Revelation, April 1830–A [D&C 23:1–2]

Home >
The Papers >

Revelation, April 1830–A [D&C 23:1–2]
Source Note

Revelation,
Manchester Township
Settled 1793. Formed as Burt Township when divided from Farmington Township, 31 Mar. 1821. Name changed to Manchester, 16 Apr. 1822. Included village of Manchester. Population in 1825 about 2,700. Population in 1830 about 2,800. JS reported first vision of...
More Info
, Ontario Co., NY, to
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...
View Full Bio
, Apr. 1830. Featured version, titled “18th. Commandment AD Ap[r]il 1830,” copied [ca. Mar. 1831] in Revelation Book 1, p. 29; 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...
View Full Bio
; CHL. Includes redactions. For more complete source information, see the source note for Revelation Book 1.
Historical Introduction
Each of the following five revelations, which were dictated soon after the organization of 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...
View Glossary
on 6 April 1830, addressed one of JS’s family members or a close associate who desired to know the Lord’s will concerning himself.
1
JS History, vol. A-1, 38.
All five texts include similar content and phrasing, and JS likely dictated them one after the other.
2
Four of the five revelations, including this one, indicate that the recipients were “under no condemnation.” In those for Hyrum Smith and Samuel Smith, “also” is added (“thou also art under no condemnation”), suggesting that they were dictated after this one to Oliver Cowdery, as Revelation Book 1 orders them. The revelation for Joseph Smith Sr. uses “also” in reference to “exhortation,” as does Samuel Smith’s revelation, again suggesting both order and the close relationship of these texts. In subsequent printed versions of these revelations, they were arranged in the same order as in Revelation Book 1. (See Revelation Book 1, pp. 29–30; Book of Commandments 17–21.)

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...
View Full Bio
recorded them separately in Revelation Book 1 and assigned the date “AD 1830” to each one. Though the editors of the Book of Commandments printed the revelations separately and gave each the date of 6 April 1830, that date appears to be in error and was dropped two years later, in 1835, when the Doctrine and Covenants combined the texts into a single document with a general “April, 1830” date.
3
Doctrine and Covenants 45, 1835 ed.
JS’s history and other sources suggest that the revelations date between the 6 April organization and an 11 April meeting, both of which took place in
Fayette Township
Located in northern part of county between Seneca and Cayuga lakes. Area settled, by 1790. Officially organized as Washington Township, 14 Mar. 1800. Name changed to Fayette, 6 Apr. 1808. Population in 1830 about 3,200. Population in 1840 about 3,700. Significant...
More Info
, New York.
4
See JS History, vol. A-1, 37–39. The text featured here told Oliver Cowdery to “make known thy Calling,” another clue that JS likely dictated it after 6 April, since a revelation on that day named Cowdery “first Preacher of this Church.” (Revelation, 6 Apr. 1830 [D&C 21:10–12].)
Footnotes
[1]
JS History, vol. A-1, 38.
[2]
Four of the five revelations, including this one, indicate that the recipients were “under no condemnation.” In those for Hyrum Smith and Samuel Smith, “also” is added (“thou also art under no condemnation”), suggesting that they were dictated after this one to Oliver Cowdery, as Revelation Book 1 orders them. The revelation for Joseph Smith Sr. uses “also” in reference to “exhortation,” as does Samuel Smith’s revelation, again suggesting both order and the close relationship of these texts. In subsequent printed versions of these revelations, they were arranged in the same order as in Revelation Book 1. (See Revelation Book 1, pp. 29–30; Book of Commandments 17–21.)
[3]
Doctrine and Covenants 45, 1835 ed.
[4]
See JS History, vol. A-1, 37–39. The text featured here told Oliver Cowdery to “make known thy Calling,” another clue that JS likely dictated it after 6 April, since a revelation on that day named Cowdery “first Preacher of this Church.” (Revelation, 6 Apr. 1830 [D&C 21:10–12].)
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Revelation, April 1830–A [D&C 23:1–2] Revelation Book 1 Book of Commandments, 1833 Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834] History, circa 1841, draft [Draft 3] History, circa 1841, fair copy “History of Joseph Smith” Doctrine and Covenants, 1844
Page 29
Hide editing marks

18th. Commandment AD 1830
1
Later Oliver Cowdery himself inserted “Ap[r]il” before the year.

