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Revelation, circa June 1835 [D&C 68]

Source Note

Revelation, , Portage Co., OH, 1 Nov. 1831; substantial revisions, , Geauga Co., OH, ca. June 1835. Featured version published in Evening and Morning Star, Oct. 1832 [June 1835], pp. 73–74.
Evening and Morning Star, reprint (, Geauga Co., OH), edited by . The copy used for this transcription is currently part of a bound volume held at CHL; includes marginalia and archival notations.
The last issue of The Evening and the Morning Star, dated October 1834, announced that the full run of the original paper, two volumes (twenty-four issues), would be reprinted in an octavo format more suitable for binding. The reprint issues comprise four octavo leaves (sixteen pages). Each page measures 9⅜ × 5¾ inches (24 × 15 cm) and is set in two columns. The reprint edition title was shortened to Evening and Morning Star, and numerous significant editorial revisions were introduced into the text. Each reprinted issue ended with listed as printer and the date of the reprint issue. Citations to the reprint include both the original 1832–1834 dates and the 1835–1836 reprint dates.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    “Prospectus,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Sept. 1834, 192.

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

Historical Introduction

In June 1835, as part of a larger project commenced in November 1834, reprinted the October 1832 issue of The Evening and the Morning Star, the church newspaper published from June 1832 to September 1834. The issue included the text of a 1 November 1831 revelation that and had recorded in Revelation Book 1 soon after its dictation by JS. In its reprinted form, featured here, the revelation has several significant additions and changes not present in either the 1831 Revelation Book 1 version or the October 1832 publication.
The original November 1831 revelation addressed some of the responsibilities of and in the church and provided additional instructions for church members in . The version in the reprinted Evening and Morning Star contained substantial additions, including new passages about who could serve as a and how bishops were to be appointed. Extant records are silent on how or when the additions were made, but JS was undoubtedly involved in the process. In November 1831, a resolved that JS should review his revelations and provide corrections to them as instructed “by the holy Spirit.” That same process was likely used with this revelation. As new offices developed in the church, and as JS’s understanding of these offices increased, he likely reviewed the revelation and made the additions. Some of the additions—such as the information about literal descendants of Aaron holding a right to the office of bishop—originated (and in places are nearly verbatim) with the Instruction on Priesthood that JS presented to the sometime in spring 1835. Other additions first appeared in the Evening and Morning Star reprint of the revelation featured here. With the Instruction on Priesthood and the additional information included in this revelation, church members had a significant body of instructions about the roles and responsibilities of church officers, as well as important information about the priesthood governing the church.
In addition to the doctrinal additions, some typographical changes were made to the revelation. These resulted from the process of reprinting The Evening and the Morning Star. In September 1834, announced that would be reprinting the Star, partly to present it in a smaller, more convenient size and partly to correct typographical and other errors in the original publication. Cowdery was especially interested in correcting the “many errors, typographical, and others,” in the published revelations. These mistakes, “occasioned by transcribing manuscript[s],” were to be corrected by comparing the printed material to the original manuscripts. When the first issue of the Star was reprinted in January 1835, Cowdery noted that he and others were “not a little surprised to find the previous print so different from the original.” However, Cowdery wrote, he and others “whose known integrity and ability is uncensurable” were able to make the necessary corrections. Since JS, , and had been appointed, along with Cowdery, as a committee “to arrange the items of the doctrine of Jesus Christ for the government of the church of Latter-Day Saints,” they may have assisted Cowdery in this effort. and , who began working in the in May 1835, may have helped as well.
This revelation was included in the church’s Doctrine and Covenants, which was available by September 1835. The version in that publication is almost exactly the same as the reprinted version here. Differences between the featured version and the versions in Revelation Book 1 and the 1832 publication are noted herein.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    “Prospectus,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Sept. 1834, 192; Evening and Morning Star, Oct. 1832 (June 1835), 65–80.

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

    Evening and Morning Star. Edited reprint of The Evening and the Morning Star. Kirtland, OH. Jan. 1835–Oct. 1836.

  2. [2]

    Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A [D&C 68]; “A Revelation, Given November, 1831,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Oct. 1832, [3].

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

  3. [3]

    Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A [D&C 68].

  4. [4]

    Minutes, 8 Nov. 1831.

  5. [5]

    Instruction on Priesthood, between ca. 1 Mar. and ca. 4 May 1835 [D&C 107].

