While reading in Rough Stone Rolling a few days ago, I came across a description of the Prophet Joseph Smith: "By his own account, Joseph frequently felt cast down, lacking or falling short, never enjoying all that he needed, whether wealth or spiritual assurance." Bushman continues, "Joseph's 'History' contains more pleading with God than excitement about revelation." In writing about Josephs personal journal entries, Bushman states that they "reveal a striving young man uncertain of his standing with God, yearning to be worthy, grateful when he finds peace."
These descriptions of the Prophet, seemingly struggling with his own spirituality, cast a different light on him than I, and, I think, most members of the Church, previously held. I have always thought of the Prophet as almost a mystical legend of a man who was so near to perfection that any comparison to him was simply futile and impossible. Seeing him as a “mere mortal” does not diminish him as a prophet, but it actually makes him more real to me, if that makes sense.
I have struggled with many of the same things that Joseph did, and to know that someone of the spiritual capacity of Joseph Smith could struggle and overcome the feelings of discouragement, spiritual assurance and yearning for God’s acceptance, is very comforting to me. Now, I in no way am comparing myself to his spiritual standing, but I can now compare myself to him in knowing that he at least struggled and overcame his insecurities and “spiritual disabilities”. It’s a great hope.
I think I have a pretty good idea of why we have these feelings, and overcoming them is part of life. The tricky part is to remember the need to overcome them while in the “valleys of sorrow”.
Last night I started to read the May 1986 Ensign; President Benson’s first talk as the President of the Church, makes a statement in one little sentence, and this great man, who I consider to be the Prophet of my age (he was the one who “signed” my mission papers), said “I commend those of you who are present here this morning, as well as you who are listening or watching these proceedings and those who will later take the opportunity to hear or read the messages of this conference.”
I have been reading these Ensigns for a few years now, and for some reason reading this little “commendation” from “my” prophet reassured me that despite my failings and discouragements at times, that I’m doing my best and trying to follow the Savior as best as I know how.
I just want to make one last comment so I am not misunderstood. I don’t think I can ever really compare with the Prophet Joseph Smith; I don’t aspire to it, and even though he did has faults, they are not the same as mine, so don’t take that the wrong way. I also don’t want to be found “boasting” by posting this “commendation” from President Benson. I just needed to make a note for myself so the next time I am feeling discouragement or the yearning to be found acceptable, I can remember that we all have these feelings and that one of the purposes of this life is to figure out how to overcome those moments and strive to come closer to God. Hopefully this little comparison and commendation will help me do that.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Friday, May 9, 2008
The Vision and Vessels of Wrath
I am currently reading Rough Stone Rolling, a biography of the Prophet Joseph Smith by Richard L. Bushman and at the same time my scripture study focus is the Doctrine and Covenants.
As I was studying D&C 76, referred to as “The Vision”, I came across a very interesting phrase. But first, for those who do not know about this section of the D&C, it was a vision received by Joseph Smith & Sidney Rigdon regarding the resurrection. Joseph and Sidney were translating the Bible and they had read John 5:29, which says “And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” The prophet says this about the verse: “From sundry revelations which had been received, it was apparent that many important points touching the salvation of man had been taken from the Bible, or lost before it was compiled. It appeared self-evident from what truths were left, that if God rewarded every one according to the deeds done in the body, the term ‘Heaven,’ as intended for the Saints’ eternal home, must include more kingdoms than one.”
It was while they were pondering on this verse that they received the revelation found in the D&C. This revelation reveals that there are three degrees or kingdoms in the afterlife and one “kingdom” with no glory, known simply as “outer darkness” and those who will “reign” there are known as “sons of perdition”.
This is where it gets interesting. D&C 76:33, refers to these sons of perdition as “vessels of wrath”, a chilling term which makes me think of someone who is full of anger constantly. At the same time I was reading this section, I just happened to be reading about this time frame in the Prophet's life in Rough Stone Rolling.
