ignorant," wrote Paul to the Corinthians. "Ye know that ye were
Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit
of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is
the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now there are diversities of gifts,
but the same Spirit. And there are diversities of administrations, but
the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations but it is the
same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit
is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the
Spirit, the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge, by the
same Spirit; to another faith, by the same Spirit; to another the gift
of healing, by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to
another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another divers
kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: but all
these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man
severally as he will."[H]
[Footnote H: I Cor. 12:1-11.]
XIII.
SACRED WRITINGS OF OLD.
_The Inspired Version_.
In December, 1830, the Prophet Joseph Smith received a revelation in
which was contained an important promise pertaining to the sacred
records of the Church. The Church had been in existence little more
than six months. During those months it had grown phenomenally in
numbers. And during those months, too, many discussions had been
inevitably provoked concerning the infallibility of the scriptures.
The Prophet who lived and moved among them, the saints accepted as the
living oracle of God; and when they thirsted for the Water of Life,
he was abundantly able to give it them. But the sacred writings of
the Jews--the Bible--had not the power so to satisfy them as had the
quick word of the Prophet. Some of the words of the ancients were not
clear. It seemed that there were mistranslations, omissions, and even
interpolations in the Holy Book. Moreover, some valuable scriptures
seemed to have been lost. They appeared in the Book in name only; their
invaluable contents were unknown. In view of these conditions, it is
not surprising that the young Church should desire to know how much
of the Sacred Word of God, as it had been preserved to them, might be
accepted with authority. And what they longed to know was divinely
given to them. In a revelation received by the young Prophet in
December, 1830, the Lord said to Sidney Rigdon, "A commandment I give
unto thee, that thou shalt write for him [i. e., Joseph Smith]; and the
Scriptures shall be given, even as they are in mine own bosom, to the
salvation of mine own elect."[A]
[Footnote A: Doc. and Cov. 35:20.]
This promise, with commandment, evidently signifies that the Lord
purposed to make clear dark sayings of Scripture, which some of the
saints were questioning. In support of this fact may be cited another
revelation, given only two months later, in which the Lord renews
the promise. "Thou shalt ask," He said to the Prophet Joseph, "and
my scriptures shall be given as I have appointed, and they shall be
preserved in safety."[B]
[Footnote B: Doc. and Cov. 42:56.]
Already, however, six months or so before the promise was made in
revelation, the Lord had prepared for its fulfillment. In June, 1830,
only two months after the organization of the Church, the Prophet had
received the revelation known as the "Words of Moses."[C] It is a
kind of introduction to the book of Genesis; it tells how Moses came
to know the story of the creation, and the relation of man to God. No
finer introductory chapter to the book of beginnings could possibly
be conceived. Again, in the same month in which the revelation with
promise was given, the Lord revealed certain "doings of olden times,
from the prophecy of Enoch. "[D] "Much conjecture and conversation
frequently occurred among the Saints," writes the Prophet, "concerning
the books mentioned, and referred to, in various places in the Old and
New Testaments, which were now nowhere to be found. The common remark
was, 'They are lost books;' but it seems the Apostolic Church had some
of these writings, as Jude mentions or quotes the prophecy of Enoch,
the seventh from Adam."[E] To the joy of the congregation, extracts
from this prophecy of Enoch were revealed to the Prophet Joseph, and
added to the growing treasure-house of scripture. Already, too, the
Prophet had begun to make a revision of the Bible. Before the close of
the year 1830, this revision was well under way.
[Footnote C: Pearl of Great Price.]
[Footnote D: "History of the Church," Vol. I, p. 133.]
[Footnote E: "History of the Church," Vol. I, p. 132.]
