Minutes, 30 January 1836

Source Note

Church presidency (including JS), 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, 30 Jan. 1836. Featured version copied [between ca. 4 Apr. and ca. 16 May 1836] in Minute Book 1, p. 137; handwriting of
Warren A. Cowdery
17 Oct. 1788–23 Feb. 1851. Physician, druggist, farmer, editor. Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Married Patience Simonds, 22 Sept. 1814, in Pawlet, Rutland Co. Moved to Freedom, Cattaraugus Co., New York, 1816...
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; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minute Book 1.
Historical Introduction
In continuing the effort to organize 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...
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’s
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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officers and instruct the church membership to prepare for the forthcoming
solemn assembly
A special church meeting or conference convened to conduct church business, administer sacred ordinances, and receive spiritual power and instruction. In November 1831, the Saints were directed by revelation to gather as a body in solemn assemblies. A December...
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, the church’s
presidency
The highest presiding body of the church. An 11 November 1831 revelation stated that the president of the high priesthood was to preside over the church. JS was ordained as president of the high priesthood on 25 January 1832. In March 1832, JS appointed two...
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, including JS, met on the evening of 30 January 1836 in the upper floor of the
House of the Lord
JS revelation, dated Jan. 1831, directed Latter-day Saints to migrate to Ohio, where they would “be endowed with power from on high.” In Dec. 1832, JS revelation directed Saints to “establish . . . an house of God.” JS revelation, dated 1 June 1833, chastened...
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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. They passed three resolutions at the meeting.
1
JS, Journal, 30 Jan. 1836; Cowdery, Diary, 30 Jan. 1836; Post, Journal, 30 Jan. 1836.
Comprehensive Works Cited
Cowdery, Oliver. Diary, Jan.–Mar. 1836. CHL. MS 3429. Also available as Leonard J. Arrington, “Oliver Cowdery’s Kirtland, Ohio, ‘Sketch Book,’” BYU Studies 12 (Summer 1972): 410–426.
Post, Stephen. Journals, 1835–1879. Stephen Post, Papers, 1835–1921. CHL. MS 1304, box 6.
The first, instituting a new policy on
ordination
The conferral of power and authority; to appoint, decree, or set apart. Church members, primarily adults, were ordained to ecclesiastical offices and other responsibilities by the laying on of hands by those with the proper authority. Ordinations to priesthood...
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to priesthood offices, may have been prompted in part by a letter the
presidency
An organized body of leaders over priesthood quorums and other ecclesiastical organizations. A November 1831 revelation first described the office of president over the high priesthood and the church as a whole. By 1832, JS and two counselors constituted ...
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of the Kirtland
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...
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quorum
An organized group of individuals holding the same office in the Melchizedek priesthood or the Aaronic priesthood. According to the 1835 “Instruction on Priesthood,” the presidency of the church constituted a quorum. The Twelve Apostles also formed a quorum...
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wrote to the “Presidents of the church” the day before.
2
See Letter from the Presidency of Elders, 29 Jan. 1836.
This resolution put in place a new requirement: only at a business meeting of the several priesthood quorums could a recommendation for priesthood ordination be approved.
3
This matter of procedures for approval of ordinations remained an issue for more than two weeks hereafter. (See Minutes, 12 Feb. 1836.)
The second resolution assigned the elders quorum president,
Alvah Beman
22 May 1775–15 Nov. 1837. Farmer. Born at New Marlboro, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Reuben Beman and Mariam. Married Sarah (Sally) Burt, 18 Aug. 1796. Moved to what became Livonia, Ontario Co., New York, 1799. Moved to Avon, Livingston Co., New York...
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, to compile a list of elders. The final resolution concerned
Harvey Whitlock
1809–after 1880. Physician. Born in Massachusetts. Married Minerva Abbott, 21 Nov. 1830. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1831. Ordained an elder, by June 1831. Ordained a high priest, 4 June 1831. Served mission to Jackson Co., ...
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, with whom JS exchanged letters several weeks earlier regarding Whitlock’s separation from the church. JS had written the contrite Whitlock on 16 November 1835 and informed him that he should return to Kirtland and humble himself according to JS’s counsel in order to be “restored unto his former state” as a church member and
high priest
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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.
4
Letter and Revelation to Harvey Whitlock, 16 Nov. 1835.
Whitlock apparently did come to Kirtland from
Missouri
Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Latter-day Saint ...
More Info
, and at this 30 January 1836 meeting, the church’s presidency passed a resolution indicating the next steps he should take to “be restored to the church.”

Footnotes
1. 1
  JS, Journal, 30 Jan. 1836; Cowdery, Diary, 30 Jan. 1836; Post, Journal, 30 Jan. 1836.
  
  Cowdery, Oliver. Diary, Jan.–Mar. 1836. CHL. MS 3429. Also available as Leonard J. Arrington, “Oliver Cowdery’s Kirtland, Ohio, ‘Sketch Book,’” BYU Studies 12 (Summer 1972): 410–426.
  Post, Stephen. Journals, 1835–1879. Stephen Post, Papers, 1835–1921. CHL. MS 1304, box 6.
2. 2
  See Letter from the Presidency of Elders, 29 Jan. 1836.
3. 3
  This matter of procedures for approval of ordinations remained an issue for more than two weeks hereafter. (See Minutes, 12 Feb. 1836.)
4. 4
  Letter and Revelation to Harvey Whitlock, 16 Nov. 1835.

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Ohio January 30th 1836

At a conference of the of the , it resolved, that no one be to an office in the Church in without the voice of the several when assembled for church business.

Carried unanimously.

2d Resolved, that , the of the , be directed to give to the Presidents of the church, a list of the names of the several Elders comprising his quorum and all other Elders in not belonging to any quorum now established.

Carried unanimously.

3d Resolved, that be restored to the church in full fellowship on his being , and after be ordained to the . carried unanimously

Clerk of conference [p. 137]

Ohio January 30th 1836

At a conference of the of the , it resolved, that no one be to an office in the Church in without the voice of the several when assembled for church business.

Carried unanimously.

3d Resolved, that be restored to the church in full fellowship on his being , and after be ordained to the . carried unanimously

Clerk of conference [p. 137]

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Document Information
Editorial Title
Minutes, 30 January 1836
ID #
8383
Total Pages
1
Print Volume Location
JSP, D5:163–165
Handwriting on This Page
- Warren A. Cowdery
Footnotes
1. 1
  This instruction appears to refine the practice of ordination adopted in the 1835 version of the church’s founding “Articles and Covenants,” which stated, “No person is to be ordained to any office in this church, where there is a regularly organized branch of the same, without the vote of that church.” In addition to the local vote, the resolution here required the priesthood quorums in Kirtland to vote to sanction the ordination of any new official member. The procedure for approving ordinations was further clarified on 12 February 1836. (Articles and Covenants, ca. Apr. 1830, in Doctrine and Covenants 2:16, 1835 ed. [D&C 20:65–66]; Minutes, 12 Feb. 1836.)
2. 2
  It appears that the church’s presidency had not realized until a few days earlier how many elders in Kirtland did not belong to a quorum. According to Oliver Cowdery, on the evening of 25 January 1836, “the high priests and elders, all who did not belong to the quorums, met in the Lord’s house” and a “large number of elders convened; more than I had supposed resided in Kirtland.” On 25 January, Alvah Beman “organized the quorum according to age” and took their names. From the list of elders, the church presidency selected men for a second Quorum of the Seventy in early February 1836. On 3 February, Beman “handed in the names of seventy of his quorem—designed for another seventy if God will.” The following day, 4 February, the names of seventy elders were presented to the presidents of the Seventy and accepted. The church presidency met to approve the ordinations of the elders to the Seventy on Sunday, 7 February. (Cowdery, Diary, 25 and 26 Jan. 1836; Kirtland Elders Quorum, “Record,” 25 Jan. 1836; Post, Journal, 1 and 4 Feb. 1836; JS, Journal, 3 and 7 Feb. 1836; Cowdery, Diary, 7 Feb. 1836; Record of Seventies, bk. A, 6–9.)
  
  Cowdery, Oliver. Diary, Jan.–Mar. 1836. CHL. MS 3429. Also available as Leonard J. Arrington, “Oliver Cowdery’s Kirtland, Ohio, ‘Sketch Book,’” BYU Studies 12 (Summer 1972): 410–426.
  Kirtland Elders Quorum. “A Record of the First Quorurum of Elders Belonging to the Church of Christ: In Kirtland Geauga Co. Ohio,” 1836–1838, 1840–1841. CCLA.
  Post, Stephen. Journals, 1835–1879. Stephen Post, Papers, 1835–1921. CHL. MS 1304, box 6.
  Record of Seventies / First Council of the Seventy. “Book of Records,” 1837–1843. Bk. A. In First Council of the Seventy, Records, 1837–1885. CHL. CR 3 51, box 1, fd. 1.
3. 3
  Whitlock had previously been ordained to the office of high priest in June 1831. (Minutes, ca. 3–4 June 1831; Whitmer, History, 28.)

Minutes, 30 January 1836

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