In a measure, some of the Saints of the early days of the Church endeavored to carry out the commandments concerning the United Order of community life. As soon as the principles of the order were thoroughly understood, some of the members of the Church were organized according to them, and each person belonging to the organization consecrated his property to the Order. The law of consecration and stewardship requires that the person who wishes to comply with it shall transfer his possessions to the bishop of the Church. The transfer shall be by deed and covenant that cannot be broken. In order that the person so consecrating his properties shall have claim upon the bishop for a stewardship, the consecration must be full and complete. There must be no part of the property withheld. Thereafter, the steward is held accountable for his stewardship. The surplus income--all over and above what he needs to support himself and his family--is consecrated to the general storehouse of the Lord, as was all his property at the first. Each steward has a common claim on the general storehouse for all that he may need; and as long as he proves a faithful steward, the treasurer of the storehouse must honor his demands. The successful operation of such an order as this is predicated, of course, upon obedience to specific laws. Any violation of the basic principles of the law must necessarily bring disorganization to the order. The law of Consecration, or the United Order of God, was observed for a while in both Kirtland and Independence. Indeed, the acquiring successfully of the lands of Jackson county depended upon the righteous fulfillment of the principles of the United Order. "For I, the Lord," we read in one of the revelations, "have decreed in my heart, that inasmuch as any man belonging to the order, shall be found a transgressor, or, in other words, shall break the covenant with which ye are bound, he shall be cursed in his life, and shall be trodden down by whom I will."[O] But the people of Zion did not "hearken altogether unto the precepts and commandments which I [the Lord] gave unto them."[P] Their enemies came down upon them and drove them from the lands they had purchased, and the homes they had provided by tireless labor. Twelve thousand or more, in number, they were forced out of the country of their desire. Four years before their banishment the Lord had said in revelation: [Footnote O: Doc. and Cov. 104:5.] [Footnote P: Doc. and Cov. 103:4.]