Chapter XVIII.
Project Gutenberg HTML edition
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Smith, Joseph, Jr., and Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
The Amherst ConferenceThe Vision of the Degrees of Glory in Man's Future Life.
The Labors of the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon.
After Oliver Cowdery and John Whitmer had departed for Jackson county, Missouri, I resumed the translation of the Scriptures, and continued to labor in this branch of my calling with Elder Sidney Rigdon as my scribe, until I received the following:
Revelation, given December 1st, 1831.[1]
1. Behold, thus saith the Lord unto you my servants, Joseph Smith, Jun., and Sidney Rigdon, that the time has verily come, that it is necessary and expedient in me that you should open your mouths in proclaiming my Gospel, the things of the kingdom, expounding the mysteries thereof out of the Scriptures, according to that portion of Spirit and power which shall be given unto you, even as I will.
2. Verily I say unto you, proclaim unto the world in the regions round about, and in the Church also, for the space of a season, even until it shall be made known unto you.
3. Verily this is a mission for a season, which I give unto you,
4. Wherefore, labor ye in my vineyard. Call upon the inhabitants of the earth, and bear record, and prepare the way for the commandments and revelations which are to come.
5. Now, behold this is wisdom; whoso readeth, let him understand and receive also;
6. For unto him that receiveth it shall be given more abundantly, even power;
7. Wherefore, confound your enemies; call upon them to meet you both in public and in private; and inasmuch as ye are faithful, their shame shall be made manifest.
{239} 8. Wherefore, let them bring forth their strong reasons against the Lord.
9. Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, there is no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper;
10. And if any man lift his voice against you, he shall be confounded in mine own due time;
11. Wherefore, keep my commandments, they are true and faithful. Even so. Amen.
The Prophet's Earnest Labors in Kirtland.
Knowing now the mind of the Lord, that the time had come that the Gospel should be proclaimed in power and demonstration to the world, from the Scriptures, reasoning with men as in days of old, I took a journey to Kirtland, in company with Elder Sidney Rigdon on the 3rd day of December, to fulfil the above revelation. On the 4th, several of the Elders and members assembled together to learn their duty, and for edification, and after some time had been spent in conversing about our temporal and spiritual welfare, I received the following:
Revelation, given December 4th, 1831.[2]
1. Hearken and listen to the voice of the Lord, O ye who have assembled yourselves together, who are the High Priests of my Church, to whom the kingdom and power have been given.
2. For verily thus saith the Lord, it is expedient in me for a Bishop to be appointed unto you, or of you, unto the Church in this part of the Lord's vineyard;
3. And verily in this thing ye have done wisely, for it is required of the Lord, at the hand of every steward, to render an account of his stewardship, both in time and in eternity.
4. For he who is faithful and wise in time, is accounted worthy to inherit the mansions prepared for him of my Father.
5. Verily I say unto you, the Elders of the Church in this part of my vineyard, shall render an account of their stewardship unto the Bishop, who shall be appointed of me, in this part of my vineyard.
6. These things shall be had on record, to be handed over unto the Bishop in Zion;
7. And the duty of the Bishop shall be made known by the commandments which have been given, and the voice of the conference.
{240} 8. And now, verily I say unto you, my servant Newel K. Whitney is the man who shall be appointed and ordained unto this power. This is the will of the Lord your God, your Redeemer. Even so. Amen.
9. The word of the Lord, in addition to the law which has been given, making known the duty of the Bishop who has been ordained unto the Church in this part of the vineyard, which is verily this:
10. To keep the Lord's storehouse; to receive the funds of the Church in this part of the vineyard;
11. To take an account of the Elders as before has been commanded; and to administer to their wants, who shall pay for that which they receive, inasmuch as they have wherewith to pay;
12. That this also may be consecrated to the good of the Church, to the poor and needy;
13. And he who hath not wherewith to pay, an account shall be taken and handed over to the Bishop of Zion, who shall pay the debt out of that which the Lord shall put into his hands;
14. And the labors of the faithful who labor in spiritual things, in administering the Gospel and the things of the kingdom unto the Church, and unto the world, shall answer the debt unto the Bishop in Zion;
15. Thus it cometh out of the Church, for according to the law every man that cometh up to Zion, must lay all things before the Bishop in Zion.
16. And now, verily I say unto you, that as every Elder in this part of the vineyard must give an account of his stewardship unto the Bishop in this part of the vineyard,
17. A certificate from the judge or Bishop in this part of the vineyard, unto the Bishop in Zion, rendereth every man acceptable, and answereth all things, for an inheritance, and to be received as a wise steward, and as a faithful laborer;
18. Otherwise he shall not be accepted of the Bishop of Zion.
19. And now, verily I say unto you, let every Elder who shall give an account unto the Bishop of the Church, in this part of the vineyard be recommended by the church or churches, in which he labors, that he may render himself and his accounts approved in all things.
20. And again, let my servants who are appointed as stewards over the literary concerns of my Church, have claim for assistance upon the Bishop or Bishops, in all things,
21. That the revelations may be published, and go forth unto the ends of the earth; that they also may obtain funds which shall benefit the Church in all things,
22. That they also may render themselves approved in all things, and be accounted as wise stewards.