| |
An Open Letter to All Saints |
|
When one considers the scope
and plan of our God in the restoration of His Church, His Kingdom,
that was accomplished in the 1820's-30's, and compares that plan
with the accomplishments of the many segments of the Restoration in
existence today, we find a definite unbalance. For instance, what
was had in the Church in the 1830 period was a full example of the
Spirit of Christ. There were unquestionable visions, revelations
given by the power of God, healings, divine directions, undeniable
manifestation of the Spirit, plus many other visible evidences,
which showed the existence of that Spirit, or I could say signs
following those who really believed. In comparison, what do we
witness today? How long has it been since you have heard the voice
of the Lord speaking through one of His servants and the Spirit
witnessing to all present? Do we see the healing power of God in
use? What revelations or directions have you received lately? What
Spiritual manifestations have you seen lately that show, beyond a
doubt, the evidence of the presence of the Spirit?
There is an interesting
revelation given in March of 1829, which is found in section #5 of
the Doctrine and covenants (RLDS & LDS). However, some words are
let out from the original given in the Book of Commandments, the
first Evening and Morning Star, and the Painsville paper. This
becomes very revealing when considered with today’s condition. I
will quote the 5th and a portion of the 6th verse from the Book of
Commandments Chapter 4: “And thus, if the people of this generation
harden not their hearts, I will work a reformation among them, and I
will put down all lyings, and deceivings, and priestcrafts, and
envyings, and strifes, and idolatries, and sorceries, and all manner
of iniquities, and I will establish my church, like unto the church
which was taught by my disciples in the days of old. And now, if
this generation do harden their hearts against my word, behold I
will deliver them up unto Satan, for he reigneth and hath much power
at this time, for he hath got great hold upon the hearts of the
people of this generation."
Satan tends to bring about
confusion, contention and division. Did the Lord work that
reformation? Did He put down those things that He listed? It
should be pretty obvious to most students of this Restoration that He
did not. If He did not, then we ask the question, “Why???” And why
were these words let out of the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and
Covenants? I believe they were left out because these early Saints
had hardened their hearts against the word of God and the Lord let
them have their way, to drift of into darkness and confusion, thus
opening the door to the Adversary. When this occurred, the Spirit of
Christ was removed to some extent, thus leaving their minds much
darkened as was revealed by the Lord in Section 83, verse 8 (RLDS),
or Section 84, verse 54 (LDS).
There is of course, much
controversy along these lines. In the Restoration movement we have
many "Spin Doctors" who are very intelligent. These are able to
twist and turn until they find a way to excuse themselves around
these questions. They have done this for some 175 years. Each
generation is coming up with new versions of "Spins" and where are
we today?
Let us consider a few things
that the Lord had planned for the Restoration Saints to accomplish.
1) They were to teach the
doctrine of Christ: Faith, Repentance, Baptisms, The Laying on of
Hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost, the Resurrection of the Dead,
and Eternal Judgment. They did this quite well.
2) They were to unify the
Saints both temporally and Spiritually. Not accomplished.
3) They were to locate the land
of Zion. They did that in August of 1831 in Jackson County
Missouri, and two years later were driven from that land. Why? They
were driven out because they had rebelled against the Lord (RLDS
64:7a-b, LDS 64:35-36).
4) They were to go forth teaching
the gospel and establishing churches until the New Jerusalem was
ready. It still is not ready.
5) They have done a good job of
dividing the Saints instead of unifying them. They were to purchase
the lands around Independence MO and establish a place of refuge, a
holy city, a temple, and a zionic order among the Saints. That is
not accomplished and here we are at the beginning of tribulation.
What now????
If we were place the value
of the Restored Kingdom of God on one side of a scale and the value
of the differences between all the Restoration segments on the other
side, the Kingdom of God would outweigh all those differences ten
times over. I am not interested in controverting the many questions
and divisional situations some can come up with. If you want to
uphold an agenda that is your privilege, and I do not condemn you
for it. The only agenda I am interested in is God's. If you are
willing to cast aside all the "baggage" we have collected over the
years and go back and pick up the work of the Lord that was laid
down in the early
years, I would love to hear from you.
|
In the hope of Zion
JOSEPH F SMITH |
 |
|
      
|
