Section 28
Overview
Section 28 of the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants (known as Section 69 in the modern LDS Doctrine and Covenants) was dictated by Joseph Smith in November 1831 in Hiram, Ohio. Historically, the early Latter-day Saint church had just held a series of conferences where they decided to publish Joseph Smith's revelations as the 'Book of Commandments.' Oliver Cowdery was tasked with transporting these highly valuable manuscript revelations, along with church funds, across the dangerous American frontier to Independence, Missouri (designated as 'Zion'), where W.W. Phelps had a printing press. This text serves as a divine directive stating that it is unwise for Cowdery to travel alone with such valuable assets. Consequently, John Whitmer, who had previously been appointed as the official church historian, is commanded to accompany Cowdery because he is 'true and faithful.' Beyond the travel assignment, the text outlines Whitmer's ongoing duties: he is to continue writing the history of the church, gather accounts of 'stewardships' from missionaries abroad, travel among the various church branches to obtain knowledge, and preach. The text emphasizes the centralization of the early Mormon church in 'Zion' (Missouri), establishing it as the seat for receiving reports and preserving history for 'rising generations.' For believers, this text reinforces the importance of church history, the necessity of accountability to church leadership, and the belief that God actively micromanages the administrative and logistical details of His church through a living prophet.
Key Figures
- The Lord: The speaker of the text, asserting divine authority over church logistics and personnel assignments.
- Oliver Cowdery: The Second Elder of the church, tasked with carrying money and the manuscript revelations ('the commandments') to Zion.
- John Whitmer: Appointed as Cowdery's traveling companion and the official church historian, commanded to document the church's rise and gather stewardship reports.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Ongoing Administrative Revelation (Open Canon)
Assertion
God gives direct, verbatim revelation regarding temporal church administration, travel logistics, and personnel assignments, which are to be recorded as scripture.
Evidence from Text
Hearken unto me, saith the Lord your God, for my servant Oliver Cowdery’s sake, it is not wisdom in me, that he should be entrusted with the commandments and the moneys which he shall carry unto the land of Zion, except one go with him
Evangelical Comparison
In Evangelical theology, the canon of Scripture is closed, having been completed with the apostolic era (Jude 1:3, Revelation 22:18-19). Biblical revelation is primarily redemptive-historical, focusing on God's unfolding plan of salvation culminating in the person and work of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-2). While the New Testament contains administrative details (e.g., Paul's travel plans in his epistles), these are contextual to the apostolic foundation of the Church. In contrast, this text demonstrates the Mormon doctrine of an open canon where the Prophet receives direct, first-person dictation from God regarding mundane logistical issues—such as who should carry money on a specific journey. By canonizing this text, Mormonism blurs the line between eternal divine truth and temporal church administration, requiring adherents to view the Prophet's administrative decisions as the literal, infallible voice of God.
Zion as a Geographic Center
Assertion
Zion is a specific physical location on earth (Missouri) that serves as the administrative headquarters of the church and an everlasting inheritance for the saints.
Evidence from Text
...for the land of Zion shall be a seat and a place to receive and do all these things... that shall grow up on the land of Zion, to possess it from generation to generation, forever and ever.
Evangelical Comparison
Evangelical eschatology and ecclesiology understand 'Zion' in the New Covenant as a spiritual reality. Hebrews 12:22-23 states that believers 'have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.' It is not a physical plot of land in North America, but the spiritual gathering of the redeemed, culminating in the New Heavens and New Earth (Revelation 21). This text, however, reinforces the early Mormon doctrine that Zion is a specific geographic location (Jackson County, Missouri) that must be physically possessed and built up by the church. It serves as a literal 'seat' of government where financial and historical records must be sent. This creates a localized, earthly focus for the kingdom of God, contrasting sharply with Christ's declaration that His kingdom 'is not of this world' (John 18:36).
The Law of Stewardship and Accountability
Assertion
Church members ('servants') are required to submit formal accounts of their stewardships to the central church leadership in Zion.
Evidence from Text
And also, my servants who are abroad in the earth, should send forth the accounts of their stewardships to the land of Zion
Evangelical Comparison
Evangelical Christianity teaches that all believers are stewards of the time, talents, and treasures God has given them, and they will ultimately give an account to Christ at the Bema Seat (2 Corinthians 5:10, Romans 14:12). Accountability within the local church is relational and pastoral. In Mormonism, as established in texts like this, 'stewardship' takes on a highly institutional and legalistic framework. Members are required to formally report their activities, finances, and ministries to the centralized church hierarchy ('to the land of Zion'). This establishes a system where spiritual faithfulness is measured by institutional compliance and reporting, subtly shifting the believer's primary accountability from the mediating work of Christ to the administrative oversight of the church organization.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text elevates temporal church administration to the level of divine scripture and establishes a physical, earthly headquarters (Zion) as the center of spiritual accountability.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The primary theological gap lies in the doctrine of revelation and the sufficiency of Scripture. Evangelical Christianity holds to Sola Scriptura, meaning the 66 books of the Bible are the sole, infallible rule of faith and practice. Biblical revelation is fundamentally redemptive-historical. While the Bible contains administrative details, they are descriptive of the apostolic era. This text, however, is prescriptive, ongoing administrative dictation claimed to be the literal voice of God. By canonizing a travel itinerary and a job description for a church historian, Mormonism fundamentally alters the definition of scripture, blending divine eternal truth with temporal, logistical management. Furthermore, the text establishes a localized, earthly 'Zion' where members must send reports of their 'stewardships.' This creates an institutionalized, works-based accountability structure centered on a geographic location, which contrasts with the New Testament teaching of a spiritual kingdom where believers have direct access to God through Christ, regardless of geography (John 4:21-24).
