D&C Section Thirty Six

This is a revelation given to Edward Partridge. He was a hatter who owned his own store after serving as an apprentice for four years. He listened to missionaries but would not be baptized until after he had read the Book of Mormon and heard the prophet speak. After hearing the prophet, he told Joseph Smith that he was ready to be baptized and requested a revelation regarding what he should do. Section 36 is the revelation that was given. He became the first bishop of the church, a position that he felt incapable of pleasing his Heavenly Father in because of what he said were his inadequacies. In the church films on the Prophet Joseph Smith, a person is tarred and feathered in Missiouri and this is Bishop Partridge. He bore the tar and feathering so meekly that his attackers and the onlookers were overtaken with sympathy for him and they backed away and let him go in peace. He said he felt the Spirit so strongly at that time and his heart was so filled with the love of God that he felt no animosity towards his attackers. As a result of the persecutions in Missiouri, he fled to Far West and then to Nauvoo in poverty and ill health. He died in Nauvo at the age of 46, ten days after the death of his daughter. His funeral was the first major funeral of importance in Nauvoo. The Lord said he was a man without guile and in a later revelation to Joseph Smith, the Lord said that he had received Edward unto himself.

There is one verse in this section that in some ways does more to explain the role of the priesthood than any other. The Lord says, "I will lay my hand upon you by the hand of my servant Sidney Rigdon, and you shall receive... the Holy Ghost." That makes so clear the sacred role that priesthood holders bear when they conduct any ordinance in the church. Through the priesthood holder, the Lord is laying his hands on the head of the person receiving the ordinance. Or with other ordinances such as the sacrament, it is as if the Lord is speaking the words of the sacrament prayers. The principle can be applied to any ordinance. The priesthood holder is representing the Lord.

Verse 8 is the first reference to a the temple in the Doctrine and Covenants.