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Minutes and Discourse, 31 August 1842

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Minutes and Discourse, 31 August 1842

Source Note

, Minutes, and JS, Discourse, , Hancock Co., IL, 31 Aug. 1842. Featured version copied [ca. 31 Aug. 1842] in Relief Society Minute Book, pp. [80]–[84]; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Nauvoo Relief Society Minute Book.

Historical Introduction

On the evening of 31 August 1842, JS met with the in , Illinois, to express his gratitude and to bless the members of the organization. In late July, the Relief Society had drafted a petition, which was signed by approximately one thousand women, defending JS and urging Governor to refuse to allow him to be extradited to . Representing the Relief Society, , , and traveled to , Illinois, and presented the petition to Carlin on 28 July. Despite their pleas, however, Carlin issued a writ to arrest JS. Unable to maintain his freedom through legal efforts, JS spent much of August in hiding, finally returning to his home on 23 August.
At the 31 August meeting, which was held in the near the , JS gave a discourse recounting his return to from exile—after having avoided extradition—and thanking the society for all they had done to aid him while he was hiding. In his discourse, JS condemned his enemies, namely and his supporters, and expressed his confidence that he would triumph despite the adversity he faced. He also spoke of additional instructions regarding for the dead, which he said he planned to share with the Latter-day Saints soon. , president of the Relief Society, then rose and read the names of women who hoped to become members of the society; they were unanimously accepted by a vote of the women present. She also asked the assembled sisters to pray for Latter-day Saint Roxsena Higby Repsher, who had separated from her husband, Daniel Repsher. At that point, JS resumed speaking; he made additional remarks about Roxsena Repsher and spoke further about baptisms for the dead, emphasizing the importance of having someone present to record the names of those who were baptized by proxy.
As secretary for the Relief Society, took minutes for the meeting, including the account of JS’s discourse. It appears that Snow initially took notes during the meeting on loose paper and then copied them into the Relief Society’s minute book shortly afterward.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See JS, Journal, 31 Aug. 1842.

  2. [2]

    See Nauvoo Female Relief Society, Petition to Thomas Carlin, ca. 22 July 1842, in Derr et al., First Fifty Years of Relief Society, 136–141; and Minutes, 22 July 1842.

    Derr, Jill Mulvay, Carol Cornwall Madsen, Kate Holbrook, and Matthew J. Grow, eds. The First Fifty Years of Relief Society: Key Documents in Latter-day Saint Women’s History. Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2016.

  3. [3]

    See JS, Journal, 24 Aug. 1842.

  4. [4]

    In condemning his enemies and stating that he would ultimately triumph over adversity, JS echoed sentiments he had expressed in a 29 August discourse to the elders of the church. In that sermon, he denounced all those who had worked against him. (See Discourse, 29 Aug. 1842.)

  5. [5]

    In early September, JS wrote a letter to the church in which he instructed the Saints that proxy baptisms for the dead should be witnessed by a recorder. (See JS, Journal, 4 Sept. 1842 [D&C 127]; and “Tidings,” Times and Seasons, 15 Sept. 1842, 3:919–920.)

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Minutes and Discourse, 31 August 1842 Nauvoo Relief Society Minute Book History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843] “History of Joseph Smith”
Mary Goff Mary M. Dodge
Sarah Stewart Esther Ann Gheen
Catharine Head Elizabeth Study
Nancy Dickson Ann Green
Loisa Eager Martha J. Corey [Coray]
The prayers of requested in behalf of Mrs. [Roxsena Higby] Repshar.
J. S. remark’d that sis. Repshar had long since been advised to return to her husband— has been ascertain’d by good evidence that she left her husband without cause— that he is a moral man and a gentleman— she has got into a way of having revelations, but not the rev. of God— if she will go home we will pray for her, but if not our prayers will do no good.
Prest. S. said he had one remark to make respecting the for the dead— to suffice for the time being, until he has opportunity to discuss the subject to greater length— that is, all persons baptiz’d for the dead must have a Recorder present, that he may be an eye-witness to testify of it. It will be necessary in the grand Council, that these things be testified— let it be attended to from this time, but if there is any lack it may be at the expense of our friends— they may not come forth &c.
Prayer by .
Meeting adjourn’d
Donations $
Mrs. Winnegar [Mary Winegar] 1, 00
Delany Parker .. 12½
[blank] Newell 1, 25
Polly T. Hyde 1, 00
E. Modsley [Elizabeth Maudsley] 6
Anna Smith 50
[p. [83]]
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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Minutes and Discourse, 31 August 1842
ID #
919
Total Pages
5
Print Volume Location
JSP, D10:454–459
Handwriting on This Page
  • Eliza R. Snow

Footnotes

  1. [15]

    Roxsena Higby married Daniel M. Repsher in New York in 1824. According to a reminiscent account of Daniel Repsher, the couple learned about the church while living in New York and moved to Kirtland, Ohio, in 1835. Although Roxsena appears to have joined the church in Kirtland by 1837, Daniel apparently was not baptized until 1843. By August 1842 she had separated from him for undocumented reasons. After their separation, Daniel married Hannah Walton in 1846, while Roxsena was sealed to James Adams of Springfield, Illinois, as a plural wife in 1843. (See Biographical Sketch of Daniel Repsher, in “Record of the Seventeenth Quorum of Seventies,” Seventies Quorum Records, CHL; Minute Book 1, 20 Nov. 1837; and Roxsena Adams, Affidavit, Salt Lake Co., Utah Territory, 13 Oct. 1869, in Joseph F. Smith, Affidavits about Celestial Marriage, 1:86.)

    Seventies Quorum Records, 1844–1975. CHL. CR 499.

    Smith, Joseph F. Affidavits about Celestial Marriage, 1869–1915. CHL. MS 3423.

  2. [16]

    JS may have been referring here to Roxsena Higby Repsher claiming her own revelations or to her accepting the revelations of James Colin Brewster. As a ten-year-old boy in Kirtland, Ohio, in 1837, Brewster claimed to have received visions that included unknown books of ancient scripture. Brewster and his small group of supporters, which included Repsher, were brought before the Kirtland high council on 20 November 1837 for “giving heed to revelations said to be translated from the book of Moroni by Collin Bruister & for entering into a written Covenant different from the articles & covenants of the church of the Latter day saints & following a vain & delusive spirit.” Repsher appears to have been one of several followers of Brewster who were unwilling to repent. They were disfellowshipped by the Kirtland high council but do not appear to have been excommunicated. Extant sources do not indicate when Repsher’s fellowship in the church was restored. ( Minute Book 1,20 Nov. 1837; for more on James Colin Brewster, see Vogel, “James Colin Brewster,” 122.)

    Vogel, Dan. “James Colin Brewster: The Boy Prophet Who Challenged Mormon Authority.” In Differing Visions: Dissenters in Mormon History, edited by Roger D. Launius and Linda Thatcher, 120–139. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1994.

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