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Doctrine and Covenants
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D&C 102
This
day
a
general
council
of
twenty-four
high
priests
assembled
at
the
house
of
Joseph
Smith,
Jun.,
by
revelation,
and
proceeded
to
organize
the
a
high
council
of
the
church
of
Christ,
which
was
to
consist
of
twelve
high
priests,
and
one
or
three
presidents
as
the
case
might
require.
2 The
a
high
council
was
appointed
by
revelation
for
the
purpose
of
b
settling
important
difficulties
which
might
arise
in
the
church,
which
could
not
be
settled
by
the
church
or
the
c
bishop's
council
to
the
satisfaction
of
the
parties.
3 Joseph
Smith,
Jun.,
Sidney
Rigdon
and
Frederick
G.
Williams
were
acknowledged
presidents
by
the
voice
of
the
council;
and
Joseph
Smith,
Sen.,
John
Smith,
Joseph
Coe,
John
Johnson,
Martin
Harris,
John
S.
Carter,
Jared
Carter,
Oliver
Cowdery,
Samuel
H.
Smith,
Orson
Hyde,
Sylvester
Smith,
and
Luke
Johnson,
high
priests,
were
chosen
to
be
a
standing
council
for
the
church,
by
the
unanimous
voice
of
the
council.
4 The
above-named
councilors
were
then
asked
whether
they
accepted
their
appointments,
and
whether
they
would
act
in
that
office
according
to
the
a
law
of
heaven,
to
which
they
all
answered
that
they
accepted
their
appointments,
and
would
fill
their
offices
according
to
the
grace
of
God
bestowed
upon
them.
5 The
number
composing
the
council,
who
voted
in
the
name
and
for
the
church
in
appointing
the
above-named
councilors
were
forty-three,
as
follows:
nine
high
priests,
seventeen
elders,
four
priests,
and
thirteen
members.
6 Voted:
that
the
high
council
cannot
have
power
to
act
without
seven
of
the
above-named
councilors,
or
their
regularly
appointed
successors
are
present.
7 These
seven
shall
have
power
to
appoint
other
high
priests,
whom
they
may
consider
worthy
and
capable
to
act
in
the
place
of
absent
councilors.
8 Voted:
that
whenever
any
vacancy
shall
occur
by
the
death,
removal
from
office
for
transgression,
or
removal
from
the
bounds
of
this
church
government,
of
any
one
of
the
above-named
councilors,
it
shall
be
filled
by
the
nomination
of
the
a
president
or
presidents,
and
sanctioned
by
the
voice
of
a
general
council
of
high
priests,
convened
for
that
purpose,
to
act
in
the
name
of
the
church.
9 The
president
of
the
church,
who
is
also
the
president
of
the
council,
is
appointed
by
a
revelation,
and
b
acknowledged
in
his
administration
by
the
voice
of
the
church.
10 And
it
is
according
to
the
dignity
of
his
office
that
he
should
preside
over
the
council
of
the
church;
and
it
is
his
privilege
to
be
assisted
by
two
other
presidents,
appointed
after
the
same
manner
that
he
himself
was
appointed.
11 And
in
case
of
the
absence
of
one
or
both
of
those
who
are
appointed
to
assist
him,
he
has
power
to
preside
over
the
council
without
an
assistant;
and
in
case
he
himself
is
absent,
the
other
presidents
have
power
to
preside
in
his
stead,
both
or
either
of
them.
12 Whenever
a
high
council
of
the
church
of
Christ
is
regularly
organized,
according
to
the
foregoing
pattern,
it
shall
be
the
duty
of
the
twelve
councilors
to
cast
lots
by
numbers,
and
thereby
ascertain
who
of
the
twelve
shall
speak
first,
commencing
with
number
one
and
so
in
succession
to
number
twelve.
13 Whenever
this
council
convenes
to
act
upon
any
case,
the
twelve
councilors
shall
consider
whether
it
is
a
difficult
one
or
not;
if
it
is
not,
two
only
of
the
councilors
shall
speak
upon
it,
according
to
the
form
above
written.
14 But
if
it
is
thought
to
be
difficult,
four
shall
be
appointed;
and
if
more
difficult,
six;
but
in
no
case
shall
more
than
six
be
appointed
to
speak.
15 The
accused,
in
all
cases,
has
a
right
to
one-half
of
the
council,
to
prevent
insult
or
a
injustice.
16 And
the
councilors
appointed
to
speak
before
the
council
are
to
present
the
case,
after
the
evidence
is
examined,
in
its
true
light
before
the
council;
and
every
man
is
to
speak
according
to
equity
and
a
justice.
