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Revelation Book 1
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Of the evil & they shall be forgiven & now verily I say that it is expedient in me that my servent Sidney (Gilbert) after a few weeks should return upon his business & to his agency in the Land of Zion & that which he hath seen & heard may be made known unto my Deciples that they perish not & for this cause have I spoken these things & again I say unto you that my servent Isaac [Morley] may not be tempted above that which he is able to bear & council wrongfully to your hurt I gave commandment that this farm should be sold I willeth not that my servent Frederick [G. Williams] should sell his farm for I the Lord willeth to retain a strong hold in the Land of Kirtland for the space of five years in the which I will not overthrow the wicked that thereby I may save some & after that day I the Lord will not hold any guilty that shall go with open hearts up to the Land of Zion for I the Lord requireth the hearts of the Children of men Behold now it is called to day & verily it is a day of Sacrifice & a day for the tithing of my People for he that is tithed shall not be burned for after to day cometh the burning this is speaking after the manner of the Lord for verily I say tomorrow all the proud & they that do wickedly shall be as stuble & I will burn them up saith the Lord for I am the Lord of hosts & I will not spare any that remaineth in Babylon wherefore if ye believe me ye will labour while it is called to day & it is not meet that my servent Newel [K. Whitney] & sidney [Gilbert] should sell their Store & their Possessions here for this is not wisdom untill the residue of the Church which remaineth in this place shall go up unto the Land of Zion behold it is said in my Laws or forbidden to get in debt to thine enemies but Behold it is not said at any time that the Lord should not take when he please & pay as seemeth him good wherefore as ye are agents & ye are on the Lords errand & whatever ye do according to the will of the Lord is the Lords business & it is the Lords busi ness to provide for his saints in these last days that they may obtain an in heritance in the Land of Zion & Behold I the Lord declare unto you & my words are shure & shall not fail that they shall obtain it but all things must come [p. 110]
28 Dec. 1789–29 June 1834. Merchant. Born at New Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Eli Gilbert and Lydia Hemingway. Moved to Huntington, Fairfield Co., Connecticut; to Monroe, Monroe Co., Michigan, by Sept. 1818; to Painesville, Geauga Co., Ohio; ...
View Full Bio11 Mar. 1786–24 June 1865. Farmer, cooper, merchant, postmaster. Born at Montague, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Thomas Morley and Editha (Edith) Marsh. Family affiliated with Presbyterian church. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, before 1812. Married...
View Full BioGenerally, 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 Glossary28 Oct. 1787–10 Oct. 1842. Ship’s pilot, teacher, physician, justice of the peace. Born at Suffield, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of William Wheeler Williams and Ruth Granger. Moved to Newburg, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, 1799. Practiced Thomsonian botanical system...
View Full BioLocated ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and 1,000 others; in 1838 about 2,000 Saints and 1,200 others; in 1839 about 100 Saints and 1,500 others. Mormon missionaries visited township...
More InfoA free-will offering of one-tenth of a person’s annual interest or income, given to the church for its use. The Book of Mormon and JS’s revision of the Bible explained that “even our father Abraham paid tithes of one tenth part of all he possessed.” Additionally...
View Glossary3/5 Feb. 1795–23 Sept. 1850. Trader, merchant. Born at Marlborough, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of Samuel Whitney and Susanna Kimball. Moved to Fairfield, Herkimer Co., New York, 1803. Merchant at Plattsburg, Clinton Co., New York, 1814. Mercantile clerk for...
View Full Bio28 Dec. 1789–29 June 1834. Merchant. Born at New Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Eli Gilbert and Lydia Hemingway. Moved to Huntington, Fairfield Co., Connecticut; to Monroe, Monroe Co., Michigan, by Sept. 1818; to Painesville, Geauga Co., Ohio; ...
View Full BioIn Apr. 1826, Whitney purchased quarter-acre lot on northeast corner of Chardon and Chillicothe roads and built two-story, 1500-square-foot white store. Mercantile store also functioned as Kirtland Mills post office. Whitney met JS at store, 4 Feb. 1831. ...
