Doctrine and Covenants Week 6: D&C 2024, 26

1) The revelations in this weeks lesson all have to do with the founding of the restored Church, its organization, and the doctrines pertaining to its establishment. 2) [SLIDE 2] How early did Joseph Smith know that he would be called upon to organize a church as part of his divine commission? a) Probably as early as the First Vision. Recall that he went into the grove with one question on his mind: to know which of all the sects was right.1 He was told
all religious denominations were believing in incorrect doctrines, and that none of them was acknowledged of God as his church and kingdomat the same time receiving a promise that the fulness of the gospel should at some future time be made known unto me.2

b) In early 1829 the Lord began mentioning in his revelations to Joseph the rising up and the coming forth of my church out of the wilderness (D&C 5:14), I will establish my church (D&C 10:53), and wait a little longer, until you shall have my word, my rock, my church, and my gospel (D&C 11:16). c) In late 1829 Joseph and his associates began preparations to organize a formal church. 3) D&C 20. a) When was Section 20 revealed? i) The heading for Section 20 dates it to April 1830; however, the ideas within it go back to at least 1829. ii) [SLIDE 3] The Church Historical Department has an early draft of the revelation in Oliver Cowderys handwriting.3 (1) The three-page document begins with:
A commandment from God unto Oliver how he should build up his church & the manner thereof

And it concludes with:

Written in the year of our Lord & Saviour 1829 A true Copy of the articles of the Church of Christ. O.C.

(2) Most of the document consists of quotations taken from the Book of Mormon and Josephs early revelations. Most of the Book of Mormon quotes are retained in the current version of Section 20.
1 Joseph SmithHistory 1:18. Compare this with Josephs 1843 account of the First Vision given to David Nye White: I immediately went out into the woodsand I kneeled down, and prayed, saying, O Lord, what Church shall I join? Directly I saw a light, and then a glorious personage in the light, and then another personage, and the first personage said to the second, Behold my beloved Son, hear him. I then, addressed this second person, saying, O Lord, what Church shall I join. The Prairies, Nauvoo, Joe Smith, the Temple, the Mormons, &c., Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette 58 (15 September 1843), 3. See notes to lesson 2, page 18 (https://sites.google.com/site/hwsarc/home/dc/week02). 2 Joseph Smith, The Wentworth Letter, 1 March 1842. See notes to lesson 2, page 14. 3 A high-resolution photograph of this document, along with a transcript, is available at the website of the Joseph Smith Papers project (http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperDetails/articles-of-the-church-of-christ-circa-june-1829). For the background and context of this document, see Scott H. Faulring, An Examination of the 1829 Articles of the Church of Christ in Relation to Section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants, BYU Studies 43/4 (2004), 5791 (https://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=6904).

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(3) The Articles of the Church of Christ was the name given to this revelation during the first decade of the Church. iii) The historical background of Section 20 therefore appears to be an attempt by Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to put into words the basic beliefs and tenets of the Church, as given to them by inspiration.4 b) [SLIDE 4] The organization of the Church. i) Public sale of the Book of Mormon began on Friday, 26 March 1830. ii) Eleven days later, on Tuesday, 6 April 1830, following the instructions received by revelation, the Church was organized at the home of Peter Whitmer, Sr. in Fayette, New York. iii) According to the laws of New York at the time, between three and nine individuals must be listed in the foundation documents of any religious organization as members and responsible parties. (1) The new church listed six initial members: Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Hyrum Smith, David Whitmer, Samuel Smith, and Peter Whitmer, Jr.5 iv) [SLIDE 5] The name of the Church changed several times during those early years. (1) It was officially called The Church of Christ at its incorporation in 1830. (2) As there were many churches that used that same name, in 1834 the name was changed to The Church of the Latter Day Saints, to avoid confusion. (3) On 26 April 1838, the name of the Church was changed by revelation to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (D&C 115:4).6 c) [SLIDE 6] The importance of Section 20 to the Church. i) At the first conference of the Church held in Fayette, New York, on 9 June 1830, Section 20 was read and unanimously sustained as the articles and covenants of the Church of Christ.7 (1) This makes it the first revelation of this dispensation to be formally presented to and sustained by the body of the Church. ii) Over the next few years section 20 was revised and expanded several times to reflect additional revelations to Joseph Smith about the unfolding structure of the Church.8 iii) This section served as the first priesthood manual or handbook for the Church, and it was read verbatim to the members at many early Church conferences.

