Thought:
The adversary will have very little power to
tempt you with things that you have never touched. (Elder John Dickson, CR
April 2007, Commitment
to the Lord)
Book of the Week: Stand By My Servant Joseph - The story of the Joseph Knight family and
the Restoration by William G. Hartley
Notable notes; The
Knights-Mormonism's 2nd family- 60 Knight relatives knew Joseph well. Joseph
discussed Moroni's visits with Joseph & Polly before he received the gold
plates. Father Knight believed in Joseph's mission before Joseph met the
Whitmers or the Cowderys. Joseph lived
with the Knights from Nov. 1826-mid Jan. 1827 Father Knight provided paper,
food and transportation to Joseph. Knights were the 1st to attempt to live the
law on consecration. They were the 1st company of believers sent to Missouri.
1st marriage Joseph Smith performed by priesthood authority united Newel Knight
and Lydia Bailey. The family's experiences from 1830 to 1844 were those of
regular Church members, not the elite. In Nauvoo Joseph gave his cane to Father
Knight. Newell Knight the 27th member of the Church. The 1st of the Knight
family.
by 1833 Zion
had 5 branches: 1)Independence-close to the temple site-200 members. 2)Blue
River Branch-230 members. 3)Whitmer Branch-144 members. 4) Colesville Branch 79
members and 5)Prairie Branch-220 members. Total about 873. By July 1000-1200
members.
Church History by the Year- Lydian
Goldthwaite Bailey Knight - Slender, light blue
eyes, fair hair.
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1812-June 9
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Born in Sutton Mass. the 3rd of 12 children. Mother Presbyterian.
Father no church
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Age 8
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Family moved to Villenova in western New York. Lydia received a
common school ed.
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Age 15
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Because she had a mind that was never satisfied she was sent to a
boarding school.
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Age 16
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Married Calvin Bailey who was a heavy drinker and abusive. 2 children
1 died at birth
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Age 20
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Calvin left family destitute. Sold farm and possessions to pay for
drinking addiction
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Age 21
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2nd child died- Lydia depressed. Moved to Canada to help her &
protect her from Calvin.
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1833-Oct. 27
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Baptized by Joseph & Sidney, spoke in tongues, given a blessing
by Joseph. (D&C 100)
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1835
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Moved to Kirtland, despite families objections to Mormonism. Gave
last $50 to free Joseph from prison. Lived with Vinson Knight. (No relation
to Newel)
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1835-Oct.
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Moved in with Hyrum & Jerusha Smith, met another border - Newel
Knight 12 yrs. older. Newel was helping to build the Kirtland Temple. He was
recently widowed after his wife Sally died from the Missouri persecution. He
had a 4 year old son-still in Mo.
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1835-Nov.
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Newel proposes to Lydia. After his 3 day fast & Joseph's blessing,
Joseph married them Nov. 23 or 24, 1835. It was the 1st wedding performed by
Joseph.
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1836-Apr. 3
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Lydia received her Patriarchal Blessing from Joseph Smith Sr.
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1836-Mar. 29
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Joseph returned X2 the money Lydia had given when she 1st arrived in
Kirtland
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1836-Apr. 7
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Knights leave for Mo. Arrived in Clay County April 30- Lydia met
Newel's family.
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1836-Dec. 1
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Baby Sally born to Newel and Lydia. Lydia very sick before and after
birth.
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1838-Feb. 26
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Lydia & family move to Far West after great trials with health
and $.
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1839
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Escape from Mo. to Quincy then Commerce Ill.
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1839
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Live in tent while building Mill at Joseph's request.
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1838-Summer
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Healings by hanky and bathing X2 - Lydia and baby James
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1845-Summer
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Jesse Knight born (later a Utah millionaire)
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1845-46
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Newell sealed to Sally and Lydia between Dec. 45 and Feb. 46
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1847-Jan. 11
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Newell died on the plains of pneumonia. Lydia prayed for recovery
then released him.
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1847-Aug. 26
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Son Hyrum Helaman born. 8th child. Soon Newell appeared to &
comforted her.
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1849-Spring
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Hyrum fell into stream & drowned. Blessed by 2 men at Lydia's
insistence. Life returned.
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1850-Oct. 3
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Lydia & family arrive in SLC with the Hunter "poor"
camp. First to use PEF.
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1852
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Married John Dalton as plural wife. Baby born Dec. 1857 Divorced.
Lydia believed!
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1864
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Moved to Provo-Married prosperous widower James McClellan. He died in
1880.
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1880
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Moved to St. George and worked in temple.
