CFM: January 20–26
Videos, Podcasts, & Weekly Lesson Material
Resources and Insights for this Week's Lesson
I've had a busy week, as one of my children was visiting from out of state, so I was not able to work on the timeline, but I will jump on that for next week.
In this week’s lesson materials, various resources beautifully recount Moroni’s visitation to Joseph Smith, the process of receiving the plates, and the involvement of individuals such as Joseph’s family, including Alvin and Emma. Rather than reiterating these events, which others have already done, I’d like to focus on two lesser-explored but equally fascinating topics: the biblical significance of September 21–22, 1827, and the translation process, particularly in light of what was known about ancient linguistics at the time Charles Anthon was consulted.
September 21-22,1827: The Feast of Trumpets
Let’s begin by examining the significance of September 21–22, 1827. These dates align with the biblical feast day of Yom Teruach, or the “Day of Trumpets.” Most Latter-day Saints are familiar with the image of the Angel Moroni sounding a trumpet—featured atop many temples and previously on the cover of the Book of Mormon. However, few are aware of Yom Teruach and its profound connections to the events surrounding Joseph Smith and Moroni. (The Golden Plates and the Feast of Trumpets, Lev 23:24)
In ancient Israelite tradition, Yom Teruach marked the opening of the Jewish Fall Festivals or “High Holy Days,” which include Yom Teruach, Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). Over time, Yom Teruach became more commonly known as Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish "New Year." In Leviticus 23:24, this holy day is described as a sacred day that is commemorated with a series of trumpet blasts. These trumpet sounds, often made with various instruments like the Hatsorah, Hatsor, Yobel (Jubilee), Shophar, Taqoa, and Qeren, served as alarms, calls for joy, and gathering signals for the Israelites to return to the Tabernacle or Temple.
These perspectives can provide deeper insights into Moroni’s role as a divine messenger and how his appearance on Yom Teruah fulfilled ancient patterns and prophecies designed to prepare Israel for the unfolding events of the Second Coming. When we see the angel Moroni sounding his trumpet, it is a call for the gathering of Israel, a call to the Temple, and a call to return to the Lord.
A simple perusal of the Hebrew words for trumpet, provided in the links above, can provide valuable insight into how God used trumpets and music in the camps of Ancient Israel to communicate with his people. In ancient Israel, Levite priests—who served as temple guards, generals, temple musicians, ministers, scribes, and teachers—used trumpets and music to communicate messages, whether that involved officiating in the ordinances of the Temple, teaching the Torah to the community, or sounding the trumpets to organize and direct the camps of Israel. Similarly, Mormon and Moroni, as Nephite prophets, were trained in similar traditions (we have explored some of these correlations in previous lessons). The parallels between the Levite's and Moroni’s missions provide profound context, adding multiple layers of meaning to his visitation and the specific circumstances surrounding it.
Feast Days and Christ’s Mission
Scholars often connect the Israelite feast days to the life and mission of Jesus Christ, dividing them into two groups:
Spring Festivals: Pesach (Passover), Matza (Feast of Unleavened Bread), Bikkurim (First Fruits), and Shavuot (Festival of Weeks), which correspond with the events of His mortal ministry.
Fall Festivals: Yom Teruach, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot, which point to events surrounding His Second Coming.
The Fall Festivals emphasize themes of repentance, gathering the harvest, and preparation for the Messiah’s return. In the Book of Revelation, John described the sound of a trumpet heralding the “great and terrible day” of the Lord. This imagery resonates with the events of September 21–22, 1827, when Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith on Yom Teruach, and ushered in a new dispensation. This marked a spiritual “new year,” a Rosh Hashanah for the modern era—a call for Israel to gather and prepare for the return of our Messiah.
These perspectives can deepen our understanding of the Restoration, helping us to see the bigger picture of the Lord's plan and how all of these events work together.
Linguistics and the Account of Charles Anthon
Charles Anthon was a professor at Columbia College in New York, serving as an assistant professor in Greek and Latin. While he was considered an expert at that time, his knowledge was very limited.
In 1828, the understanding of ancient linguistics was undergoing a significant transformation. The field of Egyptology was still in its infancy, and the decipherment of ancient languages, such as Egyptian hieroglyphs, was a topic of intense scholarly interest and debate.
