Doctrine and Covenants 101
Historical Context
After the attack on the Church printing press and the tarring and feathering of Edward Partridge and Charles Allen in July 1833, Church leaders in Missouri signed a tentative agreement to leave Jackson County. The leaders of the Church agreed to leave in two different phases: the first group was to leave in January 1834, and the second in April 1834. When Joseph Smith heard about the mobbing, he counseled the Saints “that not one foot of land purchased should be given to the enemies of God or sold to them.” Church leaders in Missouri sought legal recourse to gain back their rights and their property. They appealed to Daniel Dunklin, the governor of Missouri, for protection against their persecutors. The Missouri Saints also sought out legal representation to assist them as they worked to obtain justice in local courts. When mob members in Jackson County became aware that the Saints were seeking legal solutions to their problems, they became incensed and launched a new series of attacks on the Saints that began on October 31, 1833. In the midst of this conflict, Lieutenant Governor Lilburn Boggs called out the militia to disarm both sides in the fighting. However, Parley P. Pratt noted that “among this militia (so called,) were embodied the most conspicuous characters of the mob,” and only the Saints were forced to give up their weapons. With no choice but to surrender, the Saints began preparing to leave the county in the worsening conditions of the coming winter.
On November 25, 1833, Joseph Smith heard of the renewed mob attacks from Orson Hyde and John Gould, two elders who had been dispatched from Kirtland the previous August to see how to assist the Saints in Missouri. Upon hearing the sufferings of the Saints in Missouri, Church leaders in Kirtland were overwhelmed with sorrow. Lucy Mack Smith remembered that “upon hearing this [news], Joseph was overwhelmed with grief; he burst into tears, and sobbed aloud: ‘Oh my brethren! my brethren!’ he exclaimed[,] would that I had been with you to have shared your fate—Oh my God, what shall I do in such a trial as this.” Oliver Cowdery was also overwhelmed upon hearing the news. His wife, Elizabeth, was still in Missouri, and Oliver did not know if she was alive or dead. He penned an emotional letter to her, though he did not know her location, writing, “God only knows the feelings of my heart as I address a few lines to you. . . . My prayers ascend daily and hourly to God that you and I may be spared, and yet enjoy each other’s society in this life, in peace.”
In response to the plight of the Saints, the Prophet wrote an emotional letter to Edward Partridge and other Church leaders in Jackson County. He wrote, “I cannot learn from any communication by the spirit to me that Zion has forfeited her claim to a celestial crown notwithstanding the Lord has caused her to be thus afflicted.” He added, “Now there are two things of which I am ignorant and the Lord will not show me—perhaps for a wise purpose in himself. I mean in some respect, and they are these, Why God hath suffered so great calamity to come upon Zion; or what the great moving cause of this great affliction is, and again by what means he will return her back to her inheritance with songs of everlasting joy upon her head.”
A few days later, the revelation in section 101 came in response to the pleadings of Church leaders in Kirtland. We know little about the precise circumstances under which the revelation was given. Ira Ames, a Church member living in Kirtland at the time, later said that the revelation came to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery over the course of one night. According to Ames, Ames and Martin Harris came to Joseph’s home in Kirtland and found Joseph and Oliver eating breakfast. Oliver greeted the pair by saying, “Good morning Brethren, we have just received news from heaven.” Ames did not give the precise date that this encounter took place, but when the revelation was copied by John Whitmer into Revelation Book 1, Whitmer dated it as December 16–17, 1833. The revelation provides some firm answers regarding why the persecutions in Jackson County were taking place and what course of action the Saints in Kirtland should take.
See “Historical Introduction,” Revelation, 16–17 December 1833 [D&C 101].
