A Young Folks' History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Part 7

In September, 1831, Joseph moved to the town of Hiram, about thirty miles from Kirtland. While living here, he was busy translating the scriptures, preaching the gospel, and holding meetings. Thirteen of the revelations found in the Doctrine and Covenants were given at Hiram. One of these revelations, called the Vision, tells of the three glories which are in store for the children of G.o.d, besides many other grand teachings which some day you will want to read. (Section 76.)

But wicked men continued to tell false things about Joseph and the Church.

Many people believed these stories, and the result was that the brethren were often annoyed and badly treated. On the night of March 25th, 1832, Joseph and Sidney Rigdon were dragged from their homes by an angry mob into the woods. Sidney was so misused that he was left for dead. Joseph was beaten and stripped of his clothes, and his body was covered with tar. The mob also tried to force poison from a bottle into his mouth, but in this they failed. Notwithstanding this ill treatment, Joseph was able the next day, it being Sunday, to preach to a large meeting and to baptize three new converts.

Shortly after this, Joseph made his second visit to Missouri. After his return, he settled again at Kirtland, where he continued to receive many revelations and to do much for the building up of the Church.

On December 25, 1832, Joseph received a revelation wherein it was stated that the time would come when there would be a great war between the Northern States and the Southern States. Even the place of its beginning was told, namely, South Carolina.

In February, 1833, a school was opened in Kirtland for the elders of the Church. It was called the "School of the Prophets," and there the brethren met and were instructed in the principles of the gospel.

A revelation called the Word of Wisdom was given on the 27th of the same month. You will find it in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 89, and every one of you should read it.

On March 18th a very important meeting was held in Kirtland. On that date Joseph ordained Sidney Rigdon to be his first counselor, and Frederick G.

Williams to be his second counselor, and these three now became the First Presidency, which is the highest authority in the Church. You have been told something of Sidney Rigdon. Elder Williams held his position nearly five years, when he apostatized, and Hyrum Smith was chosen in his stead.

At the death of Joseph Smith, Sen., who was patriarch of the Church, Hyrum was chosen to fill his position and William Law was called to the office of second counselor to Joseph. Law held this position until about two months before the Prophet's death when he was cut off from the Church.

February 17, 1834, the first high council of the Church was organized. This body consists of twelve men who must be high priests, over which the stake presidency presides. It is a kind of court. When members of the Church have trouble one with another which neither they, nor the teachers, nor the bishop can settle, it is brought before the high council to be adjusted.

Each stake of Zion now has a high council. Here are the names of the first one organized: besides the First Presidency, Joseph Smith, Sen., John Smith, Joseph Coe, John Johnson, Martin Harris, John S. Carter, Jared Carter, Oliver Cowdery, Samuel H. Smith, Orson Hyde, Sylvester Smith and Luke Johnson.

It was shortly after this that Zion's Camp was organized and made the trip to Missouri, of which you were told in the last chapter.

After his return Joseph was again busy performing his many duties as president of the Church.

Topics.--1. Joseph at Hiram. 2. Prophecy on War. 3. Word of Wisdom. 4.

The first presidency. 5. The high council.

Questions and Review.--1. To what two places were the Saints now gathering? 2. Where is Hiram? 3. What did Joseph do there? 4. Tell about the mobbing at Hiram. 5. When was the prophecy on war given? 6. How long after was it fulfilled? 7. What led to the war between the North and the South? 8. What was the "School of the Prophets?" 9. In the Word of Wisdom, what does the Lord say is not good for the body? 10. What does He say is good? 11. What promise is made to those who keep the Word of Wisdom? 12.

What is the First Presidency? 13. Who were the first to fill this position?

14. Who are the present First Presidency? 15. What is the duty of the high council? 16. Name some members of the high council of your stake.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE TWELVE APOSTLES--THE SEVENTIES--THE KIRTLAND TEMPLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG.]

On the 14th of February, 1835, Joseph called together the brethren who had gone with him to Missouri in Zion's Camp. He spoke to the meeting and told the brethren the Lord had not forgotten them, but had remembered their faithfulness in answering the call of duty, and now he had a blessing for them.

Joseph then said the time had come when twelve apostles should be called.

It was the duty of the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon to select twelve men for this high calling, and these three brethren were then blessed for this purpose by the First Presidency. The following were then selected to be the first quorum of Twelve Apostles in the Church: Thomas B.

Marsh, David W. Patten, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, Wm. E.

McLellin, Parley P. Pratt, Luke Johnson, William Smith, Orson Pratt, John F. Boynton and Lyman E. Johnson.

It is the duty of the Twelve Apostles to build up the Church and regulate its affairs in all the world under the direction of the First Presidency; also to open the door of the gospel to all nations.

