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From: "Perry L. Porter" <[e-mail]>
Subject: ---> Lesson 5
Date: 02 Feb 1997 21:15:10 -0700


Doctrine and Covenants 5-9; Joseph Smith History 1 :66-67

Scriptural Highlights

1. Martin Harris is to be one of the witnesses of the Book of Mormon plates
if he repents.

2. Oliver Cowdery comes to serve as Joseph Smith's scribe.

3. Joseph and Oliver receive revelations during the time of translation.

Invite one or two class members to share their experiences of gaining a
testimony or receiving revelation from the Lord.

Discussion and Application Questions

* What did Martin Harris have to do so he could see the gold plates? (D&C
5:24-28.) What are some challenges to our becoming more humble? How can we
overcome these challenges and become more humble?

* What responsibility did the Lord say Martin Harris would have after
seeing the Book of Mormon plates? (D&C 5:25.) Why is it important that we
bear testimony of gospel truths? How have you been blessed by other people
bearing their testimonies?

* According to the Lord's instructions in D&C 6:6-7, what should be our
purpose in serving the Lord? Why is it important that we focus on this
purpose? How can we improve our commitment to establish the cause of Zion
in our everyday living?

* In D&C 5, 6, and 8, the Lord spoke of gifts he had given Joseph Smith and
Oliver Cowdery and promised even greater gifts if they were obedient. (D&C
5:4; 6:10-13; 8:3-8.) How can we know when we have received a gift from the
Lord? What gifts does the Lord bestow on people today? Why does he bestow
these gifts? (D&C 46:8-12, 26.)

* Why do you think Oliver wanted to obtain the gift of translation? (D&C
6:25-28; 8:11; 9:1.) What did the Lord tell him about this desire? (D&C
9:2-4, 10, 12.) What can we learn from this about seeking gifts or
blessings from the Lord? (See also D&C 11:10; 46:8.)
(end of page 9)

Lesson 5

* The Lord cautioned Oliver, "Trifle not with sacred things" (D&C 6:12; see
also D&C 8:10). What does this mean? How might some of us trifle with
sacred things?

* How did Oliver Cowdery gain a testimony that Joseph Smith was a prophet
of God? (See D&C 6:14-15, 22-23, and the quotation from the Prophet Joseph
Smith.) How have you gained your testimony that Joseph Smith is a prophet?

* What did the Lord tell Oliver to do if he wanted a
"further witness" of Joseph's divine calling? (D&C 6:22-23). Why do you
think Oliver desired a further witness even after the Lord had spoken peace
to his mind? Why do we sometimes seek further witnesses? How can we become
more trusting of the peace that God speaks to our minds?

* How can following the Lord's counsel in D&C 6:33-36 help us?

* What can Oliver Cowdery's attempt to translate teach us about receiving
revelation from God? (D&C 8:2-3; 9:7-9.) What have you learned from your
own experiences about receiving divine revelation? As part of the process
of receiving revelation, why might the Lord expect us to study matters out
in our own minds? (Ether 2:22-23; 3:1-9.)

Quotation
The Prophet Joseph Smith: "Oliver Cowdery stated to me that after he had
gone to my father's to board, and after the family had communicated to him
concerning my having obtained the plates, that one night after he had
retired to bed he called upon the Lord to know if these things were so, and
the Lord manifested to him that they were true" (History of the Church, 1
:35).

Additional Idea
Suggested topic for family home evening: "Learning to Recognize the
Spirit," lesson 15 in the Family Home Evening Resource Book.
Next Week's Reading Assignment
Doctrine and Covenants 4; 11-16; Joseph Smith - History 1 :68-75

Class member study Guide.

After the loss of the 116 pages of manuscript, Martin Harris was not
permitted to act as scribe for the Prophet Joseph Smith. Later, however,
Martin asked the Prophet if he could be one of the three witnesses of the
gold plates. Joseph inquired of the Lord and received D&C 5 (see also D&C 17).

For a brief time in Harmony, Pennsylvania, Joseph translated some of the
plates with Emma as his scribe. But earning a living left little time for
the work. The Lord promised to provide help so that Joseph could complete
the translation (see D&C 5:34). On 5 April 1829 a young man named Oliver
Cowdery came to Joseph's door. He soon began serving as Joseph's scribe
(see JS -H 1 :66-67).

Doctrine and Covenants 6-9 were given to Joseph and Oliver during the early
months of 1829 as they translated the Book of Mormon.

As you study D&C 5-9, consider the following:

* What did Martin Harris have to do so he could see the gold plates? (D&C
5:24-28.) What can we do to become more humble?

* What did the Lord tell Oliver to do if he wanted a "further witness" of
Joseph's divine calling? (D&C 6:22-23). How can we become more trusting of
the peace that God speaks to our minds?

* What can Oliver Cowdery's attempt to translate teach us about receiving
revelation from God? (D&C 8:2-3; 9:7-9.) What have you learned from your
own experiences about receiving divine revelation?

Harmony, Pennsylvania, where Joseph and Emma lived for a time. Here Joseph
translated much of the Book of Mormon in early 1829 and received at least
fifteen revelations (D&C 3-13, 24-27). Photograph by George E. Anderson, 1907.
(Bottom of page 10)


"Now the first that my husband translated, was translated by use of  the
Urim and Thummim, and that was the part that martin Harris lost, after that
[my husband] used a small stone, not exactly black, but was rather a dark
color"

Emma Smith Bidamon, Letter to Emma S. Pilgrim, 27 March 1876. Research
Library ad Archives, RLDS, Independence, Missouri.

"By fervent prayer and by otherwise humbling himself, the prophet however,
again found favor, and was presented with a strange, oval-shaped,
chocolate-colored stone, about the size of an egg, only more flat, which,
it was promised would serve the same purpose as the missing Urim and
Thummim. . . . With this stone all of the present Book of Mormon was
translated"

David Whitmer, Interview, 14 Jan. 1885, by Zenos H. Gurley. Archives,
Historical Department, LDS church, Salt Lake, Ut.

"One of Joseph's aids in searching out the truths of the [Book of Mormon]
was a peculiar pebble of rock which he called a seer stone, and which was
sometimes used by him in lieu of the Urim and Thummim"
George Q. Cannon, "Life of Joseph Smith", 1888, p. 56.

"The seer stone referred to here was a chocolate-colored, somewhat
egg-shaped stone which the Prophet found while digging a well in company
with his brother Hyrum, for a Mr. Clark Chase, near Palmyra, N.Y. It
possessed the qualities of Urim and Thummim, since by means of it - as
described above, - as well as by means of the Interpreters found with the
Nephite record, Joseph was able to translate the characters engraven on the
plates".
B. H. Roberts, "Defense of the Faith and the Saints," 2 vols, Salt Lake
City: Deseret News, 1907-12 1:257; "New Witness for God," 3 vols, Salt Lake
City: DeseretNews, 1909, 2:108; "A Comprehensive History of The Church ...
6 vols, 1930, 1:129.

Development of the Doctrine and Covenants


1833 The Book of Commandments
Independence, Missouri
65 sections
Never completed because of the destruction of the press Twenty copies known
to have survived Never republished by the Church


1835
Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of the Latter Day Saints
Kirtland, Ohio
102 sections
Generally considered as the first standard edition Officially accepted by
the Church as scripture


1844 The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints
111 sections Published in Nauvoo after the Martyrdom Official full title
first used


1876 The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints
Salt Lake City, Utah
Article on marriage deleted Section 132 and others added, totaling 136
sections First time divided into verses as they exist today


1908 The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints
Addition of the "Official Declaration" Also had footnotes which had been
added in the 1879 edition


1921 The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints
Lectures on Faith deleted Double-column pages, index, present chapter
headings, and
revised footnote references added


1981 The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints
Joseph Smith -- Vision of the Celestial Kingdom became section 137 Joseph
F. Smith -- Vision of the Redemption of the Dead became section 138
Official Declaration 2, extending the priesthood to all worthy males, was
added


(Source: Seminary Handout 1)


Document prepared for HTML by Andrew F. Hobbs, August 1996.

Some quotes related more to earlier lessons;

For your consideration:  I used this quote from Wilford Woodruff in my
Gospel Doctrine class to help  set the religious climate in America just
before the First Vision.  It seemed to go over pretty well.

----------

    He [Wilford Woodruff]says:  "At an early age my mind began to be
exercised upon religious subjects, but I never made a profession of
religion until 1830 when I was twenty-three years of age.  I did not
then join any church for the reason that I could not find a body of
people, denomination, or church that had for its doctrine, faith, and
practices those principles, ordinances, and gifts which constituted the
gospel of Jesus Christ as taught by Him and His apostles.  Neither did I
find anywhere the manifestations of the Holy Ghost with its attendant
gifts and graces. When I conversed with the ministers of the various
denominations or sects, they would always tell me that prophets,
apostles, revelations, healing ,etc., were given to establish Jesus
Christ and His doctrine, but that they have ever since been done away
with because no longer needed in the Church and Kingdom of God. Such a
declaration I never could and never would believe. I did believe,
however, that revelation, the gifts and graces, and the faith once
delivered to the Saints a faith which they have enjoyed in all ages when
God has had an acknowledged people on the earth could be clone away with
only through the disobedience and unbelief of the children of men I
believed every gift, office, and blessing to be just as necessary now to
constitute the true Church of Christ and Kingdom of God as in any age of
the world.

     "This belief was firmly fixed upon my mind for two reasons: first,
from the study of the Bible I found that the principle of cause and
effect was the same in all ages, and that the divine promises made were
to all generations. At the same time, I found no changes in the gospel in
the days of Christ and the apostles, or that there would be any change in
the plan of salvation in the last days. I
learned also from the Scriptures that many of the ancient prophets, that
Christ and His apostles foresaw by inspiration and revelation that the
Gentile nations would apostatize and turn away from the true faith and
from the Church and Kingdom of God as the Jews had anciently done; that
there would be a falling away from the apostolic faith, from its
doctrines and ordinances; that other systems would arise; that when
these false systems should reach their fullness, the God of heaven would
set up His Kingdom; that an angel would restore the gospel; and that it
should be preached in all the world for a witness before the Savior
should come to reign. I further believed that the gospel had been taken
from the Jews and given to the Gentiles; that the Gentiles had, as
foretold by the prophets, fallen into apostasy; and that in the last
clays Israel should be restored and the promises concerning that people
should be fulfilled. All these things I learned from the Scriptures and
they made a lasting impression upon my mind.

    "The second reason for my peculiar belief in such principles,
teachings, and doctrines was that in the days of my youth I was taught
by an aged man named Robert Mason, who lived in Sainsbury, Connecticut.
By many he was called a prophet; to my knowledge, many of his prophecies
have been fulfilled. The sick were healed by him through the laying on
of hands in the name of Jesus Christ, and devils were cast out. His son
was a raving maniac. After praying and fasting for him nine days, he
arose on the ninth day and commanded in the name of Jesus Christ the
devil to come out of him. The devil obeyed and the boy was made whole
from that very hour. This man instilled these principles into my mind as
well as into the mind of my oldest brother Azmon.

    "Father Mason did not claim that he had any authority to officiate in
the ordinances of the gospel, nor did he believe that such authority
existed on the earth. He did believe, however, that it was the privilege
of any man who had faith in God to fast and pray for the healing of the
sick by the laying on of hands. He believed it his right and the right
of every honest-hearted man or woman to receive light and knowledge,
visions, and revelations by the prayer of faith. He told me that the day
was near when the Lord would establish His Church and Kingdom upon the
earth with all its ancient gifts and blessings. He said that such a work
would commence upon the earth before he died, but that he would not live
to partake of its blessings. He said that I should live to do so, and
that I should become a conspicuous actor in that kingdom.

    "The last time I ever saw him he related to me the following vision
which he had in his field in open day: 'I was carried away in a vision
and found myself in the midst of a vast orchard of fruit trees. I became
hungry and wandered through this vast orchard searching for fruit to
eat, but I found none. While I stood in amazement finding no fruit in
the midst of so many trees, they began to fall to the ground as if torn
up by a whirlwind. They continued to fall until there was not a tree
standing in the whole orchard. I immediately saw thereafter shoots
springing up from the roots and forming themselves into young and
beautiful trees. These budded, blossomed, and brought forth fruit which
ripened and was the most beautiful to look upon of anything my eyes had
ever beheld. I stretched forth my hand and plucked some of the fruit. I
gazed upon it with delight; but when I was about to eat of it, the
vision closed and I did not taste the fruit.'

    " 'At the close of the vision I bowed down in humble prayer and asked
the Lord to show me the meaning of the vision. Then the voice of the
Lord came to me saying: "Son of man, thou hast sought me diligently to
know the truth concerning my Church and Kingdom among men. This is to
show you that my Church is not organized among men in the generation to
which you belong; but in the days of your children the Church and
Kingdom of God shall be made manifest with all the gifts and the
blessings enjoyed by the Saints in past ages. You shall live to be made
acquainted with it, but shall not partake of its blessings before you
depart this life. You will be blest of the Lord after death because you
have followed the dictation of my Spirit in this life." '

    "When Father Mason had finished relating the vision and its
interpretation, he said, calling me by my Christian name: 'Wilford, I
shall never partake of this fruit in the flesh, but you will and you
will become a conspicuous actor in the new kingdom.' He then turned and
left me. These were the last words he ever spoke to me unon the earth.
To me this was a very striking circumstance. I had passed many days
during a period of twenty years with this old Father Mason. He had never
mentioned this vision to me before. On this occasion he said he felt
impelled by the Spirit of the Lord to relate it to me.

    "The vision was given to him about the year 1800. He related it to me
in 1830, the spring in which the Church was organized. Three years later
when I was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, almost the first person I thought of was this prophet, Robert
Mason. Upon my arrival in Missouri with Zion's Camp, I wrote him a long
letter in which I informed him that I had found the true gospel with all
its blessings; that the authority of the Church of Christ had been
restored to the earth as he had told me it would be; that I had received
the ordinances of baptism and the laying on of hands; that I knew for
myself that God had established through Joseph Smith, the Prophet, the
Church of Christ upon the earth.

    "He received my letter with great joy and had it read over to him many
times. He handled it as he had handled the fruit in the vision. He was
very aged and soon died without having the privilege of receiving the
ordinances of the gospel at the hands of an elder of the Church.
"The first opportunity I had after the truth of baptism for the dead was
revealed, I went forth and was baptized for him in the temple font at
Nauvoo. He was a good man, a true prophet; for his prophecies have been
fulfilled. There was so much reason in the teachings of this man, and
such harmony between them and the prophecies and teachings of Christ and
of the apostles and prophets of old, that I believed in them with all my
heart.

    " I had given myself up to the reading of the Scriptures and to earnest
prayer before God day and night as far as I could years before I heard
the fullness of the gospel preached by a Latter-day Saint. I had pleaded
with the Lord many hours in the forest, among the rocks, and in the
fields, and in the mill often at midnight for light and truth and for
His Spirit to guide me in the way of salvation. My prayers were answered
and many things were revealed to me. My mind was open to the truth so
much so that I was fully satisfied that I should live to see the true
Church of Christ established upon the earth and to see a people raised
up who would keep the commandments of the Lord."
This beautiful and inspiring story of Robert Mason reads very much like
that of Simeon of old, who, having received a divine response to his
steadfast supplications, exclaimed: "Lord, now lettest thy servant
depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy
salvation."

    In reading the history of the Church, one is constantly impressed by
the striking comparisons between the events recorded in Holy Writ and
those which have been forerunners as well as accompaniments of the
Church of Christ in this dispensation. The Spirit of God makes these
analogies impressive, and they in turn confirm the faith of those who
have received a testimony of the divine mission of Joseph Smith and of
the purposes of God to be fulfilled by the Church in these last days. No
wonder Wilford Woodruff's mind was open to the truth. No wonder that
doubt or misgiving never beclouded his mind from the day that the new
light broke in upon his understanding to the day of his death. His life
is one of the most beautiful examples of a childlike faith that has ever
been given to the world. The story of it is both faith-promoting and
instructive. It reads like the stories of Holy Writ.


Wilford Woodruff,  Cowley, Chapter 3 A Remarkable Preparation, pp 14-19.






-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Perry L. Porter" <[e-mail]>
Subject: ---> Lesson 6
Date: 02 Feb 1997 22:08:07 -0700

Doctrine and Covenants 4; 1 1 -16; Joseph Smith History 1 :68-75

Lesson6

Scriptural Highlights

1. Serving the Lord
2. Blessings promised to those who serve faithfully
3. Priesthood keys and power restored

Consider asking one or two class members to share their feelings about
missionary work or to relate an experience of a friend or family member who
has served a mission.
Discussion and Application Questions

* One way the Church helps bring people to Christ is through missionary
work. What did you learn from D&C 4 and 11 -16 that can help you share the
gospel more effectively?

* In the scriptures the Lord repeats many ideas, often word for word. (D&C
4; 6:1-9; 11 :1-9; 12:1-8; 14:1-6; 15:6; 16:6.) Why do you think the Lord's
instructions on teaching the gospel were repeated so many times? (See the
quotation from President Kimball.) Why is an understanding of these
instructions important to us today?

* In D&C 4:2 the Lord emphasizes the need for his servants to have total
commitment. What challenges did early Church members face that required
their commitment to God? What challenges do we face that require our
commitment to him? How can we strengthen our commitment to God?

* The Lord promises everlasting salvation to those who serve him
faithfully. (D&C 4:4; 6:3.) How does faithful service help us obtain
salvation? How can we increase our desire to serve?

* What attributes does the Lord desire in those who enter his service? (D&C
4.) How have you found one or more of these attributes to be important as
you have served the Lord? How can we develop these attributes?

* How can we know when the Spirit of God is directing
us? (See D&C 11 :12-14; Moroni 7:11-19; and the quotation from the First
Presidency.)

* How can the Lord's counsel to Hyrum Smith in D&C 11 :20-22 help us as we
prepare to teach the gospel? How have your experiences shown this counsel
to be true?

* What keys and powers did Joseph and Oliver receive when John the Baptist
conferred the Aaronic Priesthood on them? (D&C 13; JS- H 1 :68-72.)

Why is proper authority necessary to organize the Church and perform gospel
ordinances? (John 15:16; D&C 42:11; 132:7-8; Articles of Faith 1 :5.)

* The Lord revealed to John and Peter Whitmer the importance of bringing
souls unto him. (D&C 15:6; 16:6.) What can we do to help in this effort?

* What can you do now to prepare yourself to serve a mission? (See the
quotation from Elder Haight.)

Quotations
President Spencer W. Kimball: "Some may wonder why General Authorities
speak of the same things from conference to conference. As I study the
utterances of the prophets through the centuries, their pattern is very
clear. We seek, in the words of Alma, to teach people 'an everlasting
hatred against sin and iniquity.' We preach 'repentance, and faith on the
Lord Jesus Christ.' (Al. 37:32, 33.)" (Ensign, May 1976, p. 6).

The First Presidency (Joseph F. Smith, Anthon H. Lund, Charles W. Penrose):
"When visions, dreams, tongues, prophecy, impressions or any extraordinary
gift or inspiration conveys something out of harmony with the accepted
revelations of the Church or contrary to the decisions of its constituted
authorities, Latter-day Saints may know that it is not of God, no matter
how plausible it may appear" (Messages of the First Presidency, 4:285).

Elder David B. Haight: "The goal of every physically able couple in the
Church, just as it is for every 19-year-old young man in the Church, should
be to serve a mission. No finer example can be given, no finer testimony
can be borne by parents to children or grandchildren, than through
missionary service in their mature years" (Ensign, May 1987, p. 61).

Additional Ideas

1. Assign different class members to study one of the attributes listed in
D&C 4. Have them search the scriptures for insights into the meaning of
each attribute.

2. Suggested topic for family home evening: "Sharing Our Blessings," lesson
26 in the Family Home Evening Resource Book.

3. Show "The Joy of Missionary Work," segment 13 of the Family Home Evening
Video Supplement (53276 or VNW2764).

Next Week's Reading Assignment Doctrine and Covenants 17-19

Class Member Study Guide

In February 1829, Joseph Smith, Sr., traveled to Harmony, Pennsylvania, to
visit his son Joseph. He desired to know the Lord's will for him. The
Prophet inquired of the Lord and received D&C 4. A few months later, Joseph
received D&C 11 and 12 in response to requests by Hyrum Smith and Joseph
Knight, Sr., to know the Lord's will.

Because of increasing persecution in Harmony, in June 1829 Joseph and Emma
moved to the home of Peter Whitmer, Sr., in Fayette, New York. Members of
the Whitmer family provided assistance in the work of translation. At the
Whitmer home, Joseph received revelations in behalf of David Whitmer, John
Whitmer, and Peter Whitmer, Jr. These revelations became D&C 14,15, and 16.
(The New York-Ohio map in the Doctrine and Covenants shows the locations of
Harmony and Fayette.)

* Review D&C 4:1; 11: 1; 12:1; and 14:1. Note that as the gospel was being
restored in its fulness, the prophecy of Isaiah that the Lord would do "a
marvelous work and a wonder" was being fulfilled (Isaiah 29:14). Also
review D&C 4:4; 11 :3; 12:3; 14:3; 15:6; and 16:6. Note that the Lord
emphasized the importance of missionary work in the building of his kingdom.

* As you read these revelations, note the attributes that the Lord says
missionaries should possess. These same attributes are needed by all those
who serve the Lord. How can you more fully develop one or more of these
attributes? How can you help in the effort to bring souls unto Christ?
In the spring of 1829, Joseph and Oliver continued the translation of the
plates. While translating 3 Nephi, they found mention of baptism for the
remission of sins. On 15 May they went into the woods to pray about the
subject. John the Baptist appeared to them and conferred the Aaronic
Priesthood upon them. He instructed them to baptize one another and ordain
each other to the Aaronic Priesthood.

* Read the account of this experience in D&C 13 and Joseph Smith - History
1:68-75 (see also Oliver's description that is a footnote to verse 71).
What keys and powers did Joseph and Oliver receive?
Some weeks later, Peter, James, and John appeared to Joseph and Oliver and
conferred upon them the Melchizedek Priesthood. An account of this
experience is not included in the Doctrine and Covenants, but references to
it can be found in the heading to D&C 13 and D&C 27:12-13; 128:20.

* Why is proper authority necessary to organize the Church and perform
gospel ordinances? (D&C 42:11; Articles of Faith 1 :5.)

The Susquehanna River near Harmony, Pennsylvania. Along the banks of this
river, John the Baptist appeared and bestowed the Aaronic Priesthood on
Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Photograph by George E. Anderson, 1907.
(bottom of page 12)
I am sorry if the following section is not totally clear, the message
passed to me had converted certain characters to "?" which in some places
were obviously (") but not always:

"The former heading 'REVELATION given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, at
Harmony, Pennsylvania, July, 1828, relating to the loss of certain
manuscripts of the first part of the Book of Mormon ..' is enlarged to
read: '... relating to the loss of 116 pages f manuscript translated from
the first part of the Book of Mormon, which was call the Book of Lehi.' "A
similar clarification occurs in the heading to section 10." Robert J.
Matthews, "The New Publications of the Standard Works"1979,1981," "BYU
Studies", vol. 22, no. 4, p. 403. (Fall 1982)

A description of these is in 1 Nephi 8 and Words of Mormon.

1:"God's works not frustrated
2:"God's path straight
3"4:"Man's work frustrated
5"15:"Personal reprimand to Joseph
16"20: God's work will go forward

"Martin Harris ... served as Joseph Smith's scribe in the translation of
the Book of Mormon from 12 April to 14 Jun 1828.  ... "After Martin
Harris's departure, Emma Smith gave birth to a son, on 15 Jun3 1828.  The
infant died the same day.  When Emma had recovered sufficiently, the
Prophet left for Manchester to visit his family and check on Martin
Harris." "Martin Harris was excommunicated December 1837.  Rebaptized 6
November 1842.  Joined the Strangites and then a couple of other
restoration churches.  Rebaptized  in Salt Lake city 1870.
Lyndon W. Cook, "The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith: A Historical
and Biographical Commentary of the doctrine and Covenants", (Deseret Book,
1985) p. 8


On Jan 14, 12:27am, Robert J. Woolley wrote on Scripture"L: Interestingly,
this is not how this passage read originally. In the 1833 BOC, it explains
that its purpose was so that "the knowledge of my people the Nephites, and
the Jacobites, and the Josephites, and the Zoramites, come to the knowledge
of the Lamanites, and the Lemuelites and the Ishmaelites." Nothing about
knowledge of the Savior coming to anybody via the BOM.

Section 10
A change is made in the heading of the New Edition, Robert J. Matthews,
"The New Publications of the Standard Works, "BYU Studies", vol. 22, no. 4,
p. 403.

4:"don't go to fast
10"19: the words changed
6"19:"The translation will be changed by wicked men.
20"23: Satan has deceived those who took the writing
38"42: Mormon had prepared two accounts

1 Nephi 8 and Words of Mormon


Thumbnail sketches  of

People of the Doctrine and Covenants

"Those who remained faithful made significant impact on Church"

References: Deseret News Church Almanac; Biographical Encyclopedia, Jensen;
History of the Church, Smith; Journal History; Pioneers and Prominent Men
of Utah, Esshom; The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Cook

Compiled by J Malan Heslop (Church News, Dec. 9, 1984)

The first reference to each person in the Doctrine and Covenants is given.
Other references may also be given. Biblical names and special names are
not included.

Ashley, Major N. --- Missionary (D&C 75:17); High Priest; resided in
Jackson County; member of legislature in Missouri; left Church in 1838; was
in mob action against Church; lived in Tallmadge, Ohio.

Babbit, Almon W. --- Aspired to presidency (124:84); repented; president of
Kirtland Stake; attorney for redress before Pres. James K. Polk; arrived in
St. Louis in 1848; was a delegate to Congress. but was not seated;
secretary of Utah Territory, 1852; killed by Indians in Ash Hollow,
Nebraska on Sep. 7, 1856.

Baker, Jesse --- (124:137); in elders quorum presidency, Nauvoo.

Baldwin, Wheeler --- Missionary (52:31); named to obtain redress documents
to send to Washington, D.C.; joined with Cutlerites and RLDS in 1863; died
on May 11, 1887 at Stewartsville, Missouri.

Basset, Heman --- Released from responsibility (52:37); died in 1876 at
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Bennett, John C. --- Sent gospel message to kings (124:16); doctor; first
Nauvoo mayor; became apostate; excommunicated on May 25, 1842; died Aug. 5,
1867 at Polk City, Iowa.

Benson, Ezra T. --- In Stake Presidency, Quincy, Illinois, 1841; moved to
Nauvoo; ordained and apostle on July 16, 1846; caption of 2nd company of 10
on trek to Salt Lake (136:12); arrived in Salt Lake on July 24, 1847; early
government leader; lived in Logan, Utah; dided on Sept. 3, 1869 in Ogden,
Utah.

Bent, Samuel --- Whipped by mob in Liberty, Missouri, 1836; on High Council
in Nauvoo (124:132); presiding elder in Garden Grove, Iowa; died there on
Aug. 16, 1846.

Billings, Titus --- Second person baptized in Kirtland, in November 1830;
counselor to Bishop Edward Partridge; called to dispose of land and prepare
to go to Zion (63:39); involved in Crooked River battle; reach Salt Lake
valley in 1848; settled city of Manti, Utah; died on Feb. 6, 1866.

Boggs, Lilburn --- Governor of Missouri; issued extermination order on Oct.
27, 1838 (124: intro.); migrated to California; died on Mar. 4, 1860 in
Napa, California.

