D&C 3-5 Quotes and Notes

Doctrine and Covenants 3: The Lost Manuscript

July 1828 – Joseph travels from Harmony, Pennsylvania to Palmyra, New York (about 200 kilometers away, a four day trip each way in 1828) because he has not heard back from Martin Harris. What were the events that led up to Section 3 of the Doctrine and Covenants? Why did the Prophet Joseph Smith lose the manuscript to the Book of Mormon in 1828? Why did Martin have it? Why did Martin want to take it? What was in the manuscript?

1828 Book of Mormon Translation Timeline

December 1827        Joseph and Emma move to Harmony, Pennsylvania

Jan.-Feb. –                 Joseph translates, Emma scribes.

Feb.-March –             Martin Harris visits Charles Anthon in New York City.

April 12-                     Martin Harris believes and scribes for the Prophet Joseph.

June 14-                      Martin Harris takes the 116 page manuscript to Palmyra.

June 15-                      Alvin Smith born to Emma & Joseph- Alvin dies the same day.

July-                            Joseph heads to Palmyra- Martin has lost the manuscript.

July-September-       Joseph loses the gift of translation- plates taken by Moroni, Section 3 of the Doctrine & Covenants received.

September 22-           Joseph gets the plates back from Moroni.^[1]Mike Day, A Timeline of the Translation of the Plates, October 2014.

Why did Martin have the manuscript?

Martin Harris pressured Joseph Smith to give him the manuscript for a short time so that he could reclaim his reputation, specifically relating to his relationship with his wife Lucy. There were many circumstances which led to his pressuring Joseph that are important for us to see so that we can understand both Joseph and Martin’s reasons for what took place at this time.

Why was he so insistent on taking the manuscript? What were Martin’s motives?

Historian Don Bradley writes, “An obvious reason for Martin Harris to take the manuscript back with him was to satisfy skepticism at home. Martin’s wife had been doubtful of and even antagonistic toward, Joseph Smith’s claims. Additionally, Martin’s time away from his home and farm raised skepticism about him. From the family’s perspective, Martin was a man gone mad. Martin’s various travels in the winter of 1828 to authenticate the character transcript (between Palmyra, Harmony, Albany, Philadelphia, and New York City) and his subsequent journeys that spring to act as Joseph’s scribe would likely have taken about eight weeks in just travel time alone. On top of these, Martin spent some eight weeks of the spring actually scribing for Joseph. Martin thus sacrificed much of his winter and nearly his entire spring to assist with the translation, and the particular time period Martin chose to leave the farm to serve as a translation scribe was startling. ^[2]Don Bradley, The Lost 116 Pages: Reconstructing the Book of Mormon’s Missing Stories, Greg Kofford Books, 2019, p. 58.

The time Martin was assisting Joseph would have rivaled harvest as the busiest time of the year for a farmer in that region. During the time of his absence from the farm Martin, who had a reputation as an expert farmer should have been carrying out or at least overseeing the work of harrowing, plowing, planting, and otherwise preparing his ground to ensure the fall yield of the flax, beans, pumpkins, corn, and other grains on which his livelihood depended. Instead, Martin spent that exact period- from about April 12 through June 14- scribing the translation.^[3]Don Bradley, The Lost 116 Pages: Reconstructing the Book of Mormon’s Missing Stories, Greg Kofford Books, 2019, p. 59.

Martin Misses his Daughter’s Wedding May 1828

Martin’s daughter marries in Palmyra, New York in May 1828, and Martin is scribing for Joseph miles away in Harmony, Pennsylvania. On May 13, five days after Martin failed to show up to give his daughter’s hand to Flanders Dyke, a deed from Martin for 80 acres of his land appears in the Palmyra land records. The deed is made out to Martin’s cousin and brother-in-law, Peter Harris (Lucy’s brother; Martin and Lucy were biological cousins). With this deed appears another, from Peter Harris to Lucy for the same 80 acres of what had been Martin’s land. This succession of deeds from Martin to Peter then from Peter to Lucy provided an indirect way for Martin to convey her dowry land to Lucy, circumventing laws about joint marital property. But how could Martin deed his land, even indirectly, to Lucy in his absence? The deeds in question were originally executed on November 29, 1825. After their original signing, Lucy held onto these deeds for nearly three years before she felt the need to record them. Her sudden recording of these deeds to give them full legal efficacy immediately after Martin missed their daughter’s wedding communicates her intentions as clearly as any words could have. Upon her husband’s failure to show up for the wedding, Lucy acted to give herself financial independence from Martin. She was taking a step towards separation.^[4]Bradley, The Lost 116 Pages, 59-60.

