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Revelation, 25 April 1844

Source Note

Revelation, [
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
, Hancock Co., IL, 25 Apr. 1844]. Featured version copied [between ca. Aug. 1844 and ca. Feb. 1845] in Council of Fifty, “Record,” 25 Apr. 1844, p. [216]; handwriting of
William Clayton

17 July 1814–4 Dec. 1879. Bookkeeper, clerk. Born at Charnock Moss, Penwortham, Lancashire, England. Son of Thomas Clayton and Ann Critchley. Married Ruth Moon, 9 Oct. 1836, at Penwortham. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Heber...

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; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Council of Fifty, “Record.”

Historical Introduction

On 25 April 1844, JS dictated a revelation directing the members of the
Council of Fifty

An organization intended to establish the political kingdom of God on the earth. An 1842 editorial in the church newspaper stated that the “design of Jehovah” was to “take the reigns of government into his own hand.” On 10 and 11 March 1844, JS and several...

View Glossary
to act as a constitution for the political kingdom of God on earth. Before the council was officially organized in March 1844, JS apparently suggested that the
United States

North American constitutional republic. Constitution ratified, 17 Sept. 1787. Population in 1805 about 6,000,000; in 1830 about 13,000,000; and in 1844 about 20,000,000. Louisiana Purchase, 1803, doubled size of U.S. Consisted of seventeen states at time ...

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Constitution, or possibly even the
Texas

France established colony in area, 1685. First Spanish settlement created, 1718. After Mexican War of Independence from Spain, 1821, area became part of Mexico and immigration increased. Conflict between Mexican government and Texian residents resulted in...

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Constitution, could be amended and used as a starting point for developing a constitution that would serve as a framework for a theocratic government. This proposed constitution would help
Latter-day Saints

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

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secure civil rights and liberties for themselves and any who aligned with the kingdom of God.
1

JS, Journal, 10 Mar. 1844; Council of Fifty, “Record,” 10 Mar. 1844.


On 11 March, the day the Council of Fifty was founded, a select committee was formed to write a constitution that would be “according to the mind of God,” erected “between the heavens and the earth” like a flag so that “all nations might flow to it.”
William Clayton

17 July 1814–4 Dec. 1879. Bookkeeper, clerk. Born at Charnock Moss, Penwortham, Lancashire, England. Son of Thomas Clayton and Ann Critchley. Married Ruth Moon, 9 Oct. 1836, at Penwortham. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Heber...

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wrote retrospectively that at the inaugural meeting “it was Resolved to draft a constitution which should be perfect, and embrace those principles which the constitution of the United States lacked, and on motion
John Taylor

1 Nov. 1808–25 July 1887. Preacher, editor, publisher, politician. Born at Milnthorpe, Westmoreland, England. Son of James Taylor and Agnes Taylor, members of Church of England. Around age sixteen, joined Methodist church and was local preacher. Migrated ...

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Willard Richards

24 June 1804–11 Mar. 1854. Teacher, lecturer, doctor, clerk, printer, editor, postmaster. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Joseph Richards and Rhoda Howe. Moved to Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, 1813; to Chatham, Columbia Co...

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,
Wm W. Phelps

17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...

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and
Parley P. Pratt

12 Apr. 1807–13 May 1857. Farmer, editor, publisher, teacher, school administrator, legislator, explorer, author. Born at Burlington, Otsego Co., New York. Son of Jared Pratt and Charity Dickinson. Traveled west with brother William to acquire land, 1823....

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were appointed a committee to draft a constitution and present it to this council for their approval or disaproval.”
2

Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 and 19 Mar. 1844.


This committee worked on the document for several weeks but had to explain in a 4 April council meeting that it had been unable to complete a draft. JS responded by saying that organizations fail to produce “important measures” because “they never could agree to disagree long enough to select the pure gold from the dross by the process of investigation.”
3

Council of Fifty, “Record,” 4 Apr. 1844.


At a later meeting, on 11 April,
William W. Phelps

17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...

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proposed that JS join the committee to draft a constitution for the kingdom of God, but JS declined because as the council’s standing chair, he would not belong to any of its committees.
4

Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Apr. 1844. JS also expressed his view that the United States Constitution was ineffective because it did not include measures for compelling government officers to protect civil rights equally. (Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Apr. 1844.)


The committee continued to work on developing a constitution and presented a draft at a council meeting on the morning of 18 April 1844.
5

Clayton copied this draft into the Council of Fifty’s records. (Council of Fifty, “Record,” 18 Apr. 1844.)


When discussion of the constitution continued that afternoon,
Brigham Young

1 June 1801–29 Aug. 1877. Carpenter, painter, glazier, colonizer. Born at Whitingham, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Brought up in Methodist household; later joined Methodist church. Moved to Sherburne, Chenango Co., New...

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questioned the “necessity to get up a constitution to govern us when we have all the revelations and laws to govern us,” saying, “[I] would rather have the revelations to form a constitution from, than any thing else we can get.”
6

Council of Fifty, “Record,” 18 Apr. 1844.


