D&C 30-36 Quotes and Notes

D&C 30-36

There is quite a bit to cover in this segment of scripture. The context (at least in Joseph Smith’s life) is that of Joseph’s early work in the Bible translation, something we introduced back in our podcast covering D&C 29.

Section 30 is given to David, Peter and John Whitmer in September of 1830. To me, this whole section is a continuation of the instruction to Oliver Cowdery given in D&C 28.8 to preach the gospel to the descendants of Nephi, “The Lamanites.”^[1]See footnote 5, on “The Lamanites.” I see this as a cosmic invitation to the descendants of Israel who are from Europe [“The Gentiles” as Nephi calls them (1 Nephi 13.12 where Nephi … Continue reading

Section 30 is a combination of three revelations received following a three-day conference of the Church. Among other things, the concern over false revelations received by Hiram Page through his “peepstone” was resolved during the conference (D&C 28). The Prophet Joseph Smith wrote: “At length our conference assembled. The subject of the stone previously mentioned was discussed, and after considerable investigation, Brother Page, as well as the whole Church who were present, renounced the said stone, and all things connected therewith, much to our mutual satisfaction and happiness. We now partook of the Sacrament, confirmed and ordained many, and attended to a great variety of Church business on the first and the two following days of the conference, during which time we had much of the power of God manifested amongst us; the Holy Ghost came upon us, and filled us with joy unspeakable; and peace, and faith, and hope, and charity abounded in our midst. Before we separated we received the following . . .”^[2]History of the Church, 1:115.

Seeing the Big Picture

There are a couple of valuable “Big Picture” things that Bryce and I tried to cover in this podcast:

1. God is in charge, and with this we must remember that the process may be more important than the outcome. The mission to the Lamanites is an example of this. Another is Zion’s camp.
2. There is a cosmic view of these verses, by this I mean that the Lord wants all of the House of Israel restored, from all lands. At the same time, he allows the agency of men to prevail. But eventually we do know that Israel will be gathered.
3. The “fear of man” is something that is addressed in these sections, and this is something so applicable in our day. King Benjamin addresses the antidote to this in Mosiah 4.
4. Awesome promises are given to missionaries in these sections. Here is a list of the verses that Bryce went through:
   1. D&C 31.5 Your family will live!
   2. D&C 31.11 The Lord will tell them what to do and where to go.
   3. D&C 32.3 The Lord will be in their midst.
   4. D&C 33.8 The Lord will give them what to say.
   5. D&C 34.10 The missionaries will speak with power of the Holy Ghost.
   6. D&C 35.14 He will be their shield and buckler.
   7. D&C 84.88 The Lord will be on their right and on the left.

David Whitmer is chastened D&C 30.1-2

The seeds of David Whitmer’s disaffection with the Prophet^[3]David Whitmer was interviewed multiple times about his experiences with the angel, the plates, his witness of these events, and he was firm in his conviction of the truthfulness of his written … Continue reading and the Church were sown very early. It appears that, with the exception of the Book of Mormon, he struggled with everything that came by revelation through Joseph Smith. His loyalty to the revelations received by his brother-in- law Hiram Page through his peepstone, in this instance, over that which had been revealed to the Prophet was but the foreshadowing of future difficulties he would have with revelations received by the Prophet. In future years we find him arguing that Joseph Smith originally taught that the Bible and the Book of Mormon contained “God’s law in its completeness.” He considered the Doctrine and Covenants unnecessary as its revelations were “purely personal.” He categorically denied the coming of John the Baptist to restore the Aaronic Priesthood and the coming of Peter, James, and John to restore the higher priesthood. Similarly, he denied the coming of Moses, Elias, and Elijah in the Kirtland Temple ^[4]Cook, David Whitmer Interviews, xviii-xx. See also McConkie and Ostler, Revelations of the Restoration, p. 244-245.