Booth, Ezra --- Missionary (52:23); apostatized; wrote anti-Mormon
literature (71:intro.); lived in Mantua, Ohio.

Brunson, Seymour --- Missionary (75:33); on High Council in Nauvoo, 1839.;
taken by the Lord unto himself; died on Aug. 10, 1840; Joseph Smith first
spoke of baptism for the dead at his funeral.

Burnett, Stephen --- Missionary (75:35); apostatized by 1838; lived in
Orange, Ohio.

Burroughs, Philip --- Non-member; John Whitmer called to labor with him
(30:10).

Butterfield, Josiah --- One of Seven Presidents of the Seventy, Nauvoo
(124:138); worked on Kirtland Temle; missionary to Maine, 1844; later
excommunicated; rebaptized; died, April 1871 in Monterey, California.

Cahoon, Reynolds --- Missionary with Samuel Smith (52:30); in Stake
Presidency, Adam-Ondi-Ahman; arrived in Salt Lake in 1848; settled Murray,
Utahl died Apr. 29, 1861.

Carter, Gideon H. --- Baptized on Oct. 25, 1831 by Joseph Smith; called to
ministry (75:34); killed in the battle of Crooked River, at Far West,
Missouri on Oct. 25, 1838.

Carter, Jared --- Ordained priest (52:38); missionary; on High Council in
Kirtland; defected in 1838; disfellowshipped in 1844; lived in Chicago,
Illinois; died by 1850.

Carter, John S. --- On High Council in Kirtland (102:3); missionary with
his brother Jared; died of cholera on June 26, 1834, in Clay County,
Missouri.

Carter, Simeon D. --- Mission call (52:37); collected funds for Bible
translation; on High Council at Far West; migrated to Salt Lake in 1850;
died on Feb. 3, 1869 in Brigham City, Utah.

Carter, William --- Called to Missouri (52:31); did not go; priesthood
taken away on Sep. 1, 1831.

Coe, Joseph --- Called to Missouri (55:6); on High Council in Kirtland;
laid foundation stone of Kirtland Temple; helped obtain Egyptian mummies;
left Church in 1837; lived in Kirtland.

Coltrin, Zebedee --- Called to Missouri (52:29); one of first Seven
Presidents of the Seventy; in Zion's Camp; in Kirtland Stake presidency;
arrived in Salt Lake in 1847; lived in Spanish Fork; patriarch; died July
21, 1887.

Copely, Leman --- Mission to Shakers (49:1); broke consecration covenant
(54:4); disfellowshipped in 1834; returned in 1836; did not move west;
lived in Ohio.

Corrill, John --- Called to labor (50:38); 2nd counselor in Presiding
Bishopric, 1831 to 1837; called to Missouri; keeper of Lord's storehouse;
Church historian with Elias Higbee, 1838; excommunicated in 1839; lived in
Quincy, Illinois.

Covill, James --- Baptist minister, received revelation (Section 39);
rejected baptism.

Cowdery, Oliver --- Told to stand by Joseph Smith (6:18); ordained to
Aaronic Priesthood (Section 13); one of the Three Witnesses (17:3); apostle
and Second Elder; member of first High Council; excommunicated in 1838;
rebaptized on Nov. 12, 1848; died on Mar. 3, 1850 in Richmond, Missouri.

Cowdery, Warren A. --- Older brother of Oliver; presiding High Priest in
Freedom, New York 106:1); moved to Kirtland in 1836; left the Church in
1838; died on Feb. 23, 1851.

Cutler, Alpheus --- Worked on Kirland, Far West, and Nauvoo Temples; member
of Nauvoo High Council (124:132); rejected Brigham Young as leader; moved
to Iowa where he organized a Church; died on Aug. 10, 1864 at Manti, Iowa.

Davies, (Davis) Amos --- Paid stock to Nauvoo House (124:111); did not go
west with Saints, but went later for California gold; returned to Illinois
in 1858; died on Mar. 22, 1872.

Dodds, Asa --- Proclaimed gospel in West (75:15); was a High Priest; last
known in Farmington, Ohio, 1850.

Dort, David --- Converted through Lucy Mack Smith; member of Kirtland High
Council (124:132); in Zion's Camp; died on Mar. 10, 1842 in Nauvoo.

Eames, Ruggles --- Missionary (75:35); last known to live in Van Buren
County, Iowa, 1840.

Foster, James --- One of the first Seven Presidents of the Seventy
(124:138); member of Krtland High Council; lived in Jacksonville, Illinois;
died on Dec. 21, 1841 at Nauvoo, Illinois.

Foster, Robert D. --- Held stock in Nauvoo House (124:115); chief surgeon
of the Nauvoo Legion; in politics, education; excommunicated on Apr. 18,
1844; joined William Law group; moved to New York, then Illinois.

Fuller, Edson --- Called to Missouri (52:38); troubled by evil spirits;
excommunicated in 1831; moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan by 1850.

Fullmer, David --- On Nauvoo High Council (124:132); leader in Garden
Grove, Iowa; arrived in Salt Lake on Oct. 13, 1850; president of Salt Lake
Stake; member of territorial legislature, delegate, territorial convention;
patriarch; died on Oct. 21, 1879 at Salt Lake City.

Galland, Isaac --- Paid stock in Nauvoo House (124:78); traveled with Hyrum
Smith to obtain funds; wrote in defense of Church; became inactive; died on
Sep. 22, 1858 at Fort Madison, Iowa.

Gause, Jesse --- Quaker preacher; joined Church; counselor to Joseph Smith
(81:intro.); excommunicated on Dec. 3, 1832.

Gilbert, A. Sidney --- Agent to the Church (Sect. 53); established store
with Newel K. Whitney; called to repentance in 1833; died of cholera in
Zion's Camp on June 29, 1834.

Gould, John --- Traveled with Orson Hyde to Missouri to seek redress; in
Zion's Camp; saved if obedient (100:14); one of Seven Presidents of the
Seventy, 1833; died on May 9, 1851 at Cooley's Mill, Iowa.

Granger, Oliver --- Revelation concerning duties (Sect. 117); missionary;
worked on Kirtland Temple; land agent in Nauvoo; died on Aug. 25, 1841 at
Kirtland,Ohio.

Griffin, Selah J. --- To travel to Missouri (52:32); missionary with Thomas
B. Marsh; blacksmith; expelled from Missouri; remained in Illinois.

Grover, Thomas --- On first High Council in Nauvoo (124:132); body guard
for Joseph Smith; member of Nauvoo Legion; missionary; operated ferry on
Platte River; arrived in Salt Lake valley on Oct. 3, 1847; member of Davis
Stake High Council; member of Utah Legislature; died on Feb. 20, 1886 at
Farmington, Utah.

Hancock, Levi W. --- Missionary to Missouri (52:27); member of Zion's Camp;
one of Seven Presidents of the Seventy; arrived in Salt Lake in 1847 with
Mormon Battalion; delegate in the first legislative assembly, 1851; lived
in Manti, Utah; died June 10, 1882 at Washington, Utah.

Hancock, Solomon --- Missionary to Missouri (52:27); attended Kirtland
Temple dedication in 1836; sung hymn at Far West temple site dedication;
member of High Council in Clay County; died Dec. 2, 1847 at Pottawattamie,
Iowa.

Harris, Emer --- Brother of Martin; missionary (75:30); carpenter, Kirtland
Temple; arrived in Salt Lake in 1850; lived in Provo, Utah; patriarch; died
Nov. 28, 1869 at Logan, Utah.

Harris, George W. --- On High Council at Far West and Nauvoo (124:132);
bishop and High Councilor, Council Bluffs, Iowa; remained in Iowa; died in
1857 at Council Bluffs.

Harris, Martin --- Scribe for Book of Mormon translation; lost 116 pages of
manuscript (Sect. 3); one of the Three Witnesses; member of first High
Council; assisted in choosing the Twelve; excommunicated in 1837; came to
Utah in 1870; rebaptized; died July 9, 1875 at Clarkston, Utah.

Haws, Peter --- Converted in Canada; helped build Nauvoo House and temple
(124:62,70); missionary; left Church in 1849; lived in Nevada, then
Californi, where he died in 1862.

Herriman, Henry --- One of the Seven Presidents of Seventies (124:138); in
Zion's Camp; expelled from Missouri; lieutenant colonel in Nauvoo Legion;
arrived in Salt Lake Valley in 1848; settled Herriman, Utah; mission to
England; lived in Huntington, Utah in 1887; died there, May 17, 1891.

Hicks, John A. --- In elders presidency (124:137); not sustained at
conference, 1841; excommunicated Oct. 5, 1841.

Higbee, Elias --- Asked questions concerning Isaiah (113:7); missionary;
high priest, 1834; worked on Kirtland Temple, 1835; member of Far West High
Council, 1837; elected Judge, Caldwell County, Missouri; expelled from
Missouri; on Nauvoo Temple Committee; accompanied Joseph Smith to see
President Martin Van Buren, 1839; died of cholera on June 8, 1843 in Nauvoo.

Humphrey, Solomon --- Missionary to east (52:35); assisted in laying
cornerstone of the Kirtland Temple; member of Zion's Camp; died Sep. 1834
in Clay County, Missouri.

Huntington, William --- Member of Nauvoo High Council (124:132) and Kirland
H.C.; protected Joseph Smith; hid Egyptian mummies in his home; stone
cutter on the Nauvoo Temple; pres., Mount Pisgah; died there Aug. 6, 1846.

Hyde, Orson --- Member of Kirtland High Concil (102:3); clerk to First
Presidency, 1833; member of Quorum of the Twelve, 1835 through 1878;
attended Kirtland Temple dedication in 1836; dedicated the Holy Land;
carried petition to Washington, D.C., 1844; remained at Winter Quarters
until 1850; lived in Sanpete County, Utah in 1852; died Nov. 28, 1878 at
Spring City, Utah.

James, George --- Ordained priest (52:38); ordained elder Nov. 18, 1831;
disfellowshipped; reinstated; remained in Ohio; died Nov. 1864 at
Brownhelm, Ohio.

Jacques, Vienna --- Baptized in Boston, 1832; requested expenses to Zion
(90:28); married Daniel Shearer, Jul. 25, 1845; migrated West; died Feb. 7,
1884 at Salt Lake City/

Johnson, Aaaron --- Ordained seventy in 1838 at Far West, Missouri; member
of Nauvoo High Council (124:132); bishop, Garden Grove, Iowa in 1846;
captain of a pioneer company, Sep. 18, 1850; founder and first bishop of
Springville Ward; chief justice of Utah County; speaker of first
Legislature; died May 10, 1877 at Springville.

Johnson, John --- Opened home to Joseph Smith, 1831-32; promised eternal
life (96:6); member of Kirtland High Council, 1834; worked on Kirtland
Temple, 1835; rejected from High Council in 1837; left the Church in 1838;
died July 30, 1843 at Kirtland.

Johnson, Luke S. --- Missionary (68:7); member of Kirtland High Council;
member of Zion's Camp, 1834; member of Quorum of Twelve, 1835-1838;
excommunicated in 1838 at Far West, Missouri; rebaptized in 1845 at Nauvoo;
arrived in Salt Lake in 1847; bishop of St. John's, Utah Ward; died Dec. 9,
1861 at Salt Lake City.

Johnson, Lyman E. --- Missionary (68:7); member of Zion's Camp; member of
Quorum of Twelve, 1835-1838; excommunicated in 1838; drowned in Mississippi
River on Dec. 20, 1856.

Kimball, Heber C. --- In Quorum of Twelve (124:129); missionary to England;
arrived in Salt Lake in 1847; counselor to Brigham Young, 1847-1868; first
chief justice, prov. govt. of Deseret; member of Utah Senate; introduced
Perpetual Emigration Fund; died June 22, 1868 at Salt Lake City after a
fall at Provo.

Kimball, Spencer W. --- Became 12th President of Church on Dec. 30, 1973;
grandson of Heber C. Kimball; born in Salt Lake City on Mar. 28, 1895;
lived in Arizona from youth until ordained apostle on Oct. 7, 1943;
announced revelation extending priesthood to all worthy male members
(Offical Declaration 2).

Knight, Joseph --- Recognized (Sect. 12) for faith in Book of Mormon
translation, was scribe; told to take up cross and pray (23:6); endowed in
Nauvoo Temple in 1845; died Feb. 3, 1847 at Mount Pisgah, Iowa.

Knight, Newel --- Missionary (52:32); service in Ohio (54:2, 56:6); member
of Far West and Nauvoo High Councils; died Jan. 11, 1847 at Ponca, Nebraska
while traveling westward.

Knight, Vinson --- Asked to support Nauvoo House (124:74); bishop in
Adam-Ondi-Ahman and Nauvoo; land purchasing agent; member of Nauvoo City
Council, 1841; died July 31, 1842 at Nauvoo.

Law, William --- Requested support of Nauvoo House (124:82); counselor to
Joseph Smith, 1841-44; captain in Nauvoo Legion; excommunicated Apr. 18,
1844; died Jan. 19, 1892 at Shullsburg, Wisconsin.

Lee, Ann --- Shakers believed Second Coming had occurred and Savior
appeared as a woman, Ann Lee (Sect. 49 introduction).

Lyman, Amasa M. --- In High Priest quorum presidency (124:136); missionary;
member of Zion's Camp; ordained apostle Aug. 20, 1842; served as a
counselor in First Presidency from February 1843 until Joseph Smith's
death; returned to Twelve Aug. 12, 1844; deprived of apostleship Oct. 6,
1867; excommunicated on May 12, 1870; died Feb. 4, 1877 at Fillmore, Utah.

Marks, William --- To preside at Far West (117:1-10); member of Kirtland
High Council, 1837; president of Nauvoo Stake, 1839-44; sided with Sidney
Rigdon; rejected as Stake President; followed RLDS; died May 22, 1872 at
Plano, Illinois.

Marsh, Thomas B. --- Subject of revelations (Sects. 31, 112); missionary;
physician to Church; to publish Lord's work (118:2); member of the Twelve,
1835-38; excommunicated Mar. 18, 1839; rebaptized, July 1857 at Florence,
Nebraska; arrived in Utah, 1857; died Jan. 1866 at Ogden, Utah.

McLellin, William E. --- Requested revelations (Sects. 66, 68); Lord not
pleased (90:35); member of High Council at Clay County; ordained apostle,
1835; attended Kirtland Temple dedication, 1836; excommunicated in 1838;
died Apr. 24, 1883 at Independence, Missouri.

Miles, Daniel S. --- Lived in Kirtland and Far West; one of Seven
Presidents of the Seventy (124:138); among first settlers of Nauvoo; died
in 1845 at Hancock County, Illinois.

Miller, George --- Ordained bishop; helped build Nauvoo Temple (124:20-23);
missionary; brigadeer general in Nauvoo Legion; carpenter on the Nauvoo
House; appointed trustee-in-trust for Church on Aug. 9, 1844; followed
James J. Strang; died in 1856 at Meringo, Illinois on way to California.

Morley, Isaac --- Missionary (52:15); 1st Counselor in Presiding Bishopric,
1831-40; persecuted in Ohio and Missouri; attended Kirtland Temple
dedication; patriarch; president of Lima, Illinois Stake, 1840; settled in
Manti, Utah in 1849; member of general assembly, prov. state of Deseret;
died June 24, 1865 at Fairview, Utah.

Murdock, John --- To go to Missouri (52:8); member of Clay County High
Council; missionary; bishop in Nauvoo, 1842; served on Mormon Batallion;
arrived in Salt Lake Valley on Oct. 12, 1847; five times the captain of a
wagon train to valley; first bishop of the 14th Ward of Salt Lake City;
member of first legislature, 1849; died Dec. 23, 1871 at Beaver, Utah.

Packard, Noah --- Member of Kirtland High Council; attended Kirtland Temple
dedication, 1836; worked on Nauvoo Temple; counselor to Don Carlos Smith in
High Priest presidency of Nauvoo (124:136); migrated to Salt Lake Valley,
1850; settled in Springville, Utah; died Feb. 17, 1860.

Page, Hiram --- Satan deceived him (28:11); one of the Eight Witnesses; a
founder of Far West, Missouri; left Church in 1838; died Aug. 12, 1882 near
Richmond, Missouri.

Page, John E. --- In Quorum of Twelve (118:6); missionary to Canada;
supported James J. Strang; excommunicated June 26, 1846; died in 1847 at De
Kalb, Illinois.

Partidge, Edward --- Sins forgiven; called to preach (36:1-8); ordained
presiding bishop in 1831 (41:9); persecuted, tarred and feathered, 1833;
attended Kirtland Temple dedication; journeyed to Missouri; died May 27,
1840 at Nauvoo; received unto Lord (124:19).

Patten, David W. --- high priest; worked on Kirtland Temple; member of
Zion's Camp; member of Quorum of Twelve, 1835-38; mission (114:1); killed
in battle of Crooked River on Oct. 25, 1838; taken unto Lord (124:19,130).

Peterson, Ziba --- Lamanite missionary (32:3); chastened for sins (58:60);
excommunicated in 1833; moved to Placerville, California, where he died in
1849.

Phelps, William W. --- Ordained to preach and write books for children
(55:1-4); editor and printer for Church; published Book of Commandments
(Sect. 67); assisted in publishing first hymn book; worked on Kirtland
Temple; excommunicated in 1838; returned in 1841; member of Nauvoo City
Council; scribe for Book of Abraham translation; arrived in Salt Lake,
1848; in state legislature; died Mar. 7, 1872 at Salt Lake City.

Pratt, Orson --- Subject of revelation (Sect. 34); missionary; worked on
Kirtland Temple; called to Quorum of Twelve, 1835; excommunicated in 1842;
rebaptized in 1843; missionary to Great Britain; came West in 1847;
established Great Salt Lake base and meridian; Church historian; speaker of
state Legislature; died Oct. 3, 1891 at Salt Lake City.

Pratt, Parley --- To preach to Lamanites (32:1); leader in Ohio and
Missouri; attended Kirtland Temple dedication in 1836; editor of the
Millenial Star in England; member of the Quorum of Twelve, 1835-1857;
arrived in Salt Lake in 1847; in constitutional convention of Deseret;
assassinated while on mission, in 1857 at Van Buren, Arkansas.

Pulsipher, Zera --- One of first Seven Presidents of Seventies, 1838-1862
(124:138); persecuted in Missouria and Illinois; arrived in Salt Lake on
Sep. 22, 1848; patriarch; died Jan. 1, 1872 at Hebron, Utah.

Rich, Charles C. --- Presidency of Nauvoo Stake (124:132); member of Zion's
Camp; brigadeer general in Nauvoo Legion; missionary; arrived in Salt Lake
on Oct. 3, 1847; in Salt Lake Stake Presidency; member of territorial
legislature; ordained to Quorum of Twelve on Feb. 12, 1849; colonized San
Bernadino, California; settled in Bear Lake area; died Nov. 17, 1883 at
Paris, Idaho.

Richards, Wlllard --- Doctor; missionary; called to Quorum of Twelve
(118:6); member of Nauvoo council; with Joseph and Hyrum Smith in Carthage
Jail; Church historian; counselor to Brigham Young, 1847-1854; died, Mar.
11, 1854, Salt Lake City.

Rigdon, Sidney --- Scribe to Joseph Smith for Bible translation (Sect. 35);
saw vision with Joseph Smith (76:1); counselor to Joseph Smith, 1833;
attended Kirtland Temple dedication, 1836; held in Liberty Jail, 1838;
member of Nauvoo city council; with Joseph Smith in Washington D.C.; vice
president candidate of USA; rejected in claim to lead Church; withdrew;
excommunicated on Sep. 8, 1844; died July 14, 1876 at Friendship, New York.

Riggs, Burr --- Missionary (75: 17); ordained high priest; excommunicated,
1833; rebaptized, 1834; member of Zion's Camp; resided in Far West,
Missouri; excommunicated, 1839; died, June 8, 1860 at Adams County, Illinois.

Rolfe, Samuel --- Artisan at Kirtland; leader in Missouri and Illinois;
bishop at Winter Quarters; reached Salt Lake, Sep. 24, 1847; joined Charles
C. Rich at San Bemardino, California; died 1864.

Roundy, Shadrack --- Seventy in Kirtland; expelled from Missouri; to
preside over bishopfic (124:141); arrived in Salt Lake Valley on July 24,
1847; bishop of 16th Ward, 1849-56; on first Salt Lake Stake High Council;
in territorial legislature; died, July 4, 1872, Salt Lake City.

Ryder, Simonds --- Received calling (52:37); offended because name was
misspelled in revelation; left Church; helped tar and feather Joseph Smith.

Scott, Jacob --- Called to Missouri (52:28).

Sherman, Lyman R. --- Requested revelation (108:1); one of First Seven
Presidents of Seventy, 1835-37; member of Kirtland and Far West High
Councils; Called to be apostle, but died Jan. 27, 1839, before ordained.

Sherwood, Henry G. --- Asked to put stock in Nauvoo House (124:81); on
Kirtland and Nauvoo High Councils; healed of malaria; city marshal of
Nauvoo; arrived in Salt Lake, 1848; member of Salt Lake Stake High Council;
died about 1862 at San Bernardino, California.

Smith, Alvin --- Brother of Joseph Smith seen in vision (137 :5); died,
Nov. 19, 1823 at Manchester, New York.

Smith, Don Carlos --- Brother of Joseph Smith; president of high priest
quorum (124:133); in charge of Elders Journal, edited Times and Seasons in
Nauvoo; member of Nauvoo city council; died Aug. 7, l841 at Nauvoo.

Smith, Eden --- Missionary (75:36); died Dec. 7, 1851 at Vermillion County,
Indiana.

Smith, Emma H. --- Married Joseph Smith on Jan. 18, 1827; served as scribe;
told will of Lord (Sect. 25); called to prepare hymn book, 1830; sustained
as first Relief Society president on Mar. 17, 1842; chose not to go West;
married Lewis C. Bidaman on Dec. 23, 1847; died Apr. 30, 1879.

Smith, George A. --- Joseph Smith's cousin; worked on Kirtland Temple;
ordained apostle on Apr. 26, 1839; 1st Counselor in First Presidency;
mentioned in revelation (124:129); member of Nauvoo city council; organized
westward company (136:14); settled in St. George (named for him); died Sep.
1, 1875.

Smith, Hyrum --- Joseph Smith's brother; subject ot revelation (Sect. 11);
patriarch (124:95); counselor to President 1837-41; one of Eight Witnesses;
on Kirtand Stake High Council; member of Zion's Camp; Church partriarch,
assistant president to Joseph Smith; martyred, Jun. 27, 1844 at Carthage
Jail in Illinois.

Smith, John --- Member of Kirtland high council (102:3); worked on Kirtland
Temple; missionary; president of Adam-Ondi-Ahman Stake, 1838; Iowa Stake,
1839; Nauvoo Stake, 1844; Salt Lake Stake, 1847; Church patriarch, l849;
died, May 23, 1854.

Smith, Joseph Jr. --- Received First Vision, 1820; given power to translate
Book of Mormon (1:29); received priesthood (13:1); ordained apostle;
organized and first president of Church; directed building Kirtland and
Nauvoo temples; martyred, Jun. 27, 1844, Carthage Jail.

Smith, Joseph Sr. --- Father of Joseph Smith; given revelation (Sect. 4);
one of Eight Witnesses; Church patriarch; member of Kirtland High Council,
1833; worked on Kirtland Temple; assistant counselor to First Presidency,
1837; died, Sep. 14, 1840 at Nauvoo, Illinois.

Smith, Joseph F. --- Son of Hyrum Smith; missionary; member of Salt Lake
Stake High Council; ordained apostle, 1866; counselor to John Taylor,
Wilford Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow; became sixth president of Church on Oct.
17, 1901; received vision of Savior's visit to the spirit dead (Sect. 138);
died, Nov. 19, 1918, Salt Lake City.

Smith, Samuel H. --- Brother of Joseph Smith; called to strengthen Church
(23:4); one of Eight Witnesses; first missionary for Church; member of
Kirtland High Council, 1834-38; worked on Kirtland Temple; member of Nauvoo
Legion; died, Jul. 30, 1844 at Nauvoo, Illinois.

Smith, Sylvester --- Missionary (75 34): member of Zion's Camp; member of
Kirtland High Council, 1835; attended Kirtland Temple dedication, 1836;
excommunicated in 1838.

Smith, William --- Brother of Joseph Smith; ordained apostle, 1835;
rebelled but repented, 1839; member of Twelve (124:129); in Zion's Camp;
member of Illinois House of Representatives; excommunicated on Oct. 12,
1845; died, Nov. 13, 1894 at Osterdock lowa.

Snow, Erastus --- Missionary; attended Kirtland Temple dedication; aided
Prophet in Liberty Jail; organized pioneer company (136:12); arrived in
Salt Lake Valley on Jul. 24, 1847; in territorial constitutional
convention; St. George city recorder; member of Quorum of Twelve, 1849-88;
died, May 27, 1888 at Salt Lake City.

Snider (Snyder), John --- Missionary in Canada and England; expelled from
Missouri; member of Nauvoo House committee (124:22); member of Nauvoo
Legion; arrived in Salt Lake, 1850; died, Dec. 19, 1875.

Stanton, Daniel --- Called to preach (75:33); high priest, 1831; branch
president in Jackson County; member of Adam- Ondi-Ahman Stake high council,
1838; president of Quincy, Illinois Stake, 1840; setlled in Springvillle,
Utah; died, Oct. 26, 1872 at Panaca, Nevada.

Sweet, Northrop --- Called to preach (33:1); left Church in 1831.

Taylor, John --- Member of the Twelve (118:6); missionary to England, and
France; editor of the Nauvoo Neighbor; member of committee to compile hymn
book; member of Nauvoo city council; wounded at martyrdom of Joseph Smith;
arrived in Salt Lake City on Oct. 5, 1847; member of Utah Legislature;
became third president of Church on Oct. 10, 1880; died on July 25, 1887 at
Kaysville, Utah.

Thompson, Robert B. --- Promised blessings (124:12); Church recorder,
1840-41; scribe to Joseph Smith; edited Times and Seasons; died Aug 27,
1841 at Nauvoo.

Wakefield, Joseph --- To strengthen Church (50:37): missionary; negative
spirit developed; excommunicated in 1834.

Welton, Micah B. --- Missionary (75:36); endowed in Nauvoo Temple, 1846.

Whitlock, Harvey --- Missionary call (52:25); lived in Missouri;
disfellowshipped in 1834, excommunicated in 1838: rebaptized in Salt Lake
City, 1858; moved to California where he joined RLDS.

Whitmer, David --- Subject of revelation (Sect. 16); one of Three
Witnesses; called to search out Twelve Apostles; excommunicated on Feb. 13,
1838; died, Jan. 25, 1888 at Richmond, Missouri.

Whitmer, John --- Revelations to (Sects. 15, 26); one of Eight Witnesses;
assisted with Book of Mormon translation; Church historian; assistant
president of Church; excommunicated Mar. 10, 1838; died, July 11, 1878 at
Far West, Missouri.

Whitmer, Peter, Jr. --- Revelation to (Sect. 16); one of Eight Witnesses;
missionary; suffered Missouri persecution; died, Sep. 22, 1836 at Liberty,
Missouri.

Whitmer, Peter, Sr --- Opened home to Joseph Smith (Sect. 14:
introduction); Church organized in home on Apr. 6, 1830, in Fayette, New
York; one of first members; died, Aug. 12, 1854 at Richmond, Missouri.

Whitney, Newel K. --- To retain store (63:42); bishop in KirtLand (72:8);
worked on Kirtland Temple; bishop in Adam Ondi-Ahmam and Salt Lake 18th
Ward; presiding bishop of Church, Apr. 6, 1847; died, Sep. 23, 1850 at Salt
Lake City.

