31088

Letter to Lyman Wight and Others, 16 August 1834

 
able to regulate my mind so as to write to give you council  [counsel] and the information that you needed, but that  God who rules on high and thunders Judgments  upon Israel when they transgress has given me  power from the time that I was born (into this  Kingdom) to stand and I have succeeded in  putting all gainsayers and enemies to flight  unto the present time and not withstanding  the advisary Laid a plan which was more  subtle than all others, I now swim in good  clean pure water with my head out! as you will  see by the next star
I shall now procede to give you such  council as the spirit of the Lord may dictate  you will reccollect that your business must  be done by your high council

Although JS utilized councils of elders and high priests earlier in church government, the first standing high council of the church was organized in Kirtland, Ohio, on 17 February 1834. The second high council was organized a few months later in Clay County...

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: you will rec ollect that the first elders

In 1830, JS was designated by revelation as the “first elder” in the specific sense of his authority as the church’s presiding priesthood officer. During the period before the elaboration of church offices, he functioned in this role with Oliver Cowdery as...

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 are to receive their  endowment

The terms endow, endowed, and endowment—as well as endued and enduement—were used to describe the bestowal of spiritual blessings upon the Latter-day Saints. In common usage, these terms meant essentially the same thing: to clothe, to put on, to furnish, ...

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 in 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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 before the redemption  of 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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 you will reccollect that your high  council will have power to say who of the  first Elders among the Children of Zion are  accounted worthy; and you will also reccollect  that you have my testamony in be half of  certain ones previously to my departure you  will reccollect that the sooner that these ambassadors  of the most high are dispatched to bear testamony to  lift up a warning voice and to proclaim the  everlasting gospel and to use every convincing  proof and facculty with this generation while  on their Journey . <to 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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*> <*The better it shall be for them and for Zion inasmuch as the indignation of the people sleepeth  for a while our time should be employed to the best advantage altho it is not the will  of God that any one of these ambassador[s] should hold their peace afte[r] they have startd  upon their Journey.> They should awaken <the> sympathy of  the people. I would reccommend to brother [William W.] Phelps

17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...

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  (If he is yet there) to write a petition such as will  be approved of by the high council and let there  be every signer obtained that can be in the State  of 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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 and while they are on their Journey  to this country that paradventure we may learn [p. 85]

Facts

Editorial Title
Letter to Lyman Wight and Others, 16 August 1834
ID #
233