Mosiah 9:81 And now the king was not so much concerned about his people, as he was about his own life; nevertheless, Gideon did spare his life.
DC 51:Intro SECTION 51
Revelation given through Joseph Smith, Jr., to Edward Partridge at Kirtland, Ohio, May 1831. This revelation has the same background as Doctrine and Covenants 48, both being concerned with locating the Saints from the East in harmony with Zionic principles. Edward Partridge was the only bishop in the church at this time.
DC 63:Intro SECTION 63
Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Oliver Cowdery arrived in Kirtland, August 27, 1831, from their first visit to the land of Zion. Joseph wrote in his history,
"In these infant days of the church, there was great anxiety to obtain the word of the Lord upon every subject that in any way concerned our salvation; and as the "land of Zion" was the most temporal object in view, I inquired of the Lord for further information upon the gathering of the Saints, and the purchase of the land and other matters."
It was in answer to this petition that Joseph Smith received the following revelation.
DC 77:Intro SECTION 77
Revelation addressed to the high priests, given through Joseph Smith, Jr., at Hiram, Portage County, Ohio, March 1832. It is concerned with the establishment of a storehouse and the care of the poor, both in the Kirtland area and in Zion.
The unusual names found in this and other revelations were probably used to hide the identity of the men and places mentioned from the enemies of the church. Identifications are suggested as follows:
"City of Enoch" City of Joseph
"Ahashdah" Newel K. Whitney
"Gazelam" or "Enoch" Joseph Smith
"Pelagoram" Sidney Rigdon
DC 83:Intro SECTION 83
Joseph Smith and some of his close associates returned from Independence to Kirtland, and here work on the Scriptures was resumed. During August and September many of the elders who had been on missions in the East also returned to Kirtland. Here, on September 22 and 23, 1832, the following revelation was given through Joseph Smith. It was received in the presence of six elders and is known as "the revelation on priesthood."
In the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, this revelation comprised Section 4. It followed the revelations now numbered 17 and 104 and came immediately before those which are now numbered 99, 84, and 85. These six revelations were all concerned with priesthood and church government.
DC 90:9 My servant Newel K. Whitney, also a bishop of my church, hath need to be chastened, and set in order his family, and see that they are more diligent and concerned at home, and pray always, or they shall be removed out of their place.
DC 98:Intro SECTION 98
Revelation given through Joseph Smith, Jr., December 16, 1833, at Kirtland, Ohio. The revelation is addressed to the Saints in Ohio and is concerned with the "brethren who had been afflicted and persecuted and cast from their land of inheritance."
DC 107:Intro SECTION 107
This statement was removed from the main body of the book by the action of the 1970 World Conference. Its subject is primarily concerned with arrangements for the construction of a boardinghouse in Nauvoo and with the practice of the ordinance of baptism for the dead. It will be noted that several paragraphs are devoted to references to such practices as "washings," "anointings," and "memorials for your sacrifices" and matters which "have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world" (paragraphs 10, 11, 12, 13).
Concerning such esoteric practices the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints declared as early as April 9, 1886, that "we know of no temple building, except as edifices wherein to worship God, and no endowment except the endowment of the Holy Spirit of the kind experienced by the early saints on Pentecost Day." And also, "that 'baptism for the dead' belongs to those local questions of which the body has said by resolution: 'That the commandments of a local character, given to the first organization of the church, are binding on the Reorganization only so far as they are either reiterated or referred to as binding by commandments to this church.' And that principle has neither been reiterated nor referred to as a commandment" (Conference Resolution 308, paragraphs 2, 3).
Instruction to the church bearing on this matter is contained in a revelation through W. Wallace Smith on April 5, 1968, referring to temple building in which the church is told that "there is no provision for secret ordinances now or ever" and that one temple function is priesthood education (Doctrine and Covenants 149A:6).
This section is retained in the Appendix for its historical value in relation to the development of ordinances for the dead and other ordinances for which the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints finds no justification either in the historical scriptures or in the documents approved by the church as latter--day revelation.
A series of messages given by Joseph Smith, Jr., prophet and seer to the church, January 19, 1841, at Nauvoo, Illinois. A portion of it was published in "Times and Seasons," June 1, 1841, vol. 2, page 424. It was first included in the 1844 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants as Section 103. It has been included in every succeeding edition since that date. With other sections of the Doctrine and Covenants, it came under the blanket motion passed in the General Conference of 1878.
GENERAL CONFERENCE RESOLUTION NO. 215
"That this body, representing the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, recognize the Holy Scriptures, the Book of Mormon, the revelations of God contained in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and all other revelations which have been or shall be revealed through God's appointed prophet, which have been or may be hereafter accepted by the church as the standard of authority on all matters of church government and doctrine, and the final standard of reference on appeal in all controversies arising, or which may arise in this Church of Christ."
Under this recognition it has been included in all editions of the Reorganization.
DC 116:Intro SECTION 116
Revelation given through President Joseph Smith III, May 4, 1865.
A council of the first Presidency and the Quorum of Twelve was in session at the home of Bishop Israel L. Rogers in Kendall County, Illinois, May 1-5, 1865. Among other things the council was concerned about "the ordination of men of the Negro race." President Joseph Smith was asked to seek divine guidance in this connection, and the revelation was received in response to the fasting and prayers of the members of the council. It should be studied against the background of the American Civil War and with the social and educational status of the American Negro of that period in mind.
The revelation was presented to the Quorum of Twelve, who voted unanimously to approve it. The semiannual conference of 1878 authorized its inclusion in the Doctrine and Covenants.
DC 117:Intro SECTION 117
As he approached the annual conference of 1873, President Smith was deeply concerned that he was again the only member of the First Presidency (Counselor William Marks had died in May 1872) and that the death of Apostle Samuel Powers in February 1873 had left the Quorum of Twelve with but five members. This concern was shared by the remaining members of the Twelve, and these were joined by a number of the Seventy in requesting that the prophet seek divine guidance.
In presenting the following revelation to the elders of the church, President Smith stated that it had been received "in answer to long and continued and earnest prayer to God upon the condition of the Quorums of the Church."
The revelation was approved by the available apostles and, on April 10, 1873, was endorsed by the conference. With the ordination of William Wallace Blair and David H. Smith, as provided for in this instruction, the quorum of the First Presidency was now complete for the first time since the reorganization of the church. This was also the first time in the Reorganization that members of the Twelve had been called by revelation through the President of the Church. Prior to this time, and on occasions in the early church, members of the Twelve had been selected by committees.
DC 120:7b the traveling councils taking cognizance of those only in which the law and usages of the church are involved, and the general interests of the church are concerned.
DC 133:2b Let them not be unduly concerned with the work of the standing ministry, only as they shall be directed by the Presidency therein; and let contention cease concerning the prerogatives of the leading quorums.
DC 134:6b and be not concerned with local administrative work except in emergencies or as sent by the Presidency, leaving the care of the local work to those officers previously indicated in the law.
DC 137:Intro SECTION 137
Revelation given through President Frederick M. Smith at Independence, Missouri, April 7, 1938. The conference adopted this "communication with its provisions as the voice of divine inspiration to the church."
To the Church: Since the creation of two vacancies in the Quorum of Twelve I have been quite concerned about the condition of that quorum, as well as other bodies in the church, and after due meditation and prayer for divine light, I am permitted to present the following for the consideration and action of the conference members:
