Footnotes
JS History, vol. A-1, 156. Although the minutes list four priests in attendance, John Whitmer wrote that five priests were present. (Whitmer, History, 38.)
McLellin, Journal, 25–26 Oct. 1831; Whitmer, History, 38; “History of Luke Johnson,” 3, Historian’s Office, Histories of the Twelve, ca. 1858–1880, CHL. Luke Johnson’s history states that the eleven witnesses to the Book of Mormon, “with uplifted hands, bore their solemn testimony to the truth of that book; as did also the Prophet Joseph.” Although the conference clearly included testimonies of the Book of Mormon, and although many of the eleven witnesses who attested to the existence of the gold plates were present, the minutes of the conference do not reflect the particular event Johnson describes. Of the eleven, neither Christian Whitmer, who held the office of elder, nor Hiram Page, who held the office of teacher, was present at the commencement of the conference when the names of attending priesthood officers were recorded. There is no indication that Jacob Whitmer, another of the eleven witnesses, attended. (Minutes, ca. 3–4 June 1831; Minutes, 6 Sept. 1831.)
McLellin, William E. Journal, 18 July–20 Nov. 1831. William E. McLellin, Papers, 1831–1836, 1877–1878. CHL. MS 13538, box 1, fd. 1. Also available as Jan Shipps and John W. Welch, eds., The Journals of William E. McLellin, 1831–1836 (Provo, UT: BYU Studies; Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1994).
Historian’s Office. Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861. CHL. CR 100 93.
McLellin, Journal, 25–26 Oct. 1831. Joel Johnson also recounted that he first saw JS at the conference. (Johnson, Autobiography, 2.)
McLellin, William E. Journal, 18 July–20 Nov. 1831. William E. McLellin, Papers, 1831–1836, 1877–1878. CHL. MS 13538, box 1, fd. 1. Also available as Jan Shipps and John W. Welch, eds., The Journals of William E. McLellin, 1831–1836 (Provo, UT: BYU Studies; Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1994).
Johnson, Joel H. Autobiography, ca. 1882. Photocopy. CHL. MS 15025.
McLellin, Journal, 25–26 Oct. 1831.
McLellin, William E. Journal, 18 July–20 Nov. 1831. William E. McLellin, Papers, 1831–1836, 1877–1878. CHL. MS 13538, box 1, fd. 1. Also available as Jan Shipps and John W. Welch, eds., The Journals of William E. McLellin, 1831–1836 (Provo, UT: BYU Studies; Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1994).
Johnson, Reminiscenses and Journals, vol. 1, p. 16.
Johnson, Joel Hills. Reminiscences and Journals, 1835–1882. 3 vols. Joel Hills Johnson, Papers, 1835–1882. CHL. MS 1546, fds. 1–3.
“Autobiography of Levi Ward Hancock,” ca. 1896, 43.
Hancock, Mosiah Lyman. "Autobiography of Levi Ward Hancock," ca. 1896. CHL. MS 570.
Cahoon, Diary, 9 Nov. 1831; Minutes, 11 Oct. 1831.
Cahoon, Reynolds. Diaries, 1831–1832. CHL. MS 1115.
The minutes include parenthetical redactions that were probably added after the creation of the original document. (See the source note for Minute Book 2.)
As clerk of the conference, Cowdery apparently issued letters of recommendation to those appointed to travel to the different churches. According to Harris’s letter, those so appointed were “to go two by two to visit the churches, set them in order, explain the mysteries of the Kingdom unto them, and also obtain whatever they should feel free to give for the support of the families of Bro. Joseph and his scribes, while they are employed in translating, writing and copying the fulness of the Sacred Scriptures.” (Letter of Recommendation for Emer Harris, in Historical Department, Journal History of the Church, 26 Oct. 1831.)
Historical Department. Journal History of the Church, 1896–. CHL. CR 100 137.
These fifteen individuals are listed in the same order here as in the elders’ roster at the beginning of the minutes. Only two men from that roster, Joel Johnson and Sylvester Parker, are not listed as having been ordained to the high priesthood on this occasion. Since the minutes say that “it was the privilege of those Elders present to be ordained to the High Priesthood,” Johnson and Parker may not have been in attendance at the evening’s reconvening of the conference. The minutes also explain, however, that several were “indifferen[t]” to being ordained, raising the possibility that Johnson and Parker may have declined to be ordained. McLellin recorded in his journal his thoughts about being “ordained to the High-Priesthood of the Holy order of God”: “Though I felt unworthy, I was ordained and took upon me the high responsibility of that office.” (McLellin, Journal, 25–26 Oct. 1831.)
McLellin, William E. Journal, 18 July–20 Nov. 1831. William E. McLellin, Papers, 1831–1836, 1877–1878. CHL. MS 13538, box 1, fd. 1. Also available as Jan Shipps and John W. Welch, eds., The Journals of William E. McLellin, 1831–1836 (Provo, UT: BYU Studies; Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1994).
Nearly four decades later, McLellin recounted that JS “asked if we were willing to take upon us the office? I arose and said that I was willing to do anything that was the will of God, but I did not understand the duties of the office, and asked an explanation. Br. Joseph said we were to take upon us the office, and it would explain its duties.” (William E. McLellin, Independence, MO, to D. H. Bays, Lafayette, KS, 24 May 1870, Saints’ Herald, 15 Sept. 1870, 553.)
Saints’ Herald. Independence, MO. 1860–.
See Matthew 25:14–30; and Revelation, 8 Aug. 1831 [D&C 60:2, 13].
McLellin wrote in his journal that “a number of others present were ordained to the lesser Priest-Hood,” using “lesser Priest-Hood” to refer to the office of priest. (McLellin, Journal, 25–26 Oct. 1831.)
McLellin, William E. Journal, 18 July–20 Nov. 1831. William E. McLellin, Papers, 1831–1836, 1877–1878. CHL. MS 13538, box 1, fd. 1. Also available as Jan Shipps and John W. Welch, eds., The Journals of William E. McLellin, 1831–1836 (Provo, UT: BYU Studies; Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1994).
This hymn, also known as “A Crumb for the Pilgrims,” was written by Benjamin Cleaveland (1733–1811), a Baptist deacon. (Hicks, Mormonism and Music, 11; “Reviews of Recent Theological Literature,” 164.)
Hicks, Michael. Mormonism and Music: A History. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1989.
Morris, Larry E. “The Conversion of Oliver Cowdery.” In Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 16, no. 1 (2007): 4–17.“Reviews of Recent Theological Literature.” Presbyterian Review 10, no. 37 (Jan. 1889): 125–176.