Footnotes
See Minutes, 1–2 Nov. 1831; Minutes, 8 Nov. 1831; Minutes, 9 Nov. 1831; Minutes, 12 Nov. 1831; and JS History, vol. A-1, 172–173.
JS History, vol. A-1, 166.
Revelation, 6 June 1831 [D&C 52:30]. Cahoon returned to Ohio on 28 September and spent the time between his return and his trip to Hiram “journin [journeying] from Place to Place from conferan to conferance,” collecting money to support JS in his revision of the Bible. Cahoon wrote in his journal that he traveled to Hiram to “fulfil” this fundraising mission—apparently to transfer the funds he had raised to JS. (Cahoon, Diary, Nov. 1831.)
Cahoon, Reynolds. Diaries, 1831–1832. CHL. MS 1115.
Cahoon, Diary, Nov. 1831.
Cahoon, Reynolds. Diaries, 1831–1832. CHL. MS 1115.
Revelation, 1 Aug. 1831 [D&C 58:44–45, 56]. A 30 August revelation stated that JS would be given “power that he shall be enabled to descern by the spirit those who shall go up unto the land of Zion & those of my Desiples that shall tarry.” (Revelation, 30 Aug. 1831 [D&C 63:41].)
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Which commandments were read is unclear. The “Articles and Covenants” of the church contained an extensive discussion of the duties of elders,a and several revelations dealt with the duties of specific elders.b Since the reading of the commandments occurred in the context of Cahoon wondering whether he should return to Missouri, “commandments” may refer to those revelations outlining who should go to Missouri and who should not.c Sometime on 11 November, JS also dictated a revelation calling for the appointment of presiding authorities over various offices in the church, including elders.d It is possible that this revelation was dictated at this point in the meeting.
(aArticles and Covenants, ca. Apr. 1830 [D&C 20:38–45]. bSee, for example, Revelation, 29 Oct. 1831 [D&C 66]; and Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A [D&C 68]. cRevelation, 1 Aug. 1831 [D&C 58]; Revelation, 30 Aug. 1831 [D&C 63]. dRevelation, 11 Nov. 1831–B [D&C 107 (partial)].)Cahoon recorded in his journal that the conference “cons[i]dered that I was not at liber[t]y to go to the land of Zion yet.” (Cahoon, Diary, Nov. 1831.)
Cahoon, Reynolds. Diaries, 1831–1832. CHL. MS 1115.
At this time, Marsh was apparently still on his way back from a trip to Missouri. It is unclear both why the conference read a commandment to him and which commandment they read. A letter from his wife Elizabeth written in September 1831 states that she expected Marsh in October, but minutes from meetings held in Indiana in late November and early December place him there. Marsh’s own personal history, written over three decades later, explains that he did not return to Kirtland, Ohio, until January 1832. On 13 January 1832, Marsh left Kirtland in company with Cahoon “to visit the Churches to the west.” Given Cahoon’s attendance at the 11 November conference, it is possible that the commandment was one assigning Marsh to accompany Cahoon. (Elizabeth Godkin Marsh, Kirtland Mills, OH, to Lewis Abbott and Ann Abbott, East Sudbury, MA, Sept. [1831], Abbott Family Collection, CHL; Minute Book 2, 29 Nov.–1 Dec. and 6–7 Dec. 1831; “T B Marsh,” [1], Historian’s Office, Histories of the Twelve, ca. 1858–1880, CHL; Cahoon, Diary, 13 Jan. 1832.)
Abbott Family Collection, 1831–2000. CHL. MS 23457.
Historian’s Office. Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861. CHL. CR 100 93.
Cahoon, Reynolds. Diaries, 1831–1832. CHL. MS 1115.
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