| 449 heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness. the same is damned. Who am I that made man, saith the Lord, that will hold him guiltless that obeys not my commandments? Who am I, saith the Lord, that have promised and not fulfilled? I command and a man obeys not, I revoke and they receive not the blessing:-then they say in their hearts, this is not the work of the Lord, for his promises are not fulfilled.-But wo unto such, for their reward lurketh beneath, and not from above.
And now I give unto you further directions concerning this land. 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. And also this is a law unto every man that cometh unto this land, to receive an inheritance; and he shall do with his moneys according as the law directs. And it is wisdom also, that there should be lands purchased in Independence, for the place of the storehouse: and also for the house of the printing.
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. And let him repent of his sins, for he seeketh the praise of the world.
And also let my servant William W. Phelps stand in the office which I have appointed him, and receive his inheritance in the land.-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. Behold he who has repented of his sins the same is forgiven, and I the Lord remembereth them no more. By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins. Behold he will confess them and forsake them. 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. For behold they shall push the people together from the ends of the earth: 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; and after that, let them return to their homes. 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; and let them build up churches inasmuch as the inhabitants of the earth will repent.
And let there be an agent appointed by the voice of the church, unto the church in Ohio, to receive monies [moneys] to purchase lands in Zion.
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; 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. 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. Behold here is wisdom; let them do this lest they receive none inheritance, save it be by the shedding of blood.
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. Let all these things be done in order.-And let the privileges of the lands be made known from time to time, by the bishop, or the agent of the church. And let the work of the gathering be not in haste, nor by flight, but let it be done as it shall be counselled [counseled] by the elders of the church at the conferences, according to the knowledge which they receive from time to time.
And let my servant Sidney Rigdon consecrate and dedicate this land, and the spot of the temple, unto the Lord. And let a conference meeting be called, and after that, let my servant Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith, jr. return, and also Oliver Cowdry [Cowdery] with them, to accomplish the residue of the work, which I have appointed unto them in their own land; and the residue shall be ruled by the conferences.
And let no man return from this land, except he bear record by the way, of that which he knows and most assuredly believes. Let that which has been bestowed upon Ziba Peterson, be taken from him: 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.
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. And let my servant Edward Partridge direct the conference, which shall be held by them. And let them also return, preaching the gospel by the way, bearing record of the things which are revealed unto them: for verily the sound must go forth from this place into all the world: and unto the uttermost parts of the earth, the gospel
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