Mormon History

by Karla

History is important, and a lot can be learned from the history of an organization. This article gives a brief overview of Mormon History and highlights some important people and events.

The Church of Christ (the original name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, casually called the “Mormon Church”) was organized with six members on April 6, 1830, in Fayette, New York. It only got its complete name as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 1838, when a revelation was received to change its name. It can be noted that the original members of the Mormon Church were relatives and friends of the prophet Joseph Smith (known as the “prophet of the restoration,” because through him Christ founded the Church, and by him the Book of Mormon was translated). The Church faced a lot of persecution during its early years, so that it was moved from New York to Ohio to Missouri, Illinois, and then on to the other side of the Rocky Mountains. Although the Church has faced a lot of adversity and persecution, it has still continued to grow and progress through the years. This progress still continues today.

Below are some important matters pertaining to the history of the Mormon Church.

Joseph Smith and the Restoration of the Gospel

Joseph, (believed to be the first modern prophet and the first prophet of the Lord in the latter days by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), was called of God at the age 14, as an instrument for many marvelous things to occur. God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Him and taught him more about the nature of God than had been known for centuries. Ancient prophets and apostles bestowed sacred priesthood power upon Joseph, making him a new, authorized witness of God in this last dispensation of time before the Second Comin of Christ. An incomparable outpouring of knowledge and doctrine was revealed through the Prophet, including the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Through him, Christ restored the Lord’s true Church once again upon the earth. Indeed, as the scripture states: “Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it” (D&C 135:3).

The First Vision

“For Latter-day Saints (sometimes called Mormons) the First Vision is foundational—God’s declaration, unequivocal and utterly authoritative, of the results of the Great Apostasy and the need for a restoration.”

In 1820, as many Christian churches vied for converts, Joseph’s mother and 3 of his siblings joined the Presbyterian Church, but Joseph, his brother and father held back. Joseph was confused about which church he should join.

When he was 14, he came across a passage from the Book of James while he was deeply studying the scriptures, the verse states:

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5).

He was inspired by the passage and then went into the woods near his home and prayed, offering the real desires of his heart to God. At first, he was seized upon by powers of darkness, which made him fear that he would be destroyed. Nevertheless, in response to his sincere prayer, the heavens opened wide, delivering him from the power of darkness. In a pillar of light brighter than the sun, he saw two Personages standing above him in the air. One spoke, calling the boy by name, and said, “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith—History 1:17).

The brightest glory filled the sky that instance and in glorious manifestation, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared in person to Joseph Smith. During His conversation with Them, he was told not to join any of the churches because “they were all wrong” and “all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; … they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof” (Joseph Smith—History 1:19). Joseph was also promised “that the fullness of the Gospel should at some future time be made known unto [him].”

Visitations of Moroni

Joseph’s Smith declaration that he had seen God and Christ was only treated with scorn by other people. Since he had seen two separate beings in the form of men, his vision went completely against the accepted doctrine of the Trinity. Three years passed, and at the age of 17, on the evening of September 21, 1823, he prayed earnestly for direction and for forgiveness of his youthful “sins and follies” (Joseph Smith—History 1:29). After which, a heavenly messenger named Moroni appeared to give him an answer. Joseph recalled:

“[He] proclaimed himself to be an angel of God, sent to bring the joyful tidings that the covenant which God made with ancient Israel was at hand to be fulfilled, that the preparatory work for the second coming of the Messiah was speedily to commence; that the time was at hand for the Gospel in all its fullness to be preached in power, unto all nations that a people might be prepared for the Millennial reign. I was informed that I was chosen to be an instrument in the hands of God to bring about some of His purposes in this glorious dispensation.”

Moroni also told Joseph that a compilation of ancient writings, engraved on gold plates by ancient prophets, was buried in a nearby hill. This sacred record described a people whom God had led from Jerusalem to the Western Hemisphere 600 years before Jesus’s birth. Moroni was the last prophet among the people who wrote it and had buried the record, which God had promised to bring forth in the latter days. Joseph Smith was to translate this sacred work into English.

