond their bounds, the clouds shall withhold their rain, and the crops of the earth shall wither and die.
“There will be plagues and pestilence and disease and death. An overflowing scourge shall cover the earth and a desolating sickness shall sweep the land. Flies shall take hold of the inhabitants of the earth, and maggots shall come in upon them. (See D&C 29:14–20.) ‘Their flesh shall fall from off their bones, and their eyes from their sockets’ (D&C 29:19).
“Bands of Gadianton robbers will infest every nation, immorality and murder and crime will increase, and it will seem as though every man’s hand is against his brother.
“We need not dwell more upon these things. We are commanded to search the scriptures where they are recounted with force and fervor, and they shall surely come to pass.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1979, p. 131; or Ensign, May 1979, p. 93; see also D&C 5:19–20; 63:32–37; 97:22–27.)
President Harold B. Lee stated:
“In these days of our generation, many of you are asking: Where is safety?
“The word of the Lord is not silent. He has admonished us: ‘But my disciples shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved; but among the wicked, men shall lift up their voices and curse God and die.’ (D&C 45:32.)
“The Lord has told us where these ‘holy places’ are: ‘And it shall come to pass among the wicked, that every man that will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety.’ (D&C 45:68.)
“Where is Zion?
“During the various periods of time or dispensations, and for specific reasons, the Lord’s prophets, his ‘mouthpieces,’ as it were, have designated gathering places where the Saints were to gather. After designating certain such places in our dispensation, the Lord then declared: ‘Until the day cometh when there is found no more room for them; and then I have other places which I will appoint unto them, and they shall be called stakes, for the curtains or the strength of Zion.” (D&C 101:21.)
“Thus, clearly the Lord has placed the responsibility of directing the work of gathering in the hands of his divinely appointed leaders. May I fervently pray that all Saints and truth-seekers everywhere will attune their listening ears to these prophet-leaders. . . .
“As one studies the Lord’s commandments and attending promises upon compliance therewith, one gets some definite ideas as to how we might ‘stand in holy places,’ as the Lord commands—if we will be preserved with such protection as accords with his holy purposes, in order that we might be numbered among the ‘pure in heart’ who constitute Zion, as I have read from the Lord’s own words.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1968, pp. 61–62.)
Elder Marion G. Romney commented:
“The fact that the Lord recounted these predictions to the Prophet Joseph in 1831 surely emphasizes their importance to us. And since the disciples were troubled when they were but being told of these calamities to come far in the future, it is no wonder that we are troubled as we witness their occurrence. . . .
“It was in the light of Christ’s foreknowledge . . . that he said to his disciples, ‘be not troubled. . . .’
“I hope we are all familiar with these words of the Lord and with his predictions concerning other coming events, such as the building of the New Jerusalem and the redemption of the old, the return of Enoch’s Zion, and Christ’s millennial reign.
“Not only do I hope that we are familiar with these coming events, I hope also that we keep the vision of them continually before our minds. This I do because upon a knowledge of them, and an assurance of their reality and a witness that each of us may have part therein, rests the efficacy of Christ’s admonition, ‘be not troubled. . . .’” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1966, pp. 51–52.)
President Jedediah M. Grant asked: “Why is it that the Latter-day Saints are perfectly calm and serene among all the convulsions of the earth—the turmoils, strife, war, pestilence, famine and distress of nations? It is because the spirit of prophecy has made known to us that such things would actually transpire upon the earth. We understand it, and view it in its true light. We have learned it by the visions of the Almighty.” (“The Hand of God in Events on Earth,” Improvement Era, Feb. 1915, p. 286.)
Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained:
“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.
“We can rest assured that if we have done all in our power to prepare for whatever lies ahead, he will then help us with whatever else we need. . . .
“We do not say that all of the Saints will be spared and saved from the coming day of desolation. But we do say there is no promise of safety and no promise of security except for those who love the Lord and who are seeking to do all that he commands.
“It may be, for instance, that nothing except the power of faith and the authority of the priesthood can save individuals and congregations from the atomic holocausts that surely shall be.
“And so we raise the warning voice and say: Take heed; prepare; watch and be ready. There is no security in any course except the course of obedience and conformity and righteousness.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1979, pp. 132–133; or Ensign, May 1979, p. 93.)