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1883
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Published "Lydia Knight's History" written for the youth of
the Church.
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1884-Apr. 3
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Died in St. George.
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1977-Aug.
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Ensign, "God Rules Was
Her Motto" by Ran Jansak William & Larea Gibbons Strebe
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Church History by the Year 1833
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1833- Feb. 2
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Joseph finished NT translation
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It appears that Joseph translated Genesis 24:42a-Malachi 4:6 between
this date and July 2, 1833.
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1833-Feb. 27
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D&C 89 Word of Wisdom
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Revealed-NK Whitney store
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1833 - Mar. 8
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D&C 90
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1833-Mar. 9
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D&C 91
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Revelation on the Apocrypha
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1833-Mar. 15
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D&C 92
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1833-Mar. 18
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1st Pres. organized
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Counselors set apart
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1833-May 6
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D&C 93 & 94
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1833-June 1
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D&C 95
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1833-June 4
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D&C 96
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1833-July 13
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Evening and Morning Star contains article by
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W. W. Phelps regarding freed blacks entering the state & freedom of religion.
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1833-July 20
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Printing Press destroyed
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Independence, Missouri
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1833-Jul 23
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Forced to sign agreement to
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Leave county /Cornerstones to Temple in Kirtland laid
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1833-Aug. 2
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D&C 97
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1833-Aug. 6
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D&C 98
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1833-Oct. 12
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Perrysburg, New York
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100
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1833-Nov. 6-7
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Saints flee Jackson
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1833-Dec. 16
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Kirtland, Ohio
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101
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Section 89 - Reasons for the Word of Wisdom - 1)
Health, 2) Prevent Barriers to Spirit, 3) Example 1 Cor. 8, 12-13; Romans
14:10, 13 JST Romans 14:15-15:2 4) Reminder of who we are. 5) Conspiring men in
the Latter-days. 6) Treasures of knowledge-Avoiding cancer is
not as important as receiving answers to prayer.
Brigham Young stated that the revelation was given in
response to problems encountered while conducting meetings in the Smith family
home: "When they assembled together in this room after breakfast, the
first they did was to light their pipes, and, while smoking, talk about the
great things of the kingdom, and spit all over the room, and as soon as the
pipe was out of their mouths a large chew of tobacco would then be taken. Often
when the Prophet entered the room to give the school instructions he would find
himself in a cloud of tobacco smoke. This, and the complaints of his wife at
having to clean so filthy a floor, made the Prophet think upon the matter, and
he inquired of the Lord relating to the conduct of the Elders in using tobacco,
and the revelation known as the Word of Wisdom was the result of his
inquiry." (JD 12:158) The Word of
Wisdom was first published as a stand-alone broadsheet in December 1833. In
1835, it was included as section 80 in the first edition of the Doctrine and
Covenants.
Drugs of all kinds—including hard drugs, abused prescription and over-the-counter drugs, and household chemicals—are dangerous to the body. Use of such drugs has become widespread, but it is crucial for you to resist this trend. Some youth have excused their drug use by saying these things are not specifically listed in the Word of Wisdom. President Hinckley responded to them with this statement: “What a miserable excuse. There is likewise no mention of the hazards of diving into an empty swimming pool or of jumping off an overpass onto the freeway. … Common sense would dictate against such behavior” (“The Scourge of Illicit Drugs,” Ensign, Nov. 1989, 50).
Marlin K. Jensen Event: Sperry Symposium: September 29, 2000 - In 1997 Elder W Eugene Hansen and I were asked to host the honorable Michael Moore, Mississippi’s Attorney General during a brief visit he made to Utah and to church headquarters. In a wide ranging conversation with Mr. Moore, Elder Hansen and I raised questions about the lawsuit he had filed against the major American tobacco companies on behalf of the state of Mississippi. We knew Mississippi had recovered a sizeable judgment and that other states were undertaking similar action. We asked him specifically upon what legal theory the state of Mississippi’s claim had been based. Much to our surprise Mr. Moore informed us that the state’s cause of action had been based on a theory of conspiracy. Which the evidence eventually conclusively showed existed among the tobacco companies and even among their lawyers. As Mr. Moore talked of his conspiracy theory and the efforts made by the tobacco companies to hide from the public the addictive and harmful effects of tobacco, my mind almost instinctively turned to section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants. A copy of that scripture was quickly located and after briefly explaining the background and import of section 89, I asked Mr. Moore to read verse four. We listened attentively as he slowly and deliberately read that verse out loud in his appealing southern accent. The verse reads, “Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation” This scriptural reference to “conspiring men” was not lost on Mr. Moore. As he finished reading verse four a broad smile came across his face and with a twinkle in his eye he said. “I never dreamed in visiting Utah I would find 10 million Mormons who would agree with my conspiracy theories.” My heart burned within me that day and has many times since as I have thought of Joseph Smith’s gifts as a prophet and seer. There really is no other explanation for the origin of that 1833 revelation. It waited until the nearly the end of the twentieth century for an almost literal public verification of one of its key passages. However in the hearts of the faithful saints who have headed its message for 170 years, there has never been any doubt about its authenticity or relevance.
