1. First Mission to the Lamanites.—At the conference held in Fayette, New York, September, 1830, the first mission to the Lamanites was appointed. In the revelation^[40] which corrected the evils introduced by Hiram Page's "seer stone," Oliver Cowdery was appointed to a mission to the Lamanites; and before the conference was adjourned another revelation as given appointing Parley P. Pratt, Peter Whitmer, Jun., and Ziba Peterson to accompany him. Great promises are contained in the Book of Mormon concerning the Lamanites, and the elders at that conference hoped that the time had come for their fulfillment. [See note 1, end of section].

2. En route for their field of labor—the western part of the State of Missouri—the elders of the Lamanite mission stopped at Kirtland, in the north-eastern part of Ohio. Here they found a society of reformed Baptists, sometimes called Campbellites, after Alexander Campbell, the chief founder of the new sect. Their pastor was Sidney Rigdon. Elder Parley P. Pratt had formerly been a member of this sect, and he presented to his former co-religionists the Book of Mormon, and with his associates preached the fullness of the gospel to them, which, finally Mr. Rigdon and nearly all his congregation accepted.

3. The Lamanite mission continued its journey westward, and in mid-winter reached the city of Independence, in the western borders of Missouri. Crossing the frontier, several meetings were held with the Delaware Indians, which had the effect of arousing the jealousy of the sectarian missionaries among them. Such was their influence with the Indian agents that they succeeded in getting the elders banished from the territory. Returning to Independence, they sent one of their number, Parley P. Pratt, to report their labors to the prophet.

4. The First Commandment to Gather.—In December, 1830, the Lord gave a revelation^[41] to the church in New York, requiring the Saints in that state to move into Ohio by the time Oliver Cowdery returned from his mission to the Lamanites. This is the first direct commandment to the church to gather. During the winter of 1830-31, the Saints obeyed this commandment, the most of them settling in Kirtland. The Prophet Joseph and his family arrived there about the first of February, 1831. Before the coming of the New York Saints there was a church at Kirtland of about one hundred members, most of whom had been drawn from the Campbellite sect.

5. The First Bishops of the Church.—On the 4th of February, 1831, the Lord by revelation^[42] commanded that Edward Partridge should be "appointed by the voice of the church, and ordained a bishop." Edward Partridge was a merchant in Kirtland, of whom the prophet said: "He was a pattern of piety, and one of the Lord's great men, known by his steadfastness and patient endurance to the end;" and of whom the Lord said, in the revelation appointing him bishop—"His heart is pure before me, for he is like unto Nathaniel of old, in whom there is no guile." He was required to give up his business of merchant, and devote all his time in the labors of the church. He was not to be the only bishop in the church, however, as in the November following (1831), the Lord said: "There remaineth * * * other bishops to be set apart unto the church, to minister even according to the first."^[43] In December of that year, Newel K. Whitney was appointed a bishop over the church in Kirtland and vicinity [see note 2, end of section]; while Edward Partridge was bishop in Zion and the regions round about.

6. The Bishopric.—Although nothing is said in the revelation which appointed Edward Partridge bishop about the rights and powers of his office in the church, yet here, doubtless, will be the most proper place to speak of bishops in respect to their rights and authority.

I. The bishopric is the presidency of the Aaronic Priesthood;^[44] and since that Priesthood has most to do with administering the "outward ordinances, the letter of the gospel,"^[45] the bishops will find their chief employment in the temporal affairs of the church. Indeed the Lord plainly says: "The office of a bishop is in administering all temporal things."^[46] By ministering in temporal things we mean attending to the tithing, caring for the poor, and when the law of consecration shall be observed by the church, the bishops will receive the consecrations, settle people on their possessions, divide their inheritances unto them,^[47] keep the Lord's store-house, etc. [See note 3, end of section].

