180 years ago today - Mar 8, 1833

Section 90, Place: Kirtland, Geauga County, Ohio.

Historical Note: Jesse Gause, who had served with Sidney Rigdon as counselor to the Prophet in the presidency of the high priesthood, was excommunicated in December 1832. The vacancy was filled by Frederick G. Williams. A fairly well-to-do farmer from Kirtland, Williams had served as Joseph Smith's scribe since 20 July 1832. As a clerk to the presidency Williams had the Prophet's confidence, and was a natural choice. On 5 January 1833 a revelation called Frederick G. Williams to be "a Councillor and scribe unto my servant Joseph." Among other things, section 90 directed that Rigdon and Williams be made equal with Joseph Smith in "holding the keys of this last kingdom.".

At an assembly of high priests convened at the School of the Prophets (18 March 1833), Sidney Rigdon requested that he and Frederick G. Williams be ordained to the office to which they had been called. "Accordingly Bro. Joseph preceded to and ordained them by the laying on of the hands to be equal with him in holding the Keys of the Kingdom and also to the Presidency of the high Priesthood." Two days later, 20 March 1833, Williams was given a certificate of ordination which stated that he, "was regularly ordained to the Presidency of the High Priesthood under the hands of Joseph Smith, Jr. after the holy order of God according to a commandment given the 8th day of March AD 1833.".

Publication Note. Section 90 was first published as section 84 in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants.

[Source: Cook, Lyndon, Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith: A Historical and Biographical Commentary of the Doctrine and Covenants, http://amzn.to/RevelationsofJosephSmith]