CHAPTER XXII.

1834-36.

A TIME OF PEACE BEGINS--BUILDING THE TEMPLE AT KIRTLAND--THE TWELVE APOSTLES CHOSEN--FIRST QUORUM OF SEVENTY ORGANIZED--JOSEPH TRANSLATES PEARL OF GREAT PRICE--WILLIAM SMITH'S SIN.

Much sorrow was felt by the Church because Zion's Camp was not permitted to help the Saints back to Jackson county, and thus redeem Zion--and yet no one was sorry that the brethren had gone to Missouri. It was soon seen that this journey was a trial for certain men before they were called to be Seventies and Twelve Apostles. Perhaps also on account of the willingness of so many and the sufferings they went through, the Lord blessed the Church for three years with much peace.

This was a time when mighty things were done. The Priesthood was more fully organized, the temple was dedicated and the Gospel began to spread more rapidly. Soon after the Prophet Joseph came to Kirtland he sent forth Elders and Priests and he himself went for a short time to Michigan. With Hyrum and others he set out by steamer on Lake Erie, and while on their way they had a laughable experience. One of the passengers named Elmer told them he knew Joe Smith very well, and he was glad now that he was dead. He said Joe Smith was a dark complexioned man, and he had heard him preach his lies in Bainbridge, New York, five years before. That man was a pretty bad liar himself. Joseph was not dead; he was light complexioned; he had not begun preaching five years before, and he had never been in Bainbridge.

During the fall and winter much work was done on the temple at Kirtland. The people were very poor, but they did their best, as the Saints have done in Utah--when they had no money to help on the Lord's work they gave their labor and their time. Joseph worked as foreman of the stone quarry, and Hyrum, Brigham, Heber, and others took up their humble toil with him.

Besides this work, High Council meetings were held very often, and the School of the Prophets was begun again. It was a busy time for Joseph, but he had this motto, and he made it a rule for his future life, "When the Lord commanded, do it." By obeying the Lord without delay he was able to do much more work than if he had put things off, just as you boys and girls can do more work by obeying your fathers and mothers at once.

One Sabbath afternoon in February, 1835, Brigham and Joseph Young came to the Prophet's house after meeting to sing for him. They had very sweet voices and he loved to hear their hymns. After they had sung, he told them that he had seen the glory of those men who had died of cholera in Zion's Camp and their reward was very great. They talked over the journey to Zion, and Joseph wept. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he said that the Twelve Apostles were to be chosen and Brigham should be one of them. He said also to Joseph Young, "The Lord has made you President of the Seventies."

That week the Prophet called a meeting of all who went with Zion's Camp, on the 14th of February. Fifty-six of these men and many other Saints came together. Joseph told them that the time had come when the Twelve Apostles should be chosen and if the Saints were willing, the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon would pick them out. In one of the early chapters you were told who these men are, but if you have forgotten, look them up and read their testimonies in the forepart of your Book of Mormon.

The Saints voted for them to do it. Each one prayed that God would pour down His Spirit upon them that they might know and do His will. Then they named these twelve men: Thomas B. Marsh, David W. Patten, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, William E. McLellin, Parley P. Pratt, Luke Johnson, William Smith, Orson Pratt, John F. Boynton and Lyman E. Johnson. This was not the order at the time, but the Prophet arranged them later according to age, the eldest being first. Now, you know, the Apostles stand in the quorum according to the time they were appointed and the president is the one who has been longest an Apostle.

The Church had been organized nearly five years now, but as you have seen in other matters the Lord was in no hurry to fill up all the offices at once. He in His wisdom chose the time. And yet the calling of the Apostles was no new thought with the Prophet. Even before the Church was organized it was revealed that there should be twelve like the Apostles that were with Jesus.

There was a greater need for the Twelve at this time than there had been before, because now the great missionary movement was beginning, and the work of the Apostles is to direct this. Besides there were now in the Church men who could be trusted with this office, and though six of the first twelve were not faithful, the other half remained true and held their positions when they died and will hold them throughout eternity.

On the last day of this same month of February, forty-five members of Zion's Camp were chosen as the beginning of the first quorum of Seventy. Among these were George A. Smith, Jedediah M. Grant, Joseph Young and Levi W. Hancock. Brother Smith became later an Apostle, Brother Grant a counselor to President Young, and the other two were presidents of the Seventy quorums throughout the Church.

The Seventies were called to go out and preach the Gospel under the direction of the Twelve Apostles, just as the Seventy in ancient times were sent out by Jesus. When this degree of the Priesthood was begun the organization of the Church was almost completed, and so when you say that the Church was organized April 6, 1830, remember that it was only partly organized then.

In the early days of May the Apostles started on their missions. They were absent half a year and not only preached but gave much attention to forming conferences. As time passed by they learned their duties and responsibilities. The Prophet Joseph said shortly after their return: "The Twelve are not subject to any other than the First Presidency, and where I am not there is no First Presidency over the Twelve." This is one of the most important doctrines in the Church; when Joseph died Sidney Rigdon was not the rightful leader; the Twelve Apostles stood at the head of the Church.

During the summer of 1835 a man came to Kirtland with four mummies and some rolls of Egyptian writing. These had been found in a great tomb way off in Egypt, and it seems almost by accident had been brought to the Prophet, and yet of course the Lord was guiding them. Joseph took the rolls of Egyptian paper and translated the writing better than any of the learned men who had tried before. The owner, Mr. Chandler, gave him a certificate that his translation agreed with theirs but was fuller. Some of the brethren bought the mummies, and Joseph by the aid of the Spirit of God translated the writing and it was later printed in the Pearl of Great Price.

Soon after the Twelve returned from their mission, a very sad thing happened. William Smith, Joseph's brother and one of the Apostles, grew angry at the Prophet over a small matter in a High Council meeting and disturbed the meeting and hurt Joseph's feelings by his unruly conduct. He repented but not very thoroughly, for two weeks later while Joseph was visiting at his house he again grew angry, and struck and injured him. On the 1st of January, 1836, a meeting was held by Joseph, Hyrum, William and their father and uncle. William's feelings were again softened and he asked Joseph's forgiveness and this Joseph gladly gave. The Prophet was always ready to go more than half way to gain peace and good feeling, and if we grow like him and like Jesus we must do the same.