History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Volume 2

by Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Jr. Joseph Smith

Chapter XVIII.

The Book of Doctrine and Covenants Presented to the General Assembly of the Priesthood and the Church.

A general assembly of the Church of Latter-day Saints was held at Kirtland on the 17th of August, 1835, to take into consideration the labors of a committee appointed by a general assembly of the Church on the 24th of September, 1834, for the purpose of arranging the items of the doctrine of Jesus Christ for the government of the Church. The names of the committee were: Joseph Smith, Jun., Sidney Rigdon, Oliver Cowdery and Frederick G. Williams, who, having finished said book according to the instructions given them, deem it necessary to call a general assembly of the Church to see whether the book be approved or not by the authorities of the Church: that it may, if approved, become a law and a rule of faith and practice to the Church. Wherefore, Oliver Cowdery and Sidney Rigdon, members of the First Presidency, (Presidents Joseph Smith, Jun., and Frederick G. Williams being absent on a visit to the Saints in Michigan,) appointed Thomas Burdick, Warren Parrish, and Sylvester Smith clerks, and proceeded to organize the whole assembly as follows:

They organized^[[1]] the High Council of the church at Kirtland, and Presidents W. W. Phelps and John Whitmer organized the High Council of the church in Missouri.

Bishop Newel K. Whitney organized his counselors of the church in Kirtland, and acting Bishop John Corrill organized the counselors of the church in Missouri.

Presidents Leonard Rich, Levi W. Hancock, Sylvester Smith and Lyman Sherman organized the council of the Seventy. Elder John Gould, acting president, organized the Elders. Ira Ames, acting president, organized the Priests. Erastus Babbitt, acting president, organized the Teachers. William Burgess, acting president, organized the Deacons. And they also, as the assembly was large, appointed Thomas Gates, John Young, William Cowdery, Andrew H. Aldrich, Job L. Lewis and Oliver Higley assistant presidents of the day, to assist in preserving order in the whole assembly.

Elder Levi W. Hancock being appointed chorister, a hymn was sung, and the services for the day opened by the prayer of President Oliver Cowdery, and the solemnities of eternity rested upon the audience.

Another hymn was then sung. After transacting some business for the Church, such as ordaining Morris Phelps to the High Priesthood; Warren Parrish, to the First Seventy; Sherman Gilbert, an Elder; and blessing James Foster, Dean Gould, Benjamin Gifford, Elisha H. Groves and Joseph Hartshorn, the assembly adjourned for one hour.