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Minutes, 17 February 1834

Source Note

Minutes,
Kirtland Township

Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and...

More Info
, Geauga Co., OH, 17 Feb. 1834. Featured version copied [ca. 17 Feb. 1834] in Minute Book 1, pp. 29–31; handwriting of
Orson Hyde

8 Jan. 1805–28 Nov. 1878. Laborer, clerk, storekeeper, teacher, editor, businessman, lawyer, judge. Born at Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Nathan Hyde and Sally Thorpe. Moved to Derby, New Haven Co., 1812. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, ...

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; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minute Book 1.

Historical Introduction

The following minutes of a 17 February 1834 meeting record the initial organization of a standing “Presidents Church Council” in
Kirtland

Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and...

More Info
, Ohio—later known as the “
high Council

A governing body of twelve high priests. The first high council was organized in Kirtland, Ohio, on 17 February 1834 “for the purpose of settling important difficulties which might arise in the church, which could not be settled by the church, or the bishop...

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of the
Church of Christ

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

View Glossary
,” or the Kirtland high council. The minutes also document the rules the council should follow when judging a church member accused of a transgression.
1

Minutes, 19 Feb. 1834.


Before 17 February, such issues had been judged by “
conferences

A meeting where ecclesiastical officers and other church members could conduct church business. The “Articles and Covenants” of the church directed the elders to hold conferences to perform “Church business.” The first of these conferences was held on 9 June...

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” or “councils” of priesthood holders (with other church members often in attendance). Who composed these conferences and councils varied with location and the availability of potential attendees. Revelations dictated by JS in August and November 1831 also provided for a
bishop’s court

Official church proceedings convened to handle disputes or allegations of misconduct. The officers of the court were a bishop, his assistants or counselors, and additional high priests or elders assembled on an ad hoc basis. Until high councils were established...

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to hear such cases, as well as for an appellate “court of the church before the
president of the high Priesthood

Both the office of the president of the high priesthood and the body comprising the president and his counselors; the presiding body of the church. In November 1831, a revelation directed the appointment of a president of the high priesthood. The individual...

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.” The November revelation also empowered the president to call twelve available
high priests

An ecclesiastical and priesthood office. Christ and many ancient prophets, including Abraham, were described as being high priests. The Book of Mormon used the term high priest to denote one appointed to lead the church. However, the Book of Mormon also discussed...

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to assist in adjudicating a case.
2

Revelation, 1 Aug. 1831 [D&C 58:14–18]; Revelation, 11 Nov. 1831–B [D&C 107:72, 78–80].


The new standing council in Kirtland was to serve as “an ensample” for similar, temporary councils organized as occasions demanded in outlying areas and also as an appellate court placed between lower disciplinary councils and the presidency of the high priesthood.
According to the minutes featured here, JS stated that he organized the
Kirtland

Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and...

More Info
high council on the same principles that governed the “order of Councils in ancient days.” Five days earlier JS had discussed this ancient order in a council of
elders

A male leader in the church generally; an ecclesiastical and priesthood office or one holding that office; a proselytizing missionary. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto...

View Glossary
and high priests, where he focused his remarks on the qualifications and conduct required of individual members of such councils.
3

Minutes, 12 Feb. 1834.


An earlier reference in Minute Book 1 to educating elders on “the ancient manner of conducting meetings” indicates the topic had been on JS’s mind as early as 1831 and suggests that the 17 February 1834 meeting represents an important milestone in JS’s ongoing effort to restore the ancient gospel, as he understood it, to the earth.
4

Minutes, 11 Oct. 1831.


Pursuant to the instructions recorded near the end of the document featured here, JS “laboured . . . with all the strength and wisdom that he had” the following day to correct these minutes. On 19 February, JS presented the corrected minutes to the council, which, after hearing the revised minutes read three times and suggesting at least one additional correction, unanimously voted to accept them “for a form, and constitution of the high Council of the Church of Christ hereafter.” JS then reported that “the Council was organized according to the ancient order, and also according to the mind of the Lord.”
5

Minutes, 19 Feb. 1834.


Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Minutes, 19 Feb. 1834.

  2. [2]

    Revelation, 1 Aug. 1831 [D&C 58:14–18]; Revelation, 11 Nov. 1831–B [D&C 107:72, 78–80].

  3. [3]

    Minutes, 12 Feb. 1834.

  4. [4]

    Minutes, 11 Oct. 1831.

  5. [5]

    Minutes, 19 Feb. 1834.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Minutes, 17 February 1834 Minute Book 1

Page 31

The remaining six Counsellors who do not speak in
Council

A governing body of twelve high priests. The first high council was organized in Kirtland, Ohio, on 17 February 1834 “for the purpose of settling important difficulties which might arise in the church, which could not be settled by the church, or the bishop...

