GIFTS: Even More on What the Gospel Is

In April 1844 the fourteenth annual general conference of the Church was held. Joseph Smith's "lungs were injured" so the main speakers were Brigham, Hyrum, Sidney, and Heber. I wish I had been there, even though Joseph was unable to speak much. . . . Perhaps I was there. You too. Or at least we were aware of the proceedings, as part of our premortal preparation. Possible?

"My lungs are worn out," Joseph said as he spoke briefly on the whole of North and South America is Zion. He and Hyrum would be martyred in less than twelve weeks.

Church membership was a few thousand, scattered over the Eastern States, Eastern Canada, and Great Britain, with a few members elsewhere. Notice how Hyrum's remarks sustain our theme on the gospel. Heber reported something remarkable later. Stay tuned.

The History of the Church records: "President Hyrum Smith called the conference to order . . . and spoke to the assembly one hour and a half.

"He treated upon the subject of Elders preaching abroad. He said it was a matter of consequence that the Elders of Israel should know what they were about when they go to preach the Gospel. . . . When they are sent to preach the Gospel, they should preach the Gospel and nothing else, if they wish to stand approved themselves. The Elders are sent into the world to preach faith, repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost and they should let the mysteries alone."

[We recognize the fourth article of faith on the first principles and ordinances in his admonition.]

"God has commanded you to preach repentance to this generation; and if this generation will not receive the first principles of the Gospel and the Book of Mormon, they will receive nothing greater. Just go and do as you are told and God will bless you," said Hyrum.

This is all consistent with the Lord's instructions in the early revelations of the Doctrine and Covenants. "Every man who knows me knows that I have taught these principles from the beginning," said Hyrum.

"Preach principles that will stand the test of ages;" said Hyrum, "teach them good precepts and save souls, go forth as men of God, and you will find friends wherever you go. Drink deep of the Spirit of Truth and a great and mighty work shall be wrought in the world; hundreds and tens of thousands shall flock to the standard and go up to Zion." What a prophecy!

Later Heber, father of the British mission, spoke: "What Brother Hyrum has told you is God's truth, and will eventually come to pass. As he was making his observations to the Elders, it made me think of the first time that I went out into the vineyard to preach. I dwelt on one subject till it branched like unto a tree that was cultivated, until the branches shot forth in all directions. . . . So it is with the first principles of the Gospel, they branch out in all directions, unfolding new light continually. They are eternal principles. I never preached anything else but the first principles. When first we went to England, we preached nothing else, and never even touched on the gathering, as there was no place of gathering, . . . but as soon as the people were baptized and received the Holy Ghost, the most of them had the spirit of prophecy, and prophesied of coming to this land, as being the land of Zion; and the time would come that they should come here. Yet we never taught the doctrine of the gathering or Book of Doctrine and Covenants."

Just think how remarkable that is! Those early Brethren taught nothing but faith, repentance, baptism, and gave the gift of the Holy Ghost. At which point the people got the spirit of prophecy and foretold their gathering to Zion in America! You cannot conceive how unlikely that is. The faith it took to move family and meager possessions 4000 miles by ship. No British Airways or Pan Am in those days! And they came because the Spirit told them.

When you look at the three places in the D&C where the Lord says, "This is my gospel" --- one of which we identified last time --- you notice that He simply speaks of the first principles, just as Hyrum and Heber did here. This is the gospel.

As Joseph said to the President of the United States, we differ from all other churches in baptism for the remission of sins, and in the Holy Ghost, that everything else is included under that one consideration: the Holy Ghost. Namely, that we have the gift of the Holy Ghost and no one else does. For the Melchizedek priesthood and the Holy Ghost go together. In a sense, the gospel is the Holy Ghost. And the only way to the gift of the Holy Ghost is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, and baptism by immersion at the hands of a legal administrator.

The process is cyclical. When we enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost we find that His main role and function is to teach and testify of the Father and the Son (see Ether 12:41). This increases our faith in Jesus Christ, which leads to repentance, which prepares us for the sacrament (the weekly renewal of baptism), the promised blessing of which is "that they may always have His Spirit [the Holy Ghost] to be with them." Which then increases our faith unto repentance and prepares us for the sacrament and a deeper portion of His Spirit, the Holy Ghost. And so it continues. This is the gospel process and pattern for our lives. These are the first principles. This is the gospel as described by the Lord Himself. As Hyrum and Heber said, "These are eternal principles." We do not graduate past them, and leave them behind in Primary. . . .

It is simple. It is profound. A child can understand it if taught it well (see D&C 68:25). Let's not replace it with a gospel of our own invention.

More later. There is more to say.

Steve