Cowley's Talks on DoctrineCowley, Matthias F. (Matthias Foss)
Religion
Cowley's Talks on Doctrine
Cowley, Matthias F. (Matthias Foss)
Latter Day Saint churches -- Doctrines
During this time Kirtland was being built up. The Lord required the
Saints to build a temple, in which to receive sacred ordinances for the
salvation of the living and the dead. To this labor they devoted their
energies, and notwithstanding their poverty the temple was completed
and ready for dedication in March, 1836. Joseph Smith, the Prophet,
translated by inspiration the New Testament, completing the work Feb.
2, 1833. Five months later he finished the translation of the Old
Testament, so far as the Lord indicated the necessity of so doing. The
_Latter-day Saints' Messenger and Advocate_ was published in Kirtland.
The Church, though organized by the authority of the apostleship, did
not contain sufficient adherents at first to organize the councils of
the priesthood, so as time went on and numbers increased, the Lord
would indicate when and how to organize these quorums. The quorum of
High Priests was organized in Kirtland, March 18, 1833. The Presidency
and High Council of the Church were organized Feb. 17, 1834. That of
the Seventies commenced Feb. 28, 1835. Thus from time to time, as the
Church grew and developed, the Lord made plain by revelation how to
organize every quorum, and finally Stakes of Zion and branches thereof
and branches scattered abroad.
On Aug. 17, 1835, the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, containing the
revelations of the Lord to the Church up to that date, was accepted
as a rule of faith and practice. Between that date and the martyrdom
of the Prophet many revelations were given, but owing to the poverty
and unsettled condition of the Church all of them were not published
until subsequent to the decease of the Prophet. During the troubles in
Missouri, a body of men called "Zion's Camp" left Kirtland May 5, 1834,
to carry supplies and relieve the distress of their co-religionists,
who had been exiled from their homes in Independence, Missouri. They
performed the arduous journey on foot, through the wildernesses of
Indiana, Illinois and Missouri, accomplished their mission and returned
to Ohio.
Early in the year 1836 the ordinances of blessing and anointing were
attended to in the Kirtland temple, and that sacred edifice was
dedicated to the Lord March 27, 1836. In the temple the gifts of the
Holy Ghost were poured out in abundance. Many saw visions. The Savior,
Moses, Elias and Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery.
Previous to this, Joseph's first visit was a personal visit of the
Father and the Son. Again on Feb. 16, 1832, the Savior appeared to
Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, and revealed to them the glories of
the celestial, terrestrial and telestial worlds, and the suffering and
condemnation of these who are unworthy a kingdom of glory. In 1837,
during the financial panic, a great apostasy took place in Kirtland,
which involved the standing of several of the Twelve Apostles.
Persecution raged in Missouri.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account