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Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. High Council (Kirtland, Ohio : 1834)

 Organization

Biography

The Kirtland High Council was the chief judicial and legislative body of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, led by the Joseph Smith, from 1834 to 1838.

On February 17, 1834, Joseph Smith, the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, created the church's first high council at church headquarters in Kirtland, Ohio. This body consisted of twelve men and was under the direction of the First Presidency. This high council took on the role of chief judicial and legislative body of the church, except in areas where the church was not organized, and handled such things as excommunication trials and approval of all church spending. When church headquarters moved to Jackson County, Missouri, the newly formed Missouri high council took on a presiding role as the high council of Zion, and the Kirtland high council became subordinate. The president of this high council was the Joseph Smith.

The original members of the standing high council in Kirtland were: Joseph Smith, Sr., John Smith, Joseph Coe, John Johnson, Martin Harris, John S. Carter, Jared Carter, Oliver Cowdery, Samuel H. Smith, Orson Hyde, Sylvester Smith, and Luke S. Johnson.

Citation:
Wikipedia article on "Presiding High Council," via WWW, Jan. 6, 2017 (On February 17, 1834, Joseph Smith, the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, created the church's first high council at church headquarters in Kirtland, Ohio. This body consisted of twelve men and was under the direction of the First Presidency. This high council took on the role of chief judicial and legislative body of the church, except in areas where the church was not organized, and handled such things as excommunication trials and approval of all church spending. When church headquarters moved to Jackson County, Missouri, the newly formed Missouri high council took on a presiding role as the high council of Zion, and the Kirtland high council became subordinate. The president of this high council was the Joseph Smith. The original members of the standing high council in Kirtland were: Joseph Smith, Sr., John Smith, Joseph Coe, John Johnson, Martin Harris, John S. Carter, Jared Carter, Oliver Cowdery, Samuel H. Smith, Orson Hyde, Sylvester Smith, and Luke S. Johnson)

Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:

Kirtland Council minute book

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230331115]
Identifier: MSS SC 2920
Scope and Contents Typed copy of the minutes of the Kirtland Council of the Mormon Church between 1832 and 1837. The materials were recorded while the Mormon Church had its headquarters in Kirtland, Ohio. The volume includes records of activities, ordinations, blessings, and one letter from Newell Kimball Whitney. The clerks who recorded the minutes were William W. Phelps, Orson Hyde, Oliver Cowdery, and George W. Robinson. Joseph Smith, first president of the Mormon Church, presided at the meetings. The...
Dates: 1832-1837

H. Michael Marquardt papers

 Collection — Carton 1: [Barcode: 31197225542270]
Identifier: MSS 3185
Scope and Contents Collection contains pictures of early Mormon historical sites throughout the United States. Also contains 327 slides to accompany presentation created by donor, along with the manuscript of the presentation (presented on May 18, 1996 for the Mormon Historical Association). Includes one name index to Kirtland Council minute book and index to slides. Also includes one book related to Mormon history with marginalia (Richard H. Cracroft and Neal E. Lambert, A Believing People, Salt Lake City:...
Dates: 1967-1996

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