Doctrine and Covenants, 1844

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Doctrine and Covenants, 1844
Title Page Page [0] Lecture I Page 5 Lecture 2 Page 13 Lecture 3 Page 40 Lecture 4 Page 50 Lecture 5 Page 60 Lecture 6 Page 67 Lecture 7 Page 72 Section 1 • Revelation, 1 November 1831–B [D&C 1] Page 87 Section 2 • Articles and Covenants, circa April 1830 [D&C 20] Page 91 Section 3 • Instruction on Priesthood, circa April 1835 [D&C 107] Page 100 Section 4 • Revelation, 22–23 September 1832 [D&C 84] Page 111 Section 5 • Revised Minutes, 17 February 1834 [D&C 102] Page 123 Section 6 • Revelation, 6 December 1832 [D&C 86] Page 128 Section 7 • Revelation, 27–28 December 1832 and 3 January 1833 [D&C 88] Page 130 Section 8 • Revelation, April 1829–A [D&C 6] Page 146 Section 9 • Revelation, July 1830–A [D&C 24] Page 150 Section 10 • Revelation, September 1830–A [D&C 29] Page 152 Section 11 • Revelation, 7 December 1830 [D&C 35] Page 158 Section 12 • Revelation, 2 January 1831 [D&C 38] Page 161 Section 13 • Revelation, 9 and 23 February 1831 [D&C 42] Page 166 Section 14 • Revelation, February 1831–A [D&C 43] Page 175 Section 15 • Revelation, circa 7 March 1831 [D&C 45] Page 179 Section 16 • Revelation, circa 8 March 1831–A [D&C 46] Page 187 Section 17 • Revelation, 9 May 1831 [D&C 50] Page 190 Section 18 • Revelation, 1 August 1831 [D&C 58] Page 194 Section 19 • Revelation, 7 August 1831 [D&C 59] Page 200 Section 20 • Revelation, 30 August 1831 [D&C 63] Page 203 Section 21 • Revelation, 11 September 1831 [D&C 64] Page 209 Section 22 • Revelation, 1 November 1831–A [D&C 68] Page 214 Section 23 • Revelation, 20 May 1831 [D&C 51] Page 218 Section 24 • Revelation, 30 October 1831 [D&C 65] Page 220 Section 25 • Revelation, circa 2 November 1831 [D&C 67] Page 221 Section 26 • Revelation, 12 November 1831 [D&C 70] Page 223 Section 27 • Revelation, 20 July 1831 [D&C 57] Page 225 Section 28 • Revelation, 11 November 1831–A [D&C 69] Page 227 Section 29 • Revelation, 10 January 1832 [D&C 73] Page 228 Section 30 • Revelation, July 1828 [D&C 3] Page 229 Section 31 • Revelation, February 1829 [D&C 4] Page 231 Section 32 • Revelation, March 1829 [D&C 5] Page 232 Section 33 • Account of John, April 1829–C [D&C 7] Page 236 Section 34 • Revelation, April 1829–B [D&C 8] Page 237 Section 35 • Revelation, April 1829–D [D&C 9] Page 239 Section 36 • Revelation, Spring 1829 [D&C 10] Page 240 Section 37 • Revelation, May 1829–A [D&C 11] Page 247 Section 38 • Revelation, May 1829–B [D&C 12] Page 250 Section 39 • Revelation, June 1829–A [D&C 14] Page 251 Section 40 • Revelation, June 1829–C [D&C 15] Page 253 Section 41 • Revelation, June 1829–D [D&C 16] Page 253 Section 42 • Revelation, June 1829–E [D&C 17] Page 254 Section 43 • Revelation, June 1829–B [D&C 18] Page 256 Section 44 • Revelation, circa Summer 1829 [D&C 19] Page 260 Section 45 • Revelation, April 1830–A, B, C, D, E [D&C 23] Page 264 Section 46 • Revelation, 6 April 1830 [D&C 21] Page 265 Section 47 • Revelation, 16 April 1830 [D&C 22] Page 267 Section 48 • Revelation, July 1830–C [D&C 25] Page 267 Section 49 • Revelation, July 1830–B [D&C 26] Page 269 Section 50 • Revelation, circa August 1830 [D&C 27] Page 270 Section 51 • Revelation, September 1830–B [D&C 28] Page 272 Section 52 • Revelation, September 1830–C, D, E [D&C 30] Page 274 Section 53 • Revelation, September 1830–F [D&C 31] Page 275 Section 54 • Revelation, October 1830–A [D&C 32] Page 277 Section 55 • Revelation, October 1830–B [D&C 33] Page 278 Section 56 • Revelation, 4 November 1830 [D&C 34] Page 280 Section 57 • Revelation, 9 December 1830 [D&C 36] Page 281 Section 58 • Revelation, 30 December 1830 [D&C 37] Page 282 Section 59 • Revelation, 5 January 1831 [D&C 39] Page 282 Section 60 • Revelation, 6 January 1831 [D&C 40] Page 285 Section 61 • Revelation, 4 February 1831 [D&C 41] Page 285 Section 62 • Revelation, February 1831–B [D&C 44] Page 287 Section 63 • Revelation, circa 8 March 1831–B [D&C 47] Page 288 Section 64 • Revelation, 10 March 1831 [D&C 48] Page 288 Section 65 • Revelation, 7 May 1831 [D&C 49] Page 289 Section 66 • Revelation, 6 June 1831 [D&C 52] Page 292 Section 67 • Revelation, 8 June 1831 [D&C 53] Page 296 Section 68 • Revelation, 