When Martin did return home a full month after his wife took this step, he was walking into a firestorm- and he knew it. He had to have some kind of proof that he was doing the right thing. And this proof would have been the manuscript to the Book of Mormon.

Was the Manuscript Really 116 pages?

The Book of Mormon’s lost manuscript is popularly thought to solely be an extended account of Lehi’s life written on a manuscript of 116 pages. According to historian Don Bradley, evidence exists that can demonstrate that this is not entirely accurate. The page count is probably also way off as well. The evidence contained in the Book of Mormon shows us that this account in the lost manuscript would have covered the time period from Lehi to King Benjamin, a period of about 450 years. Fully half of Mormon’s abridgment of 920 years was on this piece of now missing material.^[5]Ibid., p. 85 The length of the material from Lehi to Benjamin and the 450 years it covered would have probably been much longer than 116 pages. Why then was this called “the lost 116 pages?” Bradley states, “The length Joseph gives for the manuscript happens to be the exact length of the manuscript that replaced it.”^[6]Ibid., p. 89

When the Book of Mormon printer’s manuscript was prepared for its publication, the length of the small plates text (1 Nephi through Words of Mormon) that substituted for the lost work turned out to be 116 pages. Bradley continues, “This precise match between the replacement manuscript’s known page count and the lost manuscript’s reported page count pages raises the question of just where Joseph acquired the 116-page figure. Given that the Book of Mormon describes the small plates narrative as a “small account” (Words of Mormon 1.3), it is improbable that both the initial manuscript and its abbreviated replacement would be the same length.^[7]Ibid.,p. 89 Checking the length of the lost manuscript’s replacement was one way to attempt a rough estimate of the length of the text Martin lost.

But just how long was this text? Is there any way of estimating the length of what Martin lost? The paper used in translation was written on foolscap paper of 15-17 inches by 12-13.5 inches. A single page from the Printer’s Manuscript compared to the printed page in a modern LDS edition would have produced between 1 and 1.25 typeset pages, averaging about 1.15 printed pages per manuscript page. Using just this ratio alone, 116 pages of manuscript would have produced around 133 printed pages. 200 pages of manuscript would have produced 230.^[8]Ibid., p. 92

Martin’s brother Emer Harris reported that Martin scribed for around 200 pages.^[9]General Minutes, April 6, 1856. Provo Utah Central Stake. See Bradley, p. 92. If Emer is correct, then perhaps the lost text was around 230 pages long. Bradley further theorizes that the manuscript could have been as long as 300 pages when we consider that it is fully half of Mormon’s abridgement. He writes, “these 450 years of lost narrative comprised almost exactly half of the 921 years narrated by Mormon as an abridgment from the large plates. With the published portion of Mormon’s abridgement from the large plates (Mosiah-4 Nephi) comprising just under 300 manuscript pages. If we assume a comparable level of detail, the abridgment’s lost first half would also have been similar in length- not 116 pages, but rather nearly 300.^[10]Bradley, p. 96. By this count, we could have up to 345 additional pages in the Book of Mormon! Bradley demonstrates that Martin and Joseph worked for about 42 days together on the translation of the missing text.^[11]Bradley goes through the logistics of what was happening at this time period and how the 42 days worked out on pages 97-101. He theorizes, “If Joseph and Martin worked at a rate comparable on the lost manuscript to that of Joseph and Oliver, then in 42 days they could have produced about 303 manuscript pages.^[12]Ibid., p. 100. This 300 page estimate would fit with the amount needed to cover about half of Mormon’s total narrative as it fits into the length of time Mormon covered in his abridgment of the … Continue reading

Much More Than 116 Pages!

