And as thou hast said in a revelation given unto us, calling us thy friends, saying, Call your solemn assembly as I have commanded you, and as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom, yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom. Seek learning, even by study and also by faith. Organize yourselves, prepare every needful thing, and establish a house. Even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a House of God (T&C 123:2).

This prayer was offered by Joseph Smith at the dedication of the Kirtland temple in Ohio on March 27^th, 1836. It is often quoted to include books that you and I read today that we may find incredibly helpful, insightful, and perhaps what we perceive to even be truthful. In this last installment of this series, we’ll explore that concept.

We are told to study out of “the best books.” In this dispensation, apart from the scriptures themselves, very few have been written (The Second Comforter, Pg. 421).

From this statement we can determine as fact that the scriptures are “words of wisdom” from the “best books.” Besides that, very few have been written. What are the clues that can help us identify such other books?

Continuing, later on in the dedicatory prayer, Joseph says:

And do thou grant, holy Father, that all those who shall worship in this house may be taught words of wisdom out of the best books, and that they may seek learning, even by study and also by faith, as thou hast said, and that they may grow up in thee and receive a fullness of the holy ghost, and be organized according to thy laws, and be prepared to obtain every needful thing, and that this house may be a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of glory, and of God, even thy house, that all the incomings of thy people into this house may be in the name of the Lord, that all their outgoings from this house may be in the name of the Lord, that all their salutations may be in the name of the Lord with holy hands uplifted to the Most High, and that no unclean thing shall be permitted to come into thy house to pollute it, and when thy people transgress, any of them, they may speedily repent and return unto thee, and find favor in thy sight, and be restored to the blessings which thou hast ordained to be poured out upon those who shall reverence thee in this thy house.

And we ask thee, holy Father, that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with thy power, and that thy name may be upon them, and thy glory be round about them, and thine angels have charge over them. And from this place they may bear exceeding great and glorious tidings in truth unto the ends of the earth, that they may know that this is thy work and that thou hast put forth thy hand to fulfill that which thou hast spoken by the mouths of thy prophets, concerning the last days (T&C 123:6-7).

Joseph is laying out what can be received and experienced while in the house of the Lord. And in then going out from the temple, he asks the Lord that “thy servants may go forth” and from this place they may bear the gospel in truth to the ends of the earth. These glorious tidings stem from the words of wisdom out of the best books, learning by study and faith, and having received a fullness of the holy ghost which is the light of truth. Without the Holy Ghost, you cannot understand wisdom and with it, the scriptures will be unfolded unto you (Glossary – Holy Ghost).

The highest form of truth and light comes through revelation. It requires faith to obtain, and cannot be reached by study alone. Not everyone has faith to acquire this, however. For them, study is a substitute allowing them to gain some forms of very limited knowledge. D&C 88: 118 reminds us: “And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” Faith is preferred. Study and the best books are secondary. God would prefer us to get information first-hand from Him. However, people generally are unwilling to do that, and prefer instead to learn through study. Worse still, some prefer to “learn” by attending lectures, firesides, symposiums, and classes, without revelation or study. They presume they can cut corners in this way and still get whatever it is they need. They cannot. Such things can never connect us with the living vine, give us our own revelations, animate our minds with the visions of eternity, or make us seers (Eighteen Verses, Pg. 137).

From 1833 to 1836, the School of the Prophets was held in the upper room of Newel K. Whitney’s store. The purpose of the school was to teach Lectures that Joseph hoped would develop the student’s faith. In 2017, the book, Lectures on Faith, were voted back into the modern revelations in our scriptures. They certainly fall under “words of wisdom from the best books.”

Other books are required for the gentiles to fulfill the Book of Mormon covenant. Since other books are now being offered along with the Book of Mormon to be adopted as a law and covenant, the question that should be asked is not whether more is unacceptable or necessary. The Book of Mormon proclaims that more is to be expected and will be required. The question is whether the proposed books to be adopted by the gentiles contain the fullness of Christ’s gospel. Do they testify of the Lamb of God? Do they claim to come from Him and include His word? Do they reaffirm that salvation is through Christ alone? Do they point to recovering the remnant of Israel and establishing the New Jerusalem? Are they a step toward Zion? A true and living body of believers must be connected to Christ. If the gentiles are indeed connected to Christ, then the Book of Mormon promised that additional books and additional revelations will be given from time to time. The present condition of the gentiles claiming to be God’s people, does not fit the description. A better description of the gentiles is found in Christ’s words originally given to His twelve disciples at Jerusalem: They perceive not the light and fail to come to Christ. They have not received His word, nor His power, nor Him in very deed. As a remedy for this, the present draft of scripture responds to all of these promises (Scripture, Prophesy and Covenant, Pg. 10).

What an incredible promise that when the gentiles are connected to Christ, additional books and revelations will be given from time to time. The issue isn’t whether more is “allowed,” but rather how to identify these books by their content.

Some speakers give talks just as they should – using the Spirit as a guide and speaking words of eternal life. Others, however, take their educational background as their guide. Whether they are trained in economics, education, business, philosophy, law or some other discipline, what they teach are the principles they learned in their specialty. They presume their education is so “true” that they are justified in relying upon it. And so they teach with their own learning, mingling it with scriptures, and selling us the philosophies of men. Such teachers lack any power of godliness, merely pretending to have the form. (See 2 Ne. Chapter 28.) I hope in everything I say or write to avoid being heady or highminded. But as soon as a person thinks they are safe from error, they are likely to be fooled. I need your prayers and faith to help us get only the truth here tonight. We cannot rely only on a form of godliness, but must seek the actual power of godliness. It is by relying upon the Spirit alone which can let us come to the knowledge of the truth (The First Three Words, 2010.01.23).

