Doctrine and Covenants 58

Mormon History: 1830 to 1839

Doctrine and Covenants 58

August 1, 1831, Jackson County, Missouri.
Cannot see God with natural eyes—yet. Blessings after tribulation. Zion fulfills prophecy. Edward Partridge § and W. W. Phelps § rebuked. No need to break civil laws §. Edward, Sidney Gilbert, and W. W. Phelps to move to Zion §. Do good without being commanded §. Slothful servants damned §. Purchase entire region §. Otherwise, may have to shed blood §. Gather only as counseled §. Signs follow those who believe §.

August 1, 1831 date given in BCR, 94.

		Book of Commandments 59
		A Revelation to the elders of the church, assembled on the land of Zion, given August, 1831.		Current LDS D&C verse numbers are left of the text; BC verse numbers are in brackets; 1835 verse numbers are right of the text.
Listen up	1	[1] HEARKEN O ye elders of my church, and give ear to my word, and learn of me what I will concerning you, and also concerning this land unto which I have sent you:	1
Keep commandments for greater rewards	2	[2] For verily I say unto you, blessed is he that keepeth my commandments, whether in life or in death;
		[3] And he that is faithful in tribulation the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven.
Can't see God's design with natural eyes	3	[4] Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow, after much tribulation.	2
Blessings after tribulation	4	[5] For after much tribulation comethcome the blessings.
Crowned with glory		[6] Wherefore, the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory, the hour is not yet but is nigh at hand.
	5	[7] Remember this which I tell you before, that you may lay it to heart, and receive that which shall is to follow.	3
I sent you to be obedient	6	Behold, verily I say unto you, for this cause I have sent you that you might be obedient, and that your hearts might be prepared to bear testimony of the things which are to come;
Lay foundation of Zion	7	[8] And also, that you might be honored of in laying the foundation, and of bearing record of the land upon which the Zion of God shall stand;		Land of Zion
Feast for the poor	8	[9] And also, that a feast of fat things might be prepared for the poor;		"And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. " Isaiah 25:6
Prophecy fulfilled		[10] Yea a feast of fat things, of wine on the lees well refined, that the earth may know that the mouths of the prophets shall not fail;
All nations invited	9	[11] Yea, a supper of the house of the Lord, well prepared, unto which all nations shall be invited.
Begin with rich and learned	10	[12] Firstly the rich, and the learned, the wise and the noble;
Then my power	11	[13] And after that cometh the day of my power:
The poor, sick to the supper		[14] Then shall the poor, the lame and the blind, and the deaf, come in unto the marriage of the Lamb, and partake of the supper of the Lord, prepared for the great day to come.
	12	[15] Behold I the Lord have spoken it.
Testimony to go from Zion	13	[16] And that the testimony might go forth from Zion; yea, from the mouth of the city of the heritage of God:	4
	14	[17] Yea, for this cause I have sent you hither;
Edward Partridge's mission in Zion		[18] And have selected my servant Edward Partridge and have appointed unto him his mission in this land:		Edward Partridge
Must repent of unbelief	15	[19] But if he repent not of his sins, which are unbelief and blindness of heart, let him take heed lest he fall.		¶ Ezra Booth Letter (7)
	16	[20] Behold his mission is given unto him and it shall not be given again.
Be a judge in Israel, divide lands	17	[21] And whoso standeth in this mission, is appointed to be a judge in Israel, like as it was in ancient days, to divide the lands of the heritage of God unto his children;
Judge people by God's law	18	and to judge his people by the testimony of the just, and by the assistance of his counsellors, according to the laws of the kingdom which are given by the prophets of God:
Lord's law rules in Zion	19	[22] For verily I say unto you, my law shall be kept on this land.
God rules	20	[23] Let no man think that he is ruler, but let God rule him that judgeth, according to the counsel of his own will:	5
		[24] Or in other words, him that counselleth, or sitteth upon the judgment seat.
No need break civil laws	21	[25] Let no man break the laws of the land, for he that keepeth the laws of God, hath no need to break the laws of the land:
Be subject to powers that be	22	[26] Wherefore be subject to the powers that be, until He reigns whose right it is to reign, and subdues all enemies under his feet.
Church laws	23	[27] Behold the laws which ye have received from my hand are the laws of the church;
		[28] And in this light ye shall hold them forth.
		[29] Behold, here is wisdom.
Edward and counselors to live here	24	[30] And now as I spake concerning my servant Edward Partridge: this land is the land of his residence, and those whom he has appointed for his counsellors;	6	Red: added in 1835 counsellors: Sidney Gilbert and W. W. Phelps
		[31] And also the land of the residence of him whom I have appointed to keep my storehouse:		Sidney Gilbert
	25	[32] Wherefore let them bring their families to this land, as they shall counsel between themselves and me:
Need not be commanded in all things	26	[33] For behold it is not meet that I should command in all things, for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant;
		[34] Wherefore he receiveth no reward.
Be anxiously engaged in good cause	27	[35] Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness:
Agents unto themselves	28	[36] For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves.
		[37] And inasmuch as men do good they shall in no wise loose lose their reward.		Blue: dropped in 1835 Red: added in 1835
Slothful servants damned	29	[38] But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned.		Blue: dropped in 1835 Red: added in 1835
Accountable	30	[39] Who am I that made man, saith the Lord, that will hold him guiltless, that obey obeys not my commandments?
	31	[40] Who am I, saith the Lord, that have promised and have not fulfilled?
Disobedient not blessed	32	[41] I command and a man obeysnot, I revoke and they receive not the blessing:
Doubters	33	[42] Then they say in their hearts: This is not the work of the Lord, for his promises are not fulfilled.
		[43] But wo unto such, for their reward lurketh beneath, and not from above.
