Book of Commandments

The Book of Commandments is among the most rare and valuable books in American history because the original printing was almost entirely destroyed by a mob. The book holds special significance for groups in the Latter Day Saint movement (such as the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; see also "Mormon").

The Book of Commandments is the earliest published volume to contain the purported revelations of Joseph Smith Jr. Text published in the Book of Commandments is now considered scripture by Latter-day Saints as part of the larger Doctrine and Covenants.

Contents

1 History of the Book of Commandments 2 Content of the Book of Commandments 3 Book of Commandments chapters and Doctrine and Covenants sections 4 External links

History of the Book of Commandments

The Book of Commandments was planned as a compilation of Joseph Smith Jr.'s early prophesies. Smith, leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, gathered several of his revelations for a High Priest's council in November, 1831. The ten-man council voted to print 10,000 copies, but the actual number of prints was reduced to between three and five thousand.

William W. Phelps publisher of the book, ran a press in Independence, Missouri. A faithful Mormon, Phelps also edited an historically important Mormon periodical, The Evening and Morning Star from September 1831 to July 1833. Most revelations in the Book of Commandments were previously published by Phelps in the Star.

The title page of the book reads "Book of Commandments, for the government of the Church of Christ, organized according to the law on the 6th of April, 1830. / ZION: published by W. W. Phelps & co. / 1833."

On July 20, 1833 an anti-Mormon and pro-slavery mob destroyed the press. The mob, frightened of Mormon political power, was incensed by an editorial in Phelps' Evening and Morning Star perceived to be abolitionist. Breaking down the door, they razed Phelps' home and business in less than an hour. At that point, 65 revelations of the Book of Commandments, about two thirds the total, were already printed. Totaling 160 pages, most of the uncut and unbound sheets for were destroyed in the ensuing fire. However, some neighbors lovingly saved remnants of nearly 100 copies.

Fewer than 30 are known to exist today, including several incomplete. Further enhancing the book's scarcity, several copies of the Book of Commandments are held in permanent collections. For example, the LDS Church and the Community of Christ have multiple copies, and the rare books divisions of the University of Utah Marriott Library, and the New York Public Library each own a copy. When sold on the open market, the book regularly fetches over $100,000. An incomplete copy sold for $200,000 in 2001, and complete volumes should be worth about twice that. By comparison, the 1830 first edition of the Book of Mormon sells for about $50,000.

Content of the Book of Commandments

All the revelations contained in the Book of Commandments became part of a larger text of Mormon scriptures published in 1835. In this and latter editions, the collection is called the Doctrine and Covenants (commonly abbreviated D&C).

Changes exist between the revelations as printed in the Evening and Morning Star and the Books of Commandments, but these are considered superficial and are chiefly typographical fixes. Much more controversial changes exist between the Book of Commandments and the 1835 and subsequent editions of the Doctrine and Covenants. Most are also superficial—spelling and grammar fixes or including full names. However, more substantive changes also exist. For example, mention of biblical apostles Peter, James, and John imparting Joseph Smith Jr. with the Priesthood is in section 27 of D&C, but is omitted from the equivalent chapter in the Book of Commandments.

Critics and anti-Mormons claim these changes reflect the changing doctrines of Joseph Smith, but Mormons are more likely to hold that the changes are elaborations or clarifications of previously revealed doctrine. For example, a scripture often cited by anti-Mormons says,

"...and he has a gift to translate the book and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift." — Book of Commandments, 4:2

This passage refers to Joseph Smith in third person. However, the re-numbered Doctrine and Covenants reads:

"...and this is the first gift that I bestowed upon you; and I have commanded that you should pretend to no other gift until my purpose is fulfilled in this; for I will grant unto you no other gift until it is finished." — Doctrine and Covenants, 5:4

Critics assert that Smith originally claimed only to be charged with translating the Book of Mormon. According to this view, he had to revise the passage to bring it into accord with his subsequent translation of the Bible and claim to be sole prophet in the Church. An apologist would reply that this misunderstanding of the original text is precisely why it had to be clarified.

