Minutes, Discourse, and Blessings, 1 March 1835

Source Note

Minutes, Discourse, and Blessings, [
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], 1 Mar. 1835. Featured version copied [not before 25 Feb. 1836] in Minute Book 1, pp. 172–186; handwriting of
Warren 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
On the morning of 1 March 1835, church members convened a meeting 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, apparently as a continuation of a meeting that had adjourned on 28 February. Several men appointed to the office of
Seventy
A priesthood office with the responsibility to travel and preach and assist the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, similar to the seventy in the New Testament. In February and March 1835, the first members of the Seventy were selected and ordained. All of those...
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were given
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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blessings in that 28 February meeting.
1
For more information about these meetings and the Seventy in general, see Historical Introduction to Minutes and Blessings, 28 Feb.–1 Mar. 1835.
The blessings continued in this 1 March 1835 meeting, and at least thirty-three individuals, including some not designated as seventies, were blessed.
2
Although not all blessings explicitly state that an individual was ordained a seventy, it appears that the only men not made seventies at this time were John Murdock, Solomon Denton, Benjamin Winchester, Hyrum Smith, and Frederick G. Williams.
All those receiving ordinations and blessings in this meeting had participated in the
Camp of Israel
A group of approximately 205 men and about 20 women and children led by JS to Missouri, May–July 1834, to redeem Zion by helping the Saints who had been driven from Jackson County, Missouri, regain their lands; later referred to as “Zion’s Camp.” A 24 February...
View Glossary
expedition.
3
Bradley, Zion’s Camp 1834, 269–275; Account with the Church of Christ, ca. 11–29 Aug. 1834.
Comprehensive Works Cited
Bradley, James L. Zion’s Camp 1834: Prelude to the Civil War. Logan, UT: By the author, 1990.
According to later reminiscences, many of these blessings were performed by members of the church presidency, including JS, his
father
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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,
Sidney Rigdon
19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...
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, and
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
.
4
For examples, see Hutchings, Journal, 15 Feb. 1835; Burgess, Autobiography, 4; and “Biographies of the Seventies of the Second Quorum,” 22.
Comprehensive Works Cited
Hutchings, Elias. Journal, Dec. 1834–Sept. 1836. CHL. MS 1445.
Burgess, Harrison. Autobiography, ca. 1883. Photocopy. CHL. MS 893. Also available as “Sketch of a Well-Spent Life,” in Labors in the Vineyard, Faith-Promoting Series 12 (Salt Lake City: Juvenile Instructor Office, 1884), 65–74.
“Biographies of the Seventies of the Second Quorum,” 1845–1855. In Seventies Quorum Records, 1844–1975. CHL. CR 499.
The minutes indicate that several individuals who had recently been
baptized
An ordinance in which an individual is immersed in water for the remission of sins. The Book of Mormon explained that those with necessary authority were to baptize individuals who had repented of their sins. Baptized individuals also received the gift of...
View Glossary
were also confirmed members of the church at the meeting, and the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was administered. JS also gave instructions on the necessity of worthiness when partaking of the sacrament.

It is unclear who originally recorded the ordination blessings or the minutes of the meeting.
Warren 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...
View Full Bio
later copied them into Minute Book 1.

Footnotes
1. 1
  For more information about these meetings and the Seventy in general, see Historical Introduction to Minutes and Blessings, 28 Feb.–1 Mar. 1835.
2. 2
  Although not all blessings explicitly state that an individual was ordained a seventy, it appears that the only men not made seventies at this time were John Murdock, Solomon Denton, Benjamin Winchester, Hyrum Smith, and Frederick G. Williams.
3. 3
  Bradley, Zion’s Camp 1834, 269–275; Account with the Church of Christ, ca. 11–29 Aug. 1834.
  
  Bradley, James L. Zion’s Camp 1834: Prelude to the Civil War. Logan, UT: By the author, 1990.
4. 4
  For examples, see Hutchings, Journal, 15 Feb. 1835; Burgess, Autobiography, 4; and “Biographies of the Seventies of the Second Quorum,” 22.
  
  Hutchings, Elias. Journal, Dec. 1834–Sept. 1836. CHL. MS 1445.
  Burgess, Harrison. Autobiography, ca. 1883. Photocopy. CHL. MS 893. Also available as “Sketch of a Well-Spent Life,” in Labors in the Vineyard, Faith-Promoting Series 12 (Salt Lake City: Juvenile Instructor Office, 1884), 65–74.
  “Biographies of the Seventies of the Second Quorum,” 1845–1855. In Seventies Quorum Records, 1844–1975. CHL. CR 499.

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Thou shalt go forth and carry the gospel to the nations who sit in darkness. We upon thee the power of this ministry; if thou art faithful from this hour Thou shalt receive a fullness of Joy. Thou shalt ask and the Lord will give. Tho[u] shalt ask and he will give again. Thou shalt see the glory of the Lord. Thou shalt see great things and contemplate mighty things. Thy heart shall desire to see the work of God roll on and thou shalt see it. We seal another another blessing upon thee. Thou shalt return with thy brethren hereafter After thou hast labored much and suffered much, & thy coming in shall be greater than thy going out. These blessings we confirm upon the[e] in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.

We you to be an in the and one of the to go into all the world to preach the gospel to every creature. You shall have the powers blessings and privileges of this ministry, equal to any of your brethren. You shall go forth, but shall return to the embraces of your family, and they shall have much peace with you. Amen.

Peter Buchanan

We you to be an to go forth and preach the Gospel, & . Tho[u] art a vessel chosen of God to bear the news of salvation to the . Thou hast long sought this mission Thou shalt go forth according to the desire of thy heart. Thou shalt see the work of the Lord prosper in thy hands. Thou shalt open the plan of salvation to those who know it not. [p. 176]

Thou shalt go forth and carry the gospel to the nations who sit in darkness. We upon thee the power of this ministry; if thou art faithful from this hour Thou shalt receive a fullness of Joy. Thou shalt ask and the Lord will give. Thou shalt ask and he will give again. Thou shalt see the glory of the Lord. Thou shalt see great things and contemplate mighty things. Thy heart shall desire to see the work of God roll on and thou shalt see it. We seal another another blessing upon thee. Thou shalt return with thy brethren here After thou hast labored much and suffered much, & thy coming in shall be greater than thy going out. These blessings we confirm upon thee in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.

Peter Buchanan

We you to be an to go forth and preach the Gospel, & . Thou art a vessel chosen of God to bear the news of salvation to the . Thou hast long sought this mission Thou shalt go forth according to the desire of thy heart. Thou shalt see the work of the Lord prosper in thy hands. Thou shalt open the plan of salvation to those who know it not. [p. 176]

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Document Information
Editorial Title
Minutes, Discourse, and Blessings, 1 March 1835
ID #
6818
Total Pages
15
Print Volume Location
JSP, D4:264–279
Handwriting on This Page
- Warren A. Cowdery
Footnotes
1. 24
  George A. Smith later remembered that his ordination occurred “under the hands of Joseph Smith Senr, Joseph Smith Junr. and Sidney Rigdon, who was spokesman.” A later copy of the blessing stated that it was “given under the hands of Joseph Smith Sen” but also indicated that JS and Rigdon participated in the blessing. (George A. Smith, Autobiography, 59; Ordination, 1 Mar. 1835, George Albert Smith, Papers, CHL.)
  
  Smith, George A. Autobiography, ca. 1860–1882. George Albert Smith, Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322, box 1, fd. 2.
  Smith, George Albert. Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322.
2. 25
  See Acts 9:15.

Minutes, Discourse, and Blessings, 1 March 1835

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