Sacred Texts: Mormons

Doctrine and Convenants: 68. Revelation through Joseph Sm...

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This is Section 68 of the *Doctrine and Covenants*, a canonical scripture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, consisting of divine revelations received by Joseph Smith. The section opens by commissioning specific elders—Orson Hyde, Luke Johnson, Lyman Johnson, and William McLellin—to preach the gospel worldwide, and makes the theologically distinctive claim that speech prompted by the Holy Ghost constitutes scripture equal in authority to written canon. It then turns to ecclesiastical law, detailing the rules for appointing bishops: high priests may serve as bishops, but literal lineal descendants of Aaron hold a hereditary legal right to the office if they are firstborn sons and can prove or receive revelation confirming their lineage. The latter portion shifts to community standards for the Saints in Zion, commanding parents to ensure children are baptized and taught core doctrines by age eight—with the striking provision that failure to do so places sin on the parents. The section closes with warnings against idleness, greed, Sabbath neglect, and neglected prayer among the Zion community, framed as direct divine displeasure. Readers drawn to early Mormon ecclesiology, the theology of continuing revelation, or the social governance of nineteenth-century Latter-day Saint communities will find this section especially substantive.

Doctrine and Convenants: 68. Revelation through Joseph Sm...

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