False Prophecy of Joseph Smith

10 May

United Order to be Forever – Then Again Maybe Not 

D&C 104:1, 47, 53; “1 Verily I say unto you, my friends, I give unto you counsel, and a commandment, concerning all the properties which belong to the order which I commanded to be organized and established, to be a united order, and an everlasting order for the benefit of my church, and for the salvation of men until I come— And now, a commandment I give unto you concerning Zion, that you shall no longer be bound as a united order to your brethren of Zion, only on this wise— Therefore, you are dissolved as a united order with your brethren, that you are not bound only up to this hour unto them, only on this wise, as I said, by loan as shall be agreed by this order in council, as your circumstances will admit and the voice of the council direct.”

Prophecy given on April 23, 1834. Also see History of the Church 2:54-60.

Good grief, make up your mind.  

At this time in Mormon history the Church was under immense pressure.  A few weeks after this prophecy was given “Zion’s Camp” marched to the Mississippi River area on May 4th and settled in Jackson Co Missouri by the end of June.

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5 Responses to “False Prophecy of Joseph Smith”

  1. shematwater May 10, 2012 at 8:25 am #

    Actually, Zion’s camp never entered Jackson County. they traveled just North of it, and settled outside the town of Liberty in Clay county.

    As to any confusion, this only arises because you are quoting only three verses out of 86, and not even sequential verses.

    First of all, in verse 1 he is not giving prophecy, but a command. Actually he is reviewing a previous command given and the intent of it. In verse 2-3 we read “With promise immutable and unchangeable, that inasmuch as those whom I commanded were faithful they should be blessed with a multiplicity of blessings; But inasmuch as they were not faithful they were nigh unto cursing.”
    Here we have the contingency. Only if those entering the order are faithful to the covenants made will it be “an everlasting order for the benefit of my cchurch, and for the salvation of men”

    Later you quote only the first and last verse of the section. You miss verses 51-52 which explain that “this I have commanded to be done for your salvation, and also for their salvation, in consequence of their being driven out and that which is to come. The covenants being broken through transgression, by covetousness and feigned words”

    So, in the beginning of the chapter we are told that this order would only stand if people were faithful to the covenants. Here the order is being divided into two separate branches due to the persecutions in Missouri, which were brought on by people breaking the covenants. There is nothing confusing, or any changing of minds, or any uncertainty. It is actually quite simple.

    If you violate the covenant you will be cursed.
    People in Missouri violated the covenant, and so they were cursed.
    Because of this the order in Missoure was separated from that in Kirtland for their mutual protection.

    When you take the whole thing, instead of just selected verses, everything makes perfect sense.

    • Plant Electrician May 11, 2012 at 12:01 am #

      @shemawater so, where can one get a copy of the full original text? Is there a site online that has this full text unedited?

    • shematwater May 11, 2012 at 1:59 am #

      This is the Doctrine and Covenants, one of our standard works that can likely be gotten for free from any of our missionaries. However, if you prefer online reading it is also available at lds.org.
      Here is a quick link to this section. http://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/104?lang=eng

  2. camdenc May 10, 2012 at 12:15 pm #

    The official church history confirms that the first printing of the Doctrine and Covenants used code names for certain people and places. As the practice of concealing the names of the leaders of the church and the location of communal land centered on the functions of the United Order, it is my view that this practice was also a dishonest use of the Mormon “Scriptures.” Within the original 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, Joseph Smith Jr. was known as Enoch, Gazelam, or Baurak Ale, the city of New York was known as Cainhannoch, and the local printing office was known as the Lane-shine-house. The most likely use for such code names concerning the activities of the United Order was to avoid lawsuits, taxes, and any associated liabilities linked with this communal practice.

    Baker, Lee B. (2011-12-01). Mormonism: A Life Under False Pretenses

    • shematwater May 11, 2012 at 1:57 am #

      Yes. I am sure that the alias’s had absolutely nothing to do with the constant persecution that Joseph Smith experienced from the time of the first vision to his death, and that followed the church from is beginning inot the 20th century.
      The most logical reason for this practice has to be dishonestly, and cannot, in anyway, be connected to self defense and preservation.

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