Verse-by-Verse Commentary
D&C 101:1–8
1 Verily I say unto you, concerning your brethren who have been afflicted, and persecuted, and cast out from the land of their inheritance—
2 I, the Lord, have suffered the affliction to come upon them, wherewith they have been afflicted, in consequence of their transgressions;
3 Yet I will own them, and they shall be mine in that day when I shall come to make up my jewels.
4 Therefore, they must needs be chastened and tried, even as Abraham, who was commanded to offer up his only son.
5 For all those who will not endure chastening, but deny me, cannot be sanctified.
6 Behold, I say unto you, there were jarrings, and contentions, and envyings, and strifes, and lustful and covetous desires among them; therefore by these things they polluted their inheritances.
7 They were slow to hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; therefore, the Lord their God is slow to hearken unto their prayers, to answer them in the day of their trouble.
8 In the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel; but, in the day of their trouble, of necessity they feel after me.
Verses 1-8 of the revelation addresses the question that had been weighing on the hearts and minds of the Saints, and especially of the Prophet: “Why [hath] God . . . suffered so great calamity to come upon Zion?” The Lord provides two clear answers for this calamity. First, “they [the Saints in Missouri] have been afflicted, in consequence of their transgressions” (D&C 101:2). This statement speaks to the actions of the Saints collectively, not individually. There were many among the Saints in Zion who were striving with all their power to keep the commandments. But, as the Lord declares, there were also many who were guilty of “jarrings, and contentions, and envyings, and strifes, and lustful and covetous desires” (D&C 101:6). Documents from the years leading up to the expulsion of the Saints from Jackson County show that there were many disagreements among the Saints and their neighbors.
Second, the Lord declared that the Saints “must needs be chastened and tried, even as Abraham” (D&C 101:4). The test the Lord gave to Abraham—sacrificing Abraham’s beloved son, Isaac—is among the most heartbreaking stories in all of scripture. Abraham was not guilty of any great sins, but he was put through his ordeal as a trial of his faith. The Saints in Missouri were guilty of certain transgressions, but trials also came to test their patience and faith. In a letter written near the time section 101 was given, Church leaders declared, “The days of tribulation are fast approaching, and the time to test the fidelity of the Saints, has come.—Rumor with her ten thousand tongues is diffusing her uncertain sounds in almost every ear: but in these times of sore trial, let the saints be patient and see the salvation of God. Those who cannot endure persecution and stand in the day of affliction, cannot stand in the day when the Son of God shall burst the veil, and appear in all the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
D&C 101:9–15
9 Verily I say unto you, notwithstanding their sins, my bowels are filled with compassion towards them. I will not utterly cast them off; and in the day of wrath I will remember mercy.
10 I have sworn, and the decree hath gone forth by a former commandment which I have given unto you, that I would let fall the sword of mine indignation in behalf of my people; and even as I have said, it shall come to pass.
11 Mine indignation is soon to be poured out without measure upon all nations; and this will I do when the cup of their iniquity is full.
12 And in that day all who are found upon the watch-tower, or in other words, all mine Israel, shall be saved.
13 And they that have been scattered shall be gathered.
14 And all they who have mourned shall be comforted.
15 And all they who have given their lives for my name shall be crowned.
In speaking frankly to the Saints about their shortcomings, the Lord was not condoning the actions of the Jackson County mob. The mob members had acted illegally and cruelly in their expulsion of the Saints. In verse 11, the Lord promises to pour out his judgements upon the wicked once the measure of their iniquity is full. But in the meantime, the Savior offers comfort and consolation to the Saints in Zion who are struggling amid their sorrows.
Even while the Saints were making their way out of Jackson County, manifestations of the Lord’s mercy appeared among them. Philo Dibble, who was so badly wounded in a skirmish with a mob that a surgeon announced he had no chance of living, later wrote:
David Whitmer, however, sent me word that I should live and not die, but I could see no possible chance to recover. After the surgeon had left me, Brother Newel Knight came to see me, and sat down on the side of my bed. He laid his right hand on my head, but never spoke. I felt the Spirit resting upon me at the crown of my head before his hand touched me, and I knew immediately that I was going to be healed. It seemed to form like a ring under the skin, and followed down my body. When the ring came to the wound, another ring formed around the first bullet hole, also the second and third. Then a ring formed on each shoulder and on each hip, and followed down to the ends of my fingers and toes and left me. I immediately arose and discharged three quarts of blood or more, with some pieces of my clothes that had been driven into my body by the bullets.
