Letter from Brigham Young, 29 April 1840

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Letter from Brigham Young, 29 April 1840
Source Note

Brigham Young
1 June 1801–29 Aug. 1877. Carpenter, painter, glazier, colonizer. Born at Whitingham, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Brought up in Methodist household; later joined Methodist church. Moved to Sherburne, Chenango Co., New...
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, Letter, [
Ledbury
Market town in western England; situated at southern end of Malvern Hills. Population in 1831 about 4,000. Population in 1841 about 4,500. Wilford Woodruff baptized 158 people near town, spring 1840.
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, Herefordshire, England], to JS “and counselors,” [
Nauvoo
Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....
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, Hancock Co., IL, 29 Apr. 1840]. Featured version published in Times and Seasons, June 1840, 121–122. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.

Historical Introduction
On 29 April 1840,
Brigham Young
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wrote a letter to JS and his counselors in the
First Presidency
The highest presiding body of the church. An 11 November 1831 revelation stated that the president of the high priesthood was to preside over the church. JS was ordained as president of the high priesthood on 25 January 1832. In March 1832, JS appointed two...
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. Young had left
Montrose
Located in southern part of county on western shore of Mississippi River. Area settled by Captain James White, 1832, following Black Hawk War. Federal government purchased land from White to create Fort Des Moines, 1834. Fort abandoned; remaining settlement...
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, Iowa Territory, on 14 September 1839 to serve a mission to
England
Island nation consisting of southern portion of Great Britain and surrounding smaller islands. Bounded on north by Scotland and on west by Wales. Became province of Roman Empire, first century. Ruled by Romans, through 447. Ruled by Picts, Scots, and Saxons...
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and was informing the First Presidency of the growth and status of the
church
The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...
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in Great Britain.
1
Young, Journal, 14 Sept. 1839.
Comprehensive Works Cited
Young, Brigham. Journals, 1832–1877. Brigham Young Office Files, 1832–1878. CHL. CR 1234 1, boxes 71–73.
The document appears to have primarily served as a cover letter for a report of a general
conference
A meeting where ecclesiastical officers and other church members could conduct church business. The “Articles and Covenants” of the church directed the elders to hold conferences to perform “Church business.” The first of these conferences was held on 9 June...
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of the church held two weeks earlier in
Preston
Town located on River Ribble, approximately 216 miles northwest of London. Population in 1831 about 33,000. Population in 1841 about 35,000. First Latter-day Saint mission to England established, 1837–1838, with most efforts concentrated in town and surrounding...
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, England.
2
Minutes, 15 Apr. 1840, Wilford Woodruff, Collection, 1831–1905, CHL.
Woodruff, Wilford. Collection, 1831–1905. Digital scans. CHL. Originals in private possession. MS 19509.
The letter asked JS and his counselors to correct any action of the conference they felt was amiss, conveyed the English Saints’ request for a new hymnal, and included a personal note from Young about his desire to reunite with his old friends.

