This painting depicts the historic meeting in
the Whitmer farmhouse near Fayette, New York, April 6, 1830, in
which the Church was officially organized according to the commandments
of God by six young men. Shown clockwise in the painting
are: Joseph Smith (standing), Oliver Cowdery, Hyrum Smith, David
Whitmer, Samuel H. Smith, and Peter Whitmer, Jr.
Following are the words of Joseph Smith, Jr. recalling
the events related to the organization of the Church.
We now became anxious to have that promise
realized to us, which the angel that conferred
upon us the Aaronic Priesthood had given us, viz: that provided
we continued faithful we should also have the Melchesidec priesthood,
which holds the authority of the laying on of hands for the
gift of the Holy Ghost.
We had for some time made this matter a subject
of humble prayer, and at length we got together in the chamber
of Mr. Whitmer's house in order more particularly to seek of
the Lord what we now so earnestly desired: and here to our unspeakable
satisfaction did we realize the truth of the Savior's promise;
“Ask, and you shall receive, seek, and you shall find,
knock and it shall be opened unto you.” For we had not
long been engaged in solemn and fervent prayer, when the word
of the Lord came unto us in the chamber, commanding us that
I should ordain Oliver Cowdery to be an elder in the church
of Jesus Christ, and that he also should ordain me to the same
office; and then to ordain others as it should be made known
unto us, from time to time.
We were, however, commanded to defer this our
ordination until such times as it should be practicable to have
our brethren, who had been and who should be baptized, assembled
together, when we must have their sanction to our thus proceeding
to ordain each other; and have them decide by vote whether they
were willing to accept us as spiritual teachers, or not; when
also we were commanded to bless bread and break it with them;
and to take wine, bless it, and drink it with them; afterward
proceed to ordain each other according to commandment, then
call out such men as the spirit should dictate, and ordain them;
and then attend to the laying on of hands for the gift of the
Holy Ghost, upon all those whom we had previously baptized;
doing all things in the name of the Lord.
In this manner did the Lord continue to give
us instructions from time to time concerning the duties which
now devolved upon us. Among many other things of the kind, we
obtained of Him the following by the spirit of prophecy and
revelation; which not only gave us much information, but also
pointed out to us the precise day upon which, according to His
will and commandment, we should proceed to organize His Church
once again, here upon the earth:
The rise of the church of Christ in these
last days, being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years
since the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the
flesh, it being regularly organized and established agreeably
to the laws of our country, by the will and commandments of
God in the fourth month, and on the sixth day of the month
which is called April; which commandments were given to Joseph
Smith, Jr., who was called of God and ordained an apostle
of Jesus Christ, to be the first elder of this church; and
to Oliver Cowdery, who was also called of God an apostle of
Jesus Christ, to be the second elder of this church, and ordained
under his hand; and this according to the grace of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom be all glory both now and
for ever. Amen... (Doctrine and Covenants 17:1).
Meantime, our translation [of the Book of Mormon]
drawing to a close, we went to Palmyra, Wayne County, New York,
secured the copyright and agreed with Mr. Egbert Grandin to
print five thousand copies for the sum of three thousand dollars.
Whilst the Book of Mormon was in the hands of
the printer, we still continued to bear testimony, and give
information, as far as we had opportunity; and also made known
to our brethren that we had received commandment to organize
the church, and accordingly we met together for that purpose,
at the house of the above mentioned Mr. Whitmer (being six in
number) on Tuesday the sixth day of April, A. D. one thousand,
eight hundred and thirty.
Having opened the meeting by solemn prayer
to our heavenly Father, we proceeded (according to previous
commandment) to call on our brethren to know whether they accepted
us as their teachers in the things of the kingdom of God, and
whether they were satisfied that we should proceed and be organized
as a church according to said commandment which we had received.
To these they consented by an unanimous vote.
I then laid my hands upon Oliver Cowdery and
ordained him an elder of the “Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints,” after which he ordained me also to
the office of an elder of said church. We then took bread, blessed
it, and brake it with them; also wine, blessed it, and drank
it with them.
We then laid our hands on each individual member
of the church present that they might receive the gift of the
Holy Ghost, and be confirmed members of the church of Christ.
The Holy Ghost was poured out upon us to a very great degree;
some prophesied, whilst we all praised the Lord and rejoiced
exceedingly.
We now proceeded to call out and ordain some
others of the brethren to different offices of the priesthood,
according as the Spirit manifested unto us; and after a happy
time spent in witnessing and feeling for ourselves the powers
and the blessings of the Holy Ghost, through the grace of God
bestowed upon us, we dismissed with the pleasing knowledge that
we were now individually members of, and acknowledged of God,
“The Church of Jesus Christ,” organized in accordance
with commandments and revelations given by Him to ourselves
in the last days, as well as according to the order of the Church
as recorded in the New Testament (Joseph
Smith Tells His Own Story, pp. 34–38).
