Section 66a
Overview
This 1831 revelation (modern D&C 52) serves as a pivotal missiological and administrative text in early Mormonism, directing the leadership and elders of the church to travel to Missouri for their next conference. Missouri is explicitly identified as the consecrated 'land of inheritance' for the Saints, framing the movement within a physical, geographical gathering of the 'remnant of Jacob.' The text outlines specific travel companions, mandating a two-by-two preaching model, and instructs them to preach from established scriptures and the Spirit, while performing water baptism and the laying on of hands. Crucially, the revelation introduces a 'pattern in all things' to protect the church from spiritual deception, which was rampant at the time. This pattern defines a true follower or spirit not merely by a contrite heart, but explicitly by obedience to 'mine ordinances.' The text heavily emphasizes conditional faithfulness—promising revelation, inheritance, and ultimate exaltation ('lift them up at the last day') to those who remain faithful, while threatening that the unfaithful will be 'cut off.' It also addresses church discipline (removing a blessing from Heman Bassett due to transgression) and social obligations (caring for the poor and needy as a test of discipleship).
Key Figures
- Jesus Christ / The Lord: The divine speaker of the revelation, claiming absolute authority to command, consecrate land, and judge the faithfulness of the elders.
- Joseph Smith, jr.: The primary prophet and leader, commanded to travel to Missouri and promised further revelation strictly contingent upon his faithfulness.
- Sidney Rigdon: Joseph Smith's counselor and designated travel companion.
- Lyman Wight: An elder specifically warned by the Lord that Satan desires to sift him as chaff.
- Heman Bassett: An individual whose spiritual bestowal is revoked by divine decree due to transgression.
- Simonds Rider: The recipient of Heman Bassett's revoked bestowal.
- Jared Carter & George James: Individuals explicitly commanded to be ordained as priests.
- Newel Knight & Selah J. Griffin: Individuals commanded to be ordained and take their journey.
- Oliver Cowdery: An early leader for whom a church recommend must be obtained.
- The Traveling Elders (John Corrill, John Murdock, Hyrum Smith, Thomas Marsh, Ezra Thayre, Isaac Morley, Ezra Booth, Edward Partridge, Martin Harris, David Whitmer, Harvey Whitlock, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, Solomon Hancock, Simeon Carter, Edson Fuller, Jacob Scott, Levi Hancock, Zebedee Coltrin, Reynolds Cahoon, Samuel H. Smith, Wheeler Baldwin, William Carter, Joseph Wakefield, Solomon Humphrey): A comprehensive list of early church leaders commanded to travel in specific pairs, preach by the way, and gather in Missouri.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Conditional Revelation and Inheritance
Assertion
Divine guidance and receiving the promised land of inheritance are strictly contingent upon ongoing personal faithfulness, with failure resulting in being cut off.
Evidence from Text
And inasmuch as they are faithful unto me, it shall be made known unto them what they shall do: and it shall also, inasmuch as they are faithful, be made known unto them the land of your inheritance. And inasmuch as they are not faithful, they shall be cut off, even as I will, as seemeth me good.
Evangelical Comparison
In this text, God's promises of revelation, direction, and inheritance are heavily conditional, relying on the sustained faithfulness and obedience of the individual ('inasmuch as they are faithful'). If they fail, they are 'cut off.' This creates a performance-based paradigm for spiritual security. In contrast, Evangelical Christianity, rooted in Sola Fide and Sola Gratia, teaches that the believer's eternal inheritance is guaranteed by the finished work of Christ and sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14). While obedience is the natural fruit of saving faith, it is not the sustaining cause of one's inheritance. The threat of being 'cut off' from the covenant due to a lapse in faithfulness contradicts the evangelical doctrine of the perseverance and preservation of the saints (John 10:28-29).
Ordinance-Based Discernment and Acceptance
Assertion
A person is accepted by God and proven to be of a true spirit only if they obey specific physical ordinances, alongside having a contrite spirit.
Evidence from Text
he that prayeth whose spirit is contrite, the same is accepted of me, if he obey mine ordinances: he that speaketh, whose spirit is contrite, whose language is meek, and edifieth, the same is of God, if he obey mine ordinances.