4 Note that it is not a traditional thus saith the Lord-style revelation, but instead is written in the third person as a declaration or official statement. 5 There were more than these six present at the founding meeting of the Church on 6 April 1830. Records indicate that around 20 others were in attendance at the Whitmer home and participated in sustaining Joseph and Oliver, receiving the sacrament, and having hands laid on their heads for the gift of the Holy Ghost. 6 The spelling Latter Day or Latter-day was variously used in the 19th century; the recognized LDS version has become Latter-day, with a hyphen and a lowercase d. Since the presidency of Harold B. Lee (July 1972December 1973) the initial letter T has been capitalized (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), even if it appears in mid-sentence. 7 The minutes of this meeting are available on the Joseph Smith Papers project website (http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/minutes-9-june-1830). 8 For example, verses 6567 were added when it was published in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants, because additional priesthood offices had been revealed in the intervening time. (See page 6.)

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d) [SLIDE 7] 20:1. Being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years in the fourth month, and on the sixth day of the month which is called April. i) Many Latter-day Saints have taken this reference to be a literal count of the years from the birth of Jesus to the organization of the Church.9 On the other hand, several writers, including some modern apostles, have urged caution in interpreting D&C 20:1 as an exact count of years.10 ii) Based on new evidence published as part of the Joseph Smith Papers Project, its recently become clear that verse 1 is not part of the original wording of D&C 20, but rather was added at a later date to reflect the date the Church was organized. 11 iii) One thousand eight hundred and thirty years is therefore just an elaborate way of referring to the year 1830 without being intended as a revealed declaration of the Lords day of birth. e) [SLIDE 8] 20:5. It was truly manifested unto this first elder [Joseph Smith] that he had received a remission of his sins. i) This is an indirect reference to the First Vision. Joseph related in two of the written accounts of the First Vision that the first thing he was told by the personages was that his sins were forgiven.12 f) [SLIDE 9] 20:89. The Book of Mormoncontainsthe fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.13 i) It is common for modern Latter-day Saints to define the phrase fulness of the gospel as all that the Lord has revealed to us in the latter days up to the present time. (1) But it is self-evident that the Book of Mormon does not contain many things revealed in the last days, including the Word of Wisdom, the three degrees of glory, celestial marriage, vicarious work for the dead, and the physical nature of God the Father. ii) Instead, the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants use fulness of the gospel to refer only to the basic principles of faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost:

9 LDS authorities who have claimed April 6th as Jesus date of birth include Elder B.H. Roberts, Outlines of Ecclesiastical History (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1893), 17 (http://archive.org/stream/outlinesofeccles00brobe#page/17); Elder James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1915), 104 (http://archive.org/stream/jesuschriststudyof00talm#page/104); President Harold B. Lee, Strengthen the Stakes of Zion, Ensign, July 1973, 2 (http://www.lds.org/ensign/1973/07/strengthen-the-stakes-of-zion); and President Spencer W. Kimball, Remarks and Dedication of the Fayette, New York, Buildings, Ensign, May 1980, 54 (http://www.lds.org/ensign/1980/05/remarks-and-dedication-of-the-fayette-new-york-buildings). 10 See Hyrum M. Smith and Janne M. Sjdahl, Doctrine and Covenants Commentary (Deseret Book, revised ed., 1978), 138; J. Reuben Clark Jr., Our Lord of the Gospels (Deseret Book, 1954), vivii; and Stephen E. Robinson and H. Dean Garrett, A Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants (Deseret Book, 2000), 1:12829. Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote, We do not believe it is possible with the present state of our knowledgeincluding that which is known both in and out of the Churchto state with finality when [i.e., in which year] the natal day of the Lord Jesus actually occurred. The Mortal Messiah (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1979) 1:34950, n. 2. For my analysis of the year of Jesus birth, see notes to New Testament lesson 6, pages 45 (https://sites.google.com/site/hwsarc/home/nt/week06). 11 See Jeffrey R. Chadwick, Dating the Birth of Jesus Christ, BYU Studies 49/4 (2010), 2829, fn. 12 (https://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=8651). The wording of D&C 20:1 appears to be that of John Whitmer, the Churchs first historian. 12 See notes to lesson 2, pages 1314. 13 Other scriptural passages that assert the Book of Mormon contains a fulness of the gospel include D&C 27:5; 42:12; 135:3; and Joseph SmithHistory 1:34.

