Revelation Book 1
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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 and in both original inscription and later redactions; handwriting of , , 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, 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, ’s grandson. The pages were likely separated by or before Whitmer and Cowdery were excommunicated in 1838. A secondhand source states that received these pages from Oliver Cowdery in 1850. 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. 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 , 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. 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. 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.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 in summer 1830, when JS and began to “arrange and copy the revelations” previously received. More likely, however, Whitmer began inscribing material in Revelation Book 1 in in about March 1831, following his appointment to keep church records and history. Textual evidence indicates that Whitmer and 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 , Ohio, authorized publication of a volume of revelations to be called the Book of Commandments and appointed to take the revelations to for printing. Cowdery and , 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 , Missouri, in January 1832 to work with , who had been appointed church printer by revelation 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.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).Nor does this website reproduce the loose copy of the revelation in the handwriting of that was inserted later into Revelation Book 1. For images and transcripts of those pages, consult the aforementioned volumes.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, , Missouri.
Footnotes
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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.
Curtis, J. F. Papers. CCLA.
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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.
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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.)
Curtis, J. F. Papers. CCLA.
Whitmer Papers. CCLA.
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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.
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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.
Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.
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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.
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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.
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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).
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9
Revelation, 20 July 1831, in Doctrine and Covenants 27:5, 1835 ed. [D&C 57:11].
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).
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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.
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1
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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. was the principal scribe, although also wrote a few pages. The book may have originated in in summer 1830 when JS and John Whitmer began to “arrange and copy the revelations” previously received. More likely, however, Whitmer began inscribing material in Revelation Book 1 in , circa March 1831, following his appointment to keep church records and history. 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 for the Book of Mormon.In November 1831, church leaders meeting in a conference in , Ohio, authorized publication of a volume of revelations later known as the Book of Commandments and appointed to take the revelations to for publication. Cowdery and , 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 , Missouri, in January 1832 to work with , who had been appointed church printer by revelation 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.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 and left for (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 in April 1832. While these fourteen items are out of order chronologically, 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 . 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. likely copied the next three revelations, on manuscript pages 171–177, from a letter to leaders dated 6 August 1833. This letter contains all three revelations, and all three bear an August 1833 date. 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 (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. 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. 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 , efforts to publish the revelations shifted to , 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 returned to 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. 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, as well as 95 of the 103 sections published in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants. 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.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.” Many redactions were made before selected items were published in , while others were made in before the 1835 publication of the Doctrine and Covenants. Changes made in ’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.and could have made redactions in either or 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 , 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.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 . 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 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. 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. 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 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).Nor does this website reproduce the loose copy of the revelation in the handwriting of that was inserted later into Revelation Book 1. For images and transcripts of those pages, consult the aforementioned volumes.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
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1
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.
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5
Revelation, 23 Feb. 1831 [D&C 42:78–93] does not appear in Revelation Book 1.
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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].
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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.
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8
The revelation copied twice is Revelation, 25 Dec. 1832 [D&C 87]. [copy 1] [copy 2]
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9
See Book of Commandments, chaps. 9, 16, 18–21, 27, 31–40, 42–44, 50, 54–59, 61, and 63–65.
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10
See Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 ed., secs. 17–18, 20–29, 73–77, 84, 86–87, and 98.
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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].
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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].
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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].
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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.
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15
JS et al., Kirtland, OH, to Edward Partridge et al., Independence, MO, 25 June 1833, JS Collection, CHL.
Smith, Joseph. Collection, 1827–1846. CHL. MS 155.
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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.
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1
Document Transcript
[front cover]
[inside front cover]
A Book of Commandments & Revelations of the Lord given to Joseph the & 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
July one Thousand Eighthundred & Twenty Eight Given to Joseph the Seer after he had lost certan writings which he had by the gift & Power of God
Saying the words <works> of & designs & the Purposes of God cannot be frustrated neither can they come to naught ground for God doth not wa[l]k in crooked Paths neither doth he turn to the right hand nor to the left neither doth vary from that which he hath said therefore his paths are strait & his course is one eternal round Remember Remember that it is not the work of God that is frustrated but the works of men for although a man may have many Revelations & have power to do many Mighty works yet if he boast in his own strength & Sets at naught the councils of God & follows after the dictates of his will & carnal desires he must fall to the Earth & incur the vengence of a Just God upon him behold you have been intrusted with those things but strict was your & Remember also the Promises which were made to you if you transgressed them & behold how oft you have transgressed them Laws of God & have gone on in the Persuasions of men for behold you should not have feared men more then God although men set at naught the councils of God & dispise his words yet you should have been faithful & he would have extended his arm & supported you against all the firey darts of the advisary & he would have been with you in evry time of trouble behold thou art Joseph & thou wast chosen to do the work of the Lord but because of transgression thou mayest fall but remember God is merciful therefore repent of that which thou hast done & he will only cause thee to be afflicted for a season & thou art still chosen & will & will again be called to the work & except [p. 1]
Thou do this thou shalt be delivered up & become as other men & have no more gift & when thou deliveredst up that Which that which God had given thee right to thou deliveredest up that which was Sacred into the hands of a wicked man who has Set at naught the Councils of God & hath broken the most Sacred promises which was made before God & hath depended upon his own Judgement & boasted in his own arm wisdom & this is the reason that thou hast lost thy Privileges for a Season for thou hast suffered that the council of thy directors to be trampeled upon from the begining for as the knowledge of a Saveiour hath come to the world so shall the knowledge of my People the & the Jacobites & the Josephites & the Lamanites come to the Lamanites knowledge of the Lamanites & the & the Ishmaelites which dwindeled in unbelief because of the iniquities of their Fathers who hath been suffered to destroy their Brethren because of their iniquities & their Abominations & for this very Purpose are these Plates prepared which contain these Records that the Promises of the Lord might be fulfilled which he made to his People & that the Lamanites might come to the knowledge of their Fathers & that they may know the Promises of the Lord that they may believe the Gospel & rely upon the merits of Jesus Christ & that they might be glorified through faith in his name & that they might repent & be Saved Amen Received in Susquehannah Penn
AD 1828 A Revelation to the Father of the Seer he desired to know what the Lord had for him to do & this is what he Received as follows
Saying now Behold a Marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men therefore O ye that embark in the service of God see that ye Serve him with all your heart might mind & Strength that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day therefore if ye have desires to serve God ye are Called to the [pages 3–10 missing] [p. 2]
Shall publish it as the Record of Nephi & thus I will confound those which have altered my words I will not suffer that they shall destroy my work yea I will shew unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cuning of the Devil Behold thy they have only got a part or an abridgement of the account of Nephi Behold there are many things engraven on the Plates of Nephi which do throw greater views upon my Gospel therefore it is wisdom in me that ye should translate this first part of the engravings of Nephi & send forth in this work & behold all the remainder of this work doth contain all those parts of my Gospel which the <my> Holy Prophets yea & also my Deciples desired in their Prayers should come forth unto this People & I said unto them that it should be granted unto them according to their faith in their Prayers yea & this is their faith that my Gospel which I give unto them that they might Preach in their days might come unto their Brethren the Lamanites & also all that had become Lamanites because of their dissentions now this is not all <but> their faith in their Prayers where [were] that this Gospel should be made known also if it were posible that other Nations should p[o]ssess the Land & thus they did leave a blessing upon this Land in their prayers that whosoever should believe in this Gospel in this land might have Eternal life yea that it might be free unto all of whatsoever Nation Kindred Tongue or People they may be & now Behold according to their faith in their Prayers will I bring this part of my Gospel to the knowledge of my People Behold I do not bring it to destroy that which they have received but to build it up & for this cause have I said if this generation harden not their hearts I will establish my Church among them now I do not say this to destroy my Church but I say this to build up my Church therefore whosoever belongeth to my Church need not fear for such shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven but it is they which do not fear me neither keep my commandments but buildeth up Churches unto themselves to get gain yea & all those that do wickedly & buildeth up the Kingdom of the Devil yea Verily Verily I say unto you it is they that I will disturb disturb & cause to tremble & shake to the center Behold I am Jesus Christ the Son of God I came unto my own & my own received [p. 11] Me not I am the light which shineth in darkness & the darkness comprehendeth it not I am he which said other sheep have I which are not of this fold unto my Deciples & many there were which understood me not & I will shew unto this <People> that People that I had other sheep & that they were a branch of the House of Jacob & I will bring to light these marvelous works which they did in my name yea & I will also bring to light my Gospel which was ministered unto them & behold they shall not deny that which ye have received but they shall build it up & shall bring to light the true points of my doctrine yea & the only doctrine which is in me & this I do that I establish my Gospel that there may not be so much contention yea Satan doth Stir up the hearts of the People to contention concerning the points of my doctrine & in these things they do err for they do arrest the Scriptures & do not understand them therefore I will unfold unto them this great mystery for Behold I will gether them to ge as a hen gethereth her Chickens under her wings if they will not harden their hearts yea if they will come they may & partake of the waters of life freely Behold this is my doctrine whosoever repenteth & cometh unto me the same is my Church whos[o]ever declareth more or less then this is not of me but is against me therefore he is not of my Church now Behold whosoever is of my Church & & endureth in my church to the end him will I establish upon my rock & the gates of Hell shall not prevail against him them & now remember the words of who has the life & the light of the world your redeemer your Lord & your God Amen—
6th. AD 1829
A Revelation to he being desirous to know whether the Lord would grant him the gift of Revelation & Translation given in Susquehannah Pennsylvania
Verily Verily I say unto you that as Shuredly as the Lord liveth which is your God & your Redeemer even so shure shall ye receive a knowledge of whatsoever things ye shall ask with an honest heart believeing that ye [p. 12] Shall receive, a knowledge concerning the engraveings of old Records which are ancient which contain those parts of my Scriptures of which hath been spoken by the manifestation of my Spirit yea Behold I will tell you in your mind & in your heart by the Holy Ghost which Shall come upon you & which shall dwell in your heart now Behold this is the spirit of Revelation Behold this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the red Sea on dry ground therefore this is thy gift apply unto it & blessed art thou for [it] shall deliver you out of the hands of your enemies when if it were not so they would sley thee & bring thy soul to distruction O remember these words & keep my commandments remember this is thy gift now this is not all for thou hast another gift which is the gift of working with the sprout Behold it hath told you things Behold there is no other power save God that can cause this thing of Nature to work in your hands for it is the work of God & therefore whatsoever ye shall ask to tell you by that means that will he grant unto you that ye shall know remember that without faith ye can do nothing trifle not with these things do not ask for that which ye had not ought ask that ye may know the mysteries of God & that ye may all those ancient Records which have been hid up which are Sacred & according to your faith shall it be done unto you Behold it is I that have spoken it & I am the same which spake unto you from the begining amen
7th. Commandment AD 1829
A Revelation to Joseph & concerning John the Beloved Deciple who leaned on his Saveiours breast given in Susquehannah County Pennsylvania
And the Lord said unto me. John my Beloved what desiredst thou & I said Lord give unto me power that I may bring souls unto thee & the Lord said unto me Verily Verily I say unto thee because thou desiredst this thou shalt tarry until I come in my glory & for this cause the Lord said unto Peter if I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee [p. 13] For he desiredst of me that he might bring souls unto me but thou desiredst that thou mightest come unto me in my kingdom I say unto thee Peter this was a good desire but my beloved hath undertaken a greater work Verily I say unto you ye shall both have according to your desires for ye both Joy in that which ye desired
8th. Commandment AD 1829
A Revelation to he was disrous [desirous] to know the reason why he could not Translate <&> thus said the Lord unto him
Recd. in Susquehannah County Pennsylvania Behol[d] I say unto you my Son that because ye did not Translate according to that which ye desired of me & did commence again to write for my servent Joseph even so I would that ye Should continue until ye have finished this Record which I have entrusted unto you & then Behold other Records have I that I will give unto you power that ye may assist to Translate be patient my Son for it is wisdom in me & it is not expedient that ye should translate at this time Behold this is the work which ye are called to do is to write for my Servent & Behold it is because that ye did not continue as ye commenced when ye commenced to Translate that I have taken away this privilege from you do not murmer my Son for it is wisdom in me that I have dealt with you after this manner Behold ye have not understood ye have Supposed that I would give it unto you when ye took no thought save it was to ask me but Behold I say unto you that ye must study it out in your mind then ye must ask me if it be right & if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you therefore ye shall feel that it is right but if it be not right ye shall have no such feelings but ye shall have stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong there ye cannot wriete that which is sacred save it be given unto you [pages 15–22 missing] [p. 14]
Christ to bless & Sanctify this bread to the Souls of all those who partake of it that they may eat in Rememberance of the Body of thy son & witness unto thee O God the Eternal Father that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son & always Remember him & keep his commandments which he hath given them that they may always have his spirit to be with them amen then shall ye take the Cup & say O God the eternal Father we ask thee in the name of thy son Jesus Christ to bless & Sanctify this wine to all the Souls of all those who drink of it that they may do it in the rememberance of the Blood of thy Son which was shed for them that they may witness unto the[e] O God the Eternal Father that they do always remember him that they may have his spirit to be with them amen & now Behold I give unto you a commandment that ye shall not Suffer any one knowingly to partake of my flesh & blood unworthily when ye shall minister it for whoso eateth & drinketh my flesh & blood unworthily eateth & drinketh damnation to his soul therefore if you know that a man is unworthy to eat & drink of my flesh & blood ye shall forbid him Nevertheless ye shall not cast him out from among you but ye shall minister unto him & ye shall pray for him unto the Father in my name & if so be that he repenteth & is baptized in my name ye shall receive him & shall minister unto him of my flesh & blood but if he repenteth not he shall not be numbered among my People that he may not destroy my People for Behold I know my sheep & they are numbered Nevertheless ye shall not cast him out of your Synegogues or your Places of worship for unto such ye shall continue to minister for ye know not but what they will return & repent & come unto me with full purpose of heart & I shall hear heal them & ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them therefore keep these sayings which I have commanded you that ye come not under condemnation for wo unto him whom the father Condemneth & the Church shall meet to gether oft for Prayer & suplication casting out none from your places of worship but rather invite them to come & each member shall speak & tell the Church of their [p. 23] Progress in their way to eternal life & there shall be no pride nor envying nor strifes nor malice nor Idolitry nor whitchcraft nor whoredoms nor fornications nor lying nor deceits nor no iniquity & if any one is guilty of any or the least of these & doth not repent & shew fruits meet for repentance they shall not be numbered among my People that they may not destroy my People & now I speak unto the Church repent all ye ends of the Earth & come unto me & be baptized in my name which is Jesus Christ & endure to the end & ye shall be saved Behold Jesus Christ is the name which is given of the father & there is none other name given whereby man can be saved wherefore all men must take upon them the name which is given of the Father for in that name shall they be called at the last day wherefore if they know not the name by which they are called they cannot have place in the Kingdom of my Father Behold ye must walk uprightly before me & Sin not & if ye do walk uprightly before me & Sin not my grace is Sufficient for you that ye shall be lifted up at the last day Behold I am Jesus Christt the Son of the living God I am the same which came unto my own & my own Received me not I am the light which shineth in darkness & the darkness comprehendeth it not these words are not of man nor of men but of me now remember the words of him who is the first & the last the light & the life of the world & I Jesus Christ your Lord & your God & your redeemer by the power of my spirit hath spoken it amen & now I if I have not authority to write these things Judge ye Behold ye shall know that I have authority when you & I shall be brought to stand before the Judgement seat of Christ now may the grace of God the Father & our Lord Jesus Christ be & abide with you all & finally save you eternally in his Kingdom thorough the infinite atonement which is in Jesus Christ amen Behold I am I am an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God the Father & the Lord Jesus Christ Behold I have written [pages 25–26 missing] [p. 24]
By my Almighty power that ye confess your sins lest ye suffer these punishments of which I have spoken of which in the smalest yea in the least decree ye have tasted at a time I withdrew my spirit I command you that ye preach naught but repentance & shew not these things neither speak these things unto the World. for they cannot bear meat but milk they must receive. Wherefore, they must not know these things lest they perish Wherefore learn of me & listen to my words walk in the meekness of my spirit & ye shall have peace in me (Jesus Christ) by the will of the Father & again I command you that thou shalt not covet thy Neibours wife. nor seek thy Neibours life. & again I command you that thou shalt not covet thine own Property but impart it freely to the printing of the Books of Mormon which contains of the word of God which is my word to Gentile that soon it may go to the Jew of which the Lamanites of are a Remnant that they may Believe the Gospel & look not for a Masiah to come which has already come & again I command you that thou shalt pray vocally as well as to thyself yea before the World as well as in seecret in Publick as well as in private & thou shalt declare glad tidings yea Publish it upon the Mountains & upon evry high place & among evry People which thou shalt be permited to see & thou shalt do it with all humility trusting in me Reviling not against Revilers & of tenets thou shalt not talk talk but thou shalt declare Repentance & faith on the Saveiour & Remissions of Sins by Baptism & by fire yea even the Holy Ghost Behold this is a great & last commandment which I shall give unto you for this shall suffice for thy daily walk even unto the end of thy life & misery shalt thou Receive if thou wilt sleight these Councils yea even distruction of thyself & Property. Impart a portion of thy Property yea even a part of thy lands & all save the support of thy family Pay the Printers debt Release thyself from Bondage Leave thy House & home except when thou shalt desire to see them & speak freely to all yea Preach exhort declare the truth even [p. 27] With a loud voice with a sound of rejoiceing crying Hozannah Hozannah blesed be the name of the Lord God pray always & I will pour out my spirit upon you & great shall be your Blessing yea even more then if you should Obtain treasures of Earth & corruptableness to the extent thereof Behold canst thou read this without Rejoiceing & lifting up thy heart for Gladness or canst thou run about longer as a blind guide or canst thou <be> humble & meek & conduct thyself wisely before me yea come unto me thy Saveiour amen
