January 6–12: D&C 1
“Hearken, O Ye People”
Unidentified American artist
Untitled portrait of Joseph Smith
published in The Prophet, Jan. 4, 1845, Vol. I, no. XXXIII.
“We will be studying the revelations that came to the Church during Joseph Smith’s lifetime. This is the period when the foundations of our beliefs were laid down. Extracting our doctrine, however, is not always easy. The revelations did not come in systematic form like a catechism or an orderly summary of dogma. They often addressed specific needs of the Church at a point in time. To help make sense of them all, the “Come Follow Me” manual draws out of these targeted revelations the general principles that apply to us today. There is much to learn from these scriptures, but perhaps the most important lesson is that Heavenly Father directs His Church in every period and that the Restoration continues even now.” – Richard Bushman
The woodcut portrait of Joseph Smith featured above was published in a New York City newspaper serving early Latter-day Saints, The Prophet. This profile by an unknown artist, likely based on a portrait by another artist, is one of many images of the prophet, but it was one of the first to appear in print after Joseph’s death. In an era before wide-spread photography, a surprising number of images of Joseph Smith exist. During his lifetime, Joseph and the Church were of great curiosity to the general public, and newspapers frequently illustrated articles with his image. Several scholarly articles have been written on the topic. A helpful introduction is a BYU thesis written in 1962, “The Visual Image of Joseph Smith,” by William B. McCarl.
Discussion Questions
The method of the judgment of the Lord is described in these verses as a "measure to every man according to the measure which he has measured to his fellow man" (D&C 1:10). What does this teach us about our own capacity and how we should assess each other?
In what ways have you seen the Church to be "true and living" (D&C 1:30)?
How can you follow Jesus in his declaration that he is "no respecter of persons" (D&C 1:35) in your daily living?
For Children & Youth
As you study the Doctrine and Covenants this year, try to imagine – what would it be like to live in Joseph Smith’s day? How would it compare to your life now? Here are a few things to know:
19th century American children in New England loved toys and games as much as you do, but their toys did not come from stores. They were carved animals, toy houses, and dolls made from leftover fabrics. They played board games scratched into pieces of wood.
Many families were large—5 to 6 children was an average size, and 10 children or more was not unusual—but medical care was not as good as it is today, and sadly, many mothers and children died young.
Children worked hard at home. Their chores included gathering eggs and firewood, cleaning, taking care of younger brothers and sisters, churning butter, pounding sugar, picking fruit, weeding the garden, plucking chicken feathers, and feeding pigs and other animals. Girls were often taught to knit and sew, and boys learned to plow fields and drive a team of oxen. Would you like to do those jobs?
Children learned to read by studying the Bible and with published primers that taught the alphabet through rhymes, parables, and religious lessons.