II. The bishops are also to be judges among the people, to sit in judgment on trangressors, to hear testimony and give decisions according to the laws of the kingdom which are given by the prophets of God.^[48] The bishop's court is the first court of record in the church; that is, a record is kept of the trial and preserved; whereas in any investigation of difficulties that may be had before the teachers or others, no record is kept. An appeal lies from the bishop's courts to the high council having jurisdiction. For want of a better expression we may say there are several kinds of bishops; first, the general presiding bishop of the church; second, traveling Bishops; third, local or ward bishops.^[49] III. Presiding Bishop of the Church:—This bishop is the president of the Aaronic Priesthood throughout the church; he has a jurisdiction over all other bishops, priests, teachers and deacons; and a general supervision of the temporal affairs of the church, subject, of course, to the counsel of the presidency of the Melchisedek Priesthood. Of right this bishop should be the first-born among the sons of Aaron; "For the first-born holds the right of the presidency over this [the Aaronic] priesthood, and the keys or authority of the same. No man has a legal right to this office, to hold the keys of this priesthood, except he be a literal descendant and the first-born of Aaron."^[50] But before the first-born among the literal descendants of Aaron can legally officiate in this calling, he must first be designated by the first presidency of the Melchisedek priesthood; second, he must be found worthy of the position, and that includes his capacity to fill the office with ability, honor and dignity; third, he must be ordained under the hands of the first presidency of the Melchisedek Priesthood.^[51] But by virtue of the decree concerning the right of the priesthood descending from father to son, the first-born of the sons of Aaron may claim their anointing, if at any time they can prove their lineage or do ascertain it by revelation from the Lord under the hands of the First Presidency.^[52] A literal descendant of Aaron when appointed as above described may act without counselors, except in a case where a president of the High priesthood after the order of Melchisedek is tried. In that event he is to be assisted by "twelve counselors of the High priesthood."^[53] But when no literal descendant of Aaron can be found, as a high priest of the Melchisedek priesthood has authority to officiate in all the lesser offices, he may officiate in the office of bishop; provided he is called, set apart and ordained unto that power under the hands of the first presidency of the Melchisedek priesthood, and is assisted by two other high priests as counselors.^[54] This bishop, whether a descendant of Aaron or a high priest appointed to officiate in that calling, cannot be tried or condemned for any crime save before the first presidency of the church. If he be found guilty on testimony that cannot be impeached, he is to be condemned.^[55] These are the powers, prerogatives and privileges of the presiding bishop of the church.

IV. Traveling Bishops:—These are bishops appointed to preside as such over large districts of country in which there are a number of branches of the church, and among which they would be expected to travel, to set in order temporal affairs and preside over those holding the Aaronic priesthood. Newel K. Whitney when called to preside over the church at Kirtland and the regions round about was a traveling bishop, and best illustrates this order of bishops. Some eight or ten months after his ordination he was called upon by the Lord to travel among all the churches of the east, searching after the poor, to administer to their wants by humbling the rich and the proud.^[56] He was also sent to the cities of New York, Albany and Boston, to warn the inhabitants thereof of judgments to come and to preach the gospel.

V. Local or Ward Bishops:—By local bishops we mean those ordained and set apart to preside over a single ward or branch of the church; and whose jurisdiction is strictly limited to that ward or branch. Both traveling and local bishops must either be high priests or literal descendants of Aaron. If the latter, then from among the first-born of the sons of Aaron.^[57] In the event of their being descendants of Aaron, they would possess the same privileges in their sphere as the presiding bishop does in his; that is, they could act without counselors but must be found worthy men designated and ordained by the first presidency of the church, or by their direction. If high priests appointed to act in these bishoprics, then they must be designated and set apart by the same authority as literal descendants of Aaron, and assisted by two counselors who are also high priests. They would form the presidency over the Aaronic priesthood in the districts over which they preside, have an oversight of all the temporal concerns thereof, and in addition to that act as the common judge in that ward or district assigned to them.

7. Zion.—The Book of Mormon prophecies predict the founding of a glorious city upon the American continent to be called New Jerusalem, or Zion. [See note 4, end of section.]^[58] It was but natural, therefore, that the first elders of the church should be anxious to learn where it was to be built and seek to find it. The Book of Mormon, while clearly predicting that the city will be established, fails to give its location. In March, 1831, however, the Saints were commanded to gather up their riches that they might purchase an inheritance that the Lord promised to point out to them some time in the future, the New Jerusalem—"a city of refuge, a place of safety for the Saints of the Most High"^[59]—Zion. In June, 1831, a conference convened at Kirtland, and the Lord called twenty-eight elders to go through the Western States by different routes, two by two, preaching by the way, baptizing by water and the laying on of hands by the water side.^[60] They were to meet in western Missouri to hold a conference, and if faithful the Lord promised to reveal to them the place of the city of Zion.

