Minutes, , Geauga Co., OH, 19 Sept. 1835. Featured version copied [not before 25 Feb. 1836] in Minute Book 1, pp. 113–118; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minute Book 1.
Historical Introduction
On 19 September 1835, JS levied charges against before the , Ohio, . In the months previous, Carter and had made a fund-raising trip to the eastern to solicit donations for the construction of the . They, along with , were members of the committee responsible for overseeing the construction of the house, and securing funds was a primary responsibility. During that trip, some trouble arose in at least one branch regarding donations. Although the April edition of the Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate had publicized Carter and Smith’s trip and its purpose, the , New York, was unprepared to provide funds upon Carter’s arrival. In a letter to his brother Oliver, , the branch’s presiding , explained that the congregation was unwilling or unable to contribute because, aside from the April notice in the Messenger and Advocate, neither “the , the , nor any others, clothed with authority” had given significant instruction on the subject of fund raising for the House of the Lord. Cowdery wrote that the unheeded requests for funds resulted in great embarrassment for Carter. The Twelve Apostles, who had met with the Freedom branch prior to Carter’s arrival, later filed countercomplaints against Cowdery for his statements, explaining that they had fulfilled their responsibility of informing the branch of the need for donations.
Upon his return to , ’s frustration with the trip and the lack of donations apparently led him to give a sermon in late August or early September, wherein he chastised church members for not supporting the committee to build the . Some found fault with the sermon. Presidents , , and corrected him in private, but Carter proved defiant and made further remarks which were considered even more egregious. The Kirtland high council thus met on 19 September to consider JS’s charges against Carter for his remarks. The primary concerns were his alleged proclamations that the committee to build the House of the Lord was above counsel, that any who failed to support the committee would be cursed by God, and that Saints who failed to pray for the committee would be held accountable for any of its subsequent failures. Besides concerns about the content of his remarks, his authoritative tone of censure was also deemed inappropriate. After various testimonies from Carter and members of the high council, JS ruled that Carter had erred in judgment and should confess before the church the following day. Carter agreed to that decision.
As clerk of the high council, took the minutes of the meeting. Sometime in 1836, copied the minutes into Minute Book 1.
The committee to build the House of the Lord was established in May 1833 and was later “appointed to take the oversight of the building of the House of the Lord.” In addition to collecting funds for temple construction, by summer 1835, the committee was also operating a store to supply clothing and other goods to the workers building the House of the Lord. (Minutes, 4 May 1833; Minutes, 6 June 1833; “Cahoon, Carter & Co.,” Northern Times [Kirtland, OH], 9 Oct. 1835, [4].)
Minutes, 26 Sept. 1835; JS, Journal, 16 Jan. 1836. In response to the Twelve’s complaints, Cowdery offered a public apology, stating that the apostles had indeed delivered the message concerning donations. (Cowdery, Diary, 5 Mar. 1836; “Notice,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Feb. 1836, 2:263.)
hard as his words. Father said that was exalted and did receive the admonition of the , & in consequence lost the true spirit & so has erred since the time of his discourse, and needs admonishing.
Counsellor agreed with the above. , That had a small degree of the Spirit in his discourse & a greater degree in his remarks afterwards, but was awkward in expressing his views, not having much of the spirit, and that the feelings of his heart were not as expressed by his words,
An appeal was made to the Court whether this counsellor was correct in appealing to the feelings of mens hearts, and not to the words and actions, as they appeared. The Court decided that the must be confined to facts, words and actions and not go into feelings & designs which were not expressed.
The other counsellors concurred in the above.
Counsellor . That had been blessed of God & by the prayer of faith the sick had been healed under his administration, yet he doth not always have the Gift of God and wisdom to direct. so in the case before the court. Pride had engendered in his heart a desire to excell, and the spirit of meekness was withdrawn and he left to err, as has been shown by the testimony, because he is not yet perfect. But he erred in understanding and his words were wrong, yet the spirit of his heart or the integrity of the same might be good in the main. then arose and said that he was willing to acknowledge his faults, and that he lacked wisdom. He went on to explain how he had erred and why, being seized with the Cholera, while at the East after leaving , he called upon God for deliverance, & finally received the spirit of God which healed him. & he then [p. 116]
The terms court and council often overlap in usage. The use of court here is appropriate since the council was undertaking a judicial process, or convening as a court, setting these proceedings apart from other meetings where the high council undertook other duties and actions. “Court” could also refer to the presiding authority at the proceedings, which was JS. (Minutes, 28–29 Sept. 1835.)
A global cholera pandemic had swept through New York in 1832 but had subsided by the time Carter and others visited the East. Smaller epidemics of the disease struck in 1834 and 1835 at various points along the eastern seaboard, the gulf coast of Louisiana, and the Erie Canal, including New York. (Pyle, “Diffusion of Cholera,” 59–65; Woodworth, Cholera Epidemic of 1873, 564–593; Bowron, Observations on the Origin and Causes of Malignant Cholera, 21–24.)
Pyle, G. F. “The Diffusion of Cholera in the United States in the Nineteenth Century.” Geographical Analysis 1 (Jan. 1969): 59–75.“Clan C. Additional Facts about Persons Recorded in the Grant Family History.” Grant Family Magazine 1, (June 1900): 621–635.
Woodworth, John M. The Cholera Epidemic of 1873 in the United States: The Introduction of Epidemic Cholera through the Agency of the Mercantile Marine; Suggestions of Measures of Prevention. Washington DC: Government Printing Office, 1875.
Bowron, John S. Observations on the Origin and Causes of Malignant Cholera. New York: Charles S. Francis, 1835.