Revelation, June 1829–C [D&C 15]

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Revelation, June 1829–C [D&C 15]
Source Note

Revelation,
Fayette Township
Located in northern part of county between Seneca and Cayuga lakes. Area settled, by 1790. Officially organized as Washington Township, 14 Mar. 1800. Name changed to Fayette, 6 Apr. 1808. Population in 1830 about 3,200. Population in 1840 about 3,700. Significant...
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, Seneca Co., NY, to
John Whitmer
27 Aug. 1802–11 July 1878. Farmer, stock raiser, newspaper editor. Born in Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Member of German Reformed Church, Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Baptized by Oliver Cowdery, June 1829, most likely in Seneca...
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, June 1829. Featured version, titled “Chapter XIII,” typeset [ca. early 1833] for Book of Commandments, 33. John Whitmer copied this revelation [ca. Mar. 1831] into Revelation Book 1, but the page or pages on which it was copied were removed at some point from that volume and are no longer extant.
1
See Revelation Book 1, p. [207].
The version found in the Book of Commandments and featured below is the earliest extant version. For more complete source information, see the source note for the Book of Commandments.
Footnotes
[1]
See Revelation Book 1, p. [207].
Historical Introduction
This revelation and the one that follows were directed to brothers
John Whitmer
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and
Peter Whitmer Jr.
27 Sept. 1809–22 Sept. 1836. Tailor. Born at Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Baptized by Oliver Cowdery, June 1829, in Seneca Lake, Seneca Co. One of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, June 1829. Among six...
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, respectively, in early June 1829, soon after they were
baptized
An ordinance in which an individual is immersed in water for the remission of sins. The Book of Mormon explained that those with necessary authority were to baptize individuals who had repented of their sins. Baptized individuals also received the gift of...
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. The two revelations are identical but were addressed to each man separately. When compiling Revelation Book 1, John Whitmer copied in the revelation addressed to himself before the revelation to Peter, implying they were received in that order.
1
Revelation Book 1, p. [207]. Though John Whitmer included these revelations in his handwritten index to Revelation Book 1, the actual copies of the revelations are not extant. (See also Revelation, June 1829–D [D&C 16].)

Members of the Whitmer family became interested in JS’s work as early as fall 1828.
2
“Mormonism,” Kansas City Daily Journal, 5 June 1881, 1; Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845, bk. 8, [8]–[10]; see also Historical Introduction to Revelation, June 1829–A [D&C 14].
Comprehensive Works Cited
Kansas City Daily Journal. Kansas City, MO. 1878–1891.
Three of the sons of
Peter Whitmer Sr.
14 Apr. 1773–13 Aug. 1854. Farmer. Born at Harrisburg, Dauphin Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer and likely Maria Salome. Member of Presbyterian church. Married Mary Musselman, before 1798, in Pennsylvania. Lived in Lebanon Township, Dauphin Co., by...
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,
John
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(twenty-six),
David
7 Jan. 1805–25 Jan. 1888. Farmer, livery keeper. Born near Harrisburg, Dauphin Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Raised Presbyterian. Moved to Ontario Co., New York, shortly after birth. Attended German Reformed Church. Arranged...
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(twenty-four), and
Peter Jr.
27 Sept. 1809–22 Sept. 1836. Tailor. Born at Fayette, Seneca Co., New York. Son of Peter Whitmer Sr. and Mary Musselman. Baptized by Oliver Cowdery, June 1829, in Seneca Lake, Seneca Co. One of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, June 1829. Among six...
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(nineteen), all became “zealous friends and assistants in the work.” Peter Jr. and David were baptized sometime in June 1829 in Seneca Lake, New York, and John was probably one of those baptized the same month.
3
JS History, vol. A-1, 22–23. Hyrum Smith was baptized on the same occasion as David Whitmer and Peter Whitmer Jr.
On occasion, John served as a scribe to JS when
Oliver Cowdery
3 Oct. 1806–3 Mar. 1850. Clerk, teacher, justice of the peace, lawyer, newspaper editor. Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Raised Congregationalist. Moved to western New York and clerked at a store, ca. 1825–1828...
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was not available to record JS’s dictation of the Book of Mormon. John and Peter Jr. were “anxious to know their respective duties” and “desired with much earnestness that I [JS] should enquire of the Lord concerning them.”
4
JS History, vol. A-1, 22.
Footnotes
[1]
Revelation Book 1, p. [207]. Though John Whitmer included these revelations in his handwritten index to Revelation Book 1, the actual copies of the revelations are not extant. (See also Revelation, June 1829–D [D&C 16].)
[2]
“Mormonism,” Kansas City Daily Journal, 5 June 1881, 1; Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845, bk. 8, [8]–[10]; see also Historical Introduction to Revelation, June 1829–A [D&C 14].
Kansas City Daily Journal. Kansas City, MO. 1878–1891.
[3]
JS History, vol. A-1, 22–23. Hyrum Smith was baptized on the same occasion as David Whitmer and Peter Whitmer Jr.
[4]
JS History, vol. A-1, 22.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Revelation, June 1829–C [D&C 15] Book of Commandments, 1833 Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834] History, circa 1841, draft [Draft 3] History, circa 1841, fair copy “History of Joseph Smith” Doctrine and Covenants, 1844
Page 33
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CHAPTER XIII.

