Special Conference

Thursday Morning, April 6, 1893.

11 o'clock, A. M.

A special Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was convened on the platform of the Temple. There were present, Hyrum Smith, Patriarch: Brigham Young, H. C. Kimball, Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, Geo A. Smith, and W. Richards, of the Quorum, of the Twelve; and a very large assembly of the elders and saints.

Elder Brigham Young announced that President Joseph Smith was detained on business,

but would be present soon. He called upon the choir to sing an Hymn. Elder Amasa Lyman opened by prayer, and another Hymn was sung. Elder Orson Pratt then read the 3d chapter of the 2d epistle of Peter, and spoke upon the subject of the resurrection. At ten minutes before 12 o'clock President Joseph Smith, Elder Sidney Rigdon, and Elder Orson Hyde arrived.

At 12 o'clock Elder Pratt gave way for the business of the Conference.

President Joseph Smith commenced by saying, We all ought to be thankful for the privilege we enjoy this day, of meeting so many of the Saints, and for the warmth and brightness of the heavens over our heads,-and it truly makes the countenances of this great multitude to look cheerly [cheerily], and gladdens the hearts of all present.

He next stated the object of the meeting, which was,

First, to ascertain the standing of the first presidency, which he should do by presenting himself before the conference for trial.

Second, to take into consideration the expediency of sending out the Twelve, or some of them, or somebody else, amongst the branches of the church, to obtain stock to build the Nauvoo House, for the time has come to build it.

Third, the elders will have the privilege of appeals from the different conferences, to this, if any such cases exist. These, said the president, are the principle items of business which I have at present to lay before you. This is not a general, but an annual conference.

It is necessary that this conference give importance to the Nauvoo House. A prejudice exists against building the Nauvoo House, in favor of the Lord's House, and the conference are required to give stress to the building of the Nauvoo House. This is the most important matter for the time being, for there is no place in this city, where men of wealth, and character, and influence, from abroad, can go to repose themselves, and it is necessary we should have such a place. The church must build it or abide the result of not fulfilling the commandment.

President Joseph then asked the conference if they were satisfied with the First Presidency, so far as he was concerned, as an individual, to preside over the whole church; or would they have another? If, said he, I have done anything that ought to injure my character, reputation, or standing; or have dishonored our religion by any means in the sight of men, or angels, or in the sight of men and women, I am sorry for it, and if you will forgive me, I will endeavor to do so no more. I do not know that I have done anything of the kind; but if I have, come forward and tell me of it. If any one has any objection to me, I want you to come boldly and frankly, and tell of it; and if not, ever after hold your peace.

Motion was made and seconded that President Joseph Smith continue president of the whole church. After a few minutes silence, the motion was put by President Young, when one vast sea of hands was presented, and the motion was carried unanimously.

President Joseph returned his thanks to the assembly for the manifestation of their confidence, and said he would serve them according to the best ability God should give him.

The first presidency being disposed of, President Joseph said he did not know any thing against the Twelve if he did he would present them for trial. It is not right that all the burden of the Nauvoo House, should rest on a few individuals; and we will now consider the propriety of sending the Twelve to collect means for the Nauvoo House. There has been to great a solicitude, in individuals, for the building of the temple, to the exclusion of the Nauvoo House. The agents have had too great latitude to practice fraud, by receiving donations and never making report. The church has suffered loss, and I am opposed to that system of collecting funds when any elder may receive moneys.

I am opposed to any man's handling the public funds of the church who is not duly authorzed [authorized].

I advise that some means be devised for transacting business on a sure foundation. The Twelve are the most suitable persons to perform this business; and I want the conference to devise some means to bind them as firm as the pillars of heaven, if possible. The Twelve were always honest, and it will do them no hurt to bind them.

It has been reported that they receive wages at two dollars per day for their services. I have never heard this till recently, and I do not believe it. I know the Twelve have never had any wages at all. They have fulfilled their duty-they have always gone where they were sent, and have labored with their hands for their support, when at home. If we send them into the world to collect funds, we want them to return those funds to this place, that they may be appropriated to the very purpose for which they were designed. I go in for binding up the Twelve, solid, putting them under bonds; and let this conference institute an order to this end, and that the travelling [traveling] expenses of the agent shall not be borne out of the funds collected for building these houses, and let no man pay money or stock into the hands of the Twelve, except he transmit

an account of the same immediately to the Trustee in trust; and let no man but the Twelve have authority to act as agent for the temple and Nauvoo House.

