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Revelation, 9 December 1830 [D&C 36]

Source Note

Revelation, [
Fayette Township

Located in northern part of county between Seneca and Cayuga lakes. Area settled, by 1790. Officially organized as Washington Township, 14 Mar. 1800. Name changed to Fayette, 6 Apr. 1808. Population in 1830 about 3,200. Population in 1840 about 3,700. Significant...

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, Seneca Co., NY], to
Edward Partridge

27 Aug. 1793–27 May 1840. Hatter. Born at Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of William Partridge and Jemima Bidwell. Moved to Painesville, Geauga Co., Ohio. Married Lydia Clisbee, 22 Aug. 1819, at Painesville. Initially a Universal Restorationist...

View Full Bio
, 9 Dec. 1830. Featured version, titled “39th. Commandment Decm. 9th. AD 1830,” copied [ca. Mar. 1831] in Revelation Book 1, pp. 48–49; handwriting of
John Whitmer

27 Aug. 1802–11 July 1878. Farmer, stock raiser, newspaper editor. Born in Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Member of German Reformed Church, Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Baptized by Oliver Cowdery, June 1829, most likely in Seneca...

View Full Bio
; CHL. Includes redactions. For more complete source information, see the source note for Revelation Book 1.
A portion of another early version of this revelation in unidentified handwriting survived through the
Symonds Rider

20 Nov. 1792–1 Aug. 1870. Farmer, teacher, minister. Born in Hartford, Windsor Co., Vermont. Son of Joshua Ryder and Marilla Loomis. Moved to Hiram, Portage Co., Ohio, 6 Jan. 1814. Married Mahitable Loomis, 12 Nov. 1818, in Portage Co. Served as captain in...

View Full Bio
family, coming into the Church Historian’s Office in the 1960s.
1

Revelation, 9 Dec. 1830, in Revelations Collection, CHL [D&C 36:3–8]. The opposite side of this revelation fragment contains a few verses of Revelation, 7 Dec. 1830 [D&C 35].


Comprehensive Works Cited

Revelations Collection, 1831–ca. 1844, 1847, 1861, ca. 1876. CHL. MS 4583.

Because the manuscript that came from the Rider family is incomplete, it was not selected as the featured version.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Revelation, 9 Dec. 1830, in Revelations Collection, CHL [D&C 36:3–8]. The opposite side of this revelation fragment contains a few verses of Revelation, 7 Dec. 1830 [D&C 35].

    Revelations Collection, 1831–ca. 1844, 1847, 1861, ca. 1876. CHL. MS 4583.

Historical Introduction

This revelation was dictated for
Edward Partridge

27 Aug. 1793–27 May 1840. Hatter. Born at Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of William Partridge and Jemima Bidwell. Moved to Painesville, Geauga Co., Ohio. Married Lydia Clisbee, 22 Aug. 1819, at Painesville. Initially a Universal Restorationist...

View Full Bio
, an
Ohio

French explored and claimed area, 1669. British took possession following French and Indian War, 1763. Ceded to U.S., 1783. First permanent white settlement established, 1788. Northeastern portion maintained as part of Connecticut, 1786, and called Connecticut...

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an who had come to
New York

Located in northeast region of U.S. Area settled by Dutch traders, 1620s; later governed by Britain, 1664–1776. Admitted to U.S. as state, 1788. Population in 1810 about 1,000,000; in 1820 about 1,400,000; in 1830 about 1,900,000; and in 1840 about 2,400,...

More Info
to meet JS. Partridge, a hatter living in
Painesville

Located on Grand River twelve miles northeast of Kirtland. Created and settled, 1800. Originally named Champion. Flourished economically from harbor on Lake Erie and as major route of overland travel for western emigration. Included Painesville village; laid...

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, Ohio, and his wife, Lydia, were members of
Sidney Rigdon

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

View Full Bio
’s reformed Baptist congregation.
1

Advertisement, Painesville (OH) Telegraph, 8 Sept. 1829, [3]; Partridge, Genealogical Record, 2, 5.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Painesville Telegraph. Painesville, OH. 1822–1986.

Partridge, Edward, Jr. Genealogical Record. 1878. CHL. MS 1271.

In early November 1830 they became interested in the
Church of Christ

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

View Glossary
when
Oliver Cowdery

3 Oct. 1806–3 Mar. 1850. Clerk, teacher, justice of the peace, lawyer, newspaper editor. Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Raised Congregationalist. Moved to western New York and clerked at a store, ca. 1825–1828...