The Rosetta Stone and Early Decipherment
The Rosetta Stone, discovered in 1799 by French soldiers in Egypt, was pivotal in advancing the study of ancient languages. This artifact bore inscriptions in three scripts: Greek, Demotic, and Egyptian hieroglyphs. Its significance lay in the Greek text, which provided a key to understanding the two other, previously unreadable scripts. By 1828, however, the decipherment was still a work in progress.
Jean-François Champollion, a French scholar, had made groundbreaking strides in deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs in the early 1820's. Building on earlier work by Thomas Young, Champollion identified that hieroglyphs represented a combination of phonetic sounds and ideograms. His 1822 Lettre à M. Dacier outlined his findings, which formed the foundation of modern Egyptology. By 1828, Champollion's work was just beginning to gain recognition, but it was still a very new theory. During this time Champollion had just embarked on an expedition to Egypt to test his theories further.
Limitations in 1828
Despite this growing interest, linguistic knowledge in 1828 was very limited, as is evident in Joseph Smith's account. In his history, Joseph states that Martin Harris said that Anthon claimed that the figures provided to him were written in Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyriac, and Arabic. However, several forms of these scripts had not developed until much later in history, and they would not have been used together. For example, the earliest known use of the Arabic script dates to 512 AD, almost 1000 years after Lehi and his family left Jerusalem and over a hundred years after knowledge of the hieroglyphs became extinct. The fact that Anthon did not recognize this as a leading expert in his field demonstrates how young the study of linguistics was at that time.
Additionally, many ancient languages, such as Sumerian, Akkadian, Ugaritic, Phoenician, and the Proto-Sinatic script had not yet been discovered, let alone deciphered. For example, the Proto-Sinaitic alphabet, closely related to the Phoenician alphabet and the phonetic ancestor to virtually every phonetic alphabet on the planet, was not rediscovered until 1900 AD, after being lost for close to 1400 years. This was the predecessor to the Proto-Hebraic script that Moses and King David would have been familiar with, and it was likely in a version of these scripts that the 10 commandments would have originally been written. Scholars describe this as a type of "Reformed Egyptian," and the experts at the time of Joseph Smith did not even know about it. (In fact, most people at the time of Christ did not even know about it, but evidence suggests that Jesus did, and this was a topic that caused quite a stir, John appears to refer to this in John 7:15, but this is a topic for another day.)
Around 600 AD, when Lehi and his family left Jerusalem, multiple scripts were being used throughout Mesopotamia, and they were frequently used interchangeably. It was very common for people to alternate between various writing systems, such as Old Hebrew, Demotic, Hieratic, and others. And this is exactly what Mormon and Moroni describe when they talk about some of the challenges they had with recording their histories. These were things scholars did not know at the time when Joseph Smith was translating the Book of Mormon, which is just remarkable.
For fun, one can pretty easily identify several characters from these ancient writing systems on the document that many believe to be the sample Martin Harris gave to Charles Anthon. Just to be clear, I am by no means an expert in these scripts, and this is just a casual glance, but I have highlighted a few examples that stood out to me. The samples highlighted in red appear to resemble Proto-Sinaitic or versions of Proto-Hebraic letters, and the samples outlined in blue appear to resemble Demotic consonants. Moroni also tells us that the Nephites modified their script, so we should expect to see some variations. But even then, one can see many striking similarities, which is pretty cool considering the fact that these scripts had not yet even been discoverd. It's just mind blowing. So far, I have not been able to identified any specific words. However, that doesn't mean much. From my very uneducated perspective, this appears to be a random sampling, aligning with Joseph's description of experimenting with writing out various characters from the text to become acquainted and familiar with the plates.
Following the Persian takeover by the Achaemenid dynasty around 500 BC, King Darius ordered the various Semitic scripts to be consolidated and codified. This was intended to help with international trade and communication. Under his authority, the Imperial Aramaic Alphabet became the official Semitic script, and its use was mandated throughout the Assyrian Empire. Some scholars suggest that Daniel likely played an important role in the development of this script, as is evidenced by Daniels's instruction to "shut up the words, and seal the book" in Daniel 12:4. The Imperial Aramaic form of the script is the script that most people are familiar with today, which they identify as Hebrew, but it is actually Aramaic.
Cultural Significance
The decipherment of the Rosetta Stone had a profound influence on the world, representing the types of broader intellectual curiosity indicative of the 19th century. These connections and insights provide valuable context to the circumstances surrounding the translation of the Book of Mormon. We can see God's hand in multiple arenas during this time, and the implications are truly astounding.
