Lesson 29
– D&C 124:1-21, 87-90, 97-100; 126; Our Heritage, pgs. 51-52, 55-58, 61-62
Nauvoo was important in Church history for a number of
reasons. It was there that the doctrine of baptism for the dead was revealed;
temple endowments were first performed; and The Relief Society was organized.
The early Nauvoo Saints did much to build the kingdom of God.
While the Prophet suffered in Liberty Jail, it fell to
Brigham Young as President of the Quorum of the Twelve to get the Saints safely
out of Missouri, across the Mississippi River and into Illinois to escape the
persecution of the mobs and the state’s governor. In late 1838, Saints gathered
in Quincy, IL. It was only when Joseph
returned to them that they moved upriver to the village of Commerce. There, they drained the swampy land, planted
their crops, and began constructing homes.
That summer, the Prophet renamed Commerce to Nauvoo, saying, “The name of our City (Nauvoo)
is of Hebrew origin, and signifies a beautiful situation, or place, carrying
with it, also, the idea of rest” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel.
Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 182). About
eighteen months later, Illinois granted Nauvoo a charter that allowed the city
to have a militia, establish a city court, and start a university. It quickly
became the second largest city in Illinois as the Church grew and new converts
migrated to the new gathering place of the Saints. A month after Nauvoo received its charter, the Lord gave
commandments to the membership about their responsibilities, which we now have
as D&C 124. By studying this
revelation and the way the Nauvoo Saints performed, we can learn much about how
to build the kingdom of God.
Numerous members—including the Quorum of the Twelve—were
called on missions during the Nauvoo period.
As an example of their success in the mission field, Wilford Woodruff
told of this experience: “I…met with a large assembly of Saints and strangers, and while singing
the first hymn the spirit of the Lord rested upon me and the voice of God said
to me, ‘This is the last meeting that you will hold with this people for many
days.’ I was astonished at this, as I
had many appointments out in that district. When I arose to speak to the
people, I told them that it was the last meeting I should hold with them for
many days. They were as much astonished as I was. At the close of the meeting
four persons came forward for baptism; we went down into the water and baptized
them. In the morning I went in secret
before the Lord, and asked Him what was His will concerning me. The answer I
received was that I should go to the south; for the Lord had a great work for
me to perform there, as many souls were waiting for His word.” For the next two days he
traveled south until he came to the farm of John Benbow in Herefordshire. Mr. Benbow and his wife, Jane, received him
gladly and said that there was a company of over 600 men and women who had
formed their own congregation called the United Brethren. Elder Woodruff said: “This body of United
Brethren were searching for light and truth, but had gone as far as they could,
and were calling upon the Lord continually to open the way before them and send
them light and knowledge, that they might know the true way to be saved. When I heard these things I could clearly
see why the Lord had commanded me, while in the town of Hanley, to leave that
place of labor and go to the south; for in Herefordshire there was a great
harvest-field for gathering many saints into the Kingdom of God.” Elder Woodruff’s efforts in
England enabled him “to bring into the Church, through the blessings of God,
over 1800 souls during 8 months, including all of the 600 United Brethren
except one person”(Wilford Woodruff: History of His Life and Labors, ed.
Matthew F. Cowley [1909], 116-19).
The Church was greatly strengthened by the sacrifices of the
dedicated missionaries in England. Elder Harold B. Lee summarized what happened
during this time in England when he said: “In one year, 1840 to 1841—one year and
fourteen days, to be exact—nine members of the twelve were called to labor in
the British Mission. If you remember
the history [in Nauvoo], those years marked the period of some of the severest
persecution that the Church was to undergo in this dispensation. In that one
year and 14 days the nine members of the Twelve, with their associates,
established churches in every noted town and city in the kingdom of Great
Britain. They baptized between 7000 and 8000 converts. They printed 5000 copies of the Book of
Mormon, 3000 hymnbooks, and 50,000 tracts,…and [they] emigrated 1000 souls to
America” (Conf.
