| 432 "This council of high priests abroad, is only to be called on the most difficult cases of church matters; and no common or ordinary case is to be sufficient to call such council. The traveling or located high priests abroad, have power to say whether it is necessary to call such a council or not.
"There is a distinction between the high council of traveling high priests abroad, and the traveling high council composed of the twelve apostles, in their decisions: from the decision of the former there can be an appeal, but from the decision of the latter there cannot. The latter can only be called in question by the general authorities of the church in case of transgression.
"Resolved, that the president, or presidents of the seat of the first presidency of the church, shall have power to determine whether any such case, as may be appealed, is justly entitled to a rehearing, after examining the appeal and the evidences and statements accompanying it.
"The twelve councilors then proceeded to cast lots, or ballot, to ascertain who should speak first, and the following was the result, namely:-
OLIVER COWDERY, No. 1 JOHN JOHNSON, No. 7
JOSEPH COE, " 2 ORSON HYDE, " 8
SAMUEL H. SMITH, " 3 JARED CARTER, " 9
LUKE JOHNSON, " 4 JOSEPH SMITH, Sr., " 10
JOHN S. CARTER, " 5 JOHN SMITH, " 11
SYLVESTER SMITH, " 6 MARTIN HARRIS, " 12
After prayer the conference adjourned.
OLIVER COWDERY,} Clerks
ORSON HYDE,}
"On the 18th I reviewed and corrected the minutes of the organization of the high council; and on the l9th of February the council assembled, according to adjournment from the 17th, when the revised minutes were presented and read to the council. I urged the necessity of prayer, that the Spirit might be given, that the things of the Spirit might be judged thereby, because the carnal mind cannot discern the things of God, etc. The minutes were read three times, and unanimously adopted and received for a form and constitution of the high council of the Church of Christ hereafter; with this provision, that if the president should hereafter discover any lack in the same he should be privileged to fill it up.
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