17th. Commandment AD 1829
A Revelation to Joseph the by way of to the given at Seneca County State of New York
Behold there Shall a Record be kept among you & in it thou shalt be called a seer & Translater & Prop[h]et an an through the will of God the Father & the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ being inspired of the Holy Ghost to lay the foundation thereof & to build it up unto the most holy faith which Church was Organized & established in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight Hundred & Thirty in the forth Month on the Sixth day of the month which is called April Wherefore meaning the Church thou shalt give heed unto all his words & commandments which he ghall [shall] give unto you as he receiveth them wa[l]king in all holyness before me for his word ye shall receive as if from mine own mouth in all Patience & faith for by doing these things the gaits of Hell shall not prevail against you yea & the Lord God will disperse the Powers of darkness from before you & cause the Heavens to shake for your Good & his names glory for thus saith the Lord God him have I inspired to move the cause of in Mighty power for good & his dilligence I know & his prayers I have heard yea his weeping for Zion I have seen & I will cause that [p. 28] He shall mourn for her no longer for his days of rejoicing are come unto the remission of his Sins & the manifestations of my blessings upon his works for behold I will bless all those who Labour in my Vinyard with a mighty blessing & they shall believe on his words which are given him through me by the comforter which manifesteth that Jesus was Crusified by the Sins of the world for the remisions of sins unto the contrite heart Wherefore it behooveth me that he should be by you mine this being an unto you that ye are an under his hand unto you that thou mightest be an Elder unto this bearing my name & the first Preacher of this Church unto the Church & before the world yea before the yea before & thus saith the Lord God Lo. Lo. to the Jews also Amen—
18th. Commandment AD 1830
A Revelation to given at Ontario Co State of New York Soon after his to the Minstery
Behold I say unto you a few words Behold thou art Blessed & art under no condemnation but beware of pride lest thou shouldest enter into temptation make known thy Calling unto the & also before the World & thy heart shall be opened to Preach the truth from henceforth & for ever amen
19th. Commandment AD 1830
A Commandment to given at Ontario County State of New York
Behold I speak unto you a few words for thou also art under no condemnation & thy heart is opened & thy tongue loosed & thy Calling is to exhortation & to strengthen the continually wherefore thy duty is unto the Church forever & this because of thy family
29 20th Commandment AD 1830
A Revelation to given at Ontario Co N.Y. [p. 29]
Behold I speak a few words unto you for thou also art under no condemnation & thy calling is to Exhortation to strengthen the & thou art not <as> yet called to prea[c]h before the world Amen
21st Commandment AD 1830
A Commandment to given to at Ontario County State of New York
Behold I speak a few words unto you f unto you for thou art under no condemnation & thy calling also is to Exhortation & to strengthen the Church & this is thy duty from henceforth & forever amen
22nd Commandment AD 1830
A Commandment to given at Ontario County State of New York
Behold I manifest unto you <by> these words that thou must take up thy Cross in the which thou must pray vocally before the World as well as in Seecret & in thy family & among thy friends & in all Places Behold it is thy duty to unite with the true & give thy Language to Exhortation continually that thou mayest Receive the reward of the Labourer amen
23 Commandment AD 1830
A Revelation given to Joseph & given at Ontario C[ounty] New York
Behold I the Lord am God I Created the Heavens & the Earth & all things that in them is wherefore they are mine & I sway my scepter over all the Earth & ye are in my hands to will & to do that I can deliver you out of evry difficulty & affliction according to your faith & dilligence & uprightness Before me & I have covenanted with my Servent that earth nor Hell combined against him shall not take the Blessing out of his hands which I have prepared for him if he walketh uprightly before me neither the spiritual nor the temporal [p. 30] Blessing & Behold I also covenanted with those who have assisted him in my work that I will do unto them even the same Because they have done that which is pleasing in my sight (yea even all save M◊◊tin only it be one only) Wherefore be dilligent in Securing the Copy right of my Servent work upon all the face of the Earth of which is known by you unto unto my Servent Joseph & unto him whom he willeth accordinng as I shall command him that the faithful & the righteous may retain the temperal Blessing as well as the Spirit[u]al & also that my work be not destroyed by the workers of iniquity to their own distruction & damnation when they are fully ripe & now Behold I say unto you that I have covenanted & it Pleaseth me that & shall do my work in this thing yea even in securing the <Copy> right & they shall do it with an eye single to my Glory that it may be the means of bringing souls unto me Salvation through mine only Begotten Behold I am God I have spoken it & it is expedient in me Wherefor I say unto you that ye shall go to Kingston seeking me continually through mine only Begotten & if ye do this ye shall have my spirit to go with you & ye shall have an addition of all things which is expedient in me & I grant unto my servent a privelige that he may sell <a copyright> through you speaking after the manner of men for the four Provinces if the People harden not their hearts against the enticeings of my spirit & my word for Behold it lieth in themselves to their condemnation & or to their salvation Behold my way is before you & the means I will prepare & the Blessing I hold in mine own hand & if ye are faithful I will pour out upon you even as much as ye are able to Bear & thus it shall be Behold I am the father & it is through mine only begotten which is Jesus Christ your Redeemer amen [p. 31]
24 Commandment AD 1830
A Revelation given to Joseph the Some were anxious to Join the they without Rebaptism & Joseph enquired of the Lord & he received as follows
A commandment unto the Church of Christ which was established in these day last days one thousand eight hundred & thirty on the forth month & on the sixth day of the month which is called April Behold I say unto you that all old covenants have I called caused to be done away in this thing & this is a even wherefore the same which was from the begining wherefore although a man shouldest be an hundred times it availeth him nothing for ye cannot enter into the strait gate by the law of Moses neither by your dead works for it is because of your dead works that I have caused this last covenant & this church to be built up unto me even as in days of old wherefore enter ye in at the at gate as I have commanded & seek not to Council your God
25th. Commandment AD 1831 1830
A Revelation to Joseph & given at Susquehannah County Pennsylvania telling them concerning their Calls &c
Behold thou wast called & Chosen to write the Book of Mormon & to my ministery & I have lifted thee up out of thine afflictions & have counseled thee that thou hast been delivered from all thine enemies & thou hast been delivered from the power of satan & from darkness Nevertheless thou art not excusable in thy Transgressions Nevertheless go thy way & sin no more magnify thy office & after that thou hast sowed thy fields & Secured them then go speedily unto the which is in & & they shall support thee & I will bless them both spiritually & temporally but if they receive thee not I will send upon them a cursing instead of a blessing & thou shalt continue in calling upon [God] in my name & writing the [p. 32] Things which shall be given thee by the Comforter & thou shalt expound all scriptures to unto the & it shall be given thee in the very moment what thou shalt speak & write & they shall hear it or I will send unto them a cursing instead of a blessing for thou shalt devote all thy service to in & in this thou shalt have strength be patient in afflictions for thou shalt have many but endure them for Lo! I am with thee even unto the end of thy days & in temporal labo◊◊ thou shalt not have strength for this is not thy calling attend to thy calling & thou shalt have wherewith to magnify thine Office & to expound all scriptures & continue in the laying of on of the hands & the Churches & thy brother Shall continue to in bearing my name before the world & also to the Church & he shall not suppose that he can say enough in my cause & lo! [I] am with him to the end in me he shall have glory & not of himself whether in weakness or in strength whether in bonds on or free & at all times & in all places he shall open his mouth & declare my Gospel as with the voice of a Trump both day & night & I will give unto him strength such as is not known among men require not Miracles except I shall command you except casting [out] Devils healing the sick & against Poisones [poisonous] Serpents & against deadly Poison & these things ye shall not do except it be required of you by them who desire it that the Scriptures might be fulfilled for ye shall do according to that which is written in the Scriptures & in whatsoever place ye shall enter in & they receive you not in my name ye shall leave a cursing instead of a blessing by casting off the dust of your feet against them as a testimony & cleansing your feet by the wayside & it shall come to pass that whosoever shall lay their hands upon you by violence ye shall command to be smitten <in my name> & behold I will smite them according to their <thy> words in mine own due time & whosoever shall go to law with thee shall be cursed by the Law & thou shalt tak[e] no purse nor scrip neither staves neither two Coats for the Church shall give unto thee in the verry hour what thou needest for food & for raiment for shoes & for [p. 33] Money & for scrip for thou art called to prune my vineyard with a mighty pruneing yea even for the last time yea & also all those which whom thou hast & they shall do even according to this pattern amen
26th Commandment AD 1830
A Revelation to Joseph & given at Susquehannah County State of Pennsylvania
Behold I say unto you that ye shall let your time be devoted to the studying the Scriptures & to preaching & to the Church at & to performing thy labours on the Land such as is required until after ye shall go to the west to hold the next then it shall be made known what thou shalt do & all things shall be done by common consent in the by much prayer & faith for all things ye shall receive by faith & thus it is amen
27th. Commandment AD 1830
A Revelation to given at Susquehan[na] County state of Pennsylvania giving her a command to select Hymns &c
A Revelation I give unto you concerning my will Behold thy sins are for given thee & thou art an Elect Lady whom I have called murmer not because of the things which thou hast not seen for they are withheld from thee & the World which is wisdom in me in a time to come & the office of thy calling shall be for a comfort unto my Servent Joseph thy husband in his afflictions with consoleing words in the spirit of meekness & thou shalt go with him at the time of his going & be unto him a Scribe that I may send whithersoever I will & thou shalt be under his hand to expound Scriptures & exhort the according as it shall be given thee by my spirit for he shall lay his hands upon the[e] & thou shalt & thy time shall be [p. 34] Given to writings & to Learning & thou needest not fear for thy husband shall support thee from the for unto them is thy his calling that all things might be revealed unto them whatsoever I will according to their faith & verily I say unto you thee that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world & seek for the things of a better & it shall be given thee also to make a selection of Sacred Hymns as it shall be given thee which is pleasing unto me to be had in my Church for my Soul delighteth in the song of the heart yea the song of the heart righteous is a prayer unto me & it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads wherefore lift up thy heart & rejoice & cleave unto the covenants which thou hast made continue in the spirit of meekness & beware of Pride let thy soul delight in thy husband & the glory which shall come upon him keep my continually & a crown of righteousness thou shalt receive & except thou do this where I am thou ye cannot come & verily I say unto you that this is my voice unto all even so amen
28th. Commandment AD 1830
A Revelation to the given at susquehannh County State of Pennsylvania given to Joseph the at a time that he went to purchase wine it for & he was stoped by an Angel & he he spok to him as follows Saying
Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ your Lord your God & your Redeemer whose word is quick & powerful for Behold I say unto you it mattereth not what ye <shall> eat or what ye shall drink when ye partake of the sacrament if it so be that ye do it with an eye single to my glory Remembering unto the father my Body which [was] laid down for you & my blood which was shed for you the Remission of your sins Wherefore a I give unto you that ye shall not Purchase Wine neither strong drink of your enemies Wherefore ye shall partake none except it is made new among you yea in this my Fathers Kingdom which shall be built up on the earth Behold this is wisdom in me [p. 35] Wherefore marvel not for the hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the Vine with you on the Earth & with you all those whom my father hath given me out of the world Wherefore lift up your hearts & rejoice & Gird up your loins & be faithful untill I come even so amen
29th Commandment AD 1830
A Revelation to Six of the & three members they understood from Holy Writ that the time had come <that> the People of God should see eye to eye & they seeing somewhat different upon the death of Adam (that is his transgression) therefor they made it a subject of Prayer & enquired of the Lord & thus came the word of the Lord through Joseph the <saying given> At Seneca County State of New York
Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ your Redeemer the great I am whose arm of mercy hath atoned for your sins who will gether his People even as a hen gethereth her Chickens under her wings even as many as will hearken to my voice & humble themselves before me & call upon me in mighty prayer Behold Verily Verily I say unto you at this time your sins are forgiven you Therefore ye Receive these things but remember to sin no more lest perils shall come upon you Verily I say unto you that ye are chosen out of the World to declare my Gospel with the sound of Rejoiceing as with the voice of a Trump lift up your hearts & be glad for I am in your midst & am your advocate with the Father & it is his good will to give you the kingdom & as it is written Watsoever ye shall ask in faith being united in prayer according to my command ye shall receive & ye are called to bring to pass the of mine Elect for mine Elect hear my voice & harden not their hearts wherefore the decree hath gone forth from the father that they shall be gethered in unto one place upon the the face of this land to prepare their [p. 36] Hearts & be prepared in all things against the day of tribulation & desolation is sent forth upon the wicked for the hour is nigh & the day soon at hand when the Earth is ripe & all the proud & they that do wickedly shall be as stuble & I will burn them up that wickedness shall not be upon the Earth for the hour is nigh & the day soon at hand which was spoken by mine must be fulfilled for as they spoke so shall it come to pass for I will reveal myself from Heaven with Power & great glory with all the hosts thereof & dwell in righteousness with men on Earth a thousand Years & the wicked shall not stand & again Verily Verily I say unto you & it hath gone forth in a firm decree by the will of the father that mine Apostles the twelve which were with me in my ministery at Jerusalem shall stand at my right hand at the day of my comeing in a piller of fire being clothed with robes of righteousness with crowns upon their heads in glory even as I am to Judge the whole House of Israel even as many as have loved me & kept my & none else for a Trump Shall sound both long & loud even as upon mount Sinia [Sinai] & all the Earth shall quake & they shall come forth yea even the dead which died in me to receive a Crown of righteousness & to be Clothed upon even as I am to be with me that we may be one, but, Behold I say unto you that before this great day shall come the Sun shall be darkened & the moon shall be turned into blood & some stars shall fall from Heaven & there shall be greater signs in the Heaven above & in the Earth beneath & there shall be weeping & waileing among the host of men & there shall be be a great hailstorm sent forth to destroy the Crops of the Earth & it shall come to pass because of the wickedness of the World that I will take vengeance upon the Wicked for they will not Repent for the cup of mine indignation is full for Behold my blood shall not cleanse them if they repent not Wherefore I will send <forth> flies upon the face of the Earth which shall take hold of the inhabitants thereof & shall eat their flesh & shall cause magots to come in upon them & their tongues shall be stayed that they shall not utter against me & their flesh shall [p. 37] fall from off their Bones & their eyes from their sockets & it shall come to pass that their the Beasts of the forest & the fowls of the air shall devour them up & that great & abominable Church which is the whore of all the Earth shall be cast down by devouring fire according as it was spoken by the mouth of Ezekiel the Prophet which spoke of these things which have not come to pass as yet but shurely must as I live for abominations shall not reign & again Verily Verily I say unto you that when the thousand years are ended & men again begin to deny their god then will I spare the Earth but for a little Season & then the end shall come & the Heaven & the Earth shall be consumed & pass away & there shall be a New Heaven & a New Earth for all old things shall pass away & all things shall become New even the Heaven & the Earth & all the fulness thereof both men & beasts the fowls of the air & the fishes of the Sea & not one hair neither moat shall be lost for it is the workmanship of mine hand But Verily I say unto you before the Earth shall pass away Michael mine Archangel shall sound his trump & then shall all the dead awake for their graves shall be opened & they shall come forth yea even all & the righteous shall be gethered on my right hand unto eternal life & the wicked on my left hand will I be ashamed to own before the father Wherefore I will say unto them depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil & his Angels & now Behold I say unto you never at any time have I declared from mine own mouth that they should return for where I am they cannot come for they have no power but remember that all my Judgements are not given unto men & as the words have gone forth out of my mouth even so shall they be fulfilled that the first shall be last & that the last shall be first in all things Whatsoever I have created by the word of my Power which is the Power of my spirit for by the Power of my Spirit created I them yea all things both [p. 38] Spiritual & Temperally firstly spiritual secondly temporally which is the Begining of my work & again firstly temporal & secondly spiritual which is the last of my work speaking unto you that ye may naturally understand but unto myself my work hath no end neither begining But it is given unto you that ye may understand because ye have asked it of me & are agreed Wherefore Verily I say unto you that all things unto me are Spiritual & not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal neither any man nor the childern of men Neither Adam your father whom I created Behold I give <gave> unto him that he should be an agent unto himself & I gave unto him a but no temporal Commandment gave I unto him for my commandments are spiritual they are not Natural nor temporal neither carnal nor sensual & it came to pass that Adam being tempted of the Devil for Behold the Devil was before Adam for he rebelled against me saying give me thine honour which is my Power & also a third part of the host of Heaven turned he away from me Because of their agency & they were thrust down & thus came the Devil & his Angels & Behold a place prepared for them which place is Hell & it came to pass Must needs be that the Devil should tempt the children of men or they could not be agents unto themselves for if they never should have bitter they could not k[n]ow the Sweet Wherefore it came to pass that the Devil tempted Adam & he partook of the forbiden fruit & transgressed the commandment wherein he became subject to the will of the Devil Because he yielded unto temptation Wherefore I the Lord God caused that he should be cast out from the Garden of Edan from my presence because of his transgression Wherein he became spiritually dead which death is the first death even that same death which is the last death which is spiritual which shall be pronounced upon the wicked which shall be when I shall say depart ye Cursed But Behold I say unto you that I the Lord God gave unto Adam & unto his seed that they should not [p. 39] Die as to the temporal death untill I the Lord God should send forth Angels to declare unto them Repentance & redemption through faith on the name of mine only begotten Son & thus did I the Lord God appoint unto man the days of his probation that by his natural death he might be raised in immortality unto eternal life even as many as would believe on my name & they that believe not unto eternal damnation for they cannot be redeemed from their spiritual fall Because they repent not for they love darkness more than light & their deeds are evil & they receive their wages of whom they list to obey But Behold I say unto you that little children are redeemed from the foundation of the word world through mine only begotten Wherefore they cannot sin for power is not given to Satan to tempt little children until they begin to be accountable before me for it is given unto them even as I will according to mine own will pleasure that great things may be required at the hand of their fathers & again I say unto you that whoso having knowledge have not I to Repent & he that hath no understanding it remaineth in me to do according as it is written & now behold I declare no more unto you at this time amen
30 Commandment AD 1831 [1830]
A Revelation to his Call to the &c given at Seneca County State of New York
Behold I say unto you that it shall be given thee that thou shalt be heard by the in all things Whatsoever thou shalt teach <them> by the Comforter concerning the Revelations & which I have given But Behold Verily Verily I say unto you no one shall be appointed to Receive commandments & Revelations in this Church excepting my Servent Joseph for he Receiveth them even as Moses & thou shalt be obedient unto the things which I shall give unto him [p. 40] Even as Aaaron to declare faithfully the & the Revelations with power & authority unto the & if thou art led at any time by the comforter to speak or teach or at all times by the way of Commandment unto the Church thou mayest do it But thou shalt not write by way of Commandment unto the Church but by wisdom & thou shalt not command him which is at thy head & at the head of the Church for I have given him the of the mysteries of the Revelations which are sealed until I shall appoint unto him another in his stead & now Behold I say unto you that thou shalt go unto the & Preach my Gospel unto them & cause my Church to be established among them & thou shalt have Revelations but write them not by the way of Commandment & Now Behold I say unto you that it is not Revealed & no man knoweth where the City shall be built But it shall be given hereafter Behold I say unto you that it shall be among the Lamanites[.] thou shalt not l[e]ave this place until after the & my servent Joseph shall be appointed to rule the conference by the voice of it & what he saith to thee that thou shalt tell And again thou shalt take thy Brother Between him & thee alone & tell him that those things which he hath written from that Stone are not of me & that Satan deceiveth him for Behold those things have not been appointed unto him Neither shall any thing be appointed unto any of this Church contrary to the for all things must be done in order & by Common consent in the Church by the prayer of faith & thou shalt settle all these things according to the Covenants of the Church before thou shalt take thy Journey among the Lamanites & it shall be given thee from the time that thou shalt go until the time that thou shalt return what thou shalt do & thou must open thy mouth at all times declaring my Gospel with the sound of Rejoiceing even so amen [p. 41]