The Mission to the Lamanites

Peter Whitmer is called to serve a mission with Oliver Cowdery “to the Lamanites”^[5]I use “The Lamanites” in quotations as I understand that this is a nuanced term. Though the Book of Mormon does not state anywhere that the indigenous peoples of North America were all … Continue reading

Oliver received his mission call in Section 28.8. After Oliver’s call to preach the gospel, Peter Whitmer Jr., Parley P. Pratt, and Ziba Peterson were also called to go together with him (D&C 30.5; 32.1-3). Despite their lack of success among the Lamanites, the mission itself proved to be of great importance to the young Church. The missionaries set out on their 1,500 mile journey on foot. Near Buffalo, New York, they visited the Catteraugus Indians and left the Book of Mormon with them.^[6]The missionaries visited the Cattaraugus in New York, the Wyandots in Ohio, and the Shawnees and Delawares in the unorganized territories (now Kansas) in what today is referred by historians … Continue reading This mission to the Lamanites was important for three reasons: it demonstrated the Church’s commitment to preach to the descendants of the Lamanites of the Book of Mormon; it helped establish a stronghold for the Church in Kirtland, Ohio, where the missionaries found numerous unexpected converts; and it ultimately brought Joseph Smith to Jackson County, Missouri, to lay the foundation of Zion, or the New Jerusalem.^[7]See: Max Parkin, The Lamanite Mission of 1830-1831, in The Encyclopedia of Mormonism, p. 802.

From there they proceeded to Kirtland, Ohio. There they met Sidney Rigdon, a popular Campbellite minister and former friend and instructor of Elder Pratt’s. After learning of the Book of Mormon and being convinced that he had no authority to minister the ordinances of the gospel, Sidney Rigdon and many of his congregation were baptized. Thereafter the missionaries found themselves teaching day and night. “In two or three weeks from our arrival in the neighborhood with the news, we had baptized one hundred and twenty-seven souls,” noted Elder Pratt, “and this number soon increased to one thousand. The disciples were filled with joy and gladness; while rage and lying was abundantly manifested by gainsayers; faith was strong, joy was great, and persecution heavy”^[8]Pratt, Autobiography, 36. Among the converts who quickly established themselves as men of unusual capacity were Isaac Morley, John Murdock, and Lyman Wight.^[9]McConkie and Ostler, p. 209-210.

Near Sandusky, Ohio, the missionaries visited the Wyanddot tribe and preached the gospel to them.^[10]Joined by Frederick G. Williams, a Kirtland physician, the four missionaries continued west in late November 1830, preaching as they traveled. They visited the Wyandot Indians at Sandusky, Ohio, … Continue readingIn January of 1831 the missionaries passed through St. Louis and St. Charles where little interest was taken in their message. “We travelled,” Elder Pratt recounted, “on foot for three hundred miles through vast prairies and through trackless wilds of snow— no beaten road; houses few and far between; and the bleak northwest wind always blowing in our faces with a keenness which would almost take the skin off the face. We traveled for whole days, from morning till night, without a house or fire, wading in snow to the knees at every step, and the cold so intense that the snow did not melt on the south side of the houses, even in the mid- day sun, for nearly six weeks. We carried on our backs our changes of clothing, several books, and corn bread and raw pork. We often ate our frozen bread and pork by the way, when the bread would be so frozen that we could not bite or penetrate any part of it but the outside crust”^[11]Pratt, Autobiography, 40.

After traveling four months and suffering untold hardships the missionaries arrived in Jackson County, Missouri, which was then the western frontier. Once in Jackson County, the missionaries separated. Whitmer and Peterson set up a tailor shop to earn needed funds, while Cowdery, Pratt, and Williams crossed the state boundary, called by them “the border of the Lamanites,” into Indian country.^[12]Parkin, Lamanite Mission. After first contacting the Shawnees, the elders crossed the frozen Kansas River and walked to the Delaware Indian village located about twelve miles west of the Missouri state line. The Delaware tribe had arrived there only the previous November after a toilsome journey of their own. Because of their present poverty and mistreatment at the hands of whites (see the Treaty of Fort Pitt, signed in 1778, where the Delaware were forced off their native homelands), the aged Delaware chief, known to the white man as William Anderson Kithtilhund, viewed any Christian missionaries with suspicion. After his initial hesitation, however, Kithtilhund summoned his chiefs into council. For several days, through an interpreter, Cowdery shared with the receptive Delawares the Book of Mormon account of their ancestors.

