give sketches of items of doctrine and instruction; and if a poor widow come and give her last mite he was favorable to its being noticed, and it will have a good effect.
Coun. feels a good deal for the prosperity of our and that was the reason why he suggested the propriety of having reporters to attend the meetings. He once wrote two peices for the papers and they were altered so as to destroy the sense and he did not feel satisfied. He has wrote none since.
Coun. said if all were satisfied on this subject, he would move that if brother and go on a mission that we appoint brother to become editor. [p. [241]]
At the church conference held two weeks later, George D. Watt, a teacher of phonography—the system of shorthand invented by Isaac Pitman—was employed for the first time to record the sermons delivered by church leaders and transcribe them for publication. (Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6–8 Apr. 1845; George D. Watt, “Phonography; or, Writing by Sound,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 22 Nov. 1843, [2].)
Historian’s Office. General Church Minutes, 1839–1877. CHL