Minutes, circa 1 June 1833
-
Source Note
Minutes, , Geauga Co., OH, ca. 1 June 1833. Featured version copied [ca. 3 June 1833] in Minute Book 1, p. 12; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minute Book 1.
-
Historical Introduction
Though the following minutes are dated 3 June 1833 in Minute Book 1, the meeting they describe was much more likely held on 1 June. The minutes refer to a revelation on the dimensions of the “hou[se] of worship,” later known as the , and that revelation is dated 1 June—rather than 3 June—in both manuscript revelation books. The minutes also describe the participants’ inquiry that led to the revelation, as well as the actions they took as a result, indicating that JS dictated the revelation during the 1 June meeting. JS’s history also links this meeting to a subscription circular sent out by the building committee on 1 June to raise funds for the construction of the Kirtland temple. Still, a slight possibility exists that the events detailed in these minutes occurred on 3 June and that either the revelation was received in two parts, one portion on 1 June and the second on 3 June, or that the dates in the manuscript revelation books are incorrect.The minutes also recount the ’ decision in the ecclesiastical trial of , who was accused of “unchristian conduct with the female sex while on a mission to the east.” Hurlbut had been an by on 18 March 1833, and he and were instructed by a conference held the following day to “Journey together to the east & proclaim by the way.” On 5 April, after Copley and Hurlbut met up with several other missionaries in Conneaut, Ohio, a council of high priests was called “for the Purpose of Separating Doct Hurlburt [and] D. Copley,” suggesting the two men were experiencing difficulties working with one another. The council, headed by , reassigned Hurlbut to travel instead with “for the Cause of god.” The moral accusation leveled against Hurlbut apparently stemmed from incidents that occurred while he was Hyde’s traveling companion. Hyde later stated that when “Mr. Hurlbert was a member in our church, and an elder also, it fell to my lot to travel with him to preach the gospel; and it was at my instance that a charge was preferred against him before the Council of the Church for an attempt at seduction and crime. He was expelled.” Hurlbut was not present at this “ of High Priests,” which cut him off from the church. Upon learning of his excommunication, Hurlbut returned to , Ohio, and asked for his case to be reheard by JS and the court of the .
Footnotes
-
1
Revelation, 1 June 1833 [D&C 95]; see also Revelation, 1 June 1833, in Revelation Book 1, p. 181 [D&C 95].
-
2
The 1 June revelation chastised the committee for not taking steps to build the house of God, likely motivating its members to draft the circular. (Hyrum Smith et al., Kirtland, OH, to “the Churches of Christ,” 1 June 1833, in JS Letterbook 1, pp. 36–38; JS History, vol. A-1, 297–300.)
-
3
Minute Book 1, 18 and 19 Mar. 1833.
-
4
Hyrum Smith, Diary, 5 Apr. 1833, [12]–[13]; see also Coltrin, Diary and Notebook, 4–6 Apr. 1833.
Smith, Hyrum. Diary, Mar.–Apr. 1839, Oct. 1840. CHL. MS 2945.
Coltrin, Zebedee. Diary and Notebook, 1832–1833. Zebedee Coltrin, Diaries, 1832–1834. CHL. MS 1443, fd. 2.
-
5
Orson Hyde, London, England, to George J. Adams, Bedford, England, 7 June 1841, in Winchester, Plain Facts, 26.
Winchester, Benjamin. Plain Facts, Shewing the Origin of the Spaulding Story, concerning the Manuscript Found, and Its Being Transformed into the Book of Mormon; with a Short History of Dr. P. Hulbert, the Author of the Said Story . . . Re-published by George J. Adams, Minister of the Gospel, Bedford, England. To Which Is Added, a Letter from Elder S. Rigdon, Also, One from Elder O. Hyde, on the Above Subject. Bedford, England: C. B. Merry, 1841.
- 6
-
1
Cite this page
