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Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843

Source Note

Revised Minutes, and JS, Discourses,
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
, Hancock Co., IL, [23 Apr.–ca. 8 May 1843]. Featured version published [ca. 8 May 1843] in “Special Conference,” Times and Seasons, 1 May 1843, vol. 4, no. 12, 180–185. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.

Historical Introduction

The 1 May 1843 issue of the Times and Seasons published a revised version of the minutes from the 6 April 1843 sessions of the
church

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

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’s special
conference

A meeting where ecclesiastical officers and other church members could conduct church business. The “Articles and Covenants” of the church directed the elders to hold conferences to perform “Church business.” The first of these conferences was held on 9 June...

View Glossary
, including discourses delivered by JS during the midday and afternoon sessions. In the first session, JS had announced his desire that “the conference minutes go forth, to inform all
bra[n]ches

An ecclesiastical organization of church members in a particular locale. A branch was generally smaller than a stake or a conference. Branches were also referred to as churches, as in “the Church of Shalersville.” In general, a branch was led by a presiding...

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of the order of doing business.” In particular, JS hoped to inform church members that the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Members of a governing body in the church, with special administrative and proselytizing responsibilities. A June 1829 revelation commanded Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer to call twelve disciples, similar to the twelve apostles in the New Testament and ...

View Glossary
had been “appointd to this spicial mission of collecting funds for the
Nauvoo House

Located in lower portion of Nauvoo (the flats) along bank of Mississippi River. JS revelation, dated 19 Jan. 1841, instructed Saints to build boardinghouse for travelers and immigrants. Construction of planned three-story building to be funded by fifty-dollar...

More Info
” and that no others were authorized to receive donations. The minutes also recounted deliberations over other significant items of business and decisions made by the conference.
1

Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 Apr. 1843.


William Clayton

17 July 1814–4 Dec. 1879. Bookkeeper, clerk. Born at Charnock Moss, Penwortham, Lancashire, England. Son of Thomas Clayton and Ann Critchley. Married Ruth Moon, 9 Oct. 1836, at Penwortham. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Heber...

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was appointed clerk of the
conference

A meeting where ecclesiastical officers and other church members could conduct church business. The “Articles and Covenants” of the church directed the elders to hold conferences to perform “Church business.” The first of these conferences was held on 9 June...

View Glossary
and in that capacity sought to record the proceedings and the accounts of discourses as he heard them. He struggled in this endeavor, at times capturing only fragmentary sentences and failing to note contextual information such as openings and closings of meetings, the names of those offering prayers, and sometimes the identities of speakers.
2

See Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 Apr. 1843.


Simultaneously, another JS scribe,
Willard Richards

24 June 1804–11 Mar. 1854. Teacher, lecturer, doctor, clerk, printer, editor, postmaster. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Joseph Richards and Rhoda Howe. Moved to Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, 1813; to Chatham, Columbia Co...

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, kept notes of the proceedings, which he later copied into JS’s journal. Richards more successfully captured complete sentences and contextual information.
3

See JS, Journal, 6 Apr. 1843; and Discourse, 6 April 1843–A, as Reported by Willard Richards.


After reviewing Clayton’s minutes, JS determined they were insufficient and directed that they be revised. Over the following weeks, several of JS’s scribes as well as editors working in the church’s
print shop

Located at four different sites from 1839–1846: cellar of warehouse on bank of Mississippi River, June–Aug. 1839; frame building on northeast corner of Water and Bain streets, Nov. 1839–Nov. 1841; newly built printing establishment on northwest corner of ...

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prepared multiple drafts—ultimately amalgamating Clayton’s minutes with Richards’s notes—before eventually publishing the minutes.
The process began on 23 April 1843, when JS “heard read” the “minutes of special conference”—most likely
Clayton

17 July 1814–4 Dec. 1879. Bookkeeper, clerk. Born at Charnock Moss, Penwortham, Lancashire, England. Son of Thomas Clayton and Ann Critchley. Married Ruth Moon, 9 Oct. 1836, at Penwortham. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Heber...