Wight, Lyman --- Called to Missouri (52:7); in Zion's Camp, 1834; attended
Kirtland Temple dedication; counselor in Adam-Ondi-Ahman Stake; on Nauvoo
temple committee; member of Twelve, 1841; fell away, 1844; led group to
Texas, 1845; excommunicated, 1848; died, Mar. 31, 1858 at Mountain Valley,
Texas.

Williams, Frederick G. --- Not to sell farm (64:21); counselor to Joseph
Smith, 1832; member of Zion's Camp; attended School of Prophets; worked on
Kirtland Temple, 1834; fell from unity with Prophet; rejected from First
Presidency, 1837, excommunicated, Mar. 17, 1839; rebaptized, Apr. 1840;
died, Oct. 25, 1842 at Quincy, Illinois.

Williams, Samuel --- Member, elders quorum presidency (124:137); came to
Salt Lake Valley before 1850.

Wilson, Calves --- Called to preach in Cincinnati (75:15).

Wllson, Lewis Dunbar --- On Nauvoo high council (124:132); arrived in Salt
Lake, 1853; lived in Ogden where he died on Mar. 11, 1856.

Woodruff, Wilford --- Member of Zion's Camp, 1834; ordained elder, 1835,
seventy, 1836; missionary; called to Quorum of Twelve (118:6); presided
over European missiLon, 1844; arrived at Salt Lake on July 24, 1847;
mission to England, 1848; assistant Church historian, 1856; became fourth
president of Church on Apr. 7, 1890; issued "Manifesto," Sep. 24, 1890;
died Sep. 2, 1898 at San Francisco, California.

Young, Brigham --- Worked on Kirtland Temple; ordained apostle in 1835;
missionary; president of Twelve (124:127); led pioneers West, arrived in
Salt Lake on July 24, 1847; became second president of Church on Dec. 27,
1847; died on Aug. 29, 1877 at Salt Lake City.

Young, Joseph --- One of the Seven Presidents of Seventies (124:138);
missionary; at Haun's Mill massacre; arrived in Salt Lake in 1850; died on
July 16, 1881 at Salt Lake City.



Document prepared for HTML by Andrew F. Hobbs, August 1996. Abbreviations
and shortened forms expanded.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Perry L. Porter" <[e-mail]>
Subject: ---> Lesson 7
Date: 02 Feb 1997 22:33:30 -0700

Doctrine and Covenants 17-19
Lesson 7

Scriptural Highlights

1. Witnesses to see the Book of Mormon plates
2. Twelve Apostles to be called
3. The Atonement and repentance

Read aloud D&C 19:15-19 and testify of the Savior's atoning sacrifice. You
might also invite class members to sing or read the words of "I Stand All
Amazed" (Hymns, no.193).
Discussion and Application Questions

* Why was it necessary that witnesses see the Book of Mormon plates? (See 2
Nephi 27:12-14; Ether 5:2-4; and the witnesses' testimonies in the
introductory pages of the Book of Mormon.) How are the testimonies of these
witnesses a blessing to us today? How has your own testimony of the Book of
Mormon been a blessing to you?

* If we had lived in Jesus' day, how would we have recognized Jesus as the
Messiah? (John 5:36-37; 8:17-18; 15:26-27.) What witnesses do we have today
to help us recognize the Savior?

* What witnesses has the Lord provided of Joseph Smith's prophetic calling?
What witnesses do we have that our living prophet is called of God? What
must we do to recognize and benefit from divine witnesses?

* As we gain testimonies of the gospel, what are our responsibilities as
witnesses? (D&C 18:3-5, 34-36; 19:29-31.)

* How have your experiences shown you that "the worth of souls is great in
the sight of God"? (D&C 18:10).

* What can we learn about the Atonement from D&C 18:11 and 19:15-19? How is
the Atonement a blessing to you? Why is it important that we ponder the
Lord's atoning sacrifice? (See the quotation from Elder Smith.)

* What is the relationship between the Lord's atonement and our repentance?
(D&C 18:11-13; D&C 19:15-19.) How can we show the Lord our gratitude for
the Atonement?

* The Lord promises that we will have great joy in his Father's kingdom as
we bring souls unto him. (D&C 18:15-16.) How have you experienced this joy?

* The Lord cautioned Martin Harris to revile not against revilers. (D&C
19:30.) How should we respond to those who speak against the Church or
against us personally? (See the quotation from Elder Ashton.)

* What must we do to gain exaltation? (D&C 18:22-25, 42-47.) What does it
mean to take upon ourselves the name of Christ? How can we do this? Why
must we do this to be saved from the penalties for our sins? (2 Nephi
2:4-9; Alma 22:14; Helaman 14:13; Moroni 6:1-4.)
(bottom of page 13)


* When the latter-day Quorum of the Twelve was organized in 1835, nearly
six years after D&C 18 had been given, verses 26-36 were read to them. What
is the mission of the Twelve? (D&C 18:26-29, 32; 107:23, 33; Ephesians
4:11-14.) How are the Twelve fulfilling this mission today? How has the
witness of one of the present-day Twelve strengthened your testimony?

* While admonishing Martin Harris to keep his promise to pay for the
printing of the Book of Mormon, the Lord emphasized the principle of
repentance. (D&C 19:15, 20.) In what ways do we suffer if we do not repent?
(D&C 19:4, 20; Alma 5:18; 36:12-13; 42:22, 24.) How can a person who feels
troubled by his sins find peace? How might the unrepentant be "stirred up
unto repentance"? (D&C 18:6).

* How does the Lord's counsel to Martin Harris in D&C 19:21 and 31 apply to
us? Why do you think the Lord wants us to emphasize repentance?

* The Lord commanded Martin Harris, "Thou shalt not covet shine own
property" (D&C 19:26). How is it possible to covet our own property? How
can we be sure we are correctly using the material blessings the Lord has
given us? (Jacob 2:18-19; Mosiah 4:16, 21, 26; D&C 42:30.)

Quotations
Elder Joseph Fielding Smith: "The punishment of physical pain coming from
the nails driven in [Jesus'] hands and feet was not the greatest of his
suffering, excruciating as that surely was. The greater suffering was the
spiritual and mental anguish coming from the load of our transgressions
which he carried. If we understood the extent of that suffering and his
suffering on the cross, surely none of us would wilfully be guilty of sin.
We would not give way to the temptations, the gratification of unholy
appetites and desires and Satan could find no place in our hearts" (The
Restoration of All Things, p.199).

Elder Marvin J. Ashton: "When others disagree with our stand we should not
argue, retaliate in kind, or contend with them.... Ours is to explain our
position through reason, friendly persuasion, and accurate facts. Ours is
to stand firm and unyielding on the moral issues of the day and the eternal
principles of the gospel, but to contend with no man or organization.
Contention builds walls and puts up barriers. Love opens doors" (Ensign,
May 1978, pp. 7-8).
Additional Idea
Use your next class to view How Rare a Possession: The Book of Mormon
(53285 or VNW2855), or suggest that class members view it for family home
evening.
Next Week's Reading Assignment Doctrine and Covenants 20-22

Class Member Study Guide

Lesson 7

The Lord has declared that "in the mouth of two or three witnesses" every
word shall be established (Matthew 18:16; 2 Corinthians 13:1). While
translating the Book of Mormon plates, Joseph Smith learned that the Lord
would provide three special witnesses of the plates. Oliver Cowdery, David
Whitmer, and Martin Harris asked Joseph to inquire of the Lord to learn
whether they could be these witnesses. Joseph went to the Lord and received
D&C 17.

In June 1829, not long after this revelation was received, Joseph, Oliver,
David, and Martin went into the woods near the Whitmer home and prayed
earnestly for the promised manifestation. They prayed for some time with no
result. Martin Harris decided to leave the group, feeling that his
unworthiness was the reason they did not obtain what they asked for.

Shortly thereafter an angel appeared to the Prophet, Oliver, and David. He
held the plates in his hands and "turned over the leaves one by one." The
three men also heard a voice out of the bright light above them, saying:
"These plates have been revealed by the power of God, and they have been
translated by the power of God. The translation of them which you have seen
is correct, and I command you to bear record of what you now see and hear"
(History of the Church, 1:54-55).

Joseph then went to find Martin, who had gone some distance away and
engaged in fervent prayer. Joseph joined him in prayer, and soon they were
able to see and hear the same things that Oliver and David had.

Several days later, Joseph Smith showed the plates to eight other witnesses
in a secluded setting near the Smith family home in Manchester, New York.
Read "The Testimony of Three Witnesses" and "The Testimony of Eight
Witnesses" at the beginning of the Book of Mormon. Notice that the Three
Witnesses saw an angel and witnessed the glory and power of God, while the
Eight Witnesses were shown the plates by Joseph Smith and were able to
handle them.
Although several of these witnesses later left the Church, not one of them
ever denied his testimony of the Book of Mormon plates (see Truth Restored,
pp. 22-28).

As you study D&C 17, consider the following:

* Why was it necessary that witnesses see the Book of Mormon plates and
testify of them? (2 Nephi 27:12-14; Ether 5:2-4.) How are the testimonies
of these witnesses a blessing to you today?
When John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, he
promised that the higher priesthood would be conferred upon them. In June
1829, Joseph, Oliver, and David Whitmer received D&C 18, in which the Lord
confirmed that they were called as Apostles (see D&C 18:9). The Lord told
them that at a future time, Twelve Apostles would be ordained to serve in
his kingdom. He also taught the great worth of souls and the importance of
bringing souls to him.

* As you read D&C 18, consider how your experiences have shown you that
"the worth of souls is great in the sight of God" (D&C 18:10). How have
your efforts to bring souls to God brought you joy?
Doctrine and Covenants 19 was directed to Martin Harris. In this revelation
the Lord described his great suffering for each of us and commanded us to
repent. He instructed Martin to pay the cost of printing the first 5,000
copies of the Book of Mormon as Martin had already promised to do. Martin
did this by selling part of his farm. (See D&C 19:34-35.)

* What insights do you gain from D&C 19 about eternal punishment and the
Atonement? How has the Atonement blessed your life?

Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris were the three witnesses
who were shown the Book of Mormon plates by an angel of God. Paintings by
Lewis Ramsey,1911.



When Joseph had taken a little nourishment [after his arrival from Harmony]
... he  requested us to send immediately for Mr. Harris.  This we did
without delay... For a short time previous to Joseph's arrival, Mr. Harris
had been otherwise engaged, and thought but little about the manuscript.
When Joseph sent for him, he went immediately to the drawer where he had
left it, but, behold it was gone!  He asked his wife where it was.  She
solemnly averred that she did not know anything respecting it.  He then
made a faithful search throughout the house... ?[After we had sent for
Martin j4arris], we commenced preparing breakfast for the family, and we
supposed that Mr. Harris would be there, as soon as it was ready, to eat
with us, for he generally came in such haste when he was sent for.  At
eight o'clock we set the victuals on the table, as we
were expecting him every moment.  We waited till nine, and he came
not??till ten, and he was nor there??till eleven, still he did not make his
appearance.  But at half past twelve we saw him walking with a slow and
measured tread towards the house, his eyes fixed thoughtfully upon the
ground.  On coming to the gate, he stopped, instead of passing through, and
got upon the fence, and sat there some time with his hat drawn over his
eyes.  At length he entered the house.  Soon
after which we sat down to the table, Mr. Harris with the rest.  He took up
his knife and fork as if he were going to use them, but immediately dropped
them.  Hyrum, observing this, said, "Martin, why why do you not eat; are
you sick?  Upon which, Mr. Harris pressed his hands upon his temples, and
cried out, in a tone of deep anguish, "Oh, I have lost my soul!  I have
lost my soul!"  Joseph, who had not expressed his fears till now, sprang
from the table, exclaiming, Martin, have you lost that manuscript? have you
broken your oath, and brought down condemnation upon my head, as well as
your own?" "Yes, it is gone, " replied Martin, "and I know not where." "Oh,
my God!'" said Joseph, clinching his hands.  "All is lost! all is lost!
What shall I do?  I have sinned it is I who tempted the wrath of God.  I
should have been satisfied with the first answer which I received from the
Lord; for he told me that it was not safe to let the writing go out of my
possession." He wept and groaned, and walked the floor continually. At
length he told Martin to go back and search again. "No," said Martin, "it
is all in vain; for I have ripped open beds and pillows; and I know it is
not there." "Then must I," said Joseph, "return to my wife with such a tale
as this?  I dare not do it, lest I should kill her at once.  And how shall
I appear before the Lord?  Of what rebuke am I not worthy from the angel of
the Most High?" I besought him not to mourn so, for perhaps the Lord would
forgive him, after a short season of humiliation and repentance.  But what
could I say to comfort him, when he saw all the family in the same
situation of mind as himself; for sobs and groans, and the most bitter
lamentation filled the house.  However, Joseph was more distressed than the
rest, as he better understood the consequences of disobedience.  And he
continued, pacing back and forth, meantime weeping and grieving, until
about sunset, when, by persuasion, he took a little nourishment ... The
manuscript [Martin Harris lost] has never been found; and there is no doubt
but Mrs. Harris took it from the drawer, with the view of retaining it,
until another translation should be given, then, to alter the original
translation, for the purpose of showing a discrepancy between them, and
thus make the whole appear to be a deception. "Lucy Smith, Biographical
Sketches, "pp.120" 21, 123.  Quoted in Milton v. Backman, Jr., "Eyewitness
Accounts of
the Restoration", (Grandin Book, 1983) p. 87-88.

The Yearly Moroni Visits

>From D.  Michael Quinn's _Early Mormonism and the Magic World View,_ Salt
Lake, 1987, pp.  133 - 143.

Some text has been skipped indicated by ellipses.  Ellipses in quote marks
are as Quinn has presented them.  Some footnotes are included in "{}".

Bibliographic references can be found in Quinn's book.

--begin text--

All official and unofficial, traditional and nontraditional, friendly and
unfriendly sources agree that Smith was not able to obtain the gold plates
on 22 September 1823.  Instead he returned to the hill on exactly the same
day each year until 1827.  None of these accounts explains why the visits
had to occur each year on exactly the same day.  ...  The specific day
continued to coincide with the autumn equinox.  Thus Smith visited the Hill
Cumorah annually from 1823 to 1827 to fulfill his original quest to
"commune with some kind of messenger".

Although absent from Smith's presently available first-person narratives,
both early Mormon and non-Mormon sources agree that on 22 September 1823
Moroni required Smith to bring his oldest brother Alvin to the hill the
following year in order to obtain the gold plates.  About ten years later,
one of Smith's devout followers, Joseph Knight, recorded Smith's relating
that the following dialogue occurred on the hill in 1823: "Joseph says, if
you Bring the right person with you.  Joseph says, 'who is the right
Person?' The answer was 'your oldest Brother.' But before September [1824]
Came his oldest Brother Died.  Then he was Disappointed and did not [k]now
what to do.  (Jessee 1976a, 31; also Hartley 1986, 20).  The Smith's non-
Mormon Palmyra neighbor Willard Chase reported in 1833: "He then enquired
when he *could* have them, and was answered thus: come one year from this
day, and bring with you your oldest brother, and you shall have them.  This
spirit, he said was the spirit of the prophet who wrote this book, and who
was sent to Joseph Smith, to make known these things to him.  Before the
expiration of the year, [Smith's] oldest brother died" (W.  Chase 1833,
241-42, emphasis in original).  Nearly forty years later, Fayette Lapham
remembered that Smith's father told him in 1830 that "Joseph asked when he
could have them; and the answer was, 'Come in one year from this time, and
bring your oldest brother with you; then you may have them.' During that
year, it so happened that his oldest brother died" (F.  Lapham 1870, 2:386).

In 1884, a third Palmyra neighbor, Lorenzo Saunders, Benjamin Saunders's
brother, was asked, "Did you ever hear Joe give an account of finding the
plates?" He replied: "Yes.  He gave the account in my father's house.  He
said he was in the woods at prayer and the angel touched him on the
shoulders and he arose, and the angel told him where the plates were and he
could take his oldest Brother with him in a year from that time and go and
get them.  But his oldest Brother died before the year was out" (L.
Saunders 1884a, 9-10; also Saunders 1884c, 16).  At present, no available
evidence explains why Moroni in September 1823 required Alvin's presence
the following year.  ...  Joseph was the son who had the theophany, but
according to the family's Palmyra neighbors, prior to 1823 Lucy and Joseph
Sr.  both had said they looked to their first son Alvin, not their third,
as the family seer.  Orsamus Turner first met the Smiths in Palmyra about
1819-20 and later commented: "Their son, Alva [sic], was originally
intended, or designated, by fireside consultations, and solemn and
mysterious out door hints, as the forth coming Prophet.  The mother and
father said he was the chosen one; but Alvah ...  sickened and died" (O.
Turner 1851, 213).  J.  H.  Kennedy said that in Vermont, Lucy Mack Smith
"announced the advent of a prophet in her family, and on the death of Alvah
[sic], the first born, the commission that had been intended for him was
laid upon Joseph." (Kennedy 1888, 12) {Both Turner and Kennedy mistakenly
referred to Joseph Smith's brother Alvin by the name of Joseph's first
child Alva(h), named after Emma Hale's brother.} Although Joseph Jr.  was a
treasure seer in New York and in Pennsylvania by 1822 (Blackman 1873, 580-
81; W.  Chase 1833, 240-41), the Palmyra neighbors also identified Alvin as
a treasure-seeker and seer prior to his death in November 1823 (L.
Saunders 1884c, 9; cf.  W Chase 1833, 240-41; Quinn 1987, chap 2).
Moreover, his mother observed that "Alvin manifested, if such could be the
case, greater zeal and anxiety in regard to the Record [of the Book of
Mormon] that had been shown to Joseph, than any of the rest of the family"
(L.  M.  Smith 1853, 89-90).  But with Alvin's unexpected death on 19
November 1823, it seems that Joseph Jr.  again shouldered the primary
responsibility in his family's search for treasure.

Given the messenger's requirement for the second visit to the Hill Cumorah,
the intensity of the Smith family's despair over Alvin's death less than
two months later is understandable.  Alvin's last words to his brother
Joseph were to "do everything that lies in your power to obtain the Record.
Be faithful in receiving instruction, and keeping every commandment that is
given to you.  Your brother Alvin must leave you" (L.  M.  Smith 1853, 88).
Alvin's final charge underscored the dilemma Joseph now faced: he had been
commanded to meet the angelic treasure-guardian at the hill the following
22 September 1824 and to bring Alvin with him.  By some accounts, Smith had
been violently jolted three times and severely chastised for disobeying
instructions during his first visit, and Mormon convert Joseph Knight wrote
that now Smith "did not [k]now what to do" (Jessee 1976a, 31).  One can
only imagine the turmoil Smith would have experienced during the ten months
between the death of his eldest brother on 19 November 1823 and his next
solitary visit to the hill.

Smith's own available histories give no details of the visits to the hill
between 1824 and 1826, but it seems likely that he hoped to obtain the
plates on 22 September 1824 even though he did not bring Alvin.  The day
was a stinging disappointment.  According to Smith's 1832 autobiography,
the messenger told him "to come again in one year from that time [1823].  I
did so [in 1824], but did not obtain them" (Jessee 1984b, 77; Faulring
1987, 51).  His friend Joseph Knight wrote, "But when the 22nt Day of
September Came he went to the place and the personage appeard [sic] and
told him he Could not have it now" (Jessee 1976a, 31).  Lorenzo Saunders
remembered that Smith told him, "At the end of the time he went to the
place to get the plates the angel asked where his Brother was.  I told him
he was dead." Fayette Lapham recalled the story as "Joseph repaired to the
place again, and was told by the man who still guarded the treasure, that,
inasmuch as he could not bring his oldest brother, he could not have the
treasure yet" (L.  Saunders 1884a, 10; Lapham 1870, 2:386).  As Smith left
the hill in disappointment on 22 September 1824, apparently the message he
had received was: without your dead brother Alvin, you cannot have the gold
plates.

Within days of this second unsuccessful visit to the hill, local events
indicated that someone evidently contemplated remedying the impasse by
exhuming Alvin's body.  Joseph Smith, Sr., published a notice, dated 25
September 1824, in the Palmyra newspaper, denying "reports [that] have been
industriously put in circulation, that my son, Alvin, had been removed from
the place of his internment and dissected." He chastised town gossips for
disturbing the peace of mind of a still-grieving parent, and then made two
comments that allude to his son Joseph as target of such gossip: "[these
rumors] deeply wound the feelings of relations ...  [and] have been
stimulated more by desire to injure the reputation of certain persons than
a philanthropy for the peace and welfare of myself and friends" (Wayne
Sentinel, 29 Sept.-3 Nov.  1824; Kirkham 1951, 1:147; Rich 1970, 256).
Biographers of Joseph Smith to the present have consistently ignored Mormon
and non-Mormon sources concerning Moroni's requirement to bring the now-
deceased Alvin to the hill, and therefore have regarded this as a bizarre
incident explainable only by neighborhood malice (Brodie 1945, 28; D.  Hill
1977, 60; Gibbons 1977, 42; Bushman 1984, 65).

However, the treasure-guardian's unfulfilled requirements to bring the
now-deceased Alvin provided a context for such rumors and denials.  ...
Even though they were influenced by the magic world view, none of the
Smiths may have actually considered this drastic option, but someone in the
family obviously described the angel's requirement and Joseph's predicament
to neighborhood friends, since Willard Chase, Lorenzo Saunders, and Fayette
Lapham all knew about the situation.  Someone evidently talked openly about
the possibility of using part of Alvin's remains to fulfill the requirement
of the treasure guardian by necromancy, and village rumors required the
denial, which Joseph Smith, Sr., published in six consecutive issues of the
local weekly.  Without providing details, E.  D.  Howe's Mormonism Unvailed
claimed that young Joseph became "very expert in the arts of necromancy"
(E.  D.  Howe 1834, 12).  And a year later, Oliver Cowdery's published
history of the new church also referred, without details, to rumors that
Smith dug treasure "by some art of nicromancy" (O.  Cowdery 1835, 2:201;
Kirkham 1951, 1:103).

All existing second-hand accounts agree that the treasure-guardian next
required Smith to bring another person with him in September 1825.  Mormon
convert Joseph Knight wrote that in 1824 the "personage appeard [sic] and
told him he Could not have it now.  But the 22nt Day of September nex[t] he
mite have the Book if he Brot with him the right person.  Joseph says, 'who
is the right Person?' The answer was you will know" (Jessee 1976a, 31).
{Knight added that the person required was Smith's future wife Emma Hale.
This would seem to be wrong, though, because by her father's and Smith's
own accounts, he and Emma did not meet until he was working for Josiah
Stowell in Harmony, Pennsylvania, in October-November 1825 (I.  Hale 1834;
HC 1:17).  It is likely that Knight omitted the 1825 visit involving Samuel
F.  Lawrence because of its unsuccessful outcome.} One visit to the hill
between 1823 and 1827 seems to be missing in several accounts, and the
omission was somehow connected to Samuel F.  Lawrence, a neighborhood seer.

Knight indicated that Lawrence had something to do with a visit to the Hill
Cumorah.  "I will say there [was] a man near By [sic] By the name Samuel
Lawrance [sic].  He was a Seear [sic] and he had Bin to the hill and knew
about things in the hill" (Jessee 1976a, 32).  Lorenzo Saunders remembered
Smith telling him, "The angel told him there would be another appointed.
Joseph chose Samuel Lawrence.  But he did not go" (L.  Saunders 1884a, 10).
Neighbor Willard Chase provided the fullest account in 1833: "Joseph
believed that one Samuel T.  [sic] Lawrence was the man alluded to by the
spirit, and went with him to a singular looking hill, in Manchester, and
shewed him where the treasure was.  Lawrence asked him if he had ever
discovered any thing with the plates of gold; he said no: he then asked him
to look in his stone, to see if there was any thing with them.  He looked,
and said there was nothing; he told him to look again, and see if there was
not a large pair of specks with the plates; he looked and soon saw a pair
of spectacles, the same with which Joseph says he translated the Book of
Mormon." That this visit to the hill with Lawrence occurred in 1825 is
indicated by Chase's next comment: "Lawrence told him it would not be
prudent to let these plates be seen for about two years, as it would make a
big disturbance in the neighborhood [which did occur in September 1827].
Not long after this, Joseph altered his mind, and said L.  was not the
right man, nor had he told him the right place" (W.  Chase 1833, 242).

>From existing accounts, there may be an explanation for what seems to be
the intentional omission of one visit to the hill as Joseph Knight and
Joseph Smith referred to the events from 1823 to 1827 (Jessee 1976a; Jessee
1984b, 77; Faulring 1987, 51-52).  Although indicating that the visit with
Lawrence occurred in 1825, Willard Chase did not indicate that the visit
occurred on 22 September.  Joseph Smith may have taken Lawrence to the hill
to look for the plates prior to the required date in 1825, and Chase's
account does indicate that Joseph Smith was not happy about the results of
their activities on that occasion.  This may be why Lorenzo Saunders
reported of the visit on 22 September 1825 that Lawrence "did not go," even
though Joseph Smith had previously chosen him.  Both Chase and Saunders
report that the effort to obtain the plates with Lawrence was a failure.
That failure may be directly indicated by the fact that none of these
accounts of Smith's visit to the hill with Lawrence mention the angel.  If
the messenger did not appear on the hill in September 1825, the
nonappearance of Moroni may be the reason for the omission of the one
visit.

The hope and disappointment Smith may have experienced with Lawrence in the
quest for Cumorah's treasure in September 1825 was repeated later that year
in Harmony, Pennsylvania.  Joseph Smith's treasure seeking expedition with
Josiah Stowell ended first in failure to obtain the treasure, and then in a
nearby court the following March (Quinn 1987, chap.  2).  But the redeeming
incident of his second disappointment in 1825 ultimately resolved Smith's
continuing dilemma about whom he should take to the hill.

While engaged in this treasure-seeking venture in the fall of 1825, Smith
met Isaac Hale and his twenty-one-year-old daughter Emma at Harmony, and
she immediately attracted this young man's interest (I.  Hale 1834, 262-63;
L.  M.  Smith 1853, 92; HC 1:17; Newell and Avery 1984, 17-18).  Smith,
however, was only nineteen years old, and men in his family generally
married much later.  His eldest brother died unmarried at 25, the next
oldest married at 25, their father had married at 24, and three of his
uncles had married at 28,34 and 38.  Uncle Jesse had been the youngest man
in two generations of the Smith family to marry, and he waited until 21 (M.
Anderson 1929, 65-66, 74).  Joseph Jr.  appears to have broken with that
expectation in order to fulfill the requirements of Moroni to obtain the
gold plates.

>From every available account, Smith had little reason to hope for success
as he ascended the hill to commune with the messenger on 22 September 1826.
His own disobedience as an over-eager treasure-seeker had thwarted the
visit of 1823, Alvin's death had left the requirement unfulfilled in 1824
and had caused a village uproar over rumors of necromantic grave-robbing,
Samuel Lawrence had apparently failed him as a fellow seer in 1825, and now
Smith went to the appointed spot with no idea what he should do next.
Joseph Knight described the condition of renewed hope and anxiety when
Smith met "with the personage which told him if he would Do right according
to the will of God he might obtain [the plates] the 22nt Day of September
Next and if not he never would have them." Smith learned from his seer
stone what the requirement was: "Then he looked in his glass and found it
was Emma Hale, Daughter of old Mr.  Hail of Pensylvany, a girl that he had
seen Before, for he had Bin Down there Before with me" (Jessee 1976a, 31-
32; Hartely 1986, 21).