Bradley’s evidence is monumental. He writes, “The various lines of evidence we have explored have all produced similar outcomes. When we consider the amount of time covered by the lost manuscript, we find that Mormon’s abridgment for that time period should have totaled 282 to 390 pages. When we consider the time spent translation the lost manuscript, we find that Joseph’s translation output should have totaled well over 300 pages. When we consider insider reports, which have Martin alone scribing for “near 200 pages,” after four other scribes had done their part, we again arrive at a manuscript that could readily total over 300 pages.^[13] He says, “A later interviewer recounted Martin himself reporting a similar scribal output when stating what proportion of the total Book of Mormon text he recorded. Since Martin was not the only … Continue reading None of our lines of evidence point to a manuscript of only 116 pages; instead, they all point to something well beyond that figure… For a comparison, if you imagine that we had lost everything from 1 Nephi through nearly the end of the Book of Alma, then you will have a pretty good idea of how much text we would then be missing.^[14]Ibid., p. 102-103.

What Was in the Manuscript?

From internal evidence of those that had the stories of the manuscript read to them, historian Don Bradley has worked to reconstruct some of the narratives, doctrines, and theological motifs that were in this text. Some of them include the following:

1. The Passover Setting for Lehi’s Exodus.^[15]Bradley states, “The research that went into this book has disclosed to me a Jewishness to the Book of Mormon that I could never have imagined. Through the lens of the sources on the lost … Continue reading
2. Lehi’s Tabernacle or Temple in the Wilderness.
3. The Seven Tribes of Lehi.
4. Nephi’s Conquest Narrative.
5. The Description of Nephi’s Temple.^[16]Temple worship stands at the center of Nephite life and of the Book of Mormon’s narrative. The early events of Nephite history, as chronicled in the present Book of Mormon text and fleshed out … Continue reading
6. The Lost Middle Period.
7. God and Aminadi at the Temple.
8. The Religious Reforms of Mosiah.
9. The Book of Benjamin.^[17]See chapters 6-15 of Bradley, The Lost 116 Pages.

The Importance of the Manuscript and What It Establishes

Bradley writes, “There is an academic idea that during the Book of Mormon’s coming forth the Restoration was very Christian primitivist- focused selectively on the New Testament and restoring the primitive church like many movements around Joseph Smith at the time (such as the Stone-Campbell movement from which Sidney Rigdon emerged). When we look at the earliest part of the Book of Mormon- the first half of Mormon’s abridgment that was lost- we do indeed find a restorationist program being enacted by Lehi and Nephi; but rather than trying to build the New Testament church, they were trying to rebuild “Old Testament” Israel! The contents of the lost pages thus entirely buck scholarly expectations that the Book of Mormon will behave as a New Testament-focused, nineteenth-century Christian primitivist text.^[18]Ibid., p. 286

Who Stole the Manuscript?

We do not know who stole the manuscript. Though Martin suspected his wife, she did not admit to stealing it.^[19]Ibid., p. 61. After locking the manuscript in his bureau in the parlor, locking both bureau and parlor, he went on a trip for a few days away from home. When he returned from his trip, the manuscript was gone, never to be seen again.^[20]Ibid.

Accounts differ as to Lucy’s blame. Lorenzo Saunders, a Palmyra resident, says that he heard Lucy admit to stealing and burning the manuscript.^[21]Ibid., p. 67.

Some evidence suggests that perhaps Flanders Dyke (Martin’s son in law) took the manuscript.^[22]Ibid., p. 72-75.

Local money digger Samuel Lawrence may have stolen the manuscript.^[23]Ibid., p. 80.

A friend of Martin’s may have stolen it. Joseph Smith later attributed the theft to persons to whom Martin had shown the manuscript pages beyond the permitted five.^[24]Joseph said, “He did shew them to others and by stratagem they got them away from him.” Smith, et al., History of the Church, 1:21. Martin was allowed to take the manuscript on the condition that he show it only to his wife, his brother Preserved Harris, his parents, and his wife’s sister.  He had to covenant with the Prophet to show it only to the five mentioned and no one else.^[25]Latter Day Light: Martin Harris and the Lost Manuscript, May 14, 2018.

