The following is a revelation received by the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints organized in 1844, James Strang. We ask members of the Fellowship to read this revelation prayerfully to determine if it should be added to the Fellowship Doctrine and Covenants. Additions to the text, added for clarity and by Holy inspiration, are in italics. Chapter 16, on adoption, was originally Chapter 19. This has been changed by inspiration to make for a more logical order of topics.
CHAPTER 15
Marriage
1 When thou takest a husband or a wife, thou shalt take such a one as thou lovest, and who loveth thee, and whom thou mayest lawfully marry;
2 And thou shalt go before an Apostle, a High Priest or High Priestess, or the Chief of the Elders where thou dwellest, or the Priest who administereth in the Temple or the Synagogue;
3 And by them shall ye be joined in marriage, that they may be thine in life, thine in the resurrection, and thine in life everlasting; and that the children which together beareth thee, may be with thee in the everlasting Kingdom.
4 ¶ And they who joineth you in marriage, shall unite them unto thee by an indissoluble bond;
5 And shall give thee grace to love them, and cherish them, and protect them; and grace unto them to love thee, and nourish thee, and honor thee.
CHAPTER 16
Adoption
1 If thou wilt in any wise adopt a child to be thine own, and to be heir to thee, thou shalt take them whom thou lovest, and whom thou mayest lawfully take;
2 And thou shalt go before an Apostle, a High Priest or High Priestess, or the Chief of the Elders where thou dwellest, or the Priest or Priestess who administers in the Temple or the Synagogue;
3 And thou shalt take the child upon thy knee, and clasp him in thine arms, and shalt protest that thou lovest him as thine own flesh;
4 And they shall seal the child unto thee in the name of thy God; and shall sprinkle water upon him, and consecrate him thy flesh; and shall bless thee, and bless him in thy house; and he shall be thine forever.
5 God shall give thee grace to be a father and a mother unto them, and grace unto them to honor thee.
6 ¶ And if thou hast a child who was not born in wedlock, and wilt assure them unto thee, thou shalt in like manner bring them, and protest they is thine, and they shall be sealed unto thee, that they be thine forever.
Interpretation
The Fellowship interprets this revelation to denote the Lord’s will on marriage and adoption.
If accepted, this chapter of the Book of the Law of the Lord will be added either after what is commonly known as the Lectures on Faith, or at the end of the collection of the Sections of the Doctrine and Covenants.
Thoughts, comments, and other interpretations are welcome below.