Isaiah 33:20 Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities; thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.
Isaiah 54:2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;
3 Nephi 10:10 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;
Moroni 10:28 And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion, and strengthen thy stakes, and enlarge thy borders for ever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled.
DC 68:4a And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance; faith in Christ the Son of the living God; and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands when eight years old, the sin be upon the head of the parents;
DC 68:4b for this shall be a law unto the inhabitants of Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized; and their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands:
DC 81:4c for Zion must increase in beauty, and in holiness; her borders must be enlarged; her stakes must be strengthened; yea, verily I say unto you, Zion must arise and put on her beautiful garments;
DC 98:4i and then I have other places which I will appoint unto them, and they shall be called stakes, for the curtains, or the strength of Zion.
DC 104:14 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.
DC 104:15 The high council in Zion forms a quorum equal in authority, in the affairs of the church, in all their decisions, to the councils of the twelve at the stakes of Zion.
DC 106:2c behold, verily I say unto you, It shall not be a land of Zion unto you; and this shall be an ensample unto all the stakes of Zion. Even so. Amen.
DC 107:11c And after this time, your baptisms for the dead, by those who are scattered abroad, are not acceptable unto me, saith the Lord; for it is ordained that in Zion, and in her stakes, and in Jerusalem, those places which I have appointed for refuge, shall be the places for your baptisms for your dead.
DC 107:42a And again, I give unto you Don C. Smith to be a president over a quorum of high priests, which ordinance is instituted for the purpose of qualifying those who shall be appointed standing presidents or servants over different stakes scattered abroad, and they may travel, also, if they choose, but rather be ordained for standing presidents; this is the office of their calling, saith the Lord your God.
DC 108:3c Go ye forth unto the land of Zion, that the borders of my people may be enlarged, and that her stakes may be strengthened, and that Zion may go forth unto the regions round about; yea, let the cry go forth among all people: Awake and arise and go forth to meet the Bridegroom.
DC 117:11a It is not expedient in me that there shall be any stakes appointed until I command my people. When it shall be necessary I will command that they be established.
DC 122:6g these last named being within the province of the Presidency, the Twelve as a quorum, the councils or other officers of the branches or stakes where houses of worship are to be built, the conferences and the general assembly of the church, and the direction of the Lord by revelation.
DC 125:10a My people are directed to establish two stakes; one at Independence, one at Lamoni, Iowa, organizing them after the pattern which is found in the law; a presiding high priest with counselors, a high council, and a bishop and his counselors.
DC 125:10b These stakes shall be made to comprise the boundaries of the districts as they now stand, the center at the towns and places named;
DC 127:Intro SECTION 127
In the first decade of the twentieth century, the establishment of the Independence and Lamoni stakes (1901) and the kingdom concern of President Frederick M. Smith combined with other favorable factors to quicken church-wide interest in the Gathering. The building of Zionic institutions is vital to any significant gathering. By 1906 Graceland College had weathered her fist ten difficult years, the Saints' Home was giving good ministry, and leading women were showing interest in a children's home.
At the pre-Conference sessions of April 1906, the First Presidency recommended to the Quorum of Twelve that a sanitarium be established with Dr. Joseph Luff of that quorum as its presiding officer. The Twelve favored the basic proposal, but expressed concern regarding the assignment of an apostle to the responsibilities proposed for Dr. Luff. The Quorum stated that they would "gladly engage in an effort to learn the Master's will" in this matter. The prayerful inquiries resulting from this action prepared the way for the following revelation given through President Joseph Smith. It was presented to the General Conference, April 14, 1906, at Independence, Missouri, and accepted by unanimous vote.
Thus saith the Spirit unto the Church:
DC 129:7b These men in their office are an order in the priesthood, the same as the high councils of the church and the stakes and as the bishops who hold as high priests, as the quorum of the twelve, and as the presidency are but orders in the priesthood, there being but two priesthoods; and these are orders in the Melchisedec priesthood.
