| 512 Times and Seasons
"Truth will prevail."
Vol. V. No. 9.] CITY OF NAUVOO. ILL. MAY, 1 1844. [Whole No. 93.
HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH
(Continued.)
The book of Commandments and Revelations was to be dedicated by prayer to the service of Almighty God, by me; and after I had done this, I inquired of the Lord concerning these things, and received the following:
Revelation given November, 1831.
Hearken unto me, saith the Lord your God, for my servant Oliver Cowdery's sake, it is not wisdom in me that he should be entrusted with the commandments and the moneys which he shall carry unto the land of Zion, except one go with him who will be true and faithful:-wherefore I the Lord willeth that my servant John Whitmer, should go with my servant Oliver Cowdery. And also that he shall continue in writing and making a history of all the important things which he shall observe and know, concerning my church, and also that he receive council and assistance from my servant Oliver Cowdery, and others.
And also, my servants who are abroad in the earth, should send forth the accounts of their stewardships to the land of Zion; for the land of Zion shall be a seat and a place to receive and do all these things; nevertheless, let my servant John Whitmer travel many times from place to place, and from church to church that he may the more easily obtain knowledge: preaching and expounding, writing, copying, selecting, and obtaining all things which shall be for the good of the church, and for the rising generations, that shall grow up on the land of Zion, to possess it from generation to generation, forever and ever: Amen.
My time was occupied closely in receiving the commandments and sitting in conference, for nearly two weeks; for we held from the first to the twelfth of November, four special conferences. In the last, which was held at Brother Johnson's, in Hiram, after deliberate consideration, in consequence of the book of Revelations, now to be printed, being the foundation of the church in these last days and a benefit to the world, showing that the keys of the mysteries of the kingdom of our Savior, are again entrusted to man; and the riches of eternity within the compass of those who are willing to live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, therefore the conference prized the revelations to be worth to the church the riches to the whole earth, speaking temporally. The great benefits to the world, which result from the Book of Mormon and the revelations, which the Lord has seen fit, in his infinite wisdom to grant unto us for our salvation, and for the salvation of all that will believe, were duly appreciated; and in answer to an inquiry, I received the following
Revelation given November, 1831.
Behold and hearken, O ye inhabitants of Zion, and all ye people of my church, who are far off, and hear the word of the Lord which I give unto my servant Joseph Smith, jr.; and also unto my servant Martin Harris; and also unto my servant Oliver Cowdery; and also unto my servant John Whitmer;l and also unto my servant Sidney Rigdon; and also unto my servant Wm. W. Phelps by the way of commandment unto them: for I give unto them a commandment: wherefore hearken and hear, for for thus saith the Lord unto them I the Lord have appointed them, and ordained them to be stewards over the revelations and commandments which I have given unto them; and which I shall hereafter give unto them and an account of this stewardship will I require of them in the day of judgment: wherefore I have appointed unto them, and this is their business in the church of God, to manage them and the concerns thereof, yea, the benefits thereof.
Wherefore a commandment I give unto them, that they shall not give these things unto the church, neither unto the world, nevertheless, inasmuch as they receive more than is needful for their necessities, and their wants, it shall be given into my storehouse, and the benefits shall be consecrated unto the inhabitants of Zion, and unto their generation, inasmuch as they become heirs according to the laws of the kingdom.
Behold this is what the Lord requires of every man in his stewardship; even as I the Lord have appointed, or shall hereafter appoint unto any man. And behold none are exempt from this law who belong to the church of the living God: Yea, neither the bishop, neither the agent, who keepeth the Lord's storehouse;-neither he who is appointed in a stewardship over temporal things: He who is appointed to administer spiritual things, the same is worthy of his hire, even as those who are appointed to a stewardship, to administer in temporal things; yea, even more abundantly, which abundance is multiplied unto them through the manifestations of the Spirit: nevertheless, in your temporal things you shall be equal, and this not grudgingly, the abundance of the manifestations of the spirit shall be withheld.
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