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The spring of 1830 was no different to the people of New York than any other year.... a meeting was taking place in the home of Mr. Peter Whitmer, where six young men had met to organize the Church of Christ.
These six men were Peter Whitmer, David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery, Samuel H. Smith, Hyrum Smith and Joseph Smith, Jr. It may seem strange to some that only six men were present at so important a meeting, for it is a historical fact that quite a number had been baptized before this date of April 6, 1830. By a careful study of the history as given by several of the writers of that day, we can safely say there were about seventy, at least, who had already gone down into the waters of baptism, many of them living in the vicinity of the place where this meeting was held.
Concerning this meeting, we want to call the reader's attention to an excerpt from a document that refers directly to this event:
"The rise of the Church of Christ in these last days, being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the flesh, it being regularly organized and established agreeable to the laws of our country, by the will and commandment of God in the fourth month, and on the sixth day of the month which is called April;...."
Source: Book of Commandments, Joseph Smith Jun. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Chapter 24:1,2.
Source: Reorganized Doctrine & Covenants, Section 17:1.
Source: Reorganized Church History, Vol. 1, 67: 76,77.
(My note...The Book of Commandments was a series of revelations Joseph Smith claimed to receive in the early years of the Church. Two years after it was published it was republished as the Doctrine and Covenants.)
There are two things that we want to call to your attention in the foregoing quotation: first, the name of this church, "Church of Christ," and second, "it being regularly organized and established....by the will and commandment of God." This should be sufficient authority, and should fix the name by which the church should be known as long as it should continue to be in existence, or till such a time as God should be called by His name in the last days, we shall not expect Him (God) to make any change in this name.
On the 3rd of May, 1834, the Church of Christ held a conference at Kirtland, Ohio, which had become the center, or headquarters, of the church. At this conference, one thing outstanding I its nature took place, and we read in the minutes of the conference as follows:
"Minutes of a conference of the elders of the Church of Christ, which church was organized in the township of Fayette, Seneca County, New York, on the 6th of April, 1830 A.D. The conference came to order, and Joseph Smith, Jr., was chosen moderator, and Frederick G. Williams and Oliver Cowdery were appointed clerks.
"After prayer, the conference proceeded to discuss the subject of names and appellations, when a motion was made by Sidney Rigdon and seconded by Newel K. Whitney, that this church be known hereafter by the name of Church of the Latter Day Saints."
Source: Reorganized Church History, Vol. 1, 453.
This resolution was passed and the "churches abroad" were duly notified of the change in the name of the church. There had been other changes made in the organization which we may touch upon later, but we call attention to this change in the name as it has a very significant bearing on the question of this tract. We are told by some writers that there were some who objected to this change of the name of the church; however, the church went by this new name, "The Church of Latter Day Saints," till April 26, 1838, when a revelation was received that again changed the name of the church to , "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints."
In July, 1831, certain instruction had been given to the church relative to the "Land of Zion," designating Independence, Missouri, as the "spot" where the " temple" was to be built. From this revelation we wish to quote as follows:
"Hearken, O ye elders of my church saith the Lord your God, who have assembled yourselfs together, according to my commandments in this land which is the land of Missouri, which is the land which I have appointed and consecrated for the gathering of the saints; wherefore, this is the land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion...Behold the place which is now called Independence, is the center place, and the spot for the temple is lying westward upon a lot which is not far from the courthouse."
Source: Reorganized Doctrine & Covenants, Section 57:1.
Source: Reorganized Church History, Vol. 1, 204.
Nothing was ever done by the church, as touching these matters, except the dedicating of the "land of Zion" and marking the "spot" and dedicating the same where the "temple" was to stand. Edward Partridge purchased the land that had been shown to them as the place for the Temple; it consisted of a plot of ground containing 63 and a fraction acres, and cost $130.00. The revelation states that on a "lot" was the "spot for the temple" This property was not plotted into lots till 1851, and upon one of the lots thus plotted was the "spot" for the Temple.
One of the peculiar things about the purchase of this property by Edward Partridge is the fact that the property at the time of "dedicating" was still state land. Nearly six months after the dedication Jonas H. Flourney purchased 80 acres from the government and six days later sold 63 acres of this 80 acres to Partridge. The original deed is in Salt Lake City; a photostatic copy of the original deed was printed in The Deseret News, January 23, 1932, in which no mention is made of the church. Neither is Edward Partridge mentioned as trustee for the church.
It was not long after the dedication of the Temple Lot that the first signs of trouble started in Independence, Missouri, and within a few years all the Saints had been driven from the state; but in spite of the persecution, the church had rapidly grown in numerical strength. The name of the church had been changed again, as is found in the history, and in the Utah Doctrine and Covenants. We quote from the Reorganized Church History, vol. 2, 151, footnote:
"Revelation given at Far West, April 26, 1838,...Verily thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Joseph Smith, Jr., and also my servant Sidney Rigdon, and also my servant Hyrum Smith...;and also unto my faithful servants, who are of the High Council of the church in Zion (for thus it shall be called), and unto all elders and people of my church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints scattered abroad in all the world; for thus shall my church be called in the last days, even the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints..."
Source: Reorganized Church History, Vol. 2, 151.
Source: The Doctrine & Covenants. Joseph Smith Jun. 5th ed. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1957. Section Section 115.
This was the name by which the church was known from that time on till the death of Joseph and Hyrum in 1844. Within only a short time of about a year from the date of this revelation, the Saints were all driven from the State of Missouri.
The next place of interest in this narrative is the city of Nauvoo, Illinois. Here the church gathered and grew for a short time even as it had done at Kirkland, Independence, and Far West. Here it built a city of many thousands, and from here the dispersion of the church took place.
At the death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, June 27, 1844, a new question began to make itself heard: that question was, who shall be the successor of Joseph as the leader or head of the church?
End of part 1.
