Mormon Revelations of Convenience and the Joseph Smith Translation

From 1820, the time of the 'first vision', until 1830 Joseph Smith claimed he received revelations to guide him in the establishment and organisation of the church. During that time the Book of Mormon was brought forth, priesthood authority was restored, men were called to high office, and the order of heaven was established. The culmination of all this activity was the official forming of the church on 6 April 1830. This seemed to be the object of the whole Mormon enterprise.

David Whitmer, one of the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon, tells us:

‘After the translation of the Book of Mormon was finished, early in the spring of 1830, before April 6th, Joseph gave the stone to Oliver Cowdery and told me as well as the rest that he was through with it, and he did not use the stone anymore. He said he was through the work God had given him the gift to per-form, except to preach the gospel. He told us that we would have to depend on the Holy Ghost hereafter to be guided into truth and obtain the will of the Lord.' (An Address to All Believers in Christ. p.32)

In the Latter part of 1831, it was decided by a council of Church leaders to compile the revelations concerning the origin of the Church and its organisation. The collection was to be called the 'Book of Commandments'. Such a collection was made and presented to a conference of the Priesthood at Hiram, Ohio, November 1, 1831. On the first day of the conference Joseph Smith received a revelation which was made the preface for the new volume and is now Section 1 of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants.

Chapter 4, verse 2 of the Book of Commandments read ‘And he has a gift to translate the book, and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift.'

In the spring of that year, however, Joseph Smith had begun what is now known as "The Inspired Translation of the Bible'. This was not actually a translation but rather a revision. This work, we are told, was undertaken 'at the command of the Lord and while acting under the spirit of revelation'.

In July 1835, Joseph Smith came into possession of the papyrus from which he ‘translated’ the Book of Abraham, now one of the standard works of the church. By 1835, then. Joseph had gone beyond what God had commanded. To accommodate this, a revelation that had been given by God, ratified by a conference of priesthood leaders, declared to be scripture and published to the world, was changed.

Where the original 1831 version read:

'And he has a gift to translate the book, and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift.'

The 'revised' 1835 version, published in the newly produced Book of Doctrine and Covenants, read:

'And you have a gift to translate the plates; and this is the first gift that I bestowed upon you; and I commanded that you should pretend to no other gift, until my purpose is fulfilled in this; for I will grant unto you no other gift until it is finished.’

This is the earliest and perhaps most significant in a series of changes, amendments and fresh revelations designed to accommodate the changing fortunes and policies of the church. It opened a door to revelations of convenience. A precedent had been set and the church was to follow it from time to time up to the present day.

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