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D&C 33:1012a
10

Yea, open your mouths and they shall be filled, saying: Repent, repent, and prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; 11yea, repent and be baptized, every one of you, for a remission of your sins; yea, be baptized even by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost. 12 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel.

3 Nephi 27:2021a
20

Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day. 21Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel.

iii) The Book of Mormon teaches the first principles and ordinances of the gospel with a plainness and clarity unequaled by any other book. It has therefore been declared by the Lord to contain the fulness of the gospel. g) [SLIDE 10] 20:17. Godis infinite14 and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God. i) This passage, and others like them in the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants, has been confusing and difficult for many Latter-day Saints. (1) Joseph Smith taught in Nauvoo that We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea,15 which seems to contradict the idea that God is eternal. ii) The scriptural statements on Gods eternal nature are descriptions of his character, not his person. iii) There are two other passages of scripture that refer to God as unchangeable, and they both use this description in the context of God being consistent in how he interacts with his children.16 iv) [SLIDE 11] Elder George Q. Cannon:
The Lord is the same yesterday, to-day and forever. This is the corner-stone, it may be said, of our faith. It is upon this foundation we have built; that he is an unchangeable God; that he does not manifest his mind and his will in plainness and simplicity to one people, and hide the same from a succeeding people who are equally faithful. But the great truth has been impressed upon us; the great truth that runs through all the writings of every man of God concerning whom we have any account from the beginning down to the last revelation that has been given, that God is no respecter of persons, that he is to-day as he was yesterday and as

D&C 20:17 and 20:28 are the only verses in scripture where God himself is described as infinite. Other passages refer to his infinite goodness (2 Nephi 1:10; Mosiah 5:3; Helaman 12:1; Moroni 8:3), his infinite mercy (Mosiah 28:4), and the infinite nature of his understanding (Psalm 147:5) and his atonement (2 Nephi 9:7; 25:16; Alma 34:1014). 15 Joseph Smith, 7 April 1844 (The King Follett Discourse). History of the Church 6:305 (http://byustudies2.byu.edu/hc/6/15.html#305); Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith 345; Words of Joseph Smith, 341, 344, 357. 16 In Mormon 9:729 Moroni affirms that miracles and spiritual gifts still exist because God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing (9:9) and an unchangeable Being (9:19). In Moroni 8:1018 Mormon teaches that infant baptism is a false doctrine because little children are alive in Christif not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God (8:12), and he declares that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity (8:18).
14

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he ever was, and that he will continue to be the same being as long as time endures or eternity continues.17

h) [SLIDE 12] 20:3031. We know that justification[and]sanctification through the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is just and true.
Justification is a judicial or legal term, and it means being acquitted or being declared innocent of all charges. Though all of us make mistakes in this life, we may, with repentance and baptism, and thereafter as long as we stay in the gospel covenant, still be declared innocent of all sin, not because of our own perfect performancewhich no one has!but because of Christs perfect performance and his willingness to share it with us. We are justified or declared innocent before God by the sacrifice of Christ (see Romans 5:9), and our acquittal or victory at the bar of justice is received only through reliance upon the merits of Christ (see D&C 3:20; 76:53, 6061; 2 Nephi 31:19; Alma 22: 14). . Sanctification is to be made holy, to become Saints. When we have been rendered innocent by being justified through the grace of Christ by baptism, we are then worthy to receive the actual companionship of God in the person of the Holy Ghost. Receiving the Holy Ghost does not just make us clean; it also makes us holythat is sanctified (see 3 Nephi 27:20). For this reason all who have received the gift of the Holy Ghost are referred to collectively as the Saints, meaning the holy ones. Through faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost we are first rendered innocent (justified) and then we are made holy (sanctified), and may be called Saints, the holy ones. Because we have received this blessing in the latter days, we are called Latter-day Saints, a collective term for those in our dispensation who have been justified and sanctified by the grace of Christ and who now work to endure faithfully to the end.18

