1 BEHOLD, thus saith the Lord, even Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, even he who was crucified for the sins of the world— [ An authority statement - close to the statement given in section 53:2. ]

2 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, my servant Newel Knight, you shall stand fast in the office whereunto I have appointed you. [ As the Priesident of the branch in Thompson there was some difficulty because of the rebellion of Leman Copley - who would not do what he had previously agreed to do. Specifically he could have kept his covenant to let the New York Saints settle on his land, freeing Newel Knight to go on the Missouri mission. So Newel and other elders were sent on account of breaking the covenant, and not knowing what to do, to ask me to inquire of the Lord for them; which I did, and received the following: [text of D&C 54 quoted] (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, volume 1, page 180). ]

[A - (v. 3) If your brethren desire to escape their enemies...
    B - (v. 4-5) The covenant has been broken, woe unto them
    B - (v. 6) Blessed are they who have kept the covenant
A - (v. 7) Flee lest your enemies come upon you]

3 And if [ some where trying to create contention within the church because they did not like the way that things were being handled. What is the lesson here for us? ] your brethren [ Or the church. ] desire to escape their enemies, [ If you want the protection and blessings from the Lord. ] let them repent of all their sins, and become truly humble before me and contrite.

4 And as the covenant [ A contract or agreement between two parties, God and his people in which God makes certain promises and requires certain behavior from them in return. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word _berith_ is always thus translated. _Berith_ is derived from a root which means "to cut," and hence a covenant is a "cutting," with reference to the cutting or dividing of animals into two parts, and the contracting parties passing between them, in making a covenant (Gen. 15; Jer. 34:18, 19) So in other words just as those who are covenanted to the other shepard so to are we covenanted or belong to a new master. ] which they made unto me has been broken, even so it has become void and of none effect. [ D&C 56:1-4. ]

5 And wo to him by whom this offense cometh, for it had been better for him that he had been drowned in the depth of the sea.

6 But blessed are they who have kept the covenant and observed the commandment, for they shall obtain mercy.

7 Wherefore, go to now and flee the land, lest your enemies come upon you; [ They had asked for the Lord to protect them from their enemies - and the Lord said that if they wanted to escape their enemies they would need to repent and humble themselves - they need to rid themselves of the selfishiness and greed and to do as they were commanded to consecrate their properties. See Duet 28:25. ] and take your journey, and appoint whom you will to be your leader, and to pay moneys for you.

8 And thus you [ Newel Knight. ] shall take your journey into the regions westward, unto the land of Missouri, unto the borders of the Lamanites. [ The edge of the Laminites civilization? DO you think that God knew where the edge of the Lamanite civilization was? OF coarse, so since this was a revelation from God we might pay attention to where the Lamanites lived. ]

9 And after you have done journeying, behold, I say unto you, seek ye a living like unto men, until I prepare a place for you.

10 And again, be patient in tribulation until I come; and, behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, and they who have sought me early [ A paraphrase of the KJV Proverbs 8:17. The NAS renders it "those who diligently seek me will find me", the JPS renders it "those who seek me will find me." ] shall find rest [ Anxiety relief in this life, the celestial kingdom - to live with God in the next. ] to their souls. Even so. Amen.

 

[ Historical Material Pertaining to Doctrine & Covenants 54 Excerpt from History of the Church The branch of the Church in Thompson, on account of breaking the covenant, and not knowing what to do, they sent in Newel Knight and other Elders, to ask me to inquire of the Lord for them; which I did, and received the following: [text of D&C 54 quoted] (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, volume 1, page 180) Excerpt from the Book of John Whitmer At this time the Church at Thompson, Ohio, was involved in difficulty, because of the rebellion of Leman Copley. Who would not do as he had previously agreed. Which thing confused the whole Church and finally the Lord spoke to Joseph Smith, Jr., the Prophet saying: [text of D&C 54 quoted] (John Whitmer, Book of John Whtimer, chapter 8, paragraph 3) Excerpt from Regional Studies in LDS History Carrying out his assigned duties (see D&C 51), Bishop Edward Partridge settled as many as 100 Saints on the Copley farm. The majority of this number were from the Colesville Branch, but apparently not all. Ezra Thayre, a convert from Ontario County, New York, had previously come to Ohio, seemingly in company with the Prophet Joseph Smith, and was then settled on land consecrated by Copley in Thompson. Expectations for an amicable relationship were shattered by the emergence of serious internal problems. Deep divisions arose over the nature of the consecration of property among Leman Copley, Ezra Thayre, Newel Knight, and others at the site. Unable to bear certain criticisms leveled against him relative to the failure of the earlier mission to the Shakers and to irregularities in his observance of the law of consecration, Copley let his faith in the enterprise quickly wane. John Whitmer said that Leman's rebellion “confused the whole church.” In the latter part of May or in early June 1831, Leman enlisted the aid of his former mentor, Elder Ashbel Kitchell, in an effort to repossess his land. He likewise begged to be reunited with the Shakers. Kitchell remarked, “After some consultation we concluded to give him [Leman] union, and help him through; and to accomplish this, I went home with him, and held a meeting in the dooryard, among the Mormons.” A lively exchange ensued between Elder Kitchell on one side and Newel Knight and his father, Joseph Knight, Sr., on the other. Newel Knight simply specified, “We had not labored long before the above named Copley broke the engagement which he made with us. At this time I went to Kirtland to see Brother Joseph and to attend a conference which had been appointed to commence on the sixth of June 1831 [June 3-5, 1831].” When faced with the dilemma of the Colesville Saints, the Prophet sought divine assistance and was directed to instruct the branch to leave the Thompson area and move immediately to Missouri (D&C 54). Parties on both sides of the tumultuous situation at the Copley farm received a sound rebuke for their participation (D&C 54, 56). Ezra Thayre was given a particularly direct chastisement and called upon to "repent of his pride, and his selfishness, and obey the former commandment which [the Lord had] given him concerning the place upon which he lives" (D&C 56:8). A synopsis of the action taken against Leman Copley was expressed by Joseph Knight, Jr., who recorded, "The man was turned out of the church for bad conduct;...he then began to persecute us and we had to leave his farm and pay sixety dollars damage for putting up his houses and planting his ground. (Excerpt from an essay entitled “The Colesville Branch in Kaw Township, Jackson County, Missouri, 1831 to 1833" by Larry C. Porter, published in Regional Studies in LDS History Series: Missouri, edited by Arnold K. Garr and Clark V. Johnson, pages 281-283)]