The report of the
Preston
Town located on River Ribble, approximately 216 miles northwest of London. Population in 1831 about 33,000. Population in 1841 about 35,000. First Latter-day Saint mission to England established, 1837–1838, with most efforts concentrated in town and surrounding...
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conference gave detailed information about the numbers of church members and
priesthood
Power or authority of God. The priesthood was conferred through the laying on of hands upon adult male members of the church in good standing; no specialized training was required. Priesthood officers held responsibility for administering the sacrament of...
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holders in the various
branches
An ecclesiastical organization of church members in a particular locale. A branch was generally smaller than a stake or a conference. Branches were also referred to as churches, as in “the Church of Shalersville.” In general, a branch was led by a presiding...
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in
England
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and Scotland. It recorded business the conference conducted, including decisions to compile and publish a hymnal and a monthly periodical and to select and
ordain
The conferral of power and authority; to appoint, decree, or set apart. Church members, primarily adults, were ordained to ecclesiastical offices and other responsibilities by the laying on of hands by those with the proper authority. Ordinations to priesthood...
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a
patriarch
An ecclesiastical and priesthood office with the authority to give inspired blessings, similar to the practice of Old Testament patriarchs. JS occasionally referred to patriarchs as “evangelical ministers” or “evangelists.” Joseph Smith Sr. was ordained as...
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—all under the direction of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Members of a governing body in the church, with special administrative and proselytizing responsibilities. A June 1829 revelation commanded Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer to call twelve disciples, similar to the twelve apostles in the New Testament and ...
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. The report, which also contained minutes of meetings the Twelve held in Preston on 14 and 16 April, was published in
Nauvoo
Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....
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, Illinois, in the June 1840 issue of the Times and Seasons immediately preceding the published version of
Young
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’s letter.
3
“From England,” Times and Seasons, June 1840, 1:119–122.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
No manuscript copy of the letter has been located. The Times and Seasons version does not include a date or place of production. However, the published version is followed by a letter from
Wilford Woodruff
1 Mar. 1807–2 Sept. 1898. Farmer, miller. Born at Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut. Son of Aphek Woodruff and Beulah Thompson. Moved to Richland, Oswego Co., New York, 1832. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Zera Pulsipher,...
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, which Woodruff indicated was written in unused space on Young’s letter. Woodruff’s letter was dated 29 April 1840 and gave
Ledbury
Market town in western England; situated at southern end of Malvern Hills. Population in 1831 about 4,000. Population in 1841 about 4,500. Wilford Woodruff baptized 158 people near town, spring 1840.
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, England, as the location from which the letter was sent.
4
The manuscript report of the conference is in the Wilford Woodruff Collection, CHL. The letter from Wilford Woodruff to the Times and Seasons editors, Ebenezer Robinson and Don Carlos Smith, was printed accompanying the conference report in the June 1840 issue of the periodical and was apparently written on the same paper as Young’s letter. Woodruff opened his letter by saying, “As elder Young is writing, I am privileged with a space for a few lines.” (Minutes, 15 Apr. 1840, Wilford Woodruff, Collection, 1831–1905, CHL; “From England,” Times and Seasons, June 1840, 1:122.)
Footnotes
[1]
Young, Journal, 14 Sept. 1839.
Young, Brigham. Journals, 1832–1877. Brigham Young Office Files, 1832–1878. CHL. CR 1234 1, boxes 71–73.
[2]
Minutes, 15 Apr. 1840, Wilford Woodruff, Collection, 1831–1905, CHL.
[3]
“From England,” Times and Seasons, June 1840, 1:119–122.
[4]
The manuscript report of the conference is in the Wilford Woodruff Collection, CHL. The letter from Wilford Woodruff to the Times and Seasons editors, Ebenezer Robinson and Don Carlos Smith, was printed accompanying the conference report in the June 1840 issue of the periodical and was apparently written on the same paper as Young’s letter. Woodruff opened his letter by saying, “As elder Young is writing, I am privileged with a space for a few lines.” (Minutes, 15 Apr. 1840, Wilford Woodruff, Collection, 1831–1905, CHL; “From England,” Times and Seasons, June 1840, 1:122.)
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Letter from Brigham Young, 29 April 1840
History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842] “History of Joseph Smith”
Page 121
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To
Pres’t.
An organized body of leaders over priesthood quorums and other ecclesiastical organizations. A November 1831 revelation first described the office of president over the high priesthood and the church as a whole. By 1832, JS and two counselors constituted ...
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Joseph Smith and counselors: dear brethren, you no doubt will have the perusal of this letter, and minutes of our
conferences
A meeting where ecclesiastical officers and other church members could conduct church business. The “Articles and Covenants” of the church directed the elders to hold conferences to perform “Church business.” The first of these conferences was held on 9 June...
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; this will give you an idea of what we are doing in this
country
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. If you see any thing in, or about the whole affair, that is not right: I ask, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that you would make known unto us the mind of the Lord, and his will concerning us. I believe that I am as willing to do the will of the Lord, and take counsel of my brethren, and be a servant of the
church
The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...
View Glossary
, as ever I was in my life; but I can tell you, I would like to be with my old [p. 121]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Brigham Young, 29 April 1840
ID #
539
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D7:272–273
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