Minutes of August 29, 1834

Mormon History 1830-1844

Joseph

Bios

Minutes of August 29, 1834
Concluding testimony in the Sylvester Smith case—he is blamed for confrontations with Joseph Smith during Zion's Camp: insubordination, threatening Joseph's dog, arguing with him, refusing to share bread. Joseph didn't steal a quilt, it was given to him. Sylvester to publish confession. Detailed terms dictated. Sylvester signs statement under duress.
Speaking times are given on page 73 of the minutes, after the testimony and decision. Here the times appear in the notation column to the right of each speaker's testimony.

Date	August 29, 1834	Kirtland council, 63–73 // HC 2:153–159.
Location	Kirtland, Ohio.
Description	Council being organized in due form, the testimony was continued …
Moderator	[Newel K. Whitney]
Clerks	Oliver Cowdery and Orson Hyde
Luke Johnson testimony Lyman and Sylvester stop, others continue	Luke S. Johnson: As the camp neared the twenty-five mile prairie in Missouri, Joseph sent him back to assist those at the recent creek crossing and said that the camp would be moving on to the prairie. When he returned, Lyman Wight (h) (swh) and Sylvester Smith's men were stopped for supper, while others were following the ensign, or flag, forward. Sylvester called out to them [64] "who they were following; whether Gen. Wight or some other man?"	I have reconstructed Luke's convoluted narrative for what seems to be proper sequence of events. Cf. ¶ Sylvester Smith. Original: White Lyman Wight had been appointed "general of the camp" on June 8, nine days before this incident began. ¶ Heber's Accounts of Zion's Camp (1)
Admit dividing camp	That evening Lyman and Sylvester "were called upon to give an account of themselves, why they had sought to divide the camp? They both acknowledged that they had been out of the way by so doing."
Rebuke not unusually severe	President Smith did throw a trumpet or horn, but not at Sylvester. "It only fell to the ground near to them (himself and Brother Sylvester) … He further said that the reproofs given by President Smith at the time were no more severe than he had often heard him give previously; that he did not consider him angry, as he has been represented."
Hyrum Smith testimony Joseph asks Hyrum about going to prairie, orders move	Hyrum Smith: while the camp was [65] crossing the creek, Joseph asked if it was "advisable to move into the prairie to camp." After some discussion it was decided to camp in the bushes at the edge of the prairie, but when Joseph learned that a mob was planning an attack that night, he ordered the camp to move on to the prairie.
Fuel concerns Luke sent to assist at creek	Some complained there would be no fuel for cooking on the prairie. They were advised to take wood with them. Concern was expressed for the families still crossing the creek, so Luke Johnson was sent back with a company to protect and assist them.
Hyrum announces move and carries standard forward	Hyrum took the flag, or standard—"as he had previously carried it"—and announced the command to move forward.
Lyman refused to move	When the company reached the prairie, he and Roger Orton were ordered to have Lyman Wight arrange for night watchmen. Lyman refused, assuming "the company commander" the move on to the prairie.	company commander: Joseph Smith
Joseph didn't throw trumpet at Sylvester	Hyrum saw Joseph reprove Lyman and Sylvester. Didn't think Joseph [66] intended to throw the trumpet or horn at Sylvester—just threw it to the ground.
Lyman admitted jealousy	The next day, Lyman told Hyrum that for several days he had had "a jealousy" against him, "but now his mind was satisfied, and he had now no hardness or jealousy."
Lyman and Sylvester could have heard Joseph's order	He concludes by saying that when he received the order to move on to the prairie, Lyman and Sylvester were "near by."
Adjourn	Adjourn to 1 p.m.
Resume	At 1:00 the clerk calls the names of the moderator, counselors, and "complainant & defendant," and "business" resumes.
Brigham Young Nothing wrong with Joseph's conduct	Brigham Young: from about 27 miles from Kirtland until they reached Clay county, he was with Joseph and couldn't describe the incident better than Hyrum had done. He didn't see anything in Joseph's behavior that justified Sylvester's charge—nothing "unbecoming his [67] profession as a man of God."
