The Public Ministry of the Church (2)
1830
Oliver Cowdery's Error
Another revelation given in July, 1830, instructed Joseph Smith, Oliver
Cowdery and John Whitmer, to devote their time to the study of the
scriptures, to preaching and confirming the Church in Colesville, and
performing such labors as should be required of them, until after they
should go to the west to hold conference. All things were to be done
in the Church by common consent, in prayer and faith. Oliver Cowdery
returned to Fayette and Joseph began to arrange the revelations ready
for recording. In this work he was assisted by John Whitmer. While they
were thus engaged a letter was received from Oliver Cowdery commanding
Joseph "in the name of God to erase" certain words from one of the
revelations, "that no priestcraft be amongst us." Joseph immediately
answered by letter that he could not alter the revelations of the
Lord. It became necessary, however, for him to make a trip to Fayette
to correct the error in Oliver's mind, for the latter had convinced
several others that the revelation was wrong. After some difficulty
and earnest prayer, they were all convinced that the words of the
revelation were right, and peace again prevailed.
Instructions on the Sacrament
In the month of August, Newel Knight and his wife came to Harmony on
a visit. As the wives of Newel Knight and Joseph Smith had neither
of them been confirmed, that matter was attended to at this time. A
meeting was held in which the four and John Whitmer participated, and
desiring to partake of the sacrament, Joseph set out to purchase some
wine. He had not proceeded far from his door when he was met by an
angel who gave him the following commandment:
"Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Lord, your God, and your
Redeemer, whose word is quick and powerful. For behold, I say unto
you, that it mattereth not what ye shall eat, or what ye shall
drink, when ye partake of the sacrament, if it so be that ye do
it with an eye single to my glory; remembering unto the Father my
body which was laid down for you, and my blood which was shed for
the remission of your sins. Wherefore, a commandment I give unto
you, that you shall not purchase wine, neither strong drink of your
enemies: Wherefore, you shall partake of none, except it is made
new among you; yea, in this my Father's kingdom which shall be
built up on the earth."
This is one of the many important revelations (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 27)
given to the Church. The knowledge that it matters not what we eat or
drink, if we partake of the sacrament in the Spirit of the Lord and by
divine authority, is the foundation for the present practice in the
Church of using water instead of wine, for so the Lord has commanded.
In September the Lord added to this revelation stating that the time
would come when he would "drink of the fruit of the vine" on the earth
with the ancient prophets and apostles, from Michael, or Adam, the
"ancient of days," down to our own day, including all the faithful whom
the Father has given him out of the world.
In obedience to the above commandment, they prepared wine of their own
making and partook of the sacrament, confirming the two sisters as
members of the Church.
Joseph Moves to Fayette
The spirit of persecution became so strong in Harmony, that Joseph
Smith was forced to leave and take up his residence in Fayette. Even
his father-in-law, Isaac Hale, turned against him because of the
falsehoods which were circulated and the prejudice existing in the
neighborhood. This bitterness he retained throughout his life. In
August, Joseph and Hyrum Smith, with John and David Whitmer, went to
Colesville and visited the members of the Church residing there. They
prayed that the eyes of their enemies might be blinded, for the enmity
in Colesville was extreme. Their prayers were answered, and though they
passed by a number of the most bitter of the mobocrats, who looked
intently upon them, yet they were not recognized. In the evening of
the day of their arrival--a meeting was held and those who had been
previously baptized were all confirmed. They partook of the sacrament,
sang and praised the Lord in testimony without molestation. The next
morning the brethren took leave of the Saints in peace and in due time
arrived home in safety.