This burgeoning interest in ancient linguistics was relivant to the environment in which Joseph Smith lived. It was an age of rediscovery and revelation, where the decipherment of ancient texts and the exploration of lost histories fascinated scholars and laypeople alike. This context highlights the curiosity and openness to new knowledge that characterized the people of the early 19th century, making it a fertile ground for new discoveries, interpretations, and the Restoration to flourish.
JS- History 1:27-65
Chapter Outline
Overview:
Major Topics & Themes | Resources & Commentary |
Joseph Smith’s Early Challenges, Preparation and Growth (Verses 27–30) |
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| About three years after the First Vision, on the night of September 21, 1823, Joseph was visited by the angel Moroni. During the time between these two revelatory events, Joseph experienced intense ridicule and persecution for sharing his sacred experience with others, those who should have protected him. Certainly, a young man of Joseph's age and nature would have felt a heavy sting, considering those who persecuted him the most were people he looked up to and respected, religious leaders and gospel teachers, people that he should have been able to trust. Joseph must have felt betrayed, disappointed, disillusioned, and isolated, among other things. However, despite these challenges, Joseph remained optimistic and faithful to God, putting his faith in what he knew to be true. Despite the pressures placed upon him, he continued to be unwavering in his testimony. And while Joseph continued to trust the Lord, he did doubt himself. By 1823, at the age of 17, Joseph saw much room for improvement in his own life, acknowledging mistakes that he made in his youth. Joseph prayed that night from a sincere desire to align his life with God’s will. He sought forgiveness for his sins and earnestly prayed for guidance. This set the stage for an extraordinary experience that would not only shape Joseph’s life but also prepare him to bring forth the Book of Mormon and restore God’s church on earth. |
Visits of Moroni and Preparation for the Plates (Verses 30–43) | |
| Scriptures Quoted By Moroni: In JS History
Other Scriptures mentioned in Oliver Cowdery’s letters published in the Messenger and Advocate, he provides additional details about scriptures quoted by Moroni. These include:
The prophecy of the kingdom of God being established and filling the whole earth.
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Aftermath of Moroni's Encounter. (Verses 48-54) | |
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Preparation and Waiting (Verses 55-58) | |
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Receiving the Plates and Translation Process Begins (Verses 59-61) | |
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IV. Divine Assistance and Early Challenges (Verses 62–65) | |
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Additional Resources:
Maps:
Historical Timeline
Between Crucifixion and Restoration,
a continuation from last week's lesson.
compiled from various sources incluuding Oxford's Timeline Reference and the Church's Chronological References
1800–1820: Prelude to the Restoration
1801: Cane Ridge Revival.
A massive camp meeting in Kentucky highlights the fervor of the Second Great Awakening.
1803: Louisiana Purchase and Westward Expansion.
1803–1815: Napoleonic Wars:
Napoleon’s campaigns spread revolutionary ideals across Europe but provoked resistance, particularly from England. Napoleon defeated much of Europe, including all or parts of France, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Northern Italy, Germany, Austria, Poland, Prussia, Spain, and Russia.
Major defeats, such as the Battle of Leipzig (1813) and Waterloo (1815), ended his dominance and reshaped Europe politically, leading to the redrawing of borders at the Congress of Vienna in 1815.
1804: Napoleon Becomes Emperor:
Crowns himself Emperor of the French, centralizing power and initiating reforms.
1804: Alexander Hamilton was fatally wounded in a duel with a political adversary Aaron Burr.
1805: Joseph Smith Jr. was born.
Born on December 23 in Sharon, Vermont, into a deeply religious environment.
1806: Francis II formally brings to an end the 1000-year-old Holy Roman Empire to keep it from the clutches of Napoleon
1807: Legislation abolishing the slave trade is passed in both Britain and America
1808: Beethoven's Sixth Symphony debuts in Vienna.
1809: Napoleon is excommunicated by the Pope, Pius VII. Pius is arrested and kept in captivity.
1810: King George III, suffering from porphyria, is deemed unfit to govern; his oldest son becomes Prince Regent.
English author Jane Austen publishes her first work in print, Sense and Sensibility, at her own expense.
War of 1812: Conflict between the United States and Great Britain driven by unresolved tensions from the American Revolution, maritime disputes, and territorial ambitions. It is sometimes called the "Second War of Independence" because it solidified America's sovereignty and economic independence. Following this war, the period was marked by a sense of national unity and political harmony. However, tensions over slavery and economic policies were beginning to emerge.
