The Savior in Kirtland (Part Four)

The Savior in Kirtland
By Karl Anderson

Book Review and Critique by OWIW
OneWhoIsWatching [at] gmail.com
Part Four

In part 3 of this series we reviewed the fact that according to Karl Anderson, there is no credible documentation to suggest that anyone saw Christ during the solemn assembly at the Kirtland Temple, despite the fact that one of the primary purposes and expectations of the event was for the pure in heart to see him.

Even though the dedicatory prayer was petitioning God the Father to accept the temple, during the dedicatory prayer, strangely enough, the apostle Peter came and accepted it without being seen by most people in attendance. It is primarily through the testimony of Joseph Smith that we know that Peter accepted the temple.

It may seem a little strange that the saints are petitioning the Father to accept the house, yet Peter comes to accept it during the solemn assembly, and  Christ comes to accept it a week later when Joseph and Oliver received a special endowment in the holy place behind the veil.

I would submit to you that the Father will yet accept it, in the upper court, in the third watch, when the fulness of priesthood power is restored to the earth.

It actually makes perfect sense.

The Father will accept it in the 3rd watch, when the fulness of the priesthood is restored and God’s High Priests returns to the power that they had previously lost (Isa 11 and D&C 113)

In part 3 of this review, we covered the fact that the solemn assembly on March 27th was an epic failure in contrast to what the saints were expecting to happen.

Instead of the high priests receiving the “Promise of the Father” and the “endowment of power” (which appears to begin what  the Book of Mormon refers to as the “work of the Father“), and enables the true apostle/high priests to go forth for the last time to gather the elect and redeem Zion, no endowment of power appears to have materialized during the solemn assembly.

From that standpoint, the solemn assembly was a grand “fizzle” as characterized by David Whitmer, based on the expectations of the saints and the conditional promises God had made regarding the event.

Many of the saints left the solemn assembly feeling somewhat sobered and disappointed by the fact that they were collectively unworthy to see Christ and receive the blessings they had anticipated. Nevertheless, historical revisionism has altered the official history of the church causing most Latter day Saints to believe that the experience at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple exceeded the one experienced by the New Testament Saints as documented in the book of Acts.

The ushering in of the dispensation of the fulness of times did not take place during that preliminary solemn assembly, as anticipated. Instead, the Lord came to his temple in secret, seven days later. At that time, He, and other ministering angels ushered in an ancient, preparatory dispensation, even the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham. Isaiah characterized the gospel of Abraham as the gospel of “former things“.

This time, seven days later,  it would be Christ that would come and declare the temple was accepted;

“Behold, I have accepted this house and my name shall be here..”

Notice that the promise was that Christ’s name shall (come time in the future) be upon the temple.

Manifestations of the Spirit Withheld from the Unconsecrated

The reason the saints could not enjoy the full pentecostal out pouring of the spirit that they anticipated during the solemn assembly is explained in simplicity in section 70:

“..in your temporal things you shall be equal, and this not grudgingly, otherwise the abundance of the manifestations of the Spirit shall be withheld”

Clearly, the saints had failed to live consecration and become temporally equal by the time the temple was finished and the solemn assembly was ready to be conducted. The manifestations of the spirit were therefore withheld.

The Manifestations of the Spirit NOT Fully Withheld from Joseph and Oliver

We know the abundance of the manifestations of the spirit were withheld from the congregation during the solemn assembly on March 27, in part, because they had failed to consecrate.

We know the manifestations of the spirit were withheld also from the priesthood leaders assembled in the outer court on the other side of the veil, on April 3rd.

But why were Joseph and Oliver allowed to enjoy the manifestations of the spirit to the extent that they saw Christ and were visited by ministering angels?

Because they had not transgressed the law of “tithing” (consecration).

In a previous  post we have addressed the fact that when the saints stopped attempting consecration, Joseph and Oliver entered into a Covenant of “tithing” (consecration) for the continuance of “blessings“. (See DHC 2:174-175.)

While most of the condemned church was under the law of mercy in the Kirtland Temple, Joseph and Oliver were still under the law of grace and able to enjoy gospel blessings including a visitation of Christ and the ministering of angels.

