Skip to main content

Blessing to William W. Phelps, 22 September 1835

  1. Home > 
  2. The Papers > 

Blessing to William W. Phelps, 22 September 1835

Source Note

JS, Blessing, to , [, Geauga Co., OH], 22 Sept. 1835. Featured version copied 3 Oct. 1835 in Patriarchal Blessing Book 1, pp. 14–15; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information on Patriarchal Blessing Book 1, see the source note for Blessing from Joseph Smith Sr., 9 Dec. 1834.

Historical Introduction

On 22 September 1835, JS dictated a blessing for in , Ohio. In June 1834, a council of had instructed Phelps to go to Kirtland to receive an “ with power.” The following month, the Missouri high council further directed Phelps to “assist in the printing business” in Kirtland. Phelps left for Kirtland on 28 April 1835. He was assisting in the editing of the Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate and finalizing the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants for publication at the time he received this blessing. JS’s blessing refers to Phelps’s abilities with the written word and promises him spiritual and temporal blessings.
recorded the initial dictation of this blessing on 22 September 1835 and copied it into Patriarchal Blessing Book 1 on 3 October 1835.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    For more information on the context of this blessing, see Blessing to David Whitmer, 22 Sept. 1835.

  2. [2]

    Minutes, 23 June 1834; Minutes and Discourse, ca. 7 July 1834.

  3. [3]

    Whitmer, History, 70; “Doctrine and Covenants,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Aug. 1835, 1:170. Phelps had previously been in charge of the Independence, Missouri, printing office until its destruction in July 1833. He remained in Kirtland until after the dedication of the House of the Lord in March 1836. (William W. Phelps, Kirtland, OH, to Sally Waterman Phelps, Liberty, MO, Apr. 1836, William W. Phelps, Papers, BYU.)

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

    Phelps, William W. Papers, 1835–1865. BYU.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Blessing to William W. Phelps, 22 September 1835 Blessing to William W. Phelps, 22 September 1835, as Recorded in Phelps, Diary and Notebook
Go to previous page 1

Page 15

with the fruit of the vine and with the fat of the olive, and he shall feed on the finest of the wheat; and because of his liberal soul the Lord will make him rich; even with treachers of gold, silver, precious stones, and with all precious metals. He shall be a wise lawyer in Israel; for he shall understand the law of the Lord perfectly; and the renowned among men shall acknowledge his superior wisdom pertaining to the laws of nations and of kingdoms. Behold, he shall have understanding in all sciences and languages, and with his brother <​​> shall write and arrange many books for the good of the , that the young may grow up in wisdom: these shall remain for a memorial unto their names, and the generations to come shall call them blessed. His days shall be prolonged upon the land of ; and when he is old and bowed down with many years, behold, he shall lift up his eyes and the heavens shall be opened upon him. He shall be lifted up at the last day, and his rest shall be glorious. Amen.
, clerk and Recorder.
Given Sept. 22, 1835, and recorded Oct. 3, 1835. [p. 15]
View entire transcript

|

Cite this page

Source Note

Document Transcript

Go to previous page 1

Page 15

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Blessing to William W. Phelps, 22 September 1835
ID #
1203
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D4:435–436
Handwriting on This Page
  • Oliver Cowdery

Footnotes

  1. [6]

    See Psalms 81:16; 147:14.

  2. [7]

    See Proverbs 11:25.

  3. [8]

    Phelps had edited the Ontario Phoenix in Canandaigua, New York, before his conversion to the church and was appointed by revelation in June 1831 to be a printer in the church. Besides printing JS’s revelations and the church newspaper The Evening and the Morning Star, he was appointed with Cowdery “to do the work of Printing & of Selecting & writing Books for Schools in this Church that little Children also may receive instruction.” (Revelation, 14 June 1831 [D&C 55:4]; see also Revelation, 20 July 1831 [D&C 57:11–13].)

  4. [9]

    See Isaiah 11:10; Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 98 [2 Nephi 21:10]; and Revelation, 16–17 Dec. 1833 [D&C 101:31].

Go to page