1812: French scientist Georges Cuvier introduces scientific paleontology with his Research on the Fossil Bones of Quadrupeds
~1812: Joseph Smith contracted typhoid fever. Complications required surgery to remove infected pieces of bone from his leg.
1814: US lawyer Francis Scott Key writes The Star-Spangled Banner after seeing the British bombard Fort McHenry
1815: Following Napoleon's defeat, the crowned heads of Europe and their representatives gather in Vienna to tidy up the post-Napoleonic continent. Pius VII restores the Jesuit Order on his return to Rome, and the rulers of Russia, Prussia and Austria form a Holy Alliance to preserve their concept of a Christian Europe.
1816: René Laënnec, develops the stethoscope.
1816: Rossini's opera The Barber of Seville has its premiere in Rome.
1816: The Year Without a Summer.
Caused by a volcanic eruption, crop failures led the Smith family to relocate to Palmyra, New York.
1817: JAMES MONROE was elected President, following THOMAS JEFFERSON | 1801-1809 & JAMES MADISON | 1809-1817.
1817: An informal financial market on Wall Street is transformed into the New York Stock and Exchange Board.
1817: On the death of Princess Charlotte, not one of the seven princes had an heir to succeed to the British throne in the next generation.
1818: The first Reform congregation within Judaism is established in Germany, in the Hamburg Temple. This was the first time an organ was present in a Jewish synogogue. Before this, musical instruments were forbidden in the sanctuaries. Traditionally, as a sign of mourning, the Jews pledged to wait until the return of the Temple to reintroduce musical instruments into the synagogue. (Synagogue & Religious Music)
1818: Mary Shelley publishes Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus, a Gothic tale about giving life to an artificial man.
1819: Revival in the "Burned-over District."
Western New York becomes a center of intense religious revivalism, influencing young Joseph Smith.
The Burned Over District is described in detail in Lynne Hilton Wilson's vlog, which has several excellent references.
1820: The British King George III dies after 59 years on the throne – a longer reign than any of his predecessors. The Prince Regent succeeds to the British throne as George IV
The Restoration and Beyond
Spring 1820: Joseph Smith’s First Vision.
Joseph seeks guidance in prayer and reports a vision of God the Father and Jesus Christ, marking the beginning of the Restoration.
1820: The Missouri Compromise, admitting Maine and Missouri to the union, keeps the balance between 'free' and 'slave' states in the US Senate.
March 25, 1821: An uprising in Greece against Ottoman Turkish rule begins a Greek Revolution, ultimately resulting in Greece's Independence. This date coincides with the Greek religious observance of Annunciation, which memorializes the day the angel Gabriel told Mary she would give birth to Jesus. Greeks recognize this event as a type of religious restoration, where they could once again, for the first time since the fall of Constantinople, openly practice their Christian faith, free from the dominance of the Ottoman and Islamic Empire.
21-22 September 1823 The angel Moroni first appeared to Joseph Smith. He told Joseph of an ancient record hidden in a nearby hill containing the fullness of the gospel. Joseph was commanded to return annually to the hill until he could be entrusted with the record. Portions of D&C 2: recorded.
1821: English Poet John Keats passes away.
1821: The spoken language of the Cherokee Indians is captured in written form with the Cherokee Syllabary – an achievement traditionally attributed to Sequoyah.
1822: Egyptian hieroglyphs are deciphered by French Egyptologist Jean François Champollion using the Rosetta stone
1822: Austrian composer Franz Schubert begins, but never completes, the great work now known as his 'Unfinished' symphony (no 8. in B minor)
19 Nov. 1823: Joseph Smith’s older brother Alvin died.
1823: Lord Byron arrives in Greece to support the cause of Greek independence
1823: 12-year-old Hungarian pianist Franz Liszt wins a reputation as a virtuoso performer
1823: With the help of an army from France, the Spanish king Ferdinand VII is freed from confinement and restored to his throne.
Dec 2, 1823: US President James Monroe warns European nations against interfering in America, in the policy which becomes known as the Monroe Doctrine.
1824: The Republican party in the USA splits into National Republicans and Democratic Republicans. John Quincy Adams was elected President of the US.
18 Jan. 1827: Joseph Smith married Emma Hale at South Bainbridge, New York. They later moved to Manchester Township, New York.
