Revelation, , OH, 6 June 1831. Featured version, titled “55th. Commandment given at Kirtland June 6th. 1831,” copied [ca. June 1831] in Revelation Book 1, pp. 87–89; handwriting of ; CHL. Includes redactions. For more complete source information, see the source note for Revelation Book 1.
Historical Introduction
In June 1831 a was held in , Ohio, which all of the of the church had been directed to attend by a February revelation. As part of the conference, according to , many church members gathered on 5 June “on the hill in a field whare there was a larg concours of people collected.” JS addressed the congregation and told them that “from that time the Elders would have large congregations to speak to and they must soon take there departure into the Reagions west.” The next day, 6 June, the conference continued, and that night JS dictated the text featured here, later writing that he received it “by an heavenly vision.”
The revelation declared that the next conference would be held in and directed the elders to travel to Missouri two by two, by different routes, preaching along the way. Nearly all the men who had been to the “” a few days earlier were now called to preach, as were several others. The revelation further instructed JS and to leave for Missouri as soon as possible, promising that if they were faithful, the Lord would make known the location in Missouri of “the land of your inheritance.”
Behold thus saith the Lord unto the Elders whom he hath called & chosen in these last days by the voice of his Spirit saying I the Lord will make known unto you what I will make known that ye sh◊◊ld do from this time untill the next which shall be held in upon the land which I will consecrate unto my People which are a remnant of Jacob & those who are heirs according to the covenant wherefore verily I say unto you let my Servents Joseph & take their Journey as Soon as preperations can be made to leave their homes & Journey to the land of & in as much as they are faithfull unto me it shall be made known unto them what they shall do & it shall also in as much as they are faithfull be made known unto them the land of your inheritance & in as much as they are not faithfull they shall be cut off even as I will as Seemeth me good & again verily I say unto you let my Servent & my Servent take their Journey speedily & also my Servent & my Servent take their Journey unto the Same place by the way of & let them Journey from thence preaching the word by the way saying none other things than the Prophets & have written & that which is [p. 87]
See Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 501 [3 Nephi 21:22–26]. A September 1830 revelation declared, “The decree hath gone forth from the father that they shall be gethered in unto one place upon the face of this land.” (Revelation, Sept. 1830–A [D&C 29:8].)