“The Vision” was received on February 16, 1832 and Bushman states that “William Phelps immediately published ‘The Vision’ in the church newspaper in Missouri.” (Rough Stone Rolling, 200) It is this publication that, I think, ties together this revelation with some of the unfortunate aftermath.
On March 24, 1832, a month after “The Vision” had been received and published in the paper by Phelps, Joseph and Sidney are taken from their homes and beaten. Sidney was dragged by his heels and lay unconscious about 150 yards away from Joseph. Joseph was taken from his bed, stripped naked, administered poison (the attempt failed, but the mob broke the bottle of poison against Joseph’s teeth) and finally tarred and feathered him and left for dead.
The anger, or wrath, shown by this mob, some of whom were former members of the Church, is what strikes me as interesting. As I read the 33rd verse of section 76, “vessels of wrath”, this scene stood out to me. As the preverbal icing on the cake, one of the mobsters “fell on the naked Joseph, and ‘scratched my body with his nails like a mad cat’ muttering ‘God dam ye, that’s the way the Holy Ghost falls on folks.’” (Rough Stone Rolling, 179)
It might be a stretch to connect the publishing of “The Vision” by Phelps and the tarring and feathering episode since the paper was published in Missouri and Joseph and Sidney were living in Hiram, Ohio at the time, but because of the puzzling way that “The Vision” was received by some members of the church, and how this doctrine flies in the face of “fundamental Christianity©”, I can’t help but think that this revelation caused such a fervor that it boiled over and caused Joseph’s enemies to take these drastic actions.
Bushman, probably correctly, doesn’t make the connection between this beating and the publishing of “The Vision” by Phelphs, but rather blames the beating on some letters that were printed by anti-Mormon Ezra Booth. I personally think that even during that time frame, word of "The Vision" through either Phelps' publication or word of mouth, could have been an additional cause for the beating.
It’s not my position to judge these individuals, what their status will be after this life, but personally I think it interesting that those who not receive any glory are known as “vessels of wrath” and that was the state of this mob during this brutal beating.
As I was studying D&C 76, referred to as “The Vision”, I came across a very interesting phrase. But first, for those who do not know about this section of the D&C, it was a vision received by Joseph Smith & Sidney Rigdon regarding the resurrection. Joseph and Sidney were translating the Bible and they had read John 5:29, which says “And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” The prophet says this about the verse: “From sundry revelations which had been received, it was apparent that many important points touching the salvation of man had been taken from the Bible, or lost before it was compiled. It appeared self-evident from what truths were left, that if God rewarded every one according to the deeds done in the body, the term ‘Heaven,’ as intended for the Saints’ eternal home, must include more kingdoms than one.”
It was while they were pondering on this verse that they received the revelation found in the D&C. This revelation reveals that there are three degrees or kingdoms in the afterlife and one “kingdom” with no glory, known simply as “outer darkness” and those who will “reign” there are known as “sons of perdition”.
This is where it gets interesting. D&C 76:33, refers to these sons of perdition as “vessels of wrath”, a chilling term which makes me think of someone who is full of anger constantly. At the same time I was reading this section, I just happened to be reading about this time frame in the Prophet's life in Rough Stone Rolling.
“The Vision” was received on February 16, 1832 and Bushman states that “William Phelps immediately published ‘The Vision’ in the church newspaper in Missouri.” (Rough Stone Rolling, 200) It is this publication that, I think, ties together this revelation with some of the unfortunate aftermath.
On March 24, 1832, a month after “The Vision” had been received and published in the paper by Phelps, Joseph and Sidney are taken from their homes and beaten. Sidney was dragged by his heels and lay unconscious about 150 yards away from Joseph. Joseph was taken from his bed, stripped naked, administered poison (the attempt failed, but the mob broke the bottle of poison against Joseph’s teeth) and finally tarred and feathered him and left for dead.