31 Commandment AD 1830
A commandment to tellilg [telling] him that he feared man more than god &c given at Seneca County New York
Behold I say unto you that thou hast feared man & hast not relyed upon me for strength as thou hast ought But thy mind has been on the things of Earth more than on the things of me thy Maker & the ministery whereunto thou hast been called & thou hast not given heed unto my Spirit & to those who were set over thee But hast been persuaded by those whom I have not wherefore thou art left to enquire for thy self at my hand & ponder upon the things which you have Received & thy home shall be at thy s house until I give unto thee further commandment & thou shalt attend to the ministery in the & before the world & in these regions round about amen
32nd Commandment AD 1830
A Revelation to his calling to the &c given at Seneca County state of New York
Behold I say unto you that thou shalt take thy Journey with thy Brother for the time has come that it is expedient in me that thou shalt open thy mouth to declare my Gospel Therefore fear not but give heed unto the words & advice of thy Brother which he shall give thee & be thou afflicted in all his afflictions ever lifting thy heart up unto me in prayer & faith for thine & his deliverance for I have given unto him to build my among thy Brethren the Lamanites & none have I appointed to be over him in the Church except it is his Brother Joseph wherefore give heed unto those <these> things & be dilligent in keeping my & thou shalt be blessed unto eternal life & thus it is amen— [p. 42]
33 Commandment AD 183[0]
A Revelation to his call to the Ministery give &c given at Seneca County State of NewYork
Behold I say unto that thou shalt commence from this time forth to proclaim my Gospel as with the voice of a Trump & thy Labour shall be at thy Brother & in that region round about yea wheresoever thou canst be heard until I thee to go from hence & thy whole Labour shall be in my with all thy Soul from henceforth yea thou shalt ever open thy mouth in my cause not fearing what man can do for I a◊ with thee even so amen
34th Commandment AD 1830
A Revelation to his call to the ministiry &c gaven at Seneca County State of New York
my Son Blessed art thou Be[c]ause of thy faith in my words Behold thou hast had many afflictions because of thy family Nevertheless I will bless thee & thy family yea thy little ones & the day cometh that they will believe & know the truth & be one with thee in my lift up your heart & rejoice for the hour of your mission is come & thy tongue shall be loosed & thou shalt declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation thou shalt declare the things which have been revealed unto my Servent Joseph thou shalt begin to preach from this time forth yea to Reap in the field which is white already to be burned Therefore thrust in thy Sickle with all thy Soul & thy sins are forgiven thee & thou shalt be laden with sheaves upon thy Back for the labourer is worthy of his hire Wherefore thy family shall live Behold Verily I say unto you go from them only for a little time & declare my word & I will prepare a place for them yea I will open the hearts of the People & they will Receive thee & I will establish a church by thy hand & thou shalt strengthen them & prepare them against the time when the shall be[.] be patient in afflictions & sufferings revile not against [p. 43] Those that revile govern thy house in meekness & be steadfast Behold I say unto you that thou shalt be a P[h]ysician unto the Church but not unto the World for they will not receive thee go thy way whithersoever I will & it shall be given thee by the Comforter what thou shalt do & whither thou shalt go pray always lest ye enter into temptation & loose thy reward be faithful unto the end & Lo! I am with you these words are not of man neither of men but of me even Jesus Christ your Redeemer by the will of the father even so amen
35 & 36th Commands Commandment AD 1830
A Commandment to & th[e]ir call to the ministery &c given at Seneca County State of New York
Saying I say unto you & open ye your ears & hearken to the voice of the Lord your God whose word is quick & powerfull sharper than a twoedged sword to the dividing asunder of the Joints & marrow Soul & spirit & is a decerner of the thoughts & intents of the heart for Verily Verily I say unto you that ye are called to lift up voices as with the sound of a Trump to declare my Gospel unto a Crooked & a perverse generation for Behold the field is white already to harvest & it is the Eleventh hour & for the last time that I shall call labouerers into my vineyard & my vineyard has become corrupted evry whit & there is none that doeth good save it is a few only <& they do err in many instances because of > all having corrupt minds & Verily Verily I say unto you that this have I established & called forth out of the Wilderness & even so will I gether mine elect from the four quarters of the Earth even as many as will believe in <on> my name & hearken unto my voice yea Verily Verily I say unto you that the field is white already to harvest Wherefore thrust in thy sickles & reap with all thy mights mind & strength open thy mouth & it shall be filled & thou shalt become even as Nephi of old who Journ[ey]ed from Jerusalem in the wilderness yea open thy mouth & spare not & thou shalt be laden with Sheaves upon thy Back for lo I am with thee you yea [p. 44] Open thy mouth & it shall be filled saying Repent repent & prepare ye the way of the Lord & make his paths strait for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand yea Repent & be evry one of you for the remission of sins yea be baptized even by water & then cometh the Baptism of fire & the Holy Ghost Behold Verily Verily I say unto you this is my Gospel & Remember they shall have faith in me or they can in no wise be saved & upon this Rock I will build my yea upon this Rock ye are built & the gaits of Hell shall not prevail against you & ye shall remember the Church Articles & Covenants to keep them & whoso haveing faith ye shall in my Church by the laying on of the hands & I will bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost upon them & the Book of Mormon & the Bible is are given of me for thine instructio[n] & the power of my spirit quickeneth all things Wherefore be faithful praying always having your lamps trimmed & burning & oil with you that ye may be Ready at the coming of the Bride groom for Behold Verily Verily I say unto you that I come quickly even so amen
37th Commandment AD 1830
A Commandment to his call to the ministery &c given at Seneca county State of New York
My Son hearken ye & Behold what I the Lord God say unto you even Jesus Christ your Redeemer the light & the life of the world & a light which shineth in darkness & the darkness Comprehendeth it not who so loved the world that he gave his own life that as many as would believe might become the Sons & daughter of God Wherefore ye are my Son & blessed are ye because ye have believed & more blessed are ye because ye are called of me to Preach my Gospel to lift up your voice as with a the sound of a Trump both long & loud & cry repentance to a crooked & perverse generation prepareing the way of the Lord for his second Coming for Behold Verily Verily I say unto you the time is soon at hand, that I will come in a cloud with power & great glory & it shall be a great day at the [p. 45] time of my coming for all nations shall tremble but before that great day shall come the sun shall be darkened & the moon be turned into blood & the stars shall refuse their shineing & some shall fall & great distructions await the wicked Wherefore lift up thy voice & spare not for the Lord God hath spoken therefore Prophecy & it shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost & if ye are faithful behold I am with you until I come & Verily Verily I say unto you I come quickly even so your Lord & your redeemer amen
38th Commandment AD 1830. Dec.m. 7th
A Commandment to Joseph & . s call to writing for Joseph &c
Saying Listen to the voice of the Lord your God even Alpha & Omega the begining & the end whose course is one eternal round the same to day as yesterday & for ever I am Jesus Christ the son of God who was crusified for the sins of the World even as will believe on my name that they may become the sons of God even one in me as I am in the Father as the Father is one in me that we may be one Behold Verily Verily I say unto my Servent I have looked upon thee & thy works I have heard thy prayers & prepared thee for a greater work thou art blessed for thou shalt do great things Behold thou wast sent forth even as John to prepare the way before me & Elijah which should come & thou knew it not thou didst by water unto Repentance but they received not the Holy Ghost but now I give unto you a commandment that thou shalt Baptize by water & give even as the of old & it shall come to pass that there shall be a great work in the land even among the for their folly their abominations shall be made manifest in the eyes of all People for I am God & mine arm is <not> shortened & I will shew miricles signs & wonders unto all those who believe [p. 46] who believe on my name & whoso shall ask it in my name in faith they shall cast out Devils they shall heal the sick they shall cause the blind to receive their sight & the deaf the to hear & the dumb to speak & the lame to walk & the time speedily cometh that great things are to be shewn forth unto the Children of men but without faith not any thing shall be shewn forth except desolations upon Babylon the same which has made all Nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication & there are none that do good except they that are ready to receive the fulness of my Gospel which I have sent forth to this generation Wherefore I have called upon the weak things of the world they that are unlearned & dispised to thresh the Nations by the Power of my spirit & their arm shall be mine arm & I will be their shield & their Buckler & I will gird up their loins & they shall fight manfully for me & their enemies shall be under their feet & I will let fall the sword in their behalf & by the fire of mine indignation will I preserve them & the poor & the meek shall have the Gospel preached unto them & they shall be looking forth for the time of my coming for it is nigh at hand & they shall learn the Parible of the figg tree for even now already summer is nigh & I have sent forth the fullness of the <my> Gospel by the hand of my servent Joseph & in weakness have I blessed him & I have given unto him the of the mystery of those things which have been sealed even things which was from the foundation of the world & the things which shall come from this time until the time of my coming if he abide in me & if not another will I plant in his stead Wherefore watch over him that his faith fail not & it shall be given by the comforter (the Holy Ghost) Which knoweth all things & a I give unto you that thou shalt write for him & the scriptures shall be given even as they are in mine own bosom to the salvation of mine own elect for th[e]y will hear my voice & shall see me & shall not be asleep & shall abide the day of my coming for they shall be purified even as I am pure & now I [p. 47] Say unto you tarry with him & he shall Journey with thee forsake him not & shurely these things shall be fulfilled & in as much as ye do not write behold it shall be given him to prophecy & thou shalt Preach my gospel & call on the Holy Prophets to prove his words as they shall be given him keep all the & covenants by which ye are bound & I will cause the Heavens to shake for your Good & satan shall tremble & shall rejoice upon the Hills & florish & Israel shall be saved in mine own due time & by the which have shall been given shall they be led & no more be confounded at all lift up your hearts & be Glad your redemption draweth nigh fear not little flock the Kingdom is yours untill I come Behold I come quickly even so amen
39th. Commandment Decm. 9th. AD 1830
A Commandment to his call to the Ministery &c
Saying thus saith the Lord God the mighty one of Israel behold I say unto you my Servent thou art blessed & thy sins are forgiven thee & thou art called to preach my Gospel as with the voice of a Trump & I will lay my hand upon you by the hand of my Servent & thou shalt Receive my spirit (the Holy Ghost) even the comforter) which shall teach you the peacible things of the Kingdom & thou shalt declare it with a loud voice Saying Blessed be the name of the most high God—
And now this calling & give I unto all men that as many as shall come before my Servent & Joseph embracing this calling & commandment shall be & sent forth to preach the everlasting gospel among the Nation crying Repentance saying save yourselves from this untoward generation & come forth out of the fire hating even the garment spotted with the flesh= And this commandment shall be given unto the of my that every man which will embrace it with singleness of heart may be ordained & sent [p. 48] forth even as I have spoken I am Jesus Christ the Son of God Wherefore gird up your loins & I will suddenly come to my temple even so amen
40th Commandment AD 1830
A Revelation to & Joseph at at time that they went from to to &c given at Ontario County State of New York
A to & Joseph saying Behold I say unto ye that it is not Expedient in me that ye should Translate any more until ye shall go to the & this because of the enemy & for your sakes & again I say unto you that ye shall not go untill ye have Preached my Gospel in those parts & have strengthened up the whithersoever it is found & more especially in for Behold they pray unto me in much faith & again a commandment I give unto the Church that it is expedient in me that they should assemble together at the by <against> the time that my Servent shall return unto them Behold here is wisdom & let evry man Choose for himself until I come amen even so amen
41st Commandment Jan 2nd AD 1831
Received at Seneca County State of New york
A Commandment to the in at a they being to flee to &c
Saying thus saith the Lord God even Jesus Christ the great I am Alph & Omega the begining & the end the same which looked upon the wide expance of eternity & all the Scerifick [seraphic] hosts of Heaven before the world was made the same which k[n]oweth all things for all things are present before mine eyes I am the same which spoke & the world was made & all things came by me I am the same which hath taken the Zion of Enoch into mine own bosom & verily I say even as many as have believed on my name for I am Christ & in mine own name by the [p. 49] Virtue of the blood which I have spilt have I pled before the Father for them but Behold the residue of the wicked have I kept in Chains of darkness untill the Judgement of the great day which shall come at the end of the Earth & even so will I cause the wicked that will not hear my voice but harden their hearts & wo, wo, is their doom But Behold Verily Verily I say unto you that mine eyes are upon you I am in your midst & ye cannot see me but the day soon cometh that ye shall see me & know that I am for the chains <vails> of vails of darkness shall soon be rent & he that is not purified shall not abide the day wherefore gird up your loins & be prepared Behold the Kingdom is yours & the enemy shall not overcome Verily I say unto you that ye are clean but not all & there is none else with whoom I am well pleased for all flesh is corruptabl before me & the powers of darkness prevail upon the Earth among the Children of men in the presence of all the host <of> Heaven which causeth silence to reign & all eternity is pained & the Angels are waiting the great to Reap down the Earth to gether the tears [tares] that they may be burned & Behold the enemy is combined & now I shew unto you a Mystery a thing which is had in seecret Chambers to bring to pass even your distruction in process of time & ye knew it not but now I tell it <unto> you & ye are blessed not because of your iniquity neither your hearts of unbelief, for Verily <some of> ye you are guilty before me Therefore be ye strong from henceforth fear not for the Kingdom is yours & for your Salvation I gave it unto you a commandment for I have heard your prayers & the poor have complained before me & the rich have I made & all flesh is mine & I am no respector to & I persons & I have made the earth rich & Behold it is my footstool Wherefore again I will stand upon it & I hold forth & deign to give unto you greater [p. 50] Riches even a land of promise a land flowing with milk & Honey upon which there shall be no curse & I will give it unto you for the land of your enheritance if you seek it with all your hearts & this shall be my covenant with you ye shall have it for the land of your inheritence & for the inheritance of your Children forever while the Earth shall stand & ye shall Possess it again in eternity no more to pass away But Verily I say unto you that in time ye shall have no King nor Ruler for I will be your King & watch over you Wherefore hear my voice & follow me & ye shall be a free People & ye shall have no laws but my laws for I am your Law giver & who can stay my hand But Verily I say unto you teach one another according to the Office wherewith I have appointed you & let evry man esteem his brother as himself & practice Virtue & Holyness before me & again I say unto you let evry man esteem his Brother as himself for what man among you having twelve sons & is no respector to them & they Serve him obediently & he saith unto the one be thou clothed in Robes & sit thou here & to the other be thou clothed in Raggs & sit thou there & looketh upon his sons & saith I am Just Behold I have given unto you a Parable & it is even as I am I say unto you be one & if ye are not one ye are not mine & again I say unto you that the Enemy in the Seecret Chambers seek<[e]th> your lives ye hear of wars in far Countries & you say in your hearts there will soon be great wars in far Countries but ye know not the hearts of they in your own Land I tell you these things because of your prayers Wherefore treasure up Wisdom in your bosoms lest the wickedness of men reveal reveal these things in your unto you by their wicke[d]ness in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the Earth but if ye are prepared ye need not fear & that ye might escape the power of the enemy & be gethered unto me a Righteous people without spot & blameless Wherefore for this cause I gave unto you [p. 51] The that ye should go to the & there I will give unto you my law & there you shall be endowed with power from on high & from thence whomsoever I will shall go forth among all Nations & it shall be told them what they shall do for I have a great work laid up in store for Israel shall be saved & I will lead them whithersoever I will & no power can stay my hand And now I give unto the in these parts a commandment that certain men among them shall be appointed & they shall be appointed by the voice of the Church & they shall look to the poor & the needy & administer to their relief that they shall not suffer & send them forth to the place which I have commanded them & this shall be their Work to govern the affairs of the Church Property of this the Church & they that have farms that cannot be sold let them be left or rented as as seemeth them good see that all things are preserved & when men are endowed with power from on high & are sent forth all these things shall be gethered unto the Bosom of the Church & if ye seek the riches which is the will of the Father to give unto you ye shall be the richest of all People for ye shall have the riches of eternity & it must needs be that the riches of the Earth is mine to give but beware of Pride lest ye become as the of old & again I say unto you I give unto you a commandment that evry man both & & also Member go to with his might with the Labour of his hands to prepare & accomplish these things which I have commanded & let your preaching be the warning voice evry man to his Neighbour in mildness & in meekness & go ye out from among the wicked save yourselves be ye clean that bear the vesels of the Lord even so amen
Received in Seneca County New York April 10th. 1830
Given to Joseph the by the gift & power of God &c soon after the Ch◊r [p. 52]
The rise of the in these last days being one Thousand eight Hundred & thirty years since the coming of our Lord & Saveiour Jesus Christ in the flesh it being regularly organized & established agreeable to the Laws of our Country by the will & of God in the fourth Month & on the Sixth day of the Month which is called April[.] Commandments were given to Joseph the who was called of God & an of Jesus Christ an of the Church & also to who was also called of God & ordained an Apostle of Jesus Christ an Elders of the Church & ordained under his hand & this according to the grace of our Lord & saveiour Jesus Christ to whom be all glory both now and forever amen
For after that <it> truly was manifested unto this first Elder that he had Received a remission of his sins he was entangeled again in the vanities of the world but after truly Repenting God ministered unto him by an Holy Angel whose countenance was as Lightning & whose garments were pure & white above all whiteness & gave unto him Commandments which inspered [inspired] him from on high & gave unto him power by the means of which was before prepared that he should a Book which Book contained a record of a fallen People & also the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the & also to the Jews proveing unto them that the Holy Scriptures are truel & also that God doth Minister inspire men in & call them to his Holy work in these last days as well as in in days of old that he might be the same God forever amen Which Book was given by inspiration is Called the Book of Mormon & is confirmed to others by the ministering of Angels & declared unto the World by them Wherefore having so great witnesses by them shall the world be Judged even as many as shall hereafter receive this work either to faith & righteousness or to the hardness of heart in unbelief to their own condemnation for the Lord God hath spoken it for we the Elders of the Church have heard & bear witness to his the words of his glorious majesty on high to whom be glory for ever & ever amen [p. 53]
Wherefore by these things we know that there is a God in Heaven who is infinite & Eternal from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God the Maker of Heaven & Earth & all things that in them is & that he created man male & female & after his own Image & in his likeness created he them & that he gave unto the Children of men a that they should love & serve him the only being whom they should worship but by the Transgression of these Holy Laws man became sensual & devlish & became fallen man Wherefore the almighty God gave his only begotten Son as it is Written in those Scriptures which have been given of him that he suffered temptation but gave no heed unto them that he was crusified died & rose again the third day & that he ascended into Heaven to sit down on the right hand of the Father to reign with almighty Power according to the will of the Father therefore as many as would believe & were in his Holy name & endured in faith to the end should be saved yea even as many as were before he came in the flesh from the begining which believed in the words of the Holy Prophets which were inspired by the which truly testify of him in all things & as well as they which should come after which should believe in the gifts & callings of God by the Holy Ghost which beareth Record of the Father & of the Son which Father & Son is & the Holy Ghost is one God Infinite & eternal without end amen=
And we know that all men must Repent & believe on the name of Jesus Christ & worship the father in his name & endure in faith on his name to the end or they cannot be saved in the Kingdom of God & we know that Justification through the grace of our Lord & saveiour Jesus Christ is Just & true & we also know that Sanctification through the grace of our Lord & Saveiour is Just Jesus Christ is Just & true to all those who love & serve God with all their mights minds & strength but there is a posibility that men may fall from grace & depart from the living [p. 54] God therefore let the take heed & pray always lest ye fall into temptation yea & even he that is sanctified also & we know that these things are true & agreeable to the Revelations of John neither ad[d]ing nor diminishing to the Holy Scriptures Prophecy of his Book neither to the Holy Scriptures neither to the Revelations of God which shall come hereafter by the gift & power of the Holy Ghost neither by the voice of God neither by the ministering of the Holy Ghost Angels & the Lord God hath spoken it & honour Power & glory be rendered to his holy name both now & ever amen
And again by the way of to the Church
Concerning the manner of Behold whosoever humbleth himself before God & desireth to be Baptized & comes forth with a broken heart & a contrite spirit & witnesseth to the Church that they have truly Repented of all their sins & are willing to take upon them the name of Christ having a determination to serve him unto the end & truly manifest by their works that they have received the spirit of Christ unto the remision of their sins then shall they be received unto Baptism into the Church of Christ.
