| In June 1829, Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer are told to "search
out the Twelve [apostles]" who were preach the gospel throughout the world §. On February 8, 1835, Joseph tells Brigham Young he will be ordained an apostle §. At a meeting of Zion's Camp veterans and others, the Three Witnesses are blessed by the First Presidency, and they then select the Twelve §. |
|
| June
[1–14], 1829 |
|
There are others |
|
|
| Oliver and David have same calling as Paul |
9 |
[10] And
now, Oliver, I speak unto you, and
also unto David, by the way of commandment; [11] for,
behold, I command all men everywhere to repent, and I speak unto you, even
as unto Paul mine apostle, for you are called even with that same calling
with which he was called. … |
|
¶ D&C
18: 9, 26–39 (BC 15)
Red: added in 1835 |
| Others called |
26 |
[27] And now, behold, there are others
who are called to declare my gospel, both unto Gentile and unto Jew; |
|
Twelve disciples
Full purpose of heart |
27 |
Yea, even unto twelve; [28] and
the Twelve shall be my disciples, and they shall take upon them my name; [29] and
the Twelve are they who shall desire to take upon them my name with full
purpose of heart. |
|
Blue:
dropped in 1835 |
| To preach |
28 |
[30] And if they desire to take upon
them my name with full purpose of heart, they are called to go into all
the world to preach my gospel unto every creature. |
|
|
| Ordained to baptize |
29 |
[31] And they are they who are ordained
of me to baptize in my name, according to that which is written; |
|
|
| Act according to writings |
30 |
[32] And you have that which is written before you; [32] wherefore,
you must perform it according to the words which are written. |
|
|
| Twelve: walk uprightly |
31 |
[33] And now I speak unto the Twelve—[34] Behold, my grace is sufficient
for you; you must walk uprightly before me and sin not. |
|
|
You are to ordain priests, teachers
Declare gospel |
32 |
[35] And, behold, you are they which who are
ordained of me to ordain priests and teachers; to declare my gospel, according
to the power of the Holy Ghost which is in you, and according to the callings
and gifts of God unto men; |
|
|
| So I say |
33 |
[36] And I, Jesus Christ, your Lord
and your God, have spoken it. … |
|
|
| Oliver, David, find the Twelve |
37 |
[42] And now, behold,
I give unto you, Oliver Cowdery, and also
unto David Whitmer, that you shall search
out the Twelve, which who shall
have the desires of which I have spoken; |
|
¶ Minutes
of February 21, 1835 |
| Their desires and
works |
38 |
And by their desires and their
works you shall know them. |
|
|
| Show them this revelation |
39 |
[43] And
when you have found them you shall show these things unto them. |
|
|
|
| February 8, 1835 |
|
Brigham Young chosen |
|
|
| Brigham Young to be an apostle |
|
[Joseph Smith:] "I wish you to notify all the brethren living in the branches, within a reasonable distance from this place, to meet at a General Conference on Saturday next. I shall then and there appoint twelve special witnesses, to open the door of the gospel to foreign nations, and you," said he (speaking to Brother Brigham), "will be one of them." |
|
Minutes of February 8, 1835
Joseph will select the Twelve. |
|
| February 14, 1835 |
|
Selection of the Twelve, Blessing of three |
|
|
| |
|
At a meeting of Zion's Camp veterans and others, Joseph announces the Three Witnesses to the Book
of Mormon will pray, then choose "twelve men from the Church as Apostles
to go to all nations, Kindred tongue and people." |
|
Minutes of February 14, 1835 |
| |
|
Oliver Cowdery, David
Whitmer,
and Martin Harris pray, the presidency blesses them by the laying on of
the hands. Then the Three Witnesses name
the Twelve: |
|
|
| |
|
Lyman E. Johnson
Brigham Young
Heber C. Kimball
Orson Hyde
David W. Patten
Luke S. Johnson
William E. McLellin
John F. Boynton
Orson Pratt
William Smith
Thomas B. Marsh
Parley P. Pratt |
|
|
| |
|
Lyman Johnson, Brigham Young, and Heber C. Kimball are blessed. |
|
|
|
| February 15, 1835 |
|
Orson Hyde, David W. Patten, Luke S. Johnson, William E. McLellin, John F. Boynton, William Smith |
|
|
| Apostles blessed |
|
Orson Hyde,
David W. Patten, Luke S. Johnson,
William E. McLellin, John F. Boynton, and
William Smith are blessed. |
|
Minutes of February 15, 1835 |
|
| February 21, 1835 |
|
Parley P. Pratt |
|
|
| Apostle ordained |
|
February 21, 1835, I
was ordained one of the Twelve Apostles under the hands of Joseph Smith
and others. I then immediately returned to New Portage, settled my affairs,
and returned again to Kirtland, to join the Twelve on a mission eastward.
