| [June–December] 1829, New York |
| God's commandment to Oliver—a "true Copy of the
articles of the Church of Christ" written in 1829. Oliver is to listen
to the voice of Christ and write them. All must repent and be baptized.
Oliver has the same calling as the apostle Paul §.
Baptismal prayer §. Father, Son, Holy Ghost are
one §. Ordain elders and teachers according to their
gifts §. Ordain in Jesus' name §.
Name of the church the Church of Christ. Priest to kneel with congregation
and pray §. Cast out none §.
Administering the sacrament, prayer §. Prohibit
unworthy from partaking §, but don't
cast out §, but don't count him among my people.
Let him attend meetings §. Cast out none §.
All report progress §. Salvation only by Jesus
§. Lord speaks by the power of the Spirit §.
Written by Oliver in 1829 because he felt compelled to §. |
| The following document, housed in the LDS Church Archives,
is in Oliver Cowdery's handwriting. The text draws on the Book of Mormon
and contains wording used in D&C 17, June [14–30],1829, and D&C
18, June
1–14, 1830. |
| From God to Oliver |
¶ |
A commandment from God unto Oliver how he should
build up his church & the manner thereof— |
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| Listen to the voice,
Oliver, and write |
¶ |
Saying Oliver listen to the voice of Christ your
Lord & your God & your Redeemer & write the words which I shall
command you concerning my Church my Gospel my Rock & my Salvation. |
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| World ripening in iniquity |
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Behold the world is ripening in iniquity &
it must {I} needs be that the children of men are stirred up unto repentance
both the Gentiles & also the House of Israel |
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All must repent
Called with Paul's calling |
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for behold I command all men
every where to repent & I speak unto you even as unto Paul mine apostle
for ye are called even with that same calling with which he was called |
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"For behold I command all
men every where to repent, and I speak unto you [Oliver and David] even,
as unto Paul mine apostle, for you are called even with that same calling
with which he was called." ¶ D&C
18:9, June [1–14], 1829. |
| Baptize whoever repents,
humbles himself, and wants baptism |
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Now
therefore whosoiever repenteth & humbleth himself before me & desireth
to be baptized in my name shall ye baptize them |
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"Behold whosoever humbleth
himself before God and desireth to be baptized, … they be
received unto baptism into the church of Christ." BC 24:30, June
1830. Cf. ¶ D&C 20:37. |
| Stand in water and
baptize |
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Behold ye shall go down
& stand in the water & in my name shall ye baptize them |
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"And baptism
is to be administered in the following manner unto all those who repent:
Whosoever being called of God and having authority given them of Jesus
Christ, shall go down into the water with them, and shall say, calling
them by name: Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Then shall he immerse them in the water, and come forth again out of
the water." BC 24:51–54, July [4–31], 1830. Cf. D&C
20:72–74. |
| Baptismal prayer |
|
And
now behold these are the words which ye shall say calling them by name saying
Having authority given me of Jesus Christ I baptize you in the name of the
Father & of the Son & of the Holy Ghost Amen |
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| Immerse |
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And then shall ye immerse
them in the water & come forth again out of the water & after this
manner shall ye baptize in my name. |
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| Father, Son, Holy
Ghost are one |
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For
behold verily I say unto you That the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost
are one & I am in the Father & the Father in me & the Father
& I are one |
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| Ordain priests and teachers |
¶ |
And ye are also
called to ordain Priests & Teachers according to the gifts & callings
of God unto men |
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"…to ordain priests and teachers; to declare my gospel,
according to the power of the Holy Ghost which is in you, and according
to the callings and gifts of God unto men;" ¶ D&C
18:32
"Every elder, priest, teacher or deacon, is to be ordained according
to the gifts and callings of God unto him, by the power of the Holy Ghost
which is in the one who ordains him." ¶ D&C
20:60 |
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and after this manner
shall ye ordain them |
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| Ordination prayer |
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Ye
shall pray unto the Father in my name & then shall ye lay your hands
upon them & say In the name of Jesus christ I ordain you to be a Priest
or if he be a Teacher I ordain you to be a Teacher to preach repentance
& remission of sins through Jesus Christ by the endurance of faith on
his name to the end Amen |
|
| Priest prays for
the Church of Christ |
|
And
this shall be the duty of the Priest He shall Kneel down & the members
