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Discourse, 27 June 1839

 
June 27[th] I spent the day in Commerce

Located near middle of western boundary of state, bordering Mississippi River. European Americans settled area, 1820s. From bank of river, several feet above high-water mark, ground described as nearly level for six or seven blocks before gradually sloping...

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 in council

A gathering of church leaders assembled “for consultation, deliberation and advice”; also a body responsible for governance or administration. As early as 9 February 1831, a revelation instructed that “the Elders & Bishop shall Council together & they shall...

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 with the Presidency

The presiding body of the church. From the day of the church’s organization on 6 April 1830, JS and Oliver Cowdery led the church in their capacity as elders. An 11 November 1831 revelation directed that “the duty of the president of the office of the high...

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 & Twelve

Members of a governing body in the church, with special administrative and proselytizing responsibilities. A June 1829 revelation commanded Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer to call twelve disciples, similar to the twelve apostles in the New Testament and ...

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 we had an interes[t]ing  day Joseph was president of the council. . . .  [drawing of two keys] Among the vast number of the Keys

In the early church, the term keys referred to JS’s authority to unlock the “mysteries of the kingdom.” Early revelations declared that both JS and Oliver Cowdery held the keys to bring forth “those parts of my scriptures which have been hidden because of...

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  of the Kingdom of God Joseph presented the following one to the Twelve for there benefit in there  experience & travels in the flesh which is as follows. In order to detect the devel when he transforms  himself nigh unto an angel of light. When an angel of God appears unto man face to face in personage  & reaches out his hand unto the man <& he> takes hold of the angels hand & feels a substance the same as one  man would in shaking hands with another he may then know that it is an angel of God. & he should  place all Confidence in him such personages or angels are Saints with there resurrected Bodies,  but if a personaged appears unto man & offers him his hand & the man takes hold of it & he feels  nothing or does not sens any substance he may know it is the devel, for when a Saint whose body.  is not resurrected appears unto man in the flesh he will not offer him his hand for this is against  the law given him & in keeping in mind these things we may dete[c]t the devil that he decieved us not. [p. [85]]

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Discourse, 27 June 1839
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468