- 101Truly I say unto you concerning your brethren who have been afflicted, and persecuted, and cast out from the land of their inheritances, 2I, the Lord, have suffered the affliction to come upon them wherewith they have been afflicted, in consequence of their transgressions, 3yet I will own them, and they shall be mine in that day when I shall come to make up my jewels. 4Therefore, they must needs be chastened and tried even as Abraham, who was commanded to offer up his only son, 5for all those who will not endure chastening, but deny me, cannot be sanctified.
- 6Behold, I say unto you, there were jarrings, and contentions, and envyings, and strifes, and lustful and covetous desires among them; therefore, by these things they polluted their inheritances. 7They were slow to hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God, therefore the Lord their God is slow to hearken unto their prayers, to answer them in the day of their trouble. 8In the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel, but in the day of their trouble, of necessity they feel after me.
- 9Truly I say unto you, notwithstanding their sins, my bowels are filled with compassion towards them. I will not utterly cast them off, and in the day of wrath I will remember mercy. 10I have sworn, and the decree has gone forth by a former commandment which I have given unto you, that I would let fall the sword of my indignation in the behalf of my people, and even as I have said, it shall come to pass. 11My indignation is soon to be poured without measure upon all nations, and this will I do when the cup of their iniquity is full. 12And in that day, all who are found upon the watchtower, or in other words all my Israel, shall be saved. 13And they that have been scattered shall be gathered, 14and all they who have mourned shall be comforted, 15and all they who have given their lives for my name shall be crowned. 16Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion, for all flesh is in my hands. Be still and know that I am God. 17Zion shall not be moved out of her place, notwithstanding her children are scattered; 18they that remain and are pure in heart shall return and come to their inheritances, they and their children, with songs of everlasting joy, to build up the waste places of Zion, 19and all these things that the prophets might be fulfilled. 20And behold, there is none other place appointed than that which I have appointed, neither shall there be any other place appointed than that which I have appointed for the work of the gathering of my saints, 21until the day comes when there is found no more room for them, and then I have other places which I will appoint unto them. And they shall be called stakes, for the curtains or strength of Zion.
- 22Behold, it is my will that all they who call on my name and worship me according to my everlasting gospel should gather together and stand in holy places, 23and prepare for the revelation which is to come when the veil of the covering of my temple in my tabernacle, which hides the earth, shall be taken off and all flesh shall see me together. 24And every corruptible thing, both of man or of the beasts of the field, or of the fowls of heaven, or of the fish of the sea, that dwell upon all the face of the earth, shall be consumed, 25and also that of element shall melt with fervent heat, and all things shall become new, that my knowledge and glory may dwell upon all the earth.
- 26And in that day, the enmity of man and the enmity of beasts, yea the enmity of all flesh, shall cease from before my face. 27And in that day, whatever any man shall ask, it shall be given unto him. 28And in that day, Satan shall not have power to tempt any man. 29And there shall be no sorrow, because there is no death. 30In that day, an infant shall not die until he is old, and his life shall be as the age of a tree; 31and when he dies, he shall not sleep (that is to say, in the earth) but shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye and shall be caught up, and his rest shall be glorious. 32Yea, truly I say unto you, in that day when the Lord shall come, he shall reveal all things: 33things which have passed, and hidden things which no man knows, things of the earth by which it was made and the purpose and the end thereof, 34things most precious, things that are above and things that are beneath, things that are in the earth, and upon the earth, and in heaven.
- 35And all they that suffer persecution for my name and endure in faith, though they are called to lay down their lives for my sake, yet shall they partake of all this glory. 36Wherefore, fear not, even unto death, for in this world your joy is not full, but in me your joy is full. 37Therefore, care not for the body, neither for the life of the body, but care for the soul and for the life of the soul. 38And seek the face of the Lord always, that in patience you may possess your souls, and you shall have eternal life.
- 39When men are called unto my everlasting gospel, and covenant with an everlasting covenant, they are accounted as the salt of the earth and the savor of men. 40They are called to be the savior of men, therefore, if that salt of the earth lose its savor, behold, it is then on good for nothing, only to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men. 41Behold, here is wisdom concerning the children of Zion — even many, but not all: they were found transgressors, therefore they must needs be chastened. 42He that exalts himself shall be abased, and he that abases himself shall be exalted.
- 43And now I will show unto you a parable that you may know my will concerning the redemption of Zion: 44A certain nobleman had a spot of land, very choice, and he said unto his servants, Go into my vineyard, even upon this very choice piece of land, and plant twelve olive trees, 45and set watchmen round about them; and build a tower, that one may overlook the land round about to be a watchman upon the tower, that my olive trees may not be broken down when the enemy shall come to spoil and take unto themselves the fruit of my vineyard.
- 46Now the servants of this nobleman went and did as their lord commanded them, and planted the olive trees, and built a hedge round about, and set watchmen, and began to build the tower. 47And while they were yet laying the foundation thereof, they began to say among themselves, And what need has my lord of this tower? — 48and consulted for a long time, saying among themselves, What need has my Lord of this tower, seeing this is a time of peace? 49Might not this money be given to the exchangers? For there is no need of these things.
- 50And while they were at variance one with another, they became very slothful and they hearkened not unto the commandment of their lord. 51And the enemy came by night and broke down the hedge, and the servants of the nobleman arose and were frightened and fled, and the enemy destroyed their works and broke down the olive trees.
