Chapter XIII. Calling of the Twelve Apostles

Their Ordinations and Blessings. Charge to Parley P. Pratt. Charge to the Twelve. Organization of the Seventies. Historical Incidents.

In Kirtland, on the 14th day of February, 1835, a grand meeting of the elders was called, at which the Prophet, after laying before them the subject of choosing the Twelve, said he wanted an expression from the brethren, if they would be satisfied to have the Spirit of the Lord dictate in the choice of the elders to be apostles ; whereupon all of the elders present expressed their anxious desire to have it so.

Joseph stated that the first business of the meeting was for the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon to pray, each one, and then proceed to choose twelve men from the Church as apostles, to go to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people.

The three witnesses, namely, Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris, united in prayer.

They were then blessed by the laying on of the hands of the Presidency, and then proceeded to make choice of the Twelve, as follows:

1. Lyman E. Johnson, 7. Wm. E. McLellin,

2. Brigham Young, 8. John F. Boynton,

3. Heber C. Kimball, 9. Orson Pratt,

4. Orson Hyde, 10. William Smith,

5. David W. Patten, 11. Thomas B. Marsh,

6. Luke Johnson, 12. Parley P. Pratt.

It is not practicable to give the ordinations and blessings of the Twelve, as only a brief synopsis of the occurrence is extant. Suffice it to say the proceedings occupied two days, when the meeting adjourned.

On the 2 1 st, continues the record, "pursuant to adjournment, a meeting of the Church was held, and after prayer by David Whitmer, and a short address by Oliver Cowdery to the congregation, Elder Parley P Pratt was called to the stand and ordained one of the Twelve, by Presidents Joseph Smith, jun., David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery."

After Parley's ordination, Oliver Cowdery gave to him his apostolic charge, which is so characteristic and prophetic that it deserves to be preserved in this connection. It was as follows:

" I am aware, dear brother, that the mind naturally claims something new ; but the same thing-, rehearsed frequently, profits us. You will have the same difficulties to encounter in fulfilling this ministry that the ancient apostles had. You have enlisted in a cause that requires your whole attention; you ought, therefore, to count the cost ; and to become a polished shaft, you must be sensible, requires the labor of years ; and your station requires a perfect polish. It is required not merely to travel a few miles in the country, but in distant countries. You must endure much labor, much toil, and many privations, to become perfectly polished.

Your calling is not like that of the husbandman, to cultivate a stinted portion of the planet on which we dwell, and when heaven has oqven the former and the latter rain, and mellow Autumn has ripened his fruit, gather it in, and congratulate himself for a season in the remission of his toils, while he anticipates his Winter evenings of relaxation and fireside enjoyments ; but, dear brother, it is far otherwise with you. Your labor must be incessant, and your toil great ; you must go forth and labor till the great work is done. It will require a series of years to accomplish it, but you will have this pleasing consolation, that your Heavenly Father requires it. The field is his ; the work is his ; and he will not only cheer you, animate you, and buoy you up in your pilgrimage, in your arduous toils, but when your work is done, and your labor over, he will take you to himself. But before this consummation of your felicity, bring your mind to bear upon what will be imperiously required of you, to accomplish the great work that lies before you. Count well the cost. You have read of the persecutions and trials of ancient days. Has not bitter experience taught you that they are the same now? You will be dragged before the authorities for the religion

