Francis Gladden Bishop is charged with teaching
false doctrine. A traveling high council in Kirtland debates whether it
has jurisdiction and finally decides it does. Gladden confesses, repents,
and is reordained. Joseph and Sidney sit on the council but do not preside.
In the spring, Elder Gibson Smith of Norfolk, Connecticut had written to
Kirtland complaining of Gladden's conduct. The Messenger and Advocate
announced that Gladden had been "suspended as a preacher of the gospel"
until a traveling high council could hear the case. A traveling council
convened in Bradford, Massachusetts, but no one appeared to present evidence,
so Gladden was acquitted. Later, at a council in Bradford on August 7, "it was proved that he had erred in spirit and in doctrine,
and was considerably inclined to enthusiasm, and much lifted up," so
the council took his license. History of the Church 2:241.
Lorenzo D. Lewis/Lloyd is excommunicated for "illicit intercourse"
with his fiancé. |
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Messenger and Advocate Account |
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Abbreviations: MA = Messenger and Advocate |
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Extracts of Conference Minutes |
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MA 1, no. 12 (Sept. 1835): 186. "And I will give power unto my two witnesses,
and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed
in sackcloth. … And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth
out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will
hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut
heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power
over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues,
as often as they will. 7And when they shall
have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless
pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which
spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see
their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their
dead bodies to be put in graves. … And after three days and an
half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon
their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard
a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they
ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. The
second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly." Rev.
11:3, 5—9, 11—13. |
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¶ |
Council met in Kirtland, Sept. 28: and took into consideration the case
of Elder G. Bishop, who had previously been suspended by the travelling
council, for interpreting some passages of Scripture in an improper manner;
and also for persisting in said erroneous opinions, &c. He made a humble
confession and asked the forgiveness of the councils and the church; and
promised to do better for the future. He was forgiven, restored and received
in fellowship.* |
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¶ |
*The points on which Elder Bishop was suspended, were not
points on the gospel, as we know of; but of some other mysterious passages:
for instance one respecting the two witnesses: Rev. chap. XI. He stated
that J. Smith, jr. and O. Cowdery were the two persons alluded to, &c.
which is incorrect. |
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¶ |
Also, Elder P. H. Young, who had been disfellowshipped by
the High Council, for alleged improper conduct, personally appeared before
said council; and the charge not being sustained, he was honorably acquitted,
and restored to his former standing and fellowship. |
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Kirtland High Council Minutes Account |
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| Date |
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September 28, 1835 |
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Kirtland council |
| Location |
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Kirtland, Ohio. |
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| Description |
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Charges preferred against Lorenzo L. Lewis … |
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Joseph's journal, which has a very brief summary
of the case, refers to the accused as Lorenzo L. Lloyd. |
| Presiding |
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Oliver Cowdery, Hyrum Smith, John
Whitmer |
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| Clerk |
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Warren Parrish |
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| Counselors |
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Sidney Rigdon
John Smith
Thomas B. Marsh (h)
Samuel H. Smith
Roger Orton
Newel Knight
Joseph Smith Jr.
Joseph Smith Sr.
John Johnson
Jared Carter
Levi Jackman
Orson Pratt (h1)
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Interesting
assortment of counselors: two members of the First Presidency, two of the
Twelve, the Patriarch to the Church, four of the Kirtland high council,
a high priest and an elder visiting from Zion. and one elder from Kirtland. |
| Order
of the day approved |
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Oliver rises and presents the "order of the day"
and solemnly charges the counselors regarding their duty, "which remarks
and instructions were received by the councellors, which they signified
by the uplifted hand." |
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| Counselors
chosen |
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Six counselors are chosen to "investigate" (speak
on) the cases (three for accused, three for the church). |
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| Twelve
charge Gladden Bishop with false doctrine |
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Gladden Bishop is charged with "advancing
heretical doctrines which were derogatory to the character of the Church
of the Latter Day Saints." |
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Gladden (1809–1878)
was (or had been) president of the Westfield,
New York branch. Minutes of September 24, 1833
"From satisfactory
evidence received from Connecticut concerning the conduct of elder Gladden
Bishop, we say that he is suspended as a preacher of the gospel until
such times as an investigation can be had before the travelling elders
from Kirtland at some one of the conferences noticed in the preceding
Number of the Advocate. We are not fond of having the church of the
Latter Day Saints represented by men whose conduct and teaching will
not stand the test of the most rigid investigation." Orson Hyde
and William E. McLellin the editor, MA 1,
no. 7 (Apr. 1835): 103.
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| Jurisdictional
debate |
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"Much altercation followed," about whether the council
has jurisdiction. Resolved in the affirmative. |
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| William
presents testimony |
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William Smith testifies
he overheard Gladden say, |
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| Two
witnesses in the prophecies |
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concerning the two witnesses spoken of in the Prophecies. That he [Gladden]
observed to a brother with whom he was talking, he might be one of them
& he might be one himself.
