Concerning Zion

CONCERNING ZION By L. Valess Dewey, M. A. One of the most beautiful themes in all of that wonderful and glorious system of religious conceptions known to the world as "Mormonism," is the theme of Zion. Sung by the prophets of old since the days of Enoch, and looked forward to by the prophets and saints of many generations since the days of Jesus, the Christ, the theme and story of Zion have ever been a guiding star and a beckoning light to the faithful of God and of his Christ in all ages since the world began. The word of the Lord in these latter days, abounds in state- ments regarding Zion. It is the purpose of the present writer to gather some of these statements from the standard worksi of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and give them to the world in a single article. Brief and incomplete as this attempt must be, it is the hope of the author that the Lord may bless the attempt to the good of those who may read. Testimony from The Pearl of Great Price A very comprehensive definition and meaning of the term Zion is given to us by Moses. Speaking of the ante-diluvian world, he says: "The fear of the Lord was upon all nations, so great was the glory of the Lord, which was upon his people. And the Lord blessed the land, and they were blessed upon the mountains, and upon the high places, and did flourish. And the Lord called his people Zion, be- cause they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them. And Enoch continued his preach- ing in righteousness unto the people of God. And it came to pass in his days, that he built a city that was called the City of Holiness, even Zion." (Book of Moses 7:17-18.) This definition is self ex- planatory. Zion is, first of all, a state or condition. Secondly, it is a people — God's people. Thirdly, it is a place — -a city. This Zion of Enoch, however, was taken into heaven. For three hundred and sixty- five blessed years, this Zion of Enoch and her people enjoyed the actual presence and influence of the Almighty. And then we read that "Zion was not, for God received it up into his own bosom; and from thence went forth the saying, Zion is fled." (Book of Moses 7:21.) But The Pearl of Great Price also testifies of another Zion, a New Jerusalem, which is to be built on the earth in the latter days. Thus we read in the same chapter of the Book of Moses: "And the day shall come that the earth shall rest, but before that day the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth; and great tribulations

946 IMPROVEMENT ERA shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve. And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Be- gotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem." (Verves 61-62.) That this latter Zion is not the Zion of Enoch is specifically set forth in a following verse: "And the Lord said unto Enoch: Then shalt thou and all thy city meet them there, and we will receive them into our bosom, and they shall see us1; and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other. And there shall be mine abode, and it shall be Zion, which shall come forth out of all the creations which I have made; and for the space of a thousand years the earth shall rest." (Verses 63-64.) Testimony from The Book of Mormon The record of the Nephites also refers to the Zion of Enoch, which (having been taken into heaven) would come down out of heaven. Thus we read: "For behold, they [the people] rejected all the words of Ether; for he truly told them of all things, from the beginning of man; and that after the waters had receded from off the face of this land [America] it became a choice land above all other lands, a chosen land of the Lord * * * * And that it was the place of the New Jerusalem, which should come down out of heaven, and the holy sanctuary of the Lord." (Book of Ether, 13:2-3.) And likewise, the testimony is given regarding the New Jerusalem of the latter-day world: "Wherefore, the remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built upon this land [America] ; and it shall be a land of their inheritance; and they shall build up a holy city unto the Lord, like unto the Jerusalem of old; and they shall no more be confounded, until the end come, when the earth shall pass away." (Verse 8.) (See also I Nephi 13:37.) It is interesting to note a further state- ment regarding the inhabitants of this latter-day Zion or New Jeru- salem: "But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money, they shall perish." (II Nephi 26:31). Like the testimony of The Pearl of Great Price concerning Zion, the latter- day New Jerusalem, or Zion, is also both a place, a people, and a condition. The place is a city (on the American continent) ; the people are and must be God's people; and the condition is that of the pure in heart with charity and love. Bible Testimony in the Light of the Foregoing Scripture In the Psalms of David we find in substance: "For the

CONCERNING ZION 947 Lord hath built up Zion: He hath appeared in his glory." (Psalms 102:16.) Or again in the words of Isaiah: "Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness." (Isaiah 1:27.) Or yet again in substance from the same prophet: "What then shall one answer the nations? That the Lord hath founded Zion, and in her shall the afflicted of his people take refuge." (Chapter 14:32.) This scripture reminds us of the condition of the New Testament church as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles: "And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their posses- sions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need." (Acts 2:44-45.) Such then, according to the Jewish record, is the state and condition of the latter-day Zion. And the Zion of Enoch, once taken into heaven, is to come down from heaven in the midst of the latter-day Zion. "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God, out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them, and be their God." (Revelation 21:1-4.) In this modern volume of revelations from God, we have the building of Zion in culminating prophecy. The Zion of Enoch, once taken into heaven, is to return in God's own due time. But the building of the latter-day Zion, the New Jerusalem of the earth, is near at hand, even at the door. Listen to the preliminary word of the Lord in this dispensation: "Hearken, O ye elders of my church, saith the Lord your God, who have assembled yourselves together, ac- cording to my commandments in this land, which is the land of Missouri, which is the land which I have appointed and consecrated for the gathering of the Saints: Wherefore, this is the land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion. And thus saith the Lord your God, if you will receive wisdom here is wisdom. Behold, the place which is now called Independence is the center place, and a spot for the temple is lying westward, upon a lot which is not far from the court house." (Doctrine and Covenants, Section 57:1-4.) And the Lord forecasts the time of the building of Zion, even the New Jerusalem, in a later section: "Verily this is the word of the Lord, that the city New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints beginning at this place (Independence, Missouri), even the place of the temple, which temple shall be reared in this generation. For verily, this generation shall not all pass away until an house shall be built unto the Lord, and a cloud shall rest upon it, even the glory of the Lord which shall fill the house." (Section 84:5-6.) Again, we read the word of the Lord after the Saints had been driven from Jackson county, Missouri: "But verily I say unto you, I have decreed

948 IMPROVEMENT ERA that your brethren which have been scattered shall return to the land of their inheritances, and build up the waste places of Zion. For after much tribulation, as I have said unto you in a former commandment, cometh the blessing * * * * Therefore, I will raise up unto my people a man who shall lead them like as Moses led the children of Israel * * * * And as your fathers were led at the first, even so shall the redemption of Zion be." (Section 103:11-19.) Recently it was the privilege and joy of the writer to visit Independence, Jackson county, Missouri. According to the words of the fifty-seventh section of the Doctrine and Covenants, he located "the lot for the temple," westward "not far from the court house." As he contemplated the glorious scene — the place where the great prophet of the last dispensation laid the foundation for a new Zion, the place where the inhabitants of Enoch's Zion are to come down from heaven and meet the inhabitants of the latter-day Zion, — he remembered the goodness of the Lord to the world and to himself. And then he prayed: O Lord God Almighty, help thy servant to be a builder of Zion in Jackson county, Missouri. Provo, Utah. Dear Little Sweet Pea Dear little sweet pea, how pretty you are! How fragrant your perfume, and rare! How dainty your petals, pink, purple, and white, What beauty if tended with care! You bloom for a season, then fade and are gone, But what joy you impart while you're here! To those who pass by, you gladden the heart; To the lonely you bring hope and cheer. In the sick room your perfume and beauty combined As a tonic work wonderful cure; So quiet, unassuming, oh, little sweet pea, How perfect, how fresh and how pure. God placed you on earth; your mission to cheer, As that of the bird that sings nigh; Or the bee that makes honey delicious and sweet, Or the murmuring brooklet close by. A part of earth's beauty, your mission to cheer, God placed you right here sweet service to give. So, in garden and sick room,, wherever you go, You are living for others, as you really should live. Mesa. Arizona. IDA R. ALLDREDGE.