Chapter XXVII

DOCTRINAL DEVELOPMENT AT NAUVOO--THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE RESURRECTION.

IT should be remembered that the preaching of Alexander Campbell, the founder of the "Church of the Disciples," or "Christians," had a widespread influence in the western States of the Union, including Illinois. Among other things taught by him in his public ministry was that the baptism of John was not identical with Christian baptism, and that the Kingdom of God was not set up in the earth until after the Son of God was glorified and the day of Pentecost was come. It was perhaps because of the very extended acceptance of these views throughout the West which led the Prophet to make the following comprehensive remarks about the baptism of John and the Kingdom of God.

OF JOHN'S BAPTISM.

Some say the Kingdom of God was not set up until the day of
Pentecost, and that John did not preach the baptism of repentance
for the remission of sins; but I say, in the name of the Lord, that
the Kingdom of God was set up on the earth from the days of Adam
to the present time. * * * As touching the Gospel and baptism that
John preached, I would say that John came preaching the Gospel
for the remission of sins; he had his authority from God, and the
oracles of God were with him, and the Kingdom of God for a season
seemed to rest with John alone. * * * John was a priest after the
order of Aaron and had the keys of that Priesthood, and came forth
preaching repentance and baptism for the remission of sins, but at
the same time cries out, "There cometh one after me more mighty
than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose;" and
Christ came according to the words of John, and he was greater than
John, because He held the keys of the Melchisedek Priesthood and
Kingdom of God, and had before revealed the Priesthood to Moses;
yet Christ was baptized by John to fulfill all righteousness. *
* * [John] preached the same Gospel and baptism that Jesus and
the Apostles preached after him. The endowment was to prepare the
disciples for their mission unto the world.

OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

Whenever there has been a righteous man on earth unto whom God
revealed His word and gave power and authority to administer in
His name, and where there is a priest of God--a minister who has
power and authority from God to administer in the ordinances of the
Gospel and officiate in the Priesthood of God--there is the Kingdom
of God; and in consequence of rejecting the Gospel of Jesus Christ
and the Prophets whom God had sent, the judgments of God have
rested upon peoples, cities and nations, in various ages of the
world, which was the case with the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah,
which were destroyed for rejecting the Prophets. * * * Whenever men
can find out the will of God, and find an administrator legally
authorized from God, there is the Kingdom of God; but where these
are not, the Kingdom of God is not. All the ordinances, systems
and administrations on the earth are of no use to the children of
men, unless they are ordained and authorized of God; for nothing
will save a man but a legal administration; for none other will be
acknowledged either by God or angels. * * *

* * * Some say the Kingdom of God was not set up until the day of
Pentecost, and that John did not preach the baptism of repentance
for the remission of sins; but I say, in the name of the Lord, that
the Kingdom of God was set up on the earth from the days of Adam
to the present time. * * * Now I will give my testimony. I care
not for man. I speak boldly and faithfully, and with authority.
How is it with the Kingdom of God? Where did the Kingdom of God
begin? Where there is no Kingdom of God, there is no salvation.
What constitutes the Kingdom of God? Where there is a Prophet, a
Priest, or a righteous man unto whom God gives His oracles, there
is the Kingdom of God; and where the oracles of God are not, there
the Kingdom of God is not. In these remarks I have no allusion
to the kingdoms of the earth. We will keep the laws of the land;
we do not speak against them; we never have, and we can hardly
make mention of the State of Missouri, of our persecutions there,
etc., but what the cry goes forth that we are guilty of larceny,
burglary, arson, treason, murder, etc., etc., which is false. We
speak of the Kingdom of God on the earth, not the kingdoms of men.
* * * But, says one, the Kingdom of God could not be set up in the
days of John, for John said the Kingdom was at hand. But I would
ask if it could be any nearer to them than to be in the hands of
John? The people need not wait for the day of Pentecost to find the
Kingdom of God, for John had it with him, and he came forth from
the wilderness, crying out "Repent ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is
nigh at hand," as much as to say, "Out here I have got the Kingdom
of God, and I am coming after you; and if you don't receive it, you
will be damned," and the Scriptures represent that all Jerusalem
went out unto John's baptism. There was a legal administrator, and
those that were baptized were subjects for a king; and also the
laws and oracles of God were there, therefore the Kingdom of God
was there, for no man could have better authority to administer
than John, and our Savior submitted to that authority Himself by
being baptized by John, therefore the Kingdom of God was set up on
the earth even in the days of John.

