Chapter XXXIV

Special Conference of the Church at Nauvoo--The Prophet's Reproof of the Wicked--Epistle of the Twelve to the Saints in Kirtland--Status of the Church.

_Saturday, April 2_.--I paid Hugh Rhodes $1,150 for a farm.

The fourth regiment of the second cohort of the Nauvoo Legion, consisting of four companies, was organized, Jonathan Dunham was elected colonel, James Brown, lieutenant-colonel, and Jesse P. Harmon, major of the same.

_Monday, 4_.--Transacted business at my house with Josiah Butterfield, concerning the Lawrence estates; and closed a settlement with William Marks in the counting room, and paid him off, principal and interest to the last farthing, for all that myself or the Church had had of him.

_Tuesday, 5_.--Settled with Brother Niswanger.

[Sidenote: The Thirteenth Anniversary of the Organization of the Church.]

_Wednesday, 6_.--The first day of the thirteenth year of the rise of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A special conference had been appointed at the city of Nauvoo, but it was so wet and cold, that it was not prudent for me to go out, as my health was not good, and I spent the day with my family. Brother Hyrum and Elders Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and Willard Richards called on me in the morning, and I gave them instructions how to organize and adjourn the conference. Before they left, Brother Hyrum and the Twelve present bore testimony {583} that they had never heard me teach any principles but those of the strictest virtue, either in public or private.

Conference Minutes.

_Special Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints_.

_City of Nauvoo, April 6, 1842_.

The day being wet, the First Presidency did not attend, and Elder
Page addressed those present upon the subject of the charges
against him, and said he "would be happy to have an opportunity
of laying his statement before the conference at a convenient
time. President William Law, General Bennett, president _pro tem_,
and President Hyrum Smith all spoke upon the subject of military
affairs, showing the necessity of a well organized and efficient
force; that as we were bound to serve our country, if required, in
common with all good citizens, we ought not to be behind any of our
neighbors in point of good order, neat uniforms and equipments, and
a well organized and thoroughly disciplined legion."

_Thursday, April 7_.--Conference met. President Joseph Smith had
the several quorums put in order and seated. He then made some
very appropriate remarks concerning the duties of the Church, the
necessity of unity of purpose in regard to the building of the
houses, and the blessings connected with doing the will of God,
and the inconsistency, folly, and danger of murmuring against the
dispensations of Jehovah.

He said that the principal object of the meeting was, to bring the
case of Elder Page before them; and that another object was, to
choose young men and ordain them, and send them out to preach, that
they may have an opportunity of proving themselves, and of enduring
the tarring and feathering, and such things as those of us who have
gone before them have had to endure.

Elder Page, having arrived, was called upon, and addressed the
congregation in relation to the non-performance of his mission
to Jerusalem. He said that when he started with Elder Hyde, joy
filled their hearts, and they were aware of the responsibility
of their mission. Elder Hyde's vision was that he should be in
Jerusalem alone, Elder Page considered Elder Hyde to be his father
and guide in the mission, and felt it his duty to submit to Elder
Hyde's opinion in all things; no Elders ever were more in concert
on a mission than they were while together. They made a covenant
in Quincy to stand by each other while on the mission, and if they
were insulted or imposed upon they would stand by each other, even
unto death, and not separate unless to go a few miles to preach a
sermon, that all moneys should go into one purse, and it did so.

