Without Disclosing My True Identity
Claim to Joseph’s Authority
During this inaugural year of the LDS faith, Joseph laid the responsibility for the
new church government in the hands of the people. As a result, he witnessed his first
experience of a man putting himself up above others in such a way that the man felt
comfortable in “command[ing Joseph] in the name of God”^62 to change something that the
man didn’t agree with. The man was the same one whose ego had already grown
immensely because Joseph had allowed much of his Articles of the Church of Christ to be
incorporated into the new Church—none other than Oliver Cowdery.
When Joseph used Oliver’s “revelations” as the blueprint for the newly formed
church, Oliver gained confidence in being connected to God and receiving revelation. Oliver
managed to convince others, especially the Whitmers, that his revelations were just as
important as Joseph’s. Eventually, Joseph’s “revelations” would not quiet Cowdery, and so
Joseph used his only other option—common sense. Whenever Oliver would pipe up about
his own importance and authority—challenging Joseph’s—Joseph would respond, “Now,
who was it brother who was asked to translate the plates?” or “Now brother, you have held
the Urim and Thummim, and it doesn’t seem to work in your hands.”
Joseph’s “Offenses” Against Friend and Foe
During this tumultuous first year of the organized church, Joseph in some way
offended almost everyone associated with the early beginnings of his work. Although
Martin Harris finally acquiesced to being baptized and joining the “legal” church, he still
remained somewhat aloof from Joseph. Although Martin never understood why Joseph did
the things he did, he knew that he had seen an advanced human being and touched what
appeared to him to be plates of gold. He knew that he had not seen these things through
“spiritual eyes” as others were consigned to describe their experience of things. He knew
that who and what he had seen were empirical actualities that he could never deny.
So-Called “Christian” Neighbors
Joseph’s enemies became determined to stop his work before it spread. The
American people were proving their true humanity. His enemies were not those who did
not believe in religion, but rather, those who did. They demonstrated the hypocrisy that is
often associated with all religion: hate your enemies and try to destroy their beliefs before
they destroy yours.^63 Of all his enemies, none were as indecent and mean as the staunch
“Christian” people, egged on by their ministers and preachers.
Joseph’s “Revelations”
Throughout 1830 and continuing until 1833, Joseph produced many “revelations”
revealing the “will of the Lord.” Including those revelations he had “received” before the Church
was legally organized, and what he added in a few subsequent years, these comprised about 75
percent of the modern content of the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C) of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints. According to the D&C, the following number of revelations was given prior
to and following the legal organization of the church through 1833: 2 in 1828; 14 in 1829; 19 in