Thought:
By this
principle (tithing) the loyalty of the people of this Church shall be put to
the test. By this principle it shall be known who is for the kingdom of God and
who is against it. By this principle it shall be seen whose hearts are set on
doing the will of God and keeping his commandments, thereby sanctifying the
land of Zion unto God, and who are opposed to this principle and have cut
themselves off from the blessings of Zion. There is a great deal of importance
connected with this principle, for by it it shall be known whether we are
faithful or unfaithful. In this respect it is as essential as faith in God, as
repentance of sin, as baptism for the remission of sin, or as the laying on of
hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. For if a man keep all the law save one
point, and he offend in that, he is a transgressor of the law, and he is not
entitled to the fulness of the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. But
when a man keeps all the law that is revealed, according to his strength, his
substance, and his ability, though what he does may be little, it is just as
acceptable in the sight of God as if he were able to do a thousand times
more.-- Apr. C. R., 1900, pp. 47, 48.
Book of the Week:
"Personal Writings of Joseph Smith" Dean Jesse (born 1929)
As
a Senior Historical Associate then Senior Research
Fellow, Jessee served for nineteen years in the Joseph Fielding Smith Institute. During this time he continued his earlier work
to produce the papers of Joseph Smith. In 1984, he published most of Smith's
own writings and many of his dictations in The Personal Writings of Joseph
Smith. This research continued to expand into two volumes of The Papers
of Joseph Smith, one in 1989 on Smith's autobiographical and historical
writings, and the other in 1992 on Smith's journals.
Jessee's
efforts were eventually made an official joint effort of BYU and the LDS Church
in 2001, called the Joseph Smith
Papers Project. This is intended to be a large multi-volume series,
including virtually everything written by Joseph Smith, by his office, or under
his direction. That year, Larry H. Miller, a Salt Lake City
businessman and philanthropist,
began funding the venture. In 2005, Miller announced the goal of completing the
project by 2015, "while Dean Jessee is still around", since Jessee
was then in his 70s. Jessee is general manager of the project along with Richard Bushman and Ron Esplin.[25]
Church History by the Year - 1839
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1838-Oct. 31
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Joseph & others turned over as prisoners. Sentenced to death by
court marshal.
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1838-Nov. 1
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Col. Hinkle marched Mormon troops out of Far West. Missouri militia
entered city. City plundered and worse. Saints told to leave state.
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1838-Nov. 2
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Joseph taken to Far West then south. Revelation of peace to Joseph
and Lucy.
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1838-Nov. 4
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Joseph's 1st letter. Sent from Independence. Parley also sent letter.
p. 399
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1838-Nov. 6
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Gen. Clark addressed Saints. You leave- Leaders doom is sealed.
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1838-Nov. 12
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Joseph's 2nd letter. Sent from Richmond to Mo. on the 1st day of a 13
day court of inquiry presided over by Judge Austin King. In Richmond there
was not a jail large enough, so they were thrust into a log cabin and chained
them together. (Joseph, George Robinson, Lyman Wight, Sidney, Hyrum, Parley,
Amasa Lyman) Charged with treason, murder, arson, burglary, larceny &
stealing.
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1838-Dec. 1
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3rd Letter -Joseph, Sidney, Hyrum, Caleb Baldwin, Alexander McRae,
Lyman to Liberty Jail for 4 months. Parley, Morris Phelps, Darwin Chasse,
Norman Shearer, King Follett & Luman Gibbs were left in Richmond for
murders at Crooked River.
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1838-Dec.19
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John Taylor & John Page called to 12
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1839-Jan. 16
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4th & 5th letters. 1 to Church. 1 to Brigham & Heber calling
George A. Smith & Lyman Sherman to replace Marsh & Hyde in the 12.
Young as Pres. of 12.
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1839-Jan
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Committee on Removal organized by Brigham Young
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1839-Jan. 25
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Sidney Rigdon released
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1839-Feb.
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Large scale migration from Mo. began
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1839-Feb. 6 & March 4
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Two abortive jailbreak attempts. Erastus Snow quotes Blackstone. Security
was increased. Visitors watched closely and some denied entrance. HCK-never
better!
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1839-Mar. 15
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6th Letter to Presendia Huntington Buell after she was denied visit
to prisoners.
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1839-Mar. 20
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7th letter. Joseph wrote a 29 page letter after receiving letters
from Edward Partridge, Don Carolos, William and Emma. D&C 121,122,123- are
excerpts from this letter. Signed by all prisoners. Joseph told Saints not to
scatter.
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1839-Mar. 21
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8th Letter - to Emma asking
her to have the Mar. 20th letter copied and sent to Joseph Sr. and then
Edward Partridge. "Emma, do you think that my being cast into prison
renders me less worthy of your friendship?
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1839-Mar. 22
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9th letter- To Isaac Galland. Joseph reviews persecutions &
accepts offer to buy land.
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1839-Apr. 4
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10th letter-To Emma- The day before they were to leave for Davies
County
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1839-Apr. 6
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Prisoners sent to Davies County for trial-then to Boone County. Wm.