View Full Bio
’s minutes and accounts of discourses—which JS determined “were not explicit enough.” He indicated that he would “dictate them over again.”
4

JS, Journal, 23 Apr. 1843.


Clayton, presumably taking dictation from JS, then produced a new set of minutes. The resulting text was just over two pages long and provided an abbreviated outline that tracked the structure of the 6 April 1843 midday and afternoon sessions and the 7 April morning session.
5

Textual evidence does not conclusively reveal what sources Clayton and JS used to produce the revised minutes, but they probably drew on Clayton’s original minutes and their memories. It is unlikely that they utilized Willard Richards’s notes of the conference, given that the revised minutes differ from Richards’s version when recording the meetings’ openings and closings.


On the second and third pages of the draft of the revised minutes, Clayton used the numerals 1 through 4 to mark specific places where JS delivered “further remarks” during the conference, as the actual remarks were not included in the outline.
6

Revised Minutes Draft, ca. 23 Apr. 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6 Apr. 1843.


Clayton then inserted corresponding numerals on his original minutes to help place these additional comments.
7

See Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6–7 Apr. 1843.


Soon after, another JS scribe,
James Sloan

28 Oct. 1792–24 Oct. 1886. City recorder, notary public, attorney, judge, farmer. Born in Donaghmore, Co. Tyrone, Ireland. Son of Alexander Sloan and Anne. Married Mary Magill. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ordained an elder, ...

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, expanded
Clayton

17 July 1814–4 Dec. 1879. Bookkeeper, clerk. Born at Charnock Moss, Penwortham, Lancashire, England. Son of Thomas Clayton and Ann Critchley. Married Ruth Moon, 9 Oct. 1836, at Penwortham. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Heber...

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’s revised minutes beyond the brief outline and copied the “further remarks” marked with numerals in Clayton’s original minutes. Times and Seasons editor
John Taylor

1 Nov. 1808–25 July 1887. Preacher, editor, publisher, politician. Born at Milnthorpe, Westmoreland, England. Son of James Taylor and Agnes Taylor, members of Church of England. Around age sixteen, joined Methodist church and was local preacher. Migrated ...

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then revised Sloan’s expanded draft, canceling short passages. On the final leaf of the draft, Taylor inscribed replacement language for the canceled passages and numbered his revisions to correspond with the deleted portions.
8

Revised Minutes and Discourses Draft, 23 Apr.–ca. 3 May 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6 Apr. 1843. Sloan’s expanded draft covered the midday session and part of the afternoon session of 6 April, concluding with JS’s comments on Jacob Remick.


He then typeset and printed a draft of Sloan’s expanded minutes and made additional editorial changes to the printed proof.
9

See Revised Minutes and Discourses Printed Draft, 23 Apr.–ca. 3 May 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6–7 Apr. 1843. Two fragments of the first printed draft are extant. The first includes the 6 April 1843 midday session, and the second includes comments made during the afternoon session by Hyrum Smith and JS on stealing in Nauvoo.


Subsequently, Taylor made a second printed draft that incorporated his emendations.
10

See Revised Minutes and Discourses Printed Draft, ca. 3 May 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6–7 Apr. 1843. Three fragments of the second printed draft are extant and include comments made during the afternoon session on 6 April 1843 by Hyrum Smith and JS on stealing in Nauvoo and JS’s comments on Jacob Remick and land in Iowa Territory. The first of these fragments is glued to the first fragment of the first printed draft. Portions of this printed draft were cut out. The second and third fragments of the second printed draft were used in the 1850s in compiling JS’s History; Thomas Bullock made emendations for the history to the text on these fragments.


On 3 May 1843, JS “rev[i]ewed the
confernc [conference]

A meeting where ecclesiastical officers and other church members could conduct church business. The “Articles and Covenants” of the church directed the elders to hold conferences to perform “Church business.” The first of these conferences was held on 9 June...

View Glossary
m[i]nutes,” presumably in typeset form.
11

JS, Journal, 3 May 1843.


