Revelation, 30 October 1831 [D&C 65]

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Revelation, 30 October 1831 [D&C 65]
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], 30 Oct. 1831. Featured version, titled “69 Revelation Oct. 30th. 1831,” copied [ca. Nov. 1831] in Revelation Book 1, p. 112; handwriting of
John Whitmer
27 Aug. 1802–11 July 1878. Farmer, stock raiser, newspaper editor. Born in Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Member of German Reformed Church, Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Baptized by Oliver Cowdery, June 1829, most likely in Seneca...
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; CCLA. Includes redactions. For more complete source information, see the source note for Revelation Book 1.
Historical Introduction
On 30 October 1831, JS dictated a revelation later characterized as a “revelation on prayer.”
1
JS History, vol. A-1, 155.

William E. McLellin
18 Jan. 1806–14 Mar. 1883. Schoolteacher, physician, publisher. Born at Smith Co., Tennessee. Son of Charles McLellin and Sarah (a Cherokee Indian). Married first Cynthia Ann, 30 July 1829. Wife died, by summer 1831. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of...
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, who may have been present when the revelation was dictated and who made a copy of it soon after, wrote that it related to Matthew 6:10—the passage of the Lord’s Prayer in which Christ petitions, “Thy kingdom come.”
2
Revelation, 30 Oct. 1831, in William E. McLellin, Papers, CHL.
Comprehensive Works Cited
McLellin, William E. Papers, 1831–1836, 1877–1878. CHL. MS 13538.
Although JS was working on his revision of the Bible at this time, he had already reached the last chapters of Matthew or even the first chapters of Mark. His review of Matthew 6:10 came more than six months earlier, suggesting that the revelation was not connected to the revision of that passage,
3
Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 64–67.
Faulring, Scott H., Kent P. Jackson, and Robert J. Matthews, eds. Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2004.
although, as McLellin stated, the two certainly had a thematic tie. The revelation, which declares that the keys of God’s kingdom have been returned to the earth to prepare it for the second coming of Jesus Christ, culminates with a prayer for the growth of that kingdom.

The revelation may have been dictated as part of a church service held at
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’s home on Sunday, 30 October 1831.
McLellin
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wrote in his journal that he preached there that day in a meeting attended by JS and several others of “the brethren & sisters.”
4
McLellin, Journal, 30 Oct. 1831.
McLellin, William E. Journal, Apr.–June 1836. William E. McLellin, Papers, 1831–1836, 1877–1878. CHL. MS 13538, box 1, fd. 6. Also available as Jan Shipps and John W. Welch, eds., The Journals of William E. McLellin, 1831–1836 (Provo, UT: BYU Studies; Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1994).
McLellin did not refer to this revelation in his journal, but since JS was present, this may have been the venue where the revelation was dictated.

It is unclear who served as scribe for the original manuscript.
McLellin
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inscribed a revelation just the day before,
5
See Revelation, 29 Oct. 1831 [D&C 66].
but
John Whitmer
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,
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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, and
Oliver Cowdery
3 Oct. 1806–3 Mar. 1850. Clerk, teacher, justice of the peace, lawyer, newspaper editor. Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Raised Congregationalist. Moved to western New York and clerked at a store, ca. 1825–1828...
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, all of whom had worked or were working as JS’s scribes, were at the Johnson home that Sunday.
6
In any case, within three weeks both
Whitmer
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and McLellin made copies of the revelation.
7
McLellin noted in his journal that he copied revelations during a three-week period between 29 October and 16 November. Whitmer made his copy before leaving for Missouri on 20 November. (McLellin, Journal, Oct.–Nov. 1831; Revelation, 30 Oct. 1831, in McLellin, Copies of Revelations, [8]; Whitmer, History, 38.)
McLellin, William E. Copies of Revelations, early Nov. 1831. In “W. E. Mc.Lellan Jan— 1877,” 1877, William E. McLellin, Papers, 1831–1878. CHL. MS 13538, box 1, fd. 7.
It is difficult to determine which of the two is the earliest extant version, but because Whitmer’s copy (which he included in Revelation Book 1 and which is featured here) shows less punctuation, it may more closely represent the original.
Footnotes
[1]
JS History, vol. A-1, 155.
[2]
Revelation, 30 Oct. 1831, in William E. McLellin, Papers, CHL.
McLellin, William E. Papers, 1831–1836, 1877–1878. CHL. MS 13538.
[3]
Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 64–67.
[4]
[5]
See Revelation, 29 Oct. 1831 [D&C 66].
[6]
[7]
McLellin noted in his journal that he copied revelations during a three-week period between 29 October and 16 November. Whitmer made his copy before leaving for Missouri on 20 November. (McLellin, Journal, Oct.–Nov. 1831; Revelation, 30 Oct. 1831, in McLellin, Copies of Revelations, [8]; Whitmer, History, 38.)
McLellin, William E. Copies of Revelations, early Nov. 1831. In “W. E. Mc.Lellan Jan— 1877,” 1877, William E. McLellin, Papers, 1831–1878. CHL. MS 13538, box 1, fd. 7.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Revelation, 30 October 1831 [D&C 65] Revelation Book 1 Revelation, 30 October 1831, as Recorded in McLellin, Copies of Revelations [D&C 65] Revelations printed in The Evening and the Morning Star, June 1832–June 1833 Revelation Book 2 Revelations printed in Evening and Morning Star, January 1835–June 1836 Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834] Doctrine and Covenants, 1844 “History of Joseph Smith”
Page 112
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69
1
John Whitmer assigned this number to the revelation when recording it in Revelation Book 1.
Revelation Oct. 30th. 1831