Before the close of the year, however, the Prophet was commanded to
desist from further translating until he should go to Ohio.[F] Again,
in December, 1831, the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon were commanded to
go upon a mission preaching the gospel.[G] Of necessity, the work
of "revision" must rest while the Seer and the scribe were about
these other duties. Except for such interruptions as these, however,
the "revision" of the Bible made fair progress. And in addition to
the textual "translation," there were received by the Prophet other
revelations bearing upon the Holy Word. Thus, in January, 1832, there
was received an explanation of I Cor. 7:14.[H] In February, of the same
year, there came to the translators, while they were engaged with the
Gospel of St. John, a wonderful vision of the glories hereafter.[I] The
following March, the Prophet received explanations of some parts of
the revelation to St. John.[J] One year later, there came a revelation
on the authenticity of the Apocrypha.[K] Thus, by the spirit of
inspiration and revelation, the sacred records of old were made plain.
The mistakes of men were corrected; and important words that had been
lost, were supplied. The first "revision" of the New Testament was
finished February 2, 1833, and that of the Old Testament, July 2 of the
same year.
[Footnote F: Doc. and Cov. 37:1.]
[Footnote G: Doc. and Cov. 71:1-11.]
[Footnote H: Doc. and Cov. sec. 74.]
[Footnote I: Doc. and Cov. sec. 76.]
[Footnote J: Doc. and Cov. sec. 77.]
[Footnote K: Doc. and Cov. sec. 91.]
The inspired revision of the Hebrew Scriptures was not published during
the lifetime of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He intended to continue
the work of revision, by going over the entire work again, before it
should be given to the world. In the year 1840, he expressed a desire
to shift much of the arduous responsibility resting upon him to the
shoulders of the Twelve and other officers, that he might resume the
work of translation and revision. In a memorial presented June 18,
1840, the Prophet wrote, "The Church have erected an office where
he [Joseph Smith, the memorialist] can attend to the affairs of the
Church without distraction, he thinks, and verily believes, that the
time has now come, when he should devote himself exclusively to those
things which relate to the spiritualities of the Church, and commence
the work of translating the Egyptian records, the Bible, and wait
upon the Lord for such revelations as may be suited to the conditions
and circumstances of the Church."[L] Up to the time of his martyrdom,
however, the Prophet found no time in which fully to carry out his
design. Therefore, the inspired version of the Holy Scriptures, a
manuscript copy of which is preserved in the Historian's Office at Salt
Lake City, has never been given to the world by proper authority. A
volume purporting to be the inspired version has appeared on the public
market; but it is not recognized by the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, because it has never received the careful revision
intended by the Prophet. The authorized version of King James remains
the standard Bible of the Church.
[Footnote L: "History of the Church," Vol. IV, p. 137.]
_The Book of Abraham_.
In July, 1835, there came into the hands of the Prophet, Joseph Smith,
other invaluable records of the times of the patriarchs. It appears
that in the year 1828, a French explorer named Antonio Sebolo, secured
permission from Mehemet Ali, the viceroy of Egypt, to explore for
antiquities. Three years later, in 1831, Sebolo entered some catacombs
near the place where stood formerly the ancient city of Thebes. Eleven
of the mummies, found in a perfect state of preservation, he carried
away with him to Paris. On the way to the French capital, however, M.
Sebolo put in at Trieste, where he died after an illness of several
days. The mummies were then directed to a nephew named Chandler. Mr.
Chandler lived in Philadelphia, Pa., though it was supposed that his
home was in Ireland. After a devious course, the mummies came finally
to New York, addressed to Michael H. Chandler. There the caskets were
first opened, and the contents examined. "On opening the coffins," the
Prophet tells us, "he (Mr. Chandler) discovered that in connection
with two of the bodies, was something rolled up with the same kind of
linen, saturated with the same bitumen, which when examined, proved
to be two rolls of papyrus." These rolls of papyrus were beautifully
written "with black, and a small part red, ink or paint, in perfect
preservation."[M]
[Footnote M: "History of the Church," Vol. II, pp. 348-350.]
