Revelation Book 1

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Revelation Book 1
Revelation, July 1828 [D&C 3] Page 1 Revelation, February 1829 [D&C 4] Page 2 Revelation, Spring 1829 [D&C 10] Page 11 Revelation, April 1829–B [D&C 8] Page 12 Account of John, April 1829–C [D&C 7] Page 13 Revelation, April 1829–D [D&C 9] Page 14 Articles of the Church of Christ, June 1829 Page 23 Revelation, circa Summer 1829 [D&C 19] Page 27 Revelation, circa Early 1830 Page 30 Explanation of Scripture, 1830 [D&C 74] Page 60 Revelation, April 1830–A [D&C 23:1–2] Page 29 Revelation, April 1830–B [D&C 23:3] Page 29 Revelation, April 1830–C [D&C 23:4] Page 29 Revelation, April 1830–D [D&C 23:5] Page 30 Revelation, April 1830–E [D&C 23:6–7] Page 30 Articles and Covenants, circa April 1830 [D&C 20] Page 52 Revelation, 6 April 1830 [D&C 21] Page 28 Revelation, 16 April 1830 [D&C 22] Page 32 Revelation, July 1830–A [D&C 24] Page 32 Revelation, July 1830–B [D&C 26] Page 34 Revelation, July 1830–C [D&C 25] Page 34 Revelation, circa August 1830 [D&C 27] Page 35 Revelation, September 1830–A [D&C 29] Page 36 Revelation, September 1830–B [D&C 28] Page 40 Revelation, September 1830–C [D&C 30:1–4] Page 42 Revelation, September 1830–D [D&C 30:5–8] Page 42 Revelation, September 1830–E [D&C 30:9–11] Page 43 Revelation, September 1830–F [D&C 31] Page 43 Revelation, October 1830–B [D&C 33] Page 44 Revelation, 4 November 1830 [D&C 34] Page 45 Revelation, 7 December 1830 [D&C 35] Page 46 Revelation, 9 December 1830 [D&C 36] Page 48 Revelation, 30 December 1830 [D&C 37] Page 49 Revelation, 2 January 1831 [D&C 38] Page 49 Revelation, 5 January 1831 [D&C 39] Page 58 Revelation, 6 January 1831 [D&C 40] Page 60 Revelation, February 1831–A [D&C 43] Page 67 Revelation, February 1831–A [D&C 43], continued Page 68 Revelation, February 1831–B [D&C 44] Page 70 Revelation, 4 February 1831 [D&C 41] Page 61 Revelation, 9 February 1831 [D&C 42:1–73] Page 62 Revelation, 23 February 1831 [D&C 42:74–77] Page [0] Revelation, circa 7 March 1831 [D&C 45] Page 71 Revelation, circa 8 March 1831–A [D&C 46] Page 76 Revelation, circa 8 March 1831–B [D&C 47] Page 79 Revelation, 10 March 1831 [D&C 48] Page 79 Revelation, 7 May 1831 [D&C 49] Page 80 Revelation, 9 May 1831 [D&C 50] Page 82 Revelation, 15 May 1831 Page 85 Revelation, 20 May 1831 [D&C 51] Page 86 Revelation, 6 June 1831 [D&C 52] Page 87 Revelation, 8 June 1831 [D&C 53] Page 89 Revelation, 10 June 1831 [D&C 54] Page 90 Revelation, 14 June 1831 [D&C 55] Page 91 Revelation, 15 June 1831 [D&C 56] Page 91 Revelation, 20 July 1831 [D&C 57] Page 93 Revelation, 1 August 1831 [D&C 58] Page 94 Revelation, 7 August 1831 [D&C 59] Page 98 Revelation, 8 August 1831 [D&C 60] Page 100 Revelation, 12 August 1831 [D&C 61] Page 101 Revelation, 13 August 1831 [D&C 62] Page 104 Revelation, 30 August 1831 [D&C 63] Page 104 Revelation, 11 September 1831 [D&C 64] Page 108 Revelation, 29 October 1831 [D&C 66] Page 111 Revelation, 30 October 1831 [D&C 65] Page 112 Revelation, 1 November 1831–A [D&C 68] Page 113 Revelation, 1 November 1831–B [D&C 1] Page 125 Revelation, 2 November 1831 [D&C 67] Page 114 Testimony, circa 2 November 1831 Page 121 Revelation, 3 November 1831 [D&C 133] Page 116 Revelation, 11 November 1831–A [D&C 69] Page 122 Revelation, 11 November 1831–B [D&C 107 (partial)] Page 122 Revelation, 12 November 1831 [D&C 70] Page 124 Revelation, 1 December 1831 [D&C 71] Page 134[a] Revelation, 4 December 1831–A [D&C 72:1–8] Page 132 Revelation, 4 December 1831–B [D&C 72:9–23] Page 133 Revelation, 4 December 1831–C [D&C 72:24–26] Page 134[a] Revelation, 10 January 1832 [D&C 73] Page 146 Revelation, 25 January 1832–A [D&C 75:1–22] Page 129 Revelation, 25 January 1832–B [D&C 75:23–36] Page 131 Vision, 16 February 1832 [D&C 76] Page 135[a] Revelation, 1 March 1832 [D&C 78] Page 145 Answers to Questions, between circa 4 and circa 20 March 1832 [D&C 77] Page 141 Sample of Pure Language, between circa 4 and circa 20 March 1832 Page 144 Revelation, 7 March 1832 [D&C 80] Page 147 Revelation, 12 March 1832 [D&C 79] Page 147 Revelation, 15 March 1832 [D&C 81] Page 139 Revelation, 20 March 1832 Page 148 Revelation, 26 April 1832 [D&C 82] Page 128 Revelation, 30 April 1832 [D&C 83] Page 132 Revelation, 29 August 1832 [D&C 99] Page 148 Revelation, 22–23 September 1832 [D&C 84] Page 149 Revelation, 6 December 1832 [D&C 86] Page 177 Revelation, 25 December 1832 [D&C 87] Page 157 Revelation, 25 December 1832 [D&C 87] Page 202 Revelation, 27–28 December 1832 [D&C 88:1–126] Page 158 Revelation, 3 January 1833 [D&C 88:127–137] Page 166 Revelation, 27 February 1833 [D&C 89] Page 167 Revelation, 8 March 1833 [D&C 90] Page 168 Revelation, 6 May 1833 [D&C 93] Page 178 Revelation, 1 June 1833 [D&C 95] Page 181 Revelation, 4 June 1833 [D&C 96] Page 182 Revelation, 2 August 1833–A [D&C 97] Page 171 Revelation, 2 August 1833–B [D&C 94] Page 172 Revelation, 6 August 1833 [D&C 98] Page 173 Revelation, 16–17 December 1833 [D&C 101] Page 183 Minutes, 17 February 1834 [D&C 102] Page 202 Revelation, 24 February 1834 [D&C 103] Page 189 Revelation, 23 April 1834 [D&C 104] Page 192 Revelation, 28 April 1834 Page 198 Revelation, 22 June 1834 [D&C 105] Page 199 Index Page 207
Source Note

