Monday, June 27, 2016

The Lectures on Faith and the inspiration of the "Covenants"

The following comment in the “com box” of this blog article provides evidence that early Latter-day Saints understood that the “Covenants” (read: the revelations) of the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants to be inspired, distinguishing the origins of the “Doctrine” (Lectures onFaith) from the inspired “Covenants”:

The Prophet's uncle, John Smith, represented the Kirtland High Council and quote him as having said, "...that the revelations in said book were true, and the lectures were judiciously arranged and compiled, and were profitable for doctrine." Levi Jackman, representing the High Council in Missouri "bore testimony that the revelations in said book were true, and the said High Council of Missouri accepted and acknowledged them as the doctrine and covenants of their faith, by a unanimous vote." (See History of the Church 2:244) Clearly, by specifying the "revelations" they were emphasizing an important distinction.

When the book was published, the preface explained that "the first part of the book will be found to contain a series of Lectures as delivered before a Theological class in this place, and in consequence of their embracing the important doctrine of salvation, we have arranged them into the following work. Te second part contains items or principles for the regulation of the church, as taken from the revelations which have been given since its organization, as well as from former ones."


Additionally, the page where the revelations begin is titled, "Covenants and Commandments of the Lord."