The duty of the & Members of the Church of Christ[.] an is an Elder & it is his calling to Baptize & to other Elders Priests Teachers & Deacons & to according to the scriptures & to teach expound exhort & to Baptize & to watch over the Church & to confirm the Church by the laying on of the hands & the & to take the lead of all Meetings &c
The Elders are to conduct the Meetings according as they are led by the Holy Ghost
The Priests duty is to preach teach expound exhort & baptize & administer the Sacrement & visit the House of each member & exhort them to pray vocally & in seecret & also to attend all familiy duties & ordain other Priests Teachers & Deacons & take the lead in meetings but none of these offices is he to do when there is an Elder present but in all cases are [p. 55] [to] assist the &c
The duty is to watch over the always & be with them & strengthen them & see that there is no iniquity in the Church nor no hardness with each other nor no lying nor backbiteing nor no evil speaking & see that the Church meets to gether often & also that evry member does his duty & he is to take the lead of Meetings in the absence of the Elder or & is to be assisted always & in all his duties in the Church by the but neither the Teachers nor the Deacons have authority to nor administer the nor But to are to warn expound exhort & teach & invite all to come to Christ
Every elder Priest Teacher or Deacon is to be according to the gifts & callings of God unto them by the the Power of the Holy Ghost which is in the one who ordains them
The several elders composing this Church of Christ are to meet in conference once in three Month to [do]Church business whatsoever is nessessary &c And each Priest or Teacher who is ordained by any Priests is to take a cirtificate from him at the time which when shewn to an Elder he is to give him a which shall authorize him to perform the duty of his calling
The Duty of the members after they are Received by Baptism[.] the Elders or priest are to have a sufficient time to expound all things concerning this Church of Christ to their understanding previous to their partaking of the sacrament & being by the laying on of the hands of the Elders so that all things may be done in order & the members shall manifest before the Church & also before the Elders by a Godly walk & conversation that they are worthy of it that there may be works & faith agreeable to the Holy scriptures walking in holyness before the Lord
Every member of this Church of Christ having children are to bring them unto the Elders before the Church [p. 56] Who are to lay their hands on them in the name of the Lord & bless them in the name of Christ
There cannot any one be received into this who have not ariven to the years of accountability before God & are not capable of repentance
And the way of is to be ministered in the following manner unto all those who Repent whosoever being called of God & having authority given them of Jesus Christ shall go down into the water with them & shall say calling them by name having authority given me of Jesus Christ I baptize thee in the name of Jesus Christ the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Ghost amen then Shall he immerse them in the water & come forth again out of the water And it is expedient that the Church meet together oft to & the or shall minister it & after this manner shall he do he shall kneel with the Church & call upon the Father in mighty prayer saying O God the Eternal Father we ask thee in the name of thy son Jesus Christ to Bless & sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it that they may eat in Rememberance of the body of thy son & witness unto thee O God the Eternal Father that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy son & always Remember him & keep his which he hath given them that they may always have his spirit to be with them amen
The manner of administering the wine Behold they shall take the cup & say O God the Eternal Father we ask thee in the name of thy Son Jesus Christ to bless & sanctify this wine to the souls of all <those> who drink of it that they do it in Rememberance of the blood of thy Son which was shed for them that they may witness unto thee O God the Eternal Father that they do always Remember him that they may have his spirit to be with them amen
Any member of this Church of Christ transgressing or being over taken in a fault shall be dealt with according as the scriptures direct &c [p. 57]
It shall be the duty of the several Churches composing this to send one or more of their to attend the several held by the of this Church with a list of the names of the several members uniting themselves to the Church since the last conference or send by the hand of some so that they there can be kept a regular list of all the names of the members of the whole Church in a book kept by one of the Elders whomesoever the other Elders s[h]all appoint from time to time & also if any have been expelled from the Church so that their names may be blotted out of the general Church Record of names
Any member removeing from the Church where he belongs if going to a Church where he is not known may take a letter certifying that he is a regular member & in good standing which cirtificate may be signed by any Elder or Priest if the the member receiving the letter is personally acquainted with the Elder or Priest & or may be signed by the Teacher or Deacons of the Church
42nd Commandment Recd Jan. 5th. 1831
there was a man by the name of who covenanted with the Lord that he would obey any commandment that the Lord would give through his servent Joseph & <accordingly> he enquird of the Lord & he received these words as follows
given at Seneca County state New York
Saying hearken ye & listen to the voice of him who is from all eternity to all eternity the great I am even Jesus Christ th[e] light & the life of the world a light which shineth in darkness & the darkness comprehendeth it not the same which came in the maridian of time unto my own & my own Received me not but to as many as received me gave I power to become my Sons & even so will I give unto as many as Receive me power to become my Sons. & Verily Verily I say unto you he that receiveth my Gospel Receiveth me & this is my Gospel Repentance & & then [p. 58] Cometh the yea even the comforter which knoweth all things & teacheth the peacibl things of the Kingdom & Now Behold I say unto you my servent I have looked upon thee & thy works & I know thee & now verily I say unto thee thine heart is right before me at present Behold I have bestowed great blessings upon thy head Nevertheless thou hast seen great Sorrow for thou hast rejected me many times because of pride & be cause of the world but behold the days of thy deliverance is come arise & be & wash away your sins calling on my name & ye shall receive my spirit & a blessing so great as ye have never known & I have prepared thee for a greater work thou shalt Preach the fulness of my Gospel which I have sent forth in these last days. yea even the covenant which I have sent forth to recover my People which are of the house of Israel & it shall come to pass that power shall rest upon thee thou shalt have great faith & I will be with thee & go before thy face yea thou art called to Labour in my Vineyard & to build up my & to bring forth that it may Rejoice upon the hills & flourish Behold Verily Verily I say unto you thou art not called to go to unto the Eastern countries but thou art called to go to & in asmuch as my People shall assemble themselves at the I have kept in store a blessing such as is not known among the children of men & it shall be poured forth upon your their heads & from thence ye shall go forth into all Nations Behold Verily Verily I say unto you that the people in call upon me in much faith believeing I would stay my hand in Judgement upon the Nations but I cannot deny my word Wherefore lay to with your might & call forth Labourers into my Vinyard that it may be pruned for the last time & inasmuch as they do Repent & receive the fulness of my Gospel & become sanctified & I will stay my hand in Judgement wherefore go forth crying with a loud voice saying the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand crying Hosannah blessed is the name of the most high God go forth [p. 59] preparing for the time of my coming is at hand the day nor the hour no man knoweth but it shurely shall come & he that Receiveth these things receiveth me & they shall be gethered unto me into <unto> in time & in eternity & again it shall come to pass that on as many as ye shall baptize with water ye shall & shall be a looking forth for the time of my coming & shall know me Behold I come quickly even so amen
43rd. Commandment January 6th. 1831
A Revelation to Joseph & Recd at Seneca County state of NY telling them why Received not the obeyed not the which he Received &c
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 wherefore he broke the covenant which he had made & it Remaineth in me to do with him as seemeth me good
An explanation of the first Epistle to the first Corinthians 7 Chapter & 14th verse given to Joseph the Seer at . N.Y 1830
For the unbelieveing wife husband is sanctified by the wife & the unbelieveing wife is sanctified by the husband else were your Children unclean but now ere [are] they holy
Now in the days of the the law of circumcision was had among them all the Jews which believed not the Gospel of Jesus Christ, & it came to pass that there arose a great contention among the People concerning the law of circumcision for the unbelieveing husband was desirous that his children should be circumcised & become subject to the law of Moses which law was [p. 60] Fulfilled & it came to pass that the Children being brought up in subjection to the law of moses & gave heed to the traditions of their Fathers & believed not the Gospel of Christ wherein they became unholy wherefore for this cause the wrote unto the Church giving unto them a commandment not of the Lord but of himself that a believer should not be united to an unbeliever except the law of Moses should be done away among them that their Children might remain without circumcision & that the tradition might be done away which saith that little children are unholy for it was had among the Jews but little children are holy being sanctified through the atonement of Jesus Christ & this is wat these scriptures mean
44 Commandment given Feb. 4th. 1831 at Geauga County Ohio given to the in these parts it pointing at the office of &c & there was a man by the name of in the Township of who had requested <his>Brother & & to live with him & he would furnish them houses & provisions &c then By Joseph enquired of the lord & Received as follows
Hearken & hear oh! my People saith your lord & your God ye whom I delight to bless with the greatest of blessings ye that hear me & ye that hear me not will I curse with that have professed my name with the heaviest of all cursings hearken oh ye of my Church whom I have called Behold I give unto you a that ye shall assemble yourselves to gether to agree upon my my word & by the prayer of your faith ye shall receive my that ye may know how to govern my Church Church & have all things right before me & I will be your ruler & ye shall see that my law is kept he that Receiveth my law & doeth it the same is my Deciple & he that saith he Receiveth it & Doeth it not the same is not my Deciple & shall be cast out from among you for it is not meet that the things which belong to the [p. 61] Children of the Kingdom should be cast before Swine & again it is meet that my servent Joseph should have a house built in which to live & & again it is meet that my Servent should have a comfortable Room to live in & again I have called my Servent & give him a that he should be appointed by the voice of the & be a unto the Church & leave his merchandise & spend all his time in the labours of the Church & see to all things as it shall be appointed in my in the day that I shall give them & this because his heart is pure before me for he is like unto Nathaniel of old in whome there is no guile these words are given unto you & they are pure before me wherefore be ye aware how you hold them for they are to be answered upon your souls in the day of Judgement even so amen
The Laws of the Church of Christ Received in Geauga County State of Ohio in the Presence of twelve elders February Ninth one thousand eight hundred & thirty one
First Shall the Church come to gether into one place or continue in seperate establishments?