10 June 1831 [D&C 54] Page 297 Section 69 • Revelation, 14 June 1831 [D&C 55] Page 298 Section 70 • Revelation, 15 June 1831 [D&C 56] Page 299 Section 71 • Revelation, 8 August 1831 [D&C 60] Page 302 Section 72 • Revelation, 12 August 1831 [D&C 61] Page 304 Section 73 • Revelation, 13 August 1831 [D&C 62] Page 308 Section 74 • Explanation of Scripture, 1830 [D&C 74] Page 309 Section 75 • Revelation, 29 October 1831 [D&C 66] Page 310 Section 76 • Revelation, 1 March 1832 [D&C 78] Page 312 Section 77 • Revelation, 12 March 1832 [D&C 79] Page 314 Section 78 • Revelation, 7 March 1832 [D&C 80] Page 315 Section 79 • Revelation, 29 August 1832 [D&C 99] Page 316 Section 80 • Revelation, 15 March 1832 [D&C 81] Page 317 Section 81 • Revelation, 27 February 1833 [D&C 89] Page 318 Section 82 • Revelation, 2 August 1833–A [D&C 97] Page 320 Section 83 • Revelation, 6 May 1833 [D&C 93] Page 323 Section 84 • Revelation, 2 August 1833–B [D&C 94] Page 327 Section 85 • Revelation, 8 March 1833 [D&C 90] Page 329 Section 86 • Revelation, 6 August 1833 [D&C 98] Page 333 Section 87 • Revelation, 26 April 1832 [D&C 82] Page 338 Section 88 • Revelation, 25 January 1832–A, B [D&C 75] Page 341 Section 89 • Revelation, 30 April 1832 [D&C 83] Page 344 Section 90 • Revelation, 4 December 1831–A, B, C [D&C 72] Page 345 Section 91 • Revelation, 1 December 1831 [D&C 71] Page 348 Section 92 • Vision, 16 February 1832 [D&C 76] Page 349 Section 93 • Revelation, 9 March 1833 [D&C 91] Page 359 Section 94 • Revelation, 15 March 1833 [D&C 92] Page 360 Section 95 • Revelation, 12 October 1833 [D&C 100] Page 360 Section 96 • Revelation, 1 June 1833 [D&C 95] Page 362 Section 97 • Revelation, 4 June 1833 [D&C 96] Page 364 Section 98 • Revelation, 16–17 December 1833 [D&C 101] Page 365 Section 99 • Revelation, 23 April 1834 [D&C 104] Page 375 Section 100 • Revelation, 25 November 1834 [D&C 106] Page 384 Section 101 • Revelation, 24 February 1834 [D&C 103] Page 385 Section 102 • Revelation, 22 June 1834 [D&C 105] Page 389 Section [103] • Revelation, 19 January 1841 [D&C 124] Page 394 Section 104 • Revelation, 23 July 1837 [D&C 112] Page 414 Section 105 • Letter to “All the Saints in Nauvoo,” 1 September 1842 [D&C 127] Page 418 Section 106 • Letter to “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,” 7 September 1842 [D&C 128] Page 420 Section 107 • Revelation, 8 July 1838–C [D&C 119] Page 430 Section 108 • Revelation, 3 November 1831 [D&C 133] Page 431 Section 109 • Statement on Marriage, circa August 1835 Page 438 Section 110 • Declaration of Belief, circa August 1835 [D&C 134] Page 440 Section 111 • Account of the Murders of Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith, between Mid-July and Mid-August 1844 [D&C 135] Page 444 Index Page 446
Source Note
The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God. By Joseph Smith, President of Said Church. 2nd ed. Nauvoo, IL: John Taylor, 1844; 3–448; includes typeset signature marks and copyright notice. The copy presented herein is held at CHL; includes marginalia and archival markings.

All but the final gathering of this book was printed in octodecimo format on thirteen sheets that were cut and folded into thirteen gatherings of eighteen leaves (thirty-six pages) each. The final gathering comprises eight leaves (sixteen pages). The text block measures 5⅞ × 3⅝ inches (15 × 9 cm).
The copy of the book presented herein is in a presentation binding of red sheepskin with gilt edges. The volume measures 6 × 3⅞ × 1 inches (15 × 10 × 3 cm). The spine is stamped with gilt ornamental panels and “Doctrine | and | Covenants” and “J. Glenn.” in gilt. The front and back pastedowns, the front flyleaf, and the back flyleaf are single-sided marbled leaves featuring a shell pattern with brown body and veins of red and white. In this copy, the first leaf of the first gathering, which is blank in other extant copies, is missing. The verso of the front flyleaf has two inscriptions, the first in graphite and the second in ink: “RN 69025 | Vault | Book Area | M223.1 | D632 | 1844” and “Jane Glenn | from her friend | Leonora Taylor | Nauvoo Oct 27th | 1844”. The handwriting of the first inscription is unknown; Leonora Taylor inscribed the second.