Joseph Receives the Golden Plates
22 Sept.1827: Joseph Smith received the golden plates. Same day as Jews celebrated Yom Teruach, or the Feast of Trumpets.
Dec. 1827: Joseph and Emma Smith moved 130 miles from Manchester Township, New York, to Harmony Township, Pennsylvania.
Feb. 1828: Martin Harris took a transcript of characters copied from the plates to show scholars in New York City and Albany, New York.
Apr.–June 1828: Joseph Smith, with Martin Harris as scribe, translated the part of the record known as the Book of Lehi.
ca. 14 June 1828: Martin Harris persuaded Joseph Smith to let him take manuscript pages of the Book of Mormon translation to Palmyra, New York, to show family members. Joseph Smith learned that Martin had lost the pages in early July,1828.
July 1828: D&C 3 recorded: Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet at Harmony, Pennsylvania, relating to the loss of 116 pages of manuscript translated from the first part of the Book of Mormon. The plates were temporarily taken from Joseph Smith at this time.
22 Sept. 1828: The plates and the power to translate were restored to Joseph Smith.
1828: Connecticut lexicographer Noah Webster publishes the definitive 2-volume scholarly edition of his American Dictionary of the English Language
1828: Adult white males now have the right to vote in almost all the states of the USA
1828: General Andrew Jackson, elected president of the USA, introduces the era known as Jacksonian democracy
Joseph Smith expressed mixed views on Andrew Jackson, reflecting both admiration and critique of his policies and administration. Below is a summary of Joseph Smith's perspective on Jackson's leadership, policies, and legacy:
Admiration for Jackson’s Administration
National Prosperity: Joseph Smith praised Andrew Jackson’s presidency as a high point in American glory, liberty, and prosperity. He highlighted Jackson's achievement of paying off the national debt and his efforts to distribute surplus revenue among the states.
Patriotism: Jackson’s belief in a patriotic militia and a government governed by the will of the people resonated with Joseph Smith's views on civic duty and governance.
Criticism of Jackson’s Indian Removal Policies
Indian Relocation: Joseph Smith took note of Jackson's Indian policies, particularly the forced removal of Native Americans to lands west of the Mississippi, known as the Indian Removal Act (1830). Jackson defended this policy as a necessary measure for the survival and improvement of Native American tribes.
Religious Hope for the Indians: While Joseph Smith acknowledged the government’s efforts to establish reservations and provide resources, he viewed the Native Americans’ plight as an opportunity for their eventual gathering and spiritual restoration through the gospel, as foretold in the Book of Mormon.
Humanitarian Concerns: Smith’s writings suggest a hope that Native Americans would one day be gathered in peace and unity, implying a critique of the harsh realities of Jackson’s policies, including the suffering caused by the Trail of Tears.
1829: The Underground Network begins to coalesce, as a network of undercover abolitionists in the southern states of America help slaves escape to freedom in the north
1829: The state government of Georgia declares that it is illegal for the Cherokees to hold political assemblies
Feb. 1829: D&C 4: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to his father, Joseph Smith Sr., at Harmony, Pennsylvania.
Mar. 1829: D&C 5: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, at the request of Martin Harris.
7 Apr. 1829: Joseph Smith resumed translating the Book of Mormon in earnest with the book of Mosiah. Oliver Cowdery, who arrived at Joseph Smith’s home in Harmony, Pennsylvania, on 5 April, served as scribe.
Apr. 1829: D&C 6: Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet and Oliver Cowdery, at Harmony, Pennsylvania.
ca. Apr. 1829: D&C 10: Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, likely around April 1829, though portions may have been received as early as the summer of 1828.
15 May 1829: John the Baptist restored the Aaronic Priesthood, conferring it upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery.
D&C 13: An extract from Joseph Smith’s history recounting the ordination of the Prophet and Oliver Cowdery to the Aaronic Priesthood near Harmony, Pennsylvania. After receiving the priesthood, and following John the Baptist’s instructions, Joseph and Oliver baptized each other.
May 1829: D&C 11: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to his brother Hyrum Smith at Harmony, Pennsylvania.
May 1829: D&C 12: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Joseph Knight Sr., at Harmony, Pennsylvania.
ca. 1 June 1829: David Whitmer met Joseph Smith and helped him move, along with Oliver Cowdery, to the Whitmer farm in Fayette Township, New York. Emma Smith followed sometime later.
June 1829: D&C 14: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to David Whitmer, at Fayette, New York.