JS apparently still found the revised minutes and discourses wanting.
Richards

24 June 1804–11 Mar. 1854. Teacher, lecturer, doctor, clerk, printer, editor, postmaster. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Joseph Richards and Rhoda Howe. Moved to Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, 1813; to Chatham, Columbia Co...

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noted in his personal journal on 3 May that he spent part of the day working on the “conference minut[e]s.”
12

Willard Richards, Journal, 3 May 1843.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.

Richards clipped portions of the first and second printed drafts and attached the clippings to blank pages with adhesive wafers. Around the clippings, Richards added handwritten expansions drawn largely from his notes, thereby amalgamating his account of the conference with
Clayton

17 July 1814–4 Dec. 1879. Bookkeeper, clerk. Born at Charnock Moss, Penwortham, Lancashire, England. Son of Thomas Clayton and Ann Critchley. Married Ruth Moon, 9 Oct. 1836, at Penwortham. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Heber...

View Full Bio
’s original minutes and subsequent drafts.
13

Revised Minutes and Discourses Draft, 3 May–ca. 8 May 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6 Apr. 1843. Some of the clippings attached to Richards's draft match holes in the first and second printed drafts. Richards made his draft on printed sheets that included Book of Abraham facsimiles. (See Revised Minutes and Discourses Printed Draft, ca. 3 May 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6–7 Apr. 1843.)


Based on Richards’s amalgamated draft,
John Taylor

1 Nov. 1808–25 July 1887. Preacher, editor, publisher, politician. Born at Milnthorpe, Westmoreland, England. Son of James Taylor and Agnes Taylor, members of Church of England. Around age sixteen, joined Methodist church and was local preacher. Migrated ...

View Full Bio
typeset a third draft and made a new proof sheet, to which he added more emendations.
14

The extant portion of the third printed draft includes only the 6 April 1843 midday session. (See Revised Minutes and Discourses Printed Draft, 3 May–ca. 8 May 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6–7 Apr. 1843.)


Through each step of this revision process, JS’s words—as captured by Clayton and Richards—were changed, polished, and refined by his scribes, apparently without his direct involvement. Nevertheless, the scribes retained some of his distinctive phrases, such as the admonition that church members not “make a bridge of [his] nose.”
The final form of the 6 April 1843 revised conference minutes and accounts of discourses was published in the 1 May 1843 issue of the Times and Seasons. Evidence within the issue indicates that the paper was delayed and did not appear until 8 May or later.
15

See Notice, 8 May 1843, in Times and Seasons, 1 May 1843, 4:185.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

Although exact subscription numbers for the Times and Seasons are unknown for 1843, at least a few thousand copies of the issue were printed and circulated among church members, including Latter-day Saints living in branches outside of
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
.
16

Tanner, “Mormon Press in Nauvoo,” 102.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Tanner, Terrence A. “The Mormon Press in Nauvoo, 1839–46.” In Kingdom on the Mississippi Revisited: Nauvoo in Mormon History, edited by Roger D. Launius and John E. Hallwas, 94–118. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1996.

Information in the published minutes that departs substantially from either Clayton’s minutes or Richards’s notes is identified in the annotation.
17

For full annotation of Clayton’s minutes and Richards's notes, see Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 Apr. 1843; and JS, Journal, 6 Apr. 1843.


The survival of both the original minutes and multiple prepublication drafts makes the publication record of the April 1843 conference unique. For previous conferences held in
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
, only the final, published versions of the minutes are extant. JS’s involvement in the publication process for the April 1843 minutes also seems to have been distinctive in comparison to earlier conference minutes.
18

See, for example, Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839; Minutes, 7–11 Apr. 1841; and Minutes and Discourses, 6–8 Apr. 1842.


Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 Apr. 1843.

  2. [2]

    See Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 Apr. 1843.

  3. [3]

    See JS, Journal, 6 Apr. 1843; and Discourse, 6 April 1843–A, as Reported by Willard Richards.

  4. [4]

    JS, Journal, 23 Apr. 1843.

  5. [5]

    Textual evidence does not conclusively reveal what sources Clayton and JS used to produce the revised minutes, but they probably drew on Clayton’s original minutes and their memories. It is unlikely that they utilized Willard Richards’s notes of the conference, given that the revised minutes differ from Richards’s version when recording the meetings’ openings and closings.