"Ironically, brothers and
sisters, the natural man who is so very selfish in so many ordinary ways is
strangely unselfish in that he reaches for too few of the things that bring
real joy. He settles for a mess of pottage instead of eternal joy."
(Neal A. Maxwell, "Called to Serve", BYU Fireside, March 27, 1994)
Vs. 2: Heber J. Grant taught that, “the Word of Wisdom…would
solve the economic problems…of every…country, if it were obeyed by the people
of the world” (CR., 1936, 48).
Bottom line: Moderate and modify
If you don’t love coffee, there’s no reason to start drinking it.
And if you do, the pros above aren’t a green light for cranking up your intake
to a pot a day. However, it is good to know that if you have no intention of
giving it up, your morning cuppa cuppa may provide some disease protection. To
best reap the rewards, I recommend consistently sticking with just one cup in
the morning, then switching to water or green tea. And if you do drink coffee,
doctor it up healthfully. Stick with organic skim or plant based “milk”
(almond, hemp, coconut, etc.), and season it up with antioxidant rich,
naturally calorie free spices like ground cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla bean,
rather than sugar or artificial sweeteners.
Section 90 –
Vs. 2 – The Keys of the Kingdom –
Matt. 19:19
Vs. 4-5- An oracle can be a
revelation or the person through whom the revelation is given. (See D&C
28:2
Vs. 6-7 – Counselors can do everything
their presiding officer directs them to, in this sense they are equal. However,
they have no power to act independent of the president.
Vs. 25-27 – Directed to Joseph
Smith Sr
Section
91 – the Apocrypha
Section 92 Revelation given to Joseph Smith the
Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, March 15, 1833. The revelation instructs
Frederick G. Williams, who had recently been appointed a counselor to
Joseph Smith, on his duties in the United Firm (see the headings
to sections 78 and 82).
Section 93 - Joseph gave no motivation for
his receiving this revelation. Verse 19, however spells it out nicely. This
section is an introductory text on how to come into the Lord's presence and
become like him. Look for the word "fullness".
It appears 15 times in this section. Truman Madsen cited this section as
evidence that Joseph Smith provided more profound answers to philosophical
questions than did Plato. (Harper, p. 345-9)
Vs. 1 - A
great promise
Vs. 2 - We
know right from wrong-ALL of us - See Moroni 7:16; D&C 84:46-54; 88:6-13
Vs. 3 - See
John 14:7, 9-10; Mosiah 15:1-7 - How Christ is the Father (1-Creator;
2-Spritual Rebirth; Divine Investiture of Authority)
Vs. 6-18 -
The record of John the Baptist
Vs. 12-13 -
"Grace is divine help, or in other words, enabling power and strength that
comes from God. The Savior increased in grace as he lived the commandments of
God and blessed the lives of others. His growth was accelerated above that of
his fellowmen because of the reciprocal nature of receiving strength of the
Spirit when extending grace. That is, he called upon his Father for power and
strength to bless others in their need. In answer to his prayers, he was
empowered and grew beyond his previous abilities, thus, receiving grace for
grace. (Revelations of the Restoration p. 672-3)
Vs. 24- See
Jacob 4:13. The Old English word was "treawe" which meant faithful,
trustworthy. The Greek word meant the unveiling of reality. The opposite was
deception. Jesus said he was the way, the TRUTH, and the life (John 14:6)
Vs. 29 - God
did not create anything out of nothing. He gave form to already existing
elements.
Vs. 38 - The
Atonement allows us to be born free from sins committed in our 1st estate.
D&C 94 - Revelation given through Joseph Smith the
Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, August 2, 1833. Hyrum Smith, Reynolds Cahoon, and
Jared Carter are appointed as a Church building committee.
