The Life of Joseph Smith, the Prophet

by George Q. Cannon

The Church at Kirtland soon began to assume an importance which alarmed its opponents. Previous to this time falsehood and persecution had been directed almost entirely against the Prophet himself. But as the work extended and the Church increased in its membership, the father of lies did not confine his attacks to Joseph; he sent forth his countless emissaries to provoke hatred and wrath against the Church itself. Yet nothing tangible up to this time could be alleged against the Prophet Joseph or the Church which God organized through his instrumentality. Here at Kirtland, and at this time, however, the foes of truth united in formulating and publishing to the world all the calumnies which their wicked imaginations could devise. None were more active in this infamous business than certain fearful and lying priests and their bigoted adherents; and it is from this fruitful source of accusation and slander that subsequent defamers of the Prophet's early life have drawn many of their falsehoods.

To the Saints, however, there was compensation for these attacks in the word of the Lord which they received in plainness and power at this time through the Prophet. He was inspired to write many revelations which were of priceless value to the Church. Principles and doctrines, instructions and warnings, promises and prophecies, were given with a simplicity and clearness suited to the capacity of the humblest understanding, and yet the truths they contained are so sublime as to furnish instruction and food for profound thought to men of the highest attainments and the most extensive cultivation.

Among several revelations given during this month of March, 1831, there was one of more than ordinary interest to the Saints then, and the lapse of time has only added to its importance in the minds of all believers. It was upon that never-failing subject of interest—the second coming of the Savior. The signs which should precede His coming and the wonderful manifestations which should accompany it—making the event the most awful and yet the most glorious witnessed since the dawn of creation—were described with divine clearness. In this revelation the Lord said:

Wherefore hearken and I will reason with you, and I will speak unto you and prophesy, as unto men in days of old; and I will show it plainly as I showed it unto my disciples as I stood before them in the flesh, and spake unto them, saying, as ye have asked of me concerning the signs of my coming in the day when I shall come in my glory in the clouds of heaven to fulfill the promises that I made unto your fathers.

A rehearsal is then given of instructions and predictions which He gave to His disciples, similar, but in greater fullness to those recorded in the 24th chapter of Matthew in the New Testament. For the comfort of His ancient disciples He made promises, from which Saints in every age can derive satisfaction and hope. He said:

And it shall come to pass that he that feareth me shall be looking forth for the great day of the Lord to come, even for the signs of the coming of the Son of Man. * * * But before the arm of the Lord shall fall, an angel shall sound his trump, and the saints that have slept shall come forth to meet me in the cloud; wherefore, if ye have slept in peace, blessed are you, for as you now behold me and know that I am, even so shall ye come unto me, and your souls shall live and your redemption shall be perfected, and the Saints shall come forth from the four quarters of the earth. Then shall the arm of the Lord fall upon the nations, and then shall the Lord set his foot upon this mount and it shall cleave in twain, and the earth shall tremble and reel to and fro, the Heavens shall also shake. * * * For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived; verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day, and the earth shall be given unto them for an inheritance; and they shall multiply and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation, for the Lord shall be in their midst, and his glory shall be upon them, and He will be their King and their Lawgiver.

In the months of April and May, 1831, the Prophet continued to labor among the people and numerous commandments came from the Lord to him and other Elders, especially directing their ministrations and constantly resolving their doubts and removing their difficulties. The harvest was being gathered; the Saints from New York and other places had come up to Kirtland to join with their fellow-worshipers; constant accessions were being made, until on the 1st of June, 1831, a few days preceding the appointed General Conference of the Church, the congregation of the Saints numbered nearly two thousand souls.

CHAPTER XVII.

FOURTH GENERAL CONFERENCE—GOD DESIGNATES MISSOURI AS THE PLACE OF HOLDING THE NEXT CONFERENCE—TRANSGRESSION OF THE THOMPSON BRANCH— JOSEPH GOES TO THE PLACE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM.

From all the dwelling-places of the Saints throughout the land came representatives to attend the fourth General Conference of the Church. It opened on the morning of the 6th of June, 1831, in Kirtland, Ohio, under the presidency of Joseph Smith, the Prophet of God. Fourteen months had elapsed since the organization of the Church, with six members. Now the congregation numbered two thousand souls. For the marvelous manifestation of His power which had brought these people to a knowledge of the truth and had enabled them to become the recipients of saving ordinances, the conference offered praise to Almighty God. There was a great outpouring of the Spirit upon the assemblage, and the Lord displayed His power in the firm establishment of His word in the hearts of His children. Joseph himself says, "The Lord gave us power in proportion to the work to be done." Several were selected by revelation and ordained to the High Priesthood after the order of the Son of God, which is after the order of Melchisedec. This was the first occasion this Priesthood had been conferred upon the Elders in this dispensation. The cause was no longer the work of a single family. Its glory, its promise and its tribulation, as it must endure, were shared by a considerable community; but if the Saints had been all one family in the flesh, they could not have been more united and harmonious than they were on the occasion of this conference. Peace was in the household of faith, and through humility and prayer the blessings of Heaven were generally enjoyed.