D&C 118
Section 118 is short and "another of the four (revelations) give to the Prophet at Far West, Missouri, on 8 July 1838. It came in response to the question, 'show unto us thy will O Lord concerning the Twelve.'"
118:1 - The Lord calls for a "conference to be held immediately; let the Twelve be organized; and let men be appointed to supply the place of those who are fallen." The IM says that this is because "the Apostles and prophets are the foundation of the Church, and the Lord wished to keep the Quorum of the Twelve functioning without any long delay, another evidence of the importance the Lord places on the presiding quorums." The IM comments of the fallen apostles, "Elders William E. M'Lillin, Luke S. Johnson, John F. Boynton, and Lyman E. Johnson had at this point fallen into disharmony with the Church and had been excommunicated. They had been in the first Quorum of the Twelve in this dispensation, which was called on 14 February 1835. One of the replacements, John E. Page, also eventually apostatized, but the other three remained faithful. Two of the replacements, John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff, later became Presidents of the Church. John Taylor was ordained an Apostles at Far West on 19 December 1838. Wilford Woodruff was ordained an Apostles during the early morning meeting at Far West on 26 April 1839."
118:2-6 - Thomas B. Marsh is instructed to remain in Zion, "to publish my word," which was the "Elder's Journal" that he published from August 1838 to October 1839. Finally the Lord reminds them that "next spring let them depart to go over the great waters... Let them take leave of my saints in the city of Far West, on the twenty-sixth day of April next, on the building-spot of my house." At the time this revelation was received, leaving for a mission on that day from the temple site in Far West made perfect sense, but when the time came, they had been driven out of Far West and into Illinois. Before I go in to what the IM says, I just wanted to say that when I was reading the Work and the Glory, when it came to this part, when the brethren were trying to decide what to do, someone had made the point "the Lord knew what our circumstances would be at this point when he gave the revelation and he still told us to leave from that place on that day." The IM teaches, "The people of Missouri knew of the Lord's requirement to meet on 26 April 1839, nearly a year later, and they were determined to impede the work of the Twelve and stop Mormonism. During the time between the revelation and the appointed days, 'the whole Church was driven out of the State of Missouri, and it was as much as a man's life was worth to be found in the State is it was known that he was a Latter-day Saint; and especially was this the case with the Twelve. When the time came for the corner stone of the Temple to be laid, as directed in the revelation, the Church was in Illinois, having been expelled from Missouri by an edict from the Governor. Joseph and Hyrum Smith and Parley P. Pratt were in chains in Missouri for the testimony of Jesus. As the time drew nigh for the accomplishment of this work, the question arose. 'What is to be done?' Here is a revelation commanding the Twelve to be in Far West on the 26th day of April, to lay the cornerstone of the Temple there; it has to be fulfilled. The Missourians had sworn by all the gods of eternity that if every other Revelation given through Joseph Smith were fulfilled, that should not be, for the day and date being given they declared that it would fail. The general feeling in the Church, so far as I know, was that, under the circumstances, it was impossible to accomplish the work; and the Lord would accept the will for the deed.' But the Apostles were not to be put off their commanded duty: 'On the night of April 25, 1839, the little band of apostles with a small company of faithful brethren, high priests, elders and priests, arrived at Far West. Shortly after midnight, on the morning of April 26th, they assembled on the temple lot in Far West, and there they held a conference.' Brigham Young presided; John Taylor, the clerk, wrote: 'The council then proceeded to the building spot of the Lord's house; when the following business was transacted: Part of a hymn was sung, on the mission of the twelve. Elder Alpheus Cutler, the master workman of the house, then recommenced laying the foundation of the Lord's house, agreeably to revelation, by rolling up a large stone near the southeast corner. The following of the twelve were present: Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Pratt, John E. Page, and John Taylor, who proceeded to ordain Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith... to fill the places of those who had fallen.' After several of the Apostles had offered prayers, the assembly sang 'Adam-ondi-Ahman,' and the Apostles left." Remembering that the Lord knows all things when giving commands helps put things into perspective. I often think about this situation when trying to figure out my own decisions, "if only the Lord had known what was going to happen."