I then dressed myself and went outdoors and saw the falling of the stars, which so encouraged the Saints and frightened their enemies. It was one of the grandest sights I ever beheld. From that time not a drop of blood came from me and I never afterwards felt the slightest pain or inconvenience from my wounds, except that I was somewhat weak from the loss of blood. The next day I walked around the field, and the day following I mounted a horse and rode eight miles, and went three miles on foot.
The “falling of stars” that Philo refers to was a meteor shower in November 1833 that the Saints witnessed in Kirtland and Missouri. Edward Partridge wrote to Joseph Smith about the celestial wonders, noting that from one to two o’clock on the morning of November 13 “there appeared an extraordinary phenomenon. The heavens were literally filled with meteors or shooting stars[,] as they are called.” Bishop Partridge’s daughter Eliza, who also witnessed the meteor shower, later recalled, “I saw the stars fall. They came down almost as thick as snowflakes and could be seen till the daylight hid them from sight. Some of our enemies thought the day of judgment had come and were very much frightened but the Saints rejoiced and considered it as one of the signs of the Latter days.” At least one Jackson County resident, Josiah Gregg, agreed with the Saints’ interpretation of the heavenly display. He later recalled that the meteor shower caused many of his neighbors “to wonder whether, after all, the Mormons might not be in the right; and whether this was not a sign sent from heaven as a remonstrance for the injustice they had been guilty of towards that chosen sect.”
D&C 101:16–21
16 Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God.
17 Zion shall not be moved out of her place, notwithstanding her children are scattered.
18 They that remain, and are pure in heart, shall return, and come to their inheritances, they and their children, with songs of everlasting joy, to build up the waste places of Zion—
19 And all these things that the prophets might be fulfilled.
20 And, behold, there is none other place appointed than that which I have appointed; neither shall there be any other place appointed than that which I have appointed, for the work of the gathering of my saints—
21 Until the day cometh when there is found no more room for them; and then I have other places which I will appoint unto them, and they shall be called stakes, for the curtains or the strength of Zion.
In this passage the Lord answers another question that had been weighing on the minds of the Saints: was Jackson County still the place for the City of Zion? The Lord declares unequivocally in verse 20 that “there is none other place appointed than that which I have appointed.” The city of Zion will still be built in the same location designated by the Lord, the present-day site of Independence, Missouri (D&C 57:1–3). In the Lord’s due time, the way will be opened for the city to be built. This does not mean that the city that is eventually built will follow precisely the plans laid down by the Saints in Joseph Smith’s time. The designs for the temples that were to be built in the city of Zion, for example, had no provisions for modern lighting or indoor plumbing, which were both unheard of in 1833. When the city is built, the Saints will take advantage of all the modern advances the Lord has blessed us with.
In the meantime, the question of building Zion is not one of geography but one of purity. The Lord has declared that “Zion is the pure in heart” (D&C 97:21). When the Saints are sufficiently pure and humble, the Lord will open the way for them to return to Jackson County and build the city of Zion. In the meantime, stakes of Zion will continue to rise in different places around the globe, serving as gathering places for the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
D&C 101:22–31
22 Behold, it is my will, that all they who call on my name, and worship me according to mine everlasting gospel, should gather together, and stand in holy places;
23 And prepare for the revelation which is to come, when the veil of the covering of my temple, in my tabernacle, which hideth the earth, shall be taken off, and all flesh shall see me together.
24 And every corruptible thing, both of man, or of the beasts of the field, or of the fowls of the heavens, or of the fish of the sea, that dwells upon all the face of the earth, shall be consumed;
25 And also that of element shall melt with fervent heat; and all things shall become new, that my knowledge and glory may dwell upon all the earth.
