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Letter to John Smith, 2 July 1833
Source Note
Source Note
JS and , Letter, , Geauga Co., OH, to John Smith, , IN, 2 July 1833. Retained copy, [ca. 2 July 1833], in JS Letterbook 1, pp. 50–51; handwriting of JS and ; JS Collection, CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for JS Letterbook 1.
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
John Smith and his son (no relation to JS) were into the in 1831 and immediately became active missionaries. John preached with Eden, , JS, and many others in various counties in , including , , Perry, , and Stark. Among the many John baptized were ; Elizabeth Boosinger Smith, wife of Eden Smith; and Elizabeth’s father, . On 19 November 1831, John his son Eden and Micah Welton to the office of . Eden later received two formal calls to proselytize: in a revelation dated 25 January 1832, he was called to serve with Welton, and in a March 1832 revelation, he was called to serve with .
On 29 June 1832, John Smith sold his farm in Northampton, Ohio, and planned to move to . In mid-July he visited his son in Chippewa, Ohio, where John attended meetings of the local church . While in Chippewa, John was apparently accused of committing an offense for which he was required by a local church disciplinary council to confess, which he refused to do. In late August 1832, John and Eden Smith left Chippewa for , Ohio. On their journey, they visited church members at Shalersville Township, Ohio, where John became embroiled in a conflict that may have been related to his earlier alleged offense in Chippewa. At a disciplinary hearing held in Kirtland prior to John Smith’s departure, and his counselors relieved John of his authority. However, John did not leave his priesthood with the authorities in Kirtland as required, and by 15 December 1832, he moved to Vermillion County, Indiana, where he and Eden both officiated as holders of the priesthood. In , Vermillion County, John served in positions of authority in early 1833, occasionally acting as the president of a or council meeting. On 8 June 1833, John wrote a letter to JS. On 2 July, JS responded with this letter of disapprobation, which indicates that before John left Kirtland he was, in fact, charged with a “misdemeanor” and deprived of his authority in the church. The later informed the branch in Eugene that “you are required not to receive his [John Smith’s] teachings but to treat him as a transgressor until he repents” to the satisfaction of the church at Eugene and at Kirtland.
A council of elders of the branch held a conference on 13 July 1833 to discuss John Smith’s case. After the president of the council read aloud an earlier letter from concerning John and and their transgressions, “Br John Smith arose and aleged him br Newel of forgery and worse than the Roman Judge.” John’s harsh words against Bishop Whitney could have been a reaction not only to the content of the letter that was read, but also to John’s experience at the held earlier in . The church in Eugene then investigated John’s case and “raised thare hands against him,” voting to cut him off from the congregation. The letter featured here referred to John’s offenses and Eden’s complicity in those offenses. In the letter, JS and also reiterated that they considered John a “private member” of the church with no priesthood authority. The letter also suggested that John would be brought back into full fellowship if he expressed proper humility and repentance and that unless he did so he would be subject to additional church discipline. It is not known if he ever reconciled with the church.
Footnotes
- [1]
John and Eden Smith began serving missions as early as December 1831. John was baptized on 16 May 1831. He was ordained an elder on 17 May 1831 in Northampton, Ohio, by Lyman Wight. Eden was ordained a priest on 11 September 1831 and then ordained an elder on 19 November 1831. (John Smith, Diary, 16–17 May 1831; 11 Sept. 1831; 19 Nov. 1831; see also Eden Smith, Journal, 10 Feb. 1832.)
Smith, John (ca. 1775–after 1833). Diary, 1831–1832. CHL. MS 5349.
Smith, Eden. Journal, Sept. 1831–Aug. 1832. CHL. MS 1940.
- [2]
John Smith, Diary, 23 June 1831; 9 Aug. 1831; 13 Sept. 1831.
Smith, John (ca. 1775–after 1833). Diary, 1831–1832. CHL. MS 5349.
- [3]
John Smith, Diary, 17 Nov. 1831.
Smith, John (ca. 1775–after 1833). Diary, 1831–1832. CHL. MS 5349.
- [4]
Revelation, 25 Jan. 1832–B [D&C 75:36]; Revelation, 7 Mar. 1832 [D&C 80]. Because of illness, Eden Smith did not immediately leave for his mission with Stephen Burnett, who began proselytizing in company with John Smith, Eden’s father, on 22 March 1832 in Chippewa, Ohio. In his journal, Eden recorded that on 25 April 1832, he attended a conference at Burnett’s home. In entries for the 26th, 27th, and 28th, Eden wrote that he traveled with others, possibly including Burnett, to Shalersville, Ohio, and then to Northampton, Ohio, before returning to Chippewa. Eden Smith served with Burnett from 15 through 19 August 1832. Before that, Eden traveled and preached with Micah Welton from 10 through 19 December 1831. (John Smith, Diary, 22 Mar. 1832; Eden Smith, Journal, 10–19 Dec. 1831; 25–28 Apr. 1832; 15–19 Aug. 1832.)
Smith, John (ca. 1775–after 1833). Diary, 1831–1832. CHL. MS 5349.
Smith, Eden. Journal, Sept. 1831–Aug. 1832. CHL. MS 1940.
- [5]
John Smith, Diary, 29 June 1832.
Smith, John (ca. 1775–after 1833). Diary, 1831–1832. CHL. MS 5349.
