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31825
Revelation, 8 August 1831 [D&C 60]
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631 Commandment
John Whitmer assigned this number to the revelation when recording it in Revelation Book 1.
given in Missorie Jackson County Independence August 8th. 1831 directions to some of the Elders to return to their homes & & own land &c &c2
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 InfoSettled at Fort Osage, 1808. County created, 16 Feb. 1825; organized 1826. Named after U.S. President Andrew Jackson. Featured fertile lands along Missouri River and was Santa Fe Trail departure point, which attracted immigrants to area. Area of county reduced...
More InfoLocated 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 InfoAn administrative and ecclesiastical office not associated with age. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto the church.” The articles and covenants of the church directed...
View GlossaryThis heading likely did not appear in the original manuscript; John Whitmer likely added it at the time he copied the revelation into Revelation Book 1.
Behold thus saith the Lord unto the Elders of this Church who are to return speedily to the land from whence they came behold it pleaseth me that you have come up hither but with some I am not well pleased for they will not open their mouths but hide the tallent which I have given <unto> them because of the fear of man3
wo unto such for mine anger is kindelled against them & it shall come to pass if they are not more faithfull unto me it shall be taken away even that which they have4
for I the Lord ruleth in the heavens above & among the armies of the Earth5
And in the day when I shall make up my Jewels6 all men shall know what it is that bespeak eth the power of God but verily I will speak unto you concerning your Journey unto the Land from whence you came let there be a craft made or bought as seemeth you good it mattereth not unto me7 & take your Journey speedily for the place which is called St. Lewis.8
& from thence let my Servent Sidney [Rigdon] & Joseph & Oliver [Cowdery] take their Journey for Cincinnati9
& in this place let them lift up their voice & declare my word with loud voices without wrath or doubting lifting up holy hands upon them10 for I am able to make you holy & your sins are forgiven you & let the residue take their Journey from St. Lowis two by two & preach the word not in haste among the congregations of the wicked untill they return to the churches from whence they came & all this for the good of the churches for this intent have I sent them & let my servent Edward [Partridge] impart of the money which I have given him a portion unto mine Elders which are commanded to return11 & he that is able let him return it by the way of the agent12 & he that is not of him it is not required And now I speak of the [p. 100]
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 GlossaryEzra Booth, who traveled to Missouri at this time but later left the church, recounted, “For more than two weeks, while I remained there [in Missouri], the disposition of the Elders appeared to be averse to preaching.” (Ezra Booth, “Mormonism—No. V,” Ohio Star [Ravenna], 10 Nov. 1831, [3].)
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Ohio Star. Ravenna. 1830–1854.
See Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 565 [Ether 12:35].
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The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon, upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi. Palmyra, NY: E. B. Grandin, 1830.
See Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 115 [2 Nephi 29:7].
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The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon, upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi. Palmyra, NY: E. B. Grandin, 1830.
See Malachi 3:17.
A 1 August 1831 revelation states, “It is not meet that I should command in all things for he that is compelled in all things the same is a slothfull & not a wise Servent.” (Revelation, 1 Aug. 1831, p. XXX herein [D&C 58:26].)
Located on west side of Mississippi River about fifteen miles south of confluence with Missouri River. Founded as fur-trading post by French settlers, 1764. Incorporated as town, 1809. First Mississippi steamboat docked by town, 1817. Incorporated as fourth...
More InfoOn the trip to Independence in June, JS and his companions went on foot from St. Louis, Missouri, parallel to the eastward-flowing Missouri River. On their return trip, they could more easily travel downriver to St. Louis by water. Ezra Booth later recollected that he and one other elder were given the task of “procuring the means of conveyance down the river.” JS and others began their return to Ohio in canoes. (JS History, vol. A-1, 126, 142; Ezra Booth, “Mormonism—No. V,” Ohio Star [Ravenna], 10 Nov. 1831, [3]; Minutes, 4 Aug. 1831, p. XXX herein.)
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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.
Ohio Star. Ravenna. 1830–1854.
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 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 BioArea settled largely by emigrants from New England and New Jersey, by 1788. Village founded and surveyed adjacent to site of Fort Washington, 1789. First seat of legislature of Northwest Territory, 1790. Incorporated as city, 1819. Developed rapidly as shipping...
More InfoJS visited Cincinnati on the way to Independence and met there with Walter Scott of the reformed Baptist movement. (JS History, vol. A-1, 126.)
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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.
See 1 Timothy 2:8.
Located on west side of Mississippi River about fifteen miles south of confluence with Missouri River. Founded as fur-trading post by French settlers, 1764. Incorporated as town, 1809. First Mississippi steamboat docked by town, 1817. Incorporated as fourth...
More Info27 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 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 GlossaryAs the church’s bishop, Partridge was in charge of administering funds from church members who consecrated their property to the church. (Revelation, 1 Aug. 1831, p. XXX herein [D&C 58:35–36]; Revelation, 9 Feb. 1831, in JSP, D1:XXX [D&C 42:30–33].)
Sidney Gilbert, who was traveling to Ohio with the others.
On 8 August 1831, JS dictated a revelation instructing “some of the Elders” who had traveled to Missouri to return to Ohio, preaching along the way. These elders had reached Missouri in mid- to late July and participated in the dedication of the land for the building of the city of Zion, the dedication of a temple site,1
and a conference with JS and other leaders.2 “Finding but little or no business for us to accomplish” once this “work” was done, Ezra Booth wrote, “most of us became anxious to return home.”3 A later JS history recounts that the elders inquired of JS “what they were to do,” and this revelation was the response.4
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 InfoJS revelation, dated 20 July 1831, directed temple to be built short distance west of courthouse on hill just outside of Independence, Missouri. JS directed dedication of temple site by Sidney Rigdon, 3 Aug. 1831. On same date, church claimed site for eventual...
More InfoJS History, vol. A-1, 126–127, 129, 137, 139.
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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.
Minutes, 4 Aug. 1831, p. XXX herein.
14 Feb. 1792–before 12 Jan. 1873. Farmer, minister. Born in Newtown, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. Admitted on trial to Methodist ministry, 4 Sept. 1816, and stationed in the Ohio District in Beaver, Pike Co. Admitted into full connection and elected a deacon...
View Full BioEzra Booth, “Mormonism—No. VI,” Ohio Star (Ravenna), 17 Nov. 1831, [3].
JS History, vol. A-1, 141.
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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.
The original manuscript of this revelation is not extant. John Whitmer copied the revelation into Revelation Book 1 (which he was keeping in Ohio), probably shortly after the elders returned from Missouri.5 Others present at the time of its dictation may have made personal copies as well; Booth, for example, referenced the revelation in a September letter to Edward Partridge, suggesting that he had his own copy.6
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 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 InfoSee Historical Introduction to Revelation Book 1, in JSP, MRB:5.
14 Feb. 1792–before 12 Jan. 1873. Farmer, minister. Born in Newtown, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. Admitted on trial to Methodist ministry, 4 Sept. 1816, and stationed in the Ohio District in Beaver, Pike Co. Admitted into full connection and elected a deacon...
View Full Bio27 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 BioEzra Booth, “Mormonism—No. VII,” Ohio Star (Ravenna), 24 Nov. 1831, [1].
Revelation, Independence, Jackson Co., MO, 8 Aug. 1831. Featured version, titled “63 Commandment given in Missorie Jackson County Independence August 8th. 1831,” copied [ca. Sept. 1831] in Revelation Book 1, pp. 100–101; handwriting of John Whitmer; CHL. Includes redactions.
Located 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 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 Bio