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Revelation, 14 November 1835

Source Note

Revelation, [, Geauga Co., OH], 14 Nov. 1835. Featured version copied [ca. 14 Nov. 1835] in JS, Journal, 1835–1836, pp. 35–36; handwriting of ; JS Collection, CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for JS, Journal, 1835–1836.

Historical Introduction

Dictated by JS on 14 November 1835, this revelation was directed to the man who recorded it, . Since joining the church in 1833, Parrish had become a trusted associate of JS and had already served informally as a clerk. Less than a year after his conversion, Parrish and his wife, Elizabeth Patten Parrish, marched with JS and approximately 225 other men, women, and children to , Missouri, on the expedition. Sometime in late June or early July, Elizabeth Parrish died from cholera, as did approximately twelve other members of the expedition. Warren Parrish likely remained in until 12 September, when he and his brother-in-law, , left on a proselytizing mission that took them through Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Patten and Parrish, later joined by , established several small branches in those states between October 1834 and July 1835, when Parrish returned to . Shortly after his return, Parrish was named to the First Quorum of the .
Upon his return, fulfilled a number of clerical responsibilities during fall 1835 and winter 1836. In addition to periodically taking minutes for the , acting as a scribe to the , keeping a personal journal for JS, and copying material from the journal and other records into JS’s 1834–1836 history, Parrish acted as a scribe as JS translated portions of the Egyptian papyri that had arrived in Kirtland sometime in late June. It is to these “ancient records” that the following revelation most likely refers.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Parrish was officially hired as JS’s personal scribe sixteen days earlier. (JS, Journal, 29 Oct. 1835.)

  2. [2]

    See “Joseph Smith Documents from April 1834 through September 1835.”

  3. [3]

    “Joseph Smith Documents from April 1834 through September 1835;” Parkin, “Zion’s Camp Cholera Victims Monument Dedication,” 4–5; Amasa Lyman, Journal, June 1834; Smith, “History of George Albert Smith,” 29–31; Bradley, Zion’s Camp 1834, 261; Burgess, Autobiography, 3.

    Parkin, Max H. “Zion’s Camp Cholera Victims Monument Dedication.” Missouri Mormon Frontier Foundation Newsletter 15 (Fall 1997): 4–5.

    Lyman, Amasa. Journals, 1832–1877. Amasa Lyman Collection, 1832–1877. CHL. MS 829, boxes 1–3.

    “History of George Albert Smith,” ca. 1857–1858. George Albert Smith, Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322, box 1, fd. 1.

    Bradley, James L. Zion’s Camp 1834: Prelude to the Civil War. Logan, UT: By the author, 1990.

    Burgess, Harrison. Autobiography, ca. 1883. Photocopy. CHL. MS 893. Also available as “Sketch of a Well-Spent Life,” in Labors in the Vineyard, Faith-Promoting Series 12 (Salt Lake City: Juvenile Instructor Office, 1884), 65–74.

  4. [4]

    Patten, Journal, 12 Sept. 1834.

    Patten, David W. Journal, 1832–1834. CHL. MS 603.

  5. [5]

    David W. Patten and Warren Parrish, Paris, TN, to Oliver Cowdery, 11 Oct. 1834, in LDS Messenger and Advocate, Nov. 1834, 1:24; “A Summary,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Dec. 1834, 1:44; “A Summary,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Feb. 1835, 1:76; “A Summary,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Apr. 1835, 1:104. According to Wilford Woodruff, he and Parrish parted company on 23 July 1835. (Woodruff, Journal, 23 July 1835.)

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

  6. [6]

    Minutes, 17 Aug. 1835.

  7. [7]

    Minute Book 1, 17–19 Aug. and 28–29 Sept. 1835; 2 Jan. and 12 Feb. 1836; Partridge, Journal, 21 Jan. 1836; JS, Journal, 29 Oct. 1835; Jessee, “Writing of Joseph Smith’s History,” 446–449; Hauglid, Textual History of the Book of Abraham, 110.

    Partridge, Edward. Journal, Jan. 1835–July 1836. Edward Partridge, Papers, 1818–1839. CHL. MS 892, box 1, fd. 2.

    Jessee, Dean C. “The Writing of Joseph Smith’s History.” BYU Studies 11 (Summer 1971): 439–473.

    Hauglid, Brian M. A Textual History of the Book of Abraham: Manuscripts and Editions. Studies in the Book of Abraham, edited by John Gee and Brian M. Hauglid. Provo, UT: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, Brigham Young University, 2010.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Revelation, 14 November 1835 Journal, 1835–1836 History, 1834–1836 History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page 36

his sins are forgiven him because of his desires to do the works of righteousness therefore in as much as he will continue to hearken unto my voice he shall be blessed with wisdom and with a sound mind even above his fellows, behold it shall come to pass in his day that he shall <​see​> great things shew forth themselves unto my people, he shall see much of my ancient records, and shall know of hid[d]en things, and shall be with a knowledge of hiden languages, and if he desires and shall seek it at my hand, he shall be privileged with writing much of my word, as a scribe unto me for the benefit of my people, therefore this shall be his calling until I shall order it otherwise in my wisdom and it shall be said of him in a time to come, behold the Lords Scribe, for the Lords whom he hath appointed in Israel; Therefore <​if he will​> keep my he shall be lifted up at the last day, even so Amen [p. 36]
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Page 36

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Revelation, 14 November 1835
ID #
295
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D5:51–53
Handwriting on This Page
  • Warren Parrish

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS and other early church leaders demonstrated an abiding interest in ancient languages, including Egyptian, Hebrew, and even the “pure” or “Adamic” language believed to be spoken by Adam, Eve, and their children. (See Book of Abraham Manuscript, ca. Early July–ca. Nov. 1835–A [Abraham 1:4–2:6]; Letter to Henrietta Raphael Seixas, between 6 and 13 Feb. 1836; and Sample of Pure Language, between ca. 4 and ca. 20 Mar. 1832.)

  2. [2]

    It appears Parrish kept JS’s journal until Parrish left for a mission in May 1836. Upon his return in November 1836, he began to act as clerk for the Kirtland Safety Society. (Warren Parrish, “Mission in the South,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Nov. 1836, 3:404; Kirtland Safety Society, Stock Ledger, 1836–1837, Collection of Manuscripts about Mormons, Chicago History Museum, copy at CHL.)

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

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