Oliver Cowdery

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Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner Testimony

February 18, 2009 in Religion by Greg | 5 comments

Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner bore a powerful testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith to a group of young men at Brigham Young University on April 14, 1905. Mary was born on April 9, 1818 in Lima, Livingston, New York to Keziah Keturah Van Benthuysen and John D. Rollins. According to her autobiography:

Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner When I was ten years old, we moved to Kirtland, Ohio, and lived in a house belonging to Algernon Sidney Gilbert, mother’s sister’s husband. We remained there two years, when we heard of the plates of the Book of Mormon, being found by Joseph Smith. Soon the news was confirmed by the appearance of Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer, and Ziba Peterson, with the glorious news of the restoration of the Gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith. They bore a powerful testimony, by the Holy Spirit, of the truth of the great work they were engaged in; and which they were commissioned by the Father to present to all the world.

Quite a number of the residents of Kirtland accepted baptism. Mother and myself also, in the month of October, 1830. A branch of the Church was organized, and Father Morley was ordained an elder to preside over it. He owned a large farm, about a mile from Kirtland, and some three or four families went there to live, and meetings were held there. A good spirit and one of union prevailed among the brethren for some time. After Oliver Cowdery and his brethren left there for Missouri on their mission to the Lamanites, a wrong spirit crept into our midst, and a few were led away by it. About this time, John Whitmer came and brought a Book of Mormon. There was a meeting that evening, and we learned that Brother Morley had the Book in his possession the only one in that part of the country. I went to his house just before the meeting was to commence, and asked to see the book; Brother Morley put it in my hand, as I looked at it, I felt such a desire to read it, that I could not refrain from asking him to let me take it home and read it, while he attended meeting. He said it would be too late for me to take it back after meeting, and another thing, he had hardly had time to read a chapter in it himself, and but few of the brethren had even seen it, but I pled so earnestly for it, he finally said, “Child, if you will bring this book home before breakfast tomorrow morning, you may take it.” He admonished me to be very careful, and see that no harm came to it.

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Kirtland Temple Endowment – End of Week

December 20, 2008 in Temple by Greg | No comments

The “Kirtland Temple Endowment – End of Week” is the third in a three-part series of articles about the dedication of the Kirtland Temple in 1836. (See Kirtland Temple Endowment – Beginning of Week and Kirtland Temple Endowment – Mid-Week for the other posts in this series.)

The purpose of this series – and the information listed under the temple endowment, temple, and endowment tags – is to provide online reference material about the temple that is difficult to find. Additional sources of information about temples – ancient and modern – can be found at LDS Temples.

Waiting for the Fulfillment of the Promise

On Wednesday, March 30th, the Prophet Joseph Smith declared:

. . . that the time that we were required to tarry in Kirtland to be endowed, would be fulfilled in a few days, and then the Elders would go forth, and each must stand for himself, as it was not necessary for them to be sent out, two by two, as in former times, but to go in all meekness, in sobriety, and preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified; not to contend with others on account of their faith, or systems of religion, but pursue a steady course.1

Kirtland Temple Endowment – End of Week

The following text is the record of the Kirtland Temple endowment as found in the History of the Church:

Sunday, 3.–Attended meeting in the Lord’s House, and assisted the other Presidents of the Church in seating the congregation, and then became an attentive listener to the preaching from the stand. Thomas B. Marsh and David W. Patten spoke in the forenoon to an attentive audience of about one thousand persons. In the afternoon, I assisted the other Presidents in distributing the Lord’s Supper to the Church, receiving it from the Twelve, whose privilege it was to officiate at the sacred desk this day. After having performed this service to my brethren, I retired to the pulpit, the veils being dropped, and bowed myself, with Oliver Cowdery, in solemn and silent prayer. After rising from prayer, the following vision was opened to both of us—2