Plans to establish a permanent school among the Delawares and to baptize converts were soon interrupted by an order to desist from the federal Indian agent, Richard W. Cummins.^[13]The question might be asked, why was there an interest in establishing schools in these lands and who was going to pay for this?  The provisions of the Indian Removal Act included inducements … Continue reading After issuing a second warning, he threatened to arrest the elders if they did not leave Indian lands. Pratt believed that the jealousy of the missionaries of other churches and Indian agents precipitated the order.^[14]Richard Cummins and Reverend Isaac McCoy were individuals who opposed the missionary work of Oliver, Ziba, Parley, and Peter. Reverend Isaac McCoy, a licensed Baptist minister, first served as an … Continue reading In a letter to William Clark, superintendent of Indian affairs in St. Louis, Cummins indicated that the elders did not possess a certificate authorizing their presence on government Indian lands.^[15]See: Ronald E. Romig, The Lamanite Mission, The John Whitmer Historical Association Journal, 1994, Vol. 14 (1994), p. 25-33. See also: Parkin, Lamanite Mission. Their initial contact with the … Continue reading Later in Independence, Cowdery wrote the superintendent General William Clark, at St. Louis, requesting a license to return to Indian lands, but the request was never granted, and according to historical sources, there is not a record of any reply to Cowdery’s request. Because of this lack of response, and with the threatened force of the government, this essentially ended the Lamanite mission.^[16]Oliver Cowdery wrote, “As I have been appointed by a society of Christians in the State of New York to superintend the establishing missions among the Indians I doubt not but I shall have the … Continue reading

Success Amidst Opposition

Even though the elders were prevented by governmental agencies from preaching the gospel to the tribes west of Jackson County, they did have success in sharing the gospel message of the Restoration in this area. Before they proceeded west to the Indians, they encountered an early settler, Joshua Lewis, who provided shelter to the missionaries prior to their crossing the frozen Kansas river.^[17]Romig, The Lamanite Mission, p. 28. This kind act of the Lewis family was probably the initial contact that led them to their conversion to the gospel message.^[18]Joshua Lewis was married to Margaret Kelsey before 1820. He was in his late thirties when he met the missionaries. He and Margaret were early settlers of the area who later joined the church. Some of … Continue reading Peter Whitmer reported,”We then resorted among the gentiles and declared the word and Baptized.” The names of several known to have joined the church also appear in the 1830 Census, suggesting that they could have been converted as a result of the efforts of the Lamanite missionaries. From the records we can see that many were found by the missionaries to be receptive. For example we have Elizabeth Parsons, Samuel and Polly Son, and John Patten, all later associated with the Big Blue Settlement; Ira and Loiza Smith, and Joseph Wilson, living in Prairie Branch; and John and Evangeline Walker in the Independence Branch.^[19]Romig, p. 30. He continues giving more names of converts, “Other candidates are John and Margaret Clemenson – Margaret being Samuel Weston’s [mob member] sister – from Independence, and WW. … Continue reading

Oliver Cowdery and Ziba Peterson headed east from Jackson County in the Spring of 1831. Near Lexington, Missouri, Oliver and Ziba^[20]Ziba’s mission to the Lamanites, and eventually to Lafayette had a lasting impact on his future church involvement and later life. Some of the new converts that these four missionaries found … Continue reading witnessed many come into the church. At least 44 people joined the church at this time, including Francis Case and Mary Connelly.^[21]Romig, p. 31.

D&C 30.7 Oliver Cowdery jointly held all the keys of the kingdom with Joseph Smith

When the Church was organized, he was sustained as the second elder or the second leading officer in the Church.

Instruction to John Whitmer – D&C 30.10-11

John Whitmer was told to work at the house of Philip Burroughs, a farmer who lived in Fayette, New York, as the Saints were holding meetings in his home there.

