. . . at evening, was invited with my wife, to attend [a marriage] . . . when, we arived, we opened our interview with singing & prayer, after which, I delivered an address, upon the subject of matrimony, I then invited the parties to arise, who were to be joined in wedlock, and, solemnized the institution in a brief manner, and pronounced them husband and wife in the name of God according to the articles, and covenants of the Church of the latter day saints ¹ . . .

1. The "articles and covenants" of the Church consisted of the instructions and regulations now found in section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Beginning in 1830, this document was read at most Church meetings and was carried by missionaries as a guide to regulating newly established congregations of the Church. What precisely Joseph Smith meant by "according to the articles and covenants" is unclear, since the document mentions nothing specific regarding marriage or a marriage ceremony. However, since it does provide guidance for other sacraments, perhaps Joseph Smith used it to infer what ought to be done in a marriage ceremony. D&C 19 follows D&C 20 in the ms history. D&C 19 appears in vol. 1 chapter 8 of the HC. The date of D&C 20 appears as June 1830 in the Book of Commandments. Thereafter in the D&C it has the date April 1830. No date is assigned in the ms history, but the intent of the text seems to be that the document was written prior to April 6, 1830. The text has a somewhat different character than other revelations of the period and appears as a statement of history, doctrine and regulation. Perhaps Oliver Cowdery was partly responsible for the text (see below). D&C 20 was sustained by the Church members June 9, 1830 in the first conference of the Church. Many of Joseph Smith's revelations were given "titles" in the early years. This revelation was known as the "Articles and Covenants" of the Church. It is possible that portions of the revelation were given prior to April 1830 and portions were written later for the June conference. The recent discovery of the Book of Commandments and Revelations in the First Presidency vault gives section 20 a date of April 10, 1830. This entry in Revelation Book 1 (Joseph Smith Papers title for BCR) is of course an edited version of the original. The April 10 date is important and probably represents the earliest edition following April 6. [See the Painesville Telegraph April 19, 1831 and ES, June 1832, p. 1 for the earliest extant copies.]

Section 20 was considered by the early missionaries a very important document. Many of them recorded the revelation in its entirety in their diaries to be quoted in their preaching. Additionally, priesthood certificates stated that the bearer had been ordained "according to the Articles and Covenants of the Church." When Lincoln Haskin desired to preach the gospel in 1832, a revelation stipulated that he should "be ordained and receive the articles and covenants which I have given unto you and some of the commandments that he may go forth and proclaim my gospel" ("Kirtland Revelation Book," p. 10).

This revelation exists in numerous mss, mainly because it was copied and carried by missionaries and read at conferences of Church branches wherever they were established. [See Orson Pratt journal, March 1834; Journal of Wilford Woodruff, Jan. 26, 1836; Evan Green journal (1833-35) pages 4, 15.] Consequently, there are a very large number of textual variations among the available copies of this revelation. The large number of variations makes it impossible to list them all here in any systematic way. Instead we refer the interested reader to Woodford. Additionally, the early publication committees felt an obligation to update the revelation with new information on the government of the Church as this new information was revealed. Hence Church officers which did not exist in 1830 would appear in later publications of the revelation, e.g., high priest, high council, deacon, etc. [D&C 20:66-67, Far West Record, June 9, 1830 conference, the first known ordination to the office of deacon was in October 1831, Far West Record under 25 October date.]

One of the most significant changes came with its publication in the 1835 reprint of the Evening and Morning Star. There the baptismal prayer was altered from the Book of Mormon text version (3Ne.11:25) to its present form. Additionally, D&C 22 originally appeared as part of D&C 20. After its publication in the 1835 edition of the D&C the text was no longer modified with changes in Church government. With the possible hint in D&C 18:1-5 that Oliver had a commission to elucidate how the Church was to be built up, we quote the following 1829 revelation given through Oliver on Church Government. It appears to be a kind of prototype of D&C 20.

A commandment from God unto Oliver, how he should build up His Church & the manner thereof- Saying: Oliver, listen to the voice of Christ your Lord & your God & your Redeemer & write the words which I shall command you concerning my Church, my Gospel, my Rock & my Salvation - Behold the world is ripening in iniquity & it must needs be that the children of men are stirred up unto repentance, both the Gentiles & also the House of Israel. For behold I command all men everywhere to repent & I speak unto you even as unto Paul mine Apostle for ye are called even with that same calling with which he was called. Now therefore whosoever repenteth & humbleth himself before me & desireth to be baptized in my name shall ye baptize them. And after this manner did he command me that I should baptize them. Behold ye shall go down & stand in the water & in my name shall ye baptize them. And now behold these are the words which ye shall say calling them by name saying: Having authority given me of Jesus Christ I baptize you in the name of the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Ghost. Amen. And then shall ye immerse them in the water & come forth again out of the water & after this manner shall ye baptize in my name. For behold verily I say unto you that the Father & the Son & the Holy Ghost are one & I am in the Father & the Father in me & 'the Father & I are one.

