D&C 85-87 Quotes and Notes

Joseph Smith writes a letter to W.W. Phelps

“I proceed to unfold to you some of the feelings of my heart and proceed to answer the question.” – Joseph Smith to W.W. Phelps, letter dated Nov. 27, 1832.^[1]In this letter to W.W. Phelps, Joseph speaks of the inadequacies of language. He writes, “deliver us in thy due time from the little narrow prison almost as it were total darkness of paper, pen and … Continue reading

This section is a short excerpt from a letter written by Joseph Smith in Kirtland, Ohio, to William W. Phelps, who was in Missouri. Elder Phelps was troubled about problems associated with the manner in which the law of consecration was being administered. The Prophet wrote, “I fancy to myself that you are saying or thinking something similar to these words:—’My God, great and mighty art Thou, therefore show unto Thy servant what shall become of those who are essaying to come up unto Zion, in order to keep the commandments of God, and yet receive not their inheritance by consecrations, by order of deed from the Bishop, the man that God has appointed in a legal way, agreeably to the law given to organize and regulate the Church, and all the affairs of the same.’

“Brother William,” the Prophet continued, “in the love of God, having the most implicit confidence in you as a man of God, having obtained this confidence by a vision of heaven, therefore I will proceed to unfold to you some of the feelings of my heart, and to answer the question.”^[2]Smith, History of the Church, 1:298. What follows in this revelation is the Lord’s answer to the questions troubling Elder Phelps.

One Mighty and Strong – D&C 85.7

McConkie and Ostler^[3]See: McConkie and Ostler, Revelations of the Restoration: A Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants and Other Modern Revelations, Deseret Book, 2000, p. 615-617. give this commentary on D&C 85.7:

The leader of virtually every cult or apostate group that has broken with the Church has claimed to be the “one mighty and strong” spoken of by the Lord who is to set the Church in order. As early as 1905, President Joseph F. Smith and his counselors, John R. Winder and Anthon H. Lund, issued a statement on this text:

“It is to be observed first of all that the subject of this whole letter, as also the part of it subsequently accepted as a revelation, relates to the affairs of the Church in Missouri, the gathering of the Saints to that land and obtaining their inheritances under the law of consecration and stewardship; and the Prophet deals especially with the matter of what is to become of those who fail to receive their inheritances by order or deed from the bishop. . . .

“It was while these conditions of rebellion, jealousy, pride, unbelief and hardness of heart prevailed among the brethren in Zion—Jackson county, Missouri— in all of which Bishop Partridge participated, that the words of the revelation taken from the letter to William W. Phelps, of the 27th of November, 1832, were written. The ‘man who was called and appointed of God’ to ‘divide unto the Saints their inheritance’—Edward Partridge—was at that time out of order, neglecting his own duty, and putting ‘forth his hand to steady the ark’; hence, he was warned of the judgment of God impending, and the prediction was made that another, ‘one mighty and strong,’ would be sent of God to take his place, to have his bishopric— one having the spirit and power of that high office resting upon him, by which he would have power to ‘set in order the house of God, and arrange by lot the inheritance of the Saints’; in other words, one who would do the work that Bishop Edward Partridge had been appointed to do, but had failed to accomplish. . . .

“. . . The Lord said, some three years later, that he was well pleased with Edward Partridge. The word of the Lord came to the Prophet to this effect, on the 7th of November, 1835:

“‘Behold, I am well pleased with my servant Isaac Morley, and my servant Edward Partridge, because of the integrity of their hearts in laboring in my vineyard, for the salvation of the souls of men. Verily I say unto you, their sins are forgiven them, therefore, say unto them in my name, that it is my will that they should tarry for a little season, (in Kirtland) and attend the school and also the solemn assembly, for a wise purpose in me. Even so. Amen.^[4]History of the Church, 2:302-303.

“. . . Inasmuch as through his repentance and sacrifices and suffering, Bishop Edward Partridge undoubtedly obtained a mitigation of the threatened judgment against him of falling ‘by the shaft of death, like as a tree that is smitten by the vivid shaft of lightning,’ so the occasion for sending another to fill his station—’one mighty and strong to set in order the house of God, and to arrange by lot the inheritances of the Saints’—may also be considered as having passed away and the whole incident of the prophecy closed.”^[5]Clark, Messages, 4:112, 115-17.