More InfoThe 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 GlossaryPrinciples given to the church and its members in February 1831 revelations. In January 1831, a revelation promised the saints in New York that the law would be given after they gathered in Ohio. Once in Ohio, on 9 and 23 February 1831, JS dictated two revelations...
View GlossaryGenerally referred to land promised by or received from God for the church and its members. A January 1831 revelation promised church members a land of inheritance. In March and May 1831, JS dictated revelations commanding members “to purchase lands for an...
View GlossaryRevelation Book 1, also known as “Book of Commandments and Revelations,” is a manuscript
book of revelations and other items that was begun less than a year after JS organized the Church of
Christ in April 1830. John Whitmer was the principal scribe, although Oliver Cowdery also wrote a
few pages. The book may have originated in New York in summer 1830 when JS and John Whitmer
began to “arrange and copy the revelations” previously received.1
More likely, however, Whitmer
began inscribing material in Revelation Book 1 in Ohio, circa March 1831, following his appointment to keep church records and history.2 Textual evidence indicates that Whitmer and Cowdery copied
revelations and other items into Revelation Book 1 from even earlier manuscripts that are no longer
extant. All items in the manuscript book date from 1828 to 1834. Textual analysis suggests that the
first half was copied mostly between spring 1831 and the end of that year, and the final item was
copied in July 1835. Revelation Book 1 contains the earliest known copies of many revelations and, in
some cases, the only surviving early manuscript copy. It also contains items not found anywhere else,
including a revelation on securing a copyright in Canada for the Book of Mormon.3
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 Bio3 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 BioLocated 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 InfoJS History, vol. A-1, 50.
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JS History / Smith, Joseph, et al. History, 1838–1856. Vols. A-1–F-1 (original), A-2–E-2 (fair copy). CHL. The history for the period after 5 Aug. 1838 was composed after the death of Joseph Smith.
French explored area, 1669. British took possession following French and Indian War, 1763. Ceded to U.S., 1783. First permanent white settlement established, 1788. Partitioned from Northwest Territory and admitted as state, 1803. Bordered by Lake Erie on ...
More InfoIn late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Canada referred to British colonies of Upper Canada and Lower Canada. Divided into Upper Canada and Lower Canada, 1791; reunited 10 Feb. 1841. Boundaries corresponded roughly to present-day Ontario (Upper...
More InfoIn November 1831, church leaders meeting in a conference in Hiram, Ohio, authorized publication
of a volume of revelations later known as the Book of Commandments and appointed Oliver
Cowdery to take the revelations to Missouri for publication. Cowdery and John Whitmer, who was
appointed by revelation to accompany him, departed from Hiram, Ohio, that same month, taking
Revelation Book 1 and possibly other manuscript revelations with them. They arrived in
Independence, Missouri, in January 1832 to work with William W. Phelps, who had been appointed
church printer by revelation4 and had already purchased a printing press. They published the first
issue of the church newspaper The Evening and the Morning Star five months later, and twenty-four
revelatory items eventually appeared in that publication. All but one of those items also appear in
Revelation Book 1, which was likely their source for publication.5
Area settled by immigrants from Pennsylvania and New England, ca. 1802. Located in northeastern Ohio about twenty-five miles southeast of Kirtland. Population in 1830 about 500. Population in 1840 about 1,100. JS lived in township at home of John and Alice...
More Info3 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 BioArea acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Mormon missionaries...
More Info27 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 BioLocated twelve miles from western Missouri border. Permanently settled, platted, and designated county seat, 1827. Hub for steamboat travel on Missouri River. Point of departure for Santa Fe Trail. Population in 1831 about 300. Mormon population by summer...
More Info17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...
View Full BioRevelation, 23 Feb. 1831 [D&C 42:78–93] does not appear in Revelation Book 1.
The first eighty items in Revelation Book 1 appear on manuscript pages 1–127. Of these items,
only four dated items are known to have been copied into the book out of chronological order. This
portion of the manuscript book was likely inscribed in 1831 and includes items dated October–November 1831 that were copied shortly before John Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery left Ohio for
Missouri (manuscript pages 108–127). Whitmer’s access to the revelations dictated in Ohio after his
departure to Missouri was, of course, limited to those delivered by mail or in person.
