| New Portage, Ohio conference.
New Portage branch 100 members, Strongsville 15. David Matthews and Israel
W. Barlow reconcile. Matthews restored to fellowship. J. B. Bosworth charges
A. Palmer with assisting another brother abscond with debt money. Palmer
saved property that rightfully belonged to widow and orphans. Branch members
support Palmer. Acquitted. Elder Barkdall claims Elder Keeler owes him
for services rendered 8 or 9 years before. Both rebuked. Salmon Warner
and Micah B. Welton charge Bosworth with using harsh like language, unchristianlike
conduct toward Brother and Sister Meads; injured reputation of Mary Ann
Point. Guilty. Confess to injured and to church. Aaron Smith charges Milo
Hays with not obeying Word of Wisdom and covenant breaking. Hays excommunicated. |
| Date |
|
June 6, 1835 |
|
Kirtland council, 89–91. |
| Location |
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New Portage, Norton township, Medina county, Ohio |
|
|
| Description |
|
Elders and brethren of the church
of the Latter-Day Saints, met … |
|
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| Chair |
|
Oliver Cowdery |
|
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| Secretary |
|
Warren A. Cowdery |
|
The language of these minutes compared to
most minutes is indicative of Warren Cowdery's superior literary skills,
but after leaving the church he is depicted as incompetent. ¶ Argument
to Argument |
| Officers |
|
The brethren organize a council. Oliver is "called to the
chair" and Warren is "duly appointed secretary." |
|
| Age seniority |
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Council is seated by age. |
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| Open |
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Prayer. |
|
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| 108 members in New Portage |
|
Ambrose Palmer, "presiding Elder" of the New Portage branch reports
there are 108 members in the branch. |
|
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| 15 members in Strongsville |
|
Zebedee Coltrin, representing the Strongsville branch, reports
15 members in that branch. |
|
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| Matters of difficulty |
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The council then called on the presiding officer of the church, for all
matters of difficulty, (if any be had,) for adjudication by the council. |
|
Joseph's activities for this week are not well documented.
He may or may not be the "presiding officer of the church" referred to
here. |
| David Matthews previously disfellowshipped |
|
The case of Elder David Matthews is called, "he having been suspended
for unchristian conduct at a previous conference." |
|
David Matthews: On January 14, 1834,
Warren Cowdery wrote from Freedom, New York, that he heard David preach
the night before. "He appeared to be quite engaged, says he has a little
church of seven members in the town south of this, and more that he expects
will shortly be added to them. He informed me that he considered the
cause in that region prosperous. He also informed me that he had charge
of another church in Chautauque county, of about fifty members." EMS 2, no. 16 (Jan. 1834), 127. |
Contrite
Makes amends with Israel Barlow
Restored
|
|
After hearing from several acquainted with Elder Matthews, the council
agrees "there had been due contrition of spirit manifested by him in his
walk and conversation since his suspension." His request to discuss matters
with Israel W. Barlow, "with whom his former difficulty occurred," was
agreed to and after their meeting, Elder Matthews is "restored by a unanimous
vote of the council." |
|
| Ambrose Palmer charged as an
accessory |
|
Elder J. B. Bosworth referred a charge against Elder A. Palmer for aiding
and assisting a brother in this Church to abscond, who was involved in
debt, and for acting without the counsel of the Elders or brethren of the
church over which he presides. |
|
Ambrose Palmer ([1852]–1837), presiding elder
of New Portage branch.
Joseph Bosworth (1790–1850), b. in Scituate township, Providence
county, Rhode Island, md. Lucina Hopkins in 1815, d. in Copley, Ohio.
Lived in Otsego county, New York (1816) and Copley, Summit county, Ohio
(1818).
|
Witnesses: Palmer acted from
best of motives
Palmer confesses, with extenuating circumstances |
|
[Witnesses are called:] but none were found who were willing to criminate
brother Palmer, but all were compelled to say, from the conviction of their
own minds, that he had acted from [90] the best of motives. Brother Palmer
confessed he had helped away the absconding brother, but no property had
been secreted or carried away that was legally tangible if he had not absconded. |
|
| Property of widow and orphans |
|
… the property brother Palmer assisted to save, belonged of right
to a woman and some orphan Children, who had never benefitted by the property
received by him who contracted the debts. |
|
|
| Broke no law |
|
It was also satisfactorily proven, that no law of the land would have
covered any of the property that brother Palmer assisted the absconding
debtor to save, and that he might as well have moved openly as clandistinely. |
|
|
| Acquitted |
|
It was therefore resolved from a view of all the facts, that brother
Palmer should be acquitted of all the charges that were preferred against
him. |
|
|
| Keeler's appeal |
|
Elder Keeler's appeal of council's previous finding in favor of Elder
Barkdall for services rendered eight or nine years before is considered. |
|
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| Accused and accuser rebuked |
|
It appeared there had been a division in favor of Elder Barkdall, but
no test was produced by either of the parties to substantiate a claim or
prove a payment. It was therefore resolved that both the accused and the
accuser have manifested a bad spirit and deserve the severe rebuke of this
council. |
|
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| Intermission |
|
One hour intermission. |
|
|
| Joseph Bosworth charged with
harsh language, injuring reputation |
|
Elders Salmon Warner & Micah B. Welton preferred a charge with two
specifications against Elder Joseph B. Bosworth. First, that he (said Bosworth)
had used harsh language and had been guilty of unchristianlike conduct
toward brother Meads & his wife. Second, that said Bosworth had said
some things which had tended to injure the reputation of sister Mary Ann
Point. |
|
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| Guilty, directed to confess |
|
The specifications were so far substantiated by testimony, that the council
deemed him guilty, and that he ought to make confession to the injured
and to the Church. |
|
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| Charge of breaking Word of Wisdom |
|
Elder Aaron Smith charges Elder Milo Hays with not obeying the Word
of Wisdom and covenant breaking. |
|
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| Excommunicated |
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Both charges were amply sustained by testimony and the council unanimously
decided that said Hays be excluded from this Church. |
|
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| |
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Council adjourns. |
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| |
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Minutes of June 7, 1835
Minutes of May 2, 1835
Ohio Minutes
|