CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A study of the formation of new social systems, particularly those that have departed radically from the traditions and beliefs of the past, is a fascinating experience. How they originated, and why, is a matter of concern to all students of the social sciences. Occasionally, in the past, a brilliant law-maker has appeared upon the scene of history, giving to the world a pattern of social and governmental organization; hence such men as Lycurgus, Solon, Hammurabi, and others have left their imprint on history by proposing the path in which it should flow. But, says a present-day student of government, while analyzing the origin of law and custom, the Great Legislator is usually represented as being either a codifier of the laws or as a prophet who receives them from God. 1 Joseph Smith, commonly known to the world of his day as the Mormon Prophet, belongs to the latter group. He lived and died under a prophetic concept as a revelator, whose mission it was to give to the world a completely new social system. To him and his followers that which the world denominated Mormonism was not a figment of any man's imagination; nor was it a product of environmental influences upon his mind. Quite to the contrary, it was to them -- in its social, economic, political, as well as its religious aspects -- the actual introduction of a new society, the principles of which originated not with man, but with God. 2 Statement of Problem. The life work of Joseph Smith was accomplished with the thought in view of establishing a new, more perfect social system. The new society was not only to be religious in nature, but was to be so devised as to satisfy all the social and economic needs of man. Being a closely integrated system, the lines separating the spiritual from the more physical or temporal aspects of life were to be but arbitrary terms of human definition. Since Joseph Smith considered himself (as did his associates) to be a prophet of God like Moses, Isaiah, etc., much of his social, religious, economic, as well as political thought came clothed in the language of Thus saith the Lord. Acting under the sense of a prophetic call, he sought, first, to define and establish the principles of the new society; second, to acquaint others with the newly revealed system; and, third, to define with clarity and emphasis the consequences that would befall the world if men ignored or rejected the message he delivered to them.
Chapter 1 Introduction 2 According to Joseph Smith, the age in which he lived was one of opportunity and decision. It was considered a day of opportunity in that, through him as an instrument, God had revealed the mechanics of a social system, along with the means of obtaining the necessary spiritual powers to give it life and vitality, that would alleviate distress and achieve true liberty, equality, and fellowship among men. It was considered an age of decision in that the underlying forces responsible for the development of the spirit of liberty within Western civilization were beginning to ebb, so that if, in future generations, the libertarian trend were to be maintained and strengthened, a new orientation of society along the lines proposed by the Mormon Prophet must be effected. The malfunctions existing in Western civilization (and eventually those existing throughout the world) must be corrected by embracing the principles he advocated. In the event the world rejected him and the work he initiated, Joseph Smith foresaw the decay of existing Civilization into eventual chaos and the rise of the society he established to prominence and power in a new world system. The problem of this study will be to analyze Joseph Smith's ideas in the social, economic, and political spheres. Attention will be devoted also to his religious thought, when it has a direct and relative significance to the other fields. Despite the fact that there are more than 1600 separate books 3 (books and articles combined number into the thousands) on file at the Historian's Office of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah, all appraising Joseph Smith, his social, economic, and political thought has never yet been analyzed with relation to his over-all objective of establishing a new society. Said G. Homer Durham, currently Vice-President of the University of Utah: The political ideas expressed in the Book of Mormon, encased in their religious framework, lead quite naturally to the theory of the Kingdom of God. This organized objective for both Christian society and social thought is one of the moving ideas in Mormonism... Further exposition and formulation of the kingdom idea constituted a major current in Mormon thought for the next generation. A thorough study of this development is one of the fascinating tasks awaiting scholarship. 4 It is the purpose of this study to analyze Joseph Smith's thought in this area, after first placing the Mormon Prophet in context with the society of his day and examining the fundamentals underlying the system he was instrumental in establishing. The following terms will be used in
