Thirty-One (1836)really are; and the powers of earth and hell seem combined to overthrow us
and the Church, by causing a division in the family; and indeed the
adversary is bringing into requisition all his subtlety to prevent the Saints
from being endowed, by causing a division among the Twelve, also among
the Seventy, and bickering and jealousies among the Elders and the official
members of the Church; and so the leaven of iniquity ferments and spreads
among the members of the Church.^4These words, attributed to Joseph, accurately reflected the continuing decline, in
1836, of the early LDS/Mormons from the true gospel as it was given by Christ.
The Salt of the Earth
In the beginning, Joseph taught the people directly from the Book of Mormon and
concentrated his efforts on “the fullness of the everlasting Gospel...as delivered by the Savior
to the ancient inhabitants.” He taught them what Christ meant when he told his disciples,
I give unto you to be the salt of the earth; but if the salt shall lose its savor
wherewith shall the earth be salted? The salt shall be thenceforth good for
nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men.^5Unlike the rest of the people in the world, the LDS/Mormons had two witnesses of
what Christ taught—the Bible and the Book of Mormon. They were the “salt that had lost its
savor.” They were “cast out and trodden under foot” of not only the Missourians, but the
Illinois people, the Ohio people, and the “foot” of all men. They were not the personification
of the poor, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who
hunger and thirst after righteousness. The pride of their hearts made them contentious with
anyone who dared to confront them or to challenge their claim that their church was the one
and only true church of God upon the earth.
They did not let their “light so shine before this people, that they may see your good
works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”^6 They were those of whom Jesus spoke
when he said,
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will
say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in
thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then I will profess unto them: I never knew you; depart from me, ye that
work iniquity.^7The LDS People Rejected the “New Covenant”
By 1836, the people’s hearts and minds were focused on finishing the Kirtland
Temple. “The Lord’s revelation,”^8 given in September of 1832 concerning the Independence,
Missouri temple, had failed.^9 Joseph, as “the Lord,” had promised the people: