Minutes of November 7, 1837

Minutes of November 7, 1837

The church in Missouri assembles at Far West to elect Joseph as president of the whole church, and Sidney as a counselor. Frederick G. Williams is rejected as ounselor and Hyrum replaces him. There is opposition to David Whitmer as "first President of this branch of the Church" and to his "assistant" presidents, W. W. Phelps and John Whitmer, but they are elected "nearly unanimously." A high council is elected, as are members of the Quorum of the Twelve (including the Johnsons and John F. Boynton who had been rejected by the Kirtland conference), bishopric, patriarch, keeper of the Lord's storehouse, and seventies.
Date	November 7, 1837	FWR, 121–124.
Location	Far West
Description	… a general assembly of the Church of Latter Day Saints …
Moderator	Thomas B. Marsh
Clerk	Oliver Cowdery
Opening	Singing, prayer by the moderator.
Church reorganization	Sidney Rigdon: purpose is to report "the recent re-organization of the Church in Kirtland."	Minutes of September 3, 1837
Joseph the first president of the whole church	Thomas B. Marsh reads the minutes of the Kirtland meeting, then nominates Joseph "the first President of the whole Church, to preside over the same."
Vote	All (males and females) are asked to vote. Vote is unanimous in the affirmative.
Joseph accepts	Joseph accepts the appointment and asks for the prayers of the church in his behalf.
Joseph's counselors	He then nominates Sidney to be a counselor—"unanimously chosen"—then Frederick G. Williams.
Objections to Frederick	Lyman Wight (h) (swh) objects to Frederick on the basis of a letter he wrote to Far West. Thomas B. Marsh (h) and Elder James Emmett also object.
Support for Frederick	Edward Partridge seconds Frederick's nomination and says he saw "nothing so criminal" in Frederick's letter. David Whitmer speaks on Frederick's behalf.
Against	Thomas B. Marsh speaks again, followed by Elder Thomas Grover, who objects to Frederick.
Frederick rejected, Hyrum accepted	Sidney nominates Hyrum to take Frederick's place, then calls for a vote on Frederick. Fredrick is "rejected," and Sidney calls for a vote on Hyrum, "which was carried unanimously."
	David Whitmer and Sidney make some remarks.
David Whitmer debated	David is nominated as "the first President of this branch of the Church, and was objected to by Elder Marsh." Bishop Partridge and King Follet say they will vote for David. Caleb Baldwin and Seymour Brunson oppose him, Elisha H. Groves favors him.
	David satisfies William E. McLellin's unspecified objections.
David accepted	Joseph calls "for an expression, which was carried by almost a unanimous vote."
John Whitmer debated	Joseph nominates John Whitmer to be an assistant president. Thomas B. Marsh speaks in opposition and reads a list of charges against him.
W. W. Phelps and John confess	W. W. Phelps and John speak "a few words by way of confession." They are followed by Isaac Morley.
John accepted	The vote carries unanimously.
Second session	After an hour's adjournment, the congregation sings a hymn, and moderator Thomas B. Marsh offers a prayer.
W.W. Phelps accepted	Joseph nominates W. W. Phelps as "an assistant President, for this Church." William comments on the charges made earlier "by way of confession" and is unanimously elected.
High council chosen	John Murdock, Solomon Hancock, Elias Higbee, Calvin Beebe, George Morey, Thomas Grover, and Simeon Carter are "unanimously chosen" to be high counselors, but John Anderson objects to Lyman Wight, so the two of them step aside and speak privately.	Lyman's vote is not reported.
Newell Knight George Hinkle Levi Jackman, Elisha Groves	Newel Knight is chosen unanimously, but James Emmet objects to George M. Hinkle "because he was to noisy." King Follet objects to him "because of his military office," and James Durfee objects to him "because he was a merchant." George makes a few remarks and is chosen unanimously. Levi Jackman and Elisha H. Groves are also chosen unanimously.
Twelve chosen	The Twelve are unanimously chosen: Thomas B. Marsh (h) , David W. Patten (h), Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball (h1), Orson Hyde (h), William E. McLellin (h), Parley P. Pratt, William Smith, Luke S. Johnson (h), Orson Pratt (h1), John F. Boynton (h), and Lyman E. Johnson (h).	John F. Boynton and the Johnsons had been rejected in Kirtland. Minutes of September 3, 1837
Bishopric	Edward Partridge unanimously chosen as bishop. He nominates Isaac Morley and Titus Billings for his counselors, and they are approved.
Isaac Morley patriarch	Isaac Morley is unanimously appointed patriarch "of this Branch of the Church."
Lord's storehouse	John Corrill to be "Keeper of the Lord's Storehouse."	¶ Minutes of May 22, 1837
Ordain Isaac	Joseph, Sidney, and Hyrum ordain Isaac Morley patriarch.
Boycott stores that are not Word of Wisdom compliant	Sidney makes a few remarks, after which the congregation unanimously votes not to support stores or ships that sell "spirituous liquors, Tea, Coffee or Tobacco."
Seventies	Presidents of the Seventies and those recently appointed to that office are "unanimously received."
Dedicate the land, inheritances	The Congregation then united with Pres't. Rigdon who, in the closing prayer, called upon the Lord to dedicate this land for the gathering of the Saints, and their inheritances.
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