Discourse, 6 April 1843–A, as Reported by William Clayton
Source Note
JS, Discourse, [, Hancock Co., IL, 6 Apr. 1843]. Version copied in Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 April 1843, pp. [2]–[3]; handwriting of ; Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, CHL. Includes redactions and dockets.
The burthen has rested upon the shoulders of a few. The have had to[o] great latitude to practice fraud. by receiving donations and never making report, the has suffered loss. I am opposed to any man, if I can an the conference devise the sure means to bind them firmer than the pillars of heaven. The were always honest. I never knew that the 12 had any wages at all. They have gone when they were sent & have labored with their hands. If we send them into the world I want to bind, up the Twelve, solid— put them into bonds.
Let this — no man shall pay any money unto their hands only as he furnishes evidences that can be immediately forwarded to the T[rustee] in T[rust] so that when the agents return it can be compared with the records if they dont agree— let him be set down as guilty— The Twelve are sufficient to have the Agency. And stop every man for using the money they receive the money for the . This system opens a wide field for every kind of imposition. Any man can assume the name of a Mormon and gather his pockets full of money and go to . Many complaints come to me of money being sent which I never received. There is one man I want to expose to the con he is a good man.— — the two first letters. some person had appropriated $25,— had received money for his brother, put it together forgot to take the money out of the bag. he would not let him have it. had paid more for his expenses than he ought to do [p. [2]]