D&C 114

Section 114 is only 2 verses so let’s see what we got. The IM gives background saying, “The Prophet Joseph Smith received this revelation of 17 April 1838 in behalf of David W. Patten at Far West, Missouri. Elder Patten was one of the original Apostles and ‘had for some time been located in Missouri and with Elder Thomas B. Marsh was maintaining a steady influence amidst the opposition of disaffected brethren, including the three who had been appointed to preside, David Whitmer, William W. Phelps and John Whitmer. The Lord called upon Elder Patten to settle up his business as soon as possible, make a disposition of his merchandise, and prepare to take a mission the following spring, in company with others to preach the Gospel to all the world. ‘For verily thus saith the Lord, that inasmuch as there are those among you deny my name, others shall be planted in their stead, and receive their bishopric. Amen.’ Elder Patten obedient to this revelation took steps to meet this call which had come to him. Events were to develop, however, which would change the nature of his mission before the following spring could arrive.’ In October 1838 the persecutions of mobs in Missouri threatened not only the property of the Saints but also their lives. A group took three prisoners and promised to murder them, saying they would come the next morning to burn the Saints out. The Prophet Joseph Smith appointed Elder Patten to lead seventy-five volunteers against the mob of thirty or forty, hoping to rout them without bloodshed and free the three prisoners. In the confrontation Elder Patten was shot in the stomach and died that night. The Prophet said, ‘He was one of the Twelve Apostles, and died as he had lived, a man of God, and strong in the faith of a glorious resurrection, in a world where mobs will have no power or place.’ Section 114 was added to the Doctrine and Covenants in 1876 under the direction of President Brigham Young.” I was trying to find the quote but I can’t but basically it says that David Patten told Joseph Smith that he wanted to be the first martyr of this dispensation and Joseph Smith said sadly something like, “that’s too bad David because when a man with as much faith as you prays for something, he’s almost sure to get it.”

114:1 – Verse one says, “Verily thus saith the Lord: It is wisdom in my servant David W. Patten , that he settle up all his business as soon as he possibly can, and make disposition of his merchandise, that he may perform a mission unto me next spring, in company with others, even twelve  including himself, to testify of my name and bear tidings unto all the world.” This verse begs the question, why did the Lord say this specifically to David Patten if he knew that he was going to die before soon? There are many possible answers, that the Lord didn’t want David Patten to pray to die as the first martyr, but gave him what he wanted. To understand the next idea we have to understand “what mission was assigned to the Twelve?” As the IM explains, “The Twelve were to leave Far west on 26 April 1839 for England. However, Elder David W. Patten was killed in the battle of Crooked River on 25 October 1838.” Another idea might be that David Patten accompanied the Twelve on their mission to England, but perhaps on the other side of the veil, just an idea. It wasn’t just David Patten who wasn’t going to eventually make it to the mission to England the next year. The IM says, “During the month that this revelation was received, April 1838, several of the leading brethren in the Church were excommunicated. President George Q. Cannon wrote: ‘While the Prophet had been journeying toward Missouri after escaping the Kirtland mob in January, 1838, a general assembly of the Saints in Far West was held on the 5^th day of February, at which David Whitmer, John Whiter and William W. Phelps were rejected as the local presidency; and a few days later Thomas B. Marsh and David W. Patten, of the Twelve, were selected to act as a presidency until the Prophet should arrive. Oliver Cowdery too had been suspended from his position. Persisting in unchristianlike conduct, W. W. Phelps and John Whitmer had been excommunicated by the high council in Far West, four days previous to the arrival of Joseph. This was the sad situation as the Prophet approached the dwelling place of the Saints in Missouri… On the 12^th of April, 1838, Oliver Cowdery was found guilty of serious wrong-doing for which he had not made repentance, and he was excommunicated by the high council at Far West. Before the same tribunal on the day following David Whitmer was charged with persistent disobedience of the world of wisdom and with unchristianlike conduct, and he was also cut off. Luke Johnson, Lyman E. Johnson and John F. Boynton were excommunicated about the same time, and less than a month later a similar fate befell William W. McLellin (all members of the Quorum of the Twelve.). It was a sorrowful day for Joseph when he lost the companionship of these men who had been with him during many trials and who had participated with him in the glorious undertaking of heavenly things.’” I’ve dealt, on a small scale, with friends turning against me and it’s painful beyond measure. There are situations where you are both in the wrong, like you are both fighting with each other and both being hard headed. When a friendship ends or has trouble during that time, you can always take the first step and apologize and try to get things back on track. Then there are the situations where they are done with you for no reason that you understand, there’s nothing you can do, they just are done with you, that’s it. That is so so so very painful. This must have been how Joseph Smith felt at this time. There were those who had seen visions with him, who had been given revelations from the Lord, Oliver Cowdery had even seen the Savior in person with the Prophet, then for those men to decide that they were done with him and the Church, must have been terrible beyond measure. It’s not only the loss of friendship that is a hard hit in this situation, but it’s also knowledge that they are leaving the true church of God, they’re throwing away their salvation with both hands, and that is an indescribably painful feeling as well, a double whammy. And the kicker is that, while most of these men came back to the Church, it wasn’t during Joseph Smith’s lifetime. Very sad.

114:2 – Verse 2 says, “For verily thus saith the Lord, that inasmuch as there are those among you who deny my name, others shall be planted in their stead and receive their bishopric.” Maybe some foreshadowing here. The IM asks, “What is meant by bishopric?” And answers saying, “The Lord said that those who were not faithful would be replaced in their bishopric. Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained the term bishopric as meaning ‘any office or position of major responsibility in the Church, any office of overseership under the supervision of which important church business is administered… Thus, also, members of the Council of the Twelve- who hold the keys of the kingdom and are empowered to regulate all the affairs of the Church- serve in their bishopric.’”