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The Joseph Smith Papers, Documents, Volume 1: July 1828-June 1831
This volume marks the beginning of the Documents series of The Joseph Smith Papers. When complete, the Documents series will publish more than a thousand documents created, authorized, or owned by Joseph Smith, including each of his revelations in its earliest form, reports of his discourses, and correspondence. Also found in the series are articles and editorials he wrote for newspapers, minutes of meetings in which he participated, and records of his ecclesiastical administration. This first volume of the Documents series consists of documents written from July 1828 to June 1831. Among the contents of this volume are more than five dozen revelations that were presented in the first-person voice of Jesus Christ, including texts later published in the Doctrine and Covenants, the expansive visions of Moses (now found in the Pearl of Great Price), and revelations never canonized. In addition, several documents in this volume trace the process of translating and printing the Book of Mormon, as well as early efforts to evangelize using the book and its message. These texts provide the earliest textual insights into Joseph Smith and the founding of what was then called the Church of Christ. They offer glimpses into the religious leader s thoughts, concerns, and initiatives in a crucial early period of the religious movement he started. This book allows the reader not only to study Joseph Smith but also to gain a greater understanding of his followers and the millenarian movement they participated in during the Second Great Awakening.
608 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2013
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February 2, 2019
This is a REMARKABLE book and set of books and project! I am inspired and uplifted and amazed at the vast history and work to preserve and piece it together! This one volume is a collection of every document of Joseph Smith's from July 1828 to June 1831. Many of these are revelations we now have recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants, but there is much more information included about the history and circumstances and context surrounding each and careful source citations. I love that it's in chronological order. It helps me understand the setting and context so much better and the process and order of events in the restoration. There are also unpublished letters and other documents and revelations included here. Fascinating!
Obviously there are holes, but there is so much information here. It's wonderful to be able to study and understand more of these people and their work and the Lord's work through them. I loved reading about and seeing the documents (copies of some original documents are included). There is also a calendar of documents identifying each included here, as well as source notes for multiple entry documents, a chronology of events for the years 1827-1831 (beginning with Joseph's marriage to Emma on January 18, 1827), a geographical directory and maps, a pedigree chart, a biographical directory, a list of roles and ecclesiastical offices, and a glossary. I look forwarded to continuing to studying the next set of documents and the journals and other volumes that are a part of this project. I'm grateful for the clarity and understanding that bring. There is so much to learn and the more I learn the more grateful and amazed I am at our Heavenly Father's love and plan, as well as the faithful and diligent people who are instruments in His hands.
Here are a few interesting quotes:
"Although he declared they were inspired of God, Smith did not feel that the revelatory texts he produced were beyond refinement; he made revisions to many of the revelations and authorized others to edit them for publication (p. xxviii)."
"In surviving records, Joseph Smith provided very little specific information about the translation process. He did not claim to translate the Book of Mormon through his own knowledge of ancient languages. In the Book of Mormon's preface, he simply stated, 'I would inform you that I translated, by the gift and power of God.' Smith may have deliberately refrained from giving a detailed public account of the mechanics of translation. In an 1831 church conference, his brother Hyrum Smith stated that 'he thought best that the information of the coming forth of the book of Mormon be related by Joseph himself to the Elders present that all might know for themselves.' Rather than complying with this request, Joseph Smith responded that 'it was not intended to tell the world all the particulars of the coming forth of the book of Mormon (p. xxix).'"
"The revelation featured here [D&C 18] then describes the duties of twelve leaders yet to be selected, using terminology similar to the Book of Mormon manuscript, including the responsibilities to preach, baptize, and 'ordain priests and teachers to declare my gospel, according to the power of the Holy Ghost which is in you, and according to the callings and gifts of God unto men.' While the Book of Mormon uses both disciples and apostles, distinguishing between the twelve 'disciples' in America and the twelve 'apostles' in Jerusalem, the terms seem to refer to comparable offices. This revelation uses the term disciple to describe the calling of the twelve, but it is unclear whether in 1829 JS and Cowdery thought of the terms disciple and apostle as interchangeable, as they did later (p. 69)."
