Mormon History, Apr 6, 1843

-- Apr 6, 1843
[Prophecy] Rising Generation - "There are those of the rising generation who shall not taste death till Christ comes." History of the Church, v5, p 336 -- Critics claim this prophecy was not fulfilled. (1)

-- Apr 6, 1843 (Thursday)
An important conference, which continued its sessions till the 8th, was commenced on the floor of the Temple, at Nauvoo, Ill. Joseph Smith prophesied that Christ would not come until he (Joseph) was eight-five years of age. (2)

At a conference held in the Temple, at Kirtland, O., it was decided that all the Saints residing at that place should remove to Nauvoo, Ill. (2)

-- Apr. 6-9, 1843
[Joseph Smith] General conference is held on the unfinished temple floor in Nauvoo. (3)

-- Apr 7, 1843
Orrin Porter Rockwell confined in Independence, MO. (4)

[Joseph Smith Diary] Friday, April 7th 1843 Assembled at 10 according to adjournment. President Marks presented the request of Sister Van Hymon, Milan Webb, [and] Sister Dodds /for/ the prayers of the conference. Singing by Quoir. President /Joseph/ rather hoarse from speaking so long yesterday said he would use the boys lungs to day.
Prayer by O[rson] Hyde. Appeals from the Elders were then called for. Elder Brown arose. Said Elder Winchester called for his license but he did not give it. Set down with the President, B[righam] Young presiding. Jedidiah M. Grant was voted should go to Philadelphia and preside there.
Also Joshua Grant go to Cincinati to preside. Voted that Peletiah Brown go to the village of Palmyra in the state of N[ew] York and build up a church.
Bro[ther] Brown signified his willingness to go any where the conference shall direct. Singing by Quoir.
Temple committee were called up for trial at 11 o'clock. /W[illia]m Clayton said/ some many expect I am going to be a means of a downfall of the Temple committee. Tis not so, but I design to show they have been partial.
Elder Higby has over run the amount allowed by trustees about 1/4. P[r]etty much all Elder Higby's son has received [has been] in money and store pay. Higby's son has had nothing credited for his tenth.
Elder Cahoon, W[illia]m S. Cahoon has paid all his tenth. The others of Cahoon's sons have had nothing to their credit in tenth. The committee have had a great amount of store pay. One man who is laboring continually wanted 25 c[en]ts in store when his family were sick. Higby said he could not have it.
W[illia]m S. Cahoon was never appointed a boss over the cutting shop, but was requested to keep an amount of labor in the shop. During the last 6 months very little has been brought into the committee.
There are certain individuals in this city who are watching every man who has any thing to give the Temple, to get it from him and pay for the same in his labor.
Elder Cutler said he did not know of any wrong. If any one would shew it he would make it right. Voted, clear, unanimously.
Elder Cahoon said this is not an unexpected matter at all, to be called up. I do not want you to thing [think] I am perfect. Some how or other, since Elder Cutler went up into the pine country, I have, from some cause, been placed [in] very peculiar circumstances. I think I never was placed in so tight a screw since I was born. Been screwed to the back bone.
The Marshall brought up a man for disorderly conduct. Mayor fined him $5.00 or go out of the crowd. The [several lines blank]
Cahoon said, the better people have known my proceedings, the better they have liked them. When President Smith had goods last summer we had better property. Goods would not bye corn without some cash. Instead of horses &c., we took store pay. I have dealt out meal and flour to the hands to the last ounce when I had not a morsel of bread, meal, or flour in my house. If the Trustee Bro[ther] Hyrum or the Twelve [Apostles] or /all/ will examine and see if I have too much it shall go freely. I call upon all the brethren if they have anything to bring it forward and have it adjusted.
Hyrum said he felt it his duty to defend the committee so far as he could. He would as soon go to hell as be a committee, but to make a comparison for the Temple committee. A little boy came in and said he saw an elephant on a tree and the people did not believe it, and they looked and it was only an owl.
Cahoon said when Bro[ther] Cutler was gone, Higbee kept the books, and we have found as many mistakes against Bro[ther] Higby, as in his favor. Voted unanimously clear in his favor.
Elder Higby said I am not afraid or ashamed to appear before you. When I kept the books I had much other business and made some mistakes. My house was built out of a lot I bo[ugh]t of Hiram Kimball &c., &c. Not much of it from the Temple. Voted in favor of Elder Higbee, unanimously.
President Joseph stated that the business of the conference had closed and the remainder of the conference would be devoted to instruction. It is an insult to the meeting to have people run out of meeting /just/ before we close. If they must go let them go 1/2 hour before. No gentleman will go out of meeting just at close.
Singing by Choir. 12 1/2 [P.M.] adjourned till 2 o'clock. Prayer by B[righam] Young.
2 1/2 /25 mi[nutes]/ P.M. singing and Prayer by B[righam] Young opened the conference. Elder O[rson] Pratt read 7 chapter Daniel, 9 verse &c.
[Elder Pratt remarked,] "The 2d advent of the Son of God is a subject which occupies the attention of the people of this day. The Latter day Saints believe he will come at least 1000 years before the final consummation. Millerites believe he will make his 2d advent in a few months, but they will find themselves mistaken.
"Mistaken as they are, good will come out of the investigation. It will arouse the attention of Multitudes to the facts as they exist or will open the minds of the people to the truth when it shall be proclaimed by the Elders of Israel. They believe that the stone is not to strike the image on his feet till the 2d advent and a kingdom will come direct front heaven. We believe God will not destroy the kingdom of the earth till he has set /up/ his own kingdom.