i) [SLIDE 13] 20:3234. Man may fall from gracethereforetake heed. i) Christians who follow the teachings of the 16th-century Protestant Reformer John Calvin believe in the doctrine of perseverance of the saints or, in other words, that once saved a man cannot fall from grace.19 ii) The New Testament is somewhat vague on this issue,20 but the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants strongly affirm21 that remaining in the covenant requires
George Q. Cannon, 5 October 1879. Journal of Discourses 21:7273; (http://en.fairmormon.org/Journal_of_Discourses/21/10#72). 18 Stephen E. Robinson and H. Dean Garrett, A Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants (Deseret Book, 2000), 1:13637. The authors also note: It would be an error to define the specific agents of justification or sanctification too narrowly. The scriptures describe us variously as being justified by Christ (Acts 13:39; Mosiah 14:11), by faith (Acts 26:18; Romans 3:28, 30), by grace (Romans 3:24; D&C 20:30), by works (James 2:21-25), by Christs blood (Romans 5:9), and by the Spirit (Moses 6:60). Likewise, scripture describes us variously as being sanctified by Christ (1 Corinthians 1:2; Hebrews 2:11), by the grace of God (Moroni 10:33; D&C 20:31), by the truth (John 17:17, 19), by the word of God (1 Timothy 4:5), by God the Father (Jude 1:1), by law (D&C 88:21, 34), by water (Ephesians 5:26), by the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2; Alma 5:4; 13:12; 3 Nephi 27:20), and by blood (Hebrews 9:14; Moses 6:60). Thus, while it is clear that justification and sanctification are true and essential principles, we should not try to define too narrowly the means by which they are gained. 19 This is the last point of the Five Points of Calvinism, which are often referred to by the acronym TULIP: Total depravity (man is completely sinful and lost), unconditional election (God has chosen who will be saved and who will be damned; they cannot choose for themselves), limited atonement (Christs atoning sacrifice applies only to those whom God has chosen to be saved), irresistible grace (those who are chosen cannot resist or reject Gods call and grace), and perseverance of the saints (those who are saved cannot fall from grace). The teachings of Latter-day Saint scriptures and prophets clearly indicate that all of the Five Points of Calvinism are false.
17

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our heart, might, mind, and strength,22 and that, if we do not endure, we can fall from grace and lose our eternal reward.23 j) [SLIDE 14] 20:37. Six requirements for those who are received by baptism into his church. i) Humble themselves before God. ii) Desire to be baptized. iii) Come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits. iv) Witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins. v) Are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end. vi) Truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins. k) [SLIDE 15] 20:3867. The duty of the elders, priests, teachers, deaconsof the church of Christ. i) The thing thats most striking to me about this portion of Section 20 is how different the priesthood offices as described are from how they are practiced today. (1) There are only four priesthood offices mentioned.24 (2) The duties of each office are hierarchical, with each having the authority of the office that follows it, plus additional duties. But there is no mention of a break between Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods. (3) Offices beyond these four are mentioned in 20:6667, but these verses werent part of the original articles and covenants of the Church; they were added in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. ii) Its important to understand that the priesthood organization was revealed in stages. Joseph Smith did not understand on 6 April 1830 the sum of how the priesthood was to be ordered; he was given line upon line as the Church grew and its needs changed. (1) Even his understanding of the division between the Melchizedek and Aaronic Priesthoods wasnt firmly established and in place until 1835.25 iii) Whats most interesting is how the duties of the Aaronic Priesthood (as described in D&C 20:4659) are so different from the duties we think of today.

20 The major exception being the Book of Hebrews, whose author argued against eternal security in at least five passages (2:13; 3:124:14; 6:415; 10:2339; 12:1429). 21 See 3 Nephi 27:17; D&C 76:31, 79. 22 D&C 4:2; 20:31; 59:5. 23 See D&C 3:4, 9; 58:15; 82:24; 93:4748. 24 Five, if you count apostle in 20:38 as a separate office (but this verse appears to equate the two). 25 The phrase Melchizedek Priesthood first appears in D&C 68, but the passage concerning it (68:15b21) was not part of the original (1 November 1831) revelation, but was added for the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants. The first appearance of a Melchizedek Priesthood in Josephs revelations is D&C 76:57 (16 February 1832), which refers to Priests of the most high after the order of Melchisidec which was after the order of Enoch which was after the order of the only begotten Son. It was not until D&C 107 (April 1835) that two priesthoodsan Aaronic and Melchizedekwere specifically named. See Gregory A. Prince, Power From On High: The Development of Mormon Priesthood (Signature Books, 1995), 2, 2930.

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(1) If you ask most members of the Church what the duties of a teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood are, they would almost certainly reply, To prepare the sacrament.26 Section 20 mentions nothing about preparing the sacrament, but it does mention:
To watch over the church always, and be with and strengthen them; and see that there is no iniquity in the church, neither hardness with each other, neither lying, backbiting, nor evil speaking; and see that the church meet together often, and also see that all the members do their duty. (20:5355.)

