Scripture Study - Doctrine & Covenants - Section 3 Part 1

Scripture Study

Doctrine and Covenants

Section 3 – Part 1

Historical Background:

1. September 22-December 1827 – During these months Joseph Smith obtained the Book of Mormon plates and the Urim and Thummin from the Angel Moroni. Conspiring people who had heard about the “gold plates” sought to steal them from the Prophet. Joseph and Emma moved to Harmony, Pennsylvania, in order to work on the translation in peace.
2. December 1827-February 1828 – As time passed, Martin Harris visited Joseph Smith in Harmony. Joseph had written some of the characters from the plates and their translation on a piece of paper. Martin Harris took them to a Professor Charles Anthon at Columbia College in New York. At first the professor certified that the characters and translation were correct, but when he heard that they had come from gold plates that were delivered by an angel, he tore up the certificate. (compare Joseph Smith – History 1:64-65 to Isaiah 29:11-14)
3. April 12-June 14, 1828 – During this time, Joseph and Martin made considerable progress in translating the plates. Martin felt the need to show his wife the translated pages so she would be satisfied that he was involved in an inspired work. Three times Martin asked Joseph in inquire of the Lord. The answer to the first two request was no. But after Martin pleaded with Joseph to ask a third time, the Lord said yes. However, Martin was given strict instructions concerning to whom he could show them (See The Papers of Joseph Smith 1:10) Martin made a covenant to keep these instructions, took 116 pages of the manuscript, and went to Palmyra. Martin did not keep his solemn promise, and the 116 pages were lost.
4. July 1828 – Shortly after Martin left for Palmyra with the manuscript, Emma gave birth to a baby boy, who lived only a few hours. Emma's life was threatened by complications associated with the birth. Joseph spent all his efforts nursing her back to health. Once he believed emma would be all right, he began to worry about the status of the manuscript. Consequently, he made the 100-mile journey to Palmyra to seek out Martin. After learning of the loss of the 116 pages, Joseph returned to Harmony, where he received the chastisement , counsel, and comfort found in the revelation recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 3. Moroni then left with both the Urim and Thummim and the plates. (See Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith, 135.)