The April 28, 1883 Revelation

On April 28, 1883, President John Taylor received a revelation in Salt Lake City in response to a financial decision that had caused spiritual unease. The Lord corrected the course being considered, reaffirmed prior instructions, and gave further guidance on Church leadership, unity in the Priesthood, and the sacred nature of stewardship. This revelation also calls for the reorganization of the School of the Prophets and emphasizes obedience to divine law in both temporal and spiritual affairs.

Versified by Truth Bound Publishing.

1 Verily, thus saith the Lord: You have asked me why your mind was confused and dull within the last two days.

2 By the whisperings of His Spirit and the still small voice, the arrangement which you have contemplated with my servant Thomas is not acceptable to me.

3 He should have listened to your offer, which would have been profitable to himself and acceptable to me.

4 When you rejected his offer, you did right, and my Spirit was with you.

5 But when you, in your zeal to show that you had faith in me and in my word, accepted propositions and assumed responsibilities not in accordance with the order I showed you, you did wrong, and I withdrew my Spirit.

6 For it is forbidden my Presidency to go into debt unless I, the Lord, command it, for these things lead to confusion and bondage.

7 Have I not shown unto you, my servant John, a way to raise a fund at your disposal for the accomplishment of my purposes, and by which the rights and properties of my people should be preserved?

8 You must abide by this principle.

9 My servant Thomas does not fully understand this matter.

10 Confer with him on this subject, and if he can see these things and follow counsel, he shall assist you in the developments contemplated.

11 For you, nor my servant George Q. Cannon, cannot attend to these details.

12 But if he, Thomas, cannot enter freely into this matter without restraint, then arrange with him according to wisdom and withdraw from the contemplated arrangement.

13 Behold, I have shown unto you many things, and I will continue to make known unto you my will from time to time—on things temporal as well as spiritual, pertaining to my Church, my Kingdom, and my Zion.

14 You shall be my mouthpiece, saith the Lord, and I will greatly bless you, and lift you up, and exalt you, saith the Lord.

15 Your words and works are acceptable unto me, and I know of your zeal and integrity in my cause.

16 You shall be made a blessing to my people, and your name shall be honored in Israel, in this nation, and among the nations of the earth; for they that honor me I will honor.

17 I will greatly bless my servant George Q. Cannon, who is acceptable before me and who is exceedingly desirous to do my will.

18 I will also bless my servant Joseph F. Smith, whose heart and spirit are right before me and who is also desirous to fulfill my law.

19 These, your Counselors, shall be greatly blessed with you; and you shall be my mouthpiece unto them.

20 I will also show unto them my will from time to time.

21 You shall be one in spiritual things, and also in temporal things in due time.

22 I will show unto my people and unto the world that this world is mine.

23 I created it by my power; the gold and silver, and copper and brass, and iron and riches and precious things thereof, and all that pertains thereto are mine.

24 My people shall know that they are mine, and that they live in me, move and exist by me, and have their being from me.

25 All which they possess is mine, and is obtained of me, and they are, and can only be, stewards over that which I have given unto them.

26 Whether it relates to this earth and the fulness thereof, to wives, children, and friends, to gold, silver, houses, lands, riches, or possessions, or to thrones, principalities, powers, dominions, and exaltations in my eternal Kingdom.

27 My Presidency shall be one, and the Twelve shall be one.

28 The Presidencies of Stakes and the High Councils shall be one.

29 All of my holy Priesthood in their quorums, standings, offices, and positions shall be one.

30 All of my Priesthood shall be united as one with my people, and my people shall be one with them.

31 They shall be my Church, my Kingdom, and my Zion, and I will be one with them and be their God.

32 Let every person therefore be diligent and act in their several positions, callings, or Priesthood, and honor and magnify the same.

33 Honor and obey me, the Lord their God, and respect and obey the counsels of my holy Priesthood.

34 I will honor and exalt them, saith the Lord, in time and throughout eternity.

35 As it regards my servant John Taylor, it is not necessary for him to attend to the minutiae or details of either spiritual or temporal things, but only to give general directions, or as I may manifest from time to time.

36 His Counselors are to be his assistants.

37 The First Presidency shall call upon the Twelve, the Presidents of Stakes, the Bishops and others to assist in these duties.

38 I will raise up wise and prudent men from time to time to assist in temporal as well as spiritual things, for they are all one with me.

39 Let the Twelve call upon the Seventies, and the High Priests, the High Councils, and Elders and Bishops and the lesser Priesthood, and all who labor for Zion, be diligent and obedient.

40 Let every man put in his sickle and reap, and fulfill and magnify his calling, office, or Priesthood.

41 These things belong to my Priesthood, but more properly to the School of the Prophets.

42 Let the School of the Prophets be reorganized, even all such as are worthy; but if they are found unworthy, they shall not have a place in my school.

43 For I will be honored by my Priesthood, and let my laws be made known unto them as may be deemed expedient.