THE DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS
SECTION 44
Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon, at Kirtland, Ohio, in the latter part of February 1831. HC 1: 157. In compliance with the requirement herein set forth, the Church appointed a conference to be held early in the month of June following.
1—3, Elders are to assemble in conference; 4—6, They are to organize according to the laws of the land and to care for the poor.
1 B
EHOLD, thus saith the Lord unto you my servants, it is expedient in me that
the elders of my church should be called together,
[ Remember in section 42:63 they were sent out. ] from the east and from the west, and from the north and from the south, by letter or some other way.
2 And it shall come to pass, that inasmuch as they are faithful, and exercise faith in me,
I will pour out my Spirit upon them in the day that they assemble themselves together.
[ The Lord promised to endow them with power as they would santify themselves D&C 43:16. ]
3 And it shall come to pass
that they shall go forth [ After the conference they are to return to their proselyting duties. ] into the regions round about, and
preach repentance unto the people.
[ They should teach and not be taught D&C 43:15. ]
4
And many shall be converted,
[ Why? Because it is how they teach that makes the difference. 1) They ghave santified themselves 2) They are taught from on high - or the spirit is present - and when the spirit teaches both the student and the instructor learn together. D&C 43:16 ] insomuch that ye shall obtain power to
organize yourselves according to the laws of man;
[ Whay does the Lord what to make sure they are organizaed according to the laws of the land? By doing so the saints should be protected; or at least there will be one less reason that they might be brought to justice. In other words don't fan the fire; don't give the enemies any additional reason to come after the saints. Many of the day viewed the church as any anti-government movement they viewed them as hostile to their current way of life. Iif the temporal laws are not binding as far as God is concerned, then ot would be counterproductive to create contention over something that isn't that important. ]
5 That your enemies may not have power over you; that you may be preserved in all things; that you may be enabled to keep my laws; that every bond may be broken wherewith the enemy seeketh to destroy my people.
6 Behold, I say unto you, that ye must visit the poor and the needy and administer to their relief, [ See D&C 42:30-52 Verse 5- 6 Paraphrase Isa. 58:6-7. ] that they may be kept until all things may be done according to my law which ye have received. Amen.
[ Historical Material Pertaining to Doctrine & Covenants 44 The revelation calling a conference was received in February 1831, and the conference was held the following June. D&C 52 is a revelation received at the June conference. Excerpt from History of the Church The latter part of February I received the following revelation, which caused the Church to appoint a conference to be held early in the month of June ensuing: [text of D&C 44 quoted] (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, volume 1, pages 157) Excerpt from Doctrine & Covenants Commentary In the latter part of February, 1831, the Lord directed that the missionaries who had gone to the Various parts of the Country be summoned to Kirtland to meet in a general Conference. Three Conferences had been held before, viz., one on June 9th, 1830; one on September 26th, the same year, and one on January 2nd, 1831. These were all held at Fayette, N.Y. The Conference referred to in this Revelation convened at Kirtland, June 3rd, 1831. It was the Fourth General Conference of the Church, and the first gathering of its kind in Kirtland. (Hyrum M. Smith and Janne M. Sjodahl, Doctrine and Covenants Commentary, section 44). ]