- A commandment given unto Joseph, saying, Thus says the Lord: Verily, verily I say unto you, my son, your sins are forgiven you according to your petition, for your prayers and the prayers of your brethren have come up unto my ears. Therefore, you are blessed from henceforth that bear the keys of the kingdom given unto you, which kingdom is coming forth for the last time. Verily I say unto you, the keys of this kingdom shall never be taken from you while you are in the world, neither in the world to come. Nevertheless, through you shall the oracles be given unto another, yea, even unto the church, and all they who receive the oracles of God, let them be aware how they hold them, lest they are accounted as a light thing, and are brought under condemnation thereby, and stumble and fall when the storms descend, and the winds blow, and the rains descend and beat upon their house.
- And again, verily I say unto your brethren, Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams, their sins are forgiven them also, and they are accounted as equal with you in holding the keys of this last kingdom, as also, through your administration, the keys of the school of the prophets which I have commanded to be organized, that thereby they may be perfected in their ministry, for the salvation of Zion, and of the nations of Israel, and of the gentiles, as many as will believe, that through your administration they may receive the word, and through their administration the word may go forth unto the ends of the earth, unto the gentiles first, and then, behold and lo, they shall turn unto the Jews.
- And then comes the day when the arm of the Lord shall be revealed in power, in convincing the nations, the heathen nations, the house of Joseph, of the gospel of their salvation. For it shall come to pass in that day that every man shall hear the fullness of the gospel in his own tongue and in his own language, through those who are ordained unto this power, by the administration of the Comforter, shed forth upon them for the revelation of Jesus Christ.
- And now verily I say unto you, I give unto you a commandment that you continue in this ministry and presidency, and when you have finished the translation of the prophets, you shall from thenceforth preside over the affairs of the church and the school, and from time to time, as shall be manifest by the Comforter, receive revelations to unfold the mysteries of the kingdom, and set in order the churches, and study, and learn, and become acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues, and people, etc. And this shall be your business and mission in all your lives, to preside in council, and set in order all the affairs of this church and kingdom. Be not ashamed, neither confounded, but be admonished in all your high-mindedness and pride, for it brings a snare upon your souls. Set in order your houses; keep slothfulness and uncleanliness far from you.
- Now verily I say unto you, let there be a place provided, as soon as it is possible, for the family of your counselor and scribe, even Frederick. And let my aged servant Joseph Smith Sr. continue with his family upon the place where he now lives, and let it not be sold until the mouth of the Lord shall name. And let your counselor, even Sidney, remain where he now resides, until the mouth of the Lord shall name. And let the bishop search diligently to obtain an agent, and let it be a man who has got riches in store, a man of God and of strong faith, that thereby he may be enabled to discharge every debt, that the storehouse of the Lord may not be brought into disrepute before the eyes of the people. Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if you walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith you have covenanted one with another. Let your families be small, especially my aged servant Joseph, as pertaining to those who do not belong to your families, that those things that are provided for you, to bring to pass my work, are not taken from you and given to those that are not worthy, and thereby you are hindered in accomplishing those things which I have commanded you.
- And again, verily I say unto you, it is my will that my handmaid Vienna Jaques should receive money to bear her expenses, and go up unto the land of Zion. And the residue of her money I will consecrate unto myself and reward her in my own due time. Verily I say unto you that it is meet in my eyes that she should go up unto the land of Zion and receive an inheritance from the hand of the bishop, that she may settle down in peace, inasmuch as she is faithful, and not be idle in her days from thenceforth.
- And behold, verily I say unto you that you shall write this commandment, and say unto your brethren in Zion, in love greeting, that I have called you also to preside over Zion in my own due time. Therefore, let them cease wearying me concerning this matter. Behold, I say unto you that your brethren in Zion begin to repent, and the angels rejoice over them; nevertheless, I am not well pleased with many things, and I am not well pleased with my servant William E. McLellin, neither with my servant Sidney Gilbert, and the bishop also, and others have many things to repent of, but verily I say unto you that I, the Lord, will contend with Zion, and plead with her strong ones, and chasten her until she overcome and are clean before me, for she shall not be moved out of her place. I, the Lord, have spoken it. Amen.
SECTION 90
A revelation given at Kirtland, Ohio, 8 March 1833, through Joseph Smith Jr.