Introduction to the Doctrine and Covenants

1. Introduction to the Doctrine and Covenants

2. Doctrine and Covenants First called “Book of Commandments” • 65 sections in first edition, 1833 • 102 sections in the second edition, 1835, D&C. • Seven “Lectures on Faith” added in 1835, discontinued in 1921, Why? • 111 sections in 1844 • 136 sections in 1876 • 1976, section 137 was added, (Joseph Smith’s vision of the Celestial Kingdom) • Section 138 was added, J.F.S. “Redemption of the Lord” • 2 Manifestos: 1. Plural Marriage, 1921 2. Priesthood, 1978

3. 1833 The Book of Commandments Independence, Missouri 65 sections Never completed because of the destruction of the press Twenty copies known to have survived Never republished by the church 1835 The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Kirtland, Ohio 102 Sections Generally considered as the first standard edition. Officially accepted by the Church as scripture 1844 The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 111 Sections Published in Nauvoo after the Martyrdom Official Full title first used 1876 The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Salt Lake City, Utah Article on marriage deleted. Section 132 and others added, totaling 136 sections. First time divided into verses as they exist today. Development of The Doctrine and Covenants

4. 1908 The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Addition of the “Official Declaration”. Also had footnotes which had been added in the 1879 edition. 1921 The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Lectures on Faith deleted Double-column pages, index, present chapter headings, and revised footnote references added. 1981 The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Joseph Smith – Vision of the Celestial Kingdom became section 137. Joseph F. Smith – Vision of the Redemption of the Dead became section 138. Official Declaration 2, extending the priesthood to all worthy males, was added. Development of the Doctrine and Covenants

5. Sections 2, 13, 85, 121, & 130 were not initially considered scripture. Most revelations are administrative, fewer than one-fifth are purely doctrinal. The world will be judged by it (C.R. Oct. 1919, 146, J.F. Smith). It is worth more to us than the riches of the earth. Most of the revelations are to Joseph Smith. Over 90% of the revelations were received in the light of the day. The Father has never dealt with man directly and personally since the Fall.

6. President Joseph Fielding Smith said, “In my judgment there is no book on earth yet come to man as important as the Book known as the Doctrine and Covenants (With all due respect to the Book of Mormon and the Bible and the Pearl of Great Price) (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:198-199). The revelations were given independently over a period of about 20 years. Nearly one-third of the revelations in the D&C were received between August 1831 and April 1834 (in Kirtland). There was almost always more than one person present when Joseph Smith received a revelation.

7. I consider that the Doctrine and Covenants, our testament, contains a code of the most solemn, the most Godlike proclamation ever made to the human family (JD, 22:146, Wilford Woodruff). The book of Doctrine and Covenants is given for the Latter-day Saints expressly for their everyday walk and actions (DBY, 128, Brigham Young).

8. If we will put (the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants) into practice,… we will know the truth and there shall be no weapon formed against us that shall prosper. There shall be no false doctrines, no teaching of men that will deceive us… If we will search these revelations then we will be fortified against errors and we will be made strong (C.R., Oct., 1931, 17). Section 1 of the Doctrine and Covenants is the Lord’s preface to the book. The Doctrine and Covenants is the only book in the world that has the preface written by the Lord himself (Ensign, Nov., 1986, 79).

9. The Book of Mormon brings men to Christ. The Doctrine & Covenants brings men to Christ’s kingdom… The Book of Mormon is the “keystone” of our religion, and the Doctrine and Covenants is the capstone, with continuing latter-day revelation. The Lord has placed His stamp of approval on both the keystone and the capstone (Ensign, May, 1987, 83). Elder Maxwell said, “Thus, in many ways the Doctrine and Covenants is the modern equivalent of the thundering directness of Sinai” (Ensign, Dec., 1978, 4-6).

10. Power of the Name! • There are 130 different names mentioned in the Doctrine and Covenants. • 72 remained faithful • About 45% don’t! • The average age of people mentioned is 38 • The youngest people mentioned were Joseph Smith Jr. and Heman Basset (age 18).

11. What do we learn? We don’t want to be mentioned in the scriptures! Names are Important! The Tree of Life, The Four types of Soil, Doctrine & Covenants 4: The men and women mentioned in the Doctrine & Covenants do one of four things: • Remain faithful to the end. • Remain faithful for a time, but eventually fall away. • Fall away, but later return to the Church 4. Fall away and fight against the Church.

12. Did you know? Oliver Cowdery had lung fever and as a result became a teacher. He didn’t have the stamina to be a farmer. He left the church in 1837 and returned three years after Joseph’s martyrdom in 1847. After he left the church he became an attorney. He never did make it to the Salt Lake Valley because of his poor health.