History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

BOOK OF DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS. 91
of the bible; Rigdon went to Kirtlancl, and on the 2d
of April, in obedience to a revelation, Smith started
for Missouri, having for his companions Whitney,
Peter Whitmer, and Gause. The spirit of mobocracy
was aroused throughout the entire country. Joseph
even feared to go to Kirtland, and escaped by way of
Warren, where he was joined by Rigdon, whence the
two proceeded to Cincinnati and St Louis by way of
Wheeling, Virginia, a mob following them a good part
of the way. The brethren at Independence and vicinity
welcomed their leaders warmly, but the unbeliev-
ers there as elsewhere hourly threatened violence. 24
In May the first edition of the Booh of Commandments
was ordered printed; the following month, pub-
dishonorable dealing, forgery, and swindling. Burton's City of the Saints, 672.
Smith merely says that Rigdon was mad; but his mother asserts that he
counterfeited the madness in order to mislead the saints into the belief that
the keys of the kingdom had been taken from the church, and would not be
restored, as he said, until they had built him a new house. This, she says,
gave rise to great scandal, which Joseph however succeeded in silencing.
Rigdon repented and was forgiven. He stated that as a punishment for his
fault, the devil had three times thrown him out of his bed in one night.
fiemy's Journey to Great Salt Lake, i. 283 (note).
2 *The 2Gth of April Smith called a general council, which acknowledged
him as president of the high priesthood, to which he had been ordained at the
Amherst conference in January, and Bishop Partridge and Rigdon, who had
quarrelled, were reconciled, probably by Smith, as Rigdon was supposed to be
at Kirtland at the time. This greatly rejoiced Smith; and he immediately
received a revelation, in which it was announced that the stakes must be
strengthened, and all property was to be held in common. Times and Seasons,
v. 624-5; Mac&ay'a The Mormons, 71.
23 The first edition of Doctrine and Covenants presents the following title
page: A Book of Commandments for the Government of the Church of Christ
organised according to law on the 6th of April, 1S30. Zion: Published by W.
W. Phelps & Co., 1833. This edition contains the revelations given up to
September, 1831. There were 3,000 copies printed of this edition. Then
there was The Book of Doctrine and Covenants of the. Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Day Saints; Selected from the Revelations of God. By Joseph Smith,
President. First European Edition, Liverpool, no date. The preface, however,
by Thomas Ward, is dated Liverpool, June 14, 1845. There are two
principal divisions and an appendix. The first consists of seven lectures on
faith, delivered by Sidney Rigdon before a class of elders at Kirtland; the
second is called Covenants and Commandments, and consists chiefly of revelations
given 1830-42, to Joseph Smith, the same for the most part that are also
printed in Times and Seasons, under title of History of Joseph Smith. There
are also rules, minutes of council, visions, and expositions. The appendix
contains rules on marriage, a dissertation on government and laws, and a brief
account of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. 'The book of Mormon, although most
known, is not the chief book of the sect. The Book of Teachings and Covenants,
containing some of the revelations which Smith pretended to have re
ceived from heaven, is regarded by his disciples as a book of the law which God