1834-36.
A TIME OF PEACE BEGINS--BUILDING THE TEMPLE AT KIRTLAND--THE TWELVE
APOSTLES CHOSEN--FIRST QUORUM OF SEVENTY ORGANIZED--JOSEPH TRANSLATES
PEARL OF GREAT PRICE--WILLIAM SMITH'S SIN.
Much sorrow was felt by the Church because Zion's Camp was not
permitted to help the Saints back to Jackson county, and thus redeem
Zion--and yet no one was sorry that the brethren had gone to Missouri.
It was soon seen that this journey was a trial for certain men before
they were called to be Seventies and Twelve Apostles. Perhaps also on
account of the willingness of so many and the sufferings they went
through, the Lord blessed the Church for three years with much peace.
This was a time when mighty things were done. The Priesthood was more
fully organized, the temple was dedicated and the Gospel began to
spread more rapidly. Soon after the Prophet Joseph came to Kirtland
he sent forth Elders and Priests and he himself went for a short time
to Michigan. With Hyrum and others he set out by steamer on Lake
Erie, and while on their way they had a laughable experience. One of
the passengers named Elmer told them he knew Joe Smith very well,
and he was glad now that he was dead. He said Joe Smith was a dark
complexioned man, and he had heard him preach his lies in Bainbridge,
New York, five years before. That man was a pretty bad liar himself.
Joseph was not dead; he was light complexioned; he had not begun
preaching five years before, and he had never been in Bainbridge.
During the fall and winter much work was done on the temple at
Kirtland. The people were very poor, but they did their best, as the
Saints have done in Utah--when they had no money to help on the Lord's
work they gave their labor and their time. Joseph worked as foreman of
the stone quarry, and Hyrum, Brigham, Heber, and others took up their
humble toil with him.
Besides this work, High Council meetings were held very often, and the
School of the Prophets was begun again. It was a busy time for Joseph,
but he had this motto, and he made it a rule for his future life, "When
the Lord commanded, do it." By obeying the Lord without delay he was
able to do much more work than if he had put things off, just as you
boys and girls can do more work by obeying your fathers and mothers at
once.
One Sabbath afternoon in February, 1835, Brigham and Joseph Young came
to the Prophet's house after meeting to sing for him. They had very
sweet voices and he loved to hear their hymns. After they had sung,
he told them that he had seen the glory of those men who had died of
cholera in Zion's Camp and their reward was very great. They talked
over the journey to Zion, and Joseph wept. The Spirit of the Lord came
upon him and he said that the Twelve Apostles were to be chosen and
Brigham should be one of them. He said also to Joseph Young, "The Lord
has made you President of the Seventies."
That week the Prophet called a meeting of all who went with Zion's
Camp, on the 14th of February. Fifty-six of these men and many other
Saints came together. Joseph told them that the time had come when the
Twelve Apostles should be chosen and if the Saints were willing, the
three witnesses to the Book of Mormon would pick them out. In one of
the early chapters you were told who these men are, but if you have
forgotten, look them up and read their testimonies in the forepart of
your Book of Mormon.
The Saints voted for them to do it. Each one prayed that God would pour
down His Spirit upon them that they might know and do His will. Then
they named these twelve men: Thomas B. Marsh, David W. Patten, Brigham
Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, William E. McLellin, Parley P.
Pratt, Luke Johnson, William Smith, Orson Pratt, John F. Boynton and
Lyman E. Johnson. This was not the order at the time, but the Prophet
arranged them later according to age, the eldest being first. Now, you
know, the Apostles stand in the quorum according to the time they were
appointed and the president is the one who has been longest an Apostle.
The Church had been organized nearly five years now, but as you have
seen in other matters the Lord was in no hurry to fill up all the
offices at once. He in His wisdom chose the time. And yet the calling
of the Apostles was no new thought with the Prophet. Even before the
Church was organized it was revealed that there should be twelve like
the Apostles that were with Jesus.
There was a greater need for the Twelve at this time than there had
been before, because now the great missionary movement was beginning,
and the work of the Apostles is to direct this. Besides there were now
in the Church men who could be trusted with this office, and though six
of the first twelve were not faithful, the other half remained true
and held their positions when they died and will hold them throughout
eternity.
On the last day of this same month of February, forty-five members
of Zion's Camp were chosen as the beginning of the first quorum of
Seventy. Among these were George A. Smith, Jedediah M. Grant, Joseph
Young and Levi W. Hancock. Brother Smith became later an Apostle,
Brother Grant a counselor to President Young, and the other two were
presidents of the Seventy quorums throughout the Church.
The Seventies were called to go out and preach the Gospel under the
direction of the Twelve Apostles, just as the Seventy in ancient times
were sent out by Jesus. When this degree of the Priesthood was begun
the organization of the Church was almost completed, and so when you
say that the Church was organized April 6, 1830, remember that it was
only partly organized then.
In the early days of May the Apostles started on their missions. They
were absent half a year and not only preached but gave much attention
to forming conferences. As time passed by they learned their duties and
responsibilities. The Prophet Joseph said shortly after their return:
"The Twelve are not subject to any other than the First Presidency,
and where I am not there is no First Presidency over the Twelve." This
is one of the most important doctrines in the Church; when Joseph died
Sidney Rigdon was not the rightful leader; the Twelve Apostles stood at
the head of the Church.
During the summer of 1835 a man came to Kirtland with four mummies and
some rolls of Egyptian writing. These had been found in a great tomb
way off in Egypt, and it seems almost by accident had been brought to
the Prophet, and yet of course the Lord was guiding them. Joseph took
the rolls of Egyptian paper and translated the writing better than
any of the learned men who had tried before. The owner, Mr. Chandler,
gave him a certificate that his translation agreed with theirs but was
fuller. Some of the brethren bought the mummies, and Joseph by the aid
of the Spirit of God translated the writing and it was later printed in
the Pearl of Great Price.
Soon after the Twelve returned from their mission, a very sad thing
happened. William Smith, Joseph's brother and one of the Apostles, grew
angry at the Prophet over a small matter in a High Council meeting and
disturbed the meeting and hurt Joseph's feelings by his unruly conduct.
He repented but not very thoroughly, for two weeks later while Joseph
was visiting at his house he again grew angry, and struck and injured
him. On the 1st of January, 1836, a meeting was held by Joseph, Hyrum,
William and their father and uncle. William's feelings were again
softened and he asked Joseph's forgiveness and this Joseph gladly gave.
The Prophet was always ready to go more than half way to gain peace and
good feeling, and if we grow like him and like Jesus we must do the
same.