Sometimes people wonder why I keep discussing the Cumorah issue on this blog. After all, the blog is named 'Letter VII."
The short answer is that few Latter-day Saints know the historical record regarding Cumorah. It is not even on display at the Hill Cumorah Visitors Center.
After Oliver Cowdery ordained Parley P. Pratt as an apostle on February 21st 1835, he gave him a charge, saying "I am aware, Dear Brother, that the mind naturally claims something new: but the same thing rehearsed, frequently profits us."
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/minute-book-1/159
If all Latter-day Saints were familiar with the historical accounts about Cumorah, as well as the teachings of the prophets and the extrinsic evidence that corroborate those accounts, perhaps a "frequent rehearsal" of these things would not be needed.
But new and young Latter-day Saints, including BYU and CES students, are never taught these things. Instead, they are taught that President Cowdery was wrong, as were all the prophets who endorsed and reiterated what he taught.
Therefore it "profits us" to frequently rehearse these things.
As of today, there have been 1,113,121 page views of this blog, including 127,672 in September alone, so apparently there is some interest in the topic.
But since there are over 17 million nominal members of the Church, of whom around 6 million are active, there are still many Latter-day Saints who do not yet read this blog. So keep sharing it.
:)
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In this post, we will "rehearse" the known facts about Priesthood line of authority and its relevance to the topic of Cumorah. I'm cross-posting it on the ldshistoricalnarratives blog.
Let's start with this artwork:
The caption reads
"Joseph Smith Ordaining Parley P. Pratt as an Apostle," is a painting by Walter Rane. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsWhile all three men laid their hands on Parley's head, the historical record says that it was Oliver who was voice for the ordination.
Elder Parley P. Pratt was called to the stand and ordained as one of the Twelve. by J. Smith Jur. D. Whitmer & O. Cowdery
Parley P. Pratt’s blessing, as pronounced upon him by O. Cowdery, O. Lord smile from Heaven upon this thy servant, forgive his sins, sanctify his heart and prepare him to receive the blessing. Increase his love for thee and for thy cause, increase his intelligence, communicate to him all that wisdom, that prudence, and that understanding which he needs as a minister of Righteousness, and to magnify the Apostleship whereunto he is called....
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/minute-book-1/158
Artistic license is fine. But when the record is so clear, why not show Oliver as voice?
Not only did Oliver ordain Parley, but he also gave him a charge after the ordination, as mentioned at the outset of this post. (Both the ordination and charge are worth reading, btw.)
It is weird how often President Cowdery's role in Church history has been so consistently diminished.
But those who study the development of M2C and SITH can see how it was necessary to diminish President Cowdery to make it easier for modern LDS scholars to persuade Latter-day Saints that he intentionally (or ignorantly) misled everyone about the origin and setting of the Book of Mormon.
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Readers of this blog know that Oliver Cowdery, while Assistant President of the Church, declared in an article published in July 1835 that it is a fact that the hill Cumorah/Ramah mentioned in the Book of Mormon is the very same hill where Joseph Smith found the gold plates.
Nevertheless, many prominent Latter-day Saint scholars and apologists, including BYU professors, teach that President Cowdery was wrong and that he misled everyone about Cumorah because they, the modern scholars, have determined that the "real Cumorah" is somewhere in Southern Mexico (or any number of other locations so long as it is not in western New York). Their antipathy towards President Cowdery is puzzling but persistent.
It is especially puzzling when we realize that every holder of the Melchizedek Priesthood today has Oliver in their line of authority.
 |
BYU professor teaching that President
Cowdery was wrong about Cumorah |
February 1835 was a significant month in the history of the Church. It was in that month that the first Twelve Apostles in this dispensation were called and ordained, as we'll discuss below.
That same month, February 1835, President Cowdery published an article in the Messenger and Advocate describing Moroni's visit to Joseph Smith in detail. He explained that Moroni told Joseph Smith the "history was written and deposited not far from that place," referring to Joseph's home near Palmyra. We can all read what he wrote because Joseph Smith had Oliver's article copied into his own journal as part of his life story.
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1834-1836/69
Mormon himself explained that he abridged the Nephite records at the Hill Cumorah (Mormon 6:6), which is consistent with the other historical accounts of Moroni identifying the hill as Cumorah.
https://www.mobom.org/cumorah-overview
As mentioned, in February 1835 Oliver Cowdery ordained several of the first 12 Apostles of this dispensation. This brings up an interesting aspect of Church history that is often overlooked.
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Every holder of the Melchizedek Priesthood has a line of authority.
It reads like this, using Heber C. Kimball as an example:
Jesus Christ
Peter, James and John, who were ordained Apostles by the Savior during His earthly ministry.
Joseph Smith, Jr, Apostle - 1829
Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, Martin Harris, called by revelation by the First Presidency to choose and ordain the Twelve Apostles, Feb 4, 1835.