A Revelation to
Oliver [Cowdery]
View Full Bio
given at
Manchester
Settled 1793. Formed as Burt Township when divided from Farmington Township, 31 Mar. 1821. Name changed to Manchester, 16 Apr. 1822. Included village of Manchester. Population in 1825 about 2,700. Population in 1830 about 2,800. JS reported first vision of...
More Info
Ontario Co State of New York Soon after his calling to the Minstery
2
John Whitmer probably created this heading when he copied the text into Revelation Book 1. At the time this revelation was dictated, Cowdery and JS were likely at the Hyrum Smith residence in Palmyra. If this is the case, the revelation originated in Palmyra, not in Manchester. The “calling to the Minstery” apparently refers to Cowdery’s appointment and ordination on 6 April 1830 as second elder of the newly organized church and to his calling as “first Preacher of this Church.” (JS History, vol. A-1, 37; Revelation, 6 Apr. 1830 [D&C 21:12].)

Behold I say unto you
Oliver
View Full Bio
a few words Behold thou art Blessed & art under no condemnation but beware of pride lest thou shouldest enter into temptation make known thy Calling unto the
Church
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...
View Glossary
& also before the World & thy heart shall be opened to Preach the truth from henceforth & for ever
3
Since Cowdery was already designated “first Preacher of this Church unto the Church & before the world,” he may have been acting in obedience to this injunction to “make known thy Calling” when at a church meeting on 11 April, he “preached the first public discourse that was delivered by any of our number.” In addition, a Palmyra, New York, newspaper reported in early June that Cowdery was “on board a boat, with a load of ‘gOld bibles,’ under a command, (as he says) to declare the truth (according to Jo Smith,) ‘in all the principal cities in the Union.’” (Revelation, 6 Apr. 1830 [D&C 21:12]; JS History, vol. A-1, 39; News Item, Reflector (Palmyra, NY), 1 June 1830, 28, nonstandard capitalization in original.)
Comprehensive Works Cited
Reflector. Palmyra, NY. 1821–1831.
amen [p. 29]
View entire transcript
|
Cite this page
Source Note
Document Transcript
Page 29
Document Information
Footnotes
[1]
Later Oliver Cowdery himself inserted “Ap[r]il” before the year.
[2]
John Whitmer probably created this heading when he copied the text into Revelation Book 1. At the time this revelation was dictated, Cowdery and JS were likely at the Hyrum Smith residence in Palmyra. If this is the case, the revelation originated in Palmyra, not in Manchester. The “calling to the Minstery” apparently refers to Cowdery’s appointment and ordination on 6 April 1830 as second elder of the newly organized church and to his calling as “first Preacher of this Church.” (JS History, vol. A-1, 37; Revelation, 6 Apr. 1830 [D&C 21:12].)
[3]
Since Cowdery was already designated “first Preacher of this Church unto the Church & before the world,” he may have been acting in obedience to this injunction to “make known thy Calling” when at a church meeting on 11 April, he “preached the first public discourse that was delivered by any of our number.” In addition, a Palmyra, New York, newspaper reported in early June that Cowdery was “on board a boat, with a load of ‘gOld bibles,’ under a command, (as he says) to declare the truth (according to Jo Smith,) ‘in all the principal cities in the Union.’” (Revelation, 6 Apr. 1830 [D&C 21:12]; JS History, vol. A-1, 39; News Item, Reflector (Palmyra, NY), 1 June 1830, 28, nonstandard capitalization in original.)
Reflector. Palmyra, NY. 1821–1831.