Epistle of Twelve to the Saints-- On August 8, 1844, a special meeting of the Church of Jesus Christ was held in Nauvoo, Illinois to determine who would lead the Church following the death of Joseph Smith. On August 9th, The Twelve Apostles were sustained in their Presidency of the Church. This was the first Epistle issued by the Twelve following their being sustained. ...
You are now without a prophet present with you in the flesh to guide you; but you are not without Apostles, who hold the keys of power to seal on earth that which shall be sealed in heaven, and to preside over all the affairs of the church in all the world...
On the subject of the gathering, let it be distinctly understood that the city of Nauvoo and the Temple of our Lord are to continue to be built up according to the pattern which has been commenced, and which has progressed with such rapidity thus far.
The city must be built up and supported by the gathering of those who have capital, and are willing to lay it out for the erection of every branch of industry and manufacture, which is necessary for the employment and support of the poor, or of those who depend wholly on this labor...
let every member proceed immediately to tithe himself or herself, a tenth of all their property and money ... for the building of the Temple for the support of the priesthood ... and then let them continue to pay in a tenth of their income from that time forth... And let this law or ordinance be henceforth taught to all who present themselves for admission into this church...
The United States and adjoining provinces will be immediately organized by the Twelve into proper districts...
[Source: Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)]
Included in HC 7:250-52.
ReplyDelete" ... but you are not without Apostles, ..."
ReplyDeleteUnder ordinary circumstances the Q12 is the governing authority of the church. But the Q12 of 1844 had corrupted and polluted themselves out of their authority due to their secret abomination of polygamy, Sidney Rigdon being the only one NOT in that condition of apostasy. That is why the Lord chose him to reorganize the Church in Apr.1845, and where under that continuous authority William Bickerton, thru the foreknowledge of God, received ordination as an Elder and 70 shortly thereafter, and was called of heaven as an apostle thru a vision from the Lord in Mar-Apr.1852, ironically the same exact year (Aug.1852) that Brigham announced that the secret sin of polygamy would be practiced openly by his apostate followers. It took 10 full years for William Bickerton to preach the gospel and build up the Church sufficiently to where a new true and faithful quorum of 12 apostles could be ordained in July 1862.
William Bickerton's Mar-Apr.1852 vision-experience was very similar to that of the ancient Apostle Paul's vision-experience, as noted below:
ReplyDeletePaul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) [Gal.1:1].
For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! [1Cor.9:16]
Brigham Young was the "Judas-goat" who led the people to their ultimate destruction. William Bickerton was baptized in June 1845.
ReplyDelete