  6. [6]

    When the 1833 Book of Commandments was published, it did not include this revelation, likely because of the destruction of the church’s printing office in Jackson County, Missouri, which prevented the sixth gathering of the book from being printed. If it had been printed, it is likely the text would have followed the version in the October 1832 Star, which had a few changes from the manuscript version in Revelation Book 1. (“Proposed Sixth Gathering of the Book of Commandments.”.)

  7. [7]

    “Prospectus,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Sept. 1834, 192; “Address to the Patrons of the Evening and the Morning Star,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Sept. 1834, 185.

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

  8. [8]

    Notice, Evening and Morning Star, June 1832 (Jan. 1835), 16.

    Evening and Morning Star. Edited reprint of The Evening and the Morning Star. Kirtland, OH. Jan. 1835–Oct. 1836.

  9. [9]

    Minutes, 24 Sept. 1834; JS History, vol. B-1, 592.

    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.

  10. [10]

    Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A, in Doctrine and Covenants 22, 1835 ed. [D&C 68]; William W. Phelps, Kirtland Mills, OH, to Sally Waterman Phelps, Liberty, MO, 16–18 Sept. 1835, private possession, copy at CHL.

    Phelps, William W. Letter, Kirtland Mills, OH, to Sally Waterman Phelps, Liberty, MO, 16–18 Sept. 1835. Private possession. Copy at CHL. MS 4587.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Revelation, circa June 1835 [D&C 68]
Revelations printed in Evening and Morning Star, January 1835–June 1836 Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834] Doctrine and Covenants, 1844 “History of Joseph Smith”

Page 73

REVELATIONS.
A Revelation, given November, 1831, to , , and . The mind and will of the Lord, as made known by the voice of the Spirit to a conference concerning certain elders: and also certain items, as made known, in addition to the covenants and commandments:—
My servant, , was called, by his , to proclaim the everlasting gospel, by the spirit of the living God, from people to people, and from land to land, in the congregations of the wicked, in their synagogues, reasoning with and expounding all scriptures unto them: And behold and lo, this is an ensample unto all those who were ordained unto this priesthood, whose mission is appointed unto them to go forth: And this is the ensample unto them, that they shall speak as they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and whatsoever they shall speak, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, shall be scripture; shall be the will of the Lord; shall be the mind of the Lord; shall be the word of the Lord; shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation; Behold this is the promise of the Lord unto you, O ye my servants: wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God; that I was; that I am; and that I am to come. This is the word of the Lord unto you my servant, ; and also unto my servant, , and unto my servant, , and unto my servant ; and unto all the faithful elders of my church: Go ye into all the world; preach the gospel to every creature; acting in the authority which I have given you; baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned; and he that believeth shall be blessed with signs following, even as it is written: And unto you it shall be given to know the signs of the times, and the signs of the coming of the Son of man; and of as many as the Father shall bear record, to you it shall be given power to them up unto eternal life: Amen.
And now concerning the items in addition to the covenants and commandments, they are these; there remaineth hereafter, in the due time of the Lord, other to be set apart unto the church to minister even according to the first: Wherefore they shall be who are worthy, and they shall be appointed by the of the , except they be literal descendants of Aaron; and if they be literal descendants of Aaron, they have a legal right to the , if they are the first born among the sons of Aaron: for the first born holds the right of presidency over this priesthood, and the keys or authority of the same. No man has a legal right to this office, to hold the keys of this priesthood, except he be a literal descendant and the first born of Aaron: but as a high priest of the Melchizedek priesthood, has authority to officiate in all the lesser offices, he may officiate in the office of bishop when no literal descendant of Aaron can be found; provided he is called and set apart, and ordained unto this power under the hands of the first presidency of the Melchizedek priesthood. And a literal descendant of Aaron, also, must be designated by this presidency, and found worthy, and annointed, and ordained under the hands of this presidency, otherwise they are not legally authorized to officiate in their priesthood: but by virtue of the decree concerning their right of the priesthood descending from father to son, they may claim their annointing, if at any time they can prove their lineage, or do ascertain it by revelation from the Lord under the hands of the above named presidency.
And again, no bishop or high priest, who shall be set apart for this ministry, shall be tried or condemned for any crime save it be before the first presidency of the church; and inasmuch as he is found guilty before this presidency, by testimony that cannot be impeached, he shall be condemned, and if he repents he shall be forgiven, according to the covenants and commandments of the church.
And again, inasmuch as parents have children in , or in any of her which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance; faith in Christ the Son of the living God; and of and the by the , when eight years old: the sin be upon the head of the parents, for this shall be a law unto the inhabitants of Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, and their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands: and they shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord. And the inhabitants of Zion shall also observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy. And the inhabitants of Zion, also, shall remember their labors, inasmuch as they are appointed to labor, in all faithfulness, for the idler shall be had in remembrance before the Lord. Now I the Lord am not well pleased [p. 73]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Revelation, circa June 1835 [D&C 68]
ID #
5323
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D4:354–359
Handwriting on This Page
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Footnotes

