JOSEPH THE MARTYR

 

I mentioned in my post yesterday how the critics of Joseph Smith come to the surface when I post about him and I did get a couple yesterday but the outpouring of love and testimonies of Joseph that you all shared was overwhelming. I cried knowing that he is so loved and remembered and honoured for his incredible service to mankind.

It seemed like the adversary had won when Joseph was martyred but that can never be because “the works, and the designs, and the purposes of God cannot be frustrated, neither can they come to naught.” (D&C 3:1)

One of the comforting things about Joseph’s martyrdom for me is that he didn’t go to his death alone. Joseph knew he was not coming back from Carthage jail. How wonderful it must have been for him to have a member of his family by his side but it was not by chance that Hyrum joined his brother in death:

“The Prophet Joseph Smith conferred upon Hyrum Smith all the keys, authority and gifts of the priesthood which he, the Prophet, held and which were formerly held by Oliver Cowdery. The Lord also revealed to Hyrum Smith all that was necessary to make him completely and to the full degree, a witness with his brother Joseph, as a prophet, seer, revelator and president of the Church, and to stand through all time and eternity at the head of this dispensation with his brother Joseph, a witness for Jesus Christ.” (President Joseph Field Smith, “Doctrines of Salvation” 1:218-9; see also D&C 136:39; Hebrews 9:16-17; Doctrine & Covenants Student Manual p 348)

It must have been the darkest time for the members of the Church but consider the distress of the brothers’ death on his family:

“After the corpses were washed and dressed in their burial clothes we were allowed to see them. I had for a long time braced every nerve, roused every energy of my soul, and called upon God to strengthen me; but when I entered the room, and saw my murdered sons, extended both at once before my eyes; and heard the sobs and groans of my family – the cries of ‘Father! Husband! Brothers!’ from the lips of their wives, children, brothers and sisters, it was too much – I sunk back crying to the Lord in the agony of my soul, My God! My God! Why hast thou forsaken this family? A voice replied, I have taken them to myself that they might have rest….

“As I looked upon their peaceful, smiling countenances, I seemed to almost hear them say: mother, weep not for us; we have overcome the world by love; we carried to them the gospel, that their souls might be saved – they slew us for our testimony, and thus placed us beyond their power – their ascendancy is for a moment – ours is an eternal triumph.”

-          (Joseph and Hyrum Death Masks, history.churchofjesuschrist.org)

Satan didn’t succeed in destroying the Saviour’s ministry or that of His servant, Joseph. All he has done is prove the authenticity of the Church by the attention he is giving us. No other Church is so favoured. President Spencer W. Kimball has said that the negative attention the Church gets is in one way a good sign: “We can tell that we are making progress by the attention we get from the adversary…This has been the lot of the Lord’s people from the beginning and it will be no different in our time”. (In CR April 1980; D&C Student Manual p 301)

You stood so resolute and willing

In the councils of heaven,

Knowing the jaws of hell

Would open at the mention of your name.

 

Still, you knelt in the sacred grove

And uttered the words of faith.

You honoured your promise

To restore the truth

And you opened the heaven’s gate.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Joseph Smith's Last Dream by Jon McNaughton)

JOSEPH THE ACHIEVER

 

I am always amazed when I do a post on Joseph Smith how the critics come out of the woodwork and tell me how he was a liar, a cheat, an adulterer, a paedophile, a tool of Satan. It’s like they have a radar that picks up his name. It used to upset me when I started writing years ago. Now I just smile at their ignorance.

