Blessing to James Ivins, 7 January 1840

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Blessing to James Ivins, 7 January 1840
Source Note

JS, Blessing, to
James Ivins
22 Mar. 1797–3 Apr. 1877. Farmer. Born in Upper Freehold Township, Monmouth Co., New Jersey. Son of Israel Ivins and Margaret Woodward. Married Mary Schenk. Presumably baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co....
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, [
Monmouth Co.
Area claimed by Dutch, 1609. English rule established, 1665. County formed, 1675. County government organized, 1714. Battle of Monmouth fought in county, 28 June 1778. First Latter-day Saint missionary, Benjamin Winchester, preached in county, summer 1838...
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, NJ], 7 Jan. 1840. Featured version inserted in Patriarchal Blessing Book 1, at p. 147, two pages; unidentified handwriting; CHL. Includes docket.

One leaf, measuring 10½ × 7½ inches (27 × 19 cm). Three of the four sides of the leaf have the square cut of manufactured paper; the bottom side is unevenly cut. Writing appears on the recto and the verso. A docket was inscribed, upside down and in graphite, on the verso. The document was folded twice for filing. The leaf was taped to the endpaper of Patriarchal Blessing Book 1 sometime after the Church Historian’s Office received the document from DeLoss H. Patten on 22 August 1956; Patten donated it on behalf of an Ivins descendant. The custodial history of the document before that time is unknown.
1
See source note for Blessing from Joseph Smith Sr., 9 Dec. 1834. A notation on the endpaper of Patriarchal Blessing Book 1 indicates that the page on which this blessing was recorded was received from Patten on 22 August 1956. (Patriarchal Blessings, 1:147.)
Comprehensive Works Cited
Patriarchal Blessings, 1833–. CHL. CR 500 2.
Footnotes
[1]
See source note for Blessing from Joseph Smith Sr., 9 Dec. 1834. A notation on the endpaper of Patriarchal Blessing Book 1 indicates that the page on which this blessing was recorded was received from Patten on 22 August 1956. (Patriarchal Blessings, 1:147.)
Historical Introduction
On 7 January 1840, JS pronounced a blessing upon
James Ivins
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, presumably in
Monmouth County
Area claimed by Dutch, 1609. English rule established, 1665. County formed, 1675. County government organized, 1714. Battle of Monmouth fought in county, 28 June 1778. First Latter-day Saint missionary, Benjamin Winchester, preached in county, summer 1838...
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, New Jersey, or elsewhere in the Delaware River Valley.
1
The Ivins family lived in Monmouth County in 1840. JS was then traveling in the area and preached several times at a schoolhouse just north of Hornerstown in Monmouth County. (Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 30 Dec. 1839, 71; Sharp, “Latter-day Saints or ‘Mormons’ in New Jersey,” 1–2; Fleming, “Early Mormonism in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey,” 77–78.)
Sharp, William. “The Latter-day Saints or ‘Mormons’ in New Jersey.” Typescript of unpublished paper. 1897. CHL.
Fleming, Stephen J. “‘Sweeping Everything Before It’: Early Mormonism in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey.” BYU Studies 40 (2001): 72–104.
JS identified this blessing as “a Patriarchal Blessing,” a type of pronouncement typically delivered by a person appointed as a
patriarch
An ecclesiastical and priesthood office with the authority to give inspired blessings, similar to the practice of Old Testament patriarchs. JS occasionally referred to patriarchs as “evangelical ministers” or “evangelists.” Joseph Smith Sr. was ordained as...
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. JS
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...
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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...
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the first patriarch of 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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in December 1834.
2
Oliver Cowdery, Note, in Patriarchal Blessings, 1:8–9; see also Historical Introduction to Blessing from Joseph Smith Sr., 9 Dec. 1834. JS taught that “an Evangelist Is a patriarch even the oldest man of the Blood of Joseph or of the seed of Abram.” An instruction on priesthood prepared by JS in 1835 explained, “It is the duty of the twelve in all large branches of the church, to ordain evangelical ministers, as they shall be designated unto them by revelation.” Nevertheless, the next patriarch after Joseph Smith Sr. was not appointed until November 1837, when JS, Sidney Rigdon, and Hyrum Smith ordained Isaac Morley a patriarch for the church in Far West, Missouri. (Discourse, between ca. 26 June and ca. 2 July 1839; Instruction on Priesthood, between ca. 1 Mar. and ca. 4 May 1835 [D&C 107:39]; JS, Journal, 18 Dec. 1833; Minutes, 7 Nov. 1837.)
According to a later account written by
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...
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, JS conferred upon his father the “keys of the patriarchal priesthood over the Kingdom of God on earth, even the Church of the Latter Day Saints” at the time of the ordination, but he did not fully explain the responsibilities of the office.
3
Oliver Cowdery, Note, in Patriarchal Blessings, 1:9; Historical Introduction to Blessing from Joseph Smith Sr., 9 Dec. 1834.
The following year, Cowdery stated that a patriarch was expected to bless the fatherless and those whose fathers either were not church members or lived far from their children. Cowdery further referred to JS as “the first patriarch of the church.”
4
Oliver Cowdery, Note, in Patriarchal Blessings, 1:8.

