Keys
Summary
Authority or knowledge of God given to humankind. In the earliest records, the term keys primarily referred to JS’s authority to unlock the “mysteries of the kingdom.” Early revelations declared that both JS and Oliver Cowdery held the keys to bring forth “those parts of my scriptures which have been hidden because of iniquity,” apparently a reference to JS’s ability to translate the Book of Mormon. JS also held the “keys of the mysteries of the revelations” and “those things which have been sealed,” apparent references to JS’s authorization to receive revelations from God. By October 1831, the term was used in reference to the authority to establish the kingdom of God on earth, paralleling its use in the New Testament where Jesus Christ gave Peter the “keys of the kingdom of heaven.” Another JS revelation indicated that these keys were given to JS and Oliver Cowdery by Peter, James, and John. In 1832, revelations specifically connected these keys to the presidency of the high priesthood, declaring that the keys of the kingdom would always remain with the presidency. A September 1832 revelation further explained that “the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God,” was held by the greater priesthood. The lesser priesthood held keys, or authorization, as well, even “the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel.” JS later declared that he and Oliver Cowdery received additional keys in 1836. JS stated that Moses gave them the “keys of the gathering of Israel” and that Elijah bestowed “the Keys of the authority to administer in all the ordinances of the Priesthood,” including the authority to perform ceremonies sealing spouses and families for eternity. JS explained there were numerous keys with different applications, including a key of knowledge for the twelve apostles “to detect the devil.” JS later bestowed keys on the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo “that they may be able to detect every thing false” and that “knowledge and intelligence shall flow down from this time.”
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- History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834]
- Times and Seasons, 1 October 1842
- Times and Seasons, 1 September 1842
- Account of Meetings, Revelation, and Blessing, 5–6 December 1834
- Appendix 5, Document 1. Blessing to Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith, between circa 15 and 28 September 1835
- Appendix 5, Document 6. Blessing to Oliver Cowdery, 2 October 1835
- Blessing from Joseph Smith Sr., 9 December 1834
- Blessing from Oliver Cowdery, 22 September 1835
- Blessing to Joseph Kingsbury, 23 March 1843
- Blessing to Orson Hyde, 15 February 1835
- Blessing to Sarah Ann Whitney, 23 March 1843
- Blessing to William Smith, 15 February 1835
- Discourse, between circa 26 June and circa 4 August 1839–A, as Reported by William Clayton
- Discourse, 1 May 1842, as Reported by Oliver Olney
- Discourse, 1 May 1842, as Reported by Oliver Olney, Copy
- Discourse, 1 May 1842, as Reported by Willard Richards
- Discourse, 11 June 1843–A, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff
- Discourse, 11 June 1843–A, as Reported by Willard Richards
- Discourse, 16 May 1841, as Reported by William Clayton
- Discourse, 16 May 1841, as Reported by Unidentified Scribe
- Discourse, 17 January 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff
- Discourse, 2 July 1839, as Reported by Willard Richards
- Discourse, 2 July 1839, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff–A
- Discourse, 2 July 1839, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff–B
- Discourse, 2 July 1839, as Reported by William Clayton
- Discourse, 22 January 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff
- Discourse, 26 May 1842
- Discourse, 27 February 1835–B, as Recorded in Pratt, Notebook
- Discourse, 27 February 1835–B, as Reported by Oliver Cowdery
- Discourse, 27 February 1835–B, as Reported by William E. McLellin
- Discourse, 27 June 1839, as Reported by Willard Richards
- Discourse, 27 June 1839, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff–A
- Discourse, 27 June 1839, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff–B
- Discourse, 28 April 1842
- Discourse, 29 January 1843, as Reported by Willard Richards–A
- Discourse, 30 July 1840, as Reported by John Smith
- Discourse, 3 October 1841, as Reported by Willard Richards
- Discourse, 5 January 1841, as Reported by Unidentified Scribe
- Discourse, 5 January 1841, as Reported by William Clayton
- Discourse, 6 April 1837
- Discourse, between circa 26 June and circa 2 July 1839, as Reported by Willard Richards
- Discourse, between circa 26 June and circa 2 July 1839, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff
- Discourse, between circa 26 June and circa 4 August 1839–A, as Reported by Unidentified Scribe
- Discourse, between circa 26 June and circa 4 August 1839–B, as Reported by William Clayton
- Discourse, between circa 26 June and circa 4 August 1839–A, as Reported by Willard Richards
