The First Presidency not only presided over the affairs of the Church, the School of the Prophets, and the Kirtland School, but it also formed the committee selected to publish the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants, and it oversaw the construction of the Kirtland Temple. To cope with the needs of a growing church, the Lord directed that leadership responsibilities be extended to other bodies.
Calling of the Twelve Apostles, February 1835
President Williams’s name is listed among those persons honored for their participation in Zion’s Camp at a meeting held in Kirtland on February 14, 1835.
This day, a meeting was called of those who journeyed last season to Zion for the purpose of laying the foundation of its redemption, together with as many other of the brethren and sisters as felt disposed to attend.
President Joseph Smith, Jun., presiding, read the 15th chapter of John, and said: Let us endeavor to solemnize our minds that we may receive a blessing, by calling on the Lord. After an appropriate and affecting prayer, the brethren who went to Zion [in Zion’s camp] were requested to take their seats together in a part of the house by themselves.1
At the conclusion of the meeting, which included the singing of a hymn and a closing prayer,2 there was an adjournment of one hour, after which a second meeting was begun for the purpose of organizing the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
The Three Witnesses Choose and Ordain the Apostles
It is generally known that Frederick G. Williams, as a member of the First Presidency, was involved in the selection of the Twelve by setting apart the Three Witnesses, who then chose and ordained the Twelve.
President Joseph Smith, Jun., said that the first business of the meeting was, for the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, to pray, each one, and then proceed to choose twelve men from the Church, as Apostles, to go to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people. . . .
The Three Witnesses were then blessed by the laying on of the hands of the Presidency.
The Witnesses then, according to a former commandment, proceeded to make choice of the Twelve.3
First Presidency Reordain the Apostles
What is less known is that the First Presidency then reordained or confirmed the ordinations upon three of the Apostles, a step not always acknowledged in priesthood line of authority charts. Heber C. Kimball, one of the original Apostles, wrote the following:
After having expressed our feelings on this occasion, we were severally called into the Stand, and there received our ordinations, under the hands of Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris: These brethren ordained us to the apostleship, and predicted many things which should come to pass, that we should have power to heal the sick, cast out devils, raise the dead, give sight to the blind, have power to remove mountains, and all things should be subject to us through the name of Jesus Christ, and angels should minister unto us, and many more things too numerous to mention. After we had been thus ordained by these brethren, the first presidency laid their hands on us, and confirmed these blessings and ordinations, and likewise predicted many things which should come to pass.4
Only three Apostles were ordained that evening, most likely as follows: Lyman E. Johnson by Oliver Cowdery, Brigham Young by David Whitmer, and Heber C. Kimball by Martin Harris. The next day, Sunday, February 15, 1835, six more Apostles were ordained: Orson Hyde by Oliver Cowdery; David W. Patten, Luke S. Johnson, William E. McLellin, John F. Boynton, and William Smith [the record does not indicate who ordained these five]. On February 21, 1835, Parley P. Pratt was ordained an Apostle by Joseph Smith, David Whitmer, and Oliver Cowdery. The ordination of the Twelve would not be completed until the end of April, when the last two returned from their missions. Thomas B. Marsh was ordained an Apostle on April 25, 1835, by Oliver Cowdery, while Orson Pratt was ordained an Apostle on April 26, 1835.5
Some have wondered if one can be ordained an Apostle by someone who is not himself an Apostle. We know that Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery had been ordained Apostles;6 less well known is the claim made by David Whitmer that he and Martin Harris had also been ordained Apostles, which is supported, in the case of David Whitmer at least, by the following revelation: “And now, Oliver Cowdery, I speak unto you, and also unto David Whitmer, by the way of commandment; 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.”7 In one published interview, David Whitmer referred to himself as an Apostle. “Concerning his work in the Church of Christ he looks upon his commission to apostleship as concurrent to having had a direct message from Heaven through an angle of the Lord. . . . The text of these messages he refuses to relate, claiming that the promises of the Lord to his Apostles should be secretly locked in the breast and not blatantly betrayed to carnal minds.”8
If there were any doubts concerning the authority of the Three Witnesses to ordain others to the Apostleship, nothing was ever said at the time. Perhaps the confirmation blessing given afterwards by members of the First Presidency—who were equal in holding the keys of the kingdom—erased any questions.
Were Frederick and Sidney Regarded as Apostles?