As the aforementioned ink inscription indicates, Leonora Taylor, wife of early church leader and printer
John Taylor
1 Nov. 1808–25 July 1887. Preacher, editor, publisher, politician. Born at Milnthorpe, Westmoreland, England. Son of James Taylor and Agnes Taylor, members of Church of England. Around age sixteen, joined Methodist church and was local preacher. Migrated ...
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, presented this book to Jane Glenn. The book came into the possession of the Historical Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints circa 1983.
Historical Introduction
The late 1830s and early 1840s were a period of rapid growth for the young church. As converts continued to join in large numbers, the need for a new edition of the Doctrine and Covenants became increasingly evident. In 1839, apostle
Parley P. Pratt
12 Apr. 1807–13 May 1857. Farmer, editor, publisher, teacher, school administrator, legislator, explorer, author. Born at Burlington, Otsego Co., New York. Son of Jared Pratt and Charity Dickinson. Traveled west with brother William to acquire land, 1823....
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, who had stopped in
New York
Dutch founded New Netherland colony, 1625. Incorporated under British control and renamed New York, 1664. Harbor contributed to economic and population growth of city; became largest city in American colonies. British troops defeated Continental Army under...
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on his way to serve a mission in England, wrote to JS describing the growth of the church and missionary work in the eastern
United States
North American constitutional republic. Constitution ratified, 17 Sept. 1787. Population in 1805 about 6,000,000; in 1830 about 13,000,000; and in 1844 about 20,000,000. Louisiana Purchase, 1803, doubled size of U.S. Consisted of seventeen states at time ...
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. In his letter he stated that there was “a great call for our Books” and proposed plans to begin printing the Book of Mormon and other church publications.
1
Parley P. Pratt, New York City, NY, to JS, [Nauvoo, IL], 22 Nov. 1839, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 77. Pratt did not specifically propose to publish the revelations.
Comprehensive Works Cited
JS Letterbook 2 / Smith, Joseph. “Copies of Letters, &c. &c.,” 1839–1843. Joseph Smith Collection, 1827–1846. CHL. MS 155, box 2, fd. 2.
Requests for church publications continued to come from other branches of the church during the early 1840s.
2
See, for example, Charles Thompson, Batavia, NY, 2 Feb. 1841, Letter to the editor, Times and Seasons, 15 Mar. 1841, 2:349: “I would say further, there is a great call for Books of Mormon here: had I one hundred I could dispose of them all in a short time, and also the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and Hymn Books.”
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
Church leaders in
Nauvoo
Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....
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, Illinois, expressed a concern about scriptures being published in the United States without the “immediate inspection” of the First Presidency of the church.
3
Hyrum Smith, Nauvoo, IL, to Parley P. Pratt, New York City, NY, 22 Dec. 1839, in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 80–81; Hyrum Smith, Nauvoo, IL, to Lucian Foster, Jan. 1840, in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 83–84; Hyrum Smith, Nauvoo, IL, to JS and Elias Higbee, Washington DC, 2 Jan. 1840, in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 92–93. This restriction did not apply in the mission in England, perhaps because of the cost of shipping books overseas from the United States. JS told the Quorum of the Twelve that he had no objection to the Doctrine and Covenants being published in England and that “if there is a great demand for them,” he “would rather encourage it.” (JS, Nauvoo, IL, to “Beloved Brethren,” [England], 15 Dec. 1840, JS Collection, CHL; see also H. Smith to P. Pratt, 22 Dec. 1839, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 81.)
Smith, Joseph. Collection, 1827–1846. CHL. MS 155.
Though careful about the authority under which scripture such as the Doctrine and Covenants would be published, the leadership in Nauvoo made it clear that the publication of scripture was a top priority. Published minutes of a conference held in October 1840 indicated that another edition of the Book of Mormon was nearly completed and that arrangements had been made for printing the Doctrine and Covenants and the church hymnal.
4
“Minutes of the General Conference,” Times and Seasons, Oct. 1840, 1:186. The original minutes from which the published version came did not mention the Doctrine and Covenants. A First Presidency report published in the same issue of Times and Seasons stated that arrangements were being made for printing the Doctrine and Covenants. (General Church Minutes, 3 Oct. 1840; “Report from the Presidency,” Times and Seasons, Oct. 1840, 1:187–188.)
In the spring of 1841,
Ebenezer Robinson
25 May 1816–11 Mar. 1891. Printer, editor, publisher. Born at Floyd (near Rome), Oneida Co., New York. Son of Nathan Robinson and Mary Brown. Moved to Utica, Oneida Co., ca. 1831, and learned printing trade at Utica Observer. Moved to Ravenna, Portage Co....
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turned his attention to stereotyping what would become the second edition of the Doctrine and Covenants,
5
Ebenezer Robinson, “Items of Personal History of the Editor,” The Return, July 1890, 302. Robinson acquired stereotyping equipment at least by early January 1841. Stereotyping, a common nineteenth-century printing practice, was intended to speed up the process of mass printing. After setting type for a page, the printer created a mold of the type, into which he poured hot lead, thereby creating a plate from which to print each page. This allowed the individual pieces of type to be reused to set additional pages. The plates could be reused for later printings. (Advertisement, Times and Seasons, 1 Jan. 1841, 2:272; Gaskell, New Introduction to Bibliography, 201–204.)