(a) It would be something of a stretch to claim that todays fourteen-year-old teachers actively seek tolet alone are primarily responsible for!make sure there is no lying, backbiting, nor evil speaking and see[ing] that the church meet together often. (2) The reason for this is that the eligibility for and duties of the Aaronic Priesthood developed over a period of about 100 years into the age-based programs we are familiar with today. The transformation of the Aaronic Priesthood occurred in four stages:27 (a) [SLIDE 16] 18291846: Adult males were called to Aaronic Priesthood offices as Church needs required. (i) As only mature individuals can carry out the responsibilities assigned to priests and teachers, the earliest Aaronic Priesthood holders were adult males. 1. The first ordained priests were Joseph Smith, Sr. (59 years old), Martin Harris (47), Hyrum Smith (30), and Newell Knight (30). 2. A few young men were ordainedDon Carlos Smith received the priesthood at age 14, and Erastus Snow was ordained a teacher at age 15but such cases were rare. (ii) Outside of stake jurisdictions, priests and teachers presided in some branches. (iii) Aaronic Priesthood quorums were organized at the stake level. (b) [SLIDE 17] 18471877: Men holding the Melchizedek Priesthood became acting deacons, teachers, and priests, carrying out the duties of teaching Saints in their homes and administering the sacrament. (i) In Utah, wards became the main local unit of the Church, and bishops were the chief local officers. Bishops called priests and teachers to carry out home visits to check on spiritual well-being, canvass for contributions, settle disputes, and help the needy. (ii) In the 1850s the Church began to require men serving missions or marrying in the temple to be ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood.

26 The priesthood office of teacher is so named because men who held this office were responsible for the duty that today we call home teachingvisiting Church members in their homes. Today this duty is carried out by Melchizedek Priesthood holders, sometimes with teachers and priests as junior companions. 27 This section is based on William G. Hartley, From Men to Boys: LDS Aaronic Priesthood Offices, 18291996, Journal of Mormon History 22/1 (Spring 1996), 78134 (http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1026&context=mormonhistory).