26 And in that day the enmity of man, and the enmity of beasts, yea, the enmity of all flesh, shall cease from before my face.
27 And in that day whatsoever any man shall ask, it shall be given unto him.
28 And in that day Satan shall not have power to tempt any man.
29 And there shall be no sorrow because there is no death.
30 In that day an infant shall not die until he is old; and his life shall be as the age of a tree;
31 And when he dies he shall not sleep, that is to say in the earth, but shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and shall be caught up, and his rest shall be glorious.
Doctrine and Covenants 101:22–42 contains some of the most detailed descriptions in scripture of the nature of life during the Millennium. The veil will be rent. The Lord will remove the condition that prevents us from perceiving the larger universe that God reigns over, and all people will see their place in the larger works of God. Because the veil separating the living and the deceased will be taken away, it is likely that God will accelerate temple work during the Millennium. Brigham Young taught that during the Millennium the Saints “will have revelations to know our forefathers clear back to Father Adam and Mother Eve, and we will enter into the temples of God and officiate for them. Then [children] will be sealed to [parents] until the chain is made perfect back to Adam, so that there will be a perfect chain of Priesthood from Adam to the winding-up scene.”
During this time the earth will “be renewed and received her paradisiacal glory” (Article of Faith 10). All corruptible things, meaning those things of a telestial order, will be consumed, and the earth will once again achieve a terrestrial status. At the end of the Millennium the earth will die and be resurrected as a celestial world, the eternal home of the righteous (D&C 88:25–26). Most notably, death will cease to exist. Mortal men and women will still live on the earth during the Millennium, but when they reach a certain age, they will be changed from mortality to immortality in an instant. This age is given generally in verse 30 “as the age of a tree,” which Isaiah identified as one hundred years (Isaiah 65:20). Most importantly, Satan, having been bound by the angel of God, will lose his power to tempt man (Revelation 20:1–2). He will be kept in check by the righteousness of the people (1 Nephi 22:26).
D&C 101:32–36
32 Yea, verily I say unto you, in that day when the Lord shall come, he shall reveal all things—
33 Things which have passed, and hidden things which no man knew, things of the earth, by which it was made, and the purpose and the end thereof—
34 Things most precious, things that are above, and things that are beneath, things that are in the earth, and upon the earth, and in heaven.
35 And all they who suffer persecution for my name, and endure in faith, though they are called to lay down their lives for my sake yet shall they partake of all this glory.
36 Wherefore, fear not even unto death; for in this world your joy is not full, but in me your joy is full.
Another great blessing of living in the Millennium will be the abundance of knowledge made available during this time. The prophet Habakkuk declared that “the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14). All people will fully comprehend the complexity of their origins and their place in the great creation of God. Many of the questions asked by men and women since the dawn of time—questions about dinosaurs, ancient civilizations, the origins of the universe, and the worlds beyond our own—will find answers at last. Even questions we now lack the knowledge to ask, questions about “hidden things which no man knew,” will be answered (D&C 101:33).
There is no conflict between being curious and being a believer. The Lord delights in answering our questions. But He provides answers in His own time and for His own purposes. The universe is a wondrous place, and men and women are endowed with minds that are designed to seek answers. The Millennium will be a time when earnest seekers of truth will find themselves dining at a table overflowing with answers to the deep and mysterious things of the universe.
D&C 101:37–42
37 Therefore, care not for the body, neither the life of the body; but care for the soul, and for the life of the soul.
38 And seek the face of the Lord always, that in patience ye may possess your souls, and ye shall have eternal life.
39 When men are called unto mine everlasting gospel, and covenant with an everlasting covenant, they are accounted as the salt of the earth and the savor of men;
40 They are called to be the savor of men; therefore, if that salt of the earth lose its savor, behold, it is thenceforth good for nothing only to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.