"In late May or early June, David Whitmer helped JS and Cowdery move to Fayette, New York, where they could more securely finish the translation. Whitmer was an important supporter of the translation effort from that time forward. Though he did not become a witness of the plates for weeks, he reported years later that soon after their arrival, his mother was shown the plates by a heavenly messenger (p. 83)."
"This revelation directed JS and others to obtain the copyright for the Book of Mormon 'upon all the face of the Earth' and appointed four men, Oliver Cowdery, Joseph Knight, Sr., Hiram Page, and Josiah Stowell, to travel to Kingston, Upper Canada, to secure a copyright for the four provinces of Canada (p. 108)."
"On April 6, 1830 the Church of Christ was officially established at a meeting at Peter Whitmer Sr.'s home in Fayette Township, New York. JS's history recorded: 'Having opened the meeting with solemn prayer to our Heavenly Father we proceeded, (according to previous commandment) to call on our brethren to know whether they accepted us as their teachers in the things of the Kingdom of God, and whether they were satisfied that we should proceed and be organized as a Church according to said commandment which we had received (p. 113).'"
"In the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, the compilers placed Articles and Covenants as the second section, preceded only by the revelatory 'preface.' In many ways, Articles and Covenants is unique. No other early revelatory text produced by JS was presented to a conference of the church for the approbation of the membership. The format and style of Articles and Covenants also differed from other revelations. Rather than the first-person voice of God declaring his will to a specific recipient, as in most of JS's early revelations, Articles and Covenants instead begins with a third-person historical account of the founding of the church and a brief history of JS. In subsequent paragraphs, the document makes several declarations of belief using the first-person plural statement 'we know.' As with some of JS's other revelatory texts, Articles and Covenants was amended from time to time; the most substantive revisions appear to have been made in preparation for its publication in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants (p. 117)."
"JS later reported that he was directed to delay the establishment of the Church of Christ. His history explained that a revelation 'pointed out to us the precise day upon which, according to his will and commandment, we should proceed to organize his Church once again, here upon the earth (p. 127).'"
"As early as February 1829, Joseph Sr. asked JS what the Lord required of him and subsequently became one of the first recipients of JS's recorded revelations (p. 134)."
"Oliver Cowdery recorded these minutes of the first conference of the church, held on 9 June 1830 at Peter Whitmer Sr.'s home in Fayette, New York. The members assembled in compliance with 'Articles and Covenants,' a document that called for conferences to be held 'to do church business, whatsoever is necessary.' Even though the minutes list only a dozen men by name, they affirm that 'most of the male members of the Church' attended. A later account reported that about thirty church members attended, along with many who 'were either believers or anxious to learn (p. 139).'"
"Ezekiel 14th read by Joseph Smith Jr. and prayer by the same Articles and Covenants read by Joseph Smith Jr. and received by unanimous voice of the whole congregation, which consisted of most of the male members of the Church. Samuel H. Smith was then ordained an Elder under the hand of Oliver Cowdery; Joseph Smith Sr. and Hyrum Smith were ordained Priests (p. 140)."
"From the time that JS took possession of the gold plates in September 1827, his days were increasingly filled with work relating to the translation. After the publication of the Book of Mormon in March 1830, he spent much of his time building up the church and ministering to its members (p. 160)."
"'Dearly beloved of the Lord.... May you all realize the necessity of getting together often to pray and supplicate at the Throne of grace, that the spirit of the Lord may always reset upon you. Remember that without asking we can receive nothing, therefore ask in faith, and ye shall receive such blessings as God sees fit to bestow upon you. Pray not with covetous hearts that ye may consume it upon your lusts, but pray earnestly for the best gifts--fight the good fight of faith, that ye may gain the Crown which is laid up for those that endure faithful unto the end of their probation (Letter to Newel Knight and the Church in Colesville, 28 August 1830, p. 174).'"
"'Were it not for the prayers of you few, the Almighty would have thundered down his wrath upon the inhabitants of that place; but for the faint, the day of our deliverance is not far distant (p. 176)."