Bowman's oath.
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1839-Apr. 22
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Joseph arrived in Quincy
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1839-Apr 26
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Twelve met secretly in Far West to begin their mission to England. W.
Woodruff & George A. Smith ordained to 12
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1839-Apr 29
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Joseph negotiated land purchased in Iowa & Illinois.
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1839
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Virginia - Jedediah Grant and the blank sermon.
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1839-July 22
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A day of God's power manifested with many healings
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1839-Nov.
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Joseph met with Pre. Martin Van Buren in Washington DC
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1839-Dec. 16
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Nauvoo Charter signed in Springfield, Ill.
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https://byustudies.byu.edu/PDFLibrary/39.3JesseeWelchRevelations-516881fd-2cfd-467a-a5c2-e2003b8d57ee.pdf
Since the
beginning of the world, history has recorded many examples of those who have
not been in harmony with the prophets. In the early days of our dispensation,
several of the Twelve, to their regret, did not stay loyal to the Prophet
Joseph Smith. One of these was Lyman E. Johnson, a member of the original
Quorum of the Twelve who was excommunicated for unrighteous conduct. He later
lamented his spiritual downfall. He said: “I would suffer my right hand to be
cut off, if I could believe it again. Then I was full of joy and gladness. My
dreams were pleasant. When I awoke in the morning my spirit was cheerful. I was
happy by day and by night, full of peace and joy and thanksgiving. But now it
is darkness, pain, sorrow, misery in the extreme. I have never since seen a
happy moment.” 3 He died in a sleighing accident in 1856 at
the age of 45.
Luke S. Johnson
was also called to the original Quorum of the Twelve in 1835. His spiritual
resolve weakened over some financial speculation in 1837. Looking back later he
said: “My mind became darkened, and I was left to pursue my own course. I lost
the Spirit of God, and neglected my duty; the consequence was, that at a
Conference held in Kirtland, September 3, 1837, … I was cut off from the
Church.” By December 1837 he joined the apostates in publicly denouncing the
Church and was excommunicated for apostasy in 1838. For eight years he had a
medical practice in Kirtland. Then in 1846 he and his family
returned to the fellowship of the Saints. Said he: “I have stopped by the
wayside and stood aloof from the work of the Lord. But my heart is with this
people. I want to be associated with the saints; go with them into the
wilderness and continue with them to the end.” He was rebaptized in March 1846
and came west with the original company of pioneers in 1847. He died in Salt
Lake City in 1861 in full fellowship at the age of 54.
Tidbit: Donna Edith Smith Packer--3rd great
granddaughter of apostle Luke S Johnson
Who's Who in Betraying Joseph and the Church as he languishes in
Liberty Jail: Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, Thomas
Marsh, Orson Hyde (D&C 65), William E. McLellin (D&C 66 & 67), WW
Phelps, judges, his own lawyers, governor, Sampson Avard, John Whitmer,
Frederick G. Williams, Coronel HInkle.
Section
121-
Vs. 1-6 - Come after Joseph
has told of the persecutions heaped upon the Saints
Vs. 7-25- The Lord's answer
to his supplication. See 1 Peter 4:12-13
Vs. 26-33-Blessing promised
to those who endure.
Vs. 33-40- Many are called
but few are chosen. The why answered.
"I became jealous of
the Prophet, and then I saw double, and overlooked everything that was righ,
and spent all my time in looking for the evil; and then, when the Devil began
to lead me, it was easy for the carnal mind to rise up, which is anger,
jealousy, and wrath. I could feel it within me; I felt angry and wrathful; and
the Spirit of the Lord being gone, as the scriptures say, I was blinded, and I
thought I saw a beam in brother Joseph's eye, but it was nothing but a mote,
and my own eye ws filled with the beam; but I thought I saw a beam in his, and
I wanted to get it out; and, as brother Heber says, I got mad, and I wanted
everybody else to be mad. I talked with Brother Brigham and Brother Heber, and
I wanted them to be mad like myself; and I saw they were not mad, and I got
madder still because they were not." (TBMarsh JD 5:206-7)
Vs. 41-46-Proper use of the
Priesthood. see [Bruce R. McConkie, "The Doctrine of the Priesthood," Ensign,
May 1982, p. 32] (Pres. Uchtdorf, "Your Potential, Your
Privilege" CR, April 2011, Priesthood Session)
Section
122 - The
importance of a doctrine can be measured by Satan's opposition to it.
Vs.
9 - "No righteous man is taken before his time" JF Smith at funeral
for Richard L. Evans.
Section 123
Duty
of the Saints in relation to their persecutors, as written by Joseph Smith the
Prophet while a prisoner in the jail at Liberty, Missouri. This section is an
excerpt from an epistle to the Church dated March 20, 1839 (see the heading to section 121).
678 or 770 Saints wrote or dictated sworn statement documenting
the abuses they suffered and property lost in Missouri.
Joseph, Sidney, Elias to President Van Buren, to Congress,
to the Judicial Committee of Congress, to Historians.