Narrowing the List of Suspects

Although the mystery of the missing Book of Mormon manuscript cannot this time be definitively solved, those who actively opposed the Book of Mormon at the time of the theft and had plausible means to carry it out can be identified. Outside the improbable event that the manuscript was stolen by enemies to the Book of Mormon who are largely invisible in the historical record, those complicit in the manuscript theft likely include one or more of the persons discussed above (Lucy Harris, Flanders Dyke, Samuel Lawrence, or a “friend” of Martin Harris). If we cannot yet identify the thief or thieves, we can at least narrow the probable suspects to two relatively small groups: Harris family insiders and Palmyra-area money diggers.^[26]Bradley, p. 82.

How Martin’s Story Relates to Us: Application

All of us face times when we are worried about pleasing the person right in front of us versus what we know we should do. In the podcast, Bryce and I mention the experience Richard G. Scott had when asked to serve as a mission president while working as a civilian for Admiral Rickover on an essential program essential to the national defense of the United States. You can read about his experience here.

What the Lord Tells Joseph in Doctrine and Covenants 3

God tells Joseph that even though wicked men and taken and altered the words of the lost manuscript (D&C 10.10-27), his work will not be frustrated (D&C 3.1-2). He inspired Mormon to include the small plates of Nephi as another witness to the events covered in the time period from Lehi (600 BCE) to the reign of Benjamin (130 BCE). While these small plates were much shorter than the text Mormon had worked on (see above), Mormon was instructed by the Lord to include them in his work (see Words of Mormon 1.6-7).

In Section 3 Joseph is told that he is in error and has transgressed. He is seriously reprimanded by the Lord. “although a man may have many revelations, and have power to do many mighty works, yet if he boasts in his own strength, and sets at naught the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will and carnal desires, he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him” (D&C 3.4). He is told that he was not faithful, “you should have been faithful…” (D&C 3.8). He is warned that if he does not repent that he will lose his gift and become as other men. He is also told that he will lose his privileges “for a season” (D&C 3.14).

What we learn

Mercy

The Lord is merciful. He forgives Joseph. This is important for us, as we all have done things that have been harmful to us or our loved ones.

Humility

We learn the importance of humility, not boasting in our own wisdom (verse 13). Just because the Lord has blessed us, we should seriously be on guard!

Seven Tribe Structure of Book of Mormon Peoples

The seven tribe structure of the Book of Mormon peoples is hinted at in D&C 3.17-18, with a 4-3 structure. These same tribal affiliations are also reported in 4 Nephi 1:37–38 and again in Mormon 1:8–9, suggesting that they functioned as a “social and legal order that lasted … for almost one thousand years.”^[27]John L. Sorenson, John A. Tvedtnes, and John W. Welch, “Seven Tribes: An Aspect of Lehi’s Legacy,” in Reexploring the Book of Mormon: A Decade of New Research, ed. John W. Welch (Provo, UT: … Continue reading

The Work Goes On

The works of God will go forward with our without our help. Either way, the work will go forward. Elder McConkie put it this way:

Now, I have what every true disciple has. It is called the testimony of Jesus. In our day it includes the revealed knowledge that the earthly kingdom—The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—will triumph. In this connection may I set before you this illustration:

The Church is like a great caravan—organized, prepared, following an appointed course, with its captains of tens and captains of hundreds all in place.

What does it matter if a few barking dogs snap at the heels of the weary travelers? Or that predators claim those few who fall by the way? The caravan moves on.

Is there a ravine to cross, a miry mud hole to pull through, a steep grade to climb? So be it. The oxen are strong and the teamsters wise. The caravan moves on.

Are there storms that rage along the way, floods that wash away the bridges, deserts to cross, and rivers to ford? Such is life in this fallen sphere. The caravan moves on.

Ahead is the celestial city, the eternal Zion of our God, where all who maintain their position in the caravan shall find food and drink and rest. Thank God that the caravan moves on!^[28]Elder Bruce R. McConkie, The Caravan Moves On, October 1984 General Conference.

Likening D&C 3

Joseph gives that which is sacred “into the hands of a wicked man…” Now to me this could be directed at Martin or even to the person(s) who stole the manuscript. Martin certainly did not intend for this to happen. But it is traditionally applied to Martin Harris. Either way, the damage (and it was substantial!) was done. How are we in similar circumstances? What sacred things has the Lord entrusted to you? Are you guarding them? Are you paying diligence to these things?

