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Letter to Beloved Brethren, 6 August 1833

that it be not defiled, my glory shall rest upon it, yea and my pres ence shall be there, for I will come into it and all the pure in heart that shall come into it shall see God; but if it be defiled I will not come into it, and my glory shall not be there, for I will not come into an unholy temple. And now behold if Zion do these things she shall pros per <And now behold if Zion do these things> and sp[r]ead herself and become very glorious very great and very tera ble, and the nations of the earth shall honor her, and shall say surely Zion is the City of our God, and surely Zion cannot fall neither be removed, out of her place, for God is there, and the hand of the Lord is there and he hath sworn by the power of his might to be her salvati on and her high tower. Therefore verily thus saith the Lord let Zion rejoice (for this is Zion

In JS’s earliest revelations “the cause of Zion” was used to broadly describe the work JS was called to do. However, the term Zion was soon used more specifically to describe a community of believers who live in harmony and equality. The Book of Mormon explained...

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the pure in heart.) Therefore let Zion rejoice while all the wicked shall mourn, for behold and lo! vengence cometh speedily upon the ungodly as the whirlwind and who shall escape, it, the Lords scourge shall pass over, by night, and by day, and the report thereof shall vex all people, yet it shall not be staid untill the Lord come; for the indignation of the <Lord> is kindled against their abom inations, and all their wicked works, nevertheless Zion shall escape if she observe to do all things whatsoever I have commanded

Generally, a divine mandate that church members were expected to obey; more specifically, a text dictated by JS in the first-person voice of deity that served to communicate knowledge and instruction to JS and his followers. Occasionally, other inspired texts...

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her, but if she observe not whatsoever I have commanded her, I will visit her acc ording to all her works, with sore affliction, with pestilince, with plague with sword, with vengence, with devouring fire, nevertheless let it be read read this once in their ears that I the Lord have accepted of their offering and if she sin no more none of these things shall come upon her, but I will bless her with blessings and multiply a multiplicity of blessings upon her and upon her generations forever and ever saith the Lord your God Amen.

And again verily I say unto <you> my friends, a commandm ent I give unto you that ye shall commence a work of laying out and preparing a begining and foundation of the City of the stake of Zion

The ecclesiastical organization of church members in a particular locale. Stakes were typically large local organizations of church members; stake leaders could include a presidency, a high council, and a bishopric. Some revelations referred to stakes “to...

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here in the land of Kirtland

Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and 1,000 others; in 1838 about 2,000 Saints and 1,200 others; in 1839 about 100 Saints and 1,500 others. Mormon missionaries visited township...

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; begining at my house

The sacred edifice in Kirtland, Ohio, since known as the Kirtland temple. Although the term temple in the early days of the church designated a category of buildings, the proper name applied to the structure in Kirtland was “House of the Lord.” JS and the...

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JS revelation of Jan. 1831 directed Latter-day Saints to migrate to Ohio, where they would “be endowed with power from on high.” JS Revelation of Dec. 1832 directed Saints to “establish . . . an house of God.” JS Revelation of 1 June 1833 chastened Saints...

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, and behold it must be done according to the pattern which I have given you unto you, and let the first lot on the south be consecrated

The dedicating of money, lands, goods, or one’s own life for sacred purposes. Both the New Testament and Book of Mormon referred to some groups having “all things common” economically; the Book of Mormon also referred to individuals who consecrated or dedicated...

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unto me for the building of an house for the presidency

The presiding body of the church. From the day of the church’s organization on 6 April 1830, JS and Oliver Cowdery led the church in their capacity as elders. An 11 November 1831 revelation directed that “the duty of the president of the office of the high...

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, in obtaining revelations and for the work of the ministry of the presidency in all things pertain ing to the church

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

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and kingdom; verily I say unto you it shall that it shall be built fifty five by sixty five in the width thereof and in the [illegible] thereof length thereof in the inner court, and there shall be a lower and higher court and a higher court according to the pattern, which shall be given unto you hereafter, and it shall be dedicated unto the Lord from the foundation thereof according to the order of the priesthood

In the early 1830s, often referred to an “order of men set apart for sacred offices”; also referred more generally to power or authority from God. The priesthood was conferred through the laying on of hands to adult male members of the church in good standing...

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acc ording to the pattern which shall be given you unto you hereafter and it shall be wholy dedicated unto the Lord, for the work of the pre sidency; and ye shall not suffer any unclean thing to come into it, and my glory shall be there, and my presence shall be there, but if there shall come into it any unclean thing my glory shall not be there and my presence shall not be there come into it. And

And again verily I say unto you the second lot on the south shall be dedicated unto me for the work of the printing of the translation of my scriptures, and all things whatsoever I shall command you; and it shall be fifty five by sixty five in the width thereof and in the leng th thereof in the inner court, and there shall be a lower and higher court, and this house shall be wholy dedicated unto the Lord from the foundation thereof for the work of the printing in all things whatso ever I shall command you to be holy and undefiled according to the [p. [2]]

Two letters, no longer extant, to church leaders in Kirtland

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, Ohio, from Missouri

Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Mormon missionaries...

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members prompted this lengthy epistle from the presidency of the high priesthood. It contained the text of three revelations (2 August 1833–A, 2 August 1833–B, and 6 August 1833). Sidney Rigdon

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

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, Frederick G. Williams

28 Oct. 1787–10 Oct. 1842. Ship’s pilot, teacher, physician, justice of the peace. Born at Suffield, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of William Wheeler Williams and Ruth Granger. Moved to Newburg, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, 1799. Practiced Thomsonian botanical system...

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, and JS sent this letter to church leaders in Missouri. Edward Partridge

27 Aug. 1793–27 May 1840. Hatter. Born at Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of William Partridge and Jemima Bidwell. Moved to Painesville, Geauga Co., Ohio. Married Lydia Clisbee, 22 Aug. 1819, at Painesville. Initially a Universal Restorationist...

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received it.

Facts

Editorial Title: Letter to Beloved Brethren, 6 August 1833
ID #: 176