Revelation, 1 November 1831–A [D&C 68]
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Source Note
Revelation, , OH, 1 Nov. 1831. Featured version, titled “70 A Revelation to Orson Luke Lyman & William,” copied [ca. Nov. 1831] in Revelation Book 1, pp. 113–114; handwriting of and ; CHL. Includes redactions. For more complete source information, see the source note for Revelation Book 1.
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Historical Introduction
On 1–2 November 1831, ten convened a in , Ohio, to discuss the publication of the Book of Commandments, a compilation of JS’s revelations. According to a later JS history, four of the conference attendees—, , , and —approached JS during the conference and requested to know the Lord’s will concerning them. This revelation came in response to their inquiry. The revelation provided more information about the evangelizing duties of the four men specifically and of elders in general. While Hyde, McLellin, and Luke Johnson were all to the at a conference held in , Cuyahoga County, Ohio, a week earlier, Lyman Johnson was ordained to the high priesthood at the Hiram conference on 2 November.After closing the portion of the revelation addressed specifically to the four men with an “Amen,” the document shifts its audience to the church in general and gives additional information about the office of , as well as counsel to members of the church “in ” about teaching and their children and avoiding idleness and greed. The text may originally have been dictated as two discrete revelations, which, like some other revelations closely related in time or content, were then copied together and presented as a single, unified text. All extant copies of the text—whether in manuscript or published form—present both parts as one revelation.The original manuscript of the revelation is not extant, and the conference minutes do not mention the revelation. However, the copy in Revelation Book 1 is dated 1 November 1831 and a heading states that it was “given in Nov. 1. 1831.” and copied the revelation into Revelation Book 1, probably soon after its dictation.
Footnotes
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1
For more information on this conference, see Minutes, 1–2 Nov. 1831.
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2
JS History, vol. A-1, 163. A few days earlier, JS had dictated a revelation to McLellin regarding God’s will for him, but McLellin and his copetitioners apparently desired more direction. (Revelation, 29 Oct. 1831 [D&C 66].)
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3
JS History, vol. A-1, 163.
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6
A 2 November date for the revelation cannot, however, be ruled out. A later JS history places the revelation as the final event of the two-day conference. (JS History, vol. A-1, 157–163.)
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7
Cowdery and Whitmer left for Missouri on 20 November 1831 with Revelation Book 1, and the revelation was likely copied before they left. When this revelation was published in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, additional verses were included. (Whitmer, History, 38; Doctrine and Covenants 22, 1835 ed.)
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1
Document Transcript
Footnotes
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John Whitmer handwriting begins.
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1
John Whitmer assigned this number to the revelation when recording it in Revelation Book 1.
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John Whitmer handwriting ends; Oliver Cowdery begins.
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2
This heading may not have appeared in the original manuscript; it may have been added by Oliver Cowdery when he copied the revelation into Revelation Book 1.
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3
“Ordinance” likely refers to Hyde’s ordination to the high priesthood. “Ordinance”—which, according to Webster’s 1828 dictionary, could mean “appointment”—was changed to “ordination” in the 1921 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. Hyde later recalled that, at the same conference where this ordination occurred, he was “appointed on a mission to Elyria and Florence [Ohio] in connection with Bro. Hyrum Smith.” (Doctrine and Covenants 68:1, 1921 ed.; “Ordinance,” in American Dictionary [1828]; “History of Orson Hyde,” 8, Historian’s Office, Histories of the Twelve, ca. 1858–1880, CHL.)
The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Containing Revelations Given to Joseph Smith, the Prophet; with Some Additions by His Successors in the Presidency of the Church. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1921.
An American Dictionary of the English Language: Intended to Exhibit, I. the Origin, Affinities and Primary Signification of English Words, as far as They Have Been Ascertained. . . . Edited by Noah Webster. New York: S. Converse, 1828.
Historian’s Office. Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861. CHL. CR 100 93.
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4
Although “synagogue” refers specifically to a Jewish house of worship, it is also used in the Book of Mormon to denote a general place of worship. (Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 492 [3 Nephi 18:32].)
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5
See Revelation, 29 Oct. 1831 [D&C 66:7].
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6
Former church member Ezra Booth claimed that it was JS’s responsibility to determine whether revelations received by other individuals were “from the Lord or the devil.” A September 1830 revelation declared that JS was the only one “appointed to Receive commandments & Revelations” for the church. (Ezra Booth, “Mormonism—No. II,” Ohio Star [Ravenna], 20 Oct. 1831, [3]; Revelation, Sept. 1830–B [D&C 28:2]; see also Revelation, Feb. 1831–A [D&C 43:2–4].)
