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Minutes, 4 April 1834

Source Note

Minutes,
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...

More Info
, Geauga Co., OH, 4 Apr. 1834. Featured version copied [between ca. late Apr. and 5 May 1834] in Minute Book 1, p. 48; handwriting of
Orson Hyde

8 Jan. 1805–28 Nov. 1878. Laborer, clerk, storekeeper, teacher, editor, businessman, lawyer, judge. Born at Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Nathan Hyde and Sally Thorpe. Moved to Derby, New Haven Co., 1812. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, ...

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; CHL. For more complete source information on Minute Book 1, see the source note for Minute Book 1.

Historical Introduction

On the evening of 4 April 1834, JS presided over 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...

View Glossary
who met in his home to consider the church standing of
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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of Brownhelm, Ohio. In a July 1833 letter, JS,
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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, and
Frederick G. Williams

28 Oct. 1787–10 Oct. 1842. Ship’s pilot, teacher, physician, justice of the peace. Born at Suffield, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of William Wheeler Williams and Ruth Granger. Moved to Newburg, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, 1799. Practiced Thomsonian botanical system...

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asked James, who may have been functioning as the presiding
elder

A male leader in the church generally; an ecclesiastical and priesthood office or one holding that office; a proselytizing missionary. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto...

View Glossary
in Brownhelm,
1

A 7 May 1833 letter from Emer Harris for the Brownhelm congregation was addressed to James, possibly indicating he was a leader over the church there. (Emer Harris, Springville, PA, to “Dearly Beloved Brethern,” Brownhelm, OH, 7 May 1833, Harris Family Papers, BYU.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Harris Family Papers, 1818–1969. BYU.

to come to
Kirtland

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...

More Info
, Ohio, and “take a tower [tour]” with JS, likely to preach.
2

Letter to Church Leaders in Jackson Co., MO, 2 July 1833.


Sometime between July 1833, when the letter was written, and 4 April 1834, James was apparently disciplined for not accompanying JS on the tour, for neglecting to attend his meetings, and for treating “lightly some of the weak” among his “brethren.” The minutes do not indicate what governing body originally heard James’s case or who was part of this 4 April council. Nor do they explain why the standing high council, formed in February 1834 in part to act as an appellate court for “important difficulties which might arise in the church,”
3

Revised Minutes, 18–19 Feb. 1834 [D&C 102:2].


did not conduct the rehearing. There may have been a need to act quickly, while both James and JS were in
Kirtland

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...

More Info
, and it is possible that seven members of the standing high council—the required minimum to act
4

Revised Minutes, 18–19 Feb. 1834 [D&C 102:6].


—were not able to convene quickly enough to conduct this business.
During the first week of April, JS was in
Kirtland

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...

More Info
for only a few days. On 2 and 3 April, he attended the trial of
Doctor Philastus Hurlbut

3 Feb. 1809–16 June 1883. Clergyman, farmer. Born at Chittenden Co., Vermont. “Doctor” was his given name. Preacher for Methodist Episcopal Church in Jamestown, Chautauque Co., New York. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1832/1833...

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before the
Geauga County

Located in northeastern Ohio, south of Lake Erie. Rivers in area include Grand, Chagrin, and Cuyahoga. Settled mostly by New Englanders, beginning 1798. Formed from Trumbull Co., 1 Mar. 1806. Chardon established as county seat, 1808. Population in 1830 about...

More Info
Court of Common Pleas in
Chardon

Located eight miles south of Lake Erie and immediately east of Kirtland Township. Settled by 1812. Included village of Chardon. Population of township in 1820 about 430; in 1830 about 880; and in 1840 about 1,100. Two of JS’s sisters resided in township. ...

More Info
, Ohio. The court was considering JS’s complaint that he “had ground to fear” that Hurlbut “would wound, beat or kill him, or destroy his property.”
5

JS, Journal, 2–5 Apr. 1834; Geauga Co., OH, Court of Common Pleas, Court Records, 1807–1904, vol. P, pp. 431–432, 31 Mar. 1834, microfilm 20,278, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL.


Comprehensive Works Cited

U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.

After the trial adjourned for the weekend on Friday, 4 April, JS returned to his home in Kirtland, where he presided over this council. He left for Chardon again on the morning of 5 April.
6

JS, Journal, 2–5 Apr. 1834. It is not clear how James reacted to the decision of this conference. In November 1834, JS and Sidney Rigdon wrote James a letter requesting that he come to Kirtland to answer “serious complaints” that had been made against him. Until then, the letter states, he was “suspended from acting in the authority” of his office in the church. It is unclear whether James ever came to Kirtland for this purpose, but in March 1836, he was one of a group of elders anointed in the House of the Lord. (Letter to George James, 10 Nov. 1834; Kirtland Elders Quorum, “Record,” 26 Mar. 1836.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

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.

As clerk of the council,
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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took the minutes of the meeting.
Orson Hyde

8 Jan. 1805–28 Nov. 1878. Laborer, clerk, storekeeper, teacher, editor, businessman, lawyer, judge. Born at Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Nathan Hyde and Sally Thorpe. Moved to Derby, New Haven Co., 1812. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, ...

