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Minutes, 19 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...

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, Geauga Co., OH, 19 Feb. 1834. Featured version copied [ca. 19 Feb. 1834] in Minute Book 1, pp. 36–39; 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

These minutes of a 19 February 1834 meeting detail the final steps in organizing 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...

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”—later known as 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—and the proceedings of the first case adjudicated by the council. Two days earlier, on 17 February 1834, a council of fifty-eight
priesthood

Power or authority of God. The priesthood was conferred through the laying on of hands upon adult male members of the church in good standing; no specialized training was required. Priesthood officers held responsibility for administering the sacrament of...

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holders and church members initially organized the new council. Believing the minutes contained some errors, the organizing council charged JS with making “all necessary corrections” to the minutes of the meeting, which delineated the procedures the new council should follow when dealing with church members accused of transgression.
1

Minutes, 17 Feb. 1834.


Included in the minutes presented here is the council’s discussion and acceptance of the corrected 17 February minutes
2

Revised Minutes, 18–19 Feb. 1834 [D&C 102].


as well as JS’s declaration that the high council was “organized according to the ancient order, and also according to the mind of the Lord.” The newly organized high council then heard its first case, which concerned charges against Curtis Hodges Sr. for “loud speaking, and a want of clearness in articulation” at various meetings. Several witnesses supported the charges, though no extant contemporary record identifies the precise circumstances, locations, or dates of Hodges’s offenses.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Minutes, 17 Feb. 1834.

  2. [2]

    Revised Minutes, 18–19 Feb. 1834 [D&C 102].

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Minutes, 19 February 1834 Minute Book 1 History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page 39

The accuser and the accused then spoke for themselves, after which, the president arose and laid open the case still more plain and gave his decision; which was, that the charges in the declaration had been fairly sustained by good witnesses, also, that bro. H. ought to have confessed when rebuked by
bro Thayer

14 Oct. 1791–6 Sept. 1862. Farmer, gardener, builder. Born in New York. Married Elizabeth Frank. Lived at Bloomfield, Ontario Co., New York, 1820. Lived at Farmington, Ontario Co., 1830. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Parley ...

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also that if he had the spirit of the Lord at the meetings where he hollowed, he must have abused it, and grieved it away. all the
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
agreed with the decision.
18

According to the revised minutes of the 17 February 1834 meeting, the president’s decision needed to be ratified by a majority of the council in order for it to stand. (Revised Minutes, 18–19 Feb. 1834 [D&C 102:19–22].)


Bro. Hodges then rose and said, that he then saw his wrong, but never saw it before and appeared to feel thankful that he saw it, he said he had learned more during this trial, than he had since he came into the
Church

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
, Confessed freely his error, and said he would attend to overcomeing that evil, the Lord being his helper
The Council then adjournd to meet again tomorrow evening 20th Inst.
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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Clk)
<​
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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d[itt]o​>) [p. 39]
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Source Note

Document Transcript

Page 39

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Minutes, 19 February 1834
ID #
4114
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
JSP, D3:444–448
Handwriting on This Page
  • Orson Hyde

Footnotes

  1. [18]

    According to the revised minutes of the 17 February 1834 meeting, the president’s decision needed to be ratified by a majority of the council in order for it to stand. (Revised Minutes, 18–19 Feb. 1834 [D&C 102:19–22].)

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