History Literature / DoctrineAndCovenants

** Sections 121 through 123 of the LDS Church edition are modified from a couple of epistles sent by Joseph Smith from Liberty Jail ([[https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-to-the-church-and-edward-partridge-20-march-1839/1 first]], [[https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-to-edward-partridge-and-the-church-circa-22-march-1839/1 second]], [[https://faculty.cs.byu.edu/~clement/rel325/liberty-jail.htm cleaned up transcript of both]]). Section 121 consists of a number of excerpts from mostly the first epistle (plus the unrighteous dominion discourse from the second) stuck together, with no indication that the material between them has been removed. Sections 122 and 123 are single excerpts from the second one, although there is no indication that the first verse of 122 was supposed to directly follow the last verse of 121 (the only place in the Doctrine and Covenants where this is the case, as opposed to the sections being separate documents in vaguely chronological order).

** Sections 121 through 123 of the LDS Church edition are modified from a couple of epistles sent by Joseph Smith from Liberty Jail ([[https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-to-the-church-and-edward-partridge-20-march-1839/1 first]], [[https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-to-edward-partridge-and-the-church-circa-22-march-1839/1 second]], [[https://faculty.cs.byu.edu/~clement/rel325/liberty-jail.htm cleaned up transcript of both]]). Section 121 consists of a number of excerpts from mostly the first epistle (plus the unrighteous dominion discourse from the second) stuck together, with no indication that the material between them has been removed. Sections 122 and 123 are single excerpts from the second one, although there is no indication that the first verse of 122 was supposed to directly follow the last verse of 121 (the only place in the Doctrine and Covenants where this is the case).

* OrwellianRetcon: [[https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/book-of-commandments-1833/23 section 7]] of the Book of Commandments (now section 8 in both editions) contains some explanation about how Oliver Cowdery's success with using a dowsing or divining rod only worked due to a gift of the Spirit, and that there was nothing else that would allow it to work. This section originally referred to Oliver's gift as "the gift of working with the rod", but the wording was changed to the more cryptic "the gift of Aaron" in later editions.

* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: Sections 77 and 113 uses a Question and Answer format.

* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: Section 113 uses a Question and Answer format.

* MasterForger: Between 1982 and 1988, the Community of Christ edition included [[https://www.nytimes.com/1981/03/19/us/text-of-blessing.html a document]] purporting to be Joseph Smith the Third's patriarchal blessing, in which Joseph Smith Jr pronounced him as his successor, as Appendix G (the first six appendices being the five "historical" sections plus W Wallace Smith's resignation letter). As the introduction to the Community of Christ D&C delicately phrases it, "sophisticated forensic tests made in 1986, unavailable previously, cast serious doubt on the document's validity" (well, that, and the forger had been arrested for murdering several people with shrapnel bombs to try to cover his tracks). It was removed in 1988, followed by [[CanonDiscontinuity the removal of the rest of the appendices]] two years later.

** The Community of Christ edition currently has 165 section numbers, although the actual section count is slightly different, due to the occasional annexed section with numbers like 149A, and five sections which are no longer included but which weren't renumbered. The RLDS Church focused on adding new material authored by prophet-presidents and canonised by conference vote, and took the opposite approach to the material from Joseph Smith's lifetime, demoting or removing temple-related instruction from the Nauvoo period which was argued not to apply following Joseph Smith's death and the subsequent scattering and re-organisation of the church (for example [[http://www.scripturetoolbox.com/html/d_c/Section/107.html section 107]], equivalent to LDS section 124, was moved to a historical appendix in 1970 and then [[https://communityofchristscripture.blogspot.com/2013/09/d-section-107.html deleted in 1990]]). The exception is sections 22 and 36, which are excerpts from the Joseph Smith Translation (specifically from the part that the LDS Church calls the [[Literature/ThePearlOfGreatPrice Book of Moses]]).

** This is the purpose of Zion's Camp in Section 105, at least according to an [[https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-07-090-zions-camp LDS Church-produced film]] on the expedition. The LDS Church tends to view Zion's Camp as a test of both character and loyalty, and as instrumental in selecting subsequent church leaders. The Community of Christ tends to view it as the first of several failed (and sometimes disastrously so) attempts to solve the church's problems by appeal to violence.

