Elders’ Journal of the Church of Latter Day Saints, , Geauga Co., OH, Nov. 1837. For more complete source information, see the source note for Elders’ Journal, Oct. 1837.
Historical Introduction
In November 1837, the second issue of the church’s new periodical, Elders’ Journal of the Church of Latter Day Saints, was published in , Ohio. The paper was first published in October 1837 as an instrument for the of the to “communicate to others, all things pertaining to their mission, and calling as servants of the living God, and messengers of righteousness to the nations among whom they are sent.” As editor of the Elders’ Journal, JS was ultimately responsible for its content, including editorial selections in the November issue that introduced conference minutes, prefaced a letter from in , articulated an editorial philosophy, and implored subscribers to remit payment for their subscriptions. Though JS authored an account of his trip to and an attending list of questions, the extent of his involvement in writing the other editorial pieces is unclear. Given that he did not return to Kirtland from , Missouri, until 10 December 1837, the November issue was likely not published until after that date.
Note that only the editorial content created specifically for this issue of the Elders’ Journal is annotated here. Articles reprinted from other papers, letters, conference minutes, and notices, are reproduced here but not annotated. Items that are stand-alone JS documents, such as JS’s travel account, are annotated elsewhere.
Vilate Murray Kimball, Kirtland, OH, to Heber C. Kimball, Preston, England, 19–24 Jan. 1838, Heber C. Kimball, Collection, CHL; Thomas B. Marsh to Wilford Woodruff, in Elders’ Journal,July 1838, 36–38.
Kimball, Heber C. Collection, 1837–1898. CHL. MS 12476.
Jesus Christ, as every member of the body or church of christ, is a priest of the most high God. Peter. 2:5. He also says they were for the edifying of the body of Christ, as to the manner in which this was done, I perfectly agree with , when the church came together, one by the spirit prophecied, and all were instructed, another by the same spirit spake in tongues, and another interpreted etc. thus all were edified of all, or as Paul said a manifestation, in this manner the saints became perfect in a knowledge of the gospel, perfect in obedience to its requirements. And perfect men and women in Christ Jesus.
Being come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, they had no more need of spiritual gifts. But argues the church has never been perfect, because its members have not yet seen God face to face, which he infers from I Cor. 13:12, will be the case at that time.
Paul did not say that would be the case, but we shall see face to face, which is evidently figurative of the union which prevailed in the church, when its members come to a full understanding of all the gospel facts and christian privileges. It is admitted, that spiritual gifts have ceased, I therefore insist the church was perfect at the time, altho’ miracles did not all cease at once, or exactly at the death of John the last apostle. Yet they became extinct within at most, half a century after that event. Those who had received spiritual gifts under the administration of the apostles, continued to enjoy them during their lives, although they outlived the apostles by years, but since those individuals who were cotemporary with the apostles, have left the stage, no miracles or spiritual gifts, have appeared in our world, neither will, to the end of time. It cannot be proven that the apostacy was the cause of the disappearance of miracles, for they were confered by the laying on of the apostles hands, without regard to the holiness of the individuals who received them. The Corinthians were as much divided and as corrupt as any protestant church has ever been, being carnal, brother going to law with brother, guilty of all manner of laciviousness, even incest not excepted, yet Paul says they came behind in no gift. But the object for which these gifts were given having been long since accomplished, there now remains no more need of them and I cannot conceive of what they could be, were they now in the church. We do not need the gift of tongues, or of interpretation, for we can communicate our ideas in our mother tongue; neither the gift of knowledge, as we are in possession of that knowledge which was written in the commencement of the christian church, and spiritual gifts could we possess them would now be wholly superabundant. The gospel has been confirmed by evidence which cannot be successfully contradicted; it has survived the fall of empires and wreck of nations, pure and unadulterated, and if we heartily embrace its precepts and follow out its mandates in our lives, by being merciful and kind, relieving the wants of the needy and in fine, keep the golden rule, do by others as we would wish them to do by us, we will be accepted of God and receive a crown of life though we never possess a spiritual gift.
.— Mr. Hayden argues the church has been perfect from the well known fact that spiritual gifts have ceased, which were to remain until that time. Does not Mr. H. know all the promises of God to men are on conditions of their obedience, because God says to the righteous he shall surely live; it does not inevitably follow he cannot turn from his righteousness and surely die, neither because he says to the wicked he shall surely die does it follow he cannot turn from his wickedness and live, See Ezekiel 34: 13, 14. But Mr. H. has given up the question in debate. He argues to prove the church was perfect at the close of the apostles lives, and now says it was within fifty years after that time; but even allowing him this lenity, he comes far short of proving his point. He has not shown wherein the church was more perfect when spiritual gifts disappeared, than it was when Paul wrote his first epistle to the Corinthians, and if the church was not then perfect, but in some things aside from the doctrine of Christ, the same was applicable to the seven churches of Asia in the year ninety five, as appears from the second and third chapters of Rev. [p. 25]