The anger, or wrath, shown by this mob, some of whom were former members of the Church, is what strikes me as interesting. As I read the 33rd verse of section 76, “vessels of wrath”, this scene stood out to me. As the preverbal icing on the cake, one of the mobsters “fell on the naked Joseph, and ‘scratched my body with his nails like a mad cat’ muttering ‘God dam ye, that’s the way the Holy Ghost falls on folks.’” (Rough Stone Rolling, 179)
It might be a stretch to connect the publishing of “The Vision” by Phelps and the tarring and feathering episode since the paper was published in Missouri and Joseph and Sidney were living in Hiram, Ohio at the time, but because of the puzzling way that “The Vision” was received by some members of the church, and how this doctrine flies in the face of “fundamental Christianity©”, I can’t help but think that this revelation caused such a fervor that it boiled over and caused Joseph’s enemies to take these drastic actions.
Bushman, probably correctly, doesn’t make the connection between this beating and the publishing of “The Vision” by Phelphs, but rather blames the beating on some letters that were printed by anti-Mormon Ezra Booth. I personally think that even during that time frame, word of "The Vision" through either Phelps' publication or word of mouth, could have been an additional cause for the beating.
It’s not my position to judge these individuals, what their status will be after this life, but personally I think it interesting that those who not receive any glory are known as “vessels of wrath” and that was the state of this mob during this brutal beating.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
“…that such things should be done away”
When the Savior visited the Nephites in the New World, he taught them the Gospel as he had in the Old World. One thing that He taught the Nephites that isn’t explicitly taught in the Bible is the subject of contentions and disputations. After teaching the Nephites the true order of baptism, He then cautioned:
“And according as I have commanded you thus shall ye baptize. And there shall be no disputations among you, as there have hitherto been; neither shall there be disputations among you concerning the points of my doctrine, as there have hitherto been. For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.” (3 Nephi 11:28-30)
The Savior taught that contentions and disputations were of the devil and (obviously) not of Him and that not only should there be no contentions, but if such existed, they “should be done away” or put to an end. This is an interesting teaching, and a theme, coincidentally, that is prevalent in the Book of Mormon. Many of the Nephite leaders were already aware of this and practicing and teaching the concept as the examples below will show.
Lehi (588-570 BC)
The prophet Lehi, just before his death, spoke with each of his sons, giving advice, counsel and warnings. To his last-born son Joseph, Lehi taught him about the prophecies of his ancestor, Joseph who was sold into Egypt. Among the prophecies he taught, was this one about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon; “Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.” (2 Nephi 3:12)
Alma (148-145 BC)
Alma was at one time a wicked priest under King Noah, until he heard the prophet Abinadi teach the Gospel. Alma then fled the King’s rule and took some believers with him. Among the things he taught them, was to avoid contention; “And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.” (Mosiah 18:21)
Alma reinforced this teaching later during his ministry; Alma’s people wanted him to be a king among them. Alma, reminding the people of the iniquity of King Noah, and of their current liberated condition, stated that “I desire that ye should stand fast in this liberty wherewith ye have been made free, and that ye trust no man to be a king over you. And also trust no one to be your teacher nor your minister, except he be a man of God, walking in his ways and keeping his commandments. Thus did Alma teach his people, that every man should love his neighbor as himself, that there should be no contention among them.“ (Mosiah 23:15).