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| Advertisement
that Joseph would be sold at auction, man die |
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That he intended to prophecy the night that an advertisement was put
up by an enemy saying that the Mormon Prophet and others were to be sold
at auction in public. That he should not be surprised if the man that
put up the advertisement should die at the time of the sale.
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| Brigham
and John Boynton corroborate |
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Brigham Young and John F. Boynton (h)
corroborate William's testimony. |
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| Gladden
thinks women fall in love with him |
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Thomas B. Marsh: often heard Gladden speak of women falling
in love with him, "that he observed frequently when passing people
that they felt his spirit. That he was indolent, so much so, that his presence
was oppresive and his absence desirable." |
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One
of the two witnesses
Women fall in love
Says council was harsh |
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L. Johnson: in a previous trial Gladden said hat he might
be one of the two witnesses "spoken of in the Prophets, that he ought
not to travel and preach on account of the women so often falling in love
with him. That he was not humble when reproved but justified himself and
preferred a charge against the counsel for treating his so harsh as they
had." |
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Is
L. Johnson Luke or Lyman? |
| Admitted
previous council right |
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William Smith: after taking
a stand against the council, Gladden finally acknowledged "that they
had dealt with him in righteousness." |
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Thomas B. Marsh concurs. |
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| Can
magnify calling |
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Brigham Young testifies that "he yielded after being
overcome and that he is capable of magnifying his calling if he would." |
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| Lazy |
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John P. Greene corroborates previous testimony and adds "that
he was so indolent, that he would not help himself to a drink of water.
That he proposed to establish the Authority of the Book of Mormon and
did not. That is not from the Bible." |
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Original: Green |
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Adjourn for an hour. |
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| Pleadings |
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Reconvene. "Pleading commenced and the cause ably defended
on both sides, & concluded and submitted the cause to the court for
a decision." |
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| Gladden
confesses, pleads for forgiveness, submits |
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Gladden rises and makes "an
humble confession for his transgression," asks forgiveness from the
council and the church, promises to "learn wisdom from the revelations
that God has given," and submits to the decision of the court, "being
perfectly satisfied with the whole course of the trial." |
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| Decision:
restore Gladden |
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The presidency gives "much good
instruction" and declare that the traveling council of twelve handled
the case correctly. Gladden's confession is to be published in the Messenger
and Advocate and he is to be "received in full fellowship and receive
his ordination and license again as before." |
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Diary-2
reports that Gladden was "reproved, repented, and was reordained. Papers
2:44.
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| One
ordained an elder |
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After an hour's adjournment, G. Bishop is ordained an elder.
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| Lorenzo
Lewis charged with adultery |
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Reynolds
Cahoon charges Lorenzo
L. Lewis with adultery "according to general report amongst the Brethren." |
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| Illicit
intercourse |
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Lorenzo pleads not guilty. The charge
is changed to "illicit intercourse with a female." |
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| Pleads
not guilty |
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The Defendant confesses that he has
disgraced the girl, himself & the church but plead not guilty to the
charge of illicit intercourse. |
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| Thomas
B. Marsh testimony |
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Thomas B. Marsh: when he was called
upon to ordain Lorenzo "to an official station in the church, …
his feelings revolted at the idea," despite Brother Potter's declaration
that "had the testimony of the Spirit of the Lord that he should be
ordained." |
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Thomas
is the only member of the Twelve who is also a member of the high council.
Other apostles—Brigham, David W. Patten, William Smith, and William
McLellin give testimony. |
| William
E. McLellin |
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Elder McLellin (h): When Lorenzo
said he was engaged, I told him to marry her [right away], but he procrastinated—didn't
tell him that he was having "intercourse with her." |
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Referred
to in text only as Elder McLelin. |
| David
W. Patten: |
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D. W. Patten: He have married her
soon "if he had not been called off." |
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| William
Smith |
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William
Smith: Lorenzo "wanted
to return home from Fredona and not go out on a mission on account of his
engagement to marry, but they, the counsellors insisted on his going on
a mission." |
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| William
E. McLellin |
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Elder McLellin: Soon after his departure,
Lorenzo wrote his intended wife and family that he would not be returning
"some time." |
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| Lorenzo:
take my name off or whatever the Lord says |
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After pleadings, Lorenzo declines
to give evidence, but when called upon again, declares "that he had
done wickedly & had made all the reparation he could in his confession
in the early part of this litigation and requested his name to be taken
off from the Church records, or dispose of him according to the mind of
the Spirit and submitted to the decision of the court." |
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| Cut
off with option to repent |
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The presidency decides, and the council concurs, to cut off Brother
Lewis "but if he repent and humble himself to the satisfaction of
the church, he shall be received into it again, and receive his license."
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Original: Brother
Loyd L. Lewis. Joseph's
journal has very brief summary of the case, refers to the accused as Lorenzo
L. Lloyd. |
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Minutes of September 29, 1835
Minutes of September 26, 1835
Ohio Minutes
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