Although Joseph and Oliver did receive an endowment, it was apparently not the great, final, Melchizedek endowment of power from on high. It appears to have been a preparatory endowment. (That, or, they received the greater endowment and it remained dormant, pending the fulfillment of their intercessory act and the arrival of the appointed time)

It appears as if the visitation had something to do with the beginning of the literal fulfillment of the prophetic enactment contained in the ancient atonement statute and the ushering in of the dispensation of the ancient gospel of Abraham. It is obvious that other things happened and were revealed beside the short summary contained in section 110.

This appearance from the Savior was a direct fulfillment of Christ’s proclamation at Zions Camp, in section 105:33:

“It is expedient in me that the first elders  of my church should receive their endowment from on high in my house..”

(Joseph had been designated as the 1st Elder of the Church and Oliver had been designated as the 2nd Elder of the Church)

Christ’s Appearance Kept Secret From the Saints

It appears that Christ must have forbidden Joseph and Oliver from speaking about this secret event in public. There is no documentation to indicate the Joseph or Oliver ever did speak of it in public during the rest of their lives.

As one begins to understand what really took place during that event, it becomes apparent why Joseph and Oliver did not want to speak about it.

Since the great endowment of power did not take place among the high priests that had been called and anointed to receive it, and the dispensation of the fulness of times and the marvelous work could not begin at that time, what in the world was the church supposed to do now?

AWKWARD!

The called and chosen high priests thought they were poised and ready to go into all the world to prune the vineyard for the last time, pending the endowment of power, but they were apparently unworthy of the necessary endowment of power from on high!

Clearly the saints seemed to be at a stand still. The Lord did not command the high priests to go forth in power to gather the elect following the solemn assembly. Rather, the “elders” that had not been been endowed with power were told that they would be going forth.

In the middle of the week between the solemn assembly and the visitation of Christ, Joseph made the following declaration:

“I made the following remarks, that the time that we were required to tarry in Kirtland to be endued would be fulfilled in a few days, and then the Elders would go forth and each must stand for himself..”

Strangely, directly following the events of that week, Joseph did not direct anyone to go forth preaching the gospel.

The Bank Failure and Defiling of the Temple

Shortly after the eight days of events in the Kirtland Temple, a darkness fell upon the saints in Kirtland.

In January of 1837 the Kirtland Safety Society was organized. By November of that year it had failed and several leaders of the church had become estranged from the church and a huge apostasy of the church ensued.

Joseph’s Mother, Lucy Mack Smith documented an experience that happened following the dedication of the Kirtland Temple which personifies the darkness that descended upon the saints:

“Shortly after the completion of the house, Joseph and Martin Harris took a short tour through the eastern country. When they arrived at Palmyra, on their return, Joseph had a vision, which lasted until he besought the Lord to take it from him; for it manifested to him things which were painful to contemplate. It was taken from before his eyes for a short time, but soon returned again, and remained until the whole scene was portrayed before him.

On his arrival at home, the brethren seemed greatly pleased to see him. The next day he preached a sermon, and the following is a part of his remarks:

‘Brethren, I am rejoiced to see you, and I have no doubt but that you are glad to see me. We are now nearly as happy as we can be on earth. We have accomplished more than we had any reason to expect when we began. Our beautiful house is finished, and the Lord has acknowledged it, by pouring out His Spirit upon us here, and revealing to us much of His will in regard to the work which He is about to perform.

Furthermore, we have everything that is necessary for our comfort and convenience, and, judging from appearances, one would not suppose that anything could occur which would break up our friendship for each other, or disturb our tranquility. But, brethren, beware; for I tell you in the name of the Lord, that there is an evil in this very congregation, which, if not repented of, will result in setting many of you (who are here this day) so much at enmity against me, that you will have a desire to take my life, and you even would do it, if God should permit the deed.

But, brethren, I now call upon you to repent, and cease all your hardness of heart, and turn from those principles of death and dishonesty which you are harboring in your bosoms, before it is eternally late, for there is yet room for repentance.’

