CHAPTER X.
Laying aside for a time the sword and buckler, the Prophet betook himself to the olive branch, and meditated the greater expansion of the kingdom by the preaching of the Gospel. He had all the winter of 1834–5 in Kirtland to prepare for the spring campaign. His Missouri mission had taught him something. If he had not thrown down towers, he had at least picked up a lesson. Miraculous interference was all good enough to predict and talk about, but facts are accomplished by organization. From that time to the day of his death his brain was never free from an organizing scheme of some sort. Mormonism was henceforth not to "lay around loose" and depend upon the heavens alone, it was to be a working organism. The Christian Church began with the choosing of the Twelve Apostles. Joseph had followed no definite plan since his Church was organized. It was now time to choose his "Twelve,"[1] and send them to "all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, to preach the Gospel of the New Covenant." On the 4th of February, 1835, the selection was made in the following order: Lyman E. Johnson, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, David W. Patten, Luke Johnson, William E. McLellin, John F. Boynton, Orson Pratt, William Smith, Thomas B. Marsh, and Parley P. Pratt. At a later date the order of rank was determined by seniority, which gave the Presidency to Thomas B. Marsh.
During the same month Joseph introduced another organization—"The Seventies." This was to be a "Quorum" composed of seventy elders, the first seven members of which were to be seven presidents over the whole quorum, and" the first of these seven to preside over all; the seventies to be auxiliaries to the twelve apostles, and to form a sort of minor apostleship. Some idea of what was working in Joseph's brain at this time, about the conquest of the world, may be drawn from his instructions to the President of the Seventies:
"If the first Seventy are all employed, and there is a call for more labourers, it will be the duty of the seven Presidents of the first Seventy to call and ordain other seventy, and send them forth to labour in the vineyard, until, if need be, they set apart seventy times seventy, and even until they are one hundred and forty-four thousand."
Joseph began the selection of the elders for the first seventy from the ranks of Zion's Camp, and since that organization (Feb. 28, 1835) others have followed, till there are now in the Mormon Church eighty-five Quorums of Seventies.
Early in May the twelve apostles started from Kirtland on their missions to the Eastern States to disseminate the new faith, and labour "wherever a door was open" during all the summer and fall, returning to Kirtland in December, to relate their success, to get fresh instructions, and to tarry till the completion of the temple, when they were to be "endowed with great power from on high." During their absence Joseph was severely tried by "apostates and false brethren," and the return of the young apostles was very timely in strengthening the Prophet and encouraging the Saints.
The Kirtland Temple was now the object of hope, faith, prayer, and hard work. Everything depended upon its early completion. Disciples who begin their career with the experience of signs and wonders are always the slowest to comprehend facts, and are ever clamorous for a renewal of marvellous experience. "The Lord," as they believed it, thoroughly comprehended their wants, and held before them "great expectations." They contributed their mites and their labour, and by the 27th of March, 1836, "the House of the Lord" was so far finished as to admit of dedication.
It was no Solomon's Temple, but, for the few Saints who reared it, it was a commanding building. In those days "the Lord" had to do everything, so that this house was not built up "after the manner of the world," and he commanded that "the size thereof shall be fifty and five feet in width, and let it be sixty-five feet in length, in the inner court thereof." The Prophet having given the general outline, the Temple went up and was reported to be finished in this fashion:
"Outside dimensions sixty feet in width and eighty feet in length; its height from the ground to the top of the eaves, about fifty feet; from the basement forty-four, giving two stories of twenty-two feet each, besides an attic story in the roof for school rooms. It was lighted by thirty gothic, three Venetian, two dormer, one circular, and two square gable windows. The dome of the steeple was one hundred and ten feet high, and the bell about ninety feet from the ground."
The internal divisions were arranged for the gradations of Priesthood: the west end of the lower, court to the Melchisedec, and the east end to the Aaronic Priesthood. The attic story was appropriated as a place for the study of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. This curious mixture of earth and heaven was like the man himself. Had he lived to the age of Methuselah, his span of years would have been too short to have carried out all the projects that had passed through his brain. Thus early he began to study foreign languages, and stimulated the elders to do likewise before they could some of them properly write their own names, or speak their mother tongue. In the beginning of January a Hebrew professorship was established in Kirtland, and on the 21st of that month the long-promised endowment was given, and during three days in the latter part of March the Temple was dedicated.
The endowment and the dedication were very important events in Mormon history, and are, almost more than anything else in the experience of the Saints, claimed to be a divine confirmation of Joseph's mission. The narrative as given by the Prophet and his biographers is too ample to permit of being quoted at length, but can be easily comprehended from a brief statement. The "visions of eternity" were opened to the elders; angels ministered; "the power of the Highest rested upon them;" and "the house was filled with the glory of God." It is very certain that, on the occasion stated, the Saints had a very lively time, and caused a great deal of commotion. An antagonistic writer of the period accused them of being merry from another "spirit" than that which they claimed from above. During the shouting of "Hosanna to God and the Lamb," Joseph claim to have had a marvellous vision, in which he says:
"I beheld the celestial kingdom of God, and the glory thereof, whether in the body or out I cannot tell. I saw the transcendent beauty of the gate through which the heirs of that kingdom will enter, which was like circling flames of fire; the blazing throne of God, whereon were seated the Father and the Son. I saw the beautiful streets of that kingdom, which had the appearance of being paved with gold. I saw Father Adam,[3] and Abraham, and Michael, and my father and mother, my brother Alvin,"[4] etc., etc.
