MAGICAL WORLDVIEW | COWDERY

WITNESSES

INTRODUCTION

Update coming

CES LETTER CLAIM (Summarized)

Oliver Cowdery worked with a divining rod. This is stated in D&C 8.

This is one of the reasons why 21st century Mormons, once including myself, are so confused and bewildered when hearing stuff like Joseph Smith using a peep stone in a hat or Oliver Cowdery using a divining rod or dowsing rod such as illustrated below:

The use of divining rods (such as the one above) is actually mentioned in the scriptures. In Doctrine & Covenants 8, the following heading provides context for the discussion:

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Oliver Cowdery, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, April 1829. In the course of the translation of the Book of Mormon, Oliver, who continued to serve as scribe, writing at the Prophet’s dictation, desired to be endowed with the gift of translation. The Lord responded to his supplication by granting this revelation.

The revelation states, in relevant part:

D&C 8:6-11

(Emphasis Added)

6. Now this is not all thy gift; for you have another gift, which is the gift of Aaron; behold, it has told you many things;

7. Behold, there is no other power, save the power of God, that can cause this gift of Aaron to be with you.

8. Therefore, doubt not, for it is the gift of God; and you shall hold it in your hands, and do marvelous works; and no power shall be able to take it away out of your hands, for it is the work of God.

9. And, therefore, whatsoever you shall ask me to tell you by that means, that I will grant unto you, and you shall have knowledge concerning it.

From the D&C 8 account, we don’t really know much about what exactly the “gift of Aaron” is that Oliver Cowdery received. What is “the gift of Aaron”? The text provides several clues:

Oliver has a history of using it, since “it has told [him] many things.”
It is “the gift of God.”
It is to be held in Oliver’s hands (and kept there, impervious to any power).
It allows Oliver to “do marvelous works.”
It is “the work of God.”
The Lord will speak through it to Oliver and tell him anything he asks while using it.
It works through faith.
It enables Oliver to translate ancient sacred documents.

With only these clues, the “gift of Aaron” is difficult to identify. The task becomes much easier, however, when we look at the original revelation contained in the Book of Commandments, a predecessor volume to the Doctrine & Covenants, used by the LDS Church before 1835. Specifically, Section 7 of the Book of Commandments contains wording that was changed in the Doctrine & Covenants 8. The term “gift of Aaron” was originally “rod” and “rod of nature” in the Book of Commandments:

Now this is not all, for you have another gift, which is the gift of working with the rod: behold it has told you things: behold there is no other power save God, that can cause this rod of nature, to work in your hands.

So, what is the “gift of Aaron” mentioned in D&C 8? It is a “rod of nature.”

What is a “rod of nature”? It is a divining rod or dowsing rod as illustrated in the above images, which Oliver Cowdery used to hunt for buried treasure.

Cowdery’s use of a divining rod to search for buried treasure evokes similar images of Joseph Smith hunting for treasure with a peep stone in a hat. Oliver also wished to use his divining rod, in the same way Joseph Smith used his stone and hat, to translate ancient documents. Doctrine & Covenants Section 8 indicates that the Lord, through Joseph Smith, granted Oliver’s request to translate using a...rod.

CES Letter, P. 86-88

DEBUNKING REPLY

See 3:33 - 5:30 in the video above that addresses this

The Lord can work with people whether they have superstitious views or not.

Some aspects of religious beliefs in the early 1800s would be considered magical in our day, but these are largely due to their traditional world view rather than anything sinister or deceptive. Oliver believed in his gift prior to joining with Joseph Smith. The revelation takes a previous belief and anchors it firmly to the biblical narrative (rod of Aaron) by placing it under God and revelation, which is the exact opposite of magic.

Oliver's initial revelation closes with the command to seek heavenly "treasures" by assisting "in bringing to light, with your gift, those parts of my scriptures which have been hidden because of iniquity" (D&C 6:27). The revelation on the gift of the rod probably followed within a week. It continued the theme of learning ancient truth through translating: "Remember, this is your gift" (D&C 8:5). And it could be exercised by believing "you shall receive a knowledge concerning the engravings of old records" (D&C 8:1). Then a second promise was made:

Now this is not all, for you have another gift, which is the gift of working with the rod. Behold, it has told you things. Behold, there is no other power save God that can cause this rod of nature to work in your hands, for it is the work of God. And therefore whatsoever you shall ask me to tell you by that means, will I grant unto you, that you shall know.

But there were strict limits to this promise: "Trifle not with these things. Do not ask for that which you ought not. Ask that you may know the mysteries of God, and that you may translate all those ancient records."

So the "rod of nature" in Cowdery's "hands" would be a means of gaining revelation on doctrine….

D&C 8 approves a rod only for sacred information. It also suggests the rod that displayed God's power in the Egyptian plagues, in striking the rock for life-giving water or in calling down strength on Israel's warriors. That rod was a straight shaft, the shepherd's staff possessed by Moses at his call (Ex. 4:2-4). Used by both Moses and Aaron, it was foremost the "rod of God," also Moses' rod, but formally called the "rod of Aaron." It functioned as a visible sign of authority, just as Judah's "scepter" was a sign of divine kingship in Jacob's blessing or Elijah's staff held by the servant who went in his name. Thus the rod of Aaron was a staff of delegated agency, and the 1835 revision to "The gift of Aaron" suggests Oliver's spiritual power to assist Joseph Smith as Aaron assisted Moses. Click here

CES LETTER CLAIM (Summarized)

D&C 8 talks of Oliver Cowdery having the "Gift of Aaron" which is actually called "rod of nature" (divining or dowsing rod) in the original 1829 revelation.