	34	[44] And now I give unto you further directions concerning this land.	7
Martin's example, give money	35	[45] It is wisdom in me, that my servant Martin Harris should be an example unto the church, in laying his moneys before the bishop of the church.		Martin Harris
All who come obey law	36	[46] And also, this is a law unto every man that cometh unto this land, to receive an inheritance;
		[47] And he shall do with his moneys according as the law directs.
Land for storehouse and printing house	37	[48] And it is wisdom also, that there should be lands purchased in Independence, for the place of the storehouse:
		[49] And also for the house of the printing.
Martin Harris	38	[50] And other directions concerning my servant Martin Harris shall be given him of the Spirit, that he may receive his inheritance as seemeth him good.	8	Red: added in 1835
Seeks praise, should repent	39	And let him repent of his sins, for he seeketh the praise of the world.
W. W. Phelps	40	[51] And also let my servant William W. Phelps stand in the office which I have appointed him, and receive his inheritance in the land.	9
Not meek enough	41	[52] And also he hath need to repent, for I the Lord am not well pleased with him, for he seeketh to excel, and he is not sufficiently meek before me.		William W. Phelps
Repent and Lord forgets sins	42	[53] Behold he who has repented of his sins the same is forgiven, and I the Lord remember them no more.
Must confess and forsake	43	[54] By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins.
		[55] Behold he will confess them and forsake them.
Inheritances conditional	44	[56] And now verily I say concerning the residue of the elders of my church, the time has not yet come for many years, for them to receive their inheritance in this land; except they desire it through the prayer of faith, only as it shall be appointed unto them of the Lord.
Pushed together	45	[57] For behold they shall push the people together from the ends of the earth:
Preach in the region	46	[58] Wherefore assemble yourselves together, and they who are not appointed to stay in this land, let them preach the gospel in the regions round about;
Then return home		[59] And after that let them return to their homes.
Preach on return trip	47	[60] Let them preach by the way, and bear testimony of the truth in all places, and call upon the rich, the high, and the low, and the poor, to repent;
Build up churches	48	[61] And let them build up churches, inasmuch as the inhabitants of the earth will repent.
Ohio agent to receive funds for land in Zion	49	[62] And let there be an agent appointed by the voice of the church, unto the church in Ohio, to receive moneys to purchase lands in Zion.	10
Sidney to describe land	50	[63] And I give unto my servant Sidney Rigdon a commandment, that he shall write a description of the land of Zion, and a statement of the will of God, as it shall be made known by the Spirit, unto him;	11	Sidney Rigdon ¶ Ezra Booth Letter #5
Subscribe for land	51	and an epistle and subscription, to be presented unto all the churches, to obtain moneys, to be put into the hands of the bishop, to purchase lands for an inheritance for the children of God, of himself or the agent, as seemeth him good, or as he shall direct.
Buy whole region	52	[64] For behold, verily I say unto you, the Lord willeth that the disciples and the children of men, should open their hearts, even to purchase this whole region of country, as soon as time will permit.
Shedding of blood	53	[65] Behold here is wisdom; let them do this lest they receive none inheritance, save it be by the shedding of blood.
Workmen for Zion	54	[66] And again, inasmuch as there is land obtained, let there be workmen sent forth, of all kinds, unto this land, to labor for the saints of God.	12
Orderly	55	[67] Let all these things be done in order.
Bishop or agent to promote		[68] And let the privileges of the lands be made known from time to time, by the bishop, or the agent of the church.
Gather not in haste	56	[69] And let the work of the gathering be not in haste, nor by flight, but let it be done as it shall be counselled by the elders of the church at the conferences, according to the knowledge which they receive from time to time.
Sidney to consecrate land	57	[70] And let my servant Sidney Rigdon consecrate and dedicate this land, and the spot for the temple, unto the Lord.	13	¶ Ezra Booth Letters
Sidney, Joseph, Oliver to return	58	And let a conference meeting be called, and after that, let my servants Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith, jr. return, and also Oliver Cowdery with them, to accomplish the residue of the work, which I have appointed unto them in their own land:		Minutes of November 8, 1831
		[72] And the residue as shall be ruled by the conferences.		Minutes of November 8, 1831
Preach on the way	59	[73] And let no man return from this land, except he bear record by the way, of that which he knows and most assuredly believes.	14
Ziba's sins	60	[74] Let that which has been bestowed upon Ziba, be taken from him:		Ziba Peterson and Oliver Cowdery were guilty of "similar conduct." ¶ Ezra Booth Letters (7) While engaged to Elizabeth Ann Whitmer in New York, Oliver promises to marry another in Kirtland. ¶ Ezra Booth Letters (8–9) This revelation, disciplining Ziba, is received ten days before his marriage to Rebecca Hooper.
		[75] And let him stand as a member in the church, and labor with his own hands, with the brethren, until he is sufficiently chastened for all his sins, for he confesseth them not, and he thinketh to hide them.
Some elders wealthy	61	[76] Let the residue of the elders of this church, who are coming to this land, some of whom are exceedingly blessed even above measure, also, hold a conference upon this land.	15
Edward to direct conference	62	[77] And let my servant Edward Partridge direct the conference, which shall be held by them.
	63	[78] And let them also return, preaching the gospel by the way, bearing record of the things which are revealed unto them:
Message to all world	64	[79] For verily the sound must go forth from this place into all the world;
Signs follow		[80] And unto the uttermost parts of the earth, the gospel must be preached unto every creature, with signs following them that believe.
Son of Man comes	65	[81] And behold the Son of man cometh: Amen.
		D&C 59 D&C 57 Jackson County Revelations Doctrine and Covenants Home