Minutes of the Second Conference of the Church

Source note

Preferred witness: Minute Book 2, page 2, accessed 21 May 2026. The minutes preserve the conference's organization and business but not full sermon texts. ¶

Additional witness: History, 1838–1856, volume A-1, pages 58–60, accessed 21 May 2026. The later history narrates the resolution of the Hiram Page stone episode and summarizes the conference's harmony and growth. ¶

The transcripts below follow the Joseph Smith Papers expanded-transcription presentation: original spelling and punctuation are retained; editorial additions appear in brackets; insertions appear in angle brackets; cancellations appear with strikethrough; and manuscript page endings are linked to the corresponding JSP image and transcript page. ¶

Historical introduction

The second conference met at Fayette, New York, beginning 26 September 1830 and continued for three days. Minute Book 2 records leadership, church business, ordinations, and adjournment. History A-1 supplies a retrospective narrative of the doctrinal dispute addressed at the meeting and the spiritual character of its proceedings. ¶

This material remains one conference record because the surviving sources preserve proceedings, retrospective summaries, or reported remarks rather than a set of discrete, complete sermon transcripts. ¶

Transcript

Minute Book 2

26 September 1830 • Sunday

Minutes of the second Conference held by the Elders of this Church according to adjournment. Sept. 26. 1830. ¶

Brother Joseph Smith jr. was appointed by the voice of the Conference to receive and write Revelations & Commandments for this Church. ¶

The fifth chapter of Isaiah read by Br. Joseph Smith jr. & prayer by the same. Articles & Covenants read by br. Oliver Cowdery and remarks by Brother Joseph Smith jr. ¶

No. of the several members uniting to this Church since the last Conference, thirty-five; making in whole now belonging to this Church sixty-two. Br. Newel Knight ordained a priest under the hand of brother Oliver Cowdery and prayer by the same. Prayer by all present. Exholation by all the Elders respectively. Singing and prayer in behalf of Br. Oliver Cowdery & Peter Whitmer jr. who were previously appointed to go to the Lamanites. ¶

Conference adjourned to January 1. 1831. to be held at this place. Br. David Whitmer appointed to keep the Church records until the next Conference. Prayer by br. Oliver Cowdery. The foregoing minutes were taken at the time of this Conference by Oliver Cowdery. ¶

History, 1838–1856, volume A-1

At length, our conference assembled; the subject of the stone above mentioned, was discussed, and after considerable investigation, Brother Page, as well as the whole church who were present, renounced the said stone, and all things connected therewith, much to our mutual satisfaction and happiness. We now partook of the sacrament, confirmed, and ordained many, and attended to a great variety of Church business on that and the following day; during which time we had much of the power of God manifested amongst us; the Holy Ghost came upon us, and filled us with joy unspeakable; and peace, and faith, and hope, and charity abounded in our midst. Before we separated we obtained the following, [HC 1:115] ¶

During this Conference which continued three days the utmost harmony prevailed and all things were settled satisfactory to all present, and a desire was manifest by all the saints to go forward and labor with all their power to spread the great and glorious principles of truth which had been revealed by our heavenly father. A number were baptized during the conference and the work of the Lord spread and prevailed. ¶

Compiler's notes

Tyler’s collection-level compiler’s note is preserved verbatim. ¶

Notes from Tyler’s compilation

D&C 28 was received before the conference convened in response to Hiram Page’s claims to receiving revelation on the stone. D&C 29 was received “in the presence of six elders” (HC p. 55) also before the conference(?) ¶

Joseph described the conference as follows: ¶

Vault presentation

• The concise minutes and longer retrospective account are retained without treating their references to instruction as recoverable individual talks.
• The intervening revelations printed in History A-1 are not duplicated here; their presence between the two historical-summary passages is represented by the linked page boundaries and JSP source.