Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 1960 The Role and Function of the Seventies in LDS Church History James N. Baumgarten Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the Cultural History Commons, and the Mormon Studies Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Baumgarten, James N., "The Role and Function of the Seventies in LDS Church History" (1960). Theses and Dissertations. 4513. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4513 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. 3 e F tebeebTHB ROLEROLB ardaindANDAIRD FUNCTION OF tebeebTHB SEVKMTIBS IN LJSlasLDS chweceweCHMECHURCH HISTORYWIRY A thesis presentedsenteddented to the dedepartmentA nt of history brigham youngyouyom university in partial ftlfillmeutrulfilliaent of the requirements for the degree master of arts by jalejamsjamejames N baumgartenbelbexbaxaartgart9arten august 1960 TABLE CFOF CcontentsCOBTEHTS part I1 introductionductionreductionroductionro and theology chapter bagragpag ieI1 introduction explanationN ionlon of priesthood and revrevelationlation Sutsukstatementement of problem position of the writer dedelimitationitationcitation of thesis method of procedure and sources II11 church doctrine on the seventies 8 ancient origins the revelation on priesthood the place of seventies in the priesthood summerysummaryof points fartbartpart II11 A general history of the seventies 18351960183519601835 1960 iliIII111 the seventies under joseph smith 1831836 organization of the seventies early activities in kirtkirbkirtland anointanointing of the savswvseventy7 second andaddthird quorums the high priest squabble kirtkirbkirtland camp activities in nauvoo IV the Seveseweseventiesaties under bribrighambrigbam young 1 18477184 77 31 expansionon of the sevseventieseleseleboies later activities in hauvoonauvoo the seventies eaileelihall in nauvoo Senseuseventiestiesblesbleb in the western exodus the scattering in israel education andend recreation the seventies hall of science Missionmissionary7 work words to the seventies an apocalypse of orbonorson pratt iii table of contents contcontdI1 d chapter page V revelation and reorganization 187719181877 1918 52 letters and revelations policies the tmturningnung point A Ccallinging lost early beginnings of stakennake missiomissions the Systemsystematictictle study movement other activities VI sevnevnovsewnewnow movements 1918601918 60 73 combined priesthoodpriestbood auxiauxiliarieses meetings foreign missionary work and a hevhewnevnovnewnow effeffort nevnovsewnewnow movement in stake missionary work projects and activities policies part iliIII111 leadership VII the first council of seventy 93 succession andend history facts about the first council problems andana cevelodevelodevelopaentsdevelopmentsnbs assistants to the twelve partpertparb IV conclusion vinyinVIH Ccontributionsributionsj policies adaedaana problems 105 contributioncontributions andend abcaccaccomplishmentslisbmwts policies problemproblems concconeconclusionionlon possibilities appendixesAPPEMIXES I1 origoriginal first quorum 106106log quorum 9 ii original secsecond 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 107 111 biographical sketches of the council inililiiIII iaiogmphi first MQ of seventy e 9 9 9 9 e lobiob108 bibliography e 0 0 0 0 0 0 130 iv PART I1 magducnon AND TMLOGYTHEOLOGY vhereforewherefore now let every man learn his duty and to act in the office in which he is appointed in allaliail diligence CHAPTER I1 introduction Ekplanationexplanation of priesthood waniabiabdwaA revelation the church of jesus christ of latterlattery day saints has a vast lay ministry or priesthood consisting of all worthy miesmlesdalesdaiesmales twelve years olof01 aeage and older this priesthood is divided into two segments the aaron- ic and the melchizedek the latter is usuallyus 1yay conferred upon worthy candidates at about age nineteen an organizational chertebert on the following pages shows how the priesthood is distributed over three levels of church administration the president of the church presides over the entire melchizedek priesth- ood throuthroughh the twelve apostles and stake presidents he presides over the entire aaronic priesthood through the presiding bishop and ward bishops A stake president presides over the members of his stake as a representative of the president of the church and through the high council directs the melchizedek priesthood uorumsgorums andana the wards in hishiahlahib stake A bishop presides over the aaronic lestMestpriesthoodhood quorum in his wards and directs certain activities of the groups of melchizedek priesth- ood in his ward notice that