THE LORD'S HOUSE AT KIRTLAND COMMENCED--A LETTER FROM THE PROPHET TO
HIS UNCLE SILAS.
Preceding Joseph's return from Missouri, the brethren called a council
with the view of investigating the subject of building a meetinghouse,
to accommodate the increased congregation.
In this council, Joseph requested that each of the brethren should give
his views with regard to the house; and when they had all got through,
he would then give his opinion concerning the matter. They all complied
with his request. Some were in favor of building a frame house, but
others were of a mind to put up a log house. Joseph reminded them that
they were not building a house for man, but for God; "and shall we,
brethren," said he, "build a house for our God, of logs? No, I have a
better plan than that. I have a plan of the house of the Lord, given
by himself; and you will soon see by this, the difference between our
calculations and his idea of things."
He then gave them a full pattern of the house of the Lord at Kirtland,
with which the brethren were highly delighted, particularly Hyrum, who
was much more animated than if it were designed for himself.
After the close of the meeting, Joseph took the brethren with him, for
the purpose of selecting a spot for the building to stand upon. The
place which they made choice of was situated in the north-west corner
of a field of wheat, which was sown by my sons the fall previous, on
the farm upon which we were then living. In a few minutes the fence
was removed, and the standing grain was levelled, in order to prepare
a place for the building and Hyrum commenced digging a trench for the
wall, he having declared that he would strike the first blow upon the
house.
On the following Monday, the brethren went to work at the house
with great ambition; and although not thirty families of Saints now
remained in Kirtland, they never suffered the work to stop until it
was accomplished. They had to endure great fatigue and privation, in
consequence of the opposition they met with from their enemies, and
which was so great, that they were compelled to keep a guard around the
walls much of the time until they were completed. They "gave no sleep
to their eyes, nor slumber to their eyelids, until they found a place
for the Lord, a habitation for the mighty God of Jacob."
Mary Bailey and Agnes Coolbrith were then boarding with me; they
devoted their time to making and mending clothes for the men who were
employed on the house. There was but one mainspring to all our thoughts
and actions, and that was, the building of the Lord's house.
I often wonder, when I hear brethren and sisters complain at the
trifling inconveniences which they have to suffer in these days, and I
think to myself that salvation is worth as much now as it was in the
commencement of the work. But "all like the purchase, few the price
would pay." How often I have parted every bed in the house for the
accommodation of the brethren, and then laid a single blanket on the
floor for my husband and myself, while Joseph and Emma slept upon the
same floor, with nothing but their cloaks for both bed and bedding.
In January, 1832, John Smith, my husband's brother, was lying very low
with the consumption, and, although he was hardly able to stand upon
his feet without assistance, he resolved upon being baptized, which
was accordingly done on the 10th, and he was immediately healed. In
May, 1833, he moved his family to Kirtland. Not long after Brother
John arrived, my oldest daughter, Sophronia Stoddard, was taken sick.
Her symptoms soon became so alarming, that her husband sent for a
physician, who, after attending upon her for some time, pronounced her
beyond the reach of medicine, and therefore discontinued his visits. As
she did not speak, nor turn herself in bed, many supposed that she was
dying. When she was in this situation, Jared Carter, together with my
husband and our sons, administered to her in the name of the Lord, and
in half an hour she spoke to me, saying, "Mother, I shall get well--not
suddenly, but the Lord will heal me gradually." The same day she sat up
half an hour, and in three days she walked across the street.
After Brother John moved to Kirtland, Joseph wrote a letter to his
uncle Silas, which I think would be interesting to my readers, and
shall therefore give it insertion in this place:--
Kirtland Mills, Ohio, September 26, 1833.
Respected Uncle Silas:--It is with feelings of deep interest for
the welfare of mankind, which fill my mind on the reflection that
all were formed by the hand of Him who will call the same to give
an impartial account of all their works on that great day to which
you and myself, in common with them, are bound, that I take up
my pen and seat myself in an attitude to address a few, though
imperfect, lines to you for your perusal.
I have no doubt but that you will agree with me, that men will be
held accountable for the things they have done, and not for the
things they have not done. Or that all the light and intelligence
communicated to them from their beneficent Creator, whether it is
much or little, by the same they, in justice, will be judged. And
that they are required to yield obedience, and improve upon that,
and that only, which is given, for man is not to live by bread
alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.
Seeing that the Lord has never given the world to understand, by
anything heretofore revealed, that he had ceased for ever to speak
to his creatures, when sought unto in a proper manner, why should
it be thought a thing incredible, that he should be pleased to
speak again in these last days for their salvation? Perhaps you may
be surprised at this assertion, that I should say for the salvation
of his creatures in these last days, since we have already in our
possession a vast volume of his word, which he has previously
given. But you will admit that the word spoken to Noah was not
sufficient for Abraham, or it was not required of Abraham to leave
the land of his nativity, and seek an inheritance in a strange
country upon the word spoken to Noah, but, for himself he obtained
promises at the hand of the Lord, and walked in that perfection,
that he was called the friend of God. Isaac, the promised seed,
was not required to rest his hope alone upon the promises made to
his father Abraham, but was privileged with the assurance of his
approbation, in the sight of Heaven, by the direct voice of the
Lord to him. If one man can live upon the revelations given to
another, might I not with propriety ask, why the necessity, then,
of the Lord's speaking to Isaac as he did, as is recorded in the
twenty-sixth chapter of Genesis? For the Lord there repeats, or
rather, promises again to perform the oath which he had previously
sworn to Abraham; and why this repetition to Isaac? Why was not
the first promise as sure for Isaac as it was for Abraham? Was not
Isaac Abraham's son? and could he not place implicit confidence
in the veracity of his father as being a man of God? Perhaps you
may say that he was a very peculiar man, and different from men in
these last days, consequently, the Lord favored him with blessings,
peculiar and different, as he was different from men in this age.