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 Bio3 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 BioFrench explored area, 1669. British took possession following French and Indian War, 1763. Ceded to U.S., 1783. First permanent white settlement established, 1788. Partitioned from Northwest Territory and admitted as state, 1803. Bordered by Lake Erie on ...
More InfoArea acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Mormon missionaries...
More InfoIn the remainder of the manuscript book, about half of the revelations and other items are out
of chronological order. Manuscript pages 128–148 contain fourteen items dated December 1831–April
1832 that were copied into the manuscript book after April 1832. The manuscript source of these
revelations and other items is unknown, but JS and other church leaders possibly brought them to
Missouri in April 1832. While these fourteen items are out of order chronologically, Whitmer copied
more of them into Revelation Book 1 than other scribes copied into Revelation Book 2, which was
begun in late February or early March 1832 and kept by JS and his scribes at church headquarters in
Ohio.6 This suggests that Revelation Book 1 was a more complete record of revelations than
Revelation Book 2, even though Revelation Book 1 was being updated outside of church
headquarters.
Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Mormon missionaries...
More Info27 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 BioFrench explored area, 1669. British took possession following French and Indian War, 1763. Ceded to U.S., 1783. First permanent white settlement established, 1788. Partitioned from Northwest Territory and admitted as state, 1803. Bordered by Lake Erie on ...
More InfoRevelation Book 2 does not contain the revelations dated 10 Jan. 1832 [D&C 73], 25 Jan. 1832 [D&C 75], and 26 Apr. 1832 [D&C 82].
Manuscript pages 148–170 contain seven entries that appear in chronological order. Whitmer
likely copied the next three revelations, on manuscript pages 171–177, from a letter to Missouri leaders
dated 6 August 1833. This letter contains all three revelations, and all three bear an August 1833
date.7
They appear in Revelation Book 1 in the order in which they appear in the letter. Manuscript
pages 177–201 contain nine revelations that were all copied chronologically; however, the first four
revelations in this group are dated before the August revelations found in the aforementioned letter.
Manuscript pages 202–203 contain the final two items in Revelation Book 1: a heading for minutes
of the February 1834 meeting to organize a standing “high counsel” in Ohio (likely indicating an
intention to copy the minutes from this meeting) and the second copy of a revelation that was copied
into the book twice.8 Following this last revelation, there are three blank pages before a two-page
index that Whitmer created for the first ninety-eight pages of the manuscript book.
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 BioArea acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Mormon missionaries...
More InfoSidney Rigdon et al., Kirtland, OH, to Edward Partridge et al., Independence, MO, 6 Aug. 1833, JS Collection, CHL.
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Smith, Joseph. Collection, 1827–1846. CHL.
French explored area, 1669. British took possession following French and Indian War, 1763. Ceded to U.S., 1783. First permanent white settlement established, 1788. Partitioned from Northwest Territory and admitted as state, 1803. Bordered by Lake Erie on ...
More InfoEditorial redactions in Revelation Book 1 demonstrate that it was used as a source for publishing
the Book of Commandments in 1833. Thirty-one revelations in Revelation Book 1 contain added
verse numbers and punctuation that usually match verse numbers and punctuation in the Book of
Commandments.9
Items found in the later portion of the manuscript book were not printed in the
Book of Commandments and contain few redactions.
See Book of Commandments, chaps. 9, 16, 18–21, 27, 31–40, 42–44, 50, 54–59, 61, and 63–65.
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A Book of Commandments, for the Government of the Church of Christ, Organized according to Law, on the 6th of April, 1830. Zion [Independence], MO: W. W. Phelps, 1833. Also available in Robin Scott Jensen, Richard E. Turley Jr., Riley M. Lorimer, eds., Revelations and Translations, Volume 2: Published Revelations. Vol. 2 of the Revelations and Translations series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2011).
After the 1833 destruction of the Saints’ printing office in Missouri, efforts to publish the revelations
shifted to Ohio, beginning in late 1834. Those preparing the revelations for publication in the
1835 Doctrine and Covenants did not initially have access to Revelation Book 1 because it was in
Missouri. After John Whitmer returned to Kirtland in the middle of May 1835, evidently bringing
the manuscript book with him, it became a supplemental source for the publication effort. Revelation
Book 1 includes twenty-one items that contain redactions made for the 1835 Doctrine and
Covenants.10
These redactions show an effort to clarify wording in the revelations and other items on the part of those selecting,
arranging, and preparing them for publication.
Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Mormon missionaries...
More InfoFrench explored area, 1669. British took possession following French and Indian War, 1763. Ceded to U.S., 1783. First permanent white settlement established, 1788. Partitioned from Northwest Territory and admitted as state, 1803. Bordered by Lake Erie on ...
More Info27 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 BioLocated ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and 1,000 others; in 1838 about 2,000 Saints and 1,200 others; in 1839 about 100 Saints and 1,500 others. Mormon missionaries visited township...
More InfoSee Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 ed., secs. 17–18, 20–29, 73–77, 84, 86–87, and 98.
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Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of the Latter Day Saints: Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God. Compiled by Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams. Kirtland, OH: F. G. Williams, 1835. Also available in Robin Scott Jensen, Richard E. Turley Jr., Riley M. Lorimer, eds., Revelations and Translations, Volume 2: Published Revelations. Vol. 2 of the Revelations and Translations series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2011).
A comparison of Revelation Book 1 with the Book of Commandments and with the 1835
Doctrine and Covenants indicates that Revelation Book 1 is a relatively comprehensive collection of
revelations. It contains 64 of the 65 items published in the 1833 Book of Commandments,11
as well as
95 of the 103 sections published in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants.12
Of the many revelations and
other items copied into the manuscript book, only 11 do not appear in either the Book of
Commandments or the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants.13
The single revelation published in the Book of Commandments but not found in Revelation Book 1 is
Revelation, May 1829–B, in Book of Commandments 11 [D&C 12].
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A Book of Commandments, for the Government of the Church of Christ, Organized according to Law, on the 6th of April, 1830. Zion [Independence], MO: W. W. Phelps, 1833. Also available in Robin Scott Jensen, Richard E. Turley Jr., Riley M. Lorimer, eds., Revelations and Translations, Volume 2: Published Revelations. Vol. 2 of the Revelations and Translations series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2011).
The eight items published in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants but not found in Revelation Book 1 are
Revelation, May 1829–B, in Doctrine and Covenants 38, 1835 ed. [D&C 12]; Revelation, Oct. 1830–A, in Doctrine and Covenants 54, 1835 ed. [D&C 32]; Revelation, 9 Mar. 1833, in Doctrine and Covenants 92, 1835 ed. [D&C 91];
Revelation, 15 Mar. 1833, in Doctrine and Covenants 93, 1835 ed. [D&C 92]; Revelation, 12 Oct. 1833, in Doctrine and Covenants 94, 1835 ed. [D&C 100]; Revelation, 25 Nov. 1834, in Doctrine and Covenants 99, 1835 ed. [D&C 106];
“Marriage,” ca. Aug. 1835, in Doctrine and Covenants 101, 1835 ed.; and “Of Governments and Laws in General,” ca. Aug. 1835, in Doctrine and Covenants 102, 1835 ed. [D&C 134].
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Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of the Latter Day Saints: Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God. Compiled by Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams. Kirtland, OH: F. G. Williams, 1835. Also available in Robin Scott Jensen, Richard E. Turley Jr., Riley M. Lorimer, eds., Revelations and Translations, Volume 2: Published Revelations. Vol. 2 of the Revelations and Translations series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2011).
Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of the Latter Day Saints: Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God. Compiled by Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams. Kirtland, OH: F. G. Williams, 1835. Also available in Robin Scott Jensen, Richard E. Turley Jr., Riley M. Lorimer, eds., Revelations and Translations, Volume 2: Published Revelations. Vol. 2 of the Revelations and Translations series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean C. Jessee, Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2011).Nelson, Leland R. The Journal of Brigham: Brigham Young's Story in His Own Words. Provo, UT: Council Press, 1980.
See the following: Revelation, ca. June 1829; Revelation, ca. early 1830; Revelation, 15 May 1831; Testimony, ca. 1 Nov. 1831; Answers to questions, ca. Mar. 1832 [D&C 77]; Sample of pure language, ca. Mar. 1832; Revelation, 20 Mar. 1832; Revelation, 25 Dec. 1832 [D&C 87]; Revelation, 24 Feb. 1834 [D&C 103]; Revelation, 28 Apr. 1834; and Revelation, 22 June 1834 [D&C 105].