And ye are also called to ordain Priests & Teachers according to the gifts & callings of God unto men & after this manner shall ye ordain them. Ye shall pray unto the Father in my name & then shall ye lay your hand upon them & say: In the name of Jesus Christ I ordain you to be a priest or if he be a teacher I ordain you to be a teacher to preach repentance & remission of sins through Jesus Christ by the endurance of faith on his name to the end. Amen. And this shall be the duty of the Priest; He shall kneel down & the members of the Church shall kneel also, which Church shall be called: The Church of Christ & he shall pray to the Father in my name for the Church. And if it so be that it be built upon my Rock I will bless it. And after that ye have prayed to the Father in my name ye shall preach the truth in soberness casting out none from among you but rather invite them to come. And the Church shall oft partake of bread & wine & after this manner shall ye partake of it; The Elder or Priest shall minister it & after this manner shall he do, he shall kneel with the Church & pray to the Father in the name of Christ & then shall ye say: O God the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son Jesus Christ, to bless & sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son & witness unto thee, O God the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son & always remember him & keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his spirit to be with them Amen. And then shall ye take the cup & say: O God the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son Jesus Christ, to bless & sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them, that they may witness unto thee O God the Eternal Father that they do always remember him, that they may have his spirit to be with them. Amen. And now behold I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall not suffer any one knowingly to partake of my flesh & blood unworthily when ye shall minister it; for whoso eateth & drinketh my flesh & blood unworthily eateth & drinketh damnation to his soul. Therefore if ye know that a man is unworthy to eat & drink of my flesh & blood ye shall forbid him. Nevertheless ye shall not cast him out from among you but ye shall minister unto him & shall pray for him unto the Father in my name. And if it so be that he repenteth & is baptized in my name then shall ye receive him & shall minister unto him of my flesh & blood. But if he repenteth not he shall not be numbered among my people, that he may not destroy my people. For behold I know my sheep & they are numbered. Nevertheless ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues or your places of worship for unto such shall ye continue to minister for ye know not but what they will return & repent & come unto me with full purpose of heart & I shall heal them & ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them. Therefore keep these sayings which I have commanded you, that ye come not under condemnation for woe unto him whom the Father condemneth -

And the Church shall meet together oft for prayer & supplication, casting out none from your places of worship but rather invite them to come & each member shall speak & tell the Church of their progress in the way of eternal life. And there shall be no pride nor envying nor strifes, nor malice nor idolatry nor witchcrafts nor whoredoms nor fornications nor covetousness nor lying nor deceite nor no manner of iniquity. And if anyone is guilty of any or the least of these & doth not repent & show fruits meet for repentance they shall not be numbered among my people that they may not destroy my people.

And now I speak unto the Church. Repent all ye ends of the Earth & come unto me & be baptized in my name which is Jesus Christ & endure to the end & ye shall be saved. Behold Jesus Christ is the name which is given of the Father & there is none other name given whereby men can be saved. Therefore all men must take upon them the name which is given of the Father for in that name shall they be called at the last day. Therefore if they know not the name by which they are called they cannot have place in the Kingdom of my Father. Be hold ye must walk uprightly before me & sin not & if ye do walk uprightly before me & sin not my grace is sufficient for you that ye shall be lifted up at the last day. Behold I am Jesus Christ the Son of the living God. I am the same which came unto my own & my own received me not. I am the light which shineth in darkness & the darkness comprehendeth it not. These words are not of men nor of man but of me. Now remember the words of him who is the first & the last the light & the life of the world. And I Jesus Christ your Lord & your God & your Redeemer by the power of my Spirit have spoken it Amen-- And if I have not authority to write these things judge ye behold ye shall know that I have authority when you & I shall be brought to stand before the judgment seat of God. Now may --------[missing] of God the Father & our Lord Jesus Christ be & abide with you all & ---------[missing] tly save you Eternally in his Kingdom through the Infinite atonement which is in Jesus Christ Amen-- Behold I am Oliver. I am an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God the Father & the Lord Jesus Christ. Behold I have written the things which he hath commanded me for behold his word was unto me as a burning fire shut up in my bones & I was weary with forbearing & I could forbear no longer Amen--

Written in the year of our Lord & Saviour 1829-- A true Copy of the articles of the Church of Christ O.C.

In accordance with the instruction of D&C 18:1-5, a large part of this revelation consists of material from the Book of Mormon and the revelations through Joseph Smith.