Revelation, 1 December 1831 [D&C 71]

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Revelation, 1 December 1831 [D&C 71]
Source Note
Revelation,
Hiram Township
Area settled by immigrants from Pennsylvania and New England, ca. 1802. Located in northeastern Ohio about twenty-five miles southeast of Kirtland. Population in 1830 about 500. Population in 1840 about 1,100. JS lived in township at home of John and Alice...
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, OH, 1 Dec. 1831. Featured version copied [ca. 4 Dec. 1831]; handwriting of
Sidney Rigdon
19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...
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; one page; Newel K. Whitney, Papers, BYU.

This revelation was copied on the recto of the second leaf of a bifolium that also includes copies of JS’s three revelations of 4 December 1831. The leaf measures 12¾ × 8 inches (32 × 20 cm). For complete physical description, see Source Note for Revelation, 4 Dec. 1831–A [D&C 72:1–8].

This document and several other revelations, along with many other personal and institutional documents kept by
Newel K. Whitney
3/5 Feb. 1795–23 Sept. 1850. Trader, merchant. Born at Marlborough, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of Samuel Whitney and Susanna Kimball. Moved to Fairfield, Herkimer Co., New York, 1803. Merchant at Plattsburg, Clinton Co., New York, 1814. Mercantile clerk for...
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, were inherited by his daughter Mary Jane Whitney, who married Isaac Groo. This collection was passed down in the Groo family and donated by members of the family to the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University during the period 1969–1974.
1
Andrus et al., “Register of the Newel Kimball Whitney Papers, 1825–1906,” 5–6.
Comprehensive Works Cited
Andrus, Hyrum L., Chris Fuller, and Elizabeth E. McKenzie. “Register of the Newel Kimball Whitney Papers, 1825–1906,” Sept. 1998. BYU.
Footnotes
[1]
Andrus et al., “Register of the Newel Kimball Whitney Papers, 1825–1906,” 5–6.
Andrus, Hyrum L., Chris Fuller, and Elizabeth E. McKenzie. “Register of the Newel Kimball Whitney Papers, 1825–1906,” Sept. 1998. BYU.
Historical Introduction
After holding several
conferences
A meeting where ecclesiastical officers and other church members could conduct church business. The “Articles and Covenants” of the church directed the elders to hold conferences to perform “Church business.” The first of these conferences was held on 9 June...
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early in November regarding the publication of the revelations, JS dictated a revelation on 1 December 1831 directing the Lord’s “Servents” to proclaim the gospel “in the regions round about . . . for the space of a season.” Later copies of this revelation identified the “Servents” as JS and
Sidney Rigdon
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.
1
A copy of the revelation in Revelation Book 1, probably made around April 1832, calls it “A Revelation to Joseph & Sidney.” A copy in Revelation Book 2, probably made around March 1832, titles it “A commandment given to us Joseph and Sidney in these words.” (See Historical Introductions to Revelation Book 1 and Revelation Book 2; Revelation Book 1, p. 134; and Revelation Book 2, p. 11.)
This revelation directed JS and Rigdon to pave the way for the publication of the revelations through preaching. The need to preach seems to have grown more urgent because of the actions of
Ezra Booth
14 Feb. 1792–before 12 Jan. 1873. Farmer, minister. Born in Newtown, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. Admitted on trial to Methodist ministry, 4 Sept. 1816, and stationed in the Ohio District in Beaver, Pike Co. Admitted into full connection and elected a deacon...
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and
Symonds Rider
20 Nov. 1792–1 Aug. 1870. Farmer, teacher, minister. Born in Hartford, Windsor Co., Vermont. Son of Joshua Ryder and Marilla Loomis. Moved to Hiram, Portage Co., Ohio, 6 Jan. 1814. Married Mahitable Loomis, 12 Nov. 1818, in Portage Co. Served as captain in...
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, who had begun to antagonize the church. A conference of
elders
A male leader in the church generally; an ecclesiastical and priesthood office or one holding that office; a proselytizing missionary. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto...
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including JS disciplined Booth on 6 September 1831, and in October the Ravenna, Ohio, newspaper Ohio Star began publishing Booth’s letters criticizing JS and the
Church of Christ
The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...
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.
2
Minutes, 6 Sept. 1831; Ezra Booth, Nelson, OH, to Rev. Ira Eddy, 12 Sept, 1831, Ohio Star (Ravenna), 13 Oct. 1831, [3].
Ohio Star. Ravenna. 1830–1854.
The issue of the Ohio Star published shortly before this revelation was dictated printed Booth’s seventh letter, which included a message to
Edward Partridge
27 Aug. 1793–27 May 1840. Hatter. Born at Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of William Partridge and Jemima Bidwell. Moved to Painesville, Geauga Co., Ohio. Married Lydia Clisbee, 22 Aug. 1819, at Painesville. Initially a Universal Restorationist...
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. Booth counseled Partridge to “place yourself from under the influence of the men who have deceived you” and to “fly from the habitations haunted by impostors.”
3
Ezra Booth, “Mormonism—No. VII,” Ohio Star (Ravenna), 24 Nov. 1831, [1].