Chapter 1 Introduction 3 this study and are here defined: 1. The new social system outlined by Joseph Smith will be referred to as follows: the society of Zion, the cause of Zion, or merely as Zion; 5 as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with abbreviated forms such as the L. D. S. Church, the Church, the Mormon Church (a name applied to it by non-members and in a sense accepted because of its wide usage), Mormonism, etc. 2. The economic phase or Joseph Smith's new social system will be referred to as The Law of Consecration and Stewardship, with abbreviated forms of this title twitch as The Law of Consecration, or as The Stewardship System. It will also be referred to as The United Order of Consecration and Stewardship, as The United Order, or merely as the Order. 3. The political government to be associated with the society of Zion will be referred to as the Kingdom of God. The term kingdom of God will be found in several quotations from other writers, many of whom do not apply it strictly to the political system to be associated with the society of Zion. As used by this writer, however, it will be limited to the realm of the political. 4. Members of the society of Zion will be referred to as Latter-day Saints, Saints, members, converts, followers, Mormons, etc. The initials L. D. S. will also be used at appropriate times for the sake of brevity. Note: A further definition of terms used in this study will be made as the occasion arises to use them. Statement of Sources. Material for this study has been gathered from the following places: 1. The New York Public Library at New York City, which has approximately 1500 books and articles dealing with Joseph Smith and Mormonism, including many of the early publications sponsored by the Church during his lifetime. 2. The Brigham Young University Library at Provo, Utah, which has many original publications as well as a collection of unpublished journals, diaries, etc., kept by early converts. 3. The Syracuse University Library, to which the writer has gone through most of the general histories and other publications dealing with the era in which Joseph Smith figured. 4. The Cornell University Library, which has a collection of publications and writings on Joseph Smith and Mormonism.
Chapter 1 Introduction 4 5. The library of the Eastern States Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with headquarters at 973 Fifth Avenue, New York City, which has supplied a limited amount of material from early writings of men closely associated with Joseph Smith. The basic source of original material or data for this study has been Joseph Smith's History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, edited with an introduction to each of its six volumes by B. H. Roberts. Another volume under the sub-heading of Apostolic Interregnum is also a part of this collection and contains histories, statements, and documents having a direct bearing upon events that transpired in the closing period of Joseph Smith's life. This work, commonly referred to as the Documentary History of the Church, is in reality an autobiography, since it was dictated to secretaries by the Prophet himself and contains letters, affidavits, recorded addresses, and statements, as well as Joseph Smith's own narration of events associated with his life. This work will be abbreviated in footnote references as D. H. C., followed by volume and page references. Other important primary sources are: 1. The Book of Mormon, 1920 edition. The first edition, published in 1830, has been consulted in cases where exact quotations are important. In footnote references, the work will be abbreviated as B. of M., followed by book, chapter, and verse references. 2. The Doctrine and Covenants, 1921 edition. The first edition (published at Independence, Jackson County, Missouri in 1833, under title of Book of Commandments) has been consulted. This work will be abbreviated in footnote references as D. & C. followed by section and verse references. 3. The Pearl of Great Price, 1928 edition. The first edition of this work was published in Liverpool, England, in 1851, as a collection of Joseph Smith's works (The first American edition was published at Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1878.). Original publications containing this material have been consulted. This work will be abbreviated in footnote references as P. of G. P., followed by book, chapter, and verse references. The Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, along with the Bible (King James translation), constitute the accepted scriptural works of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Chapter 1 Introduction 5 COMMENTARY ON SOURCES Joseph Smith's Thought Contained in the Language of Revelation. To understand the proposed new society and its impact one must view it as it was introduced to the world; one must see it as those who accepted Joseph Smith's claim to leadership saw it. To them it was introduced as a completely new social system, emanating from God through Joseph Smith, and upon this proposition they accepted or rejected it. For example, Josiah Quincy (1802-1882), mayor of Boston from 1845 to 1849, visited Nauvoo, the central gathering place of the L. D. S. people in Illinois, in May, 1844, and noted that Joseph Smith was and Is to-day accepted by hundreds of thousands as a direct emissary from the Most High. 6 More closely associated with the sentiments and beliefs of the Latter-day Saints was Brigham Young. With his fellow members of the Quorum of the Twelve, he wrote to the European Saints in March, 1842, as follows: We have been guided by the Spirit of the Lord in our deliberations concerning the matter; and