D&C 55

Section 55 is really short as well and written to WW Phelps and the IM gives background as follows: “William Wines Phelps was born at Hanover, Morris County, New Jersey, on 17 February 1792. He worked as editor of a newspaper called the Western Courier and later established anti-Masonic papers known as the Lake Light and Ontario Phoenix, both in New York. He was nominated by his friends for the office of lieutenant governor of New York, and although he did not receive the nomination, he did gain much valuable experience. On March 26 1830, W.W. Phelps read an announcement that the Book of Mormon was about to come off the press. He later met Parley P. Pratt, who sold him a copy. After he read the Book of Mormon, he went to Kirtland, Ohio, where he met Joseph Smith. When Phelps inquired what the Lord desired of him, he was directed to be baptized and take his family to Missouri (see D&C 55, which was received shortly after W.W. Phelps and his family arrived in Kirtland in June 1831.) W.W. Phelps contributed great talent to the Church. He set up the first printing press for the Church in Missouri. He published the first Church newspaper, the Evening and Morning Star. He helped select, prepare, and published the revelations in the Book of Commandments. And he wrote many hymns, including ‘The Spirit of God’ and ‘Gently Raise the Sacred Strain.’” WW Phelps is an interesting character, but I’m sure that we’ll cover more of his history as we go through the D&C.

55:1-3 - The Lord begins by introducing himself as “the Lord of the whole earth.” The Lord commands WW Phelps to be baptized, “which if you do with an eye single to my glory, you shall have a remission of your sins and a reception of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands.” This is an interesting phrase to add on here, because why else would a person be baptized, besides to glorify God? I guess there are societal or cultural pressures, but seeing as how the Church isn’t very widely known at this point, I don’t think that that would be a big factor. The IM teaches, “Through the natural eyes men see the light which guides them in their physical existence, through their spiritual eyes, the spiritual light which leads to eternal life. As long as the natural eyes are unimpaired, men can see and be guided by the light of day; and as long as the spiritual eyes are single to the glory of God- that is, as long as they are undimmed by sin and are focused solely on righteousness- men can view and understand the things of the Spirit. But if apostasy enters and the spiritual light turns to darkness, ‘how great is that darkness!’” Maybe another phrase that would be similar would be “with full purpose of heart,” a desire to be righteous, a whole hearted commitment to living the life that the Lord would have us live, that makes more sense. The Lord also commands that he be “ordained by the hand of my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., to be an elder unto this church… And on whomsoever you shall lay your hands, if they are contrite before me, you shall have power to give the Holy Spirit.” I believe that, here, the Lord is explaining the now normal procedure of priesthood ordination and responsibility. It seems also like the Lord is trying to impress upon him the weight of the responsibility of being able to give the gift of the Holy Ghost. I think that we take it for granted now that it’s a common Melchezidek priesthood duty, but as the Church was new, this would have been a great responsibility.

55:4-6 – Up until this point Oliver Cowdery has been the one in charge of the manuscripts and printing and all that was required for the printing of the Book of Mormon, with the help of some others, but here the Lord calls WW Phelps “to assist my servant Oliver Cowdery to do the work of printing, and of selecting and writing books for schools in this church, that little children also may receive instruction before me as is pleasing unto me.” The teaching of little children has always been important to the Lord, but here he reemphasizes it. The IM quotes WW Phelps as commenting on this phrase, saying, “As a people we are fast approaching a desired end, which may literally be called a beginning. Thus far, we cannot be reproached with being backward in instruction. By revelation, in 1831, I was appointed to ‘do the world of printing, and of selecting and writing books for schools in this church, that little children might receive instruction;’ and since then I have received a further sanction. We are preparing to go out from among the people, where we can serve God in righteousness; and the first thing is, to teach our children; for they are as the Israel of old. It is our children who will take the kingdom and bear it off to all the world. The first commandment with promise to Israel was, ‘Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee.’ We will instruct our children in the paths of righteousness; and we want that instruction compiled in a book.” The Lord finishes the revelation commanding him to “take your journey with my servants Joseph Smith, Jun., and Sidney Rigdon, that you may be planted in the land of your inheritance to do this work.” It seems like WW Phelps is meant to stay in Missouri with his family and not just stay there temporarily. This isn’t a very long revelation, it’s not very specific, it speaks to his strength in printing, but I think that this is another example of a man who was given generalized instruction and was able to blossom into an amazing and powerful servant of the Lord by obeying those instructions and heeding the word of the Lord. Again, he wasn’t the prophet, he didn’t see the Savior in order to secure his testimony, he was just a simple guy who wanted to be a good servant of the Lord and did his best, and the results were extraordinary.