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Discourse, 6 April 1837

Source Note

JS, Discourse, [, Geauga Co., OH], 6 Apr. 1837. Featured version published in “Anniversary of the Church of Latter Day Saints,” Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate, Apr. 1837, 3:487–488. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Oliver Cowdery, Dec. 1834.

Historical Introduction

On 6 April 1837, the seventh anniversary of the organization of the , the , , and other priesthood holders gathered in the in , Ohio, for a . This gathering occurred just over a year after the solemn assembly that followed the dedication of the House of the Lord in March 1836.
On the morning of the 1837 solemn assembly, each priesthood quorum met in the to perform the of and to prepare “to receive instruction from the Presidents of the church.” The First Presidency met separately with the Quorum of the in the upper room of the temple to confirm and bless new members of the Seventy, who had been anointed prior to the solemn assembly. They also met to address questions of authority and to correct inconsistencies in who had been called as quorum presidents. Previously, some presidents of the Seventy had been called from among the , but according to minutes of the meeting, “It was decided by President Joseph Smith, that the seventies were not High priests as they had been previously taught.” Reminiscent accounts by and noted that there was tension between the quorums over which had authority over the other. These concerns resulted in the removal and replacement of some of the presidents of the Seventy. It appeared that six of the seven presidents of the Seventy (the exception being Joseph Young) had already been as high priests when they were appointed presidents of the Seventy and had not been chosen from the Quorum of the Seventy as set out in the 1835 “Instruction on Priesthood.” noted that the practice of appointing high priests as leaders of the Seventy “was declared to be wrong, and not according to the order of heaven.” To resolve the matter, the presidents who were thought to have been ordained high priests were removed as presidents of the Seventy and new men were appointed from the Quorum of the Seventy to serve as quorum presidents. The five former presidents who were at the meeting, as well as other seventies who had been ordained high priests, were then asked to join the high priests quorum.
After all the priesthood quorums gathered for instruction, they were addressed by members of the church presidency—JS, , , and . JS’s discourse, featured here, is extracted from ’s synopsis of the proceedings of the solemn assembly. In his address, JS discussed the duties and roles of each of the priesthood quorums and explained the “grades of the different quorums” without clarifying which quorum had the higher authority.
After JS finished speaking on the topic of priesthood, he spoke on the temporal affairs of the church. He informed the assembled priesthood holders that the city of must be developed and that the Saints should gather there and purchase land intended for them. and also spoke in the solemn assembly regarding the church’s financial situation. Hyrum chastised members who were giving new arrivals unauthorized advice about purchasing land; their actions contradicted guidelines established by church leaders the previous December to govern Saints wanting to move to Kirtland. He also rebuked those members of the church who were taking the money of newly arrived Saints rather than directing them to purchase land from church leaders, who had gone into considerable debt to acquire property for church settlement. Hyrum also told members to support the for the benefit of the church and its members. In his remarks, Rigdon named the three most significant debts of the church, identifying $6,000 related to the Saints being driven from , Missouri; $13,000 for building the in Kirtland; and an unspecified amount for land purchases in Kirtland. Building on JS’s earlier comments, Rigdon emphasized the principle of gathering and instructed the to tell church members that there was “a place for them” in Kirtland and that “it is the will of God that they should come.”

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Minutes, 30 Mar. 1836.

  2. [2]

    “Anniversary of the Church of Latter Day Saints,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Apr. 1837, 3:486.

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

  3. [3]

    Record of Seventies, bk. A, 17.

    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.

  4. [4]

    Record of Seventies, bk. A, 9, 18. Elias Smith prepared these meeting minutes using the journal of Hazen Aldrich. Wilford Woodruff wrote that a reorganization of the leadership of the Seventy was required because of the “difference in the authority and office of the quorums of high Priesthood & Seventies.” (Woodruff, Journal, 6 Apr. 1837.)

    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.