you profess ; and it were better not to set out than to start and look back, or shrink when dangers thicken upon you, or appalling death stares you in the face. I have spoken these things, dear brother, because I have seen them in visions. There are strong dungeons and gloomy prisons for you. These should not appal you. You must be called a good or bad man. The ancients passed through the same. They had this testimony — that they had seen the Saviour after he rose from the dead. You must bear some testimony, or your mission, your labor, your toil, will be in vain. You must bear the same testimony, that there is but one God, one mediator. He that has seen him will know him, and testify of him. Beware of pride ; beware of evil— shun the very appearance of it, for the time is coming when, if you do not give heed to these things, you will have a fall. Among your many afflictions you will have many blessings also; but you must pass through many afflictions in order to receive the glory that is in store for you. You will see thousands, who, when they first see you, will know nothing about salvation by Jesus Christ : you shall see a nation born in a day. A great work lies before you, and the time is near when you must bid farewell to your native land, cross the mighty deep, and sound the tocsin of alarm to other nations, kindreds, tongues and people. Remember that all your hopes of deliverance from danger and from death, will rest upon your faithfulness to God. In his cause you must serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind. Avoid strife and vain glory; think not yourself better than your brethren, but pray for them as well as for yourself; and if you are faithful, great will be your blessings ; but if you are not, your stewardship will be taken from you, and another appointed in your stead."

Elder Pratt gave his hand to President Cowdery, and said he had received ordination, and should fulfill the ministry according to the grace given him, to which elder Cowdery replied, "Go forth, and angels shall bear thee up ; and thou shalt come forth at the last day, bringing many with thee."

Thomas B. Marsh and Orson Pratt beine absent on mission at this time, received their ordinations and blessings on their return in the following April.

The grand charge to the Twelve, as a body, is still more important and historic, and must be given, as it is the very genesis of their ministry. It was as follows :

" Dear brethren, previous to delivering the charge, I shall read a part of a revelation. It is known to you that, previous to the organizing of this Church in 1830, the Lord gave revelations, or the Church could not have been organized. The people of this church were weak in faith compared with the ancients. Those who embarked in this cause were desirous to know how the work was to be conducted. They read many things in the Book of Mormon, concerning their duty, and the way the great work ought to be done ; but the minds of men are so constructed that they will not believe without a testimony of seeing or hearing. The Lord gave us a revelation that, in process of time, there should be twelve men chosen to preach his gospel to Jew and Gentile. Our minds have been on a constant stretch to find who these twelve were. When the time should come we could not tell, but we soueht the Lord, by fasting and prayer, to have our lives prolonged to see this day, to see you, and to take a retrospect of the difficulties through which we have passed. But, having seen the day, it becomes my

duty to deliver to you a charge ; and first, a few remarks respecting your ministry. You have many revelations put into your hands ; revelations to make you acquainted with the nature of your mission. You will have difficulties by reason of your visiting all the nations of the world. You will need wisdom in a tenfold proportion to what you have ever had ; you will have to combat all the prejudices of all nations."

The revelation was then read, and the charge continued :

" Have you desired this ministry with all your hearts ? If you have desired it, you are called of God, not of man, to go into all the world."

Then reading again from the revelation, what the Lord said to the Twelve, the speaker continued :

" Brethren, you have your duty presented in this revelation. You have been ordained to the holy priesthood ; you have received it from those who have their power and authority from an angel ; you are to preach the gospel to every nation. Should you in the least degree come short of your duty, great will be your condemnation ; for the greater the calling the greater the transgression. \ therefore warn you to cultivate great humility; for I know the pride of the human heart. Beware, lest the flatterers of the world lift you up; beware, lest your affections are captivated by worldly objects. Let your ministry be first. Remember the souls of men are committed to your charge, and if you mind your calling you shall always prosper.

" You have been indebted to other men, in the first instance, for evidence; on that you have acted;

but it is necessary that you receive a testimony from heaven for yourselves, so that you can bear testimony to the truth of the Book of Mormon, and that you have seen the face of God. That is more than the testimony of an angel. When the proper time arrives, you shall be able to bear this testimony to the world. When you bear testimony that you have seen God, this testimony God will never suffer to fall, but will bear you out, although many will not give heed, yet others will. You will therefore see the necessity of getting this testimony from heaven.

" Never cease striving till you have seen God face to face. Strengthen your faith ; cast off your doubts, your sins, and all your unbelief, and nothing can prevent you from coining to God. Your ordination is not full and complete till God has laid his hands upon you. We require as much to qualify us as did those who have gone before us. God is the same. If the Saviour in former days laid his hands on his disciples, why not in latter days ?

