Mormon History, Feb 16, 1849

Feb[ruary]. 16. 1849 10 A.M. [The c]ouncil opened at 11.20 [with a] prayer by H[enry]. Herriman. Present[: Brigham] Young, [Heber C.] Kimball,'-[Parley P.] Pratt, [John] Taylor, [Amasa] Lyman, [Charles C.] Rich, L[orenzo]. Snow., F[ranklin]. D. Richards,'-N[ewell]. K. Whitney,'- H[enry]. Herriman., R[eynolds]. Cahoon, J[edediah]. M. Grant., W[illiam]. W. Major,'-D[aniel]. H. Wells,'-G[eorge B]. Wallace, R[obert]. Campbell, T[homas] Bullock., D[aniel]. Spencer.'- 'Glorious Things of thee are spoken' was sung. Brigham Young suggested Elisha H. Groves for an Hi[gh] Council [member].'- (Eleazer Miller, Titus Billings, Levi Jackman, Shadrach Roundy, John Vance, Ira Eldridge, Henry G. Sherwood, Phinehas Richards, Edwin D. Woolley, Wm. W. Major, Elisha H. Groves, & Isaac Morley Prest.) (Erastus Snow come in 20 min[utes] to 12.) John Taylor moved that Isaac Morley be Pres[iden]t. of the Hi[gh] Council.'-[Motion was] sec[onde]d. [and] carried. H. C. Kimball[:] I move that John Nebeker be Pres[iden]t. of the El[ders]. Quorum.'- [Motion was] sec[onde]d.'-[and c]arried. Pres[iden]t. Young then directed N[ewell]. K. Whitney to organize the lesser Priesthood.'- B. Y.[: M]y mind in regard to teachers'-is the best old Hi[gh] P[riest]. that can be found,'- [to] rece[ive] an app[oi]nt[ment]. to do the teaching in each ward.'- H. C. K[:] Old men have more power over the young members, than young men have.'- B. Y.[:] Ordain Dr. Morse a H[igh] P[riest]. & set him apart to teach'-& you can have each ward like a family.'-[L]et each Bishop take 2 H[igh]. P[riests]. for Hi[gh] Co[unselor]s, & then let them be teachers,'-& let the young P[riests]. go along with their old men that they may learn.'- B. Y. called on N. K. Whitney to point out the duty of D. Spencer, Pres[iden]t. of [the] 233 Stake.'- N. K. W. excused himself.'-[W]hen B. Y. rose to say'-my text is in bro Wallaces /[?]/ Pres[iden]t. of [the] Stake sho[ul]d. take charge of all the jurisaidiction, both temporal & spiritual under the dir[ecti]on of the 1st Pres[idenc]y. (Willard Snow came in [at] 12.10 Noon.)'- [T]hey will have to have a vision of the S[alt] L[ake] to comprehend it.'-[A] p[er]son to fill as /has/ to have the Sp[irit] of [the] L[or]d., understanding & wisaidom da[y] by da[y] as circ[umstanc]es present themselves before him.'-[T]here is not a p[er]son [who] can magnify any office unless the Sp[irit] of the L[or]d. is with him continually.'-[W]hen there ought to be a place prep[a]r[e]d. the Pres[iden]t. of [the] Stake can call on every man to assist him.'-I & my Co[unselor]s. have to hearken to his wants.'-[T]he 12 also have to lend a helping hand'-& the H[igh] P[riests]. & [in] all the Quo[rum]. [I]t is no /[illegible handwriting]/ every work & Come & see that the Bishops are active (to) do their duty & [to] assist every Quo[rum],'-to hear & give assistance'-& (fill) the necessities of that Stake [and]'-to see they are all industrious & nothing to go to waste'-& to build up a city to [the] name of [the] Lor]d.'-[A]nything [the] public wanted'-to see the Bishops'-& to be the 1st man at meetings & see every Officer in his place'-[and to] call congn. to order & on whom he pleases, to preach, & open meeting[s] in [each] Season,'-& every man [be] in his place in temporal & spiritual things.'-[and] if tax[es are] to be raised, [then] all on every man to his place,'-& see that every man pays his tithing, & if he dont bring him to an acc[oun]t.'-[T]he 12 are subject to [the] Pres[idenc]y. of the Stake as much as any o[the]r.,'-&[ they] ought to observe every law & ordinance as much as anyin the Ch[urch].'