“A Book of Commandments & Revelations of the Lord given to Joseph the Seer & others by the Inspiration of God & gift & power of the Holy Ghost which Beareth Re[c]ord of the Father & Son & Holy Ghost which is one God Infinite & eternal World without end Amen,” Revelation Book 1, [ca. Mar. 1831–July 1835]; 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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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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in both original inscription and later redactions; handwriting of
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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,
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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, JS, and an unknown number of unidentified scribes in later redactions only; 208 pages (18 pages missing) and four inserted leaves; volume at CHL and four loose leaves in Restoration Scriptures Collection at CCLA. Includes redactions and archival marking.

This volume likely contained nine gatherings of twelve leaves each, measuring 12⅝ × 7¾ inches (32 × 20 cm), plus two pastedowns and an unknown number of flyleaves (one flyleaf is extant in the back of the volume). The existing sheets are ledger paper with thirty-six blue horizontal lines, most faint or completely faded, and four red vertical lines. The binding was disassembled, possibly for ease in printing the revelations, and the original cover was discarded or lost. Evidence suggests that the book was originally sewn all along over recessed cords, likely with a tight-back case with quarter-leather binding. A brown paperboard cover was placed around the pages, perhaps as soon as the early 1830s but certainly before the mid-1850s. With the current paperboard cover, the volume measures 13⅛ × 8½ × ¾ inches (33 × 22 × 2 cm). The front cover is labeled “S” in black ink that later turned light brown, and “can” or “cam” is written at the bottom in blue-green ink. The inside back cover has “2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 75 | 55 | ◊◊ | wisdo” written vertically along the right margin in various shades of brown (formerly black) ink. A slip of blue paper pasted on the spine reads “Book of Commandments and Revelations”. This notation was written by
Leo Hawkins
19 July 1834–28 May 1859. Clerk, reporter. Born in London. Son of Samuel Harris Hawkins and Charlotte Savage. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by John Banks, 23 Oct. 1848. Immigrated to U.S. with his family; arrived in New Orleans...
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, a clerk for the Church Historian’s Office, 1853–1856.

The current state of the volume makes it difficult to determine its original condition. Nine gatherings of the volume are currently accounted for, but additional gatherings may have existed.

The volume bears remnants of the original glue and leather used for binding on the inside edges of the gatherings, and some of the gatherings are still attached to this original binding. In addition, some gatherings are completely uncut, meaning the original six sheets folded to make the twelve-leaf gatherings are attached and complete. Others are completely or partially cut and separated. The first gathering contains only four of its original leaves, and one leaf is missing from the second gathering. The leaves from the third and fourth gatherings are still mostly attached to the original binding. The fifth and sixth gatherings are mostly disconnected from the original binding. In the sixth gathering, the scribe mistakenly repeated the numbers “134” and “135” when numbering pages, leaving two pages numbered 134 and and two numbered 135. As a result, the remaining page numbers are off by two and the gathering’s last manuscript page is incorrectly numbered 142 (rather than 144). While the seventh gathering remains mostly attached to remnants of the original binding and the eighth gathering is completely intact, the ninth gathering is disconnected from the original binding altogether. If the ninth gathering originally contained twelve leaves, three are missing. There is also one flyleaf at the end of the volume.

Needle holes along the spine of the paperboard cover match up with needle holes on the edge of the fifth gathering, and one piece of thread remains at the center of that gathering. Because this rough sewing was evidently done when the fifth gathering was still an intact unit, it likely attached the makeshift cover to the text block until the cover was separated and the fifth gathering was disassembled.

