The last persons to know Oliver’s views regarding Mormonism before he died were David and Oliver’s brother Warren.
David said:
I will now make this subject SO PLAIN THAT YOU CANNOT HELP BUT UNDERSTAND ME, IF YOU DID NOT BEFORE.
I did not say that Oliver Cowdery and John Whitmer had not endorsed the Doctrine and Covenants in 1836. They did endorse it in 1836; I stated that they came out of their errors (discarded the Doctrine and Covenants), repented of them, and died believing as I do today. I have the proof to verify my statement. If anyone chooses to doubt my word, let them come to my home in Richmond and be satisfied.
In the winter of 1848, after Oliver Cowdery had been baptized at Council Bluffs, he came back to Richmond to live, and lived here until his death, March 3, 1850. (David Whitmer, An Address to All Believers in the Book of Mormon, p. 1)
He [Oliver] did frequently express his opinion of those different factions pretending to hold authority of the primitive Church of Christ, who do not cleave to the standard of truth. Of those he said they are either deceivers, or deceived; but he said there are many among them who are honest and will receive the truth when they hear it; and any organization that does not agree with the order laid down in the Bible and Book of Mormon in the gospel dispensation, is to be rejected; knowing that for us to support such errors would be opposing the order of God, and would be worshipping the man of sin. Among his last words, was to reaffirm his testimony to the Book of Mormon. (Saints’ Herald, 33, February 6, 1886, p. 33)
Warren said:
He [Oliver] did frequently express his opinion of those different factions pretending to hold authority of the primitive Church of Christ, who do not cleave to the standard of truth. Of those he said they are either deceivers, or deceived; but he said there are many among them who are honest and will receive the truth when they hear it; and any organization that does not agree with the order laid down in the Bible and Book of Mormon in the gospel dispensation, is to be rejected; knowing that for us to support such errors would be opposing the order of God, and would be worshipping the man of sin. Among his last words, was to reaffirm his testimony to the Book of Mormon. (Saints’ Herald 33, February 6, 1886, p. 33)
Early in 1829, Oliver received the call to start a church, the articles of which mirrored the Book of Mormon and were replaced by Joe’s (aka Joseph’s) church and D&C 20:
ARTICLES OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
A Commandment from God unto Oliver [Cowdery] how he should build up his church & the manner thereof saying Oliver [Cowdery] listen to the voice of Christ your Lord & your God & your Redeemer & write the words which I shall command you concerning my Church my Gospel my Rock & my Salvation. Behold the world is ripening in iniquity & it must needs be that the children of men are stirred up unto repentance both the Gentiles & also the House of Israel for behold I command all men every where to repent & I speak unto you even as unto Paul mine apostle for ye are called even with that same calling with which he was called Now therefore whosoever repenteth & humbleth himself before me & desireth to be baptized in my name shall ye baptize them
And after this manner did he command me that I should baptize them Behold ye shall go down & stand in the water & in my name shall ye baptize them And now behold these are the words which ye shall say calling them by name saying Having authority given me of Jesus Christ I baptize you in the name of the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Ghost Amen And then shall ye immerse them in the water & come forth again out of the water & after this manner shall ye baptize in my name For behold verily I say unto you that the Father & the Son & the Holy Ghost are one & I am in the Father & the Father in me & the Father & I are one.
