Minutes, 14 July 1835
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Source Note
Minutes, , Geauga Co., OH, 14 July 1835. Featured version copied [not before 25 Feb. 1836] in Minute Book 1, pp. 93–95; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minute Book 1.
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Historical Introduction
On 14 July 1835, a “Council of the presidency” convened in , Ohio, to review charges brought against and . The council consisted of members of the and the presidency of the ; a handful of individuals who testified in the proceedings were also present. Disciplinary matters in Kirtland were normally the purview of the high council and the , but these cases included factors that may have necessitated a hearing before the presidencies instead. Bosley’s case involved a financial covenant he had made with JS, while Bishop was charged with speaking ill of the Kirtland high council.In September 1834, promised to any property in excess of the needs of his family to the church to help fund the printing of the Doctrine and Covenants. Since he still owed $400 on land in at the time he made the promise, he pledged to make the donation to JS after the property was paid off, which was supposed to be in a year’s time. testified that he had “framed” the original agreement, and stated that he had witnessed it. However, Bosley apparently paid off his debt and then failed to follow through with the donation, leading to the hearing. Bosley’s failure to execute his commitment came as a blow to the church’s efforts to publish the Doctrine and Covenants. On 15 June 1835, JS composed a letter to a group of unnamed “brethren in the Lord” stating that the church was “in want of funds to go on with so great and glorious a work.” The council decided that unless Bosley followed through on his commitment, he would be excommunicated from the church.The council then discussed the charges against , which indicated that he had publically “spoken evil” of the high council in regard to some unspecified circumstance. The council stated that and Bishop would both be cursed unless they repented in “sack[c]loth and ashes.” Bosley and Bishop apparently followed this direction, as they were both active members of the church and served in various priesthood positions in the years that followed.The clerk for the meeting is not identified. later copied the minutes into Minute Book 1.
Footnotes
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1
JS History, vol. B-1, 596.
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.
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2
See Revised Minutes, 18–19 Feb. 1834 [D&C 102]; and Revelation, 11 Nov. 1831–B [D&C 107:72].
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3
Geauga Co., OH, Deed Records, 1795–1921, vol. 18, pp. 326–327, 2 June 1834, microfilm 20,237, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL; Geauga Co., OH, Deed Records, 1795–1921, vol. 20, pp. 302–303, 2 June 1834, microfilm 20,238, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL.
U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.
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5
See Minutes, LDS Messenger and Advocate, Mar. 1837, 3:476; Kirtland Elders Quorum, “Record,” 30 Jan. 1836 and 13 Dec. 1837; Minute Book 1, 16 May 1836 and 7 Oct. 1837; Elder’s Certificate for Isaac Bishop, 16 June 1836, in Kirtland Elders’ Certificates, 137; Record of Seventies, bk. A, 18 May 1838, 51; JS History, vol. C-1 Addenda, 3; and Temple Records Index Bureau, Nauvoo Temple Endowment Register, 22.
Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.
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.
Kirtland Elders’ Certificates / Kirtland Elders Quorum. “Record of Certificates of Membership and Ordinations of the First Members and Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Dating from March 21st 1836 to June 18th 1838 Kirtland Geauga Co. Ohio,” 1836–1838. CHL. CR 100 401.
Record of Seventies / First Council of the Seventy. “Book of Records,” 1837–1843. Bk. A. In First Council of the Seventy, Records, 1837–1885. CHL. CR 3 51, box 1, fd. 1.
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.
Temple Records Index Bureau of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Nauvoo Temple Endowment Register, 10 December 1845 to 8 February 1846. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1974.
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