These two sections were "canonized" as Scripture in 1976 and added to the Pearl of Great Price, they were later on (1981) added to the Doctrine and Covenants even though the first section was a revelation by Joseph Smith in 1836 and the second section was a vision received by President Joseph F. Smith in 1918.
1. Why wasn't D&C 137 added straight to the D&C book?
2. Why did the Church take so long?
Any thoughts?
https://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Cur...3.0#JD_36500027
Edited: LDS_forever on 18th Oct, 2006 - 6:59pm
Fantastic question.
I've just finished both section, and also read 1Peter chapters 3-4. I don't know why they weren't added immediatly. Section 137 is something very close to my wife's and my heart, because my wife has had two miscarraiges. I'm not sure if the doctrine implies only those children who were born will inherit the Celestial Kingdom, or both born and children who die in the womb.
I do not believe the Doctrine and Covenants more than the Book of Mormon, nor the Book of Mormon more than the Pearl of Great Price. Not matter where scripture is put in our canonical works, it is still canonical. I think that the Brethren felt it more appropriate that those two chapters be moved to Doctrine and Covenants in the new edition of the scriptures by the impressions of the Holy Ghost because the tenor of those revelations has more in common with the Doctrine and Covenants than with the Pearl of Great Price.