Minutes, , Geauga Co., OH, 19 Feb. 1834. Featured version copied [ca. 19 Feb. 1834] in Minute Book 1, pp. 36–39; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minute Book 1.
Historical Introduction
These minutes of a 19 February 1834 meeting detail the final steps in organizing the “ of the ”—later known as the high council—and the proceedings of the first case adjudicated by the council. Two days earlier, on 17 February 1834, a council of fifty-eight holders and church members initially organized the new council. Believing the minutes contained some errors, the organizing council charged JS with making “all necessary corrections” to the minutes of the meeting, which delineated the procedures the new council should follow when dealing with church members accused of transgression. Included in the minutes presented here is the council’s discussion and acceptance of the corrected 17 February minutes as well as JS’s declaration that the high council was “organized according to the ancient order, and also according to the mind of the Lord.” The newly organized high council then heard its first case, which concerned charges against Curtis Hodges Sr. for “loud speaking, and a want of clearness in articulation” at various meetings. Several witnesses supported the charges, though no extant contemporary record identifies the precise circumstances, locations, or dates of Hodges’s offenses.
The accuser and the accused then spoke for themselves, after which, the president arose and laid open the case still more plain and gave his decision; which was, that the charges in the declaration had been fairly sustained by good witnesses, also, that bro. H. ought to have confessed when rebuked by also that if he had the spirit of the Lord at the meetings where he hollowed, he must have abused it, and grieved it away. all the agreed with the decision. Bro. Hodges then rose and said, that he then saw his wrong, but never saw it before and appeared to feel thankful that he saw it, he said he had learned more during this trial, than he had since he came into the , Confessed freely his error, and said he would attend to overcomeing that evil, the Lord being his helper
The Council then adjournd to meet again tomorrow evening 20th Inst.
According to the revised minutes of the 17 February 1834 meeting, the president’s decision needed to be ratified by a majority of the council in order for it to stand. (Revised Minutes, 18–19 Feb. 1834 [D&C 102:19–22].)