The first 127 pages of the manuscript book contain seventy-six revelations and four other items. These eighty items were likely entered in the order in which they originated, the exceptions being Articles and covenants, circa April 1830 [D&C 20]; Explanation of scripture, 1830 [D&C 74]; and the revelations dated circa 8 March 1831–B [D&C 47] and 1 November 1831–B [D&C 1]. There are over thirty items in the remainder of the volume, about half of which appear out of chronological order.

The leaves for the following manuscript pages are missing from the volume, and their whereabouts are not known: 3–10, 15–22, and 25–26. These pages were likely numbered, and it is not known when they were separated from the manuscript book. The leaves for manuscript pages 111–112, 117–120, and 139–140 are currently held at the Community of Christ Library-Archives. Markings on these loose pages indicate that they were likely separated from the manuscript book during work on the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants or sometime thereafter.

In 1902, the First Presidency of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS church) approved purchase of the loose pages from George Schweich,
David Whitmer
7 Jan. 1805–25 Jan. 1888. Farmer, livery keeper. Born near Harrisburg, Dauphin Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Raised Presbyterian. Moved to Ontario Co., New York, shortly after birth. Attended German Reformed Church. Arranged...
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’s grandson.
1
“Minutes of First Presidency,” 24 Apr. 1902, CCLA. The RLDS church purchased from Schweich additional material that was passed down from David Whitmer, including the Book of Mormon printer’s manuscript and parts of the manuscript from JS’s Bible revision. (Walter W. Smith, Independence, MO, to S. A. Burgess, Independence, MO, 15 Apr. 1926, J. F. Curtis Papers, CCLA.)
Comprehensive Works Cited
“Minutes of First Presidency, March 1898 to September 1907, Record No. 1.” CCLA.
Curtis, J. F. Papers. CCLA.
The pages were likely separated by
John Whitmer
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or
Oliver Cowdery
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before Whitmer and Cowdery were excommunicated in 1838. A secondhand source states that
David Whitmer
7 Jan. 1805–25 Jan. 1888. Farmer, livery keeper. Born near Harrisburg, Dauphin Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Raised Presbyterian. Moved to Ontario Co., New York, shortly after birth. Attended German Reformed Church. Arranged...
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received these pages from Oliver Cowdery in 1850.
2
Former RLDS church historian Walter W. Smith, who was present when these papers were turned over to the RLDS church, heard from both George Schweich and David Whitmer’s family that the leaves were “received by David Whitmer from Oliver Cowdery at his death in 1850.” (Walter W. Smith, Independence, MO, to the RLDS First Presidency, Independence, MO, 14 Sept. 1925, Whitmer Papers, CCLA; see also Walter W. Smith, Independence, MO, to R. L. Fulk, Ogden, UT, 13 Dec. 1919, Subject Folder Collection, Book of Commandments, CCLA.)
Whitmer Papers. CCLA.
Subject Folder Collection, Book of Commandments. CCLA.
However, at the time these leaves were acquired by the RLDS church, they were grouped with the John Whitmer copy of the JS Bible revision and the Book of John Whitmer, suggesting that the leaves were in John Whitmer’s possession until his death in 1878.
3
Walter W. Smith noted on two different occasions that “these pages [of revelations] . . . were in the Whitmer manuscript book [Book of John Whitmer] and were the same that [George] Schweich turned over to the [RLDS] church.” (W. W. Smith to S. A. Burgess, 15 Apr. 1926; see also W. W. Smith to the RLDS First Presidency, 14 Sept. 1925.)
Neither John Whitmer nor David Whitmer left known accounts of either man having possession of the leaves. The provenance of the leaves between 1835 and 1902, therefore, is uncertain.

The custodial history of the manuscript book itself is uncertain between the publication of the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants and the 1846 Latter-day Saint exodus from
Nauvoo
Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....
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, Illinois, though the book likely remained in the possession of JS, his office staff, and subsequent leadership of the LDS church. The Church Historian’s Office inventory from 1846 lists “Rough Book—Revelation History &c.,” possibly referring to Revelation Book 1.
4
“Schedule of Church Records. Nauvoo 1846,” [1], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.
Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.
By the 1850s, the spine of Revelation Book 1 had been labeled “Book of Commandments and Revelations” by the Church Historian’s Office staff, and it appeared with that title on subsequent Church Historian’s Office inventories through 1878.
5
“Contents of the Historian and Recorder’s Office.” [5]; “Index Records and Journals in the Historian’s Office 1878,” [5], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.
Evidence indicates that the manuscript book was part of the papers of church historian and recorder Joseph Fielding Smith, who held that office from 1921 to 1970. The manuscript book became part of the First Presidency’s papers when he became president in 1970.
6
In a 1909 article in which he discussed the history surrounding the securing of the Book of Mormon copyright in Canada, B. H. Roberts, an LDS assistant church historian, did not appear to know about the revelation found in Revelation Book 1 that deals with copyright. In a 1907 letter, Joseph Fielding Smith made an indirect reference to Revelation Book 1, indicating that he knew of its existence. Because Roberts apparently did not know about the manuscript volume and Smith did, it may be inferred that the volume was in Smith’s possession as early as 1907. A 1970 inventory establishes the document was in the possession of Joseph Fielding Smith later in his life. (Revelation, ca. Early 1830; Roberts, “History of the Mormon Church”; Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City, UT, to John R. Haldeman, Independence, MO, 24 May 1907, Joseph Fielding Smith Papers, CHL; “Inventory of President Joseph Fielding Smith’s Safe,” 23 May 1970, CHL.)
Roberts, Brigham H. “History of the Mormon Church.” Americana 1 (Dec. 1909): 1016–1025. Also available in B. H. Roberts, A Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Century I (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1930), 1:157–166.
Smith, Joseph Fielding. Papers, 1893–1973. CHL. MS 4250.
“Inventory of President Joseph Fielding Smith’s Safe,” 23 May 1970. First Presidency, General Administration Files, 1921–1972. CHL.