118:1 - The Lord calls for a "conference to be held immediately; let the Twelve be organized; and let men be appointed to supply the place of those who are fallen." The IM says that this is because "the Apostles and prophets are the foundation of the Church, and the Lord wished to keep the Quorum of the Twelve functioning without any long delay, another evidence of the importance the Lord places on the presiding quorums." The IM comments of the fallen apostles, "Elders William E. M'Lillin, Luke S. Johnson, John F. Boynton, and Lyman E. Johnson had at this point fallen into disharmony with the Church and had been excommunicated. They had been in the first Quorum of the Twelve in this dispensation, which was called on 14 February 1835. One of the replacements, John E. Page, also eventually apostatized, but the other three remained faithful. Two of the replacements, John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff, later became Presidents of the Church. John Taylor was ordained an Apostles at Far West on 19 December 1838. Wilford Woodruff was ordained an Apostles during the early morning meeting at Far West on 26 April 1839."
118:2-6 - Thomas B. Marsh is instructed to remain in Zion, "to publish my word," which was the "Elder's Journal" that he published from August 1838 to October 1839. Finally the Lord reminds them that "next spring let them depart to go over the great waters... Let them take leave of my saints in the city of Far West, on the twenty-sixth day of April next, on the building-spot of my house." At the time this revelation was received, leaving for a mission on that day from the temple site in Far West made perfect sense, but when the time came, they had been driven out of Far West and into Illinois. Before I go in to what the IM says, I just wanted to say that when I was reading the Work and the Glory, when it came to this part, when the brethren were trying to decide what to do, someone had made the point "the Lord knew what our circumstances would be at this point when he gave the revelation and he still told us to leave from that place on that day." The IM teaches, "The people of Missouri knew of the Lord's requirement to meet on 26 April 1839, nearly a year later, and they were determined to impede the work of the Twelve and stop Mormonism. During the time between the revelation and the appointed days, 'the whole Church was driven out of the State of Missouri, and it was as much as a man's life was worth to be found in the State is it was known that he was a Latter-day Saint; and especially was this the case with the Twelve. When the time came for the corner stone of the Temple to be laid, as directed in the revelation, the Church was in Illinois, having been expelled from Missouri by an edict from the Governor. Joseph and Hyrum Smith and Parley P. Pratt were in chains in Missouri for the testimony of Jesus. As the time drew nigh for the accomplishment of this work, the question arose. 'What is to be done?' Here is a revelation commanding the Twelve to be in Far West on the 26th day of April, to lay the cornerstone of the Temple there; it has to be fulfilled. The Missourians had sworn by all the gods of eternity that if every other Revelation given through Joseph Smith were fulfilled, that should not be, for the day and date being given they declared that it would fail. The general feeling in the Church, so far as I know, was that, under the circumstances, it was impossible to accomplish the work; and the Lord would accept the will for the deed.' But the Apostles were not to be put off their commanded duty: 'On the night of April 25, 1839, the little band of apostles with a small company of faithful brethren, high priests, elders and priests, arrived at Far West. Shortly after midnight, on the morning of April 26th, they assembled on the temple lot in Far West, and there they held a conference.' Brigham Young presided; John Taylor, the clerk, wrote: 'The council then proceeded to the building spot of the Lord's house; when the following business was transacted: Part of a hymn was sung, on the mission of the twelve. Elder Alpheus Cutler, the master workman of the house, then recommenced laying the foundation of the Lord's house, agreeably to revelation, by rolling up a large stone near the southeast corner. The following of the twelve were present: Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Pratt, John E. Page, and John Taylor, who proceeded to ordain Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith... to fill the places of those who had fallen.' After several of the Apostles had offered prayers, the assembly sang 'Adam-ondi-Ahman,' and the Apostles left." Remembering that the Lord knows all things when giving commands helps put things into perspective. I often think about this situation when trying to figure out my own decisions, "if only the Lord had known what was going to happen."
Comments
Post a Comment