He continued to labor with them in this way, appealing to them in the most solemn manner until almost everyone in the house was in tears, and he was exhausted with speaking.

In the fall of 1836, a bank was established in Kirtland. Soon after the sermon, above mentioned, Joseph discovered that a large amount of money had been taken away by fraud, from this bank. He immediately demanded a search warrant of Esquire F. G. Williams, which was flatly refused.

‘I insist upon a warrant,’ said Joseph, ‘for if you will give me one, I can get the money, and if you do not, I will break you of your office.’ ‘Well, break it is, then,’ said Williams, ‘and we will strike hands upon it.’ ‘Very well,’ said Joseph, ‘from henceforth I drop you from my quorum, in the name of the Lord.’

Joseph then went to Cleveland, in order to transact some business pertaining to the bank; and as he was absent the ensuing Sunday, my husband preached to the people. In speaking of the bank affair, he reflected somewhat sharply upon Warren Parrish. Although the reflection was just, Parrish was highly incensed, and made an attempt to drag him out of the stand.

My husband appealed to Oliver Cowdery, who was justice of the peace, to have him brought to order; but Oliver never moved from his seat. William seeing the abuse which his father was receiving, sprang forward and caught Parrish, and carried him in his arms nearly out of the house.

At this John Boynton stepped forward, and drawing a sword from his cane, presented it to William’s breast, and said, ‘if you advance one step further, I will run you through.’ Before William had time to turn himself, several gathered around who threatened to handle him severely, if he should lay the weight of his finger upon Parrish again. At this juncture of affairs, I left the house, not only terrified at the scene, but likewise sick at heart, to see that the apostasy of which Joseph had prophesied, was so near at hand.”

History of the Prophet Joseph, by his Mother, Lucy Smith, pp. 211-213.

A similar reminiscence from Eliza R. Snow confirms this event:

During the time my brother was on this, his first mission, a great change had been going on in Kirtland, in the midst of the Saints. A spirit of speculation had crept into the hearts of some of the Twelve, and nearly, if not every quorum was more or less infected. Most of the Saints were poor, and now prosperity was dawning upon them—the Temple was completed, and in it they had been recipients of marvelous blessings, and many who had been humbled and faithful to the performance of every duty—ready to go and come at every call of the Priesthood, were getting haughty in their spirits, and lifted up in the pride of their hearts. As the Saints drank in the love and spirit of the world, the Spirit of the Lord withdrew from their hearts, and they were filled with pride and hatred toward those who maintained their integrity. They linked themselves together in an opposing party pretended that they constituted the Church, and claimed that the Temple belonged to them, and even attempted to hold it.

“Warren Parrish, who had been a humble, successful preacher of the Gospel, was the ringleader of this apostate party. One sabbath morning, he, with several of his party, came into the Temple armed with pistols and bowie-knives, and seated themselves together in the Aaronic pulpits, on the east end of the Temple, while Father Smith and others, as usual, occupied those of the Melchizedek Priesthood on the west.

Soon after the usual opening services, one of the brethren on the west stand arose, and just after he commenced to speak, one on the east interrupted him. Father Smith, presiding, called to order—he told the apostate brother that he should have all the time he wanted, but he must wait his turn—as the brother On the west took the floor and commenced first to speak, he must not be interrupted.

A fearful scene ensued—the apostate speaker becoming so clamorous, that Father Smith called for the police to take that man out of the house, when Parrish, John Boynton, and others, drew their pistols and bowie-knives, and rushed down from the stand into the congregation; J. Boynton saying he would blow out the brains of the first man who dared to lay hands on him.

Many in the congregation, especially women and children, were terribly frightened—some tried to escape from the confusion by jumping out of the windows.

Amid screams and shrieks, the policemen, in ejecting the belligerents, knocked down a stovepipe, which fell helter-skelter among the people; but, although bowie-knives and pistols were wrested from their owners, and thrown hither and thither to prevent disastrous results, no one was hurt, and after a short, but terrible scene to be enacted in a Temple of God, order was restored, and the services of the day proceeded as usual.”