Alma the Younger & Korihor (74 BC)
Alma’s son, Alma, had a confrontation with an anti-Christ named Korihor. Korihor taught that that there was no God, no fall of man, no penalty for sin, and no Christ, and “lead away the hearts of many”. Korihor was finally brought before Alma and after some initial debate, Korihor demanded a sign to prove the existence of God and was struck dumb. The record then states “And it came to pass that they were all convinced of the wickedness of Korihor; therefore they were all converted again unto the Lord; and this put an end to the iniquity after the manner of Korihor.” (Alma 30:58)
Moroni (67 BC)
Moroni was a Nephite captain; during this time, a group of Nephites, who referred to themselves as king-men – because they wanted to be ruled by a king – refused to take up arms against the Lamanites who were coming down to battle. Moroni was “exceedingly wroth; his soul was filled with anger against them” and consequently (and legally) he established and sent a petition, which he had confirmed “by the voice of the people”, to the governor of the land, desiring that he (the governor) would give Moroni the “power to compel those dissenters to defend their country or to put them to death.” And here is the key verse: “For it was his first care to put an end to such contentions and dissensions among the people; for behold, this had been hitherto a cause of all their destruction. And it came to pass that it was granted according to the voice of the people.” Moroni and his army then went to battle with these king-men and more than 4,000 were slain, the leaders were put into prison (for there was no time for their trials at this period) and the remainder, “rather than be smitten down to the earth by the sword, yielded to the standard of liberty, and were compelled to hoist the title of liberty upon their towers, and in their cities, and to take up arms in defence of their country. And thus Moroni put an end to those king-men, that there were not any known by the appellation of king-men; and thus he put an end to the stubbornness and the pride of those people who professed the blood of nobility; but they were brought down to humble themselves like unto their brethren, and to fight valiantly for their freedom from bondage.” (Alma 51:21)
Nephi & Lehi (20-7 BC)
Nephi & Lehi were Nephite brothers who were given the names of their “first parents” so that “when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good.” During this time, there was peace in the land, “save it were a few contentions concerning the points of doctrine which had been laid down by the prophets. And in the seventy and ninth year there began to be much strife. But it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi, and many of their brethren who knew concerning the true points of doctrine, having many revelations daily, therefore they did preach unto the people, insomuch that they did put an end to their strife in that same year.” (Helaman 11:23)
Nephites (21-26 AD)
There were many signs in the New World of the coming of the Son of God into the world. And after these signs, many Nephites “they knew that it must be expedient that Christ had come.” The entire Nephite nation believe in the signs and “Therefore they did forsake all their sins, and their abominations, and their whoredoms, and did serve God with all diligence day and night.” Apart from personal righteousness, they also refused to tolerate any wickedness among them, and the robbers and prisoners who refused to repent were cast into prison and they “did cause the word of God to be preached unto them.” Those who would not enter into a covenant “and who did still continue to have those secret murders in their hearts” were punished according to their law. “And thus they did put an end to all those wicked, and secret, and abominable combinations, in the which there was so much wickedness, and so many murders committed.” (3 Nephi 5:6)
After the Savior visited the Nephites and taught the Gospel, the people dwelt in peace for more than 100 years. “And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people. And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God. There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God. And how blessed were they! For the Lord did bless them in all their doings; yea, even they were blessed and prospered until an hundred and ten years had passed away; and the first generation from Christ had passed away, and there was no contention in all the land.” (4 Nephi 1:15-18)
“And according as I have commanded you thus shall ye baptize. And there shall be no disputations among you, as there have hitherto been; neither shall there be disputations among you concerning the points of my doctrine, as there have hitherto been. For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.” (3 Nephi 11:28-30)
The Savior taught that contentions and disputations were of the devil and (obviously) not of Him and that not only should there be no contentions, but if such existed, they “should be done away” or put to an end. This is an interesting teaching, and a theme, coincidentally, that is prevalent in the Book of Mormon. Many of the Nephite leaders were already aware of this and practicing and teaching the concept as the examples below will show.
Lehi (588-570 BC)
The prophet Lehi, just before his death, spoke with each of his sons, giving advice, counsel and warnings. To his last-born son Joseph, Lehi taught him about the prophecies of his ancestor, Joseph who was sold into Egypt. Among the prophecies he taught, was this one about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon; “Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.” (2 Nephi 3:12)
Alma (148-145 BC)
Alma was at one time a wicked priest under King Noah, until he heard the prophet Abinadi teach the Gospel. Alma then fled the King’s rule and took some believers with him. Among the things he taught them, was to avoid contention; “And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.” (Mosiah 18:21)
Alma reinforced this teaching later during his ministry; Alma’s people wanted him to be a king among them. Alma, reminding the people of the iniquity of King Noah, and of their current liberated condition, stated that “I desire that ye should stand fast in this liberty wherewith ye have been made free, and that ye trust no man to be a king over you. And also trust no one to be your teacher nor your minister, except he be a man of God, walking in his ways and keeping his commandments. Thus did Alma teach his people, that every man should love his neighbor as himself, that there should be no contention among them.“ (Mosiah 23:15).
