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Letter to George James, 10 November 1834

Source Note

JS and , Letter, , Geauga Co., OH, to , Brownhelm Township, Lorain Co., OH, 10 Nov. 1834. Retained copy, [ca. 10 Nov. 1834], in JS Letterbook 1, p. 89; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for JS Letterbook 1.

Historical Introduction

On 10 November 1834, JS and sent a letter to of Brownhelm, Ohio, requiring him to come to , Ohio, to answer charges that had been made against him. Few extant records discuss the circumstances behind this letter’s production. According to a later JS history, the letter, which included ’s signature as clerk of the Kirtland , was written “by order of the High Council.” However, no minutes have been found for a meeting of the Kirtland high council in which James or the charges against him were discussed, nor are there minutes of a council meeting in which JS and Rigdon were instructed to write this letter. The charges against James, who may have been serving as the presiding authority in Brownhelm, are also unclear. Sometime between 2 July 1833 and 4 April 1834, James was disciplined in an unspecified way for failing to accompany JS on a proselytizing tour. In April 1834, a council of reconsidered James’s case, along with charges that James “had not attended meetings” and had “treated lightly” his fellow church members because of their “weakness.” It is possible that the “serious complaints” referenced in this 10 November letter touched on similar issues.
The complaints may have been made by , who visited church members in Brownhelm in October 1834. After meeting with the Saints there on 22 October, he wrote in his journal that “in truth it did not seem to me that there were any brethren—true brethren here.” McLellin returned to by 6 November and said that he spent three days “talking with the Heads” of the church upon his return. It is likely that he relayed to JS and others the situation in Brownhelm at that time. Although extant records do not indicate whether came to Kirtland as requested, he was one of the elders anointed in the in March 1836, signifying that he was in good standing with the church at that time.
The original of this letter has not been located. copied it into a JS letterbook, presumably shortly before the letter was sent to James.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS History, vol. B-1, 558.

    JS History / Smith, Joseph, et al. History, 1838–1856. Vols. A-1–F-1 (original), A-2–E-2 (fair copy). Historian’s Office, History of the Church, 1839–ca. 1882. CHL. CR 100 102, boxes 1–7. The history for the period after 5 Aug. 1838 was composed after the death of Joseph Smith.

  2. [2]

    An 1833 letter from Emer Harris to the Brownhelm church was addressed to James. (Emer Harris, Springville, PA, to “Dearly Beloved Brethern,” Brownhelm, OH, 7 May 1833, Harris Family Papers, BYU.)

    Harris Family Papers, 1818–1969. BYU.

  3. [3]

    Historical Introduction to Minutes, 4 Apr. 1834.

  4. [4]

    Minutes, 4 Apr. 1834.

  5. [5]

    McLellin, Journal, 22 Oct. 1834.

    McLellin, William E. Journal, Jan.–May 1833. William E. McLellin, Papers, 1831–1836, 1877–1878. CHL. MS 13538, box 1, fd. 3. Also available as Jan Shipps and John W. Welch, eds., The Journals of William E. McLellin, 1831–1836 (Provo, UT: BYU Studies; Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1994).

  6. [6]

    McLellin, Journal, 4 and 6–8 Nov. 1834.

    McLellin, William E. Journal, Jan.–May 1833. William E. McLellin, Papers, 1831–1836, 1877–1878. CHL. MS 13538, box 1, fd. 3. Also available as Jan Shipps and John W. Welch, eds., The Journals of William E. McLellin, 1831–1836 (Provo, UT: BYU Studies; Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1994).

  7. [7]

    Kirtland Elders Quorum, “Record,” 26 Mar. 1836.

    Kirtland Elders Quorum. “A Record of the First Quorurum of Elders Belonging to the Church of Christ: In Kirtland Geauga Co. Ohio,” 1836–1838, 1840–1841. CCLA.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Letter to George James, 10 November 1834
Letterbook 1 History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page 89

, Ohio, Nov. 10, 1834.
Dear brother,—
There having been serious complaints presented to us against you, we sincerely request you to come to , immediately, as it will require you to come <​be necessary that a​> proper notice be taken of the same.
We do not write the above with the view to accuse, ourselves; but you know the great responsibility resting upon us, and the propriety of noticing charges, especially when they are preferred against men in important <​and interesting​> stations in the .
We have truly written the above with feelings of deep interest for your own welfare and standing in the church; and we do hope you will not fail to come down immediately as the representations made to us will require immediate notice.
It is necessary for us to inform you, that until you appear and make the satisfaction requisite, you are suspended from acting in the authority of the office to which you have been previously .
With feelings of respect, we Subscribe ourselves your breth[r]en in the .
Joseph Smith Jr
.
,
Clerk of .}
(To ,
(Brownhelm, Ohio, [p. 89]
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Source Note

Document Transcript

Page 89

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter to George James, 10 November 1834
ID #
237
Total Pages
1
Print Volume Location
JSP, D4:178–180
Handwriting on This Page
  • Oliver Cowdery

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    High priests outside of Kirtland had authority to call councils to deal with “the most difficult cases of Church matters.” When such councils were held, the parties involved could appeal to the Kirtland high council for a rehearing. (Revised Minutes, 18–19 Feb. 1834 [D&C 102:2, 24–28].)

  2. [2]

    This may refer to James’s possible ordination as presiding authority in Brownhelm or to his ordination as an elder. Hyrum Smith ordained James an elder on 18 November 1831. (Hyrum Smith, Diary and Account Book, 18 Nov. 1831.)

    Smith, Hyrum. Diary and Account Book, Nov. 1831–Feb. 1835. Hyrum Smith, Papers, ca. 1832–1844. BYU.

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