CES LETTER Original Quote

From the D&C 8 account, we don’t really know much about what exactly the “gift of Aaron” is that Oliver Cowdery received. What is “the gift of Aaron”? The text provides several clues:

Oliver has a history of using it, since “it has told [him] many things.”
It is “the gift of God.”
It is to be held in Oliver’s hands (and kept there, impervious to any power).
It allows Oliver to “do marvelous works.”
It is “the work of God.”
The Lord will speak through it to Oliver and tell him anything he asks while using it.
It works through faith.
It enables Oliver to translate ancient sacred documents.

So, what is the “gift of Aaron” mentioned in D&C 8? It is a “rod of nature.”

What is a “rod of nature”? It is a divining rod or dowsing rod as illustrated in the above images, which Oliver Cowdery used to hunt for buried treasure.

CES Letter, P. 87-88

DEBUNKING REPLY

Correct. The 1835 D&C replaced "Rod of Nature" with "Gift of Aaron."

A Comparison of the Revelation Changes

1829 Revelation	1833 Book of Commandments	1835 D&C
now this is not all for thou hast another gift which is the gift of working with the sprout. Behold it hath told you things	3. Now this is not all, for you have another gift, which is the gift of working with the rod: behold it has told you things:	6. Now this is not all thy gift; for you have another gift, which is the gift of Aaron; behold, it has told you many things;
Behold there is no other power save God that can cause this thing of Nature to work in your hands	3. (cont.) behold there is no other power save God, that can cause this rod of nature, to work in your hands	7. Behold, there is no other power, save the power of God, that can cause this gift of Aaron to be with you.
for it is the work of God	, for it is the work of God	8. Therefore, doubt not, for it is the gift of God; and you shall hold it in your hands, and do marvelous works; and no power shall be able to take it away out of your hands, for it is the work of God.
& therefore whatsoever ye shall ask to tell you by that means that will he grant unto you that ye shall know	3. (cont.) and therefore whatsoever you shall ask me to tell you by that means, that will I grant unto you, that you shall know.	9. And, therefore, whatsoever you shall ask me to tell you by that means, that I will grant unto you, and you shall have knowledge concerning it.
remember that without faith ye can do nothing. trifle not with these things. do not ask for that which ye had not ought	4. Remember that without faith you can do nothing. Trifle not with these things. Do not ask for that which you ought not.	10. Remember that without faith you can do nothing; therefore ask in faith. Trifle not with these things; do not ask for that which you ought not.
ask that ye may know the mysteries of God & that ye may Translate all those ancient Records which have been hid up which are Sacred & according to your faith shall it be done unto you	4. (cont.) Ask that you may know the mysteries of God, and that you may translate all those ancient records, which have been hid up, which are sacred, and according to your faith shall it be done unto you.	11. Ask that you may know the mysteries of God, and that you may translate and receive knowledge from all those ancient records which have been hid up, that are sacred; and according to your faith shall it be done unto you.

CES LETTER CLAIM

CES Letter, Page 88

DEBUNKING REPLY

Incorrect. D&C 8:11 says nothing of a "rod" and is unclear in the other verses. "Ask that you may know the mysteries of God, and that you may translate and receive knowledge from all those ancient records which have been hid up."

CES LETTER CLAIM:Oliver has a history of using it, since "it has told [him] many things."
DEBUNKING REPLY: CORRECT - This phrase "has told you many things" has referred to the rod, sprout and Gift of Aaron.
- 1829 - "sprout"
- 1833 - "rod"
- 1835 - "gift of Aaron"

CES LETTER CLAIM: It is “the gift of God.”
DEBUNKING REPLY: INCORRECT - This phrase is an addition to the 1835 and refers to the "Gift of Aaron" -- not the "rod"

CES LETTER CLAIM:It is to be held in Oliver’s hands (and kept there, impervious to any power).
DEBUNKING REPLY: Half-Correct - "in your hands" is a phrase in all 3 editions but "no power shall be able to take it away out of your hands" is an 1835 addition that refers to the "Gift of Aaron" -- not the "rod."

CES LETTER CLAIM:It allows Oliver to “do marvelous works.”
DEBUNKING REPLY: INCORRECT - This phrase is an addition to the verse 8 of 1835 D&C and refers to the "Gift of Aaron" -- not the "rod"

CES LETTER CLAIM: It is “the work of God.”
DEBUNKING REPLY: INCORRECT - This phrase is an addition to the verse 8 of 1835 D&C and refers to the "Gift of Aaron" -- not the "rod"

CES LETTER CLAIM:The Lord will speak through it to Oliver and tell him anything he asks while using it.
DEBUNKING REPLY: UNCLEAR VERSE - This is a reference to verse 9 in the 1835 D&C which says, "whatsoever you shall ask me to tell you by that means." It's unclear what "by that means" is referring to. It could be the "power of God" in v. 7 or "working with the rod" v.6.

CES LETTER CLAIM:It works through faith.
DEBUNKING REPLY: INCORRECT - The Lord will grant Oliver knowledge (verse 9) if he has faith (verse 10).

CES LETTER CLAIM: It enables Oliver to translate ancient sacred documents.
DEBUNKING REPLY: INCORRECT - Verse 11 says nothing of a rod for translation. "Ask that you may know the mysteries of God, and that you may translate and receive knowledge from all those ancient records which have been hid up."

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