Saturday, April 16, 2011

The 1830 Copyright Sale Revelation

Today I'll be offering one of the earliest uncanonized Joseph Smith revelations, as I'd transcribe it with modernized punctuation and spelling. This revelation dates to early 1830 and directs a group of Joseph's early followers to sell the copyright for the Book of Mormon in Canada - a hope that ultimately failed to come to fruition, as there were no buyers there.

A revelation given to Joseph [Smith], Oliver [Cowdery], Hiram [Page], Josiah [Stowell], and Joseph Knight, given at Manchester, Ontario C[ounty], New York:

Behold, I the Lord am God; I created the heavens and the earth and all things that are in them, wherefore they are mine and I sway my scepter over all the earth. And ye are in my hands to will and to do, that I can deliver you out of every difficulty and affliction according to your faith and diligence and uprightness before me. And I have covenanted with my servant that earth nor hell combined against him shall not take the blessing out of his hands which I have prepared for him, if he walketh uprightly before me: neither the spiritual nor the temporal blessing. And behold, I also covenanted with those who have assisted him in my work, that I will do unto them even the same because they have done that which is pleasing in my sight (yea, even all save it be one only).

Wherefore be diligent in securing the copyright of my work upon all the face of the earth of which is known by you unto my servant Joseph and unto him whom he willeth according as I shall command him, that the faithful and the righteous may retain the temporal blessing as well as the spiritual, and also that my work be not destroyed by the workers of iniquity to their own destruction and damnation when they are fully ripe. And now behold, I say unto you that I have covenanted and it pleaseth me that Oliver Cowdery, Joseph Knight, Hiram Page, and Josiah Stowell shall do my work in this thing, yea, even in securing the copyright, and they shall do it with an eye single to my glory, that it may be the means of bringing souls unto salvation through mine Only-Begotten.

Behold, I am God; I have spoken it and it is expedient in me. Wherefore I say unto you that ye shall go to Kingston seeking me continually through mine Only-Begotten - and if ye do this, ye shall have my spirit to go with you, and ye shall have an addition of all things which is expedient in me. And I grant unto my servant a privilege that he may sell a copyright through you, speaking after the manner of men for the four provinces, if the people harden not their hearts against the enticings of my spirit and my word. For behold, it lieth in themselves to their condemnation or their salvation. Behold, my way is before you, and the means I will prepare and the blessing I hold in my own hand. And if ye are faithful I will pour out upon you even as much as ye are able to bear, and thus it shall be. Behold, I am the Father and it is through mine Only-Begotten which is Jesus Christ your Redeemer. Amen.

This revelation is recorded by John Whitmer in the Revelation Book 1, pages 30-31, as "23 Commandment AD 1830".

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