Doctrine and Covenants 52
Historical Context
In a revelation given in February 1831, Joseph Smith was commanded “that the elders of my church should be called together, from the east and from the west, and from the north and from the south” (D&C 44:1–2). In obedience to this commandment, a conference was held in early June 1831 in Kirtland, Ohio, with all the elders of the Church who could attend. The conference lasted several days, from around June 3–6 (sources are unclear on the precise dates). The conference minutes identify sixty-two participants, including forty-three elders, nine priests, and ten teachers. They assembled in a schoolhouse near the home of Isaac Morley (Minutes, circa 3–4 June 1831, 3–4, JSP).
The Lord promised to “pour out my Spirit upon them in the day that they assemble themselves together” (D&C 44:2). In fulfillment of this promise, several unusual spiritual experiences took place at the conference. John Whitmer recorded, “The Spirit of the Lord fell upon Joseph in an unusual manner. And prophesied that John the Revelator was then among the ten tribes of Israel who had been led away . . . to prepare them for their return, from their long dispersion, to again possess the land of their fathers. He prophesied many more things.” The Spirit fell upon Lyman Wight, and he prophesied “concerning the coming of Christ. . . . He will appear in his brightness, and consume all before him.” He also foretold that “some of my brethren shall suffer martyrdom, for the sake of the religion of Jesus Christ, and seal the testimony of Jesus with their blood. . . . He said that God would work a work in these Last days that tongue cannot express, and the mind is not capable to conceive.” John Whitmer also wrote that Joseph prophesied “that the man of sin should be revealed” (2 Thessalonians 2:3).
The outpouring of the Spirit was also accompanied by opposition from the adversary. Whitmer’s history recorded, “While the Lord poured out his spirit, upon his servants, the Devil took occasion, to make known his power, he bound Harvey Whitlock and John Murdock so that he could not speak, and others were affected, but the Lord showed to Joseph the Seer, the design of this thing, he commanded the devil in the name of Christ and he departed to our Joy and comfort.” In an 1839 history, John Corrill remembered, “Some curious things took place. The same visionary and marvelous spirits, spoken of before, got hold of some of the elders; it threw one from his seat to the floor; it bound another, so that for some time he could not use his limbs nor speak; and some other curious effects were experienced, but, by a mighty exertion, in the name of the Lord, it was exposed and shown to be from an evil source.”
In his own history, Joseph Smith wrote about the conference, “I conferred, the high priesthood for the first time, upon several of the elders. It was clearly evident that the Lord gave us power in proportion to the work to be done and strength according to the race set before us; and grace and help as our needs required.” What this ordination refers to is not exactly clear. Later in the Church the term high priesthood became synonymous with Melchizedek priesthood, but it seems unlikely that the June 1831 conference was the first time the Melchizedek priesthood was given to officers of the Church. The Book of Mormon uses the phrase high priesthood in several places and ties it to Melchizedek but does not connect the two names directly (See Alma 13:1–19).
The ordinations at the conference appear to have bestowed a higher authority on those already ordained to the office of elder; these were the first distinctive ordinations to the office of high priest. This may have been a partial fulfillment of the Lord’s promise that Church members would be “endowed with power from on high” after they gathered to Ohio (D&C 37:32). Parley P. Pratt, who was present at the meeting, explained, “Several were then selected by revelation, through President Smith, and ordained to the High Priesthood after the order of the Son of God; which is after the order of Melchizedek. This was the first occasion in which this priesthood had been revealed and conferred upon the Elders in this dispensation, although the office of an Elder is the same in a certain degree, but not in the fulness. On this occasion I was ordained to this holy ordinance and calling by President Smith.” John Corrill likewise recorded, “The Melchizedek priesthood was then for the first time introduced and conferred on several of the elders. In this chiefly consisted the endowment—it being a new order—and bestowed authority.”
At a conference held a few months later in October 1831, the minutes recorded the “names of those ordained to the High priesthood” separately from the elders, teachers, and deacons, implying that the high priesthood was recognized as a distinct office in the Church. Other sources seem to indicate this as well. Jared Carter, for instance, believed that those ordained to the high priesthood gained the ability to perform miraculous healings. Joseph Smith taught in October 1831 that “the order of the High priesthood is that they have power given to them to seal up the Saints unto eternal life.”
