DOCTRINES AND COVENANTS.Of the Lectures, the first is upon “Faith itself—what it is.” It treats the subject in the normal way, showing how much faith is unconsciously exercised by man in his every-day life, and making it “the principle by which Jehovah acts.” The second is concerning “the subject on which Faith rests,” and contains an ancient chronology from Adam to Abraham, showing how the knowledge of God was preserved. The third, on the attributes of God, enlarges upon the dogma that “correct ideas of the character of God are necessary in order to the exercise of faith in him for life and salvation.” The fourth shows the “connection there is between correct ideas of the attributes of God, and the exercise of faith in him unto eternal life.” The fifth, following those that treat of the being, character, perfection, and attributes of God, “speaks of the Godhead”—meaning the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost—and explains the peculiarities of the “personage of tabernacle.” The sixth “treats of the knowledge which persons must have, that the tenor of life which they preserve is according to the will of God, in order that they may be enabled to exercise faith in him unto life and salvation.” The seventh and last discusses the effects of faith. Each lecture is followed by “questions and answers on the foregoing principles,” after the fashion of school catechisms, and to asterisk’d sentences a note is appended: “Let the student commit the paragraph to memory.” There is one merit in the lectures: like Wesley’s Hymns, they are written for the poor and simple; consequently, they are read where a higher tone of thought and style would remain unheeded.
The “Index in order of date to Part Second” will explain its contents.[205] The Appendix contains twelve pages of revelation on marriage, government, and laws in general, and finally the “martyrdom of Joseph Smith” (no longer junior) “and his brother Hyrum.” Respecting the connubial state, the Gentile and exoteric reads with astonishment the following sentence (no date, but between 1842 and 1843): “Inasmuch as this Church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication and POLYGAMY.polygamy, we declare that we believe that one man should have one wife, and one woman but one husband, except in case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again.”
[205] Index in the order of date to Part Second:
| Sec. | ||
|---|---|---|
| 30. | Revelation to J. Smith, jun. | July, 1828. |
| 31. | Revelation to J. Smith, sen. | Feb., 1829. |
| 32. | Revelation to J. Smith, jun., and M. Harris | March, 1829. |
| 8. | Revelation to O. Cowdery and J. Smith, jun. | April, 1829. |
| 33. | Revelation whether John tarried on earth | April, 1829. |
| 34. | Revelation to O. Cowdery | April, 1829. |
| 35. | Revelation on translation, to O. Cowdery | April, 1829. |
| 36. | Revelation on losing some of the Book of Mormon | May, 1829. |
| 37. | Revelation to H. Smith | May, 1829. |
| 38. | Revelation to J. Knight, sen. | May, 1829. |
| 39. | Revelation to D. Whitmer | June, 1829. |
| 40. | Revelation to J. Whitmer | June, 1829. |
| 41. | Revelation to P. Whitmer, jun. | June, 1829. |
| 42. | Revelation to O. Cowdery, D. Whitmer, and M. Harris | June, 1829. |
| 43. | Revelation to choose Twelve | June, 1829. |
| 44. | Revelation to M. Harris | March, 1830. |
| 2. | Revelation on Church government | April 6, 1830. |
| 46. | Revelation to J. Smith, jun. | April 6, 1830. |
| 47. | Revelation on re-baptism | April, 1830. |
| 45. | Revelation to O. Cowdery, H. Smith, and S. H. Smith, etc. | April, 1830. |
| 9. | Revelation to J. Smith, jun., and O. Cowdery | July, 1830. |
| 48. | Revelation to Emma Smith | July, 1830. |
| 49. | Revelation to J. Smith, jun., O. Cowdery, and J. Whitmer | July, 1830. |
| 50. | Revelation on Sacrament, first paragraph | August, 1830. |
| 50. | Revelation on ditto, second and third paragraphs | Sept., 1830. |
| 51. | Revelation to O. Cowdery and the Church | Sept., 1830. |
| 10. | Revelation to six elders | Sept., 1830. |
| 52. | Revelation to D. Whitmer, P. Whitmer, jun., and J. Whitmer | Sept., 1830. |
| 53. | Revelation to T. B. Marsh | Sept., 1830. |
| 54. | Revelation to P. P. Pratt and Z. Peterson | October, 1830. |
| 55. | Revelation to E. Thayre and N. Sweet | October, 1830. |
| 56. | Revelation to O. Pratt | Nov., 1830. |
| 11. | Revelation to J. Smith, jun., and S. Rigdon | Dec., 1830. |