A stranger standing near at the time of the discovery recommended
to Mr. Chandler that he seek out the Mormon Prophet, Joseph Smith,
as probably the only man who could render a correct translation of
the ancient manuscripts. Mr. Chandler, however, began to exhibit
the mummies in the larger cities of the United States. They very
soon became objects of peculiar interest. Mr. Chandler was assured
by the learned men of the land that both mummies and papyrus were
genuine. Indeed, from some he received certificates testifying to the
genuineness of his display and to the characters of the papyrus. It was
not until July 3, 1835, that Mr. Chandler reached Kirtland with the
Egyptian mummies. Immediately, it appears, he sought out the Prophet
Joseph Smith. "There were four human figures," the latter writes in
his history, "together with hieroglyphic figures and devices. As Mr.
Chandler had been told I could translate them, he brought me some
of the characters, and I gave him the interpretation, and like a
gentleman, he gave me the following certificate:
"'Kirtland, July 6, 1835. "'This is to make known to all who may
be desirous, concerning the knowledge of Mr. Joseph Smith, Jun.,
in deciphering the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic characters in my
possession, which I have, in many eminent cities, showed to the most
learned; and, from the information that I could ever learn, or meet
with, I find that of Mr. Joseph Smith, Jun., to correspond in the most
minute matters.
"'MICHAEL H. CHANDLER,
"'Traveling with, and proprietor of Egyptian mummies.'"[N]
[Footnote N: "History of the Church," Vol. II, P. 235.]
Soon after receiving this certificate from Mr. Chandler some of the
Saints in Kirtland purchased from him the mummies and the papyrus.
Thereupon, the Prophet, with William W. Phelps and Oliver Cowdery
as scribes, began to translate the strange hieroglyphics. To their
infinite joy, they found that one of the rolls contained writings of
Abraham, whereas the other contained writings of Joseph, who was sold
into Egypt. The first of these the Prophet translated, in part. It
recounts the trials of Abraham in the idolatrous home of his fathers,
and his miraculous deliverance. It tells also of the creation of the
world, and of the spirits before, and reveals the system of astronomy
understood by the ancient patriarch. The Book of Abraham, an invaluable
and truly authentic record translated by divine inspiration, forms now
an important part of the Pearl of Great Price.
It appears that the papyrus-roll containing the writings of Joseph
was never translated. The Saints retained possession of the mummies,
and carried them along in their wanderings, until they became settled
in their new home--Nauvoo, the Beautiful. There, the mummies were
displayed in the Nauvoo Mansion, built by the Prophet. After the death
of the Prophet, however, the mummies and the papyrus-rolls fell into
the hands of the Prophet's family, and were sold. For some time they
were exhibited by a syndicate in St. Louis. Thence, they were sold to
a museum in Chicago. When the great fire swept Chicago in 1870, the
museum was destroyed; and with it, presumably, the historic mummies and
the sacred records of old. All that we have preserved to us, then, of
these interesting papyrus records is contained in the Pearl of Great
Price.
Thus the knowledge of the Saints was extended, the hand-dealings of God
with His ancient people were made known, and many sacred writings were
added to the scripture already possessed by the Church. The King James
version of the Bible was already accepted "as far as it was translated
correctly." The Book of Moses deals with the beginnings--with the
fundamentals. It reveals how man came first to know of God, of His
Son, Jesus Christ, and of the divine plan of salvation. It supplies
the living truth of man's relationship to God, which the Authorized
Version--through the interference of the opinions of men--states but
obscurely. It looks hopefully forward to the future, when the King
of glory shall come in. Without that portion of inspired scripture
contained in the Book of Moses, we should lack much in our knowledge of
the history of God and of man.
In like manner, the Book of Abraham supplies valuable information
concerning the wonderful works of God. Independent of the Book of
Moses, it corroborates all that is taught there. And it goes further.
From it we learn important truths concerning a pre-existent state;
and from it we learn more fully, too, of the worlds, and the creation
of worlds. The science of creation is perhaps nowhere else so fully
explained as in the Book of Abraham. There, too, are outlined some of
the important principles of the New Astronomy, principles fast coming
to be recognized as true by scientific men. Without this record we
should lack much in our knowledge of the history of God and of man.
Another act, then, in the great drama of the Restoration has been
accomplished. To knowledge has been added knowledge. To the sacred
record contained in the Bible was added that of the Book of Mormon. And
now, to both of these, are added two others, briefer than either of the
first, but wanting nothing in significance to the people of God.
