I returned to Kirtland about the last of August and wrote the following letter, which I sent by the hand of Thomas B. Marsh:
Kirtland, Geauga County, Ohio,
September 4, 1837.
Joseph Smith, Jun., President of the Church of Christ of the Latter-day Saints in all the world, to John Corrill and the whole Church in Zion, sendeth greeting.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed you with many blessings in Christ, and who has delivered you many times from the hands of your enemies, and planted you many times in a heavenly or holy place. My respects and love to you all, and my blessings upon all the faithful and true hearted in the New and Everlasting Covenant. Forasmuch as I have desired for a long time to see your faces and converse with you and instruct you in those things which have been revealed to me pertaining to the kingdom of God in the last days, I now write unto you offering as an apology my being bound with cords of affliction by the workers of iniquity, and also by the labors of the Church, endeavoring in all things to do the will of God for the salvation of the Church, both in temporal as well as spiritual things.
Brethren, we have waded through affliction and sorrow thus far for the will of God, that language is inadequate to describe. Pray ye therefore with more earnestness for our redemption. You have undoubtedly been informed by letter and otherwise of our difficulties in Kirtland, which are now about being settled; and that you may have a knowledge of the same, I inclose you the following minutes of the committee of the whole Church in Kirtland, the authorities, etc., referring you to my brother Hyrum and Brother Thomas B. Marsh for further particulars; also that you may know how to proceed to set in order and regulate the affairs of the Church in Zion whenever they become disorganized.
Minutes of a Conference Assembled in Committee of the whole Church at Kirtland on Sunday, the 3rd of September, 1837.
At nine o'clock in the morning George W. Robinson was called upon to take minutes of the conference. Sidney Rigdon then presented Joseph Smith, Jun., to the Church to know if they still looked upon and would still receive and uphold him as the President of the whole Church, and the vote was unanimous in the affirmative.
President Smith then presented Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams as his counselors, and to constitute with himself the three first Presidents of the Church. Voted unanimously in the affirmative, except for Frederick G. Williams, which was not carried unanimously.
President Smith then introduced Oliver Cowdery, Joseph Smith, Sen., Hyrum Smith, and John Smith for assistant counselors. These last four, together with the first three, are to be considered the heads of the Church. Carried unanimously.
Voted, that Newel K. Whitney hold his office as Bishop and continue to act as such in Kirtland, and that Reynolds Cahoon and Vinson Knight continue to act as counselors to the Bishop.
The Twelve Apostles were then presented one by one, when Thomas B. Marsh, David W. Patten, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, William Smith, and William E. M'Lellin were received unanimously in their Apostleship, Luke S. Johnson, Lyman E. Johnson, and John F. Boynton were rejected and disfellowshiped, though privileged with confessing and making satisfaction.
Elder Boynton (who was the only one of the three present at the time) arose and endeavored to confess, justifying himself in his former conduct by reason of the failure of the bank.
His conduct was strongly protested against by Elder Brigham Young in a plain and energetic manner, stating various reasons why he could not receive him into fellowship until a hearty repentance and confession were manifested.
Elder Young was followed by Elder Marsh, who acquiesced in testimony and resolutions.
President Rigdon then addressed the assembly, showing the cause of the difficulty with Elders Boynton and Johnson in leaving their calling to attend to other occupations.
Elder Boynton again rose and still attributed his difficulties to the failure of the bank, stating that he understood the bank was instituted by the will of God, and he had been told that it should never fail, let men do what they would.
President Smith then arose and stated that if this had been declared no one had authority from him for so doing, for he had always said that unless the institution was conducted on righteous principles it would not stand.
A vote was then taken to know if the congregation was satisfied with Elder Boynton's confession; carried in the negative.
Conference adjourned for one hour.
Conference reassembled at two o'clock in the afternoon; opened by reading, singing, and prayer.
The President then arose and said he would call upon the Church to know if they were satisfied with their High Council, and should proceed to name them individually.
John Johnson, Joseph Coe, Joseph C. Kingsbury, and Martin Harris were objected to, also John P. Greene, but his case went over until he should be present.
Noah Packard, Jared Carter, Samuel H. Smith, were sustained.
Oliver Granger, Henry G. Sherwood, William Marks, Mayhew Hillman, Harlow Redfield, Asahel Smith, Phinehas Richards, and David Dort, were chosen to fill the places of those objected to, (and Thomas Grover having moved west) John Smith, chosen one of the presidents of the Church, all having belonged to the High Council.