Heber Chase Kimball, Apostle - February 14, 1835
It is easy to understand why this statement of line of authority is simplified.
But LDS scholars, including those who reject Oliver's teachings about the origin and setting of the Book of Mormon, know that the historical record tells us Oliver Cowdery was the only ordained Apostle who ordained the first Twelve Apostles.
We know that Peter, James and John ordained both Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery as Apostles on the same occasion.
2 Which commandments were given to Joseph Smith, Jun., who was called of God, and ordained an apostle of Jesus Christ, to be the first elder of this church;
3 And to Oliver Cowdery, who was also called of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to be the second elder of this church, and ordained under his hand;
(Doctrine and Covenants 20:2–3)
8 Which John I have sent unto you, my servants, Joseph Smith, Jun., and Oliver Cowdery, to ordain you unto the first priesthood which you have received, that you might be called and ordained even as Aaron;
12 And also with Peter, and James, and John, whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you to be apostles, and especial witnesses of my name, and bear the keys of your ministry and of the same things which I revealed unto them;
(Doctrine and Covenants 27:12)
We also know that it was Oliver Cowdery, not Joseph Smith, who ordained all of the first Twelve Apostles.
The historical record indicates that the First Presidency (of whom President Cowdery was a member at the time) set apart the Three Witnesses to call the first Twelve Apostles.
The first business of the meeting was for the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon, to pray each one and then proceed to choose twelve men from the church as Apostles to go to all nations, kindred toungs and people. The three Witnesses united in prayer (Viz) Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer & Martin Harris. These three Witnesses were then blessed by the laying on of the hands of the Presidincy.14 They then according to a former commandment, proceeded to make choice of the twelve: The names of are as follows...
Note 14 explains the "Presidincy:" That is, the presidency of the high priesthood, which in February 1835 consisted of JS, Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, Frederick G. Williams, Hyrum Smith, and Joseph Smith Sr. (Account of Meetings, Revelation, and Blessing, 5–6 Dec. 1834.)
The record continues:
Lyman Johnson, Brigham Young and H. C. Kimball came forward and the three witnesses laid their hands upon each ones head and prayed separately
The record shows that the Three Witnesses were blessed (set apart) to choose the Twelve Apostles, but there is nothing in the record that explains that the Three Witnesses were ordained to ordain the Twelve Apostles. Neither Martin Harris nor David Whitmer were ordained Apostles.
But President Cowdery had been ordained an Apostle by Peter, James, and John, so he could legitimately ordain the Twelve Apostles.
In fact, the record shows that it was President Cowdery who ordained all twelve of them, sometimes with David Whitmer, Martin Harris, and/or Joseph Smith.
On Feb. 15th, the day after Johnson, Young and Kimball were ordained, Oliver ordained Orson Hyde, David W. Patten, and Luke Johnson.
Sunday, Feb. 15th at 9 o clock A.M. the congregation again assembled & President [Oliver] Cowdery arose, and made some observations upon the nature of the meeting and then prayed unto the Lord for his assistance &c &c.
After which a number of certificates were read and accepted from brethren, that recently returned from Zion. Then, President Cowdery called forwarward Orson Hyde. David W. Patten and Luke Johnson and proceeded to their ordination & blessing.
Orson Hyde, blessing. Oliver Cowdery proceeded and called upon the Lord to smile upon him and that his faith shall be perfect...
Then Wm. E. McLellin, John F. Boynton, William Smith were blessed (ordained) but the record does not say who was voice.
Note: William Smith was not chosen by the Three Witnesses, but they agreed to include him at Joseph Smith's request.
The notes in the Joseph Smith Papers explain the details of this history.
On 14 and 15 February 1835, JS presided over a meeting held in the church’s in , Ohio. At the meeting, he directed , , and —the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon—to call twelve men as . The concept of appointing twelve men as special proselytizing disciples is found in the New Testament account of Jesus Christ calling twelve apostles and in the Book of Mormon account of Christ calling twelve disciples when he visited the Nephites in the Americas after his resurrection. During JS’s time, the office of apostle did not exist in other churches in the , though the Catholic Apostolic Church in did call twelve apostles between 1832 and 1835. Some biblical commentators in JS’s day believed that “a distinguishing part” of an apostle’s role was his calling and by Christ himself, implying that apostles existed only in New Testament times. A June 1829 revelation had instructed and to “search out” twelve disciples who would preach the gospel “unto and unto Jew” and even “unto every creature.” According to Cowdery, since that time, his and Whitmer’s minds had “been on a constant stretch to find who these Twelve were.” They had “sought the Lord by fasting and prayer” and had at times received instruction from JS and others about the . For example, at an October 1831 , Cowdery stated that he and Whitmer had received directions that the Twelve “would be ordained & sent forth from the Land of .” However, Cowdery later noted that he had not known when the Twelve would be selected. By 1835, the time was apparently right for choosing the apostles. A later JS history states that on 8 February 1835, and his brother came to JS’s house and sang to him after a meeting. “The Spirit of the Lord was poured out upon us,” the history states, “and I [JS] told them I wanted to see those brethren together who went up to Zion in the , the previous summer, for I had a blessing for them.” The later reminiscences of Brigham and Joseph Young provide more detail. According to Brigham, while he and his brother were singing, JS received a revelation declaring that twelve apostles were to be called “from those who have been up to Zion.” Joseph Young later stated that JS told the brothers he had received a vision of the glorious reward of those members of the Camp of Israel who had perished from cholera. JS then asked Brigham to “notify all the brethren living in the branches, within a reasonable distance from this place, to meet at a General Conference on Saturday next.” At that conference, JS stated, he would “then and there appoint twelve special witnesses, to open the door of the gospel to foreign nations.” According to Joseph Young, JS then told Brigham that he would be one of the twelve selected.
