| Epistle
authorized by a July 1832 conference in Jackson county (Minutes
of July 3, 1832). Saints flooding
into Jackson county, thinking it was a land of milk and honey, were ill-prepared
for the realities of western Missouri. Primary purpose is to counsel
wisdom in gathering and publicize requirement of obtaining authorization
from local leaders before emigrating. |
| Anciently,
people erred not in rejecting former prophets, but in rejecting the prophets
of their own day. We need modern revelation to give us God's will in our
own time and circumstances. Lord has commanded that the gathering shall
not be done in haste. None to come to Zion without permisson from the bishop
in Ohio or from three elders. Zion to be like the garden of the Lord but
now it is a wilderness and desert. The revelations will be published as
soon as possible. |
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[Communicated.] |
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The
Evening and the Morning Star, vol. 1 no. 2 (July, 1832)
Communicated. in brackets is original text. |
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THE ELDERS IN THE LAND
OF ZION TO THE CHURCH OF CHRIST SCATTERED ABROAD |
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BRETHREN, We think it
proper to give you some general information respecting the present state
of the church in Zion, and also the work of the gathering. |
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Other
churches reject idea of modern revelation
Lord reveals for present |
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Notwithstanding that
nearly all christendom doubt the propriety of receiving revelations the
government of the church of Christ in this age, and generally adopt the
Scriptures of the old and new testament as the only rule of faith and practice,
yet we believe, from the Scriptures of truth, that to every church in the
past ages, which the Lord recognized to be his, he gave revelations wisely
calculated to govern them in the peculiar situation and circumstances under
which they were placed, and to enable them by authority to do the peculiar
work which they were to perform. |
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Bible
contains revelations given at different times
Judgments came in past for rejecting current revelations |
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The Bible contains
revelations given at different times to different people, under different
circumstances, as will be seen by editorial articles in this paper. The
old world was destroyed for rejecting the revelations of God, given to them
through Noah. The Israelites were destroyed in the wilderness for dispising
the revelations given to them through Moses; and Christ said that the world,
in the days of the apostles, should be condemned for not receiving the word
of God through them: thus we see that the judgments of God in the past ages
have come upon the people, not so much for neglecting the revelations given
to their forefathers, as for rejecting those given immediately to themselves.
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Note that no appeal
is made to modern revelation even though an important revelation on gathering,
"A Prophecy Given to the Church of Christ, March 7, 1831"
(D&C 45) had been published in the previous issue of the Star.
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God
the same
True church always receives revelations |
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Of the blessings of
heaven it may be said, they have always rested upon the heads of those to
whom they were promised: Therefore, seeing that it not only was, but as
long as God remains the same, always will be the privilege of the true church
to receive revelations, containing blessings and cursings, particularly
adapted to itself as a church. |
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| Old
and New Testaments applicable |
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We conclude it is a mistaken
notion that the Scriptures of the old and new testament are the only rule
of faith and practice; nevertheless, inasmuch as the precepts and examples
contained in them are truly applicable to us, under our particular circumstances,
we are bound to be governed by them; and we also can receive much benefit
from such prophecies as point out the events that shall take place in our
day and age: of these there are many, both in the old and new testament.
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They
speak of gathering
Saints to dwell with Savior at his second coming |
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They speak plainly of
great things that shall be accomplished in the last days; such as preaching
of the everlasting gospel to all nations; the gathering of the elect from
the four winds of heaven; the building up of Zion and Jerusalem, or the
ingathering of the remnants of Jacob, and the planting them in the lands
of their fathers' inheritance: the necessary preperation to meet the Savior
at his second coming, all with his saints to dwell with them in the millennium
reign. |
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| How
gather without revelation, authority? |
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And now, who with the
Bible in his hand, can suppose that these great and marvelous works can
be accomplished by the church without more revelations from the Lord? We
cannot, for we worship the God of Israel, in whom there is neither variableness
nor shadow of turning; consequently as in days of old, so in these last
days, he has given us revelations by which we may know how to organize the
church of Christ, and by his authority to perform the work which he has
enjoined upon us. And now brethren, if we wish for blessings upon this church,
we must walk humble before the Lord, and observe to keep all his commandments. |
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Gathering:
speedy but not hastily
Bishop determines when more can come |
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Notwithstanding the
work of the gathering will be accomplished, we believe, in a speedy manner,
yet the Lord has commanded that it shall not be done in haste, nor by flight,
but that all things shall be prepared before you; and for this purpose he
has made it the duty of the Bishop or Agent in the land of Zion, to make
known, from time to time, the privileges of the land, to the conferences,
which may determine and make known how many can be accommodated. |
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| Recommend
required |
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And the saints will remember
that the Bishop in the land of Zion, will not receive any, as wise stewards,
without they bring a recommend from the Bishop in Ohio, or from three elders. |
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| Recommend
from bishop or three elders |
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The elders therefore,
will be careful not to recommend and send up churches to this place, without
first receiving information from the Bishop in Ohio, or in the land of Zion,
that they can be accommodated when they arrive, so as to be settled without
confusion, which would produce pestilence. Therefore, if a church is desirous
to come to the land of Zion, we would recommend that first, by letter or
otherwise, they make known their desires and their situation to the Bishop
in Ohio, or in the land of Zion, and receive information from them before
they start. |
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Necessary
to coordinate
No unreasonable sacrifices |
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Brethren will perceive
as well as we, that where churches of fifty or a hundred souls each, are
coming to the land of Zion from different parts of the nation, and, as soon
will be the case, from different nations, without a knowledge of each other,
they would, when they arrive, be in a state of confusion, and labor under
many disadvantages, which might be avoided by strictly observing the rules
and regulations of the church. Moreover by being in haste, and forcing the
sale of property, unreasonable sacrifices have been made, and although this
is a day of sacrifice and tithing, yet to make lavish and unreasonable sacrifices,
is not well pleasing in the sight of the Lord. |
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300–400 arrived in first year |
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It is about one year
since the work of the gathering commenced, in which time between three and
four hundred have arrived here and are mostly located upon their inheritances,
and are generally in good health and spirits and are doing well. |
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| Difficult
traveling, settling |
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The expenses of journeying
and settling here, together with the establishing of a printing office and
store, have probably exceeded the expectations of our brethren abroad, and
although Zion, according to the prophets, is to become like Eden or the
garden of the Lord, yet, at present it is as it were but a wilderness and
desert, and the disadvantages of settling in a new try, you know, are many
and great: |
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Don't
come until authorized
Crops good but must feed Indians too |
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Therefore, prudence would
dictate at present the churches abroad, come not up to Zion, until preperations
can be made for them, and they receive information as above. The prospect
for crops in this region of country is, at present, tolerable good, but
calls for provisions will undoubtedly be considerable, for besides the emigration
of the whites, the government of the United States is settling the Indians
(or remnants of Joseph) immediately to the west, and they must be fed. |
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| Revelations
to be published |
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Brethren,
we drop the above remarks for your benefit, until you can have the revelations
to peruse for yourselves, which will be published as soon as they can be
consistently. |
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Publication
of modern revelations began with the previous (first) issue of the Star.
Publication of the Book of Commandments was authorized in November 1831. Minutes
of November 1–2, 1831. |
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Although the Lord has
said that it is his business to provide for his saints in these last days,
yet remember he is not bound so to do unless we observe his sayings and
keep them. |
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July 1834 Appeal
Kirtland 1832
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