For the next four years, Joseph was to meet Moroni at the hill each September 22nd to receive further knowledge and instructions. He would need these years of preparation and personal refinement in order to translate the ancient record. He had to be equal to the task of bringing forth a work whose purpose was to convince “Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations” (title page of the Book of Mormon). Joseph Smith then started translating the Book of Mormon and together with his scribe Oliver Cowdery, they finished it. At the same time, they also received the Aaronic Priesthood from John The Baptist (a heavenly being) when they went to the banks of the Susquehanna River, near Joseph’s home in Harmony, to pray. Later, as promised by John the Baptist, the ancient Apostles Peter, James, and John also appeared to Joseph and Oliver and bestowed upon them the Melchizedek Priesthood and ordained them Apostles. Later, Moses, Elias, and Elijah gave them further keys through which these bretheren could further use this priesthood power and authority of God necessary to establish His Church and to perform the ordinances of salvation.

The Church was later established on April 6, 1830. Then Joseph Smith formally organized the Church, later designated by revelation as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church of Jesus Christ was once again established on the earth.

Expansion of the Church, Continuing Revelation and Continuous Growth

Joseph Smith continued to receive revelation from the Lord, which was later written and used today as the words in the Doctrine and Covenants (one of the 4 standard works of the Mormon Church). The Church also continued to grow under his leadership. The Lord revealed unto him the importance of the presence of holy temples on earth. As a result, the Saints built the first temple in Kirtland, Ohio. The saints also changed their settlements from Jackson County to Northern Missouri, then finally Nauvoo, Illinois, where they built another temple.

Throughout Joseph Smith’s ministry, the Lord continued to reveal the need to preach the gospel. In the early days of the Church, missionaries were being sent to Canada, USA, and later on England. Joseph Smith himself continually preached the gospel. However, Joseph’s life had neared its end, when in June 1844, a riot was charged against the prophet. Although he was not to blame for the riot and he was innocent, he was still incarcerated in the local jail.

On the 27th day of June, the same year, while staying in jail, mobs of men with blackened faces murdered Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum. At the age of 38, he sealed his testimony with his own blood.

Brigham Young

Next to Joseph Smith as the president and prophet of the Church was Brigham Young. After the death of Joseph Smith, many wanted to take his place as president of the Church; However, Brigham Young reminded them that the Quorum of the Twelve apostles should lead the Church, since Joseph had given them all the priesthood keys to do so. Young was ordained President of the Church in December 1847, more than two and a half years after Smith’s death.

It can be noted from history that Brigham Young was the longest serving President of the LDS Church in history, having served for 29 years. Repeated persecution led Young to relocate his group of Latter-day Saints to a territory in what is now Utah, then part of Mexico. Young organized the journey that would take the faithful to Winter Quarters, Nebraska, in 1846, then to the Salt Lake Valley. Young arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847, a date now recognized as Pioneer Day in Utah. Hundreds of Latter-day Saints died in Winter Quarters and many more on the trails to the Rockies.

Shortly after the arrival of Young’s pioneers, the new Mormon colonies were incorporated into the United States through Mexican Cession, Young petitioned the U.S. Congress to create the State of Deseret. The Compromise of 1850 instead carved out Utah Territory, and Young was installed as governor. As governor and church president, Young directed both religious and economic matters. He encouraged independence and self-sufficiency. Many cities and towns in Utah, and some in neighboring states, were founded under Young’s direction.

During his ministry, the practice of polygamy was made public as the Lord had instructed.

Young died on August 29, 1877, of peritonitis.

Mormon Polygamy

The Church experienced a lot of persecution because of the brief practice of polygamy. That is why although the Mormon Church has not practiced polygamy for more than a hundred years, it still faces a lot of negative remarks attributed to it. Many still think of the LDS Church as a church with members that have multiple wives. The practice of Mormon polygamy from about 1840 to 1890 was commanded by the Lord. The exact rationale and reasoning behind it is uncertain. However, the following may be considered as possible explanations:

First, God restored His Church through Joseph Smith. All things were to be restored – all principles, all knowledge, all parts of the Lord’s gospel. Ancient prophets, such as Abraham and Isaac, practiced polygamy. The practice of polygamy would therefore be part of “all things,” all parts of the Lord’s gospel, and could be restored. In fact, the Lord gave the law to Joseph Smith when Joseph inquired about the ancients. When the Lord reinstituted polygamy as part of the restoration of all things, all of the Church elders, including Joseph Smith, found it difficult to accept and follow.

Second, in the Book of Mormon, polygamy is prohibited unless the Lord needs to “raise up seed unto [Himself]” (Jacob 2:30). Polygamy, or plural marriage, would increase the descendents of faithful Mormon families. And, in fact, the descendents of polygamous families sustained the Church for years.

