-- Feb 14, 1841 (Sunday)
The London (England) conference was organized with [26-year-old] Lorenzo Snow as president. (1)
-- Feb 15, 1841
On a mission in England Heber C. Kimball receives a letter from his wife Vilate relaying a message from Joseph Smith "for the Twelve to come immediately home for our personal Safety, as great Judgments are nigh in this land even at the Door." Kimball, Wilford Woodruff and Lorenzo Snow are apostles on missionary assignments to England at this time. (2)
-- Feb 17, 1841
Heber C. Kimball, Wilford Woodruff and Lorenzo Snow visit the "DISSECTING ROOM" of an Bartholomew Hospital in London. "The Dissecting apartment consisted of three Rooms, which contained about twenty Subjects viz. Human Bodies which the Doctors were dissecting that lay upon tables. Some were just commenced upon while others were nearly finished. Our stay was short as their was a great stench in the room. Limbs & parts of the body were hung in all parts of the room." (2)
-- Apr 5, 1841
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 5th I again met in Council with the Twelve according to adjournment & transacted some business & talked about many things. Perfect union & harmony prevailed in all the deliberations of our councils for the last four days. Many of the Elders came in in the evening which I was glad to See among whom was Elders Levi Richards A. Cordon, Lorenzo Snow, Alexander Wright, George D Watt & others.
I have felt the voice of the spirit stealing across my breast for the last few days whispering that I should lift up my voice unto the people of Maine Connecticut, & other places New haven esspecially when I return.
The following is the entire minutes of the Business of the quorum of the Twelve for several Days in success[ion].
Manchester England April 2d 1841
This Day Elders Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hide, Parley P. Pratt Willard Richards, Willford Woodruff John Taylor & G. A. Smith of the Quorum of the Twelve met together at the house of Br James Bewsher Coachman No 4 Gray Street near Oxford Road in this City in Council after having been seperated & dispersed in various countries for the last four years.
To meet once more in council after a long seperation and having passed through many sore and grieveous trials exposing our lives & our characters to the slander and violence of wicked & murderous men, caused our hearts to swell with gratitude to God for his providential care over us.
Elder Young opened the council by prayer. Elders B. Young H. C. Kimball and P P. Pratt the committee appointed about a year ago to secure a coppy right of the Book of Mormon in the name of Joseph Smith jr. Presented the following certificate:
Feb. 8th 1841 Then entered for his Copy the property of Joseph Smith Jun. the Book of Mormon an account written by the hand of Mormon upon plates taken from the plates of Nephi. Translated by Joseph Smith jr. First European from the Second American Edition. Received five copies.
George Greenhill
The above is a true copy of an Entry in the Rejister Book of the Company of Stationers Kept at the Hall of the said Company.
Witness my hand this 17th day of February 1841
George Greenhill
Warehouse Keeper of the Company of Stationers
The quorum voted that they accepted the labours of said Committee.
Resolved that as the quorum of the Twelve have had nothing to do with the printing of the Book of Mormon they will not now interfere with it, but that the said committee settle the financial or business matters thereof with Joseph Smith Jun. to whom the profits rightly belong.
Resolved that Elder Amos Fielding be appointed to superintend fitting out the Saints from Liverpool to America under the instructions of Elder P. P. Pratt.
Resolved that Brother G. J. Adams go to Bedford & Northampton and labour in that region.
Adjourned till 10 o-clock tomorrow A.M.
Elder Kimball closed by Prayer.
Orson Hide Clerk
Manchester April 3d 1841
This Day the quorum of the Twelve met pursuant to adjournment. The President called upon Elder Hyde to open by Prayer, which was accordingly done. The Quorum then signed a letter of Commendation to the churches in England for Elder Hyde. The Business of Publishing the Star & Hymn Book was then taken into consideration. Br John Taylor moved that those who have had the care and superintendency of publishing the star & Hymn Book should dispose of them according to their own wishes & dispose of the procedes in the same way. Seconded by Elder O. Pratt and carried by a unanimous vote.
Moved by Elder Young seconded by Elder Richards that Elder Parley P. P. Pratt Conduct the Publication of the Millennial Star as Editor and Sole proprietor of the same after the Close of this present volumn.
Resolved that Elder P. P. Pratt reprint the Hymn Book if he deem it expedient. The hymn Book is not to be altered except the typhographical errors. The above resolve was moved by Elder G. A. Smith seconded by Elder W. Woodruff. Carried unanimously. Conference adjourned.
Orson Hyde Clerk
Manchester April 5th 1841
Met pursuent to adjournment. Elder Orson Pratt opened the Council by Prayer. It was resolved that the 17th day of April be the day appointed for the Twelve who are going to America to set sail from Liverpool. This was moved by Elder Richards and seconded by Elder Woodruff & carried by a unanimous vote.
Moved by Elder Kimball Seconded by Elder Woodruff that the Twelve do business at the Conference as a quorum & call upon the church or conference to sanction it. Adjourned till the 6th Inst. to meet in general conference at Carpenters Hall at 10 o-clock A.M.
O. Hyde Clerk
I wrote a letter to Elder John Taylor, Tailor.