have been instructed by the Prophet of the Most High, even Joseph, the Seer and Revelator, for the Church, whose instructions to us are as the voice of the Lord, and whose admonitions we ever regard as true and faithful, and worthy [of] the confidence of all who profess the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 7 Nor were such sentiments merely disseminated among unsuspecting converts in foreign lands for the purpose of building greater religious zeal and loyalty. Instead, they were generally accepted facts among the Latterday Saints and were, if anything, even more fully accepted as realities by those closely associated with the Mormon Prophet. Alexander McRae had been with Joseph Smith during the terrible days of the Missouri persecution. He later wrote as follows: We never suffered ourselves to go into any important measure without asking Brother Joseph to inquire of the Lord in relation to it. Such was our confidence in him as a Prophet, that when he said Thus saith the Lord, we were confident it would be as he said; and the more we tried it, the more confidence we had, fog we never found his word fail in a single instance. 8 Parley P. Pratt, a prominent associate of Joseph Smith, was present when several such revelations as are now contained in the
Chapter 1 Introduction 6 Doctrine and Covenants were given. On one occasion he and others were concerned about a problem of importance which had arisen and to which they were unable to find an answer. Perplexed, they went to Joseph Smith, and asked him to inquire of the Lord concerning the matter. To quote Pratt's account of what then transpired: After we had joined in prayer in his translating room, he dictated in our presence the following revelation: -- (Each sentence was uttered slowly and very distinctly, and with a pause between each, sufficiently long for it to be recorded, by an ordinary writer, in long hand.) This was the manner in which all his written. revelations were dictated and written.. There was never any hesitation, reviewing, or reading back, in order to keep the run of the subject; neither did any of these communications undergo revisions, interlinings, or corrections. As he dictated them so they stood, so far as I have witnessed; and I was present to witness the dictation if several communications of several pages each... 9 That there had been no time to premeditate on What Should go into the contents of this revelation is evident. So it was in many other such instances. When a collection of these revelations was first considered for publication in book form, a special revelation was given (November 1, 1831), designated as the Lord's Preface to the doctrines, covenants, and commandments given in this dispensation. 10 This revelation aptly illustrates the point that revelations were viewed as the voice of God and as actual intelligence coming from God and not as the ideas or commandments of Joseph Smith. It begins: Hearken, O ye people of my church, saith the voice of him who dwells on high, and whose eyes are upon all men;... It continues: Behold, I am God and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding. Finally, it con-eludes: What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens, and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled. 11 After the Lord's Preface to the forthcoming publication had been recorded, a discussion ensued in which some of those present criticized the language in which they [i.e., the revelations] were
Chapter 1 Introduction 7 recorded, as imperfect. 12 With few exceptions, Joseph Smith's associates were self-willed, independent-thinking men, and at this stage of his life there were several of them who were far better educated in the learning of the world than he. Among these associates there were those who resented the thought that, though they accepted the revelations as coming from God, 13 they should go to the world manifesting the weakness and manner of...language of the Lord's servants. 14 The thought was also prevalent in some of their minds that surely they could do a better job of putting into appropriate words, phrases, and sentences the ideas communicated from on high. To settle the dispute that had arisen another revelation was given, 15 in which the following appears: And now I, the Lord, give unto you a testimony of the truth of these commandments which are lying before you. Your eyes have been upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and his language you have known, and his imperfections you have known; and you have sought in your hearts knowledge that you might express beyond his language; this you also know. Now, seek ye out of the Book of Commandments, even the least that is among them, and appoint him that is the most wise among you; or, if there be any among you that shall make one like unto it, then ye are justified in saying that ye do not know that they are true; but if ye cannot make one like unto it, ye are under condemnation if ye do not bear record that they are true. For ye know that there is no un-righteousness in them, and that which is righteous, cometh down from above, from the Father of lights. 16 One of those present, William E. M Lellin, accepted the challenge. He was regarded as a learned man, but despite the fact that he did his best to bring forth a literary production that should compare favorably with the Revelations given through Joseph Smith, he utterly failed. 17 Joseph Smith records the following regarding the event: William E. M Lellin, as the wisest man, in his own estimation, having more learning than sense, endeavored to write a commandment like unto one of the least of the Lord s but failed; it was an awful responsibility to write in the name of the Lord. The Elders and all present that witnessed this vain attempt of a man to imitate the language of Jesus Christ, renewed their faith in the fulness of the Gospel, and in the truth of the commandments and revelations which the Lord
