Church History
Joseph Smith’s Revelations, Doctrine and Covenants 14

“Doctrine and Covenants 14,” Joseph Smith’s Revelations: A Doctrine and Covenants Study Companion from the Joseph Smith Papers (2020)

“Doctrine and Covenants 14,” Joseph Smith’s Revelations: A Doctrine and Covenants Study Companion from the Joseph Smith Papers

Doctrine and Covenants 14

Revelation, June 1829–A

Source Note

Revelation, Fayette Township, Seneca Co., NY, to David Whitmer, June 1829. Featured version, titled “Chapter XII,” typeset [between 1 Nov. 1832 and ca. early 1833] for Book of Commandments, 32–33. John Whitmer copied this revelation [ca. Mar. 1831] into Revelation Book 1, but the page or pages on which it was copied were removed at some point from that volume and are no longer extant.1 The version found in the Book of Commandments and featured below is the earliest extant version. For more information, see the source note for the Book of Commandments on the Joseph Smith Papers website.

Historical Introduction

JS dictated this revelation for David Whitmer after Whitmer traveled to Harmony, Pennsylvania, and helped JS and Oliver Cowdery move to Peter Whitmer Sr.’s house in Fayette, New York. The move was undertaken to facilitate completion of the Book of Mormon translation, which had caused JS trouble with both Isaac Hale and other residents in Harmony. David Whitmer had heard about JS in the fall of 1828 when rumors about JS’s retrieval of the plates circulated widely in the Palmyra, New York, region. While in Palmyra, Whitmer discussed the story of JS and the plates with Cowdery and others but initially supposed it was a rumor. Cowdery, who was acquainted with the Joseph Smith Sr. family,2 told Whitmer that “there must be some truth in the story of the plates, and that he intended to investigate the matter.”3 Several months later, Cowdery informed Whitmer that he intended to go to Harmony to see JS about the plates.4 On his journey, Cowdery stopped in Fayette to visit Whitmer and promised to write to him regarding what he learned. Cowdery sent at least three letters to Whitmer from Harmony, the last of which directed Whitmer to bring his wagon to Harmony and move JS and Cowdery to Fayette.5

Aided by what they considered divine manifestations, the Whitmers quickly became followers of JS. David Whitmer later recounted that during their journey to Fayette, he, Cowdery, and JS briefly encountered a “pleasant, nice looking old man” whom JS identified by revelation as a heavenly messenger transporting the plates. Whitmer also recalled that soon after their arrival in Fayette, his mother, Mary Musselman Whitmer, was met “by the same old man,” who showed her the plates.6 JS’s history recorded that “David, John, and Peter Whitmer Jr became our zealous friends and assistants in the work; And being anxious to know their respective duties, and having desired with much earnestness that I should enquire of the Lord concerning them, I did so, through the means of the Urim and Thummin and obtained for them in succession the folowing Revelations,” referring to this revelation and the June 1829 revelations directed to John Whitmer and Peter Whitmer Jr.7 The five revelations dated June 1829 are presented herein in the order found in the index to Revelation Book 1.8

CHAPTER XII.

1 A Revelation given to David [Whitmer], in Fayette, New-York, June, 1829.9

[1]A GREAT and marvelous work is about to come forth unto the children of men: [2]behold I am God, and give heed to my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow: therefore, give heed unto my word.

[3]2 Behold the field is white already to harvest, therefore, whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God: [4]Yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God: [5]therefore, if you will ask of me you shall receive; if you will knock it shall be opened unto you.

[6]3 Seek to bring forth and establish my Zion.—10 Keep my commandments in all things, [7]and if you keep my commandments, and endure to the end, you shall have eternal life; which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.11

[8]4 And it shall come to pass, that if you shall ask the Father in my name,12 in faith believing, you shall receive the Holy Ghost,13 which giveth utterance,14 that you may stand as a witness of the things of which you shall both hear and see;15 and also, that you may declare repentance unto this generation.

[9]5 Behold I am Jesus Christ the Son of the living God,16 which created the heavens and the earth;17 a light which cannot be hid in darkness:18 [10]wherefore, I must bring forth the fulness of my gospel19 from the [p. 32] Gentiles unto the house of Israel.20 [11]And behold thou art David, and thou art called to assist: Which thing if ye do, and are faithful, ye shall be blessed both spiritually and temporally, and great shall be your reward:21 Amen.

Notes

  1. See Revelation Book 1, p. [207], in JSP, MRB:385.

  2. The exact timing and sequence of events related to Oliver Cowdery’s relationship with the Smith family are not clear. According to David Whitmer, Cowdery said he was “acquainted with the Smith family” when Whitmer and Cowdery first met, but Whitmer offered no dates (other than the year 1828) and said nothing about Cowdery’s staying with the Smiths. Lucy Mack Smith, on the other hand, indicated that Cowdery began boarding with the Smith family right after he accepted a teaching position in the Manchester, New York, district late in the fall of 1828, but she said nothing about Cowdery’s meeting Whitmer and likewise gave no specific dates. (“Mormonism,” Kansas City Daily Journal, 5 June 1881, 1; Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845, bk. 7, [12].)