| 57. | Revelation to E. Partridge | Dec., 1830. |
| 58. | Revelation to J. Smith, jun., and S. Rigdon | Dec., 1830. |
| 12. | Revelation to the Church | Jan. 2, 1831. |
| 39. | Revelation to J. Covill | Jan. 5, 1831. |
| 60. | Revelation concerning J. Covill | Jan., 1831. |
| 61. | Revelation appointing E. Partridge bishop | Feb. 4, 1831. |
| 13. | Revelation on Laws of the Church | Feb. 9, 1831. |
| 14. | Revelation to the Church | Feb., 1831. |
| 62. | Revelation calling the elders together | Feb., 1831. |
| 15. | Revelation on Prophecy | Mar. 7, 1831. |
| 16. | Revelation on the Gifts | Mar. 8, 1831. |
| 63. | Revelation to J. Smith, jun., and J. Whitmer | Mar. 8, 1831. |
| 64. | Revelation to settle certain families for the present | March, 1831. |
| 65. | Revelation concerning the Shakers | March, 1831. |
| 17. | Revelation on the Spirit | May, 1831. |
| 23. | Revelation to E. Partridge, concerning the Colesville branch, in Thompson | May, 1831. |
| 66. | Revelation on sending elders to Missouri | June 7, 1831. |
| 67. | Revelation to S. Gilbert | June, 1831. |
| 68. | Revelation to Newel Knight | June, 1831. |
| 69. | Revelation to W. W. Phelps | June, 1831. |
| 70. | Revelation to T. B. Marsh and E. Thayre | June, 1831. |
| 27. | Revelation on the location of Zion | July, 1831. |
| 18. | Revelation on the tribulations of Zion | Aug. 1, 1831. |
| 19. | Revelation on the Sabbath | Aug. 7, 1831. |
| 71. | Revelation to certain men to return from Missouri | Aug. 8, 1831. |
| 72. | Revelation of Destructions upon the Waters | Aug. 12, 1831. |
| 73. | Revelation to certain elders on the Bank of Missouri | Aug. 13, 1831. |
| 20. | Revelation to the Church in Kirtland | August, 1831. |
| 21. | Revelation given in Kirtland | Sept. 11, 1831. |
| 24. | Revelation on Prayer | October, 1831. |
| 75. | Revelation to W. E. M‘Lellin | October, 1831. |
| 1. | Revelation, or the Lord’s preface to this book | Nov. 1, 1831. |
| 25. | Revelation on the testimony of the Commandments | Nov., 1831. |
| 22. | Revelation to O. Hyde, L. and L. Johnson, W. E. M‘Lellin, and Items of Law | Nov., 1831. |
| 108. | Revelation, or Appendix | Nov. 3, 1831. |
| 28. | Revelation to O. Cowdery and J. Whitmer | Nov., 1831. |
| 26. | Revelation on Stewardships | Nov., 1831. |
| 91. | Revelation to J. Smith, jun., and S. Rigdon | Nov., 1831. |
| 90. | Revelation appointing a bishop in Kirtland | Dec. 4, 1831. |
| 29. | Revelation, elders’ duty till Conference | Jan. 10, 1832. |
| 74. | Revelation, explanation on Corinthians | Jan., 1832. |
| 88. | Revelation to several elders in Amherst | Jan. 25, 1832. |
| 92. | Revelation, a Vision | Feb. 16, 1832. |
| 76. | Revelation on the order of Enoch | March, 1832. |
| 77. | Revelation to Jared Carter | March, 1832. |
| 78. | Revelation to S. Burnett | March, 1832. |
| 80. | Revelation to F. G. Williams | March, 1832. |
| 87. | Revelation on the order of Enoch | April 26, 1832. |
| 89. | Revelation in addition to the law | April 30, 1832. |
| 4. | Revelation on Priesthood | Sept. 22-3, do. |
| 6. | Revelation, Parable of the Wheat, etc. | Dec. 6, 1832. |
| 7. | Revelation called the olive leaf | Dec. 27, 1832. |
| 81. | Revelation, a Word of Wisdom | Feb. 27, 1833. |
| 85. | Revelation concerning the keys of the kingdom | Mar. 8, 1833. |
| 93. | Revelation concerning the Apocrypha | Mar. 9, 1833. |
| 94. | Revelation on the order of Enoch, etc. | Mar. 15, 1833. |
| 83. | Revelation, John’s record of Christ | May 6, 1833. |
| 84. | Revelation on the building of the Lord’s houses | May 6, 1833. |
| 96. | Revelation on Chastening | June, 1833. |
| 97. | Revelation showing the order of Enoch’s stake | June 4, 1833. |
| 82. | Revelation for a school in Zion | Aug. 2, 1833. |
| 86. | Revelation, Laws of the Ancients | Aug. 6, 1833. |
| 79. | Revelation to J. Murdock | August, 1833. |
| 95. | Revelation to J. Smith and S. Rigdon in Perrysburg | Oct. 12, 1833. |
| 98. | Revelation, Parable on Zion | Dec. 16, 1833. |
| 5. | Organization of the High Council | Feb. 17, 1834. |
| 101. | Revelation, Redemption of Zion by power | Feb. 24, 1834. |
| 99. | Revelation on Enoch’s order for the poor | April 23, 1834. |
| 102. | Revelation given on Fishing River, Missouri | June 22, 1834. |
| 100. | Revelation to Warren A. Cowdery | Nov., 1834. |
| 3. | Quorums of Priesthood. | |
| 104. | Revelations to T. B. Marsh concerning the Twelve | July 23, 1837. |