I would suggest the propriety of your saying that no money should ever be sent by any man except it be some one whom you have appointed as agent, and stop every other man from receiving moneys. It has been customary for any elder to receive moneys for the Temple when he is travelling [traveling], but this system of things opens a wide field for every kind of imposition, an any man can assume the name of a Mormon elder, and gather his pockets full of money and go to Texas. Many complaints have come to me of money being sent that I have never received. I will mention one case. He is a good man; his name is Russell, from Akron, New York. His brother had been east on business for him, and there received twenty or twenty-five dollars, as a donation to the Temple, which he put in Russel's [Russell's] bag, with his money, and forgot to take it out before he returned the bag. Two or three days after his return, he called on his brother for the money belonging to the church; but Russell thought his brother had paid out too much of his money, and he would keep the church's money to make good his own. I called to see Russell about the money, and he treated me very politely, but did not give me to understand he ever meant to pay it. He said he did not know at the time, that there was any church money in the bag; that he paid it out, and he had none now.

[The brother who brought the money from the east, stated to the conference, that he did not think it was because his brother was short of funds, that he kept it, for he had money enough. He had told him that he should not be out of funds again; that his brother had twenty dollars of the church funds, and some dried fruit for the president.]

President Joseph resumed I give this as a sample of a thousand instances. We cannot give an account to satisfy the people, on the church books, unless something is done. I propose that you send your moneys for the Temple by the Twelve, some one, or all; or some agent of your own choosing, and if you send by others, and the money is lost, 'tis lost to yourselves; I cannot be responsible for it.-Every thing that falls into my hands shall be appropriated to the very thing it was designed for.

Next, it is wrong for the church to make a bridge of my nose, in appropriating church funds. The incorporation required of me securities, which were lodged in the proper hands as the law directs; and I am responsible for all that comes into my hands.

Next, the Temple Committee are bound to me in the sum of $2000, with good securities. If they appropriate any property where they ought not, they are liable to me for it; and the church are running to them, with funds every day, and thus make a bridge over my nose. I am not responsible for it. If you put it into the hands of the Temple Committee, I, nor my clerk, know nothing of it.

So long as you consider me worthy to hold this office, it is your duty to attend to the legal forms belonging to the business; and if not, put some other one in my place. My desire is that the conference minutes may go forth in such form, as those abroad may learn the order of doing business; and that the Twelve be appointed to this special mission, of collecting funds for the Nauvoo House; so that all may know how to send their funds safe, or bring them themselves, and deliver them to the Trustee in Trust, or my clerk, who can always be be found in my office. Who are the Temple Committee that they should receive the funds? They are nobody.

When I went to the White House, at Washington, and presented letters of introduction, from Thomas Carlin, Governor of Illinois, to Martin Van Buren, he looked at it very insignificantly and said, 'Governor Carlin! Governor Carlin!! who's Governor Carlin? Governor Carlin's nobody." I erred in spirit, I confess my mistake; and I here make my apology to all the world, and let it be recorded on earth and in heaven, that I am clear of the sin of being angry with Martin Van Buren for saying that "Governor Carlin's nobody." I have been sorry for it ever since. All property ought to go through the hands of the Trustee in Trust.

There have been complaints against the Temple Committee for appropriating church funds more freely for the benefit of their own children, than to others, who need assistance more than they do; and the parties may have till Saturday to prepare for trial.

It was then voted unanimously that the Twelve be appointed a committee to collect funds to build the Nauvoo House, and receive moneys for the Temple, with this proviso:

That the Twelve give bonds for the safe delivery of all funds, coming into their hands, belonging to the Nauvoo House and Temple, to the Trustee in Trust, and that the payor [payer], also, make immediate report to the Trustee in Trust, of all moneys paid by him to the Twelve; and that the instructions of President Joseph Smith, to the conference, be carried into execution.

Elder W. W. Phelps proposed that the Twelve sign triplicate receipts, for moneys received, for the benefit of the parties concerned.