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

  5. [5]

    Young and Coltrin noted that members of each quorum argued that theirs held greater authority. Young wrote in 1878 that the debate developed “with so much warmth that it amounted to jealousy.” Coltrin’s account, recorded by L. John Nuttall in 1879, specified that the debate began between Benjamin Winchester and Jared Carter: “Bro. W[inchester] A Seventy and Bro Jared [Carter] a High Priest got to contending which held the highest office. Carter was rebuking him on account of his folly, which he said he had not right to do. as he held a higher Priesthood than he did. and Jared contended that he didn’t because [he] was a High Priest.” Coltrin wrote that the debate came to the attention of Joseph Smith Sr., who then informed JS. (Young, History of the Organization of the Seventies, 4–5; Nuttall, Diary, 31 May 1879.)

    Young, Joseph, Sr. History of the Organization of the Seventies: Names of First and Second Quorums. Items in Relation to the First Presidency of the Seventies. Also, a Brief Glance at Enoch and His City. Embellished with a Likeness of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and a View of the Kirtland Temple. Salt Lake City: Deseret News Steam Printing Establishment, 1878.

    Nuttall, L. John. Diary, 1876–1884. L. John Nuttall, Papers, 1857–1904. BYU.

  6. [6]

    Instruction on Priesthood, between ca. 1 Mar. and ca. 4 May 1835 [D&C 107:93].

  7. [7]

    “Anniversary of the Church of Latter Day Saints,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Apr. 1837, 3:486.

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

  8. [8]

    The six men who were removed as presidents of the Seventy were Hazen Aldrich, Leonard Rich, Zebedee Coltrin, Lyman Sherman, Sylvester Smith, and Levi Hancock. The six men appointed to fill the positions were James Foster, Josiah Butterfield, John Gould, John Gaylord, Daniel S. Miles, and Salmon Gee. (Young, History of the Organization of the Seventies, 5.)

    Young, Joseph, Sr. History of the Organization of the Seventies: Names of First and Second Quorums. Items in Relation to the First Presidency of the Seventies. Also, a Brief Glance at Enoch and His City. Embellished with a Likeness of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and a View of the Kirtland Temple. Salt Lake City: Deseret News Steam Printing Establishment, 1878.

  9. [9]

    Levi Hancock, who was removed at this meeting and replaced by John Gould, was not in Kirtland at the time of the meeting. When Hancock returned to Kirtland, he informed church leaders that he had not been ordained a high priest and should not have been removed from his position. It was decided that Hancock should retain his position as a president of the Seventy, and John Gould was removed. (Minutes, 3 Sept. 1837.)

  10. [10]

    “Anniversary of the Church of Latter Day Saints,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Apr. 1837, 3:486.

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

  11. [11]

    In contrast to the other members of the presidency, Oliver Cowdery spoke on proselytizing and teaching. (“Anniversary of the Church of Latter Day Saints,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Apr. 1837, 3:488; Woodruff, Journal, 6 Apr. 1837.)

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

  12. [12]

    Minutes, 22 Dec. 1836.

  13. [13]

    “Anniversary of the Church of Latter Day Saints,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Apr. 1837, 3:488; Minutes, 22 Dec. 1836.

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

  14. [14]

    Woodruff, Journal, 6 Apr. 1837.

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

  15. [15]

    “Anniversary of the Church of Latter Day Saints,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Apr. 1837, 3:488. The losses for Jackson County were likely much higher than Rigdon’s figure; on the amount of debt for the House of the Lord, see Historical Introduction to Mortgage to Mead, Stafford & Co., 11 July 1837; for more information on the land purchases in Kirtland, see Historical Introduction to Mortgage to Peter French, 5 Oct. 1836.

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

  16. [16]

    “Anniversary of the Church of Latter Day Saints,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Apr. 1837, 3:489, italics in original.