Doctrine and Covenants 52 was received on the last day of the conference. Joseph Smith said that the revelation was given “by an heavenly vision.” The revelation commanded fourteen pairs of elders, including Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, to travel to Independence, Missouri. The elders were commanded to preach the gospel along their journey and to hold a conference upon their arrival in Missouri. The Lord promised that, upon their arrival, “it shall also, inasmuch as they are faithful, be made known unto them the land of your inheritance” (D&C 52:5).
See “Historical Introduction,” Revelation, 6 June 1831 [D&C 52].
See also, “Historical Introduction” Minutes, circa 3–4 June 1831.
Verse-by-Verse Commentary
D&C 51:1–2
1 Behold, thus saith the Lord unto the elders whom he hath called and chosen in these last days, by the voice of his Spirit—
2 Saying: I, the Lord, will make known unto you what I will that ye shall do from this time until the next conference, which shall be held in Missouri, upon the land which I will consecrate unto my people, which are a remnant of Jacob, and those who are heirs according to the covenant.
This is the first reference to the state of Missouri in the revelations of Joseph Smith. The Lord revealed the location for the city of Zion line upon line, and this revelation demonstrates that the time was near for the Church to know at last where the city would be built. A revelation given in September 1830 had indicated that the city would be built “on the borders by the Lamanites” (D&C 28:9). In the months following, Oliver Cowdery had led a mission to the boundaries of the United States and, while in the area, had brought most of the new coverts in Kirtland into the Church. Because of Oliver’s efforts, the geographic center of the Church shifted westward to Kirtland, but Ohio was not the location of Zion. The Lord now commanded Joseph to travel to the frontier himself to know the final location of the city.
The Lord promises to consecrate the land there to the “remnant of Jacob” (D&C 52:2), a term that typically refers to the twelve tribes of Israel. The descendants of Lehi were “among the ancestors of the American Indians” (Book of Mormon Introduction) and therefore heirs to the covenants made to Abraham. The promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Holy Bible were familiar to Joseph Smith and his contemporaries. A few years after this revelation, Joseph translated the book of Abraham, which reiterated the blessings of the covenant. The Lord told Abraham, “I give unto thee a promise that this dright shall continue in thee, and in thy seed after thee (that is to say, the literal seed, or the seed of the body) shall all the families of the earth be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal” (Abraham 2:11).
D&C 52:3–6
3 Wherefore, verily I say unto you, let my servants Joseph Smith, Jun., and Sidney Rigdon take their journey as soon as preparations can be made to leave their homes, and journey to the land of Missouri.
4 And inasmuch as they are faithful unto me, it shall be made known unto them what they shall do;
5 And it shall also, inasmuch as they are faithful, be made known unto them the land of your inheritance.
6 And inasmuch as they are not faithful, they shall be cut off, even as I will, as seemeth me good.
The Lord assigned fourteen companionships to travel to Missouri for the next conference. The journey was challenging, and as the Lord indicates, it brought blessings to the faithful and also resulted in several of the missionaries leaving the Church (D&C 52:5–6). Ezra Booth was commanded to travel along with Isaac Morley (D&C 52:23). Ezra had been a Methodist minister and had converted after he witnessed Joseph Smith heal Elsa Johnson’s arm (see commentary for D&C 42:19–20). During the journey to Missouri, he became disillusioned with Joseph, and he disparaged the land the Lord chose, seeing it as dreary and underdeveloped.
When Ezra returned from Missouri he apostatized from the Church and wrote a series of nine letters in the Ohio Star, a local newspaper. He said, “A journey of one thousand miles to the west, has taught me far more abundantly, than I should have probably learned from any other source. It has taught me . . . the imbecility of human nature, and especially my own weakness. . . . But thanks be to God! The spell is dissipated.” Apostle George A. Smith later commented on the reason for Booth’s apostasy, saying, “He had formerly been a Methodist minister, commenced preaching the Gospel without purse or scrip, and he did so until he found, (using a common expression,) it did not pay.”