"Until Oliver Cowdery left to fulfill his preaching mission, he and JS had been actively working on a 'translation' or revision of the Bible. This was not a translation in the usual sense, and neither JS nor his scribes mentioned use of the Urim and Thummim or a seer stone, which JS earlier used to translate the Book of Mormon. Instead, working from a published copy of the King James Bible, JS dictated to a scribe corrections, refinements, and additions to the Old and New Testaments as he felt inspired. In Cowdery's absence, John Whitmer and Emma Smith served as JS's scribes until Rigdon, who extended his stay in New York, assumed the role in December (p. 199)."
"With his longstanding interest in the American Indians, Pratt no doubt welcomed the call. He had set out for Ohio from New York in the fall of 1826, when he was nineteen, with plans to preach to the Indians. He later recalled his youthful thoughts: 'I will win the confidence of the red men; I will learn his language; I will tell him of Jesus; I will read to him the Scriptures; I will teach him the arts of peace; to hate war, to love his neighbor, to fear and love God (p. 200).'"
"'I, Oliver [Cowdery], being commanded of the Lord God, to go forth unto the Lamanites, to proclaim glad tidings of great joy unto them, by presenting unto them the fulness of the Gospel, of the only begotten son of God; and also, to rear up a pillar as a witness where the Temple of God shall be built, in the glorious New-Jerusalem; and having certain brothers with me, who are called of God to assist me, whose names are Parley [P. Pratt], Peter [Whitmer Jr.] and Ziba [Peterson], do therefore most solemnly covenant before God, that I will walk humbly before him, and do this business, and this glorious work according as he shall direct me by the Holy Ghost; every praying for mine and their prosperity, and deliverance from bonds, and from imprisonments, and whatsoever may befall us, with all patience and faith (p. 204).'"
"The conversion of Sidney Rigdon and others in northeastern Ohio in fall 1830 transformed the new Church of Christ geographically and demographically. Within a few weeks after missionaries arrived in Ohio, more than one hundred individuals were baptized, and by the end of December church members in New York were commanded to move to Ohio. Kirtland, where the first baptisms in Ohio took place, became an important gathering place for church members for the next seven years (p. 219)."
"A JS revelation in late December 1830 and another in early January 1831 altered the geography of the new religion by directing that all church members in New York gather in Ohio. The New York branches quickly began preparations for a mass exodus. Many of the believers sacrificed substantial assets and valuable land in New York as they sought to obey the revelation in anticipation of the prophesied blessings, especially the promise to be 'endowed with power from on high (p. 239).'"
"The elders inquired about the 'Law regulating the Church in her present situation till the time of her gathering.' The revelatory response [D&C 42] codified basic matters of authority, moral conduct, and economic organization, addressing specific concerns among the membership. In the first six months after the organization of the Church of Christ, questions had arisen in New York about authority and also about who could receive revelation for the church. Converts in Ohio asked similar questions. Many had been baptized by Cowdery and his companions, but the missionaries' departure for Missouri at the same time Sidney Rigdon left Kirtland to meet JS in New York left the new converts without experienced leaders. In the absence of such leadership, several charismatic individuals offered their own revelations to bolster their self-declared authority (p. 248)."
"This is the first page of the earliest known and most complete copy of 'the Law,' a governing revelation dictated by Joseph Smith on 9 February 1831, soon after he moved to Ohio, and expanded on 23 February (p. 253)."
"'How far it is the will of the Lord that we Should have dealings with the world and how we Should conduct our dealings with them? Thou Shalt contract no debts with them and again the Elders and Bishop shall Council together and they shall do by the directions of the spirit as it must be necessary (p. 255).'"
"When Whitmer arrived in mid-January, the conduct of the Ohio members surprised and concerned him. He wrote, 'The enemy of all righteous had...made them think that an angel of God appeared to them, and showed them writings on the outside cover of the Bible, and on parchment, which flew through the air, and on the back of their hands, and many such foolish and vain things, others lost their strength, and some slid on the floor, and such like maneuvers, which proved greatly to the injury of the cause.' Whitmer concluded that it was 'necessary that this poeple should have instruction, and learn to discern between the things of God and the works of Satan (p. 256).'"
