The accomplishment of organizing and operating Restoration Branches was a quite necessary step, after the acts of the "new position" divergent high priests of the RLDS Church required believers to be part of an Exodus experience when further association with the "World Church" was a Contra-Zionic oppression. Indeed, the contemporary abandonments of scriptural phrases such as "General Church" in favor of "World Church" then led the "new positionists" to even more aggressive destructions of the Church with the abolition of priesthood quorums and stakes. The next step for us, having wandered in the wilderness and cried in the desert for God, but with our Priesthood intact, is to organize and incorporate "Restoration Stakes of Zion," which is the key to the proper ordination of Bishops, High Priests, and Patriarchs, and also provides a giant improvement since Sec 104:14 provides: "The standing high councils, at the stakes of Zion, form a quorum equal in authority, in the affairs of the church, in all their decisions, to the quorum of the Presidency or to the traveling high council." Accordingly, after the exodus of Latter Day Israel, and in the season when there is no Prophet or valid Apostles who is recognized among the Saints, the key that is seen within of D&C Sec. 104:14 along with Isiah's admonition, "Come, let us reason together," now brings us to take the next step in the works of establishing Zion as "a people who will" through autonomous decentralized church jurisdictions.
Stakes are formed by revelation, and we as a Spiritual people possess the revelations from a Prophet of God establishing and authorizing the creation of Stakes at Kirtland, Independence, Far West, and Adam-ondi-Ahman. So, let us cast off our self-imposed limitations by understanding that like Priesthood, the Church, Stakes, and the Celestial Law of the Lord, are each without begining of days or ending of years, by embracing the dormant Stake organizations, and by expanding their boundaries to suit the contemporary needs of the Restoration Saints for today and tomorrow. Jesus said at Matthew 16:18, "I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." If the very gates of Hell cannot obliterate the Church, including the Staks of Zion, then why should we as true believers, simply submit to a handful of wicked high priests and not by incorporation and contemporary organization, simply redeem the Stakes of Zion that were already provided for by revelation?
As an example of how we as a people should not be constrained by artificial restraints, the Prophet Joseph Smith Jr. organized Adam-ondi-Ahman Stake of Zion, and even ordained High Priests to be the members of the Stake High Council for Adam-ondi-Ahman Stake, EVEN THOUGH NO ONE LIVED THERE!
As a Servant of the Master, Jesus Christ, I submit that we should embrace, in like manner as six members may organize a Restoration Branch, then why should we not accept that six (or more) Restoration Branches during Branch Business Meetings, to by Resolution, choose to join the Adam-ondi-Ahman Stake of Zion, authorizing the six Pastors of the participating Restoration Branches, to act as the original Incorporators of a Restoration Stake.
Within the provisions of the Restoration Stake Articles of Incorporation, it is wisdom to establish that an initial Stake Conference shall be conducted on a certain named date embedded in the Articles of Incorporation, that in not less than forty-five (45) days, nor more than sixty (60) days after the date that the Certificate of incorporation shall be issued, and also, to recite within the Articles of Incorporation, that Stake Conferences shall be established and maintained in each successive calendar quarter thereafter; and also, within the Stake Articles of Incorporation, to provide for the Deacons, Teachers, Priests, and Elders of the Restoration Branches that shall attend the initial Stake Conference, to separately conclave, and by the voice of the attendees, to choose their Stake Quorum Presidencies, and to thus duly organize the Stake Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood Quorums; when there are in a Stake, multiple Quorums of Deacons, Teachers, Priests, and Elders, that each of the affected Quorum Presidents shall also constitute a Council of Deacons Quorum Presidents, or a Council of Teachers Quorum Presidents, Council of Priests Quorum Presidents, and a Council of Elders Quorum Presidents, with a Senior President of each such Councils of Quorum Presidents to be chosen by the members thereof, to be set apart by the laying on of hands as the Senior Presidents of such Priesthood Councils, when the individual Quorum Presidents are also ordained by the laying on of hands.
The six Restoration Branch Pastors acting as incorporators, within the Stake Articles of Incorporation, should name not less than seven, nor more than twelve, Restoration Branch High Priests, as the initial members of the Stake High Council, to act as the Board of Directors of the Restoration Stake, and at the initial Stake Conference to make a motion to sustain the members of the Restoration Stake High Council in their office and calling.
It is also wisdom, to provide within the Restoration Stake Articles of Incorporation, that a Stake Temple after the exterior pattern as is seen at Kirtland, Ohio, to be constructed atop an elevated base or platform and is several stories tall, with the available above ground-level space constructed within the base or platform (somewhat like the various levels seen below the main floor of the RLDS Auditorium) and including excavated below the surface of the land, that a basement and subbasement(s) be included, that within the elevated base or platform shall be a baptristry, and also provide additional and necessary administrative and assembly spaces be constructed therein, for stake offices, a chamber for the Stake High Council, separate chambers for Quorum President offices, and the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood gatherings, an area for mass meetings of the Stake Mothers in Israel and Teen Temple Maidens, an area for mass meetings of the Stake Zion's League, a Kitchen facility and a Dining Room, individual prayer closets and also a choir practice area, a Stake Publishing facility, and such other needful amenities, as shall be necessary or convenient; however, in the days when a Stake of Zion lacks a dedicated Temple facility, then a tent-like Tabernacle facility may be utilized as a place for worship and meetings, including sessions in the month of August, of any Priesthood General Assembly (See Intro to D&C, which was numbered as D&C Sec. 108A prior to 1970, when the General Assembly of the Priesthood was conducted at Kirtland, Ohio, on August 17, 1835, within six months of receiving D&C Sec. 104).
It is vital, that we not simply try to reform the former RLDS experience which itself was fundamentally flawed by a failure to comply with the Law of the Lord and by not understanding the huge difference between mere religious practices which may or may not be an accurate reflection of dogma, and the pure theology of religious beliefs that are in conformity with the Celestial Law.
From my view, what is wanted and needed, is to take measures to replicate aspects of the Original Church from April 6, 1830, up until the final days of the Prophet Joseph Smith Jr. at Nauvoo, by faithfully and honestly "auditing" our existing religious experience both in branches and also the RLDS organization, to ask the gut-honest question when applying each and every sentence and section of the scriptures, particularly the Doctrine and Covenants, "Did we truly implement these D&C provisions, or did we fall short from faithfully accepting and practicing each provision of the Godly light that was granted, or did we as a people actually well and faithfully perform each and every revelation and admonition that is seen within the Scriptures?
I look forward to hearing from each of you, regarding these, or any other matters.
Stakes are formed by revelation, and we as a Spiritual people possess the revelations from a Prophet of God establishing and authorizing the creation of Stakes at Kirtland, Independence, Far West, and Adam-ondi-Ahman. So, let us cast off our self-imposed limitations by understanding that like Priesthood, the Church, Stakes, and the Celestial Law of the Lord, are each without begining of days or ending of years, by embracing the dormant Stake organizations, and by expanding their boundaries to suit the contemporary needs of the Restoration Saints for today and tomorrow. Jesus said at Matthew 16:18, "I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." If the very gates of Hell cannot obliterate the Church, including the Staks of Zion, then why should we as true believers, simply submit to a handful of wicked high priests and not by incorporation and contemporary organization, simply redeem the Stakes of Zion that were already provided for by revelation?
As an example of how we as a people should not be constrained by artificial restraints, the Prophet Joseph Smith Jr. organized Adam-ondi-Ahman Stake of Zion, and even ordained High Priests to be the members of the Stake High Council for Adam-ondi-Ahman Stake, EVEN THOUGH NO ONE LIVED THERE!
As a Servant of the Master, Jesus Christ, I submit that we should embrace, in like manner as six members may organize a Restoration Branch, then why should we not accept that six (or more) Restoration Branches during Branch Business Meetings, to by Resolution, choose to join the Adam-ondi-Ahman Stake of Zion, authorizing the six Pastors of the participating Restoration Branches, to act as the original Incorporators of a Restoration Stake.