The President then called upon the congregation to know if the recently appointed presidents of the Seventies should stand in their calling.
Voted that John Gaylord, James Forster, Salmon Gee, Daniel S. Miles, Joseph Young, Josiah Butterfield, and Levi W. Hancock, should retain their offices as presidents of Seventies; John Gould was objected to.
The President then arose and made some remarks concerning the former presidents of the Seventies, the calling and authority of their Priesthood, etc.
Voted that the old presidents of the Seventies [who were High Priests] be referred to the quorum of High Priests; and also, that if any members of the quorum of the Seventies should be dissatisfied and would not submit to the present order and receive these last presidents, the latter should have power to demand their licenses, and the former should no longer be considered members of the Church.
Conference closed by prayer by the President.
Joseph Smith, Jun., President,
George W. Robinson, Clerk.
Announcement concerning Oliver Cowdery.
DEAR BRETHREN—Oliver Cowdery has been in transgression, but as he is now chosen as one of the presidents or counselors, I trust that he will yet humble himself and magnify his calling, but if he should not, the Church will soon be under the necessity of raising their hands against him; therefore pray for him.
David Whitmer, Leonard Rich, and others have been in transgression, but we hope that they may be humble and ere long make satisfaction to the Church, otherwise they cannot retain their standing; therefore we say unto you, beware of all disaffected characters, for they come not to build up, but to destroy and scatter abroad. Though we or an angel from heaven preach any other Gospel, or introduce an order of things other than those things which ye have received, and are authorized to receive from the First Presidency, let him be accursed.
May God Almighty bless you all and keep you unto the coming and kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Yours in the bond of the New Covenant,
Joseph Smith, Jun.
I received the following:
Revelation given at Kirtland, Ohio, September 4, 1837, making known the transgression of John Whitmer and William W. Phelps.
Verily thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph—my servants John Whitmer and William W. Phelps have done those things which are not pleasing in my sight, therefore if they repent not they shall be removed out of their places. Amen.
September 9.—The High Council of Kirtland met in the Lord's House and organized by electing Jared Carter, president, and Phinehas Richards, clerk. The members elected on the 3rd were ordained and drew for their numbers, and the whole were arranged as follows: John P. Greene, No. 1; Asahel Smith, No. 2; Samuel H. Smith, 3; Mayhew Hillman, 4; William Marks, 5; Noah Packard, 6; Oliver Granger, 7; David Dort, 8; Jared Carter, 9; Phinehas Richards, 10; Henry G. Sherwood, 11; and Harlow Redfield, 12.
The High Council of Kirtland withdrew the hand of fellowship from Uriah and Lydia Ann Hawkins for unlawful matrimony, deceiving, and unchristianlike conduct.
Minutes of a Meeting in the Kirtland Temple.
Sunday, September 10th, 2 o'clock, afternoon, in an assembly of the Church in the Lord's House, Kirtland, President Rigdon read the rules and regulations of the House of the Lord, as passed by the different quorums on the 18th of January, 1836, when the Church voted to receive the same, and be governed by them.
The minutes of the High Council of the 9th instant were read, after which those of the Twelve who were disfellowshiped the previous Sabbath had opportunity to speak; and Luke S. Johnson, Lyman E. Johnson, and John F. Boynton made their confessions and were received into fellowship by vote of the Church, also to retain their apostleship.
President Smith read a letter from Elder Thomas B. Marsh to the Church, stating that before he started from Missouri he had received satisfaction from these Elders. Elder Young also stated the same.
High Councilor John P. Greene made some confessions to the Church, stating wherein he had been wrong for a short time past; and the Church voted that he be received into fellowship and retain his office.
President Rigdon made some observations on the business transacted last Sabbath, reproving some for the conjectures they had respecting President Smith and himself conniving together to remove certain individuals from office, etc., or at least to use their influence to do so. This he informed them was a mistake, for not one word had passed between them on the subject, neither had he a premeditated thought upon the subject.
President Smith then corrected some mistakes of certain individuals which had been circulated by them concerning what he had said on the last Sabbath.
The Lord's Supper was administered by Elders Luke S. and Lyman E. Johnson, and John F. Boynton.
George W. Robinson, Clerk.
When a lying spirit is abroad it is difficult for truth to be understood.
Footnotes
[1]. Doctrine and covenants, sec. 112.