King Follett Fallout

One of the many interesting things about the King Follett Discourse (KFD) was its nearly immediate (public) effect on church priorities. An early production of a text for the KFD appeared in the church serial of Nauvoo, Times and Seasons. In November, the text was reprinted in Liverpool, England in Latter-Day Saints’ Millennial Star. An editorial appeared in the same issue of the Star which I think is remarkable for both its quotation of the early KFD text and its takeaway from that text.

“The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us, is, to seek after our dead.? We are aware, that to modern religionists, this is an incomprehensible subject, but to those who have entered into covenant with God, and have learned of the things of the kingdom, it will be a source of unmingled gratitude and joy, and whould call forth the grateful feelings of every heart to reflect that our glorious Redeemer has wrought out a salvation so complete, as to make it possible to save every one in time or in eternity, who has not committed the unpardonable sin . . . But there is one great lesson deducible from this subject, of great importance to us, and to the progress of the kingdom of God: it is on Mount Zion that we are to become Saviours in the last days, in connexion with the Holy Ordinances of the House of God, there, and there only, can we enjoy these privileges; how necessary then, that every energy should be put forth for the completion of the Temple of God; indeed, we feel to say, that on the accomplishment of this object, depends in a great measure, the salvation of the Church . . .

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