Christ Appears in the Kirtland Temple Vision Manifested to Joseph the Seer and Oliver Cowdery. 1. The veil was taken from our minds, and the eyes of our understanding were opened. 2. We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us, and under His feet was a paved work of pure gold in color like amber. 3. His eyes were as a flame of fire, the hair of His head was white like the pure snow, His countenance shone above the brightness of the sun, and His voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying—4. I am the first and the last, I am He who liveth, I am He who was slain, I am your advocate with the Father. 5. Behold, your sins are forgiven you, you are clean before me, therefore lift up your heads and rejoice. 6. Let the hearts of your brethren rejoice, and let the hearts of all my people rejoice, who have, with their might, built this house to my name. 7. For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here, and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this House. 8. Yea, I will appear unto my servants, and speak unto them with mine own voice, if my people will keep my commandments, and do not pollute this holy house. 9. Yea the hearts of thousands and tens of thousands shall greatly rejoice in consequence of the blessings which shall be poured out, and the endowment with which my servants have been endowed in this house; 10. And the fame of this house shall spread to foreign lands, and this is the beginning of the blessing which shall be poured out upon the heads of my people. Even so. Amen. 11. After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us, and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the Ten Tribes from the land of the north. 12. After this, Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham, saying, that in us, and our seed, all generations after us should be blessed. 13. After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us, for Elijah the Prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said—14. Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi, testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come. 15. To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse. 16. Therefore the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands, and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.

Sources:

  1. See Kirtland Temple Endowment – Mid-Week.↩
  2. Roberts, Brigham H., ed. History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1932–512. 2:435-436.↩

Kirtland Temple Endowment – Mid-Week

December 18, 2008 in Temple by Greg | No comments

The “Kirtland Temple Endowment – Mid-Week” is the second in a three-part series of articles about the dedication of the Kirtland Temple in 1836. (See Kirtland Temple Endowment – Beginning of Week and Kirtland Temple Endowment – End of Week for the other posts in this series.) The purpose of this series – and the information listed under the temple endowment, temple, and endowment tags – is to provide online reference material about the temple that is otherwise difficult to find. Additional sources of information about temples – ancient and modern – can be found at LDS Temples.

Kirtland Temple Endowment – Mid-Week

The following text is the record of the Kirtland Temple endowment as found in the History of the Church:

Kirtland Temple by Walter Rane Tuesday, 29.–Attended school, which was the last day of our course of lectures in Hebrew, by Professor Seixas.1

At eleven o’clock, a. m., Presidents Joseph Smith, Jun., Frederick G. Williams, Sidney Rigdon, Hyrum Smith, and Oliver Cowdery, met in the most holy place in the Lord’s House, and sought for a revelation from Him concerning the authorities of the Church going to Zion, and other important matters. After uniting in prayer, the voice of the Spirit was that we should come into this place three times, and also call the other presidents, the two Bishops and their counselors, each to stand in his place, and fast through the day and also the night, and that during this, if we would humble ourselves, we should receive further communications from Him. After this word was received we immediately sent for the other brethren, who came.

The Presidency proceeded to ordain George Boosinger to the High Priesthood, and anoint him. This was in consequence of his having administered unto us in temporal things in our distress, and also because he left the place just previous to the dedication of the Lord’s House, to bring us the temporal means, previously named. Soon after this, the word of the Lord came, through President Joseph Smith, Jun., that those who had entered the holy place, must not leave the house until morning, but send for such things as were necessary, and, also, during our stay, we must cleanse our feet and partake of the Sacrament that we might be made holy before Him, and thereby be qualified to officiate in our calling, upon the morrow, in washing the feet of the Elders.

Jesus Washes Peter's Feet by Ford Madox Brown Accordingly we proceeded to cleanse our faces and our feet, and then proceeded to wash one another’s feet. President Sidney Rigdon first washed President Joseph Smith, Junior’s feet, and then, in turn, was washed by him; after which President Rigdon washed President Joseph Smith, Sen., and Hyrum Smith. President Joseph Smith, Jun., washed President Frederick G. Williams, and then President Hyrum Smith washed President David Whitmer’s and President Oliver Cowdery’s feet. Then President David Whitmer washed President William W. Phelps’ feet, and in turn President Phelps washed President John Whitmer’s feet. The Bishops and their Counselors were then washed, after which we partook of the bread and wine. The Holy Spirit rested down upon us, and we continued in the Lord’s House all night, prophesying and giving glory to God.

