July 23, 1837 - D&C 112 was received

[Hemidakota]

July 23, 1837— Kirtland, Ohio. Joseph Smith received D&C 112, a revelation to Thomas B. Marsh about his duties as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. (History of the Church, 2:499–501)

Historical Setting:

George A. Smith - Some time after the finishing of the Temple, the brethren under the direction of the Prophet had established a bank [Kirtland Safety Society] in Kirtland, the paper to be redeemed by specie, and secured by real estate. The directors of that bank were members of the Church, and they were determined to sustain the credit of that money. The question has some times been asked, how much has that bank failed for; it did not fail for a single dollar, and yet when it failed there was perhaps a hundred thousand dollars of the bank paper out in circulation. Warren Parrish was the teller of the bank, and a number of other men who apostatized were officers. They took out of its vault, unknown to the President or cashier, a hundred thousand dollars, and sent their agents around among the brethren to purchase their farms, wagons, cattle, horses and every thing they could get hold of. The brethren would gather up this money and put it into the bank, and those traitors would steal it and send it out to buy again, and they continued to do so until the plot was discovered and payment stopped. It was the cursed apostates—their stealing and robberies, and their infernal villainies that prevented that bank being conducted as the Prophet designed. If they had followed the counsel of Joseph, there is not a doubt but that it would have been the leading bank in Ohio, probably of the nation. It was founded upon safe principles, and would have been a safe and lasting institution. . . . a man that would stand up in the streets and say he was Joseph's friend, could not get a greater compliment than being called a lick skillet. Joseph had few friends; but among the leading Elders of the Church, in Kirtland the High Council, one of the members of the first Presidency, some of the seven Presidents of the seventies, and a great many others were so darkened that they went astray in every direction. They boasted of the talent at their command, and what they would do. Their plan was to take the doctrines of the Church, such as repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, throw aside the Book of Mormon, the Prophet and Priesthood, and go and unite the whole Christian world under these doctrines. Where are they to-day? Like a rope of sand that has vanished in the four winds of heaven. Many of them have already in dust and ashes lamented their fate, they have never been able to prosper in any business, or take a leading part in any capacity. [sec. 121:11-25.] This is the result of that apostasy; and yet it was so great that Joseph himself and his friends had to flee from Kirtland. (JD, November 15, 1864, 11:11)

Joseph Smith, Jun. - At this time the spirit of speculation in lands and property of all kinds, which was so prevalent throughout the whole nation, was taking deep root in the Church. As the fruits of this spirit, evil-surmising, fault-finding, disunion, dissension, and apostasy followed in quick succession, and it seemed as though all the powers of earth and hell were combining their influence in an especial manner to overthrow the Church at once, and make a final end. Other banking institutions refused the "Kirtland Safety Society's" notes. The enemy abroad, and apostates in our midst, united in their schemes, flour and provisions were turned toward other markets, and many became disaffected toward me as though I were the sole cause of those very evils I was most strenuously striving against; and which were actually brought upon us by the brethren not giving heed to my counsel.

No quorum in the Church was entirely exempt from the influence of those false spirits who are striving against me for the mastery; even some of the Twelve were so far lost to their high and responsible calling, as to begin to take sides, secretly, with the enemy.

In this state of things, and but a few weeks before the Twelve were expecting to meet in full quorum, (some of them having been absent for some time), God revealed to me that something new must be done for the salvation of the Church. And on or about the first of June, 1837, Heber C. Kimball, one of the Twelve, was set apart by the spirit of prophecy and revelation, prayer and laying on of hands, of the First Presidency, to preside over a mission to England, to be the first foreign mission of the Church of Christ in the last days. [see Sec. 110:11.] (HC 2:487-89, May-June 1837.)

The same day that the Gospel was first preached in England I received the following: [Section 112, quoted.] (HC 2:499, July 23, 1837; Kirtland, Ohio.)

Background Narration:

Joseph Fielding Smith

In this revelation [Section 112] Elder [Thomas B.] Marsh [president of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles] was instructed to teach the brethren in his council and point out to them their duty and responsibilities in proclaiming the Gospel. Some of the apostles had forsaken their responsibility and had turned their attention to schemes of speculation. We have seen that the years preceding the year 1837, were years of wild speculation throughout the United States and Elder Heber C. Kimball pointed out how this boom had struck Kirtland and some of the brethren had borrowed great sums and had gone into business, at the expense of their ministry. Then when the bauble of false prosperity broke they were left financially stranded; then they began to blame the Prophet Joseph Smith. This revelation to Thomas Marsh was a warning and a call to him to bring his brethren back into the line of their duty as apostles of Jesus Christ.