The Return. Davis City, IA, 1889–1891; Richmond, MO, 1892–1893; Davis City, 1895–1896; Denver, 1898; Independence, MO, 1899–1900.
Gaskell, Philip. A New Introduction to Bibliography. New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll Press, 2009.
using the first edition of the volume as the primary source text. Robinson, an experienced editor and printer, had recently assisted with printing the third edition of the Book of Mormon (1840).
6
Ebenezer Robinson, “Items of Personal History of the Editor,” The Return, May 1890, 259; see also “Minutes of the General Conference,” Times and Seasons, Oct. 1840, 1:186. Robinson was also coeditor and copublisher of the Nauvoo newspaper Times and Seasons through December 1840. Robinson and Don Carlos Smith began publishing that newspaper in 1839 as partners, but their partnership dissolved in “mutual consent” in mid-December 1840, with Smith taking charge of the newspaper and Robinson of the “Books, or Book & fancy printing.” Robinson began editing and publishing the newspaper again in August 1841, following the death of Don Carlos Smith. (“Dissolution,” Times and Seasons, 15 Dec. 1840, 2:256; “To the Patrons of the Times and Seasons,” Times and Seasons, 16 Aug. 1841, 2:511.)
At the time Robinson began stereotyping the Doctrine and Covenants, the
Nauvoo
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printing establishment was housed in a frame building at the corner of Water and Bain streets, near the
river
Principal U.S. river running southward from Itasca Lake, Minnesota, to Gulf of Mexico. Covered 3,160-mile course, 1839 (now about 2,350 miles). Drains about 1,100,000 square miles. Steamboat travel on Mississippi very important in 1830s and 1840s for shipping...
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. Before the end of 1841, it moved into a larger building, located across the street from the earlier building at the same intersection.
7
Bray, “Times and Seasons: An Archaeological Perspective,” 67–73; Notice, Times and Seasons, 1 Dec. 1841, 3:615. Besides the two structures mentioned, Bray identifies two additional buildings in Nauvoo that housed the printing establishment for a time, but those other buildings were not being used for printing at the time the 1844 Doctrine and Covenants was printed.
Bray, Robert T. “Times and Seasons: An Archaeological Perspective on Early Latter Day Saints Printing.” Historical Archaeology 13 (1979): 53–119.
In early 1842, while the stereotyping work was still ongoing, control of the printing establishment was transferred from
Robinson
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to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. A January 1842 revelation dictated by JS commanded the Twelve to “take in hand the Editorial department of the Times and Seasons,” ratifying a decision that had already been discussed in earlier meetings of the Quorum of the Twelve.
8
JS, Journal, 28 Jan. 1842, p. 67; Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Minutes, 31 Nov. 1841 and 17 Jan. 1842.
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Minutes, 1840–1844. CHL.
According to
Wilford Woodruff
1 Mar. 1807–2 Sept. 1898. Farmer, miller. Born at Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of Aphek Woodruff and Beulah Thompson. Moved to Richland, Oswego Co., New York, 1832. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Zera Pulsipher,...
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, a member of that quorum, the Twelve were to “govern the printing of the Times & Seasons & all the church publications as they are directed by my Holy Spirit in the midst of their councils.”
9
Woodruff, Journal, 3 Feb. 1842. The Twelve had already enjoyed success with printing a number of publications in England, such as the 1840 hymnal, printed in Manchester; the Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star, begun in May 1840; and the 1841 edition of the Book of Mormon, printed in Liverpool.
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
Ebenezer Robinson recalled telling JS and the other leaders “that they could have the Times and Seasons, but they must [also] take the whole establishment, including the stereotype foundery, book-bindery, and the whole book concern.”
10
Ebenezer Robinson, “Items of Personal History of the Editor,” The Return, Sept. 1890, 325; emphasis in original.
This request was accepted, and Robinson sold the entire business to JS for the sum of $6,600 on 4 February 1842.
11
Contract, Ebenezer Robinson to Willard Richards, Nauvoo, IL, 4 Feb. 1844, Newel K. Whitney, Papers, BYU; Ebenezer Robinson, “Items of Personal History of the Editor,” The Return, Oct. 1890, 346; Woodruff, Journal, 4 Feb. 1842.
Whitney, Newel K. Papers, 1825–1906. BYU.
Wilford Woodruff and fellow apostle
John Taylor
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were placed in charge of the printing office.
12
See Ebenezer Robinson, “Valedictory,” Times and Seasons, 15 Feb. 1842, 3:695–696; and Woodruff , Journal, 3 and 19 Feb. 1842.
The Doctrine and Covenants had likely been stereotyped through page 109 when
Robinson
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left.
13
“No 4 Joseph Smith a/c Dr as pr Printing Office Books,” ca. Jan. 1846, Newel K. Whitney, Papers, BYU.
It is unknown who else assisted in the initial stereotyping, but Robinson’s departure delayed the project’s completion. Robinson recalled working with JS, comparing the 1830 and 1837 editions of the Book of Mormon in preparation for the publication of the 1840 edition.
