Imparting of Our Portion

I am impressed by this story recounted about Newel K. Whitney and his involvement from 1832-1834 in the United Firm. The United Firm had been organized to direct the financial affairs and operations of the church, and it especially struggled after the Saints were kicked out of Jackson County, Missouri and the printing press and storehouse were lost. By 1834 the Firm was in serious debt, and in April of that year the Prophet Joseph held a meeting deciding that the Firm should be dissolved. The article describes how Newel K. Whitney in particular was asked to forgive a large debt: “Newel K. Whitney’s participation in the United Firm left him with increased indebtedness, but he never showed any bitterness towards Joseph Smith or the Lord because of this. Whitney did not record his feelings about forgiving the large sum of $3,600, but his forgiveness of the debts showed his willingness to follow the Prophet even in temporal matters.” He showed a remarkable ability to put the things of God before the things of the world and not let a financial setback disrupt his spiritual progression. He showed his commitment to following an important principle given at the beginning of one of the revelations originally organizing the United Firm: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, my servants, that inasmuch as you have forgiven one another your trespasses, even so I, the Lord, forgive you” (Doctrine and Covenants 82:1). His example begs the question of each of us: could we do the same? Or do our riches mean more than our commitment to the kingdom of God?

                In the revelation given shortly after the dissolution in which it was in a way reorganized, the Lord gave this description of how our temporal means should be used: “For the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare; yea, I prepared all things, and have given unto the children of men to be agents unto themselves. Therefore, if any man shall take of the abundance which I have made, and impart not his portion, according to the law of my gospel, unto the poor and the needy, he shall, with the wicked, lift up his eyes in hell, being in torment” (Doctrine and Covenants 104:17-18). This is of course an allusion to the great parable of the beggar Lazarus and the rich man who both died and found their positions reversed; Lazarus was carried to Abraham’s bosom and the rich man who had refused to care for the poor in mortality was “in hell… being in torments.” These words of Abraham to the nameless rich man as the latter begged for relief should give us all pause to consider our own attachment to riches and the things of the world: “Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented” (Luke 16:23-25). If we “impart not [our] portion” according to the law of the gospel, then we will find ourselves like this rich man in torments. And what is our “portion” that the Lord and His gospel requires? Ultimately we must each learn to answer that question, but perhaps the Lord’s instruction to Martin Harris gives us a clue when he was commanded to sacrifice some of his wealth for the printing of the Book of Mormon: “Impart a portion of thy property, yea, even part of thy lands, and all save the support of thy family” (Doctrine and Covenants 19:34). If we don’t need it for the support of our family, then perhaps it is for us too a portion that we should impart for the blessing of others. Newel K. Whitney showed with his willingness to forgive a debt towards the church that he cared more for the things of God than the mammon of the world, and surely we will each have many tests in our lives to determine if we will do the same.