But, as Palmyra neighbors learned, the requirement was not simply to bring
an acquaintance to the hill.  Henry Harris testified in 1833 that Smith
told him that "an angel appeared, and told him he could not get the plates
until he was married, and that when he saw the woman that was to be his
wife, he should know her, and she would know him." Smith also related this
requirement to Lorenzo Saunders (H.  Harris 1833, 252; L.  Saunders 1884c,
16).  Other residents remembered that "it was freely talked among the
neighbors that Jo Smith said he had a revelation to go to Pennsylvania and
get him a wife" (S.  Walker 1888, 1; W.  R.  Hine 1888, 2).

His visit to the hill in September 1826 seems to have been the reason the
twenty-year-old Smith was determined to set aside his family's tradition of
delayed marriage and even to ignore the opposition of his intended father-
in-law: he had to marry Emma Hale within a year or the gold plates of
Cumorah would be lost forever.  The number of visits he subsequently made
to the Hale home in Pennsylvania is unclear, but there were several.  When
Smith asked permission of Isaac Hale to marry his daughter, Hale, in his
affidavit, said he refused because of the young man's treasure-seeking
background (I.  Hale 1834, 243).  ...

His money-digging friends were hardly the allies Smith needed to overcome
Hale's opposition, but they, more than anyone else, would have understood
the necessity of complying with the requirement of the treasure guardian.
First, Joseph Smith turned to Samuel F.  Lawrence for assistance.  Willard
Chase testified that sometime during "the fall of 1826, [Joseph] wanted to
go to Pennsylvania to be married; but being destitute of means, he now set
his wits to work, how he should raise money, and get recommendations, to
procure the fair one of his choice.  He went to [Samuel F.] Lawrence with
the following story, as stated to me by Lawrence himself.  That he had
discovered in Pennsylvania, on the bank of the Susquehannah River, a very
rich mine of silver, and if he would go there with him, he might have a
share in the profits ...  When the got to Pennsylvania, Joseph wanted L.
to recommend him to Miss H[ale]., which he did ...  L.  then wished to see
the silver mine, and he and Joseph went to the river, and made search, but
found nothing" (W.  Chase 1833, 243-244).  This incident only reinforced
Smith's reputation for treasure seeking, got him no closer to the kind of
secular respectability Hale demanded, and probably led to the final
estrangement between him and his previous treasure-seeking associate Samuel
F.  Lawrence.

>From among the treasure diggers, Smith turned next to the prosperous Joseph
Knight to borrow horses and a sleigh for an impressive, but still
unsuccessful, attempt for Hale's permission as the winter's snow fell
(Jessee 1976a, 32; Newell and Avery 1984, 18-19).  When Smith turned
twenty-one in late December, he was still nine months away from the night
when he was to bring Emma to the hill as his wife.  He no doubt felt that
the gold plates would be lost if he had to depend on obtaining permission
from Emma's father to marry.

Less that a month later, Smith enlisted the help of a third treasure-seeker
to obtain Emma Hale as a wife according to the requirement of Moroni.  Emma
did not mention her father's claim that this happened while he was away
from home on business, but later told her children, "I was visiting at Mr.
[Josiah] Stowell's, who lived at Bainbridge, and saw your father there.  I
had no intention of marrying when I left home; but, during my visit at Mr.
Stowell's, your father visited me there.  My folks were bitterly opposed to
him; and, being importuned by your father, aided by Mr.  Stowell, who urged
me to marry him, and preferring to marry him to any other man I knew, I
consented." The couple eloped on 18 January 1827 (E.  Smith 1879, 289; I.
Hale 1834, 363; HC 1:17; D.  Hill 1977, 69; Youngreen 1982, 5-6).  In
commenting about this, Mormons typically speak of romance and Smith's love
for Emma as the reason for their elopement (e.g.  Cadwell 1879).  It is
more probable, however, that Smith risked alienating his parents-in-law
from his new bride by eloping - not for love alone - but to fulfill the
requirement of Moroni.

According to Palmyra neighbors, as the appointed day in September 1827
approached, Smith made additional preparations to assure the success of his
last opportunity to obtain the gold plates.  Willard Chase stated that
Smith was required to "repair to the place where was deposited this
manuscript, dressed in black clothes, and riding a block horse with a
switch tail, and demand the book in a certain name ...  They according
fitted out Joseph with a suit of black clothes and borrowed a black horse."
Chase thought that this applied to the 1823 visit, but all of Smith's own
accounts of the events of 1823 preclude the time necessary for such
preparations.  And Lorenzo Saunders said that the requirement for blackness
applied to the 1827 visit (W.  Chase 1833, 242; L.  Saunders 1884b, 11).
Without mentioning the color, both Joseph Knight and Lucy Mac Smith noted
that Smith borrowed Knight's horse and carriage for the September 1827
visit to the hill (Jessee 1976a, 33; L.  M.  Smith 1853, 100-101).

Contemporary evidence may support the neighbors' claim that Smith used the
color black to help obtain the gold plates in 1827.  Dr.  Gain Robinson,
"an old friend" of the Smith family (L.  M.  Smith 1853, 95; L.  Porter
1971, 74), owned a store in Palmyra, and his account books of the purchases
by the Smiths from 1825 to 1829 show that the first time any of the Smiths
purchased lampblack from his store was on 18 September 1827 - four days
before Smith's final visit to the hill - the entry for this particular
purchase beginning "Joseph Smith for Son" (G.  Robinson 1825; G.  Robinson
1826; G.  Robinson 1827).  Lampblack was a common pigment used to paint
objects a deep black color (Webster's 1981).  ...

After the anticipation and frustration of the four previous visits, Smith
prepared "about twelve o'clock" midnight on Friday, 21 September 1827, to
go with Emma to the hill for the plates.  Josiah Stowell and Joseph Knight,
his only treasure-seeking associates not now arrayed against him, had
arrived on 20 September and were asleep in the Smith home (L.  M.  Smith
1853, 99-100; Hartley 1986, 23).  ...

Smith's sister later stated that in order to obtain the gold plates "he was
commanded to go on the 22d day of September 1827 at 2 o'clock" (Salisbury
1886) ...  Emma's cousins reported that she "stood with her back toward
him, while he dug up the box" (Lewis and Lewis 1879).

Husband and wife did not return from the hill until the family met for
breakfast on 22 September 1827.  Joseph Knight best captured the excitement
Smith expressed that morning: "'it is ten times Better than [sic] I
expected.' Then he went on to tell the length and width and thickness of
the plates, and said he, 'they appear to be Gold' " (Jessee 1976a, 33; also
L.  M.  Smith 1853, 100-101).

According to Joseph Smith, his mother, and early converts, he spent the
next several months defending himself and the plates from the efforts of
his former treasure-digging associates to seize what the regarded as a gold
treasure rightly theirs.



Doctrine and Covenants

-Section 5-
2-4: God gave Joseph the gift to translate
11-13,15: Three witnesses
14: Church is terrible
Instructions to Martin Harris

-Section 6-
9: teaching the gospel should have repentance of sins as a
goal.  (#1, p 77)
-"In the revelation to Oliver Cowdery, and to several others
who came to ask what the Lord would have them do, the
Lord said:[D&C 6:9].  We must not infer from this expression
that those who went forth to preach were limited in their
teachings so that all they could say was 'repent of your sins',
but in teaching the principle of the Gospel they should do so
with the desire to teach repentance to the people and bring
them in humility to a realization of the need for remission of
sins.  Even today in all of our preaching it should be with the
desire to bring people to repentance and faith in God.  That
was the burden of John's message as he wnt forth to
prepare the wa for the Lord: 'Repent ye: for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand,' he declared to the people, but he also
taught them the necessity of baptism and officiated in that
ordinance for all who repented of their sins."  Joseph
Fielding Smith, "Church History and Modern Revelation",
1:39-40.
22-24: Oliver had prayed & received an answer  HC, p 35.
25-28: Oliver was writing, and probably wanted to translate
-"This revelation was received during the same month that
Oliver Cowdery first started to serve as scribe for Joseph
Smith in the translation of the Book of Mormon.  As Oliver
Cowdery witnessed the gift of translation being manifested
through Joseph, it would seem only natural that he would
wonder about the gift and desire it for himself.  Here the Lord
counsels Oliver to be patient and faithful to the opportunities
that had been given to him, so that additional power could
be given to him later to 'assist in bring to light' those
scriptures or parts of scriptures that were then not available
to the peoples of the earth."  Daniel H. Ludlow, "A
Companion to Your Study of the Doctrine and Covenants",
Vol. 1, (Deseret Book Company, 1978) p. 32

-Section 7-
John the Beloved remained in the flesh until the second
coming
background,  HC. p. 35-36
Translated beings, "Teachings", p. 171  HC 4:425
probably reading 1 Nephi 14:19-27 (19-21, 27)

-Section 8-
background HC p. 30
6-9: "Gift of Aaron" Oliver was the first to deliver a public
discourse.  Joseph Fielding Smith, "Church History and
Modern Revelation", (Salt Lake City: Council of the Twelve
Apostles, 1953), 1:52.
1-2: Oliver permitted to translate.

-Section 9-
Oliver thought that translating was an easy task, when it did
not come qickly, his faith wavered, and he didn't continue
trying.  The Lord had shown Oliver the difficulty of translation
(#1, p. 92)
-"It seems probable that Olver Cowdery desired to
translate out of curiosity, and the Lord taught him his place
by showing him that translating was not the easy thing he
had thought it to be.  In a subsequent revelation (Sec. 9), the
explanation was made that Oliver's failure came because
he did not continue as he commenced, and the task being a
difficult one, his faith deserted him.  The lesson he learned
was very necessary, for he was shown that his place was to
act as scribe for Joseph Smith and that it was the latter who
was called and appointed by command of the Lord to do
the translating.  There must have been some impatience in
having to sit and act as scribe, but when he failed to master
the gift of translating, he was then willing to accept the will of
the Lord."  Joseph Fielding Smith, "Church History and
Modern Revelation", 1:50-51
.
background  HC p. 36

1-2, 5: Oliver will translate later
7-9: Study things.



"There is much in Oliver's experience that is profitable for
our instruction in obtaining an understanding of the spirit of
revelation.  first, let us consider the instruction given him
before his attempt to translate.  That Oliver might have the
assurance that he was translating by the spirit of revelation,
the Lord said: [D&C 8:2-3]....  We observe that neither he nor
Joseph was to experience any suspension of their natural
faculties in the process of obtaining revelation.  Quite the
contrary, their hearts and minds were to be the very media
through which the vice of the Lord echoes, nor are they
mechanical recording devices; prophets are men of
passion, feeling, and intellect.  One does not suspend
agency, mind, or spirit in the service of God.  It is only with
heart, might, mind and strength that we have been asked to
serve, and in nothing is this more apparent than the
receiving of revelation.  There is no mindless worship or
service in the kingdom of heaven."  Joseph Fielding
McConkie, "The Principle of Revelation," "Studies in
Scripture, Volume One: The Doctrine and Covenants",
edited by Robert L. Millet and Kent P. Jackson, (Randall
Book Co., 1984) p. 82-83.

-Book of Commandments-  (section 5)
5  And thus, if the people of this generation harden not their
hearts, I will work a reformation among them, and I will put
down all lyings, and deceivings, and priestcrafts, and
envyings, and strifes, and idolatries, and sorceries, and all
manner of iniquities, and I will establish my church, like unto
the church which was taught by my disciples in the days of
old.
6  And now if this generation do harden their hearts against
my word, behold I will deliver them up unto satan, for he
reigneth and hath much power at this time, for he hath got
great hold upon the hearts of the people of this generation:
and not far from the iniquities of Sodom and Gomorrah, do
they come at this time: and behold the sword of justice
hangeth over their heads, and if they persist in the hardness
of their hearts, the time cometh that it must fall upon them.
Behold I tell you these things even as I also told the people
of the destruction of Jerusalem, and my word shall be
verified at this time as hath hitherto been verified.

-1981 Edition-
18  And their testimony shall also go forth unto the
condemnation of this generation if they harden their hearts
against them;
19  For a desolating scourge shall go forth among the
inhabitants of all the earth, and shall continue to be poured
out from time to time, if they repent not, until the earth is
empty, and the inhabitants thereof are consumed away and
utterly destroyed by the brightness of my coming.
20  Behold, I tell you these things, even as I also told the
people of the destruction of Jerusalem; and my word shall
be verified at this time as it hath hitherto been verified.

Lyndon W. Cook, "The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph
Smith", (Deseret Book, 1985) p. 12


Section 6
Received on or after 7 April, 1829.
Oliver Cowdery was excommunicated from the church for
apostasy on 12 April 1838 at Far West, Missouri.  He was
rebaptized on 12 November 1848 at Kanesville, Iowa.
Lyndon W. Cook, "The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph
Smith", (Deseret Book, 1985) p. 113-14.


Section 7
"The text of section 7, as published in the Book of
Commandments, was much shorter than that contained in
our present edition.  The additional verses were first placed
in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants.

"And the Lord said unto me, John my beloved, what desirest
thou?  and I said Lord, give unto me power that I may bring
souls unto thee.-And the Lord said unto me: Verily, verily I
say unto thee, because thou desiredst this, tou shalt tarry til I
come in my glory: And for this cause, the Lord said unto
Peter:"If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee" for
he desiredst of me that he might bring souls unto me: but
thou desiredst that thou might speedily come unto me in my
kingdom: I say unto thee, Peter, this was a good desire, but
my beloved has undertaken a greater work.  Verily I say
unto you, ye shall both have according to your desires, for
ye both joy  that which ye have desired."
Lyndon W. Cook, "The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph
Smith", (Deseret Book, 1985) p. 15.


Section 8
"Book of Commandments"w this is not all, for you have another gift, which
is the gift
of working with the rod: behold, it has told yo things: behold
there is no other power save God, that can cause this rod of
nature, to work in your hands.

-1981 Edition-
6  Now this is not all they [sic] gift; for you have another gift,
which is the gift of Aaron; behold, it has told you many things;
7  Behold, there is no other power, save the power of God,
that can cause this gift of Aaron to be with you.
8.  Therefore, doubt not, for it is the gift of God; and you shall
hold it in your hands, and do marvelous works; and no
power shall be able to take it away out of your hands, for it is
the work of God.

Lyndon W. Cook, "The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph
Smith", (Deseret Book, 1985) p. 16
 Description of Oliver Cowdery's use of diving rod.  D.
Michael Quinn, "Early Mormonism and the Magic World
View", (Signature Books, 1987)
p. 31-35.

"...intellectual activity can be and act of worship."  Richard F.
Haglund, Jr. and David J. Whittaker, "Intellectual History",
"Encclopedia of Mormonism".

"... the elusive balance of academic, or intellectual, pursuits
and learning to rely on the promptings of the Spirit.  How can
we avoid relying too much on the intellectual while ignoring
the Spirit, or expecting spiritual solutions while ignoring our
own power to reason things out for ourselves?

"[D&C 9:7-9]  Of this scripture Elder Bruce R. McConkie has
commented, 'Implicit in asking in faith is the precedent
requirement that we don everything in our power to
accomplish the goal that we seek.'

"On one side of the spectrum is the person within or without
the Church who sees very little need to call upon the Lord
because this person is a scholar.  He wants to be
independent and free in his thinking and not tied to absolute
truths that the gospel tells us do exist.  He may spend his life
chasing down every intellectual loose end.  All counsel from
general or local authorities is taken with a grain of salt
because, after all, their knowledge is so minimal compared
to that which the scholar has amassed.

"The other end of the speectrum is just as dangerous and is
probably a greater threat to the majority of this audience.  A
person on this end of the spectrum thinks like this: 'I know the
Church is true and I have received the gift of the Holy Ghost.
I am a worthy member of the Church and, therefore, have
access to the Spirit.'  When faced with a problem he will
pray for an answer, and the first thought that comes to mind
is cannonized.  I would purpose that an idea or solution that
comes without appropriate reasoning is nothing better than
a hunch.  There are times of instant inspiration, but they are
rare and usually involve an emergency.

"There is a sentence used in Church circles that sends a
chill up my spine.  It's a perfectly good sentence that packs
a spiritual wallop when used by someone who has been
acted upon by the Spirit, but unfortunately is too often used b
those who have wandered off-center in the spectrum.  I've
heard it said in my ward, at Church headquarters, and I have
said it myself.  The sentence that turns me cold is thins: 'I
feel real good about it.'  Every time I hear it, I see a red flag
go up.  It's a perfectly good way of expressing a feeling of
the Spirit, but far too often the literal translation is 'I haven't
done my homework.'  Some very bad decisions have been
made by people who 'feel really good' about something
they have to reason out in their minds."  Glenn L Pace, "The
Elusive Balance," "BYU 1985-86 Devotional and Fireside
Speeches."


Section 10
"After Joseph Smith had received section 3, both the gold
plates and the Urim and Thummim were taken from him.  But
'in the few day they were returned to me,' declared the
Prophet, 'when I inquired of the Lord, and the Lord said ths
unto me...


Lyndon W. Cook, "The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph
Smith", (Deseret Book, 1985) p. 17-18.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Perry L. Porter" <[e-mail]>
Subject: ---> Information on translating by the gift and power of god.
Date: 09 Feb 1997 22:33:36 -0700


There has been a weeks discussion on Mormon-Hist on the topic of whether
there is a better word than "translate", to describe how Joseph produced
the BoM, "Divined" to me seems more accurate, since it appears that JS did
not lean Egyptian well enough to translate from one language to another.
The discussion (argument) centered around the following points.

1. Translate could also mean to reword, transform, and did not always
relate to a natural linguistic conversion from one language to another.

2. Examples of other people that had "translated" a piece of work from a
language that they did not know, and an example from the BoM it's self was
produced, but no other.

3. The Koran was an example of how a book could claim to be produced by the
power of god.  It's relationship or contrast to how the BoM was produced,
did not yield any significant discussion.

4. Examples of translating using a computer were used to show that a person
did not have to know both languages to translate.  In contrast it was
pointed out that in this case it is the programmer that is doing the
translating and must know bother languages.  It was countered that some
language translations software have been produced that where the
programmers did not know either languages.  In response it was argued that
the computer was acting as a computer searching took to look up dual
language dictionaries and produce stilted translations, and that computers
can not think, and that these programs are only used to take the drudgery
out of translation, and that human translating was always the final word.

5. One argued that Channeling was the best term for the process of
producing the BoM.  But like "Divining" it has good and bad connotations,
thus some held strong to their position.

6. The assertion surfaced that the Mormon use of the word "Translate" was
unique to Mormonism.  It was counted that JS always included the caveat
that it was done with the "gift and power of god."  It was never determined
exactly who did the translating, God or JS with a divine tutor.  There was
argument that the misleading term "translate" was interpreted by most
Mormons that JS did the interpreting, rather than just transcribing the
converted English to Oliver Cowdry.  This just led to more discussion of
translation being used differently, without distinguished between when it
is within the same language and between languages.

7. Few argued that JS know Egyptian, except that he may have pick up some
from Angle Moroni, on his frequent visits, which produced the counter that
the such detailed visions that would leave residual foreign language skills
later, does not account for supposed translation errors of confusing horses
for tapirs, as well as JS problem with the Kinderhook plates, dismissed
further argument about JS retaining Egyptian language skills.

8. The argument that if was simply the inspired oracle, and not the
translator, then why were there interments of translation involved.

My vague memory of OC or DW wanting to translate and being un-able to use
the Unim and Thumin, was left mute, either I am remembering wrong, or who
ever taught me this as a young man, was mixing up the story of revelation
and translation.  Anyone know more about this please tell me.

Very little was concluded or new terminology adjusted as very little is
know about what exactly it meant by "the gift and power of god."

At any rate here is some quotes on the subject.

------------------
Omni 1:20
 20 And it came to pass in the days of Mosiah, there was a large stone
brought unto him with engravings on it; and he did interpret the engravings
by the gift and power of God.
------------------
The Testimony of Three Witnesses
Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this
work shall come: That we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord
Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a
record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren,
and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been
spoken. And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and
power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of
a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the
engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by
the power of God, and not of man.
------------------
AN ACCOUNT WRITTEN BY
THE HAND OF MORMON
UPON PLATES
TAKEN FROM THE PLATES OF NEPHI
Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and
also of the Lamanites--Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the
house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile--Written by way of
commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation--Written
and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be
destroyed--To come forth by the gift and power of God unto the
interpretation thereof--Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the
Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile--The interpretation
thereof by the gift of God.
-----------------

D&C 135:3
 3 Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save
Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that
ever lived in it. In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth
the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God,
-----------------
WOW, there are 4 scriptures that have the phrase " by the gift and power of
God" and infobase97 had 471 hits for the phrase.

A quick look, indicates that JS said it in "print" about 8 of those 471
hits, and it has been repeated by other about 400 times, as some of the
later references were not related to translation.


Some interesting quotes with that phrase:
Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.3, p.91
It is a most serious error to believe that Jesus did everything for men if
they would but confess him with their lips, and there is nothing else for
them to do. Men have work to do if they would obtain salvation. It was in
harmony with this eternal law that the angel directed Cornelius to Peter,
and that Ananias was sent to Paul. It was likewise in obedience to this law
that Moroni, who understood the writings upon the Nephite plates, did not
do the translating, but under the direction of the Lord gave to Joseph
Smith the Urim and Thummim by which he was able to accomplish that
important work by the gift and power of God.
-----------------------
Oliver Cowdery's Return
Joseph Fielding Smith, The Restoration of All Things, p.114
Friends and Brethren: My name is Cowdery, Oliver Cowdery. In the early
history of this Church, I stood identified with her, and one in her
councils. True it is that the gifts and callings of God are without
repentance; not because I was better than the rest of mankind was I called,
to fulfill the purposes of God. He called me to a high and holy calling. I
wrote with my own pen, the entire Book of Mormon (save a few pages) as it
fell from the lips of the Prophet Joseph Smith, as he translated it by the
gift and power of God, by means of the Urim and Thummim, or, as it is
called by the book, "holy interpreters." I beheld with my eyes, and handled
with my hands, the gold plates from which it was translated. I also saw
with my eyes and handled with my hands the "holy interpreters."
--------------------------
James R. Clark, Messages of the First Presidency, Vol.1, p.137 - p.138
These records were engraven on plates which had the appearance of gold,
each plate was six inches wide and eight inches long, and not quite so
thick as common tin. They were filled with engravings, in Egyptian
characters, and bound together in a volume as the leaves of a book, with
three rings running through the whole. The volume was something near six
inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed. The characters on the
unsealed part were small, and beautifully engraved. The whole book
exhibited many marks of antiquity in its construction, and much skill in
the art of engraving. With the records was found a curious instrument,
which the ancients called "Urim and Thummim," which consisted of two
transparent stones set in the rims of a bow fastened to a breast plate.
Through the medium of the Urim and Thummim I translated the record by the
gift and power of God.
--------------------------
Plates Translated By Power of God
Parley P. Pratt, A Voice of Warning, p.89
Having provided himself with a home, he commenced translating the records,
by the  gift and power of God, through the means of the Urim and Thummim;
and being [p.90] a poor writer, he was under the necessity of employing a
scribe to write the translation as it came from his mouth.

In the meantime, a few of the original characters were accurately
transcribed and translated by Mr. Smith, which, with the translation, were
taken by a gentleman named Martin Harris to the City of New York, where
they were presented to a learned gentleman named Anthon, who professed to
be extensively acquainted with many languages, both ancient and modern. He
examined them, but was unable to decipher them correctly, but he presumed
that if the original records should be brought he could assist in
translating them.

But to return. Mr. Smith continued the work of translation, as his
pecuniary circumstances would permit, until he had finished the unsealed
part of the records. The part translated is entitled "The Book of Mormon."
LeGrand Richards, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, Ch.8, p.70
"Translated by the Gift and Power of God"
LeGrand Richards, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, Ch.8, p.70
Let us give consideration to the statement of the Lord to the witnesses
that the plates were "translated by the gift and power of God." When Moroni
told Joseph Smith of the record deposited in the Hill Cumorah, he said:
LeGrand Richards, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, Ch.8, p.70
Also, that there were two stones in silver bows -- and these stones,
fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim
-- deposited with the plates; and the possession and use of these Stones
were what constituted "seers" in ancient or former times; and that God had
prepared them for the purpose of translating the book. (Joseph Smith 2:35.)
LeGrand Richards, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, Ch.8, p.70 - p.71
It was through the use of the Urim and Thummim that Joseph Smith was able
to translate into English, from the gold plates, the Book of Mormon,
consisting of over five hundred printed pages. This was accomplished in
about sixty days time, from April 7, 1829, to the first week in June, 1829.
We doubt that any other writer has ever written even a book of fiction of
such magnitude in such a comparably short period of time.
LeGrand Richards, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, Ch.8, p.71
The Urim and Thummim
LeGrand Richards, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, Ch.8, p.71
Would it be unfair to ask what the spiritual leaders of Joseph Smith's day
knew about the Urim and Thummim? Would Joseph Smith, of himself, have
thought of claiming that he translated the Book of Mormon with the
assistance of the Urim and Thummim? Yet, the use of the Urim and Thummim
was known to the prophets of old:
LeGrand Richards, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, Ch.8, p.71
Urim and Thummim, (i.e., `Light and Perfection') mentioned as the means by
which the High Priest inquired of the Lord, Ex. 28:30; Lev. 8:8; Nu. 27:21;
Deut. 33:8; 1 Sam. 28:6. The Urim and Thummim were clearly material objects
of some kind; it has been suggested that they were (I) stones in the High
Priest's breastplate. (II) sacred dice, (III) little images of "truth" and
"justice" such as are found hung around the neck of an Egyptian priest's
mummy. The Urim and Thummim did not exist after the Captivity -- Ezra 2:63.
(A Concise Biblical Encyclopedia, p. 154.)
LeGrand Richards, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, Ch.8, p.71
Since the Urim and Thummim was used by the ancient prophets as a means by
which they inquired of the Lord, and since it was preserved by the hand of
the Lord and delivered to Joseph Smith along with the gold plates, it would
demonstrate the wisdom of God in preserving it for this sacred purpose.
These facts account for the statement of the scribes for the Prophet Joseph
Smith that they wrote as he dictated, and that he made no corrections.
Follow the testimony of Oliver Cowdery, the chief scribe:
LeGrand Richards, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, Ch.8, p.71 - p.2
I wrote, with my own pen, the entire Book of Mormon (save a few pages) as
it fell from the lips of the Prophet Joseph, as he translated it by the
gift and power of God, by the means of the Urim and Thummim. . . . I beheld
with my eyes, and handled with my hands, the gold plates from which it was
transcribed. . . . That book is true. (B. H. Roberts, A Comprehensive
History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1965, vol. 1,
p. 139.)

B.H. Roberts, The Seventy's Course in Theology, Second Year, p.215
4. Joseph Smith's Description of the Book of Mormon: "The records (in
plates of the Book of Mormon) were engraven on plates which had the
appearance of gold, each plate was six inches wide and eight inches long,
and not quite so thick as common tin. They were filled with engravings, in
Egyptian characters, and bound together in a volume as the leaves of a
book, with three rings running through the whole. The volume was something
near six inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed. The characters on
the unsealed part were small, and beautifully engraved. The whole book
exhibited many marks of antiquity in its construction, and much skill in
the art of engraving. With the records was found a curious instrument,
which the ancients called "Urim and Thummim," which consisted of two
transparent stones set in the rim of a bow fastened to a breast plate.
Through the medium of the Urim and Thummim I translated the record by the
gift and power of God.
I.
The Manner of Translating the Book of Mormon.
(From the Y. M. M. I. A. Manual (Senior), 1905-6.)
B. H. Roberts, Defense of the Faith and the Saints,  Vol.1, p.255
Relative to the manner of translating the Book of Mormon the prophet
himself has said but little. "Through the medium of the Urim and Thummim I
translated the record by the gift and power of God,"(Wentworth letter,
Mill. Star, Vol. XIX., p. 118.) is the most extended published statement
made by him upon the subject. Of the Urim and Thummim he says: "With the
record was found a curious instrument which the ancients called a 'Urim and
Thummim,' which consisted of two transparent stones set in a rim of a bow
fastened to a breastplate."(Wentworth letter, Mill. Star, Vol. XIX., p. 118.)