Wednesday, 30.–At eight o’clock, according to appointment, the Presidency, the Twelve, the Seventies, the High Council, the Bishops and their entire quorums, the Elders and all the official members in this stake of Zion, amounting to about three hundred, met in the Temple of the Lord to attend to the ordinance of washing of feet. I ascended the pulpit, and remarked to the congregation that we had passed through many trials and afflictions since the organization of the Church, and that this is a year of jubilee to us, and a time of rejoicing, and that it was expedient for us to prepare bread and wine sufficient to make our hearts glad, as we should not, probably, leave this house until morning; to this end we should call on the brethren to make a contribution. The stewards passed round and took up a liberal contribution, and messengers were despatched for bread and wine.

Tubs, water, and towels were prepared, and I called the house to order, and the Presidency proceeded to wash the feet of the Twelve, pronouncing many prophecies and blessings upon them in the name of the Lord Jesus; and then the Twelve proceeded to wash the feet of the Presidents of the several quorums. The brethren began to prophesy upon each other’s heads, and upon the enemies of Christ, who inhabited Jackson county, Missouri; and continued prophesying, and blessing, and sealing them with hosanna and amen, until nearly seven o’clock in the evening.

The bread and the wine were then brought in, and I observed that we had fasted all the day, and lest we faint, as the Savior did so shall we do on this occasion; we shall bless the bread, and give it to the Twelve, and they to the multitude. While waiting, I made the following remarks: that the time that we were required to tarry in Kirtland to be endowed, would be fulfilled in a few days, and then the Elders would go forth, and each must stand for himself, as it was not necessary for them to be sent out, two by two, as in former times, but to go in all meekness, in sobriety, and preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified; not to contend with others on account of their faith, or systems of religion, but pursue a steady course. This I delivered by way of commandment; and all who observe it not, will pull down persecution upon their heads, while those who do, shall always be filled with the Holy Ghost; this I pronounced as a prophecy, and sealed with hosanna and amen. Also that the Seventies are not called to serve tables, or preside over churches, to settle difficulties, but are to preach the Gospel and build them up, and set others, who do not belong to these quorums, to preside over them, who are High Priests. The Twelve also are not to serve tables, but to bear the keys of the Kingdom to all nations, and unlock the door of the Gospel to them, and call upon the Seventies to follow after them, and assist them. The Twelve are at liberty to go wheresoever they will, and if any one will say, I wish to go to such a place, let all the rest say amen.

The Seventies are at liberty to go to Zion if they please, or go wheresoever they will, and preach the Gospel; and let the redemption of Zion be our object, and strive to effect it by sending up all the strength of the Lord’s House, wherever we find them; and I want to enter into the following covenant, that if any more of our brethren are slain or driven from their lands in Missouri, by the mob, we will give ourselves no rest, until we are avenged of our enemies to the uttermost. This covenant was sealed unanimously, with a hosanna and an amen.

I then observed to the quorums, that I had now completed the organization of the Church, and we had passed through all the necessary ceremonies, that I had given them all the instruction they needed, and that they now were at liberty, after obtaining their licenses, to go forth and build up the Kingdom of God, and that it was expedient for me and the Presidency to retire, having spent the night previously in waiting upon the Lord in His Temple, and having to attend another dedication on the morrow, or conclude the one commenced on the last Sabbath, for the benefit of those of my brethren and sisters who could not get into the house on the former occasion, but that it was expedient for the brethren to tarry all night and worship before the Lord in His house.

I left the meeting in the charge of the Twelve, and retired about nine o’clock in the evening. The brethren Frederick G. Williams, Sidney Rigdon, Oliver Cowdery, William W. Phelps and John Whitmer, which was to have a bearing upon the redemption of Zion. After mature deliberation the council decided that Oliver Cowdery and myself should act as a board or committee to raise, in righteousness, all the money we could for a season, to send by, or to, certain wise men appointed to purchase lands in Zion in obedience to a revelation or commandment of the Lord, for the mutual benefit of the council.

Also, it was agreed by the council that Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams exert themselves in devising ways and means with the stock on hand, the available outstanding claims of the company, and such other means as they shall deem most proper, to discharge the company’s debts. It was also agreed that W. W. Phelps, John Whitmer, and David Whitmer have five hundred books of Doctrine and Covenants, when bound, and five hundred Hymn Books, together with the subscription list for the Messenger and Advocate and Northern Times, now due in Clay County, Missouri; and that Messrs. Phelps and John Whitmer be released from the responsibility of claims on them, or either of them, as joint partners in the firm.

