Oliver Cowdery to Joseph Smith, January 28, 1832

Oliver Cowdery to Joseph Smith, January 28, 1832

At Bishop Edward Partridge's request, Oliver Cowdery amplifies on the official minutes of the January 23 conference and adds minutes for the January 24 and 27 conferences.
January 23. Attendees grouped by priesthood office. Duties and importance of priests, teachers, and deacons. Written record of membership required before transferring members can be ordained to offices in the priesthood. Nearly 1200 acres purchased for inheritances for the Saints. Need mechanics.
January 24. Financial report from Bishop Partridge. Assignments to superintend schools, Colesville branch records received, maintain church membership records, resolve to build hotel, advise Sidney to resolve his differences with Edward directly and amicably.
January 27. Financial report of Gilbert & Whitney co. 1,200 acres more than can be cleared this year, not completely paid for; provisions scarce, prices double; missionary assignments; ready to print 10,000 copies of Book of Commandments.
January 23, 1832	Minuets of a General Confrence held in the land of Zion (Kaw Township Jackson County Mo.) at the dwelling house of bro. Newel Knight 23 First Month (Jan.) AD 1832. 3 o clock P.M.	Far West Record, 231–238, citing Oliver's letter to Joseph, January 28, 1832, in Joseph Smith Jr. papers. Minutes of January 23, 1832
Elders ordained to "H.P.H."	Bishop Partridge John Corrill Isaac Morley John Whitmer John Murdock William W. Phelps Lyman Wight (h) (swh) Harvey Whitlock Newel Knight Parley P. Pratt (h) Oliver Cowdery
Elders not ordained to "H.P.H."	Levi Hancock Zebedee Coltrin Selah J. Griffin Calvin Beebe Peter Dustin Joshua Fairchild Daniel Cathcart	The minutes list these elders in a different order: Hancock, Coltrin, Griffin, Bebee, Fairchild. Cathcart is not listed.
Priests	Hezekiah Peck
Teacher	Isaac Bebee
Read commandments	"By joint resolution commandments read relative to various subjects."
Bebees request to preach	Lyman Wight moves consideration of Isaac and George Bebee's desire to preach the gospel.
	Oliver reads a commandment; he and W. W. Phelps comment on the subject.
	Edward Partridge reads commandment and comments on duties of priests, teachers, and deacons. John Whitmer reads their duties from the Articles and Covenants.
Importance of priest, teacher, deacon	John Corrill: the office of a priest, teacher, or deacon is "as important as that of a High Priest"	term: high priest first usage in the Far West Record.
Membership records required before ordination	Require "the united voice of the Church in writing in which such individual resides" before ordaining visitors a priest, teacher, or deacon.
Membership records required before ordination	Isaac Bebee presents "records" from the Chardon, Geauga county, Ohio branch.
1200 acres	Bishop Partridge presents statement of nearly 1,200 acres purchased for inheritances for the Saints.
Mechanics needed	Lengthy discussion of need for mechanics. [233] Bishop to request eastern branches to send a blacksmith, two shoemakers, a carpenter, joiner, mason, wagon and plow maker, tanner, currier, millwright, hatter, chair and cabinet maker, silversmith, wheelwright.
Close	Adjourn to 8:30 a.m.
January 24, 1832	Conference convenes, names called, prayer by Oliver. Yesterday's minutes read.	¶ 1832 Chronology
New land cannot be cleared this year	The 1,200 acres Bishop Partridge purchased for the church are woodland that cannot be cleared for settlement this year. One parcel of the purchase is not yet paid for.
Edward's shortfall granted	Edward: cannot account for $60 because he did not keep record of his expenses during his trip last summer. W. W. Phelps: recalls one instance when the bishop paid more than $30 for transportation. "By unanimous vote the above sum allowed the Bishop."
Balance sheet	Edward's tally shows $9,508.24 paid to him to date; $8,449.90 disbursed for land and other necessities, leaving $1,058.24 on hand. "By unanimous vote the above account accepted."
Accounting policy	Resolve bishop to make an accounting of money and property [234] received and expended at every general conference.
Schools	Schools discussed. Oliver, William W. Phelps, and John Corrill to superintend schools.
Colesville branch records	Records of the Colesville branch are "received and laid on the Table … by their Priest Hezekiah Peck."