Now that I have had the Gospel in my life for 50 years, I cannot imagine going without it and I owe that to the Prophet Joseph. In a tribute to him, the Church has attributed 41 achievements to his name. I was amazed when I first read them. Here are just a few that deserve thoughtful consideration as to their necessity and efficacy in this world (see D&C Student Manual p 349):

-          He taught correct concepts about the nature of the Father and the Son;

-          He translated and published the Book of Mormon by the power of God;

-          He was the means by which the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods were restored;

-          He organised the Church of Jesus Christ again on the earth under the direction of the Saviour;

-          He revealed the true meaning of Zion, its location in the last days, and the laws by which it shall be governed;

-          He received over a hundred revelations and published them in the Doctrine and Covenants;

-          He worked on translation of the Bible, restoring lost scripture and correcting erroneous translations;

-          He restored the keys and knowledge of temple ordinances for both the living and the dead;

-          He received keys of restoration from Moses, Elias and Elijah;

-          He started a missionary program that has involved tens of thousands of missionaries and resulted in millions of converts in countries all over the world;

-          He translated by inspiration from God papyri from Egypt, containing some of the writings of Abraham;

-          He set forth the proper organisation, name and purpose of the Church of Jesus Christ.

-          He built temples and revealed temple ordinances for the living and the dead.

This is my iron clad testimony of Joseph Smith, which I have shared before. I never had to question my testimony of him until 13 years ago when I chose to do a University assignment about the Church. I read a lot of questionable material about him on line that disturbed me. It brought me to my knees pleading for God to help me understand.

What opened in my mind was a vision of Joseph’s heart, an understanding of the goodness therein. I saw the pioneers dressed in white surrounding him and I felt their love for him. I understood and I wept. No critic of the Church can dissuade me from this testimony. In the end, the truth will stand. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Joseph Smith by Liz Lemon Swindle)

HURRAH HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

 

There is one phrase that is firmly etched in my mind from all the years I have studied the scriptures and that is, “my people Israel”. I searched this phrase in the Gospel Library this morning and pages and pages of scriptures came up. I could not possibly get through them all. I realized Israel is central to the Saviour’s Gospel.

The Saviour was sent exclusively to the House of Israel (Matthew 15:24). The Gospel was not taken to the Gentiles until after His death. The restoration of His Church is predicated on the gathering of Israel hence the importance of the Book of Mormon. The early members of the Church grasped this importance from the beginning and made many sacrifices to this end.

In 1839 Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball set off as missionaries to the British Isles. They were both ill and their families were left sick and destitute, “nevertheless, the two climbed into a wagon, and while still in sight of their loved ones, Heber said, “Let’s rise up and give them a cheer.” The two struggled to their feet and shouted, “Hurrah, hurrah for Israel!” (Ronald A. Rasband, “Right Before Our Eyes”, GC April 2025)

I quoted scriptures in my post yesterday of the Saviour’s abiding love for the House of Israel and how  we are referred to as ‘the apple of His eye’ (Det 32:9,10; Zechariah 2:8; Psalm 17:8). There is something else that has remained etched in my mind from studying the Old Testament.

When Moses’ brother Aaron was appointed the head priest, the Saviour gave instructions that among his priestly garments, he should wear a breastplate with four rows of stones set in it. The first row was set with sardius, a topaz and a carbuncle (smaragdus); the second with emerald, a sapphire and a diamond; the third with ligure, an agate and an amethyst; and the fourth with a beryl, an onyx and a jasper. These stones were gems and jewels and they had an inscription on them representing each tribe of the 12 tribes of Israel (Exodus 28:15-21).

This is the worth and value that the Saviour places on ‘His people Israel’. And the most significant thing? The breastplate with the gems had to be worn ‘upon Aaron’s heart before the Lord continually’ (Exodus 28:29,30). Can you see the significance of this?

How much are you worth to Christ as a member of ‘His people Israel’?

