Section 26
Overview
Doctrine and Covenants Section 26 is a brief, two-verse revelation dictated by Joseph Smith in July 1830 in Harmony, Pennsylvania. Historically, it follows a period of intense persecution in Colesville, New York, where Smith had been arrested and prevented from completing the confirmation ordinances for newly baptized converts. The text instructs Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and John Whitmer to dedicate their time to studying the scriptures, preaching, returning to confirm the Colesville saints, and performing necessary agricultural labor. Theologically, the text is highly significant for its formal introduction of the 'law of common consent' (verse 2). This principle dictates that all things in the church must be done with the formal agreement and sustaining vote of the membership. While it appears democratic, in Mormon practice, common consent functions not as a mechanism to generate policy, but as a covenantal act where members publicly sustain and accept the revelations and callings presented by prophetic leadership. The text also reinforces the Mormon doctrine of continuing revelation, promising that future instructions will be given at an upcoming conference.
Key Figures
- Joseph Smith (The Prophet receiving the revelation and directing the church)
- Oliver Cowdery (Associate and Second Elder of the Church, directed to study, preach, and labor)
- John Whitmer (Early church leader directed to assist in the work)
- The Church at Colesville (A specific group of early converts who had been baptized but not yet confirmed due to mob violence and Smith's arrest)
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Continuing Revelation
Assertion
God provides ongoing, situational, and specific instructions to church leaders regarding their daily activities, locations, and future duties.
Evidence from Text
...until after you shall go to the west to hold the next conference; and then it shall be made known what you shall do.
Evangelical Comparison
This text operates on the foundational Mormon premise of an open canon and continuing revelation. God is depicted as micromanaging the temporal and spiritual affairs of the church leaders, promising that future steps will be 'made known' at a later date. In contrast, Evangelical Christianity holds to Sola Scriptura, believing that the 66 books of the Bible contain the complete, sufficient, and final revelation of God for the church (Jude 1:3, Hebrews 1:1-2). While Evangelicals believe in the Holy Spirit's illumination and personal guidance, they reject the concept of new, authoritative, binding revelation given through a singular prophetic office.
Law of Common Consent
Assertion
All administrative and ecclesiastical actions within the church must be ratified by the membership through faith and prayer.
Evidence from Text
And all things shall be done by common consent in the church, by much prayer and faith...
Evangelical Comparison
The 'law of common consent' is a defining administrative doctrine in Mormonism. It requires that members publicly vote to sustain officers, decisions, and new revelations. However, it is not a democratic process where the congregation dictates theology; rather, it is a covenantal agreement to support what the leadership has already declared as God's will. In Evangelicalism, church governance varies (congregational, presbyterian, episcopal), but the ultimate authority is always the written Word of God. A congregation cannot 'consent' to or reject a truth; truth is established by Scripture alone, independent of human ratification.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The primary divergence lies in the source of authority (ongoing prophetic revelation vs. closed biblical canon) and the nature of church governance (sustaining new revelations vs. submitting to established Scripture).
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap centers on the doctrines of revelation and authority. D&C 26 operates on the premise that God continues to speak binding, authoritative words through a singular prophet (Joseph Smith), directing both the spiritual and mundane affairs of the church. Furthermore, it introduces 'common consent,' a system where the church body must ratify these directives. In Evangelical theology, the canon of Scripture is closed (Sola Scriptura). God's special revelation was completed with the apostolic era. While God providentially guides His church, He does not give new, universally binding revelations that require congregational ratification. For the Evangelical, truth is not subject to 'common consent'; it is objectively established in the biblical text. The church's role is to submit to the Word, not to sustain new additions to it.
For All Ages
Imagine you have a rulebook for a game that is completely finished, and everyone agrees it has all the rules you will ever need. That is how Evangelical Christians view the Bible. Now imagine someone says, 'The creator of the game is still giving me new rules every day, and we all need to vote to accept them.' That is what is happening in this text. The text says God is giving new instructions to Joseph Smith, and the church members have to use 'common consent' to agree to them. Christians believe God already gave us everything we need in the Bible, so we don't need new rules or a vote to know what is true.
Friction Points
Sola Scriptura
The text presents itself as new, binding revelation from God, adding to the scriptural canon and directing the church outside of biblical parameters.
Universal Priesthood / Church Governance
The text establishes a paradigm where a singular prophet receives the dictates, and the body merely consents to them, creating a mediatorial leadership structure.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Common Consent"
In This Text
A formal process where church members publicly vote to sustain (support and accept) the revelations, decisions, and callings made by prophetic leadership.
In Evangelicalism
While the Bible speaks of believers being of 'one accord' (Acts 2:46) and congregations participating in selecting leaders (Acts 6:3), it does not teach that divine revelation or truth requires the consent of the governed to be valid.
"Confirming"
In This Text
In this historical context, returning to perform the specific priesthood ordinance of the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost upon newly baptized members.
In Evangelicalism
Strengthening and encouraging believers in their faith (Acts 14:22). While the Holy Spirit is given at salvation (Ephesians 1:13), Evangelicals do not view 'confirmation' as a secondary saving ordinance required to receive the Spirit.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Not explicitly defined in this brief text, though it implies that being part of the 'confirmed' church is necessary.
How Attained: Implied through obedience to prophetic directives and receiving ordinances (confirmation).
Basis of Assurance: Assurance is found in participating in the church's order, exercising faith, and sustaining the leadership through common consent.
Comparison to Sola Fide: The text focuses on administrative duties, manual labor, and ritual completion (confirming) rather than justification by faith alone. While it mentions receiving things 'by faith,' this faith is directed toward church operations and prophetic obedience, not solely resting in Christ's finished work (Romans 4:5).
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Devote time to studying the scriptures
- Devote time to preaching
- Confirm the church at Colesville
- Perform labors on the land as required
- Go to the west to hold the next conference
- Do all things by common consent in the church
- Exercise much prayer and faith
Implicit Obligations
- Submit to the prophetic authority of Joseph Smith, through whom these directives are given
- Wait patiently for future revelation to know what to do next
Ritual Requirements
- Confirming the church (historically referring to the ordinance of the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost)
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- If God gives a direct revelation to a prophet, why does it require the 'common consent' of the church members? Can the members vote down something God commanded?
- How do you balance the command to study the scriptures with the expectation to wait for new revelations ('then it shall be made known what you shall do')?
- When the text talks about 'confirming the church,' how does that compare to how the Apostle Paul confirmed and strengthened churches in the New Testament?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
Common Consent and Unity
The desire for the church to operate in unity and agreement is a biblical concept. However, true unity is not found in voting to sustain a human leader, but in being united in the mind of Christ and the truth of the Gospel.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The phrase 'until after... and then it shall be made known what you shall do' creates a perpetual state of waiting for the next prophetic directive. Believers may feel they cannot act or know God's will fully without the mediation of the prophet's next revelation.
The text demands a rigorous balance of studying, preaching, traveling, and manual labor ('labors on the land'). This reflects the heavy performance burden placed on early (and modern) LDS members to constantly build the physical and spiritual infrastructure of the church.