Chapter 1 Introduction 8 had given to the Church through my instrumentality; and the Elders signified a willingness to bear testimony of their truth to all the world. 18 Accordingly, a document was drawn up, whereupon those present, including the aforementioned M Lellin, declared themselves willing to bear testimony to all the world of mankind, to every creature upon the face of all the earth and upon the islands of the sea, that the Lord has borne record to our souls, through the Holy Ghost, shed forth upon us, that these commandments were given by inspiration of God, and are profitable for all men, and are verily true. 19 Following these events, a special conference of the Latter-day Saints expressed its sentiments with regard to the collection of revelations. In the words of Joseph Smith,... in consequence of the book of revelations, now to be printed, being the foundation of the Church in these last days, and a benefit to the world, showing that the keys of the mysteries of the kingdom of our Savior are again entrusted to men; and the riches of eternity within the compass of those who are willing to live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God -- therefore the conference voted that they prize the revelations to be worth to the Church the riches of the whole earth, speaking temporally. 20 To understand Joseph Smith and his claim to revelation, one must consider his concept of Christianity. To him the Apostolic Church of the New Testament contained the essentials necessary to develop a perfect social system that could provide the philosophy and social mechanism through which each legitimate human need could be properly expressed. To develop such a system it required the influence of spiritual light and power coming from God, administered through a worthy and properly commissioned priesthood. The Mormon Prophet held that Christ had developed the basic essentials of such a system and left the necessary authority among men to perpetuate it, but that in the course of time the divine commission had been lost and the structural and philosophical foundation, as well as the religious principles and ordinances of the original Christian system had been perverted to the extent that the latter product was in many ways at variance with the initial society and its aims. It was now the purpose of God, according to Joseph Smith, to usher in a new, complete, and final dispensation of the Christian gospel, spoken of by biblical writers as the great restitution of all things, 21 and the
Chapter 1 Introduction 9 dispensation of the fulness of times. 22 This dispensation would witness the restoration of the principles and authority necessary to develop the true Christian society into a perfect social system capable of realizing man's quest for social justice. It would also eventually give to the world a political kingdom that would be world-wide in scope, guaranteeing to each individual the free exercise of his inalienable rights. It is needless to add that Joseph Smith considered that the heavenly principles and the divine authority necessary to develop them had been restored through him and others as the chosen oracles. 23 Joseph Smith also claimed that Western civilization had been largely prepared for the mission he was called to perform. Such a concept followed as a natural concomitant of the idea that God was to give to the world a new, more perfect social system. The Supreme Intelligence, having directed the overall destiny, of the world up to that point, was now to reveal a system of society that would bring to complete fruition the developing trends toward liberty, equality, and brotherhood. To this great project, a final preparation was necessary. The needed preparation came, according to the views of Joseph Smith, in the era prior to and contemporary with his life's work. The Book of Abraham as a Source of Joseph Smith's Thought. Another source of Joseph Smith's ideas is the Book of Abraham. This material, which now forms a part of the Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith claimed to have translated, by divine assistance, from an ancient papyrus scroll purchased by the Latter-day Saints, along with four mummies which had been excavated in Egypt, from one Michael H. Chandler, in July, 1835. Chandler was the nephew of a Piedmontese traveler and adventurer by the name of Antonio Sebolo (or Lebolo) who had, prior to his death, willed the Egyptian relics to his nephew. Upon receiving the relics, Chandler exhibited them throughout the United States. During this time he was referred on different occasions to Joseph Smith and encouraged to visit the Mormon Prophet. No doubt the fact that the Book of Mormon claimed to be a translation of a record written in a modified form of an ancient Egyptian language 24 had something to do in prompting these suggestions. Chandler finally made a trip to Kirtland, Ohio, then the headquarters of the L. D. S. movement, and the relics were subsequently purchased by the Church. In seeking to authenticate Chandler's story of the origin of these Egyptian relics, L. D. S. historians have found by writing to William R. Dawson, a noted English Egyptologist, that Antonio Sebolo had been