View Full Bio
later copied the minutes into Minute Book 1.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    A 7 May 1833 letter from Emer Harris for the Brownhelm congregation was addressed to James, possibly indicating he was a leader over the church there. (Emer Harris, Springville, PA, to “Dearly Beloved Brethern,” Brownhelm, OH, 7 May 1833, Harris Family Papers, BYU.)

    Harris Family Papers, 1818–1969. BYU.

  2. [2]

    Letter to Church Leaders in Jackson Co., MO, 2 July 1833.

  3. [3]

    Revised Minutes, 18–19 Feb. 1834 [D&C 102:2].

  4. [4]

    Revised Minutes, 18–19 Feb. 1834 [D&C 102:6].

  5. [5]

    JS, Journal, 2–5 Apr. 1834; Geauga Co., OH, Court of Common Pleas, Court Records, 1807–1904, vol. P, pp. 431–432, 31 Mar. 1834, microfilm 20,278, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL.

    U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.

  6. [6]

    JS, Journal, 2–5 Apr. 1834. It is not clear how James reacted to the decision of this conference. In November 1834, JS and Sidney Rigdon wrote James a letter requesting that he come to Kirtland to answer “serious complaints” that had been made against him. Until then, the letter states, he was “suspended from acting in the authority” of his office in the church. It is unclear whether James ever came to Kirtland for this purpose, but in March 1836, he was one of a group of elders anointed in the House of the Lord. (Letter to George James, 10 Nov. 1834; 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.
*Minutes, 4 April 1834
Minute Book 1 History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page 48

Kirtland

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...

More Info
April 4, 1834.
This evening a
council

A gathering of church leaders assembled “for consultation, deliberation and advice”; also a body responsible for governance or administration. As early as 9 February 1831, a revelation instructed that “the Elders & Bishop shall Council together & they shall...

View Glossary
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...

View Glossary
assembled at the house of Bro. Joseph Smith Junr’s. to re-consider the case of Bro.
Geo. F 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 ...

View Full Bio
. Bro. Joseph Smith Junr. presideing:
Bro. Geo.

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 ...

View Full Bio
then said, that he had often promised to take up his cross & magnify his calling,
1

See Mark 8:34; Revelation, 15 June 1831 [D&C 56:2]; Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 124 [Jacob 1:18–19]; and Revelation, 22–23 Sept. 1832 [D&C 84:33].


but had failed, and ought to have written to bro. Joseph ere this time and given him the information that his pecuniary affairs called his attention at home which prevented his fulfilling the promise he made to Bro. Joseph in going out to proclaim the Gospel, and he sincerely asked pardon of the Lord and of his brethren, and particularly bro. Joseph. He also said he was willing to ask the forgiveness of this
church

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...

View Glossary
. He said, that relative to certain charges, which were, that he had not attended meetings, and had treated lightly some of the weak &c. That he had attended meetings, generally, and as for speaking or treating lightly any brother because of of his weakness, was foreign from his mind and was that which he had never done, nor could ever find such principles in his bosome. Bro. Joseph said, he had no hardness, he only wished
bro. George

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 ...

View Full Bio
to consider this as a chastisement, and that the council were bound to notice his conduct heretofore; but now, if he, -[
bro. George

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 ...

View Full Bio
,]- was willing to walk according to 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...

View Glossary
,
2

The new and everlasting covenant was the “fulness of [the] Gospel,” or the church’s message that would establish God’s covenant people on earth. “New covenant” as used here could also specifically refer to the ordinance of baptism. (Revelation, 29 Oct. 1831 [D&C 66:2]; Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–B [D&C 1:15, 22]; Revelation, 16 Apr. 1830 [D&C 22:1–2]; see also “Everlasting covenant” in the glossary.)


he should have his hand of fellowship. The council then expressed their satisfaction with
bro. George

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 ...

View Full Bio
’s confession.
Oliver Cowd[e]ry

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...

View Full Bio
3

TEXT: Possibly “Cowdrey”.


} Clerk of council [p. 48]
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Source Note

Document Transcript

Page 48

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Minutes, 4 April 1834
ID #
5799
Total Pages
1
Print Volume Location
JSP, D4:3–5
Handwriting on This Page
  • Orson Hyde

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See Mark 8:34; Revelation, 15 June 1831 [D&C 56:2]; Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 124 [Jacob 1:18–19]; and Revelation, 22–23 Sept. 1832 [D&C 84:33].

  2. [2]

    The new and everlasting covenant was the “fulness of [the] Gospel,” or the church’s message that would establish God’s covenant people on earth. “New covenant” as used here could also specifically refer to the ordinance of baptism. (Revelation, 29 Oct. 1831 [D&C 66:2]; Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–B [D&C 1:15, 22]; Revelation, 16 Apr. 1830 [D&C 22:1–2]; see also “Everlasting covenant” in the glossary.)

  3. [3]

    TEXT: Possibly “Cowdrey”.

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