Revelation, 28 January 1842
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Source Note
Revelation, [, Hancock Co., IL], 28 Jan. 1842. Featured version copied [ca. 28 Jan. 1842 or after 26 Feb. 1842] in JS, Journal, 28 Jan. 1842 [second of two entries], in Book of the Law of the Lord, p. 67; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124].
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Historical Introduction
On 28 January 1842 JS dictated a revelation directing the to assume editorial responsibility for the newspaper Times and Seasons. At the time, church member owned and edited the newspaper. A longtime partner to JS’s brother in church publication efforts, Robinson had recently purchased the Times and Seasons from Smith’s estate following his death in August 1841. He also owned the printing office, a stereotype foundry, and a bookbindery.The 28 January 1842 revelation was dictated during a period when, at the behest of JS, the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles began expanding their authority over the temporal affairs of the church. Following the quorum’s return from in July 1841, JS reportedly told church members that the apostles “should be called upon to stand in their place next to the , and attend to the settling of emegrants and the business of the church at the , and assist to bear off the kingdom victorious to the nations.” Quorum member succinctly summarized JS’s directive as “business of the church given to the 12.”As part of this expansion of authority, in late 1841 the quorum began to discuss assuming control of the Times and Seasons, the church’s primary mode of communication with members scattered around the and abroad. Around 1 December the quorum voted that “be solicited to give up the Department of Printing the paper to .” The quorum also determined that if Robinson did not comply with the directive, Richards should “procure Press Type, &c & publish a paper for the Church.” Though the quorum appointed and to inform Robinson of the quorum’s decision, there is no evidence that either man did so. According to a later account by Robinson, it was JS who informed Robinson in December 1841 that “the twelve are wanting to get the Times and Seasons from you, and I thought I would tell you, for I am sorry to see any feelings of difference arise between you brethren.” Robinson recalled feeling “astonished, as no one of the twelve, or any one else, had ever intimated such a thing to me before.” In the waning weeks of 1841, JS and the apostles took no action regarding Robinson’s role as editor and proprietor of the paper, but on 17 January 1842 the apostles voted unanimously against assisting Robinson with another printing project—a new edition of the Book of Mormon.On 28 January 1842 JS dictated this revelation; inscribed the copy featured below into the Book of the Law of the Lord on or around that date. According to a 3 February entry in apostle ’s journal, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles discussed the revelation and “appointed & W Woodruff of the Twelve to Edit the Times & Seasons & take charge of the whole esstablishment under the direction of Joseph the seer.” later recalled that he was “greatly surprised on hearing the foregoing revelation, after the warning he [JS] had given me, but knowing it was useless to demur, replied, that they could have the Times and Seasons, but they must take the whole establishment, including the stereotype foundry, bookbindery, and the whole book concern.” On 4 February 1842 Willard Richards, acting as for JS, agreed to purchase the printing establishment for $6,600.
Footnotes
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1
Ebenezer Robinson, “Items of Personal History of the Editor,” Return, July 1890, 302.
The Return. Davis City, IA, 1889–1891; Richmond, MO, 1892–1893; Davis City, 1895–1896; Denver, 1898; Independence, MO, 1899–1900.
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2
“At a Special Conference of the Church,” Times and Seasons, 1 Sept. 1841, 2:521–522. During the succeeding months, the apostles took a lead role in raising capital for and directing the construction of the temple and the Nauvoo House, managing the settlement of immigrants in Hancock County, and training missionaries and directing missionary efforts. (Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Minutes, 31 Aug. 1841; Esplin, “Joseph, Brigham, and the Twelve,” 310–312.)
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Minutes, 1840–1844. CHL.
Esplin, Ronald K. “Joseph, Brigham and the Twelve: A Succession of Continuity.” BYU Studies 21, no. 3 (Summer 1981): 301–341.
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3
Richards, Journal, 16 Aug. 1841.
Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.
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4
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Minutes, 31 Nov. [30 Nov. or 1 Dec.] 1841. An addendum to the entry for 20 November 1841 in the manuscript history of the church indicates that the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles were upset with editorial content written by Gustavus Hills, who began working at the paper following the death of editor Robert B. Thompson. The addendum contradicts the original minutes of the quorum’s 20 November meeting, which suggest the apostles voted to thank Hills for his remarks in the 15 October issue commending an epistle of the quorum. (JS History, vol. C-1 Addenda, 44; Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Minutes, 20 Nov. 1841.)
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Minutes, 1840–1844. CHL.
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5
Ebenezer Robinson, “Items of Personal History of the Editor,” Return, Sept. 1890, 324.
The Return. Davis City, IA, 1889–1891; Richmond, MO, 1892–1893; Davis City, 1895–1896; Denver, 1898; Independence, MO, 1899–1900.
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6
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Minutes, 17 Jan. 1842. Though Robinson was instrumental in having a third edition of the Book of Mormon stereotyped and printed in 1840, it is possible that church leaders were unhappy that Robinson was reaping the profits from the printing of church scripture or were unhappy with the editorial content of the Times and Seasons. (Ebenezer Robinson, “Items of Personal History of the Editor,” Return, May 1890, 258–262; Agreement with Ebenezer Robinson and Don Carlos Smith, 14 Dec. 1840; see also Walker, “As Fire Shut Up in My Bones,” 1–40.)
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Minutes, 1840–1844. CHL.
The Return. Davis City, IA, 1889–1891; Richmond, MO, 1892–1893; Davis City, 1895–1896; Denver, 1898; Independence, MO, 1899–1900.
Walker, Kyle R. “‘As Fire Shut Up in My Bones’: Ebenezer Robinson, Don Carlos Smith, and the 1840 Edition of the Book of Mormon.” Journal of Mormon History 36, no. 1 (Winter 2010): 1–40.
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7
Regarding the revelation, a 28 January 1842 entry in JS’s journal records, “Received instruction concerning John Snider; & E. Robinson concrning the Times and Seasons as Recorded on 64 page.” The revelation was actually inscribed on page 67 of the Book of the Law of the Lord, which served as JS’s journal from December 1841 to December 1842 and also contained revelation texts and records of financial donations made to the church. Journal and financial entries for 20 to 28 January 1842 appear between entries for 26 and 27 February, casting doubt on when this revelation was inscribed. The mixed order of these entries can be partially explained by the fact that in the first few months after being appointed JS’s scribe, Richards intentionally left pages blank and then later filled them with texts that had not previously been recorded. It is possible that Richards copied the revelation into the book on 28 January as noted or copied it in after 26 February 1842 (the latest entry date preceding the 28 January entry). (JS, Journal, 28 Jan. 1842.)
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8
Woodruff, Journal, 3 Feb. 1842.
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
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9
Ebenezer Robinson, “Items of Personal History of the Editor,” Return, Sept. 1890, 325, italics in original.
The Return. Davis City, IA, 1889–1891; Richmond, MO, 1892–1893; Davis City, 1895–1896; Denver, 1898; Independence, MO, 1899–1900.
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