  6. [6]

    Revised Minutes Draft, ca. 23 Apr. 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6 Apr. 1843.

  7. [7]

    See Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6–7 Apr. 1843.

  8. [8]

    Revised Minutes and Discourses Draft, 23 Apr.–ca. 3 May 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6 Apr. 1843. Sloan’s expanded draft covered the midday session and part of the afternoon session of 6 April, concluding with JS’s comments on Jacob Remick.

  9. [9]

    See Revised Minutes and Discourses Printed Draft, 23 Apr.–ca. 3 May 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6–7 Apr. 1843. Two fragments of the first printed draft are extant. The first includes the 6 April 1843 midday session, and the second includes comments made during the afternoon session by Hyrum Smith and JS on stealing in Nauvoo.

  10. [10]

    See Revised Minutes and Discourses Printed Draft, ca. 3 May 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6–7 Apr. 1843. Three fragments of the second printed draft are extant and include comments made during the afternoon session on 6 April 1843 by Hyrum Smith and JS on stealing in Nauvoo and JS’s comments on Jacob Remick and land in Iowa Territory. The first of these fragments is glued to the first fragment of the first printed draft. Portions of this printed draft were cut out. The second and third fragments of the second printed draft were used in the 1850s in compiling JS’s History; Thomas Bullock made emendations for the history to the text on these fragments.

  11. [11]

    JS, Journal, 3 May 1843.

  12. [12]

    Willard Richards, Journal, 3 May 1843.

    Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.

  13. [13]

    Revised Minutes and Discourses Draft, 3 May–ca. 8 May 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6 Apr. 1843. Some of the clippings attached to Richards's draft match holes in the first and second printed drafts. Richards made his draft on printed sheets that included Book of Abraham facsimiles. (See Revised Minutes and Discourses Printed Draft, ca. 3 May 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6–7 Apr. 1843.)

  14. [14]

    The extant portion of the third printed draft includes only the 6 April 1843 midday session. (See Revised Minutes and Discourses Printed Draft, 3 May–ca. 8 May 1843, in Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6–7 Apr. 1843.)

  15. [15]

    See Notice, 8 May 1843, in Times and Seasons, 1 May 1843, 4:185.

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

  16. [16]

    Tanner, “Mormon Press in Nauvoo,” 102.

    Tanner, Terrence A. “The Mormon Press in Nauvoo, 1839–46.” In Kingdom on the Mississippi Revisited: Nauvoo in Mormon History, edited by Roger D. Launius and John E. Hallwas, 94–118. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1996.

  17. [17]

    For full annotation of Clayton’s minutes and Richards's notes, see Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 Apr. 1843; and JS, Journal, 6 Apr. 1843.

  18. [18]

    See, for example, Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839; Minutes, 7–11 Apr. 1841; and Minutes and Discourses, 6–8 Apr. 1842.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Discourse, 6 April 1843–B, as Reported by William Clayton Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 April 1843, as Reported by William Clayton *Discourse, 6 April 1843–B, as Reported by Willard Richards Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 2, 10 March 1843–14 July 1843 Discourse, 6 April 1843–B, as Reported by Franklin D. Richards *Discourse, 6 April 1843–B, as Reported by James Burgess Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843, James Sloan and John Taylor Draft Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843, First Printed Draft Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April-circa 8 May 1843, Willard Richards Draft *Discourse, 6 April 1843–B, as Published in Times and Seasons
Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843
History Draft [1 March–31 December 1843] History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843] *Discourse, 6 April 1843–A, as Reported by William Clayton Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 April 1843, as Reported by William Clayton *Discourse, 6 April 1843–A, as Reported by Willard Richards Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 2, 10 March 1843–14 July 1843 Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843, James Sloan and John Taylor Draft Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April-circa 8 May 1843, Willard Richards Draft *Discourse, 6 April 1843–A, as Published in Times and Seasons Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843 History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843] *Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 April 1843, as Reported by William Clayton Minutes and Discourses, 6–7 April 1843, as Reported by Willard Richards Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 2, 10 March 1843–14 July 1843 Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843, William Clayton Draft Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843, James Sloan and John Taylor Draft Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843, First Printed Draft Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April-circa 8 May 1843, Second Printed Draft Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April-circa 8 May 1843, Willard Richards Draft Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843, Third Printed Draft *Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843 History Draft [1 March–31 December 1843] History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843] “History of Joseph Smith” “History of Joseph Smith” “History of Joseph Smith”