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Because of this, the number of eligible, active adults holding the Aaronic Priesthood declined significantly. 1. Most missionaries were ordained Seventies, a Melchizedek Priesthood office. 2. Because of the lack of Aaronic Priesthood holders, the Presiding Bishopric directed that responsible High Priests should be called as acting priests or teachers to fulfill home visits and administering the sacrament. (iii) Because there was no structured priesthood advancement for young men, their church activity rates were quite low. 1. Eliza R. Snow reported in 1878 that children often manifested but little regard for religious exercises, and young men generally sent on a mission were extremely ignorant of the first principles of the gospel. 2. Salt Lake Citys Ninth Ward reported in 1870 that only 16% of its 181 families regularly attended sacrament meeting, and that 50% were perfectly indifferent. 3. These developments spurred the creation of the Sunday School, Primary, and Young Mens and Young Womens Mutual Improvement Associations in the 1870s. (c) [SLIDE 18] 18771908: Every young man between twelve and twenty years old was expected to receive at least one Aaronic Priesthood office, but Melchizedek Priesthood holders continued to act as ward teachers and administer the sacrament. (i) Only a month before his death in August 1877, Brigham Young and the First Presidency issued a momentous circular letter that reorganized the priesthood the Church. 1. Among the changes were the moving of Aaronic Priesthood quorums from stake to ward affiliation, and the encouraging of ordaining young men to the Aaronic Priesthood to gain experience and training. 2. Within a year, hundreds of young men were ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood, although the sacrament and in-home block teaching visits were still performed and supervised by Melchizedek Priesthood holders as acting priests and teachers. a. However, deacons were given the duty of passing the sacrament, under the interpretation that administering the sacrament (D&C 20:46) means blessing it, not preparing or passing it. (d) [SLIDE 19] 1908present: Aaronic Priesthood work was redesigned for young men, with offices linked to age, routine advancement by age group, and specific duties, including administering the sacrament and assisting with ward teaching. (i) Two factors influenced a reappraisal of Aaronic Priesthood work: 1. By the turn of the century, ordained missionaries were increasingly single men, rather than married men.
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a. In 188690, only 18% of missionaries were single. By 18951900, that had increased to 51%. b. The major reason for this was economic: Utah was moving away from an agrarian economy, and more married men had salaried jobs and homes with mortgages that prevented them from leaving for full-time missionary service. 2. Throughout America the Progressive Movement generated a climate of concern for the mental and moral health of youth, for preventing juvenile delinquency, and for providing recreational facilities and opportunities. (ii) In April 1908 General Conference, President Joseph F. Smith requested that boys be given something to do that will make them interested in the work of the Lord. 1. A priesthood committee responded by proposing reforms known as the Priesthood Movement. a. A major development was their recommendation that boys move systematically through the offices of the Aaronic Priesthood by age group. They suggested ordaining deacons at age twelve, teachers at fifteen, priests at eighteen, and elders at twenty-one. b. Another was renaming block teaching to ward teaching, giving Melchizedek Priesthood holders the assignment to carry it out, and bishops the responsibility to supervise it. (iii) In 1916 deacons, teachers, and priests were given additional assignments to make them active and useful. Among other things: 1. Deacons were to collect fast offerings, carry messages for bishops, pass the sacrament, pump the organ at meetings, care for Church cemeteries, and serve as ushers. 2. Teachers were to assist in ward teaching, assist with the sacrament, collect ward funds, be clerks in branches, and cut wood for the poor. 3. Priests were to administer the sacrament, assist in ward teaching, baptize, be ward choristers, do missionary work in the ward, help the bishop with wayward boys, and haul gravel and make cement walks around meetinghouses. (iv) In the 1940s an elaborate achievement program was instituted, where young men earned awards and certificates based on activity, worthiness, and priesthood assignments filled. (v) These changes took a generation to fully realize. It wasnt until the 1950s that all these changes were fully implemented and in reasonable working order. 1. There was resistance to these changes by local leaders who felt that young men were being advanced too quickly (especially if they werent ready or active) and that giving young boys supervision over something as serious as the sacrament was inappropriate.
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(vi) In 1964 ward teaching was reorganized as home teaching and placed under the supervision of Melchizedek Priesthood quorum presidents and group leaders, rather than bishops. (e) These changes have made Aaronic Priesthood holders responsible for duties that are not specifically outlined in the scriptures. (i) For example, D&C 20:46 says that priests are to administer the sacrament, but it says nothing about teachers and deacons preparing and passing the sacrament. 1. Today deacons pass the sacrament as part of their assigned responsibilities, but there is no scripture or revelation that says passing the sacrament is limited to those holding the priesthood. a. This policy could be changed tomorrow, if the First Presidency decided it was needed. (ii) In summary, the organization and responsibilities of the Aaronic Priesthood have developed by inspiration to meet the needs of the Church and its young men. 1. Although it may not look exactly like the requirements laid out in 1830 in D&C 20, it is what the Lord wants it to be today. Tomorrow it could be something different, if the Lord sees fit to inspire his leaders to change it. 4) D&C 21. a) At the organization of the Church on 6 April 1830, there was a great outpouring of the Spirit. Toward the end of that founding meeting, Joseph received and shared with the others present a revelation that dealt primarily with his position relative to other members of the new Church. b) [SLIDE 20] 21:1, 46. There shall be a record kept among you; and in it thou shalt be called a seer, a translator, a prophet, an apostle of Jesus Christ, an elder of the church. i) From its very first day, the Lord has commanded the Church to keep a record of its meetings, revelations, activities, and history.28 ii) What do these individual titles tell us about Josephs the role as the leader of the Church? (1) Seer. One who sees spiritual and material realities of the world. In the Book of Mormon, this gift is connected with the use of interpreters, or seer stones (Mosiah 8:1318). (2) Translator. Not a translator in the ordinary sense, but connected with the gift of seership. Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon, and revealed many other ancient things that he called translations, including the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible,29 the Book of Abraham, and the lost parchment of John (D&C 7).

28 As we discussed previously, the official history finally began in 1838 after several failed attempts. See notes to lesson 2, pages 12 (https://sites.google.com/site/hwsarc/home/dc/week02). 29 We have canonized two selections from the Joseph Smith Translation: the Book of Moses and Joseph SmithMatthew. Both of these are located in the Pearl of Great Price.