Note the counsel Moroni gave to Joseph earlier before these events:

“… the messenger delivered them up to me with this charge: that I should be responsible for them; that if I should let them go carelessly, or through any neglect of mine, I should be cut off; but that if I would use all my endeavors to preserve them, until he, the messenger, should call for them; they should be protected” (JSH 1.59).

Whatever God has given you that you have been told to protect, guard, or otherwise have stewardship over could be applied in your life. How you treat these things is an indication of your faithfulness to the Lord. Yet, even in times of unfaithfulness, the Lord extends mercy on conditions of repentance (D&C 3.10).

Doctrine and Covenants 4 – Harmony Pennsylvania, February 1829

The year 1829 began filled with insecurity for Joseph and Emma Smith. From our perspective, these days proved to be filled with all kinds of wonderful experiences for both of them, but in February both Joseph and Emma did not know how the Lord felt, if the work of the Restoration would immediately proceed, or how things would turn out. In consequence of Martin Harris’s loss of the manuscript covering Lehi to King Benjamin’s reign (covering over 400 years – commonly called the 116 lost pages, but probably much larger than this) in June 1828, Joseph had not worked on the translation of the Book of Mormon for six months! He spent the winter months in Harmony, Pennsylvania, “laboring with my hands upon a small farm which I had purchased of my wife’s father, in order to provide for my family.”^[29]Joseph Smith, “History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834],” 11, josephsmithpapers.org. In February 1829, he and his wife, Emma, received a welcome visit from his father and brother.^[30]See Joseph Knight reminiscences, undated, 5, Church History Library, Salt Lake City; see also Joseph Smith, “History, 1838–1856, volume A-1,” 11, josephsmithpapers.org.

During his visit to his son in Harmony, the 57-year-old Joseph Smith Sr. asked for a revelation concerning his own role in the Restoration; the 23-year-old prophet thus received one of his earliest revelations for another individual. When the revelation was later copied in preparation for publication, the following heading was added: “A Revelation to Joseph the Father of the Seer he desired to know what the Lord had for him to do & this is what he Received as follows.”^[31]Revelations in Context, see also: Historical Introduction to “Revelation, February 1829 [D&C 4],” josephsmithpapers.org. The short revelation, now Doctrine and Covenants 4, is full of rich scriptural language from the Bible and Book of Mormon, anticipating a “marvelous work” and listing the attributes of those who choose to “embark in the service of God.”^[32]“Revelation, February 1829 [D&C 4],” 1, josephsmithpapers.org.

Joseph Smith Sr. Thrust In His Sickle – D&C 4.4

After returning home to the Palmyra- Manchester, New York, area, Father Smith had opportunity to thrust his sickle into fields that were ripe for the gospel harvest. It was around this time that Oliver Cowdery came to stay in the Smith home and, from there, went to Harmony, Pennsylvania, to offer his help to the Prophet as a scribe. Joseph Smith Sr. also helped to strengthen the testimonies of Thomas B. Marsh, Solomon Chamberlain, and Parley P. Pratt in the days that immediately followed.^[33]Joseph Fielding McConkie and Craig Ostler, Revelations of the Restoration, A Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants and Other Modern Revelations, Deseret Book, 2000, p. 67. See also: … Continue reading

In October and November 1830 Father Smith was unable to pay a fourteen-dollar debt. The holder of the note was a Quaker who hoped that he could persuade Joseph Sr. to renounce his testimony of the Book of Mormon at the promise of being set free. In addition to laboring in the jail’s cooper shop to earn money to pay off the debt, Father Smith preached every Sunday that he was in jail. After his release, he baptized two individuals who were incarcerated with him and whose hearts had been pricked by the message of the marvelous work that had come forth in the latter-days as expounded by Father Smith.^[34]Ibid., 67. See also: Smith, History of Joseph Smith, 1996, 238-243.