Steadying the Ark – D&C 85.8

The story in 2 Samuel 6 of Uzzah steadying the ark is usually known in the Church, at least among adult students of scripture. From my experience, many of our young people in the Church do not know much about the Ark of the Covenant, nor what the text of the Bible tells us about its purpose or what it symbolized to the ancients. In this post I briefly look at some of these things, giving forth the “rules” associated with the ark as given in the text of the Bible, as well as possible explanations for what the ark represented.^[6]The ark had a lid that was understood as God’s “throne,” whereas the box was viewed as his “footstool” (see 1 Chronicles 28.2, 2 Chronicles 9.18, Psalm 99.5, Psalm 132.7). According to the … Continue reading

Using this story from the Old Testament, many Latter-day Saints have emphasized the importance of following counsel from priesthood leaders. David O. McKay said:

“It is a little dangerous for us to go out of our own sphere and try unauthoritatively to direct the efforts of a brother. You remember the case of Uzzah who stretched forth his hand to steady the ark.  He seemed justified when the oxen stumbled in putting forth his hand to steady that symbol of the covenant. We today think his punishment was very severe. Be that as it may, the incident conveys a lesson of life. Let us look around us and see how quickly men who attempt unauthoritatively to steady the ark die spiritually. Their souls become embittered, their minds distorted, their judgment faulty, and their spirit depressed. Such is the pitiable condition of men who, neglecting their own responsibilities, spend their time in finding fault with others.”^[7]David O. McKay, Conference Report, Apr. 1936, p. 60.

D&C 85.12 It shall be done unto them as unto the children of the priest (see Ezra 2.62)

This letter takes an approach that basically states that those opposed to the Church and work to “steady the ark” (see 85.8) will not have an inheritance in Zion, and that their names will be stricked from the membership of the Kingdom. In closing his letter to W.W. Phelps Joseph writes, “Now, Brother William, if what I have said is true, how careful men ought to be what they do in the last days, lest they are cut short of their expectations, and they that think they stand should fall, because they keep not the Lord’s commandments; whilst you, who do the will of the Lord and keep His commandments, have need to rejoice with unspeakable joy, for such shall be exalted very high, and shall be lifted up in triumph above all the kingdoms of this world” ^[8]Smith, History of the Church, 1:299.

D&C 86 The Wheat and the Tares

Doctrine and Covenants 86 appeared as the fifth section in the first publication of the Doctrine and Covenants. It was labeled as a revelation on priesthood and immediately followed what are now known as sections 107 and 84, which are also revelations on the priesthood. Though it is not generally thought of as an important revelation on priesthood in our day, it was considered to be such in the lifetime of the Prophet Joseph Smith. It affirms that the Apostasy took place after the death of the meridian Twelve and that the restoration of the gospel centered in restoring the priesthood to the descendants of Abraham.

It is not clear whether this revelation preceded or followed inspired corrections made by the Prophet in the Bible parable of the wheat and tares. On a third editing of that manuscript, he appended a note to the parable that the wheat was to be gathered into the Lord’s barn before the tares were to be bound and burned. That understanding probably came in the receipt of this revelation.^[9]Robert J. Matthews, Plainer Translation, 82. See also: Revelations of the Restoration, p. 619.

The Wheat and the Tares grow together – D&C 86.7

The single great sign of the times is the extent to which Israel has been gathered. Christ will not return until the scattered remnants of Israel have been brought forth from those of every nation, kindred, tongue and people (Joseph Smith-Matthew 1:31, 37). The promise given here is that Israel (the wheat) will be gathered into the barn (the kingdom of God on earth) before the tares are bound to be burned (JST Matthew 13:29). The gathering spoken of here will not preclude the greater gathering that will take place after the return of Christ and the introduction of the millennial era (3 Nephi 21-22).

The “harvest,” as identified in this text, represents the time of Christ’s return. Until that day evil will hold its place in this fallen, or telestial, world. Righteousness and evil will be neighbors, and even among the Saints much will parade in the name of goodness and in the name of the Lord which is an abomination in his sight (D&C 50:4).^[10]McConkie and Ostler, p. 621.