Third, polygamy taught the people humility, patience, and love; all attributes that Christians strive to attain. Mormon polygamy was not an easy practice to live. It went against societal norms. Husbands had to learn how to divide their time among their wives. Women had to learn how to share their husband and get along with each other. Those who lived the law of plural marriage were refined and became better people because of the difficulty of polygamy.

Fourth, polygamy provided for the plethora of women who had joined the Church, and for widows, and enabled them to have families. Also, at that time, married men were sent off to serve missions, leaving their families behind. Families missing husbands and fathers did better when plural marriage gave women support. With the help of other wives, some women were able to launch out into higher education and professional careers.

In addition, the Lord sanctioned plural marriage in ancient times. Christians generally accept that Abraham and Israel, or Jacob, had more than one wife and that this was not condemned of the Lord. Indeed, both Abraham and Jacob were blessed beyond measure. Although having multiple wives was a societal norm of the time (in a way it isn’t in the modern United States), idol worship was also a societal norm and soundly forbidden of the Lord. Most Christians do not accept the idea of modern, and Christian polygamy, and Mormons still draw criticism for the practice, even a century after it was discontinued.

Furthermore, Mormon polygamy was practiced for about fifty years, although only about fifteen to twenty-five percent of the members of the Mormon Church were involved in the practice. Polygamy was practiced by choice by the men of the Church, and women were also never forced to enter into a polygamist marriage. They also had the right to divorce.

During the latter half of this fifty years, more specifically, during the 1870s and the 1880s, the United States government took action against polygamists. They revoked voting rights, seized Church property, and imprisoned polygamist men – about 1,300 total.

In September of 1890, then Mormon prophet Wilford Woodruff received a revelation of the Lord to stop the practice of polygamy.

The Lord explained His reasoning in Doctrine and Covenants 124:49,

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, that when I give a commandment to any of the sons of men to do a work unto my name, and those sons of men go with all their might and with all they have to perform that work, and cease not their diligence and their enemies come upon them and hinder them from performing that work, behold, it behooveth me to require that work no more at the hands of those sons of men, but to accept of their offerings.”

Continuing Revelation

When the Lord reveals His will to the Church, He speaks through his prophet (Latter-day Saints believe that at each period of time, the Lord calls prophets, seers and revelators to govern His Church in His behalf). Indeed, today the Lord continues to guide the Church by revealing His will to His chosen servants. From the time of the restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith up to the ministry of the living Prophet today (who is Thomas S. Monson), the Church continues to receive revelation from the Lord. Indeed, history has shown that the Church has continuous access to revelation from the Lord.

Church Growth

Today The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has over 14 million members all over the world, nearly fulfilling the prophecy of Joseph Smith that the restored gospel would be taken to every nation, tongue, and kindred. The Church has a remarkable welfare program, a perpetual education fund to help returned missionaries from impoverished countries, a vast and efficient humanitarian aid program, and adoption services and addiction counseling. There is no more well-organized church on earth, as the Lord’s house is a house of order. Because of the restoration of Christ’s priesthood authority, all the charismatic gifts are found in abundance in the Church, and the members are greatly blessed because of that. Families are at the center of the Church, and all programs are geared to strengthen the family unit. The women’s organization of the Mormon Church is the oldest and larget sisterhood in the world, with 5 million members. The Church has a lay clergy, so Mormons are more liable to volunteer than any other people. The LDS Church has at least 50,000 full-time Mormon missionaries serving at any given time all over the world. The Mormon Church also sponsors institutions of higher education, especially Brigham Young University, with campuses in Utah, Idaho, Hawaii, and study-abroad programs; LDS Business College, and schools in the South Pacific.

References:

“Apostasy, Restoration, and Lessons in Faith,” Andrew C. Skinner, December 2005

“Lesson 2: The Apostasy and the Need for the Restoration of Jesus Christ’s Church,” Primary 5: Doctrine and Covenants: Church History, (1997)

http://lds.org/manual/primary-5-doctrine-and-covenants-church-history/lesson-2-the-apostasy-and-the-need-for-the-restoration-of-jesus-christs-church?lang=eng&query=apostasy+restoration

“The Wondrous Restoration,” Neal A. Maxwell, April 2003

“Chapter 47: “Praise to the Man”: Latter-day Prophets Bear Witness of the Prophet Joseph Smith,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, (2007)

“The Life and Ministry of Joseph Smith,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, (2007)

Joseph Smith’s Testimony of the First Vision, Richard L. Anderson

“Chapter Two: Joseph Smith’s New England Heritage,” Church History In The Fulness Of Times Student Manual, (2003)