Oliver Cowdery's Divining Rod

Summary:

Oliver Cowdery believed in and used a divining rod. A divining rod was a magical device used to located hidden treasure, water, metals, and other hidden objects under the ground. It could also be used like a Ouija board. The user would hold the device outward and ask a question, then the rod would move or dip if it was true essentially.

Why this matters:

Oliver was involved with local superstitious magic just like Smith family and many other's in the area.
Oliver's gift with the rod was mentioned specifically by God in D&C section 8 as a true gift.
The scriptures were later changed to make it less magical and more in line with later teachings. The wording "gift of working with the rod" was changed to "gift of Aaron".
Oliver attempted to receive scripture through his rod as mentioned in D&C 8 but he ultimately failed.

Learn More:

Wikipedia - Dowsing
Mormon Think - Rod of Aaron
LDS.org - Oliver Cowdery's Gift

About Me

I'm just a regular old Mormon that went on a mission, married in the temple and started a family. Later in life I discovered troubling issues about the church which did not seem to mesh with my understanding of the restored gospel. I ultimately left the church even though I really wanted to stay. I still respect the Mormon religion and identify with the culture.

I'm not a historian, and people searching for answers should really look to smarter people than me. But I'm hoping this blog will serve as a kick off point for anyone willing to critically think about the faith. These are just a few things I've encountered in my journey. Some fun, some serious, but all fascinating!