Revelation Book 1 is a manuscript book of revelations and other items begun less than a year after JS organized the Church of Christ in April 1830. The book may have originated in
New York
Located in northeast region of U.S. Area settled by Dutch traders, 1620s; later governed by Britain, 1664–1776. Admitted to U.S. as state, 1788. Population in 1810 about 1,000,000; in 1820 about 1,400,000; in 1830 about 1,900,000; and in 1840 about 2,400,...
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in summer 1830, when JS and
John Whitmer
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began to “arrange and copy the revelations” previously received.
7
JS History, vol. A-1, 50.
JS History / Smith, Joseph, et al. History, 1838–1856. Vols. A-1–F-1 (original), A-2–E-2 (fair copy). Historian’s Office, History of the Church, 1839–ca. 1882. CHL. CR 100 102, boxes 1–7. The history for the period after 5 Aug. 1838 was composed after the death of Joseph Smith.
More likely, however, Whitmer began inscribing material in Revelation Book 1 in
Ohio
French explored and claimed area, 1669. British took possession following French and Indian War, 1763. Ceded to U.S., 1783. First permanent white settlement established, 1788. Northeastern portion maintained as part of Connecticut, 1786, and called Connecticut...
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in about March 1831, following his appointment to keep church records and history.
8
See Revelation, ca. 8 Mar. 1831–B [D&C 47].
Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of the Latter Day Saints: Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God. Compiled by Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams. Kirtland, OH: F. G. Williams, 1835. Also available in Robin Scott Jensen, Richard E. Turley Jr., Riley M. Lorimer, eds., Revelations and Translations, Volume 2: Published Revelations. Vol. 2 of the Revelations and Translations series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2011).
Textual evidence indicates that Whitmer and
Cowdery
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copied revelations and other texts into Revelation Book 1 from even earlier manuscripts that are no longer extant. All items in the manuscript book date from 1828 to 1834. Textual analysis suggests that the first half was copied mostly between spring 1831 and the end of that year and the final item was copied in July 1835. Revelation Book 1 includes the earliest known copies of many revelations as well as items not found anywhere else. Whitmer likely added most of the headings and titles to the individual revelations.

In November 1831, church leaders meeting in a conference in
Hiram
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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, Ohio, authorized publication of a volume of revelations to be called the Book of Commandments and appointed
Cowdery
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to take the revelations to
Missouri
Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Latter-day Saint ...
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for printing. Cowdery and
Whitmer
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, who was appointed by revelation to accompany him, departed from Hiram that same month, taking Revelation Book 1 and possibly other manuscript revelations with them. They arrived in
Independence
Located twelve miles from western Missouri border. Permanently settled, platted, and designated county seat, 1827. Hub for steamboat travel on Missouri River. Point of departure for Santa Fe Trail. Population in 1831 about 300. Latter-day Saint population...
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, Missouri, in January 1832 to work with
William W. Phelps
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, who had been appointed church printer by revelation
9
Revelation, 20 July 1831, in Doctrine and Covenants 27:5, 1835 ed. [D&C 57:11].
and had already purchased a printing press. Pages 128–148 of the volume contain fourteen items dated December 1831–April 1832 that were copied into the book after April 1832. The manuscript source of these revelations and other items is unknown, but JS and other church leaders possibly brought them to Missouri in April 1832. Whitmer, Cowdery, and Phelps used Revelation Book 1 as a printer’s manuscript, marking up corrections, changes, and verse numbers therein, and published revelations in both the first church newspaper, The Evening and the Morning Star, and the Book of Commandments.
10
The manuscript revelation book was subsequently taken to Ohio, where it served yet again as a printer’s manuscript, this time for the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants.

Note: The transcript of Revelation Book 1 on this website includes only the original inscriptions, not the later redactions made to the manuscript book to prepare the revelations for publication. Readers will notice many discrepancies between the images and the transcript. For a transcript that includes the redactions, consult the facsimile images available by clicking on the book icon to the left of the images; see also Revelations and Translations: Manuscript Revelation Books, facsimile ed. (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2009) or Revelations and Translations, Volume 1: Manuscript Revelation Books (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2011).

Except as described in this note, Revelation Book 1 is presented here electronically as a complete record. In contrast, the Documents series presents each revelation separately, placed in chronological order with other documents of various genres. That series includes the earliest and best extant version of each revelation, providing contextual annotation and a historical introduction for each. Readers should consult the Documents series for information about the setting and significance of individual revelations.

