The Story of the Mormons, from the Date of Their Origin to the Year 1901Linn, William Alexander
History
The Story of the Mormons, from the Date of Their Origin to the Year 1901
Linn, William Alexander
Latter Day Saints -- History; Utah -- History
The manner in which the elect were told by "revelation" that they
should possess their land of promise has a most important bearing on the
justification of the opposition which the Missourians soon manifested
toward their new neighbors. In one of these "revelations," dated
Kirtland, February, 1831 (Sec. 42), Christ is represented as saying, "I
will consecrate the riches of the Gentiles unto my people which are of
the house of Israel." Another, in the following June (Sec. 52), which
directed Smith's and Rigdon's trip, promised the elect, "If ye are
faithful ye shall assemble yourselves together to rejoice upon the land
in Missouri, which is the land of your inheritance, WHICH IS NOW THE
LAND OF YOUR ENEMIES." Another, given while Smith was in Missouri, in
August, 1831 (Sec. 59), promised to those "who have come up into this
land with an eye single to My glory," that "they shall inherit the
earth," and "shall receive for their reward the good things of the
earth." On the same date the Saints were told that they should "open
their hearts even to purchase the whole region of country as soon as
time will permit,... lest they receive none inheritance save it be by the
shedding of blood." It seems to have been thought wise to add to
this last statement, after the return of the party to Ohio, and a
"revelation" dated August, 1831 (Sec. 63), was given out, stating that
the land of Zion could be obtained only "by purchase or by blood," and
"as you are forbidden to shed blood, lo, your enemies are upon you, and
ye shall be scourged from city to city."
* Tullidge, in his "History of Salt Lake City" (1886), defining
the early Mormon view of their land rights, after quoting Brigham
Young's declaration to the first arrivals in Salt Lake Valley, that he
(or the church) had "no land to sell," but "every man should have his
land measured out to him for city and family purposes," says: "Young
could with absolute propriety give the above utterances on the land
question. In the early days of the church they applied to land not only
owned by the United States, but within the boundaries of states of the
Union." After quoting from the above-cited "revelation" the words "save
they be by the shedding of blood," he explains, "The latter clause of
the quotation signifies that the Mormon prophet foresaw that, unless his
disciples purchased 'this whole region of country' of the unpopulated
Far West of that period, the land question held between them and
anti-Mormons would lead to the shedding of blood, and that they would be
in jeopardy of losing their inheritance; and this was realized."
As to their obligation to pay for any of the "good things" purchased of
their enemies, a "revelation" dated September 11, 1831 (the month after
the return from Missouri), gave this advice:--
"Behold it is said in my laws, or forbidden, to get in debt to thine
enemies;
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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