I noticed this time through the Doctrine and Covenants how the idea of trials is a major theme of this book of scripture. And the sections in this week’s lesson are during one of the most challenging periods of trials in early church history, the first round of persecution in Missouri and the subsequent travel to help the members there known as Zion’ Camp.

Inherent in the trials described in the D&C is that they came in the attempt to build a Zion society. So the context for the trials is not just how to get along in the church and with others, but rather how to create a society in which church members can become holy.

 

What is the purpose of membership councils?

If you are trying to build Zion, what do you do with those who are not willing to become Zion people? How do you help them change? When a society has to decide these questions it needs a mechanism for helping those who need to change. For everyone involved this can itself become a trial.

The following poem was written by the young women of the Retrenchment Association—the group that would later become the YLMIA and then today’s Young Women’s organization. The women’s concerns are for building up Zion and what to do with those “who love and revel in / The ways of vice.”

 

An Address from the Young Ladies

Written on the occasion of a Retrenchment Association Party, Given on the Twenty-Fourth of July, 1872, being the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the entrance of the Pioneers into the valley of the Great Salt Lake.

When called upon, in such a kindly way,

We, from our hearts, a few good things can say:

‘Tis good to be a Saint of God, and live

In the pure light, His loving mercies give;

‘Tis good to gather at a time like this,

And yield awhile to animated bliss;

‘Tis good to mark the change which now appears,

Among the Saints in five and twenty years.

They came to Utah—came with heart and mind

Giv’n to their God, and to His will resigned;

They settled here—’t has oft been stated how,

We know the difference ‘tween then and now.

Good is the picture illustration paints

Of God’s protection to His faithful Saints;

How ‘mid privations stern, and trying toil,

He blest their labors, blest the seed and soil.

‘Tis good for us to know the Gospel Truth,

Which brightly beams upon us in our youth;

And that our parents have that faith embraced,

Which will unite the humble, pure and chaste;

And banish all who love and revel in

The ways of vice, licentiousness and sin:

And it is good that we need not disguise,

The holy feelings which such things despise.

We may and do despise the seeming man,

Who seeks to baffle the Almighty’s plan;

Which is to save, exalt and elevate,

Woman, with man, made noble, wise and great:

We cannot, in false friendship, seem to clothe,

The dread we bear for deeds we justly loathe,

Yet with compassion’s voice would fain recall,

Vice’s wretched dupes who gaze, and yield and fall!

We know that we are free—our freedom gives

That confidence, for which proud woman lives;

For we have pride, not that which fumes and flaunts

O’er fashion’s follies and her favorite haunts;

But ignorance and fripp’ry thrown aside,

True dignity and virtue are our pride;

Our motto Honor, Truth our whole defense,

Our aim to perfect rich intelligence.

Hence we regard those who are Saints indeed,

As having right our youthful steps to lead;

And never to ought else may we submit,

Or in the least descend to fellow it.

We feel that we are safe, while being led

By trusty followers of our lawful Head;

And, sooner would we all unite to-day

With one GOOD MAN than one be led astray.

Not lacking charity, would gladly see,

All mortals healthy, happy, blessed as we;

Possessing morals which alone can make

The sweetest joys of which mankind partake.

Greatful to God for His parental are,

Anxious that all the same good gifts should share;

And closely follow where our helmsman steers,

To lives Eternal in Celestial spheres.

Ere we conclude, we wish to humbly pay,

A generous tribute to the passing day;

Oft clothed in gladness may it reappear,

Still to the Saints held sacred, sweet and dear,

And crown anew, with love and peace each year,

The home of every good, brave Pioneer;

Their friends, their neighbors, kindred great and small,

Wives, sons and daughters, Heaven bless them all!

1872

 

Zion can be built only on principles of righteousness.

Building Zion on righteous principles seems obvious. While this idea explains the need in the previous section of the lesson for membership councils, it doesn’t give too many details, preferring instead to teach the principle and let the people govern themselves. Of course, the inevitable conflicts between different principles, and the very earthly need to decide which principles take priority will lead many to wish for much more detail.

Unfortunately, those who end up leading and making decisions for earthly societies are seldom meek and lowly. They are often sure of the priorities and details without any humble recognition that they could be very wrong. The following poem explores the scriptural idea that “the meek shall inherit the earth.” Does this mean that leaders will be meek as well? In laying out her vision of Zion, poet Mary Smith lists a lot of precursors before the meek receive their inheritance. Maybe the only place for non-meek leaders is to get us to some of those precursors?

Mary Smith was an English poet, not related to the family of Joseph Smith.

 

When Shall the Meek Inherit the Earth

by Mary Smith

When division shall cease, with its war and commotion,

And Israel returns to the place of his birth;

When Ephraim is filled with his blessings in Zion,

“The meek” then alone “shall inherit the earth.”

