20th C. Prayers to Avenge Blood of 19th C. Saints

01 August

Today’s LDS reference is a classic example of the Masonic (aka, Mormon) rabbit trails this church takes members on when publishing news of their church.

Long story short, I’ve been retrieving info for Mormon symbols on a site well known for factual info on early temple symbolism. One of their articles caught my attention, thus its inclusion here.

At the April 1946 General Conference they published an article on the Church’s 100 yr. commemoration of the Nauvoo Temple. You’d think it’d be a straightforward thing, but no.

Church authority, Albert Zobell, reminisced about the original dedicatory prayer for the site just before the final group of Mormons left for Utah. Once again, the Church is paid the ‘woe-is-me’ game, and couldn’t resist in reminding people in the 20th century they should pray for God to avenge earlier Saints.

As an FYI, the article and link is listed here at Nauvoo Temple. I had to dig around awhile to find the actual resource, so I’ve listed it here as well. May 1946 Improvement Era, p. 294.

All of that to ask the obvious –

Why are they still seeking revenge, and why do this 100 yrs after the fact? Whatever happened to forgiving others, and turning the other cheek?

“30 April 1846 — Private dedication by those who worked to finish the temple. The dedicatory prayer was given by Joseph Young, Senior President of the Seventy, who had been left in charge by Brigham Young of the men working to finish the temple for dedication. (Watson. Manuscript History of Brigham Young, pp. 147-148.)

The Temple at Nauvoo was dedicated this evening. Elders Orson Hyde, Wilford Woodruff, John, Joseph, and Phineas H. Young, J. M. Bernhisel, J. L. Heywood, and several others were present. Elder Joseph Young offered up the dedicatory prayer, dedicating the Temple, and all that pertained thereto to the Lord, as an offering to Him as an evidence of the willingness of His people, to fulfill His commandments, and build His holy house, even at the risk of their lives, and the sacrifice of all their labor and earthly goods.

He prayed for the Twelve and all the authorities of the Church, and for the workmen that had wrought upon the Temple in the midst of persecution, want, and suffering, and for the deliverance of the poor; that the Lord would direct the brethren of the Camp of Israel, open the way before them and lead them to a place of His own appointment for the gathering of all the Saints. That God would avenge the blood of His servants the Prophets and of the Saints who had been slain for the testimony of the truth and mete out to our enemies the same measure which they had meted out to us. (Source: “Manuscript Records of the Nauvoo Temple.”)” — Albert L. Zobell [emp. added]

With Love in Christ;

Michelle

1 Cor 1:18

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