14
Ebenezer Robinson, “Items of Personal History of the Editor,” The Return, May 1890, 259.
If similar preliminary work was done before the stereotyping of the Doctrine and Covenants commenced, JS likely would have had some input in the format of the newer edition.
15
JS’s involvement is hinted at in a notice printed in two issues of Times and Seasons in early 1842. After announcing that the office of the recorder (Willard Richards) would be open to receive tithing donations only on Saturdays, the notice explained: “This regulation is necessary, to give the Trustee [JS] and Recorder time to arrange the Book of Mormon, New Translation of the Bible, Hymn Book, and Doctrine and Covenants for the press; all of which the brethren are anxious to see, in their most perfect form.” (“Tithings and Consecrations,” Times and Seasons, 15 Jan. 1842, 3:667; 1 Feb. 1842, 3:677.)
Whatever the preparatory process, the 1844 Doctrine and Covenants is—in content, arrangement, basic format, and section and verse numbering—largely a reprint of the 1835 edition. The 1844 edition matches the 1835 edition almost word for word and character for character, except for minor corrections and stylistic changes and a few substantive changes.
16
The 1844 edition made light changes in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammar, and versification. These changes included employing British spelling for some words, such as “Savior” (Saviour). Aside from adding eight new sections (as discussed later in this introduction), the 1844 edition made only a small number of substantive changes. For example, the phrase “and we beheld and lo, he is fallen! is fallen! even a son of the morning,” which appears in verse 3 of section 91 of the 1835 edition, was deleted in verse 3 of section 92 in the 1844 edition (Vision, 16 Feb. 1832 [D&C 76:27]). The deletion could have been accidental, since there is another phrase ending “son of the morning” earlier in the same sentence. A comprehensive study of the variants between the two editions is beyond the scope of this volume.
The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God. Compiled by Joseph Smith. 2nd ed. Nauvoo, IL: John Taylor, 1844. Selections also available in Robin Scott Jensen, Richard E. Turley Jr., Riley M. Lorimer, eds., Revelations and Translations, Volume 2: Published Revelations. Vol. 2 of the Revelations and Translations series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2011).
Work on printing the Doctrine and Covenants did not resume until a year after the printing establishment had changed hands. According to
Woodruff
1 Mar. 1807–2 Sept. 1898. Farmer, miller. Born at Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of Aphek Woodruff and Beulah Thompson. Moved to Richland, Oswego Co., New York, 1832. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Zera Pulsipher,...
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, stereotyping recommenced on 30 January 1843.
17
Woodruff, Journal, 1–4 Feb. 1843.
JS and
William W. Phelps
17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...
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read proofs of this work a few weeks later.
18
JS, Journal, 3 and 14 Feb. 1843.
By the end of 1843, the printers had stereotyped to page 409 (partway into the twelfth gathering), leaving a modest amount of stereotyping to be completed the following year.
19
In what appears to be an end-of-year account, the work of stereotyping to page 409 was recorded on 30 December 1843. (“No 4 Joseph Smith a/c Dr as pr Printing Office Books,” ca. Jan. 1846, Newel K. Whitney, Papers, BYU.)
It appears that the printing may have been delayed for want of paper and other materials. On 7 November 1843, the Quorum of the Twelve appointed Woodruff,
Brigham Young
1 June 1801–29 Aug. 1877. Carpenter, painter, glazier, colonizer. Born at Whitingham, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Brought up in Methodist household; later joined Methodist church. Moved to Sherburne, Chenango Co., New...
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,
Parley P. Pratt
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,
Willard Richards
24 June 1804–11 Mar. 1854. Teacher, lecturer, doctor, clerk, printer, editor, postmaster. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Joseph Richards and Rhoda Howe. Moved to Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, 1813; to Chatham, Columbia Co...
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, and
John Taylor
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, all members of that quorum, as a committee to raise five hundred dollars “to get paper &c to print the Doctrine and covenants.”
20
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Minutes, 7 Nov. 1843; see also Woodruff, Journal, 7 Nov. 1843. A few weeks earlier, a newspaper notice called for donations to support the church’s printing establishment. (“End of the Third Volume,” Times and Seasons, 15 Oct. 1842, 3:958.)
A month later, on 5 December, JS advised the Twelve “to raise money to send
Elder [Orson] Hyde
8 Jan. 1805–28 Nov. 1878. Laborer, clerk, storekeeper, teacher, editor, businessman, lawyer, judge. Born at Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Nathan Hyde and Sally Thorpe. Moved to Derby, New Haven Co., 1812. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, ...
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east to get paper to print Doctrine & Covenants— get new type & metal for stereotyping.”
21
JS, Journal, 5 Dec. 1843, JS Collection, CHL.
By the following summer, the work was nearly complete. A notice dated 11 June 1844 and published the next day in the Nauvoo Neighbor announced optimistically: “The Book of Doctrine and Covenants will be published in about one month from this time. Those wishing for an early supply had better make immediate application.”
22
“Notice,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 12 June 1844, [3].
Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.