Page 183

Elder

A male leader in the church generally; an ecclesiastical and priesthood office or one holding that office; a proselytizing missionary. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto...

View Glossary
W[illiam] W. Phelps

17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...

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proposed that the
Twelve

Members of a governing body in the church, with special administrative and proselytizing responsibilities. A June 1829 revelation commanded Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer to call twelve disciples, similar to the twelve apostles in the New Testament and ...

View Glossary
sign triplicate receipts, for moneys received, for the benefit of the parties concerned.
Elder
Brigham Young

1 June 1801–29 Aug. 1877. Carpenter, painter, glazier, colonizer. Born at Whitingham, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Brought up in Methodist household; later joined Methodist church. Moved to Sherburne, Chenango Co., New...

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objected, and said he should never give receipts for cash, except such as he put into his own pocket, for his own use; for it was calculated to make trouble hereafter, and there were better methods of transacting the business; and more safe for the parties concerned; that he wished this speculation to stop, and would do all in his power to put it down: To which the Twelve responded, amen.
Elder Young

1 June 1801–29 Aug. 1877. Carpenter, painter, glazier, colonizer. Born at Whitingham, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Brought up in Methodist household; later joined Methodist church. Moved to Sherburne, Chenango Co., New...

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asked if any one knew any things against any one of the Twelve, any dishonesty; if they did, he wanted it exposed; he said he knew of one who was not dishonest. He also referred to muzzling the ox that treadeth out the corn, &c.
President Joseph said, I will answer
Brother Brigham

1 June 1801–29 Aug. 1877. Carpenter, painter, glazier, colonizer. Born at Whitingham, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Brought up in Methodist household; later joined Methodist church. Moved to Sherburne, Chenango Co., New...

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. The Twelve need not spend all their time abroad, they can spend the time belonging to the
Temple

Located in portion of Nauvoo known as the bluff. JS revelation dated Jan. 1841 commanded Saints to build temple and hotel (Nauvoo House). Cornerstone laid, 6 Apr. 1841. Saints volunteered labor, money, and other resources for temple construction. Construction...

More Info
, for to collect funds; and the remainder of the time they may labor for their support; and they may call on the public to supply their wants. It is no more for the Twelve to go abroad and earn their living in this way than it is for others. The idea of not muzzling the ox, is a good old Quaker song, but we will make the ox tread out the corn first and then feed him.
5

See Confession of Faith, 14–15; [Fox], To the Protector and Parliament of England, 30–34; Deuteronomy 25:4; and 1 Corinthians 9:9.


Comprehensive Works Cited

A Confession of Faith, Which Contains a True Account of the Principles and Doctrines of the People Called Quakers, by Robert Barclay, First Published in the Year 1673, and Reprinted by the Society at Various Times; to Which Is Added, an Extract from the Letter of George Fox and Others to the Governor and Council of Barbadoes, in the Year 1671; and the Confession of Faith Presented by Friends to the British Parliament in 1693. Philadelphia: Joseph R. A. Skerrett, 1827.

[Fox, George]. To the Protector and Parliament of England. London: Giles Calvert, 1658.

I am bold to declare that I have never taken the first farthing of
church

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

View Glossary
funds for my own use, till I have first consulted the proper authorities. When there was no quorum of the Twelve or
high priests

An ecclesiastical and priesthood office. Christ and many ancient prophets, including Abraham, were described as being high priests. The Book of Mormon used the term high priest to denote one appointed to lead the church. However, the Book of Mormon also discussed...