  1. [1]

    According to a later JS history, this revelation was originally dictated after Hyde, Johnson, Johnson, and McLellin asked JS at a 1–2 November 1831 conference to tell them the Lord’s will concerning them. Hyde, Luke Johnson, and McLellin had all been ordained high priests at a 25–26 October 1831 conference held in Orange, Ohio. Lyman Johnson was ordained a high priest at the 1–2 November 1831 conference. (JS History, vol. A-1, 163; Minutes, 25–26 Oct. 1831; Minutes, 1–2 Nov. 1831.)

    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.

  2. [2]

    The Revelation Book 1 version includes here “held November first 1831.” (Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A, in Revelation Book 1, p. 113 .)

    Revelation Book 1 / “A Book of Commandments and Revelations of the Lord Given to Joseph the Seer and Others by the Inspiration of God and Gift and Power of the Holy Ghost Which Beareth Re[c]ord of the Father and Son and Holy Ghost Which Is One God Infinite and Eternal World without End Amen,” 1831–1835. CHL.

  3. [3]

    The Revelation Book 1 version includes here “who requested of the Lord to kno[w] his will concerning them.” (Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A, in Revelation Book 1, p. 113.)

  4. [4]

    The Revelation Book 1 version has “Laws” instead of “covenants.” (Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A, in Revelation Book 1, p. 113.)

  5. [5]

    In the Revelation Book 1 version, this passage beginning with “The mind and will of the Lord” and ending with “and commandments” is included as part of the revelation, not as a heading. That version also has “which have been given to the church” at the end of the passage. The whole heading is omitted in the version published in the October 1832 issue of The Evening and the Morning Star. (Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A, in Revelation Book 1, p. 113; “A Revelation, Given November, 1831,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Oct. 1832, [3].)

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

  6. [6]

    The Revelation Book 1 version includes “firstly” here. (Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A, in Revelation Book 1, p. 113.)

  7. [7]

    That is, ordination as a high priest.

  8. [8]

    The phrase “shall be the word of the Lord” is in the October 1832 published version of the revelation, but it is not in the Revelation Book 1 version. (“A Revelation, Given November, 1831,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Oct. 1832, [3]; Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A, in Revelation Book 1, p. 113 [D&C 68:4].)

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

  9. [9]

    The Revelation Book 1 version includes “shall be” here. (Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A, in Revelation Book 1, p. 113 [D&C 68:4].)

  10. [10]

    “The living” is not included in the Revelation Book 1 version, but it is in the October 1832 publication. (Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A, in Revelation Book 1, p. 113; “A Revelation, Given November, 1831,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Oct. 1832, [3] [D&C 68:6].)

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

  11. [11]

    See Mark 16:15–17; and Revelation, 22–23 Sept. 1832 [D&C 84:62–65].

  12. [12]

    “Power” is not in the Revelation Book 1 version, but it is in the October 1832 publication. (Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A, in Revelation Book 1, p. 113; “A Revelation, Given November, 1831,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Oct. 1832, [3] [D&C 68:12].)

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

  13. [13]

    According to the minutes of a conference held in Orange, Ohio, on 25 and 26 October 1831, JS said “that the order of the High priesthood is that they have power given them to seal up the Saints unto eternal life.” (Minutes, 25–26 Oct. 1831.)

  14. [14]

    The Revelation Book 1 version and the October 1832 publication have “Laws” instead of “covenants.” (Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A, in Revelation Book 1, p. 113; “A Revelation, Given November, 1831,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Oct. 1832, [3] [D&C 68:13].)

