Doctrine & Covenants 69-75

Doctrine & Covenants 69

Instructions to preserve historical records

Doctrine & Covenants 69:2-3

John Whitmer = 1st Church Historian

Oliver Cowdery was at risk to travel alone in such country while carrying money, not because he was untrustworthy.

I wish we could all sense how often our little pebble of poor performance helps to start, or to sustain, an avalanche (Neal A. Maxwell, Deposition of a Disciple, 90).

Doctrine & Covenants 70

“The Lord Stewards”

Doctrine & Covenants 70:3-4

Six brethren, to be stewards over the revelations and commandments – became known as the “Literary Firm” (History of the Church 2:482-83).

Stewardship is management with a responsibility to account to the owner or master.

Time is a stewardship, and my goal is not to waste any of it (Dallin Oaks).

“The Literary Firm”

This firm concerned itself with the printing of official Church literature. Comprising of Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, John Whitmer, and Martin Harris.

They had claim on the Church for recompense. Profits from the sale of the Church publications benefited the individual members as well as the Church at large.

Publications included the J.S.T., the Church hymnal, and the Church newspaper (Cook, Revelations, 112-13).

Doctrine & Covenants 70:12

“Claim on the Church for recompense”

Of the labor here involved Joseph Smith observed:

“Brother Oliver has labored with me from the beginning in writing, etc. Brother Martin has labored with me from the beginning and Brother John Whitmer and Sidney Rigdon also for a considerable time, and as these sacred writings are now going to the Church for its benefit, that we may have claim on the Church for recompense – if this conference think these things worth prizing to be had on record to show hereafter – I feel that I will be according to the mind of the Spirit, for by it these things were put into my heart which I know to be the spirit of truth” (History of the Church, 1:236).

This revelation recognized that those who devoted themselves to bringing forth God’s revelations for both the edification and salvation of the Saints had claim upon the Church for their temporal sustenance.

Doctrine & Covenants 71Ezra Booth = “first apostate to take up

the pen”

If any man lift his voice against you!

Elsa Johnson, Ben Johnson’s wife partially paralyzed arm is healed. Ezra Booth (a former Methodist minister) challenged Joseph to heal her arm and show that he was a prophet. Ezra joined the church because of different miracles that he witnessed.

Some have said if a man or woman joins this church because of a miracle, it will be a miracle if they stay in it!

Doctrine & Covenants 71:1-4

“The most effective way to defend the gospel is to declare it”

No single doctrine poses a greater threat to priest-craft or false religion in any of its form than the announcement that God has chosen a new Sinai on the American frontier and a modern Moses by the name of Joseph Smith.

Doctrine & Covenants 71:6

“Confound Your Enemies”

In some situations a confrontation may be unavoidable. The circumstances which called forth this revelation were one such instance.

The directions given in these verses were understood to be confined to such instances and are not the standard way of presenting the gospel.

Doctrine & Covenants 71:7

Do we ever confound our enemies?

Almost always a debate entrenches each contestant and his sympathizers more firmly in the views already held.

Except under very unusual circumstances, debates play no part in the approved system of the Gospel.

Ezra Booth’s anti-literature required action. The spirit of the Lord directed those brethren to go forth and confound their enemies in which they proceeded immediately to do. Their enemies were unable to substantiate their falsehoods and were surprised by this sudden challenge so boldly given. It was successful.

“Many of the benefits and blessings that have come to me have come through that man who gave his life for the gospel of Jesus Christ. There have been some who have belittled him, but I would like to say that those who have done so will be forgotten and their remains will go back to mother earth, if they have not already gone, and the odor of their infamy will never die, while the glory and honor and majesty and courage and fidelity manifested by the Prophet Joseph Smith will attach to his name forever (Conference Report, April 1946, 181-82).

Elder Harold B. Lee, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, was so impressed with this statement that he kept a clipping of it in his wallet and quotedit often, desiring that President

Smith’s words “could be heard to all the ends of the earth” (Conference Report, Oct. 1947, 67).

Doctrine & Covenants 72

“Duties of a Bishop”

This was the last revelation received in 1831. 1831 was the year in which more revelations in the Doctrine & Covenants were received than any other.

Doctrine & Covenants 72 combines two separate revelations from the “Kirtland Revelation Book” – verses 1-8, which includes the call of Newel K. Whitney to serve as bishop, and verses 9-26, which described the duties associated with that office.

Doctrine & Covenants 72:3-4

“Render an account of our stewardship”

Doctrine & Covenants 73 “The J.S.T.”

Doctrine & Covenants 73:3-4

It was expedient to continue the work of translation until it wasfinished.

Joseph never did finish all the revising of the Bible the way he wanted to.

Why the J.S.T.?

To restore the correctness of the scriptures by the power of the spirit!

Doctrine & Covenants 74:1

“Unbelieving husband”

This refers to a non-Christian or nonmember spouse.

Doctrine & Covenants 74:7

“Little Children are Holy!”

Doctrine & Covenants 75

This was the conference that Joseph Smith was sustained and ordained President of the High Priesthood.

Doctrine & Covenants 75:3

“Neither be idle, but labor with your might!”

Doctrine & Covenants 75:3

“The Idler shall not have place in the church”

President David O. McKay has said, “Let us realize that the privilege to work is a gift, that the power to work is a blessing, and the power of love of work is success.”

Doctrine and Covenants 75:4

“Proclaiming the Truth”

It is offensive to the Spirit when missionaries seek refuge and respectability in the Bible rather than declaring the message the Lord gave for our day.

We profess ourselves to be Bible Christians in the true sense of the term. “Bible Christians were those who believe in having apostles and inspired prophets among them,” Brigham Young explained. “Bible Christians could receive more revelation and add more books to the Bible; Bible Christians could converse with the Lord, and oftentimes beheld the face of Jesus; they could commune with holy angels; they had authority from God to lay hands upon those whom they baptized, for the reception or baptism of the Holy Ghost” (Journal of Discourses, 14:347).

Doctrine & Covenants 75:5

“Laden with many sheaves”

To see a person or animal “laden with many sheaves” was proof that the person had reaped an abundant harvest and would now enjoy the fruits of his labor.

Those who gain exaltation in the highest heaven of the Celestial World shall wear crowns!

Doctrine & Covenants 75:17 Major Noble Ashley

In the early 1800’s parents often named their sons ennobling, honorific titles. Major was such a title and does not signify military status.

Little is known of Major’s early years as he grew to manhood in Massachusetts. By 1831 he had joined the church and been ordained a high priest.

His greatest fear was for those weak in the faith. Although his testimony was meant for the backslider, it proved to be a precursor of his own weak conviction.

He denied the faith after the expulsion of the Saints from Jackson County.

Doctrine & Covenants 75:20-22

“Shake off the dust of your feet”

1. Brother Dubois

2. Samuel Smith