Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Doctrines
In the present dispensation the law of tithing was revived, and the
keeping of that law is one of the first duties of the Latter-day
Saints. About eighteen months after the organization of the church,
September 11, 1831, the Lord, through Joseph the Seer, made this
important declaration. Speaking after the manner of the Lord, he called
"to-day," from the giving of the revelation until the coming of the Son
of Man, and said, "Verily I say unto you, it is a day of sacrifice,
and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall
not be burned. For after to-day cometh the burning." That is, at the
coming of the Son of Man; "For verily I say, to-morrow"--that is, at my
coming--"all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble;
and I will burn them up, for I am the Lord of Hosts;" _Doc. & Cov_. 64.
23, 24.
In this declaration we are assured that all who call themselves the
Lord's people, and do not pay their tithing, will find their portion
among the wicked at his coming, and will share their fate. In _sec_.
85. 3, the Lord reiterates the fact, that it is necessary his people
should be tithed, "To prepare them against the day of vengeance and
burning."
The names of those who do not keep this law of tithing shall not be
enrolled with the people of God: "Neither is their genealogy to be
kept, or to be had where it may be found on any of the records or
history of the church; Their names shall not be found, neither the
names of the fathers, nor the names of the children written in the book
of the law of God, saith the Lord of Hosts;" 85. 4, 5. This revelation
was also given soon after the organization of the Church; Nov. 27, 1832.
Like every principle connected with the latter-day work, tithing must
needs commence with the leaders of the Dispensation. The following very
interesting account of the first covenant and promise concerning this
principle will be found in the History of Joseph Smith, under date of
Nov. 29, 1834.
The occasion was one of rejoicing for the blessings received of the
Lord. The narrative says: "After commencing and rejoicing before the
Lord on this occasion, we agreed to enter into the following covenant
with the Lord, viz.:--That if the Lord will prosper us in our business,
and open the way before us, that we may obtain means to pay our debts,
that we be not troubled nor brought into disrepute before the world,
nor His people; after that, of all that He shall give us, we will give
a tenth, to be bestowed upon the poor in His Church, or as He shall
command; and that we will be faithful over that which He has entrusted
to our care, that we may obtain much; and that our children after us,
shall remember to observe _this sacred and holy covenant_; and that our
children, and our children's children, may know of the same, we have
subscribed our names with our own hands.
"JOSEPH SMITH, JUN.,
"OLIVER COWDERY."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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