41 Behold, here is wisdom concerning the children of Zion, even many, but not all; they were found transgressors, therefore they must needs be chastened—
42 He that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that abaseth himself shall be exalted.
The Savior hearkens back to the Sermon on the Mount and His sermon at the temple as He explains the role of the Saints in the world by comparing them to salt. Salt cannot lose its savor with age, only through mixing or contaminating it with another substance. In the time of the New Testament, if salt lost its usefulness for seasoning or preserving food, it was thrown out in streets and trodden under the foot of men. Just like salt, we need to keep ourselves clean from the impurities of sin. The Lord in verse 41 declares that “many, but not all” of the Saints in Zion were guilty of transgression.
Unfortunately, at times the sins of others also affect those who have committed no transgression. Recognizing the plight of the faithful, Joseph Smith wrote to the Saints in Missouri:
When I contemplate upon all things that have been manifested, I am sensible that I ought not to murmur and do not murmur only in this, that those who are innocent are compelled to suffer for the iniquities of the guilty; and I cannot account for this, only on this wise, that the saying of the Savior has not been strictly observed: If thy right eye offend thee pluck it out. and cast it from thee or if thy right arm offend thee pluck it of[f] and cast it from thee. Now the fact is, if any of the members of our body are disordered, the rest of our body will be affected with them and then all is brought into bondage together. And yet notwithstanding all this, it is with difficulty that I can restrain my feelings; when I know that you my brethren with whom I have had so many happy hours, sitting as it were in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. and also having the witness which I feel, and even have felt, of the purity of your motives—are cast out, and are as strangers and pilgrims on the earth, exposed to hunger, cold, nakedness peril, sword &c I say when I contemplate this, it is with difficulty that I can keep from complaining and murmurings against this dispensation; but I am sensible that this is not right, and may God grant that notwithstanding your great afflictions and sufferings there may not anything separate us from the Love of Christ.
D&C 101:43–54
43 And now, I will show unto you a parable, that you may know my will concerning the redemption of Zion.
44 A certain nobleman had a spot of land, very choice; and he said unto his servants: Go ye unto my vineyard, even upon this very choice piece of land, and plant twelve olive trees;
45 And set watchmen round about them, and build a tower, that one may overlook the land round about, to be a watchman upon the tower, that mine olive trees may not be broken down when the enemy shall come to spoil and take upon themselves the fruit of my vineyard.
46 Now, the servants of the nobleman went and did as their lord commanded them, and planted the olive trees, and built a hedge round about, and set watchmen, and began to build a tower.
47 And while they were yet laying the foundation thereof, they began to say among themselves: And what need hath my lord of this tower?
48 And consulted for a long time, saying among themselves: What need hath my lord of this tower, seeing this is a time of peace?
49 Might not this money be given to the exchangers? For there is no need of these things.
50 And while they were at variance one with another they became very slothful, and they hearkened not unto the commandments of their lord.
51 And the enemy came by night, and broke down the hedge; and the servants of the nobleman arose and were affrighted, and fled; and the enemy destroyed their works, and broke down the olive trees.
52 Now, behold, the nobleman, the lord of the vineyard, called upon his servants, and said unto them, Why! what is the cause of this great evil?
53 Ought ye not to have done even as I commanded you, and—after ye had planted the vineyard, and built the hedge round about, and set watchmen upon the walls thereof—built the tower also, and set a watchman upon the tower, and watched for my vineyard, and not have fallen asleep, lest the enemy should come upon you?
54 And behold, the watchman upon the tower would have seen the enemy while he was yet afar off; and then ye could have made ready and kept the enemy from breaking down the hedge thereof, and saved my vineyard from the hands of the destroyer.
During his earthly ministry the Savior often spoke in parables. Parables can have multiple interpretations, but in this instance at least one interpretation of the story in verses 43–54 seems clear. The choice spot of land mentioned in verse 44 is the location for the city of Zion, and the nobleman is the Lord Himself. Twelve is a number often associated with the house of Israel and the Church, and the twelve olive trees represent the Saints in Jackson County. Later in the parable, the watchmen (the leaders of the Church in Missouri) failed to build the tower (the temple) as they were commanded. As a consequence, the enemy was able to ransack the orchard.