Rpt. Apr. 1960, 108)
The examples of the Nauvoo Saints show the importance of enduring to the end in righteousness
D&C 124 includes many instructions and promises given to
Nauvoo residents. As examples:
·
D&C 124:12-14 - Robert B. Thompson – told to help write;
… “he shall be great in mine eyes”
·
D&C 124:16-17 - John C. Bennett was to do missionary
work and would be crowned with blessings and “great glory” if he
continued to do good and if he would accept counsel
·
D&C 124:18-19 -- Lyman Wight was to preach…he would be
borne “up as on eagles’ wings…”
·
D&C 124:87-90, 97-103 -- William Law was to trust in the
Lord and proclaim the gospel in specific areas…and was promised a “multiplicity of blessings” for
himself and his family
·
D&C 124:104-10 -- Sidney Rigdon was to remain with the
Lord’s people and be a spokesman and warn the inhabitants…and “if he will hearken” it would
be well with him.
Most of the Saints were faithful during trials, endured to
the end, and were blessed for their steadfastness. Some, however, such as Bros.
Bennett, Law, Wight, and Rigdon became apostates and were unable to realize the
blessings which could have been theirs.
D&C 124:15 highlights the attributes of Hyrum Smith that
the Lord loved—deep integrity and a love for “that which is right before
me”. The Prophet Joseph Smith said of
his brother, “I
could pray in my heart that all my brethren were like unto my beloved brother
Hyrum, who possesses the mildness of a lamb, and the integrity of a Job, and in
short, the meekness and humility of Christ; and I love him with that love that
is stronger than death, for I never had occasion to rebuke him, nor he me” (History of the Church, 2:338).
While in Nauvoo, the Church was blessed with a new
organization. Through the authority of
the priesthood, the Prophet Joseph Smith organized the Relief Society. (See Our Heritage, pgs.
61-62)
The following declaration was
presented in the 1999 general relief Society meeting: “We are beloved spirit
daughters of God, and our lives have meaning, purpose, and direction. As a
worldwide sisterhood, we are united in our devotion to Jesus Christ, our Savior
and Exemplar. We are women of faith,
virtue, vision, and charity who: Increase our testimonies of Jesus Christ
through prayer and scripture study; Seek spiritual strength by following the
promptings of the Holy Ghost; Dedicate ourselves to strengthening marriages,
families, and homes; Find nobility in motherhood and joy in womanhood; Delight
in service and good works; Love life and learning; Stand for truth and
righteousness; Sustain the priesthood as the authority of God on earth; Rejoice
in the blessings of the temple, understand our divine destiny, and strive for
exaltation” (Mary Ellen Smoot, Ensign, Nov. 1999, 92-93).
****
The early Saints were excused from
building a temple in Missouri.
The Lord taught them in D&C 124:49-53 that if their enemies prevent
them from following a commandment, the Lord will judge their enemies and punish
them unless they repent. The Saints
would be relieved of their assigned responsibility if they did all that they
could to do the work in spite of the opposition. Today, we need to remember this principle and a statement that
Brigham Young made: “Man controls the acts, God controls the results.” If we are true and faithful in doing all
within our power to accomplish what the Lord has assigned us, then even if
others prevent the accomplishment, the Lord will know that we have done our
best and will reward us.
The Apostles’ efforts to fulfill the Lord’s words. In D&C 118, the Lord instructed the Apostles to go to Europe on missions. His specific instructions were that they leave from the temple site at Far West. When they were ready to go, the mobs had driven them out of Far West and threatened to kill any LDS leaders who returned. Following the Lord’s instructions, would, therefore, be very dangerous. Despite the threats and danger, Brigham Young, four other apostles, and several others returned to the Far West temple site shortly after midnight on the morning of 26 April 1839. There they ordained two additional apostles—Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith. They sang and prayed, and a large stone was rolled to a corner of the proposed temple site. Soon afterward, they left for their missions to England.
The Prophet Joseph Smith’s red brick store was not only a general store, but also served as a center of religious, social, and civic activity. A public school was established there. Church and civic meetings as well as youth gatherings were hosted in it. On March 17, 1842, The Relief Society was organized at the store. It was also used as an ordinance room before the temple was completed, so the first endowments in this dispensation were given there.
A Proclamation to the World. D&C 124:1-7 was the reason Joseph and others worked on a proclamation until the Prophet’s martyrdom in 1844. The Quorum of the Twelve then completed it and it was published on 6 April 1845. Addressed to the kings of the world, the US President, and the rulers and people of all nations, it proclaimed that God had spoken again from the heavens and that the kingdom of God and the holy priesthood had been restored to prepare the way for the Second Coming of the Savior. In 1975, President Ezra Taft Benson of the Quorum of the Twelve quoted part of this document in general conference and declared that the Church was once again proclaiming these truths to the world.
Lessons are found on the
internet at www.neumanninstitute.org