Church History & D&C Part 2 Day 4

Thought: Parenthetically, those who worry if they currently seem to be untested should not feel guilty or anxious, nor should they pray for trials. First of all, the absence of major tribulation can, ironically, produce the trial of tranquility with its very grave risks of careless ease. Second, the Lord does require a few intact individuals and families to help others manage their trials and tribulations, even though these roles often rotate. (NA Maxwell, All these Things Shall Give Thee Experience, p. 31)

Book of the Week: Mapping Mormonism-An Atlas of Latter-day Saint History.  Brandon S. Plewe, S. Kent Brown, Donald Q. Cannon, Richard H. Jackson

              240 pages of full color maps and nearly as many chronological charts and tables are there are maps. Almost 90 theories of Book of Mormon geography have been published over the past 170 years.  There is a companion website:( mappingmormonism.byu.edu/mormonplaces)

My Favorite Maps

Church History by the Year - Zion's Camp 1834

Feb. 22	P. P. Pratt & Lyman Wight arrive from Missouri (left fam. in Mo. Feb. 1 w/out protection)
Feb. 24	Section 103 revealed to one week old Kirtland High Council-Command to organize camp
March-May	Recruitment by Parley & Joseph; Hyrum & Frederick; Lyman & Sidney; Orson & Orson
May 1	Day set to leave - 20 ready left - to meet in New Potage 60 miles west (met on May 7)
May 5	Left w/ pledge from Gov. Dunklin. Oliver & Sidney stayed in Kirtland. Avg. Age 29 (Joseph) Youngest 16 (George Albert Smith). Oldest 79 (Samuel Baker) Marched 35 miles a day. 4 am Bugle. Left to restore homes and businesses. Also took clothing and supplies
June 8	207 men, 11 children, 11 women - 25 wagons arrived at Salt River in Mo.
June 18	1 mile from Richmond
June 19	Bad weather vs. the mob of 200- (Joseph, "God is in this storm."
June 21	Cholera - 2 men
June 22	D&C 105 revealed
June 2	Plague stopped 70 stricken, 13 died
July 3	Camp released- Most to Kirtland or missions some stayed in Mo. Rumors- Joseph dead.
Feb. 1835	12 organized - 9/12 from Zion's Camp. 70/70
Brigham	"Just what we went for I would not exchange the knowledge for the whole of Geauga County." A perfect training ground for the trek west.
Wilford	"Had I not gone up with Zion's Camp I should not have been here today. (1869)

              Although several members kept journals, there is no extant day-by-day journal of Zion's Camp. (Camp Historian FG William's journal was lost) Most of its day-by-day history, therefore, has come from the memoirs of George A. Smith, a boy of 16 when he joined the trek. His memoirs could not be based on his own journals because at the time of the journey, he had not yet learned to write. 10 years later he was able to furnish a detailed account of the camp's activities and with some help, a list of the more than 200 members of the camp. George never revealed when he learned to write, but 2 years after the march, he was teaching grammar classes in Kirtland. (500 Little-Known facts in Mormon History, George W. Givens p. 21)

Church History by the Year 1835

1835-Feb. 14	Council of Twelve Organized. Chosen by 3 Witnesses.  Members ordained from Feb. to April.
1835-Feb. 28	1st Council of 70 Organized
1835-Apr	D&C 107-Priesthood
1835-July	Mummies and scrolls purchased from Michael Chandler
1835-Aug 17	D&C 134-Government
1835-Dec.	D&C 108-Lyman Sherman

Section 104 -

Vs. 11, 15-17

Vs. 19-46 - Stewardships divided

Vs. 47-53 - Zion separate from Kirtland

Vs. 58 - Purpose to publish Bible, D&C, Book of Mormon, Periodicals & Hymn Book.

Vs. 60-66 - A treasury for printing

Vs. 67-76 - A separate treasury for land.

Vs. 78-84  Debts

Section 106 -           Directed to Warren Cowdery the oldest in Oliver's family of 8 children. (Oliver was the youngest.) Joseph visited Warren in March of 1834 in Freedom New York where he was practicing medicine. He housed and fed Joseph and was called to preside over the Saints in the area. Warren moved his family to Kirtland in early 1836 where he served as a scribe and recorder. He fell away in 1838, the same year as Oliver. Warren stayed in Kirtland rather than move to Far West. He died in Kirtland Feb. 23, 1851.

Vs. 1 - Bishops and Stake Presidents are "presiding high priests". Joseph & Parley had served a mission in this area and established the Freedom Branch in March of 1834, about 8 months prior to this revelation.

Vs. 5 - Children of Light - To accept the Gospel and live by its standards is to come out of darkness into the light. See 1 Peter 2:9; John 12:36 & Colossians 1:12.  As we accept and live Gospel standards we assure ourselves that the coming of the Lord will not be, "as a thief in the night" for us.

Section 107 - Section 3 in the 1835 Edition

Revelation on the priesthood, given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, about April 1835. Although this section was recorded in 1835, the historical records affirm that most of verses 60 through 100 incorporate a revelation given through Joseph Smith on November 11, 1831. This section was associated with the organization of the Quorum of the Twelve in February and March 1835. The Prophet likely delivered it in the presence of those who were preparing to depart May 3, 1835, on their first quorum mission.

March 28  - Vs. 1-52 and 56-58 - Instructions for newly ordained apostles.

Dec. 18, 1833- Vs. 53-55 - From blessing give to Joseph Sr. when ordained Patriarch.

Nov. 1831 - Vs.  59-100 except 61, 70, 73, 77, 78, 90, 93, 98 added in 1835 when D&C was printed.

Vs. 99-100- My favorite verses in this section.

              "As if it were architectural drawing, section 107 built a church that has not required much remodeling since. From its basic organization in 1830 with two presiding elders (D&C 21), the Church's structure and organization changed more in the five years before section 107 was given than it has since. That is a remarkable role for this anchoring revelation. (Harper p. 398)

Section 108 - Joseph was in his study on Dec. 26 studying his Hebrew when Lyman Sherman asked for a blessing.     1. Born May 22, 1804. 2. Joined Church Jan. 1832. 3. Moved to Kirtland 1833. 4. Marched in Zion's Camp 1834. 5. Called as one of Presidents of 70, but was an High Priest, so he was released. 6. High Council in Kirtland & Far West. 7. After Joseph left Kirtland in 1838, dissenters sought to use printing press to print opposition. Lyman secretly burn press. 8. Called to Apostleship 1-16-39 while Joseph was in Jail, but died on 1-27-39, before he was notified. (age 34)