B. H. Roberts, Defense of the Faith and the Saints,  Vol.1, p.276
That is the only theory the Manual has upon the subject. The foregoing
quotation from the prophet is all he has said with reference to the manner
of the translation, and we could wish that all other persons, necessarily
less informed upon the subject than the prophet himself, had been content
to leave the matter where he left it. In this, however; they did not follow
his wise example; but must needs undertake to describe the manner of the
translation; and, from such description has arisen the idea that the Urim
and Thummim did all, in the work of the translation, the prophet, nothing;
except to read to his amanuensis what he saw reflected in the seer-stone or
Urim and Thummim, which the instruments, and not the prophet, had
translated. The men responsible for those statements, on which said theory
rests, are David Whitmer and Martin Harris. The former says:
B. H. Roberts, Defense of the Faith and the Saints,  Vol.1, p.276
A piece of Something resembling parchment did appear, (i.e., in Urim and
Thummim), and on that appeared the writing, one character at a time would
appear, and under it was the translation in English. Brother Joseph would
read off the English to Brother Oliver Cowdery, who was his principal
scribe, and then it was written down and repeated to Brother Joseph to see
if it was correct; then it would disappear and another character with the
translation would appear. Thus the Book of Mormon was translated by the
gift and power of God, and not by any power of man.(Address to all
Believers in Christ, by David Whitmer, page 12.)
B. H. Roberts, Defense of the Faith and the Saints,  Vol.1, p.277
"By aid of the seer stone, sentences would appear, and were read by the
prophet, and written by Martin, and when finished he would say "written,"
and if correctly written that sentence would disappear, and another appear
in its place; but if not written correctly, it remained until corrected so
that the translation was just as it was engraven on the plates precisely in
the language then used.(Millennial Star, vol. 24, page 86-87.)
----------------------
B. H. Roberts, Defense of the Faith and the Saints,  Vol.1, p.298
"But the important fact in this important matter is, that Joseph Smith
really received these ancient records, containing much of the history of
this continent and an account of the dealings of God with the early
inhabitants thereof; that he translated them into the English language; and
that, according to the testimony of the three witnesses--Oliver Cowdery,
David Whitmer and Martin Harris--the voice of the Lord declared that they
were translated "by the gift and power of God," and therefore they were
translated correctly. As to the exact modus operandi, there is nothing on
record that we know of as coming from the Prophet himself.
----------------------
Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, Vol.8, Ch.3, p.96 - p.97
Why all this concern, then, about the language or languages of the Book of
Mormon? If we had the original text, which we do not, and if we could read
it, which we cannot, any translation we might make of it would still be
inferior to that which was given, as we claim it was, by the gift and power
of God. If we had the original text, scholars would be everlastingly
squabbling about it and getting out endless new and revised translations,
as in the case of the Bible. In fact, if our English text of the Book of
Mormon came to us in any other way than by revelation it would be almost
worthless! For members and investigators could ask of every verse: "But how
do we know it is translated correctly?" A revealed text in English is
infinitely to be preferred to an original in a language that no one on
earth could claim as his own. It frees the members and leaders of the
Church as it frees the investigating world from the necessity of becoming
philologists, or, worse still, of having to rely on the judgment of
philologists, as a prerequisite to understanding this great book. At the
same time, it puts upon the modern world an obligation to study and learn,
from which that world could easily plead immunity were the book in an
ancient language or couched in the labored and pretentious idiom that
learned men adopt when they try to decipher ancient texts.
----------------------


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Perry L. Porter" <[e-mail]>
Subject: ---> 'translated' [chronology] 1 of 4
Date: 17 Feb 1997 20:29:09 -0700

I will get off the beginnings of the BoM and on to the D&C soon, but when
studying the BoM, it doves tails into the start of Church History.

This was sent to the public list, Mormon-Hist this week and I thought it
would be of interest to us on GDM.

---------------------


To All
    I stand corrected in my previous posting here.   for John Hajaeck
Upon closer examination of the copy right application Joseph Smith did
write in his own hand Author and properiter.
    NORMAN I meant George Reynolds when I was writing about George Q.
Cannon. see reference in part 4.
    In the interest of further discussion regarding the Book of
Mormon translation I have chosen to post my FARMS paper her for you all
to read and discuss and for those of you in Gospel Doctrine you can
supplement your lessons from this paper. As our gospel Doctrine teacher
is doing.
    I will post the paper in 4 parts.
    This note is the first part.
    Part 2 is the body of the text in chronological order. I have
changed the footnotes to endnotes. Numbers as so (1)
    Part 3 will be the portion written by John Welch in what order
were the texts of the Book of Mormon translated?
    Part 4 End notes and bibliography.
    Please remember that this paper was written 10 plus years ago and
a number of new items have come to light. I have made corrections and
additions as needed, to include these discoveries.
    Of course when Dan Vogel finishes publishing his Early mormon
Documents series a more complete picture of these time period will be
established. Dan has discovered a number of new and unpublished documents
which directly impact this important early period of the history of the
restoration movement.

Tim Rathbone








Ciao Perry     <[e-mail]>    http://pobox.com/~plporter


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Perry L. Porter" <[e-mail]>
Subject: ---> Re: 'translated' [chronology] 2 of 4
Date: 17 Feb 1997 20:29:46 -0700

Part 2 of 4 parts


THE TRANSLATION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON:
PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE
BASIC HISTORICAL INFORMATION
John W. Welch and Tim Rathbone

    This report summarizes basic historical information pertaining to
the translation of the Book of Mormon by Joseph Smith. Section I gives an
annotated chronology of events from 1827 through 1830, with the
supporting primary source materials cited in the footnotes and copies of
some of these documents being attached at the end of this paper. (The
Book of Mormon copy right application and the Cowdery, Oliver, "Letters
I-VIII," Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate, 1 (1834-35), pp.
13-16, 40-43, 77-80, 83-84, 94-95, 109- 12, 155-59, and 195-202 and the
article by Dean Jessee, "Joseph Knight's Recollection of Early Mormon
History," BYU Studies 17:1 (Autumn 1976), pp. 32-33.) Despite a few
inconsistencies and uncertainties in this historical data, most of the
information is reconcilable into a single logical sequence of events.
    In addition to providing ready access to this historical data,
this report examines two other areas of interest. Section II
examines two theories about the order in which the texts of the Book of
Mormon were translated, and concludes that the Large Plates of Nephi
(from Mosiah to Moroni and the Title Page) were most likely translated in
Harmony (now Oakland), Pennsylvania, from April 7 to the end of May,
1829, and that the Small Plates of Nephi (from 1 Nephi to Omni) were
translated afterwards in Fayette, New York, from the first part of June
to the end of June, 1829. The order of translation may have a bearing on
one's appreciation and analysis of certain portions of the Book of
Mormon.
    Section III shows that the 590 pages printed in the 1830 edition
of the Book of Mormon were translated, dictated, and written all within
an extremely short and intensely busy period of time. Virtually no time
existed for Joseph Smith to plan, to ponder about, to research around, to
draft, to revise, or to correct the pages of this book during those three
months. The Book of Mormon was dictated one time through, essentially in
final form. This was done despite several significant interruptions and
distractions. Such a feat, in and of itself, constitutes a considerable
achievement.
    Section IV is a bibliography of primary documents and secondary
sources.
    Tim Rathbone and others have provided significant research
assistance particularly for Sections I and IV of this report. While we
have attempted to be thorough and believe that we have made reference to
all of the main documents, we recognize that further research may yet
discover additional information to clarify the individual points or
expand the number of sections in this report. Dates listed in the
chronology are, for the most part, historically verifiable, but some have
been approximated and remain in need of further documentation. We are
grateful for the comments several have made clarifying or correcting
earlier drafts of this report. Further comments are welcome.


    I. Chronology of Events from September 1827 to April 1830
Relating to the Translation and Publication of the Book of Mormon

    21-22 September 1827: This was the appointed time when Joseph
Smith received the plates from Moroni, with a charge that Joseph "should
be responsible for them," and that he would be "cut off" if he should let
them go carelessly.(1) This charge was strict, for there were reasons to
know that "strenuous exertions" would soon be made to try to get the
plates from Joseph.(2) Some time before 1847, but possibly as early as
1835, Joseph Knight wrote:
. . . [T]oard fall the forepart of September [1827]. I went to Rochester
on Buisness and returnd By Palmyra to be there about the 22nt of
September. I was there several Days. I will say there [was] a man near By
By the name of Samuel Lawrance. He was a Seear and he had Bin to the hill
and knew about the things in the hill and he was trying to obtain them. .
. . Now Joseph was some affraid of him [Samuel Lawrence] that he might be
a trouble to him. He therefore sint his father up to Sams as he Called
him near night to see if there was any signs of his going away that
night. He told his father to stay till near Dark and if he saw any signs
of his going you till him if I find him there I will thrash the stumps
with him. So the old man came a way and saw no thing like it.(3)

    Joseph (leaving Emma (4) with Joseph Knight's carriage) then went
after midnight to the top of the hill, which was 2 to 3 miles southeast
of the Smith home, and received the plates from Moroni.(5) He then hid
the plates in an "old black oak tree top which was hollow."(6) Shortly
thereafter, he retrieved the plates and brought them home wrapped in a
linen smock.(7)
    A few days later a mob (consisting of Samuel Lawrence, Luman
Walters, Willard Chase and others) attempted to get the plates from
Joseph. According to Lucy Mack Smith's preliminary manuscript
(transcribed from Lucy's dictation by Martha Jane Coray around 1845-47)
and according to Brigham Young in 1855, during this time the conjuror
Luman Walters (of Sodus, Pultneyville, New York), and
others, attempted to get the plates from Joseph which were hidden at his
father's home in Manchester Township.(8)
    October 1827: Joseph "commenced working with his father and
brothers on the farm."(9) Several attempts were made to get the plates
from Joseph, such as the one by Willard Chase's sister, Sally, who used a
green glass to see the precise place where Joseph had hidden the
plates,(10) and one by a mob of fifty.(11)
    Joseph "began to make arrangements to accomplish the translation
of the Record. The first step that he was instructed to take in regard to
this work was to make a fac-simile of some of the characters."(12)
    November 1827: "[The Smiths] had to garde the house until some
time in November. He [Joseph] obtaind fifty Dollars in money and hired a
man to move him and his wife to Pennsylvany to hir Fathers,"(13) namely
Isaac Hale.
    December 1827: Joseph moved from his parents' frame house in the
Manchester township, New York, to Emma's parents' house in Harmony,
Pennsylvania, while hiding the plates in a barrel of beans.(14) Isaac
Hale recalled Joseph's arrival at this time as follows:
    In a short time they returned bringing with them a Peter
Ingersol, and subsequently came to the conclusion they would move out and
reside upon a place near my residence.(15)
    In Harmony, Joseph with Emma "Drew of[f] the Caricters exactley
like the ancient."(16) Before his departure from Manchester Township,
Joseph had made arrangements with Martin Harris to join him in Harmony
for a specific purpose:
    When Joseph had had sufficient time to accomplish the journey [to
Harmony], and transcribe some of the Egyptian Characters, it was agreed
that Martin Harris should follow him--and that he [Martin] should take
the characters to the East, and, on his way, he was to call on all the
professed linguists, in order to give them the opportunity to display
their talents in giving a translation of the characters. (17)
    December 1827 - February 1828: Joseph translated some
characters.(18) Emma and Reuben Hale acted as scribes: "Now when he Began
to translate he was poor and was put to it for provisions and had no one
to write for him But his wife, and his wifes Brother would sometimes
write a little for him through the winter."(19) David Hale substantiated
the idea that his brother played some role when he  said that Reuben
"assisted Joe Smith to fix up some characters such as Smith pretended
were engraven on his book of plates." (20) Also, Joseph McKune boarded in
the neighborhood and attended school at Hickory Grove during the time
Joseph Smith was translating at Harmony. He was "quite often in Smith's
house," and stated that "Reuben Hale acted as scribe a part of the time."
(21)
    Apparently during this time, when the Book of Lehi was being
translated and Emma was acting as scribe, Joseph translated a passage
describing Jerusalem as a walled city (cf. 1 Nephi 4:4) and stopped to
ask Emma if Jerusalem indeed had walls. In 1856, Emma Smith recalled the
following:
    When my husband was translating the Book of Mormon, I wrote a
part of it, as he dictated each sentence, word for word, and when he came
to proper names he could not pronounce, or long words, he spelled them
out, and while I was writing them, if I made a mistake in spelling, he
would stop me and correct my spelling, although it was impossible for him
to see how I was writing them down at the time. Even the word Sarah he
could not pronounce at first, but had to spell it, and I would pronounce
it for him.
    When he stopped for any purpose at any time he would, when he
commenced again, begin where he left off without any hesitation, and one
time while he was translating he stopped suddenly, pale as a sheet, and
said, "Emma, did Jerusalem have walls around it?" When I answered, "Yes,"
he replied "Oh! I was afraid I had been deceived!" He had such a limited
knowledge of history at the time that he did not even know that Jerusalem
was surrounded by walls. (22)
    Several further accounts similarly focus on the point that Joseph
Smith was poorly equipped educationally to produce the Book of Mormon. M.
J. Hubble reported the following interview with David Whitmer:
    Smith was -indeed- ignorant of the Bible that when in translating
he first came where Jerusalem was spoken of as -t-he- a "Walled City" he
stopped until they got a Bible & showed him where the fact was
recorded--Smith not believing it was a walled city.
    Mr. W[hitmer] said that when Jerusalem was captured by the
Babalonians that many of the Jewish histories were missing & believed
that the book of Lehigh & Book of Mormon were safely secured by their
proper owners & brought to this continent & under the guidance of
Almighty God burried untill future generations should be ripe for the
truth & he expressed himself in good language & he believes what he
says.(23)
    In 1875, David Whitmer held a similar view:
    So illiterate was Joseph at the time, said Mr. Whitmer, that he
didn't even know that Jerusalem was a walled city and he was utterly
unable to pronounce many of the names which the magic power of the Urim
and Thummim revealed, and therefore spelled them out in syllables and the
more erudite scribe put them together. (24)
    February 1828: Martin Harris arrived in Harmony as Joseph and
Martin had planned. Martin then left for Palmyra, Utica, Albany, New York
City and Philadelphia, visiting with Professor Dr. Samuel Latham Mitchill
(the head of Rutgers Medical School, who happened to be in New York) and
with Professor Charles Anthon at Columbia College and others concerning
the characters copied from some part  of the unsealed plates of Mormon,
perhaps even calling upon Lt. Governor Luther Brandish for
consultation.(25) Joseph wrote in 1832 that the Lord told Joseph to speak
unto Martin that he should go to New York City "with some of the
characters so we proceeded to coppy some of them . . . ." (26) Martin
took with him the transcript of the characters and a translation.(27)
That Philadephia was possibly among the "Eastern Cittys" mentioned by
Joseph is contained in Joseph Knight Sr.'s recollection that Emma and
Joseph drew off some of the characters exactly like the ancient and sent
Harris to Albany, Philadelphia, and New York City to get them
translated.(28)
    12 April 1828: Martin Harris returned from New York to Joseph's
home in Harmony and consulted with Joseph.(29) Harris then returned to
his farm in Palmyra township where he arranged his affairs for an
extended absence. Afterward he and his wife Lucy returned to Pennsylvania
where Martin joined Joseph as his scribe for the translation of the
plates of the Book of Mormon beginning with the Book of Lehi.(30) Lucy
Harris wanted to see the plates:
    As soon as she [Lucy Harris] arrived there, she informed him
[Joseph] that her object in coming was to see the plates, and that she
would never leave until she had accomplished it. Accordingly, without
delay, she commenced ransacking every nook and corner about the
house--chests, trunks, cupboards, & c; consequently, Joseph was under the
necessity of removing both the breast-plate and the Record from the
house, and secreting them elsewhere. Not finding them in the house she
concluded that Joseph Had buried them, and the next day she commenced
searching out of doors, which she continued to do until two o'clock P.M.
    The woman was so perplexed and disappointed in all her
undertakings, that she left the house and took her lodgings during her
stay in Pennsylvania with a near neighbor.(31)
    Isaac Hale also wrote of this time: "About this time, Martin
Harris made his appearance upon the stage; and Smith began to interpret
the characters or hieroglyphics which he said were engraven upon the
plates, while Harris wrote down the interpretation. It was said that
Harris wrote down one hundred sixteen pages."(32) Although usually in the
house, apparently the plates were placed in a box and sometimes secreted
in the woods or "in the Mountain" (according to Joseph Knight), or
elsewhere, when not being employed.(33)
    12 April-14 June, 1828: The book of Lehi was translated.
According to Martin Harris's account, "The prophet possessed a seer
stone, by which he was enabled to translate as well as from the Urim and
Thummim and for convenience he then used the seer stone."(34) Harris
tested Joseph with the seer stone by replacing the stone with one of a
similar shape and color, but Joseph immediately apprehended the
difference, thus satisfying Martin.(35)
    15 June 1828: Joseph and Emma's first son, Alvin (Alva?), was
born and died shortly thereafter.(36)
    Late June 1828, or Early July: The 116 pages of the Book of Lehi
were borrowed from Joseph by Martin Harris who took them to Palmyra to
show them to his wife and family and they ware lost. Lucy Smith and
others suspected that Martin Harris' wife Lucy stole the 116 pages.(37)
    1 July 1828: Joseph remained with Emma for two weeks after the
death of their child.(38) He then left for his father's farm in
Manchester, New York, and asked Martin to come to his father's house to
tell him what happened to the 116 pages. The 116 pages were lost. The
interpreters and the plates were then taken from Joseph by an angel.(39)
    July 1828: Joseph returned to Harmony and stayed "for nearly two
months."(40) There the spectacles were returned to him long enough to
receive a revelation from the Lord chastizing him for allowing "the
counsel of thy director to be trampled upon," and assuring him that,
"nevertheless, my work shall go forth." D&C 3:15, 16.(41) The spectacles
may have been taken at some earlier time also, according to interviews
with David Whitmer.(42) Portions of D&C 10 may have been received around
this time, although it took its final form essentially in 1829, as
discussed at 15 May - 25 May 1829 below.
    22 September 1828: It was promised that Moroni would return the
plates to Joseph on this familiar date.(43)
    1828-1829 in general: A February 1879 interview with Emma Smith
discloses the following account of the translation during this time
period:
Q. Who were scribes for father when translating the Book of Mormon? A.
Myself [Emma Smith], Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, and my brother Reuben
Hale.
Q. Was Alva Hale one?
A. I think not. He may have written some; but if he did, I do not
remember it . . . .
Q. What is the truth of Mormonism?
A. I know Mormonism to be the truth; and believe the church to have been
established by divine direction. I have complete faith in it. In writing
for your father I frequently wrote day after day, often sitting at the
table close by him, he sitting with his face buried in his hat, with the
stone in it, and dictating hour after hour with nothing between us.
Q. Had he not a book or manuscript from which he read, or dictated to
you?
A. He had neither manuscript or book to read from.
Q. Could he not have had, and you not know it?
A. If he had anything of the kind he could not have concealed it from me.
Q. Are you sure that he had the plates at the time you were writing for
him?
A. The plates often lay on the table without any attempt at concealment,
wrapped in a small linen table cloth, which I had given him to fold them
in. I once felt of the plates, as they thus lay on the table, tracing
their outline and shape. They seemed to be pliable like thick paper, and
would rustle with a metallic sound when the edges were moved by the
thumb, as one does sometimes thumb the edges of a book.
Q. Where did father and Oliver Cowdery write?
A. Oliver Cowdery and your father wrote in the room where I was at work.
Q. Could not father have dictated the Book of Mormon to you,. Oliver
Cowdery and the others who wrote for him, after having first written it,
or having first read it out of some book?
A. Joseph Smith [and for the first time she used his name direct, having
usually used the words, "your father," or "my husband"] could neither
write nor dictate a coherent and well- worded letter; let alone dictating
a book like the Book of Mormon. And, though I was an active participant
in the scenes that transpired, it is marvelous to me, "a marvel and a
wonder," as much so as to any one else.(44)
    A generally reliable non-Mormon journalist states that "the
little low chamber in Smith's house was used as a translating-room,"
naming the scribes as Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery and Reuben Hale.(45)
    Winter 1828: Joseph and Emma visited Joseph Knight: "He and his
wife came to see me [Joseph Knight] the first of the winter 1828 and told
me his case". (46) Probably during this season, David Whitmer made a
business trip to Palmyra, where he met Oliver Cowdery for the first time
and learned of Joseph and the golden plates.(47)
    February 1829: Joseph's parents came from New York and visited
him in Harmony.(48) Joseph received D&C 4 for his father. Joseph Sr. and
Lucy return to Palmyra. Oliver, who is boarding with Joseph Sr. and Lucy
at this time, "importunes Mr. Smith" for information concerning the
plates and after "a considerable length of time" succeeds in receiving
information.(49) About this time, Joseph Smith wrote in 1832, "[the] Lord
appeared unto a young man by the name of Oliver Cowdry and shewed unto
him the plates in a vision and also the truth of the work and what the
Lord was about to do through me his unworthy servant therefore he was
desirous to come and write for me and translate."(50)
    March 1829: A few pages were translated. Apparently Emma acted as
scribe.(51) During this month, Martin Harris visited Joseph from Palmyra,
"seemingly for the prime purpose of being permitted to see the plates . .
. . According to other testimonies, Martin had not seen the plates during
the time he was writing for the Prophet, and he wanted to know of their
existence." (52) This visit was the catalyst for D&C 5. Joseph was told
"to translate a few more pages" and then to "stop for a season." D&C
5:30.
    5 April 1829: Oliver Cowdery arrived in Harmony to assist Joseph
with the translation of the Book of Mormon.(53) Oliver was given
assurances that "the words or the work which thou hast been writing is
true." D&C 6:17 (1833 ed.). Joseph and Oliver probably started writing at
or shortly after Mosiah 1.(54) Oliver and Joseph met for the first time
in person on 5 April 1829. Joseph Knight reports this event: "Next Spring
Oliver Cowdry a young man from palmyra Came to see old Mr Smith, Josephs
father, about this work and he sent him Down to pensylveny to see Joseph
and satisfy him self. So he Came Down and was soon Convinced of the truth
of the work."(55) A few paragraphs later, Knight expressly places this
event in "the spring of 1829."(56) Lucy Smith's published reminiscences
indicate that Oliver had only second-hand information about Joseph before
April 1829, stating that after Oliver "had been in the school but a short
time, . . he began to hear from all quarters concerning the plates, and
as soon began to importune Mr. Smith upon the subject, but for a
considerable length of time did not succeed in eliciting any
information."(57) David Whitmer, who was first to hear of Joseph Jr.
among the Whitmers, recalled speaking with Oliver about the matter in
1828.(58) Oliver was then a teacher in Palmyra, and boarded with the
Joseph Smith Sr. family for a time until the school term ended in March
1829.(59) During this time, Joseph Jr. was in Harmony.
    Oliver explicitly dates his first meeting with Joseph Smith Jr.
as April 5, 1829: "Near the time of the setting of the Sun, Sabbath
evening, April 5th, 1829, my natural eyes, for the first time beheld this
brother."(60) On the same page printed in 1834, Oliver said he had
endured many "fateagues and privations . . . for the gospel's sake, since
1828, with this brother." Apparently Oliver had begun suffering criticism
as early as 1828 for his interest in Joseph and the plates. In 1835 he
said he had known Joseph intimately for "almost seven years."(61) From
1829 to 1835 is six years; it thus appears that Oliver counted his
knowledge of Joseph Smith beginning with his initial inquiries and
vision. Clear evidence thus supports the 5 April 1829 date for the first
meeting of Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith.
    6 April 1829: Oliver recorded: "On Monday the 6th, I assisted
[Joseph] in arranging some business of a temporal nature."(62)
7 April 1829: Oliver began writing as scribe to Joseph Smith, as he
remained for the greater part of the translation. Oliver later
remembered, "These were days never to be forgotten--to sit under the
sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven, awakened the
utmost gratitude of this bosom! Day after day I continued, uninterrupted,
to write from his mouth, as he translated . . . the Book of Mormon."(63)
Sometime during April, 1829, D&C 6, 7, 8 and 9 were received.
    About 10 May 1829: Around this time, Joseph and Oliver ran out of
provisions. They went to Colesville (Coleville) to see if Joseph Knight
would help them with some provisions, but he was in Cattskill.(64) An
account attributed to Joseph Smith might relate to this same trip to
Colesville, although an occasion in 1830 is equally possible (except for
the July 1830 trial in Coleville in 1830 added 1997):
    When I first commenced this work, and had got two or three
individuals to believe, I went about thirty miles with Oliver Cowdery, to
see them. We had only one horse between us. When we arrived, a mob of
about one hundred men came upon us before we had time to eat, and chased
us all night; and we arrived back again [in Harmony] a little after
daylight, having traveled about sixty miles in all, and without food.
(65)
    Joseph and Oliver returned to Harmony and looked to see "if they
Could find a place to work for provisions, But found none. They returned
home and found me [Joseph Knight] there with provisions, and they ware
glad for they ware out."(66) Joseph Knight brought writing paper
(foolscap) and other provisions for the translation and visited "several
times" during May, travelling the distance of at least 30 miles each way
(from his farm in Broome County).(67)
    10-15 May 1829: The work progressed steadily until Joseph and
Oliver reached the account of the ministry of the resurrected Christ to
the inhabitants of ancient America in 3 Nephi. "After writing the account
given of the Savior's ministry to the remnant of the seed of Jacob, upon
this continent," (68) The question arose in the minds of the Prophet and
his scribe concerning the mode and authority of baptism.
    15 May 1829: The Aaronic Priesthood was restored. Oliver and
Joseph baptized each other as commanded by God.(69) See D&C 13.
    A document entitled "Articles of the Church of Christ" may have
been written around this time or later in 1829. (70)
    15 May-25 May 1829: Apparently after the completion of 3 Nephi,
the final form of D&C 10 (particularly 10:38-70) was essentially
dictated.(71) D&C 10:41 appears to instruct Joseph to translate the Small
Plates of Nephi at a time when he had already translated the account of
the reign of King Benjamin: "You shall translate the engravings which are
on the plates of Nephi, down even till you come to the reign of king
Benjamin, or until you come to that which you have translated." This
would bring him to the portion he still "retained" from his translation
of the first pages of the book of Mosiah which he had not given to Martin
(10:41).(72)
    25 May 1829: Samuel Smith was baptized,(73) having possibly
arrived in Harmony with Oliver Cowdery in April.(74) The translation
continued after Samuel's baptism.(75) Hyrum visited a few days later.(76)
D&C 11 was then received; D&C 11:19 told Hyrum to be patient: "You may
assist in bringing to light those things of which has been spoken--yea
the translation of my work."
    15 May-31 May 1829: During this time, Joseph and Oliver may have
gone to Colesville again.(77) This may have been the time when the
Melchizedek priesthood was restored as Joseph and Oliver were returning
from Colesville, but the dating of that event is  uncertain.(78) It would
take about a day to travel from Harmony to Colesville.
    1-4 June 1829: Joseph, Emma (?), and Oliver moved with David
Whitmer from Harmony to Fayette, Seneca County, New York, to the home of
Peter Whitmer. The journey from Harmony to Fayette (98 miles direct)
would have taken about four days.(79)
    5 June-end of June 1829: The translation of the Book of Mormon
was finished in the upstairs room of Peter Whitmer's home. Some of the
Whitmers helped as scribes: "They continued so, boarded and lodged us
according to arrangements; and John Whitmer, in particular, assisted us
very much in writing during the remainder of the work." (80) Oliver B.
Huntington records in his journal a conversation with Sarah (Sally)
Heller Conrad who may have been a cousin of the Whitmers and who was at
the Whitmer home during the translation:
    I conversed with one old lady 88 years old who lived with David
Whitmer when Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were translating the Book of
Mormon in the upper room of the house, and she, only a girl, saw them
come down from [the] translating room several times when they looked so
exceedingly white and strange that she inquired of Mrs. Whitmer the cause
of their unusual appearance, but Mr[s]. Whitmer was unwilling to tell the
hired girl, the true cause as it was a sacred holy event connected with a
holy sacred work which was opposed and persecuted by nearly every one who
heard of it. The girl felt so strange and unusual appearance, she finally
told Mrs. Whitmer that she would not stay with her until she knew the
cause of the strange looks of these men. Sister Whitmer then told her
what the men were doing in the room above and that the power of God was
so great in the room that they could hardly endure it; at times angels
were in the room in their glory which nearly consumed them. This
Satisfied the girl and opened the way to embrace the gospel. (81)

