SECTION
43
[Book
of Commandments 7, Kirtland D&C 14, LDS D&C 43]
Revelation
given through Joseph Smith, Jr., February 1831 at Kirtland, Ohio. It
is addressed to the elders of the church, and contains directions
sought by Joseph for the guidance of some who had been misled by a
Mrs. Hubble, who claimed to have received “revelations”
concerning the government of the church. A similar difficulty had
arisen in connection with Hiram Page’s “peepstone” (see section
27). The church was not again disturbed over this question until the
death of Joseph Smith in 1844.
1a. O
hearken, ye elders of my church, and give ear to the words which I
shall speak unto you: for, behold, verily, verily I say unto you,
that ye have received a commandment for a law unto my church, through
him whom I have appointed unto you, to receive commandments and
revelations from my hand.
1b.
And this ye shall know assuredly, that there is none other appointed
unto you to receive commandments and revelations until he be taken,
if he abide in me.
2a.
But verily, verily I say unto you, that none else shall be appointed
unto this gift except it be through him, for if it be taken from him
he shall not have power, except to appoint another in his stead;
2b.
and this shall be a law unto you, that ye receive not the teachings
of any that shall come before you as revelations, or commandments;
and this I give unto you, that you may not be deceived, that you may
know they are not of me.
2c.
For verily I say unto you, that he that is ordained of me, shall come
in at the gate and be ordained as I have told you before, to teach
those revelations which you have received, and shall receive through
him whom I have appointed.
3a.
And now, behold, I give unto you a commandment, that when ye are
assembled together, ye shall instruct and edify each other, that ye
may know how to act and direct my church how to act upon the points
of my law and commandments, which I have given;
3b.
and thus ye shall become instructed in the law of my church, and be
sanctified by that which ye have received, and ye shall bind
yourselves to act in all holiness before me, that inasmuch as ye do
this, glory shall be added to the kingdom which ye have received.
3c.
Inasmuch as ye do it not, it shall be taken; even that which ye have
received.
3d.
Purge ye out the iniquity which is among you; sanctify yourselves
before me, and if ye desire the glories of the kingdom, appoint ye my
servant Joseph Smith, Jr., and uphold him before me by the prayer of
faith.
3e.
And again, I say unto you, that if ye desire the mysteries of the
kingdom, provide for him food and raiment and whatsoever thing he
needeth to accomplish the work, wherewith I have commanded him;
3f.
and if ye do it not, he shall remain unto them that have received
him, that I may reserve unto myself a pure people before me.
4a.
Again I say, hearken ye elders of my church whom I have appointed:
4b. ye
are not sent forth to be taught, but to teach the children of men the
things which I have put into your hands by the power of my Spirit;
4c.
and ye are to be taught from on high.
4d.
Sanctify yourselves and ye shall be endowed with power, that ye may
give even as I have spoken.
5a.
Hearken ye, for, behold, the great day of the Lord is nigh at hand.
5b.
For the day cometh that the Lord shall utter his voice out of heaven;
the heavens shall shake and the earth shall tremble, and the trump of
God shall sound both long and loud, and shall say to the sleeping
nations;
5c. Ye
saints arise and live; Ye sinners stay and sleep until I shall call
again: wherefore gird up your loins, lest ye be found among the
wicked. Lift up your voices and spare not.
5d.
Call upon the nations to repent, both old and young, both bond and
free; saying,
5e.
Prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord: for if I, who am a
man, do lift up my voice and call upon you to repent, and ye hate me,
what will ye say when the day cometh when the thunders shall utter
their voices from the ends of the earth, speaking to the ears of all
that live, saying:
5f.
Repent, and prepare for the great day of the Lord; yea, and again,
when the lightnings shall streak forth from the east unto the west,
and shall utter forth their voices unto all that live, and make the
ears of all tingle, that hear, saying these words:
5g.
Repent ye, for the great day of the Lord is come.
6a.
And again, the Lord shall utter his voice out of heaven, saying:
Hearken, O ye nations of the earth, and hear the words of that God
who made you.
6b. O,
ye nations of the earth, how often would I have gathered you together
as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not?
6c.
How oft have I called upon you by the mouth of my servants, and by
the ministering of angels, and by mine own voice, and by the voice of
thunderings, and by the voice of lightnings, and by the voice of
tempests, and by the voice of earthquakes, and great hailstorms, and
by the voice of famines and pestilences of every kind, and by the
great sound of a trump, and by the voice of judgment, and by the
voice of mercy all the day long, and by the voice of glory and honor,
and the riches of eternal life, and would have saved you with an
everlasting salvation, but ye would not?
6d.
Behold, the day has come, when the cup of the wrath of mine
indignation is full.
7a.
Behold, verily I say unto you, that these are the words of the Lord
your God; wherefore, labor ye, labor ye in my vineyard for the last
time:
7b.
for the last time call upon the inhabitants of the earth, for in my
own due time will I come upon the earth in judgment; and my people
shall be redeemed and shall reign with me on earth;
7c.
for the great millennial, which I have spoken by the mouth of my
servants, shall come; for Satan shall be bound; and when he is loosed
again, he shall only reign for a little season, and then cometh the
end of the earth;
7d.
and he that liveth in righteousness, shall be changed in the
twinkling of an eye;
7e.
and the earth shall pass away so as by fire;
7f.
and the wicked shall go away into unquenchable fire;
7g.
and their end no man knoweth, on earth, nor ever shall know, until
they come before me in judgment.
8a.
Hearken ye to these words, behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Savior of
the world.
8b.
Treasure these things up in your hearts, and let the solemnities of
eternity rest upon your minds.
8c. Be
sober. Keep all my commandments. Even so. Amen.
