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Revelation, April 1830–A [D&C 23:1–2]

18th. Commandment AD 1830

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...

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given at 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...

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Ontario Co State of New York Soon after his calling

An 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...

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to the Minstery

Behold I say unto you Oliver

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a few words Behold thou art Blessed & art under no condemnation but beware of pride lest thou shouldest enter into temptation make known thy Calling unto the 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...

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& also before the World & thy heart shall be opened to Preach the truth from henceforth & for ever amen [p. 29]

A series of five revelations were directed to members of JS’s family or close associates at the time the Church of Christ was organized in April 1830. Each recipient was reportedly anxious to know his respective duties now that the church was formally organized. In this instance, Oliver Cowdery

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is addressed.

All five revelations were recorded in Revelation Book 1 and bear the date “AD 1830.” This particular text had “April” inserted above the “1830” by Cowdery

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; the other four do not. For the 1833 Book of Commandments, in each case the date in the chapter headings is “April 6, 1830.” The 1835 Doctrine and Covenants dropped this more specific date and combined all five texts into a single document that again carried the more generic designation “April 1830.”

Facts

Editorial Title: Revelation, April 1830–A [D&C 23:1–2]
ID #: 6466