The Ordination of James Strang under the hand of the Angel, administered on June
27, 1844. This occurred at the exact moment of Joseph Smith’s death.
1 On the twenty-seventh day of June, 1844, at five and a half o’clock in the afternoon, James J. Strang was in the Spirit, and the Angel of God came unto him and saluted him, saying,
2a Fear God and be strengthened and obey him, for great is the work which he hath required at thy hand.
2b Go on in hope and strength, and falter not, and he will sustain thee, and thou shalt triumph, for the voice of the Lord by the mouth of Joseph will he fulfill.
3a And the Angel of the Lord stretched forth his hand unto him and touched his head, and put oil upon him and said,
3b Grace is poured upon thy lips, and God blesseth thee with the greatness of the Everlasting Priesthood. He putteth might and glory and majesty upon thee, and in meekness and truth and righteousness will he prosper thee.
4a Thou shalt save his people from their enemies when there is no arm to deliver, and shalt bring salvation when destruction walketh in the house of thy God. 4b Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore thy God hath
anointed thee with oil and set thee above all thy fellows.
5a Thy words shall be like sharp arrows in the heart of the wicked. Thou shalt rebuke those who pervert the word of thy God.
5b Thou shalt preach righteousness and the sublime mysteries in the ears of many people, and shall bring the gospel to many who have not known it and to the nations afar off.
6a Thou shalt drive backward and put to shame those that do evil, and the workers of iniquity shall fall.
6b They shall be cast down and shall not be able to rise. With purity will the Lord thy God arm thee, and purity and truth shalt thou teach.
7 Keep the law of the Lord thy God in thy heart, and none of thy steps shall slide. With thee is the fountain of truth. In thy light shall the people of thy God see, for thou shalt speak his word unto them, and from thy lips shall they receive it.
8a The blessing of their God shalt thou put upon them, and his curse upon evil doers, if, after being oft rebuked, they repent not;
8b And before my people shalt thou go to lead them into my ways, for unto thee has the Lord thy God given salvation.
9a In righteousness shalt thou rule. Thou shalt redeem the poor and the needy from suffering and violence, and to thee God giveth judgment for them.
9b Thou shalt deliver the prey from the spoiler, for God, thy God, hath put them in thy hand.
10a And in weakness will he make thee strong. Thou shalt rule among his people.
10b Thou shalt break in pieces the rod of the oppressor and the yoke of the unjust ruler. They shall flee away, but the way of peace shall they not find.
11a While the day of the wicked abideth, shalt thou prepare a refuge for the oppressed and for the poor and needy.
11b Unto thee shall they come, and their brethren who are scattered shall come with them, and the destruction of the ungodly shall quickly follow, for it already worketh. Go thy way and be strong.