Chapter 1 Introduction 10 employed by Bernardo Drovetti, an Italian who acted as consul general in Egypt for France. Drovetti was an ardent collector of Egyptian antiquities and used his diplomatic privileges to good advantage in amassing and exporting them. Sebolo and others, while working for Drovetti at Thebes, were at the same time carrying on clandestine excavations of their own. Though little is known of the specifics concerning their activities, Dawson states that a paper was read regarding Lebolo's activities at the Turin Museum on the 4th and 19th of August, 1824. 25 After the mummies and scrolls had been purchased by the Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith recorded the following in his Journal; The remainder of this month, I was continually engaged in translating an alphabet to the Book of Abraham, and arranging a grammar of the Egyptian language as practiced by the ancients. 26 Much of the work he did at this time has been preserved and is now in the Church Historian's Office at Salt Lake City, Utah. 27 Near the left margin of the page the signs or characters in question were copied in a vertical column. Then, to the right of each figure in the vertical column appears the sound of the respective character in English letters. Continuing to the right, there next appears an interpretation of the character in question, showing also the ramifications of meaning in each figure. These notes indicate that whatever Joseph Smith's competency as a translator may have been, there is no doubt that he went through laborious mental exertions attached to the translation of such a document. 28 From the time the mummies and papyrus were purchased in 1835 until the Book of Abraham was published in 1842, 29 repeated notations in Joseph Smith's Journal reveal the interest manifested by both Mormon and non-mormons in these ancient findings. 30 At the time of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith the Egyptian relics were in his home in Nauvoo, Illinois, and were kept there for some time by his wife, Emma, and his mother. Afterward, at least two of the four mummies and, possibly, a part of the papyrus that had been found with them, came into possession of the Col. J. H. Wood's Museum in Chicago. As far as is known, they were destroyed in the Chicago fire of 1871. What happened to the remaining portion of the Egyptian relics is not known. Ideas found in the Book of Abraham will be used to clarify and develop Joseph Smith's thought as set forth in this study. Joseph Smith's Inspired Version of the Bible as a Source of his Thought. One other source of Joseph Smith's thought that needs special
Chapter 1 Introduction 11 comment at this point is his Inspired Version of the Bible. While no people esteem the Holy Bible more highly than the Latter-day Saints, and this in large part as a result of Joseph Smith's influence, yet he held that the Bible was deficient in many respects. The original writings had suffered deletion. and alteration to such an extent that many parts which are plain and most precious were taken away from it, causing an exceeding great many to stumble. 3` This fate, according to Joseph Smith, had befallen both the Old and the New Testaments. The means by which these deletions and perversions were to be restored and corrected was to be through revelation. Thou shalt ask, stated a revelation to Joseph Smith on date of February 9, 1831, and my scriptures shall be given as I have appointed. 32 Again, during the preceding December, another revelation instructed Sidney Higdon, who had just joined the movement: And a commandment I give unto thee -- that thou shalt write for him [i. e., Joseph Smith], and the scriptures shall be given, even as they are in mine own bosom, to the salvation of mine own elect. 33 What may be thought of the propriety of revising and restoring the Holy Bible to a state of original purity through revelations purporting to come directly from God is not the concern of this study. That which does concern this work is the fact that Joseph Smith's effort in this field of endeavor constituted an important part of his life's work. Again, it Is not the purpose of this work to argue about the authenticity or reality of Joseph Smith's visions, revelations, etc., but rather to set forth the social theory contained therein. The revision of the Holy Bible was contemplated even before the Book of Mormon was completed 34 and occupied Joseph Smith's time intermittently from June, 1830, 35 until the time of his death in 1844. Though never completed sufficiently to publish during his lifetime, 36 a portion of the results of his labor now constitute the Book of Moses, a section of the Pearl of Great Price. 37 A rerevelation of the 24th chapter of Matthew also appears in this work, under title of Smith, 1. When ideas stemming from corrections made in biblical texts have a direct bearing upon the area covered by this study, they will be used as source material. Chapter Endnotes 1 R. M. MacIver, The Web of Government (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1947), p. 63.
