[Footnote L: Doc. and Cov. 68:14.]
The following month, Newel K. Whitney was called by revelation to be bishop over the Church in Kirtland.[M] Since that day, other bishops have been called as need has arisen, until there are in the Church at the present writing more than seven hundred acting bishops.
[Footnote M: Doc. and Cov. 72:8.]
Thus the quorums of authority and presidency in the Church were restored as the growth of the Church demanded. Each one in turn was appointed by special revelation, until the organization was completed. Besides the important revelations on Church government already noted, two other revelations were given dealing particularly with the history and duties of priesthood.[N] From these we learn that twelve deacons constitute a quorum of deacons; twenty-four teachers a quorum of teachers; and forty-eight priests a quorum of priests; that the bishop, besides presiding in a general way over the district where he is appointed, presides particularly over the Lesser or Aaronic Priesthood. From these, also, we learn that ninety-six elders constitute a quorum of elders; seventy seventies, a quorum of seventies; and all the high-priests of a district the quorum of high-priests in that district. Thus, from the First Presidency to the deacon, the organization of the Priesthood is complete and perfect in its operation.
[Footnote N: Doc. and Cov. secs. 84, 107.]
Besides this perfect organization of the Priesthood, there are other helpful divisions and organizations that have been called forth by the growth of the Church. The most we can do with them here, however, is merely to mention them in closing. First is the territorial division of the Church. For convenience in government, the Church is divided territorially into stakes, wards, branches, missions, and conferences. Kirtland was undoubtedly the first stake of Zion to be appointed in the history of the Church. Concerning Kirtland, the Lord said in 1832:
"For I have consecrated the land of Shinehah (Kirtland) in mine own due time for the benefit of the saints of the Most High, and for a stake of Zion."[O]
[Footnote O: Doc. and Cov. 82:13.]
In the dedicatory prayer offered in the Kirtland Temple, 1836, the Prophet Joseph Smith said:
"We ask thee to appoint unto Zion other Stakes, besides this one which thou hast appointed, that the gathering of thy people may roll on in great power and majesty, that thy work may be cut short in righteousness."[P]