A couple of months earlier,
Rider
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, who had also become disaffected, provided a copy of the February 1831 revelation titled “Laws of the Church of Christ” to the Western Courier, another Ravenna newspaper, stating that “the Prophets or Preachers, declare it to be a Law revealed to them from heaven.” Rider requested that the newspaper publish the revelation, noting that church leaders “were commanded not to communicate it to the world, nor even to their followers, until they become strong in the faith.”
4
“Secret Bye Laws of the Mormonites,” Western Courier, (Ravenna, OH), 1 Sept. 1831, [1].
Painesville Telegraph. Painesville, OH. 1822–1986.
Rider later declared that new converts could learn from these materials “that a plot was laid to take their property from them and place it under the control of Joseph Smith the prophet.”
5
Symonds Rider, Hiram, OH, to A. S. Hayden, 1 Feb. 1868, in Hayden, Early History of the Disciples in the Western Reserve, 221.
Hayden, Amos Sutton. Early History of the Disciples in the Western Reserve, Ohio; with Biographical Sketches of the Principal Agents in Their Religious Movement. Cincinnati: Chase and Hall, 1875.
This 1 December revelation instructed JS and
Rigdon
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to counteract the work of such “enemies.”
In response to these criticisms and prompted by the revelation,
Rigdon
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invited
Booth
14 Feb. 1792–before 12 Jan. 1873. Farmer, minister. Born in Newtown, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. Admitted on trial to Methodist ministry, 4 Sept. 1816, and stationed in the Ohio District in Beaver, Pike Co. Admitted into full connection and elected a deacon...
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to a lecture in Ravenna on 25 December, where he would “review” Booth’s letters and show them to be “an unfair and false representation of the subjects on which they treat.” Rigdon also challenged
Rider
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to a public debate on the Book of Mormon.
6
Sidney Rigdon, “To the Public,” Ohio Star (Ravenna), 15 Dec. 1831, [3].
Both men declined Rigdon’s invitations.
7
See Sidney Rigdon, “To the Public,” Ohio Star (Ravenna), 12 Jan. 1832, [3].
Rigdon still lectured in Ravenna against Booth’s letters, and he and JS preached in Shalersville “and other places, setting forth the truth.”
8
JS History, vol. A-1, 179; Hyrum Smith, Diary and Account Book, 25–26 Dec. 1831; Cahoon, Diary, Dec. 1831.
Smith, Hyrum. Diary and Account Book, Nov. 1831–Feb. 1835. Hyrum Smith, Papers, ca. 1832–1844. BYU.
Cahoon, Reynolds. Diaries, 1831–1832. CHL. MS 1115.

JS probably dictated this revelation in the upstairs bedroom of the
John
11 Apr. 1778–30 July 1843. Farmer, innkeeper. Born at Chesterfield, Cheshire Co., New Hampshire. Son of Israel Johnson and Abigail Higgins. Married Alice (Elsa) Jacobs, 22 June 1800. Moved to Pomfret, Windsor Co., Vermont, ca. 1803. Settled at Hiram, Portage...
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and Alice (Elsa) Jacobs Johnson home in
Hiram
Area settled by immigrants from Pennsylvania and New England, ca. 1802. Located in northeastern Ohio about twenty-five miles southeast of Kirtland. Population in 1830 about 500. Population in 1840 about 1,100. JS lived in township at home of John and Alice...
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, Ohio.
Rigdon
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, who was then serving as JS’s scribe on the Bible revision, likely wrote the revelation as JS dictated it. The original manuscript is apparently not extant. The copy featured here, which is in Rigdon’s handwriting, later came into the possession of
Newel K. Whitney
3/5 Feb. 1795–23 Sept. 1850. Trader, merchant. Born at Marlborough, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of Samuel Whitney and Susanna Kimball. Moved to Fairfield, Herkimer Co., New York, 1803. Merchant at Plattsburg, Clinton Co., New York, 1814. Mercantile clerk for...
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in
Kirtland
Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and...
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, Ohio. But because Rigdon wrote this copy of the 1 December revelation on the same sheet of paper as a 4 December 1831 revelation—with the 4 December revelation coming first—it is unlikely that Whitney’s copy is the original inscription.
Footnotes
[1]
A copy of the revelation in Revelation Book 1, probably made around April 1832, calls it “A Revelation to Joseph & Sidney.” A copy in Revelation Book 2, probably made around March 1832, titles it “A commandment given to us Joseph and Sidney in these words.” (See Historical Introductions to Revelation Book 1 and Revelation Book 2; Revelation Book 1, p. 134; and Revelation Book 2, p. 11.)
[2]
Minutes, 6 Sept. 1831; Ezra Booth, Nelson, OH, to Rev. Ira Eddy, 12 Sept, 1831, Ohio Star (Ravenna), 13 Oct. 1831, [3].
[3]
Ezra Booth, “Mormonism—No. VII,” Ohio Star (Ravenna), 24 Nov. 1831, [1].
[4]
“Secret Bye Laws of the Mormonites,” Western Courier, (Ravenna, OH), 1 Sept. 1831, [1].
Painesville Telegraph. Painesville, OH. 1822–1986.
[5]
Symonds Rider, Hiram, OH, to A. S. Hayden, 1 Feb. 1868, in Hayden, Early History of the Disciples in the Western Reserve, 221.
Hayden, Amos Sutton. Early History of the Disciples in the Western Reserve, Ohio; with Biographical Sketches of the Principal Agents in Their Religious Movement. Cincinnati: Chase and Hall, 1875.
[6]
Sidney Rigdon, “To the Public,” Ohio Star (Ravenna), 15 Dec. 1831, [3].
[7]
See Sidney Rigdon, “To the Public,” Ohio Star (Ravenna), 12 Jan. 1832, [3].
[8]
JS History, vol. A-1, 179; Hyrum Smith, Diary and Account Book, 25–26 Dec. 1831; Cahoon, Diary, Dec. 1831.
Smith, Hyrum. Diary and Account Book, Nov. 1831–Feb. 1835. Hyrum Smith, Papers, ca. 1832–1844. BYU.
Cahoon, Reynolds. Diaries, 1831–1832. CHL. MS 1115.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Revelation, 1 December 1831 [D&C 71] Revelation Book 2 Revelation Book 1 Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834] Doctrine and Covenants, 1844 “History of Joseph Smith”
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