Minutes of June 16, 1836

Mormon History 1830-1844

Minutes of June 16, 1836

Perserved Harris disfellowshipped for not adequately contributing to the support of the poor. Isaac McWithy is likewise accused §.

Date		June 16, 1836	Kirtland council, 210–218.
Location		Kirtland, Ohio.
Description		High Council met …
[Presiding]		Present S. Rigdon & F. G. Williams Presidents	Joseph probably does not preside as he is the complainant.
Clerk		Sylvester Smith	Joseph probably does not preside as he is the complainant.
Counselors present		Joseph Coe Cyrus Smalling William Smith Noah Packard Lyman Sherman Thomas Burdick John Smith Jared Carter H. Sherwood Joseph Kingsbury John Johnson Josiah Butterfield
Open		Prayer by Sidney Rigdon.
Charge		Counselors were charged according to the Law of God.
Preserved Harris charged		Joseph Smith charges Perserved Harris with "a want of benevolence to the poor and charity to the church."	Preserved is Martin Harris' brother.
Only contributed $50		Bishop N. K. Whitney testifies that he does not know that Brother Harris has assisted him in relieving the poor, or in assisting in the Church. That he once gave fifty dollar[s] to send to Zion but thinks he has not been as liberal as others in these matdters. has made any contributions for the poor or for the church, though once he contributed $50 for Zion.
Counselors appointed		Three counselors are assigned to speak on each side.
Jared Carter: Preserved hasn't contributed enough		[211] … Eld. J. Carter says he has been in a situation to know of the liberality of the Saints being one of a committee to build the Lords house. P. Harris donated some but too little for one who knows & intends to do his duty in this respect: seeing so many loud calls have been given for the rich to assist the poor, he knows not that he has assisted.	[The first half of p. 211 repeats the second half of p. 210.]
Preserved has a reputation for not helping		There is a general complaint against him in the Church from Spiritual men, men of God, knows that some individuals have suffered for want of assistance, and he has not heard them thank God for Brother Harris' liberality as they did for the liberality of others.
Leonard Rich: Preserved stingy	¶	Elder L. Rich says he lives near Brother Fisher, who has lived for the most part on the charity of the ~~church~~ saints. many have helped him [213] in getting wood. Brother Harris was never present although a public call had been given out frequently: [- -] the poor have generally been the most forward to assist the needyp, he once gave a half a dollar to assist Eld. Marsh, many of the poor gave much more.	Leonard Rich
He gave $35		J. Coe says he is knowing to the assisted giving about 35. some tdime since—in may. yet did not feel that he haas been sufficiently liberal according to his circumstances and the wants of the brethren.	"Preserved Harris, Martin's brother, put his property into the common fund. His wife, who was a superior woman, made a party and invited the Mormon leaders, who came; she received and treated them very courteously, and induced them to restore herself and husband the property they had put in." �Mrs. H. W. Wilson�s Statement,� Naked Truths 1, no. 2 (Apr. 1888): 3, col. 2.
J. Hampton		J. Hampton: tried to obtain a cow for Brother Fisher. Preserved didn't donate anything.
Counselors speak		Joseph Smith [no remarks recorded].
	¶	The counsellors proceeded to speak according to their impresions made by the testimony. 1 J. Smith 2. J. Coe said the charge of a want of charity to the Church was not sustained.
Joseph: I have proved the charge		The accusor [Joseph] called [on] Brother Whitney to say whether the Church was not poor. He answered yes, then says the accusor I have sustained the charge.
Other counselors		3d J. Carter. 4th C. Smalling 5th H. G. Sherwood & 6th Wm. Smith	No remarks recorded
Joseph: lack of charity a sin		When the counsellors appointed to speak were through, the accusor rose & spoke concerning the sin of a want of charity to the the poor and quoted several instances to prove the fact, &c such as feed the hungry, clothe the naked administer to the wants of the widow and fatherless, &c.
Proposed Preserved donate to Zion		He also testified that himself in Co. with Pres. O. Cowdery did once call on Brother Harris for a donation to assist the poor & gave him a plan which (to me said he) was the most noble, Which was to send up money to help build up Zion, purchase land &c.
Preserved says wife won't allow		He referred us to his wife, we could not reconcile her to the plan which we laid before her. He said that he had promised her that [214] if she would come to this place, he would Settle down and not remove again, & therefore he could not help us as we wished in building Zion.
Preserved's defense		When he P. Smith had closed his remarks. The accused arose and spoke for himself	P.: President
Did what he could		says he has a considerable property in his hand has helped the poor some. got his property by hard work. Some that are liberal with others property do not labor to get much to give to the poor themselves: he may have failed in some things, but has done as he felt before God.
		The case was then submitted.
Frederick's remarks Must build Zion Rich must contribute	¶	P. F. G. Williams arose and said the case before us is an important one. The church poor. Zion to be built and we have not means to do it unless the rich assist & because the rich have not assisted, the heads of the church have to suffer and are now suffering under severe embarrassments and are much in debt.
		In regard to the charge preferred against brother P. Harris by P. J. S. Junr. it is my opinion that they are fully sustained to the satisfaction of the council.
Sidney's remarks Duty of Saints to offer all	¶	President S. Rigdon arose and said many things concerning the law of God upon the subject of property, showing clearly that it is the duty of the saints to offer their all to the will of God for the building up of the Kingdom & for the sustenance of the poor, of property, life & all that he posseses, & he that is not willing to make this sacrafice cannot be considered a saint of the most High God & unworthy of the fellowship of the Saints. …
Charges sustained Disfellowshipped	¶	As to the charges preferred against brother Harris it is the decision of this counsel that they are fully sustained and that the hand of fellowship is with[215]drawn from him until he shall see that the course he is pursuing is contrary to the gospel of Jesus.
	¶	The decision of the presidency was concurred in by the 12 counsellors unanimously and the counsel adjourned for one hour.	presidency: Joseph does not preside. He is the complainant, yet he is one of the "presidency" that renders the decision.
		Adjourn for an hour.