For All Ages
Imagine you have a perfect rulebook for a game that is already finished. That's how Christians view the Bible. But in this text, the leader of a new church wrote down travel plans and job assignments for his friends and said, 'These are the exact words of God, add them to the rulebook.' Christians believe God's perfect rulebook (the Bible) is closed and focuses on how Jesus saved us, not on who should carry money on a road trip to Missouri. Also, this text says God's headquarters is a specific piece of land in Missouri, but Christians believe God's kingdom is spiritual and everywhere believers are.
Friction Points
Sola Scriptura
Adds post-biblical, administrative directives to the canon of scripture, violating the sufficiency and closure of the Bible.
Ecclesiology / Eschatology
Localizes the kingdom of God to a specific geographic 'seat' in Missouri, contradicting the spiritual and universal nature of the New Covenant church.
Sola Fide
Implies that maintaining standing in the church (and thus possessing Zion 'forever and ever') requires formal institutional reporting of stewardships.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Zion"
In This Text
A literal, geographic location in North America (specifically Jackson County, Missouri) designated as the gathering place and administrative headquarters for the church.
In Evangelicalism
Historically Jerusalem, but in the New Covenant, it refers to the spiritual reality of the Church, the heavenly city of God, and the future eschatological dwelling place of believers (Hebrews 12:22).
"Stewardship"
In This Text
A formal, institutional assignment or property given by the church, requiring a literal report to be sent to church headquarters in Zion.
In Evangelicalism
The general management of the time, talents, and resources God has entrusted to a believer, for which they will answer to Christ.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: In the context of this text, ultimate blessing is defined as the 'rising generations' growing up to 'possess [Zion] from generation to generation, forever and ever.'
How Attained: Attained through obedience to church directives, gathering to Zion, and faithfully executing and reporting one's stewardship.
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is based on being deemed 'true and faithful' by church leadership and complying with institutional mandates.
Comparison to Sola Fide: The text does not explicitly discuss justification, but its focus on possessing an eternal inheritance ('forever and ever') through institutional compliance and stewardship reporting stands in contrast to Ephesians 2:8-9, where eternal inheritance is a free gift received by faith alone, apart from works or institutional reporting.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- John Whitmer must accompany Oliver Cowdery to the land of Zion.
- John Whitmer must continue writing and making a history of all important things concerning the church.
- John Whitmer must receive counsel and assistance from Oliver Cowdery and others.
- Servants abroad must send accounts of their stewardships to the land of Zion.
- John Whitmer must travel from place to place and church to church to obtain knowledge.
- John Whitmer must preach, expound, write, copy, select, and obtain things for the good of the church.
Implicit Obligations
- Oliver Cowdery must accept John Whitmer as his traveling companion.
- The church must value, preserve, and utilize its historical records.
- Members must view the land of Zion as their ultimate gathering place and inheritance.
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- When you read this section, how do you distinguish between a practical administrative decision made by a leader and a direct, verbatim revelation from God?
- Why do you think God needed to give a revelation about who should carry money on a trip, rather than Joseph Smith just using the wisdom God gave him?
- The text says Zion (Missouri) would be possessed 'from generation to generation, forever and ever.' Given the historical expulsion of the saints from Missouri shortly after this, how do you understand that promise today?
- How does the requirement to report 'stewardships' to church headquarters affect how you view your personal accountability to God versus your accountability to the church organization?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The need for a 'true and faithful' companion for a dangerous journey.
Just as Oliver Cowdery needed a true and faithful companion to safely navigate the dangerous frontier, we need a true and faithful Savior to navigate the reality of sin and death. Jesus Christ is the ultimate 'True and Faithful' one (Revelation 19:11) who secures our journey to the true, heavenly Zion.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
By canonizing administrative directives, the text creates a paradigm where questioning church logistics or leadership decisions is equated with questioning God Himself. This places a heavy burden of absolute compliance on the believer, stifling personal discernment.
The mandate to 'send forth the accounts of their stewardships' establishes a culture of constant institutional reporting. Believers may feel their spiritual worth is tied to how well they perform their church callings and how those performances are judged by the hierarchy in 'Zion.'