The Bishop and the Lord

Mormon History 1830-1844

Joseph

Bios

The Bishop and the Lord

In December 1830, thirty-seven-year-old Edward Partridge accompanies Sidney Rigdon to see Joseph in New York. Within days Edward is called to preach the gospel, and in six weeks he is called to be the first bishop of the church. Like Nathaniel of old, there is no guile in Edward. Nevertheless, he is rebuked for interfering with missionary work, for disbelief and blindness of heart, and unspecified sins. But when, at age forty-six, the good bishop passes away, the Lord receives him unto himself.

December [11–15], 1830 Blessed, called to preach		… I say unto you, my servant Edward, that you are blessed, and your sins are forgiven you, and you are called to preach my gospel as with the voice of a trump;	¶ D&C 36

February 4, 1831 Bishop, full time Guileless		I have called my servant Edward Partridge; and I give a commandment, that he should be appointed by the voice of the church, and ordained a bishop unto the church, to leave his merchandise and to spend all his time in the labors of the church; … because his heart is pure before me, for he is like unto Nathanael of old, in whom there is no guile.	¶ D&C 41 ¶ Ezra Booth Letters (7)

February 9, 1831 Can be replaced		And again, I say unto you, that my servant Edward Partridge shall stand in the office whereunto I have appointed him. And it shall come to pass, that if he transgress another shall be appointed in his stead. Even so. Amen.	¶ D&C 42:10

May 1831 Interferes with missionaries		… and let them labor in the vineyard; and let no man hinder them doing that which I have appointed unto them— Wherefore, in this thing my servant Edward Partridge is not justified; nevertheless let him repent and he shall be forgiven.	D&C 50:38–39

August 1, 1831 Unbelief and blindness of heart		… I have …selected my servant Edward Partridge, and have appointed unto him his mission in this land. But if he repent not of his sins, which are unbelief and blindness of heart, let him take heed lest he fall. Behold his mission is given unto him, and it shall not be given again.	¶ D&C 58:14–16

September 11, 1831 Fault finding with Ezra Booth, Isaac Morley Soul in danger		Behold, I, the Lord, was angry with him who was my servant Ezra Booth, and also my servant Isaac Morley, for they kept not the law, neither the commandment; They sought evil in their hearts, and I, the Lord, withheld my Spirit. They condemned for evil that thing in which there was no evil; nevertheless I have forgiven my servant Isaac Morley. And also my servant Edward Partridge, behold, he hath sinned, and Satan seeketh to destroy his soul; but when these things are made known unto them, and they repent of the evil, they shall be forgiven.	¶ D&C 64 On November 13, 1905, the First Presidency (Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, Anthon H. Lund), issued a statement on this controversial passage and stating that Edward Partridge was "undoubtedly" the object of the warning. First Presidency messages, 4:107–120.

January 24, 1832 Criticized by Sidney Rigdon		At a conference in Zion, Bishop Partridge presents letters from Sidney Rigdon to him dated September 10, 1831, and to John Corrill and Isaac Morley dated November 14, 1831, that make "certain charges … detrimental to [his] character and standing as a Bishop."	¶ Oliver Cowdery to Joseph Smith, January 28, 1832 Minutes of March 10, 1832 and Joseph to W. W. Phelps, July 31, 1832.

March 10, 1832 Council defends Edward		A special conference in Zion resolves to respond to Sidney Rigdon's letter of November 14, 1831 complaining about the bishop, reminding him that he and Edward met "face to face" at an earlier conference in Missouri "when confessions were made by several brethren and by br. Edward in particular, to our joy and thanksgiving." This should have satisfied the charges that "are partially correct."	¶ Minutes of March 10, 1832
Travel expense misunderstanding		Three charges relate to subsequent events. One pertains to the reimbursement of travel expenses for Joseph, Oliver, and Sidney. "Edward says he had no disposition to defraud or deceive … & if any damage has accrued to the church, or the feelings of any of his brethren been aggrieved … he now asks their forgiveness as well as the forgiveness of the Lord." The other two "are not considered by this Conference just accusations."
Insulted Joseph, presumed authority		Sidney's fifth charge is, "'His having insulted the Lord's prophet in particular and assumed authority over him in open violation of the Laws of God.'" Edward says this occurred "previous to said conference. If Br. Joseph has not forgiven him he hopes he will, as he is and has always been sorry."

July 25, 1832		… tell Bro Edward it is very dangerous for men who have received the light he has received to be a seeking a <after> sign, for there shall no sign be given for a sign except as it was in the days of Lot.	¶ Joseph to W. W. Phelps
		… I am not well pleased with my servant William E. McLellin, neither with my servant Sidney Gilbert; and the bishop also, and others have many things to repent of.	¶ D&C 90:35

November 27, 1832 Council defends Edward		and it shall come to pass that I the Lord God will send one mighty and Strong holding the sceptre of power in his hand clothed with light for a covering whose mouth Shall ut utter words Eternal words while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth to Set in order the house of God and to arange by lot the inheritance of the Saints whose names are found and the names of their fathers and of their Children enroled in the Book of the Law of God while that man who was called of God and appointed that puteth forth his hand to Steady the ark of God shall fall by the Shaft of death like as a tree that is smitten by the vivid shaft of lightning	¶ Letterbook-1, 2 // D&C 85:8–9.

January 1, 1838 Blessing	¶	Thus saith the Lord: My servant Edward Partridge and his house shall be numbered with that blessed and Abraham their father; and his name shall be held in sacred remembrance.	Revelation of January 1, 1838

January 19, 1841 Gone to heaven		That when [Lyman Wight (h) (swh)] shall finish his work I may receive him unto myself, even as I did my servant David Patten (h), who is with me at this time, and also my servant Edward Partridge, and also my aged servant Joseph Smith, Sen.	D&C 124:19 Edward died in Nauvoo, May 27, 1840, at the age of 46.
		Edward Partridge