“When Jesus spoke to his disciples in answer to their query: ‘Show us when the end of the world shall come, and the time of thy coming’ [Matthew 24:3], he spoke of certain signs that would indicate the time of his coming, the very signs that the world, if they only had eyes to see, could be beholding today: Said he: judge the matter even as you would judge the coming of spring. When you see the fig tree putting forth its leaf, ye know that summer is near, and so when you see these signs, you may know that the coming of the Son of man is nigh at hand.” (Melvin J. Ballard, in Conference Report, Oct. 1923, p. 32.)
President Joseph Fielding Smith said of the signs mentioned here:
“One wonders if we are not now seeing some of the signs in heaven—not all, for undoubtedly some of them will be among the heavenly bodies, such as the moon and the sun, the meteors and comets, but in speaking of the heavens, reference is made to that part which surrounds the earth and which belongs to it. It is in the atmosphere where many of the signs are to be given. Do we not see airships of various kinds traveling through the heavens daily? Have we not had signs in the earth and through the earth with the radio, railroad trains, automobiles, submarines, and satellites, and in many other ways? There are yet to be great signs: the heavens are to be shaken, the sign of the Son of Man is to be given, and then shall the tribes of the earth mourn. . . .
“If the great and dreadful day of the Lord were near at hand when Elijah came 130 years ago, we are just one century nearer it today. But some will say: ‘But no! Elijah, you are wrong! . . . Surely you made a mistake!’ So many seem to think and say, and judging by their actions they are sure, that the world is bound to go on in its present condition for millions of years before the end will come. Talk to them; hear what they have to say—these learned men of the world. ‘We have had worse times,’ they say. ‘You are wrong in thinking there are more calamities now than in earlier times. There are not more earthquakes, the earth has always been quaking, but now we have facilities for gathering the news which our fathers did not have. These are not signs of the times; things are not different from former times.’ And so the people refuse to heed the warnings the Lord so kindly gives to them, and thus they fulfill the scriptures.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1966, pp. 13, 15.)
“This mount” refers to the Mount of Olives on which the Savior was sitting when he gave this great discourse. Parley P. Pratt described in a pamphlet the great events depicted here: “Zechariah, chapter 14, has told us much concerning the great battle and overthrow of the nations who fight against Jerusalem, and he has said, in plain words, that the Lord shall come at the very time of the overthrow of that army; yes, in fact, even while they are in the act of taking Jerusalem, and have already succeeded in taking one-half the city, spoiling their houses, and ravishing their women. Then, behold, their long-expected Messiah, suddenly appearing, shall stand upon the Mount of Olives, a little east of Jerusalem, to fight against those nations and deliver the Jews. Zechariah says the Mount of Olives shall cleave in twain, from east to west, and one-half of the mountain shall remove to the north while the other half falls off to the south, suddenly forming a very great valley into which the Jews shall flee for protection from their enemies as they fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah; while the Lord cometh and all the saints with Him. Then will the Jews behold that long, long-expected Messiah, coming in power to their deliverance, as they always looked for him. He will destroy their enemies and deliver them from trouble at the very time they are in the utmost consternation, and about to be swallowed up by their enemies. But what will be their astonishment when they are about to fall at the feet of their Deliverer and acknowledge him their Messiah! They discover the wounds which were once made in his hands, feet, and side; and on inquiry, at once recognize Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews, the man so long rejected. Well did the prophet say that they shall mourn and weep, every family apart, and their wives apart. But, thank heaven, there will be an end to their mourning; for he will forgive their iniquities and cleanse them from uncleanness. Jerusalem shall be a holy city from that time forth, and all the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon. She shall be lifted up and inhabited in her place, and men shall dwell there. There shall be no more utter destruction of Jerusalem, ‘And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.’ (Zechariah 14:9.)” (Voice of Warning, pp. 32–33.)
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The Lord shall set His foot upon the Mount of Olives. |
See Notes and Commentary on Doctrine and Covenants 43:31.
Though many people think the Olivet Discourse is limited to Matthew 24, the three parables in chapter 25 (the parable of the ten virgins, the parable of the talents, and the parable of the sheep and the goats) were part of the same discourse (note especially Matthew 25:1, 31). The Lord revealed to Joseph Smith the key to the symbolism of the parable of the ten virgins. The oil represents spiritual power derived from the Holy Ghost.
Elder Spencer W. Kimball explained:
“I believe that the Ten Virgins represent the people of the Church of Jesus Christ and not the rank and file of the world. All of the virgins, wise and foolish, had accepted the invitation to the wedding supper; they had knowledge of the program and had been warned of the important day to come. They were not the gentiles or the heathens or the pagans, nor were they necessarily corrupt and reprobate, but they were knowing people who were foolishly unprepared for the vital happenings that were to affect their eternal lives.
