Lesson 1: Introduction to the Doctrine and Covenants and Church History

 The following is brief history of the printing of the Doctrine & Covenants since 1833.

 1833 - A BOOK OF COMMANDMENTS. The original intent was to print up to 10,000 copies of this collection of revelations, but the number was revised down to 3,000 in 1832. The printing press was destroyed while the book was being set and most of the printed sheets scattered or destroyed. Some of these sheets were saved by early members of the Church and compiled into an indeterminate number of books with various, often home-made, bindings. A total of five 32-page signatures (tricesimo secundo), resulting in a book of 160 pages, comprised in 65 chapters. Whether this was all that was intended to be printed is not known. Fewer than 30 copies of this book are still in existence today.

 1835 - DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS OF THE CHURCH OF THE LATTER DAY SAINTS. Although 5,000 copies were supposed to be printed, it is likely that not all of these were bound. The “Lectures on Faith,” are found at the beginning of the book, and remained a part of the D&C until 1921. There are 100 revelations covering the period from July 1828 to March 28, 1935. Sections 1-4, 6-100 are numbered with roman numerals. Two sections are erroneously numbered as 66, and section 7 is misnumbered as 5. An article on marriage is included as section 101, and an article on government and laws as section 102. There is also an unnumbered section including the minutes of the August 17, 1835 general assembly. The article on marriage, written by Oliver Cowdery, was included in all editions until 1876. The article on government is still found in the D&C as section 134.

 1844 Second Edition Eight sections were added (current 103, 105, 112, 119, 124, 127, 128 and 135). 110 sections total.

1845 Third Edition
1845 First European Edition
1846 Fourth Edition - NOTE: Not printed again in the US for 30 years.

 1876 SALT LAKE CITY EDITION Revised by Orson Pratt with sections placed in roughly chronological order. Section 101 (statement on marriage by Oliver Cowdery) was removed from this edition.

 This section included the language: Inasmuch as the Church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, And polygamy: we declare that we believe that one man should have one wife; and one Woman but one husband, except in the case of death… Replacing this section is the revelation on marriage, now included as section 132.

 During the 1880s, five foreign editions contained two revelations by John Taylor that were received in 1882 and 1883. These revelations “set in order” the priesthood, gave instructions regarding priesthood offices (especially the Seventy), and required priesthood leaders to live the principle of plural marriage in order to qualify to hold their Church positions. These two revelations were not included after 1890.

 1921 - First Edition in double-column pages with chapter headings, revised footnotes, and index. “The Lectures on Faith,” were removed/

 1930 - Elder James E. Talmage was appointed to compile an abridged version of the Doctrine & Covenants, published as Latter-day Revelations.

 1981 - Sections 137 & 138 were added, as was Official Declaration 2.