Church Court

Reading pages 381 and 639-648 (minutes from February 17, 1834) of “The Joseph Smith Papers” was insightful. I cannot describe the feelings I get seeing the text in the original hand of early church leaders. Staring at scans of the original manuscripts instills such a sacredness and a greater sense of urgency for how important the gospel is.

Whenever I read of the prophesy of the Civil War in the Doctrine and Covenants, I get goosebumps. The “start of the rebellion beginning with South Carolina” is recorded 36 years before it actually occurred. I wonder if Joseph and the scribes realized what they were writing of when they recorded this revelation. Surely, unless one lived through it, the devastating impact would never be fully realized. Even with the knowledge of the past and the way the Civil War shaped our young country, we still will never experience the nature of trauma that nineteenth century America survived. I keep going back to a comment Dr. Holzapfel made in lecture a few weeks ago in regards to what Lincoln said in one of his addresses to the effect of: “It is not whose side God is on that is important; rather, it is critical that you are on God’s.”

The fact that the church has a “justice system” is an interesting subject for me. While the gospel teaches forgiveness and repentance, that does not and should not override the demands of justice. Behavior has natural consequences. In these notes it was revealed that the council would be made up of twelve high priests and one to three presidents, as the case required. After hearing both sides’ evidence, the President makes a decision which is asked to be sanctioned by the council.

It struck me over and over again how the church is trying to help people make the right decisions and repent of their sin. The MAJORITY of leaders must be present to vote, DISAGREEMENT leads to REHEARING, UNCLEAR CASE then President goes to the Lord, etc, etc—the Church is extending charity to people in any way it can, yet still submitting to the demands of justice. I thought it interesting that if the exception of an appeal was ever determined by the First Presidency, a trial would be redone without any mention of past trial history. God is doing everything in His power to bring us home.

Of course, this “church law” is only to “settle important difficulties … which could not be settled by the church or the Bishop’s council to the satisfaction of the parties.” The matters that arise before church court are clearly not trivial matters, but pertain to more serious sin.