** This is the purpose of Zion's Camp in Section 105, at least according to an [[https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-07-090-zions-camp LDS Church-produced film]] on the expedition.

** Three editions were published in Joseph Smith's lifetime, each with more content than the previous one and a different section numbering. Following the SuccessionCrisis after Joseph Smith's death, the canon of the D&C was also fractured, with the LDS Church and the RLDS Church (now the Community of Christ) maintaining different editions with sections added or removed.

** The Community of Christ edition currently has 165 section numbers, although the actual section count is slightly different, due to the occasional annexed section with numbers like 149A, and five sections which are no longer included but which weren't renumbered. The RLDS Church focused on adding new material authored by prophet-presidents and canonised by conference vote, and took the opposite approach to the material from Joseph Smith's lifetime, especially temple-related instruction from the Nauvoo period which was argued not to apply following Joseph Smith's death and the subsequent scattering and re-organisation of the church (for example [[http://www.scripturetoolbox.com/html/d_c/Section/107.html section 107]], equivalent to LDS section 124, was moved to a historical appendix in 1970 and then [[https://communityofchristscripture.blogspot.com/2013/09/d-section-107.html deleted in 1990]]). The exception is sections 22 and 36, which are excerpts from the Joseph Smith Translation (specifically from the part that the LDS Church calls the [[Literature/ThePearlOfGreatPrice Book of Moses]]).

** The Community of Christ edition currently has 165 section numbers, although the actual section count is slightly different, due to the occasional annexed section with numbers like 149A, and five sections which are no longer included but which weren't renumbered. The RLDS Church focused on adding new material authored by prophet-presidents and canonised by conference vote, and took the opposite approach to the material from Joseph Smith's lifetime, especially temple-related instruction from the Nauvoo period which was argued not to apply following Joseph Smith's death and the subsequent scattering and re-organisation of the church (for example [[http://www.scripturetoolbox.com/html/d_c/Section/107.html section 107]], equivalent to LDS section 124, was moved to a historical appendix in 1970 and then [[https://communityofchristscripture.blogspot.com/2013/09/d-section-107.html deleted in 1990]]).

** Some Mormon denominations reject certain sections of the LDS edition because they believe they weren't inspired or written by Joseph Smith. For example, the LDS Church omitted a verse in D&C 101 affirming monogamy because it was believed to have been written by Oliver Cowdery; and the Community of Christ rejects the teachings on plural marriage in LDS D&C 132. Also, the Cutlerites continued following the Law of Consecration and believe the sections on tithing weren't written by Joseph Smith.

** The LDS D&C has 132 sections and two official declarations, compared to 111 in the last of the three editions published in Joseph Smith's lifetime. The LDS Church mostly focused on adding additional documents from Joseph Smith's lifetime (including the disputed plural marriage section), with the only sections originating after Joseph Smith being 136 and 138 (plus both Official Declarations). Some of the added sections were excerpted from Literature/The PearlOfGreatPrice: sections 2 and 13 are excerpts from Joseph Smith–History, and sections 77 and (much later) 137 and 138 briefly appeared in the Pearl of Great Price before being moved.

* CanonDiscontinuity:
** The Lectures on Faith were removed from the Doctrine and Covenants in 1921. The modern LDS edition says that they were omitted "because they were not given or presented as revelations to the whole Church."

** Following the SuccessionCrisis after Joseph Smith's death, the canon of the D&C was also fractured. For example, the LDS D&C has 132 sections and two official proclamations, while the Community of Christ's D&C has 165 sections.

** Some Mormon denominations believe certain sections in the LDS edition were inspired or written by Joseph Smith. For example, the LDS Church omitted a verse in D&C 101 affirming monogamy because it was believed to have been written by Oliver Cowdery; and the Community of Christ rejects the teachings on plural marriage in LDS D&C 132. Also, the Cutlerites continued following the Law of Consecration so they believe the sections on tithing weren't written by Joseph Smith.

