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Minutes, 19 September 1835

Source Note

Minutes, , Geauga Co., OH, 19 Sept. 1835. Featured version copied [not before 25 Feb. 1836] in Minute Book 1, pp. 113–118; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minute Book 1.

Historical Introduction

On 19 September 1835, JS levied charges against before the , Ohio, . In the months previous, Carter and had made a fund-raising trip to the eastern to solicit donations for the construction of the . They, along with , were members of the committee responsible for overseeing the construction of the house, and securing funds was a primary responsibility. During that trip, some trouble arose in at least one branch regarding donations. Although the April edition of the Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate had publicized Carter and Smith’s trip and its purpose, the , New York, was unprepared to provide funds upon Carter’s arrival. In a letter to his brother Oliver, , the branch’s presiding , explained that the congregation was unwilling or unable to contribute because, aside from the April notice in the Messenger and Advocate, neither “the , the , nor any others, clothed with authority” had given significant instruction on the subject of fund raising for the House of the Lord. Cowdery wrote that the unheeded requests for funds resulted in great embarrassment for Carter. The Twelve Apostles, who had met with the Freedom branch prior to Carter’s arrival, later filed countercomplaints against Cowdery for his statements, explaining that they had fulfilled their responsibility of informing the branch of the need for donations.
Upon his return to , ’s frustration with the trip and the lack of donations apparently led him to give a sermon in late August or early September, wherein he chastised church members for not supporting the committee to build the . Some found fault with the sermon. Presidents , , and corrected him in private, but Carter proved defiant and made further remarks which were considered even more egregious. The Kirtland high council thus met on 19 September to consider JS’s charges against Carter for his remarks. The primary concerns were his alleged proclamations that the committee to build the House of the Lord was above counsel, that any who failed to support the committee would be cursed by God, and that Saints who failed to pray for the committee would be held accountable for any of its subsequent failures. Besides concerns about the content of his remarks, his authoritative tone of censure was also deemed inappropriate. After various testimonies from Carter and members of the high council, JS ruled that Carter had erred in judgment and should confess before the church the following day. Carter agreed to that decision.
As clerk of the high council, took the minutes of the meeting. Sometime in 1836, copied the minutes into Minute Book 1.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    The committee to build the House of the Lord was established in May 1833 and was later “appointed to take the oversight of the building of the House of the Lord.” In addition to collecting funds for temple construction, by summer 1835, the committee was also operating a store to supply clothing and other goods to the workers building the House of the Lord. (Minutes, 4 May 1833; Minutes, 6 June 1833; “Cahoon, Carter & Co.,” Northern Times [Kirtland, OH], 9 Oct. 1835, [4].)

    Northern Times. Kirtland, OH. 1835–[1836?].

  2. [2]

    Editorial, LDS Messenger and Advocate, Apr. 1835, 1:107–108.

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

  3. [3]

    A 25 November 1834 revelation had appointed Cowdery to this position. (Revelation, 25 Nov. 1834 [D&C 106].)

  4. [4]

    Letter to Quorum of the Twelve, 4 Aug. 1835. Prior to Carter and Smith’s fund-raising trip, the newly called Twelve Apostles, Bishop Edward Partridge, and Isaac Morley had travelled in the region. Cowdery did not deny that the Twelve had held a conference in Freedom on 22 and 23 May 1835 or that Partridge and Morley preached to the Freedom branch on 21 June 1835; his complaint was that they had failed to emphasize fund raising for the House of the Lord. (Record of the Twelve, 22–23 May 1835; Editorial, LDS Messenger and Advocate, July 1835, 1:153; Partridge, Diary, 21 June 1835.)

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

    Partridge, Edward. Diaries, 1818 and 1835–1836. Edward Partridge, Papers, 1818–1839. CHL. MS 892, box 1, fds. 1–2.

  5. [5]

    Letter to Quorum of the Twelve, 4 Aug. 1835.

  6. [6]

    Minutes, 26 Sept. 1835; JS, Journal, 16 Jan. 1836. In response to the Twelve’s complaints, Cowdery offered a public apology, stating that the apostles had indeed delivered the message concerning donations. (Cowdery, Diary, 5 Mar. 1836; “Notice,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Feb. 1836, 2:263.)

    Cowdery, Oliver. Diary, Jan.–Mar. 1836. CHL. MS 3429. Also available as Leonard J. Arrington, “Oliver Cowdery’s Kirtland, Ohio, ‘Sketch Book,’” BYU Studies 12 (Summer 1972): 410–426.

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

  7. [7]

    Carter returned at the latest by 17 August 1835, when he attended a general assembly of the church in Kirtland. (Minutes, 17 Aug. 1835.)

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Minutes, 19 September 1835 Minute Book 1 History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page 115

then arose and said that had truly related the matter as far as he gone, but one thing more. commanded the brethren to pray for the committee and demanded it in the name of the Lord with an authoritative voice & gesticulation which are not according to the meekness of the spirit of Jesus.
President arose & said, I do not intend to occupy much time in speaking, for those who have spoken have expressed pretty much my mind & feelings on the subject, that in the advise and talk which he & the other two Presidents had given & had with , they did have the Spirit of meekness & only desired to do him good. & had no personal feelings, did not express any but the contrary.
President concurred in the statement of the above, and said that he did not believe that God had made an example of , for he is not before the as such, and God hath not so revealed it to the Saints. And again that should, command the Saints to pray for the Committe, for in so doing if they did not fellowship him. they must pray for his removal, & so all his designs would be frustrated. Several others were called upon, and all testified that these things which have been expressed above are true, and as they understood them. And one thing further, did say that even the faults of the Committe might be charged back upon the brethren, if they neglected to pray for them The testimony being heard, the six counsellors proceeded to speak and the sum of their conviction upon the matter, is as follows, (Viz.) Councellor said he thought that did not express the feelings of his heart so as to be understood, & perhaps his heart was not so [p. 115]
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Source Note

Document Transcript

Page 115

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Minutes, 19 September 1835
ID #
6720
Total Pages
6
Print Volume Location
JSP, D4:422–427
Handwriting on This Page
  • Warren A. Cowdery

Footnotes

  1. [6]

    Likely intent is: “And again [he did not believe] that Elder Carter should, . . .”

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