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(3) Prophet. Prophecy is a gift of the Spirit that is available to all members of the Church. Since Josephs day, the title the prophet has been used to refer to the head of the Church, whose job it is to reveal the mind and will of the Lord in directing the affairs of the Church. It is common for people to think of a prophet as one who foretells the future, but this is only part of a prophets calling. (4) Apostle. An apostle is a special witness of the name of Christ in all the world (D&C 107:23; cf. D&C 27:12). Apostles hold the keys of the priesthood and preside over the Church. (5) Elder. Anyone who holds the Melchizedek Priesthood is designated by the title elder, which is how we formally refer to general authorities and full-time missionaries today. 5) D&C 22. a) Section 22 was revealed between 6 and 11 April 1830, less than a week after the organization of the Church. b) [SLIDE 21] Elder Orson Pratt later explained its origin in these words:
In the early days of this Church there were certain persons, belonging to the Baptist denomination, very moral and no doubt as good people as you could find anywhere, who came, saying they believed in the Book of Mormon, and that they had been baptized into the Baptist Church, and they wished to come into our Church. The Prophet Joseph had not, at that time, particularly inquired in relation to this matter, but he did inquire, and received a revelation from the Lord something like this,that although a man had been baptized a hundred times under these old institutions, it would avail him nothing. These Baptists had to be re-baptized: there was no other way to get into this Church.30

c) [SLIDE 22] 22:1. This is a new and an everlasting covenant. i) What is a new and everlasting covenant?
The new and everlasting covenant is the gospel of Jesus Christ. The sum of all gospel covenants that God makes with mankind is called the new and everlasting covenant and consists of several individual covenants, each of which is called a new and an everlasting covenant. It is new when given to a person or a people for the first time, and everlasting because the gospel of Jesus Christ and Plan of Salvation existed before the world was formed and will exist forever.31

(1) D&C 66:2 identifies the everlasting covenant as the fulness of my gospel. (2) Note the difference in D&C 132, the Lords revelation on eternal marriage: Eternal marriage is a new and an everlasting covenant (132:4), and one component of a fulness which is the new and everlasting covenant (132:6).32 ii) In D&C 22:1, this thing therefore refers to baptism, which is a new and everlasting covenantone element of a larger covenant called the new and everlasting covenant.

Orson Pratt, 2 November 1873. JD 16:29394 (http://en.fairmormon.org/Journal_of_Discourses/16/40#293). Encyclopedia of Mormonism (New York: Macmillan, 1992), s.v. New and Everlasting Covenant, 3:1008 (http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/New_and_Everlasting_Covenant). 32 This was not well understood in the early days of the restored Church, and most general authorities in the 19th century mistakenly referred to celestial (i.e. plural) marriage as the new and everlasting covenant.
30 31

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6) D&C 23. a) This brief revelation to five brethren was given shortly after the Church was established.33 b) [SLIDE 23] 23:3. Note the Lords instructions to Hyrum: thy heart is opened, and thy tongue loosed; and thy calling is to exhortation, and to strengthen the church continually. i) Compare this to the Lords previous instructions to Hyrum eleven months prior: Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed (D&C 11:21). ii) Hyrum had been baptized in June 1829, the Book of Mormon had been published, the Church had been organized, and Hyrum was now an ordained priest. His calling now was specifically to exhortation (preaching aimed at influencing behavior) and strengthening the Church, which he did for the rest of his life. 7) D&C 24. a) Background:34 i) [SLIDE 24] The Church held its first conference on 9 June 1830 in Fayette, New York, after which Joseph returned to his home in Harmony, Pennsylvania. ii) Shortly after that, Joseph took his wife Emma, Oliver Cowdery, and John and David Whitmer to visit the Knight family in Colesville, New York and baptize some people who had been converted to the restored gospel. iii) Opposition to the new Church was increasing, and mob tried to prevent the baptism from taking place, but Joseph and his companions were able to baptize 13 people. iv) Enraged by this, the mob went to Joseph Knights home and had Joseph Smith arrested. [24.1] Joseph was tried twicefirst in Chenango County and then in Broome Countyon the charge of being a disorderly person and causing an uproar in the community by preaching the Book of Mormon. Both times he was acquitted because no one could offer any eyewitness testimony that Joseph had actually anything wrong. The mob then tried to tar and feather Joseph, but he and Oliver were able to escape on foot, travelling all night to Harmony. v) After Joseph returned to Harmony, he received the vision of Moses that is now the first chapter of the Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price, and also the revelation now found in section 24. b) [SLIDE 25] In this revelation, Joseph is simultaneously encouraged, chastened, and given direction. c) 24:1. Thou hast been delivered from all thine enemies, and thou hast been delivered from the powers of Satan and from darkness! i) This last statement may have some connection to Josephs comment in September 1842 about The voice of Michael on the banks of the Susquehanna, detecting the devil when he appeared as an angel of light! (D&C 128:20.)35
33

http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/book-of-commandments-1833#47), but every subsequent edition of the

