Within the congregations mentioned, over the course of a short time, six persons were designated as apostles by certain others who claimed prophetic gifts. In 1835, six months after Irving's death, six others were similarly designated as called to complete the number of the twelve. Since all those so designated were acting to one degree or another in local congregations, they were then formally separated from these duties, by the bishops of the seven congregations, to occupy their higher office in the universal church on 14 July 1835.