Blessing to William W. Phelps, 22 September 1835

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Blessing to William W. Phelps, 22 September 1835
Source Note

JS, Blessing, to
William W. Phelps
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,...
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, [
Kirtland Township
Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and...
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, Geauga Co., OH], 22 Sept. 1835. Featured version copied 3 Oct. 1835 in Patriarchal Blessing Book 1, pp. 14–15; handwriting of
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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; CHL. For more complete source information on Patriarchal Blessing Book 1, see the source note for Blessing from Joseph Smith Sr., 9 Dec. 1834.

Historical Introduction
On 22 September 1835, JS dictated a blessing for
William W. Phelps
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,...
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in
Kirtland
Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and...
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, Ohio.
1
For more information on the context of this blessing, see Blessing to David Whitmer, 22 Sept. 1835.
In June 1834, a
Missouri
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. Latter-day Saint ...
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council of
high priests
An ecclesiastical and priesthood office. Christ and many ancient prophets, including Abraham, were described as being high priests. The Book of Mormon used the term high priest to denote one appointed to lead the church. However, the Book of Mormon also discussed...
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had instructed Phelps to go to Kirtland to receive an “
endowment
Bestowal of spiritual blessings, power, or knowledge. Beginning in 1831, multiple revelations promised an endowment of “power from on high” in association with the command to gather. Some believed this promise was fulfilled when individuals were first ordained...
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with power.” The following month, the Missouri high council further directed Phelps to “assist in the printing business” in Kirtland.
2
Minutes, 23 June 1834; Minutes and Discourse, ca. 7 July 1834.
Phelps left for Kirtland on 28 April 1835. He was assisting in the editing of the Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate and finalizing the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants for publication at the time he received this blessing.
3
Whitmer, History, 70; “Doctrine and Covenants,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Aug. 1835, 1:170. Phelps had previously been in charge of the Independence, Missouri, printing office until its destruction in July 1833. He remained in Kirtland until after the dedication of the House of the Lord in March 1836. (William W. Phelps, Kirtland, OH, to Sally Waterman Phelps, Liberty, MO, Apr. 1836, William W. Phelps, Papers, BYU.)
Comprehensive Works Cited
Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.
Phelps, William W. Papers, 1835–1865. BYU.
JS’s blessing refers to Phelps’s abilities with the written word and promises him spiritual and temporal blessings.

Oliver Cowdery
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recorded the initial dictation of this blessing on 22 September 1835 and copied it into Patriarchal Blessing Book 1 on 3 October 1835.
Footnotes
[1]
For more information on the context of this blessing, see Blessing to David Whitmer, 22 Sept. 1835.
[2]
Minutes, 23 June 1834; Minutes and Discourse, ca. 7 July 1834.
[3]
Whitmer, History, 70; “Doctrine and Covenants,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Aug. 1835, 1:170. Phelps had previously been in charge of the Independence, Missouri, printing office until its destruction in July 1833. He remained in Kirtland until after the dedication of the House of the Lord in March 1836. (William W. Phelps, Kirtland, OH, to Sally Waterman Phelps, Liberty, MO, Apr. 1836, William W. Phelps, Papers, BYU.)
Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.
Phelps, William W. Papers, 1835–1865. BYU.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Blessing to William W. Phelps, 22 September 1835
Page 15
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with the fruit of the vine and with the fat of the olive, and he shall feed on the finest of the wheat;
6
See Psalms 81:16; 147:14.
and because of his liberal soul the Lord will make him rich;
7
See Proverbs 11:25.
even with treachers of gold, silver, precious stones, and with all precious metals. He shall be a wise lawyer in Israel; for he shall understand the law of the Lord perfectly; and the renowned among men shall acknowledge his superior wisdom pertaining to the laws of nations and of kingdoms. Behold, he shall have understanding in all sciences and languages, and with his brother <
Oliver [Cowdery]
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> shall write and arrange many books for the good 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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, that the young may grow up in wisdom:
8
Phelps had edited the Ontario Phoenix in Canandaigua, New York, before his conversion to the church and was appointed by revelation in June 1831 to be a printer in the church. Besides printing JS’s revelations and the church newspaper The Evening and the Morning Star, he was appointed with Cowdery “to do the work of Printing & of Selecting & writing Books for Schools in this Church that little Children also may receive instruction.” (Revelation, 14 June 1831 [D&C 55:4]; see also Revelation, 20 July 1831 [D&C 57:11–13].)
these shall remain for a memorial unto their names, and the generations to come shall call them blessed. His days shall be prolonged upon the land of
Zion
A specific location in Missouri; also a literal or figurative gathering of believers in Jesus Christ, characterized by adherence to ideals of harmony, equality, and purity. In JS’s earliest revelations “the cause of Zion” was used to broadly describe the ...
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; and when he is old and bowed down with many years, behold, he shall lift up his eyes and the heavens shall be opened upon him. He shall be lifted up at the last day, and his rest shall be glorious.
9
See Isaiah 11:10; Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 98 [2 Nephi 21:10]; and Revelation, 16–17 Dec. 1833 [D&C 101:31].
Amen.
Oliver Cowdery
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, clerk and Recorder.

Given Sept. 22, 1835, and recorded Oct. 3, 1835. [p. 15]
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Document Information
Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Blessing to William W. Phelps, 22 September 1835
ID #
1203
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D4:435–436
Handwriting on This Page
Oliver Cowdery
Footnotes
[6]
See Psalms 81:16; 147:14.
[7]
See Proverbs 11:25.
[8]
Phelps had edited the Ontario Phoenix in Canandaigua, New York, before his conversion to the church and was appointed by revelation in June 1831 to be a printer in the church. Besides printing JS’s revelations and the church newspaper The Evening and the Morning Star, he was appointed with Cowdery “to do the work of Printing & of Selecting & writing Books for Schools in this Church that little Children also may receive instruction.” (Revelation, 14 June 1831 [D&C 55:4]; see also Revelation, 20 July 1831 [D&C 57:11–13].)
[9]
See Isaiah 11:10; Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 98 [2 Nephi 21:10]; and Revelation, 16–17 Dec. 1833 [D&C 101:31].