* * * Again, he says, "Except ye are born of the water and of the
Spirit, ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of God; and though the
heavens and earth should pass away, my words should not pass away."
If a man is born of water and of the Spirit, he can get into the
Kingdom of God. It is evident the Kingdom of God was on earth, and
John prepared subjects for the Kingdom, by preaching to them and
baptizing them, and he prepared the way before the Savior, or came
as a forerunner, and prepared subjects for the preaching of Christ,
and Christ preached through Jerusalem on the same ground where John
had preached, and when the Apostles were raised up, they worked
in Jerusalem and Jesus commanded them to tarry there until they
were endowed with power from on high. Had they not work to do in
Jerusalem? They did work and prepared a people for the Pentecost.
The Kingdom of God was with them before the day of Pentecost, as
well as afterwards.

It is evident from all this that, speaking broadly, with the Prophet the Kingdom of God was the government of God on earth and in heaven--whether that government was manifested through the authority of a single individual or a complete system of ecclesiastical or national government. This is, however, speaking broadly, not to say loosely; and in the same manner that the subject is spoken of in holy scripture where the phrases _Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven, the Church of Christ, Church of God, the Church_, etc., are often used interchangeably and indiscriminately to represent in a general way that divine institution which God in whole or in part from time to time establishes to help man in the matter of his salvation. But it is proper for the reader to know that Joseph Smith when speaking strictly recognized a distinction between "The Church of Jesus Christ" and the "Kingdom of God." And not only a distinction but a separation of one from the other. The Kingdom of God according to his teaching is to be a political institution that shall hold sway over all the earth; to which all other governments will be subordinate and by which they will be dominated. Of this Kingdom Christ is the King; for He is to reign "King of Kings" as well as "Lord of Lords." While all governments are to be in subjection to the Kingdom of God, it does not follow that all its members will be of one religious faith. The Kingdom of God is not necessarily made up exclusively of members of the Church of Christ. In fact the Prophet taught that men not members of The Church could be, not only members of that Kingdom, but also officers within it. It is to grant the widest religious toleration, though exacting homage and loyalty to its great Head, to its institutions, and obedience to its laws.

On the other hand the Church of Christ is purely an ecclesiastical organization, comprising within its membership only those who have embraced the Gospel of Jesus Christ; who inwardly have accepted its principles in their faith, and outwardly have received the rites and ceremonies it prescribes. Of this Church Jesus Christ is the Head, since He is to be "Lord of Lords" as well as "King of Kings." The Church is peculiarly Christ's. It bears His name. It is composed of members who, while not behind others in doing Him homage, as the head of the Kingdom of God, accept Him as more than the King of Kings--they accept Him as Lord--as Lord of Lords, as Redeemer--Savior--God. But the Church of Christ, precious as it is; beloved by its great Head; in the harmony of its truth, perfect; in the beauty of its holiness, passing all praise; in its power of salvation, absolute--yet the Church of Christ will doubtless stand under the protecting aegis of the Kingdom of God in common with other systems of religion, enjoying only such rights as will be common to all. And while the Church of Christ will enjoy to the full her privileges, promulgate her faith without let or hindrance, make known the truth she holds and her saving grace and power, and manage her own affairs--yet she will not usurp the prerogative of the Kingdom of God, nor interfere with those outside the pale of her jurisdiction--outside of her membership. Such, in substance, was the teaching of the Prophet on this subject. Not publicly, or at least not very publicly; but he taught the foregoing in the counsels of the Priesthood as many testify, and effected an organization as a nucleus of the Kingdom above referred to of which some who were not in The Church were members.

It will be understood, then, that what I have quoted from the Prophet's discourses on the subject of the Kingdom of God is spoken broadly; in a sense which recognizes the Kingdom of God simply as the government of God on earth or in heaven; and whether represented by a single individual holding divine authority, or a regular system of government; and which, loosely, may be and is applied to the Church of Christ, or some part thereof.

THE GLORIOUS COMING OF THE SON OF GOD.

It was this year, 1843, that the speculations of William Miller fixed upon for the glorious coming of the Son of God, to reign with His Saints on the earth for a thousand years. Though Mr. Miller was but a religious enthusiast, yet his teachings and his deductions from the prophecies of Daniel and John the Revelator created no little stir throughout the United States, and many thousands of people were looking for the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ, expecting the resurrection of the dead to begin, and the promised reign of righteousness to follow. The agitation concerning this great event naturally led to many inquiries being submitted to the Prophet concerning it, and he did not hesitate to boldly cross the statements of Mr. Miller on the subject, and contradict his deductions based upon the predictions of the prophets. Joseph Smith stood at the head of the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times, and he knew too well the then present status of the work of God to be deceived into believing that the time for the coming of the Son of God had arrived. The great preliminary work which is to precede that great event had not been accomplished, and until that work was done the Prophet knew that Jesus would not come in the clouds of heaven in power and great glory. It was reported in the Chicago _Express_ that one Hyrum Redding had actually seen the promised sign of the coming of the Son of Man, concerning which Joseph in a communication to the _Times and Seasons_ said:

Mr. Redding may have seen a wonderful appearance in the clouds
one morning about sunrise, (which is nothing very uncommon in the
winter season,) he has not seen the sign of the Son of Man, as
foretold by Jesus; neither has any man, nor will any man, until
after the sun has been darkened and the moon bathed in blood;
for the Lord hath not shown me any such sign; and as the prophet
saith, so it must be: "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He
revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets." (See Amos,
III, 7.) Therefore hear this, O earth. The Lord will not come
to reign over the righteous, in this world, in 1843, nor until
everything for the Bridegroom is ready.

