Minutes, Discourse, and Blessings, [, Geauga Co., OH], 1 Mar. 1835. Featured version copied [not before 25 Feb. 1836] in Minute Book 1, pp. 172–186; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minute Book 1.
Historical Introduction
On the morning of 1 March 1835, church members convened a meeting in , Ohio, apparently as a continuation of a meeting that had adjourned on 28 February. Several men appointed to the office of were given blessings in that 28 February meeting. The blessings continued in this 1 March 1835 meeting, and at least thirty-three individuals, including some not designated as seventies, were blessed. All those receiving ordinations and blessings in this meeting had participated in the expedition. According to later reminiscences, many of these blessings were performed by members of the church presidency, including JS, his , , and . The minutes indicate that several individuals who had recently been were also confirmed members of the church at the meeting, and the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was administered. JS also gave instructions on the necessity of worthiness when partaking of the sacrament.
It is unclear who originally recorded the ordination blessings or the minutes of the meeting. later copied them into Minute Book 1.
For examples, see Hutchings, Journal, 15 Feb. 1835; Burgess, Autobiography, 4; and “Biographies of the Seventies of the Second Quorum,” 22.
Hutchings, Elias. Journal, Dec. 1834–Sept. 1836. CHL. MS 1445.
Burgess, Harrison. Autobiography, ca. 1883. Photocopy. CHL. MS 893. Also available as “Sketch of a Well-Spent Life,” in Labors in the Vineyard, Faith-Promoting Series 12 (Salt Lake City: Juvenile Instructor Office, 1884), 65–74.
“Biographies of the Seventies of the Second Quorum,” 1845–1855. In Seventies Quorum Records, 1844–1975. CHL. CR 499.
The met this morning (Sabbath) to proceed with the of the , There being several who had been recently present, and being expedient that they should be , and also that the should be administred to the , the business of ordination was suspended for a short time. Joseph Smith Junr addressed the Church & the council and the church upon the propriety upon the propriety of attending to this with pure hearts, and pure desirles. He touched upon the propriety of this institution in the church & urged the vast importance of doing it with acceptance to the Lord, He asked how long do you suppose a man may partake of this ordinance unworthily and the Lord not withdraw his spirit from him? How long will he thus trifle with sacred things and the Lord not give him over to the buffitings of Satan until the day of Redemption? The church should know if they are unworthy, from time to time, to partake, The servants of the Lord will be forbidden to administer it. Therefore our heart ought ought to humble themselves, and we to repent of our sins, and put away evil from among us. some further remarks were made and the sacrament was then administred. The council then proceeded to business and the following names were called (Viz.) , , and .
A prayer was put up that he might be strong in his mission to the , that the Lord would open to him the mysteries of the Kingdom, the [that?] he be supported [p. 172]
A later JS history stated that “the Church in council” met on 28 February 1835 to select “certain individuals from the number of those who went up to Zion” as members of the Seventy. (JS History, vol. B-1, 577.)
JS History / Smith, Joseph, et al. History, 1838–1856. Vols. A-1–F-1 (original), A-2–E-2 (fair copy). Historian’s Office, History of the Church, 1839–ca. 1882. CHL. CR 100 102, boxes 1–7. The history for the period after 5 Aug. 1838 was composed after the death of Joseph Smith.
According to the “Articles and Covenants” of the church, new members were confirmed “by the laying on of the hands, & the giving of the Holy Ghost.” (Articles and Covenants, ca. Apr. 1830, in Revelation Book 1, p. 55 [D&C 20:41].)
The church’s Articles and Covenants instructed the church to “meet together oft to partake of bread & wine, in Rememberance of the Lord Jesus.” The sacrament was administered at early church conferences, and an August 1831 revelation directed church members to offer their sacraments on God’s “holy day.” (Articles and Covenants, ca. Apr. 1830, in Revelation Book 1, p. 57 [D&C 20:75]; Revelation, 7 Aug. 1831 [D&C 59:9].)
The Book of Mormon relates that when Christ visited the Nephites after his resurrection, he told the twelve disciples he had selected that they should “not suffer any one, knowingly, to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily, when ye shall minister it.” (Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 492 [3 Nephi 18:28–29].)
According to a later source, Levi Hancock was absent when JS designated the Seventy; he received his ordination at a later time. Hancock’s own reminiscences place him in Kirtland in February 1835, but they do not mention his ordination. The record of his blessing, however, is different from the others in that it does not address Hancock directly but in the third person. (Young, History of the Organization of the Seventies, 4; Hancock, Autobiography, 149–150.)
Young, Joseph, Sr. History of the Organization of the Seventies: Names of First and Second Quorums. Items in Relation to the First Presidency of the Seventies. Also, a Brief Glance at Enoch and His City. Embellished with a Likeness of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and a View of the Kirtland Temple. Salt Lake City: Deseret News Steam Printing Establishment, 1878.
Hancock, Mosiah Lyman. "Autobiography of Levi Ward Hancock," ca. 1896. CHL. MS 570.