Charges against William Smith Preferred to the Church Presidency, 29 December 1835

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Charges against William Smith Preferred to the Church Presidency, 29 December 1835
Source Note

Orson Johnson
15 June 1803–21 Mar. 1883. Shoemaker, innkeeper, farmer. Born at Chesterfield, Cheshire Co., New Hampshire. Son of Thomas Johnson and Elizabeth (Betsey) Smith. Married first Nancy Mason, 24 Oct. 1827, at Bath, Grafton Co., New Hampshire. Baptized into Church...
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, Charges against
William Smith
13 Mar. 1811–13 Nov. 1893. Farmer, newspaper editor. Born at Royalton, Windsor Co., Vermont. Son of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. Moved to Lebanon, Grafton Co., New Hampshire, 1811; to Norwich, Windsor Co., 1813; and to Palmyra, Ontario Co., New York, 1816...
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Preferred to the Church Presidency,
Kirtland Township
Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and...
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, Geauga Co., OH, 29 Dec. 1835. Featured version copied [between ca. 4 Apr. and ca. 16 May 1836] in Minute Book 1, p. 135; handwriting of
Warren A. Cowdery
17 Oct. 1788–23 Feb. 1851. Physician, druggist, farmer, editor. Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Married Patience Simonds, 22 Sept. 1814, in Pawlet, Rutland Co. Moved to Freedom, Cattaraugus Co., New York, 1816...
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; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minute Book 1.

Historical Introduction
On 29 December 1835,
Orson Johnson
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, a member of the
high council
A governing body of twelve high priests. The first high council was organized in Kirtland, Ohio, on 17 February 1834 “for the purpose of settling important difficulties which might arise in the church, which could not be settled by the church, or the bishop...
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in
Kirtland
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, Ohio, charged
William Smith
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with “speaking disrespectfully” of and “attempting to inflict personal violence” upon JS and referred the matter to the
presidency
The highest presiding body of the church. An 11 November 1831 revelation stated that the president of the high priesthood was to preside over the church. JS was ordained as president of the high priesthood on 25 January 1832. In March 1832, JS appointed two...
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of the
church
The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...
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. Nearly two weeks earlier, during a session of the debating school, the two brothers engaged in a verbal altercation that turned violent.
1
Historical Introduction to Letter to William Smith, ca. 18 Dec. 1835.
Though the 16 December fight was certainly one catalyst for Johnson’s complaint, the charge that William had disparaged JS and “the revelations and
commandments
Generally, a divine mandate that church members were expected to obey; more specifically, a text dictated by JS in the first-person voice of Deity that served to communicate knowledge and instruction to JS and his followers. Occasionally, other inspired texts...
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given through him” indicates that William had also challenged his brother’s prophetic authority.
2
According to JS’s journal, William had opposed JS publicly after a disagreement in October 1835. At the conclusion of a 29 October disciplinary council involving David and Mary Elliott, JS and William engaged in a fierce verbal dispute. The brothers attempted to settle their differences in a face-to-face meeting several days later, but, according to JS’s journal, William left JS’s house in a rage and was later “in the streets exclaiming against me.” (See JS, Journal, 29 and 31 Oct. 1835.)
In response to Johnson’s accusation, a disciplinary council assembled on 2 January 1836 to consider the charges.
3
Minutes, 2 Jan. 1836.

The original version of
Johnson
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’s charges is no longer extant, but at some point
Warren A. Cowdery
17 Oct. 1788–23 Feb. 1851. Physician, druggist, farmer, editor. Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Married Patience Simonds, 22 Sept. 1814, in Pawlet, Rutland Co. Moved to Freedom, Cattaraugus Co., New York, 1816...
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copied the charges into Minute Book 1.
Footnotes
[1]
Historical Introduction to Letter to William Smith, ca. 18 Dec. 1835.
[2]
According to JS’s journal, William had opposed JS publicly after a disagreement in October 1835. At the conclusion of a 29 October disciplinary council involving David and Mary Elliott, JS and William engaged in a fierce verbal dispute. The brothers attempted to settle their differences in a face-to-face meeting several days later, but, according to JS’s journal, William left JS’s house in a rage and was later “in the streets exclaiming against me.” (See JS, Journal, 29 and 31 Oct. 1835.)
[3]
Minutes, 2 Jan. 1836.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Charges against William Smith Preferred to the Church Presidency, 29 December 1835
Minute Book 1 History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838] “History of Joseph Smith”
Page 135
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Kirtland
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Decr. 29th 1835

To the Honorable
Presidency
The highest presiding body of the church. An 11 November 1831 revelation stated that the president of the high priesthood was to preside over the church. JS was ordained as president of the high priesthood on 25 January 1832. In March 1832, JS appointed two...
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1
Though the complaint was directed to the “Presidency,” the disciplinary council that met to discuss the charges consisted of two members of the presidency, six of the seven senior members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and members of the high councils of Kirtland and Clay County, Missouri. (JS, Journal, 2 Jan. 1836; Minutes, 2 Jan. 1836.)
of the
Church of Christ of the Latter Day-Saints
The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...
View Glossary
,

I prefer the following charges against
Elder
A male leader in the church generally; an ecclesiastical and priesthood office or one holding that office; a proselytizing missionary. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto...
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Wm. Smith
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1st. Unchristian like conduct in speaking disrespectfully of President Joseph Smith Junr. and the revelations &
commandments
Generally, a divine mandate that church members were expected to obey; more specifically, a text dictated by JS in the first-person voice of Deity that served to communicate knowledge and instruction to JS and his followers. Occasionally, other inspired texts...
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given through him.

2d. For attempting to inflict personal violence on President J. Smith Junr.

Orson Johnson
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[p. 135]
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Page 135
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Charges against William Smith Preferred to the Church Presidency, 29 December 1835
ID #
6723
Total Pages
1
Print Volume Location
JSP, D5:127–128
Handwriting on This Page
Warren A. Cowdery
Footnotes
[1]
Though the complaint was directed to the “Presidency,” the disciplinary council that met to discuss the charges consisted of two members of the presidency, six of the seven senior members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and members of the high councils of Kirtland and Clay County, Missouri. (JS, Journal, 2 Jan. 1836; Minutes, 2 Jan. 1836.)