Early Church Membership
Marks was baptized a member of Church of the Latter Day Saints sometime in April 1835 in New York and ordained a priest shortly thereafter. Partly due to the lack of records available on his baptism, Marks was re-baptized in proxy by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on January 29, 1965. He was ordained an Elder on June 3, 1836.
In September 1837, Marks was appointed to the High Council at Kirtland, Ohio and agent of the Messenger and Advocate when Joseph Smith and others fled Ohio under mob pressure. Marks was appointed by revelation (D&C 117) to leave Ohio and move to Far West, Missouri, to preside over the body of Saints. However, before he arrived, the Mormons were expelled from the state under the "Extermination Order" signed into law by Lilburn W. Boggs.
Marks was also seen in vision by Joseph Smith, according to Smith’s own record on March 29, 1838. Smith wrote that he saw Marks:
"... closely pursued by an innumerable concourse of enemies, who pressed upon him hard; and when they were about to devour him, and had seemingly obtained some degree of advantage over him, a chariot of fire came, and near the place, even the angel of the Lord, put forth his hand upon Bro. Marks and said unto him: 'Thou art my son, come here.' And immediately he was caught up in the chariot and rode away triumphantly out of their midst. And again the Lord said, 'I will raise thee up for a blessing unto many people.'"(1 Millennial Star. Volume 16, page 131.)
Read more about this topic: William Marks (Latter Day Saints)
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