Chapter 1 Introduction 12 2 See for example, D. & C., 105: 1-5. 3 William E. Berrett, Joseph Smith and the Verdict of Time, The Deseret News: Church News Section, December 19, 1953, p. 11. 4 Joseph Smith Prophet-Statesman, ed., G. Homer Durham (Salt Lake City, Utah: The Bookcraft Company, 1944), p. 19. 5 As used by Joseph Smith, the term Zion has several meanings. It may have reference to (1) the social system he envisioned;. (2) the central city he sought to establish, as the Center-Place of Zion? at Independence, Missouri; (3) both the North and South American continents, as the land of Zion, and finally, (4) the people who embraced the principles of the new society, regardless of their geographical location. 6 Josiah Quincy, Figures of the Past (Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1926), p. 317. 7 An Epistle of the Twelve to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in its various Branches and Conferences in Europe, D.H.C., Vol. IV, p. 562. See also p. 563. 8 D. H. C., Vol. III, p. 258. McRae gives the following account of happenings during this period to illustrate his statement: A short time before we were to go to Daviess county for trial, word came to us that either General Atchison or Doniphan, would raise a military force, and go with us to protect us from the wrath of that people. The matter was discussed by the brethren (except Brother Joseph), and they naturally enough conclude it would be best; and although I had nothing to Bay, I concurred with them in my feelings. Brother Hyrum [Smith] asked Brother Joseph What he thought of it. Brother Joseph hung his head a few moments, and seemed in a deep study, and then raised up and said, Brother Hyrum it will not do; we must trust in the Lord; if we take a guard with us, we shall be destroyed. This was very unexpected to us but Brother Hyrum remarked, If you say it in the name of the Lord, we will rely on it. Said Brother Joseph, In the name of the Lord, if we take a guard with us, we will be destroyed; but if we put our trust in the Lord, we shall be safe, and no harm shall befall us, and we shall be better treated than we have ever been since we have been prisoners. This settled the question, and all seemed satisfied, and it was decided that we should have no extra guard, and they had only such a guard as they
Chapter 1 Introduction 13 chose for our safe keeping. When we arrived at the place where the court was held, I began to think he was mistaken for once, for the people rushed upon us en masse, crying, Kill them: --- --- them kill them. I could see no chance for escape, unless we could fight our-way through, and we had nothing to do it with. At this, Brother Joseph, at whom all seemed to rush, rose up and said, we are in your hands; if we are guilty, we refuse not to be punished by the law. Hearing these words, two of the most bitter mobocrats in the country -- one by the name of William Peniston and the other Kinney, or McKinney, I do not remember which --- got up on benches and began to speak to the people, saying, Yes, gentlemen, these men are In our hands; let us not use violence, but let the law have its course; the law will condemn them, and they will be punished by it. We do not want the disgrace of taking the law into our own hands. In a very few minutes they were quieted, and they seemed now as friendly as they had a few minutes before been enraged. Liquor was procured, and we all had to drink in token of friendship. This took place in the courtroom (a small log cabin about twelve feet square), during the adjournment of the court; and from that time until we got away, they could not put a guard over Us Who would not become so friendly that they did not dare trust them, and the guard was very frequently changed. We were seated at the first table with the judge, lawyers, etc., and had the best the country afforded, with feather - beds to sleep on -- a privilege we had not before enjoyed in all our imprisonment. -- Ibid., pp. 258-59. 