Twelve Apostles
Summary
Members of a governing body in the church, with special administrative and proselytizing responsibilities. A June 1829 revelation commanded Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer to call twelve disciples, similar to the twelve apostles in the New Testament and the twelve disciples in the Book of Mormon. The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was organized on 14 February 1835, and twelve men were selected as apostles in that quorum. These apostles were to be “special witnesses of the name of Christ, in all the world”; they were also designated “Prophets and Seers.” The Quorum of the Twelve was referred to as the “travelling high council” and had the responsibility “to preside over all the churches of the saints” where no presidency or high council existed. Seniority in the Quorum of the Twelve was initially based on age. Thomas B. Marsh was the first president, followed by Brigham Young. As part of their proselytizing responsibilities, the Quorum of the Twelve were appointed to serve missions abroad, beginning in England in 1837. In August 1841, the Quorum of the Twelve were “called upon to stand in their place next to the first presidency” and given additional governing responsibilities over the general church. JS appointed the Twelve as authorized agents for receiving donations. At the 6 April 1843 conference, they were appointed agents for the Nauvoo House and Nauvoo temple. Orson Hyde later reported that JS gave the Quorum of the Twelve the final priesthood key in early 1844. See also “.”
Links
- History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834]
- History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842]
- Elders’ Journal, August 1838
- Elders’ Journal, October 1837
- Agreement with Jacob Stollings, 12 April 1839
- Appendix 1: First Theological Lecture on Faith, circa January–May 1835
- Bill to Incorporate the Church, 14 December 1840
- Blessing to David W. Patten, 15 February 1835
- Blessing to Joseph Young, 1 March 1835
- Blessing to Lorenzo Barnes, 3 January 1836
- Bond from Horace Hotchkiss, 12 August 1839–A
- Book of Abraham and Facsimiles, 1 March–16 May 1842
- Charges against Joseph Smith Preferred to Bishop’s Council, 29 May 1837
- Charges against William Smith Preferred to the Church Presidency, 29 December 1835
- Declaration, circa 6 March 1839 [ JS v. McLellin ]
- Discourse, 1 June 1839
- Discourse, 12 November 1835
- Discourse, 13 January 1840
- Discourse, 2 July 1839, as Reported by Willard Richards
- Discourse, 2 July 1839, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff–A
- Discourse, 2 July 1839, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff–B
- Discourse, 2 July 1839, as Reported by William Clayton
- Discourse, 2 May 1835, as Reported by William E. McLellin–A
- Discourse, 2 May 1835, as Reported by William E. McLellin–B
- Discourse, 27 February 1835–A, as Reported by Oliver Cowdery
- Discourse, 27 February 1835–B, as Reported by William E. McLellin
- Discourse, 27 June 1839, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff–A
- Discourse, 28 July 1839, as Reported by James Mulholland
- Discourse, 5 February 1840
- Discourse, 6 April 1837
- Discourse, 7 July 1839, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff
- Discourse, December 1840, as Reported by William Clayton
- Discourse, between circa 26 June and circa 2 July 1839, as Reported by Willard Richards
- Discourse, between circa 26 June and circa 2 July 1839, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff
- Discourse, between circa 26 June and circa 4 August 1839–A, as Reported by Willard Richards
- Discourse, between circa 26 June and circa 4 August 1839–B, as Reported by Willard Richards
- Discourse, between circa 26 June and circa 4 August 1839–C, as Reported by Willard Richards
- Discourse, circa 19 July 1840, as Reported by Martha Jane Knowlton Coray–A
- Instruction on Priesthood, between circa 1 March and circa 4 May 1835 [D&C 107]
- Instruction on Priesthood, circa 5 October 1840
- Introduction to JS v. McLellin
- Introduction to Book of Abraham Manuscripts, circa February–circa 15 March 1842
- Journal, 1835–1836
- Journal, 1839
- Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 1, 21 December 1842–10 March 1843
- Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 2, 10 March 1843–14 July 1843
- Journal, March–September 1838
- Letter from Brigham Young and Willard Richards, 5 September 1840
- Letter from Brigham Young, 29 April 1840
- Letter from Brigham Young, 7 May 1840
- Letter from Edward Partridge, 13–15 June 1839
- Letter from Elias Higbee, 20 February 1840–B
- Letter from Elias Higbee, 9 March 1840
- Letter from Emma Smith, 6 December 1839
- Letter from Heber C. Kimball and Orson Hyde, between 22 and 28 May 1838
- Letter from Heber C. Kimball and Others, 25 May 1840
- Letter from Heber C. Kimball, 9 July 1840
- Letter from Hyrum Smith, 2 January 1840
- Letter from Jacob W. Jenks, 31 December 1839
- Letter from John E. Page, 23 September 1840
