Editor's Table: Not a Revelation

EDITOR'S TABLE. NOT A REVELATION. We have received the following from one of the missionaries now laboring in the field. I am submitting to you the following matter which is being boldly charged against us by ministers here of the "Reorganized" church: In the Doctrine and Covenants, adopted and used by the above named church, page 342, section 111, an article on the subject of marriage appears, which they claim is a verbatim copy of the original revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith on the subject of marriage. It is further asserted by them that this alleged revelation appeared in the early editions of the Doctrine and Covenants published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but has been omitted from editions published by us since 1878. None of the early publications and recordsof the Church are available here, so we elders have no means of getting at the facts and circumstances pertaining to this matter. We would, therefore, very much appreciate any information you can give us regarding it. The article on marriage referred to by this elder is not a revelation and was never considered to be more than an opinion, or a rule by which the Church was to be guided, previous to the adoption of the revelation on celestial marriage given to the Prophet Joseph Smith. The statement that the article referred to is a revelation, is a gross error. Joseph Smith, the prophet, neither wrote the article on marriage, known as section 111, in the Reorganite edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, nor had any hand in its preparation. It was written by Oliver Cowdery and read at a general assembly of the Church held in Kirtland, August 17, 1835. That a correct understanding of the matter may be obtained, we present the following facts: On the 24th of September, 1834, a gathering of the priesthood was held in Kirtland, and a committee was appointed to select from among the revelations items of doctrine, and arrange them for the government of the Church. "These items," as the

236 IMPROVEMENT ERA. history reads, "to be taken from the Bible, Book of Mormon, and the revelations which have been given to the Church up to this date, or that shall be given until such arrangements are made.' {History, vol. 2, p. 165.) The committee thus selected was composed of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams. This committee immediately went to work, and some time previous to August 17th of the following year had selected and arranged from among the revelations given in this dispensation those which they considered would be of most benefit to the Saints as items of doctrine and "a law and rule of faith and practice to the Church.'1 They also revised and arranged the seven lectures on faith that are found in the forepart of the Doctrine and Covenants, and which were delivered before a class in theology at Kirtland; and recommended that these also be published in the book, with the revelations; but the article on marriage, and that on "Government and Laws in General," were not prepared nor presented to the Church by this committee when they made their recommendations, or reported their labors. On the 17th of August, 1835, a general assembly of the Church was called in Kirtland for the purpose of considering and voting on the labors of this committee. Joseph Smith and Frederick G. Williams were absent during this conference, visiting the Saints in Michigan, and did not return until August 23, or one week after the conference had adjourned. At this special conference ,Otiver Cowdery and Sidney Rigdon, the other members of the committee, presided. The morning session was devoted to the ordination of several brethren, and the arranging and seating of the various quorums for the purpose of voting on the revelations, etc., that had been prepared by the committee. At the afternoon session President Oliver Cowdery arose and introduced the "book of Doctrine and Covenants of the Church, in behalf of the committee." He was followed by President Sidney Rigdon, "who explained the manner by which they intended to obtain the voice of the assembly for or against the book." Following the remarks of Sidney Rigdon, William W. Phelps and John Whitmer each bore testimony that the Book of Revelations was true. Elder John Smith, in behalf of the high council of Kirtland, and Elder Levi Jackman, on behalf of the high council of the Church in

EDITOR'S TABLE. 237 Missouri, each accepted and acknowledged the revelations as the "doctrine and covenants of their faith, by unanimous vote." William W. Phelps then read a written and signed testimony of the twelve apostles that they accepted the book as being true, for "the Lord," said they, "has borne record to our souls, through the Holy Ghost shed forth upon us, that these commandments were given by inspiration of God, and are profitable for all men, and are verily true." Following the testimony of the apostles, Elder Leonard Rich, in behalf of the seventy, and Bishops Newel K. Whitney and John Corrill with their counselors, each bore testimony to the truth of the book. John Gould, in behalf of the elders, Ira Ames, in behalf if the priests, Erastus Babbit, in behalf of the teachers, and William Burgess, in behalf of the deacons, each in turn bore record and accepted the Doctrine and Covenants as a rule of faith. After each of the quorums had voted and accepted the revelations and lectures prepared by the committee, the question of accepting them was put to the entire assembly, both officers and members; and the labors of the committee were unanimously approved. After this action had been taken, and the labors of the committee were accepted and the revelations adopted, William W. Phelps arose and read the article on marriage in question, which had been prepared by Oliver Cowdery, and it was moved and unanimously carried that it be "accepted and printed in said book." The same action was taken in relation to the article on government, which was read by Oliver Cowdery (see History of the Church, vol. 2, pp. 243-251.) These articles, as we have stated, were not prepared by the committee and were not revelations, but were given as expressions of opinion and belief. They were written and presented to this special conference in the absence of Joseph Smith, who was the mouthpiece of God and the only one who could lawfully receive revelations for the guidance of the Church, and he was thus denied the privilege of entering objection to either of these articles had he felt so disposed. After having accepted this article on marriage, it became binding on the Church at that time, as a rule of faith, and so remained until superceded by the revelation on celestial marriage, when it became obsolete and without force.

238 IMPROVEMENT ERA. It was published in the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, through the action of this conference, and appeared in all other editions — which were mostly stereotyped — until about 1866. In 1876, under the direction of President Brigham Young and the general authorities, a new edition of the Doctrine and Covenants was published which contained some twenty-four additional revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith's, and one that had been given to President Brigham Young. The sections in this edition were divided into verses as they now appear, and rearranged. Among the revelations that were added was that on celestial marriage, which had been accepted by the Church, and had superceded the man-made rule on marriage, no longer binding, which was eliminated from the book. The assertion made by these contentious opposers of the Latter-day Saints that this article on marriage was a revelation, is declared with the hope of making it appear that the revelation known as section 132, is in conflict with a previous revelation, and, therefore, was not given to Joseph Smith. This is taught where they feel it will cause confusion among the Saints, possibly destroy their faith; always with the idea of casting odium on the doctrine of celestial marriage, which was given to the Prophet Joseph Smith. That they are not sincere is evident from the fact that they publish, in the current edition of their Doctrine and Covenants, a synopsis of the minutes of this special conference of August 17, 1835, which plainly shows that the article read by William W. Phelps was not a revelatiDn, and that it was not considered by the committee on compilation of which the prophet was the presiding officer. Moreover, while they are so bitter in their denunciation of President Brigham Young for eliminating from the Doctrine and Covenants that article — with which the prophet had nothing to do — they have been bold enough to eliminate from their editions the lectures on faith, which were compiled and revised by this committee and adopted by the unanimous vote of the Saints.