Articles and Covenants, circa April 1830, as Recorded in Gilbert, Notebook [D&C 20]
Source Note
“Articles and Covenants,” [, Seneca Co., NY, ca. Apr. 1830, though parts may have been received as early as ca. summer 1829]. Version copied [ca. June 1831] in Gilbert, Notebook, [1]–[11]; handwriting of ; Revelations Collection, CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Revelation, 27 Feb. 1833 [D&C 89].
The s duty is to watch over the Church always & be with them & strengthen them & see that there is no iniquity in the Church nor no hardness with each other nor no lying nor backbiting, no evil speaking, and see that the Church meet together oft & also see that every member does his duty & he is to take the lead of the meetings in the absence of the or & is to be assisted alway & in all his duties in the Church by the , but neither the Teacher nor Deacon has authority to nor administer the , but are to warn Exhort, Expound & teach & invite all to come to Christ.— Every Elder, Priest, Teacher and Deacon is to be according to the gifts & callings of God unto them by the power of the Holy Ghost which is in the one who ordains them— The several Elders composing this Church are to meet in once in three months, or as often as the Elders shall deem it necesary to do such business whatever is necessary &c.— And each Priest or Teacher who is ordained by any priest is to take a Certificate from him at the time which [p. [7]]