Salvation to His Soul – D&C 4.4

Throughout scripture we are taught that faithful service and obedience have a direct relationship with the remission of sins: “Blessed are you who are now hearing these words of mine from the mouth of my servant, for your sins are forgiven you” (D&C 50:36). “Ye are blessed, for the testimony which ye have borne is recorded in heaven for the angels to look upon; and they rejoice over you, and your sins are forgiven you” (D&C 62:3). “I will forgive you of your sins with this commandment— that you remain steadfast in your minds in solemnity and the spirit of prayer” (D&C 84:61). “Verily thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Lyman: Your sins are forgiven you, because you have obeyed my voice in coming up hither this morning to receive counsel of him whom I have appointed” (D&C 108:1).

Qualifying for the work

Note how the Lord states that “faith, hope, charity, and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work” (D&C 4.5). These attributes can be tied ritually to the 3 rooms of the temple: faith to the Ulam, or the outer room, or what we commonly call the Telestial Room, hope to the Hekal, or the second room, what we call The Terrestrial Room, and the attribute of charity/love can be associated with approaching the Debir, or the Holy of Holies, what we would ritually refer to as The Celestial Room. This ascent gives initiates “an eye single to the glory of God.” In other words, the message of the endowment is laid out simply right here in section 4 of the Doctrine and Covenants to the 23-year-old prophet.^[35]For more information on the three-fold ascent and its relationship to faith, hope, and charity, see our podcast with David Butler, Episode 73 Plain and Precious Things.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell once said, “God does not begin by asking us about our ability, but only about our availability, and if we then prove our dependability, he will increase our capability!” ^[36]Elder Neal A. Maxwell, It’s Service, Not Status, That Counts.

Doctrine and Covenants 5– Harmony Pennsylvania, March 1829

After repenting of the vanity and foolishness that resulted in the loss of the 116 pages, Martin Harris requested the Prophet to inquire of the Lord in his behalf. The content of this revelation suggests that he still desired to see the plates. Martin is essentially told by the Lord to repent and acknowledge his fault before the Lord. If Martin complies, then he will be able to see and witness of the truthfulness of the plates (D&C 5.23-28).

Joseph is also told to stop translating for a short time so that the Lord could “provide means” to accomplish the completion of the translation (verse 34). I take this to mean that the Lord is working on the heart of the educated Oliver Cowdery, who will work on the translation of the plate text as scribe from April 7, 1829 until its completion on June 30, 1829.

D&C 5.6 Hereafter you shall be ordained 

Common thought in the Protestant world is that spiritual experiences constitute the authority to declare the word of God. This is not the case. As the Prophet would yet write, “We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof” (Article of Faith 5). At this point in time, the authority to act in the name of God had not been restored. It was while the Prophet was laboring on the translation of the Book of Mormon that the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods were restored.^[37]McConkie and Ostler, p. 69-70.

D&C 5.7 Test the Words of the Book of Mormon

Modern history knows no book more criticized or vehemently damned by priests and clergy than the Book of Mormon. What is of interest is that there has never been a single instance in which these critics of the book have attempted to use the standard given by the Savior to discern whether it is true. Never has one of these spiritual leaders stood before their congregations or suggested to those to whom they write that they apply the simple test suggested by the book itself—read it and pray about it. On the contrary, countless efforts have been made to discredit the book through the use of bad history or poor reasoning.

The idea of discerning something by its fruits (content or message) comes from Christ. But from whence comes the idea of discerning by roots (authorship, antiquity, etc.)? Is it not significant that those choosing to judge the Bible by its roots have never come to faithful conclusions about its origins? Do we really want to reject the Book of Mormon with a standard that is equally, if not more, damaging to the credibility of the Bible? For example, try to find a higher critic who believes that Moses wrote the books of Moses, that Isaiah actually wrote the sixty- six chapters attributed to him, that David wrote the psalms ascribed to him, that Solomon is the author of Proverbs, or that Matthew and John wrote the books bearing their names. If you want to quibble with scholars over this matter according to their rules of scholarship, you will lose—the Bible is not what it professes to be.^[38]I would argue with McConkie on this point, albeit a finer point. I would say the “Bible” itself does not make authorship claims. By this I mean that the Bible’s readers – preachers, churches, … Continue reading But if you want to apply the test of the Savior and taste the fruits of the Bible, you will win—it is all that it professes to be and more.^[39]I would say this is true in that these records are a witness of the many of the truth claims, though they do not state that they are scientific or historical records, at least by our modern … Continue reading

We cannot all be scholars and know all that our schools have to teach, but we can all be spiritual and learn those things that the Spirit has to teach. Again we turn to Christ for a standard by which all men might know truth. His words were as follows: “My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:16-17).^[40]McConkie and Ostler, p. 70.