“They had the saving, exalting gospel, but it had not been made the center of their lives. They knew the way but gave only a small measure of loyalty and devotion. I ask you: What value is a car without an engine, a cup without water, a table without food, a lamp without oil?
“Rushing for their lamps to light their way through the blackness, half of them found them empty. They had cheated themselves. They were fools, these five unprepared virgins. Apparently, the bridegroom had tarried for reasons that were sufficient and good. Time had passed, and he had not come. They had heard of his coming for so long, so many times, that the statement seemingly became meaningless to them. Would he ever come? So long had it been since they began expecting him that they were rationalizing that he would never appear. Perhaps it was a myth.
“Hundreds of thousands of us today are in this position. Confidence has been dulled and patience worn thin. It is so hard to wait and be prepared always. But we cannot allow ourselves to slumber. The Lord has given us this parable as a special warning.
“At midnight, the vital cry was made, ‘Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.’ . . .
“At midnight! Precisely at the darkest hour, when least expected, the bridegroom came. When the world is full of tribulation and help is needed, but it seems the time must be past and hope is vain, then Christ will come. The midnights of life are the times when heaven comes to offer its joy for man’s weariness. But when the cry sounds, there is no time for preparation. The lamps then make patterns of joy on the hillside, and the procession moves on toward the house of banqueting, and those without lamps or oil are left in darkness. When they have belatedly sought to fulfill the requirements and finally reach the hall, the door is shut. In the daytime, wise and unwise seemed alike; midnight is the time of test and judgment—and of offered gladness. . . .
“The foolish asked the others to share their oil, but spiritual preparedness cannot be shared in an instant. The wise had to go, else the bridegroom would have gone unwelcomed. They needed all their oil for themselves; they could not save the foolish. The responsibility was each for himself.
“This was not selfishness or unkindness. The kind of oil that is needed to illuminate the way and light up the darkness is not shareable. How can one share obedience to the principle of tithing; a mind at peace from righteous living; an accumulation of knowledge? How can one share faith or testimony? How can one share attitudes or chastity, or the experience of a mission? How can one share temple privileges? Each must obtain that kind of oil for himself.
“The foolish virgins were not averse to buying oil. They knew they should have oil. They merely procrastinated, not knowing when the bridegroom would come.
“In the parable, oil can be purchased at the market. In our lives the oil of preparedness is accumulated drop by drop in righteous living. Attendance at sacrament meetings adds oil to our lamps, drop by drop over the years. Fasting, family prayer, home teaching, control of bodily appetites, preaching the gospel, studying the scriptures—each act of dedication and obedience is a drop added to our store. Deeds of kindness, payment of offerings and tithes, chaste thoughts and actions, marriage in the covenant for eternity—these, too, contribute importantly to the oil with which we can at midnight refuel our exhausted lamps.
“Midnight is so late for those who have procrastinated.” (Faith Precedes the Miracle, pp. 253–56.)
The Lord instructed Joseph Smith to translate the New Testament and said that one of the purposes for his translating the scriptures was so that he would be prepared for the things to come. This work of translation is known as the Joseph Smith Translation.
In the scriptures four words seem closely related to the concept of Zion: gathering, preparation, defense, and refuge. The tribulations and judgments that will be poured out upon the world prior to the Second Coming will be so extensive and devastating that if the Lord did not prepare a means of preservation, His people too would perish. But He has prepared a means for His people to escape those terrible times; that means is Zion. Enoch was told that the Lord would preserve His people in the tribulations of the last days by gathering His elect to Zion where they could gird up their loins (prepare themselves) and look forward to His coming (see Moses 7:61–62). In an earlier revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants, the Savior called the elders of the Church to gather the elect so their hearts could be prepared for the day of tribulation (see D&C 29:7–8). In 1838 the Lord explained that the gathering to Zion and her stakes was to be for defense and refuge from the coming storm that will be poured out on the earth (see D&C 115:5–6). These commands and promises are found also in section 45. The Saints are to gather to Zion (see D&C 45:64–65), a place of safety, peace, and refuge (see v. 65). Even though the rest of the world is in a state of horrible warfare (see v. 68), in Zion (D&C 115:5–6 implies that this includes her stakes) there will be peace and joy (see D&C 45:69–71).
