Sign 25 – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Established

Year:1830

Scriptures:

Revelation 14:6

6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

“Plainly the vision-prophecy of John (Rev. 14:6), relating to the restoration of the Gospel to earth, could not refer to the Gospel record preserved in the Holy Bible, for that record has remained in the possession of mankind. As stated in the text a partial fulfilment is found in the visitation of Moroni and the restoration of the Book of Mormon, which is to us of modern times as new scripture, and one containing a fuller record of ‘the everlasting Gospel.’ However, a record of the Gospel is not the Gospel itself. Authority to administer in the saving ordinances of the Gospel is essential to the effective preaching and administration thereof; this was restored through John the Baptist, who brought the Aaronic Priesthood, and through Peter, James, and John, who brought again to earth the Melchizedek Priesthood.” (James E. Talmage, Articles of Faith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1981] 415)

Daniel 2:34-35

34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.

35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

“In the remarkable vision given to King Nebuchadnezzar of the image representing the nations from the days of Nebuchadnezzar to the time of the coming of Christ, we read that in the days of the kingdoms represented by the toes the ‘God of heaven’ was to set up a kingdom ‘which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.’ The Latter-day Saints maintain that this kingdom is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Moreover that it is the ‘stone’ cut out of the mountain without hands which eventually is to take preeminence upon the face of the earth. ‘And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’ (Amos 3:7; Dan. 2:34; Daniel 2:29-44; 7:18-27)

“No one else, but Joseph Smith, has ever made the claim that this restoration and setting up of the kingdom (i.e. Church of Jesus Christ) has ever been revealed. Yet all indications point to the fact that the predicted signs of the approach of the second coming of our Lord are here. Surely the preparatory work of that coming must precede it. The restored unadulterated gospel must be here. Prophets who can receive revelation and who possess heavenly powers must be here. The heavens must be open and divine communications received by someone who is commissioned to set in order, under the guiding hand of Jesus Christ, all things preparatory to his appearance as King of kings and Lord of lords. Joseph Smith has proclaimed to the world that such power, keys, and authority were bestowed upon him. No one else has arisen to make such a claim; yet, this was revealed preparatory to these momentous and final restorations.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 5 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1957-1966] 3: 12)

Isaiah 29:14

14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder….

“This ‘marvellous work and a wonder’ is nothing more nor less than the establishment of the Kingdom of God upon the earth in the latter days in direct fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel, quoted again for emphasis:

“’But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days….

“’And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. (Daniel 2:28, 44)

“Thus the God of Heaven decreed that He would set up a kingdom, and who can prevent His doing the thing He has decreed He would do ‘in the latter days?’

“This, therefore, is the message we have to offer both to the House of Judah and to the House of Joseph, or Israel. The ‘marvellous work and a wonder’ has been established in the earth through the prophet and seer ‘like unto Moses’ who should ‘by the power of the Lord . . . bring my people unto salvation.’ (2 Nephi 3:15) “(Legrand Richards, Israel! Do You Know? [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1954] 117)

“On Tuesday, April 6, 1830, under the direction of the Prophet Joseph Smith, a group of friends assembled in Peter Whitmer, Sr.'s log farmhouse to organize the Church, later named The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints…. Whitmer, a German immigrant from Pennsylvania, had come to Fayette, New York, in the Seneca Lake region in 1809. Joseph and Emma Smith and Oliver Cowdery had lived and worked in the Whitmer farmhouse in 1829 while they completed the translation of the Book of Mormon.

“Prior to this date, Joseph Smith and his small but growing group of believers had held meetings regularly in Fayette, Manchester, and Colesville, New York, but April 6 was the day given them by revelation to organize formally as a church, in compliance with laws regulating the creation of new churches in New York State. It appears that the legal requirements were checked and steps taken to comply with New York law prior to the organization. The law required notice on two successive sabbaths, nomination and election of three to nine trustees, and nomination of two members to preside at the election. (Carmack, p. 16) These steps assured formal status to the fledgling Church, validating property and ecclesiastical actions in the eyes of the state. Joseph Smith's official history reports his conclusion that the organizers held the meeting agreeable to the laws of the country…. There is no record of any challenge to the action, and thereafter the Church conducted both religious rites and business transactions on a regular basis.

“The organizational meeting commenced with prayer. The small congregation, made up of about fifty men and women, unanimously voted approval to organize a new church and elected Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Hyrum Smith, Peter Whitmer, Jr., Samuel H. Smith, and David Whitmer as trustees. They also unanimously elected Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery as teachers and first and second elders of the newly organized Church of Christ. Smith ordained Cowdery as an elder of the Church, and in turn Cowdery ordained Smith, even though they had previously ordained each other to the priesthood office of elder…. The second ordination signified that the two elders were empowered to act in the new Church. They blessed and shared the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper with those present in honor of the special occasion, bestowed the gift of the Holy Ghost on each individual member present by the laying on of hands, and confirmed each of those previously baptized as members. Smith and Cowdery called and ordained men to different offices of the priesthood. Those present at the meeting enjoyed an unusual outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord. After the spiritual feast, they dismissed the formal meeting. Having authority bestowed upon them, the newly appointed Church officers baptized several persons, including Joseph Smith, Sr., Martin Harris, and Orrin Porter Rockwell. On this day the Prophet Joseph Smith also received revelations to guide the Church. (D&C 21) “(Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 1-4 volumes, edited by Daniel H. Ludlow [New York: Macmillan, 1992] 1049)