There have been several men ordained to the Apostleship who were never sustained as members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.9 Perhaps it would be appropriate to add the names of Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams to the list of Apostles, for when they were ordained to the Presidency of the High Priesthood, they held the same keys of the kingdom as did Joseph Smith and Peter of old.10 And by virtue of being “equal with thee in holding the keys of this last kingdom,” Frederick and Sidney could officiate in every office in the Church, including the office of Apostle. “The Presidency of the High Priesthood, after the order of Melchizedek, have a right to officiate in all the offices in the Church.”11
President Brigham Young, speaking in general conference, April 6, 1853, on the occasion of the Salt Lake Temple cornerstone ceremony, emphasized the relationship between priesthood keys and the Apostleship when he taught, “The keys of the eternal Priesthood, which is after the order of the Son of God, are comprehended by being an Apostle.”
I speak thus to show you the order of the Priesthood. We will now commence with the Apostleship, where Joseph commenced. Joseph was ordained an Apostle—that you can read and understand. After he was ordained to this office, then he had the right to organize and build up the kingdom of God, for he had committed unto him the keys of the Priesthood, which is after the order of Melchisedec—the High Priesthood, which is after the order of the Son of God. And this, remember, by being ordained an Apostle.
Could he have built up the Kingdom of God, without first being an Apostle? No, he never could. The keys of the eternal Priesthood, which is after the order of the Son of God, are comprehended by being an Apostle. All the Priesthood, all the keys, all the gifts, all the endowments, and everything preparatory to entering into the presence of the Father and of the Son, are in, composed of, circumscribed by, or I might say incorporated within the circumference of, the Apostleship.12
Brigham Young continued to explain the relationship between the keys of the kingdom and the Apostleship. He recounted that when David Patten and some of the other Apostles learned that neither Brigham Young nor Heber C. Kimball had been ordained High Priests before being ordained Apostles, they urged that they be ordained High Priests. The Prophet was asked about it, and Brigham quotes what Joseph Smith said.
It was William E. Mclellin who told Joseph, that I and Heber were not ordained High Priests, and wanted to know if it should not be done. Said Joseph, “Will you insult the Priesthood? Is that all the knowledge you have of the office of an Apostle? Do you not know that the man who receives the Apostleship, receives all the keys that ever were, or that can be, conferred upon mortal man? What are you talking about? I am astonished!” Nothing more was said about it.
I know that Joseph received his Apostleship from Peter, James, and John, before a revelation on the subject was printed, and he never had a right to organize a Church before he was an Apostle.
I have tried to shew you, brethren, as briefly as possible, the order of the Priesthood. When a man is ordained to be an Apostle, his Priesthood is without beginning of days, or end of life, like the Priesthood of Melchisedec; for it was his Priesthood that was spoken of in this language, and not the man.13
In summary, Frederick and Sidney were ordained to the Presidency of the High Priesthood, which meant they could officiate in every office in the Church, and were accounted equal in holding the keys of the kingdom, which keys and presidency are, in the words of Brigham Young, quoted above, “composed of, circumscribed by, or I might say incorporated within the circumference of, the Apostleship.”
High Council (Ohio), February 1834
On February 17, 1834, a new responsibility was placed on the shoulders of the members of the First Presidency when they were sustained as the presidents of the first high council. The minutes of the meeting record that the brethren had been directed by revelation to assemble together to organize the high council.
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 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.
The high council was appointed by revelation for the purpose of settling important difficulties which might arise in the church, which could not be settled by the church or the bishop’s council to the satisfaction of the parties.
Joseph Smith, Jun., Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams were acknowledged presidents by the voice of the council.14
The acknowledgement by the council that the President of the Church should be the president of the council—assisted by two other presidents—was in keeping with the language prescribed in the revelation.
The president of the church, who is also the president of the council, is appointed by revelation,15 and acknowledged in his administration by the voice of the church.
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.16
It was also specified that should one or two of the presidents be absent, the third may preside alone.17 That this high council made up of twelve high priests was to be a model for the organization of other high councils is made clear in the next verse: “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.”18
High Council (Missouri), July 1834
The following summer, at the conclusion of Zion’s Camp, Frederick G. Williams assisted Joseph Smith in organizing the second high council, which took place in Clay County, Missouri, on July 3, 1834; President Williams also acted as clerk of the meeting.
