SECTION
68
[Kirtland
D&C 22, LDS D&C 68]
Revelation
given through Joseph Smith, Jr., November 1831, at a special
conference held at Hiram, Ohio. Joseph wrote, “The mind and will of
the Lord was made known by the voice of the Spirit to a conference
concerning certain elders, and also certain items as made known in
addition to the covenants and commandments.” The instructions
concerning church government found in this revelation should be read
in connection with the “Articles and Covenants” which now
constitute Section 17.
The
message is specifically addressed to Orson Hyde, Luke Johnson, Lyman
Johnson, and William E. Mclellin, although its contents are of
continuing importance to the entire church.
1a. My
servant, Orson Hyde, was called by his ordinance to proclaim the
everlasting gospel by the Spirit of the living God, from people to
people and from land to land, in the congregations of the wicked, in
their synagogues, reasoning with and expounding all Scriptures unto
them.
1b.
And, behold and lo, this is an ensample unto all those who were
ordained unto this priesthood, whose mission is appointed unto them
to go forth; and this is the ensample unto them, that they shall
speak as they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost;
1c.
and whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost
shall be Scripture; shall be the will of the Lord; shall be the mind
of the Lord; shall be the word of the Lord; shall be the voice of the
Lord, and the power of God unto salvation:
1d.
behold, this is the promise of the Lord unto you, O ye my servants:
wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I, the Lord, am
with you and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even
Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I
am, and that I am to come.
1e.
This is the word of the Lord unto you my servant, Orson Hyde, and
also unto my servant, Luke Johnson, and unto my servant, Lyman
Johnson, and unto my servant, William E. Mclellin; and unto all the
faithful elders of my church.
1f. Go
ye into all the world; preach the gospel to every creature, acting in
the authority which I have given you, baptizing in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost;
1g.
and he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved, and he that
believeth not shall be damned; and he that believeth shall be blessed
with signs following, even as it is written;
1h.
and unto you it shall be given to know the signs of the times, and
the signs of the coming of the Son of man; and of as many as the
Father shall bear record, to you shall be given power to seal them up
unto eternal life. Amen.
2a.
And now concerning the items in addition to the covenants and
commandments, they are these:
2b.
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;
2c.
wherefore they shall be high priests who are worthy, and they shall
be appointed by the First Presidency of the Melchisedec priesthood,
except they be literal descendants of Aaron, and if they be literal
descendants of Aaron, they have a legal right to the bishopric, if
they are the firstborn among the sons of Aaron; for the firstborn
holds the right of the presidency over this priesthood, and the keys
or authority of the same.
2d. No
man has a legal right to this office, to hold the keys of this
priesthood, except he be a literal descendant and the firstborn of
Aaron; but as a high priest of the Melchisedec priesthood has
authority to officiate in all the lesser offices, he may officiate in
the office of bishop when no literal descendant of Aaron can be
found;
2e.
provided, he is called and set apart, and ordained unto this power
under the hands of the First Presidency of the Melchisedec
priesthood.
2f.
And a literal descendant of Aaron, also must be designated by this
presidency, and found worthy, and anointed, and ordained under the
hands of this presidency, otherwise they are not legally authorized
to officiate in their priesthood;
2g.
but by virtue of the decree concerning their right of the priesthood
descending from father to son, they may claim their anointing, if at
any time they can prove their lineage, or do ascertain it by
revelation from the Lord under the hands of the above-named
presidency.
3a.
And again, no bishop, or high priest, who shall be set apart for this
ministry, shall be tried or condemned for any crime, save it be
before the First Presidency of the church;
3b.
and inasmuch as he is found guilty before this presidency, by
testimony that cannot be impeached, he shall be condemned, and if he
repents he shall be forgiven, according to the covenants and
commandments of the church.
4a.
And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of
her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the
doctrine of repentance; faith in Christ the Son of the living God;
and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the
hands when eight years old, the sin be upon the head of the parents;
4b.
for this shall be a law unto the inhabitants of Zion, or in any of
her stakes which are organized; and their children shall be baptized
for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the
laying on of the hands:
4c.
and they shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk
uprightly before the Lord.
4d.
And the inhabitants of Zion shall also observe the sabbath day to
keep it holy.
4e.
And the inhabitants of Zion, also, shall remember their labors,
inasmuch as they are appointed to labor, in all faithfulness; for the
idler shall be had in remembrance before the Lord.
4f.
Now I, the Lord, am not well pleased with the inhabitants of Zion,
for there are idlers among them: and their children are also growing
up in wickedness; they also seek not earnestly the riches of
eternity, but their eyes are full of greediness.
4g.
These things ought not to be, and must be done away from among them;
wherefore let my servant Oliver Cowdery carry these sayings unto the
land of Zion.
4h.
And a commandment I give unto them, that he that observeth not his
prayers before the Lord in the season thereof, let him be had in
remembrance before the judge of my people.
4i.
These sayings are true and faithful; wherefore transgress them not,
neither take therefrom. Behold, I am Alpha and Omega, and I come
quickly. Amen.