"In this letter, JS requested that Martin Harris come to Ohio as soon as possible. JS and a few other church members from New York had already migrated to the Kirtland, Ohio, area, arriving by early February 1831. Harris was directed to secure a place for himself to settle and to find a place for the other New York church members who would follow. The letter instructs Harris concerning the move without giving any explanation, indicating that he was already aware of the 2 January 1831 revelation instructing believers to remove to Ohio (p. 262)."
"We have received the laws of the Kingdom since we came here and the Disciples in these parts have received them gladly (p. 263)."
"'In the beginning of the church, while yet in her infancy, the disciples used to exclude unbelievers, which caused some to marvel, and converse about this matter because of the things that were written in the Book of Mormon. Therefore the Lord deigned to speak on this subject, that his people might come to understanding.' The revelation [D&C 46] made clear that none were to be excluded from public worship meetings (p. 281)."
"This revelation [D&C 47] appointed John Whitmer to take up the work formerly done by Oliver Cowdery as scribe and recorder--and added a new responsibility. Cowdery, who was 'called...to write for' JS by April 1829, was the principal scribe for the Book of Mormon and JS's early revelations and, once the Church of Christ was organized in April 1830, kept minutes at meetings. He also served as scribe for early portions of JS's inspired revision of the Bible. By the time of this revelation, however, Cowdery was away on a mission, and Whitmer had assumed some of Cowdery's formal duties. He succeeded Cowdery as scribe for JS's Bible revision and also assisted JS in gathering and copying revelations, a work that culminated in the creation of a manuscript book of revelations. The following revelation not only formalized Whitmer's assignment to 'assist my servant Joseph' in such writing duties but added that he should also 'write and keep a regular history.'.... John Whitmer was a willing scribe but a reluctant historian.... He initially declined: 'I wold rather not do it but observed that the will of the Lord be done, and if he desires it, I desire that he would manifest it through Joseph the Seer.' As a result of this conversation, JS dictated the revelation presented here (p. 284)."
"At some point, Oliver Cowdery wrote across the top of this revelation in Revelation Book 1, 'This Commandment is not to be printed.' Unlike most other revelations found in Revelation Book 1, it was not published in either the 1833 Book of Commandments or the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants (p. 312)."
"Levi Hancock was baptized 16 November 1830. He left one of the most detailed accounts, originally recorded in his journal and later copied into his autobiography, of the early June 1831 conference. During the conference, the high priesthood was first conferred upon nearly two dozen men (p. 319)."
"As noted, this conference marked the first time elders in the church were 'ordained to the High Priesthood,' but what this ordination meant to conference participants at the time is unclear (p. 320)."
"The absence of accounts of these manifestations in the featured text illustrates the narrow focus of many written minutes in the early church, which omitted most details of sermons and other events associated with the meetings. Another aspect of the conference not detailed in the minutes is the content and nature of JS's instructions. Although the minutes report only the fact that JS spoke, several participants later recorded lengthy accounts of his teachings during the meetings. Jared Carter was impressed enough to write in his journal that 'notwithstanding he is not naturally talented for a speaker yet he was filled with the power of the Holy Ghost so that he spoke as I never heard man speak for God by the power of the Holy Ghost spoke in him (p. 322).'"
"In 1886, Jacob Hicks photographed the document titled 'Caractors,' which includes characters apparently copied from the gold plates (p. 360)."
"This is the first known publication of characters copied from the gold plates (p. 367)."
"'We not only saw the plates of the Book of Mormon but also the Brass plates, the Plates of the Book of ether, the Plates containing the Record of the wickedness of the people of the world, and many other plates (David Whitmer).' He also described a table holding the sword of Laban, the Liahona, and the interpreters, all of which were objects mentioned in the Book of Mormon translation and which a previous revelation had promised the witnesses they would see (p. 380)."
