Letter to George James, 10 November 1834

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Letter to George James, 10 November 1834
Source Note

JS and
Sidney Rigdon
19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...
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, Letter,
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, to
George James
28 Oct. 1796–30 Oct. 1864. Farmer. Born in Stockbridge, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Stephen James and Hannah Schofield. Moved to Brownhelm, Huron Co., Ohio, ca. July 1817. Married Caroline Weed, 28 June 1822, in Huron Co. Baptized into Church of ...
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, Brownhelm Township, Lorain Co., OH, 10 Nov. 1834. Retained copy, [ca. 10 Nov. 1834], in JS Letterbook 1, p. 89; handwriting of
Oliver Cowdery
3 Oct. 1806–3 Mar. 1850. Clerk, teacher, justice of the peace, lawyer, newspaper editor. Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Raised Congregationalist. Moved to western New York and clerked at a store, ca. 1825–1828...
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; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for JS Letterbook 1.

Historical Introduction
On 10 November 1834, JS and
Sidney Rigdon
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sent a letter to
George James
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of Brownhelm, Ohio, requiring him to come to
Kirtland
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, Ohio, to answer charges that had been made against him. Few extant records discuss the circumstances behind this letter’s production. According to a later JS history, the letter, which included
Oliver Cowdery
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’s signature as clerk of the Kirtland
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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, was written “by order of the High Council.”
1
JS History, vol. B-1, 558.
Comprehensive Works Cited
JS History / Smith, Joseph, et al. History, 1838–1856. Vols. A-1–F-1 (original), A-2–E-2 (fair copy). Historian’s Office, History of the Church, 1839–ca. 1882. CHL. CR 100 102, boxes 1–7. The history for the period after 5 Aug. 1838 was composed after the death of Joseph Smith.
However, no minutes have been found for a meeting of the Kirtland high council in which James or the charges against him were discussed, nor are there minutes of a council meeting in which JS and Rigdon were instructed to write this letter. The charges against James, who may have been serving as the presiding authority in Brownhelm, are also unclear.
2
An 1833 letter from Emer Harris to the Brownhelm church was addressed to James. (Emer Harris, Springville, PA, to “Dearly Beloved Brethern,” Brownhelm, OH, 7 May 1833, Harris Family Papers, BYU.)
Harris Family Papers, 1818–1969. BYU.
Sometime between 2 July 1833 and 4 April 1834, James was disciplined in an unspecified way for failing to accompany JS on a proselytizing tour.
3
Historical Introduction to Minutes, 4 Apr. 1834.
In April 1834, a council of
high priests
An ecclesiastical and priesthood office. Christ and many ancient prophets, including Abraham, were described as being high priests. The Book of Mormon used the term high priest to denote one appointed to lead the church. However, the Book of Mormon also discussed...
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reconsidered James’s case, along with charges that James “had not attended meetings” and had “treated lightly” his fellow church members because of their “weakness.”
4
Minutes, 4 Apr. 1834.
It is possible that the “serious complaints” referenced in this 10 November letter touched on similar issues.

The complaints may have been made by
William E. McLellin
18 Jan. 1806–14 Mar. 1883. Schoolteacher, physician, publisher. Born at Smith Co., Tennessee. Son of Charles McLellin and Sarah (a Cherokee Indian). Married first Cynthia Ann, 30 July 1829. Wife died, by summer 1831. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of...
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, who visited church members in Brownhelm in October 1834. After meeting with the Saints there on 22 October, he wrote in his journal that “in truth it did not seem to me that there were any brethren—true brethren here.”
5
McLellin, Journal, 22 Oct. 1834.
McLellin, William E. Journal, Jan.–May 1833. William E. McLellin, Papers, 1831–1836, 1877–1878. CHL. MS 13538, box 1, fd. 3. Also available as Jan Shipps and John W. Welch, eds., The Journals of William E. McLellin, 1831–1836 (Provo, UT: BYU Studies; Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1994).
McLellin returned to
Kirtland
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by 6 November and said that he spent three days “talking with the Heads” of the church upon his return.
6
McLellin, Journal, 4 and 6–8 Nov. 1834.
It is likely that he relayed to JS and others the situation in Brownhelm at that time. Although extant records do not indicate whether
James
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came to Kirtland as requested, he was one of the elders anointed in the
House of the Lord
JS revelation, dated Jan. 1831, directed Latter-day Saints to migrate to Ohio, where they would “be endowed with power from on high.” In Dec. 1832, JS revelation directed Saints to “establish . . . an house of God.” JS revelation, dated 1 June 1833, chastened...
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in March 1836, signifying that he was in good standing with the church at that time.
7
Kirtland Elders Quorum, “Record,” 26 Mar. 1836.
Kirtland Elders Quorum. “A Record of the First Quorurum of Elders Belonging to the Church of Christ: In Kirtland Geauga Co. Ohio,” 1836–1838, 1840–1841. CCLA.