Hearken oh ye Elders of my Church who have assembled yourselves together in my name even Jesus Christ the Son of the living God the Saveiour of the World in as much as they believe on my name & keep my Commandments again I say unto you hearken & hear & obey the Law which I shall give unto you for Verily I say as ye have assembled yourselves together according to <the> commandment wherewith I commanded you & are agreed as touching this one thing & have asked me <the Father> in my name even so ye shall receive Behold verily I say unto you I give unto you this first commandment that [p. 62] ye shall go forth in my name every one of you excepting my servents Joseph & & I give unto them a commandment that they shall go forth for a little Season & it shall be given by the power of my spirit when they shall retun return & ye shall go forth in the power of my spirit preaching my Gospel two by two in my name lifting up your voices as with the voice of a Trump declaring my word like unto Angels of God & ye shall go forth baptizing with water saying repent ye repent ye for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand & from this place ye shall go forth into the region westward & in as much as ye shall find my Deciples ye shall build up my Church in evry region until the time shall come when it shall be revealed unto you from on high & the city of the New Jerusalem shall be prepared that ye may be gethered in one that ye may be my people & I will be your God & again I say unto you that my servent shall stand in the office wherewith I have appointed him & it shall come to pass that if he transgress another shall be appointed in his stead even so amen
2nd Thee Law
Again I say unto you that it shall not be given to any one to go forth to preach my Gospel or to build up my Church except they be ordained by some one that hath authority & it is known to the Church that he hath authority & ◊◊◊ been regularly ordained by the heads of the Church & again the Elders Priests & Teachers of this Church shall teach the scriptures which are in the Bible & the Book of mormon in the which is the fulness of the Gospel & thou shalt observe the Covenants & Church Articles to do them & this shall be thy teachings & thou shalt be directed by the Spirit it shall be given thee by the prayer of faith & if ye receive not the spirit ye shall not teach & all this ye shall observe to do as I have commanded concerning th◊◊r teaching untill the fulness of my scriptures are given & as ye shall lift up your voices by the comforter ye shall [p. 63] Speak & prophecy as seemeth me good, for behold the Comforter knoweth all things & beareth record of thee Father & <of> the son & now behold I speak unto the Church
Thou shalt not kill. & he that k[i]lleth shall not have forgiveness neither in this world nor <in> the <world> to come & again thou shalt not kill he that k[i]lleth shall die— thou shalt not steal & he that stealeth & will not Repent shall be cast out— thou shalt not lie he that lieth & will not repent shall be cast out thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart & <shall> Cleave unto her & none else & he that looketh upon a woman to lust after <her> shall deny the faith & shall not have the spirit. & if he repent <not> he shall be cast out ——
Thou shalt not commit adultery & he that commiteth adultery & Repenteth not shall be cast out & he that commiteth adultery & Repenteth with all his heart & forsaketh & doeth it no more thou shalt forgive him but if he doeth it again he shall not be forgiven but shall be cast out Thou shalt not speak evil of thy neighbour or do him any harm. thou knowest my Laws they are given in my Scriptures he that sinneth & Repenteth not shall be cast out— If thou lovest me thou shalt serve me & keep all my commandments & Behold thou shalt consecrate all thy properties that which thou hast unto me with a covenant & a deed which cannot be Broken. & they shall be laid before the of my Church & two of the Elders shuch as he shall appoint & Set apart for that purpose & it shall come to pass that the of my Church after that he has Received the properties of my Church that it cannot be broken taken from you he shall appoint evry man a stewart over his own property or that which he hath Received in as much as shall be sufficient for himself & family & the Residue shall be kept to administer to him that hath not that evry man may Receive according as he stands in need. & the Residue shall be kept in my Store house to administer to the poor & needy & shall be appointed by the Elders of the Church & the [p. 64]
And for the purpose of purchaseing lands & the building up of the New Jerusamlm which is hereafter to be revealed that my Covenant people may be gethered in one in the day that I shall come to my temple & this I do for the salvation of my people. & it shall come to pass that he that sin[n]eth & repenteth not shall be cast out & shall not receive again that which he hath consecrated unto me for it shall come to pass that which I spake by the mouth of my Prophets shall be fulfilled for I will consecrate the riches of the Gentiles unto my People which are of the House of Israel & again thou shalt not be proud in thy heart. let all thy Garments be plain & their beauty the beauty of the work of thine own hands & let all things be done in cleanlyness before me—
Thou shalt not be idle for he that is idle shall not at eat the bread nor wear the garments of the labourer & whosoever among you that is sick & hath not faith to be healed but believeth shall be nourished in all tenderness with Herbs & mild food & that not of the World & the Elders of the Church two or more shall be called & shall pray for & lay their hands upon them in my name & if they die they shall die unto me & if they shall live they shall live unto me Thou shalt live together in love insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die & more especially for those that have not hope of a glorious resurrection & it shall come to pass that they that die in me Shall not taste of death for it shall be sweet unto them & they that die not in me woe is them for their death is bitter & again it shall come to pass that he that hath faith in me to be healed & is not appointed unto death shall be healed he that hath faith to See shall see he that hath faith to hear shall hear the lame that have faith to leap shall leap & they that have not faith to do these things but believe in me hath power to become my sons & in as much as they break not my Laws thou Shalt bear their infirmities thou shalt stand in the place of thy stewardship thou shalt not take thy Brothers garment thou shalt pay for that which thou shalt receive of thy Brother & if thou obtain more [p. 65] Then that which would be for thy support thou shalt give it into my Store House that it may be done according to that which I have spoken Thou shalt ask & my scriptures shall be given as I have appointed & for thy salvation thou shalt hold thy peace concerning them untill ye have received them & then I give unto you a commandment that ye should teach them unto all men & they also shall be taught unto all Nations Kindreds tongues & People— Thou shalt take the things which thou hast Received which thou knowest to have been my law to by be my law to govern my Church & he that doeth according to these things shall be saved & he that doeth them not shall be damned if he continue— If thou shalt ask thou shalt receive Revelation upon Revelation Knowledge upon Knoweledge that thou mayest know the mysteries & the peacibl things of the Kingdom that which bringeth Joy that which bringeth life Eternal— thou shalt ask & it shall be revealed unto you in mine own due time when the New Jerusalem shall be built thou shalt ask & it shall be revealed in mine own due time & behold it shall come to pass that my Servents shall be sent both to the East & to the west to the North & to the South & even now let him that goes to the East teach them that are converted to flee to the West & this because of that which is to come. & of Secret combinations Behold thou shalt observe all these things & great shall be thy reward thou shalt observe to keep the mysteries of the Kingdom unto thyself for it is not given to the World to know the mysteries & these laws which ye have received are sufficient for you both here & in the New Jerusalem But he that lacketh knowledge let him ask of me & I will give him liberally & upbraid him not lift up your hearts & rejoice for unto you the Kingdom has been given <unto you> even so amen
3rd How the Elders are to dispose of their families while they are proclaiming repentance or are otherwise engaged in the service of the Church.— [p. 66]
The Priests & Teachers shall have their Stewartship given them even as the members & the Elders are to assist the in all things & he is to see that their Families are supported out of the property which is consecrated to the Lord either a stewardship or otherwise as may be thought best by the Elders & . ——
4th How far it is the will of the Lord that we should have dealing with the world & how we should conduct our dealings with them ——
Thou shalt contract no debts with them. & again the Elders & shall council together & they shall do by the directions of the spirit as it must needs be nessessary ——
5th. What preperations we shall make for our brothren from the East & where & how ——
There shall be as many appointed as must needs be nessessary to assist the in obtaining places that they may be to gether as much as can be & is directed by the Holy Spirit & evry family shall have a place a places that they may live by themselves & evry Church shall be organized in as close bodies as they can be in consequence of the Enemy
45th. Commandment AD 1831
given to the of the at Geauga Ohio
Oh hearken ye Elders of my Church & give ere [ear] to the words which I shall speak unto you for Behold verily Verily I say unto you that ye have received a for a law unto my Church through him whom I have appointed unto you to receive commandments & Revelations from my hand & this ye shall know asshuredly that there is none other appointed unto you to receive commandments & Revelations untill he be taken if he abide in me. but Verily Verily I say unto you that none else shall be appointed unto this gift except it be through him for if it be taken from him he shall not have power except to appoint another in his stead & this shall be a law unto you that ye receive not the teachings of any that shall [p. 67]
A Commandment how to act in certain cases of adultry Behold <verily> I say unto you that whatsoever whatever persons among you having put away their companions for the cause of fornication or in other words if he <they> shall testify before you in all lowliness of heart that this is the case ye shall not cast them out from among you but if ye shall find that any persons hath <have> left their companions for the sake of adultry & they themselves are the offenders & their companions are living they shall be cast out from among you & again I say unto you that ye <shall> be watchful & careful with all inquiry that ye receive none such among you if they are married & if they are not married they shall repent of all their sins or ye shall not receive them [end of recto]
Feb. 23. 1831 [end of verso]
Come before you with as Revelations or & this I give unto you that you may not be deceived, that you may know they are not of me for Verily I say unto you that he that is ordained of me shall come in at the gate & be as I have told you before to teach those Revelations which you have received & shall receive through him whom I have appointed— & now Behold I give unto you a commandment that when ye are assembled yourselves together ye shall note with a Pen how to act, & for my Church to act upon the points of my law & commandments which I have given & thus it shall become a law unto you being Sanctified by that which ye have received that ye shall bind yourselves to act in all holiness before me that in as much as ye do this glory shall be ad[d]ed to the Kingdom which ye have received, inasmuch as ye do it not it shall be taken even that which ye have received, purge ye out the iniquity which is among you Sanctify yourselves before me & if ye desire the glories of the Kingdom appoint ye my Servent & uphold him before me by the prayer of faith & again I say unto you that if you desire the mysteries of the Kingdom provide for him food & raiment & whatsoever is thing he needeth to accomplish the work which I have commanded him & if ye do it not he shall remain unto them that have received him that I may reserve unto myself a pure People before me—
Again I say hearken ye of my whom I have appointed ye are not sent forth to be taught but to teach the Children of men the things which I have put in your hands by the power of my Spirit & ye are to be taught from on high Sanctify yourselves & ye shall be endowed with power from on high that ye may give even as I have spoken hearken ye for Behold the great day of the Lord is nigh at hand for the day cometh that the Lord shall utter his voice out of [p. 68] Heaven the Hevens shall shake & the Earth shall tremble & the Trump of God shall sound both long & loud & shall say to the sleeping Nations ye saints arise & live ye sinners stay & sleep untill I shall call again Wherefore gird up your loins lest ye are found among the wicked lift up your voices & spare not call upon the Nations to repent both old & young both bond & free saying prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord for if I who am a man do lift up my voice & call upon you to repent & ye hate men what will you say when the day cometh when the Thunders shall utter their voices from the ends of the Earth speaking in the ears of all that live saying repent & prepare for the great day of the Lord yea & again when the lightning shall streak forth from the East unto the west & shall utter forth their voices unto all that live & make the ears of all tingle that hear saying these words repent ye for the great day of the Lord is come & again the lord shall utter his voice out of Heaven saying hearken O ye Nations of the Earth & hear the words of that God who made you O ye Nations of the Earth how often would I have gethered you as a hen gethereth her chickens under her wings but ye would not how oft have I called upon you by the mouth of my Servents & by the ministering of Angels & by the voice of lightnings & by the voice of tempests & by the voice of Earthquakes & great hailstorms & by the voice of famines & pestilences of evry kind & by the great sound of a trump & by the voice of Judgements & by the voice of mercy all the day long & by the voice of Glory & honour & the riches of eternal life & would have saved you with an everlasting salvation but ye would not Behold the day has come when the cup of the wrath of mine indignation is full Behold verily I say unto you that these are the words of the Lord your God Wherefore Labour ye Labour ye in my vineyard for the last time for the last time call ye upon the inhabitants of the Earth for in mine [p. 69] Own due time will I come upon the Earth in Judgement & my People shall be redeemed & shall reign with me on Earth for the great Millenial which I have spoken by the mouths of my Servents shall come for satan shall be bound & when he is loosed again he shall only reign for a little Season & then cometh the end of the world & he that liveth in righteousness shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye & the Earth shall pass away so as by fire & the wicked shall go away into unquinchable fire & their end no man knoweth on Earth nor ever shall know untill they come before me in Judgement hearken ye to these words Behold I am Jesus Christ the saveiour of the World treasure these things up in your hearts & let the Solemn[i]ties of Eternity rest upon our minds be sober keep all the even So amen
46th Commandment Febu. 1831
A Revelation to Joseph & Receivd at Geauga Ohio a call to the of this Church &c &c
Blehold thus saith the Lord unto you my Servents it is expedient in me that the Elders of my Church should be called to gether from the East & from the West & from the North & from the South by letter or some other way & it shall come to pass that I will pour out my Spirit upon them in the day that they assemble themselves together & it shall come to pass that they shall go forth unto the regions round about & preach repentance unto this People & many shall be converted insomuch that ye shall obtain power to organize yourselves according to the laws of man that your enemies may be under your feet in all things that ye may be enabled to keep my laws that evry band may be broken wherewith the enemy seeketh to destroy my People Behold I say unto [p. 70] 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 which ye have receivd amen
47 A prophecy March 7th. 1831
given to Joseph the seer at geauga County Ohio
Saying hearken O ye people of my 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 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 to seek to it And to be a mesinger before my face to prepare the way before me [p. 71] Wherefore come ye unto it With him that cometh I will reason as with man of old in days of old And I will shew unto you my strong reasoning Wherefore hearken ye together & let me shew it unto you even my wisdom the wisdom of him whom ye say is the God of Enoch & his Brethren who were seperated from the Earth & were reserved unto myself a City reserved untill a day of righteousness shall come a day which was sought for by all Holy men & they found it not Because of wickedness & abominations & confessed that they were strangers & pilgrims on the Earth but obtained a promise that they should find it & see it in their flesh wherefore hearken & I will reason with you & I will speak unto you & prophecy as unto men in days of old & I will shew it plainly as I shewed it unto my Deciples as I stood before them in the flesh & spake unto them saying <as> ye have asked of me concerning these signs of my coming in the day when I shall come in my glory in the clouds of Heaven to fulfill the promises that I have made unto your fathers for as you have looked upon the long absence of your spirits from your bodies to be a bondage I will shew unto you how the day of redemption shall come & also the restoration of the scattered Israel & now ye behold this temple which is in Jerusalem which ye call the House of God & your enemies say that this House shall never fall but verily I say unto you that desolation shall come upon this generation as a thief in the night And this people shall be destroyed & scattered among all Nations & this Temple which ye now see shall be thrown down that there shall not be left an stone upon another & it shall come to pass that this generation of Jews shall not pass away [until every] desolation which I have told you concerning them shall come to pass ye say that ye know that the end of the World cometh ye say also that ye know that the Heavens & the Earth shall pass away [p. 72] And in this ye say truly for so it is But these things which I have told you shall not pass away but all shall be fulfilled & this I have told you concerning Jerusalum & when that day shall come shall a remnant shall a be scattered among all Nations but they shall be again but they shall remain untill the times of the be fulfelled & in that day shall be heard of wars & rumours of wars & the whole Earth shall be in commotion & mens hearts shall fail them & & shall say that Christ delayeth his coming until the end of the world & the love of men shall wax cold & inequity shall abound & when the times of the gentiles shall be is come in And a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness & it shall be the fulness of my Gospel but they receive it not for they perceive not the light & they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men & in that generation shall the times of the gentiles be fulfilled & there shall be men standing in that generation that shall not pass untill they shall see an overflowing scourge for a desolating sicknes shall cover the land & shall not be moved but my Deciples shall stand in Holy places & shall not be moved but among the wicked men shall lift up their voices & curse God & die & there shall be earthqakes also in diverse places & many desolations yet men will harden their hearts against me & they will take up the sword one against another & they will kill one another And now when I the Lord had spoken these words unto my Deciples they were troubled for when all these things shall come & I said unto them be not troubled for when all these things shall come to pass ye may know that the promises which have been made unto you shall be fulfilled & when the light shall begin to break forth it shall be with them like unto a Parable which I will shew you[.] ye look & behold the figgtrees & ye see them with your eyes & ye say when they begin to shoot forth & th◊◊◊ [their] leaves are yet tender ye say that summer [p. 73] is now nigh at hand even so it shall be in that day when they shall see all these things then shall they know that the hour is nigh & it shall come to pass that he that feareth me shall be looking for the great day of the lord to come even for the signs of the coming of the son of man & they shall see signs & wonders for they shall be shewn forth in the heavens above & in the Earth beneath & they shall behold blood & fires & vapors of smoke & before the day of the lord come the sun shall be darkened & the moon be turned into blood & some stars shall fall from Heaven & the remnant shall be gethered unto this place & then they shall look for me & Behold I will come & they shall see me in the clouds of heaven clothed with power & great glory with all the holy Angels & he that watches not for me shall be cut off But before the arm of the Lord shall fall & the Angel shall sound his Trump & the saints that have slept shall come forth to meet me in the cloud wherefore if ye have slept in peace blessed are you for as you now Behold me & know that I am even so shall ye come unto me & your souls shall live And your redemption shall be perfected And the saints shall come forth from the four quarters of the Earth then shall the arm of the Lord fall upon the Nations & then shall the lord set his foot upon this mount & it shall cleave in twain & the Earth shall tremble & reel to & fro & the Heavens also shall shake & the Lord shall utter his voice & all the ends of the Earth shall hear it & the Nations of the Earth shall mourn & they that have laughed shall see their folly & calamity shall cease the mocker & the scorner shall be consumed & they that have watched for iniquity shall be cut off hewn down & cast into the fire & then shall the Jews look upon me & say what are these wounds in thine hands & in thy feet then shall they know that I am the Lord for I will say unto them these wounds are the wounds [p. 74] With which I was wounded in the house of my friends I am he that was lifted up I am Jesus which was crusified I am the Son of God & then shall they weep because of their iniquities then shall they lament because they persecuted their King & then shall the heathen Nations be redeemed & they which knew no law shall have part in the first resurrection & it shall be tolerable for them & Satan shall be bound that he shall have no place in the hearts of the children of men & at that day when I shall come in my glory, Shall the palable [parable] be fulfilled of which I spoke concerning the ten virgins for he that is wise & hath received the truth & has taken the Holy Spirit for their guide & have not been deceived Verily I say unto you they shall not be hewn down & cast into the fire but shall abide the day & the Earth shall be given unto them for an inheritance & they shall multiply & wax strong & their children shall g[row] up without Sin unto salvation for the Lord shall be in their midst & his glory shall be upon them & he shall be their King & their law giver & now behold I say unto you it shall not be given unto you to know any farther then this until the New Testament be translated & it in it all things shall be made known Wherefore I give unto you that ye may now it that ye may be prepared for the things to come for Verily I say unto you that great things await you ye hear of wars in foreign lands but behold I say unto you they are nigh even unto your doors & not many years hence ye Shall hear of wars in your own lands wherefore I the Lord have said gether ye out from the Eastern lands assemble ye yourselves together ye of my ge [go] ye forth into the western countries call upon the inhabitants to repent & in as much as they do repent build up Churches unto me & with one heart & with one mind gether up your riches that you may purchase an inheritance which shall hereafter be appointed you & it shall be called the a land of peace a City of refuge a place of safety for the saints of [p. 75] The most high God & the glory of the Lord shall be there & the terer of the Lord also shall be there insomuch that the wicked will not come unto it & it shall be called & it shall come to pass among the wicked that evry man that will not take his sword against his Neighbour must needs flee unto Zion for safety & there shall be getherd unto it out of evry Nation under Heaven & it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another & it shall be said among the wicked let us not go up to battle against Zion for the inhabitants of Zion are terible wherefore we cannot stand & it shall come to pass that the righteous shall be gethered out from among all Nations & shall come to Zion singing with songs of everlasting Joy & now I say unto you keep these things from going abroad unto the world that ye may accomplish this work in the eyes of the people & in the eyes of your enemies that they may not know your works untill ye have accomplished the thing which I have you that when they shall know it it may be terible unto them that fear may sieze upon them & they shall stand afar off & tremble & all nations shall be afraid because of the teror of the lord, & the power of his might even so amen