- Discourse, between circa 26 June and circa 4 August 1839–B, as Reported by Willard Richards
- Discourse, circa 21 March 1841, as Reported by William P. McIntire
- Discourse, circa 21 March 1841, as Reported by Martha Jane Knowlton Coray
- History Draft [1 March–31 December 1843]
- History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843]
- History, circa Summer 1832
- Instruction on Priesthood, between circa 1 March and circa 4 May 1835 [D&C 107]
- Instruction on Priesthood, between circa 1 March and circa 4 May 1835, as Recorded in Kimball, History [D&C 107]
- Instruction on Priesthood, circa 5 October 1840
- Instruction, 9 February 1843 [D&C 129], as Reported by Willard Richards
- Instruction, 9 February 1843 [D&C 129], as Reported by William Clayton
- Journal, 1835–1836
- Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 1, 21 December 1842–10 March 1843
- Journal, March–September 1838
- Letter from John Taylor, 3 February 1841
- Letter from Wilford Woodruff and Jonathan H. Hale, 18 September 1837
- Letter from Wilford Woodruff and Others, 9 March 1838
- Letter from William W. Phelps, with Appended Letter from Orson Hyde and John E. Page, 29 June 1840
- Letter to Church Leaders in Jackson County, Missouri, 10 August 1833
- Letter to Editor, 1 April 1843, Second Draft
- Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 March 1839
- Letter to John S. Carter, 13 April 1833
- Letter to Moses Nickerson, 19 November 1833
- Letter to Newel K., Elizabeth Ann Smith, and Sarah Ann Whitney, 18 August 1842
- Letter to Oliver Granger, between circa 22 and circa 28 July 1840
- Letter to Quorum of the Twelve, 15 December 1840
- Letter to the Church and Edward Partridge, 20 March 1839
- Letter to the Church in Caldwell County, Missouri, 16 December 1838, as Recorded in “General” Record Book
- Letter to the Church in Caldwell County, Missouri, 16 December 1838
- Letter to the Church in Caldwell County, Missouri, 16 December 1838, as Published in Times and Seasons
- Letter to the Church, 7 September 1842 [D&C 128]
- Letterbook 1
- Letterbook 2
- License for Frederick G. Williams, 20 March 1833
- Minutes and Blessings, 21 February 1835
- Minutes and Discourse, 28 April 1842
- Minutes and Discourses, 27 February 1835, as Recorded in Pratt, Notebook
- Minutes and Discourses, 27 February 1835, as Reported by Oliver Cowdery
- Minutes and Discourses, 27 February 1835, as Reported by William E. McLellin
- Minutes, 12 November 1831
- Minutes, 17 February 1834
- Minutes, 18 March 1833
- Minutes, 19 February 1834
- Minutes, 20 January 1843
- Minutes, 30 March 1836
- Minutes, 7 April 1843, as Reported by William Clayton
- Minutes, Discourse, and Blessings, 14–15 February 1835
- Nauvoo Relief Society Minute Book
- Ordination and Blessing of Oliver Cowdery, 5 December 1834
- Poem to William W. Phelps, between circa 1 and circa 15 February 1843
- Questions and Answers, between circa 16 and circa 29 March 1838–A [D&C 113:1–6]
- Recommendation for Heber C. Kimball, between 2 and 13 June 1837
- Record of the Twelve, 14 February–28 August 1835
- Revelation Book 1
- Revelation Book 2
- Revelation, 2 August 1833–A [D&C 97]
- Revelation, September 1830–B [D&C 28]
- Revelation, 11 September 1831 [D&C 64]
- Revelation, 11 September 1831, John Whitmer Copy [D&C 64]
- Revelation, 11 September 1831, as Published and Recorded in Partridge copy of Book of Commandments [D&C 64]
- Revelation, 11 September 1831, as Recorded in Gilbert, Notebook [D&C 64]
- Revelation, 11 September 1831, as Recorded in Hyde and Smith, Notebook [D&C 64]
- Revelation, 12 July 1843 [D&C 132]
- Revelation, 15 March 1832 [D&C 81]
- Revelation, 15 March 1833 [D&C 92]
- Revelation, 19 January 1841 [D&C 124]
- Revelation, 22–23 September 1832 [D&C 84]
- Revelation, 23 July 1837 [D&C 112]
- Revelation, 23 July 1837, Vilate Murray Kimball Copy [D&C 112]
- Revelation, 23 July 1837, William W. Phelps Copy [D&C 112]
- Revelation, 23 July 1837, as Recorded in Kimball, Journal [D&C 112]
- Revelation, 23 July 1837, as Recorded in Richards, Pocket Companion [D&C 112]
- Revelation, 23 July 1837, as Recorded in Woodruff, Book of Revelations [D&C 112]
- Revelation, 23 July 1837, as Recorded in Young, Journal [D&C 112]
- Revelation, 26 April 1838 [D&C 115]
- Revelation, 27 July 1842, in Unidentified Handwriting–A
- Revelation, 27 July 1842, in Unidentified Handwriting–B
- Revelation, 30 October 1831 [D&C 65]
- Revelation, 30 October 1831, as Recorded in McLellin, Copies of Revelations [D&C 65]
- Revelation, 5 January 1833
- Revelation, 7 December 1830 [D&C 35]
- Revelation, 7 December 1830, as Published in Ohio Star [D&C 35]
- Revelation, 8 March 1833 [D&C 90]
- Revelation, April 1829–A [D&C 6]
- Revelation, between circa 8 and circa 24 March 1832
- Revelation, circa August 1835 [D&C 27]
- Revelation, circa June 1835 [D&C 68]
- Revelations printed in Evening and Morning Star, January 1835–June 1836
- Revised Minutes, 17 June 1844
- Revised Minutes, 17 June 1844, as Published in Nauvoo Neighbor
- Visions, 21 January 1836 [D&C 137]
- Visions, 3 April 1836 [D&C 110]