Beyond laying the foundation stones to mark the site, the Saints in Missouri did little to promote the work of building the temple. This neglect might be justifiable, given that many of the Saints were emigrants with families and farms to look after. However, the parable identifies a deeper problem among the Saints in Missouri. In the parable the servants of the nobleman began to question the need for having a tower in the first place; they suggest that the resources for the tower could be used for more worldly things (D&C 101:46–50). This detail from the parable suggests that even if the Saints had possessed the time and resources to construct the temple, they would still have neglected to carry out the work. Because they wavered in their desire to even begin work on the temple, the Saints failed to gain the spiritual foresight that might have prevented their enemies from destroying their work. Likewise, in our own lives, if we place spiritual things first, we will find more joy and success in all areas of life.
D&C 101:55–62
55 And the lord of the vineyard said unto one of his servants: Go and gather together the residue of my servants, and take all the strength of mine house, which are my warriors, my young men, and they that are of middle age also among all my servants, who are the strength of mine house, save those only whom I have appointed to tarry;
56 And go ye straightway unto the land of my vineyard, and redeem my vineyard; for it is mine; I have bought it with money.
57 Therefore, get ye straightway unto my land; break down the walls of mine enemies; throw down their tower, and scatter their watchmen.
58 And inasmuch as they gather together against you, avenge me of mine enemies, that by and by I may come with the residue of mine house and possess the land.
59 And the servant said unto his lord: When shall these things be?
60 And he said unto his servant: When I will; go ye straightway, and do all things whatsoever I have commanded you;
61 And this shall be my seal and blessing upon you—a faithful and wise steward in the midst of mine house, a ruler in my kingdom.
62 And his servant went straightway, and did all things whatsoever his lord commanded him; and after many days all things were fulfilled.
The second part of the parable (D&C 101:55–62) hints at a commandment that was not given until several months later. After consulting with leaders who had just arrived from Missouri in February 1834, Joseph Smith received a revelation instructing him to lead a relief mission to the Saints in Zion (D&C 103). Gathering together a small but dedicated group of men and women, Joseph Smith marched to Missouri a few months later. The expedition, known as “Zion’s Camp,” ultimately failed to return the Saints to their homes in Jackson County, but it served as a rich training ground for future Church leaders, including Brigham Young, Wilford Woodruff, Parley P. Pratt, and others.
It is interesting that when the concept of a march to Zion is brought up in these verses, the servant’s first response is to ask, “When will these things be?” The Lord provides an ambiguous answer, only saying, “When I will; go ye straightway and do all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (D&C 101:59). The road to redeeming Zion was going to be much longer and more complex than any of the Saints in 1833 could have imagined.
D&C 101:63–75
63 Again, verily I say unto you, I will show unto you wisdom in me concerning all the churches, inasmuch as they are willing to be guided in a right and proper way for their salvation—
64 That the work of the gathering together of my saints may continue, that I may build them up unto my name upon holy places; for the time of harvest is come, and my word must needs be fulfilled.
65 Therefore, I must gather together my people, according to the parable of the wheat and the tares, that the wheat may be secured in the garners to possess eternal life, and be crowned with celestial glory, when I shall come in the kingdom of my Father to reward every man according as his work shall be;
66 While the tares shall be bound in bundles, and their bands made strong, that they may be burned with unquenchable fire.
67 Therefore, a commandment I give unto all the churches, that they shall continue to gather together unto the places which I have appointed.
68 Nevertheless, as I have said unto you in a former commandment, let not your gathering be in haste, nor by flight; but let all things be prepared before you.