"This document briefly traces the development of the significant roles and the ecclesiastical offices that JS introduced by June 1831... In identifying those holding offices such as elder, priest, and teacher, this document relies exclusively on church minutes of this period. Such minutes generally identify only those officers who were present or newly ordained at the meeting being reported on. It is possible other individuals had been ordained to offices but were not present at any of the meetings whose records provide this data (p. 491)."
Obviously there are holes, but there is so much information here. It's wonderful to be able to study and understand more of these people and their work and the Lord's work through them. I loved reading about and seeing the documents (copies of some original documents are included). There is also a calendar of documents identifying each included here, as well as source notes for multiple entry documents, a chronology of events for the years 1827-1831 (beginning with Joseph's marriage to Emma on January 18, 1827), a geographical directory and maps, a pedigree chart, a biographical directory, a list of roles and ecclesiastical offices, and a glossary. I look forwarded to continuing to studying the next set of documents and the journals and other volumes that are a part of this project. I'm grateful for the clarity and understanding that bring. There is so much to learn and the more I learn the more grateful and amazed I am at our Heavenly Father's love and plan, as well as the faithful and diligent people who are instruments in His hands.
Here are a few interesting quotes:
"Although he declared they were inspired of God, Smith did not feel that the revelatory texts he produced were beyond refinement; he made revisions to many of the revelations and authorized others to edit them for publication (p. xxviii)."
"In surviving records, Joseph Smith provided very little specific information about the translation process. He did not claim to translate the Book of Mormon through his own knowledge of ancient languages. In the Book of Mormon's preface, he simply stated, 'I would inform you that I translated, by the gift and power of God.' Smith may have deliberately refrained from giving a detailed public account of the mechanics of translation. In an 1831 church conference, his brother Hyrum Smith stated that 'he thought best that the information of the coming forth of the book of Mormon be related by Joseph himself to the Elders present that all might know for themselves.' Rather than complying with this request, Joseph Smith responded that 'it was not intended to tell the world all the particulars of the coming forth of the book of Mormon (p. xxix).'"
"The revelation featured here [D&C 18] then describes the duties of twelve leaders yet to be selected, using terminology similar to the Book of Mormon manuscript, including the responsibilities to preach, baptize, and 'ordain priests and teachers to declare my gospel, according to the power of the Holy Ghost which is in you, and according to the callings and gifts of God unto men.' While the Book of Mormon uses both disciples and apostles, distinguishing between the twelve 'disciples' in America and the twelve 'apostles' in Jerusalem, the terms seem to refer to comparable offices. This revelation uses the term disciple to describe the calling of the twelve, but it is unclear whether in 1829 JS and Cowdery thought of the terms disciple and apostle as interchangeable, as they did later (p. 69)."
"In late May or early June, David Whitmer helped JS and Cowdery move to Fayette, New York, where they could more securely finish the translation. Whitmer was an important supporter of the translation effort from that time forward. Though he did not become a witness of the plates for weeks, he reported years later that soon after their arrival, his mother was shown the plates by a heavenly messenger (p. 83)."
"This revelation directed JS and others to obtain the copyright for the Book of Mormon 'upon all the face of the Earth' and appointed four men, Oliver Cowdery, Joseph Knight, Sr., Hiram Page, and Josiah Stowell, to travel to Kingston, Upper Canada, to secure a copyright for the four provinces of Canada (p. 108)."
"On April 6, 1830 the Church of Christ was officially established at a meeting at Peter Whitmer Sr.'s home in Fayette Township, New York. JS's history recorded: 'Having opened the meeting with solemn prayer to our Heavenly Father we proceeded, (according to previous commandment) to call on our brethren to know whether they accepted us as their teachers in the things of the Kingdom of God, and whether they were satisfied that we should proceed and be organized as a Church according to said commandment which we had received (p. 113).'"
