The Life of Joseph Smith, the Prophet

by George Q. Cannon

Blessed are you, because you are called of me to preach my gospel. * * * * For behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, the time is soon at hand that I shall come in a cloud with power and great glory, and it shall be a day at the time of my coming for all nations to tremble. But before that great day shall come, the sun shall be darkened and the moon be turned into blood, and the stars shall refuse their shining, and some shall fall, and great destructions await the wicked. Wherefore, lift up your voice and spare not, for the Lord God hath spoken. Therefore prophesy and it shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost.

These revelations to individuals concerning their duty were necessary in that hour. Men, however faithful and devoted to the Church, had not yet learned the order of the gospel and its requirements upon them. And, that they might not be suffered to rest in their own ignorance and led astray by the whiles of Satan, the Lord, through His Prophet, marked out the plain path which they were to follow. The rich heritage of knowledge, which belongs now to every faithful member of the Church, had to be gained little by little through long and continuous prayer to God, by the early acceptors of the Gospel.

The Lord suffered none to go astray for lack of commandment. And, in the subsequent history of the men whose names appear as early recipients of Divine revelation, can be traced their faithfulness to Heavenly requirement, or their yielding to the whispers of the evil one. The Lord in His revelation through Joseph Smith gave a mission to Orson Pratt which was nobly fulfilled. No less particular and comprehensive was His commandment to other elders, but in many instances far different was the result.

The work which the Prophet directed under these revelations shows that the plan decreed by God for the building up of His Church was understood by Joseph. Viewed from a human standpoint, the intention of the Prophet to send missionaries throughout all the land, bearing proclamation concerning the new Church, would have been a surprising ambition. What was he that he should declare a gathering-place in the west; that he should command men to lay down their daily toil, and go forth as ministers proclaiming religious truth to a skeptical world; that he should decree the building up of a city upon the Lamanite borders? Had Joseph Smith, at the hour when he sent forth Oliver Cowdery and Parley P. Pratt, with their companions into the western wilderness, made avowal of such intentions, prompted by vanity and a self-conceived desire to give himself and his cause prominence, complete and humiliating would have been his failure. But if the declaration which he made had originated from such a source, he could not have been subjected to greater ridicule than fell upon him when he avowed that he and his coadjutors were but fulfilling the will of God—who would not suffer His purposes to fail one jot or tittle. To call men untrained by education and special preparation to go forth without purse or scrip, to preach the gospel, was a departure from accustomed methods that in many minds excited derision and contempt. True, this was the practice in apostolic days, and was the course taken by the Savior in the calling and sending out of His disciples, but the fashion had become obsolete. Education had become more essential for ministers than the Holy Ghost; a salary than a faith that would trust the Lord to supply food and clothing.

Teaching of the doctrine of the gathering, also was a new announcement to the world. The belief common in Christendom was that man was as near to God in one place as another, and He could be worshiped everywhere alike. The idea, therefore of converts abandoning home, with all its delightful associations and ancestral memories, and going to a new land, remote from kindred and friends, as a religious duty was a startling one and came in contact with all pre-conceived views. Under the inspiration, however, of the Lord, Joseph made it known as a movement required of true believers by the Almighty to prepare them for coming events. It was a bold proclamation, and viewed from a human standpoint, was likely to interfere with successful conversions. But it was from the Lord, and honest seekers after truth were led to look to Him for the evidence of its heavenly origin. The result came in due time, and should have been convincing to every human soul. Of all the commandments enunciated through Joseph Smith, nothing failed.

The Prophet, during the months of October and November, himself labored in the ministry, encouraging all by his upright and zealous life, making many converts, and spreading heavenly wisdom among all the honest-in-heart who would give ear to his words.

In the meantime, the missionaries to the West were progressing with their labor. They reached Kirtland, Ohio, and there made a brief stand, because the field seemed promising. Many persons were converted to the truth, and accepted the gospel. The Elders wrote at once to the Prophet, informing him of these facts, and he directed John Whitmer to proceed at once to Kirtland and preside over the branch of the Church there.

When the Elders left Kirtland to proceed farther into the wilderness, one of the new converts, Frederick G. Williams, accompanied them. They went as far as Independence, Jackson County, Missouri; and were the first of God's chosen servants in this dispensation to set foot upon that consecrated soil.

CHAPTER XVI.

SIDNEY RIGDON AND EDWARD PARTRIDGE JOIN THE CHURCH—JOSEPH COMMENCES THE TRANSLATION OF THE SCRIPTURES—SAINTS COMMANDED TO GATHER AT OHIO —JOSEPH MIGRATES FROM NEW YORK—THE KIRKLAND SAINTS FALL INTO ERROR— GOD'S POWER MANIFESTED—IMPORTANT REVELATIONS.