June 1829: D&C 15: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to John Whitmer, at Fayette, New York.
June 1829: D&C 16: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Peter Whitmer Jr., at Fayette, New York.
June 1829: D&C 18: Revelation to Joseph Smith the Prophet, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer, given at Fayette, New York.
June 1829: D&C 17: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris, at Fayette, New York, before they were shown the engraved plates that contained the Book of Mormon record.
Late June of1829: An angel of God showed the plates to the Three Witnesses. Joseph Smith showed the plates to the Eight Witnesses.
ca. Summer 1829: D&C 19: Revelation given through Joseph Smith, at Manchester, New York, likely in the summer of 1829.
ca. 1 July 1829: The translation of the Book of Mormon was completed, Fayette Township, New York.
July Insurrection in France: Louis-Philippe, the Citizen King, replaces Charles X.
25 Aug. 1829: Martin Harris pledged his farm to assure payment to E. B. Grandin for printing 5,000 copies of Book of Mormon in Palmyra, New York.
Early 1830: D&C 74: Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Wayne County, New York.
Publication of the Book of Mormon & Formal Organization of the Church
26 Mar. 1830: The first copies of the Book of Mormon became available for purchase, Palmyra, New York.
6 Apr. 1830: The Church of Christ was formally organized in the home of Peter Sr. and Mary Whitmer in Fayette, New York.
D&C 20: Revelation on Church organization and government, given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at or near Fayette, New York. Portions of this revelation may have been given as early as summer 1829.
D&C 21: Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Fayette, New York. This revelation was given at the organization of the Church in the home of Peter Sr. and Mary Whitmer.
16 Apr. 1830: D&C 22: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Manchester, New York.
Apr. 1830: D&C 23: A series of five revelations given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Manchester, New York, to Oliver Cowdery, Hyrum Smith, Samuel H. Smith, Joseph Smith Sr., and Joseph Knight Sr.
June 1830: A branch of the Church was established in Colesville, New York.
9 June 1830: The first conference of the Church, held at Fayette, New York. Conference participants unanimously sustained the “Articles and Covenants” of the Church (D&C 20).
30 June 1830: Samuel Smith departed as one of the first missionaries of the Church of Christ, traveling to such communities as Mendon and Lovinia, New York.
June–July 1830: Joseph Smith dictated the “Visions of Moses,” later canonized in the Pearl of Great Price and part of a larger effort to make an inspired revision of the Bible.
July 1830: D&C 24: Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet and Oliver Cowdery, at Harmony, Pennsylvania.
July 1830: D&C 25: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Harmony, Pennsylvania. This revelation manifests the will of the Lord to Emma Smith, the Prophet’s wife.
July 1830: D&C 26: Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, Oliver Cowdery, and John Whitmer, at Harmony, Pennsylvania.
Aug. 1830: D&C 27: Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Harmony, Pennsylvania.
Sept. 1830: D&C 28: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Oliver Cowdery, at Fayette, New York.
D&C 29: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, in the presence of six elders, at Fayette, New York, some days prior to the conference held there.
26 Sept. 1830: The second conference of the Church was held at Fayette, New York. Joseph Smith was appointed to receive and write revelations for the Church.
Sept. 1830: D&C 30: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to David Whitmer, Peter Whitmer Jr., and John Whitmer, at Fayette, New York, following the three-day conference held there.
Sept. 1830: D&C 31: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Thomas B. Marsh at Fayette, New York, immediately following the September 1830 conference.
1831 Kirtland, Ohio, becames a gathering place for the Saints.
Early Oct. 1830: D&C 32: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Parley P. Pratt and Ziba Peterson, in Manchester, New York.
Oct. 1830: D&C 33: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Ezra Thayer and Northrop Sweet, at Fayette, New York.
29 Oct. 1830: Oliver Cowdery, Ziba Peterson, Parley P. Pratt, and Peter Whitmer Jr. arrived in Geauga County, Ohio, en route to their mission to the unorganized territory west of Missouri. They remained in Ohio for several weeks, where they preached and baptized more than 100 individuals, including Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams.
4 Nov. 1830: D&C 34: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Orson Pratt, at Fayette, New York.
7 Dec. 1830: D&C 35: Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon, at or near Fayette, New York.
9 Dec. 1830: D&C 36: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Edward Partridge, near Fayette, New York.
Dec. 1830: D&C 37: Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon, near Fayette, New York, commanding the Saints to gather in Ohio.
