Organization of the First Presidency--Important Revelations
1832-1833
Important Revelations
In the fall of 1832 and continuing through the winter and spring of
1833, a number of remarkable revelations were given for the edification
and guidance of the Church. Great principles of science and philosophy,
as well as of doctrine and spiritual truth, were revealed.
On the 22nd and 23rd of September, at the inquiry of a number of
elders of the Church, the history and power of the Priesthood were
revealed (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 84); the responsibilities taken by those
who are ordained, were explained; the promises made to those who are
faithful that they shall receive the fulness of the blessings of the
father's kingdom--for he had declared it "with an oath and covenant,
which belongeth to the Priesthood," with the penalty attached that
"whoso breaketh this covenant . . . and altogether turneth therefrom,
shall not have forgiveness of sins in this world, nor in the word to
come"--were clearly defined; the place of the great temple, and when it
shall be built, and many other things dealing with the gathering of the
Saints, the building of Zion and its redemption, were set forth.
November 27 the Lord stated that he would send one mighty and strong to
arrange the inheritances of the Saints in Zion (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 85).
December 6, the parable of the wheat and the tares was explained (Doc.
and Cov. Sec. 86). On Christmas day the prophecy on war, which has so
far been fulfilled, was given (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 87). Two days later
the remarkable revelation on scientific and doctrinal truth, known as
the "Olive Leaf" (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 88), was presented to the Church.
In this wonderful communication from the heavens, the following eternal
principles, among many others, were revealed:
The light of Christ is the light of truth and is the light of the sun,
the planets, the stars, and the power by which they were made; it is
the light which quickeneth the intelligence of man; it is the life
and light of all things, and is the law by which they are governed;
it fills the immensity of space; to every kingdom there is given laws
which have their bounds and conditions; there is no space in which
there is no kingdom, great or small; the worlds in space are peopled
with the children of our Father; the earth on which we dwell is a
living body and shall die, but shall be raised again a celestial body
and shall become the abode of celestial beings; the inhabitants of the
earth who are unfaithful must inherit another kingdom in eternity;
he who cannot abide the law of the celestial kingdom, cannot abide a
celestial glory; every man in the resurrection is quickened by the
glory of the kingdom to which he has attained: the spirit and the body
is the soul of man, and the redemption of the soul is through the
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; after the testimonies of the
elders will come the testimonies of judgments; the order of the signs
preceding the coming of the Savior, are made known; the redemption of
the just; the destruction of the "great and abominable church;" and the
fate of the wicked, are declared among the great truths contained in
this revelation.
In February, 1833, the Lord gave to Joseph Smith the "Word of Wisdom"
(Doc. and Cov. Sec. 89), for the temporal salvation of mankind. March
15, 1833, the doctrines of the eternity of matter; the glory of God is
Intelligence; the innocence of man in the beginning; and many other
things were received (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 93).
The School of the Prophets
In the revelation of December 27, 1833 (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 88), the
elders of the Church were also commanded to "teach one another the
doctrines of the kingdom." They were to be instructed "more perfectly
in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the Gospel, in
all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God," that were expedient
for them to understand. They were to tarry in Kirtland for this
instruction, before they should "go forth, among the Gentiles for
the last time, as many as the mouth of the Lord shall name, to bind
up the law and seal up the testimony, and to prepare the Saints for
the hour of judgment which is to come." They were to seek diligently
out of the best books, words of wisdom and learning "even by study
and also by faith." That this should be accomplished, they were to
prepare a house of prayer, learning and faith, even a house of glory--a
house of God. In it they were to call their solemn assemblies; one
should be appointed as teacher, and not all speak at once. While one
speaks, all others should give attention. In this manner there was to
be perfect order in the School of the Prophets--for so it should be
called. Moreover, the Lord declared: "And this shall be the order of
the house of the presidency of the school: He that is appointed to be
president, or teacher, shall be found standing in his place, in the
house which shall be prepared for him. Therefore, he shall be first in
the house of God, in a place that the congregation in the house may
hear his words carefully and distinctly, not with loud speech." Those
who were entitled to attend should be the officers of the Church who
are called to the ministry, "beginning at the high priests, even down
to the deacons." They were to greet each other in fellowship, with
proper salutations. They should be men who were clean from the blood
of this generation, sober-minded and full of faith. Further, the Lord
stated: "And ye are called to do this by prayer and thanksgiving as
the Spirit shall give utterance in all your doings in the house of the
Lord, in the School of the Prophets, that it may become a sanctuary, a
tabernacle of the Holy Spirit to your edification."
