Minutes, , Geauga Co., OH, 28–29 Aug. 1834. Featured version copied [not before 25 Feb. 1836] in Minute Book 1, pp. 58–72, 73; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minute Book 1.
Historical Introduction
On 28 August 1834, , in , Ohio, convened the Kirtland to try for “violating the laws of the church of the latter day saints.” Smith, a participant, had accused JS of “criminal conduct” on the expedition, but the Kirtland council that investigated the charges on 11 August 1834 found JS innocent of any wrongdoing. The council required Sylvester Smith to recant his charges publicly, which he agreed to do, and appointed a committee to write an article clearing JS’s name, to be published in The Evening and the Morning Star. On 23 August 1834, another council approved the article for publication, but Sylvester Smith then “objected against abiding by the decision of the former council, and proceeded to Justify himself in his former conduct.” The council decided that Sylvester Smith was “guilty of a misdemeanor unbecoming a man in his high station” and “disqualified” him from acting in his church office until “a trial before the bishop assisted by twelve [could] be had.”
That same day, made formal charges against and requested to call the high council to investigate the charges. Whitney did so on 28 August, and the council met for the next two days, hearing testimony about what had transpired at the 11 August council and on the Camp of Israel expedition. The high council ultimately mandated that Sylvester Smith publish a confession in order to remain a member of the church, stating that he “willfully and maliciously lied” in making his accusations against JS. The confession was published in the October 1834 issue of the Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate, and Sylvester Smith retained his membership and his high priest office, though he was removed from the high council in September 1834. However, Smith may not have been satisfied with the decision of the council. Although he signed a statement acknowledging the justness of the council’s decisions, someone—likely Sylvester Smith himself, as the handwriting resembles his—later crossed out his name and wrote under it, “The above was signed for fear of punishment.” This may have occurred in 1836 when Smith was temporarily serving as JS’s scribe.
The high council, which tried , was established in February 1834 in part to adjudicate difficult issues in the church. According to the constitution of the high council, the president of the high council, JS, was supposed to preside, assisted by two other presidents—at the time, and . However, Bishop actually presided over the high council at this 28–29 August meeting. Since JS was the subject of Smith’s charges, he may have recused himself from the presiding role. If so, it is unclear why Rigdon or Williams did not then act as the presiding authority, especially since guidelines for the high council clearly state that in the absence of the president, “the other presidents have power to preside in his stead, both or either of them.” It may have been because Whitney had already presided over the 11 August council that originally investigated Smith’s charges. Or perhaps it was because the 23 August council specifically stated that Smith needed to be tried by “the bishop assisted by twelve high priests,” or a . However, the minutes themselves specifically refer to the body addressing these charges as the high council, not as a bishop’s court. A third possibility is that the council was functioning in accordance with instructions in a November 1831 revelation that stated if the was in transgression, the president (JS) should be tried before a court chaired by the bishop, or common judge, assisted by “twelve counsellors of the .” Even though JS was not on trial, the high council did address Smith’s charges against JS, which, as Rigdon stated in his complaint, meant that the case “affect[ed] the presidency” of the church. Whatever the reason, Whitney assumed the same roles that the president of the high council typically filled, serving as moderator throughout the trial, delivering the decision in the case, and calling on the high counselors for their sanction of the decision.
and served as clerks of the meeting and kept the minutes. The minutes featured here include ’s formal complaint against , ’s notification to Smith of the charges, and Smith’s statement acknowledging the decision of the council. later copied these documents and the minutes into Minute Book 1.
Sylvester Smith to Oliver Cowdery, Kirtland, OH, 28 Oct. 1834, in LDS Messenger and Advocate, Oct. 1834, 1:10–11; Minutes, 24 Sept. 1834. In February 1835, Smith was called as one of the initial members of the Seventy, an ecclesiastical body established by JS. (Minutes and Blessings, 28 Feb.–1 Mar. 1835.)
Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.
who they were following? whether or some other man? Some hesitated for a little and went on. After taking supper he () went on with their company. Whe[n] he came up with the camp from the creek, he found that the ensign or flag, commonly carried ahead for the camp to follow, was then moving forward. He further said that he understood that brother Joseph was appointed to lead the camp, that he always or generally, gave orders when the camp should move forward, and when it should stop. that when on his way to the creek, the second time, he met brother Joseph, who told him that he, () should order the camp to move into the prairie. When the camp came to order in the prairie in the evening, brethren, & , were called upon to give an account of themselves, why they had sought to divide the camp? They both acknowledged that they had been out of the way by so doing and were reproved for their conduct. Relative to an assertion heretofore made, that brother Joseph, did at the time, throw a trumpet or horn at , he did not consider at the time that brother Joseph had any intentions [of throwing?] it at , because he might have hit him with it being so near to him as he was, it only fell to the ground near to them, (him & ) but supposed that he had had it in his hand and only threw it down as usual, or as another man would. He further said that the reproofs given by brother Joseph at the time, were no more severe than he had often heard him give previously. That he did not consider him mad as has been represented. Brother said that when the camp first came to the creek himself and brother Joseph were forward, that while [p. 64]
According to George A. Smith, Sylvester Smith had been appointed “Adjutant of the Camp” and was acting in that capacity here. (George A. Smith, Autobiography, 34.)
Smith, George A. Autobiography, ca. 1860–1882. George Albert Smith, Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322, box 1, fd. 2.
While camped at the Allred settlement in Missouri in June 1834, JS and the main body of the Camp of Israel were joined by a contingent from Michigan Territory led by Hyrum Smith and Lyman Wight. After the arrival of this group on 9 June, the camp was reorganized, with JS “acknowledged as Commander in-Chief” and Lyman Wight designated as general of the camp. (George A. Smith, Autobiography, 30; “Journal of the Branch of the Church of Christ in Pontiac,” 8; Kimball, “Journal and Record,” 11–12.)
Smith, George A. Autobiography, ca. 1860–1882. George Albert Smith, Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322, box 1, fd. 2.
“Journal of the Branch of the Church of Christ in Pontiac,” May–June 1834. CHL. MS 4610.
Kimball, Heber C. “The Journal and Record of Heber Chase Kimball an Apostle of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,” ca. 1842–1858. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 1.
George A. Smith’s account states that, after the rebuke, Lyman Wight declared “he would stand by the Prophet for ever, and never forsake him again let the consequence be what it would.” Sylvester Smith, on the other hand, “manifested refractory feelings.” (George A. Smith, Autobiography, 35.)
Smith, George A. Autobiography, ca. 1860–1882. George Albert Smith, Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322, box 1, fd. 2.
This incident of JS allegedly throwing a trumpet at Sylvester Smith is not recounted in reminiscences or other accounts of the Camp of Israel. JS may have thrown or dropped the camp horn, which George A. Smith described as “a common brass french horn.” (George A. Smith, Autobiography, 24.)
Smith, George A. Autobiography, ca. 1860–1882. George Albert Smith, Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322, box 1, fd. 2.