Elder Brigham Young objected, and said he should never give receipts for cash, except such as he put into his own pocket, for his own use; for it was calculated to make trouble hereafter, and there were better methods of transacting the business; and more safe for the parties concerned; that he wished this speculation to stop, and would do all in his power to put it down: To which the Twelve responded, amen. Elder Young asked if any one knew any thing against any one of the Twelve, any dishonesty; if they did, he wanted it exposed; he said he knew of one who was not dishonest. He also referred to muzzling the ox that treadeth out the corn, &c.

President Joseph said, I will answer Brother Brigham. The Twelve need not spend all their time abroad, they can spend the time belonging to the Temple, for to collect funds; and the remainder of the time they may labor for their support; and they may call on the public to supply their wants. It is no more for the Twelve to go abroad and earn their living in this way than it is for others. The idea of not muzzling the ox, is a good old Quaker song, but we will make the ox tread out the corn first and then feed him. I am bold to declare that I have never taken the first farthing of church funds for my own use, till I have first consulted the proper authorities. When there was no quorum of the Twelve or high priests for me to consult, I have asked the Temple Committee, who had no particular business with it, but did it for the sake of peace. [Elder Cutler said it was so.] Let the conference stop all agents from collecting funds, except the Twelve.-When a man is sent to preach the first principles of the gospel, he should preach that and let the rest alone.

The choir sung a hymn, and elder O. Hyde prayed, and Twelve minutes before 2 o'clock P. M., conference adjourned for one hour.

3 o'clock, P. M.

Patriarch, Hyrum Smith, commenced by saying that he had some communications to make to the conference, on stealing, and he would do it while waiting for Joseph; and referred to the article in the last number of the 'Wasp.' Said he, I have had an interview with a man who formerly belonged to the church, and he revealed to me that there is a band of men, and some who pretend to be strong in the faith of the doctrine of the Latter Day Saints, but they are hypocrites, and some who do not belong to the church, who are bound together by secret oaths, and obligations and penalties, to keep the secret; and they hold that it is right to steal from any one who does not belong to the church provided they consecrate two-thirds of it to the building of the temple. They are also making bogus money.

This man says he has become convinced of the error of his ways, and has come away from them to escape their fury. I wish to warn you all not be duped by such men, for they are the Gadianters of the last days.

He then read from the Wasp as re-published from the Times and Seasons, his own affidavit and the proceedings of the authorities of the church generally, dated Nov. 26, 1841. The man who told me said, "this secret band refer to the bible, book of Doctrine and Covenants, and book of Mormon to substantiate their doctrine:" but no such doctrines are taught there.

They say it has been taught from this stand, that they are the little foxes that spoil the vines, and the first Presidency are the big foxes: and the big foxes wanted the little foxes to get out of the city and spread abroad, so that the big foxes might have a chance; which every body knows is false: all these things are used to decoy the foolish and unwary.

I will mention two names, David Holman and James Dunn, they were living in my house I went to them and asked them if they were stealing for a livelihood? Holman confessed that he had stolen from the world, not from the brethren. I told them to get out of my house. David asked me to forgive him, and he lifted his hands towards heaven and swore if I would forgive him he would never do so again. Soon after he went to Montrose, where he was found stealing salt, as is currently reported; he then stole a skiff and came across the river, stole a barrel of flour that had just been landed from a steamer, rowed down the river to Keokuk and sold the flower for $2.00, saying he had picked it up in the river, and was likely a little damaged, got his pay, and went his way. Dunn would not promise to quit stealing, but said he would go to St. Louis. I tell you to-day, the man that steals shall not long after be brought to the Penitentiary. They will soon be brought to condign punishment. I demand in the presence of God that you will exert your wit and your power to bring such characters to justice, if you do not the curse of God will rest upon you, such things would ruin any people. Should I catch a latter day saint stealing, he is the last man to whom I would shew [show] mercy.

President Joseph Smith said, I think it best to continue this subject. I want the elders to make honorable proclamation abroad concerning what the feelings of the first presidency is, for stealing has never been tolerated by them. I

despise a thief above ground. He would betray me if he could get the opportunity. I would know that he would be a detriment to my cause., and if I were the biggest rogue in the world, he would steal my horse when I wanted to run away.

It has been said that some were afraid to disclose what they know of these secret combinations, consequently I issued a proclamation which you may read in the Wasp, No, 48, which the president read