Rebukes didn't hurt Sylvester's reputation	Sylvester asks if Brigham didn't think his reputation was "injured in the minds of the weaker part of the Camp in consequence of those reproofs and chastisements which were given me by brother Joseph?" Brigham answers, No.
Dog incident	One evening after crossing the Mississippi river, Sylvester was bringing up last of the camp when a dog came out and "[insulted?] him, he knew not whether he touched him or not."	¶ Satan Came Also ¶ Heber's Accounts of Zion's Camp ¶ Sylvester Smith
Joseph defends dog	The next morning, "after hearing considerable complaint and murmuring concerning the dog," Joseph declares,
	I will descend to the spirit that is in the camp, to show you the spirit you are of, for I want to drive it from the camp. "The first man that kills that dog, (or my dog) I will whip him!"
Sylvester's retort	About then, Sylvester comes up and says, "If that dog bites me I will kill him."
Back and forth	"If you do," says Joseph, "I will whip you."
	"If you do," says Sylvester, "I shall defend myself the best way that I can!"
Joseph reproves camp attitude	Brother Joseph then said that he could in the name of the Lord. He (brother Joseph) asked the brethren if they were not ashamed of such a Spirit? Said he, I am. He then proceeded to reprove them for condescending to that Spirit, that they ought to be above it, that it was the spirit of a dog, and man ought never to place themselves on a level with beasts, but he possessed of a more noble disposition.
	He then said he had descended to that spirit in order to show the spirit which was among them.
Lyman and Heber concur	Lyman Johnson and Heber C. Kimball concur.
David Elliott	D. Elliott: wasn't there that morning [68] but heard about it later.	David Elliott (b. 1799 in Charleston, New York; d. 1855 in Salt Lake City), blacksmith, lives in Ithaca. Baptized 1831. Marries Mary Cahoon, 1831. Member, First Quorum of Seventy. To Missouri with Kirtland Camp, 1838. After Missouri, Springfield, Illinois. Papers: 1:484.
Many unhappy with Joseph over dog Satisfied when Joseph explained at noon	… during the forenoon he learned that there were many of the brethren dissatisfied with brother Josephs remarks concerning the dog in the morning, that after the explanation at noon was so generally given, he thought that every one in the Camp might have known it.
	David was "perfectly satisfied" with Joseph's explanation.
Lorenzo Booth Nothing wrong with Joseph's conduct	Lorenzo Booth: concurs with Brigham. Though he wasn't there that morning, Lorenzo traveled with Joseph from twenty-seven miles from Kirtland to Missouri and part of the way back, and he "did not see any thing in brother Josephs character derogatory to a man professing Religion."
Joseph did not steal quilt Given to him	On the return trip, it has been reported, Joseph and Ezra Thayer fought over a quilt that Joseph allegedly stole from one of the other brethren, but Lorenzo was present "during the whole transaction," and "there was no fighting." In New Portage, on the way to Missouri, one of the brethren had given Joseph two quilts. Lorenzo, who drove Joseph's team, was in charge of the baggage, and before they left Clay county for home, he had them washed and stowed them in the waggon. [69] "… the one which was said to be the property of another individual is the one which was given brother Joseph at Norton."
Frederick G. Williams Marked quilts—not stolen	[Frederick G. Williams:] at Norton certain articles were handed him to mark, among which were two bed-quilts, which he marked with common ink. Has seen certain bed-quilts since his return, and has no doubt but this one in question is the one he marked.	Original: F. P. Williams
Brigham Young Joseph told Sylvester he was wrong about the bread	Brigham Young: on the trip down, at the Ohio–Indiana border, J. S. Carter asked if it was right for Parley P. Pratt (h) to ask Sylvester for bread for supper. Joseph confirmed that Parley had asked Sylvester for some bread, but Sylvester, who had plenty, refused, sending him to someone else. Brigham heard Joseph tell Sylvester that he should have shared when he didn't know if the other person could give him any. "That by so doing some might be deprived of food at times."