The Lord declared that even Elder Marsh had strayed somewhat, but had repented and therefore he was forgiven: [sec. 112:2-4, quoted.] He was called upon to raise his warning voice and when night should come he was not to let the inhabitants of the earth slumber without the warning. If he would be faithful, many high ones would be brought low, and by his word many low ones would be exalted: [sec. 112:19-20, quoted.] The Lord told him that he knew his heart, which verily was true, and that his prayers in behalf of his brethren had been heard. He was to show no partiality towards any of them, but his love for them was to be as the love for himself. There is no question that Thomas B. Marsh was not in that day a man of force and character. Had he remained true the Lord would have used him and his ability would have shown forth, for the Lord would have magnified him. (CHMR, 1949, 3:101-2.)

Steven Harper

Though he wrote the Lord's words as Joseph spoke them, Thomas Marsh heard Doctrine and Covenants 112 selectively. He took the revelation to Heber C. Kimball's wife, Vilate, and told her that Joseph had assured him that her husband would not be effective as a missionary until Thomas said so. Heber and his companions enjoyed great success meanwhile and wrote back across the Atlantic their version of what Joseph had said, that "it was all right to prepare the way for brother Marsh."

Thomas Marsh was arrogant. He heard and self-servingly interpreted the passages of the revelation that reminded him of his high position, the greatness of his calling, his possession of powerful priesthood keys, and his impressive role in spreading the gospel to the nations. But he did not hear the revelation's command to be humble (v. 10), to "exalt not yourselves," or to "rebel not against my servant Joseph" (v. 15).

Thomas returned to his home in Missouri, as commanded in verse , and continued under Joseph's direction to publish the Elders' Journal newspaper for the Church. But by the fall of 1838 he had begun to exalt himself and rebel against Joseph. He famously repudiated the decisions of Church councils to defend his wife in a dispute with another sister. Then he signed an affidavit charging Joseph Smith with treason, which led to the Prophet's incarceration. "That affidavit brought from the government of Missouri an exterminating order, which drove some 15,000 Saints from their homes and habitations." Thomas was excommunicated in March 1839 and remained estranged from the Church for nearly two decades. (Making Sense of the Doctrine and Covenants by Steven C. Harper)

L.G. Otten

At the time of this revelation (1837) the church was being attacked from sides as well as from some of the members within. The Lord inspired the Prophet Joseph Smith to send Elder Heber C. Kimball to England as a missionary. His efforts and the labors of subsequent missionaries would bring new life into the church, as many thousands of converts would join the church.

One illustration of the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith and the inspired source of his information concerning the missionary efforts in England was described by Elder Harold B. Lee as follows:

In one year, 1840 to 1841—one year and fourteen days, to be exact—nine members of the twelve were called to labor in the British Mission. If you remember the history here at home, those years marked the period of some of the severest persecution that the Church was to undergo in this dispensation. In that one year and fourteen days the nine members of the twelve, with their associates, established churches in every noted town and city in the kingdom of Great Britain. They baptized between 7000 and 8000 converts. They printed 5000 copies of the Book of Mormon, 3000 hymnbooks, and 50,000 tracts, and they published 2500 volumes of the Millennial Star and emigrated 1000 souls to America. (CR, April 1960, p. 108)

While Elder Kimball was away on his first mission to England, the Lord spoke to his quorum president in Kirtland, Ohio. The counsel given by the Lord to President Thomas B. Marsh is contained in Section 112 of the Doctrine and Covenants. It can be conveniently arranged, for study purposes, into two categories, as recorded in the Overview of Section Content at the beginning of this chapter. (Sacred Truths of the Doctrine and Covenants, vol. 1 by L. G. Otten, C. M. Caldwell, P.259)

Section Header Notes: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, to Thomas B. Marsh, at Kirtland, Ohio, July 23, 1837. The word of the Lord unto Thomas B. Marsh, concerning the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb. The Prophet records that this revelation was received on the day on which the Gospel was first preached in England. Thomas B. Marsh was at this time president of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles.—The Twelve to send the gospel abroad among all nations—They are to act under the direction of the First Presidency—Others may be authorized by the Twelve for ministry among the nations—The keys of power in the Priesthood committed to the First Presidency and the Twelve—The present designated as the dispensation of the fulness of times.

1–10, The Twelve are to send the gospel and raise the warning voice to all nations and people; 11–15, They are to take up their cross, follow Jesus, and feed his sheep; 16–20, Those who receive the First Presidency receive the Lord; 21–29, Darkness covers the earth, and only those who believe and are baptized shall be saved; 30–34, The First Presidency and the Twelve hold the keys of the dispensation of the fulness of times.

Versus amount: 34

Suggested link: D&C 107 & 108

Summary and Conclusion: This revelation contains information and counsel from the Lord that can be applied by every quorum president in the Lord's church. Heeding this instruction, each president will stand approved before the Lord and will be the means of helping quorum members obtain eternal blessings for themselves and members of their families.

The specific instructions given to the President of the Quorum of the Twelve is being implemented in the church in this dispensation. The Quorum of the Twelve is directing the worldwide missionary efforts of the church under the direction of the Lord's First Presidency. (Sacred Truths of the Doctrine and Covenants, vol. 1 by L. G. Otten, C. M. Caldwell, p.261)