The Order of the Church

Who may be received, how, in what words, and what is written down afterward. This is the part of the revelations that reads like a manual — and the part where the wording lines up most closely, sometimes word for word, with the church order Moroni describes at the close of the Book of Mormon.

What this page maps. Modern revelation, reported as the text gives it. The ordinance texts below are quoted in full because their exact words are the point; the Book of Mormon counterparts are quoted alongside them so a reader can check the variation directly rather than take a description of it. Dates, places, and occasions are not in this wiki’s source text and are not stated.

Account

Who may be received

The requirement is stated as one long sentence with five conditions in it: “And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism—All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church” (D&C 20:37).

Moroni’s account of the Nephite church states the same conditions as history rather than as commandment, and much of the wording is shared.

[Textual] — distinctive shared phrasing. () - D&C 20:37: “…and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins…” - Moroni 6:2: “Neither did they receive any unto baptism save they came forth with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and witnessed unto the church that they truly repented of all their sins.”

Divergences reported: plural “broken hearts and contrite spirits” (D&C 20:37) for singular “a broken heart and a contrite spirit” (Moroni 6:2); “witness before the church” (D&C 20:37) for “witnessed unto the church” (Moroni 6:2); and the direction of the sentence — the revelation states who “shall be received by baptism into his church” (D&C 20:37), Moroni states whom they did not receive. The singular phrase “a broken heart and a contrite spirit” stands at six distinct frozen verses in the corpus; the plural “broken hearts and contrite spirits” at exactly two — D&C 20:37 and Mormon 2:14, where the sense is negative: “And they did not come unto Jesus with broken hearts and contrite spirits” (Mormon 2:14).

[Textual] — distinctive shared phrasing. () The second half of the same condition: - D&C 20:37: “…and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end…” - Moroni 6:3: “And none were received unto baptism save they took upon them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end.”

The eight-word run “having a determination to serve him to the end” stands at exactly these two distinct frozen verses in the corpus. Divergences: the revelation’s “willing to take upon them” (D&C 20:37) against the completed “took upon them” (Moroni 6:3), and “the name of Jesus Christ” (D&C 20:37) against “the name of Christ” (Moroni 6:3).

One further condition is stated separately and negatively: “No one can be received into the church of Christ unless he has arrived unto the years of accountability before God, and is capable of repentance” (D&C 20:71). The phrase “years of accountability” stands at three distinct frozen verses in the corpus — this one, D&C 18:42, and D&C 137:10 — all three in the Doctrine and Covenants and none elsewhere in the corpus. Children are provided for in a different way: “Every member of the church of Christ having children is to bring them unto the elders before the church, who are to lay their hands upon them in the name of Jesus Christ, and bless them in his name” (D&C 20:70).

The words of the ordinances

The baptismal formula is given as direct speech, with the action around it: “The person who is called of God and has authority from Jesus Christ to baptize, shall go down into the water with the person who has presented himself or herself for baptism, and shall say, calling him or her by name: Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.” (D&C 20:73); “Then shall he immerse him or her in the water, and come forth again out of the water” (D&C 20:74).

[Textual] — distinctive shared phrasing. () The formula against the one the risen Lord gives in the Book of Mormon: - D&C 20:73: “Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.” - 3 Nephi 11:25: “Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”

The two formulas differ in exactly one clause: “Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ” (D&C 20:73) against “Having authority given me of Jesus Christ” (3 Nephi 11:25). Everything from “I baptize you” to “Amen.” is identical. The run “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” stands at four distinct frozen verses in the corpus: these two, D&C 68:8, and Matthew 28:19 — disclosed, not paired here.

The sacrament prayers are given the same way, each introduced by its own rubric: “And the elder or priest shall administer it; and after this manner shall he administer it—he shall kneel with the church and call upon the Father in solemn prayer, saying:” (D&C 20:76), and “The manner of administering the wine—he shall take the cup also, and say:” (D&C 20:78).

[Textual] — verbatim / near-verbatim quotation. () The prayer on the bread, whole, against Moroni’s: - D&C 20:77: “O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and 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, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.” - Moroni 4:3: “O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and 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, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.”

