History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

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MORMONISM AND POLYGAMY.
Every stake has a president, with his two councillors,
and a high-council, consisting of twelve high-priests. 14
The high-priests assemble in council, having its president
and two councillors, at stated times, usually once
a month, for conference and instruction. The president
of a stake, with his two councillors, presides over
the high-council of that stake, which has original and
appellate jurisdiction, and whose decisions are usually,
but not invariably, final. Appeals are had to a general
assembly of the several councils of the priesthood,
but such appeals are seldom taken. The jurisdiction
of the several councils is ecclesiastical, affecting fellowship
and standing only, the extreme penalty being
excommunication.
Each stake is divided into wards, the number being
according to territory and population; over each ward
presides a bishop, with his two councillors. Each
stake and each ward, as a rule, has its own meetinghouse.
There are about twenty-five stakes, divided
into some three hundred wards. Salt Lake City is
divided into twenty-one wards, each containing for the
most part nine ten-acre blocks, though in the outskirts
they are larger. Each stake holds a quarterly
conference ; and the church holds a general conference
every April and October.
It will be observed that the orders of priesthood
and organization of the church are copied essentially
from the bible. As before remarked, the Mormons
believe and practise what their sacred books teach,
and all that they teach, without intended misinter-
u Tho standing high-council at the stakes of Zion forms a quorum equal in
authority in the affairs of the church, in all its decisions, to the quorum
of the presidency, or to the travelling high-council. Each order is governed
as follows: the seventy, by seven presidents, one of whom presides over
the other six; and as many additional seventies may be organized as the increase
of the church shall demand. The president of the high-priests is to
preside over the whole church ; the president of the elders presides over ninetysix
elders; the president of the Aaronic priesthood over forty-eight priests;
the president of the teachers over twenty-four teachers, and the president of
the deacons over twelve deacons. Should the president of the church transgress,
he is to be tried before the common council of the church.