Church History Matters Podcast — Episode 150

"D&C 98 CFM - Patience and Forgiveness During Hardships"
Hosts: Scott & Casey (Scripture Central)
Release Date: September 2, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Scott and Casey delve deeply into Doctrine & Covenants Section 98, exploring its historical backdrop amid escalating persecution of Latter-day Saints in both Missouri and Ohio in 1833. They examine how the section offers urgent counsel on patience, forgiveness, discipleship, and the difficult balance between self-defense and nonviolence. Rich in historical detail, the discussion also unpacks related scriptural and modern Church teachings on law, the US Constitution, and cycles of generational conflict.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Historical Context: Mounting Persecution in Missouri and Ohio

• Building Tensions in Missouri:

  • Threats against the Saints began soon after their arrival in Jackson County (late 1831). Persecution escalated from written handbills (1832) to actual violence—stonings, shootings, home invasions.
  • (04:45) "Public threats and intimidation in Jackson county begin in the spring of 1832... Actual violence. Things like people throwing stones and bricks at their homes, breaking windows several nights in a row..." — Casey

• Open Hostility and Mob Action:

  • July 1833: Jackson County locals circulate a declaration demanding Mormons leave; mob destroys W.W. Phelps’s printing press; Bishop Edward Partridge and Charles Allen are tarred and feathered.
  • Political and social fears (slavery, racial intermarriage, loss of local control) drive violence, which the hosts analyze in detail.

• Parallel Persecution in Kirtland, Ohio:

  • Dr. Philastus Hurlbut, a former member, becomes a leading anti-Mormon agitator, spreading lies and inciting mob action.

2. Section 98: The Lord’s Counsel Amid Suffering

• Gratitude and Patience Amid Trials:

  • Saints are instructed to “rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks” even during persecution.
  • (18:23) "Even in the midst of their most severe trials, the Lord prescribes gratitude to help alleviate some of the challenges they're facing..." — Scott
  • Elder Jeffrey R. Holland quote (cited): “Trust God and believe in good things to come.”

• Befriending Law and the Constitution:

  • Saints are counseled to respect constitutional law and seek redress through legal means.
  • (20:20–24:57) Deep dive on the scriptural view of US Constitution—praised as “a glorious standard” but understood as imperfect and in need of future refinement, especially regarding slavery.
  • (26:16) President Oaks: “Our belief that the United States Constitution was divinely inspired does not mean that divine revelation dictated every word and phrase... it may require changing party support or candidate choices even from election to election.” — Dallin H. Oaks (quoted)

• Seeking Good and Wise Leaders:

  • Saints are encouraged to “diligently seek for good and wise men” for public office, never enshrining a party but always upholding goodness.

3. Commandments as Tools for Refinement

• Suffering as Spiritual Testing:

  • The Lord frames difficult commandments (gratitude, non-retaliation) as refiners of the soul, not as divine endorsement of evil.
  • (29:26) "God's the one that inspired Dr. Philastus Hurlbut to do all this, this junk to Joseph Smith so he could refine Joseph Smith. That's not what the Lord has ever said..." — Scott

• Faithfulness Even Unto Death:

  • Saints are taught to value covenant loyalty above even mortal life; no promise of being spared martyrdom, but assurance of ultimate peace.
  • (31:25) "He's not promising we're not going to die. We're all going to die. He's not even promising that our enemies won't kill us... He's just asking us to be faithful..." — Scott

4. Advanced Discipleship: Nonviolence, Peace, and Generational Healing

• Renouncing War, Proclaiming Peace:

  • Even when justified, the higher law is to seek reconciliation, heal generational breaches, and stay focused on the higher mission (temple/eternal covenant).
  • (33:21) “Life isn't always supposed to be easy. The refiner's fire often is utilized by God to make us better.” — Casey

• Law of Retribution, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation:

  • The scripture offers a graduated standard—bear violence patiently multiple times before reacting, always preferring forgiveness.
  • (39:46) “You have to forgive 70 times 7... I’ve never seen a place where, you know, any leader of the church has said, and at the 490th time, then you go crazy, guys. Seek revenge.” — Casey
  • The text explicitly discourages cycles of generational vengeance.