The two prayers are the same prayer. Every divergence is small and is listed here in full: a semicolon in Moroni where the revelation has a comma before “that they may eat”; a comma in Moroni after “always remember him,” which the revelation omits; “which he hath given them” (Moroni 4:3) against “which he has given them” (D&C 20:77); and a semicolon in the revelation before “that they may always have his Spirit”. The run “willing to take upon them the name of thy Son” stands at exactly these two distinct frozen verses in the corpus.

[Textual] — verbatim / near-verbatim quotation. () The prayer on the wine: - D&C 20:79: “O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it 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.” - Moroni 5:2: “O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee, in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it 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.”

Here the divergence is a single comma: Moroni reads “we ask thee, in the name of thy Son” (Moroni 5:2) where the revelation reads “we ask thee in the name of thy Son” (D&C 20:79). Apart from that mark the two verses are identical. The run “do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son” stands at exactly these two distinct frozen verses in the corpus.

Meeting, and how meetings are run

“It is expedient that the church meet together often to partake of bread and wine in the remembrance of the Lord Jesus” (D&C 20:75).

[Textual] — distinctive shared phrasing. () - D&C 20:75: “It is expedient that the church meet together often to partake of bread and wine in the remembrance of the Lord Jesus;” - Moroni 6:6: “And they did meet together oft to partake of bread and wine, in remembrance of the Lord Jesus.”

Divergences: “often” for “oft”; the revelation’s “in the remembrance of the Lord Jesus” (D&C 20:75) carries a definite article Moroni’s “in remembrance of the Lord Jesus” (Moroni 6:6) lacks; and the revelation states the practice as expedient where Moroni reports it as done. “meet together often” stands at exactly two distinct frozen verses in the corpus, both in this section (D&C 20:55 and 20:75); “meet together oft” at three — Moroni 6:5, Moroni 6:6, and 3 Nephi 18:22.

Who directs a meeting is answered twice, in two sections, the same way: “The elders are to conduct the meetings as they are led by the Holy Ghost, according to the commandments and revelations of God” (D&C 20:45); and “it always has been given to the elders of my church from the beginning, and ever shall be, to conduct all meetings as they are directed and guided by the Holy Spirit” (D&C 46:2).

[Textual] — paraphrase / allusion. () - D&C 20:45: “The elders are to conduct the meetings as they are led by the Holy Ghost, according to the commandments and revelations of God.” - Moroni 6:9: “And their meetings were conducted by the church after the manner of the workings of the Spirit, and by the power of the Holy Ghost; for as the power of the Holy Ghost led them whether to preach, or to exhort, or to pray, or to supplicate, or to sing, even so it was done.”

The shared elements are the subject (meetings), the verb (conduct), and the governing agent (the Holy Ghost); the wording is not a common run, which is why this is registered as allusion rather than shared phrasing. Divergences: the revelation names the elders as those who conduct, Moroni names the church; Moroni enumerates the Spirit’s promptings — “whether to preach, or to exhort, or to pray, or to supplicate, or to sing” (Moroni 6:9) — where the revelation adds “according to the commandments and revelations of God” (D&C 20:45).

Who may be present is answered by a set of prohibitions rather than permissions: “Nevertheless ye are commanded never to cast any one out from your public meetings, which are held before the world” (D&C 46:3); “Ye are also commanded not to cast any one who belongeth to the church out of your sacrament meetings; nevertheless, if any have trespassed, let him not partake until he makes reconciliation” (D&C 46:4); “And again I say unto you, ye shall not cast any out of your sacrament meetings who are earnestly seeking the kingdom—I speak this concerning those who are not of the church” (D&C 46:5).

The records

The last verses of the long section are about paper. Membership is to be tracked: “It shall be the duty of the several churches, composing the church of Christ, to send one or more of their teachers to attend the several conferences held by the elders of the church,” (D&C 20:81); “With a list of the names of the several members uniting themselves with the church since the last conference; or send by the hand of some priest; so that a regular list of all the names of the whole church may be kept in a book by one of the elders, whomsoever the other elders shall appoint from time to time;” (D&C 20:82). Movement between congregations is handled the same way: “All members removing from the church where they reside, if going to a church where they are not known, may take a letter certifying that they are regular members and in good standing” (D&C 20:84).