Hearken & Lo a voice as one sent down from on high who is mighty & powerfull whose going forth is unto the ends of the Earth yea whose voice is unto men prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths strait
2
See Matthew 3:3.
The
keys
Authority or knowledge of God given to humankind. In the earliest records, the term keys primarily referred to JS’s authority to unlock the “mysteries of the kingdom.” Early revelations declared that both JS and Oliver Cowdery held the keys to bring forth...
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of the kingdom of God is committed unto man on the Earth
3
The New Testament records Christ telling Peter that he would receive “the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” A 15 March 1832 revelation declares that the Lord gave JS “the keys of the Kingdom.” Likewise, a history that JS composed circa summer 1832 states that JS also received “the Kees of the Kingdom of God.” (Matthew 16:19; Revelation, 15 Mar. 1832 [D&C 81:2]; JS History, ca. Summer 1832.)
& from thence shall the Gospel roll forth unto the ends of the Earth as the stone which is hewn from the Mountain without hands shall roll forth untill it hath filled the whole Earth
4
See Daniel 2:35, 44.
yea a voice crying prepare ye the way of the Lord prepare ye the supper of the Lamb
5
See Revelation 19:9; and Revelation, 1 Aug. 1831 [D&C 58:11].
make ready for the Bridegroom
6
See Matthew 25:1–13; and Revelation, Oct. 1830–B [D&C 33:17].
pray unto the Lord call upon his holy name make known his wonderfull works. among the people call upon the Lord that his kingdom may go forth upon the Earth that the inhabitants thereof may received it & be prepared for the days to come in the which the Son of man Shall come down in heaven Clothed in the brightness of his glory
7
About the same time as this revelation was dictated, JS revised Mark 8:38 to read, “He that layeth down his life for my sake & the Gospels, shall come with him, & shall be clothed with his glory, in the cloud, on the right hand of the son of man.” (New Testament Revision 2, p. 24 [second numbering] [Joseph Smith Translation, Mark 8:43]; see also Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 67.)
to meet the kingdom of God which is set up on the Earth Wherefore may the kingdom of God go forth that the kingdom of heaven may come that thou O God may be glorified in heaven so on Earth that thine enemies may be subdued
8
See Psalm 81:14; and Revelation, 1 Aug. 1831 [D&C 58:22].
for thine is the kingdom honour power & glory forever & ever Amen
9
See Matthew 6:13.
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Footnotes
[1]
John Whitmer assigned this number to the revelation when recording it in Revelation Book 1.
[2]
See Matthew 3:3.
[3]
The New Testament records Christ telling Peter that he would receive “the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” A 15 March 1832 revelation declares that the Lord gave JS “the keys of the Kingdom.” Likewise, a history that JS composed circa summer 1832 states that JS also received “the Kees of the Kingdom of God.” (Matthew 16:19; Revelation, 15 Mar. 1832 [D&C 81:2]; JS History, ca. Summer 1832.)
[4]
See Daniel 2:35, 44.
[5]
See Revelation 19:9; and Revelation, 1 Aug. 1831 [D&C 58:11].
[6]
See Matthew 25:1–13; and Revelation, Oct. 1830–B [D&C 33:17].
[7]
About the same time as this revelation was dictated, JS revised Mark 8:38 to read, “He that layeth down his life for my sake & the Gospels, shall come with him, & shall be clothed with his glory, in the cloud, on the right hand of the son of man.” (New Testament Revision 2, p. 24 [second numbering] [Joseph Smith Translation, Mark 8:43]; see also Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 67.)
[8]
See Psalm 81:14; and Revelation, 1 Aug. 1831 [D&C 58:22].
[9]
See Matthew 6:13.