Section 59
Overview
Section 59 of the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants (canonized as Section 39 in the modern LDS Doctrine and Covenants) is presented as a direct, first-person revelation from Jesus Christ to James Covill (historically Covel), a Methodist minister of about forty years who was briefly investigating Joseph Smith's movement in January 1831. The text begins by heavily quoting the prologue of the Gospel of John, establishing the speaker as the 'Great I AM' and the light of the world. The revelation is theologically significant because it explicitly redefines 'my gospel' not as the finished work of Christ, but as a sequence of actions and ordinances: repentance, water baptism, and the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost. Covill is told that his heart is right 'at this time' but that he has previously rejected God due to pride. He is commanded to arise, be baptized to wash away his sins, and abandon his former ministry to preach the 'fulness of my gospel' as restored through Joseph Smith. Furthermore, the text introduces a geographical mandate, commanding Covill to bypass the eastern countries and gather with the nascent church in Ohio, where a 'blessing such as is not known among the children of men' is promised. The text concludes with an urgent eschatological warning to prepare the way for the Second Coming and mandates the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. Ultimately, this text serves as a pivotal transitional document in early Mormonism, shifting the focus from mere belief in the Book of Mormon to strict compliance with restored priesthood ordinances and physical gathering to a designated 'Zion.'
Key Figures
- Jesus Christ: The purported speaker of the text, identified as the Great I AM, the light and life of the world, who dictates the terms of salvation and the definition of the gospel.
- James Covill (Covel): The recipient of the revelation, a Methodist minister who is commanded to be baptized into the new church, wash away his sins, and relocate to Ohio to preach.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
The Definition of the Gospel
Assertion
The text explicitly defines the gospel as a multi-step process of human obedience and ritual: repentance, water baptism, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Evidence from Text
And this is my gospel: repentance and baptism by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost
Evangelical Comparison
In this text, the 'gospel' is redefined from a historical event (what Christ did) to a procedural requirement (what man must do). By stating 'this is my gospel: repentance and baptism by water...', the text conflates the *response* to the gospel with the gospel itself. In Evangelical theology, based on Sola Scriptura, the Gospel is the objective, finished work of Jesus Christ—His incarnation, sinless life, substitutionary atonement on the cross, and bodily resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 1:16). While repentance and faith are the necessary responses to the Gospel, and baptism is the outward sign of that inward reality, they are not the Gospel itself. Adding ordinances to the definition of the Gospel violates the Evangelical understanding of Sola Fide and Sola Gratia, echoing the Galatian heresy where human works were added to Christ's finished work (Galatians 1:6-9).
Baptismal Regeneration
Assertion
The text asserts that water baptism is the mechanism by which sins are washed away and the prerequisite for receiving the Holy Spirit.
Evidence from Text
Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on my name and you shall receive my Spirit
Evangelical Comparison
The text commands James Covill to 'wash away your sins' through the act of water baptism. While this borrows language from Acts 22:16, Evangelical hermeneutics interprets Acts 22:16 in light of the broader biblical witness (such as Ephesians 1:7 and 1 John 1:7), which states that redemption and the forgiveness of sins are accomplished exclusively through the blood of Christ. In Evangelical theology, water baptism is an ordinance of obedience and a public declaration of a salvation already possessed by faith alone (Sola Fide). By making water baptism the instrumental cause of the remission of sins, this text promotes baptismal regeneration, which fundamentally contradicts the Evangelical doctrine of justification by faith alone (Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:8-9).
Mediation of the Holy Ghost via Laying on of Hands
Assertion
The text mandates that the Holy Ghost is given specifically through the physical laying on of hands by authorized individuals following water baptism.
Evidence from Text
on as many as ye shall baptize with water, ye shall lay your hands, and they shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost
Evangelical Comparison
This text establishes a rigid, two-tiered sacramental system: first water baptism, then the laying on of hands to receive the Holy Ghost. This creates a necessity for human mediators (priesthood holders) to dispense the Spirit. In strict Evangelical theology, the Holy Spirit is the agent of regeneration who seals the believer at the very moment of belief. Ephesians 1:13 states, 'In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.' Romans 8:9 further asserts that anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him. Therefore, making the reception of the Holy Ghost contingent upon a secondary physical ritual performed by a human mediator violates the doctrine of the Universal Priesthood and the immediate, unmediated grace of God in salvation.
The Physical Gathering (Zion)
Assertion
The text commands believers to physically relocate to a specific geographic location (Ohio) to receive a unique, unprecedented blessing and escape judgment.
Evidence from Text
thou art not called to go into the eastern countries, but thou art called to go to the Ohio. And inasmuch as my people shall assemble themselves to the Ohio, I have kept in store a blessing such as is not known
Evangelical Comparison
The command to 'assemble themselves to the Ohio' introduces the Mormon doctrine of the Gathering, which asserts that God's people must physically relocate to build a literal, geographic Zion in the Americas. The text ties a unique, unprecedented spiritual blessing directly to this physical migration. In contrast, Evangelical Christianity, drawing from Jesus's words to the Samaritan woman in John 4:21-24, teaches that true worship is not bound to a specific mountain or city, but is in 'spirit and truth.' The New Testament church is a spiritual building (1 Peter 2:5) and believers are citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20), not required to migrate to a specific earthly location to receive God's fullness or escape His judgment.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text fundamentally alters the nature of the Gospel and salvation by shifting it from a completed historical event received by faith alone, to a continuous process requiring specific rituals (baptism, laying on of hands) mediated by a new earthly authority.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap between this text and Evangelical Christianity centers on the doctrines of Soteriology (salvation) and Ecclesiology (the nature of the church). By explicitly defining 'my gospel' as 'repentance and baptism by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost,' the text commits a category error from an Evangelical perspective. It conflates the objective Gospel (Christ's atoning death and resurrection) with the subjective appropriation of it, and further mandates specific rituals as the instrumental cause of that appropriation. This is a direct violation of Sola Fide (Faith Alone) and Sola Gratia (Grace Alone). Furthermore, the text introduces a localized, physical requirement for spiritual blessing—the gathering to Ohio. This violates the Evangelical understanding of the Universal Church, which is a spiritual body not bound by geography. By requiring the laying on of hands by specific individuals to receive the Holy Ghost, the text also denies the immediate, unmediated indwelling of the Holy Spirit promised to all believers upon faith (Ephesians 1:13). Consequently, the text replaces the finished, sufficient work of Christ with a system of conditional obedience, ritual compliance, and submission to a new prophetic hierarchy.