| 107. | Revelations, Tithing | July 8, 1838. |
| 103. | Revelations on the Temple and Nauvoo house | Jan. 19, 1841. |
| 105. | J. Smith’s address | Sept. 1, 1842. |
| 106. | J. Smith’s address | Sept. 6, 1842. |
| 109. | Marriage. | |
| 110. | Governments and laws in general. | |
| 111. | Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. | |
The polygamic era directly followed the monogamic: it became the custom of the Church when, on their toil-conquered oasis in the Great Desert, the Mormons found themselves in comparative security. I give in extenso the sole command of heaven upon the subject ofPOLYGAMY REVEALED.
CELESTIAL MARRIAGE:
A REVELATION ON THE PATRIARCHAL ORDER OF MATRIMONY, OR PLURALITY OF WIVES.
Given to Joseph Smith, the Seer, in Nauvoo, July 12th, 1843.
1. Verily, then saith the Lord unto you, my servant Joseph, that inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand to know and understand wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as also Moses, David, and Solomon, my servants, as touching the principle and doctrine of their having many wives and concubines: Behold, and lo, I am the Lord thy God, and will answer thee as touching this matter: therefore prepare thy heart to receive and obey the instructions which I am about to give unto you; for all those who have this law revealed unto them must obey the same; for behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant, and be permitted to enter into my glory; for all who will have a blessing at my hands shall abide the law which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof, as was instituted from before the foundations of the world; and as pertaining to the new and everlasting covenant, it was instituted for the fullness of my glory; and he that receiveth a fullness thereof must and shall abide the law, or he shall be damned, saith the Lord God.
2. And verily I say unto you, that the conditions of this law are these: All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations that are not made and entered into, and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, of him who is anointed, both as well for time and for all eternity, and that, too, most holy, by revelation and commandment, through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have appointed on the earth to hold this power (and I have appointed unto my servant Joseph to hold this power in the last days, and there is never but one on the earth at a time on whom this power and the keys of the priesthood are conferred), are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead; for all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead.
3. Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion. Will I accept of an offering, saith the Lord, that is not made in my name? Or will I receive at your hands that which I have not appointed? And will I appoint unto you, saith the Lord, except it be by law, even as I and my Father ordained unto you before the world was? I am the Lord thy God, and I give unto you this commandment, that no man shall come unto the Father but by me, or by my word which is my law, saith the Lord; and every thing that is in the world, whether it be ordained of men, by thrones, or principalities, or powers, or things of name, whatsoever they may be, that are not by me, or by my word, saith the Lord, shall be thrown down, and shall not remain after men are dead, neither in nor after the resurrection, saith the Lord your God; for whatsoever things remaineth are by me, and whatsoever things are not by me shall be shaken and destroyed.
4. Therefore, if a man marry him a wife in the world, and he marry her not by me, nor by my word, and he covenant with her so long as he is in the world, and she with him, their covenant and marriage is not of force when they are dead, and when they are out of the world; therefore they are not bound by any law when they are out of the world; therefore, when they are out of the world, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are appointed angels in heaven, which angels are ministering servants, to minister for those who are worthy of a far more and an exceeding and an eternal weight of glory; for these angels did not abide my law, therefore they can not be enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without exaltation, in their saved condition, to all eternity, and from henceforth are not gods, but are angels of God forever and ever.