| Wilford Woodruff account of the first annual April
6 solemn assembly. Six of seven presidents of the Seventy are replaced §.
First Presidency seals blessings, Hosanna Shout confirms §. Washing of
feet §. Joseph speaks three hours §. His vision of Kirtland, plea to save
the bank. Sacrament. Night-long open meeting of prophesy, speaking in tongues,
etc. |
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| Date |
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April 6, 1837, 8 a.m. |
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WWJ
Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 9 vols., compiled by Scott G. Kenney (Midvale: Signature Books, 1981-1984).
1:131–136. |
| Location |
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House of the Lord, Kirtland, Ohio. |
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| Description |
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… the day of the Solumn assembly
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| Presiding |
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[Joseph Smith] |
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| Day
of commemoration |
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Henceforth the Solumn assembly of the Elders
of Israel & all official members that can, will meet in the LORDS house
annually to attend to the most Solumn ordinances of the house of GOD &
of receiving the visions & great things of heavens. |
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The church presidency meets for an hour in the
lower part of the house, then calls for the quorums of the Seventy to meet
in the upper part. |
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| Six
of seven presidents of Seventy released (high priests) |
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[132] … In the first place six of the
Presidents of the Seventies were to leave the Seventies & take a station
in the quorum of the travling high priesthood and six other Presidents
chosen in their stead. … all of Councillors first chosen excepting
Joseph Young were high priest before the organization of the seventies
& they had a right to officiate in the lower offices of the Church & there
was some difference in the authority and office of the quorums of high
Priesthood & Seventies.
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| Six
new presidents |
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The six new Presidents Chosen out of the Seventies
to take the place of thos that were to leave were: John Gould, Josiah Butterfield,
Salmon Gee, [blank] Foster [James Foster], John Gaylard [John Gaylord]. |
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Original: Gaylard |
| New presidents blessed |
¶ |
After this matter was arranged there was a glorious ordinance performed upon the heads of those who had been anointed (by the first presidency of the Church Joseph Smith jr. Sidney Rigdon &c was this ordinance performed. It was as follows: |
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| All blessings sealed |
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While all of the anointed present lifted there hands towards
heaven this first presidency of the Church Confirmed & sealed upon
our heads all the blessings of our ordination, anointing, & Patriarchal
[blessings] with a seal in the presence of God and the Lamb & holy angels that
they should all be fulfilled upon our heads that not one jot or tittle
should fail |
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| Hosanna Shout |
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& the seal was confirmed upon our heads with a shout of
all the anointed with uplifted hand to heaven HOSANNA, Hosanna, Hosanna,
to GOD & the LAMB, Amen, Amen, & Amen. * Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna,
to GOD & the LAMB, Amen, Amen, & Amen. This was repeated as it
is written & if ever a shout [133] entered the Cabinet of heaven that
did & was repeated by angels on high & caused the power of God
to rest upon us. |
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(O ye Priest of Baal. To, ye Gentile religionest. O ye inhabitants of Babylon possesing the mark of the beast, what knowledge have ye of the ordinances or blessings or virtues of the house & Church of God?) Great and marvelous are the blessings and power of the ordinances of the Lord & his gospel made manifest on these occasions. |
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| Congregation assembles, then divides into compartments |
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After being in the upper room about two hours we were again Joined [by] the congregation of the Saints in the lower Court and the house came to order for the business of the day. The veils were closed & each apartment commenced the duties of the day. |
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| Washing of the feet |
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The washing of the feet of the anointed was the first business that was performed. The twelve assisted our presidency in washing the feet.
Elder Heber Kimble [Kimball] one of the twelve apostles attended to the washing of my feet & prophesied upon my head & pronounced me clean from the Blood of this generation.
This as it was with JESUS when he washed his deciples feet. Great were the blessings
that rested upon us in this ordinance. |
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| Congregation assembles again |
¶ |
After the washing
of feet, the veils were rolled, which brought the congregation into one
assembly. The stand of the priesthood were still coverd with the veils. |
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| Joseph speaks three hours |
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The Presidency stood in the lower stand & President Joseph Smith jr. arose and addressed the Congregation
for the term of three ours Clothed with the power, spirit, & image
of GOD. He unbosom’d his mind & feelings in the house of his
friends. He presented many things of vast importance to the minds of the
Elders of Israel. |
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| Inspired |
¶ |
O that they might be written upon our hearts as with an
iron pen to remain forever that we might practice them in our lives. That
fountain of light, principle & virtue that came forth out of the heart & mouth
of the prophet JOSEPH whose Soul like Enochs swell’d wide as eternity.