9 Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, ed., by his son Parley P. Pratt (fourth edition; Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book Company, 1950), pp. 61-2. In editing Joseph Smith's History of the Church. etc., B. H. Roberts makes the following statement after quoting Pratt's account: This statement of Elder Pratt's is true in a general way, and valuable as a description of the manner in which revelations were dictated by the Prophet; and needs modifying only on the extent of saying that some of the early revelations first published in the Book of Commandments, in 1833, were revised by the Prophet himself in the way of correcting errors made by the scribes and publishers; and some additional clauses were inserted to throw increased light upon the subjects treated in the revelations, and paragraphs added, to make the principles or instructions apply to officers not in the Church at the time some of the earlier revelations were given. The addition of verses, 65, 66, and 67 in
Chapter 1 Introduction 14 sec. xx of the Doctrine and Covenants, Is an example. -- D. H. C. Vol. I, p. 173 fn. Further concerning the manner by which revelations were given can be seen in a letter of Joseph Smith to Jared Carter, a recent convert;... we never inquire at the hand of God for special revelations only in ease of there being no previous revelation to suit the case; and that in a council of High Priests... It is a great thing to inquire at the hands of God, or to come into His presence; and we feel fearful to approach Him on subjects that are of little or no consequence, to satisfy the queries of individuals, especially about things the knowledge of which men ought to obtain in all sincerity, before God, for themselves, in humility by the prayer of faith.... D.H.C., Vol. p. 339 l0 Introductory heading of D. & C., section 1. 11 D. & C. 1:1, 24, 38; D.H:C. Vol. I, pp.224-5. Other revelations contain similar statements. See, for example, D. & C. 18: 33-5; 51:1. 12 Hyrum M. Smith and Jamie M. Sjodahl, The Doctrine and Covenants Commentary, revised edition by Joseph Fielding Smith, Harold B. Lee, and Marion G. Romney (Salt Take City, Utah: Deseret Book Company, 1950), p. xxi. 13 On this occasion, a number of the brethren who were present at the conference arose and testified to the truth of the Book of Commandments. -- Ibid. 14 D. & C. 1:24; D. H. C. Vol. I, pp. 223-4. 15 In his Journal, Joseph Smith merely noted that some conversation was had concerning revelations and language. He then added, I received the following ; that is the revelation proposing to settle the controversy. 16 D. & C. 67:4-9; D. H. C. Vol. I, p. 225. 17 Smith and Sjodahl, op. cit., pp. xxi-xxii. 18 D. H. C. Vol. I, p. 226. l9 Ibid. This statement is also found in the Explanatory Introduction at the beginning of Doctrine and Covenants. 20 D. H. C. Vol. I, p.235. 21 Bible, Acts 3:19-21. 22 Bible, Ephesians 1:9-10.
Chapter 1 Introduction 15 23 For example, an associate, John Taylor, declared:...we are not indebted to any man who lives upon the earth for them [i.e., the principles upon which the new society was to be built]. These principles emanated from God. They were given by revelation... Journal of Discourses, Vol. 26, pp. 30-2; The Gospel Kingdom, ed., G. Homer Durham (Salt Lake City, Utah: The Bookcraft, 1944), p. 36. 24 The Book of Mormon claims to be a record originally written in the language of the Egyptians (B. of M., I Nephi 1:2; Mosiah 1:4) as altered (B. of M., Mormon 9:32.) by natural evolution over a period of years. In discussing the matter, R. C. Webb noted that a copy of the figures from which the Book of Mormon was allegedly translated dhows them to be nearly identical with those found in Hieratic documents of various periods; others might be classed. as attempts--not wholly successful, in Several cases -- to copy familiar characters in that style of writing, and others, again, while having no familiar correspondents in known Egyptian originals, are closely approximated to the type and resemble no other form of script. -- R. C. Webb, Joseph Smith as a Translator (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret News Press, 1936), p. 5. 