" With regard to superiority, I must make a few remarks. The ancient apostles sought to be great; but lest the seeds of discord be sown in this matter, understand particularly the voice of the Spirit on this occasion. God does not love you better or more than others. You are to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. Jacob, you know, wrestled till he obtained. It was by fervent prayer and diligent search that you have obtained the testimony you are now able to bear. You are as one; you are equal in bearing the keys of the Kingdom to all nations. You are called to preach the Gospel of the Son of God to the nations of the earth; it is the will of your Heavenly Father that you proclaim his gospel to the ends of the earth and the islands of the sea.

" Be zealous to save souls. The soul of one man

is as precious as the soul of another. You are to bear this message to those who consider themselves wise; and such may persecute you; they may seek your life. The adversary has always sought the life of the servants of God. You are therefore to be prepared at all times to make a sacrifice of your lives, should God require them, in the advancement and building up of his cause. Murmur not at God. Be always prayerful ; be always watchful. You will bear with me while I relieve the feelings of my heart. We shall not see another day like this. The time has fully come, the voice of the Spirit has come, to set these men apart.

"You will see the time when you will desire to see such a day as this, and you will not see it. Every heart wishes you peace and prosperity, but the scene, with you, will inevitably change. Let no man take your bishopric, and beware that you lose not your crowns. It will require your whole souls; it will require courage like Enoch's.

" The time is near when you will be in the midst of congregations who will gnash their teeth upon you. This gospel must roll, and will roll, until it fills the whole earth. Did I say congregations would gnash upon you ? Yea, I say nations will gnash upon you ; you will be considered the worst of men. Be not discouraged at this. When God pours out his spirit the enemy will rage; but God, remember, is on your right hand and on your left. A man, though he be considered the worst, has joy who is conscious that he pleases God. The lives of those who proclaim the true gospel will be in danger. This has been the case ever since the days of righteous Abel. The same opposition has been manifest whenever men came forward to publish the gospel. The time is coming when you will be considered the worst by many, and by some the best of men. The time is coming when you will be perfectly

familiar with the things of God. This testimony will make those who do not believe your testimony, seek your lives; but there are whole nations who will receive your testimony. They will call you good men. Be not lifted up when you are called good men. Remember you are young men, and you shall be spared. I include the other three. Bear them in mind in your prayers; carry their cases to a throne of grace. Although they are not present, yet you and they are equal. This appointment is calculated to create an affection in you for each other, stronger than death. You will travel to other nations; bear each other in mind. If one or more are cast into prison, let the others pray for them, and deliver them by their prayers. Your lives shall be in great jeopardy, but the promise of God is that you shall be delivered.

" Remember you are not to go to other nations till you receive your endowment. Tarry at Kirtland until you are endowed with power from on high. You need a fountain of wisdom, knowledge and intelligence, such as you never had. Relative to the endowment, I made a remark or two that there be no mistake. The world cannot receive the things of God. He can endow you without worldly pomp or great parade. He can give you that wisdom, that intelligence, and that power which characterized the ancient saints, and now characterizes the inhabitants of the upper world. The greatness of your commission consists in this : you are to hold the keys of this ministry; you are to go to the nations afar off, nations that sit in darkness. The day is coming when the work of God must be done. Israel shall be gathered. The seed of Jacob shall be gathered from their long dispersion. There will be a feast to Israel, the elect of God. It is a sorrowful tale, but the Gospel must be preached and God's ministers be rejected. But where can Israel

be found; and receive your testimony, and not rejoice? Nowhere! The prophecies are full of great things that are to take place in the last days. After the elect are gathered out destruction shall come on the inhabitants of the earth ; all nations shall feel the wrath of God, after they have been warned by the saints of the Most High. If you will not warn them, others will, and you will lose your crowns.

