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Minutes and Discourses, 6–8 April 1842

Source Note

Special conference of the church, Minutes, and JS, Discourses, , Hancock Co., IL, 6–8 Apr. 1842. Featured version published in “Conference Minutes,” Times and Seasons, 15 Apr. 1842, vol. 3, no. 12, 761–763. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.

Historical Introduction

From 6 to 8 April 1842, a “Special of the ” was held in , Illinois; JS presided and gave discourses, and conference clerk took minutes. In previous years the April conference was labeled a “general conference,” but JS decreed on 3 October 1841 that no further general conferences would be held until the Nauvoo was completed. A general notice about the conference, published in the Times and Seasons, suggests all church members were expected to attend. On 6 April 1842, before the conference started, JS met with members of the to provide “instructions how to organize & adjourn the special conference.” JS did not attend the first day of the conference because of illness.
The most pressing business of the conference was ’s report on why he had not yet joined on their mission to Europe and Palestine. Hyde and Page had mostly remained together from April 1840—when they were appointed to serve a mission—to the end of summer 1840, raising money for their voyage. Hyde then left Page in and traveled to and to obtain additional funds. In early 1841 Hyde and Page were chastised in the church newspaper for delaying their mission, and in response Hyde departed across the Atlantic. Page intended to eventually meet Hyde in , but church leaders instructed him to return to . At JS’s request Page reported on his travels, attributing his delay primarily to Hyde’s appropriation of their shared funds and the difficulty of raising additional money. JS censured Page but stated that the church would retain him in full fellowship. Those at the conference ratified this decision and voted to send Page to , where he had recently proselytized.
Other conference business included instruction by , , and , who emphasized the importance of a well-organized and disciplined . , Hyrum Smith, , , , and preached additional discourses. JS also preached multiple times, seeking to quell rumors regarding polygamy and providing instruction on the use of the baptismal font.
On the final day of the conference, individuals were for the dead and for health in the temple font. Additionally, , , , , , , and 275 men as . Woodruff commented that “more Elders were ordain[ed] on this occasion than were ever ordained in the Church of Latter Day Saints in one day before.” JS closed the conference with a benediction.
’s minutes of the conference were published in the 15 April 1842 issue of the Times and Seasons.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Minutes and Discourse, 1–5 Oct. 1841.

  2. [2]

    “Conference Notice,” Times and Seasons, 15 Mar. 1842, 3:734.

  3. [3]

    JS, Journal, 6 Apr. 1842, underlining in original.

  4. [4]

    Minutes and Discourses, 6–8 Apr. 1840.

  5. [5]

    Notice, Times and Seasons, 15 Jan. 1841, 2:287; Letter from John E. Page, 1 Sept. 1841.

  6. [6]

    The decision was likely influenced by a letter and a petition from residents in Pittsburgh, both of which reported favorably on Page’s work there. (Letter from Levick Sturges et al., 30 Jan. 1842; Petition from Richard Savary et al., ca. 2 Feb. 1842.)

  7. [7]

    Woodruff, Journal, 8 Apr. 1842.

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Minutes and Discourses, 6–8 April 1842 Times and Seasons, 15 April 1842 History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page 763

and preach, who have not been before .
then addressed those who intended to be ordained, on the subject of their duty and requirements to go to preach.
spoke concerning the elders who went forth to preach from , and were afterwards called in for the and anointing at the dedication of the , and those who go now will be called in also, when this is about to be dedicated, and will then be to go forth with mighty power having the same anointing, that all may go forth and have the same power, the first, second, and so on, of the and all those formerly ordained. This will be an important and beneficial mission, and not many years until those now sent will be called in again.
He then spoke in contradiction of a report in circulation about , , himself, and others of the , alledging that a sister had been shut in a room for several days, and that they had endeavored to induce her to believe in having two wives. Also cautioned the sisters against going to the steam boats.
Pres’t. J. Smith spoke upon the subject of the stories respecting and others, showing the folly and inconsistency of spending any time in conversing about such stories or hearkening to them, for there is no person that is acquainted with our principles would believe such lies, except the editor of the “Warsaw Signal.” for the dead, and for the healing of the body must be in the font, those coming into the church and those rebaptized may be done in the .
A box should be prepared for the use of the font, that the clerk may be paid, and a book procured by the monies to be put therein by those baptized’ the remainder to go to the use of the .—Sung a hymn. Ordinations to take place to-morrow morning—Baptisms in the font also—There were 275 ordained to the office of Elder under the hands of the Twelve during the .
April 8. Sung a hymn—Prayer by —Sung a hymn.
then addressed the assembly upon several subjects; made many interesting remarks concerning being called to the ministry, labor in the vineyard &c., spoke of his own travels and the fruits of his labors as an encouragement to the young elders who were going into the vineyard.
Pres’t. J. Smith said the baptisms would be attended to, also the ordinations.
Sung a hymn—Elder preached a sermon while the ordinations and baptisms were going on on the subject of infidelity showing that the arguments used against the bible were reasonably scientifically and philosophically false.
The was occupied in the afternoon by Elder and followed by Elder , then the Conference closed by benediction of Pres. J. Smith.
, Clerk. [p. 763]
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Page 763

