Doctrine and Covenants 94:1

“The City of the Stake of Zion”

Each city of the stake of Zion were to be built according to the pattern of the city of Zion in Jackson County, Missouri. Therefore, like the center place in Independence, a stake begins with Saints gathering together in strength, enabling them to build houses for the purpose of furthering the work of the Lord.

The Prophet Joseph Smith sent a plat of the city of the New Jerusalem to Independence, Missouri, which served as a model for the cities of the stakes of Zion.

He explained that the city stake of the Saints would center on a fifteen-acre block containing “twenty-four buildings to supply them with houses for public worship and schools. These buildings will be temples,” each of which was to be of identical dimensions and two stories high.

Ten-acre blocks containing twenty equal lots for homes were to extend

from the central block, filling the city until it equaled one mile square and providing for fifteen to twenty thousand people. “Lands on the north and south of the city will be laid off for barns and stables for the use of the city,” wrote the Prophet, “so there will be no barns or stables in the city among the homes of the people.” This allowed everyone, families of businessmen and farmers alike, to enjoy the benefits of public schools, social refinements, worship, and ease of access to commerce. “When this square is thus laid off and supplied, lay off another in the same way,” wrote the Prophet to those to whom the city plat was sent, “and so fill up the world in these last days, and let every man live in the city, for this is the city of Zion” (Roberts, Comprehensive History of the Church, 1:311-12).

“Beginning at my house”

The city was to be laid out with the temple as the starting point, and the rest of the city being built to relation to it. This pattern was followed by Brigham Young in laying out Salt Lake City. He first identified the spot upon which the temple would be built and paralleled all the streets out from what is called Temple Square.

Doctrine and Covenants 94:2

“Pattern”

Fredrick G. Williams wrote:

Joseph received the word of the Lord for him to take his two counselors Williams and Rigdon and come before the Lord, and he would show them the plan of the model of the house to be built. We went upon our knees, called on the Lord, and the building appeared within viewing distance: I being the first to discover it. Then all of us viewed it together. After we had taken a good look at the exterior the building seemed to come right over us, and the makeup of this hall seems to coincide with what I there saw to minutia.

As recorded in Truman O. Angell Journal (typescript), Brigham Young University Library, Special Collections. Angell referred to this vision in a letter to John Taylor in 1885:

Frederick G. Williams came into the Temple about the time the main hall first floor was ready for dedication. He was asked, how does the house look to you. He answered that it looked to him like the model he had seen. He said President Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon and himself were called to come before the Lord and the model was shown them and he could not see the difference between it and the House as built (Angell to Taylor, 11 March 1885, Church Archives).

Doctrine and Covenants 94:6

“According to the Order of the Priesthood”

“If the strict order of the Priesthood were carried out in the building of Temples,” explained the Prophet Joseph Smith, “the first stone would be laid at the south-east corner, by the First Presidency of the Church. The south-west corner should be laid next. The third, or north-west corner next, and the fourth, or the north-east corner last. The First Presidency should lay the south-east corner stone and dictate who are the proper persons to lay the other corner stones.

“If a Temple is built at a distance, and the First Presidency are not present, then the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are the persons to dictate the order for that Temple; and in the absence of the Twelve Apostles, then the Presidency of the Stake will lay the south-east corner stone; the Melchizedek Priesthood laying the corner stones on the east side of the Temple, and the lesser Priesthood those on the west side” (HC, 4:331).

Doctrine and Covenants 94:8

“Ye shall not suffer any unclean thing to come in unto it”

This is the first reference in the Restoration that entrance to sacred buildings is to be restricted to worthy individuals.

Doctrine and Covenants 95:8

A gift, endowment in Kirtland, included washings and anointing's as well as the washing of feet for official priesthood brethren.

The first full endowment was given where?

The Red Brick Store in Nauvoo, May 4th 1842, 2nd floor.