-[I]f the Pres[idenc]y. of the Stake is going wrong., then its rit. for any of [the] 12 to step up & try titles & call on p[eo]pl[e] & try the members bef[ore] the body of the whole.'-[T]hat/s/ the greatest auth[orit]y.'-[W]hen a Stake of Zion is in wickedness, the p[eo]ple mourn,'-& an Apostle can wield the sword of the Sp[irit],'-& if p[eo]pl[e] wont bear him their bid then [say] farewell & leave [th]em in [the] co[mpany] of [the] L[or]d. & Devil.'-[T]he H[igh] P[riests] are a local Quo[rum] to fill up the travelling Quo[rum] when needed. H. C. K.[:] Mr. Pres[ident]., you have expressed myfeelings.'-[S]ince we were org[anize]d., we have been all kicked to pieces, yet alls right. I acknowledge the [hand] of the L[or]d. [W]e never were in a sit[uatio]n. that we co[ul]d. organize accord[in]g. to the K[ingdom] of God., & I want to see them org[anize]d.'-& see every man act in his place.'-[M]y faith is as soon as this is done'-I shall then see what I have long desired more than my bread.'-I shall then see the p[eo]pl[e] with the power of God resting on them & they will roar,'-& all the Sp[irits] of darkness will clear out of the Country. We shall then become men of God & I [k]no[w] it will come to pass.'-I want to see the Ch[urch] perfectly organ[ize]d. & then the diff[eren]t. Pres[iden]ts. step forw[a]rd. & bear off the load,'-[f]or either of these Pres[iden]ts. are capable of bearing off the meet[in]g.'-[and] if he does not act, he will not have the Sp[irit] of [the] L[or]d. J[esus]. C[hrist]. [I]f a man is to sit in judgment, let him decide right'-& prove himself, & decide the thing as it is, all the time.'-[S]ome men sit in [the] Quo[rum] & dont decide at all.'-I want to see the Pres[idenc]y. [President's] mind relieved'- that he may compose his mind & be filled with rev[ere]n[ce]. all the time. I [k]no[w] it is time for men to be liberated.'-I want to see the great men of the Earth come here to get knowledge'-& see our 3rd. & [blank] & have 10 times more power than we have got.'-I [k]no[w] its correct.'- Lorenzo Snow put out some principles arguing that Jesus Christ is our Fat[he]r. & not our 234 Elder Brother & asked for light.'- B. Y.[:] As he was, so are we now. As he is now, so /we shall become./ shall we be Our Fa[the]r. was once born of parents, & had a Fat[he]r. & Mo[the]r. [the] same as we [have].'-[H]e is the Saviour of the world,'-the root of [the] Sp[irit] & offspring of flesh [and the] only begotten of [the] Fat[he]r. in [the] flesh.'-[T]he Fa[the]r. came down & begot him. [the] same as we do now,'-& Jesus was the only one.'-[I]t was all told in the Temple altho' it was run over quick.'-Moses was as God to the Chil[dren] of Israel,'-so was Joseph to us, = & no man co[ul]d. love God without loving Joseph.'- 'The Mountain Standard' by P. P. Pratt was sung. Erastus Snow expressed his feelings.'- [The] Hi[gh] Council to meet at G. B. Wallaces at 10 a. m. on Monday.'- [The] Bishops [are] to go to [the] office, [and] examine [the] plot'-[and] choose their councillors & meet on Thursaiday at 10 a m at G. B. Wallaces. [A]lso, [the] Pres[idency]. of [the] El[ders] Quorum [to meet at] John Nebeker['s].'- F. S. Richards read of [a] report of 12 dividing it into Wards.[:] Kanyon Ward,'-10 [?] /Mill Creek/ Ward,'-Mississippi Ward,'-W[est]. of Jordan Canaan Ward,'-N[orth]. of City3 wards, 1st. n[orth] of city to include Sessions., 2nd. from Sessions to Weber,'-3rd Brown Settlement.'- B. Y.[: B]etween 10 a /[illegible handwriting]/ survey & Cotton Wood let there be a Ward,'- & over Cotton Wood S[outh]. anot[he]r. Ward.'- B. Y.[:] When the officers are organized & if theycant do a thing witho[ut]t. bro Brigham.'-I dont intend to say a word to the p[eo]pl[e].'-[N]ow bro Spencer,'-go & do as thou has said.'