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Revelation, 1 November 1831–B [D&C 1]

Source Note

Revelation, , OH, 1 Nov. 1831. Featured version, titled “77 Revelation Given in Hiram Novm. 1st. 1831,” copied [between 12 and 20 Nov. 1831] in Revelation Book 1, pp. 125–127; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Revelation Book 1.

Historical Introduction

At a of in , Ohio, on 1 November 1831, JS dictated a revelation designated as a preface for the Book of Commandments, a proposed compilation of JS’s revelations. According to the minutes of the 1 November conference, this revelatory preface was “received by inspiration” during a recess between the morning and afternoon sessions. , one of the conference participants, gave a more detailed account of the production of the preface fifty years later to William Kelley, an elder in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. According to Kelley’s account of the conversation, McLellin said that he, , and had been given the assignment to write the preface to the Book of Commandments, but when they presented their draft to the conference, the “Conference picked it all to pieces” and requested that JS petition the Lord for a preface. After JS and the elders bowed in prayer, JS, who was “sitting by a window,” dictated the preface “by the Spirit,” while Rigdon served as scribe. “Joseph would deliver a few sentences and Sydney would write them down,” McLellin told Kelley, “then read them aloud, and if correct, then Joseph would proceed and deliver more.” In this way, “the preface was given.”
As with prefaces to other published works, this revelation informed readers of the subject and purpose of the volume. Speaking in the voice of Deity, it told both the and the world why God revealed these to JS and painted an apocalyptic picture of the wrath that God would unleash against the wicked unless they responded to the new revelations by repenting. The revelations were thus a “voice of warning” to the world to prepare them for Jesus Christ’s second coming.
The original manuscript of the preface is no longer extant. copied the revelation into Revelation Book 1 likely between 12 November 1831, the date of the revelation that precedes it in the revelation book, and 20 November, the date that he and left for with the revelation book. The revelation was printed as the preface to the Book of Commandments about a year later.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    For additional information on this conference, see Minutes, 1–2 Nov. 1831.

  2. [2]

    Minutes, 1–2 Nov. 1831. A later JS history merely relates that the revelation came at a “Special Conference” in Hiram. (JS History, vol. A-1, 157.)

  3. [3]

    “Letter from Elder W. H. Kelley,” Saints’ Herald, 1 Mar. 1882, 67.

    Saints’ Herald. Independence, MO. 1860–.

  4. [4]

    See Historical Introduction to Revelation Book 1; Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–B, in Revelation Book 1, pp. 125–127 [D&C 1]; Whitmer, History, 38.

  5. [5]

    The first gathering of the Book of Commandments was printed in December 1832; The Evening and the Morning Star published the preface in March 1833. (Notice, The Evening and the Morning Star, Dec. 1832, [8]; “Revelation Given, Hiram, Ohio, November 1, 1831,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Mar. 1833, [6].)

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Revelation, 1 November 1831–B [D&C 1] Revelation Book 1 Book of Commandments, 1833 Revelations printed in The Evening and the Morning Star, June 1832–June 1833 Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 Revelations printed in Evening and Morning Star, January 1835–June 1836 Revelation, 1 November 1831–B, as Published in Times and Seasons [D&C 1] History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834] Doctrine and Covenants, 1844 “History of Joseph Smith”

Page 127

the Lord am well pleased speaking unto the collectively & not individually for I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance nevertheless he that repenteth & doeth the of the Lord shall be forgiven & he that repenteth not from him shall be taken even the light which he has received for my spirit shall not always strive with man saith the Lord of hosts & again verily I say unto you O inhabitants of the Earth for I the Lord am willing to make these things known unto all flesh for I am no respector to persons & willeth that all men shall know that the day speedily cometh the hour is not yet but is nigh at hand when peace shall be taken from the Earth & the Devil shall have power over his own dominion & also the Lord shall have power over his saints & shall reign in their midst & shall come down in Judgement upon Idumea (or the World) search these commandments for they are true & faithfull & the Prophecies & promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled what I the Lord have spoken I have spoken & I excuse not myself & though the Heaven & <​the​> Earth pass away my word shall not pass away but shall all be fulfilled whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my Servants it is the same for Behold & Lo the Lord is God & the Spirit beareth record & the [record] is true & the truth abideth for ever & ever Amen [p. 127]
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Page 127

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Revelation, 1 November 1831–B [D&C 1]
ID #
6529
Total Pages
3
Print Volume Location
JSP, D2:103–107
Handwriting on This Page
  • John Whitmer

Footnotes

  1. [20]

    See Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 349 [Alma 45:16].

  2. [21]

    See Genesis 6:3; Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 107, 542 [2 Nephi 26:11; Ether 2:15]; and Old Testament Revision 1, p. 20 [Moses 8:17].

  3. [22]

    See Acts 10:34; and Revelation, 2 Jan. 1831 [D&C 38:16].

  4. [23]

    See Revelation 6:4.

  5. [24]

    “Idumea” is the Greek rendition of “Edom,” the land southeast of Judah where Esau and his descendants lived and whose people became an enemy of Israel. (See Genesis 32:3; 1 Samuel 14:47; and Ezekiel 35:15.)

  6. [25]

    See Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33; and Revelation, 15 June 1831 [D&C 56:11].

  7. [26]

    In another revelation dictated on the same day, several elders were told that “whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be Scripture shall be the will of the Lord shall be the mind of the Lord shall be the voice of the Lord & the power of God unto Salvation.” (Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A [D&C 68:4].)

  8. [27]

    Missing word supplied from version of this revelation published in The Evening and the Morning Star. (“Revelation Given, Hiram, Ohio, November 1, 1831,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Mar. 1833, [6].)

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

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