The 1833 Book of Commandments printed these five responses as five separate revelations (chapters 1721;

Doctrine and Covenants has combined them into a single section. 34 A full account of these events can be found in HC 1:86101 (http://byustudies2.byu.edu/hc/1/11.html#86). 2012, Mike Parker http://bit.ly/ldsarc For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

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d) 24:8. Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many. i) This was the first organized opposition to the restored Church after it had been founded. Righteousness and faithful service do not guarantee freedom from difficulties or trials. In these early days, the Lord was already preparing Joseph for the constant opposition he and his followers would face. e) 24:15. They [who] receive you not in my name, ye shall leave a cursingby casting off the dust of your feet against them as a testimony. i) This practice appears in the New Testament and the Doctrine and Covenants.36 It is a symbolic witness or testimony that people have been warned and that the consequences of their rejection are on their own heads. ii) [SLIDE 26] Elder James E. Talmage:
To ceremonially shake the dust from ones feet as a testimony against another was understood by the Jews to symbolize a cessation of fellowship and a renunciation of all responsibility for consequences that might follow. It became an ordinance of accusation and testimony by the Lords instructions to His apostles. In the current dispensation, the Lord has similarly directed His authorized servants to so testify against those who wilfully and maliciously oppose the truth when authoritatively presented. The responsibility of testifying before the Lord by this accusing symbol is so great that the means may be employed only under unusual and extreme conditions, as the Spirit of the Lord may direct.37

8) D&C 26. a) About this same time, Joseph received another revelation which revealed an important principle concerning the functioning of the Church. b) [SLIDE 27] 26:2. All things shall be done by common consent in the church.
Common consent is a fundamental principle of decision making at all levels in [the Church]. In selecting new officers and making administrative decisions, Church leaders are instructed to seek the will of God. Once the Lord makes his will known and a decision is reached, the matter is brought before the appropriate quorum or body of Church members, who are asked to sustain or oppose the action.38 One purpose for the practice of taking a sustaining vote is to protect the members against appointments made by leaders who may not be aware of pertinent facts concerning the individuals proposed. Sustaining also places the membership of the Church, collectively, in a position of governance and gives them a veto power when their voice is combined. No single individual can stop a proposed action without accurate information that raises serious questions of worthiness, but all objections will be heard and considered for merit. Should a majority of the Saints refuse to sustain a name or a proposed action, it must be withdrawn. .

In last weeks lesson, we brought up the view that some have that the Melchizedek Priesthood was restored in the summer of 1830. (See lesson 5, page 7, fn. 21.) Their reasoning lies with the order of events in D&C 128:20: First comes Moroni (September 1823), then the vision of the Three Witnesses (July 1829), then Michael detecting the devil (July 1830, correlating D&C 24:1 with 128:20), and then the Melchizedek Priesthood restoration immediately after that, during Joseph and Olivers flight from Colesville to Harmony. 36 See Matthew 10:14; Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5; Acts 13:51. Compare D&C 24:15; 60:15; 75:20; 84:29; 99:4. 37 James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1915), 34546 (http://archive.org/stream/jesuschriststudyof00talm#page/345). 38 Encyclopedia of Mormonism, s.v. Common Consent, 1:297 (http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Common_Consent).
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The principle of common consent does not, however, create a democracy, for the members do not nominate individuals or propose actions. These are entirely prerogatives of priesthood leadership. But the Church must collectively agree to all that binds them and to all who preside over them. This is a basic law of heaven.39

i) [SLIDE 28] Elder Joseph Fielding Smith:

The priesthood selects, under the inspiration of our Father in heaven, and then it is the duty of the Latter-day Saints, as they are assembled in conference, or other capacity, by the uplifted hand, to sustain or to reject; and I take it that no man has the right to raise his hand in opposition, or with contrary vote, unless he has a reason for doing so that would be valid if presented before those who stand at the head. In other words, I have no right to raise my hand in opposition to a man who is appointed to any position in this Church, simply because I may not like him, or because of some personal disagreement or feeling I may have, but only on the grounds that he is guilty of wrong doing, of transgression of the laws of the Church which would disqualify him for the position which he is called to hold.40

9) [SLIDE 29] Next week: a) D&C 25, 2728.

39 40

Robinson and Garrett, Commentary, 175. Joseph Fielding Smith, General Conference, June 1919 (http://archive.org/stream/conferencereport1919a#page/n93). http://bit.ly/ldsarc For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

2012, Mike Parker