Note: The images of pages 111–112, 117–120, and 139–140 of Revelation Book 1 published on this website are © Community of Christ and are licensed to the Joseph Smith Papers Project. Community of Christ–copyrighted images are marked with an identifying watermark. To inquire about high-resolution images of Community of Christ–copyrighted images for scholarly use, please contact the Community of Christ Library-Archives,
Independence
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, Missouri.
Footnotes
[1]
“Minutes of First Presidency,” 24 Apr. 1902, CCLA. The RLDS church purchased from Schweich additional material that was passed down from David Whitmer, including the Book of Mormon printer’s manuscript and parts of the manuscript from JS’s Bible revision. (Walter W. Smith, Independence, MO, to S. A. Burgess, Independence, MO, 15 Apr. 1926, J. F. Curtis Papers, CCLA.)
“Minutes of First Presidency, March 1898 to September 1907, Record No. 1.” CCLA.
[2]
Former RLDS church historian Walter W. Smith, who was present when these papers were turned over to the RLDS church, heard from both George Schweich and David Whitmer’s family that the leaves were “received by David Whitmer from Oliver Cowdery at his death in 1850.” (Walter W. Smith, Independence, MO, to the RLDS First Presidency, Independence, MO, 14 Sept. 1925, Whitmer Papers, CCLA; see also Walter W. Smith, Independence, MO, to R. L. Fulk, Ogden, UT, 13 Dec. 1919, Subject Folder Collection, Book of Commandments, CCLA.)
Subject Folder Collection, Book of Commandments. CCLA.
[3]
Walter W. Smith noted on two different occasions that “these pages [of revelations] . . . were in the Whitmer manuscript book [Book of John Whitmer] and were the same that [George] Schweich turned over to the [RLDS] church.” (W. W. Smith to S. A. Burgess, 15 Apr. 1926; see also W. W. Smith to the RLDS First Presidency, 14 Sept. 1925.)
[4]
“Schedule of Church Records. Nauvoo 1846,” [1], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.
[5]
“Contents of the Historian and Recorder’s Office.” [5]; “Index Records and Journals in the Historian’s Office 1878,” [5], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.
[6]
In a 1909 article in which he discussed the history surrounding the securing of the Book of Mormon copyright in Canada, B. H. Roberts, an LDS assistant church historian, did not appear to know about the revelation found in Revelation Book 1 that deals with copyright. In a 1907 letter, Joseph Fielding Smith made an indirect reference to Revelation Book 1, indicating that he knew of its existence. Because Roberts apparently did not know about the manuscript volume and Smith did, it may be inferred that the volume was in Smith’s possession as early as 1907. A 1970 inventory establishes the document was in the possession of Joseph Fielding Smith later in his life. (Revelation, ca. Early 1830; Roberts, “History of the Mormon Church”; Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City, UT, to John R. Haldeman, Independence, MO, 24 May 1907, Joseph Fielding Smith Papers, CHL; “Inventory of President Joseph Fielding Smith’s Safe,” 23 May 1970, CHL.)
Roberts, Brigham H. “History of the Mormon Church.” Americana 1 (Dec. 1909): 1016–1025. Also available in B. H. Roberts, A Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Century I (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1930), 1:157–166.
Smith, Joseph Fielding. Papers, 1893–1973. CHL. MS 4250.
“Inventory of President Joseph Fielding Smith’s Safe,” 23 May 1970. First Presidency, General Administration Files, 1921–1972. CHL.
[7]
[8]
[9]
Revelation, 20 July 1831, in Doctrine and Covenants 27:5, 1835 ed. [D&C 57:11].
[10]
The manuscript revelation book was subsequently taken to Ohio, where it served yet again as a printer’s manuscript, this time for the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants.
Historical Introduction
Revelation Book 1, also known as “Book of Commandments and Revelations,” is a manuscript book of revelations and other items that was begun less than a year after JS organized the Church of Christ in April 1830.
John Whitmer
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was the principal scribe, although
Oliver Cowdery
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also wrote a few pages. The book may have originated in
New York
Located in northeast region of U.S. Area settled by Dutch traders, 1620s; later governed by Britain, 1664–1776. Admitted to U.S. as state, 1788. Population in 1810 about 1,000,000; in 1820 about 1,400,000; in 1830 about 1,900,000; and in 1840 about 2,400,...
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in summer 1830 when JS and John Whitmer began to “arrange and copy the revelations” previously received.
1
More likely, however, Whitmer began inscribing material in Revelation Book 1 in
Ohio
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, circa March 1831, following his appointment to keep church records and history.
2
Textual evidence indicates that Whitmer and Cowdery copied revelations and other items into Revelation Book 1 from even earlier manuscripts that are no longer extant. All items in the manuscript book date from 1828 to 1834. Textual analysis suggests that the first half was copied mostly between spring 1831 and the end of that year, and the final item was copied in July 1835. Revelation Book 1 contains the earliest known copies of many revelations and, in some cases, the only surviving early manuscript copy. It also contains items not found anywhere else, including a revelation on securing a copyright in
Canada
In late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Canada referred to British colonies of Upper Canada and Lower Canada. Divided into Upper Canada and Lower Canada, 1791; reunited 10 Feb. 1841. Boundaries corresponded roughly to present-day Ontario (Upper...
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for the Book of Mormon.
3
Revelation, ca. early 1830.
In November 1831, church leaders meeting in a conference in
Hiram
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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, Ohio, authorized publication of a volume of revelations later known as the Book of Commandments and appointed
Oliver Cowdery
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to take the revelations to
Missouri