In November 1831, JS and his associates were appointed by church conferences to prepare the
revelations and other items in Revelation Book 1 for publication by correcting and modifying
the text. JS was to “correct those errors or mistakes which he m[a]y discover by the holy Spirit.”14
Many redactions were made before selected items were published in Missouri, while others were
made in Ohio before the 1835 publication of the Doctrine and Covenants. Changes made in Sidney
Rigdon’s hand are among the earliest, and evidence indicates that he made them in Ohio before the
book went to Missouri in November 1831. Rigdon frequently altered the language in the revelations
from the biblical “thee,” “thy,” and “thine” to the more modern “you,” “your,” and “yours.” He also
corrected grammar and changed some of the language to clarify and modify words and meaning.
Minute Book 2, 8 Nov. 1831.
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Minute Book 2 / “The Conference Minutes and Record Book of Christ’s Church of Latter Day Saints,” 1838, 1842, 1844. CHL. Also available at josephsmithpapers.org.
Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Mormon missionaries...
More InfoFrench explored area, 1669. British took possession following French and Indian War, 1763. Ceded to U.S., 1783. First permanent white settlement established, 1788. Partitioned from Northwest Territory and admitted as state, 1803. Bordered by Lake Erie on ...
More Info19 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 BioJohn Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery could have made redactions in either Ohio or Missouri as
early as 1831 or as late as 1835, though the majority of redactions they made first appear in print in 1833 or earlier. Whitmer’s marks often reversed changes made by Sidney Rigdon, and
his later editing also modified some of the wording in the revelations. Though not as frequent,
changes in Cowdery’s hand were often more substantive in nature, clarifying and expanding the
meaning of several items in preparation for the publication of the Book of Commandments and
the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants.
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 Bio3 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 BioFrench explored area, 1669. British took possession following French and Indian War, 1763. Ceded to U.S., 1783. First permanent white settlement established, 1788. Partitioned from Northwest Territory and admitted as state, 1803. Bordered by Lake Erie on ...
More InfoArea acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Mormon missionaries...
More Info19 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 BioWilliam W. Phelps had neither reason nor opportunity to edit the items in Revelation Book 1
until he and his associates began preparing the texts for publication in Missouri. As printer of The
Evening and the Morning Star and the Book of Commandments, Phelps provided much of the punctuation and versification and many of the other copyediting changes. Only rarely did he alter
the original language.
17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...
View Full BioArea acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Mormon missionaries...
More InfoJS likely reviewed some of his associates’ editorial changes and made slight alterations in his
own hand before the book was taken to Missouri in late 1831 for publication of the Book of
Commandments in 1833, although he may have reviewed the selection, editing, and publication
process as late as April 1832 when he visited Missouri. He made additional changes, including adding
the surnames of some individuals named in the revelations, just before the Doctrine and Covenants
was published in 1835.15
The extent to which JS influenced the redactions made by other individuals
is unknown.
Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Mormon missionaries...
More InfoJS et al., Kirtland, OH, to Edward Partridge et al., Independence, MO, 25 June 1833, JS Collection, CHL.
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Smith, Joseph. Collection, 1827–1846. CHL.
In addition to marking corrections, those preparing the items in Revelation Book 1 for publication
used pins or adhesive wafers to attach slips of paper to pages of the manuscript book. The slips,
one of which is extant in Revelation Book 1, contained additions to or clarifications of the original
text. The extant slip is transcribed as a separate leaf where it appears in the manuscript book. Visible
pinholes or wafer residue likely mark where additional slips were fastened to the page as texts were
copied or prepared for publication.16 This physical evidence, which suggest how the manuscript book was used by those
preparing the texts for publication, are noted in the textual annotation.
See here for an example of a slip of paper that was pasted to the page. A series of pinholes is also visible on manuscript page 85.
A loose copy of a revelation in the handwriting of Sidney Rigdon was inserted into Revelation
Book 1 at an unknown time, thereby becoming associated with the manuscript book, though not
physically part of it.