48th Commandment March ◊th. 1831
given at geauga County Ohio to the concerning & meetings &c
Hearken oh ye my people of my Church for Verily I say unto you that these things are spoken unto you for your profit & learning but notwithstanding those things which are written it always has been given to the of my Church from the begining & ever shall be to conduct all meetings as they are conducted & guided by the Holy spirit nevertheless ye are never to cast any one out from your publick meetings [p. 76] which are held before the world ye are also never to cast any one out who belongeth to the out of your meetings nevertheless if any have trespassed let him not partake untill he makes reconciliation And again I say unto you ye shall not cast any out of your sacrement meetings who is earnestly seeking the Kingdom I speak this concerning this those who are not of the Church And again I say unto you concerning your meetings that if there be any that is not of the Church that is earnestly seeking after the Kingdom ye Shall not cast them out but ye are commanded in all things to ask of God who giveth liberally & that which the spirit testifies unto you even so I would that ye should do in all Holyness of heart walking uprightly before me considering the end of your salvation doing all things with prayer & thanksgiving that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits or doctrines of Devils or the commandments of men for some are of men & others of Devils Wherefore beware lest ye are deceived & that ye may not be deceived seek ye earnestly the best gifts always remembering for what they were are given for verily I say unto you they are given for the benefit of those who love me & keep all my commandments & him that seeketh so to do that all may be benefitted that seeketh or that asketh of me that asketh & not for a sign that he may consume it upon his lusts And again Verily I say unto you I would that ye should always remember & always retain in your minds what these gifts are that are given unto the Church for all have not every gift given unto them for there are many gifts & to evry man is given a gift by the spirit of God to some is given one & to some is given another that all may be profited thereby to some is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the son of God & that he was crusified for the sins of the World to others it is given to believe on their words that they also may might have eternal life if they continue faithful And again to some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know the [p. 77] Defferences of administeration as it will be pleasing unto the same Lord according as the Lord will suiting his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men And again it is given by the Holy Ghost to some to know the diversities of opperations whether it be of God or not so that the manifestations of the spirit may be given to evry man to prophet [profit] withall And again Verily I say unto you to some it is given by the spirit of God the word of wisdom to another it is given the word of Knowledge that all may be taught to be wise & to have knowledge & again to some it is given to have faith to be healed & to others it is given to have faith to heal And again to some it is given the working of miracles & to others it is given to prophecy & to others the decerning of spirits & again it is given to some to speak with tongues & to another it is given the interpretation of tongues & all these gifts cometh from [God] for the benefit of the children of God & unto the of the & unto such as God sahall appoint & to watch over the Church & to <be> the unto the Church are to have it given unto [them] to decern all those gifts lest <if> there shall be any among you prophecying & yet not be of God & it shall come to pass that he that asketh in spirit shall receive in spirit that unto some it may be given to have all those gifts that there may be a head in order that evry member may be propheted profited thereby he that asketh in spirit asketh according to the will of God wherefore it is done even as he asketh & again I say unto you all things must be done in the name of Christ whatsoever you do in the spirit & ye must give thanks unto God in the spirit for whatsoever blessing ye are blessed with & ye must practice virtue & holyness before me continually even so amen [p. 78]
49 Commandment March 10th. 1831
A Revelation Rcdd Received at Geauga County Ohio concerning the Bretheren in how to Manage ther with their property &c
It is nessessary that ye should remain for the present time in your places of abode as it shall be suitable to your circumstances & inasmuch as ye [have] lands ye shall impart to the Eastern Brethren & in as much as ye have not lands let them buy for the present time in those regions round about as seemeth them good for it must needs be nessessary that they have places to live for the present time it must needs be nessessary that ye save all the money that ye can (& that ye obtain all that ye can) that in time ye may be enabled to purchase lands for an inheritance (even the City) the place is not yet to be revealed but after your Brethren come from the East there are to be certain men to be appointed & to them it shall be given to know the place as to them it shall be revealed & they shall be appointed to purchase the lands & to lay the foundation make a commencement to lay the foundation of the City & then ye shall begin to be with your families evry man according to his family according to his circumstances & as is appointed to them by the & of the according to the which ye have received & which ye shall hereafter receive
50th Commandment March 8th. 1831
Given at Geauga Ohio = given to in consequenc[e] of not feeling reconsiled to write at the request of Joseph with[o]ut a commandment &c
Behold it is expedient that my servent should write & keep a regulal [regular] history & assist my servent Joseph in Transcribing all things which shall be given him And again verily I say unto you that ye can can also lift [p. 79] Up your voice in Meetings when ever it shall be expedient & again I say unto you, that it shall be appointed unto you to Keep the Church Record & History continually for I have appointed to an other office wherefore it shall be given thee by th[e] comforter to write these things even so amen
51st. Commandment May 7th. 1831
A Revelation given to & & Received at Geauga Ohio th[e]ir mission to the Shakers & thus saith the Lord unto them as follows
Hearken unto my word my Servent & & for Behold verily I say unto you that I give unto you a that you shall go & preach my Gospel which ye have received even as ye have received it unto the Shakers. Behold I say unto you that they desire to know the truth in Part but not all for they are not right before me & must needs repent wherefore I send you my Servents & to preach the Gospel unto them & my servent shall be unto this work that he may reason with them not according to that which he hath received of them but according to that which shall be taught them him by you my Servents & by so doing I will bless him otherwise he shall not prosper thus saith the Lord for I am God & have sent mine only begotten Son into the world for the redemption of the world & have decreed that he that receiveth him shall be saved & he that receiveth him not shall be damned & they have done unto the Son of man even as they listed & he hath taken his power on the right hand of his glory & now reigneth in the Heavens <& will> till he decends on the Earth to put all enemies under his feet which time is nigh at hand I the Lord hath spoken it but the hour & the day no man knoweth neither the angels in Heaven nor shall they know untill he come wherefore I will that all men <shall> repent for all are under sin except them which I have reserved unto myself Holy men that ye know not of wherefore I say unto you that I have sent unto you even that which was [p. 80] from the begining & that which I have promised I have so fulfilled & the Nations of the earth shall bow to it & if not of them selves they shall come down for that which is now exalted of itself shall be laid low of power. wherefore I give unto you a that ye go among this People & say unto them like unto mine of old whose name was Peter believe on the name of the Lord Jesus who was on the Earth & is to come the begining & the end. Repent & be in the name of Jesus christ according to the holy commandment for the remission of sins & whoso doeth this shall receive the of the of this . & again I say unto you that whoso forbideth to marry is not ordained of God for it is ordained of God unto man wherefore it is lawful that he should have one wife & they twain shall be one flesh & all this that the Earth might answer the end of its Creation & that it might be filled with the measure of man according to his creation before the world was made & whoso forbideth to abstain from meats that man should not eat the same is not ordained of God for behold the beasts of the field & the fowls of the air & that which cometh of the Earth is ordained for the use of man for food & for raiment & that he might have in abundance but it is not given that one man should possess that which is above an other wherefore the world lieth in sin & wo be unto man that shedeth blood or that wasteth flesh & hath no need & again verily I say unto you that the son of man cometh not in the form of a woman neither of <a> man traveling on the Earth wherefore be not deceived but continue in steadfastness looking forth for the Heavens to <be> shaken & the Earth to tremble & to reel to & fro as a drunken man & for the vallies to be exhalted & for the Mountains to be made low & for the rough places to become smooth & all this when the Angel shall sound his trumpet but before this great day of the Lord shall come Jacob shall flourish in the wilderness & the shall blossom as the rose & shall flourish upon the Hills & rejoice upon the Mountains & shall be assembled together [p. 81] Unto the place which I have appointed behold I say unto you go forth as I have you repent of all your sins ask & ye shall receive knock & it shall be opened unto you behold I will go before you & be your rearward & I will be in your midst & you shall not be confounded behold I am Jesus Christ & I come quickly even so Amen——
52nd Commandment May 9th. 1831
A Revelation to the of this given at geauga Ohio in consequence of their not being perfectly acquainted with the different opperations of the Spirits which are abroad in the Earth & thus saith the Lord unto them as follows
Hearken o ye Elders of my Church & give ear to the voice of the living God & attend to the words of wisdom which shall be given unto you according as ye have asked & are agreed as touching the Church & the spirits which have gone abroad in the Earth Behold verily I say unto you that there are many spirits which are false spirits which have gone forth in the Earth deceiving the world & also Satan hath sought to deceive you that he might overthrow you Behold I the Lord have looked upon you & have seen abominations in the Church which profess my name but blessed are they who are faithfull & endure whether in life or in death for they shall inherit eternal life but wo be unto them that are deceivers & hypocrites for thus saith the Lord I will bring them to Judgement behold verily I say unto you there are hypocrites among you & have deceived some which have given the advesary power but behold such shall be reclaimed but the hypocrites shall be detected & shall be cut off either in life or in death even as I will & wo is them that is cut off from my Church for the same is overcome of the world wherefore let every man be aware lest he do that which is not in truth & righteousness before me & now come saith the Lord by the spirit by the Elders of his Church & let us reason together that ye may understand [p. 82] let us reason even as a man reasoneth one with another face to face now when a man reasoneth he under[stand]eth of man because he reasoneth as a man even so will I the Lord reason with you that you may understand wherefore I the Lord asketh you this question unto what were ye to Preach my Gospel by the spirit even the comforter which was sent forth to teach the truth & then received you spirits which ye could not understand & received them to be of God & in this are ye Justified? Behold ye shall answer this yourselves nevertheles I will be mercyfull unto you he that is weak among you hereafter shall be made strong verily I say unto you he that is ordained of me & sent forth to preach the word of truth by the comforter the spirit of truth doth he preach it by the spirit of truth or some other way & if by some other way it be not of God & again he that receiveth the word of truth doth he receive it by the spirit of truth or some other way if it be some other way it be not of God therefore why is it that ye cannot understand & know that he <that> receiveth the word by the spirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the spirit of truth wherefore he that <preacheth & he that> receiveth understandeth one another & both are edified & rejoice together & that which doth not edify is not of God & is darkness that which is of God is light & he that receiveth light & continueth in god receiveth more light & that light groweth lighter brighter and brighter untill the perfect day & again verily I say unto you & I say it that you may know the truth that you may choose chase darkness from among you for he that is ordaned of God & sent forth the same is apponted to be the greatest notwithstanding he is least & the servent of all wherefore he is possessor of all things <for all things> are subject unto him both in Heaven & on the Earth the life & the light the spirit & the power sent forth by the will of the father through Jesus Christ his son but no man is possessor of all things except he be purified & cleansed from all sin & if ye are purified & cleansed from all sin ye shall ask whatsoever you will in the name of Jesus & it shall be done but know this it shall be given [p. 83] you what ye shall ask & as ye are appointed to the head The spirits shall be subject unto you wherefore it shall come to pass that if ye behold a spirit manifested that ye cannot understand & you receive not that spirit ye shall ask of the father in the name of Jesus & if he gave give not unto you that spirits then ye may know that it is not of God & it shall be given unto you power that spi over that spirit & you shall proclaim against that spirit with a loud voice that it is not of God not with railing accusation that ye be not over come neither with boasting nor rejoicing lest you be seased [seized] therewith he that receiveth of God let it [him] account it of God & let him rejoice that he is accounted of God worthy to receive & by giving heed & doing these things which ye have received & which ye shall hereafter receive ◊ the Kingdom is given unto you of the father & power to over come all things which is not of him & Behold verily I say unto you blessed are you that hear these words of mine from the mouth of my servent for your sins are forgiven you Let my Servent in whom I am well pleased & my servent go forth among the & strengthen them by the word of exhortation & also my servent or as many of my servents as are ordained unto this office & let them labour in the vinyard & let no man hinder them of doing that which I have appointed unto them wherefore in this thing my Servent is not Justified nevertheless let him repent & he shall be forgiven Behold ye are little Children & ye cannot bear all things now ye must grow in grace & in the knowledge of the truth fear not little children for you are mine & I have overcome the world & you are of them which my father hath given me & none of them which my father hath given me shall be lost & the father & I are one I am in the father & the father in me & I in you as much as ye have received me ye are in me & am I in you wherefore I am in your midst & I am the good shepherd [p. 84] & the day cometh that you shall hear my voice & see me & know that I am watch therefore that ye may be ready even So Amen
53 May 15th. 1831
givn to & concerning a farm &c
Hearken unto my words & behold I will make known unto you what ye shall do as it shall be pleasing unto me for verily I say unto you it must needs be that ye let the bargain stand that ye have made concerning these farms untill it be so fulfilled Behold ye are holden for the one even so likewise thine advisary is holden for the other wherefore it must needs be that ye pay no more money for the present time untill the contract be fulfilled & let my Servent & his family go into the House after thine advisary is gone & let my Servent board with him & let all the Brethren immediately assemble together & put up an house for my Servent & let my Servents ’s family remain & let the house be repaired & their wants be supplied & when my Servent returns from the west Behold he taketh his family to the west Let that which belongeth to my Servent be secured unto him by deed or bond & thus he willeth that the Brethren reap the good thereof let my Servent govern the things of the farm & provide for the families & let him have help in as much as he standeth in need let my servent humble himself & at the he shall be ordained unto power from on high & he shall go from thence (if he be obedient unto my commandments) & proclaim my Gospel unto the western regions with my Servents that must go forth even unto the borders of the for Behold I have a great work for them to do & it shall be given unto you to know what ye shall do at the conferenc[e] meeting even so Amen——
What shall the Brethren do with their money——
Ye shall go forth & seek dilligently among the Brethren & obtain lands & save the money that it may be to purcchase lands in the west for an everlasting enheritance
even So Amen [p. 85]
54 Commandment ——
54 <Com> A Revelation given to the at Ohio May 20th. 1831 concerning the property of the &c
Hearken unto me saith the lord your God & I will speak unto my Servent & give unto him directions for it must needs be that he receive directions how to organize this people for it must needs be that they are organized according to my laws if otherwise they will be cut off wherefore let my Servent receive the properties of this People which have covenanted with me to obey the Laws which I have given & let my Servent receive the money as it shall be laid before him according to the covenant & go & obtain a deed or Article of this land unto himself for I have appointed him to receive these things & thus through him the Properties of this Church shall be covenanted unto me wherefore let my Servent & those whom he has chosen in whom I am well pleased appoint unto this People their portion every man alike according to their families according to their wants & their needs & let my servent when he shall appoint a man his portion give unto him a writing that shall secure unto him his portion that he shall hold it of the Church untill he transgress & is not counted worthy by the Church voice of the Church according to the to belong to the Church & thus all things shall be made sure according to the laws of the land & let that which belongeth to this people be appointed unto this people & the money which is left unto this people let there be an agent appointed unto this people to take the money to provide food & raiment according to the wants of this people & let every man deal honestly & be alike among you this People & receive alike that ye may be one even as I have you & let that which belongeth to this people not be taken & given unto that of another church wherefore if another Church would receive money of this Church let them pay unto this church again according as they shall agree & this shall be done through the or the agent which shall be appointed by the voice of the church & again let the appoint a unto this Church & let all things both in in money & in meat [p. 86] which is more then is needful for the want of this People be kept in the hands of the & let him also reserve unto himself for his own wants & for the wants of his family as he shall be employed in doing this Business & thus I grant unto this People a privelige of organizeing themselves according to my & I unto them this land for a little season untill I the Lord shall provide for them otherwise & them to go hence & the hour & the day is not given unto them wherefore let them act upon this land as for years & this shall turn unto them for their good Behold this shall be an example unto my Servent in other places in all & whoso is found a faithful & Just & a wise shall enter into the Joy of his lord & shall inherit eternal life verily I say unto you I am Jesus Christ who cometh quickly in an hour you think not even so Amen
55th. Commandment given at June 6th. 1831
Directions to the of the &c