The original of this letter has not been located.
Oliver Cowdery
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copied it into a JS letterbook, presumably shortly before the letter was sent to James.
Footnotes
[1]
JS History, vol. B-1, 558.
JS History / Smith, Joseph, et al. History, 1838–1856. Vols. A-1–F-1 (original), A-2–E-2 (fair copy). Historian’s Office, History of the Church, 1839–ca. 1882. CHL. CR 100 102, boxes 1–7. The history for the period after 5 Aug. 1838 was composed after the death of Joseph Smith.
[2]
An 1833 letter from Emer Harris to the Brownhelm church was addressed to James. (Emer Harris, Springville, PA, to “Dearly Beloved Brethern,” Brownhelm, OH, 7 May 1833, Harris Family Papers, BYU.)
Harris Family Papers, 1818–1969. BYU.
[3]
Historical Introduction to Minutes, 4 Apr. 1834.
[4]
Minutes, 4 Apr. 1834.
[5]
McLellin, Journal, 22 Oct. 1834.
[6]
McLellin, Journal, 4 and 6–8 Nov. 1834.
[7]
Kirtland Elders Quorum, “Record,” 26 Mar. 1836.
Kirtland Elders Quorum. “A Record of the First Quorurum of Elders Belonging to the Church of Christ: In Kirtland Geauga Co. Ohio,” 1836–1838, 1840–1841. CCLA.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Letter to George James, 10 November 1834 Letterbook 1 History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838] “History of Joseph Smith”
Page 89
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Kirtland
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, Ohio, Nov. 10, 1834.
Dear brother,—
There having been serious complaints presented to us against you, we sincerely request you to come to
Kirtland
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, immediately, as it will require you to come <be necessary that a> proper notice be taken of the same.
1
High priests outside of Kirtland had authority to call councils to deal with “the most difficult cases of Church matters.” When such councils were held, the parties involved could appeal to the Kirtland high council for a rehearing. (Revised Minutes, 18–19 Feb. 1834 [D&C 102:2, 24–28].)
We do not write the above with the view to accuse, ourselves; but you know the great responsibility resting upon us, and the propriety of noticing charges, especially when they are preferred against men in important <and interesting> stations in the
Church of the 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...
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.
We have truly written the above with feelings of deep interest for your own welfare and standing in the church; and we do hope you will not fail to come down immediately as the representations made to us will require immediate notice.
It is necessary for us to inform you, that until you appear and make the satisfaction requisite, you are suspended from acting in the authority of the office to which you have been previously
ordained
The conferral of power and authority; to appoint, decree, or set apart. Church members, primarily adults, were ordained to ecclesiastical offices and other responsibilities by the laying on of hands by those with the proper authority. Ordinations to priesthood...
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.
2
This may refer to James’s possible ordination as presiding authority in Brownhelm or to his ordination as an elder. Hyrum Smith ordained James an elder on 18 November 1831. (Hyrum Smith, Diary and Account Book, 18 Nov. 1831.)
Smith, Hyrum. Diary and Account Book, Nov. 1831–Feb. 1835. Hyrum Smith, Papers, ca. 1832–1844. BYU.
With feelings of respect, we Subscribe ourselves your breth[r]en in the
new Covenant
Generally referred to the “fulness of the gospel”—the sum total of the church’s message, geared toward establishing God’s covenant people on the earth; also used to describe individual elements of the gospel, including marriage. According to JS, the everlasting...
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.

Joseph Smith Jr

Sidney Rigdon
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.
Oliver Cowde[r]y
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,
Clerk of
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...
View Glossary
.}

(To
George James
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,

(Brownhelm, Ohio, [p. 89]
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Source Note
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Page 89
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Footnotes
[1]
High priests outside of Kirtland had authority to call councils to deal with “the most difficult cases of Church matters.” When such councils were held, the parties involved could appeal to the Kirtland high council for a rehearing. (Revised Minutes, 18–19 Feb. 1834 [D&C 102:2, 24–28].)
[2]
This may refer to James’s possible ordination as presiding authority in Brownhelm or to his ordination as an elder. Hyrum Smith ordained James an elder on 18 November 1831. (Hyrum Smith, Diary and Account Book, 18 Nov. 1831.)
Smith, Hyrum. Diary and Account Book, Nov. 1831–Feb. 1835. Hyrum Smith, Papers, ca. 1832–1844. BYU.