"In the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, the compilers placed Articles and Covenants as the second section, preceded only by the revelatory 'preface.' In many ways, Articles and Covenants is unique. No other early revelatory text produced by JS was presented to a conference of the church for the approbation of the membership. The format and style of Articles and Covenants also differed from other revelations. Rather than the first-person voice of God declaring his will to a specific recipient, as in most of JS's early revelations, Articles and Covenants instead begins with a third-person historical account of the founding of the church and a brief history of JS. In subsequent paragraphs, the document makes several declarations of belief using the first-person plural statement 'we know.' As with some of JS's other revelatory texts, Articles and Covenants was amended from time to time; the most substantive revisions appear to have been made in preparation for its publication in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants (p. 117)."
"JS later reported that he was directed to delay the establishment of the Church of Christ. His history explained that a revelation 'pointed out to us the precise day upon which, according to his will and commandment, we should proceed to organize his Church once again, here upon the earth (p. 127).'"
"As early as February 1829, Joseph Sr. asked JS what the Lord required of him and subsequently became one of the first recipients of JS's recorded revelations (p. 134)."
"Oliver Cowdery recorded these minutes of the first conference of the church, held on 9 June 1830 at Peter Whitmer Sr.'s home in Fayette, New York. The members assembled in compliance with 'Articles and Covenants,' a document that called for conferences to be held 'to do church business, whatsoever is necessary.' Even though the minutes list only a dozen men by name, they affirm that 'most of the male members of the Church' attended. A later account reported that about thirty church members attended, along with many who 'were either believers or anxious to learn (p. 139).'"
"Ezekiel 14th read by Joseph Smith Jr. and prayer by the same Articles and Covenants read by Joseph Smith Jr. and received by unanimous voice of the whole congregation, which consisted of most of the male members of the Church. Samuel H. Smith was then ordained an Elder under the hand of Oliver Cowdery; Joseph Smith Sr. and Hyrum Smith were ordained Priests (p. 140)."
"From the time that JS took possession of the gold plates in September 1827, his days were increasingly filled with work relating to the translation. After the publication of the Book of Mormon in March 1830, he spent much of his time building up the church and ministering to its members (p. 160)."
"'Dearly beloved of the Lord.... May you all realize the necessity of getting together often to pray and supplicate at the Throne of grace, that the spirit of the Lord may always reset upon you. Remember that without asking we can receive nothing, therefore ask in faith, and ye shall receive such blessings as God sees fit to bestow upon you. Pray not with covetous hearts that ye may consume it upon your lusts, but pray earnestly for the best gifts--fight the good fight of faith, that ye may gain the Crown which is laid up for those that endure faithful unto the end of their probation (Letter to Newel Knight and the Church in Colesville, 28 August 1830, p. 174).'"
"'Were it not for the prayers of you few, the Almighty would have thundered down his wrath upon the inhabitants of that place; but for the faint, the day of our deliverance is not far distant (p. 176)."
"Until Oliver Cowdery left to fulfill his preaching mission, he and JS had been actively working on a 'translation' or revision of the Bible. This was not a translation in the usual sense, and neither JS nor his scribes mentioned use of the Urim and Thummim or a seer stone, which JS earlier used to translate the Book of Mormon. Instead, working from a published copy of the King James Bible, JS dictated to a scribe corrections, refinements, and additions to the Old and New Testaments as he felt inspired. In Cowdery's absence, John Whitmer and Emma Smith served as JS's scribes until Rigdon, who extended his stay in New York, assumed the role in December (p. 199)."
"With his longstanding interest in the American Indians, Pratt no doubt welcomed the call. He had set out for Ohio from New York in the fall of 1826, when he was nineteen, with plans to preach to the Indians. He later recalled his youthful thoughts: 'I will win the confidence of the red men; I will learn his language; I will tell him of Jesus; I will read to him the Scriptures; I will teach him the arts of peace; to hate war, to love his neighbor, to fear and love God (p. 200).'"