Earlier in the month, on 5 September 1830, Parley P. Pratt preached to a group of Christians at the Burroughs’s home. Parley wrote, “On the next Sabbath I preached to a large concourse of people, assembled at the house of a Mr. Burroughs. The Holy Ghost came upon me mightily. I spoke the word of God with power, reasoning out of the Scriptures and the Book of Mormon. The people were convinced, overwhelmed in tears, and four heads of families came forward expressing their faith, and were baptized.”^[22]See: Pratt, Autobiography, 27. Susan Easton Black writes: It is not known whether Philip Burroughs sought baptism at that time. Diedrich Willers, the pastor of Zion’s Church near Fayette … Continue reading

D&C 31 Instruction to Thomas B. Marsh

Commenting on this section, Joseph Fielding McConkie and Craig Ostler point out the importance of understanding our position as members of the Restored Church:

This is the last of the four revelations given by the Prophet in September of 1830 while in Fayette, New York, where the first conference of the Church had been held. The revelation was given to Thomas B. Marsh, who with his wife was converted to the Church by the Book of Mormon. This revelation announces how we as a people are to present our message to the world. Though it is a common practice among members of the Church to seek common ground with those who profess faith in Christ by an appeal to the Bible, the direction given in this revelation is that we declare the things that have been revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith. The message of the Restoration centers on the idea that it is not common ground we seek in sharing the gospel. There is nothing common about our message. The way we answer questions about our faith ought to be by finding the quickest and most direct route to the Sacred Grove. That is our ground. It is sacred ground. It is where testimonies are born and the greatest truths of heaven are unveiled.

We claim no priesthood, keys, power, authority, or doctrines that do not trace themselves directly to heaven. We have not built upon the theological rubble of the past. All that we have, and this includes our faith in the Bible and our understanding of it, has come to us by direct revelation in this dispensation. Doctrines from any other source are without authority among the Latter- day Saints. All doctrine and authority must come through the channels the Lord has ordained for our dispensation, and that channel is the priesthood and keys restored to the Prophet Joseph Smith.^[23]McConkie and Ostler, Revelations of the Restoration, p. 247.

Thomas B. Marsh: Historical Background

Thomas Baldwin Marsh was a man of who listened to the Spirit. He followed its promptings as he traveled from Boston, Massachusetts, where he worked in a type foundry, to northwestern New York. He later wrote, “I believed the Spirit of God dictated me to make a journey west. I started in company with one Benjamin Hall, who was also led by the Spirit. I went to Lima, Livingston county, New York, where I staid [stayed] some three months, and then left for home. I called on my return at Lyonstown, on a family, whose names I do not recollect. On leaving there next morning the lady enquired if I had heard of the Golden Book found by a youth named Joseph Smith. I informed her I never heard anything about it, and became very anxious to know concerning the matter. On enquiring, she told me I could learn more about it from Martin Harris, in Palmyra.

“I returned back westward and found Martin Harris at the printing office, in Palmyra, where the first sixteen pages of the Book of Mormon had just been struck off, the proof sheet of which I obtained from the printer and took with me. As soon as Martin Harris found out my intentions he took me to the house of Joseph Smith, sen., where Joseph Smith, jun. resided, who could give me any information I might wish. Here I found Oliver Cowdery, who gave me all the information concerning the book I desired. After staying there two days I started for Charleston, Mass., highly pleased with the information I had obtained concerning the new found book.

“After arriving home and finding my family all well, I showed my wife the sixteen pages of the Book of Mormon which I had obtained, with which she was well pleased, believing it to be the work of God. From this time for about one year I corresponded with Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith, jun., and prepared myself to move west.

“Learning by letter that the Church of Jesus Christ had been organized on the 6th day of April, 1830, I moved to Palmyra, Ontario co., in September following, and landed at the house of Joseph Smith, sen., with my whole family. During the month [on 3 September 1830] I was baptized by David Whitmer, in Cayuga lake, and in a few days I was ordained an Elder by Oliver Cowdery with six Elders, at Father Whitmer’s house”^[24]Millennial Star, 26:375; spelling as in original.

