License for William Smith, 5 October 1831

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License for William Smith, 5 October 1831
Source Note
License,
Hiram Township
Area settled by immigrants from Pennsylvania and New England, ca. 1802. Located in northeastern Ohio about twenty-five miles southeast of Kirtland. Population in 1830 about 500. Population in 1840 about 1,100. JS lived in township at home of John and Alice...
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, OH, for
William Smith
13 Mar. 1811–13 Nov. 1893. Farmer, newspaper editor. Born at Royalton, Windsor Co., Vermont. Son of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. Moved to Lebanon, Grafton Co., New Hampshire, 1811; to Norwich, Windsor Co., 1813; and to Palmyra, Ontario Co., New York, 1816...
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, 5 Oct. 1831; 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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; signatures of
John Whitmer
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and JS; one page; CCLA.

Leaf measuring 3–3½ × 7¾ inches (8–9 × 20 cm). This document has been folded, possibly for travel. The folds are weakened, partially broken, or separated—with a loss at one fold. The license was pasted onto backing paper at some point, likely because the leftmost quarter had become separated. There appear to be no inscriptions on the verso of the actual license, but the backing makes it impossible to be certain.

The license was received by the RLDS church (now Community of Christ) in July 1965. The document passed from
William Smith
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to Isaac Sheen, early supporter to William Smith’s later claims to lead the church. Sheen gave the certificate to his son who gave it to his brother-in-law, Oliver Ira Babbitt. Babbitt presented this certificate with other books to his friend Alvin Smith of Miami, Oklahoma, who gave them to his daughter. She, in turn, donated them to the RLDS Church.
1
Richard P. Howard, Independence, MO, to Paul Wellington, 16 July 1965, in “Record of Accession,” bk 4, CCLA.
Footnotes
[1]
Richard P. Howard, Independence, MO, to Paul Wellington, 16 July 1965, in “Record of Accession,” bk 4, CCLA.
Historical Introduction
John Whitmer
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and JS issued a
teacher
Generally, one who instructs, but also an ecclesiastical and priesthood office. The Book of Mormon explained that teachers were to be ordained “to preach repentance and remission of sins through Jesus Christ, by the endurance of faith on his name to the end...
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’s
license
A document certifying an individual’s office in the church and authorizing him “to perform the duty of his calling.” The “Articles and Covenants” of the church implied that only elders could issue licenses; individuals ordained by a priest to an office in...
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to
William Smith
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in
Hiram
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, Ohio, on 5 October 1831. The license was issued in accordance with the “Articles and Covenants” of the church, which directed that a
priest
An ecclesiastical and priesthood office. In the Book of Mormon, priests were described as those who baptized, administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto the church,” and taught “the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” A June 1829 revelation directed...
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or teacher receive a license from an
elder
A male leader in the church generally; an ecclesiastical and priesthood office or one holding that office; a proselytizing missionary. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto...
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, “which shall authorize him to perform the duty of his calling.”
1
Articles and Covenants, ca. Apr. 1830 [D&C 20:64]. If a priest or a teacher was ordained to his office by a priest, he was to receive a certificate at the time of ordination that he would then show to an elder in order to receive his license.
This practice also helped fulfill an injunction in a February 1831 revelation that no one should “go forth to preach my gospel or to build up my church” unless “
ordained
The conferral of power and authority; to appoint, decree, or set apart. Church members, primarily adults, were ordained to ecclesiastical offices and other responsibilities by the laying on of hands by those with the proper authority. Ordinations to priesthood...
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by some one that hath authority & it is known to the church that he hath authority & have been regularly ordained by the leaders of the church.”
2
Revelation, 9 Feb. 1831 [D&C 42:11].

William Smith
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held the office of
teacher
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by at least 3 June 1831.
3
The minutes of a conference held circa 3–4 June 1831 in Kirtland, Ohio, list William Smith as one of the teachers in attendance. Smith himself recollected in 1883 that he became a teacher around October 1830. In her history, Lucy Mack Smith implied that William was already a teacher when JS relocated to Kirtland early in 1831. (Minutes, ca. 3–4 June 1831; Smith, William Smith on Mormonism, 17–18; Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845, bk. 11, [2].)
Comprehensive Works Cited
Smith, William. William Smith on Mormonism. This Book Contains a True Account of the Origin of the Book of Mormon. A Sketch of the History, Experience, and Ministry of Elder William Smith. . . . Lamoni, IA: Herald Steam Book and Job Office, 1883.
The issuance of the license in October may have been necessary because, as Smith later remembered, he was “exclusively engaged in the business of my office” at that time. This involvement included “attending the numerous conferences and visiting the
branches
An ecclesiastical organization of church members in a particular locale. A branch was generally smaller than a stake or a conference. Branches were also referred to as churches, as in “the Church of Shalersville.” In general, a branch was led by a presiding...
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to see that the members were all faithful and that there was no quarreling, or backbiting among the brethren.”
4
Smith, William Smith on Mormonism, 20.
It is possible, though less likely, that Smith obtained a license at the time of his ordination and received this 5 October 1831 license as a replacement or renewal of the original.

