organization of the school of the prophets—the translation of the scriptures—the word of wisdom revealed—joseph selects counselors— the savior and angels appear after the ordination—lands purchased in and around kirtland.
the warnings, of which he had been the chosen proclaimer to the world, imbued the prophet with a sense of mankind's physical danger, as he had formerly been made to understand their spiritual jeopardy; and we find from all his writings and utterances of this period that he repeated often and in various ways the message of alarm.
it was a busy winter of 1832-3 for joseph. he organized a school of the prophets, wherein such of the members of the church as held the melchisedek priesthood and were worthy were permitted to assemble and receive instruction day by day in the things of god. he continued his translation of the scriptures; he directed letters to the saints in zion, exhorting them to repentance, to faithfulness and purification, admonishing them of the punishment in store for workers of unrighteousness; and he sat in many conferences in which the gifts of the gospel were made manifest in recognition and blessing of the humility of the people.
on the 22nd day of january, 1833, there were many manifestations of the holy spirit at a conference at kirtland. the prophet and many of his brethren of the higher priesthood, together with several other members, both men and women, spoke in tongues. the restoration of this gift to man gave great joy to those who received it; but the gift of speaking in tongues was esteemed by the saints of that early day as a reward to patient trust and meekness and not as a necessary sign or proof of truth.
on the second day of february, 1833, the prophet completed, for the time being, his inspired translation of the new testament. no endeavor was made at that time to print the work. it was sealed up with the expectation that it would be brought forth at a later day with other of the scriptures. joseph did not live to give to the world an authoritative publication of these translations.[1] but the labor was its own reward, bringing in the performance a special blessing of broadened comprehension to the prophet and a general blessing of enlightenment to the people through his subsequent teachings.
the lord revealed his purpose in this matter when he said to joseph at a later time:
and, verily i say unto you, that it is my will that you should hasten to translate my scriptures, and to obtain a knowledge of history, and of countries, and of kingdoms, of laws of god and man, and all this for the salvation of zion.[2]
on the 27th day of february, 1833, the prophet received the revelation known as the word of wisdom, warning the people to abstain from impurities and grossness in their food and drink, and promising them rich blessings of physical strength and protection from the power of the adversary as a reward for their obedience. the requirement of bodily pureness, to be gained by clean and wholesome living, was not more directly made upon the children of israel anciently than upon the latter-day saints through the prophet joseph. this revealed word of wisdom embodies the most advanced principles of science in the condemnation of unclean or gluttonous appetites; and if it were implicitly obeyed by the human family, it would be a power to aid in a physical redemption for the race. its delivery to joseph marks another step in the divine plan for man's eventual elevation to divine acceptability—a plan which had already proved itself of heavenly origin by its sublime character.
and now we are brought to the time when the lord designed that the authority and power of the presidency of the church should be shared by others and should be conferred upon them by joseph. an intimation concerning the first presidency of the church was given in a revelation which the prophet received in march, 1832, in which frederick g. williams was called of the lord to be a counselor to joseph. in previous revelations, also, mention was made by the lord of the first presidency of the church, and some of the duties which belonged to that body. but it was not until the 8th day of march, 1833, that the lord revealed his further will concerning this organization. at that time two men were designated to be associates of the prophet—to be his counselors and members with him of the first presidency of the church. they were sidney rigdon and frederick g. williams, and on the 18th day of march, 1833, in the school of the prophets, at kirtland, obedient to the revealed word, joseph ordained these men to this office, to take part with him in bearing the burden of the kingdom of god, and to assist in the presidency of the high priesthood. in this way was the first presiding quorum formed to administer in the church; and it was not dissolved during the prophet's life. but when the frightful deed at carthage took place in after years, the lord had provided an authority, equal in power to the complete first quorum, to hold the gifts and to carry the responsibility of the work.
joseph's glad submission to the will of the lord respecting the distribution of authority is sufficient proof of his unselfishness. and the conception of this plan for the guidance of the church proves that the system had its origin beyond and above the petty ambitions of humanity.
sidney rigdon and frederick g. williams, with the successors of the latter as counselors, ever received proper consideration from joseph; and though often they were a thorn in the flesh, because of their own ambitions or misdoings, he bore with them patiently, knowing that they were the chosen of the lord, and forgave their failings as willingly and as humbly as he besought forgiveness of his own frailties. the prophet was never more watchful of his own ordained prerogatives than of the power similarly conferred upon his brethren. he showed by his example to the saints then and for all time how a man could defer to proper authority without cringing to his fellow man.
the full beauty of the organization and the means by which the authority of the priesthood would be perpetuated in the church was not made fully known at that time. it came later, notably when the quorum of apostles was organized. but this creation of the first presidency was of great moment in demonstrating the exalted nature of his calling, and the lord blessed it in the eyes of the assembled priesthood. on the occasion when the ordination was solemnized, the sacrament was administered by the prophet under the promise that the pure in heart should see a heavenly vision; and after the bread and wine had been partaken of in prayer and humility, the savior appeared before their eyes, accompanied by concourses of holy angels. it was thus that the faithful were comforted in their meekness and blessed in their devotion.
while looking forward to the building of zion in missouri, it was still deemed necessary for the saints to have a resting place for some time to come in kirtland. and very soon after the ordination of sidney rigdon and frederick g. williams, a council of the priesthood was called, by which it was decided to purchase lands in and around kirtland for the use of the saints upon which they were to be established. this plan was not vacillation, however it might have seemed at that time to an unbeliever. nor was it without its accomplishments and great benefits. hopeful as joseph and the saints were to perform the work of establishing the center stake in jackson county, and earnest as they were in their endeavor, the administration of ordinances, the endowment of the worthy saints, and the ministration of heavenly beings, which afterwards took place in the temple at kirtland, would necessarily have been delayed if the sole effort had been to erect a temple in missouri; because the hatred against the truth soon became so violent there that the fulfillment of this purpose was, for the time, impossible.
but while kirtland was being strengthened and plans were being made to beautify the city and to enrich it for the benefit of the saints, zion in missouri was also coming under the good influence. joseph was gratified to learn that every dissension among the elders and members in jackson county had ceased and that all was peace within that branch of the church. there had been no serious difficulties, but so far removed from his direct guidance, some of the traveling elders had exalted their own authority to conflict with that exercised by the resident presidency in zion and misunderstandings ensued. this had all been corrected after joseph had sent an epistle to the saints in that region, and with the opening of april, 1833, there was much joy and hope at kirtland, and much union and love in jackson county.
later in the spring and in the early summer of 1833, revelations were received concerning the erection of a temple at kirtland, and with this and attendant work the prophet was constantly engaged.