D&C 31.3 Your Tongue Shal be Loosed

Hyrum M. Smith and Janne M. Sjodahl noted: “As long as Thomas B. Marsh was faithful he was an eloquent speaker. At the time of the troubles in Clay County, Mo., he was elected a member of a committee to lay the grievances of the Saints before the authorities of the State. On that occasion he spoke so impressively that General Atchison, who was present, shed tears, and the meeting passed resolutions to assist the Saints in finding a new location.”^[25]Smith and Sjodah, Doctrine and Covenants Commentary, 1951, 165.

D&C 31.12-13 Warnings to Brother Marsh

Thomas is warned in D&C 31.12-13 to be faithful and not fall into temptation. He does struggle in 1838 during the time period known as “The Mormon War,”^[26]See: Episode 33- The Mormon War. See also: Leland H. Gentry and Todd Compton, Fire and Sword: A History of the Latter-Day Saints in Northern Missouri, 1836-39, Greg Kofford Books, 2010. See … Continue readingand he chooses to leave the church. While I do not believe that the “strippings incident”^[27]See: Gordon B. Hinckley, Small Acts Lead to Great Consequences, April 1984. regarding his wife Elizabeth and Sister Lucinda Harris constitute the entire reasons for his disaffection with the Saints, the story is worthwhile to see how relationships can be poisoned over time. Thomas B. Marsh will swear out an affidavit against the church in 1838, which will contribute to the Extermination Order^[28]See: “The Thomas B. Marsh 1838 Affidavit.” issued by Governor Lilburn Boggs. Thomas will leave the church and be excommunicated on March 17, 1839.

He spent 18 years of his life outside the church. In 1857 Thomas traveled through Iowa and Nebraska. Wandle Mace, a faithful member of the church who helped build the Nauvoo Temple,^[29]Wandle Mace was born on February 19, 1809, in Johnstown, New York, to John Mace and Dinah Campbell. In his youth, his family moved to New York City and Wandle apprenticed with a blacksmith and later … Continue reading described him as “an old man, a stranger carrying a satchel and wearing a black waterproof coat to shield him from the storm [with a] palsied frame.” He also recorded what Thomas said was his greatest desire: “I want to die in the Church. Oh, if I could see Joseph, and talk with him and acknowledge my faults to him, and get his forgiveness from him and then I would die happy.”^[30]Journal of Wandle Mace, Archives Division, Church Historical Department, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.

In the summer of 1857 Thomas B. Marsh migrated west, eventually making it to Salt Lake City. He arrived on 4 September 1857 and the next day visited Brigham Young, who later said, “He came into my office and wished to know whether I could be reconciled to him, and whether there could be a reconciliation between himself and the Church of the living God.”^[31]Brigham Young, in Journal of Discourses, 5:206. When asked how his apostasy from the Church began, he reportedly said the following:

I have frequently wanted to know how my apostacy began, and I have come to the conclusion that I must have lost the Spirit of the Lord out of my heart. The next question is, “How and when did you lose the Spirit?” I became jealous of the Prophet, and then I saw double, and overlooked everything that was right, and spent all my time in looking for the evil; and then, when the Devil began to lead me, it was easy for the carnal mind to rise up, which is anger, jealousy, and wrath. I could feel it within me; I felt angry and wrathful; and the Spirit of the Lord being gone…I was blinded, and I thought I saw a beam in brother Joseph’s eye, but it was nothing but a mote, and my own eye was filled with the beam; but I thought I saw a beam in his, and I wanted to get it out; and, as brother Heber says, I got mad, and I wanted everybody else to be mad. I talked with Brother Brigham and Brother Heber, and I wanted them to be mad like myself; and I saw they were not mad, and I got madder still because they were not…Well, this is about the amount of my hypocrisy.^[32]Thomas B. Marsh, JD 5:208.