" You must prepare your minds to bid a long farewell to Kirtland, even till the great day come. You will see what you never expected to see ; you will need the mind of Enoch or Elijah, and the faith of the brother of Jared ; you must be prepared to walk by faith, however appalling the prospect to human view; you, and each of you, should feel the force of the imperious mandate, 'Son, go labor in my vineyard,' and cheerfully receive what comes ; but in the end you will stand while others will fall. You have read in the revelation concerning ordination : beware how you ordain, for all nations are not like this nation. They will willingly receive the ordinances at your hands to put you out of the way. There will be times when nothing but the angels of God can deliver you out of their hands.

" We appeal to your intelligence, we appeal to your understanding, that we have so far discharged our duty to you. We consider it one of the greatest condescensions of our Heavenly Father in pointing you out to us. You will be stewards over this ministry ; you have a work to do that no other men can do ; you must proclaim the gospel in its simplicity and purity ; and we commend you to God and the word of his grace. You have our best wishes, you have our most fervent prayers, that you may be able to bear this testimony, that you have seen the face of God. Therefore call upon him in faith and mighty prayer till you prevail, for it is your duty and your privilege to bear such testimony

for yourselves. We now exhort you to be faithful to fulfill your calling; there must be no lack here ; you must fulfill in all things ; and permit us to repeat, all nations have a claim on you ; you are bound together as the three witnesses were ; you, notwithstanding, can part and meet, and meet and part again, till your heads are silvered o'er with age."

Then taking them separately by the hand, elder Cowdery continued :

11 Do you, with full purpose of heart, take part in this ministry, to proclaim the gospel with all diligence, with these your brethren, according to the tenor and intent of the charge you have received?" Each answered in the affirmative, thus brine-inp- to a close the solemn and interesting ceremony.

At a subsequent meeting the Prophet proposed for discussion the following question : — What importance is there attached to the calling of these Twelve Apostles, different from the other callings or officers of the Church ? After discussion by several of those present, the Prophet gave his decision as follows :

" They are the Twelve Apostles who are called to the office of Traveling High Council, who are to preside over all the churches of the saints, among the Gentiles, where there is a presidency established; and they are to travel and preach among the Gentiles, until the Lord shall command them to go to the Jews. They are to hold the keys of this ministry, to unlock the door of the kingdom of heaven unto all nations, and to preach the gospel to every creature. This is the power, authority and virtue of their apostleships."

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1 On the 28th of Feb., 1835, the Church, in council assembled, commenced selecting certain persons, who were ordained and blessed at that time, to begin the organization of the " First Quorum of the Seventies," according to the plan laid down to Joseph in certain revelations and visions, thus commencing the organization of that grand evangelical army of the Church called " The Apostles of the Seventies," which, during the lifetimes of Joseph and Brigham, reached to about five thousand in number.

At a meeting of the Twelve on the evening of March 12th, 1835, it was proposed that they take their first mission through the Eastern States, to the Atlantic Ocean, and hold conferences in the vicinity of the several branches of the Church, for the purpose of regulating all things necessary for their welfare, and the 4th of May following was unanimously agreed upon as the day of departure from Kirtland.

On the 26th of April the Twelve Apostles and the Seventies who had been chosen assembled, with a numerous concourse of people, in the unfinished temple at Kirtland, to receive their charge and instructions from the Prophet, relative to their mis-

, sion and duties.

I —

At a conference held on the 2d of May, Joseph laid down the order of the Twelve when in council, which was to take their seats together according to age, — the oldest to be seated at the head, and preside in the first council, the next oldest in the second, and so on until the youngest had presided, and then beoin at the oldest ao-ain, etc. Thus

determined, the order of the Twelve at that time was: Thomas B. Marsh, David W. Patten, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, William E. McLellin, Parley P. Pratt, Luke Johnson, William Smith, Orson Pratt, John F. Boynton, Lyman E. Johnson. — ,

The interesting episode of anointing and bless- ' ing the first Patriarch of the Church, with the marvelous manifestations which then occurred, is spoken of by Joseph, as follows :

"At early candle-light [Jan. 21st, 1836], I met with the Presidency at the west school-room, in the Temple [unfinished], to attend to the ordinance of anointing our heads with holy oil ; also the councils of Kirtland and Zion met in the two adjoining rooms, waiting in prayer while we attended to the ordinance. I took the oil in my left hand, father Smith being seated before me, and the other members of the Presidency encircled him round about. We then stretched our right hands towards heaven, and blessed the oil and consecrated it in the name of Jesus Christ.

