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Revelation, 18 October 1835

Source Note

Revelation,
Kirtland Township

Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and...

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, Geauga Co., OH, 18 Oct. 1835. Featured version copied [ca. early 1838] in John Whitmer, History, 1831–ca. 1847, pp. 81–82; handwriting of
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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; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for John Whitmer, History, 1831–ca. 1847.

Historical Introduction

A group of church leaders gathered at the unfinished
House of the Lord

JS revelation, dated Jan. 1831, directed Latter-day Saints to migrate to Ohio, where they would “be endowed with power from on high.” In Dec. 1832, JS revelation directed Saints to “establish . . . an house of God.” JS revelation, dated 1 June 1833, chastened...

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in
Kirtland

Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and...

More Info
, Ohio, on 18 October 1835, where JS prophesied that the distress and sickness that had plagued the Saints in
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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would dissipate. During the previous two years, church members in Missouri experienced great trauma and turmoil. After their expulsion from
Jackson County

Settled at Fort Osage, 1808. County created, 16 Feb. 1825; organized 1826. Named after U.S. president Andrew Jackson. Featured fertile lands along Missouri River and was Santa Fe Trail departure point, which attracted immigrants to area. Area of county reduced...

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during fall 1833, the Missouri Saints initially struggled to survive in
Clay County

Settled ca. 1800. Organized from Ray Co., 1822. Original size diminished when land was taken to create several surrounding counties. Liberty designated county seat, 1822. Population in 1830 about 5,000; in 1836 about 8,500; and in 1840 about 8,300. Refuge...

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, where most of the refugees settled.
1

Letter from William W. Phelps, 14 Nov. 1833; Letter from Edward Partridge, between 14 and 19 Nov. 1833; Letter from William W. Phelps, 15 Dec. 1833.


Their continued attempts to regain their lands in Jackson County or receive compensation for confiscated property proved unsuccessful.
This revelation came at a time when church leaders renewed their plans to redeem
Zion

A specific location in Missouri; also a literal or figurative gathering of believers in Jesus Christ, characterized by adherence to ideals of harmony, equality, and purity. In JS’s earliest revelations “the cause of Zion” was used to broadly describe the ...

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. In June 1834, JS dictated a revelation stating that Zion would be redeemed after men who held the priesthood obtained an endowment of power in the
House of the Lord

JS revelation, dated Jan. 1831, directed Latter-day Saints to migrate to Ohio, where they would “be endowed with power from on high.” In Dec. 1832, JS revelation directed Saints to “establish . . . an house of God.” JS revelation, dated 1 June 1833, chastened...

More Info
.
2

Revelation, 22 June 1834 [D&C 105:9–11].


In a letter written in August, JS announced that 11 September 1836 was “the appointed time for the redemption of Zion.”
3

Letter to Lyman Wight and Others, 16 Aug. 1834.


In August 1835, JS and other church leaders wrote to church members in
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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about the redemption of Zion. They encouraged church members to “cause as little excitement as posible and endure their afflictions patiently until the time appointed.”
4

Letter to Church Officers in Clay County, MO, 31 Aug. 1835.


On 24 September 1835, less than a month before JS dictated this revelation, the high council met at JS’s house in
Kirtland

Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and...

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and drew up an “Article of inrollment” to obtain volunteers to go to Missouri in spring 1836.
5

JS, Journal, 24 Sept. 1835.


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...

View Full Bio
, who served as church historian at the time, recorded the revelation. He likely copied it into his history in early 1838.
6

The entry in John Whitmer’s history for 18 October 1835 also notes that several church leaders received blessings from JS that day and that those blessings were recorded in the “Patriarchal blessing Book.” Many church leaders received blessings from JS in late September and early October 1835, but none received blessings on 18 October. It is likely that Whitmer, who did not have access to the Patriarchal Blessing Book when he made the 18 October 1835 entry in his history, mistakenly associated those September and October 1835 blessings with the date of the revelation featured here. (See JS, Journal, 22 Sept. 1835; and Patriarchal Blessings, 1:13–16; for further information about John Whitmer’s history, see Historical Introduction to Whitmer, History.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Patriarchal Blessings, 1833–. CHL. CR 500 2.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Letter from William W. Phelps, 14 Nov. 1833; Letter from Edward Partridge, between 14 and 19 Nov. 1833; Letter from William W. Phelps, 15 Dec. 1833.

  2. [2]

    Revelation, 22 June 1834 [D&C 105:9–11].

  3. [3]

    Letter to Lyman Wight and Others, 16 Aug. 1834.

  4. [4]

    Letter to Church Officers in Clay County, MO, 31 Aug. 1835.

  5. [5]

    JS, Journal, 24 Sept. 1835.

  6. [6]

    The entry in John Whitmer’s history for 18 October 1835 also notes that several church leaders received blessings from JS that day and that those blessings were recorded in the “Patriarchal blessing Book.” Many church leaders received blessings from JS in late September and early October 1835, but none received blessings on 18 October. It is likely that Whitmer, who did not have access to the Patriarchal Blessing Book when he made the 18 October 1835 entry in his history, mistakenly associated those September and October 1835 blessings with the date of the revelation featured here. (See JS, Journal, 22 Sept. 1835; and Patriarchal Blessings, 1:13–16; for further information about John Whitmer’s history, see Historical Introduction to Whitmer, History.)

    Patriarchal Blessings, 1833–. CHL. CR 500 2.

Page 81

Oct 18, 1835. Sabbath
This day assembled in the
house of the Lord

JS revelation, dated Jan. 1831, directed Latter-day Saints to migrate to Ohio, where they would “be endowed with power from on high.” In Dec. 1832, JS revelation directed Saints to “establish . . . an house of God.” JS revelation, dated 1 June 1833, chastened...

More Info
as usual and the Spirit of the [p. 81]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Revelation, 18 October 1835
ID #
6733
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D5:21–23
Handwriting on This Page
  • John Whitmer

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