D&C 52:7–11
7 And again, verily I say unto you, let my servant Lyman Wight and my servant John Corrill take their journey speedily;
8 And also my servant John Murdock, and my servant Hyrum Smith, take their journey unto the same place by the way of Detroit.
9 And let them journey from thence preaching the word by the way, saying none other things than that which the prophets and apostles have written, and that which is taught them by the Comforter through the prayer of faith.
10 Let them go two by two, and thus let them preach by the way in every congregation, baptizing by water, and the laying on of the hands by the water’s side.
11 For thus saith the Lord, I will cut my work short in righteousness, for the days come that I will send forth judgment unto victory.
Others who left on the journey to Missouri experienced miracles and saw their faith strengthened. John Murdock, assigned as a companion to Hyrum Smith (D&C 52:8–9), left Kirtland under extremely trying circumstances. Only a month before he was called on his mission, his wife, Julia, died just six hours after giving birth to twins. Overcome with grief, John asked Joseph and Emma Smith if they would raise the twins for him. He then left Kirtland with the rest of the elders bound for Missouri, placing the rest of his five children in the care of other families in the area.
John struggled with his health during the journey. He later recorded, “I was so weak I fell from the horse and lay till the brethren came and picked me up.” When he arrived in Jackson County he was still ill and was taken to the home of a local member. “I lay sick two or three months, so much so that 2 or 3 days was lost time to me. Although I was so very sick that I could not pray vocally, yet my belief was so firm that it could not be moved. I believe[d] that I could not die because my work was not yet done.” During another bout of sickness he wrote,
I lay and thought on our mission and our calling of God. We had but very little money and while sick we were continually on expense. I saw we could not stand it, so I determined in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to arise and pursue my journey. I called Bro. P. [Brother Pratt] to the bed and told him my determination, and requested him to lay hands on me in the name of the Lord. I arose from my bed, we took dinner and gave the widow a Book of Mormon for her kindness and started on our journey.
Strengthened by continual blessings from Parley P. Pratt, John was able to make his way home to Kirtland and reunite with his children. Unfortunately, upon his return he found that one of the twins born before his departure, Joseph, had died in part because of a mob attack made on Joseph Smith at the John Johnson home. He noted the baby’s death, and he also wrote, “But my daughter was still doing well with Bro. Joseph, the Prophet.” During the winter of 1832–33 he saw a vision of the Savior. John later served several missions for the Church, including the first to Australia. He maintained his faith in the gospel and later wrote, “I would that I could thunder it loud enough to be heard through the world . . . that the mountains might tremble, and the inhabitants thereof with those on the valleys and everywhere else, give heed, and in truth and righteousness, and a candid upright step, act accordingly.” John Murdock died in 1871, firm in the faith.
D&C 52:12–21
12 And let my servant Lyman Wight beware, for Satan desireth to sift him as chaff.
13 And behold, he that is faithful shall be made ruler over many things.
14 And again, I will give unto you a pattern in all things, that ye may not be deceived; for Satan is abroad in the land, and he goeth forth deceiving the nations—
15 Wherefore he that prayeth, whose spirit is contrite, the same is accepted of me if he obey mine ordinances.
16 He that speaketh, whose spirit is contrite, whose language is meek and edifieth, the same is of God if he obey mine ordinances.
17 And again, he that trembleth under my power shall be made strong, and shall bring forth fruits of praise and wisdom, according to the revelations and truths which I have given you.
18 And again, he that is overcome and bringeth not forth fruits, even according to this pattern, is not of me.
19 Wherefore, by this pattern ye shall know the spirits in all cases under the whole heavens.
20 And the days have come; according to men’s faith it shall be done unto them.
21 Behold, this commandment is given unto all the elders whom I have chosen.
The instructions given to the missionaries in these verses constitute an early missionary guide. Echoing the early commandments given in Doctrine and Covenants 46 and 50, the Lord warns the elders of opposition from the adversary during their mission and gives them a formula for avoiding deception. The Lord asks the missionaries to pray contritely and obey the commandments. Those who represent the Lord must sincerely commit to a course of obedience. Ordinances as used here refers to all of the Lord’s commandments. Earlier, the Lord gave a strong warning about the avoidance of hypocrisy (D&C 50:7–8), and this warning was re-emphasized for this select group, who had been asked to seek out and identify the land of Zion.