XIV.
A SACRED BOOK OF TODAY.
When the Lord God called Miriam and Aaron to task for speaking against
their brother Moses, He said to them, "Hear now my words: If there be
a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a
vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not
so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to
mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of
the Lord shall he behold; wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak
against my servant Moses?"[A]
[Footnote A: Num. 12:1-8.]
So it was also with the Prophet Joseph Smith. From the day of the first
splendid vision of the Father and the Son, the Lord spoke often to the
young prophet, and clearly. Particularly close was the communion of
the Prophet with his God after the re-establishment of the Church upon
the earth. As often as he felt the need of direction or encouragement,
so often did the young man seek God; and God always answered him, and
spoke to him, and gave him what was needful for him in that hour. It
happened, then, that in a very short time the Prophet had accumulated
a fairly large number of revelations. For each time the Lord spoke to
him, either he himself or one of his scribes recorded the revelation
as it was given. Afterwards, copies were made and circulated among the
Saints that were most nearly concerned.
If we had lived with the Saints in Kirtland, in the year 1832, we
should have been thrilled with them when the Prophet received the
momentous revelation now numbered eighty-eight in the Book of Doctrine
and Covenants. This remarkable and important revelation was circulated
among the Saints in manuscript form. It came to be called the "Olive
Leaf." And the "Olive Leaf" is an example of how the revelations were
first circulated among the Saints. Of course, the method was very
unsatisfactory in a day of modern advancement. The people began soon
to desire the word of God, as given to them directly, in printed
form. Indeed, so early did this desire manifest itself that in July,
1830, only three months after the organization of the Church, the
Prophet Joseph Smith was already engaged on the compilation of the
revelations.[B] This was the beginning of the book of modern scripture.
[Footnote B: "History of the Church," Vol. I, p. 104.]
The work of compilation seems, however, to have progressed slowly.
Somewhat over a year after the task was begun, a special conference was
convened in Hiram, Ohio. This was November 1st, 1831.[C] The conference
was called to consider the publication of the revelations received by
the Prophet Joseph Smith. It was decided to issue an edition of 10,000
copies; and during the afternoon of the first day of the conference,
the Prophet "received by inspiration," the preface to the proposed
book. It appears now as section first in the Book of Doctrine and
Covenants. It is a model of literary construction. The same afternoon,
too, the brethren assembled bore testimony to the divine inspiration
of the revelations. "Brother Joseph Smith, Jun.," we read, "said that
inasmuch as the Lord had bestowed a great blessing upon us in giving
commandments and revelations, he asked the conference what testimony
they were willing to attach to these commandments which would shortly
be sent to the world. A number of the brethren arose and said that they
were willing to testify to the world that they knew that they were of
the Lord."[D]
[Footnote C: "History of the Church," Vol. I, p. 221.]
[Footnote D: "History of the Church," Vol. I, p. 222, footnote.]
On the second day of the conference, "the revelation (of the evening
before) was read by the moderator (this was Oliver Cowdery). The
brethren then arose in turn and bore witness to the truth of the Book
of Commandments." The elders present at this special conference were
Joseph Smith, Jun., Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, John Whitmer, Peter
Whitmer, Jun., Sidney Rigdon, William E. McLellin, Orson Hyde, Luke
Johnson and Lyman E. Johnson.
With the confidence and the testimonies of the elders thus expressed,
Joseph Smith proceeded further to prepare the revelations for
publication. It was decided by the conference that Oliver Cowdery
should carry the commandments and revelations to Independence, Mo.,
where the printing press of the Church was located. The Prophet
should prepare and arrange the revelations by the time Elder Cowdery
left--"which was to be by--or, if possible, before--the 15th of
the month" (November).[E] In due time, the work of compilation was
accomplished; the volume of modern scripture was dedicated by prayer
to the service of the Almighty, the Prophet himself performing the
ordinance;[F] John Whitmer was appointed to accompany Oliver Cowdery
through the wild frontier to Independence; and the sacred record was
sent on its way to Zion.
