Revelation, 12 November 1831 [D&C 70]

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Revelation, 12 November 1831 [D&C 70]
Source Note

Revelation,
Hiram Township
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...
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, OH, 12 Nov. 1831. Featured version, titled “Revelation 76 Hiram Nov. 12. 1831,” copied [between 12 and 20 Nov. 1831] in Revelation Book 1, pp. 124–125; 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. Includes redactions. For more complete source information, see the source note for Revelation Book 1.
Historical Introduction
On 12 November 1831, JS dictated this revelation in which he and others were appointed
stewards
One who managed property and goods under the law of consecration; also someone given a specific ecclesiastical responsibility. According to the “Laws of the Church of Christ,” members of the church were to make donations to the bishop, who would record the...
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over the revelations and
commandments
Generally, 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...
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of the church. JS may have dictated this revelation during or immediately after a
conference
A meeting where ecclesiastical officers and other church members could conduct church business. The “Articles and Covenants” of the church directed the elders to hold conferences to perform “Church business.” The first of these conferences was held on 9 June...
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held that same day, in which he petitioned the
elders
A male leader in the church generally; an ecclesiastical and priesthood office or one holding that office; a proselytizing missionary. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto...
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to compensate those who had assisted him in producing the “sacred writings” of the church.
1
Minutes, 12 Nov. 1831. For additional information on this conference, see Minutes, 12 Nov. 1831.
Although the 12 November minutes do not explicitly mention the revelation, the similar subject matter of both the conference and the revelation indicate that the two are closely related. A later history states that the revelation came “in answer to an enquiry” and suggests that JS dictated it after the conference approved a resolution stating that the revelations were “worth to the church, the riches of the whole earth, speaking temporally.”
2
JS History, vol. A-1, 173.
It is unclear what the original inquiry was, but the revelation’s designation of JS and five others as stewards over the publishing concerns of the church allowed them to claim compensation for their service in recording, preserving, and publishing the revelations.

According to the revelation, the stewards would have claim to any profits resulting from the publication of the revelations “for their necessities & their wants,” with any remainder to be transferred to the Lord’s
storehouse
Both a literal and a figurative repository for goods and land donated to the church. The book of Malachi directed the house of Israel to bring “all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house.” In JS’s revision of the Old Testament...
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. This mode of compensation through stewardships followed earlier instructions given to church members about
consecrating
The dedicating of money, lands, goods, or one’s own life for sacred purposes. Both the New Testament and Book of Mormon referred to some groups having “all things common” economically; the Book of Mormon also referred to individuals who consecrated or dedicated...
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property, whereby Saints were appointed stewards over an inheritance and then donated any surplus to the
bishop
An ecclesiastical and priesthood office. JS appointed Edward Partridge as the first bishop in February 1831. Following this appointment, Partridge functioned as the local leader of the church in Missouri. Later revelations described a bishop’s duties as receiving...
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. Church members had also been told that the elders and their families would be “supported out of the property which is consecrated to the Lord either a stewardship or otherwise.”
3
Revelation, 9 Feb. 1831 [D&C 42:30–35, 70–73].
This revelation reemphasized these principles while also reiterating that no one—not even those in leadership positions—was exempt from “this law.” All were required to adhere to the principles embedded in the consecration commandments.

The original manuscript of this revelation is not extant.
Oliver Cowdery
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, who as clerk of the conference may have been the original scribe for the revelation, copied the revelation into Revelation Book 1, which he and
John Whitmer
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...
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were preparing to take to
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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.
4
See Historical Introduction to Revelation Book 1; and Whitmer, History, 38.
Footnotes
[1]
Minutes, 12 Nov. 1831. For additional information on this conference, see Minutes, 12 Nov. 1831.
[2]
JS History, vol. A-1, 173.
[3]
Revelation, 9 Feb. 1831 [D&C 42:30–35, 70–73].
[4]
See Historical Introduction to Revelation Book 1; and Whitmer, History, 38.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Revelation, 12 November 1831 [D&C 70]
Revelation Book 1 Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834] Doctrine and Covenants, 1844 “History of Joseph Smith”
Page 124
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Insertions in handwriting of John Whitmer.
<Revelation>