An affidavit of Elizabeth Anne Whitmer Cowdery Johnson also pertains to
this period:

Richmond, Ray Co., Mo. Feb 15th. 1870

    I cheerfully certify that I was familiar with the manner of
Joseph Smith's translating the book of Mormon. He translated the most of
it at my Father's house. And I often sat by and saw and heard them
translate and write for hours together. Joseph never had a curtain drawn
between him and his scribe while he was translating. He would place the
director in his hat, and then place -in- his face in his hat, so as to
exclude the light, and then [___i____ to his scribe the words (he said)
as they appeared before him.]  (82)

    Concerning the translation in Fayette, David Whitmer reported the
following event:
    One morning when he was getting ready to continue the
translation, something went wrong about the house and he was put out
about it. Something that Emma, his wife had done. Oliver and I went
upstairs and Joseph came up soon after to continue the translation but he
could not do anything. He could not translate a single syllable. He went
downstairs, out into the orchard, and made supplication to the Lord; was
gone about an hour--came back to the house, and asked Emma's forgiveness
and then came upstairs where we were and then the translation went on all
right. He could do nothing save he was humble and faithful. (83)

    11 June 1829: Before this date, Joseph and Oliver had translated
all the Plates of Mormon and the Title Page inscribed by Moroni. On this
day, the copyright for the Book of Mormon was secured at the office of
the Federal District Court Clerk, Richard R. Lansing. The application
contains the Title Page of the forthcoming book. (84)
    5-14 June 1829: D&C 14, 15, 16 (revelations for David Whitmer,
John Whitmer and Peter Whitmer) were received around this time; D&C 18
was then also received by Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery and David
Whitmer.(85)
    14 June 1829: Oliver wrote a letter to Hyrum from Fayette,
stating, among other things: "Remember the worth of souls is great in the
sight of God" (cf. D&C 18:10); "behold the Lord your god . . . suffered
the pains of all men that all men might repent and come unto him . . . .
behold he commandeth all men . . . every where to repent" (cf. 2 Nephi
9:21-23); "that there they may be willing to take upon them the name of
Christ for that is the name by which they shall be called at the Last day
and if we know not the name by which we are called I fear . . ." (cf.
Mos. 5:9-10), and instructing Hyrum to baptize all men and women, and
children over the age of accountability (cf. Moro. 8).(86)
    Mid-June 1829: The translation continued. John Whitmer "assisted
us very much in writing during the remainder of the work," and previous
to that David Whitmer "had offered his services when convenient." (87)
Hyrum Smith, David Whitmer and Peter Whitmer Jr. were baptized sometime
in the middle of June 1829 in Seneca Lake, Fayette township, Seneca
County, New York.(88) Meetings were also held:
    We met with many from time to time who were willing to hear us,
and who desired to find out the truth as it is in Christ Jesus, and
apparently willing to obey the Gospel, when once fairly convinced and
satisfied in their own minds; and in the same month of June, my brother
Hyrum Smith, David Whitmer and Peter Whitmer, Jun., were baptized in
Seneca lake, the two former by myself [Joseph Smith] the latter by Oliver
Cowdery. From this time forth many became believers, and some were
baptized whilst we continued to instruct and persuade as many as applied
for information.(89)
    Around 20 June 1829: In Fayette, the Three Witnesses were shown
the plates (D&C 17:1-4). It appears that this manifestation was prompted
by the translation of 2 Nephi 27:12,(90) which reads, "the eyes of none
shall behold it save it be that three witnesses shall behold it, by the
power of God, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they
shall testify to the truth of the book and the things therein." A few
days later in Manchester, New York, the Eight Witnesses were shown the
plates.
    26 June 1829: The Wayne Sentinel published the Book of Mormon
Title Page, perhaps obtaining the text from the federal copyright
application. Probably around this time, Martin Harris approached E. B.
Grandin to see if he would publish the book, but Grandin declined,
considering it financially a "losing speculation."(91)
    1 July 1829: The translation was completed. David Whitmer later
stated "that the translation at my father's house occupied about one
month, that is from June 1 to July 1, 1829."(92)
    July 1829: Thurlow Weed, owner-editor of the Rochester Telegraph,
was approached twice, but he likewise declined to print the book.(93)
    Sometime during July, 1829, the Printer's Manuscript of the Book
of Mormon was begun by Oliver Cowdery.
    25 August 1829: Martin Harris mortgaged his farm.(94) Around this
same time the contract with Grandin for the printing of the Book of
Mormon was possibly signed.(95) It was agreed that 5000 copies would be
printed, which was an unusually large press run for that day.(96) Martin
Harris agreed to pay the sum of $3,000 to Egbert G. Grandin within
eighteen months. If Harris defaulted, his land was to be sold at public
auction to satisfy the demand.(97) Typesetting commenced "in August."(98)
    Fall 1829: The original typesetter was John H. Gilbert and proofs
were printed by J. H. Bortles until December. Grandin then hired Thomas
McAuley, a journeyman pressman. McAuley and Bortles did the balance of
the press work until March 1830.(99) Martin Harris, Hyrum Smith and
Oliver Cowdery were frequent visitors to Grandin's office during the
printing; Joseph apparently soon returning to Harmony came only once for
a short visit to Grandin's office.(100) Manuscript pages were hand
delivered and retrieved frequently. Oliver held and looked over the
manuscript when most of the proofs were read.(101)
    6 November 1829: Oliver wrote a letter to Joseph in Harmony: "The
printing goes rather slow yet as the type founder has been sick but we
expect that the type will be in and Mr. Grandin still thinks he will
finish printing by the first of febuary [sic]." In a postscript Cowdery
noted his progress in preparing the Printer Manuscript: "P.S. I have just
got to Alma commandment to his son in copying the manuscrip," that is, to
Alma 36.(102)
    January 1830: Abner Cole (alias Obediah Dogberry), in his Palmyra
Reflector, Jan. 2, 13 and 22, printed several extracts of the Book of
Mormon from sheets he pilfered at Grandin's printing office (where his
own newspaper was printed).(103) This made it necessary for Joseph to
return to Palmyra from Harmony and to assert his copyright privileges in
order to stop this unauthorized publication of sections of the Book of
Mormon.(104) During that winter,(105) Joseph apparently sent Oliver
Cowdery and Hiram Page to Kingston, Ontario, Canada, to try to sell the
Book of Mormon copyright.(106)
    16 January 1830: Joseph Smith Sr. entered into an agreement with
Martin Harris which reads:
    I hereby agree that Martin Harris shall have an equal privilege
with me and my friends of selling the Book of Mormon of the Edition now
printing by Egbert B. Grandin until enough of them shall be sold to pay
for the printing of the same or until such times as the said Grandin
shall be paid for the printing the aforesaid Books or copies.
Manchester January the 16th 1830 /s/ Joseph Smith Sr.
Witness /s/ Oliver H.P. Cowdery. (107)
    12 February 1830: Lucius Fenn of Covert, Seneca County, N.Y.,
wrote to Birdseye Bronson in Winchester, Connecticut, that the
publication of the Book of Mormon was widely awaited; it was expected to
tell when "the Millenniam day . . . is a goeing to take place."
    26 March 1830: The printing and binding were finished and the
book was offered for sale to the public on March 26, 1830.(108) After
printing the complete title page of the Book of Mormon, the newspaper
notice continued: "The above work containing 600 pages of large
duo-decimos is now for sale, wholesale and retail, at the Palmyra Book
Store by Howard & Grandin." Prices at Grandin's Bookstore seem to have
ranged from $1.25 to $1.75 per book.(109)
    6 April 1830: Church of Christ organized.









Ciao Perry     <[e-mail]>    http://pobox.com/~plporter


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Perry L. Porter" <[e-mail]>
Subject: ---> Re: 'translated' [chronology]3 of 4
Date: 17 Feb 1997 20:31:36 -0700

Part 3 of 4 parts. This is the part that John (Jack) Welch wrote.

    II. In What Order Were the Texts of the Book of Mormon
Translated?
    Two theories exist about the order in which the texts of the Book
of Mormon were translated in 1829. As shown above, the Book of Lehi was
translated and lost in 1828. In March 1829, the translation resumed with
Emma acting as scribe for a few pages, and in April, 1829, Oliver Cowdery
arrived and the pace of the work accelerated. Where in the text did
Joseph begin at this time? Did he pick up where the 116 pages had left
off (presumably around the time of King Benjamin near Mosiah 1), or did
he start at the beginning of the Small Plates (1 Nephi 1)? Under the "1
Nephi First" theory, Joseph began in March 1829 with 1 Nephi 1; under the
"Mosiah First" theory, he began around Mosiah 1. Most of the following
considerations make the "Mosiah first" theory seem considerably more
plausible than the "1 Nephi first" theory:
    1. Which scripture triggered the experience of the Three
Witnesses in June, 1829, toward the end of the translation? Was it Ether
5:2-4 or 2 Nephi 27:12, 22? If they were translating 2 Nephi in June,
this would indicate that they had begun with Mosiah in April and had
returned after finishing Moroni in May to translate the Small Plates of
Nephi in June. On the other hand, if they were translating the Book of
Ether in June, this would support the "1 Nephi First" theory, since in
the few days remaining in June after the experience of the Three
Witnesses there would only have been enough time left to finish Ether and
Moroni.
    The History of the Church first appeared in print as a serial in
the Times and Seasons in 1842.(110) There is a blank in the sentence was
to tell which passage in the Book of Mormon inspired the manifestation to
the Three Witnesses.(111) Page 23 of one of the manuscripts of the
History of the Church, however, contains a note that the relevant
scripture was found "on p. 110 [2 Nephi 27] of the first edition."(112)
This information, however, was added by a later scribe some time after
1852, as is evident since that scribe also refers to a European edition
of the D&C of that date. Therefore, the earliest recorded understanding
held that 2 Nephi 27 was the scripture involved. B. H. Roberts chose to
refer principally to Ether 5 in the published edition of History of the
Church 1:52, but he also mentions 2 Nephi 11:3 in this context. Possibly
he presumed that Joseph needed to be closer to the end of the book by the
end of June and thus assumed that the relevant scripture was the one in
Ether. In addition, the scripture in 2 Nephi 27 authorizes more precisely
what in fact transpired with the witnesses (as discussed above in Section
I under the date "Around 20 June 1829"), making it more likely that 2
Nephi 27 was the relevant scripture than Ether 5.
    2. The "Mosiah first" theory allows 5 weeks (from April 7 to May
15) for the translation of Mosiah 1 through the account of the
ministry of Christ among the Nephites in 3 Nephi. The book was finished
at about the same rate in June. Under the "1 Nephi first" theory, even
more material, from 1 Nephi 1 through the account in 3 Nephi, would have
to have been translated within that short time.     3. Only the
"Mosiah first" theory leaves a significant amount of material to be
translated after May 15. This is necessary to accommodate the fact that
the translation continued at Harmony from May 15 to May 31 and that "many
pages" were translated at the Whitmer house in Fayette. One report
indicates that John Whitmer  acted as scribe for as many as "sixty
pages," (113) and several other sources attest that much was translated
in Fayette.
    4. The Title Page of the Book of Mormon was translated before
June 11, 1829, the date on which this text appears on the copyright
application. Since the Title Page was written by Moroni and was found at
the end of the Plates of Mormon,(114) it would appear that books up to
and including the Title Page, i.e. 4 Nephi, Mormon, Ether, Moroni and the
Title Page, were translated after May 15 but before June 11. This
strongly supports the "Mosiah first" theory.
    5. The handwriting on the Original Manuscript for 1 Nephi is
neither Oliver Cowdery's nor Emma Smith's. It may be Reuben Hale's, which
would support the "1 Nephi first" theory, but it seems more likely that
it is one of the Whitmers', which would establish the "Mosiah first"
theory.
    6. The Words of Mormon, which were appended to the end of the
Small Plates (W of M 5-7), are inconclusive in this inquiry. If the Small
Plates were inserted into the Plates of Mormon between the Book of Lehi
and the Book of Mosiah, and assuming that the 116 pages did not include
as translation of those Small Plates, did Joseph skip over these plates
to begin with "Mosiah first"? On the other hand, if the Small Plates were
placed at the end of the writings of Mormon, did they precede the
writings of Moroni (Ether and Moroni) or did Moroni insert his writings
at the end of the book of Mormon but before the Small Plates which his
father had "put with the remainder" of his record (W of M 6)? It seems
impossible to tell. Little is known about the Words of Mormon beyond the
fact that they were written to make a transition from the Small Plates to
Mosiah 1:1. For example, the description of the contentions in Words of
Mormon 1:12-18 leads into the statement in Mosiah 1:1 that there was "no
more contention . . . all the remainder of [Benjamin's] days." While the
Words of Mormon make good sense standing immediately before Mosiah 1,
they could just as well have stood elsewhere making reference to Mosiah
1. Thus, since it is unclear when the Words of Mormon were translated,
that transitional book tells us little about whether Mosiah or 1 Nephi
were translated first.
    7. When Oliver wrote to Hyrum on June 14, 1829 (see Part I,
above), he used material which he could have learned from Mosiah 5:9-10,
Moroni 8 and 2 Nephi 9:21-23, indicating that the translation at that
time had progressed through the Large Plates and into 2 Nephi on the
Small Plates. The "Mosiah first" theory would allow for the translation
of those passages before June 14, but the 1 Nephi first" theory would
not.
    8. If it is correct that portions of D&C 10, particularly
10:38-70, were received in May 1829, as discussed above in Section I
under 15 May-25 May 1829, then it would appear that the account of the
reign of King Benjamin and probably 3 Nephi had already been translated
before Joseph returned to "translate the engravings which are on the
plates of Nephi, down even till . . . the reign of king Benjamin" (D&C
10:41). The "Mosiah first" theory is most readily consistent with this
understanding of D&C 10, although it is impossible to be certain about
its dating.
    In light of the foregoing, the "Mosiah first" theory seems far
more likely than the "1 Nephi first" theory. The "Mosiah first" theory
has been accepted by George Reynolds,(115) by Stanley R. Larson,(116) by
Max Parkin,(117) by Richard Bushman, (118) and by most other scholars of
early Mormonism. The "1 Nephi first" theory does not appear to have been
adopted by any writer who has considered the issue explicitly.

III. How Long Did It Take for Joseph Smith to Translate the Book of
Mormon?
    A. Under the "Mosiah first theory," Mosiah 1 to Moroni 10 (390
present 1981 edition pages, with the exception of "a few pages"
translated in March) took from April 7 to the end of May. Subtracting
time to eat, to sleep, to seek employment to earn money for supplies, to
restore the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods, to make at least one
(and possibly two) trips to Colesville, to baptize Hyrum and Samuel, and
to receive D&C Sections 6-13, there would seem to be about 45 possible
translating days here. This would mean Joseph translated and Oliver took
down on the average 8 present pages per day.
    1 Nephi to 2 Nephi 27 (100 pages) appears to have taken about 12
days in June, since we must allow most of the first week of June for the
move from Harmony to Fayette, some time to acquire the copyright on June
11, several days for preaching and baptizing near Fayette, and we must
get at least to 2 Nephi 11:3 and probably to 27:12 before the Three
Witnesses see the plates around 20 June. This again would be about 8
pages per day. During this time, D&C Sections 14-18 were also received
and written.
    The last 33 pages would have taken about 4 days if they continued
at the regular translating pace, or it is possible that the translation
of these last few pages was spread out over the last 10 days of June.
Assuming the last 33 pages took about 6 days time, whenever in the end of
June those days may have been finished, the total approximate maximum
time involved in translating the entire text can be estimated at 63 days
(45 plus 12 plus 6), averaging about 8 pages per day overall.
    B. Under the "1 Nephi first theory", 1 Nephi 1 through the
account of Jesus' ministry among the Nephites in 3 Nephi (with the
exception of the "few pages" translated in March) were translated in
about 33 working days (April 7 to May 15, subtracting a few days for the
activities mentioned above). This is some 460 pages in about 33 days, or
an average of almost 14 pages per day.
     The last 71 pages from the later part of 3 Nephi to the end of
the book would then have been translated from the middle of May and the
end of June, in which there would have been about 30 translating days.
Here they would have been averaging only 2.3 pages per day.
    Thus, the "1 Nephi first" theory puts about 85% of the
translation into a very short time (33 days, April to May 15). The
"Mosiah first" theory still has the entire work completed in around 63
working days. Either way, the pace was blistering. Consider producing all
of King Benjamin's Speech--final copy, from start to finish--(some 13
pages, Mosiah 1-6)--in less than a day and a half (at the "Mosiah first"
rate). This is staggering. On top of all else that was going on during
these weeks, this must have been quite a time. As Oliver Cowdery says:
"These were days never to be forgotten--to sit under the sound of a voice
dictated by the inspiration of heaven, awakened the utmost gratitude of
this bosom! Day after day I continued, uninterrupted, to write from his
mouth,as he translated . . . the Book of Mormon."(119)









Ciao Perry     <[e-mail]>    http://pobox.com/~plporter


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Perry L. Porter" <[e-mail]>
Subject: ---> Re: 'translated' [chronology]4 of 4
Date: 17 Feb 1997 20:32:18 -0700

4 of 4 parts End Notes and bibliography

1 JS-H 2:59.
2 JS-H 2:60.
3 Dean Jessee, "Joseph Knight's Recollection of Early Mormon History,"
BYU Studies 17:1 (Autumn 1976), pp. 32-33.
4 Joseph had married Emma Hale on January 18, 1827. JS-H 2:57.
5 JS-H 2:59; HC 1:18; Jessee, Personal Writings, pp. 6-7;
Oliver Cowdery, "Letter VII," LDS Messenger and Advocate (July
1835), pp. 158-59. The 22nd began at midnight. Along with the plates,
Joseph also received spectacles, a rod, and a breastplate; Jessee,
"Knight," pp. 33-35; Lucy Mack Smith, Preliminary Manuscript #1, dictated
to Martha Jane Coray around 1845-47, pp. [66-68, 71, 74-75] (further
edited by Howard Coray [Ms #2], and finally published in 1853 as
Biographical Sketches of Joseph
Smith the Prophet); William Smith, according to J. W. Peterson, in Rod of
Iron, 1:3 (Feb. 1924), pp. 6-7.
6 As reported by Martin Harris to Joel Tiffany in Tiffany's Monthly 5:3
(July 1859), p. 165. In "a birch log" according to Lucy Mack Smith,
Prelim. Ms #1, p. [72]. B. H. Roberts, Comprehensive History, I:86,
90-91.
7 Joseph Smith's sister Catherine was at home "when he came in running
and burst through the door carrying the plates; his hand was injured from
striking one of the villains [who had chased him]. He told her that he
had jumped over a rail fence; when one of the villains grabbed for the
plates, he knocked him down with his right fist while carrying the plates
under his left arm clasped to his body. Then he ran the gauntlet with
several more, and when he came in the house she said he was completely
out of breath. She took the plates from him and laid them on the table
temporarily, and helped revive him until he got breathing properly and
also examined his hand, and treated it for the bruises on his knuckles,
where he had struck the villain and thus defended himself and the
plates." Interview by I. B. Ball of H. S. Salisbury, grandson of
Catherine Smith Salisbury, August 31, 1954, p. 2 (original in LDS
Archives). Lucy, Prelim. Ms #1, pp. [72-73]. On the weight of the plates,
see F.A.R.M.S. Update, "The 'Golden' Plates," (October 1984).
8 Jessee, "Knight," pp. 29-39; HC 1:18-19; Lucy Mack Smith, Preliminary
Manuscript #1, pp. [68-69]; Lucy, Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith
the Prophet and his Progenitors for Many Generations, (Liverpool: S. W.
Richards, 1853), pp. 102-110; Journal of Discourses, Brigham Young,
February 18, 1855, 2:180-81, and July 19, 1857, 5:55 (cited in Jessee,
"Knight," p. 33, note 12).
9 Lucy, 1853, p. 107; Prelim. Ms #1, p. [74].
10 Lucy, 1853, p. 109; Prelim. Ms #1, pp. [75-76].
11 Lucy, 1853, p. 113; Prelim. Ms #1, p. [79]. Note also the Joseph Bates
Noble reminiscence of Joseph Smith and the Plates:
    "My first introduction to this young Mormon [Mary A. Beman] was
at McMillians my place of boarding, She was a teaching school in the
neighbor hood her -parents- Father Alvah Beman lived a bout two miles
distance a man well off as to houses and land and goods of this world and
verry highly esteemed amoung men for his word this men was well
acquainted with the Smith family before the coming forth of the book of
Mormon. and was with Joseph at one time assisted him in hiding the
Plates, from a mob he was permitted to handle the Plates with a thin
cloth covering over them. This Mary A. Beman Brought the Book of Mormon
into the Neighbour, the first I had ever heard of." Journal of Joseph B.
Noble, Autobiographical Sketch, 1810-1836, LDS Archives, Ms d 1031, fd 1.
    Likewise Mary A. [Beman] Noble speaks of her father Alvah Beman,
the mob, and the Plates:
    "Father sold his place in Livonia and removed with his family to
Avon Livingston County some years previous my Father became acquainted
with Father Joseph Smith the Father of the Prophet he frequently would go
to Palmaira to see Father Smiths and his family during this time Brother
Joseph Smith come in possession of the plates that contained the Book of
Mormon as soon as it was noised around that there was a golden Bible
found (for that was what it was called at that time) the minds of the
people become so excited and it arose at such a pitch that a mob
collected together to search the house of Father Joseph Smith to find the
records my Father was there at the time and assisted in -- concealing the
plates in a boxe in a secluded place where no one could find them
although he did not see them my Father soon returned." Autobiography of
Mary Adeline Beman Noble, 1810-1834, LDS Archives, Ms d 1031, fd 1.
12 Lucy, 1853, p. 109 (Prelim. Ms #1, p. [76]), gives the impression that
this was done at the Smith home. Joseph and Emma may have begun this
work, however, after arriving in Pennsylvania. Jessee, "Knight," p. 34.
13 Jessee, "Knight," p. 34.
14 Lucy, 1853, p. 113; Prelim. Ms #1, p. [79].
15 F. W. Kirkham, A New Witness for Christ in America, 1st ed.
(Independence, Mo: Zion's Printing and Publishing, 1942), p. 135, noting
that a copy of the 1833 deed for that land is in the LDS Archives. Joseph
& Emma may have moved into a nearby house owned by Jesse Hale, one of
Isaac Hale's sons.
16 Jessee, "Knight," p. 34. "I commenced copying the characters off the
plates. I copied a considerable number of them," JS-H 62. As noted below,
Reuben Hale may have helped prepare a transcript of the characters.
17 Lucy, 1853, pp. 113-114; Prelim. Ms #1, p. [80]. Lucy Harris obtained
a copy of the transcript surreptitiously through the services of her
prospective son-in-law, a Mr. Dikes (Prelim. Ms #1, p. [81]).
18 JS-H 62; HC 1:19.
19 Jessee, "Knight," p. 35.
20 Statement of David Hale, cited in Emily C. Blackman, History of
Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Claxton, Remsen &
Hafflinger, 1873), p. 104.
21 Statement of Joseph Fowler Mckune, cited in Rhamanthus M. Stocker,
Centennial History of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: R.
T. Peck & Co., 1887), p. 556. Michael Morse, brother-in-law of Emma,
recalled seeing Joseph translate in Harmony, with Emma and others acting
as scribes, 1879 Blair interview in Saints' Herald, 26 (June 15, 1879),
pp. 190-91; but this recollection may also be of events in 1829.
22 Edmund C. Briggs, "A Visit to Nauvoo in 1856," Journal of History, 9
(Jan. 1916), p. 454. See also Edmund C. Briggs,
"Interview with David Whitmer," Saint's Herald, 31 (June 21, 1884) p. 5
(Letter dated June 4, 1884): "This brings to my mind a statement of the
Elect Lady, Emma in the winter of 1856 She said to me, 'When you see
David Whitmer you will see an honest man.' And in the same conversation,
she remarked of her husband Joseph's limited education while he was
translating the Book of Mormon, and she was scribe at the time, 'He could
not pronounce the word Sariah.' And one time while translating, where it
speaks of the walls of Jerusalem, he stopped and said, 'Emma, did
Jerusalem have walls surrounding it.' When I informed him it had, he
replied, 'O, I thought I was deceived.'"
23 M. J. Hubble Interview, November 13, 1886, original in University of
Missouri Library, Columbia, Missouri (R. L. Anderson typescript);
corrected version published by Stanley Kimball in BYU Studies, 14 (Summer
1974), 483-486.
24 David Whitmer Interview, Chicago Times, August 7, 1875. See also
Michael Morse statement, cited above.
25 See HC 1:19; F.A.R.M.S. Staff, Martin Harris' Visit With
Charles Anthon: Collected Documents on Short-Hand Egyptian, FARMS
Preliminary Report 85a; F.A.R.M.S. Update "What did Charles Anthon Really
Say? (May 1985); and S. Kimball,"The Anthon Transcript: People, Primary
Sources, and Problems, "BYU Studies, 10 (Spring, 1970). pp 328-330 (FARMS
Reprint KIM-70). W. Gunnell, "Martin Harris--Witness and Benefactor to
the Book of Mormon" (BYU, unpublished MA Thesis, 1955), p.114, and R.
James, The Man Who Knew (Cache Valley: Martin Harris Pageant Committee,
1983), pp. 56-62, note that Martin left Palmyra by wagon with Hyrum,
since the Erie Canal was closed for the winter; Lucy, Prelim. Ms #1, pp.
[80-81].
26 Joseph Smith Letterbook 1, Part I, p. 5 (LDS Archives); Jessee,
Personal Writings, pp. 7-8.
27 JS-H 1:64.
28 Jessee, "Knight," p. 34. See above at December 1827 for this and
related statements.
29 HC 1:20.
30 Lucy, 1853, p. 115; Prelim. Ms #1, p. [81].
31 Lucy, 1853, pp. 115-16; Prelim. Ms #1, p. [82].
32 Susquehanna Register [Montrose], May 1, 1834.
33 Lucy, 1853, pp. 115-116; Jessee, "Knight," p. 34.
34 HC 1:20; Millennial Star 44:86-87, from lecture of Martin Harris
recorded by Edward Stevenson, 30 Nov. 1881, reprinted with slight
differences in A. Jenson, "The Three Witnesses," Historical Record, 6
(May 1887), 216-17.
35 Ibid.
36 Dates and the words "infant son," but no name, appear on the tombstone
in Harmony; see Larry C. Porter, "A Study of the Origins of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the States of New York and
Pennsylvania, 1816-1831" (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, BYU, 1971), pp.
146-47. Richard L. Anderson reports to us that that Smith family Bible
clearly reads "Alvin."
37 Lucy, 1853, pp. 120-123; Prelim. Ms #1, pp. [86, 90-93].
38 Lucy, 1853, p. 118; Prelim. Ms #1, pp. [87, 89].
39 HC 1:21. William E. McLellan mentions this period in a letter to
Joseph Smith III (from Independence, Mo, July & Sept 8, 1872):
    When Joseph delivered the 116 pages of the translation to Martin
Harris, his Plates, his Interpreters, and his gift were taken from him
for some two months. The Plates and gift of translation were returned to
him, but not the Interpreters. He translated the entire book of Mormon by
the use of a little stone he had in his possession before he obtained the
plates.
    RLDS Archives P13 f213. Elsewhere in his letter, McLellan cites
certificates he has from Elizabeth Ann Whitmer Cowdery (Oliver's widow),
Martin Harris, and Emma Smith, as well as testimony from John and David
Whitmer, and refers to "The Directors, or Interpreters," and
differentiates them from the Urim & Thummim (the "spectacles"). For
discussions of the possible meanings of such terminology, see Richard Van
Wagoner and Steven C. Walker, "Joseph Smith: 'The Gift of Seeing',"
Dialogue, 15:2 (Summer, 1982), 48-68; R. F. Smith, "'Translation of
Languages'
(hermeneia glosson, 1 Cor. 12:10)," unpublished paper (Independence, MO,
1980); and Lyndon W. Cook, The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith
(Provo: Seventy's Mission Bookstore, 1981), pp. 122-23.
40 See Lucy, Prelim. Ms #1, p. [93].
41 Lucy, Prelim. Ms #1, p. [95].
42 Whitmer interviews: December 15, 1885, in Chicago Times (December 17,
1885), p. 3; Chicago Times 20 (August 7, 1875), p. 1,  Chicago Times
(January 24, 1888) p. 8; Chicago Tribune. 1 Chicago Tribune (January 24,
1888), p. 8 Millennial Star 48:36.
43 Lucy, Prelim. Ms #1, pp. [94, 96], speaks only of the "plates" or
"record," with "Urim and Thummim" added above the line later by a
different hand on p. [96]; compare Lucy, 1853, p. 125. Joseph did not use
the spectacles for translation after this time according to Emma's letter
to Mrs. Pilgrim, March 27, 1870.
44 "Last Testimony of Sister Emma," Saints' Advocate, vol. 2, no. 4
(Plano, Illinois, October 1879), pp. 50-52, and Saints' Herald, vol. 26,
no. 19 (Plano, Illinois, October , 1879), p. 290.
45 Frederick G. Mather, "The Early Days of Mormonism," Lippincott's
Magazine 36 (1880), 198-211, esp. p. 201.
46 Jessee, "Knight," pp. 35-36.
47 In Kansas City Daily Journal, June 5, 1881, reprinted in Millennial
Star 43:421-23, 437-39, David Whitmer states that he made this trip "in
the year 1828."' The trip was probably late in 1828, because Oliver
probably first arrived at the district school in Palmyra in the fall of
1828. Lucy says Oliver was there "a short time" before March 1829 (see
Lucy, 1853, p. 128), and David Whitmer says in his June 5, 1881 statement
that it was only a matter of "several months" after this visit that
Oliver went to Harmony in April 1829 to "see [Joseph] about the matter."'
It also appears that David would have been in Palmyra at a time when
Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy were away (as they were in the first part of
the winter 1828) or else David would likely" have met them at the same
time he met Oliver. Lucy, Prelim. Ms # 1, pp. [96-98], seems to indicate
that Oliver taught the full term of fall and winter at school while
boarding with the Smiths, and was able to leave Palmyra at the close of
school.
48 Lucy, 1853, p. 124; Prelim. Ms #1, pp. [96-97]; HC 1:28.
49 Lucy, 1853, p. 128.
50 Joseph Smith Letterbook 1, Part I, p. 6 (LDS Archives) = Jessee,
Personal Writings, p. 8.
51 Joseph Smith Letterbook 1, Part I, p. 6 (LDS Archives) = Jessee,
Personal Writings, p. 8, "also my Brother Samuel H Smith."
52 W. Gunnell, pp. 29-30.
53 HC 1:32; LDS Messenger and Advocate, 1 (September 1834), p. 14; Lucy,
1853, pp. 128-31. Lucy, Preliminary Ms #1, p. [101], states that Joseph
had been praying for assistance and had been assured by the angel of the
Lord that a scribe "should be forthcoming in a few days."
54 See discussion in Section II below.
55 Jessee, "Knight," p. 35.
56 Jessee, "Knight," p. 36.
57 Lucy, 1853, p. 128; her Prelim. Ms #1, p. [97] says "He had
not been in the place long till he began to hear about the plates from
all quarters and immediately Commenced importuning Mr. Smith upon the
subject but he did not succeed in eliciting any information from him for
a long time."
58 See above at Winter 1828.
59 David Whitmer claimed that Oliver began boarding with Joseph Sr. in
1828. Larry C. Porter, "The Prophet's New York Years: Restoration,
Publication, and Organization, 1829-1830," 18 Oct 1984 BYU lecture
(forthcoming in BYU Religious Studies Center Monograph Series).
60 LDS Messenger and Advocate 1 (September 1834), p. 14. Oliver
apparently mentions his "natural eyes" because he had seen the plates and
perhaps Joseph before in a vision; see the entry under February 1829
above.
61 LDS Messenger and Advocate 1 (Letter VIII), p. 196.
62 LDS Messenger and Advocate 1 (October 1834 Letter I), p. 14.
63 LDS Messenger and Advocate 1 (October 1834 Letter I), p. 14.
64 Jessee, "Knight," p. 36.
65 HC 5:219, taken from Willard Richards' Journal. It is possible,
however, that this trip to Colesville occurred after May 25, but this
would allow little time for Joseph Knight to have made "several" visits,
HC 1:47, before Joseph and Oliver left for Fayette on June 1. HC 1:97, as
Richard L. Anderson kindly informs us, has most of the same elements,
making an 1830 date equally likely, although then the reference to only
"two or three" believers seems odd (see below at 15 May - 31 May 1829).
(This is why I argue for an 1830 date)
66 Jessee, "Knight," p. 36.
67 HC 1:47. .
68 Oliver Cowdery, LDS Messenger and Advocate 1 (September 1834 Letter
I), p. 15.
69 "[O]ne morning however they sat down to their usual work when the
first thing that presented itself to Joseph was a commandment from God
that he and Oliver should repair to the water each of them be baptized
they immediately went down to the susquehana river and obeyed the mandate
given them through the urim and Thummim" (Lucy, Prelim. Ms. #1, p.
[101]).
70 An early "copy" of the Articles of the Church of Christ initialed by
0.(?) C., bearing the date 1829 and discussed by Woodford, pp. 287-91, is
held in the LDS Archives. It is unclear of what, if anything, it is a
copy, or when the copy or its original was written. It quotes the
sacrament prayers in Moroni 4-5 and the sacramental instructions in 3 Ne.
18:29-32 which were translated late in May 1829, and in other ways
resembles D&C 20. D&C 20 took its basic present form in June 1830.

