Doctrine and Covenants Commentary - Section 61

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         SECTION 61

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, on the bank of the Missouri River, Mcllwaine's Bend, August 12, 1831. HC 1:202-205. On their return trip to Kirtland the Prophet and ten elders had traveled down the Missouri River in canoes. On the third day of the journey many dangers were experienced. Elder William W. Phelps, in daylight vision, saw the destroyer riding in power upon the face of the waters.


    1-12, The Lord has decreed many destructions upon the waters;
    13-22, the waters were cursed by John, and the destroyer rideth upon their face;
    23-29, Some have power to command the waters;
    30-35, Elders are to journey two by two and preach the gospel;
    36-39, They are to prepare for the coming of the Son of Man.
D&C 61:1 Behold, and hearken unto the voice of him who has all apower, who is from everlasting to everlasting, even bAlpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

D&C 61:2 Behold, verily thus saith the Lord unto you, O ye elders of my church, who are assembled upon this spot, whose sins are now forgiven you, for I, the Lord, aforgive sins, and am bmerciful unto those who cconfess their sins with humble heartsa;

D&C 61:3 But verily I say unto you, that it is not needful for this whole company of mine elders to be moving swiftly upon the waters, whilst the inhabitants on either side are perishing in unbelief.

 2a I, the Lord, forgive sins, and am merciful unto those who confess their sins with humble hearts As in the parable of the Pharasee and the Publican, the Pharasee who felt hemself better and more righteous than the Publican receives not forgiveness, while the Publican who is penatant and does humbly confess his sins seeking forgiveness, the same may be justified through the Lord's redemption by mercies and the atonement of Christ. All men are fallen creatures of the natural man and are sins before God. And all men must so recognize their position before God and seek his forgiveness and redemption.
D&C 61:4 Nevertheless, I suffered it that ye might bear record; behold, there are many dangers upon the waters, and more especially hereafter;

D&C 61:5 For I, the Lord have decreed in mine anger many destructions upon the waters; yea, and especially upon these waters.

D&C 61:6 Nevertheless, all flesh is in mine hand, and he that is faithful among you shall not aperish by the waters.

D&C 61:7 Wherefore, it is expedient that my servant Sidney Gilbert and my servant aWilliam W. Phelps be in haste upon their errand and mission.

D&C 61:8 Nevertheless, I would not suffer that ye should part until you were achastened for all your sins, that you might be one, that you might not perish in bwickedness;

D&C 61:9 But now, verily I say, it behooveth me that ye should part. Wherefore let my servants Sidney Gilbert and William W. Phelps take their former company, and let them take their journey in haste that they may fill their mission, and through faith they shall overcome;

D&C 61:10 And inasmuch as they are afaithful they shall be preserved, and I, the Lord, will be bwith them.

D&C 61:11 And let the residue take that which is needful for clothing.

D&C 61:12 Let my servant Sidney Gilbert take that which is not needful with him, as you shall agree.

D&C 61:13 And now, behold, for your agood I gave unto you a bcommandment concerning these things; and I, the Lord, will reason with you as with men in days of old.

D&C 61:14 Behold, I, the Lord, in the beginning blessed the awaters; but in the lasts days, by the mouth of my servant John, I bcursed the waters.

D&C 61:15 Wherefore, the days will come that no flesh shall be safe upon the waters.

D&C 61:16 And it shall be said in days to come that none is able to go up to the land of Zion upon the waters, but he that is upright in heart.

D&C 61:17 And, as I, the Lord, in the beginning acursed the land, even so in the last days have I bblessed it, in its time, for the use of my saints, that they may partake the fatness thereof.

D&C 61:18 And now I give unto you a commandment that what I say unto one I say unto all, that you shall forewarn your brethren concerning these waters, that they come not in journeying upon them, lest their faith fall and they are caught in snares;

D&C 61:19 I, the Lord, have decreed, and the destroyer rideth upon the face thereof, and I revoke not the decree.

D&C 61:20 I, the Lord, was aangry with you yesterday, but today mine anger is turned away.

D&C 61:21 Wherefore, let those concerning whom I have spoken, that should take their journey in haste—again I say unto you, let them take their journey in haste.

D&C 61:22 And it mattereth not unto me, after a little, if it so be that they fill their mission, whether they go by water or by land; let this be as it is made known unto them aaccording to their judgments hereafter.

D&C 61:23 And now, concerning my servants, Sidney Rigdon, Joseph Smith, Jun., and Oliver Cowdery, let them come not again upon the canal, while journeying unto their homes; or in other words they shall not come upon the waters to journey, save upon the canal.

D&C 61:24 Behold, I, the Lord, have appointed a way for the journeying of my saints; and behold, this is the way--that after they leave the canal they shall journey by land, inasmuch as they are commanded to journey and go up unto the land of Zion.

D&C 61:25 And they shall do alike unto the children of Israel, bpitching their tents by the way.

D&C 61:26 And, behold, this commandment you shall give unto all your brethren.

D&C 61:27 Nevertheless, unto whom is given apower to command the waters, unto him it is given by the Spirit to know all his ways;

D&C 61:28 Wherefore, let him do as the Spirit of the living God commandeth him, whether upon the land or upon the waters, as it remaineth with me to do hereafter.

D&C 61:29 And unto you is given the course for the Saints, or the way for the saints of the camp of the Lord, to journey.

D&C 61:30 And again, verily I say unto you, my servants, Sidney Rigdon, Joseph Smith, Jun., and Oliver Cowdery, shall not open their mouths in the acongregations of the wicked until they arrive at Cincinnati;

D&C 61:31 And in that place they shall lift up their voices unto God against that people, yea, unto him whose anger is akindled against their wickedness, a people who are well-nigh bripened for destruction.

D&C 61:32 And from thence let them journey for the congregations of their brethren, for their labors even now are wanted more abundantly among them than among the congregations of the wicked.

D&C 61:33 And now, concerning the residue, let them journey and adeclare the word among the congregations of the wicked, inasmuch as it is given.

D&C 61:34 And inasmuch as they do this they shall arid their garments, and they shall rid their garments, and they shall be spotless before me.

D&C 61:35 And let them journey together, or atwo by two, as seemeth them good, only let my servant Reynolds Cahoon, and my servant Samuel H. Smith, with whom I am well pleased, be not separated until they return to their homes, and this for a wise purpose in me.

D&C 61:36 And now, verily I say unto you, and what I say unto one I say unto all, be of good acheer, blittle children; for I am in your cmidst, and I have not dforsaken you;

D&C 61:37 And inasmuch as you have humbled yourselves before me, the blessings of the akingdom are yours.

D&C 61:38 Gird up your loins and be awatchful and be sober, looking forth for the coming of the Son of Man, for he cometh in an hour you think not.

D&C 61:39 Pray always that you enter not into atemptation, that you may abide the day of his coming, whether in life or in death. Even so. Amen.