Essentials in Church History / A History of the Church from the Birth of Joseph Smith to the Present Time (1922), with Introductory Chapters on the Antiquity of the Gospel and the "Falling Away"

by Joseph Fielding Smith

“Behold, Ether saw the day of Christ, and he spake concerning a New Jerusalem upon this land. And he spake also concerning the house of Israel, and the Jerusalem from whence Lehi should come—after it should be destroyed it should be built up again, a holy city unto the Lord; wherefore, it could not be a new Jerusalem for it had been in a time of old; but it should be built up again, and become a holy city of the Lord; and it should be built unto the house of Israel—And that a New Jerusalem should be built upon this land, unto the remnant of the seed of Joseph, for which things there has been a type. For as Joseph brought his father down into the land of Egypt, even so he died there; wherefore, the Lord brought a remnant of the seed of Joseph out of the land of Jerusalem, that he might be merciful unto the seed of Joseph that they should perish not, even as he was merciful unto the father of Joseph that he should perish not. Wherefore, the remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built upon this land; and it shall be a land of their inheritance; and they shall build up a holy city unto the Lord, like unto the Jerusalem of old; and they shall no more be confounded, until the end come when the earth shall pass away. And there shall be a new heaven and a new earth; and they shall be like unto the old save the old have passed away, and all things have become new. And then cometh the New Jerusalem; and blessed are they who dwell therein, for it is they whose garments are white through the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who are numbered among the remnant of the seed of Joseph, who were of the house of Israel.”

Chapter 17

The Book of Commandments—The Vision of the Glories—The Hiram Mobbing

1831–1832

Desire of the Saints for Knowledge of Zion

August 28, the day after the return of the brethren from Missouri, fell on Sunday. An inspirational meeting was held at which the brethren reported their labors. Among the business transacted was the ordination of Oliver Cowdery to the office of high priest “by the voice of the Church and the command of God, under the hand of Sidney Rigdon,” says the record. Oliver Cowdery was in Missouri when the conference in June was held, at which the first high priests were ordained.

As the Saints were very anxious to know more in relation to Zion, the purchasing of lands there and their inheritances, the Prophet inquired of the Lord, and received a revelation (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 63) in which the difficulties and persecutions of the Saints in that land were fore-shadowed. Again the people were cautioned and reproved wherein they had not kept the commandments of the Lord. Among other things the Lord declared the following:

“And now, verily, I say unto you, that as I said that I would make known my will unto you, behold I will make it known unto you, not by the way of commandment, for there are many who observe not to keep my commandments; but unto him that keepeth my commandments, I will give the mysteries of my kingdom, and the same shall be in him a well of living water, springing up unto everlasting life. And now, behold, this is the will of the Lord your God concerning his Saints, that they should assemble themselves together unto the land of Zion, not in haste, lest there should be confusion, which bringeth pestilence. Behold, the land of Zion, I, the Lord, holdeth it in mine own hands; nevertheless, I, the Lord, render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s. Wherefore, I, the Lord, will that you should purchase the lands that you may have advantage of the world, that you may have claim on the world, that they may not be stirred up unto anger; for Satan putteth it into their hearts to anger against you, and to the shedding of blood. Wherefore the land of Zion shall not be obtained but by purchase or by blood, otherwise there is none inheritance for you. And if by purchase, behold you are blessed; and if by blood, as you are forbidden to shed blood, lo, your enemies are upon you, and ye shall be scourged from city to city, and from synagogue to synagogue, and but few shall stand to receive an inheritance. I, the Lord, am angry with the wicked; I am holding my Spirit from the inhabitants of the earth.”

Apostasy of Ezra Booth

In September Joseph Smith moved with his family to Hiram, in Portage County, Ohio, about thirty miles southeast of Kirtland, and commenced living at the home of John Johnson. About this time Ezra Booth left the Church. He had been ordained a high priest, and had taken the trip to Missouri, but had been rebellious. Before coming into the Church he was a Methodist priest; but through the performance of a miracle he was baptized, and from that time he desired to make men believe by the performance of miracles, even by smiting them, or with forcible means. After leaving the Church he wrote a number of articles against the truth which were afterwards published in an anti-“Mormon” book.