25 Lecture by James R. Clark, New Light on the Chandler Story of the Papyrus of Abraham, one of a series of five lectures entitled The Pearl of Great Price through Forty Centuries, Know Your Religion (Provo, Utah: Published by the Extension Division of the Brigham Young University, 1953), p. 8. See also James R. Clark, Before Ye Go Into Egypt (Provo, Utah: The Brigham Young University Press, 1952), Part I, pp. 46-8. For Joseph Smith's story of the mummies, see D. H. C. Vol. II, pp. 235, 348-50: In a letter to William Frye, published in the Latter-day Saints' Messenger and Advocate, Kirtland, Ohio, Vol. II (December, 1835), No. 3, Oliver Cowdery also published an account of these transactions. The Messenger and Advocate, as it will hereafter be called, was an L. D. S. periodical. 26 D. H. C. Vol. II, p. 235. 27 The writer has in his possession a copy of some of this material. 28 That considerable time and effort were spent in the publication of the Book of Abraham is evident by the notations from Joseph Smith's Journal. See, for example, D. H. C. Vol. IV, pp. 519, 521, 543, 548, etc. 29 The first publication of this document appeared in the Times and Seasons Nauvoo, Illinois, Vol. III (March 1 and 15, 1842), Nos. 9 and 10. The
Chapter 1 Introduction 16 Times and Season was an L. D. S. paper. It was later published in England under the editorship of Parley P. Pratt and T. Ward, in the Millennial Star, Liverpool, England, Vol. III (July, 1842), No. 3, pp. 33-6. The Millennial Star was an L. D. S. paper. 30 See D. H. C. Vol. II, pp. 287, 290, 291 293, 316,.318, 322, 329, 330, 331, 334, 344, 364, 388, 396. A non-mormon organ also records the account of an interview with Joseph Smith in which he displayed the mummies and papyrus. See The Quincy Whig, published at Quincy, Illinois, Vol. III (Oct. 17, 1840), p. 1. This interview is cited in Milton R. Hunter, Pearl of Great Price Commentary (Salt Lake City, Utah: Stevens & Wallis, Inc., 1948), pp. 15-6. In his Figures of the Past, Josiah Quincy also notes that Joseph Smith showed him the mummies an papyrus. 31 B. of M., I Nephi 13:28, 29. Concerning these deletions, Joseph Smith said: From sundry revelations Which have been received, it was apparent that many important points, touching the salvation of man, had been taken from the Bible or lost before it was compiled. ---The Millennial Star, Vol. 14, p. 18. 32 D. & C. 42:56. 33 Ibid., 35:20. Rigdon, prior to this time a prominent figure in the Campbellite movement, is supposed by some to have been the instructor of Joseph Smith, after joining the Mormon movement. His supposed contribution to the body of Mormon doctrine will be treated later. It is sufficient at this point to draw attention to the fact that Rigdon did not consider it below his former dignity to act as scribe rather than instructor to the twenty-five-year-old farm boy in a work so important to the formation of doctrinal foundations in the new movement. That Rigdon did act as scribe and not instructor in this case is evident from subsequent notations in Joseph Smith's Journal. See D. H. C. Vol. I, pp. 219, 238. 34 Reference is made to it as early as April, 1829. See D. & C. 6:27. 35 The initial revelation which now constitutes a part of the Book of Moses was recorded in June, 1830. 36 For further information on this whole subject see Merrill Y. VanWagoner, The Inspired Revision of the Bible (Independence, Missouri: Zion's Printing and Publishing Company, 1947). 37 Joseph Smith's views on the deficiencies existing in the writings of Moses and the role he was to play as a restorer of biblical texts can be seen by
Chapter 1 Introduction 17 noting the context of a revelation given in June 1830, purporting to reveal the words of God to Moses: And now, Moses, my son, I will speak unto thee concerning this earth upon which thou standest, and thou shalt write the things which I shall speak. And in a day when the children of men shall esteem my words as naught and take many of them from the book which thou shalt write, behold, I will raise up another like unto thee; and they shall be had again among the children of men -- among as many as shall believe. P. of G. P., Moses 1:40-1.