{584} Elder Hyde, in Indiana, first said he would go to visit
Brother Knight, and that Elder Page should stay and preach; he
assented, and went and returned to Indianapolis. Elder Page had a
mare given him on account of both. Elder Hyde then took the mare,
went on, left his luggage with Elder Page; while away he sold the
mare for $40, and received $60 more as a donation from the man to
whom he had sold the mare; he returned, they preached at Dayton and
received a handsome contribution. Elder Page preached sixteen miles
off, and raised a branch. Elder Hyde went to Cincinnati, revised
the "Missouri Persecutions," got 2,000 copies printed, paid for
them, and took part of them with him, and left a large box full,
and about 150 loose copies with Elder Page. Elder Hyde started
for Philadelphia, purposing to visit churches on the way; he left
Elder Page $23.31. Elder Page returned to Dayton and Milton, and
sold books, with the intention of following Elder Hyde as soon as
practicable; but he stayed a day or two too long, and the river
closed by the frost, from one to two weeks earlier than usual.
Elder Hyde told him that it was possible they might be from one to
two years before they would leave America, as it would take upwards
of $1,000 each to take them to Jerusalem and back, that it would
be slow gleaning in England, and assigned this as a reason for not
immediately following Elder Hyde, thinking that he would be sure of
seeing him in the spring. Elder Page accused himself of not using
better economy in proceeding on his journey.

There came out a piece in the paper, stating the displeasure of
the Lord respecting Elder Hyde and Elder Page, he sat down and
wrote a piece to put in the paper, acknowledging the justice of the
charge, but wisdom prevented its being published; preached about
Washington, &c., gathered funds for the mission in Westchester and
in Philadelphia.

Elder Hyde raised funds on behalf of the mission, by applauding
Elder Page's talents, wisdom, &c., but they were disappointed in
him when they saw him; he raised funds for the mission, the most
liberal was in Philadelphia. He intended to sail on the 25th of
July, but the brethren said that if he would remain two weeks, they
would raise funds for him; they found that it would take longer,
and he decided to stay a month, he then received a command through
a letter from President Hyrum Smith to an official character in
Philadelphia, requesting him to return; he wrote to ascertain
the reason but did not get an answer, he was then called in by
President Joseph Smith and Elder Brigham Young.

Elder Hyde would often renew the covenant between them to never
part with each other in that mission. Elder Page had no blame to
attach to Elder Hyde; he supposed he had done right, but if he
had been in {585} his place, he would have tarried for him until
the spring. The reports of his having apostatized, &c., returned
even from this place to New York. Many reproved him for leaving
Cincinnati for Dayton.

President Joseph Smith then arose and stated that it was wrong to
make the covenant referred to by him; that it created a lack of
confidence for two men to covenant to reveal all acts of secrecy or
otherwise, to each other, and Elder Page showed a little grannyism.
He said that no two men, when they agreed to go together ought
to separate, that the Prophets of old would not, and quoted the
circumstance of Elijah and Elisha, 2 Kings ii., when about to go
to Gilgal, also when about to go to Jericho, and to Jordan, that
Elisha could not get clear of Elijah, that he clung to his garment
until he was taken to heaven; and that Elder Page should have stuck
by Elder Hyde, and he might have gone to Jerusalem, that there is
nothing very bad in it, but by the experience let us profit; again
the Lord made use of Elder Page as a scapegoat to procure funds for
Elder Hyde. When Elder Hyde returns, we will reconsider the matter,
and perhaps send them back to Jerusalem; we will fellowship Elder
Page until Elder Hyde comes, and we will then weld them together
and make them one. A vote was then put and carried that we hold
Elder Page in full fellowship.

Voted that Elder Page be sent to Pittsburgh.

Sung a hymn--adjourned for one hour and a half, at one o'clock.

Met agreeable to adjournment--choir sung a hymn--prayer by Elder H.
C. Kimball.

Elder Lyman Wight called to know if there were any present of
the rough and weak things, who wished to be ordained, and go and
preach, who have not been before ordained. Elder Lyman Wight then
addressed those who intended to be ordained, on the subject of
their duty and requirements to go and preach.

President Hyrum Smith spoke concerning the Elders who went forth to
preach from Kirtland, and were afterwards called in for the washing
and anointing at the dedication of the House, and those who go now
will be called in also, when this Temple is about to be dedicated,
and will then be endowed 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 Seventies, 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 Elders
Heber C. Kimball, Brigham Young, himself, and others of the Twelve,
alleging 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 steamboats.

{586} President Joseph Smith spoke upon the subject of the
stories respecting Elders Kimball 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 who would believe such lies, except
Sharp, the editor of the _Warsaw Signal_.

