“Will the righteous members of the Church be asked to live the law of consecration?”

Answer/President Marion G. Romney

I have been asked to respond to the question, “Will the righteous members of the Church be asked to live the law of consecration?”

I shall make my response in light of the following three premises that I accept as ultimate truth.

1. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the divine program for bringing mortals back into the presence of God where they can enjoy eternal life.

2. The Church is the organization through which its members put into practice the principles and teachings of the gospel.

3. Foremost among gospel teachings is unity. “I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.” (D&C 38:27.)

The law of consecration, and the united order revealed by the Lord as the means for implementing the law of consecration, are set out in sections 42 and 51 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

The law requires “that one transfer and convey to the Bishop, … ‘by a covenant and a deed which cannot be broken,’ (D&C 42:30; D&C 58:35, 36) all his property.” (Albert E. Bowen, The Church Welfare Plan, p. 7.)

“[And] that the bishop, … shall forthwith reconvey to the donor ‘as much as is sufficient for himself and family’ (D&C 42:32), each ‘according to his family, according to his circumstances and his wants and his needs’ (D&C 51:3), ‘inasmuch as his wants are just.’ (D&C 82:17.)

“That which is reconveyed to the donor is variously called a ‘stewardship,’ a ‘portion’ or an ‘inheritance’ (D&C 51:4; D&C 70:3, 9; D&C 82:17; D&C 42:32; D&C 72:3; D&C 104:11; D&C 57:11, 15).” (Bowen, p. 8.)

The scriptures speak of several occasions on which the law of consecration in some form has been implemented.

The first was in the days of Enoch when “the Lord came and dwelt with his people, and they dwelt in righteousness.

“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.” (Moses 7:16, 18.)

Another occasion occurred among the Nephites immediately following the ministry among them of the resurrected Christ, concerning whom the record says:

“And it came to pass in the thirty and sixth year, the people were all converted unto the Lord, upon all the face of the land, both Nephites and Lamanites, and there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another.

“And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift.

“And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.” (4 Ne. 1:2–3, 15.)

The Saints who went to Missouri in the early 1830s were commissioned to live the law of consecration, but they failed to do so.

In 1834 when they were being attacked by mobs and driven from their homes, Joseph Smith led a “party known as Zion’s Camp, bringing clothing and provisions. While this party was encamped on Fishing River the Prophet received [a] revelation” (D&C 105 headnote) which began:

“Verily I say unto you who have assembled yourselves together that you may learn my will concerning the redemption of mine afflicted people—

“Behold, I say unto you, were it not for the transgressions of my people, … they might have been redeemed even now.

“But behold, they have not learned to be obedient to the things which I required at their hands, but are full of all manner of evil, and do not impart of their substance, as becometh saints, to the poor and afflicted among them;

“And are not united according to the union required by the law of the celestial kingdom;

“And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself.” (D&C 105:1–5.)

Since this revelation was received, Church members have not been required to live the law of consecration. There were, however, a few short-lived attempts to establish united order communities in the West.

In the 1930s our present welfare program, which embodies some phases of the law of consecration, was inaugurated.

As to the question, “Will the righteous members of the Church be asked to live the law of consecration?”—my answer is yes. I believe that the righteous members of the Church will, in time, become “united according to the union required by the law of the celestial kingdom” and that the law of consecration will be lived by them during the Millennium.