From: Howard Parker
Brothers and sisters, I would like to take a moment to respond to Brother Snively’s class on the upcoming Solemn Assembly. While I am a part of the Coordinating Council for the CRE, I am responding as an individual, who would like to offer another perspective on the upcoming assembly. I believe this to be the will of our God. I have never met Brother Snively, and have no personal animosity toward him, but I feel impressed to share with you, some thoughts about the assembly at hand. Those who know me, know that I am not one of the sharper pencils in the drawer. These thoughts are from an uneducated man, who feels strongly that I have a responsibility, as a member of the restored church, and as one who is involved with the assembly, tell you that I know that the call to assembly is from the Lord, and is very real.
I must admit, while reading the letter mentioned above, how can anyone question the call to repent-which is the focus of the Solemn Assembly. This is an opportunity to gather, as one body, and seek the Lord’s council. It is a call to repent; from individual and corporate sin. Let us be frank here: we NEED to repent. Certainly, from a corporate standpoint, we were not a part of the decision making that led to the split of 1984, but we are guilty of perpetuating the sin of not being the BODY of Christ, in a corporate sense. I believe that the main movement behind our “not being united” is the idol we have made from the “independent restoration branches”. It has kept us from being one, and even encouraged the mindset of separation. This is why, I feel, we need to come together. And we must be concerned with our own repentance, not others. No one has the right to tell another individual of what sin they must repent from. Only God is judge; only His light can reveal the sin in the hearts of men. It is the hope of this gathering to be filled; not with pharisees, that feel they are above another man, but with publicans, who are ready to smote upon their breasts and seek forgiveness and enlightenment.
Also mentioned in the class was the scripture from Section 52 stating that there is a pattern in all things; one I have used many times. To find a pattern, one must look to all the evidence. In this case all scripture, not just selected verses which supports ones position. Under the speculation of the class already mentioned, A solemn assembly can only be called by God’s authority; from leadership such as a king or prophet. To this, I would disagree in part. A solemn assembly can only be called OF God. And that call is generally revealed through an individual or group. The call for a solemn assembly has been called for in latter day scripture: twice in section 85, and once in section 92 Does this mean that we can’t call one until there is a Prophet or President, or can we move forward, under the call already given? Joseph Smith III was asked such a question on authority from the Mormon church. They wondered whether the reorganization had authority to call, or did they need to wait. Joseph’s response given in volume 5, page 346 states “It is not a new dispensation, as contradistinguished from the church established in 1830. Nor is it a new delegation of priesthood required; other than a commandment to those already empowered to move in given directions, to the magnifying of that already given”. So, the elders, already given authority call such an assembly, still have that authority as given. This is where the authority comes from. But why the CRE, since it has no jurisdictional authority? But, what better mechanism could the Lord use, since the CRE has no branch affiliation? It has no branch to pander to, and no leadership to try to influence the process of this assembly. As for a testimony of this gathering being of God, three members of the Coordinating Council have had experiences that this is truly the Lord’s will. And history has shown that the CRE has never been a part of any “veiled attempt by men to set the church in order”. Any group that has ever tried has done so after first leaving the CRE. To be totally transparent, the only agenda for the assembly is repentance; nothing else.
Brothers and sisters, the call to repentance is, and always has been a staple of the restored gospel. This is why we will gather. It is not the CRE’s service. It is not OUR service. It is God’s service. Our only desire and hope is that if we gather, humbly and repentant, God may respond. We have heard the statement “don’t run ahead of the Lord”. By saying this, are we also stating that we are satisfied with the condition of the church, as it is now? Please, consider the invitation to come in fasting and repentance. The time is set. I would simply invite you to “come, and see”.
Howard
Parker
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