Minutes, 16 August 1841
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Source Note
Special Conference of the Church, Minutes, , Hancock Co., IL, 16 Aug. 1841; handwriting of ; two pages; Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, CHL. Includes docket.Single leaf measuring 12¼ × 7⅝ inches (31 × 19 cm). The document is ruled with faint blue lines—thirty-eight lines on the recto and forty on the verso. It has one vertical fold and six horizontal folds and contains a vertically written docket in the bottom right of the verso.These minutes are part of a larger collection of general church minutes created or collected by the Church Historian’s Office. The document was docketed by , who served as JS’s scribe from 1843 to 1844 and as clerk to the church historian and recorder from 1845 to 1865. The minutes have likely been in institutional custody since their creation.
Footnotes
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1
Jessee, “Writing of Joseph Smith’s History,” 456, 458; Woodruff, Journal, 22 Jan. 1865.
Jessee, Dean C. “The Writing of Joseph Smith’s History.” BYU Studies 11 (Summer 1971): 439–473.
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
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Historical Introduction
On 16 August 1841 the held a special in , Illinois, to transact “business necessary to be done before the meeting of the general conference” in October. One such item pertained to the role of the in church administration. Members of the Twelve had recently returned from their mission to , and with the experience they gained there, they were poised to help JS “in managing the affairs of th[e] kingdom” in Nauvoo, allowing him to focus more on spiritual matters.According to a later history of , apostles Young, , , , and met on 10 August with JS, who directed them to send missionaries to various locations in the eastern and “to take the burthen of the business of the Church in , and especially as pertaining to the Church lands, settling of the Saints on their arrival and selling Church lands.” This new administrative assignment to the Twelve was formalized in the 16 August special conference. Moreover, their remit now extended throughout the world, including, for the first time, the Nauvoo area—whereas previously they had been assigned to serve as a traveling , presiding over and managing the affairs of the church in all places where no or high council existed.The special conference of 16 August was held primarily to inform the Saints of the Twelve’s new administrative responsibilities and to invite the Saints to sustain the in their efforts. The five aforementioned members of the Twelve attended, and presided over the beginning of the conference in JS’s absence because JS and were mourning the death of their infant son, . When JS arrived for the afternoon session, he affirmed what Young had said and gave instructions about the new responsibilities of the Quorum of the Twelve. succinctly summarized the conference when he wrote in his journal, “Conference—Business of the Church given to the 12.”Two contemporaneous versions of the minutes for this special conference exist: an original, handwritten document created by either during or shortly after the conference and a second version printed in the Times and Seasons. Though the Times and Seasons version is more complete and polished, it was likely based on Smith’s handwritten original, which is featured here. Significant differences or additions in the Times and Seasons version appear in the annotation.
Footnotes
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1
“The Twelve,” Times and Seasons, 2 Aug. 1841, 2:487. Since at least 18 June 1840, JS had sought to be relieved from his duties pertaining to the development of Nauvoo, including land sales and related business. (Memorial to Nauvoo High Council, 18 June 1840.)
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
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2
Historian’s Office, Brigham Young History Drafts, 56.
Historian’s Office. Brigham Young History Drafts, 1856–1858. CHL. CR 100 475, box 1, fd. 5.
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4
“Conference Minutes,” Times and Seasons, 1 Sept. 1841, 2:521–522.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
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5
Richards, Journal, 16 Aug. 1841.
Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.
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6
“Conference Minutes,” Times and Seasons, 1 Sept. 1841, 2:521–522.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
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