The Prophet's Correction of the Error.
A few days afterwards I visited him and Mr. Whitmer's family, when I found the family in general of his opinion concerning the words above quoted, and it was not without both labor and perseverance that I could prevail with any of them to reason calmly on the subject. However, Christian Whitmer at length became convinced that the sentence was reasonable, and according to Scripture; and finally, with his assistance, I succeeded in bringing, not only the Whitmer family, but also Oliver Cowdery to acknowledge that they had been in error, and that the sentence in dispute was in accordance with the rest of the commandment. And thus was this error rooted out, which having its rise in presumption and rash judgment, was the more particularly calculated (when once fairly understood) to teach each and all of us the necessity of humility and meekness before the Lord, that He might teach us of His ways, that we might walk in His paths, and live by every word that proceedeth forth from His mouth.
Footnotes
[1]. Pearl of Great Price.
[2]. Doctrine and Covenants, sec. 24.
[3]. Doctrine and Covenants, sec. 25.
[4]. Doctrine and Covenants, sec. 26.
[5]. Part of paragraph 37, sec. 20, Doctrine and Covenants.