2c May God bless you in your deliberations; and if the quorums and the body shall have this message confirmed unto them, I shall rejoice, and I have faith that the church thereby will be blessed.
DC 140 Intro: SECTION 140
Revelation given through President Israel A. Smith, April 7, 1947, at Independence, Missouri. It was approved by the various councils and quorums of the church and then endorsed by the Conference as an expression of the divine will and ordered to be published in the Doctrine and Covenants.
To the Quorums and Councils of the Church and to the General Conference:
For some time I have given prayerful consideration to the church and its present needs, in harmony with the call for prayer, and I am directed to present the following as the will of the Lord:
1a The unity among my people and in the councils of the church is commendable.
1b If those of the priesthood will perform their responsibilities in good fellowship, and sustain each other, they will be supported by the faith and prayers of the church and the work will go forward with increasing power.
2 To fill vacancies already existing, let Roscoe E. Davey and Maurice L. Draper, now serving as Seventies, be ordained Apostles and occupy with their brethren in the Quorum of Twelve.
3 My servant John W. Rushton has served his generation and the church long and faithfully, and he is honorably released from further responsibility as a member of the Quorum of Twelve, continuing to minister in his priesthood as he can and may desire, without specific assignment. His works are with me and his reward is sure.
4a W. Wallace Smith is called and should be ordained an Apostle and take his place in the councils of the church.
4b This call was made known before, but my servant withheld it from the body for reasons that he believed were sufficient.
5a The church is admonished again that all movements toward Zion and the gathering and temporalities connected therewith are within my law, and all things should be done in order,
5b the advice and counsel of the elders and of the Bishop and his council be sought and honored when received, as before enjoined, though of necessity their counsel when given is not intended to dictate or to deny any man his agency.
5c The work of preparation and the perfection of my Saints go forward slowly, and Zionic conditions are no further away nor any closer than the spiritual condition of my people justifies;
