From the period 1834-38, Church government was developed and refined in a number of ways. The high council system was introduced and the Twelve Apostles and Seventy were called (the First Presidency had been functioning since 1832). Additionally, the building of the Kirtland Temple, the discovery and translation of the Book of Abraham, the rise and fall of the Mormon banking institution, Mormon difficulties in Missouri and the permanent departure of Joseph Smith from Ohio were pivitol events in Church history. All are (briefly) represented in the records presented here. This collection is incomplete, but represents much of what is available in official records. We will add to the collection from time to time.
Sources of the remarks given here include the Kirtland Council Minute Book, the Far West Record and Joseph Smith's own journal (as kept by various individuals). A division exists in the nature of sources for Joseph Smith's actions and public utterances at the date April 3, 1836. Before this date we have a number of records with the personal imprint of Joseph Smith either by personal letters, journal entries, or journal entries often personally corrected by him. After this date the nature of the data changes. It becomes less personal and further removed. Letters were often joint productions between Joseph and someone else, journal entries ceased for some time and when they restarted, there was much less personal supervision. The date noted above was the date of a revelation, in which Warren Cowdery records that Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were visited by Jesus Christ, Moses, Elias and Elijah. The revelation/vision was never published or mentioned by either Joseph or Oliver during Joseph Smith's lifetime and was written by Warren Cowdery in the third person. It appears that this revelation marked a turning point in Joseph's career. Just prior to the revelation Joseph had made remarks to effect that everything in the way of restoration that he knew was now turned over to the Church. It seems that the revelation of April 3rd may have changed his mind on the subject.
Material enclosed in brackets [ ] is modern and not part of the original records.