On the 28th of February there was another meeting held, at which the first quorum of seventy was organized. You will remember that the Savior, after He had chosen Twelve Apostles to preach the gospel, chose also seventy to aid the Twelve in their work. So in our day, twelve men could not do all the work of spreading the gospel, so it was necessary to call other men. In this body of men seventy form a quorum. The first quorum was organized from the brethren who were members of Zion's Camp.

It is the special duty of the Seventies to travel and preach the gospel under the direction of the Twelve.

As early as May, 1833, the Lord told Joseph that the Saints should build a house to his name. July 23, the foundation was laid. The Saints in Kirtland were not many, neither were they rich, and it was therefore a great task for them to build such a house as the temple. However, they gave donations of what they had and worked willingly with all their might, until at last it was finished and dedicated to the Lord on Sunday, March 27, 1836.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE KIRTLAND TEMPLE.]

During the meetings many glorious blessings were received. Angels were seen by many of the Saints, Brigham Young spoke in tongues, others prophesied, and many saw glorious visions. At the evening meeting George A. Smith arose and prophesied, when a noise was heard like the sound of a mighty wind which filled the temple. All the people arose at once and the Prophet Joseph told the Saints that the temple was filled with angels, as he could see them. The people living near the temple, seeing a bright light resting on the building and hearing a strange sound within, came rus.h.i.+ng up to see what was the matter.

Nearly every day there were meetings held in the temple. The next Sunday after the dedication, Joseph and Oliver were praying in the sacred house when the Lord Jesus Christ appeared unto them. He stood on the breastwork of the pulpit, and Joseph describes Him as a most glorious personage. Jesus told them that He had accepted the temple and promised them great blessings if they would continue to keep his commandments.

After this vision had closed, Moses, Elias, and Elijah appeared unto them and each of them gave to Joseph and Oliver many blessings concerning the gospel.

You would think that after all these blessings from the Lord the Saints would never turn away from the truth; but sad to say this was not the case.

During the years 1837 and 1838 many of the brethren in Kirtland began to buy and sell land and set up stores and banks for the purpose of making money. Now, there would have been nothing wrong in all this if they had done all their business honestly; but the trouble was that many wanted to get rich so fast that oftimes they would cheat each other. This of course was inspired by the evil one, who did his best to stop the progress of the Church. It was a very hard trial for Joseph and those of his brethren who stood by him to see so many leading men fall away into wickedness.

Again, you may also wonder how men who have been in the company of the Prophet and who have seen angels and heavenly visions can deny the faith, but the fact is they sometimes do. The whole secret is this:

No matter how much a person has seen or how much he knows, if he sins and does not repent, the Spirit of G.o.d will leave him, and he will be in the dark. It then becomes an easy matter for him to fall away from the Church.

During the two years named above, four of the Twelve Apostles and many of the leading men apostatized; and then, not satisfied with so doing, they began to join the mobs who persecuted Joseph and the Saints. This led the Church leaders to remove to Missouri, and soon after nearly all the Saints followed them to the land of Zion.

Topics.--1. The calling of the Twelve Apostles. 2. Calling of the Seventy. 3. The Kirtland Temple. 4. The apostasy at Kirtland.

Questions and Review.--1. From what body were the first Twelve Apostles called? 2. Who chose the names? 3. Name the first Twelve Apostles? 4. Name the present Twelve. 5. What is the duty of the Twelve? 6. What is the duty of the Seventies? 7. How many Seventies' quorums are there in the Church?

8. Tell about the dedication of the Kirtland Temple. 9. Who appeared to Joseph and Oliver in the temple? 10. What causes many to fall from the Church? 11. What is the only safe way to remain faithful.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE MISSION TO ENGLAND.

In the year 1837, when the evil one was trying with all his might to overthrow the Church both at Kirtland and in Missouri, the Lord told Joseph that the time had come for "something new" to be done. This was to send missionaries to England and open the gospel door to that people.

Elder Heber C. Kimball was chosen to take the lead of this mission, and with him went Orson Hyde, Willard Richards, Joseph Fielding, John Goodson, Isaac Russell, and John Snider.

This was the first mission to any foreign country, and in those days of slow travel, a trip to Europe was no small matter. The brethren set out on their journey without purse or scrip, but the Lord opened up their way, and at last they landed in Liverpool, England, July 20, 1837.

They were in a strange country, had no money, no friends.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PRESIDENT HEBER C. KIMBALL]

"Go to Preston," said the Spirit of the Lord to them. Preston is a city thirty miles from Liverpool, and there they went. Joseph Fielding had a brother living in the city, who was a preacher, and on his invitation the missionaries held their first meeting in his chapel. This was the first Sunday after their arrival. The people listened eagerly to what the elders said, for it seems that a great many honest souls had been waiting for just such a message.