Although JS’s designation of as one of the apostles may have circumvented the process of having , , and select the Twelve, it is likely that the three worked together with JS to choose the apostles either before the 14–15 February meeting or during a one-hour recess that occurred during the 14 February session. In 1848, Cowdery told Brigham Young that he and Whitmer had originally chosen as a member of the Twelve but that JS made an “urgent request” that his brother be selected instead. “Brother David and myself yielded to his wish,” Cowdery told Brigham Young, “and consented for William to be selected.” In an 1885 interview, Whitmer gave a similar account, explaining that he and Cowdery “were appointed a committee” to select the apostles but that JS “insisted that his brother William Smith should be put in as it was the only way by which he could be saved.” The actual selection process of the Twelve, then, was likely a collaboration between JS, Cowdery, Whitmer, and Harris.
The minutes of the 14–15 February 1835 meeting in Minute Book 1 state that the meeting was called at God’s command so that “those who went to Zion, with a determination to lay down their lives, if necessary” could be “ordained to the ministry.” A June 1834 revelation had told the members of the Camp of Israel that they would not redeem Zion at that time and explained that such redemption could not come until after the elders of the church were “endowed with power from on high.” They would then be able to teach God’s people “more perfectly, and have experience and know more perfectly concerning their duty.” The revelation went on to say that those who had gone on the expedition would receive “a great endowment and blessing” from God if they continued to be faithful. This endowment would be provided in the then under construction in . The revelation concluded with an admonition that it was now “a day of choosing” and that JS needed to select “worthy” individuals who would be sanctified “to accomplish all things partaining to Zion.” When the 14–15 February meeting convened, those who had participated in the 1834 expedition to Zion were recognized and promised that they would “be endowed with power from on high.” The meeting then adjourned for an hour. When it reconvened, JS instructed , , and “to choose twelve men from the church as Apostles to go to all nations, kindred toungs and people.” The three selected the Twelve Apostles, eight of whom had accompanied JS on the Camp of Israel expedition. Over the course of the next two days, nine of these individuals—, , , , , , , , and —received blessings; the other three—, , and —were apparently not in at this time and received their blessings later. The Twelve Apostles regarded the blessings they received as ordinations to the apostolic office. The blessings promised that they would perform remarkable feats in God’s name, especially in terms of converting individuals to the church and bringing them to Zion. As Heber C. Kimball later recalled, the blessings “predicted many things which should come to pass”—that individuals would have power “to heal the sick, cast out devils, raise the dead, the blind should see, and have power to remove mountains” and have “all things” under their subjection “through the name of Jesus Christ.”
The minutes do not clearly identify who participated in all of the ordination blessings or who pronounced them. According to one version of the minutes, was the voice for at least ’s ordination.
[Note: they say "at least Orson Hyde's ordination" because, as we saw above, only Hyde's blessing specifically noted that Oliver Cowdery was voice. But it is reasonable to infer that Oliver was voice for at least the first three because it tells us "President Cowdery called forwarward Orson Hyde. David W. Patten and Luke Johnson and proceeded to their ordination & blessing."]
A second version made by Hyde in a record book of the Twelve declares that the apostles were “ordained under the hands of the Three Witnesses.” Other accounts provide additional detail. , for example, remembered Cowdery and performing his ordination. stated in his diary that Cowdery and ordained him and on 26 April 1835. ’s ordination, which took place on 21 February 1835, was performed by JS, Cowdery, and Whitmer. [Note: as we saw above, Oliver was voice for Parley's ordination.]
Orson Hyde stated in December 1835 that his ordination was also performed under JS’s hand. According to , the ordinations were performed by Cowdery, Whitmer, and Harris and then confirmed by the . These accounts indicate that JS was involved in at least some capacity with the actual ordinations, as were Cowdery, Whitmer, and Harris.
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/minutes-discourse-and-blessings-14-15-february-1835/1#historical-intro
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