<76
1
TEXT: John Whitmer assigned this number to the revelation after it was recorded in Revelation Book 1.
> <
Hiram
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...
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> Nov. 12. 1831
Behold & hearken o ye inhabitants of
Zion
JS revelation, dated 20 July 1831, designated Missouri as “land of Zion” for gathering of Saints and place where “City of Zion” was to be built, with Independence area as “center place” of Zion. Latter-day Saint settlements elsewhere, such as in Kirtland,...
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& all ye people of my
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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which are far off & hear the word of the Lord which I give unto my servant Jos[e]ph & also unto my servant
Martin [Harris]
18 May 1783–10 July 1875. Farmer. Born at Easton, Albany Co., New York. Son of Nathan Harris and Rhoda Lapham. Moved with parents to area of Swift’s landing (later in Palmyra), Ontario Co., New York, 1793. Married first his first cousin Lucy Harris, 27 Mar...
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& also unto my servant
Oliver [Cowdery]
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& also my servant
John [Whitmer]
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...
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& also unto my servant
Sidney [Rigdon]
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...
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by the way of
commandments
Generally, 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...
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unto them for I give unto them a commandment W[h]erefore hearken & hear for thus saith the Lord unto them I the Lord have appointed them & ordained them to be
stewards
One who managed property and goods under the law of consecration; also someone given a specific ecclesiastical responsibility. According to the “Laws of the Church of Christ,” members of the church were to make donations to the bishop, who would record the...
View Glossary
over the revelations & commandments which I have given unto them & which I shall hereafter give unto them & an account of this stewardship will I require of them in the day of judgement wherefore I have appointed unto them & this is their business in the church of God to manage them & the concerns thereof yea the profits thereof wherefore a commandment I give unto them that they shall not give these things unto the church neither unto the world nevertheless inasmuch as they receive more than is for their necessities & their wants it shall be given into my
storehouse
Both a literal and a figurative repository for goods and land donated to the church. The book of Malachi directed the house of Israel to bring “all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house.” In JS’s revision of the Old Testament...
View Glossary
& the benefits thereof shall be
consecrated
The dedicating of money, lands, goods, or one’s own life for sacred purposes. Both the New Testament and Book of Mormon referred to some groups having “all things common” economically; the Book of Mormon also referred to individuals who consecrated or dedicated...
View Glossary
unto the inhabtants of
Zion
JS revelation, dated 20 July 1831, designated Missouri as “land of Zion” for gathering of Saints and place where “City of Zion” was to be built, with Independence area as “center place” of Zion. Latter-day Saint settlements elsewhere, such as in Kirtland,...
More Info
& unto their generations inasmuch as they become heirs according to the
laws
Principles 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...
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of the kingdom
2
See Revelation, 6 June 1831 [D&C 52:2].
behold this is what the Lord requires of every man in his stewardship even as I the Lord have appointed or shall hereafter apoint unto any man & behold none is exempt from this law who belong to the church of the Living God
3
See 1 Timothy 3:15.
yea neither
Bishop
An ecclesiastical and priesthood office. JS appointed Edward Partridge as the first bishop in February 1831. Following this appointment, Partridge functioned as the local leader of the church in Missouri. Later revelations described a bishop’s duties as receiving...
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neither the
agent
A specific church office and, more generally, someone “entrusted with the business of another.” Agents in the church assisted other ecclesiastical officers, especially the bishop in his oversight of the church’s temporal affairs. A May 1831 revelation instructed...
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who keepeth the Lords storehouse
4
The bishop was Edward Partridge, and the agent was Sidney Gilbert. A 20 July 1831 revelation instructed Gilbert to “establish a store” in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, so that he could provide “provisions & whatsoever things the Deciples may need to plant them in their inheritance.” (Revelation, 20 July 1831 [D&C 57:8].)
neither he that is appointed in a stewardship over temporal things he that is appointed to administer spiritual things the same is worthy of his hire even as they who are appointed in a stewardship to administer in temporal things
5
A day earlier, a revelation noted that “the office of a Bishop is in administering all temporal things,” while the president of the high priesthood is responsible for “the administring of ordinances & blessings upon the Church by the Laying on of the hands.” (Revelation, 11 Nov. 1831–B [D&C 107:65–68].)
yea even more abundantly which abundance is multiplied unto them through the manifestations of the spirit nevertheless in your temporal things you shall be equal in all things & this not grudgeingly otherwise the abundance of the manifestations of the spirit shall be withheld now this commandment I give unto my servants while they remain for a manifestations of my blessings upon their heads & for a reward of their diligence & for their security for food & for raiment for an
inheritance
Generally 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...
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for houses & for lands & in whatsoever circumstances I the Lord shall place them & whithersoever I the Lord shall send them [p. 124]
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Document Information
Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Revelation, 12 November 1831 [D&C 70]
ID #
6537
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D2:139–141
Handwriting on This Page
John Whitmer
Oliver Cowdery
Footnotes
Insertions in handwriting of John Whitmer.
[1]
TEXT: John Whitmer assigned this number to the revelation after it was recorded in Revelation Book 1.
[2]
See Revelation, 6 June 1831 [D&C 52:2].
[3]
See 1 Timothy 3:15.
[4]
The bishop was Edward Partridge, and the agent was Sidney Gilbert. A 20 July 1831 revelation instructed Gilbert to “establish a store” in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, so that he could provide “provisions & whatsoever things the Deciples may need to plant them in their inheritance.” (Revelation, 20 July 1831 [D&C 57:8].)
[5]
A day earlier, a revelation noted that “the office of a Bishop is in administering all temporal things,” while the president of the high priesthood is responsible for “the administring of ordinances & blessings upon the Church by the Laying on of the hands.” (Revelation, 11 Nov. 1831–B [D&C 107:65–68].)