JOSEPH, THE PIONEER OF OUR FAITH

 

Imagine you were called into your Bishop’s office and he said he had a brand- new calling that he feels God wants only you to fill. He tells you there will be members in your ward who will oppose you every step of the way, call you a fraud and even attempt to kill you for it. Would you accept?

This is Joseph, the Prophet of this Dispensation. He was called by God for our generation to have God’s word through him only and in no other way (D&C 5:10; see also “Sermons and Writings of Bruce R. McConkie [1989] p 19). In other words, a brand-new calling.

I am often amazed at the sheer magnitude of the responsibility Joseph had in restoring the Saviour’s Church. Not so much the work involved or even the persecution of the unbelievers, as great as that was, but the opposition which he had to deal with within the Church.  

When you consider that most of the early converts came from Christian backgrounds where they were no doubt indoctrinated in the concept that revelation from heaven has ceased, it is no surprise to me then that his death originated from within the Church. I don’t know how he withstood one betrayal after another, none of which prospered against him:

“In early 1844, a group of apostates in Nauvoo, Illinois, declared the Prophet Joseph Smith to be a fallen prophet and tried to start a rival church. Some even held secret meetings, during which they plotted to kill him. (See Glen L. Leonard, “Nauvoo: A Place of Peace, A People of Promise” [2002], 357-62.

There has been opposition to Joseph’s calling as the prophet of this Dispensation from the commencement of the Church to today. The Lord’s prophecy that ‘the ends of the earth shall inquire after his name and fools shall have him in derision’ (D&C 122:1) has truly been fulfilled. Joseph’s name has been slandered over and over. He has been called a gold digger, a fraud, a false prophet and a tool of Satan.

Joseph was also told in Liberty Jail that hell shall rage against him (D&C 122:1). There is only one person who is in charge of hell. Joseph was on Satan’s radar right from the beginning when he tried to silence him in the Grove (JSH 1:15): “It seems as though the adversary was aware, at a very early period of my life, that I was destined to prove a disturber and an annoyer of his kingdom else why should the powers of darkness combine against me?” (JST 1:20) And combine they did.

There is another who was called to a brand-new calling that would lead to His death. A greater disturber of Satan’s kingdom than Joseph. One of the accusations by the Sanhedrin that led to Jesus’ death was their claim that He too was a tool of Satan by whom He performed His miracles (Matthew 12:24-27).

We too are annoyers and disturbers of Satan’s kingdom. As the saints of this the last Dispensation we have ‘a labour to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness….” (Moroni 9:6). The greatest calling of all…..and not for the faint hearted.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Joseph by Brent Borup)

A FORGIVING HEART PART 2

 

At times Joseph suffered as much opposition in the Church as outside.

In early 1844 a group of apostates in Nauvoo, Illinois, declared the Prophet Joseph Smith to be a fallen prophet and tried to start a rival church. Some even held secret meetings, during which they plotted to kill him (Glen L. Leonard, Nauvoo: A Place of Peace, a People of Promise [2002], 357-62).

 

One of these people was W.W. Phelps, an author and a poet, who wrote 26 hymns in the original hymnal. He was Joseph’s close associate who left the church for a time with Oliver Cowdery. He became fiercely anti and wrote an incriminating affidavit which landed Joseph and Sidney Rigdon in jail and wreaked deadly havoc on the Church community.

 

W.W. Phelps eventually became wrecked with guilt and had a miraculous change of heart. He desired to repent and wrote a letter to Joseph, asking for forgiveness of all the saints, in the name of Jesus Christ. Note the forgiveness was requested in Jesus’ name, who is the very embodiment of said attribute. Even though he yearned for forgiveness, he didn’t expect the reply he received to his letter.

 

Joseph responded: “Dear Brother Phelps, it is true that we have suffered much because of your behaviour. The cup of gall was filled to the overflowing when you turned against us, however, we are yet alive and I shall be happy once again to give you the right hand of fellowship.  Come on dear Brother since the war is past, for friends at first are friends again at last. Yours as ever, Joseph Smith Jr.”  

 

Joseph re-instated W.W. Phelps into the Church fellowship by the unanimous vote of all the saints in Nauvoo whom he influenced in the matter of forgiveness. Later W.W. Phelps said he struggled to understand Joseph’s capacity for forgiveness and love.

 

The hymn “Praise to the Man” was written by WW Phelps to express love and gratitude for Joseph upon his death, and it was sung at his funeral. What a great tribute to the man who exemplified the Saviour through his forgiving heart.

Some of us have brought with us spiritual attributes we developed in pre-existence. They can never, however, match the Saviour’s level of perfection. Forgiveness is one of those attributes.

For instance, I often hear that we should forgive our enemies and those who hurt us like the Saviour did whilst on the cross. I ask, how many of us are capable of such forgiveness in the midst of such excruciating agony? This kind of forgiveness is on a higher level that we cannot reach on our own.

Forgiveness is central to Christ’s character but not to our own. Not especially in this weakened condition of mortality. Comparing us to Christ is like comparing apples to oranges.

I had a conversation with a dear sister once who told me it took her 12 years of intense therapy to forgive someone. I reflected on my own experience of much needed ability to forgive whilst in excruciating pain due to divorce some years ago, which took only months to gain through fervent and persistent appealing to Christ’s power of the Atonement. I was granted what I asked for and to this day I cannot hold a grudge of any proportion.

By virtue of our discipleship and by being faithful in keeping our covenants, we have ‘increased access to the power of Jesus Christ’ and need not suffer unduly. We can still become free when forgiveness is beyond us. (see President Russell M Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest”, Liahona 2022, p 96)

A true leader who leads masses of imperfect and flawed people would have to have this attribute under his belt for those who claim they represent Him, need to in some way, be like Him. Nobody needed the gift of forgiveness more than Joseph. I am certain that the Saviour knew this and endowed him with this gift, either in this life or before. He must have known from His own experience that Joseph would not survive otherwise.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Joseph the Man by Joseph Brickey)