SECTION
75
[Kirtland
D&C 87, LDS D&C 75]
A
conference was held at Amherst, Lorain County, Ohio, January 25,
1832. Some of the elders asked Joseph to “inquire of the Lord that
they might know his will, or learn what would be most pleasing to him
for them to do, in order to bring men to a sense of their condition.”
Joseph made inquiry of the Lord and received the following message.
The conference is also noteworthy because here Joseph Smith was
ordained President of the High Priesthood.
1a.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, I who speak even by the voice of my
Spirit; even Alpha and Omega, your Lord and your God; hearken, O ye
who have given your names to go forth to proclaim my gospel, and to
prune my vineyard.
1b.
Behold, I say unto you, that it is my will that you should go forth
and not tarry, neither be idle, but labor with your mights, lifting
up your voices as with the sound of a trump, proclaiming the truth
according to the revelations and commandments which I have given you,
1c.
and thus if ye are faithful ye shall be laden with many sheaves, and
crowned with honor, and glory, and immortality, and eternal life.
2a.
Therefore, verily I say unto my servant William E. Mclellin, I revoke
the commission which I gave unto him, to go unto the eastern
countries, and I give unto him a new commission and a new
commandment, in the which I, the Lord, chasteneth him for the
murmurings of his heart; and he sinned,
2b.
nevertheless I forgive him, and say unto him again, Go ye into the
south countries; and let my servant Luke Johnson go with him and
proclaim the things which I have commanded them,
2c.
calling on the name of the Lord for the Comforter, which shall teach
them all things that are expedient for them, praying always that they
faint not; and inasmuch as they do this, I will be with them even
unto the end. Behold, this is the will of the Lord your God
concerning you. Even so. Amen.
3a.
And again, verily thus saith the Lord, Let my servant Orson Hyde and
my servant Samuel H. Smith take their journey into the eastern
countries, and proclaim the things which I have commanded them: and
inasmuch as they are faithful, lo, I will be with them even unto the
end.
3b.
And again, verily I say unto my servant Lyman Johnson, and unto my
servant Orson Pratt, They shall also take their journey into the
eastern countries; and behold and lo, I am with them also even unto
the end.
3c.
And, again, I say unto my servant Asa Dodds, and unto my servant
Calves Wilson, that they also shall take their journey unto the
western countries, and proclaim my gospel even as I have commanded
them.
3d.
And he who is faithful shall overcome all things, and shall be lifted
up at the last day.
3e.
And again, I say unto my servant Major N. Ashley and my servant Burr
Riggs, Let them take their journey also unto the south country; yea,
let all those take their journey as I have commanded them, going from
house to house, and from village to village, and from city to city;
3f.
and in whatsoever house ye enter, and they receive you, leave your
blessings upon that house; and in whatsoever house ye enter, and they
receive you not, ye shall depart speedily from that house, and shake
off the dust of your feet as a testimony against them;
3g.
and you shall be filled with joy and gladness and know this, that in
the day of judgment you shall be judges of that house, and condemn
them; and it shall be more tolerable for the heathen in the day of
judgment, than for that house;
3h.
therefore gird up your loins and be faithful and ye shall overcome
all things and be lifted up at the last day. Even so. Amen.
4a.
And, again, thus saith the Lord unto you, O ye elders of my church,
who have given your names that you might know his will concerning
you:
4b.
Behold, I say unto you, that it is the duty of the church to assist
in supporting the families of those and also to support the families
of those who are called and must needs be sent unto the world to
proclaim the gospel unto the world;
4c.
wherefore, I, the Lord, give unto you this commandment, that ye
obtain places for your families, inasmuch as your brethren are
willing to open their hearts; and let all such as can, obtain places
for their families, and support of the church for them, not fail to
go into the world;
4d.
whether to the east, or to the west, or to the north, or to the
south; let them ask and they shall receive, knock and it shall be
opened unto them, and made known from on high, even by the Comforter,
whither they shall go.
5a.
And again, verily I say unto you, that every man who is obliged to
provide for his own family, let him provide and he shall in no wise
lose his crown; and let him labor in the church.
5b.
Let every man be diligent in all things. And the idler shall not have
place in the church, except he repents and mends his ways.
5c.
Wherefore, let my servant Simeon Carter, and my servant Emer Harris
by united in the ministry. And also my servant Ezra Thayre and my
servant Thomas B. Marsh. Also my servant Hyrum Smith and my servant
Reynolds Cahoon; and also my servant Daniel Stanton and my servant
Seymour Brunson;
5d.
and also my servant Sylvester Smith and my servant Gideon Carter; and
also my servant Ruggles Eames and my servant Stephen Burnett; and
also my servant Micah B. Welton and also my servant Eden Smith. Even
so. Amen.
