High council (Latter Day Saints)

Governing body in the Latter Day Saint movement In Mormonism, a high council is one of several different governing bodies that have existed in the church hierarchy in many denominations in the Latter Day Saint movement. Most often, the term refers to a stake high council in a local stake, but other high councils include the standing Presiding High Council in Zion, and the "travelling high council", better-known today as the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. History of high councils On February 17, 1834, Joseph Smith, the founder of the movement, created a presiding high council at church headquarters in Kirtland, Ohio. This body consisted of twelve men and was headed by the First Presidency. The original members of the high council in Kirtland were: Joseph Smith, Sr. John Smith Joseph Coe John Johnson Martin Harris John S. Carter Jared Carter Oliver Cowdery Samuel H. Smith Orson Hyde Sylvester Smith Luke Johnson This high council took on the role of chief judicial and legislative body of the local church and handled such things as excommunication trials and approval of all church spending. This high council became subordinate to the high council of Zion, which was organized in Jackson