[Textual] — paraphrase / allusion. () Removal is stated as an act on the record itself: - D&C 20:83: “And also, if any have been expelled from the church, so that their names may be blotted out of the general church record of names.” - Moroni 6:7: “And they were strict to observe that there should be no iniquity among them; and whoso was found to commit iniquity, and three witnesses of the church did condemn them before the elders, and if they repented not, and confessed not, their names were blotted out, and they were not numbered among the people of Christ.”

Divergences reported: Moroni supplies the procedure that produces the erasure — three witnesses, condemnation before the elders, a chance to repent and confess — where the revelation states only the bookkeeping consequence of expulsion; and the revelation names the book, “the general church record of names” (D&C 20:83), which Moroni does not. Discipline itself is deferred rather than specified in the revelation: “Any member of the church of Christ transgressing, or being overtaken in a fault, shall be dealt with as the scriptures direct” (D&C 20:80).

A statement of limits

The doctrinal preface to the same section closes by measuring itself against a book it names.

[Textual] — paraphrase / allusion. () - D&C 20:35: “And we know that these things are true and according to the revelations of John, neither adding to, nor diminishing from the prophecy of his book, the holy scriptures, or the revelations of God which shall come hereafter by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, the voice of God, or the ministering of angels.” - Revelation 22:18: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:”

The revelation names its source outright — “the revelations of John” (D&C 20:35) — and states its own conformity to the two-sided prohibition that closes the Apocalypse: adding and taking away. The other side stands in the following verse: “And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life” (Revelation 22:19). Divergences: the revelation says “diminishing from” where the Apocalypse says “take away from”; and the revelation extends the same measure to “the holy scriptures, or the revelations of God which shall come hereafter” (D&C 20:35), which has no counterpart in the Apocalypse’s verse. Because the revelation names its source, this record is also listed below as an asserted_by: "source" candidate for the named-citation sweep; it is submitted here as asserted_by: "wiki" pending that lead verification.

The church assembled, and organized under the laws of men

One short revelation treats the church’s gathering and its legal standing in six verses. The assembly is called first: “it is expedient in me that the elders of my church should be called together, from the east and from the west, and from the north and from the south, by letter or some other way” (D&C 44:1), with a promise attached to it — “inasmuch as they are faithful, and exercise faith in me, I will pour out my Spirit upon them in the day that they assemble themselves together” (D&C 44:2). The conference schedule stated elsewhere in this material is the same practice on a calendar: “The several elders composing this church of Christ are to meet in conference once in three months, or from time to time as said conferences shall direct or appoint” (D&C 20:61).

What follows is unusual in this corpus: a revelation directing a body to take a standing under civil law.

[Textual] — paraphrase / allusion. () - D&C 44:4: “And many shall be converted, insomuch that ye shall obtain power to organize yourselves according to the laws of man;” - D&C 20:1: “The rise of the Church of Christ in these last days, being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the flesh, it being regularly organized and established agreeable to the laws of our country, by the will and commandments of God, in the fourth month, and on the sixth day of the month which is called April—”

Intra-D&C. The two verses state the same fact from opposite ends of it — one as an instruction to obtain the power, the other as a description of a body already so established. Divergences reported: “according to the laws of man” (D&C 44:4) against “agreeable to the laws of our country” (D&C 20:1); and the earlier verse pairs the civil clause with a divine one in the same breath — “by the will and commandments of God” (D&C 20:1) — which the later verse does not carry. Each phrase stands at exactly one distinct frozen verse in the corpus: “according to the laws of man” at D&C 44:4, “agreeable to the laws of our country” at D&C 20:1. Registered as allusion, not shared phrasing: the sense is common, the wording is not.

The reason given for the legal organization is protective, and is stated as four purposes in one verse: “That your enemies may not have power over you; that you may be preserved in all things; that you may be enabled to keep my laws; that every bond may be broken wherewith the enemy seeketh to destroy my people” (D&C 44:5).