A little over two weeks later, however, JS and
Hyrum Smith
9 Feb. 1800–27 June 1844. Farmer, cooper. Born at Tunbridge, Orange Co., Vermont. Son of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. Moved to Randolph, Orange Co., 1802; back to Tunbridge, before May 1803; to Royalton, Windsor Co., Vermont, 1804; to Sharon, Windsor Co...
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were killed by a mob at
Carthage
Located eighteen miles southeast of Nauvoo. Settled 1831. Designated Hancock Co. seat, Mar. 1833. Incorporated as town, 27 Feb. 1837. Population in 1839 about 300. Population in 1844 about 400. Site of acute opposition to Latter-day Saints, early 1840s. Site...
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, Illinois, and printer
John Taylor
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was seriously wounded, delaying the printing of the volume yet again.
23
Taylor later recalled that before going to Carthage with JS and Hyrum Smith, he removed the “Type, Stereotype plates and most of the valuable things . . . from the printing office” for fear the office would be burned by enemies. (John Taylor, Statement, 23 Aug. 1856, p. 26, Historian’s Office, JS History Draft Notes, [ca. 1840–1880], CHL.)
Historian’s Office. Joseph Smith History Draft Notes, ca. 1839–1856. CHL. CR 100 92.
The above-mentioned notice continued to run in the Nauvoo Neighbor from 26 June through 30 October 1844, though copies of the volume were available well before the 30 October issue.
In a letter to his wife written from
Carthage
Located eighteen miles southeast of Nauvoo. Settled 1831. Designated Hancock Co. seat, Mar. 1833. Incorporated as town, 27 Feb. 1837. Population in 1839 about 300. Population in 1844 about 400. Site of acute opposition to Latter-day Saints, early 1840s. Site...
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two days before the killings,
John Taylor
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stated that “1000 copies of the Book of Doctrine & Covenants” should be printed “as quick as possible.”
24
John Taylor, Carthage, IL, to Leonora Taylor, Nauvoo, IL, 25 June 1844, John Taylor, Collection, CHL.
Taylor, John. Collection, 1829–1894. CHL. MS 1346.
At a 28 July 1844 church meeting,
William W. Phelps
17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...
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announced that names would be taken of those desiring to purchase the volume at one dollar and twenty-five cents. Two weeks later, Phelps stated in another meeting that the “1000 copies [of the Doctrine and Covenants] are not all yet taken up,” suggesting that the books were sold by subscription.
25
General Church Minutes, 28 July and 8 Aug. 1844.
The date on which the new edition was first available to the public is unknown, but the volume was in use soon after its release: it was cited in the 2 September 1844 issue of Times and Seasons, and
Parley P. Pratt
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quoted from it at a meeting on 8 September 1844.
26
“Ten Virgins,” Times and Seasons, 2 Sept. 1844, 5:636; “Trial of Elder Rigdon,” Times and Seasons, 15 Sept. 1844, 5:647–655.
Because the book had been stereotyped, keeping it in print was practical. A second printing of the book was authorized the following year and a third in 1846, presumably indicating a short supply of the books and a growing demand.
27
The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God, comp. Joseph Smith, 3rd ed. (Nauvoo, IL: John Taylor, 1845); The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; Carefully Selected from the Reve[l]ations of God, comp. Joseph Smith, 4th ed. (Nauvoo, IL: John Taylor, 1846).
Besides the individuals identified above as having assisted with or overseen work on the publication, others may have contributed as compilers, editors, typesetters, or printers. A number of people worked in the
Nauvoo
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printing office
Located at four different sites from 1839–1846: cellar of warehouse on bank of Mississippi River, June–Aug. 1839; frame building on northeast corner of Water and Bain streets, Nov. 1839–Nov. 1841; newly built printing establishment on northwest corner of ...
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at the time the volume was being produced, but records do not identify which of them had a hand in this project.
The 1844 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants is essentially a reprint of the 1835 edition, with the addition of eight new items. The second edition reprinted the seven “Lectures on Faith” and all 103 numbered sections included in the “Covenants and Commandments” part of the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants. The 1835 edition included two sections numbered 66 (here referred to as 66a and 66b). This mistake was corrected in the 1844 edition. As a result, sections 1 through 66a of the 1835 edition correspond with sections 1 through 66 of the 1844 edition, and sections 66b through 99 in the 1835 edition correspond with sections 67 through 100 in the 1844 edition. The final three sections of the 1835 edition, sections 100 through 102, were numbered as sections 108 through 110 in the 1844 edition.
The eight new items added to the 1844 edition became sections 101 through 107 and section 111. Sections 101 and 102—both revelations regarding the redemption of Zion—were available for use in the 1835 publication but were not printed therein. Sections 103 (which was printed without a section number), 104, and 107 are JS revelations dictated after 1835. Sections 105 and 106 are JS letters written in the 1840s. Section 111, a tribute to the slain JS and
Hyrum Smith
9 Feb. 1800–27 June 1844. Farmer, cooper. Born at Tunbridge, Orange Co., Vermont. Son of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. Moved to Randolph, Orange Co., 1802; back to Tunbridge, before May 1803; to Royalton, Windsor Co., Vermont, 1804; to Sharon, Windsor Co...