the group called seventies is not a part of stake organization they are presided over directly by the first council of seventy which at the present time acts conjointlyconjointty with stake authorities in directing the activities of seventies CucuorumsQuquorumsorums 1 2 priesthood qrgabi2atioborgairizatiou OF THB CHURCH 07OF JESUS CBRIST OF iatterLATTERDAYLATTHRDAYLATTERLATTHR DAY SAINTSSAIHTS w w fleneralfleneralnermi church levellevei first presidency 3 istietisitlet normmormgorgquorum of the church assistantsistantsinstants to tbthe twelve 8 I1 twelve Apostapostlsapostleapostlesls 12 patriarch to chot18cnot aOL church bonamuorvmuonam0 abd8bd aruawruavdrvm of the cbjrcchurchha the churchcherchichurchiChurchii first council of sentyseventy 7 rresldinsiding bibBisbishoprbishopeblahoprlcihoprhopeic i aj3j ardordoed3rd bongaiuorumuongaquorum of the church athoth4th anaaonzaonanonaavorum of the church seventies Cuormsuonwagonwa 70 each stakeaalke level histake presidency 3 T stag istakestake 1 saleskae patriarch c I1 stake high council 12 high priest wrumtuoruroTuoruoarumrurozuereuer 1 perr stake elders uouoixmazm 2696 each ward level w r Aft r ward bishbishoBlahoblahopricpricprielct y I1ljblshltgerdlagerg priest grzyllgrqyllgrquej priests uoruasuouorumsgorumsruas melchizedekreichl edek seventies prpujoraugrauguau kqaq each priesthood aanieannicannleaaronicaaronie I1 eldereidereldoraa uorunsiiuomasl teachersteaToacherschens borumuorumuoruas priesthood I1 81 24gu eachemchaageag riri81 deacons 7gorumsuorumuorums 12 each J browsvrowsarrowsrrows chow direction of jurisdictiojurisdictionjurisdictionaljuricdictional auuiorltyautliority bisabis1bishopsbibhops1 lopskops helpheipleip direct some activities of melchizedekMelchiaedek priesti0odpriestciood groups in their wards but do not preside over themchem 3 the basic premise underlying priesthood operation in the mormon church is that the president of the church receives continuous revelation and that this condition has existed from the tietletime of joseph smith to the present it is not for the historian to say that he does or does not but to record the results of the fact that people believe he does many of the revelations to joseph smith are recorded in the book known as the doctrine and covenants the body of the church accepts this book as scripture along vith the bible book of mormon and pearl of great price they also accept josephjoweph smith as a prophet the writer villwill refer to them as such in this text statement of problem this thesis is a historical study of the seventies so far as the writer can learnalearnleann this is the first history of any branch of the mormon priesthood it Is hoped that it will encourage other studies on the other groups and that from these greater understanding might result concerning the nature and duties of the various offices of the priesthood the writer has never understood the purpose of seventies it is generally expressed that their primary calling is missionary work but they do not seetrseerrseear to be the ones who are doing it most of the men engaged in that vorkwork at present hold the office of elder many high priests are called and more women are sent out into the mission field 1 than seventies A primary purpurlepurwx of this study is to discover to what extent the seventies havebavefulfilled their calicaLlcallingling as missionaries iwomenhomenronenwomen do not hold the priesthood but nayneymaymey serve on missions under the direction of those who do 4 in the doctrine and covenants the seventies are called trav- eling ministers of the gospel to the nations the elders are spoken of as standing ministers of the gospel who may travel as their circumstances permit today these positions appear to havebavebevehayeheye been reversed the seve- nties are made up of family men who are unable to go abroad the young elders are going instead A part of the writers purpose is to record how this came about we have noted that seventies Cucuorumsquorumsorums are not stake ququorumsorums but general church quormsquorums see page 2 yet as members of stakes they must render much of their service to the church under stake direction another purpose of this thesis is to trace the long struggle to resolve their problem and show how the seventies have gradually come under the control of the stakes there has been a problem concerning the third borumuorumorumuorum of the general authorities known as the first council of seventy or first seven presidents of seventy as to havhovhawhow far their authority should extend in general church duties since they are seventies and natnotnoc high priests like the rest of the general authorities