e? 10. Who were
Peter, James, and John? 11. What did they do? 12. Give the date of John's
visit.

CHAPTER VIII.

ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH.

By this time many people came to Joseph, some out of curiosity, some to be
taught of the wonderful truths which he had received, and some, I am sorry
to say, came to do him harm. As Joseph and Oliver now had power to baptize,
a number of those who believed were baptized by them.

The time had now come to organize the Church and the Lord revealed to
Joseph that it should be done on the 6th day of April, 1830. Accordingly on
that day six men who had been baptized met at the house of Peter Whitmer,
Sen., at Fayette, Seneca county, state of New York. Their names were Joseph
Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Hyrum Smith, Peter Whitmer, Jr., Samuel H. Smith,
and David Whitmer.

Joseph tells us what was done at this meeting as follows:

"Having opened the meeting by solemn prayer to our Heavenly Father, we
proceeded to call on our brethren to know whether they accepted us as their
teachers in the things of the kingdom of God and whether they were
satisfied that we should proceed and be organized as a Church according to
the commandments we had received. To this they all consented. I then laid
my hands upon Oliver Cowdery and ordained him an elder of the Church of
Jesus Christ; after which he ordained me also to the office of an elder of
said Church. We then took bread, blessed it, and broke it with them; also
wine, blessed it, and drank it with them. We then laid our hands on each
member of the Church present, that they might receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost and be confirmed members of the Church of Christ. The Holy Ghost was
poured out upon us to a very great degree--some prophesied, whilst we all
praised the Lord and rejoiced exceedingly."

Thus was the true Church of Christ again on the earth. During the hundreds
of years when the world had lain in darkness, not a man could have been
found who had the authority to confirm a member of the church; but now
there was a beginning, a very small beginning it is true, but the promise
is that it will grow and increase until it shall fill the whole earth.

The first public meeting after the Church was organized was held five days
later at the same place. At this meeting Oliver Cowdery preached the first
public discourse. He explained the principles of the gospel, and quite a
number believed and were baptized.

Shortly after this time J