Refined by
- Home
- The Papers
- Reference
- 1of20Show Results
- The Papers
- DocumentsInterim Content
31105
Letter to Saints Scattered Abroad, 25 June 1835
Image and Text
Image Only
Text Only
temporal matters: so that the elders’ acts are null and void. Now the Lord wants the tares and wheat to grow to gether: for Zion must be redeemed with judgments, and her converts with right eousness.
An administrative and ecclesiastical office not associated with age. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto the church.” The articles and covenants of the church directed...
View GlossaryEvery elder that can, after providing for his family (if he has any) and pay ing his debts, must go forth and clear his skirts from the blood of this gener ation. While they are in that region instead of trying members for trans gressions, or offenses, let every one labor to prepare himself for the vine yard, sparing a little time to comfort the mourners; to bind up the broken hearted; to reclaim the backslider; to bring back the wanderer; to re-invite into the kingdom such as have been cut off, by encouraging them to lay to while the day lasts, and work righteous ness, and, with one heart and one mind, prepare to help redeem Zion, that goodly land of promise, where the willing and the obedient shall be bles sed. Souls are as precious in the sight of God, as they ever were; and the el ders were never called to drive any down to hell, but to persuade and in vite all men every where to repent, that they may become the heirs of sal vation. It is the acceptable year of the Lord: liberate the captives that they may sing hosanna.
The priests, too, should not be idle: their duties are plain, and unless they do them diligently, they cannot expect to be approved. Righteousness must be the aim of the saints in all things, and when the covenants are published, they will learn that great things must be expected from them. Do good and work righteousness with an eye single to the glory of God, and you shall reap your reward when the Lord recompen ses every one according to his work.
An ecclesiastical office. In the Book of Mormon, priests were described as those who baptized, administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto the church,” and taught “the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” A June 1829 revelation directed the ordination...
View GlossaryThe teachers and deacons are the standing ministers of the church, and in the absence of other officers, great things, and a holy walk, are required of them. They must strengthen the members’ faith; persuade such as are out of the way to repent, and turn to God and live; meekly persuade and urge every one to forgive one another all their trespasses, offences and sins, that they may work out their own sal vation with fear and trembling. Breth ren, bear and forbear one with another, for so the Lord does with us: Pray for your enemies in the church, and curs[e] not your foes without: for vengeance is mine, saith the Lord, and I will re pay.
Generally, one who instructs, but also a specific office in the church. The Book of Mormon explained that teachers were to be ordained “to preach repentance and remission of sins through Jesus Christ, by the endurance of faith on his name to the end.” According...
View GlossaryAn ecclesiastical office. The articles and covenants directed deacons to assist teachers in their duties. Deacons were also to “warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ,” though they lacked the authority to baptize. The first recorded...
View GlossaryThe 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...
View GlossaryTo every ordained member and to all we say, be merciful and you shall find mercy. Seek to help save souls, not to destroy them: for verily you know, that “there is more joy in heaven, over one sinner that repents, than there is over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance.” Strive not about the mysteries of the kingdom; cast not your pearls before swine, give not the bread of the children to dogs, lest you and the children should suffer, and you thereby offend your righteous Judge.
The conferral of power and authority; to appoint, decree, or set apart. Church members, primarily adults, were ordained to ecclesiastical offices and other responsibilities by the laying on of hands by those with the proper authority. Ordinations to priesthood...
View GlossaryYour brethren, who leave their fam ilies, with whom they have enjoyed an earthly measure of peace and joy, to carry glad tidings round the world, ex pect great things of you, while you are privileged to enjoy the blessings of the saints’ society. They pray our heaven ly Father, that you may be very pray erful, very humble, and very charitable; working diligently, spiritually and tem porally for the redemption of
Zion, that the pure in heart may return with songs of everlasting joy to build up her waste places, and meet the Lord when he comes in his glory. Brethren, in the name of Jesus, we entreat you to live worthy of the blessings that shall follow, after much tribulation, to sa tiate the souls of them that hold out faith ful to the end.
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...
View GlossaryP. [p. 138]
JS, letter, Kirtland, OH, to Saints scattered abroad, June 1835; Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate, June 1835, pp. 137–138.
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...
More Info