"Do Millerites look for more revelation? No! They raise the midnight cry but does not tell the people what to do. Latter D[ay] S[aints] /are the/ most reasonable and the most inteligent of any people on the face of the whole earth. I have heard /them/ 13 years. /I had as/ [likely] worship a hors[e] or a stump as a God who gives no instructions to his people.
"Ancient of Days. One came to the Ancient of Days. Many suppose this was the son. After judgment [is] set Son of Man comes to Ancient of Days. The most Ancient Man of God that lived in days. [Or] Else he could not have been called the Ancient of Days. Father Adam is to come and organize a great Council to prepare for the coming of the 2d advent. Jesus comes to the Ancient of Days. We believe in Mirad[e]s and they do not. Angels will come /and/ the heavens /will be/ opened [to] send forth angels to prepare the earth for Christ's 2d Coming.
"One man thinks he is authorized to call on men to repent &c. I defy any one to scorn the errors of any generation without revelations.
"Resurrection of the body is denyed by many because it is contrary to the laws of nature, because flesh and bones are constantly changing, completely new in 7 or 10 years. If this is true a man in 70 years would have matter enough for 10 different bodies. Objector says this resurrection cannot be true, for if so, men would be quarreling which body belong[s] to himself and others. Who shall have the best right to it.
"I do not believe that more than 3/4 of our bodies is comprised of animal organization, but is purely vegetable. Hence through all the 70 years a man will have one or two parts, which will be the same original. If he receives the matter he was in possession of 50 years before he died, he has the same body. The people living in the house are the occupants of the house and the house though repaired all through its different parts from time to time even to new timbers throughout; yet it is said to be the same house still."
While the choir was singing, President Joseph remarked to Elder Rigdon this day is a Millenium. It is a millenium within these walls. There is nothing but peace (nothing to be seen from the stand but the heads and bodies of the congregation, as they stood on the walls and covered the walls and the floor it was one mass of Saints or people. To speak was literally speaking to the people for there was nothing else to be seen.)
25 [minutes] past 3 [P.M.] Elder W[illia]m Smith said he had no doubt but that many who were baptized by John enjoyed much of the religion of Jesus, but when he came there was more light, and unless they followed it the light that they had received became darkness. If the sects have any power it is only such as they have usurped from the Pope. No man has authority except he be sent.
While bewildering clouds spread their glooming wings over our horizons and the Almighty sits in the heavens laughing at our ignorance, the Midnight cry /is raised and/ what shall I cry? All tables are become unclean. What shall I cry? They have changed transgressed /the laws, changed ordinances,/ broken the everlasting covenant! What [-] shall [I do to] retain my darling religion against this "new light" or Mormonism. I have about as much religion as others, but I have not got so much but what I might receive a little more. When I pray for more light and God bestows it, I will not say as the poor Negro who prayed behind the Stone wall if what he said was not true, he hoped the stone wall would fall on him /when/ some one pushed a stone on his head, poor negro cried out I did not mean what I said.
So with sectarians about Rev[elations] and healings. Said had had a conversation with a Reverand Presbyterian who asked me what I believed. I told him we believed the gospel as preached by the ancient apostles and to leave the first principles and go on to perfection. O[h] said the Rev[erand] Presbyterian that means leaving their dead works, but said I how can I leave the first principles before I embrace them? O said /he/ these are some of the Mysteries of the kingdom. We know but little about them. Tis no more care to agree with you, it's a stump. Unfurl the golden banner. We will stay in Sodom till we are burned. We will stay in Jerusalem till the Romans come and burn the temple of the great God. For if we escape the calamities it will prove we are not true. [several lines left blank]
(The ice started down stream of considerable dimensions west of the stand or temple. Up nearly opposite the old Post office building.)
4:45 [P.M.] Joseph said to complete the subject of Bro[ther] Pratt's. "I thought it a glorious subject with one additional idea /addition/. Their is no fundamental principle belonging to a human System that "ever goes into another /in this world or the world to come/." The principle of Bro[ther] Pratt was correct. I care not what the theories of men are. We have the testimony that God will raise us up and he has power to do it. If any one supposes that any part of our bodies that is the fundamental parts thereof, ever goes into another body he is mistaken."
5:00 [P.M.] Choir sung and notice [given] that Bro[ther] Joseph will preach tomorrow morning at 10 [A.M.]. Prayer by Elder Taylor. (5)


Footnotes:
1 - Wikipedia, Prophesies of Joseph Smith, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophecies_of_Joseph_Smith,_Jr.
2 - Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology
3 - Conklin, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology
4 - Tidd, N. R., "Mormon Chronology"
5 - Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1843


LDS History Timeline
(coming to facebook and twitter on June 27th, 1843)

About this site: http://bit.ly/mohist

No comments:

Post a Comment