Within the provisions of the Restoration Stake Articles of Incorporation, it is wisdom to establish that an initial Stake Conference shall be conducted on a certain named date embedded in the Articles of Incorporation, that in not less than forty-five (45) days, nor more than sixty (60) days after the date that the Certificate of incorporation shall be issued, and also, to recite within the Articles of Incorporation, that Stake Conferences shall be established and maintained in each successive calendar quarter thereafter; and also, within the Stake Articles of Incorporation, to provide for the Deacons, Teachers, Priests, and Elders of the Restoration Branches that shall attend the initial Stake Conference, to separately conclave, and by the voice of the attendees, to choose their Stake Quorum Presidencies, and to thus duly organize the Stake Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood Quorums; when there are in a Stake, multiple Quorums of Deacons, Teachers, Priests, and Elders, that each of the affected Quorum Presidents shall also constitute a Council of Deacons Quorum Presidents, or a Council of Teachers Quorum Presidents, Council of Priests Quorum Presidents, and a Council of Elders Quorum Presidents, with a Senior President of each such Councils of Quorum Presidents to be chosen by the members thereof, to be set apart by the laying on of hands as the Senior Presidents of such Priesthood Councils, when the individual Quorum Presidents are also ordained by the laying on of hands.
The six Restoration Branch Pastors acting as incorporators, within the Stake Articles of Incorporation, should name not less than seven, nor more than twelve, Restoration Branch High Priests, as the initial members of the Stake High Council, to act as the Board of Directors of the Restoration Stake, and at the initial Stake Conference to make a motion to sustain the members of the Restoration Stake High Council in their office and calling.
It is also wisdom, to provide within the Restoration Stake Articles of Incorporation, that a Stake Temple after the exterior pattern as is seen at Kirtland, Ohio, to be constructed atop an elevated base or platform and is several stories tall, with the available above ground-level space constructed within the base or platform (somewhat like the various levels seen below the main floor of the RLDS Auditorium) and including excavated below the surface of the land, that a basement and subbasement(s) be included, that within the elevated base or platform shall be a baptristry, and also provide additional and necessary administrative and assembly spaces be constructed therein, for stake offices, a chamber for the Stake High Council, separate chambers for Quorum President offices, and the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood gatherings, an area for mass meetings of the Stake Mothers in Israel and Teen Temple Maidens, an area for mass meetings of the Stake Zion's League, a Kitchen facility and a Dining Room, individual prayer closets and also a choir practice area, a Stake Publishing facility, and such other needful amenities, as shall be necessary or convenient; however, in the days when a Stake of Zion lacks a dedicated Temple facility, then a tent-like Tabernacle facility may be utilized as a place for worship and meetings, including sessions in the month of August, of any Priesthood General Assembly (See Intro to D&C, which was numbered as D&C Sec. 108A prior to 1970, when the General Assembly of the Priesthood was conducted at Kirtland, Ohio, on August 17, 1835, within six months of receiving D&C Sec. 104).
It is vital, that we not simply try to reform the former RLDS experience which itself was fundamentally flawed by a failure to comply with the Law of the Lord and by not understanding the huge difference between mere religious practices which may or may not be an accurate reflection of dogma, and the pure theology of religious beliefs that are in conformity with the Celestial Law.
From my view, what is wanted and needed, is to take measures to replicate aspects of the Original Church from April 6, 1830, up until the final days of the Prophet Joseph Smith Jr. at Nauvoo, by faithfully and honestly "auditing" our existing religious experience both in branches and also the RLDS organization, to ask the gut-honest question when applying each and every sentence and section of the scriptures, particularly the Doctrine and Covenants, "Did we truly implement these D&C provisions, or did we fall short from faithfully accepting and practicing each provision of the Godly light that was granted, or did we as a people actually well and faithfully perform each and every revelation and admonition that is seen within the Scriptures?
I look forward to hearing from each of you, regarding these, or any other matters.
