Sacred Texts: Mormons

Doctrine and Convenants: 115. Revelation through Joseph Smith, Far West, Missouri, April 26, 1838.

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This is Section 115 of the Doctrine and Covenants, a canonical scriptural text of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, presented as a direct revelation from God to Joseph Smith and other early church leaders in 1838. The section officially establishes the full name of the church — "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" — a designation still in use today. It commands the Saints to build a temple in Far West, Missouri, with specific directives about timing (beginning July 4th) and financing (no debt), and establishes that the structure must follow a divinely revealed pattern to be accepted by God. The text also frames the gathering of Saints and establishment of "stakes" (regional congregational centers) as both a spiritual and protective mission — a refuge from coming divine judgment upon the earth. Distinctively, it reaffirms Joseph Smith's singular authority by declaring that God has given him "the keys of this kingdom," subordinating all other leaders to his prophetic presidency. A reader interested in early Mormon ecclesiology, prophetic revelation as a literary genre, or the historical founding of LDS institutional structures would find this text directly relevant.

Doctrine and Convenants: 115. Revelation through Joseph Smith, Far West, Missouri, April 26, 1838.

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