Revelation, July 1830–B [D&C 26]

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Revelation, July 1830–B [D&C 26]
Source Note

Revelation,
Harmony Township
Located in northeastern Pennsylvania. Area settled, by 1787. Organized 1809. Population in 1830 about 340. Population in 1840 about 520. Contained Harmony village (no longer in existence). Josiah Stowell hired JS to help look for treasure in area, Oct. 1825...
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, Susquehanna Co., PA, to JS,
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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, and
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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, [July] 1830. Featured version, titled “26th Commandment AD 1830,” copied [ca. Mar. 1831] in Revelation Book 1, p. 34; handwriting of
John Whitmer
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; CHL. Includes redactions. For more complete source information, see the source note for Revelation Book 1.
Historical Introduction
From the time that JS took possession of the
gold plates
A record engraved on gold plates, which JS translated and published as the Book of Mormon. The text explained that the plates were an abridgment of other ancient records and were written by an American prophet named Mormon and his son Moroni. The plates were...
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in September 1827, his days were increasingly filled with work relating to the
translation
To produce a text from one written in another language; in JS’s usage, most often through divine means. JS considered the ability to translate to be a gift of the spirit, like the gift of interpreting tongues. He recounted that he translated “reformed Egyptian...
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. After the publication of the Book of Mormon in March 1830, he spent much of his time building up the church and ministering to its members. He traveled back and forth between
Harmony
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, Pennsylvania, and the three
branches
An ecclesiastical organization of church members in a particular locale. A branch was generally smaller than a stake or a conference. Branches were also referred to as churches, as in “the Church of Shalersville.” In general, a branch was led by a presiding...
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of the church 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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, leaving him less time to work on his farm and care for his material needs.
1
From April to June of both 1828 and 1829, JS was almost completely consumed by translation work; between June and October 1829 he was away from home completing the translation and negotiating the printing of the Book of Mormon; and from late March to late June 1830 he was traveling back and forth between Manchester, Fayette, and Colesville, New York. Once he returned home to Harmony, he traveled multiple times to Colesville, attempting to confirm believers notwithstanding significant opposition there. (See JS History, vol. A-1, 9, 13, 15, 37–42; “Mormonism,” Kansas City Daily Journal, 5 June 1881, 1; Letter to Oliver Cowdery, 22 Oct. 1829; Knight, Reminiscences, 6; and Historical Introduction to Revelation, July 1830–A [D&C 24].)
Comprehensive Works Cited
Kansas City Daily Journal. Kansas City, MO. 1878–1891.
Knight, Joseph, Sr. Reminiscences, no date. CHL. MS 3470.
Around mid-July 1830, a revelation addressed these matters, instructing him to “magnify thy office & after that thou hast sowed thy fields & Secured them then go speedily unto the Church which is in
Colesvill
Area settled, beginning 1785. Formed from Windsor Township, Apr. 1821. Population in 1830 about 2,400. Villages within township included Harpursville, Nineveh, and Colesville. Susquehanna River ran through eastern portion of township. JS worked for Joseph...
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Fayette
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...
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&
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...
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& they shall support thee.”
2
Revelation, July 1830–A [D&C 24:3].
Shortly thereafter, this revelation called JS,
Oliver Cowdery
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, and
John Whitmer
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to study the
scriptures
The sacred, written word of God containing the “mind & will of the Lord” and “matters of divine revelation.” Members of the church considered the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and JS’s revelations to be scripture. Revelations in 1830 and 1831 directed JS to ...
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, preach,
confirm
After baptism, new converts were confirmed members of the church “by the laying on of the hands, & the giving of the Holy Ghost.” According to JS’s history, the first confirmations were administered at the organization of the church on 6 April 1830. By March...
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the Colesville believers, and work on JS’s farm until the next
conference
A meeting where ecclesiastical officers and other church members could conduct church business. The “Articles and Covenants” of the church directed the elders to hold conferences to perform “Church business.” The first of these conferences was held on 9 June...
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.
Footnotes
[1]
From April to June of both 1828 and 1829, JS was almost completely consumed by translation work; between June and October 1829 he was away from home completing the translation and negotiating the printing of the Book of Mormon; and from late March to late June 1830 he was traveling back and forth between Manchester, Fayette, and Colesville, New York. Once he returned home to Harmony, he traveled multiple times to Colesville, attempting to confirm believers notwithstanding significant opposition there. (See JS History, vol. A-1, 9, 13, 15, 37–42; “Mormonism,” Kansas City Daily Journal, 5 June 1881, 1; Letter to Oliver Cowdery, 22 Oct. 1829; Knight, Reminiscences, 6; and Historical Introduction to Revelation, July 1830–A [D&C 24].)
