-- Mar 19, 1831
There appears to be a great discrepancy, in the stories told by the famous three witnesses to the Gold Bible Whitmar's description of the Book of Mormon, differs entirely from that given by Harris Whitmar relates that he was led by Smith into an open field, on his father's farm near Waterloo, when they found the book lying on the ground; Smith took it up and requested him to examine it, which he did for the space of half an hour or more, when he returned it to Smith, who placed it in his former position This witness describes the book as being something like 8 inches square the leaves were plates of metal of a whitish yellow color, and of the thickness of tin plate; the back was secured with three small rings of the same metal that the leaves were divided equi-distant, between the back & edge, by cutting the plates in two parts, and united again with solder, so that the front might be opened, as it were by a hinge, while the back part remained stationary and
immovable, and in this manner remained to him and the other witnesses a sealed book Harris declares that the leaves or pages of the book are not cut, and a part of them sealed, but that it opens like any other other book, from the edge to the back, the rings operating in the place of common binding. Palmyra Reflector, Mar. 19, 1831, qtd. in Early documents 2:249, 250. Other accounts of David Whitmer's experience, directly and indirectly reported, include a vision or angelic visitor. (1)
-- about Mar 19, 1831
[Joseph Smith] Kirtland, Ohio. Joseph Smith received Doctrine & Covenants 49, a revelation concerning the teachings of Ann Lee and the Shakers. (2)
-- Mar 20, 1831-26
Parley arrives in Kirtland. (1)
-- March 20-26, 1831
[Revelations] Kirtland, Ohio. Doctrine and Covenants 49. Sidney Rigdon, Parley P. Pratt, and Leman Copley are called on a mission to the Shakers. Jesus now rigns in heaven, will return soon, but no one knows when. Unknown holy men. Christ will not return as a woman. Marriage is ordained of God (one wife) for procreation. Be equal in all. Lamanites to blossom as the rose and Zion flourish upon the hills. (3)
-- Mar 22, 1831
Ten unidentified Palmyra residents sign a letter asserting that Joseph and his father had "belonged to a gang of money-diggers Jo pretending he could see the gold and silver by the aid of what they called a 'peep stone.'" Mormons in the Palmyra area are "few and generally of the dregs of community. The whole gang of these deluded mortals, except a few hypocrites, are profound believers in witchcraft, ghosts, goblins, &c." The signers found it "hardly possible that so clumsy an imposition can spread to any considerable extent." PT, March 22. The letter is dated Mar. 12, 1831. (1)
-- Mar 26, 1831
D&C 49 (Kirtland): Sidney, Parley, Leman Copley mission to Shakers; marriage ordained of God (one wife); abstinence from meat not required; temporal inequality a sin; Jesus will not come as a woman; disasters precede his coming; first Indians will blossom as a rose, Zion upon the mountains. The brethren "proclaimed according to the revelation given to them, but the shakers hearkened not to their words." (1)
Early spring Joseph and Emma move into cabin built by Isaac Morley on his land several miles north of Kirtland. (1)
[U.S. Religious History] Richard Allen, the first black ordained in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and founder of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, died. (4)
-- Mar 30, 1831
Warner Doty, about 29, becomes the first Mormon to die in Kirtland. Refused medical aid at Joseph's urging. Believed he would live for a thousand years. PT, Apr. 5, 1831. (1)
-- 1831 Apr
[Lucy Mack Smith] Lucy Mack Smith and group of eighty Saints depart N.Y. for Ohio. (5)
-- 1831 April
Joseph revising the King James Bible. (1)
-- 1831 Spring
Revelation that Zion is located in Independence, Missouri was presented. Many of Smith's followers still living in New York move to Kirtland. (6)
-- Apr 1831
Marinda M. (Johnson) Hyde baptized. (7)
Footnotes:
1 - http://saintswithouthalos.com/dirs/d_c.phtml
2 - BYU Studies Journal, volume 46, no. 4: A Chronology of the Life of Joseph Smith
3 - http://saintswithouthalos.com/s/_dc.phtml
4 - http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/religion/blrel_amrel_chron.htm
5 - History of Joseph Smith by His Mother: Revised and Enhanced by Scot Facer Proctor Maurine Jensen Proctor
6 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_century_(Mormonism)
7 - http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dgv482t8_0d5hdn5cv
LDS History
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Clair Barrus
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