- D. Spencer[:] I am rat[he]r. diffident, but when I [k]no[w] my duty I dont fear men or devils,'-& [I] am very thankful for this morn[ing']s inst[ructi]ons. [and] I want you to put the suggestions to me ['-] I dont care how strong. [M]y life is subject to this work'-I submit to the authorities.'-I will never be offinded at rec[o]g[nizing]. instr[ucti]on[s].'-I never considered my property my own, & [I] dont now. [It was] suggested that the Bishops go [a]round to each familywho have surplus grain'-[and] offer them money for it,'-& if [the money is] refused then [to] take it.'- Adjourn to monday at 10 a m at this place.'-Benediction by John Taylor. Pleasant Spring like morning 16th February 1849 Bro[ther]: [George B.] Wallac[e]'s house Meeting of the Presidency'-Twelve & Seventies. Present[:] B[rig
ham]. Young., H[eber] C Kimball, T[homas]. B[ullock]., P[arley] P Pratt., Amasa L[yman], & J[ohn] Taylor., C[harles] C Rich., Lorenzo Snow., Fr[anklin] D Richards,'-W[illiam]. W. Major, H[enry] Harriman, J[edediah] M Grant., Bishop Whitney., D[anie]l. Spencer., Reynolds Cahoon, G B Wallace, & D[aniel] H Wells., R. C. [Reynolds Cahoon] 11 A.M. Pres. Harriman opened by prayer. [S]ung 'Glorious things of thee are spoken.' [Some began] suggesting names for High Councillors., T. B. reading names of High Priests in the valley.'-E[rastus]. Snow. came in. [It was m]oved & seconded that Isaac Morley be president over the high Council in this 235 place. [It was] carried unanimously. H C K.[: I] motion that John Nebeker be president over the Elder's Quorum. P P Pratt seconded. B,Y. asked if Bishop Whitney would call the lesser Priesthood together'-[and] organize them & he would assist him. My mind is that the best High Priests, the most substantial men, [and] teachers, [are] set in the capacity of Teachers in this place. [We will] set certain numbers of High Priests apart to act in Wards under Bishops or /their/ Prest[ident]s. of [blank] so that the Bishop has his ward perfectly visited, & like little children, his 2 councillors may act as the 2 teachers in the Ward. B. Y.[: T]his is a subject never spoke[n] of before, [and] my text will be found in Bro: Wallace's room. [T]he Pres[iden]t. of the stake should take the charge of all the affairs of the stake spiritual[ly] & temporal[ly], [and] /the/ context reads thus. Under the direction of the 1st Presidency (Willard Snow came in) a person to comprehend the duties involved will have to have a vision of it to la[y] the surfface. [A] person must have the Spir[it] contin[ual]ly. to conduct all the affairs of the Staek as the day presented before him & it must be so.'-[I]t will not do to let men preside who have not humbled themselves so that they get the Spirit.'-A pres[iden]t. of the Stake can call on all in the Stake to assist him whither in making a suitable place to meet'-or /in/ Spiritual matters.'-[T]he Pres[idenc]y., 12., High Priests, & he should see that the Bishops do their duty, the teachers &c., & he should be present when the lesser P[riesthoo]d. [is] called tog[ether]. & give them directions /in/'-temporal matters & lay before them the necessities of this place, see no idlers, [make] no waste. & he should be always on hand. [T]hen he, the first man to walk on to [the] stand., its his right to call on me & whom he pleases to preach, & I submit to the powers that be & if I choose to preside'-I'll tell him. [I]ts his duty to see that the congregat[ion] is in order'-& see [that] everyman [is] in his place in Spiritual things & in temporal things.'-See that every man pays his tithing, his taxes, [and] if [a man is] not pay[ing] tithing, bring up such a man.'-[and] the 12 are not the ruling authorities here, they [are] as subject to the authorites & to the High Council as any other members of the Ch[urch]. [S]uppose the local authorities has transg right.'