of the Church shall be called the Church of Christ and he shall pray to
the Father in my name for the church & if it so be that it be built
upon my Rock I will bless it |
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Pray, preach the truth
Cast out none |
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And after that ye have prayed
to the Father in my name ye shall preach the truth in soberness casting
out none from among you but rather invite them to come |
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| Bread and wine often |
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And the Church shall oft partake of bread &
wine & after this manner shall ye partake of it |
55 |
"And it is expedient that
the church meet together oft to partake of bread and wine, in remembrance
of the Lord Jesus; |
Elder or priest administers sacrament
Kneel with church, pray |
|
The Elder or Priest
shall minister it & after this manner shall he do he shall Kneel with
the Church & pray to the Father in the name of Christ & then shall
ye [sic] say |
56 |
"And the elder or priest
shall administer it, and after this manner shall he do, he shall kneel with
the church, and call upon the Father in mighty prayer, saying: |
| Prayer on the bread |
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O God the Eternal Father we ask thee in the name
of thy Son Jesus Christ to bless & sanctify this bread to the souls
of all those who partake of it that they {eat} <eat> in remembrance
of the body of thy Son & witness unto thee O God the Eternal Father
that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son & always
remember him & Keep his commandments which he hath given them that they
may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen |
57 |
"O God the Eternal Father
we ask thee in the name of thy Son Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this
bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they eat in remembrance
of the body of thy Son and witness unto thee O God the Eternal Father, that
they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember
him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always
have his Spirit to be with them. Amen" BC 24:55–57 (D&C 20:75–77)
from Moroni 4. |
| Prohibit unworthy
from partaking |
|
And now behold
I give unto you a commandment that ye shall not suffer any one Knowingly
to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily when ye shall minister it for
whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh & blood unworthily eateth & drinketh
damnation to his soul |
28 |
"And
now behold, this is the commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall
not suffer any one knowingly to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily,
when ye shall minister it. |
| 29 |
"For who so eateth and drinketh my flesh
and blood unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul; |
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Therefore if ye Know that a man is unworthy to
eat & drink of my flesh & blood ye shall forbid him |
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"therefore if ye know that
a man is unworthy to eat and drink of my flesh and blood ye shall forbid
him. |
But don't cast him out
If he repents, baptize him |
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nevertheless ye shall not cast him out
from among you but ye shall minister unto him & shall pray for him unto
the Father in my name & if it so be that he repenteth & is baptized
in my name then shall ye receive him & shall minister unto him of my
flesh & blood |
30 |
"Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him
out from among you, but ye shall minister unto him and shall pray for him
unto the Father, in my name; and if it so be that he repenteth and is baptized
in my name, then shall ye receive him, and shall minister unto him of my
flesh and blood. |
| Don't baptize if won't repent |
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but if he repenteth not he shall not be numbered among my
people that he may not destroy my people |
31 |
"But if he repent not he shall not be
numbered among my people, that he may not destroy my people, |
| I know my sheep—numbered |
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For behold I Know my Sheep & they are numbered
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"for behold I know my sheep,
and they are numbered. |
Let them attend
They may repent |
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nevertheless ye shall not cast him out
of your Synagogues or your places of worship for unto such shall ye continue
to minister for ye Know not but what they will return & repent &
come unto me with full purpose of heart & I shall {heal} <heal>
them & ye shall be the means of bringing Salvation unto them |
32 |
"Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him
out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye
continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent,
and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and
ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them. |
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Therefore Keep these sayings which I have commanded
you that ye come not under condemnation for without unto him whom the Father
condemneth— |
33 |
"Therefore keep these sayings
which I have commanded you that ye come not under condemnation; for without
unto him whom the Father condemneth." 3 Nephi 28:28–31 |
Meet often
Cast out none |
