Was the Book of Mormon Used as the First Church Administrative Handbook?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints celebrates the anniversary of its founding on April 6. We at Book of Mormon Central want to help celebrate this occasion by highlighting the way in which the Book of Mormon played a central role in the early development of the organization of the Restored Church. One of the book’s many contributions is its divine role in guiding Joseph Smith and other early leaders of the Church in the creation of the Church’s administrative principles.

Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery sought guidance from on high as they began to baptize and lead the early Saints in worship and found many important principles for doing so in the pages of the Book of Mormon. As LDS scholar John W. Welch explained, “The first evidence that the Book of Mormon was understood and used as a Church administrative guide came as early as the end of June 1829, shortly after the translation of the Book of Mormon had been completed.”¹ In a three-page draft of a document entitled “Articles of the Church of Christ,” Oliver Cowdery quoted generously from the Book of Mormon on various topics regarding basic instructions for the administration of ordinances and other practices of the Church.² A large portion of the document consists of long quotes regarding baptism, bestowal of the gift of the Holy Ghost, the sacrament, disciplinary procedures, and the manner of conducting church worship services. Welch noted that these passages come verbatim from the words of Christ in 3 Nephi 9, 11, 18, and 27, and from Moroni 3, 4, 5, and 6. Verses are also quoted from 2 Nephi 26; Alma 1, 12, 16, 34; and Ether 5.³

The following is a long sampling of the many administrative principles and instructions that can be found in the Book of Mormon:

• Regarding the name of the Church: “Therefore ye shall call the church in my name” (3 Nephi 27:7–9)
• At its foundation, the Church shall be built upon the doctrine of Christ and Gospel of Christ, including the Lord’s direction that these are “the things that ye must do in my church” (3 Nephi 11:31–40; 27:13–21)
• Everything in the Church is to be done for Christ and in His name: “Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name” (3 Nephi 27:7)
• Priesthood officers are to be ordained by those in authority: “And gave him power to ordain priests and teachers” (2 Nephi 5:26; Mosiah 23:16–18; 25:19) and “priests and elders” (Alma 6:1; Moroni 3:1–4)
• These ordinations are to occur by the laying on of hands (Alma 6:1; Moroni 2:2)
• It requires the bestowal of priesthood authority in order to baptize: “I give unto you power that ye shall baptize this people” (Mosiah 18:13; 3 Nephi 11:19–22)
• Jesus also “gave them power to give the Holy Ghost,” which was a bestowal of higher priesthood power (3 Nephi 18:36–37; Moroni 2:1–3)
• In order to be baptized, one must have faith and repentance: “Repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One” (Alma 32:15–43; 2 Nephi 9:23; 31:11, 19; Mosiah 3:12; 4:10, 11, 26; 25:15) and confess one’s sins: “They came forth and did confess their sins and were baptized unto repentance” (Helaman 5:17; 16:1; Moroni 6:7)
• Making covenants involves remembering, renewing, and keeping them (Mosiah 5:1–10; 18:13; 3 Nephi 18:6-11)
• Infant baptism is not to be practiced, as it implicitly denies many important doctrines (Moroni 8:20–21)
• Baptism is only for those who are “capable of committing sin” (Moroni 8:10)
• Jesus gave the precise words of the baptismal prayer (3 Nephi 11:26–27)
• He also gave the precise procedures and words to be used in giving the gift of the Holy Ghost (Moroni 2:2)
• Those receiving baptism and the Holy Ghost are to be “numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered” (Mosiah 6:4; 26:35; Alma 6:3; Moroni 6:4)
• The manner and words to be used in “administering the flesh and blood of Christ unto the church” are given (3 Nephi 18:6-11; Moroni 4–5; 6:6)
• The faithful “must always pray unto the Father in [Christ’s] name” (3 Nephi 18:19, 23, 30) 
• Members shall “administer of [their] substance unto him that standeth in need” (Jacob 2:19; Mosiah 4:15–26; 18:27; Alma 1:27; 34:26–29; 35:9)
• They shall bring “all the tithes into the storehouse” (3 Nephi 24:8–10)
• Meetings are to be “conducted by the church after the manner of the workings of the Spirit, and by the power of the Holy Ghost” (Moroni 6:9)
• The Sabbath day is to be kept holy (Mosiah 18:23, 25)
• Members shall serve as volunteers, “for if they labor for money they shall perish” (2 Nephi 26:31)
• Temples are to be built and used for sacred worship (2 Nephi 5:16; Jacob 1:17; Mosiah 2:1, 5–6; 11:10; Helaman 3:9; 3 Nephi 11:1)
• Missionary work is to go abroad (Mosiah 11; 18; 15:10–15; Alma 4–15; 31–34; 36:24; Helaman 6; 3 Nephi 20:30; 21:26; 27:1)
• Disciplinary procedures are set forth (Mosiah 26:29, 32; 3 Nephi 18:28–33; Moroni 6:7–8) 
• Records are to be kept (1 Nephi 6:1–6; 9:1–6; Mosiah 1:3–7; Alma 37:1–18; 3 Nephi 23:6–13)⁴