Postface
Overview
This text serves as an errata sheet, titled 'Notes to the Reader,' appended to the end of the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. Its primary function is administrative, correcting typographical errors and omissions that occurred during the printing process. However, the specific corrections provide significant historical and theological insights into the early Latter-day Saint movement. First, it amends the article on Marriage to explicitly state that husbands, parents, and masters will be held spiritually accountable by God if they prevent their wives, children, or servants from 'embracing the truth' (converting to Mormonism). Second, it corrects the recorded proceedings of the General Assembly to accurately reflect the developing ecclesiastical hierarchy, specifically naming Oliver Cowdery and Sidney Rigdon as 'Presidents of the first presidency,' alongside a detailed list of appointed clerks and assistant presidents. This document highlights the rapid institutionalization of the LDS Church by 1835 and acknowledges the human mechanics and fallibility involved in the publication of their early scriptures.
Key Figures
- Oliver Cowdery (Identified as a President of the first presidency, demonstrating his high-ranking authority in the early church)
- Sidney Rigdon (Identified as a President of the first presidency, sharing top hierarchical authority)
- Thomas Burdick (Appointed as a Clerk for the General Assembly)
- Warren Parrish (Appointed as a Clerk for the General Assembly)
- Sylvester Smith (Appointed as a Clerk for the General Assembly)
- Thomas Gates (Appointed as an assistant president of the day to help preserve order)
- John Young (Appointed as an assistant president of the day to help preserve order)
- William Cowdery (Appointed as an assistant president of the day to help preserve order)
- Andrew H. Aldrich (Appointed as an assistant president of the day to help preserve order)
- Job S. Lewis (Appointed as an assistant president of the day to help preserve order)
- Oliver Higley (Appointed as an assistant president of the day to help preserve order)
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Spiritual Accountability of Authority Figures
Assertion
Heads of households (husbands, parents, masters) will be held accountable by God for the sin of preventing their dependents from converting to the LDS faith.
Evidence from Text
We believe that husbands, parents and masters who exercise control over their wives, children and servants, and prevent them from embracing the truth, will have to answer for that sin.
Evangelical Comparison
The concept of spiritual accountability for those in authority is a shared biblical principle. In Evangelical Christianity, parents are commanded to raise their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4), and leaders are warned that they will face stricter judgment (James 3:1) and must give an account for the souls under their care (Hebrews 13:17). However, the theological divergence lies in the definition of 'the truth.' In this text, 'embracing the truth' is a euphemism for accepting the restored gospel of Mormonism. Therefore, the text asserts that preventing someone from becoming Mormon is a specific sin requiring an answer before God. Evangelicals maintain that 'the truth' is found exclusively in the person of Jesus Christ (John 14:6) and the biblical gospel (Ephesians 1:13), making the hindrance of biblical faith the true spiritual danger, not the hindrance of joining a specific post-biblical denomination.
Ecclesiastical Hierarchy (First Presidency)
Assertion
The church is governed by a highly structured hierarchy led by a 'First Presidency' and supported by various assistant presidents and clerks.
Evidence from Text
Wherefore O[liver] Cowdery and S[idney] Rigdon, Presidents of the first presidency, appointed Thomas Burdick, Warren Parrish and Silvester [Sylvester] Smith, Clerks, and proceeded to organize that whole assembly...
Evangelical Comparison
This text demonstrates the solidification of the LDS hierarchical structure by 1835, specifically the office of the 'First Presidency.' In Evangelical ecclesiology, based on Sola Scriptura, the New Testament does not establish a continuing, centralized, mediatorial presidency over the universal church. Instead, Jesus Christ is the sole head of the Church (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18). Local congregations are to be shepherded by a plurality of qualified elders/overseers and served by deacons (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, 1 Peter 5:1-4). The imposition of a First Presidency creates an extra-biblical layer of authority that Evangelicals view as unnecessary and contrary to the doctrine of the universal priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9).
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text assumes the LDS Church is the exclusive arbiter of 'the truth' and establishes an extra-biblical hierarchy (the First Presidency) to govern the church.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The primary theological gap in this text lies in its ecclesiology and its exclusive claim to truth. The text operates on the presupposition that the newly formed LDS hierarchy—specifically the 'First Presidency'—holds divine authority, and that 'the truth' is synonymous with their teachings and the LDS institution. Evangelical Christianity maintains that the 66-book Bible is the supreme and sufficient authority (Sola Scriptura) and that Christ alone is the head of the Church. The imposition of a 'First Presidency' introduces a mediatorial hierarchy that is entirely absent from the New Testament model of local church governance, which relies on elders and deacons under the universal priesthood of believers. Furthermore, equating 'the truth' with a specific post-biblical denomination creates a works-based institutional boundary that conflicts with the biblical definition of truth being found in the person of Christ and His Gospel.
For All Ages
Imagine you are the captain of a sports team, and the coach says, 'If you stop your teammates from listening to me, you are in big trouble.' Christians believe God is the coach, and we should help people listen to Jesus. But this text says people are in trouble if they stop others from joining the Mormon church specifically, calling it 'the truth.' Also, the text talks about 'Presidents' of the church. The Bible doesn't have church Presidents; it says Jesus is the only head of the church, and local churches are led by pastors and elders.
Friction Points
Sola Scriptura
Equates 'the truth' with the teachings of the LDS Church rather than the closed canon of the Bible.
Universal Priesthood / Ecclesiology
Establishes a 'First Presidency' as the supreme governing authority over the church, replacing the biblical model of Christ's direct headship and local elder governance.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"the truth"
In This Text
The restored gospel, doctrines, and institutional authority of the Latter-day Saint movement.
In Evangelicalism
Jesus Christ Himself (John 14:6) and the objective revelation of God found in the Bible (John 17:17).
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Implied as 'embracing the truth' (converting to and participating in the LDS faith).
How Attained: Attained by embracing the truth, though this text focuses on the negative aspect: the sin of those who prevent others from attaining it.
Basis of Assurance: null
Comparison to Sola Fide: The text focuses on institutional affiliation and the removal of barriers to conversion rather than justification by faith alone in Christ's finished work.
Mandates & Requirements
Implicit Obligations
- Husbands, parents, and masters must allow their dependents the freedom to embrace LDS teachings without exercising control to prevent them.
- Adherents must recognize and submit to the organizational authority of the First Presidency and their appointed officers.
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- I noticed this section is an errata sheet correcting printing errors in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants. How does knowing that early scriptures had to be edited and corrected impact your view of how revelation is received and recorded?
- When the text mentions answering for the sin of preventing someone from 'embracing the truth,' how do you define 'the truth' in your daily walk with God?
- Where do we see the concept of a 'First Presidency' in the New Testament church established by Jesus and the Apostles?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
Accountability for hindering others from the truth.
Jesus also spoke strongly against those who hinder others from coming to Him, warning the Pharisees that they shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people's faces (Matthew 23:13). We can agree that standing in the way of someone's salvation is a grievous sin. This shared belief points us to the vital importance of ensuring we are pointing our families to the true Christ of the Bible, rather than an institution.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The text places a heavy burden of spiritual accountability on heads of households, warning that they will answer to God for the sins of their dependents if they prevent them from converting to the LDS faith. This can create anxiety about controlling family members' religious choices, fear of divine retribution for complex family dynamics, and a high-pressure environment regarding family religious conformity.