Spurious Revelations of Hiram Page
Shortly after Joseph Smith made his home in Fayette, Satan commenced
a subtle attack upon the work within the Church. Hiram Page, one of
the eight witnesses, obtained a stone with which he was receiving
revelations purporting to be for the guidance of the Church; but these
revelations were at variance with those given to Joseph Smith, and also
with the teachings of the Savior and his apostles, as contained in the
New Testament. Oliver Cowdery and members of the Whitmer family were
deceived. Through the Prophet the Lord gave a revelation to Oliver
Cowdery in which the order of heaven, in regard to revelation, was
pointed out for the guidance of the Church. "Behold, verily, verily, I
say unto thee," said the Lord, "no one shall be appointed to receive
commandments and revelations in this Church, excepting my servant
Joseph Smith, Jun., for he receiveth them even as Moses; and thou
shalt be obedient unto the things which I shall give unto him, even
as Aaron, to declare faithfully the commandments and the revelations,
with power and authority in the Church." It was further stated that
there should be none other appointed to receive revelations, until the
Lord should appoint another in his stead, for he held the keys of this
power. Oliver was instructed to take Hiram Page, alone, and tell him
that the revelations he had received were not from the Lord, but were
given through the power of Satan, who had deceived him. Oliver was also
instructed that he was to write by wisdom, but he was not to command
him who was at the head.
The Mission to the Lamanites
The Lord, in this revelation, appointed Oliver Cowdery to take a
mission to the Lamanites in the west, "and inasmuch as they receive
thy teachings," it read, "thou shalt cause my Church to be established
among them." There were other reasons for this mission, which were not
fully revealed. It is probable that in the spurious revelations of
Hiram Page some reference was made to the building of the city Zion. In
any case, the Lord explained that it was not revealed, and no man knew,
where the city Zion shall be built, "but it shall be given hereafter.
Behold, I say unto you, that it shall be on the borders of the
Lamanites." This mission was not to be taken until after the conference
which had been appointed for the 26th of September. Oliver was also
first to settle the difficulty with Hiram Page, who was to be taught
that he had not been appointed to receive revelations for the Church.
The Doctrine of Gathering--Destruction of the Wicked
Again the heavens were opened and the Lord made known many of his
purposes and decrees which were for these latter days. A revelation
(Doc. and Cov. Sec. 29) was given shortly before the second conference
of the Church, containing instruction which was helpful for the
guidance of the elders at that conference. They were taught the
doctrine of the gathering of the Saints. The decree had gone forth from
the mansions of the Father, that the Saints should be gathered into one
place, for they were chosen out of the world, and they were to prepare
their hearts against the day when tribulation and desolation would be
sent forth upon the wicked. The hour is nigh, the Lord declared, when
the earth should be ripe for destruction, for wickedness shall cease.
Because of the wickedness of the world, for the inhabitants thereof
will not repent, the Lord should send forth terrible plagues to torment
mankind. Great hailstorms should destroy the crops of the earth; flies
shall "take hold of the inhabitants" and eat their flesh; their tongues
shall be staid, and their flesh fall from their bones and their eyes
from their sockets. The beasts of the forests, and the fowls of the
air shall eat their bodies, and the great and abominable church, which
shall endure until the end of unrighteousness on the earth, shall be
cast down by devouring fire, as Ezekiel had said, for abomination must
not reign.
All these things were predicted by the apostles and must be fulfilled;
and the twelve who were with the Savior in his ministry shall come in
glory to judge the house of Israel who have been faithful, "and none
else." The trump shall sound, the righteous dead will rise and Christ
reign on the earth with his Saints for a thousand years. After the
thousand years are ended, and men begin again to forsake the Lord, the
earth shall be spared but for a little season. The final resurrection
shall come; the righteous received in to eternal life and the wicked
banished to partake of the second death with the devil and his angels.
The second death is that same death which was first pronounced on
Adam--banishment from the presence of the Lord. Those who partake of it
cannot return, for they have no power. Then shall come the redemption
of the earth, for old things shall pass away and all things become
new, yet not "one hair, neither mote, shall be lost" for it is the
workmanship of the hands of the Lord.