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for publication. Cowdery and
John Whitmer
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, who was appointed by revelation to accompany him, departed from Hiram, Ohio, that same month, taking Revelation Book 1 and possibly other manuscript revelations with them. They arrived in
Independence
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, Missouri, in January 1832 to work with
William W. Phelps
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, who had been appointed church printer by revelation
4
Revelation, 20 July 1831 [D&C 57:11].
and had already purchased a printing press. They published the first issue of the church newspaper The Evening and the Morning Star five months later, and twenty-four revelatory items eventually appeared in that publication. All but one of those items also appear in Revelation Book 1, which was likely their source for publication.
5
Revelation, 23 Feb. 1831 [D&C 42:78–93] does not appear in Revelation Book 1.
The first eighty items in Revelation Book 1 appear on manuscript pages 1–127. Of these items, only four dated items are known to have been copied into the book out of chronological order. This portion of the manuscript book was likely inscribed in 1831 and includes items dated October–November 1831 that were copied shortly before
John Whitmer
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and
Oliver Cowdery
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left
Ohio
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for
Missouri
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(manuscript pages 108–127). Whitmer’s access to the revelations dictated in Ohio after his departure to Missouri was, of course, limited to those delivered by mail or in person.
In the remainder of the manuscript book, about half of the revelations and other items are out of chronological order. Manuscript pages 128–148 contain fourteen items dated December 1831–April 1832 that were copied into the manuscript book after April 1832. The manuscript source of these revelations and other items is unknown, but JS and other church leaders possibly brought them to
Missouri
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in April 1832. While these fourteen items are out of order chronologically,
Whitmer
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copied more of them into Revelation Book 1 than other scribes copied into Revelation Book 2, which was begun in late February or early March 1832 and kept by JS and his scribes at church headquarters in
Ohio
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.
6
Revelation Book 2 does not contain the revelations dated 10 Jan. 1832 [D&C 73], 25 Jan. 1832 [D&C 75], and 26 Apr. 1832 [D&C 82].
This suggests that Revelation Book 1 was a more complete record of revelations than Revelation Book 2, even though Revelation Book 1 was being updated outside of church headquarters.
Manuscript pages 148–170 contain seven entries that appear in chronological order.
Whitmer
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likely copied the next three revelations, on manuscript pages 171–177, from a letter to
Missouri
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leaders dated 6 August 1833. This letter contains all three revelations, and all three bear an August 1833 date.
7
Sidney Rigdon et al., Kirtland, OH, to Edward Partridge et al., Independence, MO, 6 Aug. 1833, JS Collection, CHL.
Smith, Joseph. Collection, 1827–1846. CHL. MS 155.
They appear in Revelation Book 1 in the order in which they appear in the letter. Manuscript pages 177–201 contain nine revelations that were all copied chronologically; however, the first four revelations in this group are dated before the August revelations found in the aforementioned letter. Manuscript pages 202–203 contain the final two items in Revelation Book 1: a heading for minutes of the February 1834 meeting to organize a standing “high counsel” in
Ohio
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(likely indicating an intention to copy the minutes from this meeting) and the second copy of a revelation that was copied into the book twice.
8
The revelation copied twice is Revelation, 25 Dec. 1832 [D&C 87]. [copy 1] [copy 2]
Following this last revelation, there are three blank pages before a two-page index that Whitmer created for the first ninety-eight pages of the manuscript book.
Editorial redactions in Revelation Book 1 demonstrate that it was used as a source for publishing the Book of Commandments in 1833. Thirty-one revelations in Revelation Book 1 contain added verse numbers and punctuation that usually match verse numbers and punctuation in the Book of Commandments.
9
See Book of Commandments, chaps. 9, 16, 18–21, 27, 31–40, 42–44, 50, 54–59, 61, and 63–65.
Items found in the later portion of the manuscript book were not printed in the Book of Commandments and contain few redactions.
After the 1833 destruction of the Saints’ printing office in
Missouri
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, efforts to publish the revelations shifted to
Ohio
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, beginning in late 1834. Those preparing the revelations for publication in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants did not initially have access to Revelation Book 1 because it was in Missouri. After
John Whitmer
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returned to
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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in the middle of May 1835, evidently bringing the manuscript book with him, it became a supplemental source for the publication effort. Revelation Book 1 includes twenty-one items that contain redactions made for the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants.
10
See Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 ed., secs. 17–18, 20–29, 73–77, 84, 86–87, and 98.
These redactions show an effort to clarify wording in the revelations and other items on the part of those selecting, arranging, and preparing them for publication.
A comparison of Revelation Book 1 with the Book of Commandments and with the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants indicates that Revelation Book 1 is a relatively comprehensive collection of revelations. It contains 64 of the 65 items published in the 1833 Book of Commandments,