View Glossary
, are to hear patiently the reasoning of the other and correct all errors which they may discover, and after decission is rendered by the president, if these remaining counsellors can throw any farther light upon the subject, so as to correct the decissin [decision] of the president, they have the liberty so to do, otherwise it stands and the majority of the Council must rule. It was then voted by all present that they desired to come under the present order of things which they all considered to be the will of God. Many questions have been asked during the time of the organization of this Council and doubtless some errors have been committed, it was, therefore, voted by all present that Bro Joseph should make all necessary corrections by the spirit of inspiration
6

For JS’s revisions and corrections to the minutes featured here, see Revised Minutes, 18–19 Feb. 1834 [D&C 102].


hereafter
Oliver Cowdery

3 Oct. 1806–3 Mar. 1850. Clerk, teacher, justice of the peace, lawyer, newspaper editor. Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Raised Congregationalist. Moved to western New York and clerked at a store, ca. 1825–1828...

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drew no. one by lot.
Joseph Coe

12 Nov. 1784–17 Oct. 1854. Farmer, clerk. Born at Cayuga Co., New York. Son of Joel Coe and Huldah Horton. Lived at Scipio, Cayuga Co., by 1800. Married first Pallas Wales, 12 Jan. 1816. Married second Sophia Harwood, ca. 1824. Moved to Macedon, Wayne Co....

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drew No 2.
Samuel H Smith

13 Mar. 1808–30 July 1844. Farmer, logger, scribe, builder, tavern operator. Born at Tunbridge, Orange Co., Vermont. Son of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. Moved to Royalton, Windsor Co., Vermont, by Mar. 1810; to Lebanon, Grafton Co., New Hampshire, 1811...

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drew No 3.
Luke Johnson

3 Nov. 1807–8 Dec. 1861. Farmer, teacher, doctor. Born at Pomfret, Windsor Co., Vermont. Son of John Johnson and Alice (Elsa) Jacobs. Lived at Hiram, Portage Co., Ohio, when baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by JS, 10 May 1831. Ordained...

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drew No 4.
John S Carter

Ca. 1792–25/26 June 1834. Married Elizabeth (Betsey) Kinyon, 28 Feb. 1813, at Benson, Rutland Co., Vermont. Lived in Benson, by 1820. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ca. 1832. Served mission in Vermont with his brother Jared Carter...

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drew No 5.
Sylvester Smith

25 Mar. 1806–22 Feb. 1880. Farmer, carpenter, lawyer, realtor. Born at Tyringham, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Chileab Smith and Nancy Marshall. Moved to Amherst, Lorain Co., Ohio, ca. 1815. Married Elizabeth Frank, 27 Dec. 1827, likely in Chautauque...

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drew No 6.
Oliver Cowdery

3 Oct. 1806–3 Mar. 1850. Clerk, teacher, justice of the peace, lawyer, newspaper editor. Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Raised Congregationalist. Moved to western New York and clerked at a store, ca. 1825–1828...

View Full Bio
,
Samuel H Smith

13 Mar. 1808–30 July 1844. Farmer, logger, scribe, builder, tavern operator. Born at Tunbridge, Orange Co., Vermont. Son of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. Moved to Royalton, Windsor Co., Vermont, by Mar. 1810; to Lebanon, Grafton Co., New Hampshire, 1811...

View Full Bio
and
John S Carter

Ca. 1792–25/26 June 1834. Married Elizabeth (Betsey) Kinyon, 28 Feb. 1813, at Benson, Rutland Co., Vermont. Lived in Benson, by 1820. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ca. 1832. Served mission in Vermont with his brother Jared Carter...

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speak for and on the part of the accuser.
Joseph Coe

12 Nov. 1784–17 Oct. 1854. Farmer, clerk. Born at Cayuga Co., New York. Son of Joel Coe and Huldah Horton. Lived at Scipio, Cayuga Co., by 1800. Married first Pallas Wales, 12 Jan. 1816. Married second Sophia Harwood, ca. 1824. Moved to Macedon, Wayne Co....

View Full Bio
,
Luke Johnson

3 Nov. 1807–8 Dec. 1861. Farmer, teacher, doctor. Born at Pomfret, Windsor Co., Vermont. Son of John Johnson and Alice (Elsa) Jacobs. Lived at Hiram, Portage Co., Ohio, when baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by JS, 10 May 1831. Ordained...