|
|
¶
Minutes of February 21, 1835 |
|
| Early spring, 1835 |
|
Thomas B. Marsh |
|
|
| Apostle |
|
Thomas B. Marsh learned of being selected for the Twelve when he arrived in Kirtland from a mission in the "early spring" of 1835. The details of his ordination are not known. |
|
¶ Thomas B. Marsh (h) |
|
| March 28, 1835 |
|
Traveling Presiding High council |
|
|
| Twelve Apostles traveling counselors |
23 |
The twelve traveling councilors
are called to be the Twelve Apostles, or special witnesses of the name
of Christ in all the world—thus differing from other officers in the
church in the duties of their calling. |
|
¶ D&C
107:1–58 |
| Quorums of twelve
and three |
24 |
And they form a
quorum, equal in authority and power to the three presidents previously
mentioned. … |
|
|
| Twelve a traveling
presiding high council directed by church presidency |
33 |
The Twelve are
a Traveling Presiding High Council, to officiate in the name of the Lord,
under the direction of the Presidency of the Church, agreeable to the institution
of heaven; to build up the church, and regulate all the affairs of the
same in all nations, first unto the Gentiles and secondly unto the Jews. |
|
Minutes of February
13, 1836 |
| Seventy directed
by Twelve |
34 |
The Seventy
are to act in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Twelve or
the traveling high council, in building up the church and regulating all
the affairs of the same in all nations, first unto the Gentiles and then
to the Jews; |
|
|
| Twelve hold keys |
35 |
The Twelve being sent out, holding
the keys, to open the door by the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ,
and first unto the Gentiles and then unto the Jews. |
|
|
|
| April 26, 1835 |
|
Orson Pratt |
|
|
| Apostle ordination |
¶ |
[Orson Pratt:] April 26.—I
was ordained one of the Twelve Apostles in this last dispensation under
the hands of David Whitmer and Oliver
Cowdery. |
|
¶ Thomas B. Marsh (h) |
|
| May 2, 1835 |
|
Seniority, no authority in stakes |
|
|
| Seniority by age |
|
At a conference of the Presidency, the Twelve a part of the Seventy,
and some other Elders, Joseph instructs the Twelve that the oldest is to
preside, "beginning at the oldest
and so on until the youngest has presided and then beginning
at the oldest again. &c." The Twelve are seated according to age: Thomas
B. Marsh, David W. Patten, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde,
William E. McLellin, Parley P. Pratt, Luke S. Johnson, William Smith ,
Orson Pratt, John F. Boynton, Lyman E. Johnson. |
|
¶ Minutes of May 2, 1835 |
| No right to regulate in stakes |
|
The president then stated that the Twelve will have no right to go
into Zion or any of its Stakes and there undertake to regulate the affairs
thereof where there is a standing High Council. But it is their duty to go
abroad and regulate all matters relative to the different branches of
the church. |
|
|
|
| [Summer 1835] |
|
No appeal from Twelve (almost) |
|
|
| High council vs. Twelve |
30 |
There is a distinction between
the high council or traveling high priests abroad, and the traveling
high council composed of the twelve apostles, in their decisions. |
|
Added to D&C
102 in 1835 Doctrine and Covenants. |
| No appeal from Twelve |
31 |
From the decision of the former there can be an
appeal; but from the decision of the latter there cannot. |
|
|
Except by "the general authorities of the church" for transgression
(Twelve not general authorities) |
32 |
The latter can only be called in question by the
general authorities of the church in case of transgression. |
|
transgression: presumably by one or more of the Twelve |
|
| April 6, 1838 |
|
Senior apostles preside over Missouri church |
|
|
| High council vs. Twelve |
30 |
T. B. Marsh, D. W. Patten, & B. Young of the twelve were appointed Presidents Pro. Tem of the city of Far West <Church of Christ of L.D. Saints in Missouri.>, as the former Pres. D. Whitmer W. W. Phelps John Whitmer had been put out of their office |
|
¶ Minutes of April 6, 1838 |
|
|
Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve
Seventies
Offices
Priesthood
Home
|