THE FAVOURED WEAK

 

 

“Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven….that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the prophets: The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones…..” (D&C 1:17-19)

Surely the Lord could not have found anyone weaker than Joseph Smith. An uneducated boy from a poor family, a farmer no less…..yet obedient and  humble and brought up to be God fearing. One might ask why the Lord would choose ‘the weak things of the world’ to do such important work.

Herein is the wisdom of our God. The answer lies in the definition of ‘weak’ in this context. The ‘weak things of the world’ are lacking professional skills, prominence and means recognized by worldly standards.

The reason why God would use such men to accomplish His purpose lies in verse 19. Those who are esteemed by the world do not seek to honour God but seek the honour for themselves. The world would also, in turn, give them credit and honour instead of God. Many would be at risk of being deceived in this way by the persuasions of men and would learn to rely on ‘the arm of flesh’ rather than God.  

I am convinced that Joseph Smith was sent to a poor family so that he could not receive an education because it was imperative that an uneducated man translate the ancient record that became the Book of Mormon. How else could the Lord prove His partnership with him in bringing this book to light?

None other but a weak, uneducated man would admit to this partnership. An educated and qualified man recognized for his intellectual and academic abilities would claim credit for such a work.

This the Lord proved when he instructed Joseph to take some of the translated manuscript of the gold plates to a ‘learned man’ as per Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 29:11,12) outlined in great detail in chapter 27 of 2 Nephi.

The ‘learned’ and educated man was Professor Charles Anthon who certified the translation as being correct and true but when Martin Harris told him that Joseph was instructed by an angel to find the plates, the Professor tore up the certificate saying there was no such thing as ministering of angels and asked for the plates to be brought to him for translation, ‘because of the glory of the world and to get gain’ (2 Nephi 27:16). Imagine what claim to fame would Professor Anton obtain if he had got his hands on the golden plates? He most certainly would not have worked in collaboration with Moroni….

According to Nephi, the Lord said to the ‘unlearned man’ who had no skills to translate: “I am able to do my own work, I WILL GIVE YOU the words which you shall read” (2 Nephi 27:20). And He did. Because of it Joseph gave glory to God and he paid a heavy price for it too. The ‘weak’, yet willing and  favoured of God.  

The Lord still uses ‘the weak and the simple that the fulness of His gospel might be proclaimed unto the ends of the world’ (D&C 1:23). When I look back on my missionary days as a young convert I fully understand this scripture. Young, no secondary education, barely understanding the full significance of the Church, no prominence in anything except a burning testimony and a deep faith in God.

As a young missionary I carried my testimony from door to door as I proselyted for 18 months and  had success in leading people to acceptance of the truth. We were so young and inexperienced and imperfect yet people listened to us. I am so grateful for that experience because it taught me that I am nothing without Him. I was my greatest convert.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: I Will Go Before Your Face by Kenneth Turner)

A SACRIFICE IN HIS SERVICE

I will spread the word

                                                          Your gift of salvation to honour

And satisfy man’s hidden hunger

I will help them know

Your arms are their shelter

Your heart is their home

Their only hope

For protection from the storm

 

 

In 1833 the prophet Joseph was instructed to head a mission with Sidney Rigdon which took them all the way to Canada (D&C 100). This calling came at the time that the enemies in Missouri were gathering their forces for an assault upon the Church. You can imagine the anxiety these brethren would have been under to leave their families at such a time. Nevertheless, they went and this mission was incredibly productive. It paved the way for Parley P. Pratt to find John Taylor, the future president of the Church, two years later. I am constantly amazed at the sacrifices that were required of the early saints for the restoration of the Gospel. 

One such man was John Murdock who was called to go on a mission to the Eastern States of America in 1832 and who had at that time been preaching the gospel for over a year whilst his children, motherless after the death of their mother, Julia Clapp, resided with other families in Ohio. His newborn twins were given to Joseph and Emma Smith to adopt. After the death of his wife, John Murdock sold his property to become a full-time missionary. He served several missions for the Church and in 1851 became Australia’s first Mission President. He survived the death of three wives and four children whilst serving many missions and faithfully fulfilling  many callings in the Church. 

 

Another early Church member worthy of mention is Elder Orson Hyde. Orson Hyde was just a new convert in 1832 when Joseph Smith gave him a blessing and told him that in due time he would go to Jerusalem, the land of his fathers, and that he would there prepare the way and facilitate the gathering of the Jewish people to their land. Elder Hyde left for this important mission at the beginning1840 but it took him over a year and a half to get to the Holy Land. He relied on the goodness of people he met along the way to finance this trip and by working his way through Europe whilst engaging in missionary work. He finally secured a passage to Jaffa on a ship with inadequate food and had to subsist on snails gathered from the coastal rocks for many days. On October 1841 he ascended the Mount of Olives and after spending considerable time thinking and writing the dedicatory prayer, he knelt and dedicated the land of Israel for the gathering, following which he erected a pile of stones as a witness and a testimony of what he had done. Having dedicated the Holy Land, he began a laborious journey home surviving the worst storm at sea he had ever experienced and spending four weeks in quarantine in Italy with the rest of his fellow passengers. His path home led him across the Alps and included a prolonged sojourn in Germany and England. He finally arrived home in December 1842 after what was almost certainly the most dangerous mission in the history of the early Church. He had not seen his family for three years. 

 

Nobody’s sacrifice, however, could equal that of John the Beloved who chose to remain on Earth until the Saviour's return ‘to bring souls unto Him’ (D&C 7:1-2). We of course don’t yet have John’s account of his time here since Jesus’ departure but I am certain it would make for riveting reading. I have often wondered what kind of courage it would have taken for John to choose this fate for himself. I imagine when your heart fully belongs to Him who offers salvation from the jaws of hell, you get to feel like Paul of old who said: "Woe be unto me if I preach not the Gospel" (1 Corinthians 9:16). Nevertheless, I cannot imagine living on this earth and 'sorrowing for the sins of the world' for 2,000 years like The Beloved has done. My thoughts go to him from time to time and gratitude fills my heart that we have such valiant souls who are so devoted to the Saviour of all mankind and who serve us, less valiant but not less deserving.....

 

 

I long to see the paths he wanders

To and fro the length of the earth

I wish to wipe his brow

At the end of the day

To uphold the magnitude of his holy work

Let me hold him close

And soothe his heavy heart

As the time for final gathering nears

And let me gather in my cupped hands

The hallowed drops of The Beloved's tears

- CATHRYNE ALLEN