·        “And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels” (Malachi 3:17)

·        “For I the Lord, rule in the heavens above….and in the day when I shall make up my jewels, all men shall know what it is that bespeaketh the power of God” (D&C 60:4)

·        “Yet I will own them, and they shall be mine in that day when I shall come to make up my jewels (D&C 101:3)

We are not gathering Israel…..we are collecting jewels……

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Jesus of Nazareth by Greg Olsen)

GOD'S PLAN

 

“When we say God has a plan, he truly has a plan – not simply a grand scale, but for each of us as individuals, allocating some special talent to this dispensation and some to another. I regard God as the perfect personnel manager, even though He must work with and through all of us who are so imperfect.”  (Neal A.  Maxwell, “Deposition of a Disciple” p 46).

I am in awe of the sacrifices that were required of the early Church pioneers and I am convinced that the Lord in his wisdom allocated those spirits who were willing to sacrifice all for the establishment and restoration of the truth in this dispensation to be born at such a time.

Sidney Gilbert is just one example of the early Church converts who was asked to forsake the world despite his success in it. In 1830 he was a senior partner in the successful mercantile firm of Gilbert, and Whitney in Kirtland, Ohio. After he joined the Church, he was sent to Missouri to buy land and operate a small store (D&C 57:8). I imagine that would be akin to today’s successful city lawyer moving to a small town and mainly working only pro bono cases. That, my friends, is forsaking the world.

Sidney Gilbert proved to be a devoted and faithful member of the Church who sacrificed all of his goods during the persecutions in Missouri, even offering himself as a ransom for the Saints. Brother Gilbert lacked confidence though to preach the Gospel and was wrongly criticized for it (“History of the Church” 2:118).

I can relate to Sidney Gilbert’s hesitation. At my baptism, I naively said to the Elders who baptized me: “I will never give a talk or go on a mission”.  Three months later I was delivering my first talk in Church and three years after that, I was on a mission. I have served in many callings since then but there have been times when because of certain circumstances I had not been able to serve. The Lord makes of us what we should be for when He needs us in different situations.

I think of those of us who are Temple endowed and the special covenant we have made to give our all to the building of the Kingdom. I wonder how prepared we will be when the time comes to walk away from our earthly successes and forsake all for the privilege of building New Jerusalem. The call for that sacrifice will surely come.

In my opinion the Church has a way to go to prepare for the Second Coming. I for one am eager to see the splendour of New Jerusalem but that splendour will not come while we are sitting comfortably in our chapels listening to sacrament talks. It will come by sacrifice and work. The day will come when we will be asked to give up our all for the cause of Zion. Will we be ready? And will we be willing?

When we see the Saviour appear in the clouds of heaven in His glory, we will be grateful that we of the last days were sent here at such a time to welcome Him and present to Him His kingdom to which He will come to reign as our Lord and our King. May we be assured then that we have done our all to be worthy to see that day.

When through the water’s gate

I was given the Saviour’s name,

His law was written in my heart

Forever there to remain.

 

I sacrificed, I obeyed,

I followed the paths He had me take;

I performed His holy work

For His name’s sake.

 

When in clouds of heaven He appears,

And I stand in the shadow of His frame,

I want to hear the Saviour say:

Thank you for honouring my name! 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: His Return by Dan Wilson)

THE PLACE TO BE

 

“It is not difficult to envision that there will be false prophets and false teachers in the last days. But what of the promise that there will be false Christs?

“There are, of course, those deluded souls who announce, from time to time, that they are Christ or God or the Holy Ghost….or whatever Satan or the workings of a deranged mind places in their thoughts. But in a larger and more realistic sense, false Christs are false systems of religion that use his name and profess to present His teachings to the world.” (Bruce R.  McConkie, “The Promised Messiah” p 324)

Elder McConkie went on to say that the contention of different religions in Joseph Smith’s day meant that each group of religionists was saying: “Lo, here is Christ; we have his system of salvation; ours is the true church, we know the way; come join with us” (JS-H 5).

So strong was Joseph’s confusion that it led him to the source of all truth for guidance. We all know the result of that query – that there is only one Christ and one true system of salvation.

Today there are an estimated 4,000 to 10,000 distinct religions in the world. There are four major religions with over 77% of the world’s population adhering to one of them. They are: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddism.

