Mormon History 1830-1844

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Minutes of July 7, 1834  
Clay county high council is organized at Lyman Wight's house. (Zion's Camp is also disbanded nearby on this day.) David Whitmer is ordained president, W. W. Phelps and John Whitmer, counselors §. Elsewhere Joseph says David was ordained as his possible successor in this meeting. Joseph's work is now complete §.
Date   July 7, 1834   FWR, 71–73.
Location   Clay county, Lyman Wight house  

 

Description   Agreeable to adjournment the council of High Priests assembled …    
[Presiding]   [Joseph Smith]    
Clerk   Frederick G. Williams    
Present   15 high priests, 8 elders, 4 priests, 8 teachers, 3 deacons, and "a number of Members."   Members attend high council meetings.
Open   Sing "age after age has rowled away, &c." Prayer by Joseph Smith Jr.    
Speakers   Joseph counsels those present relative to their calling, reads to them from the February 17, 1834 minutes of the organization of the Kirtland high council.   The revised Minutes of Feb. 17, 1834 were known as "the Constitution." It is now D&C 102.
Joseph: work complete  

He also informed them if he should now be taken away that he had accomplished the great work which the Lord had laid before him, and that which he had desired of the Lord, and that he now had done his duty in organizing the High Council through which Council the will of [72] the Lord might be known on all important occasions in the building up of Zion, and establishing truth in the earth.

  At the meeting of Joseph and the Twelve in November, Joseph announces that inasmuch as he was still alive, he would introduce the ordinance of washing of feet for members in the house of the Lord. Minutes of Nov. 12, 1835
  A vote was then taken whether the brethren that were appointed on the 3rd of July should stand according to appointment. The vote was clear in their behalf.  

Either at this meeting or on the 3rd, Joseph chastized David and others for unfaithfulness. Minutes of July 3, 1834

Joseph apparently refers this ordination in 1838 when he "gave a history of the ordination of David Whitmer "to be a leader, or a prophet to this Church, which (ordination) was on the conditions that he (J. Smith jr) did not live to God himself." ¶ Minutes of Mar. 15, 1838

Presidents of the Church

Three presidents—and Joseph's successor?   Joseph ordains "the three Presidents, David Whitmer as President and William W. Phelps & John Whitmer assistants and their twelve Counsillors."

The twelve counselors cast lots to see who speaks first. The order is:
 
Counselors   Simeon Carter
Parley P. Pratt (h)
William E. McLellin (h)
Calvin Beebe
Levi Jackman
Solomon Hancock
Christian Whitmer
Newel Knight
Orson Pratt
Lyman Wight (h) (swh)
Thomas B. Marsh (h)
John Murdock
 
Whitmer blessings   Peter Whitmer Sr. blesses his sons, David, John, and Christian, and Newel Knight.    
    After the council of high priests is organized, Bishop Partridge tells the council    
Edward Partridge hopes to act righteously  

that a greater responsibility devolved upon him that before as he had not the privilege of counselling with any of the high council save one of the Presidents and his own Counsillors, and desired to have the prayers of all the Church that he might be able to act in his station in righteousness.

 
W. W. Phelps taking over press in Kirtland   Joseph presents W. W. Phelps' case before the council: William is to take over the printing press in Kirtland; should he take his family to Kirtland?    
Family to remain   Simeon Carter and William E. McLellin speak on behalf of "the plaintiff," Parley P. Pratt and Calvin Bebee "in behalf of the Church." President decides he should go and his family remain.    
David to Kirtland  

Proposed by W. W. Phelps that br. David Whitmer the President of the Church in Zion > should go to Kirtland as being one of the three witnesses and assist in promoting the cause of Christ.

  Presidents of the Church
Also John Whitmer, William E. McLellin   Levi Jackman speak in behalf of the plaintiff, Solomon Hancock and Newel Knight for the church. Decision that he go to the East and assist in the gathering. He may decide about taking his family. John Whitmer and William E. McLellin (h) also to go east. All to go "as soon as convenient."    
President David Whitmer and counselors   [All in attendance] covenanted with uplifted hands to heaven that they would uphold David Whitmer as President, head and leader in Zion & John Whitmer & W. W. Phelps as assistant Presidents and Counsillors also covenanted to uphold him and one another at the throne of grace.   See Redaction below.
Close   Prayer by David Whitmer President.    
Redaction
  Far West Record History of the Church   There is no entry for this meeting in , 520–525. HC 2:125–126 follows TS 6, no. 1 (Feb. 1, 1846): 1110 except TS has you rather than they "would uphold."

Blue: dropped
Red: added

The redaction:
1) Deemphasizes David's role as "President of the Church in Zion" (as he is elsewhere referred to <).
2) Reinforces Joseph's primacy.
3) Suggests assistant presidents functioned as counselors to David Whitmer (which they did), but not as members of the high council. Presidents of the Church
After all this was done the afore mentioned The  
  High Priests, Elders, Priests, Teachers, Deacons and members present, then covenanted with uplifted hands to heaven that they would uphold David Whitmer as President, head and leader in Zion & John Whitmer & W. W. Phelps as assistant Presidents and Counsillors also covenanted to uphold him and one another at the throne of grace. High Priests, Elders, Priests, Teachers, Deacons and members present, then covenanted with hands uplifted to heaven, that they would uphold Br. David Whitmer, as president in Zion, in my absence, and John Whitmer and W. W. Phelps as assistant presidents or councillors, and myself as first president of the church, and one another by faith and prayer.  
     
Minutes of July 12, 1834
Minutes of July 3, 1834
Clay County Minutes




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