Kansas City Daily Journal. Kansas City, MO. 1878–1891.
Knight, Joseph, Sr. Reminiscences, no date. CHL. MS 3470.
[2]
Revelation, July 1830–A [D&C 24:3].
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Revelation, July 1830–B [D&C 26] 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 34
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26th
Commandment
Generally, a divine mandate that church members were expected to obey; more specifically, a text dictated by JS in the first-person voice of Deity that served to communicate knowledge and instruction to JS and his followers. Occasionally, other inspired texts...
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AD 1830
A Revelation to Joseph
Oliver [Cowdery]
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&
John [Whitmer]
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given at
Harmony
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Susquehannah County State of Pennsylvania
1
John Whitmer likely created this heading when he copied the text into Revelation Book 1.
Behold I say unto you that ye shall let your time be devoted to the studying the
Scriptures
The sacred, written word of God containing the “mind & will of the Lord” and “matters of divine revelation.” Members of the church considered the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and JS’s revelations to be scripture. Revelations in 1830 and 1831 directed JS to ...
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2
A revelation in June 1830, the month before this directive, promised that missing portions of the Bible would “be had again among the Children of men” and presented the expansive visions of Moses. The ambitious work of Bible revision occupied JS for much of the next three years. (Visions of Moses, June 1830 [Moses 1:41]; see also Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 3–13.)
Comprehensive Works Cited
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.
& to preaching & to
confirming
After baptism, new converts were confirmed members of the church “by the laying on of the hands, & the giving of the Holy Ghost.” According to JS’s history, the first confirmations were administered at the organization of the church on 6 April 1830. By March...
View Glossary
the Church at
Colesvill
Area settled, beginning 1785. Formed from Windsor Township, Apr. 1821. Population in 1830 about 2,400. Villages within township included Harpursville, Nineveh, and Colesville. Susquehanna River ran through eastern portion of township. JS worked for Joseph...
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3
Because of persecution, prior efforts to confirm people who had been baptized in Colesville had been unsuccessful. (See JS History, vol. A-1, 44, 47; see also Historical Introductions to Revelation, July 1830–A [D&C 24]; and to Revelation, July 1830–C [D&C 25].)
& to performing thy labours on the Land such as is required until after ye shall go to the west to hold the next
conference
A meeting where ecclesiastical officers and other church members could conduct church business. The “Articles and Covenants” of the church directed the elders to hold conferences to perform “Church business.” The first of these conferences was held on 9 June...
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4
This conference was held 26–28 September 1830 at Fayette, New York, about eighty miles northwest of Harmony. (See Minutes, 26 Sept. 1830; see also Minutes, 9 June 1830.)
then it shall be made known what thou shalt do & all things shall be done by common consent in 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...
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5
The term “common consent” likely referred to seeking the agreement of church members for a particular course of action. (See JS History, vol. A-1, 37.)
by much prayer & faith for all things ye shall receive by faith & thus it is amen [p. 34]
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Source Note
Document Transcript
Page 34
Document Information
Footnotes
[1]
John Whitmer likely created this heading when he copied the text into Revelation Book 1.
[2]
A revelation in June 1830, the month before this directive, promised that missing portions of the Bible would “be had again among the Children of men” and presented the expansive visions of Moses. The ambitious work of Bible revision occupied JS for much of the next three years. (Visions of Moses, June 1830 [Moses 1:41]; see also Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 3–13.)
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.
[3]
Because of persecution, prior efforts to confirm people who had been baptized in Colesville had been unsuccessful. (See JS History, vol. A-1, 44, 47; see also Historical Introductions to Revelation, July 1830–A [D&C 24]; and to Revelation, July 1830–C [D&C 25].)
[4]
This conference was held 26–28 September 1830 at Fayette, New York, about eighty miles northwest of Harmony. (See Minutes, 26 Sept. 1830; see also Minutes, 9 June 1830.)
[5]
The term “common consent” likely referred to seeking the agreement of church members for a particular course of action. (See JS History, vol. A-1, 37.)