Lawful Heirs According to the Flesh… Literal Descendants of the Chosen Seed – D&C 86.9

In the 21^st chapter of his book Dynasty of the Holy Grail, Mormonism’s Sacred Bloodline, Vern Swanson puts forth ideas and thoughts from apostles of the 19^th century that are directly related to the ideas taught in D&C 86. There are too many in this book to share in this brief post, although we will share a couple of his quotes from this chapter.

Heber C. Kimball stated:

“Do you actually know Joseph Smith? No. Do you know Brother Brigham? No. Do you know brother Heber? No, you do not. Do you know the Twelve? You do not; if you did, you would begin to know God, and learn that those men who are chosen to direct and counsel you are near kindred to God and Jesus Christ, for the keys, power, and authority of the kingdom of God are in that lineage.”^[11]Journal of Discourses, Volume 4, p. 248.

Victor Ludlow has stated that, “there were occasions in earlier Church history when a number of the brethren, including Joseph Smith, claimed that they shared lineage with Jesus in the tribe of Judah.”^[12]See Victor Ludlow, Isaiah: Prophet, Seer, and Poet, Deseret Book, 1982, p. 171-171. Ludlow gives the following references to support this claim: Life of Heber C. Kimball [1888], p. … Continue reading

Lorenzo Snow was recorded to have said the following:

“There are men in this congregation who are descendants of the ancient Twelve Apostles and shall I say it, of the Son of God Himself, for He had seed, and in the right time they shall be known.”^[13]Lorenzo Snow, Anthony Ivins Journal (2 July 1899), 21, LDS Archives. See also: Swanson, Dynasty of the Holy Grail, p. 367.

D&C 87 A Prophecy on War

South Carolina’s Nullification of Federal Tariffs – D&C 87 Introduction

The fall and winter of 1832 in the United States was dominated by a political controversy known as the “Nullification Crisis.” This crisis grew out of the tensions existing between various geographic sections of the pre-Civil War United States. Specifically, the South felt itself threatened by the North. The state of South Carolina was the center of the unrest generated by this controversy. Southerners, and particularly South Carolinians, felt oppressed and disadvantaged by the high protective tariff of 1828, the so-called “Tariff of Abominations.” This tariff imposed heavy duties on foreign manufactured goods, which favored the industrial North, while at the same time it worked against the interest of the agrarian South. In addition to the economic problems, the South was becoming increasingly wary of the nascent antislavery movement in the North. In order to protect itself from these threats, South Carolina, passed an Ordinance of Nullification. This ordinance was based on states rights philosophy which claimed the following:

1. Sovereignty resided in the states.

2. The states had created the federal government.

3. The states could decide if a law was constitutional.

4. If it was not, the federal law could be declared null and void in that state.^[14]Donald Q. Cannon, Studies in Scripture, volume 1, p. 335. See also U.S. History, 24c. The South Carolina Nullification Controversy. The primary source of the ordinance of nullification can … Continue reading

This 24 November 1832 special convention in South Carolina declared the Tariff of 1828 null and void. This volatile condition nearly caused a war between the North and the South in 1832, which was carefully averted through the political skill of Henry Clay in what some historians refer to as the olive branch and sword compromise of 1833.^[15]Dominated by the personalities of three towering figures of the nation’s middle period—Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and President Andrew Jackson—Historian Merrill Peterson (professor of … Continue reading

Wars will come – A Prophecy Regarding Wars

“Wars will shortly come.” This is an important thing to note: this revelation can be interpreted in a few ways, and one way to see this is that it is NOT a prophecy of the Civil War alone but rather a warning that there will be “wars” and certainly that mankinds will hear of rumors of war in greater abundance than has ever been known in the history of this world.