Ohio Star. Ravenna. 1830–1854.
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7
See Romans 1:16.
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8
See Mark 16:15–18; Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 537 [Mormon 9:22–24]; and Revelation, 7 Dec. 1830 [D&C 35:8–9].
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9
A March 1831 revelation delineated some of these signs. (Revelation, ca. 7 Mar. 1831 [D&C 45:39–44].)
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10
The minutes of the conference held in Orange, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, a week earlier record that “Br. Joseph Smith jr. said that the order of the High priesthood is that they have power given them to seal up the Saints unto eternal life.” (Minutes, 25–26 Oct. 1831.)
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11
That is, in addition to the “Laws of the Church of Christ,” dated February 1831, and other commandments. (See Revelation, 9 Feb. 1831 [D&C 42:1–72]; Revelation, 23 Feb. 1831 [D&C 42:74–93].)
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12
Edward Partridge was appointed bishop in February 1831. (See Revelation, 4 Feb. 1831 [D&C 41:9].)
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13
Extant records predating this revelation generally use the term “high priesthood” instead of “high priests.”a After this revelation, the term “high priests” is increasingly used in records.b Although a conference of elders appointed “assistants” to Edward Partridge in June 1831, there is no extant record of a conference appointing Partridge bishop.c A license created for Partridge, however, states that Partridge had been appointed bishop “with and by the consent of the whole church.”d
(aSee, for example, Minutes, 25–26 Oct. 1831; and Minutes, ca. 3–4 June 1831.bSee, for example, Revelation, 11 Nov. 1831–B [D&C 107 (partial)]; and Revelation, 4 Dec. 1831–A [D&C 72:1].cMinutes, ca. 3–4 June 1831.dLicense for Edward Partridge, ca. 4 Aug.1831–ca. 5 Jan. 1832.) -
14
An August 1831 revelation explained that one of the functions of a bishop was to “be a Judge in Israel” and “to Judge his people by the testimony of the Just.” (Revelation, 1 Aug. 1831 [D&C 58:17–18].)
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15
The February 1831 revelation of the “Laws of the Church of Christ” stated, “If he [Partridge] transgress another shall be appointed in his Stead.” This same revelation provided instructions on how to deal with church members who committed adultery or offended other members of the church. (Revelation, 9 Feb. 1831 [D&C 42:10]; Revelation, 23 Feb. 1831 [D&C 42:80–83, 88–93].)
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16
According to an 1829 revelation, children were not to be baptized until they had reached the “years of accountability.” Sometime between 1 February 1831 and 7 March 1831, JS revised Genesis 17:11 so that it explained “that children are not accountable before me till eight years old.” (Revelation, June 1829–B [D&C 18:42]; Old Testament Revision 1, p. 41, [Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 17:11]; see also Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 64.)
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.
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17
See Revelation, 7 Aug. 1831 [D&C 59:12–13].
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18
The “Laws of the Church of Christ” specifically prohibited idleness, stating “he that is Idle shall not eat the bread nor wear the garment of the labourer.” (Revelation, 9 Feb. 1831 [D&C 42:42].)
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19
See Revelation, 2 Jan. 1831 [D&C 38:39].
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20
See Revelation, 15 June 1831 [D&C 56:17].
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21
Sidney Gilbert, who had returned to Kirtland, Ohio, in August 1831 to “procure the necessaries” for his store in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, was similarly told to communicate “that which he hath seen & heard . . . unto my Deciples” in Missouri “that they perish not & for this cause have I spoken these things.” (Edward Partridge, Independence, MO, to Lydia Clisbee Partridge, 5–7 Aug. 1831, Edward Partridge, Letters, 1831–1835, CHL; Revelation, 11 Sept. 1831 [D&C 64:19].)
Partridge, Edward. Letters, 1831–1835. CHL. MS 23154.
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22
See Revelation 22:6; Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 119 [2 Nephi 31:15]; and Revelation, 29 Oct. 1831 [D&C 66:11].
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23
These titles for Jesus Christ were used in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and earlier JS revelations. (See, for example, Revelation 1:8, 11; Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 473–474 [3 Nephi 9:18]; and Revelation, ca. Summer 1829 [D&C 19:1].)