CHAPTER IV.
On Tuesday, April 6th, 1830, the "Church of Christ" was organized in the house of Peter Whitmer, in Fayette, Seneca county, New York, an event which, according to the ingenious calculation of Orson Pratt, transpired exactly 1800 years to a day from the resurrection of Christ. The ten years which had elapsed from Joseph's first vision had been strictly a period of preparatory work, and there were at this date but few converts to his mission ready for organization. At the appointed time these assembled, and are thus embalmed in Mormon history:
- Joseph Smith [the prophet.]
- Oliver Cowdery [his scribe].
- Hyrum Smith [an elder brother of Joseph].
- Peter Whitmer, Junr.
- Samuel H. Smith [a younger brother of Joseph], and
- David Whitmer.
Alternating the Smiths and the Whitmers gives a better appearance to the list than if the two families were separated. Martin Harris, though so important a personage in the preliminary work, is supposed to have been denied the honour of belonging to the first organization, in consequence of the trouble which he caused about the lost manuscript.
The chosen six "entered into covenant to serve the Lord," partook of the sacrament of the Supper, and Joseph and Oliver ordained each other as spiritual teachers to the Church. This met the unanimous approval of the two Smiths and the two