The Lord provided these instructions to assist the missionaries in knowing the honest and sincere in heart during their journey to Missouri. He also intended for them to know the honest and sincere among their own number by the actions and dedication they showed to the teachings of the gospel along the way.
D&C 52:22–44
22 And again, verily I say unto you, let my servant Thomas B. Marsh and my servant Ezra Thayre take their journey also, preaching the word by the way unto this same land.
23 And again, let my servant Isaac Morley and my servant Ezra Booth take their journey, also preaching the word by the way unto this same land.
24 And again, let my servants Edward Partridge and Martin Harris take their journey with my servants Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith, Jun.
25 Let my servants David Whitmer and Harvey Whitlock also take their journey, and preach by the way unto this same land.
26 And let my servants Parley P. Pratt and Orson Pratt take their journey, and preach by the way, even unto this same land.
27 And let my servants Solomon Hancock and Simeon Carter also take their journey unto this same land, and preach by the way.
28 Let my servants Edson Fuller and Jacob Scott also take their journey.
29 Let my servants Levi W. Hancock and Zebedee Coltrin also take their journey.
30 Let my servants Reynolds Cahoon and Samuel H. Smith also take their journey.
31 Let my servants Wheeler Baldwin and William Carter also take their journey.
32 And let my servants Newel Knight and Selah J. Griffin both be ordained, and also take their journey.
33 Yea, verily I say, let all these take their journey unto one place, in their several courses, and one man shall not build upon another’s foundation, neither journey in another’s track.
34 He that is faithful, the same shall be kept and blessed with much fruit.
35 And again, I say unto you, let my servants Joseph Wakefield and Solomon Humphrey take their journey into the eastern lands;
36 Let them labor with their families, declaring none other things than the prophets and apostles, that which they have seen and heard and most assuredly believe, that the prophecies may be fulfilled.
37 In consequence of transgression, let that which was bestowed upon Heman Basset be taken from him, and placed upon the head of Simonds Ryder.
38 And again, verily I say unto you, let Jared Carter be ordained a priest, and also George James be ordained a priest.
39 Let the residue of the elders watch over the churches, and declare the word in the regions round about them; and let them labor with their own hands that there be no idolatry nor wickedness practiced.
40 And remember in all things the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted, for he that doeth not these things, the same is not my disciple.
41 And again, let my servants Joseph Smith, Jun., and Sidney Rigdon and Edward Partridge take with them a recommend from the church. And let there be one obtained for my servant Oliver Cowdery also.
42 And thus, even as I have said, if ye are faithful ye shall assemble yourselves together to rejoice upon the land of Missouri, which is the land of your inheritance, which is now the land of your enemies.
43 But, behold, I, the Lord, will hasten the city in its time, and will crown the faithful with joy and with rejoicing.
44 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and I will lift them up at the last day. Even so. Amen.
Following the Lord’s instructions, the missionaries took different paths on their way to Missouri in order to preach to as many people as possible. According John Corrill, who was one of the elders called on the journey, the missionaries were commanded “two by two; no two were to travel in the track of the others, and they were to preach the gospel by the way.” Their destination lay more than eight hundred miles away and would require them to travel great distances by wagon, stage coach, and steamboat. After arriving in St. Louis, Missouri, Joseph and a few other men crossed the state on foot, traversing a distance of 240 miles, and arrived in Independence on July 14, 1831. It was the first of four journeys Joseph Smith made to Missouri over the next six years.
In the revelation, the Lord provides an ominous warning, calling Missouri the “land of your inheritance, which is now the land of your enemies” (D&C 52:42). The journey was perhaps the most consequential that Joseph Smith undertook in his life. Throughout the remainder of Joseph Smith’s life, his fate was tied to the state of Missouri. The sacred land promised to the Saints as the place where a city of peace would be built would become the site of more strife, sorrow, and blood spilt among the Saints than any other place in the history of the Church. At the same time, the Prophet’s journey to Missouri in the summer of 1831 was key to unlocking the role of the land of Missouri in the last days and the promise it held for the Saints to one day become “a land of peace, a city of refuge, a place of safety for the saints of the Most High God” (D&C 45:66).
Footnotes
