Revelation, 3 January 1833 [D&C 88:127–137]

Source Note

Revelation,
Kirtland Township
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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, OH, 3 Jan. 1833. Featured version copied [between 22 Jan. and ca. 27 Feb. 1833] in Revelation Book 2, pp. 47–48; handwriting of
Frederick G. Williams
28 Oct. 1787–10 Oct. 1842. Ship’s pilot, teacher, physician, justice of the peace. Born at Suffield, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of William Wheeler Williams and Ruth Granger. Moved to Newburg, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, 1799. Practiced Thomsonian botanical system...
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; CHL. Includes redactions. For more complete source information, see the source note for Revelation Book 2.
Historical Introduction
According to the index in Revelation Book 2, the subject of this 3 January 1833 revelation is “instructions how to regulate the
Elders school
A term occasionally used to refer to a Protestant seminary; specifically used by JS to refer to a school to prepare elders of the church for their ministry. A December 1832 revelation directed JS and the elders of the church in Kirtland, Ohio, to establish...
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.”
1
Revelation Book 2, Index, [1].
On 27–28 December 1832, JS dictated a revelation directing the
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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of the church to establish a school so that they could be taught in both “the doctrines, of the kingdom” and in temporal matters before proclaiming the gospel to the world “for the last time.” It also instructed the Saints 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, to build a “
house of God
The official name for the sacred edifice in Kirtland, Ohio, later known as the Kirtland temple; also the official name for other planned religious structures in Missouri. JS and the Latter-day Saints also referred to the House of the Lord in Kirtland as “...
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” that, among other things, would serve as a “house of Learning.”
2
Revelation, 27–28 Dec. 1832 [D&C 88:77–80, 84, 119, 122].
This 3 January revelation provided information on how the school was to be conducted in the House of the Lord, including how members of the school were to act when entering it. Little is known about the circumstances of the 3 January revelation, other than that it was dictated in Kirtland, probably in
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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’s
white store
In Apr. 1826, Whitney purchased quarter-acre lot on northeast corner of Chardon and Chillicothe roads and built two-story, 1500-square-foot, white store. Mercantile store also functioned as Kirtland Mills post office. Whitney met JS at store, 4 Feb. 1831....
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, where JS and his family were staying.