8. About the middle of July the Prophet Joseph and a number of these brethren arrived at Independence, meeting with Oliver Cowdery and his associates—the mission to the Lamanites. A few days afterwards a revelation was received^[61] declaring Missouri to be the land which God had appointed for the gathering of the Saints, the land of promise, the place of the city of Zion, Independence being the "center place." The site of the temple which the Lord has decreed shall be built in this generation, upon which his glory shall rest, and in which the sons of Moses and of Aaron shall offer an acceptable offering to the Lord—was declared to be a short distance west of the court house. On the morning of the 3rd of August, 1831, the Prophet Joseph with the other elders that had arrived at Independence, met at the temple site and dedicated it as the place for the building of a temple. [See notes 5 and 6, end of section].

Meantime a company of Saints known as the Colesville Branch—from their having lived at Colesville, Broome County, New York—had arrived in Missouri, and having received instructions to purchase the lands in the regions round about Zion, they secured a tract of land in a fertile prairie some ten or twelve miles west of Independence, in Kaw township, not far from the present location of Kansas City. On the 2nd of August—the day preceding the dedication of the temple site—in the settlement of the Colesville Saints, the first log was laid for a house, as the foundation of Zion. The log was carried by twelve men in honor of the Twelve Tribes of Israel; and Elder Sidney Rigdon consecrated and dedicated the land of Zion for the gathering of the Saints. [See note 7, end of section].

9. The Law of Consecration.—It is said of the early Christian saints that they "were of one heart and of one soul; neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common."^[62] It was doubtless a desire to imitate this condition of affairs which led the followers of Sidney Rigdon, at Kirtland, to establish the "common stock" plan of living. That is, the whole community attempted to live together as one family, having all things in common. Nearly all the "family" joined the church; and when the Prophet settled in Kirtland, about the 1st of February, 1831, he persuaded them to abandon that plan of living, for the more perfect law of the Lord.^[63] The more perfect law was the law of consecration.

10. The preparations for the introduction of this law was first made by the appointment of a bishop, who should have authority to administer in temporal things. The bishop was called by revelation on the 4th of February, 1831.^[64] On the 9th of the same month the Lord in a revelation gave the first instructions about the law of consecration.^[65] From that and subsequent revelations we summarize the following in relation to that law:

I. The person desiring to make the consecration brings his possessions to the bishop and delivers them unto him—consecrates them unto the Lord, giving them up absolutely, with a deed and a covenant that cannot be broken.^[66]

II. The person so consecrating his possessions, whether they be much or little, if it be a full consecration, has claim upon the bishop for stewardship out of the consecrated properties of the church, an inheritance for himself and his family,^[67] from the management of which, by industry and economy—for this law contemplates industry and economy on the part of those who embrace it^[68]—they may obtain a livelihood. But the possessions consecrated are the Lord's, or else the consecrations are vain, and the whole proceedings farcical.^[69] The inheritance given to the individual is given to him as his stewardship, of which he must render an account unto the bishop.^[70] The steward is responsible for his stewardship in time and in eternity unto the Lord.^[71] The stewardships are to be secured to those to whom they are given by a written deed, that they may not be deprived of their inheritance.^[72]

III. After men have received their stewardships the income from them, over and above that which is needful for the support of themselves and their families, is also to be consecrated unto the Lord and taken to the Lord's store house to be distributed to the poor to supply stewardships to those who have not yet received them, to purchase lands for the public benefit, to build houses of worship, temples, etc., etc.^[73]

IV. In the event of any steward needing means to improve his stewardship, or for any other righteous purpose, he has a claim upon the Lord's store-house, and so long as he is in full fellowship with the church, and is a wise and faithful steward, on application to the treasurer of the general fund, he is to be supplied with that which he needs; the treasurer, of course, being accountable to the church for his management of the general fund, and subject to removal in the event of incompetency or transgression.^[74]

V. Each steward is independent in the management of his stewardship. He must pay for that which he buys; he can insist on payment for that which he sells. He has no claim upon the stewardship of his neighbor; his neighbor has no claim upon his stewardship; but both have claim, as also have their children—when they shall become of age and start in life for themselves^[75]—upon the surplus in the Lord's store-house to aid them in the event of their needing assistance.^[76] The various churches, or branches of the church, are each to be independent in the management of their respective store-houses,^[77] subject of course to a general supervision of the presiding bishop of the church and of the first presidency thereof.