69 And in order that all things be prepared before you, observe the commandment which I have given concerning these things—
70 Which saith, or teacheth, to purchase all the lands with money, which can be purchased for money, in the region round about the land which I have appointed to be the land of Zion, for the beginning of the gathering of my saints;
71 All the land which can be purchased in Jackson county, and the counties round about, and leave the residue in mine hand.
72 Now, verily I say unto you, let all the churches gather together all their moneys; let these things be done in their time, but not in haste; and observe to have all things prepared before you.
73 And let honorable men be appointed, even wise men, and send them to purchase these lands.
74 And the churches in the eastern countries, when they are built up, if they will hearken unto this counsel they may buy lands and gather together upon them; and in this way they may establish Zion.
75 There is even now already in store sufficient, yea, even an abundance, to redeem Zion, and establish her waste places, no more to be thrown down, were the churches, who call themselves after my name, willing to hearken to my voice.
One of the reasons that the mob leaders in Jackson County openly cited for persecuting the Saints was that “since the arrival of the first of them [the Saints] they have been daily increasing in numbers.” The calamities and persecutions that fell upon the Saints in Zion might have caused an impulse in the Church to cease the practice of gathering to one place. But in Doctrine and Covenants 101:63-74 the Lord emphasizes the importance of continuing the gathering to “build them [the Saints] up unto my name upon holy places” and to prepare them for the time of harvesting, a likely reference to the Second Coming (D&C 101:64). The Lord also asks the Saints to purchase land in Zion with money and to not respond to persecution with violence. This counsel echoes the earlier counsel He gave to the Saints to obtain the land for Zion peacefully (D&C 63:27–31). In a revelation given a few months later to the Saints in Zion’s Camp, the Lord reiterates the need to obtain the land through peaceful means (D&C 105:29).
While the Lord continued to command the Saints to gather to Zion, he also urged them to not gather in haste; the Saints were to ensure that they had enough money to provide for themselves before moving (D&C 101:72). Failure to follow this commandment led to an overflow of Saints gathering to Kirtland without the resources to establish themselves. In an attempt to help, Church leaders established the Kirtland Safety Society, a bank which later collapsed. The fall of the Kirtland Safety Society led to a major apostasy in Kirtland, and Kirtland eventually ceased to be a meaningful church center.
D&C 101:76–80
76 And again I say unto you, those who have been scattered by their enemies, it is my will that they should continue to importune for redress, and redemption, by the hands of those who are placed as rulers and are in authority over you—
77 According to the laws and constitution of the people, which I have suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles;
78 That every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment.
79 Therefore, it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another.
80 And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood.
Throughout their trials in Missouri and elsewhere the Saints sought peaceful redress of their wrongs through legal means. The Lord in verse 80 explains that the Constitution of the United States was created by wise men whom the Lord had “raised up unto this very purpose.” Joseph Smith at one point proclaimed, “I am the greatest advocate of the Constitution of [the] U.S. [that] there is on the earth.” The Prophet also saw a need for the US Constitution to be amended and enforced justly. In a discourse given to the Council of Fifty on April 11, 1844, Joseph Smith taught, “There is only two or three things lacking in the constitution of the United States. If they had said all men [are] born equal, and not only that but they shall have their rights, they shall be free, or the armies of the government should be compelled to enforce those principles of liberty. . . . And when a Governor or president will not protect his subjects he ought to be put away from his office.” This was, in part, why Joseph Smith was running for president in 1844, to ensure the rights of the Constitution extended to all peoples.
The Lord’s statement that “it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another” powerfully refutes slavery and racism (D&C 101:79). President Dallin H. Oaks used this passage to disaffirm those who would use the scriptures to justify racism and discrimination. He taught:
Some religious people have sought to justify practices of racism by references to the Bible, as I will discuss later. Nevertheless, the proper understanding of scriptures—ancient and modern—and recent prophetic statements help us to see that racism, as defined, is not consistent with the revealed word of God. We know that God created all mortals and we are all children of God. Moreover, God created us with the differences that identify races. Therefore, any personal attitudes or official practices of racism involve one group whom God created exercising authority or advantage over another group God created, both groups having God-given qualities they cannot change. So understood, neither group should think or behave as if God created them as first-class children and others as second-class children. Yet that is how racism affects thinking and practices toward others. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ must remember that all such attitudes and official practices were outlawed for us by the Lord’s 1833 revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith that “it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another” (D&C 101:79).