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 BioNote: At present, the transcript of Revelation Book 1 on this website includes only the original inscriptions, not the later redactions made to the manuscript book to prepare the revelations for publication. A transcript showing the later redactions will eventually be added to this site. Until that time, readers will notice many discrepancies between the images and the transcript. For a transcript that includes the redactions, consult Revelations and Translations: Manuscript Revelation Books, facsimile ed. (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2009) or Revelations and Translations, Volume 1: Manuscript Revelation Books (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2011).
Nor does this website reproduce the four loose leaves of Revelation Book 1 that are owned by the Community of Christ (manuscript pages 111–112, 117–120, and 139–140) or the loose copy of the revelation in the handwriting of Sidney Rigdon that was inserted later into Revelation Book 1. For images and transcripts of those pages, consult the aforementioned volumes.
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 BioExcept as described in this note, Revelation Book 1 is presented here electronically as a complete record. In contrast, the Documents series (multiple volumes forthcoming in print; selections also available on this site) presents each revelation separately, placed in chronological order with other documents of various genres. That series includes the earliest and best extant version of each revelation, providing contextual annotation and a historical introduction for each. Readers should consult the Documents series for information about the setting and significance of individual revelations.
“A Book of Commandments & Revelations of the Lord given to Joseph the Seer & others by the Inspiration of God
& gift & power of the Holy Ghost which Beareth Re[c]ord of the Father & Son & Holy Ghost which is one God Infinite & eternal
World without end Amen,” Revelation Book 1, [ca. Mar. 1831–July 1835]; handwriting of John Whitmer and Oliver
Cowdery in both original inscription and later redactions; handwriting of William W. Phelps, Sidney Rigdon, JS, and
an unknown number of unidentified scribes in later redactions only; 208 pages (18 pages missing) and four inserted
leaves; volume at CHL and four loose leaves in Restoration Scriptures Collection at CCLA. Includes redactions and
archival marking.
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 Bio3 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 Bio17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...
View Full Bio19 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 BioThis volume likely contained nine gatherings of twelve leaves (twenty-four pages) each, measuring 12⅝ x 7¾
inches (32 x 20 cm), plus two pastedowns and an unknown number of flyleaves (one flyleaf is extant in the back
of the volume). The existing sheets are ledger paper with thirty-six blue horizontal lines, most faint or completely
faded, and four red vertical lines. The binding was disassembled, possibly for ease in printing the revelations, and
the original cover was discarded or lost. Evidence suggests that the book was originally sewn all along over
recessed cords, likely with a tight-back case with quarter-leather binding. A brown paperboard cover was placed
around the pages, perhaps as soon as the early 1830s but certainly before the mid-1850s. With the current paperboard
cover, the volume measures 13⅛ x 8½ inches (33 x 22 cm) and is ¾ inches (2 cm) thick. The front cover is
labeled “S” in black ink that later turned light brown, and “can” or “cam” is written at the bottom in blue-green
ink. The inside back cover has “2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 75 | 55 | ◊◊ | wisdo” written vertically along the right margin in various
shades of brown (formerly black) ink. A piece of blue paper pasted on the spine reads “Book of Commandments
and Revelations”. This notation was written by Leo Hawkins, a clerk for the Church Historian’s Office,
1853–1856.
The current state of the volume makes it difficult to determine its original condition. Nine gatherings of the
volume are currently accounted for, but additional gatherings may have existed. The volume bears remnants of
the original glue and leather used for binding on the inside edges of the gatherings, and some of the gatherings
are still attached to this original binding. In addition, some gatherings are completely uncut, meaning the original
six sheets folded to make the twelve-leaf gatherings are attached and complete. Others are completely or
partially cut and separated. The first gathering contains only four of its original leaves, and one leaf is missing
from the second gathering. The leaves from the third and fourth gatherings are still mostly attached to the original
binding. The fifth and sixth gatherings are mostly disconnected from the original binding. In the sixth gathering,
the scribe mistakenly repeated the numbers “134” and “135” when numbering pages, leaving two pages numbered 134 and and two numbered 135. As a result, the remaining page numbers are off by
two and the gathering’s last manuscript page is incorrectly numbered 142 (rather than 144). While the seventh
gathering remains mostly attached to remnants of the original binding and the eighth gathering is completely
intact, the ninth gathering is disconnected from the original binding altogether. If the ninth gathering originally
contained twelve leaves, three are missing. There is also one flyleaf at the end of the volume.