The Second Conference of the Church
According to appointment, on the 26th of September, the Church met in
conference at Fayette. There were present eight elders, four priests
and two teachers when the conference convened. Thirty-five persons had
joined the Church, making a total of sixty-two in all. Joseph Smith
opened the meeting with prayer and then read the fifth chapter of
Isaiah, which speaks of the gathering, and made comments thereon. The
matter of Hiram Page's "peepstone" was discussed and after considerable
investigation, Hiram Page and all who were present, renounced the
stone, and there was mutual satisfaction and happiness again. At this
conference, which continued for three days, the Spirit of the Lord
was manifest; much business was attended to, and those previously
baptized were confirmed. Special prayer was offered in behalf of Oliver
Cowdery and Peter Whitmer, Jr., who were called to go to the Lamanites.
Peter Whitmer, Jr., was called by revelation at this conference to
that mission. When the conference adjourned it was to meet January 1,
1831, and David Whitmer was appointed to keep the record. There were
some baptisms during the conference and a number of the brethren were
ordained.
The Call to Ziba Peterson and Parley P. Pratt
A great desire being made manifest on the part of others to accompany
Oliver Cowdery and Peter Whitmer, Jr., to the Lamanites, it was made a
matter of inquiry before the Lord. The result was that Ziba Peterson
and Parley P. Pratt were also appointed to go. Ziba Peterson was among
the first baptized and was an elder at the first conference of the
Church. Parley P. Pratt was a resident of the wilderness of Ohio not
far from the city of Cleveland. While on a missionary tour for the
"Disciples" or "Campbellites," as they are called, and a visit to his
former home in Columbia County, New York, he first heard of the Book of
Mormon through a Baptist preacher by the name of Hamlin, who placed a
copy in his hands. After reading it partly through Parley changed his
plans and went to Manchester in search of the Prophet Joseph Smith.
There he met Hyrum Smith who taught him the Gospel and presented him
with a copy of the Book of Mormon which he again very carefully read.
Late in August, with Hyrum Smith, he journeyed to Fayette, where he
was baptized by Oliver Cowdery about the first of September. Shortly
afterwards he was ordained an elder and then continued on his journey
to his father's home. There he preached the Gospel to his parents
and many of his boyhood friends. His younger brother, Orson, a youth
19 years of age, readily accepted his message and became a member of
the Church. Returning to Fayette, Parley P. Pratt was appointed by
revelation to take the missionary journey with Oliver Cowdery to the
borders of Missouri, among the Lamanites.
The Missionaries Depart
In the fall of 1830, these four missionaries started on their journey
to the west. On their way they preached the Gospel among the people
as opportunity would permit. Near Buffalo, New York, they visited
the Catteraugus Indians and left two copies of the Book of Mormon
with members of the tribe who could read, and then continued on their
journey. When they came to Kirtland, Ohio, near the home of Elder
Pratt, they tarried for some time. Parley P. Pratt was acquainted
with Mr. Sidney Rigdon, one of the leaders of the "Disciples," who
with Alexander Campbell and Walter Scott, had been instrumental in
the founding of that sect. They believed in the doctrines of faith,
repentance and baptism for the remission of sins; but accepted the
Bible as the only guide unto salvation. Convinced that the religious
world had gone astray, these men had formed this organization with
sincere desire to follow closely the teachings of the early disciples
of the Lord. Through his preaching Sidney Rigdon had converted many
souls unto this faith.
Parley P. Pratt, believing that many of the "Disciples" would readily
receive the truth, had persuaded his fellow missionaries to spend some
time among them in Ohio where they were located on what was called the
"Western Reserve."
Sidney Rigdon
The first house at which they called, in Mentor, was the home of Sidney
Rigdon. After the usual greetings, they presented Mr. Rigdon with a
copy of the Book of Mormon, stating that it contained the record of
the ancient people of America, and that the Lord had again established
his Church in the earth with the authority of the Holy Priesthood.