Evangelical Comparison
The text provides a 'pattern' to avoid deception, stating that a contrite spirit is accepted 'if he obey mine ordinances.' This explicitly links divine acceptance and spiritual legitimacy to the performance of physical rituals (ordinances, such as water baptism and laying on of hands mentioned earlier in the text). In Evangelical theology, a contrite and broken heart is the very sacrifice God desires (Psalm 51:17), and acceptance before God is based entirely on the imputed righteousness of Christ received through faith alone (Romans 3:28, 4:5). Adding 'ordinances' as a necessary condition for being 'accepted of me' violates Sola Fide and introduces a sacramental/works-based requirement for justification and spiritual validation.
Physical Gathering and Consecrated Land
Assertion
God has consecrated a specific physical location (Missouri) as the literal land of inheritance for His covenant people in the last days.
Evidence from Text
...the next conference, which shall be held in Missouri, upon the land which I will consecrate unto my people, who are a remnant of Jacob, and them who are heirs according to the covenant.
Evangelical Comparison
The text designates Missouri as a consecrated land of inheritance for the 'remnant of Jacob,' merging Old Testament geographic promises with 19th-century North American migration. This reflects the Mormon doctrine of a literal, physical gathering of Israel to Zion (the New Jerusalem) on the American continent. Evangelical Christianity interprets the fulfillment of Old Testament land promises either through the physical nation of Israel in the Middle East (Dispensationalism) or as typological of the global, spiritual kingdom of God and the future New Creation (Covenant Theology). In neither evangelical view is a specific North American state designated as the divine land of inheritance for the church.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text conditions divine acceptance and eternal inheritance on sustained personal faithfulness and strict obedience to specific physical ordinances, denying justification by faith alone.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The fundamental theological gap between this text and Evangelical Christianity lies in the realms of Soteriology and Authority. The text explicitly states that a person is 'accepted of me, if he obey mine ordinances.' This establishes a sacramental, works-righteousness paradigm where justification before God is contingent upon the performance of physical rituals (water baptism, laying on of hands) administered by a specific priesthood authority. This directly violates the Evangelical pillar of Sola Fide (Justification by Faith Alone), which asserts that a sinner is declared righteous by God solely through faith in the finished work of Christ, apart from any works of the law or ritual observances (Romans 3:28, Ephesians 2:8-9). Furthermore, the text's assertion that believers will be 'cut off' if they are not faithful introduces a conditional salvation that denies the eternal security of the believer. Epistemologically, the text violates Sola Scriptura by presenting itself as new, binding revelation from Jesus Christ, placing the words of Joseph Smith on par with the closed biblical canon.
For All Ages
Imagine you are given a free ticket to the greatest amusement park ever, just because the park owner loves you. That's how Evangelical Christians view heaven—it's a free gift from Jesus because of what He did. But in this text, it's like the owner says, 'Here is your ticket, but you only get to keep it if you follow all my rules perfectly, do specific handshakes, and never mess up. If you mess up, I'll take the ticket away.' The text says God only accepts people if they 'obey mine ordinances' (like specific baptisms). This means people have to earn their way to stay in God's family, which goes against the Bible's teaching that we are saved completely by faith in Jesus, not by our own works or rituals.
Friction Points
Sola Scriptura
The text claims to be direct, new revelation from Jesus Christ, adding to the closed canon of Scripture.
Sola Fide
The text conditions divine acceptance on obedience to ordinances and threatens to cut off those who fail to maintain faithfulness.
Sacramental Necessity (Evangelical Rejection of)
The text makes physical rituals (ordinances) a strict requirement for being accepted by God and discerning true spirits.
Theology Proper / Eschatology
Designates a specific North American geography (Missouri) as the literal, consecrated land of inheritance for the covenant people.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Ordinances"
In This Text
Specific physical rituals (like baptism and laying on of hands) required for divine acceptance and to prove one is of God.
In Evangelicalism
Ordinances (like Baptism and Communion) are outward signs of an inward grace, commanded by Christ, but they are not the mechanism that saves or makes one acceptable to God.
"Faithful"
In This Text
Sustained obedience to commands, travel directives, and rituals, without which one is 'cut off.'
In Evangelicalism
Trusting in Christ's finished work; while it produces obedience, the believer's security rests on Christ's faithfulness, not their own flawless performance.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Being 'lift[ed] up at the last day,' crowned with joy, and receiving the land of inheritance.
How Attained: Through a combination of faith, strict obedience to commands, and participation in specific ordinances ('if he obey mine ordinances').
