[Joseph Smith] Samuel H. Smith, Joseph's younger brother, visits Joseph in Harmony, becomes convinced of the truthfulness of the gospel, and is baptized.Soon afterwards Hyrum Smith visits, and Joseph, through the Urim and Thummim, receives D&C 11. Shortly thereafter, Joseph Knight, Sr., travels 30 miles from Colesville to bring such supplies as lined writing paper, grain, mackerel, potatoes, and tea, enough to last until they are finished translating. For Knight, Joseph receives D&C 12. (1)
-- August [1-7], 1830
[Word of Wisdom] Newel Knights and his wife paid us a visit at our place in Harmony. Neither his wife nor mine had been as yet confirmed, and it was proposed that we should <have sacrament together &> confirm them; before he & his wife should leave us.
In order to prepare for these things I set outâ€"to go to procure some wine for the occasion. I had however gone but a short distance when I was met by a heavenly messenger, and had the following revelation [D&C 27]. the first paragraph of which was written at this time, & the remainder in Septer following
Agreeable to this revelation we prepared some wine of our own make, and <and> held our meeting which consisted only of five; viz: Newel Knight & wife myself & wife and John Whitmer. We partook together of the sacrament after which we confirmed the two sisters into the Church, and spent the evening in a glorious manner. The Spirit of the Lord was poured out upon us and we praised God & rejoiced exceedingly. (2)
-- During August 1830
[D and C] Doctrine and Covenants 27: Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, August 1830. HC 1: 106-108. In preparation for a religious service at which the sacrament of bread and wine was to be administered, Joseph set out to procure wine for the occasion. He was met by a heavenly messenger and received this revelation, a portion of which was written at the time, and the remainder in the September following. Water is now used instead of wine in the sacramental services of the Church.
1-4, The emblems to be used in partaking of the sacrament are set forth; 5-14, Christ and his servants from all dispensations are to partake of the sacrament; 15-18, Put on the whole armor of God. (3)
Section 27, According to Newel Knight, verses 1-4 were received about 1 August 1830, but the Book of Commandments indicates that they were received 4 September. Both Newel Knight and the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants record that verses 5-18 were received in September 1830.
Place: Harmony, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania.
Historical Note: During the first week of August 1830, Newel Knight and his wife went to Harmony to visit Joseph and Emma Smith. Because neither Emma nor Sally Knight had been confirmed members of the Church, the two couples decided to attend to that ordinance and partake of the sacrament. Remembering this occasion, Newel Knight recorded,.
Brother Joseph set out to procure some wine for the occasion, but he had gone only a short distance, when he was met by a heavenly messenger, and received the first four verses of the revelation. . . .
In obedience to this revelation we prepared some wine of our own make, and held our meeting, consisting of only five persons namely, Joseph Smith and wife, John Whitmer, and myself and wife. We partook of the sacrament, after which we confirmed the two sisters into the Church, and spent the evening in a glorious manner. The Spirit of the Lord was poured out upon us. We praised the God of Israel and rejoiced exceedingly.
Newel Knight further stated that section 27 was originally two separate revelations: the first four verses were received in Harmony, Pennsylvania, and the remaining verses were received in Fayette, New York.
Publication Note. Verses 1-4 of section 27 were first published in the Evening and Morning Star (March 1833) and, later in the same year, were included in the Book of Commandments. The entire revelation was published in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. (4)
Footnotes:
1 - Conklin, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology
2 - Kenny, Scott, Saints Without Halos, Mormon History 1830-1844, Word of Wisdom, http://www.saintswithouthalos.com/n/wow.phtml
3 - Doctrine and Covenants, http://amzn.to/DoctrineandCovenants
4 - Cook, Lyndon, Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith: A Historical and Biographical Commentary of the Doctrine and Covenants, http://amzn.to/RevelationsofJosephSmith
LDS History Chronology: the Word of Wisdom
Mormon Timeline: the Word of Wisdom
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
