Chapter XXIII.
Project Gutenberg HTML edition
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Smith, Joseph, Jr., and Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
18. Set in order your houses; keep slothfulness and uncleanness far from you.
19. Now, verily I say unto you, let there be a place provided as soon as it is possible, for the family of thy counselor and scribe, even Frederick G. Williams.
20. And let mine aged servant, Joseph Smith, Sen., continue with his family upon the place where he now lives, and let it not be sold until the mouth of the Lord shall name.
21. And let my counselor, even Sidney Rigdon, remain where he now resides, until the mouth of the Lord shall name.
22. And let the Bishop search diligently to obtain an agent, and let him be a man who has got riches in storea man of God, and of strong faith;
23. That thereby he may be enabled to discharge every debt; that the storehouse of the Lord may not be brought into disrepute before the eyes of the people.
{331} 24. Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another.
25. Let your families be small, especially mine aged servant Joseph Smith's, Sen., as pertaining to those who do not belong to your families;
26. That those things that are provided for you, to bring to pass my work, be not taken from you and given to those that are not worthy,
27. And thereby you be hindered in accomplishing those things which I have commanded you.
28. And again, verily I say unto you, it is my will that my handmaid, Vienna Jaques, should receive money to bear her expenses, and go up unto the land of Zion;
29. And the residue of the money may be consecrated unto me, and she be rewarded in mine own due time.
30. Verily I say unto you, that it is meet in mine eyes that she should go up unto the land of Zion, and receive an inheritance from the hand of the Bishop,
31. That she may settle down in peace inasmuch as she is faithful, and not be idle in her days from henceforth.
32. And behold, verily I say unto you, that ye shall write this commandment, and say unto your brethren in Zion, in love greeting, that I have called you also to preside over Zion in mine own due time:
33. Therefore, let them cease wearying me concerning this matter.
34. Behold, I say unto you that your brethren in Zion begin to repent, and the angels rejoice over them;
35. Nevertheless, I am not well pleased with many things, and I am not well pleased with my servant William E. M'Lellin, neither with my servant Sidney Gilbert; and the Bishop also, and others have many things to repent of;
36. But verily I say unto you, that I, the Lord, will contend with Zion, and plead with her strong ones, and chasten her until she overcomes and is clean before me:
37. For she shall not be removed out of her place. I the Lord, have spoken it. Amen.
The Apocrypha.
March 9.Having come to that portion of the ancient writings called the Apocrypha, I received the following:
Revelation.[8]
1. Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you concerning the Apocrypha, {332} there are many things contained therein that are true, and it is mostly translated correctly.
2. There are many things contained therein that are not true, which are interpolations by the hands of men.
3. Verily, I say unto you, that it is not needful that the Apocrypha should be translated.
4. Therefore, whoso readeth it, let him understand, for the Spirit manifesteth truth;
5. And whoso is enlightened by the Spirit, shall obtain benefit therefrom;
6. And whoso receiveth not by the Spirit, cannot be benefited. Therefore it is not needful that it should be translated. Amen.
A Mission to the East Appointed.
March 12.A council of High Priests assembled in the school room and decided that Horace Cowin and Zerubbabel Snow, Amasa M. Lyman[9] and William F. Cahoon, Jenkins Salisbury and Truman Wait, journey east on a mission, two by two, {333} paired as their names are written. Brothers Cowin and Salisbury were ordained at the same time.
Case of Brother Lake.
March 15.A council was called to consider the case of Brother Lake, from Wooster, Wayne county, Ohio, who came professing to have received revelations. On investigation, it was unanimously agreed, that said Brother Lake was under the influence of an evil spirit, and that his license as Priest be taken from him.
The same day I received the following:
Revelation to Enoch (Joseph Smith, Jun.,) given to the Saints in Kirtland.[10]
1. Verily, thus saith the Lord, I give unto the united order, organized agreeable to the commandment previously given, a revelation and commandment concerning my servant Shederlaomach (Frederick G. Williams), that ye shall receive him into the order. What I say unto one I say unto all.
2. And again, I say unto you my servant Shederlaomach, (Frederick G. Williams), you shall be a lively member in this order, and inasmuch as you are faithful in keeping all former commandments you shall be blessed forever. Amen.