Section 87
Overview
Section 87 of the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants (known as Section 75 in the modern LDS edition) is a revelation dictated by Joseph Smith in January 1832 at Amherst, Ohio. The text serves as a divine dispatch, assigning specific missionary companionships and routes to twenty-four named elders. Theologically, the text is highly significant for its explicit connection between human effort and eternal salvation. It promises the elders that if they labor diligently, they will be 'crowned with honor, and glory, and immortality, and eternal life,' effectively merging the concepts of eternal life and earned heavenly rewards. Furthermore, the text elevates these missionaries to the status of eschatological judges; they are instructed to perform the ritual of 'shaking off the dust of your feet' against households that reject them, with the explicit promise that at the final judgment, these missionaries will personally judge and condemn those individuals. The revelation also establishes communal economic principles, mandating that the church support the families of those called to preach, while strictly warning that 'the idler shall not have place in the church.'
Key Figures
- Jesus Christ (Alpha and Omega): Identified as the divine author of the revelation speaking through Joseph Smith.
- Joseph Smith: The implicit receiver and conduit of the revelation.
- William E. McLellin: An elder whose previous commission is revoked due to 'murmurings of his heart'; he is forgiven and reassigned to the south countries.
- Luke Johnson: Assigned as a missionary companion to William E. McLellin.
- Orson Hyde: Commanded to journey to the eastern countries.
- Samuel H. Smith: Assigned as a missionary companion to Orson Hyde.
- Lyman Johnson: Commanded to journey to the eastern countries.
- Orson Pratt: Assigned as a missionary companion to Lyman Johnson.
- Asa Dodds: Commanded to journey to the western countries.
- Calves Wilson: Assigned as a missionary companion to Asa Dodds.
- Major N. Ashley: Commanded to journey to the south country.
- Burr Riggs: Assigned as a missionary companion to Major N. Ashley.
- Simeon Carter: Commanded to be united in the ministry with Emer Harris.
- Emer Harris: Commanded to be united in the ministry with Simeon Carter.
- Ezra Thayre (Thayer): Commanded to be united in the ministry with Thomas B. Marsh.
- Thomas B. Marsh: Commanded to be united in the ministry with Ezra Thayre.
- Hyrum Smith: Commanded to be united in the ministry with Reynolds Cahoon.
- Reynolds Cahoon: Commanded to be united in the ministry with Hyrum Smith.
- Daniel Stanton: Commanded to be united in the ministry with Seymour Brunson.
- Seymour Brunson: Commanded to be united in the ministry with Daniel Stanton.
- Sylvester Smith: Commanded to be united in the ministry with Gideon Carter.
- Gideon Carter: Commanded to be united in the ministry with Sylvester Smith.
- Ruggles Eames: Commanded to be united in the ministry with Stephen Burnett.
- Stephen Burnett: Commanded to be united in the ministry with Ruggles Eames.
- Micah B. Welton: Commanded to be united in the ministry with Eden Smith.
- Eden Smith: Commanded to be united in the ministry with Micah B. Welton.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Conditional Eternal Life (Works-Righteousness)
Assertion
Eternal life, immortality, and glory are presented as conditional rewards earned through faithful labor and missionary service.
Evidence from Text
...and thus if ye are faithful ye shall be laden with many sheaves, and crowned with honor, and glory, and immortality, and eternal life.
Evangelical Comparison
In this text, eternal life is explicitly tied to human performance. The conditional 'if ye are faithful' is directly linked to being 'crowned with... eternal life.' This conflates the biblical concept of heavenly rewards (crowns given for service, e.g., 2 Timothy 4:8) with the fundamental gift of salvation itself. The text establishes a paradigm where a believer's ultimate eternal destiny is contingent upon their ongoing diligence, missionary labor, and ability to 'overcome all things.' Evangelical theology, rooted in Sola Fide and Sola Gratia, draws a sharp distinction between justification (which is entirely the work of Christ and received by faith apart from works, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9) and sanctification/rewards (which involve human cooperation). By making eternal life a wage or crown to be earned through the 'mights' of the laborer, this doctrine fundamentally alters the nature of the Gospel from a pronouncement of Christ's finished work to a mandate for human achievement.
