The Cradle of the Restoration Part 7 - The Peter Whitmer Farm - The Church of Jesus Christ is Organized!!!!

Log Cabin at Peter Whitmer Farm

The day has finally arrived!!!  Back in 1829, Joseph Smith Jr. and Oliver Cowdery received by the laying on of hands by Peter, James, and John (3 of Jesus Christ's original Apostles), the Melchizedek priesthood, and were revealed the exact date when God's Church we be established on the earth again.  According to God's commands, they did so.  That date happened to be April 6th, 1830.  Peter Whitmer Sr. offered his home as the meeting place for this historic occasion.

Living room of Peter Whitmer Sr. Log Home

So on April 6th, 1830, almost sixty people came to attend the formal meeting.  According to New York State law, you needed six original members to establish a religious society.  Those original six members were Hyrum Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer Jr., Samuel H. Smith, David Whitmer, and Joseph Smith Jr.  Church History then tells us "After kneeling in solemn prayer, Joseph asked those present if they were willing to accept him and Oliver as their teachers and spiritual advisers. Everyone raised their hands in the affirmative. Although they had previously received the Melchizedek Priesthood, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery then ordained each other to the office of elder. They did this to signify that they were elders in the newly organized church. The sacrament of the Lord’s supper was administered next. The prayers used had been received through revelation (see D&C 20:75–79). Joseph and Oliver then confirmed those who had previously been baptized as members of the Church of Jesus Christ and bestowed upon them the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Baptism of Joseph Smith Sr.

Joseph Smith said in his own words "after a happy time spent in witnessing and feeling for ourselves the powers and blessings of the Holy Ghost, through the grace of God bestowed upon us, we dismissed with the pleasing knowledge that we were now individually members of, and acknowledged of God, ‘The Church of Jesus Christ,’ organized in accordance with commandments and revelations given by Him to ourselves in these last days, as well as according to the order of the Church as recorded in the New Testament." After the meeting closer, many took the opportunity to be baptized and became members of the newly organized Church.  Two of those individuals was Joseph Smith Jr.'s parents.  When his father came up out of the waters, he exclaimed "I have lived to see my Father baptized into the true church of Jesus Christ!!"  He then buried his face in hi father's bosom and wept for joy.

20 sections of modern day revelation were received by the Prophet Joseph Smith while he was living at the Peter Whiter farm.  It was here the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was officially organized, on April 6th, 1830.  It was here the Book of Mormon was finished being translated.  It was here that the 3 Witnesses to The Book of Mormon received their miraculous vision of the gold plates.  The Peter Whitmer Farm is still very much in the middle of nowhere. ;Surrounding the property is miles and miles of farmland and open spaces. ;The only road to get to the chapel was once just a dirt road. ;But out of such an obscure place did so many great things happen.  Truly, this is what the Lord went in D&C 1:30 "And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power;to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church...."

Information Gathered at : https://www.lds.org/manual/church-history-in-the-fulness-of-times-student-manual/chapter-six-organization-of-the-church-of-jesus-christ?lang=eng