- 52Now behold, the nobleman, the lord of the vineyard, called upon his servants and said unto them, Why, what is the cause of this great evil? 53Ought you not to have done even as I commanded you, and after you had planted the vineyard, and built the hedge round about, and set watchmen upon the walls thereof, built the tower also, and set a watchman upon the tower, and watched for my vineyard, and not have fallen asleep, so that the enemy wouldn't come upon you? 54And behold, the watchman upon the tower would have seen the enemy while he was yet afar off, and then you could have made ready and kept the enemy from breaking down the hedge thereof, and saved my vineyard from the hands of the destroyer.
- 55And the lord of the vineyard said unto one of his servants, Go and gather together the residue of my servants, and take all the strength of my house, which are my warriors, my young men and they that are of middle age also, among all my servants who are the strength of my house, save these only whom I have appointed to tarry, 56and go straightway unto the land of my vineyard and redeem my vineyard, for it is mine; I have bought it with money. 57Therefore, get straightway unto my land, break down the walls of my enemies, throw down their tower and scatter their watchmen, 58and inasmuch as they gather together against you, avenge me of my enemies that by and by I may come with the residue of my house and possess the land.
- 59And the servant said unto his lord, When shall these things be? 60And he said unto his servant, When I will. Go straightway and do all things whatever I have commanded you, 61and this shall be my seal and blessing upon you: A faithful and wise steward in the midst of my house, a ruler in my kingdom. 62And his servant went straightway, and did all things whatever his lord commanded him, and after many days all things were fulfilled.
- 63And again, truly I say unto you, I will show unto you wisdom in me, concerning all the churches, inasmuch as they are willing to be guided in a right and proper way for their salvation, 64that the work of the gathering together of my saints may continue, that I may build them up unto my name upon holy places, for the time of harvest is come and my word must needs be fulfilled. 65Therefore, I must gather together my people according to the parable of the wheat and the tares, that the wheat may be secured in the garner, to possess eternal life and be crowned with Celestial glory when I come in the kingdom of my Father, to reward every man according as his work shall be, 66while the tares shall be bound in bundles and their bands made strong, that they may be burned with unquenchable fire.
- 67Therefore, a commandment I give unto all the churches, that they shall continue to gather together unto the places which I have appointed. 68Nevertheless, as I have said unto you in a former commandment, let not your gathering be in haste nor by flight, but let all things be prepared before you. 69And in order that all things be prepared before you, observe the commandments which I have given concerning these things, 70which says or teaches to purchase all the lands by money, which can be purchased for money, in the regions round about the land which I have appointed to be the land of Zion, for the beginning of the gathering of my saints — 71all the land which can be purchased in Jackson County and the counties round about, and leave the residue in my hand.
- 72Now truly I say unto you, let all the churches gather together all their moneys. Let these things be done in their time, lo, not in haste, and observe to have all things prepared before you. 73And let honorable men be appointed, even wise men, and send them to purchase the lands. 74And every church in the eastern countries, when they are built up, if they will hearken unto this counsel they may buy lands and gather together upon them, and in this way they may establish Zion. 75There is even now already in store sufficient, yea, even abundance, to redeem Zion and establish her waste places, no more to be thrown down, were the churches who call themselves after my name willing to hearken to my voice.
- 76And again, I say unto you, those who have been scattered by their enemies, it is my will that they should continue to importune for redress and redemption by the hands of those who are placed as rulers and are in authority over you, 77according to the law and constitution of the people, which I have suffered to be established and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles, 78that every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity according to the moral agency which I have given unto them, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment. 79Therefore, it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another, 80and for this purpose have I established the constitution of this land by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood.
- 81Now, unto what shall I liken the children of Zion? I will liken them unto the parable of the woman and the unjust judge (for men ought always to pray and not faint), which says: 82There was in a city, a judge which feared not God, neither regarded man. 83And there was a widow in that city and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of my adversary. 84And he would not for a while, but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, so that by her continual coming she won't weary me.
- 85Thus will I liken the children of Zion. 86Let them importune at the feet of the judge; 87and if he heed them not, let them importune at the feet of the governor; 88and if the governor heed them not, let them importune at the feet of the president; 89and if the president heed them not, then will the Lord arise and come forth out of his hiding place, and in his fury vex the nation, 90and in his hot displeasure and in his fierce anger, in his time, will cut off these wicked, unfaithful, and unjust stewards, and appoint them their portion among hypocrites and unbelievers, 91even in outer darkness where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.
- 92Pray therefore that their ears may be opened unto your cries, that I may be merciful unto them, that these things may not come upon them. 93What I have said unto you must needs be, that all men may be left without excuse, 94that wise men and rulers may hear and know that which they have never considered, 95that I may proceed to bring to pass my act, my strange act, and perform my work, my strange work, that men may discern between the righteous and the wicked, says your God.
- 96And again, I say unto you, It is contrary to my commandments and my will that my servant Algernon Sidney Gilbert should sell my storehouse, which I have appointed unto my people, into the hands of my enemies. 97Let not that which I have appointed be polluted by my enemies, by the consent of those who call themselves after my name, 98for this is a very sore and grievous sin against me and against my people, in consequence of those things which I have decreed and are soon to befall the nations. 99Therefore, it is my will that my people should claim and hold claim upon that which I have appointed unto them, though they should not be permitted to dwell thereon. 100Nevertheless, I do not say that they shall not dwell thereon, for inasmuch as they bring forth fruit and works meet for my kingdom, they shall dwell thereon. 101They shall build and another shall not inherit it; they shall plant vineyards and they shall eat the fruit thereof. Even so. Amen.
SECTION 101 [101]
A revelation given at Kirtland, Ohio, 16 and 17 December 1833, through Joseph Smith Jr.