The Lectures on Faith in Early Latter-day Saint Scripture When the Doctrine and Covenants first appeared in 1835, it contained two major parts: the “Doctrine,” which consisted of the Lectures on Faith, and the “Covenants,” a collection of revelations to Joseph Smith. The volume’s title page explained that its contents were “carefully selected from the … Read more
Introduction In the early years of the Restoration, doctrines and practices unfolded line upon line, including the wording used in sacred ordinances. This episode follows the historical journey of the baptismal prayer from the Book of Mormon text used in 1829 to the standardized wording adopted in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants. Alongside this development … Read more
Mercy Rachel Fielding Thompson Introduction Among the many influential women of early Latter-day Saint history, Mercy Rachel Fielding Thompson stands out as a devoted disciple whose life intersected repeatedly with pivotal events of the Restoration. Although less widely known than her sister Mary Fielding Smith, Mercy’s experiences provide firsthand insight into persecution, temple building, plural … Read more
Missouri Period and Early Persecution of the Latter-day Saints (1831–1839) Missouri became a central gathering place for early Latter-day Saints beginning in 1831, with major settlement in Jackson County by 1832–1833. Rising tensions between longtime settlers and Church members escalated rapidly. By 1833, organized mob violence erupted, resulting in the destruction of homes, physical assaults, … Read more