The Coming of Brigham Young and Others
September 10, George Albert Smith, son of John Smith and cousin to the
Prophet, was baptized in Potsdam, New York. He was a youth fifteen
years of age, who in later years was to play an important part in the
work of these latter days. About the 8th of November, Joseph Young,
Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball and John P. Greene, came from Mendon,
Monroe County, New York. This was the first meeting of Joseph Smith
and these brethren. They remained in Kirtland for a number of days and
were privileged to meet with the Prophet on several occasions. In one
of their meetings, Brigham Young and John P. Greene spoke in tongues,
as did also the Prophet Joseph Smith. These brethren had received the
Gospel in Mendon. It had first been brought to their attention in the
summer or fall of 1831, through the labors of Samuel H. Smith, who had
left a copy of the Book of Mormon with John P. Greene. Later, through
the preaching of Elders Alpheus Gifford, Elial Strong and others they
were persuaded to receive the truth. Brigham Young was baptized by
Elder Eleazer Miller, April 14, 1832; was ordained an elder and at once
entered the ministry and assisted in raising up several branches in the
vicinity of Mendon, New York.
The Prophet's Labors in Kirtland
The winter of 1832-3 was spent by Joseph Smith in revision of the
scriptures; in the School of the Prophets, which had just been
organized by commandment (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 88); and in the holding
of conferences from time to time. In January a number of meetings of
the elders were held, in which the ordinances of washing of feet, as
spoken of in the 13th chapter of John, was attended to, as commanded by
the Lord (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 88). On the 2nd of February the Prophet
finished the revision of the New Testament, as far as he was directed
to revise it at that time, and sealed it up not to be opened until it
arrived in Zion. Several epistles were written to the Saints, and much
correspondence passed between the elders in Zion and those in Kirtland
in relation to their work.
Organization of the First Presidency
March 18, 1833, the First Presidency of the Church was organized,
with Joseph Smith, president, and Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G.
Williams, counselors. This was in fulfilment of the commandment given
in a revelation (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 90) on the 8th of that month,
wherein the Lord said to Joseph Smith: "And again, verily I say unto
thy brethren, Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams, their sins
are forgiven them also, and they are accounted as equal with thee in
holding the keys of the kingdom." One year before, in March, 1832, the
Lord had called Frederick G. Williams to this position by revelation
(Doc. and Cov. Sec. 81), and to hold "the keys of the kingdom, which
belongeth always unto the Presidency of the High Priesthood." Joseph
Smith laid his hands on the heads of each of these men and ordained
them to take part with him in this great responsibility. Thus another
step in the organization of the Church was completed.
Kirtland a Stake of Zion
March 23, 1833, a council of the elders was called for the purpose
of appointing a committee to purchase lands in Kirtland, upon which
the Saints might build a stake of Zion. After some deliberations a
committee was appointed consisting of Ezra Thayer and Joseph Coe. Later
the property was purchased for this purpose, and many of the elders
commenced to labor in various ways for the building of a city for the
Saints at Kirtland.
First Gathering of the Mob in Zion
In April, 1833, the first gathering of the mob in Jackson County took
place. About three hundred men came together to decide upon a plan
of campaign for the removal of the members of the Church in Jackson
County. At the same time the elders in Jackson County met in solemn
prayer and petitioned the Lord that the efforts of their enemies might
fail. They had reason to meet and pray, for the wickedness of their
enemies was extreme. Nor were the Saints free from guilt before the
Lord. They had failed to keep strictly the commandments of the Lord
which had been given them for the building up of Zion. Jealousies had
arisen and murmurings were heard; even the Prophet, as well as others
of the leading brethren, had been criticized. Some of the members had
failed to observe the law of consecration, which had been given for
the building of Zion, and their humility, in some respects, had been
forgotten. However, on this occasion the deliberations of their enemies
came to nothing. The Lord had heard the prayers of the Saints.