I say such evidences presented in such a forcible manner ought to drive
into oblivion every particle of unbelief & dubiety from [134] the mind
of the hearers, for such language sentiment principle & spirit cannot
flow from darkness. Joseph Smith jr. is a prophet of God rised up for the
deliverance of Israel as true as my heart now burns within me while I am
penning thes lines which is as true as truth itself. |
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| Hyrum speaks |
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Hyrum Smith follows "with many useful remarks. He was also
Clothed with much of the spirit of God." |
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| Joseph |
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Joseph counsels the Saints to "be wise that Zion & her stakes
might spedily be redeemed." Send "wise men" to Kirtland with their money
to consult with the presidency and purchase inheritances before moving
families or the poor to Zion so they don't suffer. |
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| Kirtland Safety
Society can save Kirtland |
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Also, remember the Kirtland Safety Society: "if the Elders
of Israel would be faithful & do what was in their power this once Kirtland
should spedily be redeemed & become a strong hold not be thrown down." |
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| Joseph's vision
of Kirtland |
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[Joseph presents] in some degree the plot of the city of
Kirtland (which is the strong hold of the daughter of Zion) as it was given
him by vision. It was great marvelous & glorious. The city extended
to the east, west, North, & South. Steam boats will come puffing into
the city. Our Goods will be conveyed upon railroads from Kirtland to many
places & probably to Zion. Houses of worship would be reared unto the
most high. Beautiful streets was to be made for the Saints to walk in.
Kings of the earth would come to behold the glory thereof & many glorious
things not now to be named would be bestowed upon the saints. But all these
things are better imagined than spoken by the Children of Jacob. |
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| Oliver: avoid the
mysteries |
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Oliver follows Hyrum with a few appropriate remarks, calling
on the elders to "keep within the bounds of their knowledge & to
let the great mysteries of the Kingdom alone for the gentiles had not a
knowledge even of the first principles of the gospel." [135] Avoid the
visions of Isaiah, Ezekiel, John, etc. |
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| Sidney's eloquent
challenge to redeem Kirtland |
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Sidney Rigdon speaks "with great force & eloquence," challenging
the elders "
to lay their mights this once for the redemption of Kirtland." |
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| Sacrament with apostles,
prophets, etc. |
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The Twelve "break bread for the multitude," as Jesus did
for the multitude, "& we were all filled & was made glad while feasting
with Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Evangelest, Pasters, Teachers, & Deacons." |
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| Sunset, thanks returned,
brief break |
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At sunset the Saints return thanks to God "with
uplifted hands to heaven," then those who wish return to their homes do
so, while the rest "might spend the night in the house of the Lord in prayer,
& exhortation, praise & thanksgiving." |
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| Open evening meeting |
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At candlelight "the meeting commenced with great interest."
Joseph invites the congregation to speak freely and "pray according to the
spirit." |
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| Edify, orderly |
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The saints began to open their mouths & they were filled
with language unto edification one a prayer another exortation some a doctrin & a
psalm others a toungue, some an interpretation. Prophecy was also poured
out upon us & all things was done decently & in order & the
night was spent gloriously by the saints. |
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| Blessing in tongues |
¶ |
One Brother Clothed with the gift of tongues laid his hands
upon my head & prophesied great blessing upon me. Another Brother possessing
the interpretation uttered it unto me to my joy & consolation with
the many blessing pronounced upon my head he rehersed the blessing that
Jacob pronounced upon the heads of Joseph & said that I should possess
the blessings of heaven & of earth & be much [136] blessed in my
ministry &c. |
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Gift of Tongues |
| Prophecy in tongues |
¶ |
Much Prophecy was uttered upon the heads of many of the
Saints in other languages & was interpeted which was glorious. … |
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| Rejoice |
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Rejoice O earth & Shout O heavens for the natural fruit
of the tame olive tree is again manifested in the earth. The fig tree is
puting forth leaves. The Church of Christ is travling out of the wilderness
with her gifts & graces which edify the body of Christ. The house of
God is reared in beauty & splender according to the pattern given by
the vishions of heaven & the revelations of Jesus Christ.
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| Close at daybreak |
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The meeting continues until daybreak "when we all dispersed
to our homes with great Joy & consolation." |
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Minutes of April 7, 1837
Minutes of April 5–6, 1837
Minutes of April 6, 1837
Ohio Minutes
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