CofC D&C 111-121

(About this reflection)

This week I read the first few revelations of Joseph Smith III (114-121), plus the original statement on marriage (111) that in the 1876 LDS D&C was replaced by 132. Some miscellaneous thoughts about each:

111. Lays out the pattern for how a marriage should be "solemnized" in the church. The couple are asked if they "both mutually agree to be each other's companion, . . . keeping yourselves wholly for each other, and from all others, during your lives." Apart from the fact that there's language in there about husband and wife, I thought: that could work for a same-sex marriage. I really liked the expression about agreeing to be each other's "companion." That's centrally what marraige should be about: companionship.

112. Statement on governments. The same as LDS D&C 134.

113. John Taylor's eulogy to Joseph Smith. The same as LDS D&C 135. The RLDS debated as early as the 1890s whether to drop this from the D&C, since it isn't a revelation. In 1970, the World Conference moved it to an appendix (along with several Nauvoo-era revelations and teachings which it was felt hadn't originally been authorized for canonization by vote of the church). In 1990, the whole appendix was removed. The result is that there's just a gap where this section used to be, which I find annoying. You know something's been censored, but you have to dig around a little to find out what. I would have been in favor of leaving the materials in the appendix—or even just in the sequence of sections, for that matter, with a visual marker and explanation as to why this community no longer treats these sections as canonical. (Still, I suppose acknowledging that you've dropped something is less Orwellian than simply replacing one section with a different text that contradicts it.)

114. First revelation produced by Joseph Smith III, 1861. The Twelve and the Bishop are to get the tithing collection system in order. They are instructed to make sure that the money is "truly used for the purposes of the church, and not as a weapon of power in the hands of one man for the oppression of others, or for the purpose of self-aggrandizement by anyone."

115. 1863 revelation calling William Marks to become Joseph's counselor in the First Presidency. The people of the church are called the Lord's "little flock" and are promised that "as I have spoken to you in times past, so will I speak again to you as my friends."

116. 1865 revelation on ordaining blacks. The Lord says "it is expedient me that you ordain priests unto me, of every race," though the revelation also tells them not to be "hasty in ordaining men of the Negro race to offices in my church." Those whom it is decided to ordain are evidently intended "to be ministers to their own race." So the community's leadership is prepared to let blacks administer to blacks, but not for blacks to administer to whites. Still, this position represents considerably greater progress on this issue than the LDS had made by this time.

117. 1873 revelation calling for the First Presidency to be filled and for some vacancies to be filled among the Twelve, along with some other appointments. I need to get a history of the Reorganization to figure out why they were so slow about filling the First Presidency and the Quorum of Twelve. My attenae are twitching because of the suspicion that by not filling these quorums, Smith's own power was maximized. But I should suspend judgment until I know more about the history.

The Lord tells his "servants and handmaidens" in the various ministries that they "shall be blessed, even as they bless others of the household of faith." They are told to let contentions cease and to "sustain each other in peace." If they do, they will be "blessed with my Spirit, in comforting and strengthening you for my work."

118. 1882 revelation on miscellaneous administrative issues, including instructions to hold off trying to launch foreign missions until the church is more firmly established in the U.S. Verses 4a-b say that if members of the traveling ministry [the Twelve? Seventy?] "be found transgressors, or idle servants, ye shall not uphold them. But be not hasty in withdrawing your support for them, peradventure ye shall injure my work."

119. 1887 revelation addressing a number of controversies. The Lord still doesn't think it's time to fill the Quorum of the Twelve, evidently. Elders are instructed to be "kind of heart" so that "their wisdom may be the wisdom of the Lord and their strength the strength of the Spirit." They should stop being "overcareful" about trying to screen out heresy among separated Latter Day Saints who now want to gather to the Reorganization: "There are some who are chosen vessels to do good, who have been estranged . . . and who will in due time return unto the Lord if they be not hindered by the men of the church. The Spirit says 'Come'; let not the ministers for Christ prevent their coming." Another controversy, or set of controversies, addressed has to do with how the Lord's supper should be administered: the revelation says a lot of the issues up for debate (should it be done once a week or once a month; should the bread be broken before or after the blessing is said) simply don't matter and people should stop contending.

120. 1887 revelation regarding how to administer the ministry of the Twelve and the Seventy to the branches of the church. Reference is made to priesthood officers "having the watchcare of the membership and nurturing and sustaining them." A couple of references are made to the need to make decisions by "the spirit of wisdom and revelation."

121. 1885 revelation on miscellaneous administrative issues. One line that stood out to me was the injunction: "Be merciful, for to him that is merciful shall mercy be shown."

I feel moved to leave things here for now. Next week, I want to offer some thoughts about major trends I see in Joseph III's revelations overall. In what ways do I discern the work and fruits of the Spirit in Joseph III's approach to seeking and proclaiming revelation?