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

Page 487

Joseph Smith jr. rose and spoke on the subject of the . The , he said was no other then the priesthood of the Son of God. There are certain which belong to the priesthood, and certain results flow from it.
The , or presidency are over the , and revelations of the mind and will of God to the church are to come through the presidency. This is the order of heaven and the power and privilege of this priesthood. It is also the privilege of any officer in this church, to obtain revelations so far as relates to his particular calling or duty in the church. All are bound by the principles of virtue and happiness, but one great privilege of this priesthood is to obtain revelations, as before observed, of the mind and will of God. It is also the privilege of the Melchisedec priesthood, to reprove, rebuke and admonish, as well as to receive revelations.
He here remarked something concerning the will of God, and said, that what God commanded, the one half of the church would condemn.— A , is a member of the same Melchisedec priesthood, with the presidency, but not of the same power or authority in the church. The are also members of the same priesthood, are a sort of travelling , or priesthood, and may preside over a church or churches until a high priest can be had. The seventies are to be taken from the quorum of and are not to be high priests. They are subject to the direction and dictation of the , who have the of the ministry. All are to preach the gospel, by the power and influence of the Holy Ghost, and no man, said he, can preach the gospel without the Holy Ghost.
The was a high priest, and necessarily so, because he is to preside over that particular branch of the church affairs that are denominated the , and because we have no direct lineal descendent of Aaron to whom it would of right belong. He remarked that this was the same, or a branch of the same priesthood; and illustrated his position by the figure of the human body, which has dfferent members, which have different offices to perform: all are necessary in their place, and the body is not complete without all the members. From a view of the requirements of the servants of God to preach the gospel, he remarked that few were qualified even to be , and if a priest understood his duty, his calling and ministry and preached by the Holy Ghost, his enjoyment is as great as if he were one of the presidency; and his services are necessary in the body, as are also those of and . Therefore in viewing the church as whole, we may strictly denominate it one priesthood.
He remarked that he rebuked and admonished his brethren frequently, and that because he loved them; not because he wished to incur their displeasure or mar their happiness.
Such a course of conduct was not calculated to gain the good will of all, but rather the ill will of many, and thereby the situation in which he stood was an important one. So you see, brethren the higher the authority, the greater the difficulty of the station. But these rebukes and admonitions became nccssary from the perverseness of brethren, for their temporal as well as spiritual welfare. They actually constituted a part of the duties of his station and calling.
Others had other duties to perform that were important and far less enviable, and might be just as good, like the feet or hands in their relation to the human body, neither could claim priority, or say to the other I have no need of you. After all that has been said the greatest duty and the most important is, to preach the gospel.
He then alluded to the temporal affairs of the church in this place, stating the causes of the embarrassments of a pecuniary nature that were now pressing upon the heads of the church. He observed they began poor, were needy, destitute, and were truly afflicted by their enemies; yet the Lord commanded them to go forth and preach the [p. 487]
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Page 487

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Discourse, 6 April 1837
ID #
344
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D5:352–357
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Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See Instruction on Priesthood, between ca. 1 Mar. and ca. 4 May 1835 [D&C 107:3].

  2. [2]

    See Instruction on Priesthood, between ca. 1 Mar. and ca. 4 May 1835 [D&C 107:9–10, 91–92].

  3. [3]

    See Instruction on Priesthood, between ca. 1 Mar. and ca. 4 May 1835 [D&C 107:18–19].

  4. [4]

    See Instruction on Priesthood, between ca. 1 Mar. and ca. 4 May 1835 [D&C 107:8–14].

  5. [5]

    See Instruction on Priesthood, between ca. 1 Mar. and ca. 4 May 1835 [D&C 107:25–26].

  6. [6]

    See Instruction on Priesthood, between ca. 1 Mar. and ca. 4 May 1835 [D&C 107:33–35].

  7. [7]

    See Revelation, 9 Feb. 1831 [D&C 42:16–17].

  8. [8]

    See Instruction on Priesthood, between ca. 1 Mar. and ca. 4 May 1835 [D&C 107:69–76].

  9. [9]

    See 1 Corinthians 12:12, 14, 20.

  10. [10]

    During fall and winter 1835, JS rebuked several church members in Kirtland, correcting their errors in an effort to promote unity and order prior to the dedication of the House of the Lord and the promised endowment of power. (See Revelation, 1 Nov. 1835; Revelation, 8 Nov. 1835; Historical Introduction to Letter from William Smith, 18 Dec. 1835; and JS, Journal, 8 Nov. 1835.)

  11. [11]

    See 1 Corinthians 12:15, 21.

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