Minutes of June 6, 1835

Mormon History 1830-1844

Minutes of June 6, 1835

New Portage, Ohio conference. New Portage branch 100 members, Strongsville 15. David Matthews and Israel W. Barlow reconcile. Matthews restored to fellowship. J. B. Bosworth charges A. Palmer with assisting another brother abscond with debt money. Palmer saved property that rightfully belonged to widow and orphans. Branch members support Palmer. Acquitted. Elder Barkdall claims Elder Keeler owes him for services rendered 8 or 9 years before. Both rebuked. Salmon Warner and Micah B. Welton charge Bosworth with using harsh like language, unchristianlike conduct toward Brother and Sister Meads; injured reputation of Mary Ann Point. Guilty. Confess to injured and to church. Aaron Smith charges Milo Hays with not obeying Word of Wisdom and covenant breaking. Hays excommunicated.
Date	June 6, 1835	Kirtland council, 89–91.
Location	New Portage, Norton township, Medina county, Ohio
Description	Elders and brethren of the church of the Latter-Day Saints, met …
Chair	Oliver Cowdery
Secretary	Warren A. Cowdery	The language of these minutes compared to most minutes is indicative of Warren Cowdery's superior literary skills, but after leaving the church he is depicted as incompetent. ¶ Argument to Argument
Officers	The brethren organize a council. Oliver is "called to the chair" and Warren is "duly appointed secretary."
Age seniority	Council is seated by age.
Open	Prayer.
108 members in New Portage	Ambrose Palmer, "presiding Elder" of the New Portage branch reports there are 108 members in the branch.
15 members in Strongsville	Zebedee Coltrin, representing the Strongsville branch, reports 15 members in that branch.
Matters of difficulty	The council then called on the presiding officer of the church, for all matters of difficulty, (if any be had,) for adjudication by the council.	Joseph's activities for this week are not well documented. He may or may not be the "presiding officer of the church" referred to here.
David Matthews previously disfellowshipped	The case of Elder David Matthews is called, "he having been suspended for unchristian conduct at a previous conference."	David Matthews: On January 14, 1834, Warren Cowdery wrote from Freedom, New York, that he heard David preach the night before. "He appeared to be quite engaged, says he has a little church of seven members in the town south of this, and more that he expects will shortly be added to them. He informed me that he considered the cause in that region prosperous. He also informed me that he had charge of another church in Chautauque county, of about fifty members." EMS 2, no. 16 (Jan. 1834), 127.
Contrite Makes amends with Israel Barlow Restored	After hearing from several acquainted with Elder Matthews, the council agrees "there had been due contrition of spirit manifested by him in his walk and conversation since his suspension." His request to discuss matters with Israel W. Barlow, "with whom his former difficulty occurred," was agreed to and after their meeting, Elder Matthews is "restored by a unanimous vote of the council."
Ambrose Palmer charged as an accessory	Elder J. B. Bosworth referred a charge against Elder A. Palmer for aiding and assisting a brother in this Church to abscond, who was involved in debt, and for acting without the counsel of the Elders or brethren of the church over which he presides.	Ambrose Palmer ([1852]–1837), presiding elder of New Portage branch. Joseph Bosworth (1790–1850), b. in Scituate township, Providence county, Rhode Island, md. Lucina Hopkins in 1815, d. in Copley, Ohio. Lived in Otsego county, New York (1816) and Copley, Summit county, Ohio (1818).
Witnesses: Palmer acted from best of motives Palmer confesses, with extenuating circumstances	[Witnesses are called:] but none were found who were willing to criminate brother Palmer, but all were compelled to say, from the conviction of their own minds, that he had acted from [90] the best of motives. Brother Palmer confessed he had helped away the absconding brother, but no property had been secreted or carried away that was legally tangible if he had not absconded.
Property of widow and orphans	… the property brother Palmer assisted to save, belonged of right to a woman and some orphan Children, who had never benefitted by the property received by him who contracted the debts.
Broke no law	It was also satisfactorily proven, that no law of the land would have covered any of the property that brother Palmer assisted the absconding debtor to save, and that he might as well have moved openly as clandistinely.
Acquitted	It was therefore resolved from a view of all the facts, that brother Palmer should be acquitted of all the charges that were preferred against him.
Keeler's appeal	Elder Keeler's appeal of council's previous finding in favor of Elder Barkdall for services rendered eight or nine years before is considered.
Accused and accuser rebuked	It appeared there had been a division in favor of Elder Barkdall, but no test was produced by either of the parties to substantiate a claim or prove a payment. It was therefore resolved that both the accused and the accuser have manifested a bad spirit and deserve the severe rebuke of this council.
Intermission	One hour intermission.
Joseph Bosworth charged with harsh language, injuring reputation	Elders Salmon Warner & Micah B. Welton preferred a charge with two specifications against Elder Joseph B. Bosworth. First, that he (said Bosworth) had used harsh language and had been guilty of unchristianlike conduct toward brother Meads & his wife. Second, that said Bosworth had said some things which had tended to injure the reputation of sister Mary Ann Point.
Guilty, directed to confess	The specifications were so far substantiated by testimony, that the council deemed him guilty, and that he ought to make confession to the injured and to the Church.
Charge of breaking Word of Wisdom	Elder Aaron Smith charges Elder Milo Hays with not obeying the Word of Wisdom and covenant breaking.
Excommunicated	Both charges were amply sustained by testimony and the council unanimously decided that said Hays be excluded from this Church.
	Council adjourns.
	Minutes of June 7, 1835 Minutes of May 2, 1835 Ohio Minutes