Until Your Children Are Provided For

Most of the sections in the Doctrine and Covenants are in chronological order, but section 99 is an exception. Because of “an error in the 1876 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, the revelation’s date was listed as August 1833,” but in reality, it was given in August 1832. That date error was corrected in the 2013 version of the Doctrine and Covenants, but the revelation of course retained the same number (chronologically it actually comes between 83 and 84). The placement in the book does not change the importance of its principles related to missionary work, families, and the judgment that are applicable to us all.  

I think there is some significance to the revelation being adjacent to section 100 in our current edition. Section 99 is a revelation to John Murdock. This was the same John Murdock whose wife Julia died in childbirth in 1831. She had twins, and it was the same time that Emma had twins, both of whom died. And so, John Murdock gave his two twins to Joseph and Emma for them to raise. One of those, named Joseph Murdock Smith, died from sickness related to Joseph’s tarring and feathering in March 1832. The other twin named after her birth mother Julia, would live until 1880. John Murdock had three other children (born before the twins), and after his wife’s death when he would go to preach the gospel, they were cared for by friends and neighbors. In the revelation contained in section 99, John was called to preach the gospel “in the eastern countries,” but the Lord gave this counsel before he would do that: “And now, verily I say unto you, that it is not expedient that you should go until your children are provided for, and sent up kindly unto the bishop of Zion” (Doctrine and Covenants 99:1, 6). The Lord remembered his three children, and they were indeed sent to Missouri to be cared for “kindly” while he preached the gospel. The revelation highlights that preaching the gospel isn’t necessarily more valuable than caring for our families; both are important to the Lord and He wants both accomplished.

Section 100, adjacent to the John Murdock’s revelation, was given to Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith while they were in New York. The preface states, “The two brethren, having been absent from their families for several days, felt some concern about them.” In the first verse of the revelation the Lord said this: “Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my friends Sidney and Joseph, your families are well; they are in mine hands, and I will do with them as seemeth me good; for in me there is all power.” The Lord also commanded them to preach the gospel: “Therefore, verily I say unto you, lift up your voices unto this people; speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be confounded before men” (v5). So, againm in the same revelation the Lord was aware of both families and the preaching of the gospel. What is cool to me is that among the people of those “families” that the Lord mentioned was Julia Murdock Smith, daughter of John Murdock. So, in section 99 the Lord spoke about John Murdock’s three children, and in section 100 He at least alluded to his other living daughter being raised by the Smiths. The Lord was concerned with all of the family of John Murdock.

If this revelation to John Murdock had been put in its correct place chronologically, it would have been after section 83. That section says this: “All children have claim upon their parents for their maintenance until they are of age” (v4). That’s a fitting statement for the Lord to make not long before giving this revelation to John Murdock telling him to make sure his children were taken care of. All of these revelations highlight that the Lord is aware of children and families and concerned about their well-being, and we should not underestimate the importance of caring for them in the Lord’s latter-day work.