Church History & D&C Part 2 Day 3

Thought: Testimony is to know and to feel. Conversion is to do and to become. (Dallin H. Oaks)

Book of the Week: Lost Legacy-The Mormon Office of Presiding Patriarch, by Irene M. Bates & E. Gary Smith. Notes - The root of Patriarch is patri meaning father. Presiding Patriarch was the only hereditary office in the Church. Patriarchal Blessings represent personal revelation from God to all who request one & who are deemed worthy. Always conditional upon faithfulness.

Church History by the Year - Presiding Patriarch

1833- Dec. 18	Joseph Sr. ordained Presiding Patriarch by Joseph Jr. - 12 months before apostles called. Like unto Joseph of Egypt calling his father to bless his children. (Gen. 49)
1839-June 27	Joseph said that an Evangelist is a Patriarch which should always exist in the Church.
1840-Sept. 14	Joseph Sr. died - Before dying he ordained Hyrum Presiding Patriarch
1844-June 27	Hyrum martyred with brother Joseph*
1845-May 4	Wm. returned from campaigning for Joseph. His wife Caroline died 18 days later. Wm. didn't dare go to funeral.  Ordained Patriarch on day of funeral.
1845-Oct. 19	Wm excommunicated from Church at Gen. Conf.  He gave almost 300 blessings.
	Asael Smith died en route to Utah - "unofficial Church Patriarch - Oct. 1845-Fall 1847
1847-1854	Uncle John Smith Was faithful & supportive of 1st Presidency. Brother of Joseph Sr.
1855-1911	John Smith-Eldest son of Hyrum. Same age as Joseph III. Sustained after 12. Ordained elder at age 13. 1/2 brother of Joseph F. In 1902 spoke in Gen. Conf.
1912-1932	Hyrum G. Smith- grandson of John Smith- Not Hyrum F. son of John Smith-1) separated from wife when his father died. 2)Had Word of Wisdom difficulty. 3) Employment unsteady. Hyrum G. - Dentist and Pres. of Los Angeles Branch.  Joseph F. Smith left the decision to the 12 so long as it was from the family of John Smith. Hyrum G. gave 21,590 Blessings. He though he was to ordain his succesor.
1932	Presiding Patriarch no longer Presiding over Stake Patriarchs.
1932-1942	The decade of uncertainty
1932	Eldred G. Smith (1907-1913)went to see Heber J. Grant. He met with Anthony Ivins 1st Counselor. He was told he was 1) young 2) single and 3) had no college education
1937	George F. Richards of the 12 was sustained as Acting Patriarch.
1942-1946	Joseph F. Smith II (1899-1964served as Presiding Patriarch-Grandson of Joseph F. and nephew of Joseph Fielding Smith. Asked to be released because of health. Died in Hawaii.
1943-May 25	1st Presidency announced that 1)Stake Patriarchs to be chosen by 12 2)Supervised by Stake Presidents and 3) the office is one of blessing-not administration
1947-April 10	Eldred Gee Smith sustained as the 8th Patriarch to the Church
1979-Oct.	Office of Presiding Patriarch discontinued w/ Emeritus Status going to Eldred G. Smith.
2013-April 4	Eldred G. Smith died at the age of 106

* "The office of Patriarch during Hyrum Smith's lifetime wielded more influence than it did during the life of Father Smith, reaching its zenith in power and status during Hyrum's tenure. Despite the fact that Hyrum held the office for less than four years, his status as the Presiding Patriarch established precedents that would prove troublesome in the years to come. (p. 69)

Church History by the Year 1834

Feb. 17	102- Minutes of the 1st High Council
Feb.	103
Apr.	104
June	105-Fishing River, Mo.
Nov.	106

Section 97- See Church History by the Year 1833 July

Vs. 1-2 - Sometimes the wickedness of some brings suffering to others, sometimes the very righteous.

Vs. 3 - School of the Elders taught by PPP. The Lord is pleased

Vs. 10 &15 - A temple is Zion

Vs. 25-28 - If and then

Section 98 -

Vs. 1-3 - 1. Give thanks in everything. 2. The Lord's timing. 3. 2 Nephi 2:2

Vs. 14 - What and who should we fear?

Vs. 16 - Renounce war, proclaim peace-try to change people's hearts

Vs. 23-32 - Law of retaliation

Vs. 33-38- Law of war

Vs. 39-48- Law of forgiveness

Section 99 - Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to John Murdock, August 29, 1832, at Hiram, Ohio. For over a year, John Murdock had been preaching the gospel while his children—motherless after the death of his wife, Julia Clapp, in April 1831—resided with other families in Ohio.