** This is the purpose of Zion's Camp in Section 105, at least according to an [[https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-07-090-zions-camp LDS Church-produced film]] on the expedition.* LetsSeeYouDoBetter: When Joseph Smith's revelations were first published, some people criticized the language. Section 67 is given as a response to these criticisms.

* TimeForPlanB: After Martin Harris lost 116 pages of the Book of Mormon manuscript, the Lord instructs Joseph Smith not to re-translate this portion because it's a trap. Instead, He instructs Joseph to translate the Plates of Nephi.

* WhamEpisode: Section 110 starts with Jesus appearing to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Moses appears to them and gives them the authority to gather Israel and lead the ten tribes, and Elias promises that they will have the blessing promised to Abraham's children. Finally, Elijah gives them the sealing power, fulfilling the prophecy in Malachi 4:5-6 and paving the way for temple work.

* LetsSeeYouDoBetter: When Joseph Smith's revelations were first published, some people criticized the language. Section 67 is given as a response to these criticisms.

* WhamEpisode: Section 110 starts with Jesus appearing to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Moses appears to them and gives them the authority to gather Israel and lead the ten tribes, and Elias promises that they will have the blessing promised to Abraham's children. Finally, Elijah gives them the sealing power, fulfilling the prophecy in Malachi 4:5-6 and paving the way for temple work.
* ItsTheJourneyThatCounts:
** The background to Section 111 is that the Church is cash-strapped and its leaders hear there's money in Salem, Massachusetts. However, when Joseph Smith and other church leaders get there, they find nothing. The Lord tells them to get acquainted with the people of Salem because "there are more treasures than one for you in this city," meaning their treasure was actually the people they met in Salem. (That said, the wording of the section - "not displeased with your coming this journey, notwithstanding your follies" - does suggest that getting value from the journey is simply making the best of a non-ideal situation.)
** This is the purpose of Zion's Camp in Section 105, at least according to an [[https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-07-090-zions-camp LDS Church-produced film]] on the expedition.

** The background to Section 111 is that the Church is cash-strapped and its leaders hear there's money in Salem, Massachusetts. However, when Joseph Smith and other church leaders get there, they find nothing. The Lord tells them to get acquainted with the people of Salem because "there are more treasures than one for you in this city," meaning their treasure was actually the people they met in Salem.

* RuleOfThree: Section 76 explains that there are three kingdoms in the resurrection, the Telestial Kingdom, the Terrestrial Kingdom, and the Celestial Kingdom, whose glory can be compared to the stars, the moon, and the sun (respectively).

** Some Mormon denominations believe certain sections in the LDS edition were inspired or written by Joseph Smith. For example, the LDS Church omitted a verse in D&C 101 affirming the practice of monogamy because it was believed to have written by Oliver Cowdery, and Community of Christ rejects the teachings on plural marriage in D&C 132. Also, the Cutlerites believe the sections on tithing didn't come from Joseph Smith and so they continue to follow the Law of Consecration.
** Following the SuccessionCrisis after Joseph Smith's death, the canon of the D&C was also fractured. For example, the LDS D&C has 132 sections and two official proclamations, while the Community of Christ's D&C has 167 sections.

** This is the purpose of Zion's Camp in Section 105, at least according to a [[https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-07-090-zions-camp LDS Church-produced film]] on the expedition.

Since UsefulNotes/{{Mormonism}} was founded on the principle of living prophets and continuing revelation, it has an open [[SacredScripture scriptural canon]]. The revelations and inspired writings of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his [[SuccessionCrisis accepted successors]] are compiled in the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C). Unlike Literature/TheBible and even Literature/TheBookOfMormon, which are considered the Word of God translated from ancient records, these writings are considered God's word to his people in modern times.

* DespairEventHorizon: Section 121 was written in while Joseph Smith was in prison and prays to know why God has seemingly left him. God responds by giving some comfort, saying he is "not yet as [[Literature/BookOfJob Job]]" and that all his trials will be for his benefit.

* HellInvadesHeaven: {{Inverted}} in Section 138. In Joseph F. Smith's vision, he sees the spirits in paradise preaching the gospel to those in spirit prison.

** Independence, Missouri is the City of Zion (D&C 57:1-2).