Doctrinal Development and Prophecy 1843 A Brief Period of PeaceAt the beginning of the year 1843, peace reigned in Nauvoo; for a time the Saints remained undisturbed, and the Prophet had a breathing spell of freedom. Yet there were ripples on the surface of the water. President Joseph Smith had been delivered from his enemies in Missouri. The persecutors of the Church had been defeated; but were still determined to pursue their evil course. The Missourians were in league with the enemies of the Prophet in Illinois, with a relentless determination to bring him to his death. This brief period of peace gave the Prophet an opportunity to instruct the Saints in various duties and doctrines and more fully to establish the order and authority of the Priesthood. The building of the temple progressed; increased light was thrown on the subject of salvation for the dead, and the Saints were impressed with the wonderful importance and responsibility connected with their obligations in relation to their fathers. Important revelations were received. The number of inhabitants in Nauvoo rapidly increased, and there was a time of prosperity and general rejoicing. But such a condition was not destined to continue very long. The clouds of malicious hatred were to be seen in the distance, and soon the storm of bitter persecution was to break forth once again in redoubled fury. Traitors within, and enemies without, were to join hands for the destruction of the Prophet. President Joseph Smith’s Intimation of DeathPresident Smith evidently understood that this spell of peace and prosperity would not last. With constant pleading he urged the Saints to increase their labors on the temple, and they responded with hearty good will. In his prophecy, August 6, 1842, he declared to his brethren that he was not destined to go with them to the Rocky Mountains; yet they failed to comprehend his meaning. On several occasions he intimated in his remarks that his enemies would not be satisfied with anything short of his life, and then they would pursue others. He spoke to the Saints at a meeting in the unfinished temple, January 22, 1843, taking for his text, “The Setting up of the Kingdom of God.” In the course of his discourse he said: “I shall not be sacrificed until my time comes; then I shall be offered freely. All flesh is as grass, and a governor is no better than other men; when he dies he is a bag of dust. I thank God for preserving me from my enemies. I have no enemies but for the truth’s sake. I have no desire but to do all men good. I feel to pray for all men. We don’t ask any people to throw away any good they have got; we only ask them to come and get more. They would then see eye to eye, and the blessings of God would be poured out upon the people, which is the desire of my whole soul. Amen.” Doctrinal DevelopmentEarly in January, 1843, in discoursing on the kingdom of God, the Prophet said: “Some say the kingdom of God was not set up on the earth until the day of Pentecost, and John the Baptist did not preach the baptism for repentance for the remission of sins. But I say, in the name of the Lord, that the kingdom of God was set up on the earth from the days of Adam to the present time.... Where there is no kingdom of God, there is no salvation. What constitutes the kingdom of God? Where there is a prophet, a priest, or a righteous man unto whom God gives his oracles, there is the kingdom of God; and where the oracles of God are not, there the kingdom of God is not.” In relation to the Gospel and baptism preached by John, he said: “John came preaching the Gospel for the remission of sins. He had his authority from God, and the oracles of God were with him.” Speaking of the sign of the Holy Ghost, he stated: “The Holy Ghost is a personage, and in the form of a personage. It does not confine itself to the form of a dove, but in the sign of a dove. The Holy Ghost cannot be transformed into the form of a dove; but the sign of a dove was given to John to signify the truth of the deed [baptism of Christ], as the dove is an emblem or token of truth and innocence.” In February he received a revelation embodying the following principle: There are two kinds of beings in heaven; angels, who are resurrected personages, having bodies of flesh and bones; and spirits of just men made perfect who are not yet resurrected, but inherit the same glory. In April, 1843, he gave instructions at Ramus, as follows: “When the Savior shall appear, we shall see him as he is. We shall see that he is a man like ourselves and that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy.” The reckoning of God’s time, angel’s time and man’s time is according to the planet on which they reside. All angels who minister on this earth, have belonged to it. Angels reside in the presence of God on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for their glory are manifest. The place where God dwells is a great Urim and Thummim. This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it. The white stone mentioned in Revelation 2:17 will become a Urim and Thummim to each individual who receives one, through which things of a higher order will be made known. Again, he taught that all principles of intelligence we attain unto in this life, will rise with us in the resurrection. The Father has a body of flesh and bones as has the Son, Jesus Christ, also, but the Holy Ghost is a personage of Spirit. During the time of the trial at Springfield, in answer to questions, he said: “Christ and the resurrected Saints will reign over the earth during the thousand years. They will not probably dwell upon the earth, but will visit it when they please, or when it is necessary to govern it. There will be wicked men on the earth during the thousand years. The heathen nations who will not come up to worship will be visited with the judgments of God.” In this manner, in conversations, discourses and writings, the Prophet taught the people. Attempt to Repeal the Nauvoo CharterWhen Governor Thomas Ford delivered his inaugural address in December, 1842, he recommended modification of the Nauvoo charter, on the grounds that many objections had been raised because of exceptional powers, which had been granted. Yet these powers had proved beneficial to the Saints, and where righteous government was administered, as it was in Nauvoo, such a charter proved to be a blessing. In the hands of despots such privileges might have been abused. When the charter was granted, the prophet said: “The city charter of Nauvoo is of my own plan and device. I concocted it for the salvation of the Church, and on principles so broad, that every honest man might dwell secure under its protective influence without distinction of sect or party.” A bill was presented in the legislature to repeal certain sections of the charter shortly after that body convened. The enemies of the Saints endeavored to repeal much more than had at first been contemplated, and take from the charter many provisions like those found in the charters of the other cities