A huge apostasy of the church took place during this time.

A solution was coming.

Something New Must Be Done

On June 4th 1837, over a year after the anticipated global missionary work and gathering should have been begun in power, Joseph finally declared that “..God revealed to me that something new must be done for the salvation of the Church“. (HC 2:487-89, May-June 1837.)

At that time the Prophet Joseph Smith announced to Elder Heber C. Kimball of the Quorum of the Twelve that, “The Spirit of the Lord has whispered to me, ‘let my servant Heber go to England and proclaim my gospel and open the door of salvation to that nation”

Others of the twelve were called to help open up foreign missions shortly after that.

Interestingly, instead of the Lord commanding the anointed high priests to go forth in power, baptizing and having the fruits following those that believe, He commands the condemned quorum of the Twelve to PROMULGATE the gospel and bear witness of his name.

Look at the fascinating verbiage used in the following passage:

“And next spring let them depart to go over the great waters, and there promulgate my gospel, the fulness thereof, and bear record of my name.” (section 118)

This is what the 1828 Websters defines the word promulgate:

PROMUL’GATE, v.t. [L. promulgo.] To publish; to make known by open declaration; as, to promulgate the secrets of a council. It is particularly applied to the publication of laws and the gospel. The moral law was promulgated at mount Sinai. The apostles promulgated the gospel. Edicts, laws and orders are promulgated by circular letters, or through the medium of the public prints.

That opened up the publishing and declaring of the gospel to the nations of the earth by those who were NOT called and chosen and endowed.

Compare the above mandate given to the condemned quorum of the twelve, to the  mandate that will be given in the 3rd watch to the apostles–high priests–friends of God, in the 3rd watch, who are endowed with power from on high:

Therefore, go ye into all the world; and unto whatsoever place ye cannot go ye shall send, that the testimony may go from you into all the world unto every creature.
63  And as I said unto mine apostles, even so I say unto you, for you are mine apostles, even God’s high priests; ye are they whom my Father hath given me; ye are my friends;
64  Therefore, as I said unto mine apostles I say unto you again, that every soul who believeth on your words, and is baptized by water for the remission of sins, shall receive the Holy Ghost.
65  And these signs shall follow them that believe—
66  In my name they shall do many wonderful works;
67  In my name they shall cast out devils;
68  In my name they shall heal the sick;
69  In my name they shall open the eyes of the blind, and unstop the ears of the deaf;
70  And the tongue of the dumb shall speak;
71  And if any man shall administer poison unto them it shall not hurt them;
72  And the poison of a serpent shall not have power to harm them.
73  But a commandment I give unto them, that they shall not boast themselves of these things, neither speak them before the world; for these things are given unto you for your profit and for salvation.
74  Verily, verily, I say unto you, they who believe not on your words, and are not baptized in water in my name, for the remission of their sins, that they may receive the Holy Ghost, shall be damned, and shall not come into my Father’s kingdom where my Father and I am.

Clearly, there is a distinction between publishing the written word containing the fulness of the gospel vs. preaching and baptizing people into the fulness of the gospel covenant in power.

Those who are baptized by those who are endowed with power from on high and who have been “ordained and sealed unto power” (76:52), will have miracles and signs that will bear witness of the true power of the priesthood.

The commission of the condemned quorum on the other hand, began the fulfillment of the prophecy by Christ in 3rd Nephi.

As predicted, the believing LDS Gentiles would first reject the fulness of the gospel, then they would take the published KNOWLEDGE of the gospel to the House of Israel during the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham. (see 3 Nephi 6:10-12)

Following that, the called and chosen gentiles will return in the 3rd watch, become endowed, and then go forth in power.

Final Observations of the Book

Having provided what I feel is some very important context for what happened following the dedication of the Kirtland temple, I will now share the remainder of my observations that I had reading Karl’s book.

Contained at the end of this post will be a spreadsheet showing numerous keywords to other prophecies embedded in the dedicatory prayer for the Kirtland Temple.