A House of the Lord in Kirtland
At a conference of high priests held May 4, 1833, a committee was
appointed to obtain subscriptions for the building of a house for a
school, in compliance with the revelations of December 27, 1832, and
March 8, 1833, where the elders might receive instructions before
going out to warn the world. Hyrum Smith, Jared Carter and Reynolds
Cahoon, were appointed as that committee. May 6, Joseph Smith received
another revelation in which the Church was commanded to "commence a
work of laying out and preparing a beginning and foundation of a stake
of Zion," in Kirtland. A house was also to be built for the work of
printing, translating, and "all things whatsoever the Lord should
command them." The committee immediately went to work to gather means
by subscriptions for this purpose. They had previously been commanded
to build a house unto the Lord, to be a house of prayer and fasting, to
be a temple unto His name.
Commencement of the Kirtland Temple
By the first of June the preparations for the building of the Kirtland
Temple were under way. A circular letter was sent out by the building
committee to the various branches of the Church. June 1, the Prophet
received the word of the Lord, in relation to the building of the
temple, in which the Saints were commanded to hasten the work, and the
necessity for such a building was made known. "Ye have sinned against
me a very grievous sin, in that ye have not considered the great
commandment in all things, that I have given unto you concerning the
building of mine house," said the Lord. Then He states the reason, in
part--for the full purpose for such a house was not at that time made
known--to be as follows: "For the preparation wherewith I design to
prepare mine apostles to prune my vineyard for the last time, that I
may bring to pass my strange act, that I may pour out my Spirit upon
all flesh. . . . Yea, verily I say unto you, I give you a commandment
that you should build an house, in the which I design to endow those
whom I have chosen, with power from on high. For this is the promise
of the Father unto you, therefore I command you to tarry, even as mine
apostles at Jerusalem."
From this it is discovered that there were certain endowments and
blessings to be given to the elders, before they could go forth fully
prepared to preach the Gospel in the world, which could only be
obtained in the temple of the Lord. For this cause the Lord commanded
that the temple be built at once, for the preaching of the Gospel was
urgent, and the laborers were few. The Saints therefore, went to work
diligently in the midst of many difficulties, both within, as well as
without, the Church, to build the house of the Lord.
The First Work on the Temple
On the 5th of June, George A. Smith hauled the first load of stone,
and Hyrum Smith and Reynolds Cahoon, two of the building committee,
commenced to dig the trench for the foundation, which they later
finished with their own hands. Others also volunteered, and by these
means the work progressed.
The Case of "Doctor" Hurlbut
On the 3rd of June a charge was preferred against Philastus Hurlbut,
who was accused of unchristian conduct while on a mission to the east.
On investigation his elder's licence was taken from him. On the 21st
he appealed his case and on making confession of his improper conduct
and a seeming show of repentance, he was reinstated. Two days later,
however, his sincerity was called in question, and on the testimony
of witnesses who had heard him say that he had not repented and had
deceived "Joseph Smith's God," he was excommunicated from the Church.
He later manifested a bitter spirit and in April, 1834, was bound by
the court to keep the peace, "with good and sufficient security in the
sum of two hundred dollars," for threats against the life of Joseph
Smith.[1]
Notes
1. Any reference to "Dr." Hurlbut might be considered insignificant but
for one thing which developed after his apostasy and excommunication,
which may be mentioned briefly here. He was not a doctor, but was so
called because he was the seventh son. He had been a Methodist, but
had been expelled from that body for immoral conduct, before he joined
the Church. While engaged in missionary work in Pennsylvania he heard
of a manuscript that had been written by one Solomon Spaulding, which
dealt with the subject of the American Indian. Hurlbut had an evil
thought. If he could make it appear that the Book of Mormon was taken,
or plagiarized, from the Spaulding Manuscript, it would prove to be
an irreparable injury to "Mormonism." Others became interested in the
scheme and a book was produced by E. D. Howe, entitled _Mormonism
Unveiled_. Of course the Spaulding story was lost so that no comparison
was possible. For many years the publication of E. D. Howe was made to
do mighty service against the Book of Mormon. As time went on, however,
the manuscript of Mr. Spaulding was found, and, is now in the archives
of Oberlin College, in Ohio. A comparison with the Book of Mormon
proved that the two productions were no more alike than the Bible is
like the story of Gulliver's Travels. Since that day the Hurlbut-Howe
theory of the origin of the Book of Mormon has been dead.
For a thorough account of this question the reader is referred to _The
Myth of the Manuscript Found_, by Elder George Reynolds; and _New
Witness for God_, vol. 3, page 354, by Elder B. H. Roberts.