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Revised Minutes, 17 February 1834 [D&C 102]

 
Voted, that whenever any vacancy shall occur by the death, re moveal from office, for transgression, or removal from the bounds 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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 goverment of any one of the above named counsellors,  it shall be filled by the nomination of the president, or presidents  and sanctioned by the voice of a general Conference <Council of high priests

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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> convened for  that purpose to act in the name of the Church.
The president of the church

The presiding body of the church. From the day of the church’s organization on 6 April 1830, JS and Oliver Cowdery led the church in their capacity as elders. An 11 November 1831 revelation directed that “the duty of the president of the office of the high...

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, who is also the president of the council,  is appointed by the voice of the Saviour, and acknowledged in his  administration, by the voice of the Church; and it is according to  the dignity of his office that he should preside over the high Council

Although JS utilized councils of elders and high priests earlier in church government, the first standing high council of the church was organized in Kirtland, Ohio, on 17 February 1834. The second high council was organized a few months later in Clay County...

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  of the Church; and it is his privilege to be assisted by two other  presidents, appointed after the same manner that he himself was  appointed; and in case of the abscence of one or both of those who  are appointed to assist him, he has power to preside over the  council without an assistant: and in case that he himself is  abscent, the other presidents have power to preside in his  stead, both or either of them.
Whenever a high council of the Church of Christ, is regularly  organized according to the foregoing pattern, it shall be the duty  of the twelve counsellors to cast lots by numbers and thereby  ascertain who of the twelve shall speak first, commenceing  with Number One, and so in succession to number twelve
Whenever this council convenes to act upon any case;  in the Church, the twelve counsellors shall consider whether  it is a difficult one or not; If it is not, two <only> of the  Counsellors shall speak upon it according to the form above  written; but if it is thought to be more <a> difficult, <one> four shall  be appointed, and if still more difficult, six: but in  no case not over that number shall <shall be more than six be> be appointed to speak.  The accused in all cases has a right to one half of the coun cil to prevent insult or injustice; and the counsellors ap pointed to speak before the council, are to present the  case after the evidence is examined, in its true light before  the Council, and every man is to speak according to equity [p. 33]

Facts

Editorial Title
Revised Minutes, 17 February 1834 [D&C 102]
ID #
3030