"'I, Oliver [Cowdery], being commanded of the Lord God, to go forth unto the Lamanites, to proclaim glad tidings of great joy unto them, by presenting unto them the fulness of the Gospel, of the only begotten son of God; and also, to rear up a pillar as a witness where the Temple of God shall be built, in the glorious New-Jerusalem; and having certain brothers with me, who are called of God to assist me, whose names are Parley [P. Pratt], Peter [Whitmer Jr.] and Ziba [Peterson], do therefore most solemnly covenant before God, that I will walk humbly before him, and do this business, and this glorious work according as he shall direct me by the Holy Ghost; every praying for mine and their prosperity, and deliverance from bonds, and from imprisonments, and whatsoever may befall us, with all patience and faith (p. 204).'"
"The conversion of Sidney Rigdon and others in northeastern Ohio in fall 1830 transformed the new Church of Christ geographically and demographically. Within a few weeks after missionaries arrived in Ohio, more than one hundred individuals were baptized, and by the end of December church members in New York were commanded to move to Ohio. Kirtland, where the first baptisms in Ohio took place, became an important gathering place for church members for the next seven years (p. 219)."
"A JS revelation in late December 1830 and another in early January 1831 altered the geography of the new religion by directing that all church members in New York gather in Ohio. The New York branches quickly began preparations for a mass exodus. Many of the believers sacrificed substantial assets and valuable land in New York as they sought to obey the revelation in anticipation of the prophesied blessings, especially the promise to be 'endowed with power from on high (p. 239).'"
"The elders inquired about the 'Law regulating the Church in her present situation till the time of her gathering.' The revelatory response [D&C 42] codified basic matters of authority, moral conduct, and economic organization, addressing specific concerns among the membership. In the first six months after the organization of the Church of Christ, questions had arisen in New York about authority and also about who could receive revelation for the church. Converts in Ohio asked similar questions. Many had been baptized by Cowdery and his companions, but the missionaries' departure for Missouri at the same time Sidney Rigdon left Kirtland to meet JS in New York left the new converts without experienced leaders. In the absence of such leadership, several charismatic individuals offered their own revelations to bolster their self-declared authority (p. 248)."
"This is the first page of the earliest known and most complete copy of 'the Law,' a governing revelation dictated by Joseph Smith on 9 February 1831, soon after he moved to Ohio, and expanded on 23 February (p. 253)."
"'How far it is the will of the Lord that we Should have dealings with the world and how we Should conduct our dealings with them? Thou Shalt contract no debts with them and again the Elders and Bishop shall Council together and they shall do by the directions of the spirit as it must be necessary (p. 255).'"
"When Whitmer arrived in mid-January, the conduct of the Ohio members surprised and concerned him. He wrote, 'The enemy of all righteous had...made them think that an angel of God appeared to them, and showed them writings on the outside cover of the Bible, and on parchment, which flew through the air, and on the back of their hands, and many such foolish and vain things, others lost their strength, and some slid on the floor, and such like maneuvers, which proved greatly to the injury of the cause.' Whitmer concluded that it was 'necessary that this poeple should have instruction, and learn to discern between the things of God and the works of Satan (p. 256).'"
"In this letter, JS requested that Martin Harris come to Ohio as soon as possible. JS and a few other church members from New York had already migrated to the Kirtland, Ohio, area, arriving by early February 1831. Harris was directed to secure a place for himself to settle and to find a place for the other New York church members who would follow. The letter instructs Harris concerning the move without giving any explanation, indicating that he was already aware of the 2 January 1831 revelation instructing believers to remove to Ohio (p. 262)."
"We have received the laws of the Kingdom since we came here and the Disciples in these parts have received them gladly (p. 263)."
"'In the beginning of the church, while yet in her infancy, the disciples used to exclude unbelievers, which caused some to marvel, and converse about this matter because of the things that were written in the Book of Mormon. Therefore the Lord deigned to speak on this subject, that his people might come to understanding.' The revelation [D&C 46] made clear that none were to be excluded from public worship meetings (p. 281)."