Behold thus saith the Lord unto the Elders whom he hath called & chosen in these last days by the voice of his Spirit saying I the Lord will make known unto you what I will make known that ye sh◊◊ld do from this time untill the next which shall be held in upon the land which I will consecrate unto my People which are a remnant of Jacob & those who are heirs according to the covenant wherefore verily I say unto you let my Servents Joseph & take their Journey as Soon as preperations can be made to leave their homes & Journey to the land of & in as much as they are faithfull unto me it shall be made known unto them what they shall do & it shall also in as much as they are faithfull be made known unto them the land of your inheritance & in as much as they are not faithfull they shall be cut off even as I will as Seemeth me good & again verily I say unto you let my Servent & my Servent take their Journey speedily & also my Servent & my Servent take their Journey unto the Same place by the way of & let them Journey from thence preaching the word by the way saying none other things than the Prophets & have written & that which is [p. 87] Taught them by the Comforter through the prayer of faith[.] let them go two by two & thus let them Preach by [the] way in every congregation & the for thus sayeth the lord I will cut my work short in righteousness for the days cometh that I will send forth Judgement unto victory & let my Servent be aware for Satan desireth to sift him as Chaff & behold he that is faithfull shall be made ruler over many things & again I will give unto you a Pattern in all things that ye may not be deceived for Satan is abroad in the land & he goeth forth deceiveing the Nations wherefore he that prayeth whose spirit is contrite the same is accepted of me if he obey mine ordinances[.] he that speaketh whose spirit is contrite whose language in is meek & edifieth the Same is of God if he obey mine & again he that trembeleth under my power shall be made strong & shall bring forth fruits of Praise & wisdom according to the Revelations & truths which I have given you & again he that is overcometh & bringeth not forth fruits even according to this Pattern is not of me wherefore by this Pattern ye shall know all the spirits in all cases under the whole Heavens & the days have come according to mens faith it shall be done unto them behold this is given unto all the whom I have chosen & again verily I say unto you let my Servents & my Servent take their Journey also preaching the word by the way unto this same land & again let my servent & my Servent take their Journey also preaching the word by the way to the same land let my Servent & take their Journey with my servents & Joseph let my Servent & also take their Journey & preach by the way let my Servent & also take their Journey & Preach by the way unto this same land & my Servent & also take their Journey to the same land & preach by the way let my Servent & Jacob (Schott) [Scott] also take their Journey let my servent & take their Journey let my Servent [p. 88] & also take their Journey let my Servent & william (Carter) also take their Journey let my Servent & both be & also take their Journey yea verily I say unto you let all these take their Journey unto one Place in their Several courses & one man shall not build upon anothers foundation neither Journey in an others tracks he that is faithfull the same shall be kept & blest with much fruit & again I say unto you let my servent & take their Journey into the easteren lands & let them labour with their families declaring none other things than the Prophets & that which they have seen & heard & most shuredly believe that the Prophecies may be fulfilled[.] in consequence of transgression let that which was bestowed upon be taken from him & placed upon the head of Simon<ds> & again verily I say unto you let be ordained a & also be ordained a Priest let the residue of the watch over the & declare the word in the regiones among them & let them labour with their own hands that there be no Idolitry nor wickedness practiced & remember in all things the poor & the Needy the Sick & the afflicted for he that doeth not these things is not my deciple these things the same is not my Deciple & again let my Servent Joseph & & take with them a & let there be one obtained for my Servent also & thus even as I have said if ye are faithfull ye shall assemble yourselves together to rejoice upon the land of your inheritance which is now the land of your enemies but behold I the lord will hasten the City in its time & will crown the faithfull with Joy & rejoicing Behold I am Jesus Christ the Son of God & I will lift them up at the last day even so amen
55 56th Commandment June 8th. 1831
A Revelation to his Call &c
Behold I say unto you my servent that I have heard your prayers & ye have called upon me that it should be made known unto you of the lord your God concerning your calling & election in this which I the Lord have raised up in these last days [p. 89] Behold I my the Lord who was crusified for the sins of the world giveth unto you a that you shall forsake the world take upon you mine even that of an to Preach faith & repentance & remission of sins according to my word & the by the & also to be an agent unto this in the Place which shall be appointed by the according to commandments which shall be given hereafter & again verily I say unto you you shall take your Journey with my servent Joseph & Behold these are the <firist> ordinances which you shall receive & the residue shall be made known unto you in a time to come according to your labour in my vinyard & again I would that ye should learn that it is hi◊ only who is saved that endureth unto the end even so amen
57th. Commandment June 10th. 1831
A Revelation to the at giving them Directions what to do &c
Behold thus saith the Lord even Alpha & Omega the begining & the end even him that was crusified for the sins of the World Behold verily verily I say unto you my Servent you shall stand fast in the office wherewith I have appointed you & if your Brethren desire to escape their enemies let them repent of all their sins & become truly humble before me & contrite & as the covenant which they make unto me has been broken even so it hath become void & of none affect & wo to him by whom this offence cometh for it had been better for him that he had been drownded in the depth of the sea but blessed are they who have kept the covenant & observed the for they shall obtain mercy wherefore go to now & flee the land lest your enemies come upon you And take your Journey & appoint whom you will to be your leader & to pay moneyes for you & thus you shall take your Journeys into the regions westward unto unto the borders of the & after you have done Journeying Behold I say unto you seek ye a living like unto men untill I prepare a place for you & again be patient in tribulation untill I come & Behold I come quickly & my reward is with me [p. 90] & he that hath sought me early shall find rest to their Souls even So amen ——
58 Comandment June 14th. 1831 A Revelation to & their Calling &c——
Behold thus saith the lord unto you, my servent yea even the lord of the whole Earth thou art called & chosen & hast after thou hast been , which if you do with an eye single to my glory you shall have a remission of your sins & a & then thou shalt be by the hand of my servent Joseph to be an unto this to Preach repentance & remission of sins by way of baptism in the name of Jesus Christ the son of the living God & on whomsoever you shall lay your hands & if they are contrite before me you shall have power t◊ give the holy spirit & again thou shalt be ordained to assist my servent to do the work of Printing & of Selecting & writing Books for Schools in this Church that little Children also may receive instruction before me as is pleasing unto me & again verily I say unto you for this cause thou shalt take thy Journey with my servents Joseph & that thou mayest be planted in the land of thine inheritance to do this work & again let my servent also take his Journey with them the residue shall be made known hereafter even as I will Amen
59th. Commandment June 15th. 1831
was desirous to know what he should do as the Lord had commanded him & to take their Journey to the land of but could not get ready as he said soon as wanted that he should & these are the words of the Lord as follows
Hearken O ye people which Profess my name saith the lord your God for Behold mine anger is kindeled against the rebelious & they shall know mine arm & mine indignation in the day of visitation & of wrath upon the Nations & he that will not take up his cross & follow me & keep my commandments the same shall not be saved behold I the Lord commandeth & he that will not obey shall be cut off in mine own due time [p. 91] And after that I have commanded & the commandment is broken Wherefore I the lord command & revoke as it seemeth me good & all this to be answered upon the heads of the rebelious saith the Lord Wherefore I revoke the commandment which was given unto my servent & & give a new commandment unto my Servent that he shall take up his Journey speedily to the land of & my servent shall also go with him for behold I revoke the commandment which was given to my servents & in consequence of the stiffneckedness of my people which are in & their rebelions Wherefore let my servent remain with them & as many as will go may go that are contrite before me & be led by him to the land which I have appointed & again verily I say unto you that my servent must repent of his pride & his selfishness & obey the former commandment which I have given him concerning the place upon which he lives & if he will do this as there shall no divisions be <be> made upon the land he shall be appointed still to go to the land of otherwise he shall receive the money which he has paid & shall leave the place & shall be cut off out of my Church saith the Lord god of host & though the Heavens & the Earth pass away these words shall not pass away but shall be fulfilled & if my servent Joseph must needs pay the money Behold I the Lord will pay <it> unto him again in the land of that those of whom he shall receive may be rewarded again according to that which they do they shall receive even in lands for their in heritance Behold thus saith the lord unto my people you have many things to do & to repent of for behold your sins have come up unto me & are not pardoned because you seek to council in your own ways & your hearts are not satisfied & y◊ obey not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness wo! unto you rich men that will not give your substance to the poor for your riches will kanker your souls And this shall be your lamentation in the day of visitation & of Judgement & of indignation the Harvest is past the summer is ended & my soul is not saved wo! unto you poor men whose hearts are not broken whose spirits are not contrite & whose bellys are not satisfied & whose hands are not stayed from laying hold upon other mens goods whose eyes are full of greediness whos will not labour with their own hands [p. 92] But blessed are the poor <who are pure in heart whose hearts are broken &> whose spirits are contrite for they shall see the Kingdom of God coming with power & great glory unto their deliverance for the fatness of the Earth shall be theirs for Behold the lord shall come & his recompence shall be with him & he shall reward every man & the poor shall rejoice & their generations shall inherit the Earth from generation to generation for ever & ever & now I make an end of speaking unto you even So amen
60 Commandment
Given in Missorie Jackson Co July 20th. 1831 giving directions <to the & > how to proceed concerning purchuseing Lands &c. &c.
Hearken Oh ye of my saith the Lord your God, Who have assembelled yourselves together, according to my in this land which is the land of which is the Land which I, have appointed & consecrated for the . Wherefore, this is the land of promise & the place for the . yea thus saith the Lord your God, If ye will receive wisdom here is wisdom. Behold the place which is now called is the centre place, & the spot for the is lying westward upon a lot which is not far from the . Wherefore it is wisdom that the land should be purchased by the saints & also every tract lying westward even unto the line runing directly between Jew & And also every tract bordering by the Prairies in as much as my Deciples are enabled to buy lands. Behold this is wisdom that they may obtain it for an everlasting & let my Servent stand in the office which I have appointed to receive moneys to be an agent unto the church to buy lands in all the regions round about in as much as can be in righteousness, & as wisdom shall direct. And let my servent stand in the office which I have appointed him to [divide] unto the saints their inheritance even as I have commanded & also them whom he has appointed to assist him And again verily I say unto you let my servent plant himself in this place, & establish a that his he may sell goods without frauds that he may obtain money to buy lands for the goods of the Saints & that he may [p. 93] Obtain provisions & whatsoever things the Deciples may need to plant them in their & also let my servents obtain license (behold here is wisdom & whoso readeth let him understand) that he may send goods also unto the even by whom he will as clerks employed in his service & thus the gospel may be preached unto them And again verily I say unto you let my servent also be planted in this place & be established as a Printer unto the Church & lo. if the world receiveth his writings (behold this is wisdom) let him obtain whatsoever he can <obtain> in righteousness for the good of the saints. And let my servents assist him even as I have in Whatsoever place I shall appoint unto him to copy & to correct & select &c that all things may be right before me as it shall be proved by the Spirit through him & thus let those of whom I have spoken be planted in the Land of Zion as speedily as can be with their families to do these things even as I have spoken And concerning the let the & the make preperations for th◊se families which have been commanded to come to this land as soon as posible & plant them in their inheritance & unto the residue of both & members further directions shall be given hereafter even So Amen——
61 Commandment August 1st. 1831
A Revelation given to the who were assembeled in on the land of Directions what to do &c &c &c
Hearken oh ye Elders of my & give ear to my word & learn of me what I will concerning you & also concerning this land unto which I have sent you for verily I say unto you blessed is he that keepeth my whether in life or in death & he that is faithfull in tribulation the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven ye cannot behold with your natural eyes for the present time the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter & the glory which shall follow after much tribulation for after much tribulation cometh the blessings Wherefore, the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory the hour is not yet but is nigh at hand remember this which I tell you before that you [p. 94] may lay it to heart & receive that which shall follow behold verily I say unto you for this cause I have sent you that you might be obedient & that your hearts might be prepared to bear testimony of the things which are to come & also that you might be honoured of laying the foundation & of bearing record of the land upon which the of God shall stand & also that a feast of fat things might be prepared for the poor yea a feast of fat things of wine on the lees well refined that the earth may know that the mouths of the Prophets shall not fail yea a supper of the house of the Lord well prepared unto which all nations shall be invited firstly the rich & the learned the wise & the Noble & after that cometh the day of my Power then shall the poor the lame and the blind & the deaf come in unto the marriage of the lamb & partake of the supper of the Lord prepared for the great day to come Behold I the Lord have spoken it & that the testimony might go forth from Zion yea from the mouth of the City of the heritage of God yea for this cause I have Sent you hither & have Selected my Servent & appointed him his mission in this land but if he repent not of his sins which is unbelief & blindness of heart let him take heed lest he fall behold his mission is given unto him & it shall not be given again & whoso standeth in that mission is appointed to be a like as it was in ancient days to divide the lands of the heritage of God unto his children & to Judge his people by the testimony of the Just & by the assistance of his according to the laws of the kingdom which are given by the Prophets of God for verily I say unto you my laws shall be kept on this land let no man think that he is ruler but let god rule him that Judgeth according to the council of his own will (or in other words) him that councileth or seteth upon the Judgement Seat let no man break the laws of the land for he that keepeth the laws of God hath no need to break the laws of the land Wherefore be subject to the powers that be untill he reigns whose right it is to reign & subdues all enemies under his feet behold the laws which ye have received from my hand are the & in this light ye shall hold them forth behold here is wisdom & now as I spoke concerning my [p. 95] Servent this land is the land of his residence & those whom he has appointed for his & also the land of the residence of him whom I have appointed to keep my Wherefore let them bring their families to this land as they shall council between them & me for behold it is not meet that I should in all things for he that is compelled in all things the same is a slothfull & not a wise Servent Wherefore he receiveth no reward verily I say men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause and do many things of their own free will, & bring to pass much righteousness for the power is in them wherein they are agents unto themselves & in-as-much as men are good they shall in no wise loose their reward but he that doeth not any thing untill he is commanded & receiveth a commandment with a doubtfull heart & keepeth it with slothfullness the same is damned Who am I that made man saith the Lord that will hold him guilty that obey not my commandments who am I saith the Lord that have promised & have not fulfilled I command & a man obeys not I revoke & they receive not the blessing then they say in their hearts this is not the work of the Lord for his promises are not fulfilled but wo unto such for their reward lurketh beneath & not from above & now I give unto you further directions concerning this Land it is wisdom in me that my servent should be an example unto the in laying his money before the of the Church & also this is a law unto every man that cometh unto the Land to receive an and he shall do with his moneys according as the directs & it is wisdom also that it there should be lands purchased in for the place of the storehouse & also for the & other directions concerning my servent shall be given him of the spirit that he may receive his inheritance as seemeth him good & let him repent of his sins for he seeketh the praise of the world & also let my servent stand in the office which I have appointed him & receive his inheritance in the Land & also he hath need to repent for I the lord am not pleased with him for he seeketh to excell & he is not sufficiently humble meek in his heart behold he that hath repented of his sins the [p. 96] same is forgiven & I the Lord remembereth them no more by this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins behold he will confess them & forsake them & now verily I say concerning the residue of the of my the time has not yet come for many years for them to receive their in this land except they desire it through prayer only as they it shall be appointed unto them for Behold they shall push the people together from the ends of the Earth wherefore assemble yourselves together, & he that is not appointed to stay in this land let them preach the gospel in the regions round about & after that let them return to their homes let them preach by the way & bear testimony of the truth in all places & call upon the rich the high & the low & the poor to repent & let them build up churches in-as-much as the inhabitants of the Earth will repent & let there be an agent appointed by the voice of the Church & I give unto my servent a that he shall write a discription of the Land of Zion & a statement of the will of God as it shall be made known by the spirit unto him and an Epistle & subscription to be presented unto all the Churches to obtain money to be put into the hands of the to purchase lands for an inheritance for the children of God of himself or the agent as seemeth him good or as he shall direct for behold verily I say unto you the Lord willeth that the deciples & the children of men should open their hearts even to purchase this whole region of country as soon as time will permit behold here is wisdom let them do this lest they reserve none inheritance save it be by the sheding of blood & again in as much as there is lands obtained let there be workmen sent forth of all kinds unto this land to labour for the saints of God let all these things be done in order & let the priveliges of the lands be made known from time to time by the or the of the Church & let the work of the be not in haste nor by flight but let it be done as it shall be councelied by the Elders of the Church at the according to the knoweledge which they receive from time to time & let my servent consecrate & dedicate this land & the spot of the unto the Lord & let a conference meeting be called & after that let my servent & Joseph return & also with them to [p. 97] accomplish the residue of the work which I have appointed unto them in their own land & the residue as shall be ruled by the & let no man return from this land except he bear record by the way of that which he knows & most assuredly believes let that which has been bestowed upon be taken from him & let him stand as a member in the Church & labour with his own hands with the brethren untill he is sufficiently chastened for all his sins for he confeseth them not & he thinketh to hide them let the residue of the of this which are coming to this land some of whom are exceedingly blessed even above measure also hold a conference which shall be held by them & let them also return preaching the gospel by the way bearing record of the things which are revealed unto them for verily the sound must go forth from this place into all the world & unto the uttermost parts of the Earth the gospel must be preached unto every creature with signs following them that believe & behold the son of man cometh Amen
62 Commandment
Given in Missorie Jackson Co Aug 7th. 1831 instructing the sa[i]nts how to keep the sabath & how to fast and pray & what it was &c &c ——
Behold blessed saith the Lord are they who have come up unto this Land with an eye single to my glory according to my commandments for them that live shall live inherit the earth & them that die shall rest from all their labours & their works shall follow them & they shall receive a crown in the mansions of my father which I have prepared for them yea blessed are they whose feet stand upon the Land of Zion who have obeyed my Gospel for they shall receive for their reward the good things of the Earth & it shall bring forth in his strength & they also shall be crowned with blessings from above yea & with commandments not a few And with revelations in their time they that are faithfull & dilligent before me Wherefore I give unto them a commandment saying thus thou shalt love the Lord thy good with all thy heart with all thy might mind & strength & in the name [p. 98] of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve him thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself thou shalt not steal neither commit adultery nor kill nor do any thing like unto it thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things thou shalt offer a Sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in righteousness even that of a broken heart & a contrite spirit & that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspoted from the world thou shalt go to the house of prayer & offer up thy Sacraments upon my holy day for verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labours & to pay thy devotions unto the most high nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness in all days & at all times but remember that on this the Lords day thou shalt offer thine oblations & thy sacraments unto the most high confessing thy sins unto thy brethren & before the Lord & on this day thou shalt do none other thing only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting m[a]y be perfect or in other words that thy Joy may be full verily this is fasting & prayer or in other word rejoicing & prayer & in as much as ye do these things with thanksgiving with cheerful hearts & countenances not (with much laughter for this is sin) but with a glad heart & a cheerfull countenance verily I say that in as much as ye do this the fullness of the Earth is yours the beasts of the fields & the fowls of the air & that which climbeth upon trees & walketh upon the Earth yea & the herb & the good things which cometh of the Earth whether for food or for raiment or for houses or for barns or for orchards or for gardens or for vineyards yea all things which cometh of the Earth in the season thereof is made for the benefit & the use of man both to please the eye & to gladden the heart yea for food & for raiment for taste & for smell to strengthen the body & to enliven the soul & it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto m◊n for unto this end were they made to be used with Judgement not to excess neither by extortion & in nothing doth man offend God or against none is his wrath kindeled save those who confess not his hand in all things & obey not his commandments behold this is according to the law & the Prophets Wherefore trouble me no more concerning this matter but learn that he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward even peace in this [p. 99] World & eternal life in the world to come I the lord hath spoken it & the spirit beareth record Amen
