D&C Section One Hundred Two

In this first meeting of the high council, Joseph Smith said that it was the purpose of the high council to decide difficult issues.  But in giving instructions to them, he said something I think is just as apropos as a warning today as it was then.  He said, "No man is capable of judging a matter, in council, unless his own heart is pure; and that we are so frequently filled with prejudice, or have a beam in our own eye, that we are not capable of passing right decisions."  High Councils consist of 15 members, 12 who form a council under the direction of a president of the high council and his counselors.  These are stake level councils, but in reality, the Quorum of the 12 Apostles and the First Presidency are a high council over the whole church.  With any matter brought before a high council, it is even divided to represent both sides of the issue so that each side is given an equal and fair presentation.  Half of the council will represent the church to be sure that is not impugned in any way, and the other half represents the person or group to be sure their side is protected against prejudice and fairly presented.  When both sides are done presenting, the president, after consulting with his counselors, renders a decision.  His decision is final unless an error is found or an appeal has been made.  If an appeal is not upheld at the stake level, either party can appeal to First Presidency.

In church disciplinary councils, the stake, because it is the presiding authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood, generally conducts councils involving Melchizedek Priesthood holders and the ward handles all others.  The only exceptions to this is in the case of a bishop who has been charged with transgression.  Then First Presidency conducts the council.  Or, if a ward case is felt to be difficult, then it can be referred to the stake.  The advantage of this is having 12 more voices to help clarify and be sure that everything is covered thoroughly and fairly.  In a stake disciplinary council, lots are drawn from one to twelve.  The high counselors who draw even numbers sit on one side of the room and those with odd numbers sit on the other.  Each group has a spokesman appointed who speaks for their group, however, any councilman can speak during the course of the proceedings.  I have found that these are never brief meetings, but last several hours.  Sometimes, they are recessed and continued again later. Anyone who has taken part in these as a councilman or presidency member knows how spiritual these proceedings are and how the love for all involved, especially the accused, is very evident.  Everyone on a council comes fasting.  The purposes of a disciplinary council are to help bring about repentance, protect the innocence, and protect the integrity of the church.  In the cases of proven transgression, appropriate consequences are determined which have the sole purpose of helping the individual to repent.  As President Kimball once said, the band-aid has to be large enough to fit the sore or the sore might become infected.  My own experience with these has been one that has always increased my testimony of the atonement and of the inspiration behind the whole process.  They really are remarkable meetings