Minutes, , Medina Co., OH, 8 Sept. 1834. Featured version copied [not before 25 Feb. 1836] in Minute Book 1, pp. 49–51, 73–74; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minute Book 1.
Historical Introduction
A church held in , Ohio, on 8 September 1834 apparently reconvened a conference held in nearby , Ohio, on 21 April 1834. The minutes of the April conference indicate that it was “adjourned to the Monday precedeing the second sunday in September,” which was 8 September. JS and left , Ohio, for New Portage on 5 September and arrived by 7 September. The conference dealt with a number of difficult issues, probably because the issues had been set aside in expectation of this conference.
The minutes of the conference depict some of JS’s typical actions when visiting the various congregations of Saints. He blessed a sick woman, provided instruction about the operation of the church, and presided over a council giving decisions on three disciplinary cases. In the first case, the church in New Portage had previously tried one of its members, a man named Carpenter, for an unspecified fault and decided he should be given time to consider his response to the charge. A church member named Gordon had then spoken in tongues, evidently saying the church should not be so lenient with Carpenter, whereupon the decision was reversed. JS instructed the council that this use of the gift of tongues was inappropriate because the gift was instituted mainly to preach the gospel to other nations and was not to be used “for the government of the Church”—perhaps the first time he had given this explanation of how the gift of tongues was to be used. Gordon, who was present at the conference, then admitted his error and sought forgiveness. In the second case, , the presiding authority in New Portage, asked JS whether he, Palmer, should remain the president of the church’s branch in the area since a member of the branch, , had refused to comply with Palmer’s call to order in a previous meeting. The conference determined that Bosworth should make a confession before a in and be notified of this decision by letter. The conference then addressed a final charge against for having made false prophecies.
, who served as clerk of this conference, kept the minutes, though his original inscription is not extant. later copied the minutes, along with a nota bene that included a copy of a letter from Oliver Cowdery to , in Minute Book 1.
The 21 April 1834 conference was held at the “dwelling house of bro. Carpenters.” The Carpenter mentioned here is probably that same individual. (Minutes and Discourse, 21 Apr. 1834.)
Though the minutes of this 8 September 1834 meeting give only a last name, “brother Gordon” is probably Thomas Gordon, a high priest who is identified by his full name in the minutes of conferences held at New Portage on 18 November 1835 and 10 June 1836. (Minute Book 1, 18 Nov. 1835 and 10 June 1836.)
in a former , between yourself & brother , informing us, that in a council where brother presided, according to the office of his appointment, as of this of the . You, when requested by him to be seated refused to submit to his decision, but spoke disrespectfully of our brother, while acting in his calling, which has occasioned a wound in this . It is the decision of this conference that you come before the church (as you are not present to do it at this conference) and make the proper confession required in the . Why I say, disrespectfully, is because, when you were requested to be seated and desist speaking, you said that you had as much right to speak as he () had)
A February 1831 revelation containing “the rules and regulations of the Law” of the church explained how one should proceed if offended by another church member: The two parties were to meet in private and seek reconciliation. If the offending party did not confess to the grievance, he or she was first to be brought before “the Church not to the members but to the Elders and it shall be done in a meeting and that not before the world.” At that point, if the offense had been committed openly before a body of the church, as in this case, the offender was to “be rebuked openly” as well, “that he may be ashamed.” A September 1831 revelation reiterated these instructions, but it also declared that those who did not repent and confess their sins should be brought “before the church” to be dealt with “as the Scriptures Saith unto you.” (Revelation, 23 Feb. 1831 [D&C 42:88–89, 91]; Revelation, 11 Sept. 1831 [D&C 64:12].)