The Divine Origin and Organization of the Church

An injunction to those who desire to serve God—Counsel to those who may be called into war—To be a soldier does not mean that one must cast aside one's ideas of right, morality, and godliness—We do not love war, but will do our part in the defense of our country—We celebrate today the birthday of the Church—Reasons for early evolution in Church government—The plans for perfect organization were revealed from the first, and did not have their origin and development in the ideas of men. ¶

I will read part of a revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith a year or more before the Church was organized: ¶

"Now, behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men; therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day. Therefore if ye have desires to serve God, ye are called to the work. For behold the field is white already to harvest, and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perish not, but bringeth salvation to his soul; and faith, hope, charity, and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work. Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence. Ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you. Amen." ¶

The injunction here given to those who want to serve God corresponds exactly with the counsel given us this morning by our President. I endorse what he has said, and I know you have all felt that what he has counseled us to do, we ought to do. In regard to the critical time in which we are living, I hope that we will remember these virtues which the Lord has commanded us to cultivate. Many things may come about which may cause feelings and passions to rise against those with whom our nation is at war, but we want to remember that those with whom we are associated religiously, be they of whatever nation they may, are Latter-day Saints. Now in this and other states where there are Latter-day Saints, we have a splendid citizenry from those countries with which the United States, perhaps, will be at war. They have come here of their own choice. They have selected this country on account of its free institutions, and they feel that they belong here. They are American citizens. Now let us not treat them as if they were against us, but do everything to make them feel that we are all American citizens. ¶

We are a people of peace. We do not love war, but in order to defend our homes we have been obliged to go to war. In early days here in Utah we tried to keep peace with the Indians. President Brigham Young said it was better to feed the Indians than to fight them, and that humane policy kept us from much bloodshed, and helped us to develop the country. Still we had wars with them. Some of the unruly Indians would take our cattle, and kill our men and women, and we had to go out to fight them in order to defend ourselves, and we did not feel that we were going contrary to the commands of God in doing this. ¶

Now, as we are an integral part of the United States, if the United States shall be attacked we will take our part with them in defending our country. I hope our parents will teach their young men who may be called into war, that to be a soldier does not mean to throw away their ideas of right and morality and godliness, but that they will go as did the two thousand young men led by Helaman of whom we read in the Book of Mormon, and, like the young Nephites, keep themselves free from the things that defile. Let them be prayerful and God-fearing, and then go and in his name perform their duties. ¶

This day is the birthday of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which Church was organized eighty-seven years ago. On that day a number of those who had been baptized, and their friends, met in Fayette, Seneca county, New York, and there organized the Church. In the month of May, preceding, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery received the Aaronic Priesthood, under the hands of John, called in the scriptures John the Baptist, who revealed to them the correct manner and purpose of baptism, after which Joseph baptized Oliver Cowdery and Oliver baptized Joseph Smith. Afterwards they received a glorious visit, Peter, James and John, who held the presidency of the Melchizedek Priesthood in former days of the Church, appeared and bestowed upon them that priesthood; so that on the 6th of April, 1830, when the Church was organized, these two men held the Melchizedek Priesthood as well as the Aaronic Priesthood. They had already baptized a small number of members who met on that day and took part in the Church organization. Then to follow the order of the priesthood, in accordance with the command of God, Joseph and Oliver ordained each other elders, after having been accepted by those present to be the first two elders in the Church. Those baptized received then the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands of Joseph and Oliver. On that day they also partook of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, to remember the great atonement wrought by our Savior, which event we also celebrate today. We remember with deepest gratitude that he gave his life to justify us before God, and to make it possible that we could be at one with our heavenly Father. "That great offering," as we sing, "by man least understood," was made by him in accordance with the will of the Father, and he became our Savior and Redeemer. ¶

Now the Church was organized, but not with all the officers of the Church as we have them today, for the simple reason they did not have enough members in the Church to make a complete organization. Ten months after the Church was organized Edward Partridge was ordained a Bishop to the Church, and in June following the first high priests were ordained. In December, 1833, Joseph Smith, Senior, was ordained a patriarch, and two months later the first High Council was organized. The quorum of Twelve apostles was organized February 14, 1835, and two weeks later a quorum of seventies was organized. All the offices in the priesthood were now established and men were ordained to fill them. ¶

In regard to Church government I will state that during the first thirteen months all Church business was done by conferences of elders presided over by Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Several of the leading brethren were now ordained High Priests who afterwards formed the presiding quorum of the Church. In March, 1832, Joseph was called by revelation to be President of the Church, and a month later he was sustained as President of the High Priests' quorum. Next spring, March 18, 1833, the First Presidency was organized and sustained, consisting of three High Priests: Joseph Smith, President, Sidney Rigdon, First Counselor, and Frederick G. Williams, Second Counselor. ¶

Some may ask, was not this a kind of evolution of Church government from that directed by elders to the present form, during which time the leaders gradually added offices in the Melchizedek Priesthood according to their own notions, and as an after thought added patriarchs, apostles and seventies? The answer is that this was not the case. Already in June, 1829, before the Church was organized, the Lord told Joseph Smith that Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer should seek out the twelve, and their mission was defined. In a revelation given on the same day the organization took place the Lord says: "Behold, there shall be a record kept among you, and in it thou shall be called a seer, a translator, a prophet, an apostle of Jesus Christ." The preceding section (20) of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, called a revelation on Church government, explains the duties of the different officers of the Church, and the rules laid down there are still followed and considered the law of the Church. This shows that the plan of the organization of the Church was definitely given to the Church at the beginning and that it did not have its origin and development in the ideas of men. We rejoice in knowing that it was God-given. ¶

Now, brethren and sisters, I see the time is up. I rejoice to be here with you and see so many here on this day of opening, and again I want to impress upon you the necessity of following the counsel of our President, given to us this morning. God bless you all. Amen. ¶

The choir and congregation sang: "Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah." ¶

The closing prayer was offered by Elder Junius F. Wells. ¶

Conference adjourned until 2 p. m. ¶