Chapter XIII.
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Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Smith, Joseph, Jr., and Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
The latter part of January, in company with Brothers Sidney Rigdon and Edward Partridge, I started with my wife for Kirtland, Ohio, where we arrived about the first of February, and were kindly received and welcomed into the house of Brother Newel K. Whitney.[4] My wife and I lived in {146} the family of Brother Whitney several weeks, and received every kindness and attention which could be expected, and especially from Sister Whitney.
The Branch of the Church at Kirtland.
The branch of the Church in this part of the Lord's vineyard, which had increased to nearly one hundred members, were striving to do the will of God, so far as they knew it, though some strange notions and false spirits had crept in among them. With a little caution and some wisdom, I soon assisted the brethren and sisters to overcome them. The plan of "common stock," which had existed in what was called "the family,"[5] whose members generally had embraced the everlasting Gospel, was readily abandoned for {147} the more perfect law of the Lord; and the false spirits were easily discerned and rejected by the light of revelation.
The Lord gave unto the Church the following:
Revelation, given at Kirtland, Ohio, February 4th, 1831.[6]
1. Hearken and hear, O ye my people, saith the Lord and your God, ye whom I delight to bless with the greatest of all blessings, ye that hear me; and ye that hear me not will I curse, that have professed my name, with the heaviest of all cursings.
2. Hearken, O ye Elders of my Church whom I have called, behold I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall assemble yourselves together to agree upon my word,
3. And by the prayer of your faith ye shall receive my law, that ye may know how to govern my Church and have all things right before me.
4. And I will be your Ruler when I come; and behold, I come quickly, and ye shall see that my law is kept.
5. He that receiveth my law and doeth it, the same is my disciple; and he that saith he receiveth it and doeth it not, the same is not my disciple, and shall be cast out from among you:
6. For it is not meet that the things which belong to the children of the kingdom, shall be given to them that are not worthy, or to dogs, or the pearls to be cast before swine.
7. And again, it is meet that my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun., should have a house built, in which to live and translate.
8. And again, it is meet that my servant, Sidney Rigdon should live as seemeth him good, inasmuch as he keepeth my commandments.
9. And again, 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:
10. To see to all things as it shall be appointed unto him, in my laws in the day that I shall give them.
11. And this because his heart is pure before me, for he is like unto Nathaniel of old, in whom there is no guile.
12. These words are given unto you, and they are pure before me; wherefore beware how you hold them, for they are to be answered upon your souls in the day of judgment. Even so. Amen.
{148} Revelation Giving the Law of the Church.
On the 9th of February, 1831, at Kirtland, in the presence of twelve Elders, and according to the promise heretofore made,[7] the Lord gave the following revelation, embracing the law of the Church:
Revelation, given February, 1831.[8]
1. Hearken, O ye Elders of my Church, who have assembled yourselves together in my name, even Jesus Christ the Son of the living God, the Savior of the world, inasmuch as they believe on my name and keep my commandments.
2. Again, I say unto you, hearken and hear and obey the law which I shall give unto you;
3. For verily I say, as ye have assembled yourselves together according to the commandment wherewith I commanded you, and are agreed as touching this one thing, and have asked the Father in my name, even so ye shall receive.
4. Behold, verily I say unto you, I give unto you this first commandment, that ye shall go forth in my name, every one of you, excepting my servants Joseph Smith, Jun., and Sidney Rigdon.
5. And I give unto them a commandment that they shall go forth for a little season, and it shall be given by the power of the Spirit when they shall return;
6. And ye shall go forth in the power of my Spirit, preaching my Gospel, two by two, in my name, lifting up your voices as with the sound of a trump, declaring my word like unto angels of God;
7. And ye shall go forth baptizing with water, sayingRepent ye, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8. And from this place ye shall go forth into the regions westward; and inasmuch as ye shall find them that will receive you, ye shall build up my Church in every region,
9. Until the time shall come when it shall be revealed unto you from on high, when the city of the New Jerusalem shall be prepared, that ye may be gathered in one, that ye may be my people and I will be your God.
10. And again, I say unto you, that my servant, Edward Partridge, shall stand in the office wherewith I have appointed him. And it shall come to pass, that if he transgress, another shall be appointed in his stead. Even so. Amen.
{149} 11. Again, I say unto you, that it shall not be given to any one to go forth to preach my Gospel, or to build up my Church, except he be ordained by some one who has authority, and it is known to the Church that he has authority, and has been regularly ordained by the heads of the Church.
12. And again, the Elders, Priests and Teachers of this Church shall teach the principles of my Gospel, which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fullness of the Gospel;
13. And they shall observe the covenants and Church articles to do them, and these shall be their teachings, as they shall be directed by the Spirit;
14. And the Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith, and if ye receive not the Spirit, ye shall not teach,
15. And all this ye shall observe to do as I have commanded concerning your teaching, until the fulness of my scripture is given.
16. And as ye shall lift up your voices by the Comforter, ye shall speak and prophesy as seemeth me good;
17. For, behold, the Comforter knoweth all things, and beareth record of the Father and of the Son.
18. And now, behold, I speak unto the Church. Thou shalt not kill; and he that kills shall not have forgiveness in this world, nor in the world to come.
19. And again, I say, thou shalt not kill; but he that killeth shall die.
20. Thou shalt not steal; and he that stealeth and will not repent, shall be cast out.