 

When a Temple is rear’d to the name of Jehovah,

Wherein Saints may worship and glory go forth;

And when they dwell safe ‘neath their own vine and figtree,

“The meek” then alone “shall inherit the earth.”

 

When Satan is bound by the strength of our union,

And joy shall encircle the world as a girth;

When peace is proclaimed throughout every nation,

“The meek” then alone “shall inherit the earth.”

 

When Mystery Bab’lon! the great one is fallen;

When mourning and sorrow are changed for her mirth;

When lordly ambition shall cease its oppression,

“The meek” then alone “shall inherit the earth.”

 

When the sun shall not shine on the head of a tyrant,

But shed his rays brightest on merit and worth;

When the poor shall rejoice ‘midst the fruits of their labours,

“The meek” then alone “shall inherit the earth.”

 

When Christ again comes to possess his dominion,

The wicked to punish ere earth’s second birth!

When hell fight for his people as “Judah’s fierce Lion,”

“The meek” then alone “shall inherit the earth.”

 

When a fountain is open’d to those of Jerus’lem,

And God’s ancient people repenting go forth;

When the Jew and the Gentile by one law are saved,

“The meek” then alone “shall inherit the earth.”

 

When Zion’s built up, and the Saints are all gather’d.

From the east and the west, from the south and the north;

With those in the Heavens who’ve been foully martyr’d,

Then-—then all “the meek” shall inherit the earth.”

1852

 

Blessings come after trials of faith.

As I suggested at the beginning of this post, creating Zion requires trials, and the Come Follow Me lessons already discussed trials in four previous lessons. In this lesson, the trials are a precursor to the blessings of Zion. Many times, of course, the blessings are a consequence of the trial—what happens to us in the trials is for our good, or gives us something we need. But I don’t think that is always the case.

In the following poem, English poet G. C. Ferguson suggests that for the saint, these trials are ‘sweet’, and turn our lives to the better as God “opens the hearts both of friends and of foes.”

 

The Saint’s Trials

by G. C. Ferguson

In the dark scenes of life, when the grip of disease

Hath bound up the limbs of the active and strong,

When the wife of his bosom , the child on his knees

Are testy and tiresome and everything’s wrong,—

When the hour of retiring brings with it the dread

Of darkness and weariness, anguish and pain,

And the dawn of the morn sees him lifted from bed

To encounter new woes and meet old ones again, —

 

‘Tis sweet for the Saint, under trials like this,

When even life’s joys are changed into woes,

To find that his God and his Father doth bless

And opens the hearts both of friends and of foes.

His life is sustained – yea, his children are gay;

His creditors even go pleased from his door;

And his spirit, immured in its prison of clay,

Hath conquered a trial unconquered before .

1859

 

The Lord has made me a “steward over earthly blessings.”

This statement may be the most at odds with today’s capitalist mindset of any in the D&C. A steward is responsible for the things placed in his or her stewardship. This section says that we are responsible for the blessings we have received, regardless of whether or not we think we have earned them. If everything we have is the Lord’s, i.e, if we are stewards over what we have, then how we use the things we have is crucial. We can’t just do whatever we want with them. The Lord’s command is clear: We must use the things we are blessed with to benefit others.

Zion’s Poetess, Eliza R. Snow, here expounds this idea, suggesting that we have made commitments to God for how to act—i.e, covenants made at baptism and thereafter; “when I espous’d the cause of truth.” She suggests that the blessing of Zion, and of Eternal Life, comes when we “lay / [0ur] earthly all, at Jesus’ feet.” Here she prays, “Oh! let me never never prize, / Thy favor, less than earthly good.”

All I can add is:  Amen.

 

When I espous’d the cause of truth

by Eliza R. Snow

When I espous’d the cause of truth,

The holy spirit, from on high,

Promply instructed me, forsooth,

To lay my youthful prospects by.

 

I saw along the “narrow way”

An ordeal, which the saints must meet

To gain the prize: I therefore lay

My earthly all, at Jesus’ feet.

 

My life committed to his care,

With food and raiment I’m content;

While with the “faithful,” I share

The glorious blessings, God has sent.

 

Who, thinks beneath life’s golden sky,

To reach the upper court of God!

Who, can the christian armor ply,

In lifes gay pathway, smooth and broad?

 

With purpose fix’d, we must presume

An onward course, with steadfast aim;

And keep perfection’s mark in view,

Reckless, of grandeur, ease and fame.

 

Alas! for some, who lately shone

Resplendent, like the orbs on high:

Who’re waning like yon late full-moon,

That now seems verging from the sky!

 

Can man secure the great reward,

And from thy holy precepts stray?

Take not thy spirit from me, Lord!

But keep me in the “narrow way.”

 

Oh! let me never never prize,

Thy favor, less than earthly good;

Nor thy prophetic voice despise,

Like those that perished in the flood!

1841