2. The Manner of Inditing Revelations: Elder Parley P. Pratt gives the following description of the manner in which a revelation was given through the Prophet in his presence.
"After we had joined in prayer in his translating room he dictated in our presence the following revelation: Each sentence was uttered slowly and very distinctly, and with a pause between each, sufficiently long for it to be recorded, by an ordinary writer, in long hand. This was the manner in which all his written revelations were dictated and written. There was never any hesitation, reviewing, or reading back, in order to keep the run of the subject; neither did any of these communications undergo revisions, interlinings, or corrections. As he dictated them so they stood, so far as I have witnessed; and I was present to witness the dictation of several communications of several pages each. (Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, pp. 65-6.)
The statement of Elder Pratt needs modifying, at least to the extent of saying, that additions were made sometimes to the revelations, as a comparison between the revelations as they appeared in so much of the "Book of Commandments" as was published at Independence, in 1833, and the same revelations as they stand in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. Indeed in the Doctrine and Covenants additions are sometimes noted (see section 20, verses 65-67, and foot-note, also section 27, introduction; also sec. 42, verses 31 and 34 and footnote). In the main, however, the statement of Elder Pratt may be taken as not only applying to the revelations which he witnessed the dictation of, but to all that the Prophet received.
3. The Divers Manners in which Revelations were Given in Ancient Times: As to the various ways in which the prophets in olden times received revelations, (agreeing with the various ways in which God communicated his mind and will to Joseph Smith) I quote the following from the "Annotated Bible," published in 1859.
"The divine communications were made to the prophets in divers manners; God seems sometimes to have spoken to them in audible voice; occasionally appearing in human form. At other times he employed the ministry of angels, or made known his purposes by dreams. But he most frequently revealed his truth to the prophets by producing that supernatural state of the sentient, intellectual, and moral faculties which the scriptures call 'vision.' Hence prophetic announcements are often called 'visions,' i. e., things seen; and the prophets themselves are called 'seers.' Although the visions which the prophet beheld and the predictions of the future which he announced were wholly announced by the divine Spirit, yet the form of the communication, the imagery in which it is clothed, the illustrations by which it is cleared up and impressed, the symbols employed to bring it more graphically before the mind—in short, all that may be considered as its garb and dress, depends upon the education, habits, association, feelings and the whole mental, intellectual and spiritual character of the prophet. Hence the style of some is purer, more sententious, more ornate, or more sublime than others."
Also the Reverend Joseph Armitage Robinson, D. D., Dean of Westminster and Chaplain of King Edward VII of England, respecting the manner in which the message of the Old Testament was received and communicated to man, said, as late as 1905:
"The message of the Old Testament was not written by the divine hand, nor dictated by an outward compulsion; it was planted in the hearts of men, and made to grow in a fruitful soil. And then they were required to express it in their own language, after their natural methods, and in accordance with the stage of knowledge which their time had reached. Their human faculties were purified and quickened by the divine Spirit; but they spoke to their time in the language of their time; they spoke a spiritual message, accommodated to the experience of their age, a message of faith in God, and of righteousness as demanded by a righteous God." (Defense of the Faith and the Saints, p. 266-7.)
4. The Spirit of Revelation: In one of the revelations there is given a description as to the manner in which revelations are given through the operation of the spirit of the Lord upon the mind of man, "for, verily," as Job puts it, "there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Lord giveth them understanding." The revelation alluded to, is one given to Oliver Cowdery in relation to his having the privilege of translating ancient records, by means of Urim and Thummim. The Lord said concerning such translation:
"Behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. Now, behold, this is the Spirit of revelation; behold, this is the Spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground." (Doc. & Cov. Sec. 8.)
Oliver's faith, however, seems to have failed him in the matter, and in explanation of that failure, the Lord said to him: