The following is an article that was published inn The New York Herald on February 7th, 1870. It contains the “Constitution of the Church of Zion”, as well as some descriptions of what the service was like where is was first introduced. The article has been transcribed here for posterity, but the original may be read here.
There was another article from The New York Herald which gave further insight into this meeting, including pushback against the new constitution. I will be transcribing this next.
Salt Lake City, January 26th, 1876
At the meeting last Tuesday evening Mr. Kelsey rose and said that the grand outlines of the constitution of this new Church of Zion, a rough draft of which was now to be presented, had been received from heaven by revelation, but that its details had been left to be supplied by the thought of individuals. A fundamental principle of the system was government, not by force, but by the persuasive influence of love and the wishes of the people. That immortal principle of truth, and other general principles in which they had been instructed, had enabled them to prepare a draft of the constitution of the Church so broad and liberal and comprehensive in all its provisions that it was destined to attract the attention of the civilized world and command the admiration of the most advanced of human minds. It was the intention of the heavenly powers to demonstrate to this people that they must never more pin their faith to the coat sleeve of any individual. There was a natural tendency in the human mind to do so, and the people would have to be educated out of it and taught to look not to man but direct to God. All authority and power in the Church would spring from the people, and rest upon the will not of the governing but the governed. Every man, from the first presidency down, would be held responsible directly to the people for the faithful performance of the duties of his calling. The constitution, the preliminary draft of which was to be read this evening, would be presented in its completeness for ratification by all the members of the Church on the 6th of April. The various “quorums” of the Church would be organized gradually according as the Church was joined by the proper persons to constitute such quorums. The quorum of the first presidency had been already called by revelation. The quorum of the Twelve Apostles would also be called by revelation. According as the heavens should manifest their will and designate apostles, such apostles would take their positions in the quorum, which would thus gradually grow into completion, and the Twelve would then elect their president unless he should be appointed direct by revelation. The quorum of the Seventies would be filled up as suitable persons were enrolled in the general Church, and so they would elect their president, who would preside over them, as in all other cases, only just so long as he presided in the confidence and affections of the members of the quorum, and upon that principle the quorums themselves would continue to preside only just so long as they retained the confidence and affections of the people. Branch organizations would be organized as necessities demanded them.
Mr. Kelsey here told a story which illustrated the extent to which the Mormons have hitherto been morally enslaved by the power of the present priesthood. As the new movement, he said, was being talked over among the people in that part of Utah where he lived. As individuals were making up their minds about joining it, and the dreadful doom of being “cut off” from the old organization was being canvassed, there was recently a man who had a large lot of bricks on hand, who felt himself impelled to join it. And the point of the story was that one of Mr. Kelsey’s little daughters (for he has several wives and several daughters) thought it suicidal in the man to think of doing so until after he had “sold his bricks”, because of the certain persecution that would follow his espousal of the movement. “This idea”, said Mr. Kelsey, “speaks volumes against the iniquity of the present system. Under which a man could not give expression to his opinion and his faith without his brethren going to work at once to ruin him.” Many were still thus tied up by the teeth; they had not yet “sold their bricks”, but there was no necessity for precipitate haste; they could take their time, and could join the movement when they had “sold all their bricks”.