View Full Bio
and
Sylvester Smith

25 Mar. 1806–22 Feb. 1880. Farmer, carpenter, lawyer, realtor. Born at Tyringham, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Chileab Smith and Nancy Marshall. Moved to Amherst, Lorain Co., Ohio, ca. 1815. Married Elizabeth Frank, 27 Dec. 1827, likely in Chautauque...

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, speak for and on the part of the accused. The remaining six counsellors are to sit and hear patiently and correct errors if they discover them. The Council
John Johnson

11 Apr. 1778–30 July 1843. Farmer, innkeeper. Born at Chesterfield, Cheshire Co., New Hampshire. Son of Israel Johnson and Abigail Higgins. Married Alice (Elsa) Jacobs, 22 June 1800. Moved to Pomfret, Windsor Co., Vermont, ca. 1803. Settled at Hiram, Portage...

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drew No 7.
Orson Hyde

8 Jan. 1805–28 Nov. 1878. Laborer, clerk, storekeeper, teacher, editor, businessman, lawyer, judge. Born at Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Nathan Hyde and Sally Thorpe. Moved to Derby, New Haven Co., 1812. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, ...

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drew No 8,
Jared Carter

14 June 1801–6 July 1849. Born at Killingworth, Middlesex Co., Connecticut. Son of Gideon Carter and Johanna Sims. Moved to Benson, Rutland Co., Vermont, by 1810. Married Lydia Ames, 20 Sept. 1823, at Benson. Moved to Chenango, Broome Co., New York, by Jan...

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drew No 9,
Joseph Smith Seignr

12 July 1771–14 Sept. 1840. Cooper, farmer, teacher, merchant. Born at Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Asael Smith and Mary Duty. Nominal member of Congregationalist church at Topsfield. Married to Lucy Mack by Seth Austin, 24 Jan. 1796, at Tunbridge...

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drew No 10,
John Smith

16 July 1781–23 May 1854. Farmer. Born at Derryfield (later Manchester), Rockingham Co., New Hampshire. Son of Asael Smith and Mary Duty. Member of Congregational church. Appointed overseer of highways at Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., New York, 1810. Married...

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drew No 11,
Martin Harris

18 May 1783–10 July 1875. Farmer. Born at Easton, Albany Co., New York. Son of Nathan Harris and Rhoda Lapham. Moved with parents to area of Swift’s landing (later in Palmyra), Ontario Co., New York, 1793. Married first his first cousin Lucy Harris, 27 Mar...

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drew No 12,
7

That the members of the council drew lots may indicate that they originally intended to hold a disciplinary hearing that day; at disciplinary hearings, council members drew lots to determine who would speak on behalf of the accused and who would speak on behalf of the accuser. The revised minutes of this meeting, however, said that casting “lots by numbers” was the duty of the counselors whenever a high council was “regularly organized.” Thus, the casting of lots at this meeting may have simply indicated that the council considered itself officially organized at this point. In any event, the order in which counselors were to speak, as determined by lots at this meeting, was honored in the next two meetings of the council. (Revised Minutes, 18–19 Feb. 1834 [D&C 102:12]; Minutes, 19 Feb. 1834; Minutes, 20 Feb. 1834.)


The Council adjourned then, until wednesday at 10 oclk A.M.——
Orson Hyde

8 Jan. 1805–28 Nov. 1878. Laborer, clerk, storekeeper, teacher, editor, businessman, lawyer, judge. Born at Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Nathan Hyde and Sally Thorpe. Moved to Derby, New Haven Co., 1812. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, ...

View Full Bio
Clk [p. 31]
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Source Note

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Page 31

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Minutes, 17 February 1834
ID #
6739
Total Pages
3
Print Volume Location
JSP, D3:435–439
Handwriting on This Page
  • Orson Hyde

Footnotes

  1. [6]

    For JS’s revisions and corrections to the minutes featured here, see Revised Minutes, 18–19 Feb. 1834 [D&C 102].

  2. [7]

    That the members of the council drew lots may indicate that they originally intended to hold a disciplinary hearing that day; at disciplinary hearings, council members drew lots to determine who would speak on behalf of the accused and who would speak on behalf of the accuser. The revised minutes of this meeting, however, said that casting “lots by numbers” was the duty of the counselors whenever a high council was “regularly organized.” Thus, the casting of lots at this meeting may have simply indicated that the council considered itself officially organized at this point. In any event, the order in which counselors were to speak, as determined by lots at this meeting, was honored in the next two meetings of the council. (Revised Minutes, 18–19 Feb. 1834 [D&C 102:12]; Minutes, 19 Feb. 1834; Minutes, 20 Feb. 1834.)

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