1 A Revelation given to
John [Whitmer]
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, in
Fayette
Located in northern part of county between Seneca and Cayuga lakes. Area settled, by 1790. Officially organized as Washington Township, 14 Mar. 1800. Name changed to Fayette, 6 Apr. 1808. Population in 1830 about 3,200. Population in 1840 about 3,700. Significant...
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, New-York, June, 1829.
1
The editors of the Book of Commandments composed revelation headings loosely based on John Whitmer’s headings found in Revelation Book 1. Because the page or pages in Revelation Book 1 that apparently contained this revelation are missing, it is unknown whose work is reflected in this heading. Regardless, it was most likely not part of the original revelation text.

HEARKEN my servant
John
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, and listen to the words of Jesus Christ, your Lord and your Redeemer, for behold I speak unto you with sharpness and with power, for mine arm is over all the earth, and I will tell you that which no man knoweth save me and thee alone:
2
Compare Revelation, Apr. 1829–A [D&C 6:24].
for many times you have desired
3
A June 1829 revelation instructed Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer that the twelve were to be identified by “their desires and their works.” (Revelation, June 1829–B [D&C 18:38].)
of me to know that which would be of the most worth unto you.
2 Behold, blessed are you for this thing, and for speaking my words which I have given you, according to my
commandments
Generally, a divine mandate that church members were expected to obey; more specifically, a text dictated by JS in the first-person voice of Deity that served to communicate knowledge and instruction to JS and his followers. Occasionally, other inspired texts...
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:
4
See Revelation, June 1829–B [D&C 18:34–35].
3 And now behold I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you, will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me,
5
A recent revelation had addressed the worth of souls in describing the duties given to Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer. (Revelation, June 1829–B [D&C 18:15–16].)
that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father.
6
See Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 510 [3 Nephi 28:8–10]; and Revelation June 1829–B [D&C 18:15–16, 25, 44–46].
Amen. [p. 33]
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Footnotes
[1]
The editors of the Book of Commandments composed revelation headings loosely based on John Whitmer’s headings found in Revelation Book 1. Because the page or pages in Revelation Book 1 that apparently contained this revelation are missing, it is unknown whose work is reflected in this heading. Regardless, it was most likely not part of the original revelation text.
[2]
Compare Revelation, Apr. 1829–A [D&C 6:24].
[3]
A June 1829 revelation instructed Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer that the twelve were to be identified by “their desires and their works.” (Revelation, June 1829–B [D&C 18:38].)
[4]
See Revelation, June 1829–B [D&C 18:34–35].
[5]
A recent revelation had addressed the worth of souls in describing the duties given to Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer. (Revelation, June 1829–B [D&C 18:15–16].)
[6]
See Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 510 [3 Nephi 28:8–10]; and Revelation June 1829–B [D&C 18:15–16, 25, 44–46].