Baptisms for the dead, and for the healing of the body must be in
the font, those coming into the Church, and those re-baptized may
be baptized in the river. A box should be prepared for the use of
the font, that the clerk may be paid, and a book procured by the
moneys to be put therein, by those baptized, the remainder to go to
the use of the Temple.

Sung a hymn.

Ordinations to take place tomorrow morning. Baptisms in the font
also.

There were 275 ordained to the office of Elder, under the hands of
the Twelve, during the Conference.

_Friday 8_. Conference assembled. Sung a hymn. Prayer by Elder
Heber C. Kimball.

Elder Page 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.

President Joseph Smith said the baptisms would be attended to, also
the ordinations.

Sung a hymn.

Elder John Taylor 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 rationally,
scientifically, and philosophically false.

The stand was occupied in the afternoon by Elder Amasa M. Lyman,
who was followed by Elder William Smith; then the Conference closed
by the benediction of President Joseph Smith.

James Sloan, Clerk.

_Saturday, 9_.--In the morning I attended the funeral of Brother Ephraim Marks, and in the evening attended city council.

[The following brief synopsis of President Smith's remarks is from
Elder Wilford Woodruff's journal:]

{587} _Remarks of the Prophet at the Funeral of Ephraim Marks_.

The Saints in Nauvoo assembled at the house of President Marks,
at an early hour in the morning, to pay their last respects to
the body of Ephraim Marks, son of President William Marks, who
died on the evening of the 7th. A large procession formed and
walked to the Grove, where a numerous congregation had assembled.
President Joseph Smith spoke upon the occasion with much feeling
and interest. Among his remarks he said, "It is a very solemn and
awful time. I never felt more solemn; it calls to mind the death
of my oldest brother, Alvin, who died in New York, and my youngest
brother, Don Carlos Smith, who died in Nauvoo. It has been hard
for me to live on earth and see these young men upon whom we have
leaned for support and comfort taken from us in the midst of their
youth. Yes, it has been hard to be reconciled to these things. I
have sometimes thought that I should have felt more reconciled to
have been called away myself if it had been the will of God; yet I
know we ought to be still and know it is of God, and be reconciled
to His will; all is right. It will be but a short time before we
shall all in like manner be called: it may be the case with me as
well as you. Some have supposed that Brother Joseph could not die;
but this is a mistake: it is true there have been times when I have
had the promise of my life to accomplish such and such things, but,
having now accomplished those things, I have not at present any
lease of my life, I am as liable to die as other men."

I can say in my heart, that I have not done anything against
Ephraim Marks that I am sorry for, and I would ask any of his
companions if they have done anything against him that they are
sorry for, or that they would not like to meet and answer for at
the bar of God, if so, let it prove as a warning to all to deal
justly before God, and with all mankind, then we shall be clear in
the day of judgment.

When we lose a near and dear friend, upon whom we have set our
hearts, it should be a caution unto us not to set our affections
too firmly upon others; knowing that they may in like manner be
taken from us. Our affections should be placed upon God and His
work, more intensely than upon our fellow beings.

_Sunday, April 10_.--I preached in the Grove, and pronounced a curse upon all adulterers, and fornicators, and unvirtuous persons, and those who have made use of my name to carry on their iniquitous designs.

[The following brief synopsis of the Prophet's remarks is from the
journal of Elder Wilford Woodruff:]

{588} _Synopsis of Remarks of the Prophet--Reproof of all
Wickedness_.

Joseph the Seer arose in the power of God; reproved and rebuked
wickedness before the people, in the name of the Lord God. He
wished to say a few words to suit the condition of the general
mass, and then said: I shall speak with authority of the Priesthood
in the name of the Lord God, which shall prove a savor of life unto
life, or of death unto death. Notwithstanding this congregation
profess to be Saints, yet I stand in the midst of all [kinds of]
characters and classes of men. If you wish to go where God is, you
must be like God, or possess the principles which God possesses,
for if we are not drawing towards God in principle, we are going
from Him and drawing towards the devil. Yes, I am standing in the
midst of all kinds of people.

