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Revelation, 2 January 1831 [D&C 38]

Source Note

Revelation, , Seneca Co., NY, 2 Jan. 1831. Featured version, titled “41st Commandment Jan 2nd AD 1831,” copied [ca. Mar. 1831] in Revelation Book 1, pp. 49–52; handwriting of ; CHL. Includes redactions. For more complete source information, see the source note for Revelation Book 1.

Historical Introduction

This revelation, dictated at a church in , New York, came three days after a 30 December 1830 revelation commanded the church to “assemble together at the .” The 2 January 1831 revelation elaborated on the earlier commandment by reiterating the call to gather and promising the members they would be thereafter endowed with “power from on high.”
In his later history, wrote that as JS addressed the conference on 2 January and discussed the to move to as a group, those present “desired to know somewhat more concerning this matter.” In response, “the Seer enquired of the Lord in the presence of the whole congregation, and thus came the word of the Lord.” Recalling the conference later, noted that “we were instructed as a people, to begin the gathering of Israel, and a revelation was given to the Prophet on this subject.”
Some church members were reticent to leave their homes and relocate to , and a few, according to , even wondered if “Joseph had invented it [the revelation] himself to deceive the people that in the end he might get gain.” Several weeks later, a resident of Waterloo, New York, wrote that “this command was at first resisted by such as had property, (the brethren from the neighboring counties being all assembled by special summons,) but after a night of fasting, prayer and trial, they all consented to obey the holy messenger.” JS’s saw the revelation in a positive light. She wrote to her brother Solomon Mack to explain that after they gathered together, God would “come and reign on ea[r]th with them a thousand years.” She also indicated, “We expect to go away to the Ohio early in the spring.”

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Revelation, 30 Dec. 1830 [D&C 37:3].

  2. [2]

    Whitmer, History, 6.

  3. [3]

    Knight, History, 268–269.

    Knight, Newel. History. Private possession. Copy in CHL. MS 19156.

  4. [4]

    Whitmer, History, 9.

  5. [5]

    Waterloo, NY, 26 Jan. [1831], Letter to the Editor, Reflector (Palmyra, NY), 1 Feb. 1831, 95.

    Reflector. Palmyra, NY. 1821–1831.

  6. [6]

    Lucy Mack Smith, Waterloo, NY, to Solomon Mack, Gilsum, NH, 6 Jan. 1831, CHL.

    Smith, Lucy Mack. Letter, Waterloo, NY, to Solomon Mack, Gilsum, NH, 6 Jan. 1831. CHL. MS 3468.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Revelation, 2 January 1831 [D&C 38] Revelation Book 1 Revelations printed in The Evening and the Morning Star, June 1832–June 1833 Book of Commandments, 1833 Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 Revelations printed in Evening and Morning Star, January 1835–June 1836 John Whitmer, History, 1831–circa 1847 History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834] “History of Joseph Smith” Doctrine and Covenants, 1844

Page 50

Virtue of the blood which I have spilt have I pled before the Father for them but Behold the residue of the wicked have I kept in Chains of darkness untill the Judgement of the great day which shall come at the end of the Earth & even so will I cause the wicked that will not hear my voice but harden their hearts & wo, wo, is their doom But Behold Verily Verily I say unto you that mine eyes are upon you I am in your midst & ye cannot see me but the day soon cometh that ye shall see me & know that I am for the chains <​vails​> of vails of darkness shall soon be rent & he that is not purified shall not abide the day wherefore gird up your loins & be prepared Behold the Kingdom is yours & the enemy shall not overcome Verily I say unto you that ye are clean but not all & there is none else with whoom I am well pleased for all flesh is corruptabl before me & the powers of darkness prevail upon the Earth among the Children of men in the presence of all the host <​of​> Heaven which causeth silence to reign & all eternity is pained & the Angels are waiting the great command to Reap down the Earth to gether the tears [tares] that they may be burned & Behold the enemy is combined & now I shew unto you a Mystery a thing which is had in seecret Chambers to bring to pass even your distruction in process of time & ye knew it not but now I tell it <​unto​> you & ye are blessed not because of your iniquity neither your hearts of unbelief, for Verily <​some of​> ye you are guilty before me Therefore be ye strong from henceforth fear not for the Kingdom is yours & for your Salvation I gave it unto you a commandment for I have heard your prayers & the poor have complained before me & the rich have I made & all flesh is mine & I am no respector to & I persons & I have made the earth rich & Behold it is my footstool Wherefore again I will stand upon it & I hold forth & deign to give unto you greater [p. 50]
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Page 50

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Revelation, 2 January 1831 [D&C 38]
ID #
6497
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
JSP, D1:229–233
Handwriting on This Page
  • John Whitmer

Footnotes

  1. [3]

    See Old Testament Revision 1, p. 18 [Moses 7:57].

  2. [4]

    A revelation dated December 1830 declared that the elect “shall abide the day of my coming for they shall be purified even as I am pure.” (Revelation, 7 Dec. 1830 [D&C 35:21].)

  3. [5]

    See John 13:10.

  4. [6]

    The revelation that first directed JS and Sidney Rigdon to go to Ohio stated that they were to do so “because of the enemy & for your sakes.” (Revelation, 30 Dec. 1830 [D&C 37:1].)

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