I admit that he was a peculiar man, and was not only peculiarly
blessed, but greatly blessed. But all the peculiarity that I can
discover in the man, or all the difference between him and men in
this age, is, that he was more holy and more perfect before God,
and came to him with a purer heart, and more faith than men in this
day.
The same might be said on the subject of Jacob's history. Why was
it that the Lord spake to him concerning the same promise, after he
had made it once to Abraham, and renewed it to Isaac? Why could not
Jacob rest contented upon the word spoken to his fathers? When the
time of the promise drew nigh for the deliverance of the children
of Israel from the land of Egypt, why was it necessary that the
Lord should begin to speak to them? The promise or word to Abraham,
was, that his seed should serve in bondage, and be afflicted, four
hundred years, and after that they should come out with great
substance. Why did they not rely upon this promise, and when they
had remained in Egypt, in bondage, four hundred years, come out,
without waiting for further revelations, but act entirely upon the
promise given to Abraham, that they should come out?
Paul said to his Hebrew brethren, that God being more abundantly
willing to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his
counsel, he confirmed it by an oath. He also exhorts them, who,
through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Notwithstanding, we (said Paul) have fled for refuge to lay hold
upon the hope set before us, which hope we have as an anchor of the
soul, both sure and steadfast and which entereth into that within
the vail, yet he was careful to press upon them the necessity of
continuing on until they, as well as those who then inherited the
promises, might have the assurance of their salvation confirmed to
them by an oath from the mouth of him who could not lie; for that
seemed to be the example anciently, and Paul holds it out to his
Hebrew brethren as an object attainable in his day. And why not?
I admit, that by reading the Scriptures of truth, the saints, in
the days of Paul, could learn, beyond the power of contradiction,
that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, had the promise of eternal life
confirmed to them by an oath of the Lord, but that promise or oath
was no assurance to them of their salvation; but they could, by
walking in the footsteps, continuing in the faith of their fathers,
obtain, for themselves, an oath for confirmation that they were
meet to be partakers of the inheritance with the saints in light.
If the saints, in the days of the apostles, were privileged to take
the saints for example, and lay hold of the same promises, and
attain to the same exalted privileges of knowing that their names
were written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and that they were sealed
there as a perpetual memorial before the face of the Most High,
will not the same faithfulness, the same purity of heart, and
the same faith, bring the same assurance of eternal life, and that
in the same manner to the children of men now, in this age of the
world? I have no doubt, but that the holy prophets, and apostles,
and saints in ancient days were saved in the kingdom of God;
neither do I doubt but that they held converse and communion with
him while they were in the flesh, as Paul said to his Corinthian
brethren, that the Lord Jesus showed himself to above five hundred
saints at one time after his resurrection. Job said that he knew
that his Redeemer lived, and that he should see him in the flesh
in the latter days. I may believe that Enoch walked with God, and
by faith was translated. I may believe that Noah was a perfect man
in his generation, and also walked with God. I may believe that
Abraham communed with God, and conversed with angels. I may believe
that Isaac obtained a renewal of the covenant made to Abraham by
the direct voice of the Lord. I may believe that Jacob conversed
with holy angels, and heard the word of his Maker, that he wrestled
with the angel until he prevailed, and obtained a blessing. I
may believe that Elijah was taken to heaven in a chariot of fire
with fiery horses. I may believe that the saints saw the Lord,
and conversed with him face to face after his resurrection. I
may believe that the Hebrew church came to Mount Zion, and unto
the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an
innumerable company of angels. I may believe that they looked into
eternity, and saw the Judge of all, and Jesus the Mediator of the
New Covenant. But will all this purchase an assurance for me, and
waft me to the regions of eternal day, with my garments spotless,
pure and white? Or, must I not rather obtain for myself, by my
own faith and diligence in keeping the commandments of the Lord,
an assurance of salvation for myself? And have I not an equal
privilege with the ancient saints? And will not the Lord hear my
prayers, and listen to my cries as soon as he ever did theirs, if
I come to him in the manner they did? Or, is he a respecter of
persons?
I must now close this subject for the want of time; and, I may say,
with propriety, at the beginning. We would be pleased to see you in
Kirtland; and more pleased to have you embrace the New Covenant.
I remain, yours affectionately,
Joseph Smith, Jun.
In 1835, we were still living on the farm, and laboring with our might
to make the company which was constantly coming in, as comfortable as
possible. Joseph saw how we were situated, and that it would not answer
for us to keep a public house, at free cost, any longer; and, by his
request, we moved into an upper room of his own house, where we lived
very comfortably for a season.
Previous to the time of our going to live with Joseph, my attention
had been chiefly taken up with business; I now concluded to devote the
most of my time to the study of the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine
and Covenants, but a circumstance occurred which deprived me of the
privilege. One day upon going down stairs to dinner, I incautiously
set my foot upon a round stick, that lay near the top of the stairs.
This, rolling under my foot, pitched me forward down the steps; my head
was severely bruised in falling; however, I said but little about it,
thinking I should be better soon.
In the afternoon I went with my husband to a blessing meeting; I took
cold, and an inflammation settled in my eyes, which increased until I
became entirely blind. The distress which I suffered for a few days,
surpasses all description. Every effort was made by my friends to
relieve me, but all in vain. I called upon the elders, and requested
them to pray to the Lord, that I might be able to see, so as to be able
to read without even wearing spectacles. They did so, and when they
took their hands off my head, I read two lines in the Book of Mormon;
and although I am now seventy years old, I have never worn glasses
since.