11
The single revelation published in the Book of Commandments but not found in Revelation Book 1 is Revelation, May 1829–B, in Book of Commandments 11 [D&C 12].
as well as 95 of the 103 sections published in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants.
12
The eight items published in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants but not found in Revelation Book 1 are Revelation, May 1829–B, in Doctrine and Covenants 38, 1835 ed. [D&C 12]; Revelation, Oct. 1830–A, in Doctrine and Covenants 54, 1835 ed. [D&C 32]; Revelation, 9 Mar. 1833, in Doctrine and Covenants 92, 1835 ed. [D&C 91]; Revelation, 15 Mar. 1833, in Doctrine and Covenants 93, 1835 ed. [D&C 92]; Revelation, 12 Oct. 1833, in Doctrine and Covenants 94, 1835 ed. [D&C 100]; Revelation, 25 Nov. 1834, in Doctrine and Covenants 99, 1835 ed. [D&C 106]; “Marriage,” ca. Aug. 1835, in Doctrine and Covenants 101, 1835 ed.; and “Of Governments and Laws in General,” ca. Aug. 1835, in Doctrine and Covenants 102, 1835 ed. [D&C 134].
Of the many revelations and other items copied into the manuscript book, only 11 do not appear in either the Book of Commandments or the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants.
13
See the following: Revelation, ca. June 1829; Revelation, ca. early 1830; Revelation, 15 May 1831; Testimony, ca. 1 Nov. 1831; Answers to questions, ca. Mar. 1832 [D&C 77]; Sample of pure language, ca. Mar. 1832; Revelation, 20 Mar. 1832; Revelation, 25 Dec. 1832 [D&C 87]; Revelation, 24 Feb. 1834 [D&C 103]; Revelation, 28 Apr. 1834; and Revelation, 22 June 1834 [D&C 105].
In November 1831, JS and his associates were appointed by church conferences to prepare the revelations and other items in Revelation Book 1 for publication by correcting and modifying the text. JS was to “correct those errors or mistakes which he m[a]y discover by the holy Spirit.”
14
Minute Book 2, 8 Nov. 1831.
Minute Book 2 / “The Conference Minutes and Record Book of Christ’s Church of Latter Day Saints,” 1838, 1842, 1844. CHL. Also available at josephsmithpapers.org.
Many redactions were made before selected items were published in
Missouri
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, while others were made in
Ohio
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before the 1835 publication of the Doctrine and Covenants. Changes made in
Sidney Rigdon
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’s hand are among the earliest, and evidence indicates that he made them in Ohio before the book went to Missouri in November 1831. Rigdon frequently altered the language in the revelations from the biblical “thee,” “thy,” and “thine” to the more modern “you,” “your,” and “yours.” He also corrected grammar and changed some of the language to clarify and modify words and meaning.
John Whitmer
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and
Oliver Cowdery
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could have made redactions in either
Ohio
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or
Missouri
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as early as 1831 or as late as 1835, though the majority of redactions they made first appear in print in 1833 or earlier. Whitmer’s marks often reversed changes made by
Sidney Rigdon
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, and his later editing also modified some of the wording in the revelations. Though not as frequent, changes in Cowdery’s hand were often more substantive in nature, clarifying and expanding the meaning of several items in preparation for the publication of the Book of Commandments and the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants.
William W. Phelps
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had neither reason nor opportunity to edit the items in Revelation Book 1 until he and his associates began preparing the texts for publication in
Missouri
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. As printer of The Evening and the Morning Star and the Book of Commandments, Phelps provided much of the punctuation and versification and many of the other copyediting changes. Only rarely did he alter the original language.
JS likely reviewed some of his associates’ editorial changes and made slight alterations in his own hand before the book was taken to
Missouri
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in late 1831 for publication of the Book of Commandments in 1833, although he may have reviewed the selection, editing, and publication process as late as April 1832 when he visited Missouri. He made additional changes, including adding the surnames of some individuals named in the revelations, just before the Doctrine and Covenants was published in 1835.
15
JS et al., Kirtland, OH, to Edward Partridge et al., Independence, MO, 25 June 1833, JS Collection, CHL.
The extent to which JS influenced the redactions made by other individuals is unknown.
In addition to marking corrections, those preparing the items in Revelation Book 1 for publication used pins or adhesive wafers to attach slips of paper to pages of the manuscript book. The slips, one of which is extant in Revelation Book 1, contained additions to or clarifications of the original text. The extant slip is transcribed as a separate leaf where it appears in the manuscript book. Visible pinholes or wafer residue likely mark where additional slips were fastened to the page as texts were copied or prepared for publication.
16
See here for an example of a slip of paper that was pasted to the page. A series of pinholes is also visible on manuscript page 85.
This physical evidence, which suggest how the manuscript book was used by those preparing the texts for publication, are noted in the textual annotation.
A loose copy of a revelation in the handwriting of
Sidney Rigdon
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was inserted into Revelation Book 1 at an unknown time, thereby becoming associated with the manuscript book, though not physically part of it.