71 The dating of D&C 10 has been discussed by several scholars. Stanley
R. Larson, "A Study of Some Textual Variations in the Book of Mormon
comparing the Original and the Printer's Manuscripts, and the 1830, the
1837, and the 1840 Editions," (BYU: unpublished MA Thesis, 1974), pp.
17-18, stated: "The date of section 10 has become a problem. When the
original manuscript of the 'History of Joseph Smith' was written, the
discussion about this section was accidentally omitted. This omission was
soon noticed and two additional sheets with the text of the revelation
and the correct date of May 1829 were inserted into the history; but
unfortunately it was placed in the wrong context. This incongruity caused
later editors to attempt to rectify the situation by altering the date of
the revelation to 'the summer of 1828.' During the lifetime of Joseph
Smith the date was consistently reported as May 1829. The Book of
Commandments in 1833 first printed this revelation in its proper
chronological order and with the correct date." See also Stephen Snow in
MHA Newsletter, 44:15 (June 1980); Max Parkin in MHA Newsletter, 45:2-4
(Nov 1980); Max Parkin, "A Preliminary Analysis of the Dating of Section
10",  Sidney B. Sperry Symposium January 27, 1979 (Provo: Brigham Young
University, 1979), pp. 68-84; Lyndon W. Cook, Revelations of the Prophet
Joseph Smith, pp. 17-19, 122; Robert Woodford, doctoral dissertation, at
D&C 10. Lyndon Cook and Max Parkin argue for an 1828 date for the first
part of D&C 10, with additional material being added in 1829. E.g.,
Parkin points out several clear similarities between D&C 10:49-70 and 3
Nephi which support their concurrent dating. If references to receiving
the "gospel" in D&C 10:62 and 11:16, 19 refer to the impending
translation of "which was ministered unto" the Nephites in 3 Nephi, and
if, similarly, the statement in 18:17 was made at a time after Joseph,
Oliver and David had received 3 Nephi, then those sections bracket the
translation of 3 Nephi, as Monte Nyman points out. On the other hand, it
is possible that 10:62, which speaks of "that which you have received,"
is already speaking of the account of the ministry of Christ among the
Nephites in 3 Nephi.
72 See Jessee, "Original," pp. 260, 277-278, citing also D&C 5:30.
73 HC 1:44. Lucy, Preliminary Ms #1, p. [101], however, gives the
impression that Samuel was baptized on the same day as were Joseph and
Oliver.
74 Lucy, 1853, p. 130. HC 1:44, however, reports that Samuel did not come
to visit until a few days after May 15.
75 Lucy, 1853, p. 131.
76 HC 1:44-45.
77 It is possible, but not likely, that Joseph had to appear in court in
Colesville at this time, as remembered by Addison Everett in his letter
of 17 February 1881 to Oliver B. Huntington, recorded in the Oliver
Boardman Huntington Journal 14, 31 Jan. 1881, and discussed in Porter,
Ensign 9:6 (June 1979), p. 9. See also Lucy, 1853, p. 135, but the
reference is vague ("After Samuel left them, they still continued the
work as before, until about the time of the trial that took place in New
York"). No records for such a trial are known. The sources seem to be
confusing various events with an inconclusive hearing in Lyons, Wayne
County, N.Y. (Lucy, Prelim. Ms #1, pp. [102- 104]), or with a Bainbridge,
N.Y. trial in 1830. (According to Quinn and the encyclopedia of Mormonism
this event could have taken place from June 1829 to July 1830)
78 See sources discussed in Porter, Ensign 9:6 (June 1979), p. 8- 9. See
also B. H. Roberts, CHC 1:183. Richard Bushman places this event in 1830;
Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism (Urbana: Univ. of Illinois
Press, 1984), p. 163 and note 55.
79 As reported by Joseph F. Smith, David Whitmer told him and Orson Pratt
that Joseph prophesied to Oliver a "perfect description of what David did
on the way" before David arrived. Joseph F. Smith, Memorandum of a
Conversation with David Whitmer in Los Angeles, written April 25, 1918
(original in LDS Archives), p. 2. They travelled on "an ordinary wagon
with two long poles in it at each end across the end gates of the wagon
box, and then two boards laid across that for seats on those hickory
poles. Joseph and Emma were on the hind seat and Oliver and David on the
front seat." Ibid. The plates were carried to Fayette by Moroni in a
bundle on his back. Ibid. p. 3. Lucy, Prelim. Ms #1, p. [107], does not
include Emma on this trip to Fayette (Waterloo).
80 HC 1:49. John Whitmer later said that he wrote "sixty pages," Z.
Gurley interview with J. Whitmer, reported in Saints' Herald, 26 (15 Dec
1879), 370b.
81 She married David Edwin Bunnell in the Peter Whitmer home on April 15,
1830, and was the mother of Stephen Bunnell of Provo, Utah. See "History
of the Life of Oliver B. Huntington,"(typescript in BYU Special
Collections), pp. 49-50; Carma deJonge Anderson interview with Pearl
Bunnell Newell, January 1970, provides a similar reminiscence of Sally
Conrad (BYU Special Collections MS 011 239); marriage date of Sally
Conrad courtesy of Helen Bunnell Weeks of Orem, Utah. See article by R.
L. Anderson, "The House Where the Church was Organized," Era, 73:4 (April
1970), 16-25, for full discussion of the 1 1/2 story log house with attic
and of the Whitmers and their relatives.
82 Copy contained on obverse of letter of W. E. McLellan to "My Dear
Friends," Independence, Mo, February 1870, RLDS Archives P13 f191; the
bottom third of the letter is missing and conjectural restorations are
placed in brackets; disposition of the original certificate unknown;
another copy of this certificate (along with others) is probably
contained in the J. L. Traughber Jr. Collection, now up for sale (see
Salt Lake Tribune, July 26, 1986, Section B, pp. 1-2). (In Possession of
U of U archives as of 1996.
83 David Whitmer statement of September 15, 1882 to William Keeley and G.
A. Blakeslee, in Braden and Kelly Debate February 12 to March 8, 1884
(St. Louis: Christian Publ. Co., n.d.; and Independence Mo: Herald House,
1913), also cited in B. H. Roberts, CHC 1:131.
84 Copies of the two originals prepared by Lansing are found in the LDS
Archives and in the Library of Congress in Washington D.C., respectively.
85 HC 1:48-51.
86 Joseph Smith Letterbook 1, Part II, Letter 3 (transcribed in 1832),pp.
6-7.
87 HC 1:49. Z. Gurley's interview with J. Whitmer, reported by Gurley in
Saints' Herald, 26 (Dec 15, 1879), 370b; John stated "that he had
written" [as scribe] "sixty pages" of the Book of Mormon [about thirty
pages of manuscript?].
88 HC 1:51; D&C 27:12. In 1885 David Whitmer stated: "Sometime in June
1829 Joseph ordained Oliver Cowdery to be an Elder, and Oliver ordained
Joseph to be an Elder in the Church of Christ and during that year Joseph
both baptized and ordained me an elder in the Church of Christ."
Interview by Z. H. Gurley, January 14, 1885, p. 4 (original in LDS
Archives). Brigham Young later stated that the first apostles of this
dispensation were Joseph Smith Jr., Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer.
See discussion of Larry C. Porter, "The Prophet's New York Years:
Restoration, Publication, and Organization, 1829-1830," BYU lecture 18
Oct 1984, citing a Smith family prayer and B. Young. David Whitmer later
maintained that he continued to hold that apostleship--Chicago Tribune,
Dec 17, 1885, p. 3, col. 5.
89 HC 1:51.
90 The other possibility is Ether 5:2-4. Ether 5, however, only expressly
states that "unto three," i.e. a total of three, "shall they be shown." 2
Nephi 27, on the other hand, provides that "three witnesses shall behold
it, by the power of God,besides him to whom the book shall be delivered,"
and 27:13-14 refers to the eight witnesses. Since 2 Nephi 27 authorizes
more precisely what in fact eventually happened regarding the witnesses,
it appears that it was not until that passage was translated that the
manifestations to the witnesses ensued. This comports further with the
earliest notes on the manuscript history of the Church, discussed further
in Section II below.
91 Pomeroy Tucker, "Preface" to Origin, Rise, and Progress of Mormonism
(N.Y.: D. Appleton & Co., 1867), quoted in Francis W. Kirkham, A New
Witness for Christ in America (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1930),
p. 109. Memorandum of John H.  Gilbert, September 8, 1892, later
remembered that Martin Harris approached Grandin twice "in the forepart
of June, 1829," although this seems a little too early. See generally HC
1:71.
92 Kansas City Daily Journal, June 5, 1881, reprinted in Millennial Star
43:421-23, 437-39.
93 Larry Porter, dissertation, pp. 86-87, citing Weed's Life of  Thurlow
Weed, Including His Autobiography and a Memoir, 2 vols.,
ed. H. A. Weed (Boston: Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1884), I:358-359. One
Rochester publisher did agree to print it. See Richard Bushman, Joseph
Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism, p.107, citing Tucker, Origin, pp.
51-53
94 The mortgage is dated 25 August 1829, signed 26 August 1829, and was
recorded on 11 September 1829. See Miner T. Patton, "The Gold that Paid
for the Printing of the First Book of Mormon," (unpublished manuscript
with copies of documents; Sun City, AZ, August, 1983)--we are indebted to
Ken Godfrey for this item.
95 Peter Crawley, "A Bibliography of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints in New York, Ohio, and Missouri," BYU Studies, 12
(Summer 1972), p. 471. Authenticity of contract document, however, is
uncertain.
96 Gayle G. Ord, "From Golden Plates to Printing Press," ch. 2: "A cross
sampling of 'first editions for 138 books published between 1880 and 1882
(still) show that only 28 per cent of these exeeded 1,500 copies. About
15 per cent were 2,500 or more, and the maximum printing' . . . 6,000
copies was reserved for one particularly successful book."'
97 Book 3 of Mortgages, p. 325, located in the Wayne County Courthouse,
Lyons, New York, cited in L. Porter, dissertation, p. 88.
98 Memorandum of John H. Gilbert, p. 4. Letter of John H. Gilbert to F.
M. Lyman, October 23, 1887, cited in Kirkham, p. 225.
99 Memorandum of John H. Gilbert, September 8, 1892, p. 4; see generally
Gayle G. Ord, "From Golden Plates to Printing Press," (unpublished
manuscript in LDS Archives, 1972); Richard Anderson, "Gold Plates and
Printer's Ink," Ensign 6:9 (September 1976), pp. 71-76; Wilford C. Wood,
compiler, Joseph Smith Begins His Work, I (Salt Lake City: Deseret News
Press, 1958), introductory pages.
100 Memorandum of John H. Gilbert, p. 4.
101 Memorandum of John H. Gilbert, p. 4.
102 Letter located in the L.D.S. Church archives.
103 1 Ne. 1:1 - 2:3, 2:4-15, and Alma 43:22-40, respectively.
104 Russell Rich, "The Dogberry Papers and the Book of Mormon," BYU
Studies, 10 (Spring 1970), 315-20; F. W. Kirkham, A New Witness for
Christ in America, p. 271, confuses the dates and contents.
105 They went "over on the ice."' Letter of Mr. J. L. Traughber, in Wyl,
Mormon Portraits, p. 311.
106 Ibid: See generally, B: H: Roberts, A Comprehensive History of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City: Deseret,
1930), vol. 1, pp. 162-66.
107 Original in possession of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania,
according to documentation in the LDS Archives.
(For those who wonder as I did the H. P. in  Oliver H.P. Cowdery. Does
not stand for High priest or His Pen it is his middle names. I will leave
it to my buddy Scott Faulring to tell you what H. P. means in his papers
of Oliver Cowdery.)
108 Wayne Sentinel (Palmyra, New York), March 26, 1830.
109 Larry C. Porter, "The Prophet's New York Years: Restoration,
Publication, and Organization, 1829-1830," 18 October 1984 lecture at
BYU. Hyrum sold copies to missionaries for $1.25, who sold them for about
$2.50; Hyrum Smith, Diary and Account Book, in the LDS Archives.
110 Times & Seasons 3:10 (15 March 1842), 726ff. = HC 1:1ff.
111 Times & Seasons 3:897a. Book Al of the "Manuscript History of the
Church" likewise has a blank at this point (see Joseph Smith Collection
Microfilm Reel 6, LDS Archives).
112 "Manuscript History of the Church," Book A2, in the LDS Archives
(Joseph Smith Collection Microfilm Reel 8).
113 Saints' Herald, 26 (15 Dec 1879), 370b.
114 "I wish to mention here that the title-page of the Book of Mormon is
a literal translation taken from the very last leaf, on the left hand
side of the collection or book of plates, which contained the record
which has been translated," HC 1:71.
115 "History of the Book of Mormon," Contributor, 5 (1883-84) pp. 41-47;
161-168; 321-327; 361-367.
116 "A Most Sacred Possession: The Original Manuscript of the Book of
Mormon," Ensign 7:9 (September 1977), pp. 87-88.
117 "A Preliminary Analysis of the Dating of Section 10," p. 76. 118
Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism, p. 105.
119 LDS Messenger and Advocate, 1 (October 1834), p. 14.





IV. Bibliography: Documents and Sources

Anderson, Richard L., "By the Gift and Power of God," Ensign 7:9
(September 1977), pp. 79-85.

Anderson, Richard L., "Gold Plates and Printer's Ink," Ensign 6:9
(September 1976), pp. 71-76.

Anderson, Richard L., Investigating the Book of Mormon Witnesses (Salt
Lake City: Deseret, 1981).

Anderson, Richard L., "New Evidence from Modern Witnesses," Improvement
Era vol. 72: "The Scribe as Witness," 72:1 (January 1969), pp. 53-59;
"Martin Harris: The Honorable New York Farmer," 72:2 (February 1969), pp.
18-21; "The Certainty of the Skeptical Witness," 72:3 (March, 1969), pp.
62-67; "David Whitmer, The Independent Missouri Businessman," 72:4 (April
1969), pp. 74-81; "The Most Interviewed Witness," 72:5 (May 1969), pp.
76-83; "Five Who Handled the Plates," 72:7 (July 1969), pp. 38-47; "The
Smiths Who Handled the Plates," 72:8 (August 1969), pp. 28-34; "The House
Where the Church Was Organized," 73:4 (April 1970), pp. 16-25.

Anderson, Richard L., "The Whitmers," Ensign 9:8 (August 1979), pp.
35-40.

Anonymous, Letter to the Editor, "Birthplace and Family Residence of
Joseph Smith Jr," Historical Magazine (November 1870), pp. 315-16.

Backman, Milton V., Eyewitness Accounts of the Restoration (Provo:
Grandin Book, 1983, SLC: Deseret Book, 1986).

Ball, I. B., "The Prophet's Sister Testifies She Lifted the B. of M.
Plates" (interview of H. S. Salisbury, grandson of Catherine Smith
Salisbury, sister of Joseph Smith Jr., on August 31, 1954, in LDS
Archives).

Barrett, Ivan J., Joseph Smith and the Restoration: A History of the LDS
Church to 1846, rev. ed. (Provo: BYU Press, 1973), ch. 5.

Blackman, Emily C., History of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
(Philadelphia: Claxton, Remsen & Hafflinger, 1873).

Blair, W. W., "Letter of W. W. Blair about Mr. Michael Morse" Saints'
Herald 28:11 (June 1, 1881), pp. 166-169.

Briggs, E. C., "Interview with David Whitmer," Saints' Herald 31:5 (June
21, 1884).

Briggs, E. C., "A Visit to Nauvoo in 1856," Journal of History 9 (January
1916), p. 454.

Bushman, Richard L.,  Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism
(Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1984), pp. 79-114.

CHC See Roberts, Comprehensive History of the Church.

Cook, Lyndon W., The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith (Provo:
Seventy's Mission Bookstore, 1981).

Copyright Certificate for the Book of Mormon, 11 June 1829, Northern
District of New York (Original in LDS Archive, Salt Lake City; microfilm
of another draft of this certificate is in 117:107, Federal Copyright
Records for N.D.N.Y., Sept. 1826-May 1831; Microfilm Reel No. 27, Room
LM-459, Copyright Office, James Madison Bldg., Washington D.C.).

Cowdery, Oliver, "Letter to Hyrum," (June 14, 1829)--LDS Archives.

Cowdery, Oliver, "Letters I-VIII," Latter Day Saints' Messenger and
Advocate, 1 (1834-35), pp. 13-16, 40-43, 77-80, 83-84, 94-95, 109- 12,
155-59, and 195-202, reprinted as  Letters of Oliver Cowdery to W. W.
Phelps (Liverpool, 1844); also in Kirkham, New Witness, pp. 77-105,
393-406.

Cowdery, Oliver, W. W. Phelps ed., Letters by Oliver Cowdery to W. W.
Phelps on the origin of the Book of Mormon and the Rise of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Liverpool: Thomas Ward & John Cairns,
1844). .

Crawley, Peter, "A Bibliography of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints in New York, Ohio, and Missouri," BYU Studies 12:4
(Summer 1972), 465-537.

Ensign Staff "The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon," Ensign 13:12
(December 1983), pp. 31-51.

F.A.R.M.S. Update, "The 'Golden' Plates," (October, 1984).

F.A.R.M.S. Update, "Joseph Smith: Author and Proprietor," (August, 1985).

F.A.R.M.S. Update, "How Long Did It Take Joseph Smith to Translate the
Book of Mormon?" (February, 1986).

Fenn, Lucius, "Letter to Birdseye Bronson, February 12, 1830," (original
in LDS Archives).

Gilbert, John H., "Memorandum made September 8, 1892," (original in LDS
Archives).

Godfrey, Kenneth W., "'By the Gift and Power of God': The Remarkable
Story of the Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon," A Symposium on the Book
of Mormon, BYU, 13-15 August 1986, Tenth Annual CES Symposium (SLC:
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1986), pp. 57-65.

Gunnell, Wayne C., "Martin Harris--Witness and Benefactor to the Book of
Mormon," (unpublished MA Thesis, Brigham Young University, 1955).

Gurley, Zenas, H., "Synopsis of a Discourse Delivered at Lamoni, Iowa,"
reported by S. F. Walker in Saints' Herald, 26 (15 Dec 1879), pp.
360-371.

HC See Roberts, ed., History of the Church.

History of Seneca County New York (Philadelphia: Everets, Ensign &
Everts, 1876).

Hubble, M. J., "Interview with David Whitmer," Richmond, Mo, 13 November
1886, Western Historical Manuscripts Library, University of Missouri,
Columbia, Mo. Published in BYU Studies, 14:483-486.

James, Rhett, The Man Who Knew (Cache Valley: Martin Harris Pageant
Committee, 1983).

Jenson, Andrew, "The Three Witnesses," Historical Record (May 1887),
6:195-219, from Millennial Star 44:86-87, lecture of Martin Harris,
recorded by Edward Stevenson in Salt Lake City, September 4, 1870,
published in Deseret News (November 30, 1881).

Jessee, Dean C., "The Original Book of Mormon Manuscript," BYU Studies
10:3 (Spring 1970), pp. 259-278.

Jessee, Dean C., "Joseph Knight's Recollection of Early Mormon History,"
BYU Studies 17:1 (Autumn 1976), pp. 29-39.

Jessee, Dean C., The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City
Deseret, 1984).

Joseph Smith Letterbook 1, Part I (1832 History) and Part II (Letters) in
LDS Archives, Joseph Smith Collection.

Kelley, W. H., "The Hill Cumorah," Saints' Herald, 26:2, No. 420 (June,
15, 1879), pp. 190-91.

Kennedy, J. H., "The Three Witness of the Book of Mormon," Magazine of
Western History Illustrated 9:5 (March 1890), pp. 464-478.

Kimball, Stanley B., "The Anthon Transcript: People, Primary Sources, and
Problems," BYU Studies, 10:3 (Spring 1970), pp. 325-352.