Later in the same meeting, JS stated that the
United States

North American constitutional republic. Constitution ratified, 17 Sept. 1787. Population in 1805 about 6,000,000; in 1830 about 13,000,000; and in 1844 about 20,000,000. Louisiana Purchase, 1803, doubled size of U.S. Consisted of seventeen states at time ...

More Info
Constitution lacked “the power to carry the laws into effect. We want to alter it so as to make it imperative on the officers to enforce the protection of all men in their rights.” He charged the committee to amend the Constitution to meet those ends.
7

Council of Fifty, “Record,” 18 Apr. 1844.


The council reconvened on 25 April 1844 in both morning and afternoon sessions. Minutes of the afternoon session, held between two o’clock and five o’clock, record that near the end of the meeting JS “made some further remarks and advised that we let the constitution alone. He would tell us the whole matter about the constitution.”
8

Council of Fifty, “Record,” 25 Apr. 1844; JS, Journal, 25 Apr. 1844; Richards, Journal, 25 Apr. 1844.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.

JS then wrote a revelation, given in the voice of God, that foreclosed any further drafting or even the idea of a written constitution of the kingdom of God. The revelation stated that the council itself would be the “constitution.”
9

At a meeting held in December 1846, Clayton recounted that in the 25 April 1844 meeting JS “wrote on a scrip of paper the constitution.” (Minutes, 25 Dec. 1846, Council of Fifty, Papers, 1845–1883, CHL.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Council of Fifty. Papers, 1844–1885. CHL.

This revelation was apparently read to the council.
Sidney Rigdon

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

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then motioned for the revelation to be accepted by the council. The vote was unanimous, and the council adjourned.
10

Council of Fifty, “Record,” 25 Apr. 1844.


The revelation as originally written by JS is apparently not extant.
Clayton

17 July 1814–4 Dec. 1879. Bookkeeper, clerk. Born at Charnock Moss, Penwortham, Lancashire, England. Son of Thomas Clayton and Ann Critchley. Married Ruth Moon, 9 Oct. 1836, at Penwortham. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Heber...

View Full Bio
, the clerk of the
Council of Fifty

An organization intended to establish the political kingdom of God on the earth. An 1842 editorial in the church newspaper stated that the “design of Jehovah” was to “take the reigns of government into his own hand.” On 10 and 11 March 1844, JS and several...

View Glossary
, copied the revelation—from either JS’s original or a previous copy he had already made—into the council’s record as part of the minutes of the 25 April meeting. The recorded copy in the official minutes is featured here.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS, Journal, 10 Mar. 1844; Council of Fifty, “Record,” 10 Mar. 1844.

  2. [2]

    Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 and 19 Mar. 1844.

  3. [3]

    Council of Fifty, “Record,” 4 Apr. 1844.

  4. [4]

    Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Apr. 1844. JS also expressed his view that the United States Constitution was ineffective because it did not include measures for compelling government officers to protect civil rights equally. (Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Apr. 1844.)

  5. [5]

    Clayton copied this draft into the Council of Fifty’s records. (Council of Fifty, “Record,” 18 Apr. 1844.)

  6. [6]

    Council of Fifty, “Record,” 18 Apr. 1844.

  7. [7]

    Council of Fifty, “Record,” 18 Apr. 1844.

  8. [8]

    Council of Fifty, “Record,” 25 Apr. 1844; JS, Journal, 25 Apr. 1844; Richards, Journal, 25 Apr. 1844.

    Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.

  9. [9]

    At a meeting held in December 1846, Clayton recounted that in the 25 April 1844 meeting JS “wrote on a scrip of paper the constitution.” (Minutes, 25 Dec. 1846, Council of Fifty, Papers, 1845–1883, CHL.)

    Council of Fifty. Papers, 1844–1885. CHL.

  10. [10]

    Council of Fifty, “Record,” 25 Apr. 1844.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Revelation, 25 April 1844
*Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 1, 10 March 1844–1 March 1845

Page [216]

Verily thus saith the Lord, yea are my constitution,
1

JS gave similar instruction at the organizational meeting of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo on 17 March 1842. Speaking of a proposed presidency for the organization, he stated, “Let this Presidency serve as a constitution— all their decisions be considered law; and acted upon as such.” He then expanded this notion of a constitution to include the actions of the organization as a whole, explaining that “the minutes of your meetings will be precedents for you to act upon— your Constitutio[n] and law.” (Relief Society Minute Book, 17 Mar. 1842, 8, in Derr et al., First Fifty Years of Relief Society, 31.)


and I am your God, and ye are my spokesmen. From henceforth do as I shall command you.
Saith the Lord. [p. [216]]
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Document Transcript

Page [216]

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Revelation, 25 April 1844
ID #
10424
Total Pages
1
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
  • William Clayton

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS gave similar instruction at the organizational meeting of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo on 17 March 1842. Speaking of a proposed presidency for the organization, he stated, “Let this Presidency serve as a constitution— all their decisions be considered law; and acted upon as such.” He then expanded this notion of a constitution to include the actions of the organization as a whole, explaining that “the minutes of your meetings will be precedents for you to act upon— your Constitutio[n] and law.” (Relief Society Minute Book, 17 Mar. 1842, 8, in Derr et al., First Fifty Years of Relief Society, 31.)

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