Crowned With the Same Blessing

It is interesting to note that the first nine verses of section 6 of the Doctrine and Covenants are essentially the same as the first nine verses of section 11. Section 6 was given to Oliver Cowdery, whereas section 11 was given to Hyrum Smith. The tenth verse of each section starts the same but they are different. To Oliver the Lord said, “Behold thou hast a gift, and blessed art thou because of thy gift. Remember it is sacred and cometh from above.” And to Hyrum the Lord said, “Behold, thou hast a gift, or thou shalt have a gift if thou wilt desire of me in faith, with an honest heart, believing in the power of Jesus Christ, or in my power which speaketh unto thee.” Oliver had the gift, but Hyrum’s gift was to come in the future. To Oliver (and Joseph) the Lord also said this, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, if they reject my words, and this part of my gospel and ministry, blessed are ye, for they can do no more unto you than unto me. And even if they do unto you even as they have done unto me, blessed are ye, for you shall dwell with me in glory” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:29-30). This was a premonition of the fact that Joseph would give his life for the work of the Lord, and I believe that Oliver was meant to give his as well. But he fell away so he was not given the privilege of giving his life for the Lord like Joseph. But Hyrum, who received Oliver’s position, was. The Lord said in 1841: “That he may act in concert also with my servant Joseph; and that he shall receive counsel from my servant Joseph, who shall show unto him the keys whereby he may ask and receive, and be crowned with the same blessing, and glory, and honor, and priesthood, and gifts of the priesthood, that once were put upon him that was my servant Oliver Cowdery; That my servant Hyrum may bear record of the things which I shall show unto him, that his name may be had in honorable remembrance from generation to generation, forever and ever” (Doctrine and Covenants 124:95-96). Hyrum was officially given from the Lord the blessings that had been prepared for Oliver Cowdery, a fact that I believe was foreseen as far back as the spring of 1829 when sections 6 and 11 were given. The Lord knew that one day Hyrum would receive the blessings originally offered to Oliver, and that included the opportunity to give his life for the work of God, even as the Savior had given His. As John Taylor eulogized, “[Joseph] lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum. In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated!” (Doctrine and Covenants 135:3)

                I think we can consider Oliver Cowdery’s assistance in the translation of the Book of Mormon as the Lord’s backup plan for Martin Harris. Martin was the original scribe, but he lost the opportunity when he broke his covenant and allowed the 116 pages to be taken from him. But, as the Lord declared, “Remember, remember that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men” (Doctrine and Covenants 3:3). Martin’s actions did not stop the work from progressing, and Oliver fulfilled his role marvelously as he and Joseph completed the translation of the Book of Mormon in 1829 at a breathtaking pace. Unfortunately, Oliver did not stay faithful to the work of the Lord, and though He had been prepared to fulfill an even greater role in Nauvoo—including the opportunity to offer his life for the cause of Christ—he missed the chance. Interestingly, due to the efforts of Joseph Young (brother of Brigham Young and brother-in-law to Oliver), “for a time, it appeared that Cowdery might rejoin the Saints in Nauvoo. Joseph Smith received and read a letter from Cowdery hours before being killed in Carthage Jail.” It was as if Oliver was almost there in that jail, with Joseph reading his letter the very day he gave his life. But he wasn’t, and Hyrum was there in his stead. The Lord had a backup plan in Hyrum, and he received all the blessings and responsibilities of Oliver in Nauvoo. This included the office of Assistant President of the Church, and he of course fulfilled his responsibilities with faithfulness to the end. Perhaps the important message for us is that the Lord will do His work, and we can have a great part to play in it if we will remain faithful. If we don’t, the Lord’s work will go on and we will miss out the blessings He has in store uniquely for us. It is up to each of us individually.