Approximately $800 million to $1 billion is spent each year on self-help books in the United States. Personal learning mingled with godly truths that come packaged as the philosophies of men truly does sell. How many of these books would God categorize alongside His scriptures as the best books?

The scriptures, in particular the Book of Mormon, contain accounts of those who have ascended to God’s presence and overcome the fall of mankind. Many Old Testament prophets did likewise, but their accounts were redacted by the Deuteronomists because of hostility to the doctrine (Why A Temple, D.S. Blog). 

So while the Bible might have been around for 1,500 years, we’ve only been in possession of the Book of Mormon for not even 200 years yet. There we can find complete accounts of those who ascended to God and how it was accomplished. As of to date, which other books provide such light and understanding?

The standard of truth for today is the 1,000 year record of the people who migrated to the Americas. That record was revealed and translated in 1830. All truth from every part of the world should be measured by that record (#165 Comprehending Part 6, D.S. Blog).

All truth is to be measured by the Book of Mormon, regardless of status, position, credibility, education, etc. The first step in prioritizing finding truth begins with searching the scriptures (Why Ignore Fact, D.S. Blog). When speaking about the future temple to be built, Denver said:

Truth is not always welcome. The truth can require us to change our minds, acknowledge our mistakes, and do things differently. But truth is compared to light in the scriptures. Errors are compared to darkness. We are promised that if we will welcome the light, then the light will grow. “And that which does not edify is not of God, and is darkness. That which is of God is light, and he that receives light and continues in God receives more light, and that light grows brighter and brighter until the perfect day (T&C 36:4).”   

Of all people in the world, you who live in the Land of the Rising Sun should understand how growing light is a blessing from heaven. The light of a perfect day is when you have all truth, and no darkness remains in you. We plan to build a temple where mankind and the gods will associate with each other, like it was in the beginning. We know that the gods expect us to accomplish this, and we are now preparing to do this. When that temple is built, it will be the “ensign” Isaiah wrote about when he described today. People will come from the four corners of the earth, and from the islands of the sea, to  assemble in that temple (#165 Comprehending Part 6, D.S. Blog). 

Part of the necessity for a temple is a restoration of complete truth, because there is no “place found on the earth that [H]e may come and restore again that which was lost unto you, or which he has taken away, even the fullness of the Priesthood (T&C 141:10).”

Some believe that meant temple rites would fit inside the existing church organization. However, it is possible, if the temple had been completed, the people might have been organized in a new and different order, resembling the order in the age of the patriarchs. Joseph never had the opportunity to participate in that advancement. Before the temple was finished, Joseph was dead; and those who were leading had no intention or ability to reorganize the church into the “proper order (#109 Renewal, Part 3, D.S. Podcast).” 

A real temple is required for Zion because it is the mechanism for reorienting society. Through it, the standard of conduct for ordering peaceful lives is established, and society becomes centered on the temple for law, education, social structure, government and coexistence. A real temple is a repository for knowledge and learning. It will include a library for study, teaching and learning. A real temple is indispensable for Zion because such a society is always built upon a heavenly pattern of cooperation and equality, making a city of peace or city of righteousness possible. It is the means to provide people with the information necessary to allow them “to govern themselves (Why A Temple, D.S. Blog).”

Will words of wisdom from the best books include all of the material listed above that will be necessary for establishing Zion? If that is the case, the question arises as to whether these books already exist or do they remain hidden until the temple of the Lord is established? Will the need for new books will arise? Will the concepts of law, education, social structure, government, and coexistence be taught according to principles that has yet to be revealed? As Heavenly Mother is veiled from us because of her sacredness, are there words of wisdom that will be veiled until a sacred place is prepared for them to be revealed, just as Joseph prayed for in 1836?

I believe the wisest course would have been for all our teachers, from Joseph till today, to either declare what the Lord and His angels have made known to them or to remain silent. Had that been the practice our libraries would undoubtedly be sparse. But what few books that remained would be the “best books” worthy of study (1 Nephi 14:5, D.S. Blog).

The “best books” are made up of the things the Lord and His angels make known to His teachers. Published pontifications, without the instruction and direction of the Lord, can become the “false, vain and foolish traditions men have handed to us (1 Nephi 14:5, D.S. Blog).”

It comes back full circle to where the Saints in the early days left off.

And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received, which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation rests upon the children of Zion, even all, and they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon, and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say but to do according to that which I have written, that they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom. Otherwise, there remains a scourge and a judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion, for shall the children of the kingdom pollute my holy land? Truly, truly I say unto you, Nay (T&C 82:20).

If we’ve accepted the Restoration and claim to believe the Book of Mormon, then we are to repent and remember the Book of Mormon – which we now understand to contain the words of wisdom which will produce faith.

As to assigning content outside of scriptures to be “the best books,” Nephi gives us ten warnings in 2 Nephi 12. He is “warning us to avoid the wisdom of men, the arm of flesh, or in other words the social sciences, as a basis for decision-making.” This should not be the “final source of truth for us (The First Three Words, Pg. 9-12).”

How crafty is the Evil One’s plan! How vain, weak, and foolish are mankind! If they’re educated, they think they’re wise, and they don’t follow God’s counsel. They set it aside, thinking they know better themselves. As a result, their wisdom is foolishness, and doesn’t benefit them, and they will perish. But it’s good to be educated if they also follow God’s counsels (2 Nephi 6:9).

Unless the educated (including authors) are also educated in God’s counsels and pay them heed, their “words of wisdom” become words of foolishness. Such words will not save them nor their students. “Learning must be subordinated to the ‘counsels of God’ if it is to be of use in saving our souls. Otherwise we rely upon ‘foolishness’ while calling it ‘wisdom (The First Three Words, Pg. 9).’”