Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources: Doctrine and Covenants 67–70, Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources (2020)
Doctrine and Covenants 67–70, Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources
Doctrine and Covenants 67–70
The Book of Commandments, printed in Independence, Missouri, USA, in 1832. In late 1831, Joseph Smith convened a conference at the home of John and Elsa Johnson in Hiram, Ohio, USA, where a group of Saints determined to print these revelations.
Texts
Historical background and the earliest manuscript of each revelation, as published in The Joseph Smith Papers
Revelation, circa 2 November 1831 [D&C 67]
At a 1–2 November 1831 conference that discussed the publication of the Book of Commandments, Joseph Smith “received” a “testimony of the witnesses to the book of the Lord’s commandments.” More …
Revelation, 1 November 1831–A [D&C 68]
On 1–2 November 1831, ten elders convened a conference in Hiram, Ohio, to discuss the publication of the Book of Commandments, a compilation of Joseph Smith’s revelations. More …
Revelation, 11 November 1831–A [D&C 69]
On 11 November 1831, Joseph Smith dictated this revelation assigning “John [Whitmer]” to accompany “Oliver [Cowdery]” on an upcoming trip to Missouri. More …
Revelation, 12 November 1831 [D&C 70]
On 12 November 1831, JS dictated this revelation in which he and others were appointed stewards over the revelations and commandments of the Church. More …
People
Biographical facts and historical images of individuals associated with the revelations
Historical Background
Minutes, 1–2 November 1831
On 1–2 November 1831, ten elders held a conference in an upstairs bedroom of the Hiram, Ohio, home of John and Alice (Elsa) Jacobs Johnson—the room in which Joseph Smith was working on his Bible revision. The conference focused on a proposal to publish Joseph Smith’s revelations. More …
Conference Minutes, 11 November 1831
During the first two weeks of November 1831, Joseph Smith and other elders held several conferences in Hiram, Ohio. More …
Conference Minutes, 12 November 1831
Joseph Smith’s history states that he and other elders spent much time “reviewing the commandments” and discussing the planned publication of the Book of Commandments. More …
Revelations in Context
Essays on the background of each revelation
William McLellin’s Five Questions
William McLellin joined three other men at the conference—Orson Hyde, Luke Johnson, and Lyman Johnson—in petitioning Joseph to reveal “the mind & will of the Lord” pertaining to their responsibilities. More …
The Book of John Whitmer
A November 1831 revelation directed Oliver Cowdery and John Whitmer to carry the manuscript revelations to Independence, Missouri, to have them published. More …
Newel K. Whitney and the United Firm
William W. Phelps, the Church’s printer, had established a printing shop in Independence, where he was printing a newspaper and preparing to publish a compilation of Joseph Smith’s revelations in a book called the Book of Commandments. More …
Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days
Narrative history of events surrounding the revelations
Volume 1, Chapter 13
The Gift Has Returned
On November 1, 1831, Joseph called a council of church leaders together. Ezra Booth had recently published a letter in a local newspaper accusing Joseph of making false prophecies. More …
Church History Topics
Essays on subjects related to the revelations
Bishop
On February 4, 1831, Joseph Smith received a revelation appointing Edward Partridge as the first bishop of the Church. More …
Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood
The appearance of Peter, James, and John to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery is attested to in numerous sources. More …
Places
Maps and information about places associated with the revelations from The Joseph Smith Papers, Historic Sites, and other helpful sources
Chronology
Timeline placing each revelation in the context of key events in the Church’s first century