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Minutes, 4 April 1834

Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and 1,000 others; in 1838 about 2,000 Saints and 1,200 others; in 1839 about 100 Saints and 1,500 others. Mormon missionaries visited township...

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April 4, 1834.

This evening a council

A gathering of church leaders assembled “for consultation, deliberation and advice”; also a body responsible for governance or administration. As early as 9 February 1831, a revelation instructed that “the Elders & Bishop shall Council together & they shall...

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of High Priests

An ecclesiastical office. The Book of Mormon used the term high priest to denote one appointed to lead the church. However, the Book of Mormon also discussed an order of high priests who were called to teach the commandments of God and serve as leaders in...

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assembled at the house of Bro. Joseph Smith Junr’s. to re-consider the case of Bro. Geo. F James

28 Oct. 1796–30 Oct. 1864. Farmer. Born in Stockbridge, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Stephen James and Hannah Schofield. Moved to Brownhelm, Huron Co., Ohio, July 1817. Married Caroline Weed, 28 June 1822, in Huron Co. Baptized into LDS church, June...

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. Bro. Joseph Smith Junr. presideing: Bro. Geo.

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then said, that he had often promised to take up his cross & magnify his calling, but had failed, and ought to have written to bro. Joseph ere this time and given him the information that his pecuniary affairs called his attention at home which prevented his fulfilling the promise he made to Bro. Joseph in going out to proclaim the Gospel, and he sincerely asked pardon of the Lord and of his brethren, and particularly bro. Joseph. He also said he was willing to ask the forgiveness of this 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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. He said, that relative to certain charges, which were, that he had not attended meetings, and had treated lightly some of the weak &c. That he had attended meetings, generally, and as for speaking or treating lightly any brother because of of his weakness, was foreign from his mind and was that which he had never done, nor could ever find such principles in his bosome. Bro. Joseph said, he had no hardness, he only wished bro. George

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to consider this as a chastisement, and that the coun cil were bound to notice his conduct heretofore; but now, if he, [bro. George,]

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was willing to walk according to the new covenant

Generally referred to the “fullness of [the] gospel”—the sum total of the church’s message, geared toward establishing God’s covenant people on the earth; also used to describe individual elements of the gospel, including marriage. According to JS, the everlasting...

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, he should have his hand of fellowship. The council then expressed their satisfaction with bro. George

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’s confession.

Oliver Cowd[e]ry

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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Clerk of council [p. 48]

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Facts

Editorial Title: Minutes, 4 April 1834
ID #: 5799