Doctrine and Covenants 95:14

“Built after the manner which I shall show unto three of you”

“Carpenter Roph said, ‘Doctor, what do you think of the House? He answered, ‘It looks to me like the pattern precisely.’ He then related the following:

“Joseph received the word of the Lord for him to take his two counselors, (Frederick G.) Williams and (Sidney) Rigdon, and come before the Lord and He would show them the plan or model of the House to be built. We went upon our knees, called on the Lord, and the Building (Kirtland Temple) appeared within viewing distance. I being the first to discover it. Then all of us viewed it together. After we had taken a good look at the exterior, the Building seemed to come right over us, and the Makeup of this Hall seemed to coincide with what I there saw to a minutia” (His Journal, 1967, 198).

The Prophet Joseph Smith’s mother, Lucy Mack Smith, wrote regarding a council meeting held to discuss the building of the house of the Lord in Kirtland:

“In this council Joseph requested each of the brethren to rise and give his views, and when they were through, he would give his opinion concerning the matter. They all spoke. Some thought that it would be better to build a frame house. Others said that a frame house was too costly, and the majority concluded upon putting up a log house and made their calculations about what they could do towards building it. Joseph rose and reminded them that they were not making a house for themselves or any other man, but a house for God. ‘And shall we, brethren, build a house for our God of logs? No, I have a better plan than that. I have the plan for the house of the Lord, given by Himself. You will see by this the difference between our calculations and his idea of things.’

“He then gave them the full plan of the house of the Lord at Kirtland” (History of Joseph Smith, 1996, 321-22).

Again, by and by, we build a Temple in Jackson County, Missouri. Will it be built according to the pattern of our present Temples?

No. there will be, according to the progress of this people, and the knowledge they receive, and the greatness of the work that is before them, many things, pertaining to the pattern, that will then be given, which will differ materially, or will be, at least, in addition to that which is in these Temples now built. I think if you will go and search in the Church Historian’s office, you will find a plan of a Temple, that is to be built in Jackson County, which will be very Different from the little Temples we now build” (JD, 19:19).

On the 20th of July, 1833, a group of 500 gathered and a committee of 13 was appointed to call on the Mormons.

1. Will you leave the county or not.2. The Elders asked for three months to prepare

to leave.3. They were given 15 minutes.4. The printing press was then attacked.5. The loss to the Saints was around 4-6

thousand dollars.6. They then destroyed the Gilbert and Whitney

Store.7. Charles Allen and Edward Partridge were

tarred and feathered.

Doctrine and Covenants 97

Trouble in Jackson County:

1. Too many Mormons were coming into the County.2. The Mormons were purchasing too much land.3. The Missourians did not like the Mormon religion.4. The Mormons taught that only the Mormons would

inhabit the New Jerusalem. 5. Some believed the Mormons would take Jackson

County by force.6. Some Mormons taught that if the old settlers

would not sell their land, they would be driven out.

The Secret Constitution said:

1. They believe they talk face to face with God.

2. They believe they can heal the sick.

3. They are lazy, idle, and vicious.4. They are deluded fanatics.5. They are poor.6. They said God has given them the

land.7. If they do not leave in peace we

will cast them out.

Doctrine and Covenants 98

The prophet wrote of these days:

“July, which once dawned upon the virtue and independence of the United States, now dawned upon the savage barbarity and mobocracy of Missouri” (HC, 1:372).

Doctrine and Covenants 98:5

May we never forget the underlying reasons for it all to provide a proper place for the restoration of the gospel and to allow for the Worldwide preaching of the sacred word (Joseph Smith).

Joseph Smith said he was the greatest advocate of the constitution of the United States there was on the earth.

Joseph Smith said it is a glorious standard; it is founded in the wisdom of God. It is a heavenly banner… it is like a great tree under whose branches men from every clime can be shielded form the burning rays of the sun (HC, 3:304).

Doctrine and Covenants 99:6

On April 30th, 1831 John Murdock’s wife died while bearing twins, on the same day Emma Smith’s twins died at birth. John gave his twins to Emma and Joseph to raise. Their names were Julia, after his wife, and Joseph, after Joseph Smith.

John had other children. He later married and held many responsible positions in the church including that of a Bishop.