View Full Bio
,
Parley P. Pratt

12 Apr. 1807–13 May 1857. Farmer, editor, publisher, teacher, school administrator, legislator, explorer, author. Born at Burlington, Otsego Co., New York. Son of Jared Pratt and Charity Dickinson. Traveled west with brother William to acquire land, 1823....

View Full Bio
,
Ziba Peterson

Ca. 1810–1849. Teacher, farmer, law officer. Born in New York. Lived in Macedon, Wayne Co., New York, ca. 1830. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ordained an elder, by 9 June 1830. Served mission to Ohio and Missouri, 1830–1831. Stripped...

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, and
Peter Whitmer Jr.

27 Sept. 1809–22 Sept. 1836. Tailor. Born at Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Baptized by Oliver Cowdery, June 1829, in Seneca Lake, Seneca Co. One of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, June 1829. Among six...

View Full Bio
began preaching to and
baptizing

An ordinance in which an individual is immersed in water for the remission of sins. The Book of Mormon explained that those with necessary authority were to baptize individuals who had repented of their sins. Baptized individuals also received the gift of...

View Glossary
many individuals from Rigdon’s congregation.
2

Pratt, Autobiography, 50.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Pratt, Parley P. The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Embracing His Life, Ministry and Travels, with Extracts, in Prose and Verse, from His Miscellaneous Writings. Edited by Parley P. Pratt Jr. New York: Russell Brothers, 1874.

Lydia soon converted, but her husband remained skeptical and insisted on visiting JS in New York before becoming a member.
3

Walter Scott, “Mormon Bible.—No. V,” Evangelist, 1 June 1841, 132–136; Partridge, Genealogical Record, 5.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Evangelist. Carthage, OH. 1832–1844.

Partridge, Edward, Jr. Genealogical Record. 1878. CHL. MS 1271.

Partridge and Rigdon traveled to the
Palmyra

Known as Swift’s Landing and Tolland before being renamed Palmyra, 1796. Incorporated, Mar. 1827, two years after completion of adjacent Erie Canal. Population in 1820 about 3,700. Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith family lived in village briefly, beginning ...

More Info
area and then went on to Waterloo in Seneca County. They arrived at the home of
Joseph Smith Sr.

12 July 1771–14 Sept. 1840. Cooper, farmer, teacher, merchant. Born at Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Asael Smith and Mary Duty. Nominal member of Congregationalist church at Topsfield. Married to Lucy Mack by Seth Austin, 24 Jan. 1796, at Tunbridge...

View Full Bio
while JS was giving a sermon. When JS finished speaking, “a request was made that any who felt to speak should,” and Partridge stood and stated that he and Rigdon had visited the Smith family’s
Manchester

Settled 1793. Formed as Burt Township when divided from Farmington Township, 31 Mar. 1821. Name changed to Manchester, 16 Apr. 1822. Included village of Manchester. Population in 1825 about 2,700. Population in 1830 about 2,800. JS reported first vision of...

More Info
farm and had spoken with their neighbors about the character of the Smith family. Based on those conversations, Partridge declared that the Smiths “had sacraficed for the truth’s sake” and that he was ready to be baptized. After Partridge asked JS to baptize him, JS replied, “You have traveled a long way this morning and you are much fatigued and I think you had better rest and take some refreshment and tomorrow morning be baptized.”
4

Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845, bk. 10, [7]; [Matthew S. Clapp], “Mormonism,” Painesville (OH) Telegraph, 15 Feb. 1831, [1] –[2]; JS History, vol. A-1, 78; Dibble, Reminiscences, 2.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Painesville Telegraph. Painesville, OH. 1822–1986.

Dibble, Philo. Reminiscences, no date. Typescript. CHL. MS 15447.

Soon thereafter, JS dictated this revelation for Partridge. Two days later, on 11 December, JS baptized Partridge, and on 15 December, Sidney Rigdon ordained him an
elder

A male leader in the church generally; an ecclesiastical and priesthood office or one holding that office; a proselytizing missionary. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto...

View Glossary
.
5

License for Edward Partridge, 15 Dec. 1830, Edward Partridge, Papers, CHL. JS recorded in his history that “on the 11th of December I baptised him [Partridge] in the Seneca river.” Partridge’s daughter Emily gave the same date in her later reminiscence of the event, but it is possible that she was using JS’s history as her source. (JS History, vol. A-1, 94; Emily Dow Partridge Young, “Autobiography of Emily D. P. Young,” Woman’s Exponent, 1 Dec. 1884, 102–103; see also Young, “Incidents,” 3.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Partridge, Edward. Papers, 1818–1839. CHL. MS 892.