Referring again to the subject, some time later, he said, in a public discourse--

I was once praying very earnestly to know the time of the coming of
the Son of Man, when I heard a voice repeat the following: "Joseph,
my son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years old, thou
shalt see the face of the Son of Man; therefore let this suffice,
and trouble me no more on this matter." I was left thus without
being able to decide whether this coming referred to the beginning
of the millennium or to some previous appearing, or whether I should
die and thus see His face. I believe that the coming of the Son of
Man will not be any sooner than that time.

On still another occasion the Prophet said:

Were I going to prophesy I would say the end will not come in 1844,
5 or 6, or in forty years. There are those of the rising generation
who shall not taste death until Christ comes. I was once praying
earnestly upon this subject, and a voice said unto me, "My son, if
thou livest until thou art eighty-five years of age, thou shalt see
the face of the Son of Man." I was left to draw my own conclusion
concerning this: and I took the liberty to conclude that if I did
live to that time, He would make His appearance. But I do not say
whether He will make His appearance or I shall go where He is.
I prophesy in the name of the Lord God, and let it be written,
The Son of Man will not come in the clouds of heaven till I am
eighty-five years old. [He] then read the fourteenth chapter of
Revelations, 6th and 7th verses: "And I saw another angel fly in
the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto
them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred,
and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God and
give glory to him for the hour of his judgment is come." And Hosea
6th chapter, after two days, etc.,--2,520 years; which brings it
to 1890. The coming of the Son of Man never will be--never can be
till the judgments spoken of for this hour are poured out; which
judgments are commenced. Paul says: "Ye are children of the light
and not of the darkness, that that day should overtake you as
a thief in the night." It is not the design of the Almighty to
come upon the earth and crush it, and grind it to powder, but He
will reveal it to His servants the prophets. Judah must return,
Jerusalem must be rebuilt, and the Temple, and water come out from
under the Temple, and the waters of the Dead Sea be healed. It
will take some time to build the walls of the city and the Temple,
etc., and all this must be done before the Son of Man will make His
appearance. There will be wars and rumors of wars, signs in the
heaven above and on the earth beneath, the sun turned into darkness
and the moon to blood, earthquakes in divers places, the seas
heaving beyond their bounds; there will appear one grand sign of
the Son of Man in Heaven. But what will the world do? They will say
it is a comet, a planet, etc. But the Son of Man will come as the
sign of the coming of the Son of Man which will be as the light of
the morning cometh [coming] out of the east.

I would again remind the reader that these reports of remarks and discourses of the Prophet's are imperfect, having been written in long-hand, and in part from memory and therefore really are only synopses of what was said. I call attention to this at this point because the imperfections in construction of the above are very apparent, so also the fact that the report in this case is very much abbreviated. Still the substance--the great facts concerning the work to precede the coming of the Son of Man, and the prediction that the Son of Man will not come until that work is performed, are all there, and that is the important thing.

Of the appearance of the Savior when He does come, the Prophet said;

When the Savior shall appear, we shall see Him as He is. We shall
see that He is a man like ourselves, and the same sociality which
exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be
coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy.

OF THE RESURRECTION.

No less interesting were the Prophet's teaching on the subject of the resurrection of the dead. To a remark of Elder Orson Pratt's to the effect that a man's body changes every seven years, the Prophet replied:

There is no fundamental principle belonging to a human system that
ever goes into another in this world or in the world to come. I
care not what the theories of men are. We have the testimony that
God will raise us up, and He has the power to do it. If any one
supposes that any part of our bodies, that is, the fundamental
parts thereof, ever goes into another body he is mistaken.