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, is believed to have been written by
John Taylor
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, the publisher of the 1844 Doctrine and Covenants and an eyewitness to the murders. It was composed after most of the work on the volume had been completed. Only by using a smaller typeface than what appears in the rest of the volume were the printers able to fit this last section into the available space following section 110 and preceding a brief three-page “index.” The editors of the 1844 edition used a variety of sources to set type for these eight items.
28
Sources used by editors of the 1844 Doctrine and Covenants for the newly added items include Revelation Book 2, Times and Seasons, JS’s journal, and various loose manuscripts.
JSP, J1 / Jessee, Dean C., Mark Ashurst-McGee, and Richard L. Jensen, eds. Journals, Volume 1: 1832–1839. Vol. 1 of the Journals series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman. Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2008.
The sources used by the editors contained other revelations and letters that would have been candidates for publication in the Doctrine and Covenants, and the reasons for selecting the particular revelations and letters that were included are unknown.
Footnotes
[1]
Parley P. Pratt, New York City, NY, to JS, [Nauvoo, IL], 22 Nov. 1839, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 77. Pratt did not specifically propose to publish the revelations.
[2]
See, for example, Charles Thompson, Batavia, NY, 2 Feb. 1841, Letter to the editor, Times and Seasons, 15 Mar. 1841, 2:349: “I would say further, there is a great call for Books of Mormon here: had I one hundred I could dispose of them all in a short time, and also the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and Hymn Books.”
[3]
Hyrum Smith, Nauvoo, IL, to Parley P. Pratt, New York City, NY, 22 Dec. 1839, in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 80–81; Hyrum Smith, Nauvoo, IL, to Lucian Foster, Jan. 1840, in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 83–84; Hyrum Smith, Nauvoo, IL, to JS and Elias Higbee, Washington DC, 2 Jan. 1840, in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 92–93. This restriction did not apply in the mission in England, perhaps because of the cost of shipping books overseas from the United States. JS told the Quorum of the Twelve that he had no objection to the Doctrine and Covenants being published in England and that “if there is a great demand for them,” he “would rather encourage it.” (JS, Nauvoo, IL, to “Beloved Brethren,” [England], 15 Dec. 1840, JS Collection, CHL; see also H. Smith to P. Pratt, 22 Dec. 1839, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 81.)
Smith, Joseph. Collection, 1827–1846. CHL. MS 155.
[4]
“Minutes of the General Conference,” Times and Seasons, Oct. 1840, 1:186. The original minutes from which the published version came did not mention the Doctrine and Covenants. A First Presidency report published in the same issue of Times and Seasons stated that arrangements were being made for printing the Doctrine and Covenants. (General Church Minutes, 3 Oct. 1840; “Report from the Presidency,” Times and Seasons, Oct. 1840, 1:187–188.)
[5]
Ebenezer Robinson, “Items of Personal History of the Editor,” The Return, July 1890, 302. Robinson acquired stereotyping equipment at least by early January 1841. Stereotyping, a common nineteenth-century printing practice, was intended to speed up the process of mass printing. After setting type for a page, the printer created a mold of the type, into which he poured hot lead, thereby creating a plate from which to print each page. This allowed the individual pieces of type to be reused to set additional pages. The plates could be reused for later printings. (Advertisement, Times and Seasons, 1 Jan. 1841, 2:272; Gaskell, New Introduction to Bibliography, 201–204.)
Gaskell, Philip. A New Introduction to Bibliography. New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll Press, 2009.
[6]
Ebenezer Robinson, “Items of Personal History of the Editor,” The Return, May 1890, 259; see also “Minutes of the General Conference,” Times and Seasons, Oct. 1840, 1:186. Robinson was also coeditor and copublisher of the Nauvoo newspaper Times and Seasons through December 1840. Robinson and Don Carlos Smith began publishing that newspaper in 1839 as partners, but their partnership dissolved in “mutual consent” in mid-December 1840, with Smith taking charge of the newspaper and Robinson of the “Books, or Book & fancy printing.” Robinson began editing and publishing the newspaper again in August 1841, following the death of Don Carlos Smith. (“Dissolution,” Times and Seasons, 15 Dec. 1840, 2:256; “To the Patrons of the Times and Seasons,” Times and Seasons, 16 Aug. 1841, 2:511.)
[7]
Bray, “Times and Seasons: An Archaeological Perspective,” 67–73; Notice, Times and Seasons, 1 Dec. 1841, 3:615. Besides the two structures mentioned, Bray identifies two additional buildings in Nauvoo that housed the printing establishment for a time, but those other buildings were not being used for printing at the time the 1844 Doctrine and Covenants was printed.
Bray, Robert T. “Times and Seasons: An Archaeological Perspective on Early Latter Day Saints Printing.” Historical Archaeology 13 (1979): 53–119.
[8]
JS, Journal, 28 Jan. 1842, p. 67; Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Minutes, 31 Nov. 1841 and 17 Jan. 1842.
[9]
Woodruff, Journal, 3 Feb. 1842. The Twelve had already enjoyed success with printing a number of publications in England, such as the 1840 hymnal, printed in Manchester; the Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star, begun in May 1840; and the 1841 edition of the Book of Mormon, printed in Liverpool.
[10]
Ebenezer Robinson, “Items of Personal History of the Editor,” The Return, Sept. 1890, 325; emphasis in original.
