Articles and Covenants, circa April 1830, as Recorded in Hyde and Smith, Notebook [D&C 20]
Source Note
“Articles and Covenants,” [, Seneca Co., NY, ca. Apr. 1830, though parts may have been received as early as ca. summer 1829]. Version copied [between ca. Oct. 1831 and 1 Feb. 1832] in Hyde and Smith, Notebook, [3]–[11]; handwriting of ; Revelations Collection, CHL.
The rise of the in these last days being 1830 years since the comeing of our Lord & savior Jesus Christ in the flesh, it being regular[l]y organised & established agreeable to the laws of our by the will & of God in the fourth month and on the 6th day of the month which is called April which commandments were given to Joseph the Sere, who was called of God & an of Jesus Christ an of the Church & also to who was also called of God an apostle of Jesus Christ an Elder of the Church & ordained under under his hand, and this according to the grace of ou[r] Lord & saviour Jesus Christ to whom be all glory both now and forever Amen
For after that it truly was manifested unto this first Elder that he had recd. a remission of his sins, he was entangled agai[n] in the vanities of the world, but after truly repenting God ministered unto him by an holy whose countenance was as lightning & whose garments were pure & white above all whiteness and gave unto him commandments which inspired him from on high and gave unto him power by the means which was before prepared that he should a Book which Book contained a record of a fallen people and also the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the and also to the Jews proveing unto them tha[t] the are true & also that God doth inspire men & call them to his holy [work] in these last days as well as in days of old that he might be the same God forever—