Minutes, , Medina Co., OH, 8 Sept. 1834. Featured version copied [not before 25 Feb. 1836] in Minute Book 1, pp. 49–51, 73–74; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minute Book 1.
Historical Introduction
A church held in , Ohio, on 8 September 1834 apparently reconvened a conference held in nearby , Ohio, on 21 April 1834. The minutes of the April conference indicate that it was “adjourned to the Monday precedeing the second sunday in September,” which was 8 September. JS and left , Ohio, for New Portage on 5 September and arrived by 7 September. The conference dealt with a number of difficult issues, probably because the issues had been set aside in expectation of this conference.
The minutes of the conference depict some of JS’s typical actions when visiting the various congregations of Saints. He blessed a sick woman, provided instruction about the operation of the church, and presided over a council giving decisions on three disciplinary cases. In the first case, the church in New Portage had previously tried one of its members, a man named Carpenter, for an unspecified fault and decided he should be given time to consider his response to the charge. A church member named Gordon had then spoken in tongues, evidently saying the church should not be so lenient with Carpenter, whereupon the decision was reversed. JS instructed the council that this use of the gift of tongues was inappropriate because the gift was instituted mainly to preach the gospel to other nations and was not to be used “for the government of the Church”—perhaps the first time he had given this explanation of how the gift of tongues was to be used. Gordon, who was present at the conference, then admitted his error and sought forgiveness. In the second case, , the presiding authority in New Portage, asked JS whether he, Palmer, should remain the president of the church’s branch in the area since a member of the branch, , had refused to comply with Palmer’s call to order in a previous meeting. The conference determined that Bosworth should make a confession before a in and be notified of this decision by letter. The conference then addressed a final charge against for having made false prophecies.
, who served as clerk of this conference, kept the minutes, though his original inscription is not extant. later copied the minutes, along with a nota bene that included a copy of a letter from Oliver Cowdery to , in Minute Book 1.
The 21 April 1834 conference was held at the “dwelling house of bro. Carpenters.” The Carpenter mentioned here is probably that same individual. (Minutes and Discourse, 21 Apr. 1834.)
Though the minutes of this 8 September 1834 meeting give only a last name, “brother Gordon” is probably Thomas Gordon, a high priest who is identified by his full name in the minutes of conferences held at New Portage on 18 November 1835 and 10 June 1836. (Minute Book 1, 18 Nov. 1835 and 10 June 1836.)
having time to reflect. He asked forgiveness wherein he had erred. Brother Gordon said he discovered that he was in an error, and was satisfied with this council, & was willing to ask forgiveness of the brethren and of the Lord. Decision was then given on the second question that brother was out of his place in opposing , when he () ordered the . A vote was then taken whether the was satisfied with the two decisions. Passed by unanimous vote, A. motion was then made and passed by unanimous vote, that a letter be written to brother informing him of the last decision. That he has acted out of place in opposing in a former council, when requested to take his seat, that the business might proceed according to order, and that such letter be signed by the of this conference, by the direction of the same. The case of brother was then brought up, when it was proven that he had delivered prophecies at two different times, which were not true— at one time in saying that was redeemed, and at another in saying, that brother Carpenter was cut off forever, and also in saying, that sister Carpenter was dead. When it was decided by vote that brother be, and by the decision of this conference is, suspended from the priveleges of the , and from acting in the authority of an in said Church of the Latter-Day-Saints till he appear before the at and make proper satisfaction. Conference closed by prayer of the .
The letter, from conference clerk Oliver Cowdery to Joseph Bosworth, is reproduced at the end of the minutes. While notices were sometimes printed in The Evening and the Morning Star to inform individuals of action taken against them, this letter was not included in the final September 1834 issue of the Star, even though that issue was printed late enough for a notice to have been published in it. The original letter has not been located. (See, for example, “To Whom It May Concern,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Dec. 1833, 116; and “To Whom It May Concern,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Feb. 1834, 134.)
The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.
Milton Stow, who, according to the 1830 census, lived in Westfield, Ohio, was instrumental in building up the branch of the church in New Portage. In a January 1835 letter, Ambrose Palmer wrote that Stow “baptized a number of persons” in the area in 1833, “some of whom belonged to the Methodist church.” (1830 U.S. Census, Westfield, Medina Co., OH, 195; Ambrose Palmer to Oliver Cowdery, 28 Jan. 1835, LDS Messenger and Advocate, Jan. 1835, 1:62.)
Census (U.S.) / U.S. Bureau of the Census. Population Schedules. Microfilm. FHL.
Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.
An earlier JS revelation states that the bishop was responsible to “sit in Judgement upon transgressors” with the “assistance of his councillors.” A February 1834 letter from JS and others, however, states that members of any branch had authority to try high priests and excommunicate them, after which individuals could appeal the case to the bishop’s council. Stow’s case here suggests that the bishop’s council in Kirtland had to be satisfied of the individual’s repentance before his “priveleges” in the church could be restored. Stow apparently met this requirement at some point because an 1836 list of elders whose licenses were recorded in Kirtland includes Stow’s name. (Revelation, 11 Nov. 1831–B [D&C 107:72]; Letter to J. G. Fosdick, 3 Feb. 1834; List of Priesthood Licenses, LDS Messenger and Advocate, June 1836, 2:336.)
Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.