D&C 5.11 Three Witnesses

Each of the Three Witnesses remained true throughout their lives to their testimony of the Book of Mormon. “When he reiterated his testimony [of the Book of Mormon] in the closing days of his life, David Whitmer said: ‘I tell you of these things that you may tell others that what I have said is true, and I dare not deny it; I heard the voice of God commanding me to testify to the same.'”^[41]Richard L. Anderson, Investigating the Book of Mormon Witnesses, Deseret Book, 1981, p. 118. He said, “Now, you must all be faithful in Christ. I want to say to you all that the Bible and the record of the Nephites (Book of Mormon), are true, so you can say that you have heard me bear my testimony on my death bed. All be faithful in Christ and your reward will be according to your works. God bless you all. My trust is in Christ for ever, worlds without end. Amen.” David died on January 25, 1888.^[42]See: David Whitmer’s Dying Testimony.

Oliver Cowdery’s half-sister, Lucy P. Young, widow of Phineas H. Young, relates that Oliver Cowdery just before breathing his last asked his attendants to raise him up in bed that he might talk to the family and his friends who were present. He then told them to live according to the teachings contained in the Book of Mormon, and promised them if they would do this that they would meet him in heaven. He then said, “Lay me down and let me fall asleep.” A few moments later he died, without a struggle.^[43]Andrew Jenson, Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:251

Martin Harris died at the age of 92 in Clarkston, Cache County, Utah on July 10, 1875. On his deathbed he testified of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.^[44]See: Martin Harris’ Dying Testimony.

D&C 5.14 Coming out of the Wilderness – Clear as the Moon, and Fair as the Sun, and Terrible as an Army

This phrase comes from the revelation that John the Revelator received while on the Isle of Patmos (Revelation 12:1-6). He saw a woman who had given birth to a child and was afterward driven into the wilderness. Later, in the Joseph Smith Translation, the interpretation of the woman as representing “the church of God” driven into the wilderness was confirmed (JST Revelation 12:7).

The Church being driven into the wilderness represents the great apostasy that occurred in the meridian day, when the Church was both literally and figuratively driven into the wilderness. In this revelation the Lord announced that the time had come for his Church to come out of the wilderness. The First Vision and the translation of the Book of Mormon constitute the beginning of the restoration of the kingdom of God on the earth.

Clear as the moon, and fair as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners. The Church is to come out of the “wilderness of darkness, and shine forth” (D&C 109:73). It will rise up as the sun that dissipates the darkness of the long night of apostasy with its light. It will shine as the clear whiteness of the moon in contrast to the darkness of the night. It will announce its arrival openly, with banners unfurled, and cause emotions of terror in the breasts of the armies of Lucifer. The rising light of the Restoration, symbolically embodied in the sun and moon, causes the hounds of hell to howl. The restoration of the kingdom of God in the dispensation of the fulness of times indicates that the dawning of the Millennium is near. Therefore, Satan “knoweth that he hath but a short time” (Revelation 12:12) before he will be bound and unable to tempt the children of men. Thus the Church is likened to a mighty army that has come to reclaim the earth for its rightful king.

In 1834 the Lord indicated that before Zion or Jackson County could be redeemed, the Saints must fulfill this description by becoming sanctified through receiving their endowment in the Lord’s house at Kirtland, Ohio (D&C 105:31-33).^[45]McConkie and Ostler, p. 72-73.

Whatever Christ Lays His Hands Upon, Lives!

Howard W. Hunter said: These are not only the words of faith of a father torn with grief but are also a reminder to us that whatever Jesus lays his hands upon lives. If Jesus lays his hands upon a marriage, it lives. If he is allowed to lay his hands on a family, it lives.^[46]Howard W. Hunter, Conference Report, Oct. 1979, p. 93.