Council room		Meet in council room.
Isaac McWithy charged		Joseph Smith charges Elder Isaac McWithy with "a want of benevolence to the poor and charity to the church."
Six counselors		The six counselors who did not speak in the previous case are to speak in this case.
Newel K. Whitney: Saints generally don't support poor	¶	Bishop N. K. Whitney says that Elder McWithy has never given one thing for the poor to his knowledge though there may be many in the church who stand in need of the charity of the Saints and he thinks Eld. McWithy has not born his proportion of the burden of the poor and this complaint is pretty general in the church.
J. Hampton: Isaac rich but wouldn't help Poor more supportive		Elder J. Hampton says, that he wished to obtain money to buy a cow for brother Fisher, who had fallen from a horse and sustained a great injury personally and stood in need, he called on the accused for hellp for this poor brother, but he only received excuses &c. but no help from him. & it was returned for he did not with all his exertions get enough to buy a cow and further said that he could more easily get two dollars from a poor man than one from the rich. He considered Eld. McWithy to be rich.
Josiah Butterfield		Eld. Josiah Butterfield says that he heard the accused say that he had brought two thousand dollars from the East.
Joseph Smith Sr.		Prest. J Smith Senr. says that he blessed the accused with a patriarchal blessing but thinks that he received nothing from [216] him for the poor.
Edmund Bosley		Eld. Edmund Bosley says he thinks from what he told him, he was worth at least two thousand dollars.
Leonard Rich		Eld. Rich says he has been acquainted with the accused for several years before and after he came into the church and thinks he has always been two covetous he has been compelled to doubt at times whether he was a full believer in the Latter Day work in consequence, yet he had sometimes known him to give a litte, but it always came hard.	Leonard Rich
		He had a considerable property or had given it to his unbelieving son. thinks that he does not deal with that liberally as a man of God should do.
		He once took a dollar from brother Hadlock for the use of a few dollars a little time but afterwards restored four dollars fearing the fulfilment of a prophecy delivered against him at the dedication. that requested security of him and Eld. Lyon for about $20. {which} he obtained of him for the expenses which they bore in taking care of Eld. Coltrin who had the small pox at Eld. Lyon's.
		The Elders frequently complained of his want of liberality.
Joel Haskins	¶	Brother Joel Haskins says, that his circumstances are pretty low, has one cow and works for bread. A brother lent a horse & waggon to him to go to Zion. The accused has never given him any bread or other things necessary. he lives in a small cabin on his farm and occupy a little yard for vines, he knows not whether he will charge him for it or not. It is less than a quarter of an acre. He expects to pay him for pasturing a cow.
Isaac doesn't want to give all to church		Accused said he wished to be a steward over his own and rather felt ~~indignant~~ <repugnant> at the idea of giving all for the good of the church
		[217] Never saw him give any thing for the help of the poor. thinks he is in good temporal circumstances.
William Smith	¶	Wm Smith says he heard the accsed say that he did not believe a Saint ever accused his enemies. Witness labored to show him his error, he said he did not believe in this kind of interpreting scriptures,
A. Brown		Eld. A. Brown says he called on the accused for help for a poor brother and could get none but observed that the accused manifested a kind of angry spirit rather than a spirit of love: he frequently heard complaints against him for not assisting the poor, he is considerable rich. he once gave Eld Green about six dollars considered him to be a covetous man.
		The testimony here closed and the counsellors were here called upon to speak.
Counselors: guilty		1st Joseph Kingsbury considered the case clearly proven according to the nature of the charges.
		2d Noah Packard considered that he was liberal in some things but still the case was clear and charges fully sustained.
		[3] J. Smith Senr. thought the case a clear one.
		[4] Leonard Rich thought the case was clear.
		[5] Josiah Butterfield, clear,
		[6] Thomas Burdick also concurred in opinion with his brother counsellors.
Joseph offered to buy his farm and settle him in Zion	¶	The accusor arose and spoke as he felt stating that he in company with Prest. O. Cowdery called upon the accused for money to send up to Zion but, could get none afterwards saw him and asked him if he would sell his farm. He at first seemed willing, he wished to build up Zion He plead excuse in consequence of his liberality to the poor. We offered him $3000. for his farm. would give him $400. or 500. to take him to Zion and settle him there and obligation for the remainder with good security, and interest.
Influenced Father Lyon negatively		He went & [218] told father Lyon that we demanded all his property a[nd] so we lost 4 or 500. dollars because the accused told him such a story he calculated to keep it himself
Isaac objects to hearing		The accused then arose and said it was the first time he had been called upon to clear himself before High Council. He complained of being contrary to the rules of the Gospel before the councils
		The President decided that as the case was now before the council it could not now be urged but should have been made in the beginning.
Isaac: astonished		He plead that he had relieved the wants of the poor. and did so many good things that he was astonished that he should hear such things as he had heard today, because he did not give all he had got to one man. If he had done wrong he asked forgiveness of God and the church.	[End of minutes]
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