Mr. Harrison enlarged a little on Mr. Kelsey’s comments concerning the constitution, which as had ben inferred, was only a rough draft, and as such was subject to amendment. Continuing Kelsey’s observations he said the sublime controlling sentiments, the grand principles enunciated in their former “manifesto”, and such additional points were contained in this present constitution had been conveyed to them by revelation, but the details had been left for them to fill up, apply and frame to suit themselves. “The heavens”, he said, in a smiling way, “have such a love for us that they would like us to be satisfied with our own arrangement.” The heavens had faith in the propriety of the people arranging matters to best suit themselves, so long as they were governed by great fundamental truths. The heavens had no desire to supersede human brains; and hence it would always be the prerogative of the Church of Zion to amend the petty details of its organization in accordance with human conditions and necessities. Not that the heavens were above such small considerations, but that it was more in accordance with divine intention that human minds should work out such details for themselves. Upon this principle they were free to modify matters in keeping with the progress of the times. The whole constitution would not always be applicable; but rather much of its detail would of necessity be modified, as the people gradually grew into new conditions. “There would come a day”, he said, “when we would have put away so much of our earthly condition, when the sublime and simple sentiments of Jesus would so reign in human hearts that human character would here approach very near the immortal. Under such conditions, as well as under intermediate ones, the constitution would have to undergo very many changes. Hence they had “left the back door open”, so that there would be “plenty of room to get out of anything.” “We will never corner ourselves or our descendants”, he said, “by framing conditions which cannot be overturned when such overturning is required. That is the sentiment of this Church, and if it knocks into imperceptible atoms all that we may have done, we will accept it if the light of God in future times shall manifest its truth. We will be ever ready to incorporate into our constitution such new principles as shall recommend themselves to the people as being good and true and just. We will leave ourselves untrammeled, so that we can recede from any old position if we can demonstrate that a new one is better. We will ‘apostatize’ from this time forward from all the traditions we have ever held and from any conditions that may be incorporated into our constitution, the rough draft of which will now be presented previous to its accurate revision and its ratification when we shall meet at the same time that the old Church will meet, according to annual custom, in conference next April.” Mr. Harrison then read the following preliminary draft of the
Constitution of the Church of Zion
We, the members of the Church of Zion, established by the revelation and direction of the Authorities of the Heavenly World, do ordain the following constitution: –
First we declare as the great elementary truth which underlies the existence of this Church that the chief object of its establishment is that direct communication may exist between the heavens and mankind in their earthly condition, so that the truths preached in the immortal worlds may be transmitted to and acted out upon the earth. It is, therefore, to be understood that the Church of Zion cannot exist on earth without continuous revelation from the Church of Zion in spiritual and celestial spheres.
This church shall never limit herself to any particular conceptions of truth, but she shall ever be open to advanced principles. She shall also be ever open to any improvement in the external form of her administration which the progressed people in her organization may demand, provided that all such changes in her organization or mode of administration be sanctioned by a vote of three-fourths of the members of the Church.
Members shall be admitted by the ordinance of baptism (by immersion), which shall be understood as the ordinance of induction, and by the laying on of hands, which shall be deemed the ordinance of confirmation.
No members of this Church shall be expelled for difference of opinion so long as they accept the initiatory ordinances of the Gospel and this constitution.
All violation of the principles of purity and right shall be held to be in opposition to the teachings of Zion, but her spirit shall be to say to all trespassers on her laws who wish to reform, “Go and sin no more.” The desire to remain in this church shall be accepted as sufficient evidence of repentance in all cases.
The funds necessary for the support of the poor and the public expenses of the church shall be met by the collection of tithing, which shall consist of one-tenth of the clear gain or profit obtained during the year after deducting the absolutely necessary expenses of each person’s family or individual support. Every member of the Church shall be thrown entirely on his or her honor and sense of right to determine what such individual expenses should be rated at, as well as to ascertain how much the amount due from them for tithing may be after making such allowance.
The Church shall be divided into the following ecclesiastical districts: –
First, into wards, corresponding to small settlements or towns.
Second, into stakes, agreeing with counties or large cities.
Third, into grand stakes, corresponding with Territories, states, and nations of such divisions of Territories, States, or nations as expediency or convenience may require.
Every ward or other division of the Church shall be considered competent for its internal management; but every such division must act in harmony with the general laws which govern the whole church to constitute it an integral portion of the Church of Zion. Every smaller division must also be governed by such general arrangements as may be made in the conferences or councils of such departments of the Church as they may belong to.
There shall be no irresponsible authority in the Church of Zion. All officers shall be answerable to the people for the proper discharge of their duties.
All treasurers or trustees shall regularly account for the disbursement of the funds placed in their care.
The great truth that the “law of force is unknown in the heavens” is hereby declared the principle that shall forever influence and control the existence of authority in the Church of Zion.
The priesthood shall be understood to be simply a divine educational system, whose whole right to authority and rule rests in the hands and consent of the people.
The government or management of the Church shall consist of two departments, the spiritual and the temporal, which are declared separate and distinct forever. The duties connected with these departments shall never be blended so as to be administered by the same hands. every ward or larger divisions of the Church shall, therefore, have its temporal manager as well as its spiritual presidency, who shall attend solely to their respective departments.