It is unclear why JS gave
Ivins
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a patriarchal blessing. No record exists of JS pronouncing patriarchal blessings on other men or women in the eastern
United States
North American constitutional republic. Constitution ratified, 17 Sept. 1787. Population in 1805 about 6,000,000; in 1830 about 13,000,000; and in 1844 about 20,000,000. Louisiana Purchase, 1803, doubled size of U.S. Consisted of seventeen states at time ...
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during his travels in that region. It is possible that Ivins was the only church member in the area to request a patriarchal blessing from JS or that this is the only surviving transcript for blessings JS gave at that time and place. In any case, this copy of the blessing was recorded by an unidentified scribe.
Footnotes
[1]
The Ivins family lived in Monmouth County in 1840. JS was then traveling in the area and preached several times at a schoolhouse just north of Hornerstown in Monmouth County. (Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 30 Dec. 1839, 71; Sharp, “Latter-day Saints or ‘Mormons’ in New Jersey,” 1–2; Fleming, “Early Mormonism in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey,” 77–78.)
Sharp, William. “The Latter-day Saints or ‘Mormons’ in New Jersey.” Typescript of unpublished paper. 1897. CHL.
Fleming, Stephen J. “‘Sweeping Everything Before It’: Early Mormonism in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey.” BYU Studies 40 (2001): 72–104.
[2]
Oliver Cowdery, Note, in Patriarchal Blessings, 1:8–9; see also Historical Introduction to Blessing from Joseph Smith Sr., 9 Dec. 1834. JS taught that “an Evangelist Is a patriarch even the oldest man of the Blood of Joseph or of the seed of Abram.” An instruction on priesthood prepared by JS in 1835 explained, “It is the duty of the twelve in all large branches of the church, to ordain evangelical ministers, as they shall be designated unto them by revelation.” Nevertheless, the next patriarch after Joseph Smith Sr. was not appointed until November 1837, when JS, Sidney Rigdon, and Hyrum Smith ordained Isaac Morley a patriarch for the church in Far West, Missouri. (Discourse, between ca. 26 June and ca. 2 July 1839; Instruction on Priesthood, between ca. 1 Mar. and ca. 4 May 1835 [D&C 107:39]; JS, Journal, 18 Dec. 1833; Minutes, 7 Nov. 1837.)
[3]
Oliver Cowdery, Note, in Patriarchal Blessings, 1:9; Historical Introduction to Blessing from Joseph Smith Sr., 9 Dec. 1834.
[4]
Oliver Cowdery, Note, in Patriarchal Blessings, 1:8.
Page [2]
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and now I
seal
To confirm or solemnize. In the early 1830s, revelations often adopted biblical usage of the term seal; for example, “sealed up the testimony” referred to proselytizing and testifying of the gospel as a warning of the approaching end time. JS explained in...
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thee up into <unto> eternal life;
7
On 25 October 1831, JS explained to a general conference in Orange, Ohio, that “the order of the High priesthood is that they have power given them to seal up the Saints unto eternal life.” Previously, Joseph Smith Sr. had sealed several church members to eternal life in patriarchal blessings. (Minutes, 25–26 Oct. 1831; see, for example, Joseph Smith Sr., Blessing for John Corrill, 22 Sept. 1835; and Joseph Smith Sr., Blessing for Elias Higbee, 27 Aug. 1835, Patriarchal Blessings, 1:14, 18.)
and pronounce these blessing upon thy head in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, even so Amen——

Jan 7th 1840

By Joseph Smith Jr,
First President
The highest presiding body of the church. An 11 November 1831 revelation stated that the president of the high priesthood was to preside over the church. JS was ordained as president of the high priesthood on 25 January 1832. In March 1832, JS appointed two...
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of the
Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter Day Saints
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
8
According to the minutes of a September 1837 meeting, JS and his counselors constituted “the three first presidents of the church,” with JS as the “first President.” (Minutes, 3 Sept. 1837; Minutes, 7 Nov. 1837.)
—— [p. [2]]
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Document Information
Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Blessing to James Ivins, 7 January 1840
ID #
4703
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D7:109–111
Handwriting on This Page
Unidentified
Footnotes
[7]
On 25 October 1831, JS explained to a general conference in Orange, Ohio, that “the order of the High priesthood is that they have power given them to seal up the Saints unto eternal life.” Previously, Joseph Smith Sr. had sealed several church members to eternal life in patriarchal blessings. (Minutes, 25–26 Oct. 1831; see, for example, Joseph Smith Sr., Blessing for John Corrill, 22 Sept. 1835; and Joseph Smith Sr., Blessing for Elias Higbee, 27 Aug. 1835, Patriarchal Blessings, 1:14, 18.)
[8]
According to the minutes of a September 1837 meeting, JS and his counselors constituted “the three first presidents of the church,” with JS as the “first President.” (Minutes, 3 Sept. 1837; Minutes, 7 Nov. 1837.)