For All Ages
Imagine you owe a billion dollars to a bank, and a wealthy king pays it off completely. The 'Gospel' in the Bible is the good news that the king paid your debt, and you just have to believe and accept his free gift. But in this text, the 'gospel' is redefined. It's like being told the king paid your debt, but to actually get the money applied to your account, you have to go through a specific washing ceremony, have certain men place their hands on your head, and move to a specific state like Ohio. Evangelical Christians believe that Jesus did 100% of the work on the cross. When we believe in Him, we are saved right then and there (that's called Faith Alone). We get baptized because we love Him and want to show the world we are saved, not to *get* saved. This text teaches that you aren't fully right with God until you do these specific actions and rituals, which makes salvation depend partly on what Jesus did, and partly on what you do.
Friction Points
Sola Fide (Faith Alone)
The text requires water baptism to 'wash away your sins' and the laying on of hands to receive the Holy Ghost, making salvation contingent on human works and rituals rather than faith alone.
Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)
The text claims to be direct, new revelation from Jesus Christ, adding new mandates (gathering to Ohio) and redefining biblical terms (the Gospel), thus denying the sufficiency and closure of the biblical canon.
Universal Priesthood
The text requires human mediators to lay hands on believers for them to receive the Holy Ghost, denying the direct, unmediated access to God and His Spirit that all believers possess through Christ.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"The Gospel"
In This Text
A set of principles and ordinances: repentance, water baptism, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost via laying on of hands.
In Evangelicalism
The good news of Jesus Christ's incarnation, sinless life, substitutionary death for sins, and bodily resurrection, which is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.
"Zion"
In This Text
A literal, physical geographic location in the Americas (initially Ohio, later Missouri) where believers must gather to build a society and escape judgment.
In Evangelicalism
Historically, the city of Jerusalem; prophetically and spiritually, the heavenly city and the dwelling place of God with His people.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Salvation (deliverance and becoming sons of God) is defined as receiving the fulness of the gospel, which includes remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost.
How Attained: It is attained through a sequence of obedience: hearkening to the voice, repenting, being baptized in water, and receiving the laying on of hands.
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is highly conditional, based on continuous obedience. The text notes Covill's heart is right 'at this time' but warns he has rejected God 'many times' before, implying standing with God is fragile and easily lost.
Comparison to Sola Fide: The text stands in direct opposition to Sola Fide. While Romans 4:5 states that God justifies the ungodly who do not work but believe, this text demands that one must 'Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins' to achieve deliverance.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Hearken and listen to the voice of him who is from all eternity
- Arise and be baptized
- Wash away your sins
- Call on my name
- Preach the fulness of my gospel
- Labor in my vineyard
- Build up my church
- Bring forth Zion
- Go to the Ohio
- Lay to with your might and call faithful laborers into my vineyard
- Go forth, crying with a loud voice, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand; crying Hosanna!
- Go forth baptizing with water
- Lay your hands [on those baptized] that they shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost
Implicit Obligations
- Abandon previous sectarian religious affiliations and ministries (specifically Covill's Methodist ministry)
- Submit to the prophetic authority of Joseph Smith, through whom this revelation was dictated
- Accept that previous baptisms (such as those in the Methodist church) are invalid and must be repeated
Ritual Requirements
- Baptism by water for the remission of sins
- The laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- In verse 2, Jesus defines His gospel as repentance, water baptism, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost. How does this compare to the Apostle Paul's definition of the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4?
- Verse 3 says James Covill's heart was right 'at this time,' but historically we know he left the church just days later. How does this conditional, momentary standing compare to the eternal security Jesus promises in John 10:28?
- If water baptism is required to wash away sins, as verse 3 suggests, how was the thief on the cross saved without it (Luke 23:43)?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
Jesus as the Light of the World
Both traditions agree that Jesus is the divine light who pierces the darkness of sin. This shared reverence for Christ's divine identity can be a bridge to discussing *how* that light saves us—not through our own works or rituals, but through His finished work on the cross.
The desire for deliverance from sorrow
The text acknowledges the human condition of sorrow and the deep desire for deliverance. The biblical Gospel offers true, lasting deliverance and rest, not by adding the burden of new laws and geographic migrations, but by resting in Christ's yoke.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The text places a heavy burden of performance on the believer. Deliverance, the remission of sins, and the reception of the Holy Ghost are all entirely contingent on the believer's ability to perform specific actions: repenting, getting baptized by the right authority, receiving the laying on of hands, and physically moving to Ohio. This creates a treadmill of works where one's standing before God is always dependent on their latest act of obedience.
By stating that Covill's heart is right 'at this time,' the text implies a highly unstable relationship with God. The believer is left to wonder if their heart is right *today*, or if they have slipped back into pride. This robs the believer of the assurance of salvation, replacing the anchor of Christ's finished work with the shifting sands of human emotional and behavioral consistency.