Needle holes along the spine of the paperboard cover match up with needle holes on the edge of the fifth
gathering, and one piece of thread remains at the center of that gathering. Because this rough sewing was evidently
done when the fifth gathering was still an intact unit, it likely attached the makeshift cover to the text
block until the cover was separated and the fifth gathering was disassembled.
The first 127 pages of the manuscript book contain seventy-six revelations and four other items. These eighty items were likely entered in the order in which they originated, the exceptions
being Articles and covenants, 10 April 1830; Explanation of scripture, circa December 1830; and the revelations dated circa 8 March 1831–B
and 1 November 1831–B (known as D&C 20, 74, 47, and 1, respectively, in the 1981 Latter-day Saint edition of the Doctrine and Covenants). There are over thirty items in the remainder of the volume, about half of which appear
out of chronological order.
The leaves for the following manuscript pages are missing from the volume and their whereabouts are not
known: 3–10, 15–22, and 25–26. These pages were likely numbered, and it is not known when they were separated
from the manuscript book. The leaves for manuscript pages 111–112, 117–120, and 139–140 are currently held at the
Community of Christ Library-Archives. Markings on these loose pages indicate that they were likely separated
from the manuscript book during work on the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants or sometime thereafter.
In 1902, the First Presidency of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints approved purchase
of the loose pages from George Schweich, David Whitmer’s grandson.1
The pages were likely separated by
John Whitmer or Oliver Cowdery before Whitmer and Cowdery were excommunicated in 1838. A secondhand
source states that David Whitmer received these pages from Oliver Cowdery in 1850.2
However, at the time these leaves were
acquired by the RLDS church, they were grouped with the John Whitmer copy of the JS Bible revision and the Book of John Whitmer, suggesting that the leaves were in John Whitmer’s possession until his death
in 1878.3
Neither John Whitmer nor David Whitmer left known accounts of either man having possession of the
leaves. The provenance of the leaves between 1835 and 1902, therefore, is uncertain.
7 Jan. 1805–25 Jan. 1888. Farmer, livery keeper. Born near Harrisburg, Dauphin Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Raised Presbyterian. Moved to Ontario Co., New York, shortly after birth. Attended German Reformed Church. Arranged...
View Full Bio“Minutes of First Presidency,” 24 Apr. 1902, CCLA. The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints purchased from Schweich additional material that was passed down from David Whitmer, including the
Book of Mormon printer’s manuscript and parts of the manuscript from JS’s Bible revision. (Walter Smith, Independence, MO, to S. A. Burgess, Independence, MO, 15 Apr. 1926, J. F. Curtis Papers, CCLA.)
Comprehensive Works Cited
Hide Works Cited
“Minutes of First Presidency, March 1898 to September 1907, Record No. 1.” CCLA.
Curtis, J. F. Papers. CCLA.
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 Bio3 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 BioFormer RLDS church historian Walter Smith, who was present when these papers were turned over to the
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, heard from both George Schweich and David Whitmer’s
family that the leaves were “received by David Whitmer from Oliver Cowdery at his death in 1850.” (Walter Smith, Independence, MO, to the RLDS First Presidency, Independence, MO, 14 Sept. 1925, Whitmer Papers, CCLA; see
also Walter Smith, Independence, MO, to R. L. Fulk, Ogden, UT, 13 Dec. 1919, Subject Folder Collection, Book of Commandments, CCLA.)
Comprehensive Works Cited
Hide Works Cited
Whitmer Papers. CCLA.
Subject Folder Collection, Book of Commandments. CCLA.
Walter Smith noted on two different occasions that “these pages [of revelations] . . . were in the Whitmer
manuscript book [Book of John Whitmer] and were the same that [George] Schweich turned over to the [RLDS]
church.” (W. Smith to S. A. Burgess, 15 Apr. 1926; see also W. Smith to the RLDS First Presidency, 14 Sept. 1925.)
