Mormon Scripture – The Articles of Faith/Part 25

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The tenth LDS Article of Faith begins with the literal gathering of Israel, the restoration of the Ten (Lost) Tribes, and the future building of Zion (the New Jerusalem) upon the Ameri­can continent. Our last article mentioned that LDS believe the “Lost Tribes” are now in the frozen north. LDS scripture in Doctrine and Covenants (D. & C.) 133:26 also says, “And they who are in the north countries shall come in remembrance before the Lord: and their prophets shall hear his voice, and shall no longer stay themselves; and they shall smite the rocks, and the ice shall flow down at their presence.” The “gathering of Israel” and “the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north” was committed to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery according to D. & C. 110:11. It says, “…The heavens were again opened unto us; and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north.” But they both died more than 150 years ago without gathering Israel or leading the ten tribes to Zion from the land of the north!

LDS Apostle Bruce R. McConkie was probably trying to find an explanation for that when he said that “the gathering of Israel under the direction of the President of the Church, who holds the keys, is one of the great evidences of the divine calling of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 307). If this statement is true, the current LDS Church policy is wrong (See the current policy quoted from Ensign at the end of paragraph 2 in this article). LDS scripture doesn’t say “One of our Presidents will gather Israel,” but it says that Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were given the keys of the gathering of Israel.

Joseph Fielding Smith, the tenth LDS Prophet quoted Isaiah 2:2 which says, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.” Then Smith said, “This prediction has been literally fulfilled. Thousands of people have come to the valleys of these mountains” (in Utah) to enter into covenants in the House of the Lord (temple)…No other place on the earth is there to be found a place which fits this description and unto which the people are gathering” (The Restoration of All Things, p. 143).

There are at least three things wrong with Smith’s claim: 1. He quoted Isaiah 2:2 cor­rectly, but he didn’t quote Isaiah 2:1 which says, “The word that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.” So, Isaiah 2:2 is about Judah and Jerusalem, not Utah. 2. The Salt Lake Temple is not in the “top of the mountains” but in one of the lowest places in the Salt Lake Valley. 3. Joseph Fielding Smith’s statement contradicts several revelations which Mormonism’s founder, Joseph Smith, said he received from the Lord identifying Jackson County, Missouri as the gathering place for the LDS.

For example, Joseph Smith said the Lord spoke to him in July 1831, saying, “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…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… Behold, this is wisdom, that they may obtain it for an everlasting inheritance” (D. & C. 57:1, 3 & 5; also see D. & C. 84:2-4; 97:19). Smith also said that D. & C. 29:7-8 was revealed to him in Septem­ber 1830. It says, “And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts; Wherefore the decree hath gone forth from the Father that they shall be gathered in unto one place upon the face of this land, to prepare their hearts and be prepared in all things against the day when tribulation and desolation are sent forth upon the wicked.”

But, the current LDS Prophet’s policy says, “We wish to reiterate the longstanding coun­sel to members of the (LDS) Church to remain in their homelands rather than immigrate to the United States” (Ensign, March 2000, page 79). How can Mormons obey that command as well as their scripture?

The introduction to D. & C. 97 says it was a “Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, August 2, 1833… This revelation deals particularly with the affairs of the Saints in Zion, Jackson County, Missouri.” It says, “Verily I say unto you, that it is my will that a house (temple) should be built unto me in the land of Zion, like unto the pattern which I have given you. Yea, let it be built speedily, by the tithing of my people…And now, behold, if Zion do these things she shall prosper, and spread herself and become very glorious, very great, and very terrible, and the nations of the earth shall honor her, and shall say: Surely Zion is the city of our God, and surely Zion cannot fall, neither be moved out of her place, for God is there, and the hand of the Lord is there; and he hath sworn by the power of his might to be her salvation and her high tower” (Verses 10-11, 18-20).

Since Joseph Smith was in Kirtland when he “received this revelation,” he didn’t know that ten days before he received it, Mormons under pressure in Missouri had agreed to leave Jackson County! But God knew it, so where did Smith get this revelation? The LDS History of the Church says, “Early in the morning of the 23rd of July, the mob again as­sembled, armed with weapons of war and bearing a red flag; whereupon the (LDS) Elders, led by the Spirit of God, and in order to save time, and stop the effusion of blood, entered into a treaty with the mob, to leave the county within a certain time” (vol. I, p. 394). Shortly after this treaty was signed the Mormons left Jackson County, Missouri and never returned to build Zion or the temple. The above “revelations” declare there is only one gathering place and it is in Jackson County, Missouri. It is an everlasting inheritance which cannot be moved because God is there. Yet, the Mormon Elders in Missouri said they were led by the Spirit of God to sign a treaty to leave Jackson County. And now LDS converts are not to gather in one place in America from other lands. Did God give all of these messages?

We will conclude our discussion of the tenth Article of Faith next time. More can be read about the LDS views of these things in The Signs of the Times, by Joseph Fielding Smith, pub. by Deseret News Press in 1942.