As soon as the above plans were settled, I started with President Cowdery on our mission, and our success was such in one half day as to give us pleasing anticipations that we were doing the will of God, and assurance that His work prospered in our hands.

Sources:

  1. Roberts, Brigham H., ed. History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1932. 428-434.↩

Kirtland Temple Endowment – Beginning of Week

December 16, 2008 in Temple by Greg | 2 comments

The following “Kirtland Temple Endowment – Beginning of Week” is adapted from the History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is the first in a three-part series of posts about the dedication of the Kirtland Temple in 1836. (See Kirtland Temple Endowment – Mid-Week and Kirtland Temple Endowment – End of Week for the remaining articles). Since this information is somewhat difficult to find online, it is hoped that this series of articles, the information listed under the temple endowment, temple, and endowment tags, and LDS Temples may serve as reference material.

Introduction to Latter-day Saint Temple Worship

Russell M. Nelson discussed the centrality of the atonement of Christ as taught in modern day temples:

The temple is the house of the Lord. The basis for every temple ordinance and covenant—the heart of the plan of salvation—is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Every activity, every lesson, all we do in the Church, point to the Lord and His holy house. Our efforts to proclaim the gospel, perfect the Saints, and redeem the dead all lead to the temple. Each holy temple stands as a symbol of our membership in the Church, as a sign of our faith in life after death, and as a sacred step toward eternal glory for us and our families.1

Kirtland Temple History

A brief history of the Kirtland Temple is given by Keith W. Perkins:

The divine command that led to the building of the Kirtland Temple was given to the Prophet Joseph Smith in January 1831 when the Church was beset by poverty and turmoil. At that time, the Saints were to gather to Ohio, where the Lord promised he would endow them “with power from on high” (D&C 38:32; cf. D&C 88:119; 95:3, 8, 11). Thus they began to build the first of the Latter-day Saint temples.

The Church then consisted of only a few hundred members, men, women, and children who labored together for the temple and contributed, as Eliza R. Snow wrote, “brain, bone and sinew” and “all living as abstemiously as possible” so that “every cent might be appropriated to the grand object” (Tullidge, p. 82). According to Benjamin F. Johnson, “there was not a scraper and hardly a plow that could be obtained among the Saints,” to prepare the ground for the foundation of the temple (Benjamin Johnson, My Life’s Review, p. 16). Lumber was brought from nearby forests. Stone was hewn from a local quarry.

King Solomon's Temple As the exact patterns of the Tabernacle of Moses and Solomon’s temple had been revealed from on high (Exodus 25:9; 1 Chronicles 28:11-12), so also were the design, measurements, and functions of the Kirtland Temple revealed. Its interior was to be fifty-five feet wide and sixty-five feet long and have a lower and a higher court. The lower part of the inner court was to be dedicated “for your Sacrament offering, and for your preaching, and your fasting, and your praying, and the offering up of your most holy desires unto me, saith your Lord.” The higher part of the inner court was to be “dedicated unto me for the school of mine apostles” (D&C 95:13-17).2

Purpose of the Endowment

A temple endowment,

. . . generally is a gift, but in a specialized sense it is a course of instruction, ordinances, and covenants given only in dedicated temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The words “to endow” (from the Greek enduein ), as used in the New Testament, mean to dress, clothe, put on garments, put on attributes, or receive virtue. Christ instructed his apostles to tarry at Jerusalem “until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49), a promise fulfilled, at least in part, on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). In modern times, a similar revelation was given: “I gave unto you a commandment that you should build a house, in the which house I design to endow those whom I have chosen with power on high; for this is the promise of the Father unto you; therefore I command you to tarry, even as mine apostles at Jerusalem” (D&C 95:8-9).

