Study of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants

IMPROVEMENT ERA. Vol. VIII. NOVEMBER, 1904. No. 1.

STUDY OF THE BOOK OF DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS. BY DR. JOHN A. WIDTSOE, DIRECTOR OF THE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION.

The book of Doctrine and Covenants is unique among the four standard books of this Church, because it is in no sense a history — the narrative element being wholly absent — but is designed altogether for the doctrinal development of the Church; and because it is composed entirely of revelations given for the guidance of the latter-day church. The Bible, Book of Mormon, and the larger part of the Pearl of Great Price, are essentially ancient hisLories of God's chosen people; and the prophetic and doctrinal portions of these books were given to peoples that lived thousands of years before our times. The distinguishing features of the book of Doctrine and Covenants make it, in the minds of many, the most interesting of the standard church works. Certainly, from the fact that it is directed to our own generation, it should possess the greatest living interest for us; but, besides, it contains a large amount of doctrine which is found in no other extant writing; and by its aid countless

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passages of obscure or doubtful meaning in the Bible are made unequivocally clear. Moreover, it abounds in passages of sublime beauty, unexcelled by those of any other book, which should form part of the intellectual and spiritual equipment of every Latter day Saint. Above all, it depicts, in solemn stateliness, the organization, government, and perfecting of the Church, and the final glo-

rious destiny of those who remain faithful to the Gospel of Christ. These facts, and many more, should make the book a loved household study among the Saints. In fact, however, the book of Doctrine and Covenants is very poorly known among the members of the Church. As a book for home reading, it might, in the majority of homes, just as well not exist; to quorums of the Priesthood and to missionaries, it is usually little more than a book of reference; only among those who are called to labor permanently in the ministry does the book appear to have opened in its fulness, and to have furnished an abundance of comfort, cheer and doctrinal wealth. True, during the last two years the Sunday schools of the Church have decided to devote one year of the four given to the theological department to the study of the book of Doctrine and Covenants; and the Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Associations of the Church have just completed a fairly comprehensive study of the contents of the book. All in all, however, the book is not studied and known as it should be, by the members of the Church. The reason for this seeming neglect is the peculiar structure of the revelations, which makes it difficult to maintain a proper degree of interest in the study of the book, unless a suitable method of study be consistently followed. Undoubtedly, should the book be studied according to suitable systems, it would in a short time become popular among all who give a portion of their time to the study of God's revealed will. Three systems may be and are fo'lowed in the study of the revelations given to Joseph Smith, as found in the book of Doctrine and Covenants. 1. The most common method of studying the book has been to read it section by section. This method usually results disastrously to tlie patience of the reader, from the fact that the book does not, when so studied, appear to be logically constructed. It

STUDY OF THE DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS. 3

is to beremembered that the revelations contained in the book were given at irregular intervals, as the Church needed guidance. It necessarily happened that many of the more important prin-

ciples needed reiteration, and were therefore repeated in later revelations. It is also a curiously interesting fact, as showing

how the gospel structure was reared in the latter days, that the first few revelations foreshadow nearly all the leading doctrines of the Church, and that later revelations chiefly elaborate, extend and make more clear these doctrines. It is not to be expected, therefore, that the book of Doctrine and Covenants should be a logical, consecutive treatise on the gospel, which takes each principle in turn and exhausts it fully before proceeding to another. On the contrary, the principles of the gospel are found scattered through the book in an irregular manner, and are frequently repeated, according to the immediate needs of the people to whom they were directed. When. therefo''e, the book is read page by page, as history may be read, confusion is likely to result from the great number of ideas that are generally presented in each revelation. Moreover, and more serious, if each revelation be read carefully, and critically analyzed, a waste of time results from the frequent repetition of the same idea, in a more or less amplified form, leading to a recapitulation, in each instance, of material formerly considered. This method of study does not furnish a well massed, comprehensive and accurate knowledge of the leading principles contained in the book: but the method does promote an acquaintance with the special contents of each revelation. 2. Another methodis to read the book in connection with

the events of Church history associated with the giving of the revelations. The best guide for this method of study is the History of the Church Vols. 1 and 2, containing the so-called autobiography of the Prophet Joseph Smith. This method has the advantage over the preceding one, that in many cases the variety of subjects found in any one revelation is shown to be the result of the needs of the people to whom the Lord spoke, and thus the apparent lack of order in the construction of the book is explained. This method also makes intelligible many passages referring to historical events, which cannot well be interpreted from the context.

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It is to be remembered, however, that the book of Doctrine and Covenants is not a church history; and even the full knowledge of the events that led to the giving of each revelation does not constitute a satisfactory account of the rise of the Church; the book is not even a good guide to the study of Church history. Then, there is the strong probability that the study of the book, thus followed, will become a sludy of Church history, instead of a study of God's revelations to the Prophet Joseph. The chief objection to this method is that brought against the preceding method: it does not furnish a systematic survey of the contents of the book, and does not prevent the unnecessary loss of time and patience which results from the attempt to study the book thoroughly by reading it consecutively from cover to cover. 3.The third method of studying this holy book is the topical one, in which all references to any one subject are grouped together and studied before another subject is attacked. The order in which the topics are taken up, conforms with man's life begin- — ning with his entrance into the Church; then his duties therein; his place therein; his relation to God, heavenly beings, men and nature, and his future destiny, including the life hereafter. This order runs, almost imperceptibly, through the revelations, and furnishes a majestic survey of man's relationship and duties to God. This method of study is superior to the preceding methods in that it furnishes a close and comprehensive familiarity with the doctrines taught in the book, and moreover, it is logical, timesaving, and may be followed with little distraction of mind. Of course, to employ this method at all, it is necessary to possess some guide in which the references to the various topics have been properly collected and classified. The objections to this method arethat,if followed too closely, it does not (1) furnish the student with a proper conception of the historical setting of the revelations; and (2) that few revelations may be known in their entirety. Of the three methods of studying the book of Doctrine and Covenants, above discussed, the third is by far the best — only if

one method be followed —but to get most fully at the contents and

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spirit of the revelations, a combination of the three methods must of necessity be adopted. The study should begin with a brief consideration of the historical events surrounding the revelations. This can best be done by reading in the History of the Church, Vols. 1 and 2, the text immediately preceding each revelation. This study should not be too prolonged, else it will become simply a study of Church history. Then, a few moments should be given to the study of the events connected with the first publication of the book, its position among the standard Church works, and its general contents. After this preliminary work, the topical method should be employed, and each subject studied as deeply and thoroughly as is possible. If so desired, the topical study might first be undertaken, and followed by a brief survey of the history of the giving of the revelations. This order might frequently be found more satisfactory. In either case, after the book has been studied topically, and its contents impressed upon the mind, it

should be read, revelation by revelation, as books are ordinarily read. This reading would then be found to be most enjoyable. From that time on, it should be read in portions, frequently, as time permits, and as the spirit demands, and would soon become a cherished companion.* No complete index or concordancef to the book of Doctrine and Covenants has been published at the present time; and the topicalmethod of studying the book is not, therefore, easily adopted. The study outline for the fourth year of the theological departments of the Sunday schools furnishes, however, a fairly complete and comprehensive guide to the study of a concordance. This outline is constructed on the plan here advocated. In the current and last volumes of the Young Woman's Journal will be found a series of twenty- eight lessons on the book, which, though

• The writer has, in his personal study, with quorums of the Priesthood and with auxiliary organizations of the Church, tried the dift'erent methods of study of the book of Doctrine and Covenants, herein discussed. The recommendations are based upon this experience, covering a number of years,

t See Era, Vol. VII, No. 12, p. 960.