I was raised as a Christian so I knew of Christ’s salvation but all I knew of it was that we were saved from sin so we don’t go to hell. At 16 years of age I wondered what comes after salvation, what are we saved for? Why are we here and what is there to come?

When I found the Church and was baptized at 18 years of age, I was amazed at the vista of information that the Plan of Salvation offered. For the first year of my membership I believed that all the Church members were perfect. With all that marvelous truth at their fingertips, how could you not be? Fifty years later, I understand and know better….

Despite the richness of the Gospel, I have seen some members of the Church be seduced by false Christs in the form of other religions and turn to them in preference to the Church that possesses all truth.  I am still trying to understand the attraction.

Elder McConkie explains the splendour we are in as members of the true body of Christ: “The great restoration of all things has begun, and like the light of the rising sun, it shall spread over all the earth until the darkness of Babylon shall be no more, and the Son of Man shall come to be seen and admired by those who wait for Him.”  (“The Promised Messiah”, p 325)

“This Church, the great institutional body of Christ, is a marvelous work and a wonder not only because of what it does for the faithful but also because of what the faithful do for it. Your lives are at the very heart of that marvel. You are evidence of the wonder of it all.” (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Miracles of the Restoration” October 1994 General Conference)

When the Saviour proclaimed himself to be ‘the bread of life’, many of his disciples, lacking in understanding, “walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life…..thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (John 6:68)

To whom indeed???....

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: And The Truth Shall Make You Free by Greg Olsen)

 

THE ELECT

 

Joseph received the golden plates from Moroni eight months after he and Emma were married. From that moment on their lives were punctuated with persecution and trial.

Emma traveled with Joseph on many of his missionary journeys and shared with him the joy and sorrow that came with preaching of the gospel. The joy must have outranked the sorrow for Emma showed incredible strength during her trying life with Joseph. The Prophet’s mother, Lucy Mack Smith, said this of her:

“I have never seen a woman in my life, who would endure every species of fatigue and hardship, from month to month, and from year to year, with that unflinching courage, zeal and patience, which she has ever done, for I know that which she has had to endure….she has breasted the storms of persecution, and buffeted the rage of men and devils…which would have borne down almost any other woman.”  (History of Joseph Smith, pp 190-91)

In July of 1830, Joseph received a revelation for Emma known as section 25 of the Doctrine and Covenants in which He called her ‘an elect lady’ (v 3). When Joseph organized the Relief Society on 17 March 1842, he appointed Emma as its first President and explained that to be ‘elect’ means to be elected to a certain work (History of the Church, 4:552-53).

When President Joseph F. Smith received his vision of the spirit world in 1918, he observed that many of the ‘noble and great ones were chosen in the beginning to be rulers in the Church of God’ and that they ‘with many others  received their first lessons in the world of spirits and were prepared to come forth in the due time of the Lord to labour in His vineyard for the salvation of the souls of men’ (D&C 138:55-56). I believe this is when Emma was elected.

What a worthy woman Emma she must have been long before this world began to head the female contribution to the ‘wonderful work and a wonder’. Besides her work in the Church, her support to Joseph in his calling was equal in part to his accomplishments. She was there body and soul and did not shirk to give anything that was asked of her. She stands at the head of all the valiant women of this Church who have laboured for the salvation of the human race.

This is what I see in Emma: when the Saviour opened this last dispensation, He did not forget His valiant sisters. He enlisted us to work alongside the priesthood in establishing His Church to make available the priesthood ordinances of salvation. What a privilege it is to be harnessed with Him in this important work of salvation for the human family.

We, the sisters, will stand as a symbol of righteousness and spiritual endeavour of Zion when the King of Kings returns to reign. And long after this earth is rolled together as a scroll, we will stand as queens and priestesses in the celestial kingdom of our God forever.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Emma's Hymns by Liz Lemon Swindle)