Cannon makes this point:

Joseph Smith’s prophecy on war was not limited to the American Civil War. It also included wars in other nations. In fact, the prophecy declared that “war will be poured out upon all nations.”^[16]See D&C 87.2. Elder Neal A. Maxwell stated, “War has been the almost continuing experience of modern man. There have been 141 wars, large and small, just since the end of World War II in 1945. … Continue reading Subsequent events have proven that the Latter-day Saint Prophet was accurate in this prediction also. There are admittedly some difficulties associated with documenting this point. One problem is related to the question of determining what constitutes a war. Wars in different centuries vary greatly. Nevertheless? there are studies which have established measuring standards and, furthermore, they conclude that there has been an increase in warfare since the American Civil War. Quincy Wright, for example, maintains that war has occurred with greater frequency and that warfare has become more severe.^[17]Cannon, p. 338. See also: Quincy Wright, A Study of War, 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1965, p. 636. In Wright’s 1942 edition, in the appendix, he writes the … Continue reading

Joseph Smith’s Accuracy

Cannon explains the importance of this prophecy:

His first prediction was that war would occur. The spirit of prophecy directed him to say that there definitely would be a war between the states. Of course, this war did take place and is known to us as the Civil War. Between 1861 and 1865 a bitter war raged in the United States.^[18]Cannon, p. 337. The standard one-volume scholarly work on the Civil War is J. G. Randall and David Herbert Donald, The Civil War and Reconstruction. Lexington, Mass.: D.C. Health and Company, … Continue reading

Joseph Smith prophesied that South Carolina would take the initiative. On 12 April 1861, the Confederate forces laid sedge to Fort Sumter. This fort, garrisoned by United States troops, was located in the harbor off Charleston, South Carolina. Indeed, South Carolina did take the initiative.

He further prophesied that this war would bring death to many. As it turned out, the Civil War was one of the bloodiest in history. The number killed or wounded varies considerably depending upon the source. Most Civil War studies give casualty figures in excess of 600,000… Nothing in the history of our nation has matched the Civil War for “death and misery.” The aggregate of those killed in this war was 618,000 (360,000 from the North and 258,000 from the South). The next highest U.S. casualty figure is for World War II, when 318,000 were killed. The third highest figure is for World War I at 115,000. Other wars include the American Revolution: 4,044; the War of 1812: 2,200; the Mexican War: 13,270; the Korean War: 33,000; and Vietnam: 46,616. By overwhelming odds, the casualty figures for the Civil War outnumbered all U.S. war casualty figures. ^[19]Donald Q. Cannon, Studies in Scripture, edited by Robert Millet and Kent Jackson, 1989, Deseret Book, 1:337.

The Prophet foretold the nature of the antagonists in this conflict. He specifically stated that the North would fight the South, as it in fact occurred. This part of the prophecy is especially interesting in view of the fact that the sectional conflict in the early United States pitted the West against the East as well as the North against the South. In the 1830s any number of divisions were possible.

Joseph Smith also prophesied that the Southern states would call upon Great Britain and other nations for aid. Once war broke out the South did send commissioners to various European nations to seek diplomatic recognition and military aid. The South sent representatives to Great Britain, France, Holland and Belgium. Once again, the 1832 prophecy of Joseph Smith was fulfilled with remarkable accuracy.^[20]Cannon, p. 337-338.

B.H. Roberts spoke of the assistance request given to England during the conflict when he stated:

The Southern States did call upon other nations, and upon the nation of Great Britain in particular, for assistance. As early as May, 1861, the Confederacy sent commissioners abroad to seek recognition and aid from foreign powers. William L. Yancy, of Alabama; P. A. Rost, of Louisiana; A. Dudley Mann, of Virginia; and T. Butler King, of Georgia. Mr. Yancy was appointed to operate in England, Mr. Rost in France, and Mr. Mann in Holland and Belgium. Mr. King had a roving commission. Subsequently, in October, 1861, the Confederacy appointed James M. Mason and John Slidell, ambassadors to England and France respectively, to solicit the assistance of the British and French governments in the Southern cause…

Though Messrs. Mason and Slidell did not succeed in securing the open assistance of Great Britain, yet it is well known that British sympathy was with the Confederate cause… The evidence is surely sufficient that the Southern States did call upon the nation of Great Britain for assistance (and that is as far as the prophecy goes on this point), and England did give at least indirect aid and comfort to the Confederate cause.^[21]New Witnesses for God, 3 vols. Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1909, 1: 332.