"This revelation [D&C 47] appointed John Whitmer to take up the work formerly done by Oliver Cowdery as scribe and recorder--and added a new responsibility. Cowdery, who was 'called...to write for' JS by April 1829, was the principal scribe for the Book of Mormon and JS's early revelations and, once the Church of Christ was organized in April 1830, kept minutes at meetings. He also served as scribe for early portions of JS's inspired revision of the Bible. By the time of this revelation, however, Cowdery was away on a mission, and Whitmer had assumed some of Cowdery's formal duties. He succeeded Cowdery as scribe for JS's Bible revision and also assisted JS in gathering and copying revelations, a work that culminated in the creation of a manuscript book of revelations. The following revelation not only formalized Whitmer's assignment to 'assist my servant Joseph' in such writing duties but added that he should also 'write and keep a regular history.'.... John Whitmer was a willing scribe but a reluctant historian.... He initially declined: 'I wold rather not do it but observed that the will of the Lord be done, and if he desires it, I desire that he would manifest it through Joseph the Seer.' As a result of this conversation, JS dictated the revelation presented here (p. 284)."
"At some point, Oliver Cowdery wrote across the top of this revelation in Revelation Book 1, 'This Commandment is not to be printed.' Unlike most other revelations found in Revelation Book 1, it was not published in either the 1833 Book of Commandments or the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants (p. 312)."
"Levi Hancock was baptized 16 November 1830. He left one of the most detailed accounts, originally recorded in his journal and later copied into his autobiography, of the early June 1831 conference. During the conference, the high priesthood was first conferred upon nearly two dozen men (p. 319)."
"As noted, this conference marked the first time elders in the church were 'ordained to the High Priesthood,' but what this ordination meant to conference participants at the time is unclear (p. 320)."
"The absence of accounts of these manifestations in the featured text illustrates the narrow focus of many written minutes in the early church, which omitted most details of sermons and other events associated with the meetings. Another aspect of the conference not detailed in the minutes is the content and nature of JS's instructions. Although the minutes report only the fact that JS spoke, several participants later recorded lengthy accounts of his teachings during the meetings. Jared Carter was impressed enough to write in his journal that 'notwithstanding he is not naturally talented for a speaker yet he was filled with the power of the Holy Ghost so that he spoke as I never heard man speak for God by the power of the Holy Ghost spoke in him (p. 322).'"
"In 1886, Jacob Hicks photographed the document titled 'Caractors,' which includes characters apparently copied from the gold plates (p. 360)."
"This is the first known publication of characters copied from the gold plates (p. 367)."
"'We not only saw the plates of the Book of Mormon but also the Brass plates, the Plates of the Book of ether, the Plates containing the Record of the wickedness of the people of the world, and many other plates (David Whitmer).' He also described a table holding the sword of Laban, the Liahona, and the interpreters, all of which were objects mentioned in the Book of Mormon translation and which a previous revelation had promised the witnesses they would see (p. 380)."
"This document briefly traces the development of the significant roles and the ecclesiastical offices that JS introduced by June 1831... In identifying those holding offices such as elder, priest, and teacher, this document relies exclusively on church minutes of this period. Such minutes generally identify only those officers who were present or newly ordained at the meeting being reported on. It is possible other individuals had been ordained to offices but were not present at any of the meetings whose records provide this data (p. 491)."
April 21, 2025
There is A LOT of information here. Definitely not a fast read. I'm grateful that someone else did all this research.
March 31, 2014
I've read articles saying that the "Documents" series of the Joseph Smith Papers will be the "back bone" of the Project, and if that is the case, this is certainly a strong beginning to that "back bone." Reading this volume certainly was not as compelling as reading a volume from the Journals or Histories series, but it was still very informative. Of course the historical backgrounds for each of the documents, which, in this volume, are mostly revelations, were excellent. I keep thinking that at some point in the future, I will give up on the JSP series (they are projecting over twenty volumes after all), but if they continue to contain such great historical commentary and background, I will likely be in this for the long haul.
September 8, 2016
A must read for anyone seriously interested in the Mormon Prophet Joseph Smith or LDS church history. It reads like a textbook, but you don't have any interpretation or synthesis to muddy the water.
January 4, 2024
New York documents.
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