D&C 101:81–101
81 Now, unto what shall I liken the children of Zion? I will liken them unto the parable of the woman and the unjust judge, for men ought always to pray and not to faint, which saith—
82 There was in a city a judge which feared not God, neither regarded man.
83 And there was a widow in that city, and she came unto him, saying: Avenge me of mine adversary.
84 And he would not for a while, but afterward he said within himself: Though I fear not God, nor regard man, yet because this widow troubleth me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
85 Thus will I liken the children of Zion.
86 Let them importune at the feet of the judge;
87 And if he heed them not, let them importune at the feet of the governor;
88 And if the governor heed them not, let them importune at the feet of the president;
89 And if the president heed them not, then will the Lord arise and come forth out of his hiding place, and in his fury vex the nation;
90 And in his hot displeasure, and in his fierce anger, in his time, will cut off those wicked, unfaithful, and unjust stewards, and appoint them their portion among hypocrites, and unbelievers;
91 Even in outer darkness, where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.
92 Pray ye, therefore, that their ears may be opened unto your cries, that I may be merciful unto them, that these things may not come upon them.
93 What I have said unto you must needs be, that all men may be left without excuse;
94 That wise men and rulers may hear and know that which they have never considered;
95 That I may proceed to bring to pass my act, my strange act, and perform my work, my strange work, that men may discern between the righteous and the wicked, saith your God.
96 And again, I say unto you, it is contrary to my commandment and my will that my servant Sidney Gilbert should sell my storehouse, which I have appointed unto my people, into the hands of mine enemies.
97 Let not that which I have appointed be polluted by mine enemies, by the consent of those who call themselves after my name;
98 For this is a very sore and grievous sin against me, and against my people, in consequence of those things which I have decreed and which are soon to befall the nations.
99 Therefore, it is my will that my people should claim, and hold claim upon that which I have appointed unto them, though they should not be permitted to dwell thereon.
100 Nevertheless, I do not say they shall not dwell thereon; for inasmuch as they bring forth fruit and works meet for my kingdom they shall dwell thereon.
101 They shall build, and another shall not inherit it; they shall plant vineyards, and they shall eat the fruit thereof. Even so. Amen.
Doctrine and Covenants 101:81–101 of the revelation the Lord references the parable of the woman and the unjust judge, found in Luke 18:1–8. The parable can be interpreted in different ways, but the parable’s central message seems to be to continue enduring when engaged in a just cause. Like the unjust judge, the unjust officials in Missouri refused for a long time to help the Saints. However, it was still important to seek redress and reparations through legal means rather than through force and violence. Joseph Smith wrote to the Saints in Missouri:
Therefore this is my counsel[:] that you retain your land; even unto the uttermost, and seek every lawful means to seek redress of your enemies, &c, &c, and pray to God, day and night, to return you in peace and in safety to the Lands of your inheritance; and when the Judge fails you, appeal unto the executive; and when the executive fails you[,] appeal unto the President; and when the President fails you, and all laws fail you, and the humanity of the people fails you, and all things else fail you but God alone, and you continue to weary him with your importunings, as the poor woman did the unjust Judge, he will not fail to execute Judgment upon your enemies, and to avenge his own elect that cry unto him day and night.
The Lord also makes an ominous promise to “vex the nation” if the leaders of the federal and state governments refuse to help the Saints (D&C 101:89). The hint of coming judgement upon the United States, later stated even more directly in Doctrine and Covenants 105:15, is a dark thread in the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants. Eventually, judgment in the form of the American Civil War did come upon the land because of its callous disregard for human rights.
Footnotes