Also contained at the end of this post will be a link to a document containing a brief chronology of events and declarations pertaining to the rest of the story regarding the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood and the final results of my search for the mysterious 23 high priests. (these documents will hopefully be embedded in this post within a week of when it is first published)

I am now of the opinion that the full number of high priests that were called, chosen and faithful to begin the redemption of Zion is 24.  The reason that God did not call 24 high priests at the Morley Farm is because Oliver Cowdery was unable to attend the meeting. He was the first one ordained following the meeting, making him the 24th high priest to be ordained.

I believe these brethren represent the number of high priests that will initially return and receive power to begin the great work. Unfortunately, not all of the initial 24 that were called at the Morley Farm, were chosen. Therefore, those that fell from their calling, were replaced. The final quorum of 24 high priests who are called, chosen and faithful, will return and go forth in power to help usher in the fulness of times, burn up the wicked, help to gather the elect and redeem Zion.

Observation 11-

11- Pillar of light where baptisms were taking place

One of the things I appreciated about Karl’s book is the fact that he had some really fun, faith promoting trivia about some of the early spiritual phenomena that took place in Kirtland, particularly during the really early days of the church, before it became condemned for taking the scriptures lightly.

It is fun to be reminded that many people were converted because of miracles and prophecies that were fulfilled. It is also very instructive to realize that many of the saints that came into the church because of the miracles, eventually left the church at a later time. Conversion needs to be based on the firm foundation of the witness of the Holy Ghost, not based on outwards signs and wonders.

One great example of the the spiritual phenomena that was not uncommon during the early days of the restoration has to do with the pillar of light that shown down upon the sacred place where the saints were baptizing new converts:

“There were many signs and wonders seen in the heavens.. both by Saints and strangers. A pillar of light was seen every evening for more than a month hovering over the pace where we did our baptizing. One evening.. the moon was not to be seen that night Although it was cloudy, it was as light as noonday, and we could seemingly see .. farther that night than we could in the day time” (pg 148 account given by Philo Dibble)

12- 23 High Priests were ordained to the newly restored Melchizedek Priesthood

It is amazing to me how LDS historians, scholars and General Authorities downplay the importance of and the meaning behind the amazing special conference at the Morley Farm and the calling of the first 23 High Priests.

When I first saw the secret document in Kirtland telling about the Morley Farm and the 23 people called to be High Priests I immediately dug out my copy of “Joseph Smith’s Kirtland” to see what it said about this historical event. I couldn’t believe I had missed this chapter of the book.

To my utter surprise and amazement, there was no chapter in the book pertaining to it. Yet I was reasonably sure that Karl was the one who wrote the secret document about the event that I had obtained in Kirtland years later.

If that is the case, he and his close confidants were very much aware of the significance of the secret conference and were pondering those events in secret while he did not want to give it much notice in his book.

Regardless of whether Karl was the author of the mysterious document or not, he certainly must have been very familiar with the events of the special conference, detail by detail.

I can only assume that Karl had intentionally left that information out of the book because it was controversial, not very faith promoting, and difficult to understand.

It frankly contradicts what the church currently teaches about priesthood.

Anyway… one of the reasons I was excited to purchase Karl’s latest book on Kirtland was to see if he would address the special conference at the Morley Farm in his new book.

Astoundingly, he again, didn’t say much more in his new book than he did in his first book.

And what he did say simply noted the accounts of people seeing the Father and the Son. Very little else was said beside the man of sin appearing. He did not emphasize or give credence to the fact that Joseph characterized the event as the first time that the Melchizedek priesthood was restored to the earth.

This was one of the my greatest disappointments in the book.

To add insult to injury, Karl obscures the true number of people called to be High Priests.

Firstly, he conveniently declines to mention how many men were ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood in the main body of the book.

In the footnotes, he lists each of them by name (enabling anyone who takes the time to count them to see that there are 23)

Then he make the following declaration in the main body of his book:

“Lyman Wight, Harvey Whitlock, and Joseph Smith saw both the Father and the Son as the first high priest were ordained at the fourth conference of the Church.  During the meeting at least twenty-two high priests and other ordained members witnessed outward manifestations of glory and power emanating from the vision.”