Woman’s Exponent. Salt Lake City. 1872–1914.

Young, Emily Dow Partridge. “Incidents of the Life of a Mormon Girl,” ca. 1884. CHL. MS 5220.

This revelation included language similar to several revelations dictated in 1829 and 1830 that called members of the church to preach. The earliest revelation expressing these sentiments, in February 1829, stated, “If ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work.”
6

Revelation, Feb. 1829 [D&C 4:3]; see also Revelation, Apr. 1829–A [D&C 6:3]; Revelation, May 1829–A [D&C 11:3]; Revelation, May 1829–B [D&C 12:3]; and Revelation, June 1829–A [D&C 14:3].


Like the revelations given to missionaries in September and October of 1830, this revelation also declared with an eschatological urgency that the second coming of Jesus Christ was imminent.
7

See Revelation, Sept. 1830–F [D&C 31:4]; Revelation Oct. 1830–B [D&C 33:3, 7]; see also Revelation, Sept. 1830–A [D&C 29:8–28].


Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Advertisement, Painesville (OH) Telegraph, 8 Sept. 1829, [3]; Partridge, Genealogical Record, 2, 5.

    Painesville Telegraph. Painesville, OH. 1822–1986.

    Partridge, Edward, Jr. Genealogical Record. 1878. CHL. MS 1271.

  2. [2]

    Pratt, Autobiography, 50.

    Pratt, Parley P. The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Embracing His Life, Ministry and Travels, with Extracts, in Prose and Verse, from His Miscellaneous Writings. Edited by Parley P. Pratt Jr. New York: Russell Brothers, 1874.

  3. [3]

    Walter Scott, “Mormon Bible.—No. V,” Evangelist, 1 June 1841, 132–136; Partridge, Genealogical Record, 5.

    Evangelist. Carthage, OH. 1832–1844.

    Partridge, Edward, Jr. Genealogical Record. 1878. CHL. MS 1271.

  4. [4]

    Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845, bk. 10, [7]; [Matthew S. Clapp], “Mormonism,” Painesville (OH) Telegraph, 15 Feb. 1831, [1] –[2]; JS History, vol. A-1, 78; Dibble, Reminiscences, 2.

    Painesville Telegraph. Painesville, OH. 1822–1986.

    Dibble, Philo. Reminiscences, no date. Typescript. CHL. MS 15447.

  5. [5]

    License for Edward Partridge, 15 Dec. 1830, Edward Partridge, Papers, CHL. JS recorded in his history that “on the 11th of December I baptised him [Partridge] in the Seneca river.” Partridge’s daughter Emily gave the same date in her later reminiscence of the event, but it is possible that she was using JS’s history as her source. (JS History, vol. A-1, 94; Emily Dow Partridge Young, “Autobiography of Emily D. P. Young,” Woman’s Exponent, 1 Dec. 1884, 102–103; see also Young, “Incidents,” 3.)

    Partridge, Edward. Papers, 1818–1839. CHL. MS 892.

    Woman’s Exponent. Salt Lake City. 1872–1914.

    Young, Emily Dow Partridge. “Incidents of the Life of a Mormon Girl,” ca. 1884. CHL. MS 5220.

  6. [6]

    Revelation, Feb. 1829 [D&C 4:3]; see also Revelation, Apr. 1829–A [D&C 6:3]; Revelation, May 1829–A [D&C 11:3]; Revelation, May 1829–B [D&C 12:3]; and Revelation, June 1829–A [D&C 14:3].

  7. [7]

    See Revelation, Sept. 1830–F [D&C 31:4]; Revelation Oct. 1830–B [D&C 33:3, 7]; see also Revelation, Sept. 1830–A [D&C 29:8–28].

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Revelation, 9 December 1830 [D&C 36]
Revelation Book 1 Revelation, 9 December 1830, Extract, in Unidentified Handwriting [D&C 36:3–8] Book of Commandments, 1833 Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834] “History of Joseph Smith” Doctrine and Covenants, 1844

Page 48

39th.
Commandment

Generally, a divine mandate that church members were expected to obey; more specifically, a text dictated by JS in the first-person voice of Deity that served to communicate knowledge and instruction to JS and his followers. Occasionally, other inspired texts...