Sylvester argued	Sylvester argued he was right and tried to justify himself. Joseph tried to reason with him, but "he continued to justify his course till brother J. reproved him sharply."
Joseph right	Brigham often heard the others talk about it, and everyone he heard thought Joseph's [70] observations were correct and just.
Lyman Sherman Parley didn't get bread	Lyman Sherman: concurs about the bread and thinks "that it was generally known that brother Pratt, in consequence of brother Sylvester's not furnishing him with bread, was deprived of bread that night."
	Joseph told him that as a result of Sylvester's actions, Parley did not have any bread that night.
Jacob Bump Sylvester claims Parley got bread	Jacob Bump: after returning from the West, he went with Sylvester to see Sidney Rigdon about complaints about Joseph's conduct on the way to and from Missouri. Sylvester told Sidney that Parley got bread from the person he sent him to.
Orson Hyde	Orson Hyde: concurs with Brigham about "the circumstances which transpired at the time the difficulty arose about the bread."
Lyman Johnson and Heber C. Kimball	Lyman Johnson and Heber C. Kimball: "concurred in the same statements."
Orson Hyde	Orson Hyde presents an expense account report.
Frederick G. Williams Expense report correct	[Frederick G. Williams:] the account exhibited was correctly taken from his accounts as he had the charge of the monies and attended to paying it out &c.
Counselors	[72] The case is submitted to the council, and the counselors speak in turn.
Sylvester and Joseph	Sylvester and Joseph each speak.
Decision Publish confession	[71] The Moderator then proceeded to give a decision, that if brother Sylvester Smith will acknowledge the following items of complaints before this council & publish the same in print, that he can remain yet a member of this church, otherwise he is expelled from the same, viz:
Terms	First, he is to acknowledge that he wickedly and maliciously accused our brother J. Smith Jr. with prophesying lies in the name of the Lord once on the line between Ohio and Indiana and at another time after crossing the Mississippi River and at another time after leaving the Church in Missouri at Florida.
	That he is to acknowledge that in making these charges against brother J. S. Junior he has himself willfully and maliciously lied.
	That he has maliciously told falsehoods in saying that brother J. Smith Junior has abused him with insulting and abusive language and also injuring his character and standing before the brethren while journeying to Missouri.
	That he further cast out insinuations concerning brother J. S. Juniors character which was also an evil, malicious design to injure brother Josephs standing in the church.
	That he further acknowledge that he has abused the former councils which have set upon this case and wickedly and maliciously insulted their just and righteous decisions.
	That he has further tantalized this present council in seeking to excuse himself contrary to the counselling of the counsellors. After acknowledging that it was organized by the direction of revelation.
	And further, that he has wilfully and maliciously lied, by saying that brother J. Smith Junr had prohibited the liberty of speech on their journey to Missouri.
	That he also acknowledge that he has wickedly and maliciously lied by charging brother J. S. Junr of being possessed of a heart as corrupt as hell.
Council agrees	The counselors concur.
Sylvester's confession	I hereby certify that the foregoing charges or complaints are just and true and hereby acknowledge the same as set forth in the decisions of this Council by signing my own proper name to their minutes with my own hand.
	Sylvester Smith
Coerced	The above was signed for fear of punishment.
	The council then proceeded to transmit some other business brother Joseph Smith Junr the president of the Church presiding.
Joseph to preach Sunday	It was agreed that the church in Kirtland be instructed on their particular duties &c. on sunday and by brother Joseph.
Brigham chorister	It was further decided that brother Brigham Young be appointed to take the lead in singing in our meetings.
Close	The council then closed brother Reynolds Cahoon lead in prayer at fifteen minutes before 3 O clock A.M. on Saturday the 29th, 1834.
	Minutes of September 8, 1834 Minutes of August 28, 1837 Ohio Minutes Zion's Camp