John Whitmer
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, who was assigned to historical and clerical responsibilities, wrote out the license, which he and JS signed as elders.
5
Whitmer was called in a March 1831 revelation to “write & keep a regulal [regular] history & assist my servent Joseph in Transcribing all things which shall be given him.” He was appointed in an April 1831 conference to “keep the Church record & history.” (Revelation, ca. 8 Mar. 1831–B [D&C 47:1]; Minute Book 2, 9 Apr. 1831.)
Footnotes
[1]
Articles and Covenants, ca. Apr. 1830 [D&C 20:64]. If a priest or a teacher was ordained to his office by a priest, he was to receive a certificate at the time of ordination that he would then show to an elder in order to receive his license.
[2]
Revelation, 9 Feb. 1831 [D&C 42:11].
[3]
The minutes of a conference held circa 3–4 June 1831 in Kirtland, Ohio, list William Smith as one of the teachers in attendance. Smith himself recollected in 1883 that he became a teacher around October 1830. In her history, Lucy Mack Smith implied that William was already a teacher when JS relocated to Kirtland early in 1831. (Minutes, ca. 3–4 June 1831; Smith, William Smith on Mormonism, 17–18; Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845, bk. 11, [2].)
[4]
Smith, William Smith on Mormonism, 20.
[5]
Whitmer was called in a March 1831 revelation to “write & keep a regulal [regular] history & assist my servent Joseph in Transcribing all things which shall be given him.” He was appointed in an April 1831 conference to “keep the Church record & history.” (Revelation, ca. 8 Mar. 1831–B [D&C 47:1]; Minute Book 2, 9 Apr. 1831.)
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This is to Certify that
William Smith
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has been received in this
Church of Christ
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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according to the Articles & Covenants of this Church
1
According to the Articles and Covenants, individuals were received into the church after humbling themselves, expressing desire for baptism, and “com[ing] forth with a broken heart & a contrite spirit” to witness “unto the Church that they truly repent of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Christ having a determination to serve him unto the end.” If they also “manifest[ed] by their works that they have received the gift of Christ unto the remision of their sins,” they were “received unto baptism into the church of Christ.” (Articles and Covenants, ca. Apr. 1830 [D&C 20:37].)
&
ordained
The conferral of power and authority; to appoint, decree, or set apart. Church members, primarily adults, were ordained to ecclesiastical offices and other responsibilities by the laying on of hands by those with the proper authority. Ordinations to priesthood...
View Glossary
a
Teacher
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under the hand of Joseph Smith jr. this therefore authorizes him to act as a teacher in this church according to the articles & Covenants
2
See Articles and Covenants, ca. Apr. 1830 [D&C 20:53–59].

given at
Hyram
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Oct. 5th. 1831
3
In 1883, William Smith made what he called “a correct transcript from the original” license in his reminiscences, but his transcript contains some errors. Although the wording of the copied license largely matches the original, Smith wrote “given at Hyrum’s, Oct, 5th 1830.” He also designated Whitmer and JS as “Leaders” rather than “Elders.” (Smith, William Smith on Mormonism, 18.)

John Whitmer
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{Elders

Joseph Smith Jr.

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Document Information
Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
License for William Smith, 5 October 1831
ID #
1624
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D2:71–74
Handwriting on This Page
John Whitmer
Joseph Smith Jr.
Footnotes
[1]
According to the Articles and Covenants, individuals were received into the church after humbling themselves, expressing desire for baptism, and “com[ing] forth with a broken heart & a contrite spirit” to witness “unto the Church that they truly repent of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Christ having a determination to serve him unto the end.” If they also “manifest[ed] by their works that they have received the gift of Christ unto the remision of their sins,” they were “received unto baptism into the church of Christ.” (Articles and Covenants, ca. Apr. 1830 [D&C 20:37].)
[2]
See Articles and Covenants, ca. Apr. 1830 [D&C 20:53–59].
[3]
In 1883, William Smith made what he called “a correct transcript from the original” license in his reminiscences, but his transcript contains some errors. Although the wording of the copied license largely matches the original, Smith wrote “given at Hyrum’s, Oct, 5th 1830.” He also designated Whitmer and JS as “Leaders” rather than “Elders.” (Smith, William Smith on Mormonism, 18.)