Comprehensive Works Cited
Hide Works Cited
Curtis, J. F. Papers. CCLA.
Whitmer Papers. CCLA.
The custodial history of the manuscript book itself is uncertain between the publication of the 1835 Doctrine
and Covenants and the 1846 Latter-day Saint exodus from Nauvoo, Illinois, though the book likely remained in
the possession of JS, his office staff, and subsequent leadership of the LDS church. The Church Historian’s Office
inventory from 1846 lists “Rough Book—Revelation History &c.,” possibly referring to Revelation Book 1.4
By
the 1850s, the spine of Revelation Book 1 had been labeled “Book of Commandments and Revelations” by the
Church Historian’s Office staff, and it appeared with that title on subsequent Church Historian’s Office inventories
through 1878.5
Evidence indicates that the manuscript book was part of the papers of church historian and
recorder Joseph Fielding Smith, who held that office from 1921 to 1970. The manuscript book became part of the
First Presidency’s papers when he became president in 1970.6
Historian’s Office, “Schedule of Church Records,” [1], Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.
Comprehensive Works Cited
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Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL.
Historian’s Office, “Contents of the Historian and Recorder’s Office,” [5]; “Index Records and Journals in the
Historian’s Office 1878,” [5], Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.
Comprehensive Works Cited
Hide Works Cited
Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL.
In a 1909 article in which he discussed the history surrounding the securing of the Book of Mormon copyright
in Canada, B. H. Roberts, an LDS assistant church historian, did not appear to know about the revelation found
in Revelation Book 1 that deals with that topic. In a 1907 letter, Joseph Fielding Smith made an indirect reference to
Revelation Book 1, indicating that he knew of its existence. Because Roberts apparently did not know about the
manuscript volume and Smith did, it may be inferred that the volume was in Smith’s possession as early as 1907. A
1970 inventory establishes the document was in the possession of Joseph Fielding Smith later in his life. (Revelation,
ca. early 1830; Roberts, “History of the Mormon Church”; Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt
Lake City, UT, to John R. Haldeman, Independence, MO, 24 May 1907, Joseph Fielding Smith Papers, 1893–1973,
CHL; “Inventory of President Joseph Fielding Smith’s Safe,” 23 May 1970, CHL.)
Comprehensive Works Cited
Hide Works Cited
Roberts, Brigham H. “History of the Mormon Church.” Americana 1 (Dec. 1909): 1016–1025. Also available in B. H. Roberts, A Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Century I (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1930), 1:157–166.
Smith, Joseph Fielding. Papers, 1893–1973. CHL.
“Inventory of President Joseph Fielding Smith’s Safe,” 23 May 1970. First Presidency, General Administration Files, 1921–1972. CHL.
Note: At present, the transcript of Revelation Book 1 on this website includes only the original inscriptions, not the later redactions made to the manuscript book to prepare the revelations for publication. A transcript showing the later redactions will eventually be added to this site. Until that time, readers will notice many discrepancies between the images and the transcript. For a transcript that includes the redactions, consult Revelations and Translations: Manuscript Revelation Books, facsimile ed. (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2009) or Revelations and Translations, Volume 1: Manuscript Revelation Books (Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2011).
Nor does this website reproduce the loose copy of the revelation in the handwriting of Sidney Rigdon that was inserted later into Revelation Book 1. For images and transcripts of those pages, consult the aforementioned volumes.
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 BioExcept as described in this note, Revelation Book 1 is presented here electronically as a complete record. In contrast, the Documents series (multiple volumes forthcoming in print; selections also available on this site) presents each revelation separately, placed in chronological order with other documents of various genres. That series includes the earliest and best extant version of each revelation, providing contextual annotation and a historical introduction for each. Readers should consult the Documents series for information about the setting and significance of individual revelations.
Note: The images of pages 111–112, 117–120, and 139–140 of Revelation Book 1 published on this website are © Community of Christ and are licensed to the Joseph Smith Papers Project. Community of Christ–copyrighted images are marked with an identifying watermark. To inquire about high-resolution images of Community of Christ–copyrighted images for scholarly use, please contact the Community of Christ Library-Archives, Independence, Missouri.
