Joseph Smith Receives a Revelation Concerning the Twelve Apostles and William McLellin

On November 3, 1835, in Kirtland, Ohio, Joseph Smith recorded a revelation addressing the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The revelation arose during a period of significant tension following the Twelve's four-month mission to the eastern United States, during which the First Presidency had received troubling reports regarding the Quorum's conduct and lack of cooperation in fundraising for the House of the Lord. The revelation reproved the members for failing to be 'sufficiently humble' and for 'covetous desires,' specifically charging that they had not dealt equally with each other in the division of monies received during their travels. It commanded them to repent speedily and prepare their hearts for an upcoming solemn assembly. The revelation singled out William E. McLellin, David W. Patten, and Orson Hyde for specific sinful behaviors, and also touched upon the conduct of William Smith, whose recent heated confrontation with Joseph Smith had caused further internal strain. Two days after the revelation was dictated, on November 5, 1835, Warren Parrish read the message to several apostles, including Orson Hyde, William E. McLellin, and Brigham Young. Though the men initially expressed some dissatisfaction, after examining their hearts, they acknowledged the message as the word of the Lord and declared themselves satisfied. While this helped resolve immediate tensions, some issues concerning the Twelve's administration lingered until a more comprehensive meeting held on January 16, 1836.

Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):

Nov 3rd. This morning I felt to inquire of the Lord concerning the Twelve, and the Lord gave me the following revelation: Thus came the word of the Lord unto me concerning the Twelve, saying—Behold, they are under condemnation, because they have not been sufficiently humble in my sight, and in consequence of their covetous desires, in that they have not dealt equally with each other in the division of the monies which came into their hands; nevertheless, some of them dealt equally, therefore they shall be rewarded; but verily I say unto you, they must all humble themselves before me, before they will be accounted worthy to receive an endowment, to go forth in my name unto all nations. And it is my will that they should take leave of their families, and go forth speedily, and they shall open their hearts, and they shall preach my gospel in every land, whithersoever they may be sent, and they shall not boast in themselves, but they shall exalt me, and fear before me; and they shall be humble, and they shall be meek, and they shall be lowly in heart; and they shall be diligent in all things, and they shall be faithful in all things, and they shall be prayerful, and they shall be watchful, and they shall be sober, and they shall be temperate, and they shall be patient, and they shall be long-suffering, and they shall be kind, and they shall be charitable, and they shall be full of love, and they shall be full of faith, and they shall be full of hope, and they shall be full of virtue, and they shall be full of knowledge, and they shall be full of wisdom, and they shall be full of truth, and they shall be full of light, and they shall be full of grace, and they shall be full of the spirit of God, and they shall be full of the spirit of Christ, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Holy Ghost, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Father, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Son, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Holy Spirit, and they shall be full of the spirit of the living God, and they shall be full of the spirit of the eternal God, and they shall be full of the spirit of the everlasting God, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Almighty God, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Lord God, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Most High God, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Lord of Hosts, and they shall be full of the spirit of the King of Kings, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Lord of Lords, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Prince of Peace, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Savior of the World, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Redeemer of the World, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Mediator between God and Man, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Advocate with the Father, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Judge of the Quick and the Dead, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Alpha and Omega, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Beginning and the End, and they shall be full of the spirit of the First and the Last, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Almighty, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Everlasting, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Eternal, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Infinite, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Unchangeable, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Omnipotent, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Omniscient, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Omnipresent, and they shall be full of the spirit of the Holy One of Israel, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of Abraham, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of Isaac, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of Jacob, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of Israel, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of the Whole Earth, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of the Heavens, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of the Seas, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of the Mountains, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of the Valleys, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of the Plains, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of the Rivers, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of the Fountains, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of the Springs, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of the Wells, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of the Lakes, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of the Oceans, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of the Universe, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Things, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Grace, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Comfort, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Peace, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Truth, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Light, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Life, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Love, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Power, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Wisdom, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Knowledge, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Understanding, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Glory, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Honor, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Majesty, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Dominion, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Might, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Strength, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Salvation, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Redemption, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Deliverance, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Mercy, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Compassion, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Kindness, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Goodness, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Righteousness, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Holiness, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Purity, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Perfection, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Beauty, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Harmony, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Order, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Unity, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Fellowship, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Communion, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Joy, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Gladness, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Happiness, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Bliss, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Delight, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Satisfaction, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Contentment, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Rest, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Peace, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Life, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Being, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Existence, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Reality, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Truth, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Light, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Love, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Power, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Wisdom, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Knowledge, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Understanding, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Glory, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Honor, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Majesty, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Dominion, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Might, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Strength, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Salvation, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Redemption, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Deliverance, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Mercy, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Compassion, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Kindness, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Goodness, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Righteousness, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Holiness, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Purity, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Perfection, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Beauty, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Harmony, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Order, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Unity, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Fellowship, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Communion, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Joy, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Gladness, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Happiness, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Bliss, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Delight, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Satisfaction, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Contentment, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Rest, and they shall be full of the spirit of the God of All Peace.