Though there had been preliminary and preparatory spiritual outpourings upon Latter-day Saints in Ohio and Missouri, the Endowment in its full sense was not received until the Nauvoo Temple era. As he introduced temple ordinances in 1842 at Nauvoo, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught that these were “of things spiritual, and to be received only by the spiritual minded” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 237). The Endowment was necessary, he said, to organize the Church fully, that the Saints might be organized according to the laws of God, and, as the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple petitioned, that they would “be prepared to obtain every needful thing” (D&C 109:15). The Endowment was designed to give “a comprehensive view of our condition and true relation to God” (TPJS, p. 324), “to prepare the disciples for their missions in the world” (p. 274), to prevent being “overcome by evils” (p. 259), to enable them to “secure the fulness of those blessings which have been prepared for the Church of the Firstborn” (p. 237).3

Kirtland Temple Endowment

Kirtland Temple The remaining text is the record of the Kirtland Temple endowment as found in the History of the Church:

Sunday, March 27.—The congregation began to assemble at the Temple, at about seven o’clock, an hour earlier than the doors were to be opened. Many brethren had come in from the regions round about, to witness the dedication of the Lord’s House and share in His blessings; and such was the anxiety on this occasion that some hundreds (probably five or six) assembled before the doors were opened. The presidents entered with the doorkeepers, and stationed the latter at the inner and outer doors; also placed our stewards to receive donations from those who should feel disposed to contribute something to defray the expense of building the House of the Lord. We also dedicated the pulpits, and consecrated them to the Lord.4

The doors were then opened. Presidents Rigdon, Cowdery and myself seated the congregation as they came in, and, according to the best calculation we could make, we received between nine and ten hundred, which were as many as could be comfortably seated. We then informed the doorkeepers that we could receive no more, and a multitude were deprived of the benefits of the meeting on account of the house not being sufficiently capacious to receive them; and I felt to regret that any of my brethren and sisters should be deprived of the meeting, and I recommended them to repair to the schoolhouse and hold a meeting, which they did, and filled that house also, and yet many were left out.

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  1. Nelson, Russell M. “Personal Preparation for Temple Blessings”. May 2001. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 16 December 2008.↩
  2. Perkins, Keith W. “Kirtland Temple”. 1992. Encyclopedia of Mormonism. 16 December 2008.↩
  3. Burton, Alma P. “Endowment”. 1992. Encyclopedia of Mormonism. 16 December 2008.↩
  4. Roberts, Brigham H., Ed. History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1932–512. 410-428. This article is “adapted” because Psalm 96 and 24 were added to the body of the text.↩

Angels

October 21, 2008 in Religion by Greg | No comments

In 1829, John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and conferred the “priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels” (D&C 13:1). Chieko N. Okazaki1 wrote about the gift of angelic ministrations:

Chieko N. OkazakiHow would you like to have an angel touch you gently and say, “O Chieko (or O Maryanne, or O Harold), I am now come to give thee skill and understanding . . . for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.”

We say that we believe that God “will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.” (Articles of Faith 9.) Revelation to the Church will come through the prophet, but doesn’t that article of faith make you ask questions? What are those great and important things? And who will he reveal them to? Could you be one of those who is struggling to “understand the matter, and consider the vision”? If you are, then you’re one of those worthy to receive an angelic visitor. Furthermore, the promise of Joseph Smith to the Nauvoo Relief Society on 28 April 1844 was this: “Angels cannot be restrained from being your associates.” (History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2d ed. rev., ed. B. H. Roberts [Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1932–51], 4:605.) Has this promise come true for you? Both Joseph Smith and Alma promise the ministration of angels to women. Yet such is the respect of our Heavenly Father for our agency that he will very rarely give us something for which we have not asked. What would happen, do you think, if we prayed for revelation, for knowledge, for the comfort of the ministration of angels?

But maybe there’s another question rising up to loom over you. Something like this: “Oh, isn’t it wrong to pray for such things, or even to think of such things? Aren’t these things just for the prophets? Aren’t we likely to go astray out of pride or ignorance?” Listen to the words of Moses, when Joshua heard that two men were prophesying in the camp of Israel and cried out to Moses to forbid them. Moses answered, “Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!” (Numbers 11:29.) Is it possible that we’re asking the wrong questions and limiting the operation of the Holy Ghost, cutting off the spiritual gifts that the Father wants to bestow upon us, and feeling fear rather than faith?2

Sources:

  1. Sister Chieko N. Okazaki served as a counselor in the general Relief Society presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1990 to 1997.↩
  2. Okazaki, Chieko N. Aloha! Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1995. 177-178.↩

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