Thereafter, the steward is held accountable for his stewardship. The surplus income—all over and above what he needs to support himself and his family—is consecrated to the general storehouse of the Lord, as was all his property at the first. Each steward has a common claim on the general storehouse for all that he may need; and as long as he proves a faithful steward, the treasurer of the storehouse must honor his demands.
The successful operation of such an order as this is predicated, of course, upon obedience to specific laws. Any violation of the basic principles of the law must necessarily bring disorganization to the order. The law of Consecration, or the United Order of God, was observed for a while in both Kirtland and Independence. Indeed, the acquiring successfully of the lands of Jackson county depended upon the righteous fulfillment of the principles of the United Order. "For I, the Lord," we read in one of the revelations, "have decreed in my heart, that inasmuch as any man belonging to the order, shall be found a transgressor, or, in other words, shall break the covenant with which ye are bound, he shall be cursed in his life, and shall be trodden down by whom I will."[O] But the people of Zion did not "hearken altogether unto the precepts and commandments which I [the Lord] gave unto them."[P] Their enemies came down upon them and drove them from the lands they had purchased, and the homes they had provided by tireless labor. Twelve thousand or more, in number, they were forced out of the country of their desire. Four years before their banishment the Lord had said in revelation:
[Footnote O: Doc. and Cov. 104:5.]
[Footnote P: Doc. and Cov. 103:4.]
"Behold, I say unto you, were it not for the transgressions of my people, speaking concerning the Church and not individuals, they might have been redeemed even now, but, behold, they have not learned to be obedient to the things which I required at their hands, but are full of all manner of evil, and do not impart of their substance, as becometh saints, to the poor and afflicted among them and are not united according to the union required by the law of the celestial kingdom; and Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom, otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself."[Q]
[Footnote Q: Doc. and Cov. 105:2-5.]
In this way was revealed another act in the drama of the Restoration. Since the time of the revelation quoted above, the United Order has never been successfully practiced in the Church. But the fault lies with the Church members, not with the revelation. To meet our lower possibilities, there must be given a lower law to train us to the higher.
The lower law revealed to succeed the law of consecration is the law of tithing. It cannot take the place of the higher law. That law is eternal; and will supersede the lower law when we shall become prepared for it. Like the law of Moses, the law of tithing is a schoolmaster to lead us to Christ. This law was revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith July 8, 1838, and requires that every Church member shall pay into the storehouse of the Church one-tenth of all his interest annually. The revelation on tithing reads as follows:
"Revelation given through Joseph, the Prophet, at Far West, Missouri, July 8, 1838, in answer to the question, Lord, show unto thy servants how much thou requirest of the properties of the people for a tithing?
"Verily, thus saith the Lord, I require all their surplus property to be put into the hands of the bishop of my Church of Zion, for the building of mine house, and for the laying of the foundation of Zion and for the Priesthood, and for the debts of the Presidency of my Church; and this shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people; and after that, those who have thus been tithed, shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them for ever, for my holy Priesthood, saith the Lord.