Frederick G. Williams
28 Oct. 1787–10 Oct. 1842. Ship’s pilot, teacher, physician, justice of the peace. Born at Suffield, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of William Wheeler Williams and Ruth Granger. Moved to Newburg, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, 1799. Practiced Thomsonian botanical system...
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wrote the revelation as JS dictated it, but the original manuscript is not extant. Williams later copied the revelation into Revelation Book 2, probably between late January and late February 1833. On 11 January 1833, JS sent a copy of the 27–28 December 1832 revelation to
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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and other leaders in
Jackson County
Settled at Fort Osage, 1808. County created, 16 Feb. 1825; organized 1826. Named after U.S. president Andrew Jackson. Featured fertile lands along Missouri River and was Santa Fe Trail departure point, which attracted immigrants to area. Area of county reduced...
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, Missouri.
3
Letter to William W. Phelps, 11 Jan. 1833.
It is unclear whether JS also included this revelation in that transmission, but Phelps published the revelation in the March 1833 issue of The Evening and the Morning Star, titling it “Revelation Given Kirtland, Ohio, January 3, 1833.”
4
“Revelation Given Kirtland, Ohio, January 3, 1833,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Mar. 1833, [6].
Comprehensive Works Cited
The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.
Though it was presented in early manuscript sources and in The Evening and the Morning Star as separate from the 27–28 December 1832 revelation, the 3 January 1833 revelation was combined with that earlier revelation into one text in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants, probably because the 3 January revelation included instructions for implementing the school required by the 27–28 December revelation.
5
In either late 1833 or early 1834, the 27–28 December revelation was published as a broadside, but it did not include the 3 January 1833 revelation. Publications thereafter included both revelations as a single text, along with additional verses at the end of the revelation that were first added in the 1835 edition. (See Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, who have assembled yourselves together, [Kirtland, OH: ca. Jan. 1834], copy at CHL [D&C 88–89]; Revelation, 27–28 Dec. 1832 and 3 Jan. 1833, in Doctrine and Covenants 7, 1835 ed. [D&C 88]; Revelation, 27–28 Dec. 1832 and 3 Jan. 1833, in Doctrine and Covenants 7, 1844 ed. [D&C 88]; “History of Joseph Smith,” Times and Seasons, 1 Nov. 1844, 5:688–691; and “History of Joseph Smith,” Times and Seasons, 15 Nov. 1844, 5:704–705; see also Crawley, Descriptive Bibliography, 1:43–44.)
Comprehensive Works Cited
Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, who have assembled yourselves together [D&C 88–89]. [Kirtland, OH: ca. Jan. 1834]. Copy at BYU.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
Crawley, Peter. A Descriptive Bibliography of the Mormon Church. 3 vols. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1997–2012.
The two became so closely associated that when the 3 January revelation was reprinted in Evening and Morning Star (an 1835–1836 reprint of The Evening and the Morning Star), it was dated 27 December 1832.
6
“Revelation, Given December 27, 1832,” Evening and Morning Star, Mar. 1833 (May 1836), 156–157.
Comprehensive Works Cited
Evening and Morning Star. Edited reprint of The Evening and the Morning Star. Kirtland, OH. Jan. 1835–Oct. 1836.
Likewise, the heading for the combined revelations in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants listed the date as 27 December 1832.
7
Doctrine and Covenants 7, 1835 ed.

Footnotes
1. 1
  Revelation Book 2, Index, [1].
2. 2
  Revelation, 27–28 Dec. 1832 [D&C 88:77–80, 84, 119, 122].
3. 3
  Letter to William W. Phelps, 11 Jan. 1833.
4. 4
  “Revelation Given Kirtland, Ohio, January 3, 1833,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Mar. 1833, [6].
  
  The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.
5. 5
  In either late 1833 or early 1834, the 27–28 December revelation was published as a broadside, but it did not include the 3 January 1833 revelation. Publications thereafter included both revelations as a single text, along with additional verses at the end of the revelation that were first added in the 1835 edition. (See Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, who have assembled yourselves together, [Kirtland, OH: ca. Jan. 1834], copy at CHL [D&C 88–89]; Revelation, 27–28 Dec. 1832 and 3 Jan. 1833, in Doctrine and Covenants 7, 1835 ed. [D&C 88]; Revelation, 27–28 Dec. 1832 and 3 Jan. 1833, in Doctrine and Covenants 7, 1844 ed. [D&C 88]; “History of Joseph Smith,” Times and Seasons, 1 Nov. 1844, 5:688–691; and “History of Joseph Smith,” Times and Seasons, 15 Nov. 1844, 5:704–705; see also Crawley, Descriptive Bibliography, 1:43–44.)
  
  Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, who have assembled yourselves together [D&C 88–89]. [Kirtland, OH: ca. Jan. 1834]. Copy at BYU.
  Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
  Crawley, Peter. A Descriptive Bibliography of the Mormon Church. 3 vols. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1997–2012.
6. 6
  “Revelation, Given December 27, 1832,” Evening and Morning Star, Mar. 1833 (May 1836), 156–157.
  
  Evening and Morning Star. Edited reprint of The Evening and the Morning Star. Kirtland, OH. Jan. 1835–Oct. 1836.
7. 7
  Doctrine and Covenants 7, 1835 ed.