Search your hearts, and see if you are like God. I have searched
mine, and feel to repent of all my sins.

We have thieves among us, adulterers, liars, hypocrites. If God
should speak from heaven, he would command you not to steal, not to
commit adultery, not to covet, nor deceive, but be faithful over
a few things. As far as we degenerate from God, we descend to the
devil and lose knowledge, and without knowledge we cannot be saved,
and while our hearts are filled with evil, and we are studying
evil, there is no room in our hearts for good, or studying good.
Is not God good? Then you be good; if He is faithful, then you be
faithful. Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, and seek
for every good thing.

The Church must be cleansed, and I proclaim against all iniquity. A
man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge, for if he does not
get knowledge, he will be brought into captivity by some evil power
in the other world, as evil spirits will have more knowledge, and
consequently more power than many men who are on the earth. Hence
it needs revelation to assist us, and give us knowledge of the
things of God.

What is the reason that the Priests of the day do not get
revelation? They ask only to consume it upon their lust. Their
hearts are corrupt, and they cloak their iniquity by saying there
are no more revelations. But if any revelations are given of God,
they are universally opposed by the priests and Christendom at
large; for they reveal their wickedness and abominations.

Many other remarks of interest were made.

_Monday, 11_.--I was at the lodge and at home.

The following is from the _West Messenger_.

A Meteor Falls.

Mr. Horace Palmer who was on his way from Dunkirk to Westfield,
about three o'clock this morning, states that when about three
miles {589} from Dunkirk, he was suddenly surrounded by a painful
vivid light proceeding from a quantity of jelly-like substance,
which fell on and about him, producing a sulphurous smell, a
difficulty of breathing and a severe sensation of heat. As soon as
he could so far recover from his astonishment as to look up, he saw
the body of a terrific meteor passing above him, and appearing to
be about a mile high. Its size appeared to be three or four feet in
diameter, and nearly a mile in length. Its dimensions soon varied,
becoming at first broader, and then diminishing to one fourth less
than its former size, when it apparently separated in pieces, and
fell to the earth; and immediately after he heard the explosion,
which he says was tremendous.

When Mr. Palmer arrived at Westfield, his face had the appearance
of being severely scorched, and his eyes were much affected, and
he did not recover for two or three days. Mr. Palmer is reputed to
be a man of integrity and temperate habits; and his story, though
marvelous, is generally believed.

The meteor was seen by several other people, who speak of luminous
bodies being detached from it. Its progress was attended by a noise
similar to that of a train of cars on a railroad.

A man who saw it from Salem represents it to have been of
dimensions much larger than described by Mr. Palmer. The report of
the explosion was heard also at Buffalo.

[Sidenote: Council Meeting with the Twelve.]

_Tuesday, 12_.--I attended the meeting of the lodge. The Twelve, namely Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Pratt, William Smith, Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, John E. Page, and Willard Richards, clerk, assembled in the lodge room at four o'clock p. m., and appointed John Taylor, Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball a committee to make arrangements for the payments due from President Smith as Trustee in Trust, to Mr. Wilkie, and voted that Randolph Alexander go on a mission south to preach the Gospel. Also voted that the Twelve unite their influence to persuade the brethren to consecrate all the old notes, deeds, and obligations which they hold against each other to the building of the Temple in Nauvoo, and that Willard Richards write an epistle in the name of the Twelve on that subject, and publish it in the _Times and Seasons_, which he did as follows:

{590} _An Epistle of the Twelve to the Saints in America, Greeting_.

Beloved Brethren: We have whereof to congratulate you at the
present time, as we have the opportunity from day to day to witness
the progress of the building of the Temple of the Lord in this
city, and which is and must be accomplished by the united exertions
of the labors of the brethren who reside here, and the tithings and
contributions of those who are scattered abroad in the different
states.