- Letter from Orson Hyde and John E. Page, 1 May 1840
- Letter from Orson Hyde, 15 December 1835
- Letter from Orson Hyde, 28 September 1840
- Letter from Parley P. Pratt, 22 November 1839
- Letter from Parley P. Pratt, 23 May 1837
- Letter from Parley P. Pratt, between 23 and 27 September 1842
- Letter from Sidney Rigdon, 3 April 1840
- Letter from Thomas B. Marsh, 15 February 1838
- Letter from Warren Parrish, 25 January 1836
- Letter from Wilford Woodruff and Jonathan H. Hale, 18 September 1837
- Letter from Wilford Woodruff and Others, 9 March 1838
- Letter from William Smith, 18 December 1835
- Letter from William W. Phelps, with Appended Letter from Orson Hyde and John E. Page, 29 June 1840
- Letter from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, 28 March 1836
- Letter of Introduction from James Adams, 9 November 1839
- Letter to Church Brethren, 15 June 1835
- Letter to Edward Partridge and the Church, circa 22 March 1839
- Letter to Heber C. Kimball and Brigham Young, 16 January 1839
- Letter to Henrietta Raphael Seixas, between 6 and 13 February 1836
- Letter to Isaac Galland, 11 September 1839
- Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 March 1839
- Letter to John Corrill and the Church in Missouri, 4 September 1837
- Letter to John M. Bernhisel, 7 September 1842
- Letter to Newel K., Elizabeth Ann Smith, and Sarah Ann Whitney, 18 August 1842
- Letter to Oliver Granger, 26 January 1841
- Letter to Orson Hyde and John E. Page, 14 May 1840
- Letter to Quorum of the Twelve, 4 August 1835
- Letter to Quorum of the Twelve, 15 December 1840
- Letter to Saints Scattered Abroad, September 1840
- Letter to Stephen Post, 17 September 1838
- Letter to Wilford Woodruff, circa 18 June 1838
- Letter to William Smith, circa 18 December 1835
- Letter to William W. Phelps, 22 July 1840
- Letter to the Church in Caldwell County, Missouri, 16 December 1838
- Letter to the Presidency in Kirtland, 29 March 1838
- Letterbook 1
- Letterbook 2
- License for Frederick G. Williams, 27 April 1835
- License for John Whitmer, 9 June 1830
- Minutes and Blessings, 21 February 1835
- Minutes and Blessings, 28 February–1 March 1835
- Minutes and Discourse, 13 January 1840
- Minutes and Discourse, 1–2 June 1839
- Minutes and Discourse, 2 May 1835, as Reported by William E. McLellin–A
- Minutes and Discourse, 2 May 1835, as Reported by William E. McLellin–B
- Minutes and Discourse, 6–8 April 1840
- Minutes and Discourses, 27 February 1835, as Reported by Oliver Cowdery
- Minutes and Discourses, 27 February 1835, as Reported by William E. McLellin
- Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 October 1839
- Minutes and Discourses, 6–8 April 1843
- Minutes and Discourses, 7–8 March 1835
- Minutes and Prayer of Dedication, 27 March 1836 [D&C 109]
- Minutes, 12 April 1838
- Minutes, 12 February 1836
- Minutes, 12 March 1835
- Minutes, 12 October 1844, Draft
- Minutes, 13 April 1838
- Minutes, 13 January 1836
- Minutes, 14 February 1835
- Minutes, 15 March 1838
- Minutes, 16 January 1836
- Minutes, 17 August 1835
- Minutes, 19 March 1836
- Minutes, 19 September 1835
- Minutes, 2 January 1836
- Minutes, 22 December 1836
- Minutes, 22 February 1836
- Minutes, 24 April 1839
- Minutes, 24 August 1835
- Minutes, 25–26 October 1831
- Minutes, 26 September 1835
- Minutes, 26 April 1835
- Minutes, 27 October 1839
- Minutes, 28 December 1835
- Minutes, 28–29 September 1835
- Minutes, 29 October 1835
- Minutes, 3 March 1836
- Minutes, 3 September 1837
- Minutes, 30 March 1836
- Minutes, 4–5 May 1839
- Minutes, 6 April 1838
- Minutes, 6 May 1839
- Minutes, 6 November 1837
- Minutes, 7 November 1837
- Minutes, 7–8 April 1838
- Minutes, 8 August 1835
- Minutes, Discourse, and Blessings, 1 March 1835
- Minutes, Discourse, and Blessings, 14–15 February 1835
- Motto, circa 16 or 17 March 1838
- Nauvoo Relief Society Minute Book
- Note, circa 24 May 1839
- Ordination and Blessing of Cyrus Smalling, 30 June 1835
- Pay Order to Newel K. Whitney for “Mrs. Young,” 15 June 1840
- Proclamation, 15 January 1841
- Promissory Note from Lorenzo Young, 9 April 1838
- Promissory Note to John Brassfield, 16 April 1839
- Prospectus for Elders’ Journal, 30 April 1838
- Questions and Answers, 8 May 1838
- Recommendation for Brigham Young, 3 June 1839
- Recommendation for George A. Smith, 21 September 1839
- Recommendation for Heber C. Kimball, between 2 and 13 June 1837
- Recommendation for Orson Hyde, 6 April 1840
- Record of the Twelve, 14 February–28 August 1835
- Remarks, 28 November 1841
- Report of the First Presidency, 4 October 1840
- Resolution, circa 8 April 1838
- Revelation, 27 February 1833 [D&C 89]
- Revelation, 11 April 1838 [D&C 114]
- Revelation, 12 July 1843 [D&C 132]
- Revelation, 17 April 1838
- Revelation, 19 January 1841 [D&C 124]
- Revelation, 23 July 1837 [D&C 112]
- Revelation, 26 December 1835 [D&C 108]
- Revelation, 3 November 1835
- Revelation, 8 July 1838–A [D&C 118]
- Revelation, June 1829–B [D&C 18]
- Revelation, circa June 1835 [D&C 68]
- Visions, 21 January 1836 [D&C 137]