Note: The transcript of Revelation Book 1 on this website includes only the original inscriptions, not the later redactions made to the manuscript book to prepare the revelations for publication. Readers will notice many discrepancies between the images and the transcript. For a transcript that includes the redactions, consult the facsimile images available by clicking on the book icon to the left of the images; see also Revelations and Translations: Manuscript Revelation Books, facsimile ed. (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2009) or Revelations and Translations, Volume 1: Manuscript Revelation Books (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2011).
Except as described in this note, Revelation Book 1 is presented here electronically as a complete record. In contrast, the Documents series presents each revelation separately, placed in chronological order with other documents of various genres. That series includes the earliest and best extant version of each revelation, providing contextual annotation and a historical introduction for each. Readers should consult the Documents series for information about the setting and significance of individual revelations.
Footnotes
[1]
[2]
[3]
Revelation, ca. early 1830.
[4]
Revelation, 20 July 1831 [D&C 57:11].
[5]
Revelation, 23 Feb. 1831 [D&C 42:78–93] does not appear in Revelation Book 1.
[6]
Revelation Book 2 does not contain the revelations dated 10 Jan. 1832 [D&C 73], 25 Jan. 1832 [D&C 75], and 26 Apr. 1832 [D&C 82].
[7]
Sidney Rigdon et al., Kirtland, OH, to Edward Partridge et al., Independence, MO, 6 Aug. 1833, JS Collection, CHL.
[8]
The revelation copied twice is Revelation, 25 Dec. 1832 [D&C 87]. [copy 1] [copy 2]
[9]
See Book of Commandments, chaps. 9, 16, 18–21, 27, 31–40, 42–44, 50, 54–59, 61, and 63–65.
[10]
See Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 ed., secs. 17–18, 20–29, 73–77, 84, 86–87, and 98.
[11]
The single revelation published in the Book of Commandments but not found in Revelation Book 1 is Revelation, May 1829–B, in Book of Commandments 11 [D&C 12].
[12]
The eight items published in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants but not found in Revelation Book 1 are Revelation, May 1829–B, in Doctrine and Covenants 38, 1835 ed. [D&C 12]; Revelation, Oct. 1830–A, in Doctrine and Covenants 54, 1835 ed. [D&C 32]; Revelation, 9 Mar. 1833, in Doctrine and Covenants 92, 1835 ed. [D&C 91]; Revelation, 15 Mar. 1833, in Doctrine and Covenants 93, 1835 ed. [D&C 92]; Revelation, 12 Oct. 1833, in Doctrine and Covenants 94, 1835 ed. [D&C 100]; Revelation, 25 Nov. 1834, in Doctrine and Covenants 99, 1835 ed. [D&C 106]; “Marriage,” ca. Aug. 1835, in Doctrine and Covenants 101, 1835 ed.; and “Of Governments and Laws in General,” ca. Aug. 1835, in Doctrine and Covenants 102, 1835 ed. [D&C 134].
[13]
See the following: Revelation, ca. June 1829; Revelation, ca. early 1830; Revelation, 15 May 1831; Testimony, ca. 1 Nov. 1831; Answers to questions, ca. Mar. 1832 [D&C 77]; Sample of pure language, ca. Mar. 1832; Revelation, 20 Mar. 1832; Revelation, 25 Dec. 1832 [D&C 87]; Revelation, 24 Feb. 1834 [D&C 103]; Revelation, 28 Apr. 1834; and Revelation, 22 June 1834 [D&C 105].
[14]
Minute Book 2, 8 Nov. 1831.
Minute Book 2 / “The Conference Minutes and Record Book of Christ’s Church of Latter Day Saints,” 1838, 1842, 1844. CHL. Also available at josephsmithpapers.org.
[15]
JS et al., Kirtland, OH, to Edward Partridge et al., Independence, MO, 25 June 1833, JS Collection, CHL.
[16]
See here for an example of a slip of paper that was pasted to the page. A series of pinholes is also visible on manuscript page 85.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Revelation, circa 7 March 1831 [D&C 45]
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you that ye must visit the poor & the needy & administer to their releaf that they may be kept untill all things may be done according to my
law
Principles given to the church and its members in February 1831 revelations. In January 1831, a revelation promised the saints in New York that the law would be given after they gathered in Ohio. Once in Ohio, on 9 and 23 February 1831, JS dictated two revelations...
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which ye have receivd amen
Revelation, circa 7 March 1831 [D&C 45]
47 A prophecy March 7th. 1831
given to Joseph the seer at
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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geauga County Ohio
Saying hearken O ye people of my
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...
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to whom the Kingdom was has been given hearken ye & give ere [ear] to him who laid the foundation of the Earth who made the Heavens & all the hosts thereof & by whom all things were made which live & move & have a being & again I say hearken unto my voice lest death shall overtake you in an hour when ye think not the Summer shall be past & the harvest ended & your souls not saved listen to him who is the advocate with the Father who is pleading your case before him saying Father behold the sufferings & death of him who did no sin in whom thou wast well pleased Behold the Blood of thy son which was shed the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified wherefore Father spare these my Brethren that Believe on my name that they may come unto me And have everlasting life Hearken O ye people of my Church & ye
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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listen together & hear my voice whilest it is called to day & harden not your hearts For verily I say unto you that I am Alpha & Omega the Begining & the end the light & the life of the world a light that shineth in darkness & the darkness comprehendeth it not I came unto my own & my own Received me not but unto as many as received me gave I power to do many Miricles & to become the Sons of God & even unto them that believed on my name gave I power to obtain eternal life & even so I have sent mine everlasting covenant unto the World to be a light to the world & to be a standerd for my people & for the
gentiles
Those who were not members of the House of Israel. More specifically, members of the church identified gentiles as those whose lineage was not of the Jews or Lamanites (understood to be the American Indians in JS’s day). Certain prophecies indicated that ...
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to seek to it And to be a mesinger before my face to prepare the way before me [p. 71]
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