Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 2, 1 March–6 May 1845

Council of Fifty, “Record,” 4 Feb. 1845.  

The high council met the previous Saturday, 15 March 1845, to consider charges against Adams. The charges, brought by Brigham Young and based on various reports received by Young and others, included inappropriate fund raising, boasting, and entering into unauthorized plural marriages under the direction of William Smith while Adams was on a mission in the eastern United States during fall 1844 and early 1845. In October 1844 Wilford Woodruff, traveling through the eastern states en route to a mission in England, warned Young that Adams and Smith, along with Samuel Brannan, had mixed church affairs with Democratic Party politics, were “Uniting together in Begging money,” and had engaged in sexual immorality under the pretext of their “spiritual wife claims” (that is, plural marriages not authorized by Young as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles). Furthermore, they were preaching that Adams “was the great Apostle to the gentiles as Paul even was the 13[th] Apostle.” Woodruff stated that Adams, Smith, and Brannan worked to build themselves up “instead of the Temple the Twelve & Nauvoo.” When Parley P. Pratt arrived in the eastern states in December 1844 to supervise the church there, he also condemned the actions of the “Great apostles of the Gentiles.” The trial focused on the charges of fiscal and sexual misconduct, although the claim that “he was appointed Joseph’s Spokesman” was briefly discussed. Adams denied that he had claimed he was JS’s spokesman and “explained about the Temple money,” arguing that the church actually owed him money. In addition, Adams admitted that he had been sealed to three women by William Smith. The conduct of Smith and Adams, Young stated, had “ripped” the church in the eastern states “all to pieces.” Adams said that “he knows he has done wrong. He dont deny what Pres. Young has said.” At the conclusion of the trial, Young stated that “he wanted Brother Adams to sit down and write that he has done wrong, that he asks forgiveness, and is willing henceforth to listen to council, and do right without criminating any one else.” He also required that Adams recognize the “proper authorities of this Church” and indicate his loyalty to the Twelve. (Wilford Woodruff, Boston, MA, to Brigham Young, Nauvoo, IL, 9 and 14 Oct. 1844; Wilford Woodruff, Philadelphia, PA, to Brigham Young, Nauvoo, IL, 3 Dec. 1844, Brigham Young Office Files, CHL; Parley P. Pratt, “Proclamation,” Prophet, 4 Jan. 1845, [2]; Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 15 Mar. 1845; see also Brigham Young, Nauvoo, IL, to Parley P. Pratt, 10 Apr. 1845, copy, Brigham Young Office Files, CHL; Brigham Young, “Notice to the Churches Abroad,” Times and Seasons, 15 Apr. 1845, 6:878.)  

Brigham Young Office Files, 1832–1878. CHL. CR 1234 1.

The Prophet. New York City, NY. May 1844–Dec. 1845.

Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.