Kimball, Stanley B., "Missouri Mormon Manuscripts: Sources In Selected
Societies," BYU Studies, 14:4 (Summer 1974), pp. 483-486.

Kirkham, Francis W., A New Witness for Christ in America, 1st ed.
(Independence, Mo: Press of Zion's Printing and Pub. Co., 1942).

Larson, Stanley R., "Changes in Early Texts of the Book of Mormon,"
Ensign 6:9 (September 1976), pp. 77-82.

Larson, Stanley R., "A Most Sacred Possession: The Original Manuscript of
the Book of Mormon," Ensign 7:9 (September 1977), pp. 87-91.

Larson, Stanley R., "A Study of Some Textual Variations in the Book  of
Mormon comparing the Original and the Printer's Manuscripts, and
the 1830, the 1837, and the 1840 Editions," (unpublished MA Thesis,
Brigham Young University, 1974.

Laub, Norman D., "He Knew David Whitmer," Ensign 11:9 (September 1981),
p. 63.

Mather, Frederick G., "The Early Days of Mormonism," Lippincott's
Magazine 36 (1880), pp. 198-211.

McLellan, William E., "Letter" (February, 1870) in RLDS Archives P13
f191.

"Modern Superstition--The Mormonites," Visitor or Monthly Instructor
(1841), pp. 61-64, 153-156, 237-239.

Noble, Joseph B., "Autobiographical Sketch 1810-1836," LDS Archives.
Noble, Mary Adeline Beman, "Autobiography 1810-1834," LDS Archives.

Nyman, Monte, "The Translation--A Marvelous Work and a Wonder" (n.p.,
n.d.), 2 pp.

Ord, Gayle Goble, "From Golden Plates to Printing Press," (1972
Manuscript; in LDS Archives), pp. 1-60. Cf. Ord, "The Book of Mormon Goes
to Press," Ensign, 2:12 (Dec 1972), pp. 68-69.

Parkin, Max H., "A Preliminary Analysis of the Dating of Section 10,"
Sidney B. Sperry Symposium January 27, 1979 (Provo: Brigham Young
University, 1979), pp. 68-84.

Parkin, Max H., in Mormon History Association Newsletter, 45 (Nov 1980),
pp. 2-4.

Peterson, J. W., in Rod of Iron 1:3 (Feb. 1924).

Porter, Larry C., "A Study of the Origins of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-Day Saints in the States of New York and Pennsylvania,
1816-1831" (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, BYU, 1971).

Porter, Larry C., "Dating the Restoration of the Melchizedek
Priesthood," Ensign 9:6 (June 1979), pp. 5-10.

Porter, Larry C., "The.Prophet's New York Years: Restoration,
Publication, and Organization, 1829-1830," 18 October 1984 BYU Lecture
(forthcoming in BYU Religious Studies Center Monograph Series).

Reynolds, George, "History of the Book of Mormon," Contributor 5:2
(November, 1883), pp. 41-47; 5:5 (February, 1884), pp. 161-168; 5:9
(June, 1884), pp. 321-327; 5:10 (July, 1884), pp. 361-367.

Rich, Russell R., "The Dogberry Papers and the Book of Mormon," BYU
Studies 10:3 (Spring 1970), pp. 315-320.

Richards, Samuel Whitney, "Memorandum dated May 21, 1907 reporting
conversations in 1848 with Oliver Cowdery," (original in LDS  Archives).

Ricks, Stephen D., Joseph Smith's Means and Methods of Translating the
Book of Mormon, FARMS Preliminary Report RIC-84 (Provo: FARMS, 1984).

Roberts, Brigham H., A Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 6 vols. (Salt Lake City: Deseret, 1930).

Roberts, Brigham H., ed., History of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Day Saints, 7 vols., 2nd ed. rev. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book,
1978), 1:18-80; cf. Times and Seasons 3 (May 2, 1842), pp. 772ff.

Saunders, Lorenzo, Unpublished Interview at Reading, Michigan, recorded
by William H. Kelly (17 Sept. 1884); in RLDS Archives.

Smith, Emma, "Last Testimony of Sister Emma," February 1879 Saints'
Advocate, 2:4 (Plano Illinois, October 1879), pp. 49-52, reprinted in
Saints' Herald, 26:19 (Plano, Illinois, October 1, 1879), p. 290

Smith, Emma Hale, "Emma Bidamon Letter to Mrs. George W. [Emma] Pilgrim,"
(Nauvoo, March 27, 1870), in RLDS Archives, P4 f20.

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by David Whitmer to Joseph F. Smith and Orson Pratt," (original in LDS
Archives).

Smith, Lucy Mack, dictation to Martha Jane Knowlton Coray, Preliminary
Manuscript #1 (1845-1847) of Lucy Mack Smith's History of Joseph Smith,
later edited by Howard Coray (Manuscript #2), and finally published by
Orson Pratt as Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith the Prophet in 1853.
Both manuscripts in LDS Archives.

Smith, Lucy Mack, Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith the Prophet and
his Progenitors for Many Generations, 1st ed. (Liverpool: S. W. Richards,
1853).

Smith, Lucy Mack, "Letter to Solomon Mack, January 6, 1831," (original in
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Snow, Stephen R., in Mormon History Association Newsletter 44 (June
1980), p. 15.

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1859), pp. 46-51, 119-21, 163-70 (interview with Martin Harris).

Tucker, Pomery, Origin, Rise, and progress of Mormonism (New York: D.
Appleton & Co., 1867).

United States Statutes at Large, vols. 2-4 (Boston: Little & Brown, 1850,
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David Whitmer, 1887).

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(SLC: Tribune Printing and Publishing Co., 1886).

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(c) F.A.R.M.S. revised 3-OCT-86; 1st edition, 4 September 1986 Part








Ciao Perry     <[e-mail]>    http://pobox.com/~plporter


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Perry L. Porter" <[e-mail]>
Subject: ---> D&C Section 20
Date: 22 Feb 1997 21:45:53 -0700


Extracts from "The Articles and Covenants of the Church of
Christ and the Book of Mormon," by Robert J. Woodford,
Doctrines for Exaltation: The 1989 Sperry Symposium on the
Doctrine and Covenants, (Deseret Book Compay, 1989)

    In 1959 Brenda Daily and her brother Bill attended the
Ravenna High School in Ravenna, Ohio.  They had recently
moved there with their family from the Canal Zone where
their father, William D. Daily, served in the military.  While in
the Canal Zone, these two young people had leamed
conversational Spanish.  They were anxious to study the
language at their new school.  Unfortunately the school was
not large enough for a regular Spanish class; however, the
principal, Wayne E. Watters, had experience teaching
Spanish.  He was willing to teach a class before school if
Brenda and Bill could also get some other students to
attend.  They found several willing classmates, and soon
they had an enthusiastic class functioning.
    During the year, Mr. Watters found out that Bill and
Brenda were Latter-day Saints.  Once he knew that, he had
several discussions with them about the Church.  On one
occasion he mentioned that his wife's father had an early
document of the LDS Church in his possession.  He told
them that the family had preserved it through four
generations.  His wife's maiden name is Virginia Ryder, and
she is a great-greatgranddaughter of Symonds Ryder.  He
was an 1831 convert to the Church from Hiram, Ohio.,
Somehow Symonds Ryder obtained this document, but
there are no historical records that relate how he obtained it.
    Later in the year, during a serious illness, Wayne and
Virginia Watters feared her father would soon die.  They
thought that he had no more use for the document, and so
they gave it to Brenda.' They felt it would be of greater value
to a member of the Church than it was to them.  Brenda took
it to her father, and he immediately realized that it was a
record of some worth.  He conveyed it to the mission
president in Ohio, who sent it to Church headquarters with
the next missionary returning to Utah.  The Church Historian
placed it in the archives of the Historical Department of the
Church, where researchers can have access to it today.
    This document is in the handwriting of Oliver
Cowdery3 and is three pages in length.  It begins: "A
commandment from God unto Oliver how he should build up
his Church & the manner thereof." It ends: "Written in the year
of our Lord & Saviour 1829-A true copy of the Articles of the
Church of Christ.  O.C."
    The body of the document is composed of scriptures
from the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants
interspersed with commentary by Oliver Cowdery.  Through
these, Oliver Cowdery established several important
doctrinal truths.
...

    There is a close connection between this 1829
manuscript of Oliver Cowdery and section 20 of the Doctrine
and Covenants. The title of section 20 in the other surviving
manuscripts is "The Articles and Covenants of the Church of
Christ."  The title of section 20 as it was published in The
Evening and the Morning Star is the same, and it is very
similar to the title of Oliver Cowdery's manuscript.   Section
20 also contains most of the Book of Mormon scriptures
quoted by Oliver Cowdery in his manuscript.  Oliver
Cowdery's manuscript is probably an early draft of section
20.


An extract from
The "Articles of Faith" in Early Mormon Literature and
Thought by DAVID J. WHITTAKER
New Views of Mormon History: Essays in Honor of Lenard J.
Arrington (this title may be a little incorrect)

    Almost anyone familiar with Joseph Smith has heard
of the letter he wrote to John Wentworth, editor of the
Chicago Democrat, in 1842.  He was answering a specific
request from Wentworth to supply Wentworth's friend,
George Barstow, information on the history and beliefs o f
the Latter-day Saints.  Wentworth told Smith that Barstow
was writing a history of the state of New Hampshire and that
he wished to include information about the Mormons.
    Joseph Smith's letter is a masterpiece of
succinctness: in just a few short pages he summarized his
own religious experience and reviewed the first decade of
the church's history.  At the end of the historical sketch,
Joseph attached a list summarizing the "faith of the
Latter-day Saints," later titled the "Articles of Faith." Barstow
never published the Wentworth letter , but it was printed in
March 1842 in the church's periodical, the Nauvoo Times
and Seasons.  In 185 1, Franklin D. Richards, then president
of the British Mission, assembled for that mission a
pamphlet which contained a variety of documents that had
earlier appeared in LDS publications.  Among the items he
selected was the "Articles of Faith." Reflecting the
composite nature of his collection, he titled the work the
Pearl of Great Price.  In 1880, a general conference of the
church voted to add this "gem" to the standard works of the
church  along with the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine
and Covenants, it thus achieved the status of canonized
scripture.
    Even before 1880, the "Articles of Faith" had been a
standard reference for those seeking a concise list of LDS
beliefs, and after the 1880 canonization, their position was
assured.  Thus when James E. Talmage was asked by the
First Presidency in 1891 to "prepare a work on theology,
suitable as a text book for our Church schools," it was no
surprise that he would use the "Articles of Faith" as the
outline for his work. Finally published in 1889, his Articles of
Faith further cemented in the minds and hearts of LDS
students the thirteen statements from the Wentworth letter.
    Just how does the list of beliefs from the Wentworth
letter fit into the larger body of LDS literature which contained
similar lists of faith?   Did Joseph Smith author them, or did
he borrow from other early LDS authors who compiled
similar lists?  What was intended by these lists?  In spite of
his anticreedal attitude, did Smith intend to give the church a
creed in these statements?  How did the early church use
and understand lists of belief?  How have these listings
changed over the years?  This essay attempts to deal with
these questions by examining the printed literature
generated during the formative years of the Mormon
movement.  The approach will be primarily chronological,
focusing on three periods of the "Articles of Faith": origin,
popularization, and canonization.
    Even before the church was organized, Joseph Smith
felt the need to formulate a statement that would briefly
summarize the major beliefs of the religious movement he
had been commanded to give institutional embodiment.  As
early as 1829, he and Oliver Cowdery committed to paper
the beginnings of the "Articles and Covenants" of the church,
later Published as Doctrine and Covenants Section 20.  The
textual development of that section thus provides a starting
point for our discussion.
    The dating of Doctrine and Covenants 20 has never
been precisely established.  Today, the headnote suggests
April 1830 as the date of its composition.  The Manuscript
History of the Church simply gives the general date of 1830.
The History of the Church, which generally prints the
sections of the Doctrine and Covenants in chronological
order, places Section 19 after Section 20, which suggests a
pre-March 1830 dating.  Some authors even proposed that
Doctrine and Covenants 20 was revealed on 6 April 1830,
the day the church was organized.  But what appears to be
the earliest effort to enumerate or summarize-the main
beliefs of the restoration, perhaps an urtext to Doctrine and
Covenants 20, is an unpublished document in Oliver
Cowdery's handwriting dated 1829 --possibly as early as
June.  A revelation to Cowdery, which he himself recorded,
the document bears strong similarities to Doctrine and
Covenants 20.  Specifically, it commands Cowdery to write
"the articles of the Church of Christ," and contains a number
of specific items now found in Doctrine and Covenants 20.  In
addition to several quotations from Doctrine and Covenants
18, the document cites 3 Nephi 18:29-32 concerning the
sacrament and the central role of the atonement' of Christ.
    Doctrine and Covenants 20 is a much fuller
elaboration of items in the Cowdery document.  In their first
printed form, Doctrine and Covenants 20 and 22 were
combined and entitled "The Articles and Covenants or the
Church" in the June 1832 issue of the The Evening and the
Morning Star. It seems clear that both Smith and Cowderv
were responsible for the final version, a fact that helps to
understand the background of the argument over Cowdery's
insistence that Smith change the wording of verse 37.
Doctrine and Covenants 22 was later deleted from  Doctrine
and Covenants 20 and verses 66 and 67 were added.  Even
a superficial study of Doctrine and Covenants 20 reveals its
composite nature.  But it also reveals an orderly structure
that led B.H. Roberts to call it "a declaration of fundamental
doctrines," and to use its structure outline and discuss the
basic beliefs of the early church in his Comprehensive
History of the Church.  "
    On 9 June 1830, during the first conference of the
church, Joseph Smith read Doctrine and Covenants 20 to
those assembled and the contents were accepted by the
"unanimous voice of the congregation."  Thus Doctrine and
Covenants 20 became the first revelatory item canonized in
the early church.  Surviving records indicate that this
document was read as a regular item of business during
succeeding conferences.  Its importance to the church
would have been reinforced by the practice of making
copies for early missionaries to carry with them into their
fields of labor.  Its prominence in early LDS thought is further
emphasized by its place in the 1835 to 1869 editions of
Doctrine and Covenants: it was the second document
printed in those compilations of modern revelations to the
church.
    Briefly, Doctrine and Covenants 20 enumerated the
following doctrines: the existence of God, the creation and
fall of man, the
roles of Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost and the Trinity,
justification and sanctification, falling from grace, baptism,
the manner of baptism and confirmation, the duties of
members, the sacramental prayers, duties of members
respecting children, duties of the officers of the church, and
the need for conferences.  It was, of course, a redacted
series of brief revelations on key concepts necessary for
the infant church.  It made no claim to completeness, and it
seems that it was never taken as comprehensive by early
members.  It was a constitution, a basic charter of the new
church, not a Summa Theologia.  Doctrine and Covenants
20, then, functioned as a kind of creedal statement during
the first decade of the church.
    At least one other item that appeared in the early LDS
scriptures also helped members to formalize the beliefs of
the young church.  During the winter of 1834-35 a series of
seven theological "Lectures on Faith" were presented to
elders in Kirtland, Ohio.  These lectures consisted of a
series of propositions, each of which was supported by
scriptural citations, logic, and short catechisms designed for
a classroom presentation.  The seven lectures lead to a
final conclusion by the last one; their content and direction
suggested to early members that any position on
theological matters could be logical and systematically
prepared and published.
    The fact that these lectures were placed in the 1835
edition of the Doctrine and Covenants and remained until
1921 suggests their potential for systematically approaching
the topic of faith.  The School of the Prophets at which these
lectures were presented was to instruct its members "more
perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the
gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God.""
The whole standardizing that school lectures implied could
have furthered the early Mormon attempt to create a uniform
and standard list of Articles of Faith.
    Joseph Smith indicated in the preface to the 1835
edition of the Doctrine and Covenants that the volume
contained "the leading items of the religion which we
profess to believe." Further, he and his colleagues
reasoned:

There may be an aversion in the minds of some against
receiving any thing purporting to be articles of religious faith,
in consequence of there being so many now extant; but if
men believe a system, and profess that it was given by
inspiration, certainly, the more intelligibly they can present it,
the better.  It does not make a principle untrue to print it.
Neither does it make it true not to print it....  We have,
therefore endeavored to present through in few words, our
belief, and when we say this, humbly trust, the faith and
principles of this society as a body.

While it was not specifically intended to be a creed, the
publication of the Doctrine and Covenants was another step
in the standardizing of Mormon faith.
    It is significant that the first attempt to give a listing of
"ourearly Mormon periodical literature was made by Oliver
Cowdery.  In the first issue of the LDS Messenger and
Advocate in 1834, Cowdery listed eight items, all of which
had their roots in his early draft of Doctrine and Covenants
20.  Writing that "our principles may be fully known" he
enlarged upon those doctrines mentioned in Doctrine and
Covenants 20:

    We believe in God, and his Son Jesus Christ.  We
believe that God, from the beginning revealed himself to
man; and that whenever he has had a people on earth, he
always had revealed himself to them by the Holy Ghost, the
ministering of angels, or his own voice.
    We do not believe that he ever had a church on earth
without revealing himself to that church: consequently, there
are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers,
in the same.
    We believe that God is the same in all ages; and that
it requires the same holiness, purity, and religion, to save a
man now, as it did anciently; and that He is no respecter of
persons, always has, and always will reveal himself to men
when they call upon him.
    We believe that God has revealed himself to men in
this age, and commenced to raise up a church preparatory
to his second advent, when he will come in the clouds of
heaven with power and great glory.
    We believe that the popular religious theories of the
day are incorrect; that they are without parallel in the
revelations of God, as sanctioned by him; and that however
faithfully they may be adhered to, or however zealously and
warmly they may be defended, they will never stand the
strict scrutiny of the word of life.
    We believe that all men are born free and equal, that
no man, combination of men, or government of men, have
power or authority to compel or force others to embrace any
system of religion, or religious creed, or to use force or
violence to prevent others from enjoying their own opinions,
or practicing the same, so long as they do not molest or
disturb others in theirs, in a manner to deprive them of their
privileges as free citizens-or of worshiping God as they
choose, an attempt to the contrary is an assumption
unwarrantable in the revelations of heaven, and strikes at
the root of civil liberty, and is a subversion of all equitable
principles between man and man.
    We believe that God has set his hand the second time
to recover the remnant of his people Israel; and that the time
is near when he will bring them from the four winds, with
songs of everlasting joy, and reinstate them upon their own
lands which he gave their fathers by covenants.
    And further: We believe in embracing good wherever
it may be found; or proving all things, and holding fast that
which is righteous.
    This in short, is our belief, and we stand ready to
defend it upon its own foundation, when ever it is assailed
by men of character and respectability.  And while we act
upon these broad principles, we trust in God that we shall
never be confounded.
    Neither shall we wait for opposition; but with a firm
reliance upon the justice of such a course, and the propriety
of disseminating a knowledge of the same, we shall
endeavor to persuade men to turn from error and vain
speculation; investigate the plan which was devised for our
salvation; prepare for the year of recompense, and the day
of vengeance which are near, and thusly be ready to meet
the Bridegroom.

Cowdery referred to these as "broad principles" and invited
all to further investigate the church.  In later issues, he wrote
more detailed essays on Mormon doctrines as he tried to
fulfill his assignment as a "messenger and advocate" of the
restoration.
    Two years later Brigham Young's brother, Joseph,
provided John Hayward in Boston with five creedal
statements, all of which were suggested in Doctrine and
Covenants 20 and in Cowdery's 1834 listing.   Referring to
his list as "its principal articles of faith" Joseph Young wrote:
--------------------------

    ..."The revelation was at once a formal declaration of
belief as well as a written modus operandi for administering
the affairs of the divine organization.  ...  The writing of this
revelation was begun sometime in 1829 but apparently not
completed until after 6 April 1830.  Section 20 was first
presented to the Church membership for sustaining vote on
9 June 1830 at the first conference of the Church in Fayette,
New York.
    The "Articles and Covenants" were read aloud to the
congregation almost as a routine requirement at the early
Church conferences.  But as Church leaders became more
conversant with the revelation, an entire reading becam less
frequent.  The continual reference to the revelation,
evidenced throughout Church records during the lifetime of
Joseph Smith, served to teach proper Church policy and
procedure to leader and layman alike.
    Lyndon W. Cook, The Revelations of the Prophet
Joseph Smith: A Historical and Biographical Commentary of
the Doctrine and Covenants, (Deseret Book, 1985) p.31.
____________________________________________________

    Like the fuller Articles of Faith done in Nauvoo, they
can be better understood by agreements and
disagreements with the prevalent Protestant creeds.
Joseph and his family were involved with the Methodist and
Presbyterian churches.  So their statements of belief are
points of departure for the Latter-day Saint Articles and
Covenants.  The LDS format has marked similarities, though
content deeply differs.  Protestant creeds generally began
with God and moved to the fall, Christ's redemption, the
saving ordinances, and the believer's moral duties.  That
also summarizes D&C20:17-26.  But this simple LDS credo
eliminates all language about te God "without body" and
"parts" as well as the strong descriptions that the Father and
Son are together "one substance."  Indeed, these phrases
come from the later Christian councils, not the scriptures.
Joseph said that in 1820 the First Vision taught him the error
of Christian creeds, and in 1830 he avoided their
nonscriptural language in the first statement of Latter-day
beliefs.
    ...
    ...  One interesting dating problem within the revelation
concerns the meaning of the Church organized "one
thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the coming of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the flesh" (D&C20:1).
Does this give the exact year of Christ's birth?  That
calculation places too much weight on what may have been
and elaborate phrase of dating or an incidental statement.
The first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants Commentary
[The Doctrine and Covenants by Hyrum M. Smith and Janne
M. Sjodahl, 1923] cautioned against using this to prove that
Christ was born at the exact beginning of the Christian Era;
so have Bible scholars J. Reuben Clark and Bruce R.
McConkie.  Part of the problem is that Christ was alive at the
death of Herod the Great, an event of 4 B.C. in careful
chronologies.
    Richard Lloyd Anderson, "The Organization
Revelations, Studies in Scripture, Volume One: The
Doctrine and Covenants edited by Robert L. Millet and Kent
P. Jackson (Randall Book Co., 1984) p.110-115
__________________________________________

    [Endnote 15:] Joseph Smith added to these
prerequisites that persons must also "truly manifest by their
works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto a
remission of their sins."  During the summer of 1830, Oliver
Cowdery wrote to the Prophet and commanded Joseph to
delete this addition.  (See History of the Church, 1:104-5.)
Eventually Joseph was able to convince Oliver Cowdery
and the Whitmer family (who agreed with Oliver that it should
be removed) that the phrase was doctrinal and should be
retained.  Even though Oliver Cowdery was presumptuous
in commanding the Prophet to remove this phrase, we can
appreciate his forceful approach when we remember that he
wrote the first draft of section 20 and had a definite interest in
the final version.


A Revelation given through Oliver Cowdery.  [references
indicate similarity in D&C]

   1. A commandment from God unto Oliver, how he should
build up His Church and the manner thereof --
    2.    Saying: Oliver, listen to the voice of Christ your
Lord and your God and your Re?deemer and write the words
which I shall command you concerning my Church, my
Gospel, my Rock and my Salvation -
    3.    Behold the world is ripen?ing in iniquity and it
must needs be that the children of men are stirred up unto
repent?ance, both the Gentiles and also the House of Israel.
[18:6]
    4.    For behold I command all men everywhere to
repent and I speak unto you even as unto ,,Paul mine
Apostle for ye are called even with that same calling with
which he was called.  [18:9]
    5.    Now therefore whosoever repenteth and
humbleth him?self before me and desireth to be baptized in
my name shall ye baptize them.  [20:37]
    6.    And after this manner did he command me that I
should baptize them.
   7.    Behold ye shall go down and stand in the water and in
my name shall ye baptize
them.
    8.    And now behold these are the words which ye
shall say calling them by name saying: Having authority
given me of Jesus Christ I baptize you in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen.  [20:73]
    9.    And then shall ye im?merse them in the water and
come forth again out of the water and after this manner shall
ye baptize in my name.  [20:74]
    10.    For behold verily I say unto you that the Father
and the Son and the Holy Ghost are one and I am in the
Father and the Father in me and the Father and I are one.
[20:28]
    11. And ye are also called to ordain Priests and
Teachers according to the gifts and callings of God unto
men and after this manner shall ye ordain them.
    12.    Ye shall pray unto the Father in my name and
then shall ye lay your hand upon them and say:
    13.    In the name of Jesus Christ I ordain you to be a
priest or if he be a teacher I ordain you to be a teacher to
preach repentance and remis?sion of sins through Jesus
Christ by the endurance of faith on his name to the end.
Amen.
    14.    And this shall be the duty of the Priest; He shall
kneel down and the members of the Church shall kneel also,
which Church shall be called: The Church of Christ and he
shall pray to the Father in my name for the Church.
    15.    And if it so be that it be built upon my Rock I will
bless it.
    16.    And after that ye have prayed to the Father in
my name ye shall preach the truth in soberness casting out
none from among you but rather invite them to come.
    17.    And the Church shall oft partake of bread and
wine and after this manner shall ye partake of it;  [20:75]
    18.    The E lder or Priest shall minister it and after this
manner shall he do, he shall kneel with the Church and pray
to the Father in the name of Christ and then shall ye say-. 0
God the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son
Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of
all those who partake of it, that they may eat in
remem?brance of the body of thy Son and witness unto thee,
0 God the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon
them the name of thy Son and always remember him and
keep his commandments which he hath given them, that
they may always have his spirit to be with them Amen.
[20:76,77]
    19.    And then shall ye take the cup and say: 0 God
the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son Jesus
Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those
who drink of it, that they may do Lit] in remembrance of the
blood of thy Son, which was shed for them, that they may
witness unto thee 0 God the Eternal Father that they do
always remember him, that they may have his spirit to be
with them.  Amen.
    20.    And now behold I give unto you a
commandment, that ye shall not suffer any one knowingly to
partake of my flesh and blood unworthi?ly when ye shall
minister it; for whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood
unworthi?ly eateth and drinketh damna?tion to his soul.
    21.    Therefore if ye know that a man is unworthy to
eat and drink of my flesh and blood ye shall forbid him.
Nevertheless ye shall not cast him out from among you but
ye shall minister unto him and shall pray for him unto the
Father in my name.
    22.    And if it so be that he repenteth and is baptized
in my name then shall ye receive him and shall minister unto
him of my flesh and blood.
    23.    But if he repenteth not he shall not be numbered
among my people, that he may not destroy my people.
    24.    For behold I know my sheep and they are
numbered.  Nevertheless ye shall not cast him out of your
synagogues or your places of worship for unto such shall ye
continue to minister for ye know not but what they will return
and repent and come unto me with full purpose of heart and I
shall heal them and ye shall be the means of bringing
salvation unto them.
    25.    Therefore keep these things which I have
com?manded you, that ye come not under condemnation for
woe unto him whom the Father condemneth -
    26.    And the Church shall meet together oft for prayer
and supplication, casting out none from your places of
worship but rather invite them to come and each member
shall speak and tell the Church of their progress in the way
to eternal life.
    27.    And there shall be no pride nor envying nor
strifes nor malice nor idolatry nor witchcrafts nor whoredoms
nor fornications nor covetous?ness nor lying nor deceits nor
no manner of iniquity.
    28.    And if anyone is guilty of any or the least of
these and doth not repent and show fruits meet for
repentance they shall not be numbered among my people
that they may not destroy my people. (Joseph Smith
Collection, Church Historians Office)