Membership records	Resolve John Murdock and John Corrill to keep "the General Church Record of names of the Desiples in this land."
Build hotel	Resolve to build a hotel with general church funds as soon as possible, bishop submit financial statements at each general conference.
Adjourn	Adjourn until 3:00.
Convene	Convene at 3:00 p.m.
Consecrations non-revokable	"Quotation from the Lord. 'And it shall come to pass that the Bishop of my church after that he has received the properties of my Church that it cannot be taken from the Church' &c."
Receipts	Bishop to give a receipt when persons give money or property, covenant that on his death any church funds in his possession to be turned over to his successor.
Sidney's complaints about Edward	[235] Bishop Partridge presents letters from Sidney to him (September 10, 1831) and to John Corrill and Isaac Morley (November 14, 1831) that make "certain charges … detrimental to [his] character and standing as a Bishop."	Minutes of March 10, 1832 and Joseph to W. W. Phelps, July 31, 1832.
	Conference has "no legal right to proceed to a trial of the same in the absence of one of the parties." Elders "stationed in this land" to discuss situation with Edward and write Sidney "a friendly humiliating letter advising that this difficulty be settled and thereby the wound of the Church be healed."
Close	Adjourn to April 3, 1832. "Closed. Singing Prayer by bro. Edward Partridge."
January 27, 1832	In consequence of the ill health and crowd of business our bro. Sidney Gilbert was unable to attend the General Confrence for which cause we thought proper to hold a special one to examine his accounts &c. by his request.
	Minuets of a Special Confrence held at the dwelling house of bro. Sidney gilberts Independence Jan. 27, 1832 (evening) Edward Partridge appointed moderator, and Oliver Cowdery Clerk.	¶ 1832 Chronology
Present	John Whitmer W. W. Phelps Edward Partridge John Carrell Sidney Gilbert Selah Griffin John Correll Oliver Cowdery	Are John Carrell and John Correll both alternate spellings of John Corrill?
Opening	Prayer by John Carrell
Sidney Gilbert accounting	Sidney Gilbert presents account of receipts from "N. K. [236] Newell & co., agent of the churches at the east and sundry brethren on the way to this land $1,692.00."
	Disbursements: Gilbert & Whitney goods and transport $827.94 Transportation for families and baggage from Ohio $804.89 Other "necessaries for the use and benefit of the Church" $1,045 Total expenses $2,677.83 Balance $16.87
	Accepted by unanimous vote.
	Remarks by Sidney Gilbert about the store. Resolve that Edward, Oliver, and Sidney Gilbert write Newel Whitney in the east requesting special conference regarding the store.
Close	Singing, prayer by William Phelps. Close.
Addendum	"The following items I insert … by request of the Bishop which I copy from his own hand."
1200 acres wooded	The nearly 1200 acres that the bishop purchased is wooded "and not in a situation to be improved this season even if it should be thought advisable to clear it faster than what is wanted for timber." One parcel, not yet paid for, will cost $200.
Provisions scarce, prices double	Provisions are scarce and have doubled in price since last year. Had expected Gilbert & Whitney store would open October 1831. Hence, anticipated revenues from store failed to materialize. Resources only sufficient for those already in Missouri.
Mechanics only	We wrote eastern branches to send only mechanics because we have no funds to buy more land or purchase feed for livestock expected this spring. Please advise those coming to bring a barrel of buckwheat, and a barrel (or half) of clover seed.
Missionary assignments	John Murdock and Lyman Wight, and Parley P. Pratt and Levi Hancock will proselyte along the south side of the Missouri river to Cincinnatti and Bethany, Virginia.
	Calvin Bebee and Peter Dustin will go through the more settled parts of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and into Ohio.
	Daniel Cathcart and Joshua Fairchild will go through northern Missouri, then Illinois and Indiana to Ohio.
Need carding machine, clothiers tools	Please have Oliver Olney send a carding machine and clothiers tools by boat this spring. We can use them as soon as possible.
Leather	Also tell Brother Ashley of Strongsville it would be very helpful if he could send the leather we spoke of last October in Orange.
Print Book of Commandments soon	We will be ready to print soon. Hope that Brother Martin can send paper. It will take twice as much paper to print 10,000 copies than first estimated. Have no doubt they will sell.
	Minutes of January 23, 1832 Minutes Home