Speaking of the desirability of an honorable burial, and of living and dying among friends in connection with the resurrection, the Prophet said at the funeral services held in honor of Lorenzo D. Barnes, who had died while on a mission to England:

I believe those who have buried their dead here, their condition
is enviable. Look at Jacob and Joseph in Egypt, how they required
their friends to bury them in the tomb of their fathers. See the
expense which attended the embalming and the going up of the great
company to the burial. It has always been considered a great
calamity not to obtain an honorable burial; and one of the greatest
curses the ancient prophets could put on any man was that he should
go without a burial. * * * * * *

* * * I would esteem it one of the greatest blessings if I am
going to be afflicted in this world, to have my lot cast, where
I can find brothers and friends all around me. But this is not
the thing I referred to: it is to have the privilege of having
our dead buried on the land where God has appointed to gather His
Saints together, and where there will be none but Saints, where
they may have the privilege of laying their bodies where the Son
of Man will make His appearance, and where they may hear the sound
of the trump that shall call them forth to behold Him, that in the
morn of the resurrection they may come forth in a body, and come
up out of their graves and strike hands immediately in eternal
glory and felicity, rather than be scattered thousands of miles
apart. There is something good and sacred to me in this thing. The
place where a man is buried is sacred to me. This subject is made
mention of in the Book of Mormon and the Scriptures. Even to the
aborigines of this land, the burying places of their fathers are
more sacred than anything else. When I heard of the death of our
beloved Brother Barnes, it would not have affected me so much if
I had the opportunity of burying him in the land of Zion. * * * I
have said, Father, I desire to die here among the Saints. But if
this is not Thy will, and I go hence and die, wilt Thou find some
kind friend and bring my body back, and gather my friends who have
fallen in foreign lands, and bring them up hither, that we may all
lie together. * * * * * * * *

* * * If tomorrow I shall be called to lie in yonder tomb, in the
morning of the resurrection let me strike hands with my father,
and cry, "My father, father!" and he will say, "My son, my son!"
as soon as the rocks rend and before we come out of our graves.
And may we contemplate these things so? Yes, if we learn how to
live and how to die. When we lie down we contemplate how we may
rise up in the morning: and it is pleasing for friends to lie down
together, locked in the arms of love, to sleep and wake in each
others' embrace and renew their conversation. * * *

* * * Would you think it strange if I relate what I have seen in
vision in relation to this interesting theme? Those who have died
in Jesus Christ may expect to enter into all that fruition of joy,
when they come forth, which they possessed or anticipated here.
So plain was the vision, that I actually saw men, before they had
ascended from the tomb, as though they were getting up slowly. They
took each other by the hand, and said to each other, "My father,
my son, my mother, my daughter, my brother, my sister." And when
the voice calls for the dead to rise, suppose I am laid by the side
of my father, what would be the first joy of my heart? To meet my
father, my mother, my brother, my sister and when they are by my
side, I embrace them, and they me. It is my meditation all the
day, and more than my meat and drink, to know how I shall make the
Saints of God comprehend the visions that roll like an overflowing
surge before my mind. * * * Lay hold of these things, and let not
your knees or joints tremble, nor your heart faint; and then what
can earthquakes, wars and tornadoes do? Nothing. All your losses
will be made up to you in the resurrection, provided you continue
faithful, by the vision of the Almighty I have seen it.

* * * More painful to me are the thoughts of annihilation than
death. If I had no expectation of seeing my father, mother,
brothers, sisters and friends again, my heart would burst in a
moment, and I should go down to my grave. The expectation of seeing
my friends in the morning of the resurrection cheers my soul and
makes me bear up against the evils of life. It is like their taking
a long journey, and on their return we meet them with increased
joy. God has revealed His Son from the heavens, and the doctrine
of the resurrection also, and we have a knowledge that those we
bring here God will bring up again clothed upon and quickened by
the Spirit of the Great God, and what mattereth it, whether we
lay them down, or we lay down with them, when we can keep them no
longer? Then let them sink down like a ship in a storm--the mighty
anchor holds her safe. So let these truths sink down in our hearts,
that we may even here begin to enjoy that which shall be in full
hereafter. Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna to Almighty God, that rays of
light begin to burst forth upon us even now!

GOD'S AND ANGELS' TIME.

In answer to the question, "Is not the reckoning of God's time,
angels' time, prophets' time and man's time according to the planet
on which they reside?" I answer, yes. But there are no angels who
minister to this earth but those who belong or have belonged to
it. The angels do not reside on a planet like this earth; but they
reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and
fire, where all things for their glory are manifest--past, present
and future, and are continually before the Lord.

THE EARTH IN ITS SANCTIFIED STATE.

The following is an entry in his journal:

Saturday, 18th of February [1843.] While at dinner I remarked to my
family and friends present, that when the earth was sanctified and
became like a sea of glass, it would be one great Urim and Thummim
and the Saints could look in it and see as they are seen.

Later in public, on the same subject, he said:

The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim. This
earth in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto
crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell
thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom
or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who
dwell on it; and this earth will be Christ's. Then the white stone
mentioned in Revelation II: 17, will become a Urim and Thummim to
each individual who receives one, whereby things pertaining to a
higher order of kingdoms, will be made known, and a white stone is
given to each of those who come into the celestial kingdom, whereon
is a new name written, which no man knoweth save he that receiveth
it. The new name is the key word.