Chapter Eight

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CHURCH HISTORY IN THE FULNESS OF TIMESSignificant Revelations about the Law of Consecration and the United OrderDate Where Received Where Recorded Content4 Feb. 1831 Kirtland, Ohio D&C 41:9 Edward Partridge appointed as first bishop.9 Feb. 1831 Kirtland, Ohio D&C 42:30–34 Law of consecration explained.Feb. 1831 Kirtland, Ohio D&C 44:6 Saints to administer to the poor according to law.7 Mar. 1831 Kirtland, Ohio D&C 45:64–75 Call to gather Zion: prospect of New Jerusalem.Mar. 1831 Kirtland, Ohio D&C 48 Saints who settled in Ohio to save money forinheritance in Zion.May 1831 Thompson, Ohio D&C 51:3ff Bishop Partridge to appoint portions (stewardships)according to family size, circumstances, wants, and needs.Storehouse to be established.June 1831 Kirtland, Ohio D&C 56:16–20 Rich and poor commanded to repent.20 July 1831 Jackson County, Missouri D&C 57 Missouri appointed and consecrated as the land ofinheritance and center place for Zion.1 Aug. 1831 Jackson County, Missouri D&C 58:1–9, 50–57 Zion to come after much tribulation. Early immigrantshonored to lay foundation of Zion. Lands to bepurchased in Independence.Aug. 1831 Kirtland, Ohio D&C 63:27–31 Saints commanded to purchase lands with money andforbidden to obtain lands by blood.12 Nov. 1831 Kirtland, Ohio D&C 70:1–8 Elders appointed stewards over revelations. Surplusesto be consecrated to the Church.4 Dec. 1831 Kirtland, Ohio D&C 72 Newel K. Whitney appointed as second bishop of theChurch in Kirtland. Further duties of bishop made known.Mar. 1832 Hiram, Ohio D&C 78 Saints commanded to establish storehouses in Zion and tofurther organize so Church would be independent.26 April 1832 Jackson County, Missouri D&C 82:11–12 United order to be established to manage affairsin Zion and Kirtland.30 Apr. 1832 Independence, Missouri D&C 83 Widows and orphans to be provided for by consecrationof the Church to storehouses.27 Nov. 1832 Kirtland, Ohio D&C 85 To receive an inheritance in Zion a person must bewilling to live the law of consecration.25 June 1833 Kirtland, Ohio History of the Church, 1:364–65 Letter from the Prophet to Bishop Edward Partridgeon the size of a member’s stewardship.2 Aug. 1833 Kirtland, Ohio D&C 97:10–21 House (temple) in Zion (Jackson County) commanded.Zion is pure in heart.6 Aug. 1833 Kirtland, Ohio D&C 98 Saints commanded to follow the Constitution.Law of war and law of forgiveness given to Saints.12 Oct. 1833 Perrysburg, New York D&C 100:13–17 Chastened Zion to be redeemed.10 Dec. 1833 Kirtland, Ohio History of the Church, 1:453–56 Letter from the Prophet to retain lands: petitionto God to return Saints to land of inheritances.16 Dec. 1833 Kirtland, Ohio D&C 101 Reasons given for Saints’ expulsion from JacksonCounty. Zion not to be moved out of her place. Saintsto rely on constitutional process.24 Feb. 1834 Kirtland, Ohio D&C 103 Saints to redeem Zion after tribulation. Zionto be redeemed by power.23 Apr. 1834 Kirtland, Ohio D&C 104:47–66 Separation of united order in Kirtland and Zion.Sacred treasury provided for.22 June 1834 Fishing River, Missouri D&C 105 Redemption of Zion postponed until Saints are prepared,endowed, and numerous. United order dissolveduntil after Zion’s redemption.1 Sept. 1835 Kirtland, Ohio History of the Church, 2:254 Prophet’s letter to elders of the Church relating hisJune 1831 vision to go to western Missouri.(Adapted from William O. Nelson, Ensign, Jan. 1979, p. 23.)98
GATHERING TO OHIO The revelations to Joseph Smithconcerning the law of consecration beganwith the revelations in February 1831, soonafter the Prophet Joseph arrived in Ohio.Over the next 4 1/2 years the Lord revealedmany principles connected with the law ofconsecration. As can be seen in theaccompanying chart, most of them weregiven in Kirtland.year’s end they would have a net gain called a surplus (profit). Any surplusremaining beyond the wants and needs of the family was to be turned over tothe storehouse to be used by the bishop to “administer to the poor and needy”(D&C 42:34). The law of consecration was designed to bring about relativeeconomic equality and eliminate greed and poverty. 27The Church gradually learned more about the law of consecration asadditional revelations were given. For example, the Prophet asked the Lordhow the Church should acquire lands for the settlement of the incomingSaints. Those with property in Kirtland were commanded to impart freely oftheir lands. Other funds were to be consecrated to buy more land (see D&C48:2–3). The bedraggled New York Saints began arriving in May, and it wasnecessary to get them settled. The responsibility rested with Bishop Partridge,so he sought direction from the Prophet. The bishop was instructed to beginapportioning stewardships to the immigrants (see D&C 51:3). “And let everyman deal honestly, and be alike among this people, and receive alike, that yemay be one, even as I have commanded you” (v. 9).Joseph Smith directed the Colesville immigrants to settle in Thompson,Ohio, a few miles east of Kirtland, on property owned by Leman Copley. TheSaints in Seneca County were assigned to live on the Isaac Morley farm,where they erected log cabins and planted crops. Although Bishop Partridgetried to inaugurate the law of consecration in Thompson, conflicts preventedits full implementation. Because of the failure of his mission to the Shakers,Leman Copley broke his contract that allowed Latter-day Saints to occupyhis farmland and ordered them off his property. When informed of thedifficulties, the Prophet sought and obtained a revelation instructing NewelKnight, president of the Colesville branch, and others living on the Copleyfarm to “repent of all their sins, and . . . journey into the regions westward,unto the land of Missouri, unto the borders of the Lamanites” (D&C 54:3, 8).Shortly thereafter, at least fourteen families under Newel Knight’s directionleft for the Missouri frontier. 28In the February revelation calling Edward Partridge to be bishop, theLord had directed Joseph and Sidney to resume the inspired translation ofthe Bible. “And again, it is meet that my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., shouldhave a house built, in which to live and translate” (D&C 41:7). Five dayslater the Prophet received the following instruction:“Thou shalt ask, and my scriptures shall be given as I have appointed,and they shall be preserved in safety;“And it is expedient that thou shouldst hold thy peace concerning them,and not teach them until ye have received them in full” (D&C 42:56–57). Thepair diligently continued their work almost daily throughout the spring ina small house constructed for Joseph and Emma on Isaac Morley’s farm.At this time Emma went into labor. She had not yet recovered from herillness and the arduous midwinter journey from New York. On 30 April shedelivered twins, but they only lived three hours. She and Joseph had now lostall three children born to them. Coincidentally, twins were born on 1 May to99
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Chapter Eight

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