| November 27, 1832 |
| Kirtland, Ohio |
| Duties of the church clerk, historian, recorder. They track members, life style, and activity—including apostates. Those who don't consecrate, don't get an inheritance, and they, their ancestors, and their parents won't be included among the Lord's people. One mighty and strong will come to set the church in Zion in order and arrange inheritances §. Anyone who tries to interfere, will be smitten and die. Those whose names are not recorded in the book of the law of God will be treated like unbelievers. |
| This section was originally excerpted from a letter Joseph wrote to W. W. Phelps in 1832 (Joseph Smith to W. W. Phelps, November 27, 1832) and included in the January 1833 Evening and Morning Star article titled "Let Every Man Learn His Duty." See Zion Regulations. It was added to the Doctrine and Covenants in 1876. |
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Joseph Smith Letterbook |
Evening and Morning Star |
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1 |
…firstly, it is
the duty of the lord['s] clerk whom he has appointed to keep a hystory and a
general church receord of all things that transpire in Zion and of all those
who consecrate properties and receive inheritances legally from the bishop |
¶ It is the duty of the Lord's clerk, whom he has appointed, to keep a history, and a general church record of all things, that transpire in Zion, and of all those who consecrate properties and receive inheritances, legally from the bishop; |
The letter is a copy of the original.
It is the first letter in Joseph's letterbook, beginning in the hand of
Frederick G. Williams, but ending in Joseph's handwriting. Letterbook-1, 1–3. |
| Church historian, recorder |
2 |
and also there manner of life and the faith and
works and also of all the apostates who apostatize
after receiving their inhertances legally from the
bishop and also there manner of life and the faith and works and also of
all the apostate who apostatize after receiving the[i]r inhertances |
and also, their manner of life, and their faith and works: and also, of all the apostates, who apostatize after receiving their inheritance. |
Turquoise: omitted in the 1876 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. |
| Record works, also apostates |
3 |
[2] … secondly it is conterary to the will and commandment of God that those who receive
not the[ir] inheritance by consecration agreeable to his law which he has
given that he may tithe his people to prepare them against the day of vengence
and burning should have there names enrolled with the people of God, |
¶ It is contrary to the will and commandment of God, that those who receive not their inheritance by consecration, agreeable to his law, which he has given, that he may tithe his people to prepare them against the day of vengeance and burning, should have their names enrolled with the people of God; |
At the point marked by ellipses,
scribe Frederick G. Williams skipped a long passage. When he discovered the error, he crossed out the text
that was out of order (not indicated here), and resumed with secondly. |
| Cross off those who don't consecrate |
4 |
neithe[r] is the geneology to be kept or to be had
where it may be found on any of the reccords or hystory of the church |
neither is their genealogy to be kept, or to be had where it may be found on any of the records, or histories of the Church: |
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Don't track their genealogy
Expunge their names, ancestors, and offspring |
5 |
there names shall not be found neithe[r] the names
of their fathers or the names of the children writen in the book of the
Law of God saith [3] the Lord of Hosts |
their names shall not be found, neither the names of their fathers, or the names of their children, written in the book of the law of God, saith the Lord of Hosts; |
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6 |
yea thus saith the Still Small voice which whispereth
through and pierceth all things and often times it maketh my bones to quake
while it maketh manifest saying |
yea, thus saith the still small voice, which whispereth through and pierceth all things: and often times it maketh my bones to quake while it maketh manifest, saying:— |
yea: Joseph's handwriting
begins and continues to the end. |
| Still small voice makes bones rattle |
7 |
and it shall come to pass that I
the Lord God will send one mighty and Strong holding the sceptre of power
in his hand clothed with light for a covering whose mouth Shall ut utter
words Eternal words while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth to Set
in order the house of God and to arange by lot the inheritance of the Saints
whose names are found and the names of their fathers and of their Children
enroled in the Book of the Law of God |
And it shall come to pass, that I the Lord God will send one mighty and strong, holding the sceptre of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, eternal words, while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth, to set in order the house of God, and to arrange by lot the inheritance of the saints, whose names are found, and the names of their fathers, and of their children, enrolled in the book of the law of God: |
On November 13,
1905, the First Presidency (Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, Anthon H.
Lund), issued a statement on this controversial passage and stating that
Edward Partridge was "undoubtedly" the object of the warning.
First Presidency messages 4:107–120. |
One mighty and strong
To set inheritances and genealogies in order |
8 |
while that man who was called of God and appointed
that puteth forth his hand to Steady the ark of God shall fall by the Shaft
of death like as a tree that is smitten by the vivid shaft of lightning |
while that man who was called of God, and appointed, that putteth forth his hand to steady the ark of God, shall fall by the shaft of death, like as a tree that is smitten by the vivid shaft of lightning; |
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| Don't try to steady the ark |
9 |
and all they who are not found writen in the
book of remmemberence Shall find none inheritence in that day but they shall
be cut assunder and their portion shall be appointed them among unbelievers
where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth |
and all they who are not found written in the book of remembrance, shall find none inheritance in that day, but they shall be cut asunder and their portion shall be appointed them among unbelievers, where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth. |
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| Don't consecrate, get cut apart, be counted with unbelievers |
10 |
these things I say not of myself therefore as
the Lord speaketh he will also fulfill |
These things I say not of myself, therefore, as the Lord speaketh he will also fulfil[l]. |
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| Count on it. |
11 |
and they who are of the high Priesthood
whose names are not found writen in the book of the Law or that are found
to have appostitized or to have been cut off out of the Church as well as
the lesser Priesthood or the members in that day Shall not find an inheritence
among the Saints of the most high |
¶ And they who are of the high Priesthood
whose names are not found writen in the book of the Law or that are found
to have appostitized or to have been cut off out of the Church as well as
the lesser Priesthood or the members in that day Shall not find an inheritence
among the Saints of the most high |
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| If not in book, no inheritance |
12 |
therefore it shall be done unto
them as unto the children of the Priest as you will find recorded in the
Second chapter and Sixty first and second verses of Ezra … |
therefore it shall be done unto
them as unto the children of the Priest as you will find recorded in the
Second chapter and Sixty first and second verses of Ezra: |
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And of the children of priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai: which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name: These sought their register among those that were recokened by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood. |
Nehemiah 7:63–65. Interestingly, the next verse is, "And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim." |
Joseph Smith to W. W. Phelps, Nov. 27, 1832
D&C 86
D&C 84
Ohio Revelations
Doctrine and Covenants
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