Minutes, , Geauga Co., OH, 17 Feb. 1834. Featured version copied [ca. 17 Feb. 1834] in Minute Book 1, pp. 29–31; handwriting of ; 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 , Ohio—later known as the “ of the ,” or the Kirtland high council. The minutes also document the rules the council should follow when judging a church member accused of a transgression. Before 17 February, such issues had been judged by “” 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 to hear such cases, as well as for an appellate “court of the church before the .” The November revelation also empowered the president to call twelve available to assist in adjudicating a case. 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 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 and high priests, where he focused his remarks on the qualifications and conduct required of individual members of such councils. 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.
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.”
The remaining six Counsellors who do not speak in , 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 hereafter drew no. one by lot. drew No 2. drew No 3. drew No 4. drew No 5. drew No 6. , and speak for and on the part of the accuser. , and , 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. TheCouncil drew No 7. drew No 8, drew No 9, drew No 10, drew No 11, drew No 12, The Council adjourned then, until wednesday at 10 oclk A.M.——
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.)