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A Revelation to John E. Page
Stephen O. Smoot and Brian C. Passantino, ed., "A Revelation to John E. Page," Joseph Smith's Uncanonized Revelations (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book), 131鈥32.
November 25, 1843
John E. Page was baptized into the restored Church of Jesus Christ in 1833. Five years later, he was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, filling the vacancy left by Luke Johnson.[1] Page was a prolific missionary. In 1836 alone, he baptized 305 people on his mission in Ontario, Canada.[2] Page鈥檚 success prompted further mission assignments throughout the eastern United States in cities such as Philadelphia, Boston, and Pittsburgh.[3] As a missionary Page was an outspoken defender of the Book of Mormon,[4] and while presiding over the Church in Pittsburgh he began publishing a periodical entitled The Gospel Light.[5]
On October 30, 1843, a group of Saints from the Boston Branch wrote a petition to the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles requesting that Elder Page be allowed to continue his ministry among them. They reported that Page had been laboring with them for six weeks and had 鈥渧ery good success.鈥 They believed that if he were allowed to stay there, he would be 鈥渢he means of accomplishing a great work.鈥[6] On or around November 25, 1843, Joseph and other members of the Twelve met to discuss the petition. In that context, the Prophet received the present revelation calling Page instead to build up the Church in Washington, DC. Page heeded the revelation and arrived in Washington on February 17, 1844. However, his mission was cut short, and he returned to be with his sick wife in Pittsburgh two months later.[7]
鉂 鉂 鉂
Let my servant John E. Page take his departure speedily from the city of Boston, and go directly to the city of Washington, and there labor diligently in proclaiming my gospel to the inhabitants thereof. And if he is humble and faithful, lo, I will be with him, and will give him the hearts of the people, that he may do them good, and build up a church unto my name in that city.
Notes
[1] Minute Book 2, December 19, 1838, 176, The Joseph Smith Papers, .
[2] John Quist, 鈥淛ohn E. Page: An Apostle of Uncertainty,鈥 Journal of Mormon History 12 (1985): 54.
[3] JSP, D13:281.
[4] See Stephen O. Smoot, 鈥淎pologetics and Antiquity: Book of Mormon Reception, 1830鈥1844,鈥 Journal of Mormon History 48, no. 4 (2022): 21鈥23.
[5] The Gospel Light, M205.1 G6755 1843鈥1844, CHL.
[6] JSP, D13:237鈥38.
[7] JSP, D13:282鈥83.
