| 432 Times and Seasons.
"Truth will prevail."
Vol. V. No. 4.] CITY OF NAUVOO, ILL. FEB. 15, 1844. [Whole No. 88
HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH.
(Continued.)
Shortly after the foregoing was received, at his request, I inquired and received the following
Revelation to Sidney Gilbert, given June, 1831.
Behold I say unto you, my servant Sidney Gilbert, that I have heard your prayers, and you have called upon me, that it should be made known unto you, of the Lord your God, concerning your calling, and election in this church, which I the Lord have raised up in these last days.
Behold I the Lord, who was crucified for the sins of the world, giveth unto you a commandment, that you shall forsake the world. Take upon you mine ordinances, even that of an elder, to preach faith and repentance, and remission of sins, according to my word, and the reception of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands. And also to be an agent unto this church in the place which shall be appointed by the bishop, according to commandments which shall be given hereafter.
And again, verily I say unto you, you shall take your journey with my servants Joseph Smith, jr. and Sidney Rigdon. Behold these are the first ordinances which you shall receive; and the residue shall be made knowh [known] in time to come, according to your labor in my vineyard. And again, I would that ye should learn that it is he only who is saved, that endureth unto the end; even so: Amen.
The branch of the church in Thompson, on account of breaking the covenant, and not knowing what to do, sent in their elders for me to inquire of the Lord for them, which I did, and received the following
Revelation to Newel Knight, given June, 1831.
Behold, thus saith the Lord, even Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, even he who was crucified for the sins of the world.-Behold, verily, I say unto you, my servant Newel Knight, you shall stand fast in the office wherewith I have appointed you: and if your brethren desire to escape their enemies let them repent of all their sins; and become truly humble before me and contrite: and as the covenant which they made unto me has been broken, even so it has become void and of none effect; and wo [woe] to him by whom this offence [offense] cometh, for it had been better for him that he had been drowned in the depth of the sea; but blessed are they who have kept the covenant, and observed the commandment, for they shall obtain mercy.
Wherefore, go to now and flee the land, lest your enemies come upon you: and take your journey, and appoint whom you will to be your leader, and to pay moneys for you.-And thus you shall take your journey, into the regions westward, unto the land of Missouri, unto the borders of the Lamanites. And after you have done journeying, behold I say unto you, seek ye a living like unto men, until I prepare a place for you.
And again, be patient in tribulation until I come: and behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me, and they who have sought me early, shall find rest to their souls; even so: Amen.
The elders now began to go to the western country, two and two, according to the previous word of the Lord. From P. P. Pratt, who had returned from the expedition of last fall, during the spring we had verbal information; and from letters from the still remaining elders we had written intelligence; and as this was the most important subject which then engrossed the attention of the saints, I will here insert the copy of a letter received about this time, from that section, dated
Kaw Township, (Mo.) May 7, 1831,.
"Our dearly beloved brethren:-I have nothing particular to write as concerning the Lamanites; and because of a short journey which I have just returned from; in consequence of which I have not written to you since the 16th of last month. I and brother Ziba went into the county east, which is Layette and is about forty miles: and in the name of Jesus we called on the people to repent; many of whom are, I believe, earnestly searching for truth, and if sincerely, I pray they may find that precious treasure, for it seems to be wholly fallen in the streets; that equity, * * * The letter we received from you, informed us that the opposition was great against you. Now our beloved brethren we verily believe that we also can rejoice, that we are counted worthy to suffer shame for his name; for almost the whole country, which consists of Universalists, Atheists, Deists, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, and professed christians, priests and people, with all the devils from the infernal pit, are united and foaming out their own shame.-God forbid that I should bring a railing accusation against them, for vengeance belongeth
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