11. Reflections.—Such is the law of consecration and stewardship given to the church as early as the first and second year of its existence in this last dispensation; under which law, and under no other, the Saints are to build up the Zion of God, the New Jerusalem upon this continent.^[78] The law is designated to humble the rich and the proud and raise the poor and the lowly,^[79] that men might be equal in temporal possessions according to their families, their circumstances, their wants and their needs.^[80] There is enough in the earth and more than enough^[81] to supply the necessities and the reasonable luxuries desired by man if the wealth created by his industry was but more equally distributed. The plan which the Lord has revealed to accomplish this, however, does not aim at the destruction of the individuality of men. It makes no attempt to control men in the detail management of their stewardships, or the disposal of their time, or to set taskmasters over them, but only to control and dispose of the surplus arising from their labors in the management of their respective stewardships.

12. In consequence of the unsettled state of the church arising from the persecutions and drivings inflicted upon the Saints during the time they were settling in Missouri, coupled with their inexperience, their pride, covetousness, greed and disobedience, they failed to live up to the requirements of the law of consecration, and in 1838 the lesser law of tithing was given, and has obtained in the Church unto this day. This law of tithing requires that the Saints pay first their surplus property to the bishop, and after that those who have been so tithed shall pay one-tenth of their income annually. This is the law of tithing now binding on the church.^[82]

NOTES.

1. Promises to the Lamanites.—Then shall the remnant of our seed know concerning us, how that we came out from Jerusalem, and that they are descendants of the Jews. And the gospel of Jesus Christ shall be declared among them; wherefore they shall be restored unto the knowledge of their fathers, and also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which was had among their fathers. And then shall they rejoice; for they shall know that it is a blessing unto them from the hand of God; and their scales of darkness shall begin to fall from their eyes; and many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a white and delightsome people.—Prophecy of Nephi, Nephi II, ch. xxx.

2. Newel K. Whitney's Appointment to be Bishop.—Though in natural gifts few men were better qualified for such a position, he nevertheless distrusted his ability, and deemed himself incapable of discharging the high and holy trust. In his perplexity he appealed to the prophet: "I cannot see a bishop in myself, Brother Joseph; but if you say it's the Lord's will, I'll try." "You need not take my word alone," answered the prophet, kindly, "go and ask Father for yourself." Newel felt the force of this mild rebuke, but determined to do as he was advised and seek to obtain the knowledge for himself. His humble, heartfelt prayer was answered. In the silence of night and the solitude of his own chamber, he heard a voice from heaven: "Thy strength is in me." The words were few and simple, but for him they had a world of meaning. His doubts were dispelled like the dew before the dawn. He straightway sought the prophet, told him he was satisfied and was willing to accept the office to which he had been called.

3. The Sphere of the Aaronic Priesthood.—The lesser priesthood is a part of or an appendage to the greater, or the Melchisedek priesthood, and has power in administering outward ordinances. The lesser or Aaronic priesthood can make appointments for the greater, in preaching, can baptize, administer the sacrament, attend to the tithing, buy lands, settle people on possessions, divide inheritances, look after the poor, take care of the properties of the church, attend generally to temporal affairs, act as common judges in Israel and assist in ordinances of the temple, under the direction of the greater or Melchisedek priesthood. They hold the keys of the administering of angels and administer in outward ordinances, the letter of the gospel and the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.—Items on Priesthood. John Taylor.

4. Zion.—The word Zion is variously employed: "This is Zion, the pure in heart." (Doc. and Cov.) In this instance the word refers to a people who are declared to be the pure in heart. In the south part of Jerusalem is a hill frequently spoken of in Jewish scripture as Zion, or Mount Zion. Then Enoch the seventh from Adam gathered the righteous and built a city, "that was called the city of Holiness, even Zion." The Lord in speaking to Enoch about the great events to take place in the last days, in which he would come to the earth in his glory, said He would with righteousness and truth sweep the earth as with a flood to gather His elect to "an holy city * * * and it shall be called Zion, a new Jerusalem." The Nephite prophet, Moroni, tells us that Ether in vision saw the days of the coming of the Son of Man and that "he spake concerning a new Jerusalem upon this land" (America), that was to be built up unto the remnant of the seed of Joseph (Ether xiii). Jesus also after his resurrection, when he visited the Nephites on the American continent, told them that he would establish them upon this land, and if the Gentiles would not harden their hearts, but would repent of their sins, they should be included in the covenant, and should assist in building up the city of Zion, or New Jerusalem (III Nephi: xx). The word Zion, then, is applied to a people; it is the name of a hill in the south part of Jerusalem; it is the name of a city built by Enoch and his people; it is to be the name of a city built in the last days by the Saints of the Most High upon the continent of America.—Missouri Persecutions.