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January 3d. 1833. Revelation given to organize for a patern &c

The order of the house, of God prepared for the , and instruction, in all things, that is expedient for the officers; or in other words, them who are called to the ministry in the , begining at the , even down to the , and this shall be the order of the house, he that is appointed, to be a teacher, shall be found standing in his place, which shall be appointed prepared, for him, in the , in a place that the congregation, in the house may hear his words, correctly and distinctly; not with loud speach; and he cometh into the house of God, (for he should be first in the house, behold this is beautiful, that he may be an example) let him offer himself in prayer upon his knees, before God, in token of the everlasting covenant, and when any shall, come in after him, let the teacher arise, and with uplifted hands to heaven, yea even directly, salute his brother, or brethren, with these words saying, art thou a brother, or brethren, I salute you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, in tocen [token] of the everlasting covenant, in which covenant, I receive you to fellowship, in a determination, that is fixed immovable, and unchangable, to be your friend and brother, through the grace of God, in the bonds of Love, to walk in all the , of God, blameless, in thanksgiving for ever, and ever; Amen. and he that cometh, in, and is a brother, or brethren shall salute the teacher with uplifted hands to heaven, with this same prayer, and covenant or by saying amen; in token of the same, Behold verily I say unto you, this [is?] a sample, unto you for a salutation, to one another, in the house of God,

and ye are called to do this by prayer, and thanksgiving, as the spirit shall give utterance [p. 47]

January 3d. 1833. Revelation given to for a patern &c

The order of the house, of God prepared for the , and instruction, in all things, that is expedient for the officers; or in other words, them who are called to the ministry in the , begining at the , even down to the , and this shall be the order of the house, he that is appointed, to be a teacher, shall be found standing in his place, which shall be prepared, for him, in the , in a place that the congregation, in the house may hear his words, correctly and distinctly; not with loud speach; and he cometh into the house of God, (for he should be first in the house, behold this is beautiful, that he may be an example) let him offer himself in prayer upon his knees, before God, in token of the everlasting covenant, and when any shall, come in after him, let the teacher arise, and with uplifted hands to heaven, yea even directly, salute his brother, or brethren, with these words saying, art thou a brother, or brethren, I salute you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, in tocen token of the everlasting covenant, in which covenant, I receive you to fellowship, in a determination, that is fixed immovable, and unchangable, to be your friend and brother, through the grace of God, in the bonds of Love, to walk in all the , of God, blameless, in thanksgiving for ever, and ever; Amen. and he that cometh, in, and is a brother, or brethren shall salute the teacher with uplifted hands to heaven, with this same prayer, and covenant or by saying amen; in token of the same, Behold verily I say unto you, this [is] a sample, unto you for a salutation, to one another, in the house of God,

and ye are called to do this by prayer, and thanksgiving, as the spirit shall give utterance [p. 47]

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Document Information
Editorial Title
Revelation, 3 January 1833 [D&C 88:127–137]
ID #
5375
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D2:346–348
Handwriting on This Page
- Frederick G. Williams
Footnotes
1. 1
  In the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, this passage reads, “prepared for the presidency of the school of the prophets.” (Doctrine and Covenants 7:39, 1835 ed.)
2. 2
  That is, a teacher in the school, not a church officer.
3. 3
  John Whitmer’s copy of this revelation in Revelation Book 1 includes “when” here. (Revelation Book 1, p. 166.)
4. 4
  See Luke 1:6.
5. 5
  Here, both the copy of this revelation in Revelation Book 1 and the published version in the March 1833 issue of The Evening and the Morning Star have the phrase “And to you the called to the ministry of the ordinances of the house of God.” This phrase may have appeared in the original inscription, and Frederick G. Williams may have inadvertently left it out of his copy. The phrase was removed when the revelation was published in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. (“Revelation Given Kirtland, Ohio, January 3, 1833,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Mar. 1833, [6]; Revelation Book 1, p. 167; Doctrine and Covenants 7:44, 1835 ed.)
  
  The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.
6. 6
  See Acts 2:4.

Revelation, 3 January 1833 [D&C 88:127–137]

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