¶ |
And
the Church shall meet together oft for prayer & suptication [sic] casting
out none from your places of worship but rather invite them to come |
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| Each member speak |
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And each member
shall speak & tell the church of their progress in the way to Eternal
life. |
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No sinning
Sinners not among my people |
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And
there shall be no pride nor envying nor strifes nor malice nor idoletry
nor witch crafts nor whoredoms nor fornications nor covetiousness nor lying
nor deceits nor manner of iniquity & if any one is guilty of any or
the least of these & doth not repent & show fruits meat for
repentance they shall not be number[ed] among my people that they may not
destroy my people |
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or:
of |
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[3] And now I speak
unto the Church |
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| Repent, be baptized,
endure to end |
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Repent all ye ends of
the Earth & come unto me & be baptized in my name which is Jesus
Christ & endure to the end & ye shall be saved |
23 |
"… are
baptized in my name, which is Jesus Christ, and endure to the end, the same
shall be saved. |
| Saved only by Jesus'
name |
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Behold Jesus
Christ is the name which is given of the Father & there is none other
name given whereby men can be saved |
24 |
"Behold,
Jesus Christ is the name which is given of the Father, and there is none
other name given whereby men can be saved: |
| Take his name |
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Therefore all men must take upon
them the name which is given of the Father for in that name shall they be
called at the last {-} <day> |
25 |
"Wherefore all
men must take upon them the name which is given of the Father, for in that
name shall they be called at the last day: |
| Otherwise no place
in kingdom |
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Therefore if they Know
not the name by which they are called they cannot have place in the Kingdom
of my Father |
26 |
"Wherefore
if they know not the name by which they are called, they cannot have
place in the kingdom of my Father." ¶ D&C 18:22–25 |
| Sin not, then grace
sufficient |
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Behold ye must walk uprightly before
me & sin not & if ye do walk uprightly before me & sin not my
grace is sufficient for you that ye shall be lifted up at the last day |
8 |
"And
if ye do … my grace is sufficient for you that ye shall be lifted
up at the last day." ¶ D&C
17:8 |
| I am Jesus |
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Behold I am Jesus Christ the Son
of the liveing God |
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| My own received me
not |
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I am the same which
came unto my own & my own received me not |
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| Light in darkness |
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I am the light which
shineth in darkness & the darkness comprehendeth it not |
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| My words, not human
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these words are not
of men nor of man but of me |
37 |
"These
words are not of men, nor of man, but of me:" ¶ D&C
18:34 |
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Now remember the words
of him who is the first & the last the light & the life of the world |
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| I speak it by my Spirit |
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And I Jesus Christ
your Lord & your God & your Redeemer by the power of my Spirit
hath spoken it Amen— |
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And now if I have not
authority to write these things judge ye |
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| You will know at
judgment bar |
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behold ye shall know
that I have authority when you & I shall be brought to stand before
the judgment seat of Christ |
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Now may [--] of God the Father [-] & our
Lord Jesus Christ be & abide with you all & [-]tly save you Eternally
in his Kingdom through the Infinite atonement which is in Jesus Christ
Amen— |
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| I am Oliver, an apostle of the
Lord |
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Behold I am Oliver I am an Apostle
of Jesus Christ by the will of God the Father & the Lord Jesus Christ
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| I just had to write this |
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Behold I have written the things which he hath
commanded me for behold his word was unto me as a burning fire shut up in
my bones & I was weary with forbearing & I could forbear no longer
Amen--— |
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| Written in 1829 |
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Written In the year of our Lord & Saviour
1829 —A true Copy of the articles of the Church of Christ O.C. |
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Articles
and Covenants
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