- [6]
John Smith noted that he went to “Chipway and attended meetings with the Church” on 18 July 1832. John’s journal ends in August 1832 with him leaving to go to Kirtland. Eden Smith lived in Chippewa before moving to Vermillion County, Indiana, later in 1832. (John Smith, Diary, 18 July and 22 Aug. 1832; Eden Smith, Journal, 17 Apr. 1832; Vermillion Branch, Conference Minutes, 3 Nov. 1832.)
Smith, John (ca. 1775–after 1833). Diary, 1831–1832. CHL. MS 5349.
Smith, Eden. Journal, Sept. 1831–Aug. 1832. CHL. MS 1940.
Vermillion Branch. Conference Minutes, Nov. 1832–July 1833. CHL. LR 5552 21.
- [7]
As Newel K. Whitney stated in a postscript to a letter dated 2 July 1833, John Smith’s “authority as an officer in the church was taken from him before he left and he ought to have given up his License but he went away without doing so.” (Letter to Church Leaders in Eugene, IN, 2 July 1833; for more information on licenses, see Historical Introduction to License for Frederick G. Williams, 20 Mar. 1833.)
- [8]
See, for example, Vermillion Branch, Conference Minutes, 1 Jan. 1833; 20 and 23 Feb. 1833.
Vermillion Branch. Conference Minutes, Nov. 1832–July 1833. CHL. LR 5552 21.
- [9]
Eugene branch records indicate that a president of a meeting was not appointed by church leaders in Kirtland but by the members of the local branch. For example, a report of the branch conference held on 3 November 1832 reads: “A Conferece of Elders of the Church of Christ held at Br Levi Jones Vermillion County State of Indiana Eugene Township Conferance opend by prayr by Solomon Wixom perceded to Cho[o]se a president Eden Smith and Solomon Wixom Clerk.” John acted as an active priesthood holder in the early months of 1833. At one point, he was listed as a high priest in conference minutes, but at other times he was listed as an elder. (Vermillion Branch, Conference Minutes, 3 Nov. 1832; for instances when the conference chose either John or Eden Smith to act as president or moderator of a meeting, see Vermillion Branch, Conference Minutes, 1 Jan. 1833; 20 and 23 Feb. 1833.)
Vermillion Branch. Conference Minutes, Nov. 1832–July 1833. CHL. LR 5552 21.
- [10]
This letter has not been located.
- [11]
Letter to Church Leaders in Eugene, IN, 2 July 1833; see also Articles and Covenants, ca. Apr. 1830 [D&C 20:80, 83].
- [12]
Vermillion Branch, Conference Minutes, 13 July 1833.
Vermillion Branch. Conference Minutes, Nov. 1832–July 1833. CHL. LR 5552 21.
- [13]
See Peterson, “Journal of John Smith,” 5.
Peterson, Earl T. “Journal of John Smith, 16 May 1831 to 22 August 1832.” Unpublished paper. Lakewood, CO, 1978. Copy at CHL.
made such Confession as you was required to at Chipiway [Chippewa], all things would have worked together for <your> good; and as I told you, but you did not manifest that degree of humility to the bretheren that was required, but remained obstenate, for that <reason> God withdrew his Spirit from you and left <you> in the in darkness. darkness in your letter you say many hard things against the Bretheren Especially the &c— all which we highly disaprove,— it seems also that your son is confederate with you and needs to repent together with yourself in all humility; before the Lord; or you must expect to be dealt with agreeable to the .
we say you are no more than a private member in the ,
Joseph Smith Jr. Pr
, Pd [p. 51]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
- [6]
A branch of the Church of Christ was located in Chippewa Township, Wayne County, Ohio. Chippewa was approximately twenty miles southwest of the center of Akron, Ohio. (See “History of Luke Johnson,” [2], Historian’s Office, Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861, CHL.)
Historian’s Office. Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861. CHL. CR 100 93.
- [7]
See Romans 8:28; and Revelation, 8 Mar. 1833 [D&C 90:24].
- [8]
See Old Testament Revision 1, p. 1 [Moses 1:15].
- [9]
See Psalms 60:3; 94:4.
- [10]
“Bishop” refers to Newel K. Whitney. Reynolds Cahoon was a counselor to Bishop Whitney and would have been part of the bishop’s court that disciplined John Smith. If John Smith was still unrepentant about his earlier behavior, then he was likely disparaging Whitney and Cahoon for taking action against him. Why he would speak against Joseph Smith Sr., who had been one of John Smith’s missionary companions, is unknown. (See John Smith, Diary, 7–19 Sept. 1831.)
Smith, John (ca. 1775–after 1833). Diary, 1831–1832. CHL. MS 5349.
JS handwriting ends; Frederick G. Williams begins.
- [11]
A “private member” had no authority to preach or administer ordinances. According to the 2 July letter to the Eugene branch, “John Smith [had] been dealt with and his authority taken from him.” The church in Eugene voted to “cut off” John Smith from the church on 13 July 1833. (“The Church of Christ,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Mar. 1833, [2]; Letter to Church Leaders in Eugene, IN, 2 July 1833; Vermillion Branch, Conference Minutes, 13 July 1833.)
The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.
Vermillion Branch. Conference Minutes, Nov. 1832–July 1833. CHL. LR 5552 21.