Alma the Younger & Korihor (74 BC)
Alma’s son, Alma, had a confrontation with an anti-Christ named Korihor. Korihor taught that that there was no God, no fall of man, no penalty for sin, and no Christ, and “lead away the hearts of many”. Korihor was finally brought before Alma and after some initial debate, Korihor demanded a sign to prove the existence of God and was struck dumb. The record then states “And it came to pass that they were all convinced of the wickedness of Korihor; therefore they were all converted again unto the Lord; and this put an end to the iniquity after the manner of Korihor.” (Alma 30:58)
Moroni (67 BC)
Moroni was a Nephite captain; during this time, a group of Nephites, who referred to themselves as king-men – because they wanted to be ruled by a king – refused to take up arms against the Lamanites who were coming down to battle. Moroni was “exceedingly wroth; his soul was filled with anger against them” and consequently (and legally) he established and sent a petition, which he had confirmed “by the voice of the people”, to the governor of the land, desiring that he (the governor) would give Moroni the “power to compel those dissenters to defend their country or to put them to death.” And here is the key verse: “For it was his first care to put an end to such contentions and dissensions among the people; for behold, this had been hitherto a cause of all their destruction. And it came to pass that it was granted according to the voice of the people.” Moroni and his army then went to battle with these king-men and more than 4,000 were slain, the leaders were put into prison (for there was no time for their trials at this period) and the remainder, “rather than be smitten down to the earth by the sword, yielded to the standard of liberty, and were compelled to hoist the title of liberty upon their towers, and in their cities, and to take up arms in defence of their country. And thus Moroni put an end to those king-men, that there were not any known by the appellation of king-men; and thus he put an end to the stubbornness and the pride of those people who professed the blood of nobility; but they were brought down to humble themselves like unto their brethren, and to fight valiantly for their freedom from bondage.” (Alma 51:21)
Nephi & Lehi (20-7 BC)
Nephi & Lehi were Nephite brothers who were given the names of their “first parents” so that “when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good.” During this time, there was peace in the land, “save it were a few contentions concerning the points of doctrine which had been laid down by the prophets. And in the seventy and ninth year there began to be much strife. But it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi, and many of their brethren who knew concerning the true points of doctrine, having many revelations daily, therefore they did preach unto the people, insomuch that they did put an end to their strife in that same year.” (Helaman 11:23)
Nephites (21-26 AD)
There were many signs in the New World of the coming of the Son of God into the world. And after these signs, many Nephites “they knew that it must be expedient that Christ had come.” The entire Nephite nation believe in the signs and “Therefore they did forsake all their sins, and their abominations, and their whoredoms, and did serve God with all diligence day and night.” Apart from personal righteousness, they also refused to tolerate any wickedness among them, and the robbers and prisoners who refused to repent were cast into prison and they “did cause the word of God to be preached unto them.” Those who would not enter into a covenant “and who did still continue to have those secret murders in their hearts” were punished according to their law. “And thus they did put an end to all those wicked, and secret, and abominable combinations, in the which there was so much wickedness, and so many murders committed.” (3 Nephi 5:6)
After the Savior visited the Nephites and taught the Gospel, the people dwelt in peace for more than 100 years. “And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people. And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God. There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God. And how blessed were they! For the Lord did bless them in all their doings; yea, even they were blessed and prospered until an hundred and ten years had passed away; and the first generation from Christ had passed away, and there was no contention in all the land.” (4 Nephi 1:15-18)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)