Thomas B. Marsh was unanimously sustained back into full fellowship with the Saints and baptized on July 16, 1857. He was later reordained to the office of High Priest, and moved to Ogden, Utah where he lived until his death in January 1866.^[33] Thomas B. Marsh, [1 Nov. 1788-Jan. 1866], Find a Grave. He is buried in Ogden Cemetery. When he came back into fellowship, Thomas expressed deep feelings of regret and humility. He said, “I … Continue reading

D&C 32 Parley P. Pratt, Ziba Peterson, Oliver Cowdery, and Peter Whitmer told to preach to the Lamanites

D&C 32.1 Parley P. Pratt

The calling of Parley P. Pratt^[34]Parley P. Pratt was made an apostle in February 1835, serving until his death in 1857. He had been married to Thankful Halsey just three years when he was called to be a missionary to the Lamanites. … Continue readingto accompany Oliver Cowdery and Peter Whitmer on their mission to the Lamanites proved to have a great influence on the Restoration and the gathering of Israel. Parley’s story of how he came into contact with the Restoration is beautifully told in the movie How Rare a Possession.^[35]Speaking of his experience with reading the Book of Mormon for the first time, he writes, “A Book, A VERY STRANGE BOOK! … This book, he said, purported to have been originally written on plates … Continue reading

When 23 year old Parley is called to serve his mission, his wife Thankful moved into Mary Whitmer’s home, who welcomed her into her home.^[36]Saints: The Standard of Truth:1815-1846, 2018, p. 98-99. On his way to Missouri, Parley planned on taking the gospel message to his friends in Ohio, where his former minister, Sidney Rigdon, had great influence.

Parley’s earlier association with a group of Reformed Baptists in the Kirtland, Ohio, would be a tremendous blessing to the Church. Many of these believers in Christ had built up a religious group known as Disciples of Christ, or Campbellites. They had established several congregations near Kirtland that sought to live as the early Christians of the New Testament had. The four missionaries to the Lamanites requested to teach at one of the churches where Sidney preached.

When the missionaries arrived in the Fall of 1830 on their way to Indian territory, Parley went to Sidney Rigdon and asked that he read the Book of Mormon. Thirty eight year old Sidney Rigdon listened politely as Parley Pratt and his three companions testified of a new work of scripture, the Book of Mormon. But Sidney was not interested. For years, he had exhorted people in and around the village of Kirtland, Ohio, to read the Bible and return to the principles of the New Testament church. The Bible had always guided his life, he told the missionaries, and it was enough.

“You brought the truth to me,” Parley reminded Sidney. “I now ask you as a friend to read this for my sake.”

“You must not argue with me on the subject,” Sidney insisted. “But I will read your book and see what claim it has upon my faith.”

Parley asked Sidney if they could preach to his congregation. Although he was skeptical of their message, Sidney gave them permission.

After the missionaries left, Sidney read parts of the book and found he could not dismiss it. By the time Parley and Oliver preached to his congregation, he had no desire to warn anyone against the book. When he rose to speak at the end of the meeting, he quoted the Bible.

“Prove all things,” he said, “and hold fast that which is good.”

But Sidney remained uncertain about what to do. Accepting the Book of Mormon would mean losing his employment as a pastor. He had a good congregation, and they provided him, his wife, Phebe, and their six children with a comfortable life. Some people in the congregation were even building a home for them. Could he really ask his family to walk away from the comfort they enjoyed?

Sidney prayed until a sense of peace rested over him. He knew the Book of Mormon was true. “Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto me,” he exclaimed, “but my Father which is in heaven.”

Sidney shared his feelings with Phebe. “My dear,” he said, “you have once followed me into poverty. Are you again willing to do the same?”

“I have counted the cost,” she replied. “It is my desire to do the will of God, come life or come death.^[37]Saints, p. 99-100. See also: Rigdon, “Life Story of Sidney Rigdon,”19; Joseph Smith History, 1838–56, volume A-1,

During the time when Sidney and other key figures in Ohio begin to believe in the message of the Restoration, the missionaries soon found that their knapsacks would not carry enough copies of the Book of Mormon to satisfy the desires of the many who wanted to read it. Sidney Rigdon’s spiritual witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon caused quite a stir in northern Ohio and throughout Pennsylvania and New York, where the Campbellites also had a strong influence.^[38]McConkie and Ostler, Revelations of the Restoration, p. 251-252.