Vs. 6 - John had 3 children who he sent with Caleb Baldwin and pd. $10 for each for transport. 1. Orrice remained faithful throughout his life. 2. John R became Stake President in Beaver and was the lasat survivor of those members who llived in Jackson County. 3. Phebe died of cholera at the age of 6.

Section 100 - Joseph and Sidney on a mission while much was going on is Missouri.

Vs. 1 - Family ok. - Lord calls them "friends"

Vs. 3 - Lydia Bailey Knight. 2 years later Parley teaches John Taylor

Vs. 5-8 - A great promise for those in the service of God

Vs. 9-11 - Sidney a spokesman for Joseph. Joseph a revelator for Sidney.

Vs. 14 - Orson and John left for Missouri in the Fall of 1833 and returned to Kirtland on Nov. 25, 1833.

 

Section 101

Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, December 16 and 17, 1833. At this time the Saints who had gathered in Missouri were suffering great persecution. Mobs had driven them from their homes in Jackson County; and some of the Saints had tried to establish themselves in Van Buren, Lafayette, and Ray Counties, but persecution followed them. The main body of the Saints was at that time in Clay County, Missouri. Threats of death against individuals of the Church were many. The Saints in Jackson County had lost household furniture, clothing, livestock, and other personal property; and many of their crops had been destroyed.

Vs. 2 - See D&C 97:25 and Helaman 12:3

Vs. 4-5 - Chastening means to lift to make pure by correction. Webster's says "to inflict suffering upon for purposes of moral improvement."

Vs. 16-17 - See D&C 3- The Lord is not frustrated.

Vs. 23-25- Sign attending Savior's 2nd Coming

Vs. 26-34 Millennial conditions

Vs. 36-37 - What should we feat?

Vs. 43-62 - Parable: Noblemen is the Lord. The Vineyard is Zion. The Servants are the Saints in Zion. The Olive Trees are the settlements of the Saints. The Tower is the Temple.

Vs. 79-80- God and the US Constitution

Vs. 86-89- Appeal to government. Consequences to nation if the government doesn't respond.

Section 102

Minutes of the organization of the first high council of the Church, at Kirtland, Ohio, February 17, 1834. The original minutes were recorded by Elders Oliver Cowdery and Orson Hyde. The Prophet revised the minutes the following day, and the next day the corrected minutes were unanimously accepted by the high council as “a form and constitution of the high council” of the Church. Verses 30 through 32, having to do with the Council of the Twelve Apostles, were added in 1835 under Joseph Smith’s direction when this section was prepared for publication in the Doctrine and Covenants.

About 60 men (24 High Priests) men to call 12 men to serve on the High Council.

Vs. 2 - the purpose of settling important difficulties which might arise in the church.

Vs. 3 - Standing council gives them authority in a specified area. A travelling council will equal a general authority.

Vs. 4 - Not that they are high councilors and NOT councilmen.

Vs. 6-7 - a quorum is necessary to vote-substitutes allowed

Vs. 9 - Today a Stake President

Church discipline. See also Mosiah 26.

Vs. 30-32- Added for printing of 1835 edition.

Section 103 - Added first in the 1844 Edition along with Sections 105, 112, 119, 124, 127, 128, 135

We'll do Zion's camp next week!

Section 104

Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, at or near Kirtland, Ohio, April 23, 1834, concerning the United Firm (see the headings to sections 78 and 82). The occasion was likely that of a council meeting of members of the United Firm, which discussed the pressing temporal needs of the Church. An earlier meeting of the firm on April 10 had resolved that the organization be dissolved. This revelation directs that the firm instead be reorganized; its properties were to be divided among members of the firm as their stewardships. Under Joseph Smith’s direction, the phrase “United Firm” was later replaced with “United Order” in the revelation.

The United firm borrowed $15,000 on April 30, 1832. The money was used for 1. Goods for Whitney store. 2. Goods for Gilbert store? 3. Peter French Farm. 4. Land in Missouri?  Because of the mobs in Missouri and a Philastus Hurlbut law suit against Hyrum the order was unable to pay. The origianl United Firm members were Joseph, Sidney and Newell K. Whitney. The number grew to 12.

Section 105

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, on Fishing River, Missouri, June 22, 1834. Under the leadership of the Prophet, Saints from Ohio and other areas marched to Missouri in an expedition later known as Zion’s Camp. Their purpose was to escort the expelled Missouri Saints back to their lands in Jackson County. Missourians who had previously persecuted the Saints feared retaliation from Zion’s Camp and preemptively attacked some Saints living in Clay County, Missouri. After the Missouri governor withdrew his promise to support the Saints, Joseph Smith received this revelation.