The spiritual organization shall consist of president and two counsellors, over each ward, stake, and grand stake respectively; together with a president and two counsellors who shall preside over the whole Church and constitute the first presidency. To these shall be added a quorum of twelve apostles, with quorums of seventies and high priests, and such other quorums as the work of the ministry may demand.
Every ward presidency shall be aided by a council of teachers selected from the ward.
All men will be entitled to receive such revelation as may be necessary for the discharge of their respective callings of for their personal enlightenment.
No man will be expected to receive revelation from the first presidency or any other source further than it approves itself to his judgment as divine.
The first presidency, so long as sustained by the people, will be accepted as the chief expounders of the philosophy of Zion. All conceptions of truth must, therefore, receive the sanction of this quorum before they can be proclaimed as the doctrines of the Church. The first presidency will be the channels for all such revelation as appertains to the whole Church. They will preside over all general conferences. They will direct all general missionary operations, and appoint the Twelve to their respective spheres of labor. They will see that the organization is kept complete and extended over fresh ground as opportunity offers. It will be their special duty to see that the spirit of the constitution si kept inviolate.
The twelve apostles will be the great missionary power of the Church and chief travelling representatives of the spirit and sentiments of Jesus. They will hold no presidency, but will travel through the Church all over the world to see that the spirit and genius of its institution are kept intact.
The seventies will be the missionary body of the Church, and will constitute its theologic arm.
The high priests will not be expected to travel. They will be specially called to administer in the higher ordinances of the Church.
The teachers, with the president of the ward at their head, will sit as a council of peacemakers. It will be their duty to visit the members and teach them the principles of the Church, and, as far as possible, reconcile all difficulties arising out of misunderstanding.
The temporal organization shall consist of a bishop and two counsellors over each ward, a district bishop and two counsellors over each stake where deemed necessary by the members of the stake, and a presiding bishop and two counsellors over the whole Church.
Each ward shall have six trustees, who, with the bishop and his counsellors, shall form a board which shall be presided over by the bishop, and shall direct the expenditure of such portion of the tithing as shall be disbursed in the ward, forwarding the surplus to the general board and reporting once a year to the ward, which report shall be certified to by three auditors elected by the ward for that purpose.
There shall be six trustees in trust for the whole Church, to be presided over by the presiding bishop, who, with his counsellors and trustees, shall form a board which shall control the expenditure of all the general funds of the Church, reporting the same at every annual general conference to the people, which report shall be attested by three general auditors, elected by them for that purpose.
The ward bishops and their counsellors, with the presiding bishop and his counsellors, shall be considered as the executives of their respective boards, disbursing funds according to their directions.
The aids of the bishops shall consist of their counsellors and such other assistants as their board may determine.
It shall be the duty of every bishop to establish in his ward a committee of ladies, consisting of a president or directress, and such assistants as may volunteer, to be called the Ladies’ Aid Committee, whose duty it shall be to act as the aids of the bishop, visiting the sick and the needy, and distributing such finds as he may be able to place at their disposal.
It will be the duty of the bishops to collect the tithing of their wards and administer to the poor such funds as the board may place in their hands for that purpose.
All disputes concerning property or other matters involving financial questions, where mutual reconciliation is impossible, shall, if the parties are willing, be referred by the teachers to the bishop and his council for decision.
The high council shall sit as a superior judicial tribunal. They shall also decide all cases of appeal from the bishops’ court.
A portion of the tithing raised in every ward shall be retained by the trustees of the ward for the support of the poor, as well as for its Church expenses, which amount shall be determined from year-to-year by the trustees of the whole Church.
The first presidency and the twelve will be nominated by revelation; but they, with all spiritual and temporal presidents or administrators, must be accepted by the members of their respective constituencies through the process of election before they are qualified to act.
The guaranteed principles of all elections shall be by vote by ballot. Exceptions shall be allowed to this where the nomination is unchallenged.
A majority of votes shall be held to constitute election in every case.
All officers shall hold office until their successors are elected.
Any person known to canvas or use any active means to secure his election to any position in the Church is hereby declared ineligible to office at such election.
The individual vote of either sex shall be deemed of equal value in the settlement of all Church questions.