In this glorious object the hearts of all the faithful are united,
the hands of the laborer are made strong continually, and the purse
strings of the more opulent are unloosed from time to time, to
supply those things which are necessary for upraising the stones of
this noble edifice; and it may truly be said that the blessing of
the Lord is upon His people; we have peace without and love within
the borders of our beautiful city; beautiful, indeed, for situation
is Nauvoo: the crown of the great valley of the Mississippi, the
joy of every honest heart.

Although all things are more prosperous concerning the Temple than
at any former period, yet the Saints must not suppose that all
is done, or that they can relax their exertions and the work go
on. It is a great work that God has required of His people, and
it will require long and unwearied diligence to accomplish it;
and redoubled diligence will be necessary with all, to get the
building enclosed before another winter, so that the joiner can be
employed during the cold weather; and we would again call upon all
the Saints abroad to unite in making their deposits in banks known
to be good and safe, and forward their certificate to the Trustee
in Trust, as speedily as possible; when trusty men are not coming
immediately to this place who can bring your offerings. All will
want the privileges and blessings of the sanctuary, when it is
completed; and all can have their wishes; but they can obtain them
only by faithfulness and diligence in striving to build.

We praise our God for the liberality that has hitherto been
manifested; many have given more than was required of them, many
have given their all, but they have done it cheerfully; they have
done it voluntarily; and they shall have a great reward; for the
blessings of heaven and earth shall be multiplied unto such; even
the blessings of that Priesthood which hath neither beginning of
days nor end of life.

While there are those who of their abundance have built unto
themselves fine houses, and who ride in fine carriages and on
horseback, and regale themselves with the good things of the land,
and at the same time they have left the Lord's house untouched, or,
if touched at all, have touched it so lightly as scarce to leave
the print of their little finger: their reward will be according
to their deeds, and unless they speedily repent, and come up with
their abundance to the help of the Lord, they will find in the end
that they have no part nor lot in this {591} matter; their gold and
silver will become cankered, their garments moth eaten, and they
will perish in their own slothfulness and idolatry, leaving none to
mourn their absence.

But, brethren, the Temple will be built. There are hundreds and
thousands who stand ready to sacrifice the last farthing they
possess on the earth rather than have the building of the Lord's
house delayed, all while this spirit prevails no power beneath the
heavens can hinder its progress: but we desire you all to help
with the ability which God has given you; that you may all share
the blessings which will distil from heaven to earth through this
consecrated channel.

This is not all. It will be in vain for us to build a place where
the Son of Man may lay his head, and leave the cries of the widow
and the fatherless, unheard by us, ascending up to the orphan's
God and widow's Friend. It is in vain, we cry Lord, Lord, and do
not the things our Lord hath commanded; to visit the widow, the
fatherless, the sick, the lame, the blind, the destitute, and
minister to their necessities; and it is but reasonable that such
cases should be found among a people who have but recently escaped
the fury of a relentless mob on the one hand, and gathered from the
half-starved population of the scattered nations on the other.

Neither is this all. It is not sufficient that the poor be fed and
clothed, the sick ministered unto, the Temple built--no, when all
this is accomplished, there must be a year of Jubilee: there must
be a day of rejoicing, there must be a time of release to Zion's
sons, or our offerings, our exertions, our hopes, and our prayers
will be in vain, and God will not accept of the doings of His
people.

On these days of darkness which overspread our horizon; when the
Wolf was howling for his prey around the streets of Kirtland; when
the burglar was committing his midnight and midday depredations
in Jackson county; when the heartless politician was thrusting
his envious darts in Clay county--and when the savage war whoop,
echoed and re-echoed through Far West, and Zion's noblest sons
were chained in dungeons, and her defenseless daughters driven
by a horde of savages, from their once peaceful homes, to seek a
shelter in a far distant land--many of the brethren stepped forward
to their rescue, and not only expended all they possessed for the
relief of suffering innocence, but gave their notes and bonds to
"obtain more means, with which to help those who could not escape
the overwhelming surge of banishment from all that they possessed
on earth."