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “Without Zion, and a place of deliverance, we must fall; because the time is near when the sun will be darkened, and the moon turn to blood, and the stars fall from heaven, and the earth reel to and fro. Then, if this is the case, and if we are not sanctified and gathered to the places God has appointed, with all our former professions and our great love for the Bible, we must fall; we cannot stand; we cannot be saved; for God will gather out his Saints from the Gentiles, and then comes desolation and destruction, and none can escape except the pure in heart who are gathered.” (Teachings, p. 71; see also Enrichment B.)
Challenges to the Lord’s newly restored Church were many and varied. The foundation years saw Satan’s power unleashed in continued efforts to thwart the kingdom of God. Evil spirits were marshaled to destroy the Prophet Joseph Smith and all who aligned themselves with Christ’s Church. But the heavens had been opened, and God had revealed to His prophet-leader the designs and tactics of the enemy. Speaking of these tactics, the Prophet Joseph Smith said: “A man must have the discerning of spirits before he can drag into daylight this hellish influence and unfold it unto the world in all its soul-destroying, diabolical, and horrid colors; for nothing is a greater injury to the children of men than to be under the influence of a false spirit when they think they have the Spirit of God. Thousands have felt the influence of its terrible power and baneful effects. Long pilgrimages have been undertaken, penances endured, and pain, misery and ruin have followed in their train; nations have been convulsed, kingdoms overthrown, provinces laid waste, and blood, carnage and desolation are habiliaments in which it has been clothed.” (History of the Church, 4:573.)
On 8 March 1831 at Kirtland, Ohio, the Prophet received section 46, a revelation which would assist the Saints in dragging into daylight Satan’s plan by describing the true gifts of the Holy Spirit.
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The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles under Brigham Young. Throughout all the ages, Saints who have followed the Lord’s leaders have not been deceived. |
“John Whitmer records in his history that ‘in the beginning of the Church, while yet in her infancy, the disciples used to exclude unbelievers which caused some to marvel and converse of this matter because of the things written in the Book of Mormon. (3 Nephi 18:22–24.) Therefore, the Lord deigned to speak on this subject, that his people might come to an understanding, and he said that he had always given to his elders to conduct all meetings as they were led by the Spirit.’ After the Lord gave this revelation this practice of forbidding non-members to attend the sacrament services ceased.” (Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:199.)
Elder Marion G. Romney said:
“By the statement in the revelation on spiritual gifts, ‘. . . it is given by the Holy Ghost to some to know the diversities of operations, whether they be of God, . . . and to others the discerning of spirits,’ it appears that there are some apparently supernatural manifestations which are not worked by the power of the Holy Ghost. The truth is there are many which are not. The world today is full of counterfeits. It has always been so. Away back in the days of Moses, when Aaron’s rod became a serpent, then Pharaoh’s wise men, sorcerers and magicians ‘. . . cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: . . .’ (Ex. 7:11–12.) Isaiah warned against seeking ‘. . . unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: . . .’ (Isa. 8:19.)
“The Saints were cautioned by the Lord to walk uprightly before him, doing all things with prayer and thanksgiving, that they might ‘. . . not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men; . . .’ (D&C 47:7.)
“These citations not only sustain the proposition that there are counterfeits to the gifts of the Spirit, but they also suggest the origin of the counterfeits. However, we are not required to rely alone upon their implications, plain as they are, for the Lord states specifically that some of the counterfeits ‘. . . are of men, and others of devils.’ [D&C 46:7.]
“Some of these counterfeits are crude and easily detected, but others closely simulate true manifestations of the spirit. Consequently, people are confused and deceived by them. Without a key, one cannot distinguish between the genuine and the counterfeit.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1956, pp. 70–71.)
Enrichment J in the Appendix discusses how to discern between genuine and counterfeit revelations.
Elder Orson Pratt taught that “whenever the Holy Ghost takes up its residence in a person, it not only cleanses, sanctifies, and purifies him, in proportion as he yields himself to its influence, but also imparts to him some gift, intended for the benefit of himself and others. No one who has been born of the Spirit, and who remains sufficiently faithful, is left destitute of a spiritual gift. A person who is without a spiritual gift has not the Spirit of God dwelling in him, in a sufficient degree, to save him; he cannot be called a Saint, or a child of God; for all Saints who constitute the Church of Christ, are baptized into the same Spirit; and each one, without any exception, is made a partaker of some spiritual gift. . . .
