[Title]

Before the Doctrine and Covenants

[Kicker]
The Revelation Books preceded what we now know as the Doctrine and Covenants. Thanks to
these books, the path for publishing modern revelation was open.
[Highlights of the source article]
As the prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith
[https://www.lds.org/topics/joseph-smith?lang=eng] was given power by God to translate the
golden plates into what we now know as the Book of Mormon
[https://www.lds.org/topics/book-of-mormon-translation?lang=eng]. In addition, Joseph also
received many revelations from the Lord. He and his associates compiled these revelations into
two manuscript books.
Digital pictures and transcripts of these books can now be found on the website of the Joseph
Smith Papers [http://josephsmithpapers.org/] under the titles Revelation Book 1
[http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/revelation-book-1] and Revelation Book 2
[http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/revelation-book-2]. By reading the introduction
to both books [http://josephsmithpapers.org/intro/introduction-to-revelations-and-translationsvolume-1], we can learn about the process through which these volumes were written and
compiled. As we do so, we can better understand the importance of modern revelation.
Revelation Book 1, also called the Book of Commandments and Revelations, was the source text
for multiple revelations published in the Churchs first newspaper, The Evening and the
Morning Star [http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/revelations-printed-in-the-eveningand-the-morning-star-june-1832-june-1833] and in the canonical compilation called the Book of
Commandments [http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/book-of-commandments-1833].
Revelation Book 2, which has also been known as the Kirtland Revelation Book, was also used
for preserving and publishing revelation texts.
Preparing these revelation books was not an easy job. Joseph and his associates were persecuted
by many other Christians because general belief dictated that the Bible was the only and last
scripture received from God. But notwithstanding persecution, most of the content in these two
books was preserved and used as a source for what we now know as the Doctrine and Covenants.
The introduction to these books reminds us of something important, as stated in the introduction:
Joseph Smiths revelations restored, organized, and built The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints and oriented thousands who converted to it in his lifetime and millions since.
Read the Introduction to the Manuscript Revelation Books.
[http://josephsmithpapers.org/intro/introduction-to-revelations-and-translations-volume-1]
Source: Joseph Smith Papers [http://josephsmithpapers.org/]

[Byline]
Annalisa Olivieri, Mormon Insights
Find more insights
Read Elder Marlin K. Jensens article The Joseph Smith Papers: The Manuscript Revelation
Books in the Ensign [https://www.lds.org/ensign/2009/07/the-joseph-smith-papers-themanuscript-revelation-books?lang=eng] or the Liahona.
[https://www.lds.org/liahona/2009/07/the-joseph-smith-papers-the-manuscript-revelationbooks?lang=eng]
Watch a two-minute video about the Doctrine and Covenants.
[https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-06-24-chapter-23-the-doctrine-and-covenantsaugust-november-1831?lang=eng]
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