This was the first time Sidney Rigdon had heard of the Book of Mormon
and of Joseph Smith. Replying to their statements, he said he had the
Bible, which he believed to be the word of God; as for the Book of
Mormon, he had considerable doubt of its divinity. He refused to argue
with them, but promised to read the book. At their earnest solicitation
Sidney Rigdon allowed the elders to hold meetings in his chapel. A
large congregation assembled and gave close attention to the remarks of
the elders. At the conclusion of the services Sidney Rigdon instructed
the people to consider carefully the remarkable things they had heard,
lest it should prove to be the truth. With deep and earnest study, he
read the contents of the Book of Mormon, praying for divine guidance,
and in the course of about two weeks, he received a manifestation so
that he could say, "Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto me, but
my Father, which is in heaven." He and his wife were then baptized and
also many of his congregation.
In Kirtland the elders were also successful. The people besieged the
missionaries both day and night, until they had very little time for
rest. The greater number heard the tidings gladly, but some, there
were, who came to dispute and oppose the work of the Lord. In a very
short time branches of the Church were established numbering in all
about one thousand souls.
The Journey Continued
The missionary elders continued on their journey after a stay of two
or three weeks in Kirtland, leaving a number of the new converts to
continue with the work. Sidney Rigdon, Frederick G. Williams, Isaac
Morley, John Murdock, Lyman Wight and Edward Partridge later became
members of the Church and were ordained to the Priesthood.
Having accomplished this great work, and leaving watchmen for the
tender flock, the missionaries took Dr. Frederick G. Williams with
them. About fifty miles west of Kirtland, they passed through the
country where Parley P. Pratt first made settlement in the western
country. Here, again, they made a stop and preached the Gospel. The
people were all excited over the things they had heard, for the
knowledge of the labors of the brethren had preceded them. Other
converts were made, including Simeon Carter, and although some
opposition and bitterness was manifest, in the course of a short time
a branch was raised up numbering about sixty souls. Arriving near the
border of Ohio, the missionaries spent some days among the Wyandots,
who received them kindly and rejoiced in the story of their fathers
as they learned it from the Book of Mormon. In the city of Cincinnati
they spent several days, and being disappointed in not being able
to take boat, continued on their journey afoot to St. Louis. In the
midst of winter weather, and suffering great hardships in a country
little traveled by man, they pursued their journey till they arrived
at Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, at that time scarcely more
than a trading post on the borders of the United States. They reached
Independence early in the year 1831; their journey had taken them a
distance of nearly fifteen hundred miles, through a wilderness, in the
most inclement season of the year. Four months had they been upon the
journey, but during that time they had preached the Gospel to many
thousands of white people and two nations of Indians. Churches had been
built up and the work advanced along the route of their travels. This
was the first missionary journey west of the state of New York, and its
results were to be of incalculable benefit to the Church in years to
come.
The Book of Mormon Taken to the Lamanites
In the land of the Lamanites, the elders preached the Gospel to the
Delawares, presenting them with the Book of Mormon which they received
with rejoicing. Oliver Cowdery explained to them in detail the coming
forth of the Book of Mormon. A Mr. Pool, who believed the testimony
of these elders, became their interpreter. Several of the Indians
could read, and to them they gave copies of the Book of Mormon. The
Indians answered them by saying: "We feel thankful to our white friends
who have come so far, and been at such pains to tell us good news,
and especially this new news concerning the book of our forefathers;
it makes us glad in here," and the speaker for the tribe placed his
hand on his heart. This good labor, however, was not to last, for the
excitement reached the settlements in Missouri, and due to the efforts
of sectarian priests the Indian agents ordered the missionaries out
of the Indian country as disturbers of the peace, threatening to use
military force in case of non-compliance. With disappointment they
withdrew and thus ended the first mission to the Lamanites. From this
time on they devoted their labors to the white people in Jackson
County. However, they had declared the message of salvation to three
great tribes, the Catteraugus, in New York, the Wyandots of Ohio, and
the Delawares, west of Missouri.
It was now decided that Parley P. Pratt should return to Kirtland, and
perhaps to New York to report their labors, visit the branches they
had organized on their journey, and procure more books. In February he
started on his journey, alone. In Kirtland he met the Prophet, who had
come to that place, and to him he made a report.
Part Three
The Ohio and Missouri Period