1831
2 Jan. 1831: The third conference of the Church was held at Fayette, New York.
D&C 38: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Fayette, New York. The occasion was a conference of the Church.
5 Jan. 1831: D&C 39: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to James Covel, at Fayette, New York.
6 Jan. 1831: D&C 40: Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon, at Fayette, New York.
4 Feb. 1831: Joseph and Emma Smith moved to Kirtland, Ohio.
4 Feb. 1831: D&C 41: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to the Church, at Kirtland, Ohio, directing arrangements there and calling Edward Partridge to be the Church’s first bishop.
9 Feb. 1831; 23 Feb. 1831: D&C 42: Revelation given in two parts through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio.
Feb. 1831: D&C 43: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio.
Late Feb. 1831: D&C 44: Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon, at Kirtland, Ohio.
Mar. 1831: Parley P. Pratt returned to Kirtland, Ohio, from his mission to the unorganized territory.
7 Mar. 1831: D&C 45: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to the Church, at Kirtland, Ohio.
8 Mar. 1831: D&C 46: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to the Church, at Kirtland, Ohio.
8 Mar. 1831: D&C 47: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio.
10 Mar. 1831: D&C 48: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio.
March 16, 1831: Victor Hugo publishes his novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame
9 Apr. 1831: John Whitmer was appointed to keep the Church record and history at a special meeting of the elders of the Church, held at Kirtland, Ohio.
May 1831: Saints from the Colesville, New York, branch arrived in Thompson, Ohio.
9 May 1831: D&C 50: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio.
20 May 1831: D&C 51: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Thompson, Ohio.
3–6 June 1831: A conference of the Church was held at Kirtland, Ohio, in which the first ordinations to the office of high priest were made.
6 June 1831: D&C 52: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to the elders of the Church, at Kirtland, Ohio.
8 June 1831: D&C 53: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Algernon Sidney Gilbert, at Kirtland, Ohio.
10 June 1831: D&C 54: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Newel Knight, at Kirtland, Ohio, directing members in Thompson, Ohio, to leave Leman Copley’s farm and journey to Missouri.
14 June 1831: D&C 55: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to William W. Phelps, at Kirtland, Ohio.
15 June 1831: D&C 56: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio.
19 June 1831: Joseph Smith and others traveled to Independence, Missouri, to designate the location of Zion. They arrived on 14 July 1831.
20 July 1831: D&C 57: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, in Zion, Jackson County, Missouri.
1 Aug. 1831: D& C 58: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, in Zion, Jackson County, Missouri.
3 Aug. 1831: Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and others dedicated the city of Zion and the temple site at Independence, Jackson County, Missouri.
4 Aug. 1831: Joseph Smith presided at the first conference of the Church in Missouri, held at Kaw Township, Jackson County.
7 Aug. 1831: D&C 59: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, in Zion, Jackson County, Missouri.
8 Aug. 1831: D&C 60: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri.
9 Aug. 1831: Joseph Smith departed Independence, Missouri. He arrived in Kirtland, Ohio, on 27 Aug. 1831.
12 Aug. 1831: D&C 61: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, on the bank of the Missouri River at McIlwaine’s Bend.
13 Aug. 1831: D&C 62: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, on the bank of the Missouri River at Chariton, Missouri.
30 Aug. 1831: D&C 63: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio.
11 Sept. 1831: D&C 64: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to the elders of the Church, at Kirtland, Ohio.
12 Sept. 1831: Joseph and Emma Smith moved to John and Alice (Elsa) Johnson’s farm in Hiram Township, Ohio.
13 Oct. 1831: The Ohio Star published the first of nine letters critical of the Church and the Prophet by former Latter-day Saint Ezra Booth in Ravenna, Ohio.
25–26 Oct. 1831: Joseph Smith presided over a conference in Orange Township, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, at which fifteen elders were ordained high priests.
29 Oct. 1831: D&C 66: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Hiram, Ohio.
30 Oct. 1831: D&C 65: Revelation on prayer given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Hiram, Ohio.
1 Nov. 1831: A conference held at Hiram, Ohio, approved the publication of Joseph Smith’s revelations as the Book of Commandments.
D&C 1: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet during the conference of elders as the Lord’s preface to the revelations.
Early Nov. 1831: D&C 67: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Hiram, Ohio. The occasion was that of a special conference regarding the publication of the revelations.
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