Death, wounds, and sickness, from the mob, and the cold and
shelterless situation of the brethren, followed in quick
succession; and all the means which could possibly be obtained from
each other, in addition to the noble charities of the citizens of
Illinois, were brought into {592} requisition to sustain a remnant
of the Saints, who now mostly inhabit this place.

To accomplish this, the President and Bishops loaned money and such
things as could be obtained, and gave their obligations in good
faith for the payment of the same; and many of the brethren signed
with them at different times and in different places, to strengthen
their hands and help them carry out their designs; fully expecting,
that, at some future day, they would be enabled to liquidate all
such claims, to the satisfaction of all parties.

Many of these claims have already been settled; many have been
given up as cancelled by those who held them, and many yet remain
unsettled. The Saints have had many difficulties to encounter
since they arrived at this place. In a new country, destitute of
houses, food, clothing, and nearly all the necessaries of life,
which were rent from them by an unfeeling mob--having to encounter
disease and difficulties unnumbered, it is not surprising that the
Church has not been able to liquidate all such claims, or that
many individuals should yet remain involved, from the foregoing
circumstances; and while things remain as they are, and men
remain subject to the temptations of evil as they now are, the
day of release, and year of jubilee cannot be; and we write you
especially at this time, brethren, for the purpose of making a
final settlement of all such claims, of brother against brother; of
the brethren against the Presidency and Bishops, &c.; claims which
have originated out of the difficulties and calamities the Church
has had to encounter, and which are of long standing, so that when
the Temple is completed, there will be nothing from this source
to produce jars, and discords, strifes and animosities, so as to
prevent the blessings of heaven descending upon us as a people.

To accomplish this most desirable object, we call on all the
brethren who hold such claims, to bring them forward for a final
settlement; and also those brethren who have individual claims
against each other, of long standing, and the property of the
debtor has been wrested from him by violence, or he has been
unfortunate, and languished on a bed of sickness till his means are
exhausted; and all claims whatsoever between brother and brother,
where there is no reasonable prospect of a just and equitable
settlement possible, that they also by some means, either by
giving up their obligations, or destroying them, see that all such
old affairs be adjusted, so that it shall not give occasion for
difficulties to arise hereafter. Yes, brethren, bring all such
old accounts, notes, bonds, etc., and make a consecration of them
to the building of the Temple, and if anything can be obtained on
them, it will be obtained; and if nothing can be obtained, when the
Temple is completed, we will make a burnt-offering of them, even a
peace-offering, which shall bind {593} the brethren together in the
bonds of eternal peace, and love and union; and joy and salvation
shall flow forth into your souls, and you shall rejoice and say it
is good that we have harkened unto counsel, and set our brethren
free, for God hath blessed us.

How can we prosper while the Church, while the Presidency, while
the Bishops, while those who have sacrificed everything but life,
in this thing, for our salvation, are thus encumbered? It cannot
be. Arise, then, brethren, set them free, and set each other free,
and we will all be free together, we will be free indeed.

Let nothing in this epistle be so construed as to destroy the
validity of contracts, or give any one license not to pay his
debts. The commandment is to pay every man his dues, and no man can
get to heaven who justly owes his brother or his neighbor, who has
or can get the means and will not pay it; it is dishonest, and no
dishonest man can enter where God is.

We remain, your brethren in the Gospel of Peace,

Brigham Young, President,

Heber C. Kimball,

Orson Pratt,

William Smith,

John E. Page,

Lyman Wight,

Wilford Woodruff,

John Taylor,

Geo. A. Smith,

Willard Richards, Clerk.

_Military Appointments_.

James Arlington Bennett, of Arlington House, Long Island, is hereby
appointed Inspector-General of the Nauvoo-Legion, with the rank and
title of Major-General; his place to be supplied when absent, by
the Major-General of the Legion.

Joseph Smith, Lieutenant-General.

City of Nauvoo, Illinois, April 12th, A. D. 1842.

{594}