17 Those
councilors
who
a
draw
even
numbers,
that
is,
2,
4,
6,
8,
10,
and
12,
are
the
individuals
who
are
to
stand
up
in
behalf
of
the
accused,
and
prevent
insult
and
b
injustice.
18 In
all
cases
the
accuser
and
the
accused
shall
have
a
privilege
of
speaking
for
themselves
before
the
council,
after
the
evidences
are
a
heard
and
the
councilors
who
are
appointed
to
speak
on
the
case
have
finished
their
remarks.
19 After
the
evidences
are
heard,
the
councilors,
accuser
and
accused
have
spoken,
the
president
shall
give
a
decision
according
to
the
understanding
which
he
shall
have
of
the
case,
and
call
upon
the
twelve
councilors
to
a
sanction
the
same
by
their
vote.
20 But
should
the
remaining
councilors,
who
have
not
spoken,
or
any
one
of
them,
after
hearing
the
evidences
and
pleadings
impartially,
discover
an
a
error
in
the
decision
of
the
president,
they
can
manifest
it,
and
the
case
shall
have
a
re-hearing.
21 And
if,
after
a
careful
re-hearing,
any
additional
light
is
shown
upon
the
case,
the
decision
shall
be
altered
accordingly.
22 But
in
case
no
additional
light
is
given,
the
first
decision
shall
stand,
the
majority
of
the
council
having
power
to
determine
the
same.
23 In
case
of
difficulty
respecting
a
doctrine
or
principle,
if
there
is
not
a
sufficiency
written
to
make
the
case
clear
to
the
minds
of
the
council,
the
president
may
inquire
and
obtain
the
b
mind
of
the
Lord
by
revelation.
24 The
high
priests,
when
abroad,
have
power
to
call
and
organize
a
council
after
the
manner
of
the
foregoing,
to
settle
difficulties,
when
the
parties
or
either
of
them
shall
request
it.
25 And
the
said
council
of
high
priests
shall
have
power
to
appoint
one
of
their
own
number
to
preside
over
such
council
for
the
time
being.
26 It
shall
be
the
duty
of
said
council
to
a
transmit,
immediately,
a
copy
of
their
proceedings,
with
a
full
statement
of
the
testimony
accompanying
their
decision,
to
the
high
council
of
the
seat
of
the
First
Presidency
of
the
Church.
27 Should
the
parties
or
either
of
them
be
dissatisfied
with
the
decision
of
said
council,
they
may
appeal
to
the
high
council
of
the
seat
of
the
First
Presidency
of
the
Church,
and
have
a
re-hearing,
which
case
shall
there
be
conducted,
according
to
the
former
pattern
written,
as
though
no
such
decision
had
been
made.
28 This
council
of
high
priests
abroad
is
only
to
be
called
on
the
most
a
difficult
cases
of
church
matters;
and
no
common
or
ordinary
case
is
to
be
sufficient
to
call
such
council.
29 The
traveling
or
located
high
priests
abroad
have
power
to
say
whether
it
is
necessary
to
call
such
a
council
or
not.
30 There
is
a
distinction
between
the
a
high
council
or
traveling
high
priests
abroad,
and
the
traveling
high
council
composed
of
the
twelve
b
apostles,
in
their
decisions.
31 From
the
decision
of
the
former
there
can
be
an
appeal;
but
from
the
decision
of
the
latter
there
cannot.
32 The
latter
can
only
be
called
in
question
by
the
general
authorities
of
the
church
in
case
of
transgression.
33 Resolved:
that
the
president
or
presidents
of
the
seat
of
the
First
Presidency
of
the
Church
shall
have
power
to
determine
whether
any
such
case,
as
may
be
appealed,
is
justly
entitled
to
a
re-hearing,
after
examining
the
appeal
and
the
evidences
and
statements
accompanying
it.
34 The
twelve
councilors
then
proceeded
to
cast
lots
or
ballot,
to
ascertain
who
should
speak
first,
and
the
following
was
the
result,
namely:
1,
Oliver
Cowdery;
2,
Joseph
Coe;
3,
Samuel
H.
Smith;
4,
Luke
Johnson;
5,
John
S.
Carter;
6,
Sylvester
Smith;
7,
John
Johnson;
8,
Orson
Hyde;
9,
Jared
Carter;
10,
Joseph
Smith,
Sen.;
11,
John
Smith;
12,
Martin
Harris.
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