Minutes of April 20–21, 1834
Prior to conference, Joseph, Sidney, Oliver, and Zebedee Coltrin bless each other §. Sidney and Oliver to prepare the church covenants §.
Sidney preaches on the dispensation of the fullness of time §. Joseph refers to "the revelation of the priesthood of Aaron" and "the revelation of the high priesthood" §. Book of Mormon, gathering of Saints essential before cataclysms. A brother is excommunicated for improprieties with women, but may appeal to the bishop's council in Kirtland §. Joseph blesses some children §. Sidney speaks on delivering Zion (detailed), and on the endowment and missionary work (not detailed) §. Oliver and others speak. Joseph prophecies the destruction of the church if Zion is not redeemed §.
Minutes from Joseph's diary § and the Kirtland high council minute book § are presented. The minutes in Times and Seasons, vol. 6 no. 19 (December 15, 1845), 1059, 1060–1061, omit certain details, summarize others, and changes first-person minutes to third person.
Prequel
Prequel

Going to conference in New Portage		  

Joseph, Sidney, Oliver, and Zebedee Coltrin leave Kirtland on April 18, 1834 "for New Portage, to attend a conference." They dine with William Williams in Newburgh, Cuyahoga county, and continue on their journey.

 

[SHOWREF=p2], 2: 30–32 (Oliver's handwriting); also Times and Seasons, vol. 6 no. 19 (December 15, 1845), 1058–1059,

Apparently New Portage was the nam of the branch that met in Norton. Off-site link.

The village of New Portage is now part of Barberton, on the southwest corner of Akron, Summit county, Ohio.

Newburgh as already being absorbed into Cleveland. In 1873 it became the 18th (political) ward, "the iron ward." of the city.

Copley is just west of central Akron.
Norton is 5 miles south of Copley. From north to south, the geographic sequence is Copley, Norton, New Portage (Barberton). All are in metropolitan Akron.
Suspicious stranger   [After dark they are] hailed by a man who desired to ride. We were checked by the Spirit and refused: he professed to be sick; but in a few minutes was joined by two others who followed us, cursing and swearing, but we were successful in escaping their hands … and stayed at a tavern where we were treated with civility.  
    The next day they dine with Joseph Bosworth, in Copley, and continue on to Jonathan Taylor's in Norton, "where we were received with kindness."  
Stop in Norton

Pray		   We soon retired to the wilderness, where we united in prayer and suplication for the blessings of the Lord to be given unto his church: We called upon the Father in the name of Jesus to go with the breth[r]en who were [77] going up to the land of Zion, to give brother Joseph strength, and wisdom, and understanding sufficient to lead the people of the Lord, and to gather back, and establish the saints upon the land of their inheritances, and organize them according to the will of heaven that they be no more cast down forever. We then united in the laying on of hands:   [SHOWREF=sc] 1:20, Diaries, 76–81.

Times and Seasons puts this in first person: that I might have.
Joseph: stand before the Lord, return in peace   Joseph is first, the others conferring upon him "all the blessings necessary to qualify him to {do} <stand> before the Lord, in his high calling; and [78] he return again in peace and triumph, to enjoy the society of his breth[r]en."   Times and Seasons puts this in first person: qualify me to; also and be returned; and (inconsistently) my brethren.
    Then Oliver—    
Oliver: wisdom, church covenants, printing   the blessings of wisdom and understanding sufficient for his station; that he be qualified to assist Elder Rigdon in arranging the church covenants, which are soon to be published; and to have intelligence in all things to do the work of printing.   In September a committee is appointed to prepare what becomes known as the Doctrine and Covenants. Minutes of September 24, 1834

The "Lectures on Faith" were the "Doctrine" part of early editions of the Doctrine and Covenants. The revelations were the "Covenants." or "Covenants and Commandments."
    Then Sidney—  
Sidney: wisdom to preside in Joseph's absence, church covenants, old age, crown   [79] the blessings of wisdom and knowledge to preside over the church in the absence of brother Joseph, and to have the spirit to assist Elder Cowdery in conducting the Star, and to arrange the Church covenants, and the blessing of old age and peace, till Zion is built up & Kirtland established, till all his enemies are under his feet, and a crown of eternal life {at th} <in the> kingdom of God with us.   Sidney is 41.
    And finally, Zebedee—    
Zebedee: wisdom to preach, long life, see Zion and Kirtland established, crown   the blessing of wisdom to preach the gospel, even till it spreads to the islands of the seas, and to be spared to see three score years and ten, and see Zion built up and Kirtland established forever, and even at last to receive a crown of life.   Zebedee lived to age 82.
    Our hearts rejoiced and we were [81] comforted with the Holy Spirit. Amen.    
    Minutes in Joseph's diary    
Sidney's April 20 discourse

Dispensation of fullness of times		 [Sunday, April 20, 1834] Elder Rigdon entertained a large congregation of saints with an interesting discourse upon the "Dispensation of the fulness of times, &c.   [SHOWREF=sc] 1:20, Diaries, 81.
  [Monday, April 21, 1834] Attended Conference and had a glorious time, some few volunteered to go to Zion, and others donated $66.37, for the benefit of the scattered breth[r]en in Zion.   Not recorded in the high council minutes.
  Returned to Kirtland on the 22d and found all well.    
    Minute book minutes    
Clerk   Oliver Cowdery    
Present   Seven high priests, thirteen elders.    
Date Norton Medina Co. Ohio April 21, 1834.   [SHOWREF=sc], 1:19, Kirtland High Council Minutes, 43.
Location This day a conference of the elders of the church of christ assembled at the dwelling house of bro. Carpenters at 10 o'clock A.M.  
Open Opened by singing, "How firm a foundation, &c."    
Joseph reads Joel 2, prays   Bro. Joseph Smith Jun. read the 2nd chapter of the prophecy of Joel & took the lead in prayer; after which, he commenced addressing the congregation, as follows.   Joel 2
Joseph's discourse

