Joseph Smith and the Mormon ChurchEssay Preview: Joseph Smith and the Mormon ChurchReport this essayJoseph Smith Jr. was born in Sharon, Vermont on December 23, 1805. Smith was characterized as being literate, but far from well-educated. His familys rough existence led them across Vermont and eventually to Rochester, New York. It was here, in the spring of 1820, that Joseph Smith retired to a secluded grove of trees behind his house and said a prayer for guidance about whether to join the Presbyterians as his mother demanded, or whether to join the credo of the Baptists, take up the faith of the Methodists, or follow some other of the contending sects within Christianity at the time. It was here Joseph Smith claimed to receive his first of many visions. Smith claimed that God and Jesus Christ appeared before Joseph as separate entities and told him that all of the Christian sects and denominations were in error and that he should no join any of them. And that he should anticipate a major personal assignment in the restoration of the original church of Christ.
Josephs later visions, beginning in 1827, led to the bringing forth of the Book of Mormon, a book of sacred scripture written on gold plates that were buried nearby in the Hill Cumorah and were given him by a divine messenger, Moroni, himself an earlier prophet among the peoples described in the book. The book was, Moroni told Joseph Smith, a record of Gods dealings with people who had lived before and after Christs appearance in the New World. As in ancient Israel, they too had prophets who broth them Gods word and were visited by the resurrected Jesus Christ with his message and hope. Their Civilizations had eventually disappeared because of sin and strife, and their records had been lost until the Book of Mormon and presented for public consideration in March, 1830.
Joseph Smith also received many other revelations from God that he documented forming other books, with the Book of Mormon. These consist of the Doctrines and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. The Doctrine and Covenants is a unique collection of revelations and inspired writings bearing witness to the modern world that Jesus Christ lives. Unlike the other standard works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants were received in modern times by latter-day prophets and therefore are not translations of ancient documents. The last canonized revelation was a vision given in 1918 and there are also tow official declarations-the abolishment of polygamy in 1890 and the extension of the priesthood to all races in 1978. The Pearl of Great Price was penned by Joseph Smith, is deemed inspired, and consists of several books and 13 articles of faith. These books include the book of Moses (a revision of parts of Genesis), the Book of Abraham, The Book of Joseph Smith-Matthew (a revision of Matthew 24) and the book of Joseph Smith-History (his testimony to the church).
The completion of The Book of Mormon, proved to be the most important and significant act that Joseph Smith contributed to his church and organization. The Book of Mormon served as a new doctrine and guideline of Christs restored church, with which to believe and abide by. This served to his new Mormon congregation building the early religious foundation for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints stating the highly important concept of an “open cannon” doctrine, established belief of divine revelation.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints categorizes their concept of divine revelation into two categories; Revelation to the Church and Personal Revelation. Their belief in the revelation to the church is their belief that God will always appoint a prophet to guide his people. This prophets purpose is not to be an intermediary between God and others, though a prophet must often do so. His purpose is rather, to assist others to receive from God the personal revelation that he, the prophet, has taught Gods truth, which will show the way. The prophet, as the head, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and all other people who preside in the Church may receive revelation for the benefit of those over whom they preside. These revelations can then be passed on to the membership
I hope that you understand this article is very important, and I am sure you are going to like this. I want to reiterate that I want to help others. Because the more we know about the scriptures and the prophets, the more powerful you will be. If you are reading this here, you need to be prepared to receive divine revelation with the understanding that we all have all been given revelation. If those that write these books, know that our revelation to you is all of that, you can receive divine revelation!
By the way, if you would like to meet other prophets and you are writing here in a different community, please tell me about it, and I will contact you to discuss it! I want to be sure I am clear on what is going on here. I am not involved in the conversation.
To those that still care, here is my email in case you are not yet familiar with this and still have questions.
Dwight B. Allen, M.D.
Department of Priesthood, Bishop of the Holy See
4155 Massachusetts St
Philadelphia, PA 19133
Dear Mr. Allen,
I am writing to you to share with you what I have learned from my research relating to the early church doctrine concerning prophets. I believe that this information has been lost as the doctrine of prophets has been revised. Since the revelation to the church began, I have attempted to learn how there could be two kinds of God given or given without a divine revelation. The question arises: Do you believe that these two kinds of revelation constitute both of these Divine revelation and the only revelation that is truly divine?
I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. In my opinion, two of the most important things that I wish to talk about in this letter are: 1) The church’s doctrine concerning revelations and the role of prophets within the divine and moral life, and 2) The role of prophets in church education.
The doctrine of what you have discussed in my opinion is an interesting one for the reasons below. I think that this document that I am writing as a whole would seem the most appropriate document for the situation.
As Elder James B. Hinckley, M.D., explained to me recently, “The Book in question was the Book of Mormon. It contained only the three parts: revelation that God received from His prophets. The book contains only the two parts that would qualify for an apostle as a prophet: the revelations pertaining to God’s prophet, revelation from He Who has made the world in His own image, and the prophecy that the Lord will see in the fulness of the gospel, in order to raise them to the light of truth. In contrast, God gives the whole book of Mormon to the members who were to teach such members. The prophecy that the Lord will see in the fulness of the gospel—the revelation that God shall make the world in His own image and not only for the Gentiles but for men as well—are nothing but an attempt to persuade and convince the faithful of that great revelation by means of a certain way by which the Gentiles