Minutes, , Caldwell Co., MO, 7 Nov. 1837. Featured version copied [between ca. 6 Apr. and 19 June 1838] in Minute Book 2, pp. 82–85; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minute Book 2.
Historical Introduction
On 7 November 1837 members in , Missouri, gathered to vote on church leaders and conduct other matters of church business. A similar meeting had been held in , Ohio, on 3 September 1837, during which several men were removed and replaced as church leaders. In his remarks on 7 November, discussed the 3 September reorganization of the church, after which moderator read the minutes of that meeting to the congregation.
In a departure from earlier church voting practices, which usually included only men who had been to the , all those in attendance were asked to vote, including women and unordained men. Some members of the assembled congregation objected to several individuals, including , , , and , who held leadership positions within the church. Ultimately, however, only Williams was removed from his position, as a counselor to JS in the ; was unanimously approved to replace him. Despite some objections raised against two members of the , other church leaders were unanimously chosen to retain their current positions, including the members of the who had been objected to in on 3 September.
At a general assembly of the , assembled at , to take into consideration and transact the business of said Church. was chosen Moderator and Clerk.
After singing, the addressed the throne of grace in prayer, after which Prest. explained the object of the meeting, giving a relation of the recent re-organization of the Church in ; the minutes of said meeting were read by the , who also nominated Joseph Smith jr. the of the whole Church, to preside over the Same. All were requested, (males and females,) to vote—who was unanimously chosen. He then made a few remarks, accepting the appointment requesting the prayers of the Church in his behalf.
President Smith then nominated Pres’t. to be one of his Counsellors—who was unanimously chosen.
He then nominated to be his next councillor who was objected to by Elder in a few remarks refering to a certain letter written to this place by the said Also objected to Elder also objected to [p. 82]