CONFERENCE MINUTES
The Council of the Twelve assembled at Manchester in the carpenters Hall, on the 6th day of April 1841 for the first time to transact business as a quorum in a foreign land; being the first day of the 12th year of the rise of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Nine of the quorum were present viz B. Young H. C. Kimball O. Hyde, P. P. Pratt 0 Pratt W. Richards, W. Woodruff J. Taylor & Geo. A. Smith.
President Young having called the house to order & organized the conference then opened by Prayer. Elder Thomas Ward was then chosen clerk. The President then made some introductory remarks relative to the organization of the Church in the house of the Lord in America in refference to the different quorums in their respective orders and Authorities in the church.
The representations of the churches & conferences throughout the Kingdom were then called for which were represented as follows:
Locations By whom
Represented M E P T D
Manchester P.P. Pratt 443 7 15 9 0
Clitheroe Conference H.C. Kimball 318 6 12 13 3
Preston Do P. Melling 675 11 15 13 3
Liverpool J. Taylor 190 9 8 4 3
Isle of Man Do Do 90 2 4 2 0
London Conference L Snow 137 3 8 4 2
Brimingham Do A Cordon 110 4 13 4 1
Staffordshire Conference Do Do 574 19 49 28 16
Garway Conference W. Woodruff 134 5 6 4 1
Gadfield Elm Do Do Do 408 8 33 11 1
Frooms Hill Do Do Do 1,008 27 67 27 8
Edinburgh (Scotland)
Glasgow, Paisley, Johnstone O. Pratt 203 6 9 6 2
Bridge of Weir and R Hedlock 368 12 15 13 11
Thorney Bank Ireland, T. Curus 35 2 0 1 0
Wales, J Burnham 170 2 5 3 3
New Castle upon Tyne A Fielding 23 1 3 1 0
Alston J Sanders 26 1 0 1 0
Brampton Do Do 46 0 1 0 0
Carlisle Do Do 43 1 0 0 0
Bolton Elder Crooky 189 1 11 8 1
Duckinfield J Albertson 120 2 4 3 2
Stockport Elder Magan 161 1 5 2 2
Northwich, Middlewich &c S. Heath 112 2 6 6 6
Oldham Wm Black 86 1 4 1 2
Eccles 24 1 3 1 0
Pendlebury 62 0 2 1 1
Whitefield 41 1 2 3 0
Radcliffe Bridge 18 1 3 0 0
Total 5,814+ 136 303 169 68
+Note Near eight hundred Saints have emigrated to America during the past season who are not included in this representation.
After these representations the Conference adjourned at 12 o'clock till 2 P.M.
The Conference met pursuant to adjournment. Opened by Prayer. Scattering members were then represented Consisting of near 50 not included in any of the Above branches.
The President then proceded to make some remarks on the office of Patriarch and concluded by moving that Elder Albertson be ordained to that office. This was seconded by Elder Kimball and carried unanimously.
Resolved that:
D. Watt Thomas Richardson
G. J. Adams James Whitehead
Amos Fielding Thomas Dunville
Wm. Kay James Galley
John Sanders & George Simpson
J. Riley Be Ordained High Priest.
Resolved that the following persons be ordained Elders viz:
Wm. Miller Joseph Brotherton
Wm. Leach Richard Benson
John Sands Theophilus Brotherton
Wm. Moon John McIlwrick
Wm. Hardman & Wm. Green
Wm. Black
John Goodfellow + * *
The Council then proceded to organize all the Churches into Conferences throughout the Kingdom & appoint presiding Elders over them. The Conference then adjourned till 7 o-clock.
Met pursuant to adjournment. Open by prayer & Singing. The Patriarch P. Mellen was then called upon to pronounce a Patriarchal blessing upon the head of John Albertson Previous to his being or-dained to the office of Patriarch. He then laid his hands upon him & Blessed him. + * See Millennial Star 303 page.
The Twelve then lade hands on J. Albertson & ordained him to the office of Patriarch. The High Priest & Elders were then Ordained & much Council was given from the President & others of the Twelve.
A vary richly ornamented cake a present from New York from Elder Adams wife to the Twelve was then exhibited to the meeting. This was blessed by them & distributed to all the officers & members & to the whole congregation consisting of about seven hundred people. A large fragment was left for some who were not present.
While the cake was passing P. P. Pratt composed the following lines:
When in far Distant regions
As Strangers we roam
Far away from our Country
Our friends and our home
When sinking in sorrow
Fresh courage we'll take
As we think on our friends
And remember the CAKE.
The number of official members present at this Conference was then taken viz:
Quorum of the Travelling High Council 9
Patriarchs 2
High Priest 16
Quroum of the Seventies 2
Elders 31
Priest 28
Teachers 17
Deacons 2
Elder O Hide appealed powerfully to the meeting & covenanted with the saints present in a bond of mutual prayer During his mission to Jerrusalem and the east which was sustained on the part of the hearers with a harty Amen.
Elder Joseph Fielding made some remarks, & spoke of the rich cake. Considered it a type of the good things of that land from whence it Came & from whence they had received the fulness of the gospel.
+ * After a hymn was sung Elder Young blessed the congregation and dismissed them.
Brigham Young Chairman
Thomas Ward Clerk (3)
Endnotes:
1 - Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology
2 - Advent Adam website (defunct) - based on http://amzn.to/originsofpower
3 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
