| Conference considers
Sidney Rigdon's written charges against Bishop Edward Partridge and writes
Kirtland that Edward has confessed and asked forgiveness for some, others
are unjust. Time to put it behind them. |
| Date |
|
March 10, 1832 |
|
FWR,
40–42, |
| Location |
|
Zion |
|
|
| Description |
|
… a special Conference
in Zion … |
|
|
| Moderator |
|
John Whitmer |
|
|
| Clerk |
|
Oliver Cowdery |
|
|
| Present |
|
John
Whitmer
Edward Partridge
John Corrill
Isaac Morley
William W. Phelps
Sidney Gilbert
Selah J. Griffin |
|
|
| Resolve
to write Sidney |
|
Resolve to write Sidney
asking him "to candidly reflect upon the subject of [his November 14,
1831 letter criticizing Edward] and ask himself whether he was not actuated
by his own hasty feelings rather than the Spirit of Christ." |
|
The Bishop and the
Lord |
| Confessions
at previous conference |
|
Sidney and Edward met
"face to face" at an earlier conference in Missouri "when
confessions were made by several brethren and by br. Edward in particular,
to our joy and thanksgiving." This should have satisfied the charges
that "are partially correct." |
|
This
either refers to an unknown conference or the date of this conference is
mistaken. The two seemed to out their problems after this letter,
at the ¶ Minutes of April 26–27, 1832. |
| No
intent to defraud |
|
Three charges refer to
incidents after that conference. One of them concerns "the handing
over money to brs Joseph Oliver, and Sidney for their expense to Ohio, to
which br Edward says he had no disposition to defraud or deceive …
and if any damage has accrued" he asks forgiveness. |
|
|
| Unjust
accusations |
|
The other two "are not
considered by this Conference just accusations." |
|
|
| Edward
sorry for insulting Joseph |
|
Sidney's fifth charge is, "'His
having insulted the Lord's prophet in particular and assumed authority
over him in open violation of the Laws of God.'" Edward says this
occurred "previous to said conference. If Br. Joseph has not forgiven
him he hopes he will, as he is and has always been sorry." |
|
|
| Take
Sidney to task |
|
Resolved that whereas the duty of a disciple of Christ is to promote
{peace} union, harmony, and brotherly love and not at any time imprudently
prefer charges and demand confession and settlement of the same in the
absence of a br. after having had a privilege of doing the same face
to face, and more expecially [especially] after sitting in Conference
in the name of the Lord and communing together at sacrament, we do therefore,
after deliberately weighing the subject before us, earnestly entreat
our br. Sidney for the good of the cause in which we labor and for which
we suffer persecutions, to candidly reflect upon the subject of the aforementioned
letter and ask himself whether he was not actuated by his own hasty
feelings rather than the Spirit of Christ when indicting the same.
|
|
|
| Put
it to rest |
|
Edward willing to make
every confession that |
|
|
| |
|
br. Sidney as a disciple
of Christ could require and forever bury the matter. And we do advise that
such may be the resolution and thereby the wound in the Church be healed
and they walk together as brothers … |
|
|
| Close |
|
Prayer by Isaac Morley. |
|
|
| |
|
Minutes of April 26–27, 1832
Oliver Cowdery to Joseph Smith, January 28, 1832
Jackson County Minutes
|