The warnings, of which he had been the chosen proclaimer to the world, imbued5 the Prophet with a sense of mankind's physical danger, as he had formerly6 been made to understand their spiritual jeopardy7; and we find from all his writings and utterances8 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 worthy9 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, exhorting10 them to repentance11, to faithfulness and purification, admonishing12 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 blessing13 of the humility14 of the people.
On the 22nd day of January, 1833, there were many manifestations15 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, spoke16 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 esteemed17 by the saints of that early day as a reward to patient trust and meekness18 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 Testament19. No endeavor was made at that time to print the work. It was sealed up with the expectation that it would be brought forth20 at a later day with other of the scriptures. Joseph did not live to give to the world an authoritative21 publication of these translations.[1] But the labor22 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 salvation23 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 abstain24 from impurities25 and grossness in their food and drink, and promising26 them rich blessings27 of physical strength and protection from the power of the adversary28 as a reward for their obedience29. The requirement of bodily pureness, to be gained by clean and wholesome30 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 embodies31 the most advanced principles of science in the condemnation32 of unclean or gluttonous33 appetites; and if it were implicitly34 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 eventual35 elevation36 to divine acceptability—a plan which had already proved itself of heavenly origin by its sublime37 character.
And now we are brought to the time when the Lord designed that the authority and power of the presidency38 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 counselor3 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 ordained39 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 quorum40 formed to administer in the Church; and it was not dissolved during the Prophet's life. But when the frightful41 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 submission42 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 humbly43 as he besought44 forgiveness of his own frailties45. The Prophet was never more watchful46 of his own ordained prerogatives47 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 defer48 to proper authority without cringing49 to his fellow man.
The full beauty of the organization and the means by which the authority of the Priesthood would be perpetuated50 in the Church was not made fully51 known at that time. It came later, notably52 when the quorum of Apostles was organized. But this creation of the First Presidency was of great moment in demonstrating the exalted53 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 decided54 to purchase lands in and around Kirtland for the use of the Saints upon which they were to be established. This plan was not vacillation55, however it might have seemed at that time to an unbeliever. Nor was it without its accomplishments56 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 ordinances57, 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 erect58 a temple in Missouri; because the hatred59 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.
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1 scriptures | |
经文,圣典( scripture的名词复数 ); 经典 | |
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2 counselors | |
n.顾问( counselor的名词复数 );律师;(使馆等的)参赞;(协助学生解决问题的)指导老师 | |
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3 counselor | |
n.顾问,法律顾问 | |
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4 ordination | |
n.授任圣职 | |
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5 imbued | |
v.使(某人/某事)充满或激起(感情等)( imbue的过去式和过去分词 );使充满;灌输;激发(强烈感情或品质等) | |
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6 formerly | |
adv.从前,以前 | |
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7 jeopardy | |
n.危险;危难 | |
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8 utterances | |
n.发声( utterance的名词复数 );说话方式;语调;言论 | |
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9 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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10 exhorting | |
v.劝告,劝说( exhort的现在分词 ) | |
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11 repentance | |
n.懊悔 | |
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12 admonishing | |
v.劝告( admonish的现在分词 );训诫;(温和地)责备;轻责 | |
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13 blessing | |
n.祈神赐福;祷告;祝福,祝愿 | |
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14 humility | |
n.谦逊,谦恭 | |
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15 manifestations | |
n.表示,显示(manifestation的复数形式) | |
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16 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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17 esteemed | |
adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 );敬重;认为;以为 | |
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18 meekness | |
n.温顺,柔和 | |
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19 testament | |
n.遗嘱;证明 | |
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20 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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21 authoritative | |
adj.有权威的,可相信的;命令式的;官方的 | |
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22 labor | |
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦 | |
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23 salvation | |
n.(尤指基督)救世,超度,拯救,解困 | |
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24 abstain | |
v.自制,戒绝,弃权,避免 | |
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25 impurities | |
不纯( impurity的名词复数 ); 不洁; 淫秽; 杂质 | |
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26 promising | |
adj.有希望的,有前途的 | |
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27 blessings | |
n.(上帝的)祝福( blessing的名词复数 );好事;福分;因祸得福 | |
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28 adversary | |
adj.敌手,对手 | |
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29 obedience | |
n.服从,顺从 | |
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30 wholesome | |
adj.适合;卫生的;有益健康的;显示身心健康的 | |
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31 embodies | |
v.表现( embody的第三人称单数 );象征;包括;包含 | |
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32 condemnation | |
n.谴责; 定罪 | |
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33 gluttonous | |
adj.贪吃的,贪婪的 | |
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34 implicitly | |
adv. 含蓄地, 暗中地, 毫不保留地 | |
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35 eventual | |
adj.最后的,结局的,最终的 | |
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36 elevation | |
n.高度;海拔;高地;上升;提高 | |
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37 sublime | |
adj.崇高的,伟大的;极度的,不顾后果的 | |
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38 presidency | |
n.总统(校长,总经理)的职位(任期) | |
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39 ordained | |
v.任命(某人)为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 );授予(某人)圣职;(上帝、法律等)命令;判定 | |
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40 quorum | |
n.法定人数 | |
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41 frightful | |
adj.可怕的;讨厌的 | |
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42 submission | |
n.服从,投降;温顺,谦虚;提出 | |
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43 humbly | |
adv. 恭顺地,谦卑地 | |
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44 besought | |
v.恳求,乞求(某事物)( beseech的过去式和过去分词 );(beseech的过去式与过去分词) | |
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45 frailties | |
n.脆弱( frailty的名词复数 );虚弱;(性格或行为上的)弱点;缺点 | |
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46 watchful | |
adj.注意的,警惕的 | |
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47 prerogatives | |
n.权利( prerogative的名词复数 );特权;大主教法庭;总督委任组成的法庭 | |
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48 defer | |
vt.推迟,拖延;vi.(to)遵从,听从,服从 | |
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49 cringing | |
adj.谄媚,奉承 | |
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50 perpetuated | |
vt.使永存(perpetuate的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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51 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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52 notably | |
adv.值得注意地,显著地,尤其地,特别地 | |
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53 exalted | |
adj.(地位等)高的,崇高的;尊贵的,高尚的 | |
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54 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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55 vacillation | |
n.动摇;忧柔寡断 | |
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56 accomplishments | |
n.造诣;完成( accomplishment的名词复数 );技能;成绩;成就 | |
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57 ordinances | |
n.条例,法令( ordinance的名词复数 ) | |
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58 erect | |
n./v.树立,建立,使竖立;adj.直立的,垂直的 | |
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59 hatred | |
n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨 | |
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