Revelation, 6 January 1831 [D&C 40]

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Revelation, 6 January 1831 [D&C 40]
Source Note

Revelation,
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...
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, Seneca Co., NY, to JS and
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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, 6 Jan. 1831. Featured version, titled “43rd. Commandment January 6th. 1831,” copied [ca. Mar. 1831] in Revelation Book 1, p. 60; 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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; CHL. Includes redactions. For more complete source information, see the source note for Revelation Book 1.

Historical Introduction
By 6 January 1831, the day after a revelation called him to preach the gospel,
1
Revelation, 5 Jan. 1831 [D&C 39].
Methodist minister
James Covel
Ca. 1770–Feb. 1850. Preacher, doctor. Likely born in Massachusetts. From 1791–ca. 1797, served as Methodist itinerant preacher, first in Litchfield, Litchfield Co., Connecticut, circuit; then in Otsego, Otsego Co., New York, circuit; Pittsfield, Berkshire...
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had departed
Fayette
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, New York, leaving JS and
Sidney Rigdon
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searching for an explanation. As JS later recalled, after Covel “rejected the word of the Lord, and returned to his former principles and people,” the Lord gave JS and Sidney Rigdon this 6 January 1831 revelation, “explaining why he obeyed not the word.”
2
JS History, vol. A-1, 92.
Footnotes
[1]
Revelation, 5 Jan. 1831 [D&C 39].
[2]
JS History, vol. A-1, 92.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Revelation, 6 January 1831 [D&C 40]
Revelation Book 1 Book of Commandments, 1833 Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834] “History of Joseph Smith” Doctrine and Covenants, 1844
Page 60
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43rd.
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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January 6th. 1831

A Revelation to Joseph &
Sidney [Rigdon]
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Recd at
Fayette
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Seneca County state of NY telling them why
James [Covel]
Ca. 1770–Feb. 1850. Preacher, doctor. Likely born in Massachusetts. From 1791–ca. 1797, served as Methodist itinerant preacher, first in Litchfield, Litchfield Co., Connecticut, circuit; then in Otsego, Otsego Co., New York, circuit; Pittsfield, Berkshire...
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Receivd not the obeyed not the Command which he Received &c
1
John Whitmer likely created this heading when he copied the text into Revelation Book 1.
Behold verily I say unto you that his heart was right before me for he covenanted with me that he would obey my word & he Received the word with Gladness but Straitway Satan came & tempted him & the fear of persecution & the cares of the world caused him to reject the word
2
See Matthew 13:20–22.
wherefore he broke
3
TEXT: Possibly “brake”.
the covenant which he had made & it Remaineth in me to do with him as seemeth me good [p. 60]
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Source Note
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Page 60
Document Information
Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Revelation, 6 January 1831 [D&C 40]
ID #
6499
Total Pages
1
Print Volume Location
JSP, D1:236–237
Handwriting on This Page
John Whitmer
Footnotes
[1]
John Whitmer likely created this heading when he copied the text into Revelation Book 1.
[2]
See Matthew 13:20–22.
[3]
TEXT: Possibly “brake”.