63 Commandment given in Missorie Jackson County August 8th. 1831 directions to some of the to return to their homes & & own land &c &c
Behold thus saith the Lord unto the Elders of this who are to return speedily to the land from whence they came behold it pleaseth me that you have come up hither but with some I am not well pleased for they will not open their mouths but hide the tallent which I have given <unto> them because of the fear of man wo unto such for mine anger is kindelled against them & it shall come to pass if they are not more faithfull unto me it shall be taken away even that which they have for I the Lord ruleth in the heavens above & among the armies of the Earth And in the day when I shall make up my Jewels all men shall know what it is that bespeaketh the power of God but verily I will speak unto you concerning your Journey unto the Land from whence you came let there be a craft made or bought as seemeth you good it mattereth not unto me & take your Journey speedily for the place which is called & from thence let my Servent & Joseph & take their Journey for & in this place let them lift up their voice & declare my word with loud voices without wrath or doubting lifting up holy hands upon them for I am able to make you holy & your sins are forgiven you & let the residue take their Journey from two by two & preach the word not in haste among the congregations of the wicked untill they return to the churches from whence they came & all this for the good of the churches for this intent have I sent them & let my servent impart of the money which I have given him a portion unto mine Elders which are to return & he that is able let him return it by the way of the agent & he that is not of him it is not required And now I speak of the [p. 100] residue which is to come to this Land Behold they have been sent to preach my gospel among the congregations of the wicked wherefore I give unto them a Thus thou shalt not Idle away thy time neither shalt thou bury thy tallent that it may not be known & after thou hast come up unto the land of & have proclaimed my word thou shalt speedily return preaching the word among the congregations not in haste neither in wrath nor with strife & shake off the dust of thy feet against those who receive thee not not in their presence lest thou provoke them but in secret & wash thy feet as a testimony against them in the day of Judgement this is sufficient for you & the will of him who hath sent you & by the mouth of my servent Joseph it shall be made known concerning & the residue hereafter even so amen——
64 Commandment given Aug 12th. 1831 on the Bank of the unfolding some mysteries &c &c
Behold & hearken unto him the voice of him who hath all power who is from everlasting to everlasting even alpha & omega the begining & the end Behold verily thuss saith the lord unto you O ye of my who are assembled upon this spot whose sins are now forgiven you for I the Lord forgiveth sins & am mercyfull unto those who confess their sins with humble hearts but verily I say unto you that it is not needfull for this whole company of mine Elders to be moveing swiftly upon the waters whilst the Inhabitants on either sides are perishing in unbelief nevertheless I suffered it that ye might bear record Behold there are many dangers upon the waters & more especially hereafter for I the Lord have decreed in mine anger many distructions upon the waters yea & especially upon these waters nevertheless all flesh is in mine hand he that is faithfull among you shall not perish by the waters wherefore it is expedient that my servent & <my servent> be in haste upon their errand & mission nevertheless I would not suffer that ye should part untill ye you are chastened for all your sins that you might be one that you might not perish in wickedness but now verily I say it [p. 101] Behooveth me that ye should part wherefore let them my servent & take their former company & let them take their Journey in haste that they may fill their mission & through faith they shall overcome & in as much as they are faithfull they shall be preserved & I the Lord will be with them & let the residue take that which is needfull for clothing let my servent take that which is not needfull with them him as you shall agree & now behold for your good I give unto you a concerning these things & I the Lord will reason with you as with men in days of old Behold I the Lord in the begining belessed the waters but in the last days by the mouth of my servent John I cursed the waters wherefore the days will come that no flesh shall be safe upon the waters & it shall be said in days to come that none is able to go up to the land of upon the waters but he that is upright in heart & as I the Lord in the begining cursed the land even so in the last days have I blessed it in its time for the use of my saints that they may partake the fatness thereof & now I give unto you a commandment & what I say unto one I say unto all that you shall forewarn your brethren concerning these waters that they come not in Journeying on upon them lest their faith fail & they are caught in her snares I the Lord hath decreed & the destroyer rideth upon the face thereof & I revoke not the decree I the Lord was angery with you yesterday but to day mine anger is turned away wherefore let those whom I have spoken that should take their Journey in haste again I say unto you let them take their Journey in haste & it mattereth not unto me after a little if it so be that they fill their mission whether they go by water or by land let this be as it is made known unto them according to their Judgements & now concerning my servents Joseph & let them come not again upon the waters save it be upon the canal while Journeying unto their homes or in other words they shall not come upon upon the waters <to Journey> save upon the canal Behold I the Lord have appointed a way for the Journeying of my saints [p. 102] & behold this is the way that after they leave the canal they shall Journey by land in as much as they are to Journey by & go up unto the land of & they shall do like unto the children of Israel pitching their tents by the way & behold this commandment you shall give unto all your brethren nevertheless unto whom it is given power to command the waters unto him it is given by the spirit to know all his ways wherefore let him do as the spirit of the living God commandeth him whether upon the land or upon the waters as it remaineth with me to do hereafter & unto you it is given the course of the saints or the way for the saints of the camp of the Lord to Journey & again verily I say unto you my Servents Joseph & shall not open their mouths in the congregations of the wicked untill they arrive at & in that place they shall lift up their voices unto god against that People yea unto him whose anger is kindelled against their wickedness a people which is well ripened for distruction & from thence let them Journy for the congregations of their brethren for their labours even now are wanted more abundantly among them then among the congregations of the wicked & now concerning the residue let them Journey & declare the word among the congregations of the wicked inasmuch as it is given & in as much as they do this they shall rid their garments & they shall be spotless before me & let them Journey together or two by two as seemeth them good only let my servent & my Servent with whom I am well pleased be not seperated untill they return to their homes & this for a wise purpose in me & now verily I say unto you & what I say unto one I say unto all be of good cheer little children for I am in your midst & I have not forsaken you & in as much as ye have humbelled yourselves before me the blessings of the kingdom is yours gird up your loins & be watchfull & be sober looking forth for the coming of the Son of man in an hour you think not pray always that you enter not into temptation that you may abide the day of his coming whether in life or in death even So Amen [p. 103]
65 Commandment given Aug 13th. 1831
on the Bank of the at a meeting of some of the which had not yet arived at their Journeys end &c
Behold & hearken oh ye Elders of my saith the Lord your God even Jesus Christ your advocate who knoweth the weakness of man & how to sucour they that are tempted & verily mine eyes are upon you those who have not as yet gone up unto the Land of wherefore your mission is not yet full nevertheless ye are blessed for the testimony which ye have borne is recorded in heaven for the Angels to look upon & they rejoice over you & your sins are forgiven you & now continue your Journey assemble yourselves upon the land of Zion & hold a & rejoice together & offer a unto the most high & then you may return to bear record yea even all together or two by two as seemeth you good it mattereth not unto me only be faithfull & declare glad tidings unto the inhabitants of the Earth or among the Congregations of the wicked Behold I the Lord have brought you together that the promise might be fulfilled that the faithfull among you should be preserved & rejoice together in the Land of I the Lord promised the faithfull, & cannot lie I the Lord am willing if any among you desireth to ride upon horses or upon mules or in chariots shall receive this blessing if he receive it from the hand of the Lord with <a> thankfullness hearts in all things these things remain with you to do according to Judgement & the directions of the spirit Behold the kingdom is yours And Behold & lo I am with the faithfull always even so Amen——
66 Commandment received at
Geauga Ohio August 30th 1831 to the Church &c
Hearken, oh ye People & open your hearts & give ear from a-far & listen you that call yourselves the people of God the Lord & hear the word of the Lord & his will concerning you yea verily I say hear the word of him whose anger is kindled against the wicked & rebelious who willeth to take even whom he will take & preserveth in life them whom he will preserve who buildeth up at his own will & pleasure & destroys when he please & is able to cast the soul down to hell [p. 104] hell Behold I the Lord uttereth my voice & it shall be obeyed wherefore verily I say let the wicked take heed & let the rebelious fear & tremble & let the unbelieving hold their lips for the day of wrath shall come upon them as a whirlwind & all flesh shall know that I am god & he that seeketh signs shall see signs but not unto salvation verily I say unto you there are those among you who who seeketh signs & there has been such even from the begining but behold faith cometh not by signs but signs follow those that believe yea signs cometh by faith not by the will of men nor as they please but by the will of God yea signs cometh by faith unto mighty works for without faith no man pleaseth God & with whom god is angery he is not well pleased wherefore unto such he sheweth no signs only in wrath in condemnation wherefore I the Lord am not pleased with those among you who have sought after signs & wonders & not for faith & not for the good of men unto my glory nevertheless I gave commandments & many have turned away from my commandments & have not kept them there were among you adulters & adultereses some of whom have turned away from you & others remain with you that hereafter shall be revealed let such be aware & repent speedily lest Judgement shall come upon you them as a snare & their folly shall be made manifest & their works shall follow them in the eyes of the People & verily I say unto you as I have said before he that looketh on a woman to lust after her or if any shall commit adultery in his heart they shall not have the spirit but shall deny the faith & shall fear wherefore I the Lord have said that the fearfull & the unbelieving & all liars & whosoever loveth & maketh a lie & the whoremonger & the sorcerer should have their part in that lake which burneth with fire & brimstone which is the second death verily I say that they shall not have part in the first resurrection & now behold I the lord saieth unto you that ye are not Justified because these things are among you nevertheless he that endureth in faith & doeth my will the same shall overcome & shall receive an inheritance upon the earth when the day of transfiguration shall come when the earth shall be transfigured even according to the pattern shewn [p. 105] Which was shewn unto mine Apostles upon the mount of which account the fullness ye have not yet received & now verily I say unto you that as I said that I would make it known unto you not by the way of commandment for there are many who observe not to keep my commandments but unto him that keepeth my commandments I will give the mysteries of my kingdom & the same shall be in him a well of living water springing up unto eternal <everlasting> life & now behold this is the will of the lord your god concerning his saints that they should assemble themselves together unto the land of Zion not in haste lest there should be confusion which bringeth pestilence behold the land of Zion I the Lord holdeth it in mine own hands nevertheless I the Lord rendereth unto Sezar [Caesar] the things which are Seazers wherefore I the Lord willeth that you should purchase the Lands that you may have advantage of the world that you may have claim on the world that they may not be stirred up unto anger for satan puteth it into their hearts to anger & to the sheding of blood wherefore the land of Zion shall not be obtained but by purchase or by blood otherwise there is none inheritance for you & if by purchase behold you are blessed & if by blood as ye are forbidden to shed blood Lo your enemies are upon you & ye shall be scourged from city to city & from Synegogue to Synegogue & but few shall stand to receive an inheritance I the Lord am angery with the wicked I am holding my spirit from the inhabitants of the Earth I have sworn in my wrath & decreed wars upon the face of the Earth & the wicked shall slay the wicked & fear shall come upon every man & the saints also shall hardly escape nevertheless I the Lord am with them & will come down in heaven heaven from the presence of god & consume the wicked with unquenchable fire & behold this is not yet but by & by wherefore seeing that I the Lord have decreed all these things upon the face of the Earth I willeth that my saints should be assembelled upon the Land of Zion & that every man should take righteousness in his hands & faithfullness upon his loins & lift a warning voice unto the inhabitants of the Earth & declare both by word & by flight that desolation shall come upon the wicked wherefore let my Deciples in arrange their temporal concerns which [p. 106] Dwell upon this farm let my servent who has the care thereof dispose of the Land that he may be prepared in the following <coming> spring to take his Journey up unto the land of Zion with those that dwell upon the face thereof excepting those whom I shall reserve unto myself that shall not go untill I command them & let all the moneys which can be spared (it mattereth not unto me whether it be little or much) sent up unto the Land of Zion unto them whom I have appointed to receive behold I the Lord will give unto my Servent Joseph power that he shall be enabled to decern by the spirit those who shall go up unto the Land of Zion & those of my Deciples which shall tarry let my Servent retain his store or in other words his store yet for a little season nevertheless let him impart all the money which he can impart to be sent up unto the Land of Zion behold these things are in his own hands let him <do> according to wisdom verily I say let him be ordained as an agent unto the deciples that shall tarry & let him be ordaned unto this power & now speedily visit the churches expounding these things unto them with my servent Behold this is my will obtaining moneys even as I have directed he that is faithfull & endureth shall overcome the world he that sendeth up treasures unto the Land of Zion shall receive an inheritance in this world & his works shall follow him & also a reward in the world to come yea & blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from hence forth when the Lord shall come & old things shall pass away & all things become new they shall rise from the dead & shall not die & shall receive an inheritance before the Lord in the holy City & he that liveth when the Lord shall come & have kept the faith blessed is he nevertheless it is appointed to him to die at the age of man wherefore children shall grow up untill they become old. old men shall die but they shall not sleep in the dust but they shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye wherefore for this cause preached the apostles unto the world the resurrection of the dead these things are the things that ye must look for & speaking after the manner of the Lord they are now nigh at hand & in a time [p. 107] to come even in the day of the coming of the son of man & untill that time there will be foolish virgins among the wise & at that hour cometh an entire seperation of the righteous & the wicked & in that day will I send mine angels to pluck out the wicked & cast them into unquenchable fire & now behold verily I say unto you I the Lord am not pleased with my servent he exhalteth himself in his heart & received not in atr◊◊tion Council but grieved the spirit wherefore his writing is not exceptable unto the Lord & he shall make another & if the Lord receive it not he standeth no longer in the office which he hath appointed him & again verily I say unto you let those who desire in their hearts in meekness to warn sinners to repentance let them be ordained unto this power for this is a day of warning & not a day of many words for I the Lord am not to be mocked in the last days behold I am from above & my power lieth beneath I am over all & in all & searcheth all things & the days cometh that all things shall be subject unto me Behold I am alpha & Omega even Jesus christ wherefore let all men be aware how they take my name in their lips for behold verily I say that meny there be who are under this condemnation who useth the name of the Lord & useth it in vain having not authority wherefore let the Church repent & I the Lord will own them otherwise they shall be cut off remember that. That <which> cometh from above is sacred & must be spoken with care & by constraint of the spirit & in this there is no condemnation & ye receive the spirit through prayer wherefore without this there remaineth condemnation let my servent Joseph & seek them a home as they are taught through prayer by the spirit these things rema[i]n to over come through patience that such may receive a more exceeding & eternal weight of glory otherwise a greater condemnation Amen
67 Revelation Sept 11th. 1831
Directions to the &c &c
Behold thus saith the Lord your God unto you O ye Elders [p. 108] of my hearken ye & hear & receive my will concerning you for verily I say unto you I will that ye should overcome the world wherefore I will have compassion upon you there are those among you who have sinned but verily I say for this once for mine own glory & for the salvation of Souls I have forgiven you your sins I will be mercyfull unto you for I have given unto you the Kingdom & the of the mysteries of the kingdom shall not be taken from my Servent Joseph while he liveth in-as-much as he obeyeth mine there are those who have sought occation against him without a cause nevertheless he hath sinned but verily I say unto you I the Lord forgiveth sins unto those who confess their sins before me & ask forgiveness who have not sinned unto death my Deciples in days of old sought occasion against one an other & forgave not one an other in their hearts & for this evil they were afflicted & sorely chastened wherefore I say unto you that ye had ought to forgive one another for he that forgiveth not his brother his tresspasses standeth condemned before the Lord for there remaineth in him the greater sin I the Lord will forgive whom I will forgive but of you it is required to forgive all men & ye had ought to say in your hearts let God Judge between me & thee & reward thee according to thy deeds & he that repenteth not of his sins & confess them not then ye ye shall bring him before the church & do with him as the Scriptures direct Saith unto you either by or <by> revelation & this ye shall do that God might be glorified not because ye forgive not having not compassion but that ye may be Justified in the eyes of the law that ye may not offend him who is your lawgiver verily I say for this cause ye shall do these things Behold I the Lord was angery with him who was my Servent & also my Servent for they kept not the neither the commandment they sought evil in their hearts & I the Lord withheld my spirit[.] they condemned for evil that thing in which there was no evil nevertheless I have forgiven my Servent & also my Servent Behold he hath sinned & Satan Seeketh to destroy his soul but when these things are made known unto them they repenteth [p. 109] Of the evil & they shall be forgiven & now verily I say that it is expedient in me that my servent after a few weeks should return upon his business & to his agency in the Land of Zion & that which he hath seen & heard may be made known unto my Deciples that they perish not & for this cause have I spoken these things & again I say unto you that my servent may not be tempted above that which he is able to bear & council wrongfully to your hurt I gave that this farm should be sold I willeth not that my servent should sell his farm for I the Lord willeth to retain a strong hold in the Land of for the space of five years in the which I will not overthrow the wicked that thereby I may save some & after that day I the Lord will not hold any guilty that shall go with open hearts up to the Land of Zion for I the Lord requireth the hearts of the Children of men Behold now it is called to day & verily it is a day of Sacrifice & a day for the of my People for he that is tithed shall not be burned for after to day cometh the burning this is speaking after the manner of the Lord for verily I say tomorrow all the proud & they that do wickedly shall be as stuble & I will burn them up saith the Lord for I am the Lord of hosts & I will not spare any that remaineth in Babylon wherefore if ye believe me ye will labour while it is called to day & it is not meet that my servent & should sell their & their Possessions here for this is not wisdom untill the residue of the which remaineth in this place shall go up unto the Land of Zion behold it is said in my or forbidden to get in debt to thine enemies but Behold it is not said at any time that the Lord should not take when he please & pay as seemeth him good wherefore as ye are agents & ye are on the Lords errand & whatever ye do according to the will of the Lord is the Lords business & it