The section’s last verse turns from structure to obligation.

[Textual] — distinctive shared phrasing. () - D&C 44:6: “Behold, I say unto you, that ye must visit the poor and the needy and administer to their relief, that they may be kept until all things may be done according to my law which ye have received. Amen.” - D&C 38:35: “And they shall look to the poor and the needy, and administer to their relief that they shall not suffer; and send them forth to the place which I have commanded them;”

Intra-D&C; the eight-word run “the poor and the needy, and administer to their relief” is shared, with the verbs of approach differing — “visit” (D&C 44:6) against “look to” (D&C 38:35) — and the purpose clauses differing entirely. “the poor and the needy” stands at twelve distinct frozen verses in the corpus, of which six are in the Doctrine and Covenants; the corpus’s other carriers include Alma 1:27, Alma 5:55, Mormon 8:37, and Psalms 35:10, disclosed rather than paired. The same obligation is attached to the travelling ministry at D&C 52:40, where failing it carries a stated consequence — “the same is not my disciple”.

One covenant, not many

A short revelation states the relation of this order to what preceded it: “Behold, I say unto you that all old covenants have I caused to be done away in this thing; and this is a new and an everlasting covenant, even that which was from the beginning” (D&C 22:1); “Wherefore, although a man should be baptized an hundred times it availeth him nothing, for you cannot enter in at the strait gate by the law of Moses, neither by your dead works” (D&C 22:2); “For it is because of your dead works that I have caused this last covenant and this church to be built up unto me, even as in days of old” (D&C 22:3). The gate figure it uses is common in the corpus: “the strait gate” stands at six distinct frozen verses in the corpus — D&C 22:2, Jacob 6:11, 3 Nephi 14:13, 3 Nephi 27:33, Matthew 7:13, and Luke 13:24 — and is disclosed here rather than paired, because the shared run is a stock phrase and no one of those verses stands nearer than the rest.

Significance

The register of this material is procedural, and its closeness to Moroni’s closing chapters is the most checkable fact on this page: two prayers that differ by a comma and a verb tense, a baptismal formula that differs in one clause, conditions of membership stated in nearly the same words, and a bookkeeping practice — names blotted out — described from two sides. A reader can verify each of those by reading the two verses side by side, which is why they are quoted in full above rather than summarized.

What the wiki does not do is explain the closeness. Whether one text depends on the other, and how, is a question about how these texts came to be — external, real-world material outside this wiki’s scope in both directions. What is reported here is that the wording matches, and exactly where it does not.

Key references

D&C 20:37, 20:70–74 — conditions of membership; children; the baptismal formula
D&C 20:75–79 — the sacrament rubrics and the two prayers in full
D&C 20:80–84 — discipline deferred to the scriptures; the record of names; letters of standing
D&C 22:1–4 — old covenants done away; the strait gate and dead works
D&C 44:1–6 — the elders called together; power to organize under the laws of man; the relief of the poor
D&C 46:1–6 — meetings conducted by the Spirit; who may not be cast out

Baptism · The Sacrament · Offices of the Church · Common Consent · Church of God · Index · Connections

Sources

Doctrine and Covenants sections 20, 22, 44, and 46 (verse text only; headnotes excluded), with D&C 38:35 quoted and D&C 52:40 cited alongside section 44’s relief commandment. Cross-references quoted from Moroni 4, Moroni 5, Moroni 6, 3 Nephi 11, Mormon 2, and Revelation 22; D&C 18, D&C 68, D&C 137, 3 Nephi 18, Matthew 28, Jacob 6, 3 Nephi 14, 3 Nephi 27, Matthew 7, and Luke 13 are cited, not quoted, inside disclosures.

Every quote is verbatim from the frozen source text, cited to its exact reference and checked character-for-character; no quote crosses a verse boundary. Eleven connection records are registered on this page, all [textual] and all submitted asserted_by: wiki; one of them () rests on a source the revelation names, and is listed separately as a named-citation candidate for lead verification. Phrase distributions are counts of distinct frozen verses in the corpus, derived by search at the time of writing.