Section 94 makes the most
sense when read as an extension of section 97. Addressing similar concerns, it
says that the Lord had already revealed the pattern for the house of the Lord
in Kirtland, which he did in section 95. Moreover, on Aug. 6, 1833, the 1st
Presidency wrote to Church leaders in Missouri and included in the letter the
revelation now recorded in sections 97 and 94. They explained that having
received letters from the leaders in Missouri, according to your request we inquired
of the Lord and send in this letter the communication which we received from
the Lord concerning the school in Zion. It was obtained August 2nd."
(Harper p. 350)
House for 1st Presidency 55X65
2 floors
Printing
55X65
2 floors Kirtland
Temple
55X65 2 floors (plus attic)
Oct. 10 a decision was
made to build one building for multiple purposes: to house both the 1st Presidency's
office and a printing press, as well as provide space for the School of the
Prophets and other meetings. (Joseph Smith's Kirtland p. 122)
D&C 95 (June 1, 1833) Theme: Delaying of Building the Kirtland Temple
Kirtland,
Ohio
It was Dec. 27,
1832, that the Lord gave the command to the Church that his house should be
built, in which he said: "Organize yourselves; prepare every needful
thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a houses of fasting, a
house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a
house of God." (88:119) The elders of the Church it would appear, had not
taken this command seriously, presumable it had been overlooked in the
consideration of so many wonderful things in that particular revelation.
V. 1: How is Chastening a Sign of Love? Alma taught his son Corianton
that "repentance could not come unto men except there were
punishment" (Alma 42:16). If a person loves another in the highest sense
of the word love, his is deeply concerned for that person's eternal as well as
temporal welfare. He will remember that to properly punish for transgression is
the loving thing to do, for without punishment a person will not be brought to
repentance. President Kimball, said: "We
are concerned that too many times the interviewing leader in his personal sympathies
for the transgressor, and in his love perhaps for the family of the
transgressor, is inclined to waive the discipline which that transgressor
demands. Too often a transgressor is forgiven and all penalties waived when
that person should have been disfellowshipped or excommunicated. Too often a
sinner is disfellowshipped when he should have been excommunicated... There can
be no forgiveness without real and total repentance, and there can be no
repentance without punishment. This is as eternal as the soul... It is so easy to let our sympathies carry
us out of proportion; and when a man has committed sin, he must suffer. It's an
absolute requirement-not by the bishop-but it's a requirement by nature and by
the very part of a man." CR April 1975, p. 116, Manual p. 224.)
Suffering sometimes comes in the form of loving chastisement. "As
many as I love, I rebuke and chasten." (Rev. 3:19.) The Lord said at one
time "Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth." (Heb. 12:6) At another
time the writer of the Proverbs said under the inspiration of the Lord,
"My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his
correction; for whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in
whom he delighteth." (Prov. 3:11). (Your Faith and You, p. 257. Mark E.
Petersen).
V. 3: What the Saints' grievous sin? Subsequent verses make it clear
the Saints' neglect in building the temple was serious: it prevented the
missionary work from moving ahead because the elders could not be prepared
"to prune the Lord's vineyard for the last time (v.4); and it held up the
great endowment of "power from on high," which the Lord held in
reserve for the faithful (v.8)
President Joseph
Fielding Smith explained that "the Kirtland Temple was necessary before
the apostles (who had not yet been called), and other elders of the Church
could receive the endowment which the Lord had in store for them. The elders
had been out preaching the Gospel and crying repentance ever since the Church
was organized and many great men had heard and embraced the truth, nevertheless
the elders could not go forth in the power and authority which the Lord
intended them to possess until this Temple was built where he could restore
keys and powers essential to the more complete preaching of the Gospel and the
administering in its ordinances." (Church History and Modern Revelation,
1:406).
The chastisement had
the intended effect. "Four days after the Lord had rebuked the brethren
for their neglect, without waiting for subscriptions, the brethren went to work
on the Temple. Elder George A. Smith, a recent convert, hauled the first load
of stone for the Temple. Hyrum Smith and Reynolds Cahoon commenced digging the
trench for the walls, and they finished the same with their own hands."
(Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:407).