  3. “Mormonism,” Kansas City Daily Journal, 5 June 1881, 1. Whitmer had conversations with “several young men” who claimed that they knew JS had the plates and that they had seen “the plates [place] in the hill that he took them out of.” (“A Few Corrections,” Kansas City Daily Journal, 19 June 1881, 4.)

  4. “Mormonism,” Kansas City Daily Journal, 5 June 1881, 1. Though Cowdery may have written Whitmer a letter, he likely told Whitmer about his plans during another visit by Whitmer to Palmyra.

  5. “Mormonism,” Kansas City Daily Journal, 5 June 1881, 1. For descriptions of the early relationship between Cowdery and Whitmer, see Stevenson, Journal, 23 Dec. 1877; and Edward Stevenson, Richmond, MO, to Orson Pratt, Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, 23 Dec. 1877, in Historian’s Office, Journal History of the Church, 23 Dec. 1877. JS stated that Whitmer arrived “in the beginning of the month of June.” Whitmer also recalled that he met JS in June and stated that the journey between Fayette and Harmony took two and a half days. For further details of the move to Fayette, see JS History, vol. A-1, 21, in JSP, H1:306 (Draft 2); and “Report of Elders Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith,” Deseret News, 27 Nov. 1878, 674–675; for other David Whitmer interviews, see “The Last Man,” Times (Chicago), 17 Oct. 1881, 5; and Stevenson, Journal, 22–23 Dec. 1877.

  6. Joseph F. Smith, New York City, NY, to John Taylor et al., [Salt Lake City, Utah Territory], 17 Sept. 1878, draft, Joseph F. Smith, Papers, CHL; Stevenson, Journal, 23 Dec. 1877, 9 Feb. 1886, and 2 Jan. 1887. While the Joseph F. Smith account did not identify the person transporting the plates, Stevenson’s accounts variously identified him as “one of the Nephites” and “one of the 3 Nephites.” (See also [Andrew Jenson], “Eight Witnesses,” Historical Record, Oct. 1888, 621.)

  7. JS History, vol. A-1, 22, in JSP, H1:308 (Draft 2). For the revelations dictated for John Whitmer and Peter Whitmer Jr., respectively, see Revelation, June 1829–C [D&C 15], herein; and Revelation, June 1829–D [D&C 16], herein. JS’s history noted that David Whitmer and Peter Whitmer Jr. were baptized “in this same month of June.” Edward Stevenson reported that David Whitmer said it was in the “middle” of June. The wording of this revelation suggests that David Whitmer’s baptism occurred before the revelation. (JS History, vol. A-1, 23, in JSP, H1:314 [Draft 2]; Stevenson, Journal, 2 Jan. 1887.)

  8. Revelation Book 1, p. [207], in JSP, MRB:385.

  9. Because the page or pages in Revelation Book 1 that apparently contained this revelation are missing, it is unknown whether this heading was included in Revelation Book 1 or was added by the editors of the Book of Commandments.

  10. The revelation’s wording to this point is quite similar to that of the opening paragraphs of Revelation, Apr. 1829–A [D&C 6:1–6], herein; Revelation, May 1829–A [D&C 11:1–6], herein; and Revelation, May 1829–B [D&C 12:1–6], herein.

  11. See Revelation, Apr. 1829–A [D&C 6:13], herein.

  12. See John 16:23; and Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 491 [3 Nephi 18:20].

  13. See Matthew 3:11–16; Acts 1:5, 2:38; and Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 119–120 [2 Nephi 31:8–17].

  14. See Acts 2:4; and Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 112 [2 Nephi 28:4].

  15. An earlier revelation stated that three “witnesses” would see the gold plates; this statement may have anticipated the invitation to Whitmer to be one of the three. (Revelation, Mar. 1829 [D&C 5:11–14], herein; Testimony of the Three Witnesses, Late June 1829, in JSP, D1:378–382; see also Revelation, June 1829–E [D&C 17], herein; and Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 548 [Ether 5:2–4].)

  16. See Matthew 16:16.

  17. See Genesis 1:1; and Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 473 [3 Nephi 9:15].

  18. See Revelation, Apr. 1829–A [D&C 6:21], herein, which states, “I am the light which shineth in darkness”; see also Matthew 5:14; 1 Timothy 5:25; Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 480 [3 Nephi 12:14]; and Revelation, May 1829–A [D&C 11:11], herein.

  19. The phrase “fulness of my gospel” does not appear in the Bible. It is repeated several times in two separate places in the third book of Nephi in the Book of Mormon. (Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 487–488, 498 [3 Nephi 16:10, 12; 20:28, 30].)

  20. According to the Book of Mormon, a “Gentile” was to bring forth the Book of Mormon “by the gift of God” to “the Lamanites, which are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile.” Early members of the Church of Christ believed Lamanites to be ancestors of the peoples who inhabited the American continent before the arrival of Europeans. (Title Page of Book of Mormon, ca. Early June 1829, in JSP, D1:63; Oliver Cowdery, “Letter VII,” Messenger and Advocate, July 1835, 1:158.)

  21. See Luke 6:35; and Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 480 [3 Nephi 12:12].