“Each member does not receive all these gifts; but they are distributed through the whole body [of the Church], according to the will and wisdom of the Spirit. . . . Some may have all these gifts bestowed upon them, so as to understand them all, and be prepared to detect any spurious gifts, and to preside over the whole body of the Church, that all may be benefited. These spiritual gifts are distributed among the members of the Church, according to their faithfulness, circumstances, natural abilities, duties, and callings; that the whole may be properly instructed, confirmed, perfected, and saved.” (Masterful Discourses, pp. 539–41.)
Gifts of the Spirit are also listed in 1 Corinthians 12:1–13 and Moroni 10:8–18.
“This knowledge is placed first among the special gifts, because it is obtained only by revelation. To believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Anointed One, the Messiah, and that He was crucified for the sins of the world, is not to know it. Knowledge is a special gift.” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p. 274.)
Concerning the gift to know, President Joseph Fielding Smith counseled: “When Spirit speaks to spirit, the imprint upon the soul is far more difficult to erase. Every member of the Church should have impressions that Jesus is the Son of God indelibly pictured on his soul through the witness of the Holy Ghost.” (“The First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve,” Improvement Era, Nov. 1966, p. 979.)
Some receive the gift of believing in the testimony that others have received. This gift could be manifested in the lives of people who investigate the Church because they believe in the testimony of members or missionaries while not yet possessing a personal testimony of their own. Children may receive this gift of believing in the testimony of their parents until they receive their own testimony. This gift follows the one spoken of in verse 13, perhaps because it refers to the gift that prophets and Apostles have of receiving a special witness of the Savior. The gift of the Spirit spoken of in verse 14 is for the Saints in general to believe on the testimony of God’s servants.
“What is meant by differences of administration? By referring to the Greek text of 1 Corinthians 12:5, where the Apostle Paul is speaking about the same thing, we may get a suitable answer. Apparently by ‘differences of administration’ is meant the distinctive varieties of service and ministration by which things are accomplished in the Church. The Lord seems to be saying (vs. 15) that while there are diversities of services and ministers or agents, such as Apostles, High Priests, Seventies, and the like in the Church, they all depend on the same Lord and Savior, who is the head of the whole Church. One who has the gift by the Holy Ghost to know differences of administration is one who discerns correctly the services and agencies by which the Lord works.” (Sperry, Compendium, p. 196.)
The world today is filled with false philosophies and false prophets. This gift gives one the ability to distinguish between those things that are of the devil and those that are of God. To avoid deception requires constant vigilance and acquiring the gift or following those who have received the gift; otherwise, even the elect, according to the covenant, could be deceived (see JS—M 1:22; see also Notes and Commentary on D&C 46:7–8).
This phrase does not refer to the commandment known as the Word of Wisdom. Rather, it refers to the endowment of wisdom that comes to those who “ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally” (James 1:5). This gift is frequently seen in Church leaders, such as presidents, bishops, and their counselors. Parents may receive this gift when counseling their children.
The gift of knowledge is an endowment from God that comes by study and obedience. It is not just a storehouse of factual information but is a knowledge of the things of God obtained by revelation. Thus we read, “If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal” (D&C 42:61).
Elder Stephen L Richards explained that the gift of discernment “arises largely out of an acute sensitivity to impressions—spiritual impressions, if you will—to read under the surface as it were, to detect hidden evil, and more importantly to find the good that may be concealed. The highest type of discernment is that which perceives in others and uncovers for them their better natures, the good inherent within them. It’s the gift every missionary needs when he takes the gospel to the people of the world. He must make an appraisal of every personality whom he meets. He must be able to discern the hidden spark that may be lighted for truth. The gift of discernment will save him from mistakes and embarrassment, and it will never fail to inspire confidence in the one who is rightly appraised.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1950, p. 162.)
This is one of the most misunderstood gifts. The Lord may grant the gift of speaking in tongues to give an unusual message or communicate with those who speak a different language, as on the day of Pentecost (see Acts 2:4–12). But newly-called missionaries who quickly grasp a foreign language may also be experiencing the gift of tongues.
Because this gift is often counterfeited and used to deceive, the Prophet Joseph Smith warned: “Be not so curious about tongues, do not speak in tongues except there be an interpreter present; the ultimate design of tongues is to speak to foreigners, and if persons are very anxious to display their intelligence, let them speak to such in their own tongues. The gifts of God are all useful in their place, but when they are applied to that which God does not intend, they prove an injury, a snare and a curse instead of a blessing.” (History of the Church, 5:31–32; see also 1 Corinthians 14:1–25.)
Elder Stephen L Richards said that “the gift of discernment is essential to the leadership of the Church. I never ordain a bishop or set apart a president of a stake