Outlines of Ecclesiastical History

by B. H. Roberts

7. Zion.—The Book of Mormon prophecies predict the founding of a glorious city upon the American continent to be called New Jerusalem, or Zion. [See note 4, end of section.]^[[58]] It was but natural, therefore, that the first elders of the church should be anxious to learn where it was to be built and seek to find it. The Book of Mormon, while clearly predicting that the city will be established, fails to give its location. In March, 1831, however, the Saints were commanded to gather up their riches that they might purchase an inheritance that the Lord promised to point out to them some time in the future, the New Jerusalem—"a city of refuge, a place of safety for the Saints of the Most High"^[[59]]—Zion. In June, 1831, a conference convened at Kirtland, and the Lord called twenty-eight elders to go through the Western States by different routes, two by two, preaching by the way, baptizing by water and the laying on of hands by the water side.^[[60]] They were to meet in western Missouri to hold a conference, and if faithful the Lord promised to reveal to them the place of the city of Zion.

8. About the middle of July the Prophet Joseph and a number of these brethren arrived at Independence, meeting with Oliver Cowdery and his associates—the mission to the Lamanites. A few days afterwards a revelation was received^[[61]] declaring Missouri to be the land which God had appointed for the gathering of the Saints, the land of promise, the place of the city of Zion, Independence being the "center place." The site of the temple which the Lord has decreed shall be built in this generation, upon which his glory shall rest, and in which the sons of Moses and of Aaron shall offer an acceptable offering to the Lord—was declared to be a short distance west of the court house. On the morning of the 3rd of August, 1831, the Prophet Joseph with the other elders that had arrived at Independence, met at the temple site and dedicated it as the place for the building of a temple. [See notes 5 and 6, end of section].

Meantime a company of Saints known as the Colesville Branch—from their having lived at Colesville, Broome County, New York—had arrived in Missouri, and having received instructions to purchase the lands in the regions round about Zion, they secured a tract of land in a fertile prairie some ten or twelve miles west of Independence, in Kaw township, not far from the present location of Kansas City. On the 2nd of August—the day preceding the dedication of the temple site—in the settlement of the Colesville Saints, the first log was laid for a house, as the foundation of Zion. The log was carried by twelve men in honor of the Twelve Tribes of Israel; and Elder Sidney Rigdon consecrated and dedicated the land of Zion for the gathering of the Saints. [See note 7, end of section].

9. The Law of Consecration.—It is said of the early Christian saints that they "were of one heart and of one soul; neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common."^[[62]] It was doubtless a desire to imitate this condition of affairs which led the followers of Sidney Rigdon, at Kirtland, to establish the "common stock" plan of living. That is, the whole community attempted to live together as one family, having all things in common. Nearly all the "family" joined the church; and when the Prophet settled in Kirtland, about the 1st of February, 1831, he persuaded them to abandon that plan of living, for the more perfect law of the Lord.^[[63]] The more perfect law was the law of consecration.

10. The preparations for the introduction of this law was first made by the appointment of a bishop, who should have authority to administer in temporal things. The bishop was called by revelation on the 4th of February, 1831.^[[64]] On the 9th of the same month the Lord in a revelation gave the first instructions about the law of consecration.^[[65]] From that and subsequent revelations we summarize the following in relation to that law:

I. The person desiring to make the consecration brings his possessions to the bishop and delivers them unto him—consecrates them unto the Lord, giving them up absolutely, with a deed and a covenant that cannot be broken.^[[66]]

II. The person so consecrating his possessions, whether they be much or little, if it be a full consecration, has claim upon the bishop for stewardship out of the consecrated properties of the church, an inheritance for himself and his family,^[[67]] from the management of which, by industry and economy—for this law contemplates industry and economy on the part of those who embrace it^[[68]]—they may obtain a livelihood. But the possessions consecrated are the Lord's, or else the consecrations are vain, and the whole proceedings farcical.^[[69]] The inheritance given to the individual is given to him as his stewardship, of which he must render an account unto the bishop.^[[70]] The steward is responsible for his stewardship in time and in eternity unto the Lord.^[[71]] The stewardships are to be secured to those to whom they are given by a written deed, that they may not be deprived of their inheritance.^[[72]]

III. After men have received their stewardships the income from them, over and above that which is needful for the support of themselves and their families, is also to be consecrated unto the Lord and taken to the Lord's store house to be distributed to the poor to supply stewardships to those who have not yet received them, to purchase lands for the public benefit, to build houses of worship, temples, etc., etc.^[[73]]

IV. In the event of any steward needing means to improve his stewardship, or for any other righteous purpose, he has a claim upon the Lord's store-house, and so long as he is in full fellowship with the church, and is a wise and faithful steward, on application to the treasurer of the general fund, he is to be supplied with that which he needs; the treasurer, of course, being accountable to the church for his management of the general fund, and subject to removal in the event of incompetency or transgression.^[[74]]

V. Each steward is independent in the management of his stewardship. He must pay for that which he buys; he can insist on payment for that which he sells. He has no claim upon the stewardship of his neighbor; his neighbor has no claim upon his stewardship; but both have claim, as also have their children—when they shall become of age and start in life for themselves^[[75]]—upon the surplus in the Lord's store-house to aid them in the event of their needing assistance.^[[76]] The various churches, or branches of the church, are each to be independent in the management of their respective store-houses,^[[77]] subject of course to a general supervision of the presiding bishop of the church and of the first presidency thereof.