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

  15. [15]

    Edward Partridge was appointed the first bishop in the church in February 1831. Newel K. Whitney was appointed a bishop in Ohio in December 1831. (Revelation, 4 Feb. 1831 [D&C 41:9]; Revelation, 4 Dec. 1831–A [D&C 72:2, 8].)

  16. [16]

    The Revelation Book 1 version and the October 1832 publication have “a conference of high priests” instead of “the first presidency of the Melchisedek priesthood.” This appears to be one of the first times that the presidency of the high priesthood is referred to as the “first presidency.” The change may have been made to distinguish the presidency of the high priesthood from the presidencies of the high councils in Kirtland and Missouri. None of the text after this point and up through the sentence ending “under the hands of the above named presidency” is in the Revelation Book 1 version or the October 1832 publication. (Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A, in Revelation Book 1, p. 114; “A Revelation, Given November, 1831,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Oct. 1832, [3] [D&C 68:15].)

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

  17. [17]

    The Instruction on Priesthood states that “the bishopric is the presidency” of the priesthood of Aaron “and holds the keys, or authority of the same.” (Instruction on Priesthood, between ca. 1 Mar. and ca. 4 May 1835 [D&C 107:15].)

  18. [18]

    Oliver Cowdery published an article in the March 1835 Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate that referred to the priesthood being “conferred upon Aaron and his seed throughout their generations” and stated that “if the literal descendants of Aaron are no more, then this priesthood is lost from Israel, unless God bestows it upon another family.” (“Delusion,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Mar. 1835, 1:91.)

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

  19. [19]

    See Instruction on Priesthood, between ca. 1 Mar. and ca. 4 May 1835 [D&C 107:10–12].

  20. [20]

    See Instruction on Priesthood, between ca. 1 Mar. and ca. 4 May 1835 [D&C 107:16–17].

  21. [21]

    A September 1832 revelation states that “the Lord confirmed a priesthood also upon Aaron and his seed throughout all the generations of the Jews.” (Revelation, 22–23 Sept. 1832 [D&C 84:18].)

  22. [22]

    At this point, the text found in the Revelation Book 1 version and the October 1832 published version resumes.

  23. [23]

    The Revelation Book 1 version and the October 1832 publication have “judge” instead of “high priest.” (Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A, in Revelation Book 1, p. 114; “A Revelation, Given November, 1831,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Oct. 1832, [3] [D&C 68:22].)

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

  24. [24]

    The Revelation Book 1 version and the October 1832 publication have “a conference of high priests” instead of “the first presidency of the church.” (Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A, in Revelation Book 1, p. 114; “A Revelation, Given November, 1831,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Oct. 1832, [3] [D&C 68:22].)

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

  25. [25]

    The Revelation Book 1 version and the October 1832 publication have “a conference of high priests” instead of “this presidency.” (Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A, in Revelation Book 1, p. 114; “A Revelation, Given November, 1831,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Oct. 1832, [3] [D&C 68:23].)

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

  26. [26]

    The Revelation Book 1 version and the October 1832 publication include here “or forgiven according to the Laws of the church.” (Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A, in Revelation Book 1, p. 114; “A Revelation, Given November, 1831,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Oct. 1832, [3] [D&C 68:23].)

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

  27. [27]

    Neither the Revelation Book 1 version nor the October 1832 publication contains “or in any of her stakes which are organized.” Kirtland was designated as the first stake of Zion in an April 1832 revelation. No other locations had received a similar designation by June 1835. (Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A, in Revelation Book 1, p. 114; “A Revelation, Given November, 1831,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Oct. 1832, [3] [D&C 68:25]; Revelation, 26 Apr. 1832 [D&C 82:13].)

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

  28. [28]

    Neither the Revelation Book 1 version nor the October 1832 publication contains “or in any of her stakes which are organized.” (Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A, in Revelation Book 1, p. 114; “A Revelation, Given November, 1831,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Oct. 1832, [3] [D&C 68:26].)

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

  29. [29]

    According to an 1829 revelation, children were not to be baptized until they reached the “years of accountability.” Sometime between 1 February and 7 March 1831, JS revised Genesis 17:11 to include the explanation “that children are not accountable before me till eight years old.” (Revelation, June 1829–B [D&C 18:42]; Old Testament Revision 1, p. 41 [Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 17:11]; see also Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 64.)

    Faulring, Scott H., Kent P. Jackson, and Robert J. Matthews, eds. Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2004.

  30. [30]

    See Revelation, 7 Aug. 1831 [D&C 59:12–13].

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