-[T]he 12 ought just to recognise every law in the Church the same as if [they were] in no office'-[as in] if [the] Pres[i]d[en]cy [is] in absence.'-[and] the Presidency of this stake [is] in sin & the High Council also, then if [the] 12 or [the] Quorum or one of them be there, it is his right to step in & say I am the man to lead you. [And] if the Quorum of High Council think[s] they [are] as big as he, let him call the p[eo]pl[e] & he can wield the power.'-[I]f he is in the power of his office'-& he can wield the sword as he pleases'-& if [the] p[eo]pl[e are] given up to wickedness & [do] not hearken to him,'-he can bid them Good bye & leave them in the hands of the Devil & God.'- H C K[: I] have expressed my feelings, and they are like this comparing it to a machine. [There are] a good many wheels in a machine, & there is a good many wheels to bring the fruits of righteousness when we [are] organized. [But when] we [are] kicked & blown to pieces so we are all confused again,'-never in a situation before to be organized as the order of God.'-& then when [we are] organized & every man act[s] where he is called. I dont want to see a cog'-[I will] run clear up to the water wheel & mash in that, [for] it throws the whole into confusion. [And] as it grows ro are more perfect & powerful to accomplish the work of God. I have faith as soon as the Bishops act that the p[eo]pl[e] will be better when every man acts in his station [and there are]'-no poor coming to Pres[iden]t Young & I. [I]nstead of [the] Bishop,'-& there will be the power of God among this 236 people'-there are foul Spirits here, & [they] are among us. [T]his organization is going to put up the fires & burn the hogs out of the country, [but] this [is] what I am looking after & it will come to pass, & I feel it in my bones & all over me'-these are my feelings. I want to see this church organized & each man act in his own place instead of [having] my president do it'-when these Presidents are just as able to do it as not. [E]very man should have honor when he acts in his calling,'-[for] he [has] no right to the Holy Ghost but his calling is packed on to somebody else, & that person that does, he has the honor of it [and] the Spirit of it. [L]et evry man act in his own judgment., & if wrong, let [the] men be corrected.'-[I] want the [illegible] taken of this Pres[iden]t. [for] he has as much of a family as all in the room. [T]hen [will] his mind [be] calm & composed & he can get the Revelations of Jesus Christ.'-[H]e has felt since [he] left Nauvoo as tho' he could draw up his legs & breath[e] his last breath.'-[B]ut so am I'-but I aint such a fool as [to] die right in the midst of it.'-I want to live & see our children even to the 3[rd] & 4[th] generation that they may become great men, for they will be great men if we only do right. Lorenzo Snow laid out his opinions as to Jesus Christ being of a different grade than prophets or more than our Bre[thre]n. [H]e is God the father'-& not our Elder Brother.'- B Y'-[I]t came to me in England, [that] as God was we shall be,'-[and] as we are so God was.'-[H]e is the very eternal father, because of the creation of God.'-[H]e is the son of God, the only begotten. [H]e is the only one God the father came down & begat. Moses was a God to his generation'-[and] Joseph was to his.'-[N]o man could have the spirit without loving Joseph, in Joseph entered the Rev/elat[ion]/ spirit went right to him, & told Joseph.'-[T]he Spiritual wife doctrine came upon me abroad in such a manner [as] I [could] never forget.'-[O]ne blood particular things belong to, after all we are of one blood & one flesh all the nations of the earth.'