Peculiar people 		  Joseph notes it is "very difficult" to communicate everything God has revealed "to the churches … in consequence of tradition" because "we are differently situated from any other people that ever existed upon this earth." [44] Former revelations "cannot be suited to our condition."   churches: branches is not in common usage yet.
Remnant to gather  

In the last days, God will call a remnant to be saved from destruction. Part of the remnant will be from Jerusalem and part from Zion. Desolation will " soon cover the earth," and God wants a "place of deliverance in his remnant, and in Zion, &c."

   These ideas are developed in Joel 2.

Gathering a requirement of redemption
History: Book of Mormon, revelation of priesthoods, organization of church

  

He then gave a relation of obtaining and translating the Book of Mormon, the revelation of the priesthood of Aaron, the organization of the Church in the year 1830, the revelation of the high priesthood, and the gift of the Holy Spirit poured out upon the Church, &c.

   Early reference to revelation of priesthood
Book of Mormon and revelations essential

Cataclysms    		 

Take away the book of Mormon, and the revelations, and where is our religion? We have none; for without a Zion and a place of deliverance, we must fall, because the time is near when the sun will be darkened, the moon turn to blood, the stars fall from heaven and the earth reel to and fro; then if this is the case, if we are not sanctified and gathered to the places where God has appointed, … we must fall, we cannot stand, we cannot be saved; for God will gather out his saints from the gentiles and then comes desolation or destruction and none can escape except the pure in heart who are gathered, &c.

   
Sidney: must gather   [Sidney:] … those who desire a part in this era which the angels desired to look into," must gather with the Saints. Otherwise they must wail at the [45] Lord's coming.  

Saints reign with Christ in millennium   All creation will be shocked at his "grand display of power, for the Ancient Saints will reign with Christ for a Thousand years."    
Others punished, do not live   Those who don't gather will suffer the Lord's wrath for a thousand years. "The rest" of the dead will not live again until the thousand years is over.    
Sidney prophesies

Inheritance only for those who gathered		   He said that he could deliver a prophesy to the brethren and sisters, not that he stood before them in the attitude of a prophet any farther then he was warranted by the written revelations of God.   Omitted in Times and Seasons.
    He said it is pointless for this generation to prepare inheritances for their children except where the Lord has promised deliverance.    
Jeremiah redux   The future will be like the time of Jeremiah. Before he died, the Jews were taken captive and others took their land.    
Inheritances must be where God says   If we want to prepare inheritances for our children it must be where God has appointed as "places of deliverance."    
Ancient covenants   He comments on the covenants God made for Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and others.    
Themes   Now there are three "great items" he will speak about: "the deliverance of Zion, the endowment of the elders with power from on high according to former promises; and the spreading of the word of the Lord to the four winds."   term: endowment … with power from on high (used consistently by Sidney, never simply endowment).
Deliverance of Zion   Importance resting on the Saints in the last days. Revelation requires Saints to deliver those who have been driven from their inheritances. [46] Either go or financially support those who go with Zion's Camp.    
Oliver urges contributions   Oliver reports the conditions faced by those who have been driven from Jackson county and urges the congregation to "open their hearts" and contribute to their welfare.    
Other speakers   Ambrose Palmer and Salmon Warner urge contributions. Joseph Bosworth declares he has no property, but if needed to deliver Zion, he would "sell his own clothes at auction if he could have left him as good a garment as the Saviour had in the manger." "Two or three others" speak on the same subject.    
Joseph: destruction if Zion not delivered   [Joseph] then delivererd a short prophecy, that if Zion was not deliverd, the time was near when all of this Church, wherever they might be found would be persecuted and destroyed in like manner."    
Sidney resumes

Ancient endowment		   Sidney takes up "the endowment of the Elders with power from on high," rehearsing the endowment of the ancient apostles. Presents the dimensions of the House of the Lord to be built in Kirtland (not specified in text), and reminds the brethren of the promise made to the elders when it is built (not specified).    
Joseph Bosworth's vision   Joseph Bosworth: relates [47] "a few items of a vision" to support the revelations Sidney read and his remarks on "the endowment of the elders with power from on high."    
Joseph   Joseph explains "the revelation concerning the building of the house of the Lord" (not specified).    
Sidney and others   Sidney speaks on the spreading of the word of the Lord, followed by several other brethren (not specified).    
Improprieties of Thomas Tripp   David Evans is called to testify regarding the case of Thomas Tripp, who has been "found in transgression." Brother Evans says Thomas was guilty of "improprieties" with a sister when returning home from a meeting "by taking her hand;" with another sister by "drawing her breasts;" and by asking a wicked woman in the world" to testify against a sister in good standing.    
Excommunicated   The conference votes that "Thomas Tripp be excluded from this church with the privilege of an appeal to the Bishops council at Kirtland."    
Joseph blesses children   Joseph lays his hands on "certain children" and blesses them "in the name of the Lord."    
Sidney administers sacrament   Sidney administers the sacrament.    
Adjourn   Adjourn to the Monday before the second Sunday of September.    
Close   Conference sings "Now my remnants of days," "&c."    
   

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