"We then laid our hands upon our aged father Smith, and invoked the blessings of heaven. I then anointed his head with the consecrated oil, and sealed many blessings upon him. The Presidency then in turn laid their hands upon his head, beginning at the eldest, until they had all laid their hands upon him, and pronounced such blessings upon his head as the Lord put into their hearts, — all blessing him to be our Patriarch, to anoint our heads and attend to all duties that pertain to that office. The Presidency then took the seat in turn, according to

age, beginning at the eldest, and received their anointing and blessing under the hands of father Smith. And in my turn my father anointed my head, and sealed upon me the blessings of Moses to lead Israel in the latter-days, even as Moses led him in days of old ; also the blessings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. All of the Presidency laid their hands upon me, and pronounced upon my head many prophecies and blessings.

" The heavens were opened upon us, and I beheld the celestial kingdom of God, and the glory 'thereof, whether in the body or out, I cannot tell. I saw the transcendent beauty of the gate through which the heirs of that kingdom will enter, which was like unto circling flames of fire ; also the blazing throne of God, whereon was seated the Father and the Son. I saw the beautiful streets of that kingdom, which had the appearance of being paved with gold. I saw fathers Adam and Abraham, and my father and mother, my brother Alvin, that has long since slept, and marveled how it was that he had obtained an inheritance in that kingdom, seeing that he had departed this life before the Lord had set his hand to gather Israel the second time, and had not been baptized for the remission of sins.

" Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying:

" ' All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God ; also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of

that kingdom, for I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.'

" And I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability, are saved in the celestial kino-dom of heaven. I saw the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb, who are now upon the earth, who hold the keys of this last ministry, in foreign lands, standing together in a circle, much fatigued, with their clothes tattered and feet swollen, with their eyes cast downward, and Jesus standing in their midst, and they did not behold him. The Saviour looked upon them and wept.

" I also beheld elder McLellin in the south, standing upon a hill, surrounded by a vast multitude, preaching to them, and a lame man standing before him, supported by his crutches. He threw them down at his word, and leaped as an hart, by the mighty power of God. Also elder Brigham Young, standing in a strange land, in the far south and west, in a desert place, upon a rock in the midst of about a dozen men of color, who appeared hostile. He was preaching to them in their own tongue, and the angel of God standing above his head, with a drawn sword in his hand, protecting him, but he did not see it. And I finally saw the Twelve in the celestial kingdom of God. I also beheld the redemption of Zion, and many things which the tongue of man cannot describe in full.

" Many of my brethren who received the ordinance with me saw glorious visions also. Angels ministered unto them, as well as myself, and the power of the Highest rested upon us, the house

was filled with the glory of God, and we shouted Hosannah to God and the Lamb."

On the following evening the ceremony of anointing the heads of the Twelve, and the presidency of the Seventy, was attended to. At the close, says Joseph, " President Rigdon arose to conclude the services of the evening by invoking the benediction of heaven upon the Lord's anointed, which he did in an eloquent manner. The congregation shouted a long hosannah ; the gift of tongues fell upon us in mighty power ; angels mingled their voices with ours, while their presence was in our midst, and unceasing praises swelled our bosoms for the space of half an hour."

Under such auspicious outpourings of the Spirit were the Twelve ushered into the work of their high calling.

They, with the Seventies, being now chosen to go "into all the earth," to preach the "fullness of the gospel," and gather a Latter-day Israel from among the nations, we can now proceed to unfold the divine economy of Mormonism, review the Israelitish genius and subject of the work, and dwell upon the vast plans and themes developed by the Prophet in his exalted moods of inspiration. Subsequently we shall see them illustrated in the actual history of himself and people, — fulfilling his visions in the very events of the age.