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Minutes and Discourses, 6–8 April 1842
ID #
7963
Total Pages
3
Print Volume Location
JSP, D9:338–345
Handwriting on This Page
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Footnotes

  1. [26]

    This possibly refers to the ordination of seventies and apostles in February and March 1835; many of these men served missions later in the year. The House of the Lord in Kirtland was dedicated on 27 March 1836. Washing and anointing ceremonies were performed before the dedication, from 21 January to 6 February, and another ceremony, the washing of feet, was performed afterward, on 30 and 31 March. (Minutes, Discourse, and Blessings, 14–15 Feb. 1835; Minutes and Blessings, 21 Feb. 1835; Minutes and Blessings, 28 Feb.–1 Mar. 1835; Minutes, Discourse, and Blessings, 1 Mar. 1835; JS, Journal, 27 Mar. 1836; JS, Journal, 21–22 and 28 Jan. 1836; 6 Feb. 1836; 30–31 Mar. 1836.)

  2. [27]

    According to a January 1831 revelation, the Saints would “be endowed with power from on high” to prepare them to serve missions. John Corrill reported that JS informed those who received the washing and anointing ceremonies in the Kirtland House of the Lord that “they were now endowed with power to go forth and build up the Kingdom.” (Revelation, 2 Jan. 1831 [D&C 38:32]; Corrill, Brief History, 26.)

  3. [28]

    On 13 July 1842 Martha Brotherton, a recent British immigrant, wrote an affidavit stating that Young proposed to her in JS’s office in the upper floor of JS’s store. (Martha Brotherton, St. Louis, MO, to John C. Bennett, 13 July 1842, in Quincy [IL] Whig, 6 Aug. 1842, [2].)

    Quincy Whig. Quincy, IL. 1838–1856.

  4. [29]

    According to the travel account of Frederick Marryat, Mississippi River steamboats were “crowded” with gamblers, violent criminals, and confidence men. (Marryat, Second Series of a Diary in America, 88.)

    Marryat, Frederick. Second Series of a Diary in America, with Remarks on Its Institutions. Philadelphia: T. K. and P. G. Collins, 1840.

  5. [30]

    Sharp printed several editorials and articles criticizing JS and the Saints. (See, for example, “The Mormons,” Warsaw [IL] Signal, 19 May 1841, [2]; Editorial, Warsaw Signal, 28 July 1841, [2]; and “Jo Smith’s Proclamation,” Warsaw Signal, 26 Jan. 1842, [2].)

    Warsaw Signal. Warsaw, IL. 1841–1853.

  6. [31]

    Latter-day Saints began to perform baptisms for healing in November 1841. (Woodruff, Journal, 21 Nov. 1841; see also Stapley and Wright, “‘They Shall Be Made Whole’: A History of Baptism for Health,” 69–112.)

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

    Stapley, Jonathan A., and Kristine Wright. “‘They Shall Be Made Whole’: A History of Baptism for Health.” Journal of Mormon History 34, no. 4 (Fall 2008): 69–112.

  7. [32]

    The first baptisms for the dead were performed in September 1840 in the Mississippi River. A January 1841 revelation clarified that baptisms for the dead could be performed outside the House of the Lord only “in the days of your poverty, wherein ye are not able to build a house unto me.” In November 1841, when a wooden font was completed in the temple basement, baptisms for the dead began to be performed there. (Jane Harper Neyman and Vienna Jaques, Statement, 29 Nov. 1854, Historian’s Office, JS History Documents, ca. 1839–1860, CHL; Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:30]; Woodruff, Journal, 21 Nov. 1841.)

    Historian’s Office. Joseph Smith History Documents, 1839–1860. CHL. CR 100 396.

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

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