The Restoration of the GospelWidtsoe, Osborne J. P.
Religion
The Restoration of the Gospel
Widtsoe, Osborne J. P.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
At some time before the calling of the Twelve, the Prophet had seen in
vision, not only the organization of the quorum of apostles, but also
the organization of the quorums of seventies.[H] The Church had made
such phenomenal progress, and the missionary labor was so extensive,
that more busy workers were needed even after the calling of the
Twelve. Therefore, on the 28th of February, 1835, the Church assembled
in council, began to select from the faithful ones left from the Zion's
Camp expedition, certain men to become Seventies. Seven men were
ordained presidents of the quorum, and sixty-three others, members.
These Seventies, said the Prophet, "are to constitute traveling
quorums, to go into all the earth whithersoever the Twelve Apostles
shall send them."[I]
[Footnote H: "History of the Church," Vol. II, pp. 202, 182.]
[Footnote I: "History of the Church," Vol. II, p. 202.]
The quorums of authority thus far re-established may be considered, in
a way, as dealing primarily with the spiritual affairs of the Church.
Even the First Presidency, while they may advise in temporal matters,
and take active part in them, seem to have it as their first duty to
stand between God and the Church, administering in spiritual things.
It was not the intention of the Lord, however, to provide only for the
spiritual welfare of His people. The temporal welfare of the people
was also necessary to the satisfactory fulfillment of their missions
upon the earth. Therefore, the Lord restored also the authorities whose
principal duty it is to take care of temporal affairs. In a revelation
given February 4, 1831, while the Prophet was visiting in Kirtland,
Ohio, the Lord said:
"I have called my servant Edward Partridge, and give a commandment,
that he should be appointed by the voice of the church, and ordained a
bishop unto the church, to leave his merchandise and to spend all his
time in the labors of the church: to see to all things as it shall be
appointed unto him, in my laws in the day that I shall give them."[J]
[Footnote J: Doc. and Cov. 41:9, 10.]
Edward Partridge was a prosperous merchant of Kirtland. The Prophet
said of him, "He was a pattern of piety, and one of the Lord's great
men, known by his steadfastness and patient endurance to the end."[K]
Elder Partridge accepted the call of the Lord, forsook his merchandise,
and was ordained on the very day of the revelation, the first bishop
of the Church. And in the following November, several elders came to
the Prophet seeking to know the will of the Lord concerning them.
The Prophet received for them a revelation, containing not only
instructions to them, but also "certain items * * in addition to the
covenants and commandments." There, among other things, the Lord says:
"There remaineth hereafter, in the due time of the Lord, other bishops
to be set apart unto the church, to minister even according to the
first."[L]
[Footnote K: Quoted by Roberts in "Outlines of Ecclesiastical History,"
p. 316.]
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account