What a strange thing to say!

“at least 22 of the first high priests and other ordained members witnessed outward manifestations…”

Go figure!

He lists all 23 newly ordained High Priests by name in the footnotes, but says in the main body of the book that at least 22 high priests were present to witness the outward manifestations.

The clear intent is to avoid assigning an exact figure to the number of high priests called and ordained and to obscure the exact number of people called to be High Priests by highlighting a lesser number than 23.

Was one of the newly ordained High Priests outside in the woods taking a leak when the outward manifestations were taking place?

I hardly think so.

The unspoken, but obvious implication here, in my opinion, is that Karl, like other apologists, is downplaying the legitimacy of Martin Harris’ ordination to be a high priest because he had not yet been ordained an elder.

The fact that Martin had only been ordained to the Aaronic priesthood and yet was called and ordained to be a high priest without ever needing to be ordained to the priesthood that had been restored by the apostle Peter, proves Brigham Young and the Modern Church to be in error about the true nature of what really took place at the Morley Farm.

It clearly shows that these men were not just being ordained to an “office” in the existing priesthood that had previously been restored by Peter James and John.

The calling of Martin Harris as a High Priest, proves that Joseph’s declaration that the Melchizedek priesthood was restored for the first time at the special conference at the Morley Farm was true and accurate.

There are clearly three separate and distinct orders of the priesthood instead of two!

It is difficult to understand why the church even tries to obscure these things because Andrew Ehat clearly documents the three distinct levels of priesthood in the “Words of Joseph smith” as does President Joseph Fielding Smith in “Teaching of the Prophet Joseph Smith”.

• Aaronic restored by John the Baptist

• Patriarchal restored by Peter James and John

• Melchizedek Restored by the voice of God from Heaven

Clearly, Joseph Smith clearly taught about the three levels of priesthood authority.

13- Only  High Priests were admitted into the school of the prophets

It appears that there was a distinct difference between the school of the elders and the school of the Prophets in Kirtland.

Furthermore, there was a clear class distinction between those high priests who were being trained to be prophets and those elders who were not. Karl notes the historical assembly in which the school when the high priests were organized according to revelation:

“On March 18 1833 a council of High priests assembled in the school of the prophets and were organized according to revelation… at this gathering , Sidney Rigdon and Frederick Williams were ordained to take part with me in holding the keys of the last kingdom…” (ref section 90)  pag 178

It is important to understand that an elder that is ordained to be an apostle, does not complete his calling as an apostle until he has been ordained a High Priest and received of the fulness thereof to preach in power. Elder Brigham Young and some of his brethren of the twelve were not ordain High Priests and were not allowed into the school of the prophets.

14 – One must see the Father and Son to be true Apostles

It becomes apparent from the scriptures and the history of the church that seeing a vision of the Savior did not constitute the same magnitude of a testimony as did seeing both the Father and the Son.

Here is an amazing declaration from Joseph Smith that Karl provides in his book.

“Brethren, now you are prepared to be the apostles of Jesus Christ for you have seen both the Father and the Son and know that they exist and that they are two separate personages.”   pg 183

According to Zebedee Coltrin, that is what Joseph Smith said to the members of the school of the prophets after they saw the Father and the Son. (several years before the Kirtland Temple was completed.)

The nature and character of God and the mystical doctrine of the Godhead is something we have already covered in other posts.

Clearly there is only one God who is mystically composed of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The Father is a personage of spirit and glory. The Son is a personage of physical tabernacle. The spirit of the Father mystically dwells within the Son and the tabernacle of the Son mystically dwells within the Father and they constitute the only true God.

Nevertheless, these three aspects of the only true God can and do manifest themselves separately at times. According to Joseph Smith, this mystery must be revealed to an elder in order to consummate his full apostleship.

I would be happy to explain the mystery of Godliness in greater detail and clarity but I have not seen the Father and the Son, so, no can do.

15 – Karl declares that the Savior appeared in the temple in at least 8 different visions and the Father and Son appeared in four different visions (pg 228) 

After comparing the solemn assembly to the day of Pentecost in the New Testament, Karl emphasizes that there are three different visions where the Savior appears in the Kirtland Temple. He also points out that the Father and the Son appear in four different visions in the Kirtland Temple.