Book of Commandments chapters and Doctrine and Covenants sections

Note that the units of the Book of Commandments are chapters, while the Doctrine and Covenants has sections. Chapters of the book correspond exactly to modern D&C sections except for the revisions discussed above.

1833 Book of Commandments Chapter (out of 65)	1835 edition D&C Section (of 102)	Modern LDS D&C Section (of 138)	Notes
1	1	1
2	30	3
3	31	4
4	32	5	D&C changes to "and I have commanded that you should pretend to no other gift until my purpose is fulfilled in this" as discussed above. Also, specific mention of three witnesses removed, perhaps because 8 more witnesses were allowed to view the Golden Plates.
5	8	6
6	33	7	D&C version prophesizes John will restore the gospel, see chapter 28.
7	34	8
8	35	9
9	36	10
10	37	11
11	38	12
12	39	14
13	40	15
14	41	16
15	43	18
16	44	19
17-21	45	23	These short chapters contained revelations of no more than 4 sentences each directed toward associates of Joseph Smith. They were combined into one D&C chapter.
22	46	21
23	47	22
24	2	20	The duties of Elders in the Church and specifics of baptism elaborated in D&C.
25	9	24
26	48	25
27	49	26
28	50	27	Additional material in D&C constitutes more than half of this section. D&C includes new passages about Joseph Smith being visited by Elijah, Elias (who is separate from Elijah in Mormonism), Peter, James, John, Archangel Michael (who is Adam in Mormonism), and others. Also Aaron restoring the Aaronic Priesthood to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. This chapter has the most controversial difference between the Book of Commandments and the Doctrine and Covenants.
29	10	29
30	51	28
31-33	52	30	Short revelations to David Whitmer, Peter Whitmer, Jr. and John Whitmer combined into one chapter. Concerns missionary work to the "Lamanites"
34	53	31
35	55	33
36	56	34
37	11	35
38	57	36
39	58	37
40	12	38
41	59	39
42	60	40
43	61	41
44	13	42	This chapter was combined with chapter 47 in D&C.
45	14	43
46	62	44
47	13	42	This chapter appended to chapter 44 to become one section of D&C.
48	15	45
49	16	46
50	63	47
51	64	48
52	65	49
53	17	50
54	66	52
55	66	53	Two sections of the 1835 D&C were inadvertently numbered 66. Thus there were actually 103 sections (although they only numbered to 102).
56	67	54
57	68	55
58	69	56
59	18	58
60	19	59
61	70	60
62	71	61
63	72	62
64	20	63
65	21	64	This chapter of the Book of Commandments incomplete when the press was destroyed.

External links

• Full text of Book of Commandments (http://www.2think.org/hundredsheep/boc/boc_main.shtml) - includes side-by-side comparisons of significantly divergent Doctrine and Covenants chapters, from an anti-Mormon site, but free of attacking commentary.
• SaintsWithoutHalos.com: Doctrine and Covenants (http://www.saintswithouthalos.com/s/_d&c.phtml) - Mormon historical revisionist site with thoroughly annotated D&C showing changes from various editions including the Book of Commandments.
• SaintsWithoutHalos.com: "All in favor?" (http://jfs.saintswithouthalos.com/nbks/1831_allinfavor.htm) - notes about the 1831 planning of the Book of Commandments.
• Lightplanet.com: "Book of Commandments" (http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/basic/doctrines/scripture/dc/commandments_eom.htm) - copy of article from semi-official Encyclopedia of Mormonism.
• Lightplanet.com: "Preparing Early Revelations for Publication" (http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/basic/doctrines/scripture/dc/petersen_changes.htm) - sympathetic 1985 Ensign article explaining changes between the Book of Commandments and Doctrine and Covenants.
• The Watchman Expositor: Changing the Book of Commandments (http://www.watchman.org/lds/doctcovn.htm) - anti-Mormon page criticizing the alleged inconsistency of the book.
• Scanned Images of the Entire 1833 Book of Commandments and 1835 Doctrine and Covenants (http://www.irr.org/mit/BOC/default.html) - from anti-Mormon website.