Eschatological Judgment by Missionaries
Assertion
Missionaries are granted the divine authority to act as final judges over the individuals and households that reject their message.
Evidence from Text
...you shall be filled with joy and gladness and know this, that in the day of judgement you shall be judges of that house, and condemn them...
Evangelical Comparison
The text grants 19th-century missionaries a terrifying and exalted eschatological role: they will personally judge and condemn the households that reject them. While the New Testament speaks of the Apostles sitting on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28), and believers generally participating in the judgment of angels (1 Corinthians 6:2-3), the specific authority to act as the condemning judge over individual souls is strictly reserved for Jesus Christ (John 5:22, 2 Timothy 4:1). This doctrine creates a severe theological friction point by elevating human messengers to the status of divine arbiters of salvation. It shifts the focus of the final judgment away from an individual's relationship with Jesus Christ and places it heavily upon their reception of specific human messengers and their institutional claims. This usurps Christ's exclusive prerogative as the Righteous Judge.
Continuous Revelation and Prophetic Authority
Assertion
God continues to give new, binding commandments and commissions through a modern prophet, which carry the same weight as ancient scripture.
Evidence from Text
Verily, verily I say unto you, I who speak even by the voice of my Spirit; even Alpha and Omega, your Lord and your God...
Evangelical Comparison
The text opens with Joseph Smith speaking in the first person as Jesus Christ ('Alpha and Omega'). This establishes the epistemological foundation of Mormonism: the living prophet is the mouthpiece of God, and his dictates are synonymous with the voice of God. The text issues new commandments, revokes old ones, and directs the minutiae of church administration with absolute divine authority. This directly contradicts the Evangelical doctrine of Sola Scriptura, which asserts that the 66 books of the Bible are the sole, infallible rule of faith and practice. While Evangelicals believe the Holy Spirit guides and illuminates, they reject the idea that any modern leader can dictate new, universally binding scripture or speak infallibly in the first person as Jesus Christ. The closure of the canon (Jude 1:3, Revelation 22:18-19) precludes the addition of new revelatory texts.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text diverges fundamentally from Evangelicalism by teaching that eternal life is earned through faithful labor and by elevating human missionaries to the role of eschatological judges over those who reject them.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap between this text and Evangelical Christianity is profound, centering primarily on Soteriology (the doctrine of salvation) and Eschatology (the doctrine of final things). The text explicitly conditions 'immortality, and eternal life' upon the faithful labor and diligence of the missionaries. This is a clear articulation of works-righteousness, where human effort is a necessary prerequisite for attaining the highest heavenly rewards. This violates the Evangelical pillar of Sola Fide (faith alone), which asserts that justification is a forensic declaration by God based solely on the imputed righteousness of Christ, received through faith apart from any human works (Romans 3:28, Ephesians 2:8-9). Furthermore, the text creates a severe Christological and Eschatological divergence by assigning the role of final judge to the missionaries themselves. By stating, 'in the day of judgement you shall be judges of that house, and condemn them,' the text usurps the exclusive prerogative of Jesus Christ. In biblical theology, the Father has entrusted all judgment to the Son (John 5:22). While believers are said to participate in judgment in a general sense (1 Corinthians 6:2), the specific authority to condemn individual souls to eternal punishment belongs to Christ alone. Elevating human messengers to this status fundamentally distorts the biblical understanding of divine justice and the unique role of the Savior.
For All Ages
Imagine you are given a wonderful, priceless gift for your birthday. You didn't have to pay for it or work for it; it was given to you just because the person loves you. That is how Evangelical Christians view eternal life—it is a free gift from Jesus because of what He did on the cross. But in this text, eternal life is described more like a paycheck or a trophy. It says that *if* you work really hard, *if* you go on these missions, and *if* you are faithful, *then* you will be crowned with eternal life. It makes salvation depend on how hard you work, rather than trusting in the work Jesus already finished. Also, the text says that if people don't listen to these missionaries, the missionaries themselves will be the ones to judge and condemn them at the end of the world. Christians believe that only Jesus is the judge, and no regular human has the right or power to condemn someone else's soul.
Friction Points
Sola Fide (Faith Alone)
The text makes eternal life a conditional reward earned through faithful labor and missionary service.