He is building the case that the kirtland Temple and more specifically the eight days beginning with the solemn assembly and ending with the appearance of the Savior seven days later represented the spiritual high point of the restoration.

In the words of Karl Anderson:

“April 3 1836 might be considered a pinnacle of the Restoration” pg 306)

Upon close scrutiny however, it should be noted that with the sole exception of the appearance of Christ to Joseph and Oliver on April 3rd:

ALL OF THE VISIONS OF CHRIST AND THE FATHER TOOK PLACE IN THE TEMPLE BEFORE IT WAS DEDICATED AND BEFORE THE SOLEMN ASSEMBLY.

(all of those visions were of a higher spiritual manifestation that the appearance of Christ and angels)

FURTHER, JOSEPH SMITH AND OLIVER COWDERY ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE CLEARLY AND SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED AS HAVING THESE PRELIMINARY MANIFESTATIONS.

This is very important to understand because the sanitized history of the church leads people to believe that the solemn assembly at the Kirtland Temple and the appearance of Christ seven days later was the apex or high point of the spiritual phenomena that took place in Kirtland.

The truth is that the apex of spiritual phenomena had come and gone in Kirtland before the Temple was completed and before the dedication of the temple.

The revised history of the Church leads one to believe that the events taking place during the solemn assembly and the following seven days were Melchizedek in nature when in fact they were patriarchal in nature at best. ( they had to do with the “everlasting gospel” not the “fulness of the gospel”)

Again, it is important to remember that a vision of Christ is probably not the same level of revelation as the literal appearance of the Father and the Son.

In other wards, unlike the literal appearance of the Father and Son to Joseph and Sidney in section 76, where Joseph and Sidney were transfigured and saw both the Father and the Son, and spoke with the Son, which was undoubtedly a Melchizedek priesthood event, the event in the Kirtland Temple where Joseph and Oliver were visited by Christ and angels, and given an ancient dispensation, was not a Melchizedek priesthood event. rather, it appears to have been a patriarchal/evangelical priesthood event or even an Aaronic event. (it is interesting to not that according to section 13, the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood contain the ability to be ministered by angels. The is what happened in section 110)

16- The 15 High Priests that were Called and Chosen

Ok, I have mentioned in other posts how grateful I am to Karl for giving me the Ah ha! moment when he brought to my attention what happened concerning the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood at the special conference at the Morley Farm and the calling of the 23 high priests.

Karl gave me another Ah ha! moment in his new book.

In the book, Karl directs our attention to the following passages and declarations from the Lord at Zions Camp as documented in section 105:

26  Now, behold, I say unto you, my friends, in this way you may find favor in the eyes of the people, until the army of Israel becomes very great.
27  And I will soften the hearts of the people, as I did the heart of Pharaoh, from time to time, until my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and mine elders, whom I have appointed, shall have time to gather up the strength of my house,
30  And after these lands are purchased, I will hold the armies of Israel guiltless in taking possession of their own lands, which they have previously purchased with their moneys, and of throwing down the towers of mine enemies that may be upon them, and scattering their watchmen, and avenging me of mine enemies unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.
31  But first let my army become very great, and let it be sanctified before me, that it may become fair as the sun, and clear as the moon, and that her banners may be terrible unto all nations;
32  That the kingdoms of this world may be constrained to acknowledge that the kingdom of Zion is in very deed the kingdom of our God and his Christ; therefore, let us become subject unto her laws.
33  Verily I say unto you, it is expedient in me that the first elders of my church should receive their endowment from on high in my house, which I have commanded to be built unto my name in the land of Kirtland.
34  And let those commandments which I have given concerning Zion and her law be executed and fulfilled, after her redemption.
35  There has been a day of calling, but the time has come for a day of choosing; and let those be chosen that are worthy.
36  And it shall be manifest unto my servant, by the voice of the Spirit, those that are chosen; and they shall be sanctified;
37  And inasmuch as they follow the counsel which they receive, they shall have power after many days to accomplish all things pertaining to Zion.
38  And again I say unto you, sue for peace, not only to the people that have smitten you, but also to all people;
39  And lift up an ensign of peace, and make a proclamation of peace unto the ends of the earth;
40  And make proposals for peace unto those who have smitten you, according to the voice of the Spirit which is in you, and all things shall work together for your good.
41  Therefore, be faithful; and behold, and lo, I am with you even unto the end.  Even so.  Amen.