• Edward Partridge’s Example:

  • (43:30–45:44) Touching firsthand account of Bishop Partridge’s response when tarred and feathered—meekness and lack of hatred “astound” the mob.
  • (45:28) “I was so filled with the spirit of the love of God that I had no hatred towards my persecutors or anyone else.” — Edward Partridge (quoted)

5. Scriptural and Modern Teachings on Violence

• Justified Self-Defense as Final Resort:

  • The Lord articulates that violence is “justified” only after extended forbearance and repeated attacks; nonviolence is always preferred.
  • (61:22–61:30) “There might be times when it’s justified. Divine justification for violence, more often than not, is not something that comes from a divine being. It’s a slippery slope... The conditions he says for divine justification are so far out of the norm...” — Casey

• Church and War:

  • Heber J. Grant First Presidency (WWII era): “The Church itself cannot wage war... it cannot regard war as a righteous means of settling international disputes. These should and could be settled... by peaceful negotiation and adjustment.”

6. Healing Generational Wounds & Modern Application

• Forgiveness is Key to Ending Cycles:

  • Forgiveness is not only personal, but can heal generational hostility, as modeled by modern Saints returning and prospering in former sites of conflict.
  • (55:46) “We might not have started the cycle, but we can end it. And I think that's a pretty powerful message, the Lord's saying here…” — Scott
  • Story of visiting Warsaw, Illinois, and learning not to carry past resentments forward.

• Practical Counsel from Joseph Smith:

  • Saints counseled “be not the first aggressors,” stand by constitutional protections, protect families, but ultimately seek peace and show themselves as men and women of God.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• (18:23) Scott: “Fear not. Let your hearts be comforted. Yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks… Focusing on the good in our lives can help us gain the strength to overcome our trials.”
• (29:26) Scott: "That's not what the Lord has ever said, right? Sometimes he intervenes and sometimes he doesn't intervene."
• (31:25) Scott: "He is just asking us to be faithful no matter what happens, until you're safely dead."
• (39:46) Casey: "I’ve never seen a place where...at the 490th time, then you go crazy, guys, seek revenge."
• (45:28) Edward Partridge (quoted): "I was so filled with the spirit of the love of God that I had no hatred towards my persecutors or anyone else."
• (55:46) Scott: "We might not have been there at the cause, but we can be there as part of the solution. We may not have started the cycle, but we can end it."
• (61:22) Casey: "There might be times when it’s justified. Divine justification for violence, more often than not, is not something that comes from a divine being. It's really a slippery slope..."

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |------------|------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–05:37| Missouri persecution background | | 05:37–14:00| Open mob violence in Jackson County | | 14:00–18:19| Persecution in Kirtland & the Hurlbut episode | | 18:19–24:57| Opening and themes of Section 98 | | 24:57–27:40| Doctrine of befriending the law & political neutrality| | 27:40–33:21| Commandments, faith, and refining adversity | | 33:21–38:27| Renouncing war, the role of the temple, nonviolence | | 38:27–46:43| Law of Retribution, generational conflict, Partridge | | 46:43–51:43| Scriptural and doctrinal teachings on war | | 51:43–55:10| Forgiveness, generational healing | | 55:10–59:21| Modern application, personal growth, Joseph Smith's advice| | 59:21–64:40| Controversies: divine justification for violence | | 64:40–65:53| Consequences, next steps, preview of next episode |

Tone and Language

The episode is thorough and educational, with moments of humor (light teasing about names, references to zombies in Warsaw, etc.), but always reverent and instructive. Both Scott and Casey blend historical rigor with personal spiritual reflection, and emphasize practical application for listeners.

Conclusion

Section 98 offers Latter-day Saints a model for navigating persecution and adversity: patience, gratitude, lawfulness, and above all, the power of forgiveness, both as a personal principle and a way to heal generational wounds. The Lord asks for deep, “advanced” discipleship: enduring patiently, seeking peace, and working to end cycles of violence, while upholding justice. The hosts wrap the discussion with the promise to address Sections 99 and 100 in the next episode.

For listeners: This episode richly contextualizes D&C 98, drawing compelling connections between early Church troubles and the ongoing need to cultivate Christlike patience, forgiveness, and civic virtue in the face of hardship.