View Glossary
for me to consult, I have asked the
Temple Committee

A committee assigned to raise funds and direct the building of the Nauvoo temple; also called the building committee or temple building committee. On 3 October 1840, Alpheus Cutler, Reynolds Cahoon, and Elias Higbee were appointed as a committee responsible...

View Glossary
, who had not particular business with it, but I did it for the sake of peace. -[
Elder [Alpheus] Cutler

29 Feb. 1784–10 June 1864. Stonemason. Born in Plainfield, Cheshire Co., New Hampshire. Son of Knight Cutler and Elizabeth Boyd. Married Lois Lathrop, 17 Nov. 1808, in Lebanon, Grafton Co., New Hampshire. Moved to Upper Lisle, Broome Co., New York, ca. 1808...

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said it was so.]- Let the
conference

A meeting where ecclesiastical officers and other church members could conduct church business. The “Articles and Covenants” of the church directed the elders to hold conferences to perform “Church business.” The first of these conferences was held on 9 June...

View Glossary
stop all
agents

A specific church office and, more generally, someone “entrusted with the business of another.” Agents in the church assisted other ecclesiastical officers, especially the bishop in his oversight of the church’s temporal affairs. A May 1831 revelation instructed...

View Glossary
from collecting funds, except the Twelve.— When a man is sent to preach the first principles of the gospel, he should preach that and let the rest alone.
The choir sung a hymn, and elder
O. Hyde

8 Jan. 1805–28 Nov. 1878. Laborer, clerk, storekeeper, teacher, editor, businessman, lawyer, judge. Born at Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Nathan Hyde and Sally Thorpe. Moved to Derby, New Haven Co., 1812. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, ...

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prayed, and Twelve minutes before 2 o’clock P. M., conference adjourned for one hour.
3 o’clock, P. M.
Patriarch,
Hyrum Smith

9 Feb. 1800–27 June 1844. Farmer, cooper. Born at Tunbridge, Orange Co., Vermont. Son of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. Moved to Randolph, Orange Co., 1802; back to Tunbridge, before May 1803; to Royalton, Windsor Co., Vermont, 1804; to Sharon, Windsor Co...

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, commenced by saying that he had some communications to make to the conference, on stealing, and he would do it while waiting for Joseph; and referred to the article in the last number of the ‘Wasp.’
6

“Thieves! Robbers!! Villains!!!,” Wasp, 29 Mar. 1843, [2]–[3].


Comprehensive Works Cited

The Wasp. Nauvoo, IL. Apr. 1842–Apr. 1843.

Said he, I have had an interview with a man who formerly belonged to the church, and he revealed to me that there is a band of men, and some who pretend to be strong in the faith of the doctrine of the Latter Day Saints, but they are hypocrites, and some who do not belong to the church, who are bound together by secret oaths, and obligations and penalties, to keep the secret; and they hold that it is right to stea[l] from any one who does not belong to the church provided they consecrate two-thirds of it to the building of the
Temple

Located in portion of Nauvoo known as the bluff. JS revelation dated Jan. 1841 commanded Saints to build temple and hotel (Nauvoo House). Cornerstone laid, 6 Apr. 1841. Saints volunteered labor, money, and other resources for temple construction. Construction...

More Info
. They are also making bogus money.
This man says he has become convinced of the error of his ways, and has come away from them to escape their fury. I wish to warn you all not to be duped by such men, for they are the Gadianters of the last days.
He then read from the Wasp as re-published from the Times and Seasons, his own affidavit, and the proceedings of the authorities of the church generally, dated Nov. 26, 1841.
7

“Hyrum Smith’s Affidavit,” Times and Seasons, 1 Dec. 1841, 3:615–616; see also Affidavit, 29 Nov. 1841.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

The man who told me said, “this secret band refer to the bible, book of Doctrine and Covenants, and book of Mormon to substantiate their doctrine:” but no such doctrines are taught there.
They say it has been taught from this
stand

Term usually refers to speaker’s stand located in one of three groves where JS and others often spoke. JS also preached at temple stand, temporary structure built at various times on east, west, and south walls of unfinished Nauvoo temple. See also “Grove...