Slaves to rise up against their masters – D&C 87.4

After World War II, in 1958, Joseph L. Wirthlin shared this insight:

In many cases I am quite sure we all think this has to do particularly with the slaves in the Southern States, but I believe, brethren and sisters, that it was intended that this referred to slaves all over the world, and I think of those, particularly in the land of Russia and other countries wherein they have been taken over by that great nation and where the people are actually the slaves of those individuals who guide and direct the affairs of Russia and China, and where the rights and the privilege to worship God and to come to a knowledge that Jesus Christ is his Son is denied them.^[22]Joseph L. Wirthlin, Conference Report, October 1958, Afternoon Meeting 32-33. Connecting to post–Civil War conflicts, Wirthlin continued: In the matter of famine and plague and earthquakes, … Continue reading

Joseph Smith’s Solution to the Controversy

Joseph Smith proposed that the government sell public lands and use the proceeds to “make Southerners whole” thereby freeing the slaves in the Southern states. As President Benson stated, “As every schoolboy knows, the Civil War began with the secession of South Carolina from the Union, and other states followed. When Lincoln sent provisions to the Union forces at Fort Sumter, South Carolina, the Confederate forces opened fire on the fort. Since that fateful day in 1861, the world has seen as a result of warfare the death and misery of many souls.

The desire of the Prophet Joseph Smith was to save the Union from that bloody conflict. He recognized the iniquity of slavery and urged Congress to abolish it and to pay the slaveholders from the sale of public lands. The message went unheeded, and nearly one-half million souls died in the Civil War.”^[23]“Joseph Smith: Prophet to Our Generation,” Ensign, Nov. 1981, 62.

The remnants who are left – D&C 87.5

In addition to providing evidence concerning his prophetic gifts, D&C 87 also provides other doctrinal insights; it discusses the Lamanites, or the American Indians. These people are referred to in this revelation as “the remnants.” The revelation tells us that the Indians would become angry and “vex the Gentiles with a sore vexation” (v. 5). One commentator wrote, “This text is often thought to be tied to Micah’s prophecy that in the last days “the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver” (Micah 5:8). If the remnant here is one and the same with the remnant spoken of by Micah, then we can anticipate that this prophecy will find fulfillment through events involving all twelve tribes of Israel and encompassing the whole earth.”^[24]Revelations of the Restoration, p. 624-625.

Criticisms of the Prophecy

Critics of the Prophet Joseph have maintained that this revelation was not published until after the Civil War. It is true that the revelation was not published in the Doctrine and Covenants until 1876. It was published, however, in the Pearl of Great Price in 1851.^[25]The revelation appears multiple times in what is known today as “Revelation Book 1” (also known as the “Book of Commandments and Revelations”), a collection containing revelations received … Continue reading

Furthermore, the leaders of the Church were fully aware of Joseph Smith’s prophecy concerning the Civil War as early as the 1830s. Orson Pratt, for example, recalled: “When I was a boy, I traveled extensively in the United States and the Canadas, preaching this restored gospel. I had a manuscript copy of the Revelation, which I carried in my pocket, and I was in the habit of reading it to the people among whom I traveled and preached.”^[26]Cannon, p. 338. Journal of Discourses Volume 18, Discourse 28. See also William G. Hartley, Prophecy in his Pocket, January 1989 Ensign.

How did his listeners respond?

Did they say, “Well, it takes no prophet to see war will start in South Carolina”? No. Said Orson Pratt: “As a general thing the people regarded it as the height of nonsense, saying the Union was too strong to be broken; and I they said, was led away, the victim of an impostor.”

When South Carolina’s secession threats cooled down after 1832, did Orson Pratt begin to doubt the prophecy? No, because “I knew the prophecy was true, for the Lord had spoken to me and had given me revelation.” But year after year passed away without war, and now and then “some of the acquaintances I had formerly made would say, ‘Well, what is going to become of that prediction? It’s never going to be fulfilled.’” Orson replied, “Wait, the Lord has his set time.”^[27]Hartley, Prophecy in his Pocket.