V. 4: What does pruning the Vineyard mean? "The vineyard is the
harvest symbol usually used to represent the world-the earth and all of the
people who live on the earth. At times the vineyard (the people of the world)
has become corrupt, and it is necessary to prune it so the vine will be able to
produce good fruit in abundance. The process of pruning involves the separation
of one part of the plant from other parts. This could be achieved by calling
out or separating the righteous from among the wicked or by the actual
destruction of the wicked. It is usually in the former sense that Lord
instructs his servants (missionaries) to prune his vineyard. However, the Lord
has also warned that when the pruning process is completed, the vines that
continue to bring forth bad fruit will be burned. This evidently refers to the
burning of the wicked, which will take place at the second coming when Jesus
Christ will come in power and great glory."(Ludlow, Companion, 2:318)
What Is the lord's
"Strange Act"? One purpose of the Kirtland Temple was to prepare the
Lord's Apostles, his faithful servants, for their labor in his vineyard. this
preparation was to help the Lord "bring to pass his strange act" of
the last days. Smith and Sjodahl noted that "the expression quoted is from
the Prophet Is. 28:21, where it refers to the fact that God would fight against
His own people, because of their apostate condition. 'Shall I not, as I have
done to Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols' (Is. 10:11)?
That was in the estimation of the Jews, who did not realize their apostate
condition, 'strange.' But in this dispensation our Lord was to perform an
equally strange act, in revealing His marvelous plan of salvation and making
war upon an apostate church which is boasting of its intimate relations with
Deity. He was now waiting for the Saints to build that house, in which His
messengers were to be prepared for that strange war and endowed with power from
on High (v.8). No wonder that He rebuked them for their tardiness!"
(Commentary, p.603)
V. 5-6: Why are some priesthood holders not chosen or accepted by the
Lord? It is one thing to be called to labor in the vineyard and quite another
to be faithful in the performance of that work. Only those who faithfully fill
their callings are chosen by the Lord for exaltation in the kingdom of God.
Those who are called but not chosen "have sinned a very grievous sin, in
that they are walking in darkness at noon-day", for they do not respond to
the light of the restored gospel that surrounds them (see 121:34-40)
V. 8-9: An endowment is a gift or a bequest. Among the LDS endowment
has the meaning of vesting an individual with special knowledge and priesthood
blessings which are usually given in temples dedicated unto God. The endowment
spoken of here, however, is not the same as that administered in Nauvoo and in
temples today, though priesthood members did participate in a "partial
endowment, the full ordinance being reserved for a future performance when a
temple designed for ordinance work itself should be built [at Nauvoo]"
(McConkie, "A new Commandment: Save Thyself and Thy Kindred!" Ensign,
Aug. 76, p. 10). The first complete endowment in this dispensation was given by
Joseph Smith in Nauvoo on 4 May 1842.
The endowment
received in Kirtland included washing and anointings, as well as the washing of
feet for official priesthood brethren. The Lord also poured out his Spirit,
that is, endowed them with spiritual power, and many received revelations that
were also part of the promised endowment (HC 2:308-10).
V. 10: Contention in the School of the Prophets. Adding to the
"grievous sin" of failing to commence the temple as commanded the
Lord named another serious sin: contention in the School of the Prophets.
Members of that special group had been told by revelation before the school was
started to "cease from all ...lustful desires...pride and
light-mindedness, and from all.. wicked doings (88:121). Having disobeyed this
command, members of the school had committed a second "very grievous
sin" before the Lord.
V. 17: The Son Ahman. Elder O. Pratt pointed out that "there is
one revelation that this people are not generally acquainted with. I think it
has never been published, but probably it will be in the Church History. It is
given in questions and answers. The first question is, 'What is the name of God
in the pure language?' The answer says, 'Ahman.' What is the name of the Son of
God?' Answer, 'Son Ahman-the greatest of all the parts of God excepting
Ahman.'" (JD 2:342) President
Joseph Fielding Smith added: "We also learn from the closing verses of
this revelation that Jesus Christ is also called Son Ahman. Therefore his name
is connected with the name of the place where Adam dwelt. For that reason Elder
O. Pratt gives it the interpretation of 'The Valley of God.'" (Ch. History
and Modern Revelation, 1:310).
Section 96 (June 4, 1833) Theme: Temporal
Welfare in Zion Kirtland,
Ohio
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: On
the 4th of June, 1833, the High Priests met in Conference, in the Translating
Room, to consider what disposition to make of the French farm, which, together
with other real estate, had been bought for the Church. The Conference was not
able to agree on a manager, but all were willing to submit the question to the
Lord, in prayer. In answer to their petitions, they received this Revelation,
in which the Lord directed them (1)to give Bishop Newel K. Whitney charge of
the farm (1-5); and (2) to accept john Johnson as a member of the United Order
(6-9).
Section 97- Revelation received Aug. 2 - Joseph doesn't know the
happenings in Mo. in the past 3 weeks.
Vs. 10- Build temple in Jackson County
Vs. 15 - See footnote 15d
Vs. 25-27- This is and if-then revelation. The saints didn't do the if.