In a short time, over 100 people were convinced of the truthfulness of the Restoration and were baptized. Not only did this significantly increase the overall membership of the Church, but it also provided a number of the future leaders for the Church. Among those early members of the Church were Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams, future members of the First Presidency (D&C 35, 81, 90.6), as well as Edward Partridge, future presiding bishop (D&C 41.9). In addition, Kirtland, near the area where these conversions took place, became a gathering place for the Saints and the location of the first temple dedicated in this dispensation.

The Lord surely knew at the time that Elder Pratt was called to this missionary journey that he would influence his companions to stop in the Kirtland area. The hand of the Lord is easily discerned in the unusual collection of truth seekers gathered in that area. “The same God that placed that star in a precise orbit millennia before it appeared over Bethlehem in celebration of the birth of the Babe,” observed Elder Neal A. Maxwell, “has given at least equal attention to placement of each of us in precise human orbits so that we may, if we will, illuminate the landscape of our individual lives, so that our light may not only lead others but warm them as well.”^[39]Elder Neal A. Maxwell, That My Family Should Partake, 86. The remarkable collection of men and women in and around Kirtland, like those in upstate New York, defies any thought of chance. The situation parallels that of the group of men assembled by the hand of the Lord to give birth to this nation.^[40]McConkie and Ostler, p. 252.

D&C 33 Ezra Thayre and Northrop Sweet called to serve missions

Ezra Thayre and Northrop Sweet were both citizens of the Palmyra, New York, area. They were baptized in October 1830 by Parley P. Pratt. Brother Thayre, a builder of bridges, dams, and mills, had employed members of the Smith family ^[41]Cook, Revelations, 47. Ezra Thayre is mentioned later in the Doctrine and Covenants among those brethren who were called to travel to Missouri, where the Lord would designate the spot for the latter- day temple in Zion (D&C 52.22). Due to difficulties with covetousness, the Lord later revoked the command that he travel to Zion (D&C 56.5, 8). He marched with Zion’s Camp and in 1835 was chosen as one of the Seventy. Following the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Thayre chose not to support the Quorum of the Twelve. Remaining in the Midwest, he eventually joined the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.^[42]McConkie and Ostler, p. 254.

Northrop Sweet faltered from the faith a few months after his conversion. After moving to Kirtland, Ohio, he became involved with manifestations of strange spirits. Elder George A. Smith recalled: “Joseph Smith came to Kirtland, and taught that people in relation to their error. He showed them that the Spirit of God did not bind men nor make them insane, and that the power of the adversary which had been manifested in many instances was visible even from that cause, for persons under its influence became helpless, and were bound hand and foot as in chains, being as immovable as a stick of timber. When Joseph came to instruct these Saints in relation to the true Spirit, and the manner of determining the one from the other, in a short time a number of those who had been influenced by those foul manifestations, apostatized. Among the number was Wycom Clark; he got a revelation that he was to be the prophet— that he was the true revelator; and himself, Northrop Sweet and four other individuals retired from the Church, and organized the ‘Pure Church of Christ,’ as they called it, composed of six members, and commenced having meetings, and preaching, but that was the extent of the growth of his early schism.”^[43]Journal of Discourses, 11:4.

The Lord likens the power of the Spirit, which carries his words to the hearts of his children, to a force “quick and powerful, sharper than a two- edged sword.” Nephi explained to his brothers that “the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center” (1 Nephi 16:2). Ezra Thayre wrote concerning his personal experience, which illustrates these phrases: “When Hyrum [Smith] began to speak, every word touched me to the inmost soul. I thought every word was pointed to me. God punished me and riveted me to the spot. I could not help myself. The tears rolled down my cheeks, I was very proud and stubborn. There were many there who knew me, I dare not look up. I sat until I recovered myself before I dare look up. They sung some hymns and that filled me with the Spirit. When Hyrum got through, he picked up a book and said, ‘here is the Book of Mormon.’ I said, let me see it. I then opened the book, and I received a shock with such exquisite joy that no pen can write and no tongue can express. I shut the book and said, what is the price of it? ‘Fourteen shillings’ was the reply. I said, I’ll take the book. I opened it again, and I felt a double portion of the Spirit, that I did not know whether I was in the world or not. I felt as though I was truly in heaven. Martin Harris rushed to me to tell me that the book was true. I told him that he need not tell me that, for I knew that it is true as well as he.”^[44]McConkie, p. 255. Cook, Revelations, 47-48.