5. Western Missouri (1831).—It was a country whose richness and fertility of soil far surpassed anything which they [the Saints] had ever before seen. It was a country abounding with springs and rivulets of the purest kind of water, whose crystal streams flowed in luxuriant abundance in almost every grove and prairie. A great variety of the most excellent timber bordered upon the rivers and water-courses. These shady and delightful groves were from one to three miles in width, extending many miles in length, while the rich rolling prairies, covered with a gorgeous profusion of wild flowers of every varied hue, lay spread around among the intervening groves. Their grassy surfaces extending for miles, presented the delightful appearance of a sea of meadows. It was a new country; but few inhabitants had as yet formed settlements within its borders. These consisted principally of emigrants from the Southern States.—Orson Pratt.

6. The Temple Site.—Taking the road running west from the court house for a scant half mile, you come to the summit of a crowning hill, the slope of which to the south and west is quite abrupt and very gradual toward the north and east. * * * This is the temple site. It was upon this spot on the third day of August, 1831, that Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Edward Partridge, W. W. Phelps, Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris and Joseph Coe and another person whose name I cannot learn, for there were eight in all—men in whom the Lord was well pleased, assembled to dedicate this place as the temple site in Zion. The eighty-seventh Psalm was read. Joseph [the prophet] then dedicated the spot where is to be built a temple on which the glory of God shall rest. Yea the great God hath so decreed it, saying "Verily, this generation shall not all pass away until an house shall be built unto the Lord, and a cloud shall rest upon it, which cloud shall be even the glory of the Lord, which shall fill the house. * * * And the sons of Moses, and also the sons of Aaron shall offer an acceptable offering and sacrifice in the house of the Lord, which house shall be built unto the Lord in this generation upon the consecrated spot as I have appointed." (Doc. and Cov., sec. lxxxiv: 5, 31.)—Missouri Persecutions—Roberts.

7. The Founding of Zion.—Thus the work of building up Zion commenced, and though the commencement was humble in the extreme, the final result shall be the erection of a city that shall be the crowning glory of the whole earth; a city from which shall go forth the law of the Lord unto all nations, for is it not written: "Out of Zion shall go forth the law" (Isaiah ii)? It shall be a city of refuge, for the Lord has said: "Every man who will not take up his sword against his neighbor, must needs flee to Zion for safety." The wicked will consider her inhabitants terrible, while the righteous out of every nation will come into it with songs of everlasting joy in their hearts. (Doc. and Cov., sec. xlv.)—Missouri Persecutions—Roberts.

REVIEW.

1. When and under what circumstances was the first mission appointed to the Lamanites?

2. What important circumstance occurred in the experience of the Lamanite mission en route for the west?

3. What success attended the mission to the Lamanites?

4. When was the first commandment given to the Church to gather?

5. To what place did the church first gather?

6. Who was the first Bishop in the church?

7. What was his character?

8. State what you can of the sphere of labor belonging to the bishopric.

9. What can you say of bishops as judges in Israel?

10. How many kinds of bishops are there?

11. Tell what you can of the authority, rights and powers of the presiding bishop of the church.

12. What difference exists in respect to a bishop who is a literal descendant of Aaron and one who holds the office by virtue of holding the high priesthood?

13. Is being a descendant of the first-born among the sons of Aaron all sufficient to qualify a man to be a bishop?

14. What is the exception to the rule that a bishop who is a literal descendant of Aaron can act without counselors?

15. Describe traveling Bishops.

16. Give an example of such a bishop in the Church.

17. What is meant by local bishops?

18. Describe their power and jurisdiction.

19. How did the first elders of the church learn that Zion was to be built in America?

20. What various significations are attached to the word Zion? (Note 4).

21. What circumstances led a number of the elders to western Missouri?

22. What was revealed to them there?

23. Where is Zion located?

24. Describe the land of Zion. (Note 5).

25. What promises are made respecting a temple in that land? (Note 6).

26. What caused the people in Kirtland before they heard the gospel to have all things in common?

27. What course did Joseph Smith take relative to this subject? (Note).

28. In what way were the people prepared for the introduction of the law of consecration?

29. Describe the law of consecration.

30. What purposes are designed to be accomplished in the law of consecration?

31. What circumstances prevented the successful operation of this law in Missouri?