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is highly conditional, based on present performance. One must constantly evaluate if they are bringing forth fruit and obeying ordinances to avoid being 'cut off.'
Comparison to Sola Fide: The text stands in direct opposition to Sola Fide. It explicitly states that acceptance by God requires obedience to ordinances. Romans 4:4-5 states, 'Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.' This text demands works (ordinances) for acceptance.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Joseph Smith, jr. and Sidney Rigdon take their journey to Missouri as soon as preparations can be made.
- Lyman Wight and John Corrill take their journey speedily.
- John Murdock and Hyrum Smith take their journey to the same place by the way of Detroit.
- Journey from thence preaching the word by the way.
- Say none other things than that which the prophets and apostles have written, and that which is taught by the Comforter.
- Go two by two.
- Preach by the way in every congregation.
- Baptize by water.
- Perform the laying on of the hands by the water side.
- Lyman Wight beware, for satan desireth to sift him.
- Thomas Marsh and Ezra Thayre take their journey preaching by the way.
- Isaac Morley and Ezra Booth take their journey preaching by the way.
- Edward Partridge and Martin Harris take their journey with Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith, jr.
- David Whitmer and Harvey Whitlock take their journey and preach by the way.
- Parley P. Pratt and Orson Pratt take their journey and preach by the way.
- Solomon Hancock and Simeon Carter take their journey and preach by the way.
- Edson Fuller and Jacob Scott take their journey.
- Levi Hancock and Zebedee Coltrin take their journey.
- Reynolds Cahoon and Samuel H. Smith take their journey.
- Wheeler Baldwin and William Carter take their journey.
- Newel Knight and Selah J. Griffin be ordained and take their journey.
- All these take their journey unto one place, in their several courses.
- One man shall not build upon another's foundation, neither journey in another's track.
- Joseph Wakefield and Solomon Humphrey take their journey into the eastern lands.
- Labor with their families.
- Declare none other things than the prophets and apostles, that which they have seen, heard, and believe.
- Take that which was bestowed upon Heman Bassett from him and place it upon Simonds Rider.
- Jared Carter be ordained a priest.
- George James be ordained a priest.
- The residue of the elders watch over the churches.
- Declare the word in the regions among them.
- Labor with their own hands, that there be no idolatry nor wickedness practiced.
- Remember in all things the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted.
- Joseph Smith, jr., Sidney Rigdon, and Edward Partridge take with them a recommend from the church.
- Obtain a recommend for Oliver Cowdery.
Implicit Obligations
- Maintain strict personal faithfulness to avoid being 'cut off' by God.
- Submit entirely to the geographic and administrative directives of Joseph Smith.
- Discern spirits and teachings using the prescribed 'pattern' of ordinance obedience.
Ritual Requirements
- Baptizing by water.
- The laying on of the hands by the water side.
- Obeying 'mine ordinances' as a prerequisite for divine acceptance.
- Ordination to the priesthood (specifically commanded for Jared Carter, George James, Newel Knight, and Selah J. Griffin).
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- In verse 4, the Lord says someone is accepted 'if he obey mine ordinances.' How do you balance the need to obey ordinances with the biblical teaching that we are justified by faith apart from works?
- The text warns that those who are not faithful will be 'cut off.' How do you find peace and assurance of your salvation when the threat of being cut off is tied to your daily performance?
- When the text commands preaching 'none other things than that which the prophets and apostles have written,' how do we reconcile that with accepting new revelations that add requirements not found in the Bible?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The desire for a 'Land of Inheritance' and a place of peace.
The longing for a physical Zion or a perfect community reflects the deep human desire for Eden and the presence of God. The Gospel teaches that our true inheritance is not a plot of land in Missouri, but an eternal inheritance kept in heaven for us, secured by Christ.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The constant threat of being 'cut off' if one is 'not faithful' creates a spiritual environment where the believer can never truly rest in their salvation. Their standing before God is only as good as their last act of obedience.
The requirement to 'obey mine ordinances' to be 'accepted of me' places the burden of salvation squarely on the believer's ability to perform rituals and maintain worthiness, rather than resting in Christ's finished work.
The explicit warning that 'satan desireth to sift him as chaff' and that Satan is 'deceiving the nations,' combined with a complex pattern required to avoid deception, fosters a fear-based paradigm where believers must constantly scrutinize themselves and others.