D&C 34 Orson Pratt

The Prophet recorded in his journal that “in the forepart of November, Orson Pratt, a young man nineteen years of age, who had been baptized at the first preaching of his brother, Parley P. Pratt, September 19th (his birthday), about six weeks previous, in Canaan, New York, came to inquire of the Lord what his duty was, and received the following answer.”^[45]Smith, History of the Church, 1:127-28.

Orson Pratt, along with his elder brother, Parley, was one of the original members called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in this dispensation. Concerning his early life and the events that led to his request that the Prophet Joseph Smith inquire of the Lord in his behalf, Orson wrote: “From the age of ten to nineteen I saw much of the world, and was tossed about without any permanent abiding place; but through the grace of God, I was kept from many of the evils to which young people are exposed; the early impressions of morality and religion, instilled into my mind by my parents, always remained with me; and I often felt a great anxiety to be prepared for a future state; but never commenced, in real earnest, to seek after the Lord, until the autumn of 1829. I then began to pray very fervently, repenting of every sin. In the silent shades of night, while others were slumbering upon their pillows, I often retired to some secret place in the lonely fields or solitary wilderness, and bowed before the Lord, and prayed for hours with a broken heart and contrite spirit; this was my comfort and delight. The greatest desire of my heart was for the Lord to manifest his will concerning me. I continued to pray in this fervent manner until September, 1830, at which time two elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints, came into the neighborhood, one of which was my brother Parley. They held several meetings which I attended.

“Being convinced of the divine authenticity of the doctrine they taught, I was baptized September 19, 1830. This was my birthday, being nineteen-years old. I was the only person in the country [region] who received and obeyed the message…

“In October, 1830, I traveled westward over two hundred miles to see Joseph Smith, the Prophet. I found him in Fayette, Seneca County, N.Y., residing at the house of Mr. Whitmer. I soon became intimately acquainted with this good man, and also with the witnesses of the Book of Mormon. By my request, on the 4th of November, the Prophet Joseph inquired of the Lord for me, and received the revelation published in the Doctrine and Covenants.”^[46]as cited in Watson, Orson Pratt Journals, 8-9.

D&C 35 Sidney Rigdon will work with Joseph on the Joseph Smith Translation

Section 35.20-22 says, “And a commandment I give unto thee- that thou shalt write for him; and the scriptures shall be given, even as they are in mine own bosom, to the salvation of mine own elect. For they will hear my voice, and shall see me, and shall not be asleep, and shall abide the day of my coming, for they shall be purified, even as I am pure. And now I say unto you, tarry with him, and he shall journey with you; forsake him not, and surely these things shall be fulfilled.”^[47]I see this as something Sidney faithfully completes, until the head injuries sustained on March 24, 1832 from the mobbing in Hiram at the John Johnson farm cause him to have an altered personality. … Continue reading

Sidney Rigdon is a complicated historical figure.^[48]After the Saints settled in Nauvoo, Sidney Rigdon’s relationship with Joseph Smith was sometimes strained. Joseph charged Rigdon with neglecting his duties as Joseph’s counselor, aiding the … Continue reading At times brilliant in oration, with the ability to hold the attention of a congregation, at other times we read accounts of his disagreements with Joseph Smith and other members of the Church, we get a glimpse into the complexities of history. Sidney will eventually part company with the church after some discord with Joseph Smith, but we cannot escape the fact that his contributions to the Church and our history are great. He helped many come to the Savior, was by Joseph Smith during some of his greatest trials in Ohio, and was a great help to him in the translation efforts between 1830-1833.

D&C 36 A Revelation to Edward Partridge

Both Edward and Lydia Partridge are 37 when this revelation is received. We will talk more about the Partridge Family in upcoming podcasts. For now, if you want to read more on this family, I would suggest Dean article “Steadfastness and Patient Endurance.” Later, in Section 41, he will be called to be the first bishop of the Church.

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