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, that they are the little foxes that spoil the vines, and the
first Presidency

The highest presiding body of the church. An 11 November 1831 revelation stated that the president of the high priesthood was to preside over the church. JS was ordained as president of the high priesthood on 25 January 1832. In March 1832, JS appointed two...

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are the big foxes: and the big foxes wanted the little foxes to get out of the
city

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

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and spread abroad, so that the big foxes might have a chance; which every body knows is false: all these things are used to decoy the foolish and unwary.
I will mention two names, David Holman and
James Dunn

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, they were living in my house I went to them and asked them if they were stealing for a livelihood? Holman confessed that he had stolen from the world, not from the brethren. I told them to get out of my house. David asked me to forgive him, and he lifted his hands towards heaven and swore if I would forgive him he would never do so again. Soon after he went to
Montrose

Located in southern part of county on western shore of Mississippi River. Area settled by Captain James White, 1832, following Black Hawk War. Federal government purchased land from White to create Fort Des Moines, 1834. Fort abandoned; remaining settlement...

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, where he was found stealing salt, as is currently reported; he then stole a skiff and came across the
river

Principal U.S. river running southward from Itasca Lake, Minnesota, to Gulf of Mexico. Covered 3,160-mile course, 1839 (now about 2,350 miles). Drains about 1,100,000 square miles. Steamboat travel on Mississippi very important in 1830s and 1840s for shipping...

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, stole a barrel of flour that had just been landed from a steamer, rowed down the river to
Keokuk

Located near confluence of Mississippi and Des Moines rivers. First settled, 1820. Fur trading post established, 1828. Named Keokuk, 1829, after Sac Indian chief, who later visited JS in Nauvoo, 1841. Platted 1837. Incorporated 1847. Population in 1841 about...

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and sold the flower for $2 00, saying he had picked it up in the river, and was likely a little damaged, got his pay, and went his way.
Dunn

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would not promise to quit stealing, but said he would go to
St. Louis

Located on west side of Mississippi River about fifteen miles south of confluence with Missouri River. Founded as fur-trading post by French settlers, 1764. Incorporated as town, 1809. First Mississippi steamboat docked by town, 1817. Incorporated as city...

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. I tell you to-day, the man that steals shall not long after be brought to the Penitentiary. They will soon be brought to condign punishment. I demand in the presence of God that you will exert your wit and your power to bring such characters to justice, if you do not the curse of God will rest upon you, such things would ruin any people. Should I catch a latter day saint stealing, he is the last man to whom I would shew mercy.
President Joseph Smith said, I think it best to continue this subject. I want the elders to make honorable proclamation abroad concerning what the feelings of the first presidency is, for stealing has never been tolerated by them. I [p. 183]
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Page 183

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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Revised Minutes and Discourses, 23 April–circa 8 May 1843
ID #
1033
Total Pages
6
Print Volume Location
JSP, D12:282–293
Handwriting on This Page
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Footnotes

  1. [5]

    See Confession of Faith, 14–15; [Fox], To the Protector and Parliament of England, 30–34; Deuteronomy 25:4; and 1 Corinthians 9:9.

    A Confession of Faith, Which Contains a True Account of the Principles and Doctrines of the People Called Quakers, by Robert Barclay, First Published in the Year 1673, and Reprinted by the Society at Various Times; to Which Is Added, an Extract from the Letter of George Fox and Others to the Governor and Council of Barbadoes, in the Year 1671; and the Confession of Faith Presented by Friends to the British Parliament in 1693. Philadelphia: Joseph R. A. Skerrett, 1827.

    [Fox, George]. To the Protector and Parliament of England. London: Giles Calvert, 1658.

  2. [6]

    “Thieves! Robbers!! Villains!!!,” Wasp, 29 Mar. 1843, [2]–[3].

    The Wasp. Nauvoo, IL. Apr. 1842–Apr. 1843.

  3. [7]

    “Hyrum Smith’s Affidavit,” Times and Seasons, 1 Dec. 1841, 3:615–616; see also Affidavit, 29 Nov. 1841.

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

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