View Glossary
Decm. 9th. AD 1830
A Commandment to
Edard [Edward Partridge]

27 Aug. 1793–27 May 1840. Hatter. Born at Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of William Partridge and Jemima Bidwell. Moved to Painesville, Geauga Co., Ohio. Married Lydia Clisbee, 22 Aug. 1819, at Painesville. Initially a Universal Restorationist...

View Full Bio
his call to the Ministery &c
1

John Whitmer likely created this heading when he copied the text into Revelation Book 1.


Saying thus saith the Lord God the mighty one of Israel behold I say unto you my Servent
Edward

27 Aug. 1793–27 May 1840. Hatter. Born at Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of William Partridge and Jemima Bidwell. Moved to Painesville, Geauga Co., Ohio. Married Lydia Clisbee, 22 Aug. 1819, at Painesville. Initially a Universal Restorationist...

View Full Bio
thou art blessed & thy sins are forgiven thee & thou art called to preach my Gospel as with the voice of a Trump & I will lay my hand upon you by the hand of my Servent
sidney [Rigdon]

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

View Full Bio
& thou shalt Receive my spirit (the Holy Ghost) even the comforter) which shall teach you the peacible things of the Kingdom & thou shalt declare it with a loud voice Saying Blessed be the name of the most high God—
2

This command also appears in other revelations. (See Revelation, ca. Summer 1829 [D&C 19:37]; and Revelation, 5 Jan. 1831 [D&C 39:19].)


And now this calling & commandment give I unto all men that as many as shall come before my Servent
Sidney

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

View Full Bio
& Joseph embracing this calling & commandment shall be
ordained

The conferral of power and authority; to appoint, decree, or set apart. Church members, primarily adults, were ordained to ecclesiastical offices and other responsibilities by the laying on of hands by those with the proper authority. Ordinations to priesthood...

View Glossary
& sent forth to preach the everlasting gospel among the Nation
3

Newspaper editor Eber D. Howe later wrote regarding the Mormons that “nearly all of their male converts” were “sent forth to proclaim . . . the wonders and mysteries of Mormonism.” (Howe, Mormonism Unvailed, 115.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Howe, Eber D. Mormonism Unvailed: Or, A Faithful Account of That Singular Imposition and Delusion, from Its Rise to the Present Time. With Sketches of the Characters of Its Propagators, and a Full Detail of the Manner in Which the Famous Golden Bible Was Brought before the World. To Which Are Added, Inquiries into the Probability That the Historical Part of the Said Bible Was Written by One Solomon Spalding, More Than Twenty Years Ago, and by Him Intended to Have Been Published as a Romance. Painesville, OH: By the author, 1834.

crying Repentance saying save yourselves from this untoward generation
4

See Acts 2:40.


& come forth out of the fire hating even the garment spotted with the flesh—
5

See Jude 1:23.


And this commandment shall be given unto the
Elders

A male leader in the church generally; an ecclesiastical and priesthood office or one holding that office; a proselytizing missionary. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto...

View Glossary
of my
Church

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

View Glossary
that every man which will embrace it with singleness of heart may be ordained & sent [p. 48]
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Source Note

Document Transcript

Page 48

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Revelation, 9 December 1830 [D&C 36]
ID #
6495
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D1:224–225
Handwriting on This Page
  • John Whitmer

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    John Whitmer likely created this heading when he copied the text into Revelation Book 1.

  2. [2]

    This command also appears in other revelations. (See Revelation, ca. Summer 1829 [D&C 19:37]; and Revelation, 5 Jan. 1831 [D&C 39:19].)

  3. [3]

    Newspaper editor Eber D. Howe later wrote regarding the Mormons that “nearly all of their male converts” were “sent forth to proclaim . . . the wonders and mysteries of Mormonism.” (Howe, Mormonism Unvailed, 115.)

    Howe, Eber D. Mormonism Unvailed: Or, A Faithful Account of That Singular Imposition and Delusion, from Its Rise to the Present Time. With Sketches of the Characters of Its Propagators, and a Full Detail of the Manner in Which the Famous Golden Bible Was Brought before the World. To Which Are Added, Inquiries into the Probability That the Historical Part of the Said Bible Was Written by One Solomon Spalding, More Than Twenty Years Ago, and by Him Intended to Have Been Published as a Romance. Painesville, OH: By the author, 1834.

  4. [4]

    See Acts 2:40.

  5. [5]

    See Jude 1:23.

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