Christology / Solus Christus
The text elevates human missionaries to the role of eschatological judges who will condemn those who reject them, usurping Christ's exclusive role as Judge.
Sola Scriptura
The text presents itself as new, binding revelation dictated directly by Jesus Christ, adding to the closed canon of Scripture.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Eternal Life"
In This Text
The highest degree of heavenly reward (exaltation), earned conditionally through faithful labor, obedience, and overcoming all things.
In Evangelicalism
The free gift of God, which is knowing Him and being justified by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, possessed currently by the believer.
"The Gospel"
In This Text
The specific set of revelations, commandments, and institutional authority restored through Joseph Smith.
In Evangelicalism
The good news of Christ's sinless life, substitutionary death, and bodily resurrection for the justification of sinners.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Being 'crowned with honor, and glory, and immortality, and eternal life' and being 'lifted up at the last day.'
How Attained: Attained by being 'faithful', laboring with one's 'mights', and overcoming 'all things' through obedience to the commandments given by Joseph Smith.
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is based on continuous performance, diligence, and not being an 'idler'. It is inherently unstable as it depends on human effort.
Comparison to Sola Fide: This text stands in direct opposition to Sola Fide. It explicitly states, 'if ye are faithful ye shall be laden with many sheaves, and crowned with... eternal life.' This conditional, works-based framework contradicts Ephesians 2:8-9, which states that salvation is 'not a result of works, so that no one may boast,' and Titus 3:5, which says He saved us 'not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy.'
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Go forth and do not tarry or be idle.
- Labor with your mights.
- Lift up your voices as with the sound of a trump.
- Proclaim the truth according to the revelations and commandments given.
- William E. McLellin must go to the south countries with Luke Johnson.
- Pray always that you faint not.
- Orson Hyde and Samuel H. Smith must journey to the eastern countries.
- Lyman Johnson and Orson Pratt must journey to the eastern countries.
- Asa Dodds and Calves Wilson must journey to the western countries.
- Major N. Ashley and Burr Riggs must journey to the south country.
- Go from house to house, village to village, and city to city.
- Leave blessings upon houses that receive you.
- Depart speedily and shake off the dust of your feet against houses that reject you.
- Gird up your loins and be faithful.
- The church must assist in supporting the families of those sent to proclaim the gospel.
- Missionaries must obtain places for their families.
- Every man obliged to provide for his own family must do so.
- Every man must be diligent in all things.
- Idlers must repent and mend their ways.
- Specific elders (Carter, Harris, Thayre, Marsh, etc.) must be united in the ministry.
Implicit Obligations
- Absolute submission to the geographic and companion assignments dictated by Joseph Smith.
- Acceptance of Joseph Smith's voice as the literal voice of Jesus Christ.
- Willingness to leave family and livelihood for extended periods based on prophetic command.
Ritual Requirements
- The physical act of shaking off the dust of the feet as a formal testimony and curse against those who reject the message.
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- When you read the promise that 'if ye are faithful ye shall be... crowned with... eternal life,' how do you know when you have been faithful enough to earn that crown?
- How does it make you feel to think about missionaries acting as the final judges over the people who reject them?
- If eternal life is a free gift from God (Romans 6:23), how does that fit with the idea of having to labor with our mights to be crowned with it?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
Being crowned with honor and glory
The desire for honor, glory, and immortality is a God-given longing. However, the Gospel teaches that we cannot earn this crown through our own 'mights.' Instead, Jesus wore a crown of thorns so that we could be freely given the crown of life by His grace.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The text places a heavy burden on the believer to 'labor with your mights' and 'overcome all things' in order to secure eternal life. This creates a constant treadmill of performance, where the believer can never be truly certain they have done enough to earn the ultimate reward.
The strict warning that 'the idler shall not have place in the church' creates an environment of fear and surveillance. Believers may suffer anxiety over being perceived as idle or not doing enough, fearing social and spiritual expulsion.
By telling missionaries they will be the judges who condemn those who reject them, the text fosters an 'us vs. them' mentality. It places a heavy, unnatural psychological burden on the missionary to view themselves as the ultimate arbiter of their neighbors' eternal destiny.