And ye are also called to ordain Priests & Teachers according to the gifts & callings of God unto men & after this manner shall ye ordain them Ye shall pray unto the Father in my name & then shall ye lay your hand[s] upon them & say In the name of Jesus Christ I ordain you to be a Priest or if he be a Teacher I ordain you to be a Teacher to preach repentance & remission of sins through Jesus Christ by the endurance of faith on his name to the end Amen
And this shall be the duty of the Priest He shall kneel down & the members of the Church shall kneel also which Church shall be called The Church of Christ & he shall pray to the Father in my name for the church & if it so be that it be built upon my Rock I will bless it And after that ye have prayed to the Father in my name ye shall preach the truth in soberness casting out none from among you but rather invite them to come
And the Church shall oft partake of bread & wine & after this manner shall ye partake of it The Elder or Priest shall minister it & after this manner shall he do he shall kneel with the Church & pray to the Father in the name of Christ & then shall ye say O God the Eternal Father we ask thee in the name of thy Son Jesus Christ to bless & sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son & witness unto thee O God the Eternal Father that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son & always remember him & keep his commandments which he hath given them that they may always have his spirit to be with them Amen
And then shall ye take the cup & say O God the Eternal Father we ask thee in the name of thy Son Jesus Christ to bless & sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it that they do [it] in remembrance of the blood of thy Son which was shed for them that they may witness unto thee O God the Eternal Father that they do always remember him that they may have his spirit to be with them Amen
And now behold I give unto you a commandment that ye shall not suffer anyone knowingly to partake of my flesh & blood unworthily when ye shall minister it for whoso eateth & drinketh my flesh & blood unworthily eateth & drinketh damnation to his soul Therefore if ye know that a man is unworthy to eat & drink of my flesh & blood ye shall forbid him nevertheless ye shall not cast him out from among you but ye shall minister unto him & shall pray for him unto the Father in my name & if it so be that he repenteth & is baptized in my name then shall ye receive him & shall minister unto him of my flesh & blood but if he repenteth not he shall not be numbered among my people that he may not destroy my people For behold I know my Sheep & they are numbered nevertheless ye shall not cast him out of your Synagogues or your places of worship for unto such shall ye continue to minister for ye know not but what they will return & repent & come unto me with full purpose of heart & I shall heal them & ye shall be the means of bringing Salvation unto them Therefore keep these sayings which I have commanded you that ye come not under condemnation for wo unto him whom the Father condemneth
And the church shall meet together oft for prayer & sup[p]lication casting out none from your places of worship but rather invite them to come And each member shall speak & tell the church of their progress in the way to Eternal life And there shall be no pride nor envying nor strifes nor malice not idoletry [idolatry] nor witch crafts nor whoredoms nor fornications nor covetiousness [covetousness] nor lying nor deceits nor no manner of iniquity & if anyone is guilty of any or the least of these & doth not repent & show fruits meat for repentance they shall not be numbered among my people that they may not destroy my people
And now I speak unto the Church Repent all ye ends of the Earth & come unto me & be baptized in my name which is Jesus Christ & endure to the end & ye shall be saved Behold Jesus Christ is the name which is given of the Father & there is none other name given whereby men can be saved Therefore all men must take upon them the name which is given of the Father for in that name shall they be called at the last day Therefore if they know not the name by which they are called they cannot have place in the Kingdom of my Father Behold ye must walk uprightly before me & sin not & if ye do walk uprightly before me & sin not my grace is sufficient for you that ye shall be lifted up at the last day
Behold I am Jesus Christ the Son of the living God I am the same which came unto my own & my own received me not I am the light which shineth in darkness & the darkness comprehendeth it not these words are not of men nor of man but of me Now remember the words of him who is the first & the last the light & the life of the world And I Jesus Christ your Lord & your God & your Redeemer by the power of my Spirit have spoken it Amen – And now if I have not authority to write these things judge ye behold ye shall know that I have authority when you & I shall be brought to stand before the judgment seat of God Now may [the grace] of God the Father & our Lord Jesus Christ be & abide with you all & [lacuna in MS] save you Eternally in his Kingdom through the Infinite atonement which is in Jesus Christ Amen
Behold I am Oliver [Cowdery] I am an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God the Father & the Lord Jesus Christ Behold I have written the things which he hath commanded me for behold his word was unto me as a burning fire shut up in my bones & I was weary with forbearing & I could forbear no longer Amen Written in the year of our Lord & Saviour 1829 — A true Copy of the articles of the Church of Christ
(Manuscript in LDS archives. See Robert J. Woodford, “The Historical Development of the Doctrine and Covenants,” Ph.D. diss., Brigham Young University, 1974, 287-90; Scott H. Faulring “An Examination of the 1829 ‘Articles of the Church of Christ’ in Relation to Section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants” BYU Studies Volume 43:4, 2004, http://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=6904)