This was a very great time, but it was only the forerunner of the Pentecost that was in store for them at the forthcoming dedication of the Temple. On the 27th March, 1836, a thousand Saints had assembled, and in that number were all the apostles, seventies, and elders who could possibly get there. They had come to receive great blessings, and were mentally in excellent condition for anything that the heavens might send them. A dedicatory prayer was offered by the Prophet, and the Saints were asked if they accepted the prayer dedicating the House of the Lord. They shouted affirmatively, partook of the Sacrament together, and then began to relate their experience and to testify. Brigham led off with "speaking in tongues," and the services of the day closed with more shouting of "Hosannas" and "Amens." They were worked up to a high pitch of excitement.
In the evening Joseph met the Quorum of elders, and what then transpired and subsequently during the days of dedication is thus related by the Mormon historian:
"He gave the elders instructions respecting the Spirit of Prophecy, and called upon them to speak and not to fear, and the Spirit of Prophecy should rest down upon them. Brother George A. Smith arose and began to prophesy when a noise was heard like a rushing, mighty wind, which filled the Temple, and all the congregation simultaneously arose, being moved by an invisible power. Many began to speak in tongues and prophesy; others saw glorious visions, and Joseph beheld that the Temple was filled with angels, and told the congregation so. The people of the neighbourhood, hearing an unusual sound within the Temple, and seeing a bright light like a pillar of fire resting upon it, came running together and were astonished at what was transpiring. . . .
"Next Sunday (April 3rd) two of the twelve apostles preached in the forenoon, and in the afternoon the Sacrament was administered; after which Joseph retired to the pulpit, and the veils being dropped he bowed himself, with Oliver Cowdery, in solemn and silent prayer to the Most High. After rising from prayer, a most glorious vision of the Lord was opened to both of them. The veil was taken from their minds, and the eyes of their understandings were opened. They saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit before them. Under His feet was a paved work of pure gold, in colour like amber. His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun, and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah saying—'I am the first and the last; I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father.' He spoke many words of encouragement unto them, and gave them precious promises, and told them things that should come to pass.
"After that vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto them, and Moses appeared before them and committed unto them the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the Ten Tribes from the land of the North. Elias then appeared and committed the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham.
"After that vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon them, for Elijah the Prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before them and said—'Behold the time has fully come which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi, testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse. Therefore,' said he, 'the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands, and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.'"[5]
After such evidences of what is claimed to have been a divine attestation of the mission of Joseph, it is to be regretted that the greater portion of the witnesses of these glorious visions "fell away" and apostatized from Joseph. Within six months from that time one of his own counsellors and three of his apostles were suspended from fellowship, and in the following year this same Oliver Cowdery, who had seen, heard, and was ordained by angels, and had the most ecstatic visions, was also cut off from the Church!
At the time when these manifestations are said to have occurred in the Temple at Kirtland, few persons outside of the Mormon communion believed anything of the report; but the multitudes scattered throughout the world who now believe in spirit-manifestations will credit the thousand spectators and witnesses at the dedication with having had a "wonderful experience."[6]
- ↑ In his public sermons, Brigham frequently announces that he is an Apostle of Joseph Smith. It is his theory that "the Kingdom was given unto Joseph."
- ↑ The Saints, under the leadership of the eldest son of the Prophet, are now negotiating for the possession of the Temple. It has a wonderful hold upon the faith of all Saints.
- ↑ Joseph does not state how he came in possession of these names. He makes some blunder here or somewhere else, for he evidently makes Adam and Michael two distinct, persons, while in other revelations he sets forth that Adam is Michael. Such confusion does not tend to increase faith.
- ↑ Joseph, in his Autobiography, expressed great surprise at beholding his brother Alvin, as Alvin when he died knew nothing of the Mormon faith, and consequently could have no title to such a lofty position in the heavens; but the Prophet seems not to have anticipated the natural astonishment which the reader must feel that he could see his mother in Paradise, as she was not only then in the flesh, but lived long enough to write an affectionate biography of him himself after his own death.
- ↑ "Autobiography of Joseph Smith."
- ↑ There is a great diversity of statement respecting the source of the endowment and the character of its manifestations. The orthodox Mormons claim that the angels and the Holy Spirit gave the endowments, and that, though the company had been together eight hours, everything was conducted with the greatest solemnity and the best of order preserved. Two Mormons present on the occasion,—William E. McLellin and John Corrill—the former an apostle, and the latter a high priest, publish very different statements. McLellin says: "As to the endowment in Kirtland, I state positively, it was no endowment from God. Not only myself was not endowed, but no other man of the five hundred who was present—except it was with wine!"—"True Latter-Day Saints' Herald," vol. 19, p. 437
Corrill says: "The ceremony was first performed upon the first presidency, together with the bishops and their counsellors; after which the elders in their turn attended to the ceremony, and it was alike upon all occasions. They were to purify their bodies by washing them entirely with pure water, after which they were to wash each other's feet, and anoint each other with oil, pronouncing mutual blessings during the performance. The sacrament was then administered, in which they partook of the bread and wine freely, and a report went abroad that some of them got drunk; as to that, every man must answer for himself."
Since that endowment, "bread and wine," anointings and prophesyings have often cheered the hearts of the elders.