Clay County, July 3. 1834
The High Priests of Zion assembled for the purpose of organizing a general Council of High Priests, agreeable to the revelation for the purpose of settling important business that might come before them which could not be settled by the Bishop and his council. . . .
Frederick G. Williams (Clerk)19
Four days later, on July 7, 1834, the three presidents and the twelve councilors were set apart in their callings, and other business was transacted. Frederick G. Williams again served as clerk of that meeting.20
Calling of the Seventy, February 1835
On February 28 and March 1, 1835, some two weeks after the Twelve were organized, Frederick G. Williams was involved in the organization of the Seventies. In the midst of the ordinations and blessings of the newly called Seventies and their presidency, other brethren, including Frederick G. Williams (but not Sidney Rigdon or Oliver Cowdery, not even Joseph Smith), were likewise blessed. “After sacrament the council continued the ordination and blessing of those previously called; also John Murdock and S. W. Denton were ordained and blessed; Benjamin Winchester, Hyrum Smith, and Frederick G. Williams were blessed; and Joseph Young and Sylvester Smith were ordained presidents of Seventies.”21 The blessings pronounced on the individual members of the Seventy (including Frederick G. Williams’s blessing, which will be quoted presently) are recorded in the Kirtland Council Minute Book.22
It is interesting to note that Joseph spoke of the Seventies as Apostles when they returned to Kirtland and reported on their ministries on Monday, December 28, 1835: “This day the Council of the Seventy met to render an account of their travels and ministry, since they were ordained to that Apostleship. The meeting was interesting indeed, and my heart was made glad while listening to the relation of those that had been laboring in the vineyard of the Lord with such marvelous success.”23
1. Joseph Smith Jr., History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ed. B. H. Roberts, 2d ed., rev., 7 vols. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1971), 2:181–82 (hereafter cited as History of the Church).
2. The hymn was “Hark Listen to the Trumpeters They Call for Volunteers” and the prayer was by President Hyrum Smith. Fred C. Collier and William S. Harwell, eds., The Kirtland Council Minute Book, 2d ed. (Salt Lake City: Collier’s Publishing, 2002), 72.
3. History of the Church, 2:186–87.
4. “Extracts from H. C. Kimball’s Journal,” Times and Seasons 6 (April 15, 1845): 868. The portion that speaks of the Apostles having the First Presidency afterwards lay their hands on them and confirm these blessings and ordinations is reprinted in a note; see History of the Church, 2:188. One wonders if the same procedure was followed with the other nine apostles.
5. History of the Church, 2:187–94. Who was voice is not always mentioned in connection with the ordination blessing. Marsh was blessed by Oliver Cowdery, and this blessing was sealed by David Whitmer. Orson Pratt’s ordination was “confirmed by President David Whitmer.”
6. “Wherefore it behooveth me that he [Joseph Smith] should be ordained by you, Oliver Cowdery mine apostle” (D&C 21:10).
7. Doctrine and Covenants 18:9.
8. Correspondent of the Chicago Tribune, December 15, 1885, Richmond, Missouri; Chicago Tribune, December 17, 1885, in David Whitmer Interviews: A Restoration Witness, ed. Lyndon W. Cook (Orem, Utah: Grandin Book Co., 1993), 179.
9. See a list of a dozen names in the 2005 Church Almanac (Salt Lake City: Deseret Morning News, 2005), 68.
10. Doctrine and Covenants 90:6.
11. Doctrine and Covenants 107:9.
12. Brigham Young, in Journal of Discourses, 26 vols. (Liverpool: F. D. Richards, 1855–86), 1:134–35 (April 6, 1853).
13. Brigham Young, in Journal of Discourses, 1:137.
14. Doctrine and Covenants 102:1–3.
15. In the original minutes it reads “appointed by the voice of the Saviour.” Collier and Harwell, Kirtland Council Minute Book, 27.
16. Doctrine and Covenants 102:9–10.
17. See Doctrine and Covenants 102:11.
18. Doctrine and Covenants 102:12.
19. Donald Q. Cannon and Lyndon W. Cook, eds., Far West Record (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1983), 70–71.
20. Cannon and Cook, Far West Record, 72–73.
21. History of the Church, 2:204.
22. Collier and Harwell, Kirtland Council Minute Book, 89–104.
23. History of the Church, 2:346.
