Conference Minutes

Minutes of the Mississippi and Alabama conferences, held in Cypry, Tuscaloosa county, Ala., on the 12th of April 1844.

Conference was organized by calling Elder Benjamin L. Clapp to the chair, and appointing elder John Brown clerk.

The president then arose and stated the object of the meeting and gave some valuable instruction to the saints.

Conference then adjourned until to-morrow 11 o'clock.

Saturday 13th, conference met pursuant to adjournment, a hymn was sung, and the throne of grace was addressed by the president, after which the following branches were represented.

Cypry branch, represented by George W. Steward, consisting of 50 members, two elders, one priest, one teacher and one deacon, all in good standing.

Boguechetto branch, represented by L. J. Utley, consisting of 22 members, two elders one priest, one teacher and one deacon, all in good standing.

Pleasant Springs branch, represented by Charles M. Johnson, consisting of 23 members, two elders, one priest and one teacher, all in good standing.

Running Tiger branch, represented by James M. Flake, consisting of 15 members, one elder, all in good standing.

Running Water branch, represented by B. L. Clapp, consisting of 29 members, two elders, all in good standing.

Flat Wood branch, represented by B. L. Clapp, consisting of 36 members, two elders and one priest, all in good standing.

Five Mile branch, represented by Juththan Avrett, consisting of 17 members, one elder, one priest and one teacher, all in good standing.

Resolved, That Brother Benjamin Mathews, James Ritchie, Juththan Avrett and Augustus Skinner, be ordained elders, and brother Rodolphus Keeth, be ordained a priest; after which they were ordained under the hands of elders Clapp and Johnson.

The president then arose and gave some valuable instruction to the young elders, urging them to stick close to the first principles of the gospel; also showing the inconsistancy [inconsistency] of young elders trying to explain John's seven headed and ten horned monster, and such like things that occur in the scriptures; he also gave instructions on the use of the gifts of the spirit.

Resolved, that this conference withdraw the hand of fellowship from elder Amos Hodges, for refusing to attend the conference to answer to a charge prefered [preferred] against him.

Official members present, seven elders two priests, three teachers and two deacons.

Conference adjourned for fifteen minutes.

Conference assembled again; prayer by elder Johnson.

The President then addressed the conference on the subject of the gathering, and building the Temple and Nauvoo House, showing the southern brethren the pains and labors of the brethren in Nauvoo to build those houses; although many of them have been robbed two or three times. He urged the necessity of the whole body being equally engaged in keeping the commandments of God, even in building an house unto the Lord, in fulfilment [fulfillment] of the prophets who have spoke of the great work of God in the last days. He also urged the southern brethren to take the Nauvoo papers, that they might be able to successfully meet the slang that is hurled forth against the truth.

Resolved, That a copy of these minutes be transmitted to the editor of the Times and Seasons for publication.

Conference then adjourned till the 12th day of July next, to be held in Noxby county, Mississippi.

BENJAMIN L. CLAPP, Prest.

John Brown, Clerk.

Minutes of a general conference of the elders of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. held in Dresden, Weakly county, Tennessee, May 25th, 1844.

Conference met in the court house, according to previous appointment. Elder A. O. Smoot, was appointed president, and D. P. Rainey secretary. A hymn was sung, after which the president proceeded to open the meeting by singing and prayer; and then in a

brief manner stated the object of the meeting; and gave general instructions to the elders present.

He then presented General Joseph Smith of Nauvoo, Illinois, as a suitable candidate for the presidency of the United States; presenting the General's "views on the powers and policy of the government," with his claims on this government, for the consideration of all present; and then the conference adjourned.

About this time, a mob of some two hundred persons, assembled at the door, and rushed into the house amongst men, women, and children, led on by a certain lawyer of the baser sort, by the name of M. D. Caldwell, Doct. Bell, Constable Wilbanks, Sheriff Ridgeway, Esq. Latham, A. Gardner and others, honorable peace officers, sworn to support the constitution. The Constitution guaranteeing, the privilege to all men, of worshipping Almighty God according to the dictates of their own conscience. Also, the privilege of citizens to offer for president, &c. &c. But our firmness caused them to recede. However the Sheriff in a trembling voice, said the people were opposed to our holding meetings there, and this was a fair sample of their decision.

But soon we were invited to the houses of some of the most honorable men in the place. Accordingly we met and held a meeting for the afternoon, at the house of Mr. John E. Ray.-H. D. Buys spoke at length on the literal fulfilment [fulfillment] of prophesy. D. P. Rainey followed with a discourse on the first principles of the gospel, followed by Elder W. L. Cutler. Adjourned.

26th. Met at Brother William's camp. D. P. Rainey opened the meeting by singing and prayer. Elder Wm. L. Cutler delivered a lecture on the literal fulfilment [fulfillment] of prophesy.-Bro's. A. Young, J. Mount, and S. Heath, arrived about 12 o'clock. Conference adjourned. Met at 3 o'clock. Elder A. O. Smoot delivered an interesting discourse on the resurrection. Conference adjourned till 7 o'clock. Met pursuant to adjournment; when by request, Elder A. Young delivered a lecture on the party politics, as taught by aspiring demagogues of the present day; those of the dominant parties now before the people of the United States. He then presented the "views of General Smith on the powers and policy of the government," to the conference and contrasted them: concluding his remarks with an animated eulogium [eulogy] on Gen. Jackson's administration and held him to view as the standard of democracy. Conference adjourned. 27th.-Conference met. Bro. William Camp was appointed elector for this district. After which it was decided that this conference have three thousand copies of Gen. Smith's views printed for immediate distribution. Fourteen elders present. Conference adjourned.

A. O. SMOOT, Chairman.

D. P. Rainey, Secretary.

Minutes of a conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, held at Preston, Halifax Co. Province of Nova Scotia, according to previous appointment, April 5th, 1844.

Conference met at 10 o'clock; and after singing and prayer, Elder Robert Dickson presented before the meeting the object of the conference.

Conference was then organized by appointing Elder R. Dickson, Chairman, and Elder Edward Cooke Clerk.

The right hand of fellowship was withdrawn from Samuel Crow, Tobias J. Miller, Sarah Miller, George W. Miller, and George G. Dunbrack.

Conference adjourned at 6 o'clock, to meet again at 7 P. M.

At 7 o'clock, conference re-assembled.

Resolved, That Bro. Robert Gordon be ordained to the office of deacon of this branch.

Bro. Gordon was then accordingly ordained under the hands of Elders Dickson, Cooke and Skerry.

Representation of branches.-The Preston branch represented by Elder Cooke, consists of 11 members, 2 of them doubtful, 1 elder, 1 priest, 1 teacher, and 1 deacon; 3 having been cut off as above.

The Halifax branch represented by Elder Dickson, consists of 14 members, 2 of them doubtful, 2 elders, and 1 deacon; 2 cut off as above.

4 members at Onslow, Colchester co., N. S., represented by elder Dickson.

6 members at Popes Harbor and 1 elder; also 2 members at Sheet Harbor, represented by Elder Dickson, all baptized by him.

Resolved, That the saints uphold the first presidency by their prayers.

Resolved, That a copy of the minutes of this conference, be transmitted to Nauvoo, for publication in the Times and Seasons.

The sacrament of the Lord's supper was then administered.

2 infants were blessed under the hands of Elder Dickson.

The minutes of the conference were read and accepted. The conference adjourned sine die.

R. DICKSON, Pres't

Edward Cooke, Clerk.