To more fully appreciate what is being said above, you need to re-read the parable of the redemption of Zion in section 101.

As you can see, in the passages above, God is referring to the parable of the redemption of Zion contained in section 101 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

In those passages he explains that Joseph and Oliver, the first elders need to receive an endowment in the house of the Lord in Kirtland which was yet to be built.

He then points out that there has been a day of CALLING (beginning with the restoration of the priesthood at the Morley Farm)

But now it is time for the faithful among those who have been CALLED to be CHOSEN! (see also section 95:5)

He then promised that the faithful will be CHOSEN by God according to the VOICE OF THE SPIRIT through Joseph Smith and they will be SANCTIFIED.

Karl then reveals that, THAT EVENT ACTUALLY TOOK PLACE THE FOLLOWING DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JOSEPH SMITH HAD A REVELATION THE NEXT DAY IDENTIFYING 15 ELDERS WHO WERE NOT ONLY CALLED BUT ALSO CHOSEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ah ha!
Ah ha!
Ah ha!

I had not known this because Joseph Smith was very sneaky and did not canonize that revelation.

It eventually became very obscure.

This canonized revelation that was given the following day, on June 23rd 1834, contains the key to searching out the rest of the story regarding the restoration of the priesthood at the Morley Farm. It explains in greater detail exactly who replaced the unfaithful brethren that were called to the Melchizedek Priesthood at the Morley Farm!

It contains detailed information about who the key individuals were that will play a part in returning in power to gather the elect, destroy the wicked and redeem Zion!!!!!

In the document that I am going to eventually embed in this post, I will provide commentary about that revelation.

(Karl mentions this obscure revelation on pg 253)

It is interesting to note that 9 of the 15 men “chosen” by God, by revelation at Zion’s Camp, had previously been ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood at the Morley Farm while six of them had since been ordained to be High Priests…

The revelation can be found online at http://web.archive.org/web/20111012005209/http://saintswithouthalos.com/m/340623.phtml

Part of it can be found at this link as well.

http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/minutes-23-june-1834

This concludes this book review of Karl Anderson’s new book titled: “The Savior in Kirtland”

I love and appreciate Karl and I am very grateful for his efforts to present so much important information about the LDS restoration during the Kirtland years. He has clearly been inspired to do the work he has done.

On a related note, I would point out that the dedicatory prayer as documented in section 109 of the D&C probably contains more references to ancient and modern prophecies pertaining to the past and future prophetic events in Kirtland than any other revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants.

It appears to me to be a microcosm of all of the end times prophecies in ancient and modern scripture, spidering out to them in a fractal like way with the use of keywords that direct the reader to the related passages.

For those who are interested, I hope to provide the following documents that are related to the topic of this series within a few days.

The first is a copy of the dedicatory prayer with many of the major prophecy related keywords highlighted in yellow. Each of the keywords leads to one or more corresponding prophecies in other ancient and modern revelations that utilize the same keywords. It will be embedded kirtland ancient prophecies.

The second document is a a related spreadsheet containing each of the highlighted keywords with related snippets and live links to other related prophecies. It will be embedded here:  kirtland ancient prophecies unfinished.

Lastly, for those who enjoyed the ten part series about the Restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood titled Searching for the Holy Order and the 23 High Priests, I am providing the results of the additional research that I have been led to as a result of Karl Anderson,s book, “The Savior in Kirtland”. It will be embedded HERE when it is completed.

I am embedding these documents instead of making posts out of them partly because they are so closely associated with this topic and partly because I don’t want them easily searched and found on the internet.

Enjoy and keep watching