| The Twelve are faulted while on
their first mission together for failing to help raise funds for the House
of the Lord. Fellowship withdrawn from William E. McLellin and Orson Hyde
for speaking disrespectfully of the school §. The
Twelve are acting like outlaws, independent of church authorities §.
Seventies are to take over for McLellin and Hyde §. |
| Date |
|
August 4, 1835 |
|
Manuscript
History of the Church, 522–523. |
| Location |
|
Kirtland |
|
|
| Description |
|
… a High council of the church of christ
of Latter-Day Saints assembled in conference … |
|
|
| Presidents
present |
|
Joseph Oliver, Sidney, Hyrum, David, John, W. W. Phelps |
|
|
| Purpose |
|
To consider letters from Warren A. Cowdery and William
E. McLellin. |
|
Warren
is the presiding elder of the
Freedom [New York] conference. |
| Warren
Cowdery letter |
|
Warren's letter, dated
Freedom, July 29, 1835: |
|
When
he moves to Kirtland, Warren edits the Messenger and Advocate,
(July to September 1837), but after he leaves the church, he is described
as utterly incompetent, hired only as out of charity. ¶ Argument
to Argument |
| Fund-raising
largely ignored until Jared Carter arrives |
|
Dear Brother, Elder
Jared Carter called on this church last thursday, on his way east, soliciting
donations and subscriptions for finishing the house in your place. Although
the subject of such a mission, in connexion with his name, had been mentioned
in the Messenger and Advocate, still, as no other method had been taken
to impress the subject on our minds, it had measurably passed out, or ceased
to make any impression. Therefore, we were in some degree taken on
surprise. |
|
| |
|
The Twelve, the Bishop, nor any
others clothed with Authority have ever mentioned this subject to us, except
incidentally, to the
recollection of any of the church. It surely
was never made a subject of public instruction; as Brother Carter
had just reasons to expect it had been, he felt an embarrassment peculiar
to such a situation. |
|
"To the
recollection of any of the church, neither the Twelve, the Bishop … to
us, except incidentally." HC 2:239. |
| Jared couldn't get the spirit |
|
He undertook to preach to us yesterday,
but from the aforesaid embarrassment, or the deadness, or the covetousness
of the church, he could get none of the spirit of the Lord to assist him. |
|
|
| Still, conference raises $342 |
|
I am free to say that I attributed
more to the latter cause than the former; yet notwithstanding, we made
out in donations, and subscriptions that I trust will be realized $341.37
1/2. |
|
|
| |
|
May the Lord bless and prosper
him, and all his faithful servants, and may they find favor in the sight
of God and man, is the prayer of your unworthy Brother, |
|
|
| |
|
Warren A. Cowdery |
|
|
| Twelve
fail to meet priorities |
|
The compiler of the
History of the Church manuscript concludes that the fund raisers initially
failed in their mission, even though the brethren knew the Lord had commanded
the church to build a house where endowments could be given before Zion
could be redeemed. Because of this failure, God has not blessed
them as He otherwise would have. |
|
|
| |
|
[523] … We remind you of
these things in the name of the Lord, and refer you to the Book of Covenants,
2nd
Section, 2nd part, and 12th paragraph, and ask, did we not instruct you
to remember first the house, secondly the cause of Zion, and then the publishing
of the word to the nations? |
|
This
citation does not seem appropriate for the 1835 or 1880
D&C. |
| William
E. McLellin letter |
|
Next, the council takes
up the following excerpt from William E. McLellin's
letter
to his
wife: |
|
|
| Orson
Hyde dis's school |
|
You say that
it will not be in your power to go to school this summer. I am glad that
it is not, since Elder Hyde has returned and given me a description of
the manner in which it is conducted; though we do not wish to cast any
reflections. |
|
|
| Libelous |
|
The council considers
this "a libel on the face of it" and "withdraw our fellowship from them
until they return and make satisfaction face to face." |
|
|
| Twelve
acting like outlaws |
|
We further inform the
twelve, that, as far as we can learn from the churches through which we
have travelled, you have set yourselves up as an independent council,
subject to [no] authority of the church, a kind of outlaws. This impression
is wrong, and will, if persisted in, bring down the wrath and indignation
of heaven
upon your heads. The other ten are directed to proceed on and finish the conferences,
and the two may act [according to] their own judgment whether to proceed or return. |
|
HC 2:240: outlaws! |
| William
Smith letter cheering |
|
Breaking the tension,
Joseph reads a letter from his brother William, "which
was
approved, and filled our hearts with joy." |
|
|
| Thomas
B. Marsh concern for family |
|
A letter from Thomas
B. Marsh is considered. The council refers him to "the commandment,
which requires none to leave or bring their families without revelation
or decision of the high council." |
|
|
| Fails to honor the Lord |
|
Marsh errs in referring to "the
able preaching" of William E. McLellin and Parley P. Pratt. He should have
given the honor to the Lord. |
|
|
| |
|
Finally, |
|
|
| Twelve
admonished |
|
unless this epistle
is heeded in all its parts, in its full force, those who rebel against
it
shall be dealt with by the Lord accordingly, for we ask, being agreed
as touching this thing. We wish you to understand, that your duty requires
you to seek first the kingdom of heaven and its righteousness, that is,
attend to the first things first, and then all things will
be added, and that complaint about your families will be less frequent.
Dont preach
yourselves crucified for your Wives' sake, but remember that christ was
crucified, and you are sent out to be special witnesses of this thing.
Men do not wish to hear these little things, for there is no salvation
in them, but there is in the other. |
|
HC 2:240: for
we ask this, being agreed; omits emphasis on first. |
| |
¶ |
Let the hands of the ten be strengthened,
and let them go forth in the [524] name of the Lord, in the power of their
mission, giving diligent heed to the direction of the Holy Spirit. We say
be strong
in the Lord, and in the power of his might; for great things await you,
and great blessings are in store for you. |
|
|
| Seventies
to replae McLellin
and Hyde |
|
Let
the power of the two be upon the seventy until the two make full satisfaction;
for the seventy shall be blessed, and are blessed. The man who presumes
to speak evil of the dignities which God has set in his church, to his
family, or to any body else, shall be cursed in his generation. |
|
|
| Psalm
109 |
|
Remember the 109th Psalm. His Bishopric
shall be taken from him unless he speedily repents. Be it known that God
is God, and when He speaks, let all the congregation say, Amen. |
|
Psalm 109 (heavy) |
| Evil
insinuations enough in Kirtland |
|
We have evil insinuations enough
in Kirtland to grapple with that are suggested by the Father of lies, without
having them from those who are sent out to put down insinuations. |
|
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| |
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May God bless you to be more wise
in the future. Amen. |
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| |
|
OLIVER COWDERY, Clerk. |
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Minutes
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