Interestingly, the printed prophecy had circulated far and wide. When war broke out in April 1861, 28 years after the prophecy was pronounced, the Philadelphia Sunday Mercury newspaper carried a lengthy article entitled “A Mormon Prophecy.” “We have in our possession a pamphlet, published at Liverpool, in 1851, “the article began, referring to the civil war prophecy. “In view of our present troubles, this prediction seems to be in progress of fulfillment, whether Joe Smith was a humbug or not.” The article reprinted the entire prophecy, then noted how events were fulfilling it, and concluded regarding Joseph Smith: “Have we not had a prophet among us?”^[28]See: Hartley, Prophecy in his Pocket. See also: Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saints Biographical Encyclopedia 1:87–91; Orson Pratt Discourse, August 26, 1876, in Journal of … Continue reading

Concern for those Suffering and the Devastation of War

Brigham Young expressed his sadness at the conflict:

The war now raging in our nation is in the providence of God, and was told us years and years ago by the Prophet Joseph; and what we are now coming to was foreseen by him, and no power can hinder. Can the inhabitants of our once beautiful, delightful and happy country avert the horrors and evils that are now upon them? Only by turning from their wickedness, and calling upon the Lord. If they will turn unto the Lord and seek after Him, they will avert this terrible calamity, otherwise it cannot be averted. There is no power on the earth, nor under it, but the power of God, that can avert the evils that are now upon and are coming upon the nation.

However, Young also expressed concern for the suffering:

It is distressing to see the condition our nation is in, but I cannot help it. Who can? The people en masse, by turning to God, and ceasing to do wickedly, ceasing to persecute the honest and the truth-lover. If they had done that thirty years ago, it would have been better for them to-day. When we appealed to the government of our nation for justice, the answer was:—“Your cause is just, but we have no power.” Did not Joseph Smith tell them in Washington and Philadelphia, that the time would come when their State rights would be trampled upon?

Joseph said, many and many a time, to us,—“Never be anxious for the Lord to pour out his judgments upon the nation; many of you will see the distress and evils poured out upon this nation till you will weep like children.” Many of us have felt to do so already, and it seems to be coming upon us more and more; it seems as though the fangs of destruction were piercing the very vitals of the nation.”^[29]Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, 10:294–95.

How Joseph Smith’s Prophecy is used Today

Scott Esplin has examined how this prophecy is being used in our day. He wrote:

As the Church has become more international, the message of section 87 has broadened. Importantly, focus has turned to the gospel as the means of salvation from calamity. Even as the Civil War began, the Millennial Star declared, “What the length of the period may be before all these things be fulfilled, we cannot say; but this we can say, and verily know, that the rebellion of South Carolina is the beginning of wars which will surely ‘terminate in the death and misery of many souls’ and in the ‘consumption decreed,’ which is to make ‘a full end of all nations.’ These events convey this warning—one more powerful to the people of God and to all the world than any mortal voice is capable of giving—‘Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold it cometh quickly, saith the Lord. Amen.’” Apostle Marion G. Romney summarized this emphasis, noting that “the Lord’s purpose in revealing these unhappy impending calamities was not to condemn but to save mankind is evidenced by the fact that with the warning he identified the cause and revealed the means by which the calamities may be turned aside.”

Indeed, the greatest focus in recent decades has been on the phrase in the prophecy encouraging Church members to “stand ye in holy places, and be not moved” (D&C 87:8). Harold B. Lee, Marvin J. Ashton, Neal A. Maxwell, Dallin H. Oaks, Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, and scores of other General Authorities have all cited D&C 87:8 in the past four decades. Each emphasized that, in spite of difficulties ahead, safety can be found in righteousness. In many ways, Spencer W. Kimball’s 1979 plea typifies current use of Joseph Smith’s prophecy on war. “Our constant prayer and our major efforts,” Kimball announced, “are to see that the members are sanctified through their righteousness. We urge our people to ‘stand in holy places’ (D&C 87:8).”^[30] Scott Esplin, “Have We Not Had a Prophet Among Us?”: Joseph Smith’s Civil War Prophecy. See also: “Division of the United States—Causes Which Have Hastened It,” Millennial … Continue reading

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