[Footnote E: "History of the Church," Vol. I, p. 290.]
[Footnote F: "History of the Church," Vol. I, p. 234.]
The printing of the sacred book did not progress rapidly. On the
twenty-fifth of June, 1833, more than a year after the holding of the
special conference, Sidney Rigdon wrote a long letter, in behalf of the
Presidency of the Church, to W. W. Phelps and others in Zion. "We have
received your last," he writes, "containing a number of questions which
you desire us to answer. * * *
"First as respects getting the Book of Commandments bound we think it
is not necessary. They will be sold well without binding, and there is
no book-binder to be had that we know of, nor are there materials to be
had for biding, without keeping the books too long from circulation."
Later in the same letter, the writer says, "We have received some
revelations within a short time back, which you will obtain in due
season." And a little later, still, in the same letter, the writer
calls attention to some typographical errors in the fortieth and
forty-fourth chapters of the forthcoming book.[G] Evidently, then,
the work of printing the sacred book had progressed so far that
preparations had to be made for binding the book; yet, there was still
time apparently to add new revelations and to make corrections.
[Footnote G: "History of the Church," Vol. I, pp. 362-364.]
A little less than a month after writing the letter mentioned above,
Sidney Rigdon wrote another in behalf of the Presidency. In the latter
letter he writes, "Consign the box of the Book of Commandments to N.
K. Whitney & Co., Kirtland, Geauga County, Ohio, care of Kelly and
Walworth, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio."[H] Evidently, the first
edition of the Book of Commandments was nearing completion. The Sacred
Book of today was soon to be sent out into the world.
[Footnote H: "History of the Church," Vol. I, p. 369.]
Unfortunately, however, the shipment was never made. On July 20th,
1833, a mob collected near the Church printing office in Independence,
and demanded that the printing office and the store be closed, and that
all mechanical labors cease.[I] The Church leaders in Zion refused to
comply with these unreasonable demands. Thereupon, the mob rushed upon
the building, destroyed papers and publications, seized materials of
value, turned the family of Wm. W. Phelps out of doors, and razed the
building to the ground. Only a few copies of that edition of the Book
of Commandments as far as printed were saved from destruction.[J]
[Footnote I: "History of the Church," Vol. I, p. 390.]
[Footnote J: "History of the Church," Vol. I, pp. 411, 412.]
Somewhat over a year later, the Church prepared again to publish
the revelations. A printing house had been established in Kirtland,
Ohio. The conditions seemed favorable for the putting forth of the
Book of Commandments. On September 24, 1834, at a meeting of the High
Council, at Kirtland, a committee was appointed "to arrange the items
of the doctrine of Jesus Christ, for the government of the Church of
Latter-day Saints, which Church was organized and commenced its rise
on the 6th of April, 1830. These items are to be taken from the Bible,
Book of Mormon, and the revelations which have been given to the Church
up to this date, or that shall be given until such arrangements are
made." President Joseph Smith, Jun., Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, and
Frederick G. Williams were appointed the committee.[K]
[Footnote K: "History of the Church," Vol. II, p. 165.]
This committee, it seems, worked with energy at the task of compiling
and printing. On August 17, 1835, a little less than a year after
their appointment, the committee finished their appointed labor,
and a general assembly of the priesthood was called to accept the
volume of sacred scripture. In the afternoon session of the assembly
Oliver Cowdery introduced to the priesthood the "Book of Doctrine and
Covenants of the Church of the Latter-day Saints." William W. Phelps
and John Whitmer voluntarily testified to the divine authenticity of
the new volume of Scripture. Thereafter, the presidents of the High
Councils of Kirtland and Missouri, and the presidents of the several
quorums of the priesthood bore testimony that the revelations in the
book were true and that the book should become "a law and a rule of
faith and a practice to the Church." Finally, the general authorities
and the whole assembly accepted the book by unanimous vote as the
doctrine and covenants of their faith. William W. Phelps read also the
following testimony of the twelve apostles to the truth of the Book of
Doctrine and Covenants: