accomplishment of the work of God in this great
and last dispensation of the fulness of times the
Church of Christ has been Esstablished in our day
with Prophets, Apostles, Evangelists, Patriarchs, High Priests
Elders, Bishops, Priests, Teachers, Deacons, Gifts, graces
Revelations and with all the ordinances Necessary for
the salvation of the children of ^men^. Joseph Smith was the
the first Apostle, Prophet, Seer, & Revelator called in
these last days He brought forth the Book of Mormon
and organized the Church of Christ as he was com-
manded by the Revelations of Jesus Christ. When
the Twelve Apostles were chosen & ordained The
Prophet Joseph gave them strict instruction to keep a record
of there procedings (see the History of the Church Feb 1835)
The following Extract) "Since the Twelve are now appointed
& chosen I wish to tell them a course which they may
pursue and be benefitted in one point of light of which
perhaps they are not now aware. At all times when
you assemble in the capacity of a council to transact
business let the oldest preside and let one or more be appo-
inted to keep a record of your proceedings, and on the
decision of Every important decission item let it be what it may
let such descision be noted own and they will ever afterwords
remain upon record as LAW, Covenant, & doctrin.
Questions thus decided might at the time appear unimportant
but should they be recorded and one of you lay hands upon
them afterwards you might finds them of infinate worth
not ownly to your Brethren but a feast to your own souls"
Many other remarks were made at the same time. The Prophet
Joseph always recommended the priesthood to keep a rec-
ord of all their Official acts, and among his last letters to
the Church before he was slain he urges upon the Church
to be particular in there records of the Baptizesms for
the dead to be vary particular in there records of there
official acts, that what they bound on Earth should be bound
in heaven and what they loosed on Earth should be loosed
accomplishment of the work of God in this great
and last dispensation of the fulness of times the
Church of Christ has been Esstablished in our day
with Prophets, Apostles, Evangelists, Patriarchs, High PriestsElders, Bishops, Priests, Teachers, Deacons, Gifts, graces
Revelations and with all the ordinances Necessary for
the salvation of the children of men. Joseph Smith was the
the first Apostle, Prophet, Seer, & Revelator called in
these last days He brought forth the Book of Mormon
and organized the Church of Christ as he was commanded by the Revelations of Jesus Christ. When
the Twelve Apostles were chosen & ordained The
Prophet Joseph gave them strict instruction to keep a record
of there procedings (see the History of the Church Feb 1835)
The following Extract) "Since the Twelve are now appointed
& chosen I wish to tell them a course which they may
pursue and be benefitted in one point of light of which
perhaps they are not now aware. At all times when
you assemble in the capacity of a council to transact
business let the oldest preside and let one or more be appointed to keep a record of your proceedings, and on the
decision of Every important item let it be what it may
let such decision be noted own and they will ever afterwords
remain upon record as LAW, Covenant, & doctrin.
Questions thus decided might at the time appear unimportant
but should they be recorded and one of you lay hands upon
them afterwards you might finds them of infinate worth
not ownly to your Brethren but a feast to your own souls"
Many other remarks were made at the same time. The Prophet
Joseph always recommended the priesthood to keep a record of all their Official acts, and among his last letters to
the Church before he was slain he urges upon the Church
to be particular in there records of the Baptisms for
the dead to be vary particular in there records of there
official acts, that what they bound on Earth should be bound
in heaven and what they loosed on Earth should be loosed
"Journal (January 1, 1860 – October 22, 1865)," February 12, 1862, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed September 1, 2024, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/mw1O