[11]
Contract, Ebenezer Robinson to Willard Richards, Nauvoo, IL, 4 Feb. 1844, Newel K. Whitney, Papers, BYU; Ebenezer Robinson, “Items of Personal History of the Editor,” The Return, Oct. 1890, 346; Woodruff, Journal, 4 Feb. 1842.
[12]
See Ebenezer Robinson, “Valedictory,” Times and Seasons, 15 Feb. 1842, 3:695–696; and Woodruff , Journal, 3 and 19 Feb. 1842.
[13]
“No 4 Joseph Smith a/c Dr as pr Printing Office Books,” ca. Jan. 1846, Newel K. Whitney, Papers, BYU.
[14]
Ebenezer Robinson, “Items of Personal History of the Editor,” The Return, May 1890, 259.
[15]
JS’s involvement is hinted at in a notice printed in two issues of Times and Seasons in early 1842. After announcing that the office of the recorder (Willard Richards) would be open to receive tithing donations only on Saturdays, the notice explained: “This regulation is necessary, to give the Trustee [JS] and Recorder time to arrange the Book of Mormon, New Translation of the Bible, Hymn Book, and Doctrine and Covenants for the press; all of which the brethren are anxious to see, in their most perfect form.” (“Tithings and Consecrations,” Times and Seasons, 15 Jan. 1842, 3:667; 1 Feb. 1842, 3:677.)
[16]
The 1844 edition made light changes in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammar, and versification. These changes included employing British spelling for some words, such as “Savior” (Saviour). Aside from adding eight new sections (as discussed later in this introduction), the 1844 edition made only a small number of substantive changes. For example, the phrase “and we beheld and lo, he is fallen! is fallen! even a son of the morning,” which appears in verse 3 of section 91 of the 1835 edition, was deleted in verse 3 of section 92 in the 1844 edition (Vision, 16 Feb. 1832 [D&C 76:27]). The deletion could have been accidental, since there is another phrase ending “son of the morning” earlier in the same sentence. A comprehensive study of the variants between the two editions is beyond the scope of this volume.
The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God. Compiled by Joseph Smith. 2nd ed. Nauvoo, IL: John Taylor, 1844. Selections also available in Robin Scott Jensen, Richard E. Turley Jr., Riley M. Lorimer, eds., Revelations and Translations, Volume 2: Published Revelations. Vol. 2 of the Revelations and Translations series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2011).
[17]
Woodruff, Journal, 1–4 Feb. 1843.
[18]
JS, Journal, 3 and 14 Feb. 1843.
[19]
In what appears to be an end-of-year account, the work of stereotyping to page 409 was recorded on 30 December 1843. (“No 4 Joseph Smith a/c Dr as pr Printing Office Books,” ca. Jan. 1846, Newel K. Whitney, Papers, BYU.)
[20]
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Minutes, 7 Nov. 1843; see also Woodruff, Journal, 7 Nov. 1843. A few weeks earlier, a newspaper notice called for donations to support the church’s printing establishment. (“End of the Third Volume,” Times and Seasons, 15 Oct. 1842, 3:958.)
[21]
JS, Journal, 5 Dec. 1843, JS Collection, CHL.
[22]
“Notice,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 12 June 1844, [3].
Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.
[23]
Taylor later recalled that before going to Carthage with JS and Hyrum Smith, he removed the “Type, Stereotype plates and most of the valuable things . . . from the printing office” for fear the office would be burned by enemies. (John Taylor, Statement, 23 Aug. 1856, p. 26, Historian’s Office, JS History Draft Notes, [ca. 1840–1880], CHL.)
Historian’s Office. Joseph Smith History Draft Notes, ca. 1839–1856. CHL. CR 100 92.
[24]
John Taylor, Carthage, IL, to Leonora Taylor, Nauvoo, IL, 25 June 1844, John Taylor, Collection, CHL.
Taylor, John. Collection, 1829–1894. CHL. MS 1346.
[25]
General Church Minutes, 28 July and 8 Aug. 1844.
[26]
“Ten Virgins,” Times and Seasons, 2 Sept. 1844, 5:636; “Trial of Elder Rigdon,” Times and Seasons, 15 Sept. 1844, 5:647–655.
[27]
The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God, comp. Joseph Smith, 3rd ed. (Nauvoo, IL: John Taylor, 1845); The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; Carefully Selected from the Reve[l]ations of God, comp. Joseph Smith, 4th ed. (Nauvoo, IL: John Taylor, 1846).
[28]
Sources used by editors of the 1844 Doctrine and Covenants for the newly added items include Revelation Book 2, Times and Seasons, JS’s journal, and various loose manuscripts.
JSP, J1 / Jessee, Dean C., Mark Ashurst-McGee, and Richard L. Jensen, eds. Journals, Volume 1: 1832–1839. Vol. 1 of the Journals series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman. Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2008.
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Title Page
THE
DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS
OF
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST
OF
LATTER DAY SAINTS;

CAREFULLY SELECTED FROM THE REVELATIONS OF GOD.

BY JOSEPH SMITH
PRESIDENT OF SAID CHURCH.

SECOND EDITION.

NAUVOO
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PRINTED BY
JOHN TAYLOR
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1844.
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