-Joseph said I command you to go & get another wife. I felt as if the grave was better for me than anything,'-but I was filled with the Holy Ghost that my wife & Bro: Kimballs wife would upbraid me for lightness in those days.'-I could jump up & hollow. my blood clear as India Rum, my flesh clear, [but] I said to /Joseph/, suppose I should apostatize, would my family not be worse of[f?]. Joseph said certain bounds [are] set to men & if a man [is] faithful & pure to these bounds'-[then] God will take him out of the world if he sees him falter.'-[and] he'll take him to himself.'-You have passed these bounds Brigham,'-& this [is your] consolation.'-[B]ut I never had any fears of not being saved.'- [T]hen I said to Joseph I am ready to go a head, [then] he passed certain bounds before certain revelations [were] given. [The group] sung'-The Mountain Standard. E. Snow'-thundred'-as to all bearing a portion'-mass of the Priesthood realize nothing. B. Y.[: B]less the bishops & set them apart for this place'-altho' they may have been previously ordained Bishops, [and] arrangements [made] to have Bishops together ordained &c. Franklin D are read Minutes of Quorum of 12. [Discussed d]ividing the surrounding country from the City, S L C. into Wards. B. Y.[:] When the Presidents of different Quorums [will] be organized & the people cant steal, whose, without saying I am councilled so byBro Brigham[?]'-If the p[eo]pl[e] dont stop this, I shall stop
saying anything. You Presidents [line] go & do the thing thats right,'-& do it in your own name, without saying Brigham sent you, [and] take along enough with you. Dl. Spencer'-I am diffident, but [I do not] fear Devils nor nothing else if [I] know right.'- [B]ut if [I feel] dubiety'-[I would] rather be wronged than wrong any one.'-[I] wish suggestions 237 from the Pres[iden]t, [and] I shall not take it amiss if [it] comes hard on me, [even] if I have to be told 5 times.'-My life & substance & all is on the alter, all for this p[eo]pl[e].'-[I] perfectly understand Snow's position,'-& I have looked upon it as he has.'-[T]he head is not [the] onlyorgan to work, [but if] the head is effected & worn down, if one leg [is] diseased, [then] the arm has to do its part sustaining a crutch.'-[I] want your prayers. [T]he position you have placed me in [is a] very responsible one.'-[I] have more feelings for others than [for] myself. I care nothing about mylife or my property, [for] it is subject to him who has created me an agent over it.'-[In] timidity'-[Iam the] weakest among you.'- [We] adjourn[ed] till Monday at 10. John Taylor dismissed by prayer. Council met Friday, February 16, 1849 at the home of Bro[ther] Wallace. After mature deliberations, persons were nominated to compose the High Council of the Stake of Zion. to wit. Elesar Miller, Titus Billings, Levi Jackman, Chadwick Roundy, John Vance, Ira Eldridge, HenryG. Sherwood, Phinius Richards, Edwin D. Wooley, William W. Majors, Elisha H. Groves and Issac Morley. Voted that Issac Morley by president of the High Council. Also voted that John Nebekker by president of the Elders Quorum. Bishop Newell K. Whitney was then instructed to organize the lesser priesthood. Pres[ident] Young gave change to Daniel Spencer, President of the stake, and said he should take charge of the jurisdiction both temporal and spiritual under the direction of the First Presidency. Elder Lorenzo Snow asked information upon certain points on Jesus Christ. Pres[ident] Young replied in substance as follows: 'As he was once now are we. As he is now so shall we be.'

[source: Minutes, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]

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