Law of consecration

In the Latter Day Saint movement (also known as Mormonism), the law of consecration has two broad meanings. As the term was first used in 1831 by Joseph Smith (Doctrine and Covenants 42:30-39 http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/42/3), it was a doctrine of covenanted Christian socialism: Latter Day Saints were asked to voluntarily deed (consecrate) their property to the Church of Christ, and the church then would assign to each member a "stewardship" of that property. The member usually controlled completely the property delegated or (in some instances) deeded to him; his responsibilities were to manage the property and to generate an income from it. Any excess income was to be remitted to the church. The organization established to manage the Law of Consecration was called the United Order.

This doctrine and succeeding practice, similar to those of many other religious groups in early nineteenth-century America, attempted to eradicate poverty and to promote a sense of unity and brotherhood within Latter-day Saint communities. Although many leaders of the Church clearly distinguished between communism and the Law of Consecration, due to the practices' distinct differences as related to the topics of free agency, private property, and Deity, many critics throughout the twentieth century and to the present continue, incorrectly, to equate the two practices. These critics often compare the Law of Consecration and the United Order to Christian communism or to communalism, which the critics also claim was practiced by first-century Christian saints (Acts 2:44, 4:32). In 1942, the Church officially stated that communism, communalism, and socialism are simply Satan's counterfeits of the Law of Consecration whereby many are swindled into believing that these godless practices are divine.Fact|date=July 2008 Nevertheless, this type of communal unity is central to the Latter Day Saints' doctrine of Zion as described in Moses 7:18, "And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them."

The term "law of consecration" has developed a different meaning within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since the practices of the United Order were abandoned in the nineteenth century. Consecration is understood to mean selfless dedication of time and means to help "build Zion" through spreading the gospel by means of missionary work, temple and family-history work, and helping members grow in the gospel by providing teaching, leadership, and service. Faithful members are asked to tithe to support those endeavors; they are asked, too, to pay a liberal fast offering to help supply the needs of the poor. Other funds to which members are asked to contribute as they are able include a general humanitarian fund, a Perpetual Education Fund, a general missionary fund, and temple building funds. Most faithful members are also asked to serve in the church's unpaid ministries as teachers, youth or adult leaders, temple or family-history workers, or in other administrative positions.

The underlying principles and motivations that must be present in order for either meaning of the law of consecration to be in effect are love of God and of all men (charity), an "eye single to the glory of God" (Doctrine and Covenants 82:19), willing acceptance of stewardship responsibilities including the heartfelt desire to work unitedly for the common good (D & C 38:27), righteous application of priesthood authority (D & C 121:34-46) with no unrighteous dominion and no reliance on the "arm of flesh" (2 Nephi 4:34), and a firm recognition that the "body hath need of every member" (1 Corinthians 12:4-31) and that each person's sincere efforts should be esteemed equally (D & C 38:24). When these motivations are lacking, the law of consecration, by definition, is not being practiced.

Origins

Joseph Smith found a group of about fifty people known as "the family" living on Isaac Morley's farm near Kirtland, OhioFact|date=February 2007. They had established a coöperative venture based on statements in the Book of ActsFact|date=February 2007 ("See Acts 2:44-45; 4:32") "The family" were members of the church who formerly were followed Sidney RigdonFact|date=February 2007. Levi Hancock recorded that a fellow early member stole his pocketwatch and sold it, claiming it was "all in the family."Fact|date=February 2007 [#Notes 1] (See Levi W. Hancock, “Levi Hancock Journal,” LDS Historical Department, Salt Lake City, p. 81.)

Smith was troubled by the number of members joining the church in poverty in Kirtland, Ohio, as revenue was needed for the church to publish books and tractsFact|date=February 2007.

On February 4, 1831, Smith received a revelation calling Edward Partridge to be the first bishop of the church. (See D&C 41.) Five days later, on February 9. 1831, Smith claimed to have received another revelation detailing the Law of Consecration. (See D&C 42.)

References

*"Doctrine and Covenants" (LDS) 42:30-42; 51; 78; 82; 104:11-18.
*Roger D. Launius, "Joseph Smith III: Pragmatic Prophet", Univ. of Illinois: 1995, pp. 175-185.