Page:History of Utah.djvu/146



U THE STORY OF MORMONISM.

The first presidency is organized on the 8th of March, Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Wilhams being Smith's councillors. Money flows in, and a council of high priests, March 23d, orders the purchasing for $11,100 of three farms at Kirtland, upon which the saints may build a stake, or support, in Zion,^^ and the foundations of the temple are laid, for here they will remain for five years and make money until the west- ern Zion shall be made ready and a temple built there also. On the land is a valuable quarry of stone, and good clay for bricks; they also buy a tannery. In April the school of the prophets closes, to reopen in the autumn. Shederlaomach is made by revelation a member of the united firm. It is not the will of the Lord to print any of the new translation in the Star; but when it is published, it will all go to the world together, in a volume by itself, and the new testament and the book of Mormon will be printed together. Those preparing to go to Zion should organize.

Commandment comes to lay at Kirtland the foun- dation of the city of the stake in Zion, with a house of the Lord, a school-house for the instruction of elders, a house for the presidency, a house of wor- ship and for the school of the prophets, an endow- ment house with a room for the school of apostles, and a house in which to print the translation of the scriptures. A church is established in Medina county,

^^ ' The church that was to be established in Jackson county was called Zion, the centre of gathering, and those established by revelation in other places were called stakes of Zion, or stakes; hence the stake at Kirtland, the stake at Far West, etc. Each stake was to have a presidency, consisting of three high priests, chosen and set apart for that purpose, whose jurisdiction was confined to the limits of the stake over which they took the watch care. ' Kiddcr^s Mormonism, 121-2. A stake of Zion is an organization comprising a presi- dency, high priests, and its council of 12 high priests. The latter is a tribu- nal for the trial of brethren. It is a court of appeal from the bishops, and has also jurisdiction in spiritual matters. Richards' Narrative, MS., 55. For origin of name, see Doctrine and Convenants (1876), 263. 'The next year, 1833, commenced with something like a change of operations. In- stead of selling their possessions in Ohio, they again began to buy up im- j)roved land, mills, and water privileges. It would seem that the Missouri country began to look rather dreary to the prophet and his head men, sup- posing that they could not enjoy their power there as well as in Ohio. ' Hoive's Mormonism Unveiled, 130.