in Illinois. This attempt was made purposely to hurt the “Mormons,” by restricting their rights. The bill passed the house in March with a vote of 58 to 33. When it reached the senate it was tabled. The time for the repeal had not arrived. A General Missionary CallAt the conference of the Church in April, 1843, a general missionary movement was contemplated. President Joseph Smith, in the course of his remarks, advised that the elders when they went forth as missionaries, should preach repentance and the things they were sent to preach. “Declare the first principles,” he said, “and let mysteries alone, lest you be overthrown. Never meddle with the visions of beasts and subjects you do not understand.” Following the general conference a special conference convened April 10, and continued through the 12th, presided over by the apostles. At this conference elders were chosen and their appointments given for various mission fields in Canada and the several states, excepting blighted Missouri. On the 11th of May, following, Addison Pratt, Noah Rogers, Benjamin B. Grouard and Knowlton F. Hanks, were selected to go on missions to the Pacific isles; Dan Jones, to Wales; James Sloan, to Ireland; John Cairnes and Samuel James to England, with Reuben Hedlock, who was appointed to preside in Great Britain with Hiram Clark and Thomas Ward, who were in England, as his assistants. Eternity of the Marriage CovenantWhile at Ramus, May 16 and 17, 1843, the Prophet made the following declaration:
The New and Everlasting CovenantA revelation dealing with the subject of marriage for eternity, or celestial marriage as it is known, was reduced to writing July 12, 1843 (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 132). It had been revealed to the Prophet a long time before this date, but had not been recorded or publicly announced. In it the Lord defines the “new and everlasting covenant.” In a number of revelations previously given the new and everlasting covenant is mentioned, and various principles of the Gospel are spoken of as new and everlasting covenants. Thus, in the Lord’s Preface to the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, he says he gave commandments to Joseph Smith, that his “everlasting covenant might be established; that the fulness of the Gospel might be proclaimed.” Immediately after the organization of the Church, he declared that baptism is a “new and an everlasting covenant, even that which was from the beginning,” and in a revelation given October 25, 1831 (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 66), the everlasting covenant is defined as the fulness of the Gospel, “sent forth unto the children of men, that they might have life and be made partakers of the glories which are to be revealed.” But the full meaning and significance of the “new and everlasting covenant,” was not revealed until the Prophet received this revelation (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 132), in which it is defined as follows:
This reference has bearing on the new covenant of celestial marriage, or marriage for eternity, spoken of by President Joseph Smith at Ramus in May, 1843. Then the Lord defines the law of the new and everlasting covenant, which embraces all other covenants and principles belonging to the Gospel:
Conversely, then, all contracts entered into in this life, and sealed by this authority, are binding and of force after the resurrection, as the revelation further on declares:
Revealed by ElijahThe keys of this wonderful and impressive doctrine were restored when Elijah conferred his Priesthood. The mission of Elijah in this dispensation, as prophesied of by Malachi, was to restore the sealing, or binding power, through which covenants and contracts, as here described by the Lord, are approved and ratified in the heavens. Referring to this subject, President Joseph Smith remarked in one of his discourses:
Again:
In the Temple these Blessings are ObtainedIn the temple of the Lord these sealing blessings may be obtained. Only in the days of poverty, when there is no temple, can they be received elsewhere. The Prophet added further instruction to this subject in a discourse, Sunday, June 11, 1843, wherein he said:
Plural MarriageThis revelation, dated July 12, 1843, also contains the doctrine of plural wives. This doctrine was made known to the Prophet as early as the summer of 1831, and by him was taught to a few others, but it was not practiced until the Lord commanded it. Secrecy was imposed by the Lord until such time as he saw fit for its introduction. When the Prophet was commanded to practice this principle, he hesitated and deferred taking action for some time. To do so was one of the greatest trials of his life. He knew the doctrine was in conflict with the traditions and teachings of the world and would arouse increased persecution; moreover, his own prejudices were in opposition to the doctrine. However, the Lord had commanded him and he must act. In Nauvoo the doctrine was revealed to many of the leading brethren, and wives were sealed to some of them by President Joseph Smith, and to others, under his direction. However, it was not until 1852, after the Saints had come to Utah, that the revelation was published to the world. The Douglas ProphecyOn the return from Ramus, where the doctrine of the eternity of marriage was taught to a number of brethren, President Joseph Smith and his scribe, William Clayton, paid a visit to Judge Stephen A. Douglas, at Carthage, where he was holding court. On invitation they dined with Judge Douglas, and after dinner he requested President Smith to relate the history of the persecutions of the Saints while in Missouri. This he did in some detail, covering a period of about three hours. He also gave an account of his visit to Washington, with Judge Elias Higbee and Sidney Rigdon, in 1839, and their treatment by President Martin Van Buren, Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun and others. Judge Douglas listened with the closest attention and deprecated the conduct of Governor Boggs and his aides in Missouri. He said that any people who would do as the Missourians had done to the Latter-day Saints ought to be brought to judgment and punished. President Smith, in concluding the conversation, uttered the following prophecy which was recorded in the journal of his secretary, William Clayton, under date of the event, May 18, 1843:
Notes1. Stephen A. Douglas lived to see the fulfilment of this prophecy. He did aspire to the presidency of the United States. He did raise his voice against the Latter-day Saints in a speech delivered in Springfield, Illinois, June 12, 1857. The speech was published in the “Missouri Republican.” While Mr. Douglas had more reason to expect to be elected than any other candidate, he was overwhelmingly defeated, and Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States. For full particulars in relation to this subject, the reader is referred to the History of the Mormon Church , chapter 46, by Elder B.H. Roberts. |