D&C Section Thirty-one

In Section 30, the Lord chastised David Whitmer and with Section 31 we get a complete contrast in the revelation given to Thomas B. Marsh. The Lord blesses Thomas and because of his faithfulness the Lord says he will bless his family. The promises for Thomas are: his tongue will be loosed and the hearts of the people will open up to him. He will be able to establish many congregations of the church and see many converts (sheaves upon his back). The Lord promises that when opposition comes, he will be strengthened and he will have to Comforter who will guide him in what he should do and say. If he is faithful, the Lord promises he will be with him.

For a time, these blessings held true and Thomas quickly rose in stature in the church. But it's interesting that after rising so far, he will have his day of failing. When he was president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, he left the church over a trifling matter of his wife being found guilty of taking an unfair share of cream off the milk shared by another member. Rather than settling the difference, they pushed clear to the high council of the church. Rather than admit what they had done, her rebelled against the church and signed an affidavit that went to Governor Boggs falsely accusing of Joseph and others of crimes they didn't commit. The affidavit led to the exterminating order issued by Boggs and put Joseph and the others in Liberty Jail. Of the affidavit, Joseph said it was filled with "all the vilest slanders, aspersions, lies, and calumnies towards himself and the church that he could invent... He had sworn falsely and [was] ready to take the lives of his friends."

Thomas fled Missouri and wandered about for many years. Eventually, he came to Salt Lake City and asked Brigham Young to help him back into the church. He was accepted and re-baptized, but died a pauper and never regained the spiritual stature and eloquence of speech he once had. John Taylor pointed out the contrast in his spirituality saying he heard him speak in a ward in Salt Lake and it was nearly nonsense. This was from a man who once was in a high church position and powerful in proclaiming the gospel, someone who likely would have been the next prophet instead of Brigham Young had he remained faithful. In a meeting with some other apostates he told them, "You don't know what you are about; if you want to see the fruits of apostasy, look at me."