Minutes of the June 1831 Conference

Source note

Preferred witness: Minute Book 2, pages 3–4, accessed 21 May 2026. The minutes preserve proceedings for 3 and 6 June, including exhortation references, ordinations, and brief reported remarks. ¶

Additional witness: History, 1838–1856, volume A-1, page 118, accessed 19 May 2026. The later history summarizes the conference's harmony, manifestations, and ordinations. ¶

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 June 1831 conference began in Kirtland on 3 June and reconvened on 6 June. The record is especially significant for the first distinctive ordinations to the high priesthood, but its remarks and exhortations survive only in minute form. ¶

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

3 June 1831 • Friday

Minutes of a general Conference held in Geauga County Ohio June 3. 1831. ¶

Elders Present.	Elders Present.
Joseph Smith jr.	William Carter (denied the faith)
David Whitmer	Sylvester Smith
John Whitmer	Simeon Carter
Samuel H. Smith	Calvin Bebee [Beebe]
Hyrum Smith	Solomon Hancock
Joseph Smith, sen.	Whe[e]ler Baldwin
Parley P. Pratt	Edison [Edson] Fuller (denied the faith)
Thomas B. Marsh	Burr Riggs (was cast out)
Sidney Rigdon	Ebenezer Abbott (denied the faith)
John Murdock	Reynolds Cahoon
Lyman Wight	Solomon Humphrey [Jr.]
Levi Hancock	John Woodard (Denied the faith)
Orson Pratt	Joseph Brackenberry (Died on a mission to preach)
Edward Partridge	Newel Knight
Ezra Thayer	Joseph Coe
Northrop Sweet (denied the faith)	William Mitchell
Emer Harris	Ebenezer Page
Joseph Wakefield	Alpheus Gifford
Ezra Booth (denied the faith)	Priests
John Corrill	Martin Harris
Seymour Brunson	Daniel Stanton
Isaac Morley	Solomon Chamberlain
Harvey Whitlock	Lorin Page
Zebedee Coultrin [Coltrin]	Jacob Sherman (cut off)
Jacob Scott (denied the faith)	Benjamin Bragg (denied the faith)

p. 3 ¶

Caleb Baldwin (cut off recd back & reordained a Priest)	William Smith
James Durfee	Stephen Burnett
Major N. Ashley	Isaac Bebee
Teachers	Benjamin Johnson
Hezekiah Peck	Samuel Day
Hiram Page	Thoret Parsons
Christian Whitmer	Jacob Chamberlain

Conference opened by br. Joseph Smith jr. in exhortation & prayer, Prayer by br. Sidney Rigdon & exhortation by the same. Exhortation by most of the Elders present. ¶

Brs. Lyman Wight John Murdock Reynolds Cahoon Harvey Whitlock & Hyrum Smith were ordained to the high Priesthood under the hand <​of​> br. Joseph Smith jr. ¶

Exhortation by brs. Lyman Wight & Harvey Whitlock ¶

Brs. Parley P. Pratt Thomas B. Marsh Isaac Morley Edward Partridge Joseph Wakefield Martin Harris Ezra Thayer Ezra Booth, (denied the faith) John Corrill Samuel H. Smith Solomon Hancock Simeon Carter Wheeler Baldwin Jacob Scott, (denied the faith) Joseph Smith <​sen​> John Whitmer Joseph Smith jr. & Sidney Rigdon were ordained to the High Priesthood under the hand of br. Lyman Wight; The Bishop, (Edward Partridge) then blessed those who were ordained in the name of Christ according to commandment br. John Corrill & Isaac Morley were ordained assistants to the Bishop under the hand of Lyman Wight. ¶

Exhortation by br. Sidney Rigdon & Joseph Smith jr. Closed by prayer by br. Sidney Rigdon. ¶

John Whitmer, Clerk ¶

6 June 1831 • Monday

June 6th 1831. ¶

Brothers Simonds Rider Selah J. Griffin Daniel Stanton Peter Dustin Sidney Gilbert & William W. Phelps were ordained Elders of this Church according to the church covenants under the hand of Joseph Smith jr. ¶

History, 1838–1856, volume A-1

On the 6th of June, the elders from the various parts of the country where they were laboring, came in and the conference before appointed, convened in Kirtland, and the Lord displayed his power <​to the most perfect satisfaction, of the saints​> in a manner that could not be mistaken. The man of sin was revealed, and the au[HC 1:175]thority of the melechisedec <​priesthood​> was manifested and <​I​> conferred, <​the high priesthood​> for the first time, upon several of the elders. It was clearly evidint that the Lord gave us power in proportion to the work to be done and strength according to the race set before us; and grace and help as our needs required. Great harmony prevailed. Several were ordained; Faith was strengthened; [HC 1:176] and humility, so necessary for the blessing of God to follow prayer, characterized the saints. ¶

Compiler's notes

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

Notes from Tyler’s compilation

D&C 52 was received June 6, 1831, after the conference had been adjourned earlier that day. From the introduction to that section: ¶

“At this conference the first distinctive ordinations to the office of high priest were made, and certain manifestations of false and deceiving spirits were discerned and rebuked.” ¶

(D&C 52, Introduction) ¶

Vault presentation

• The source records exhortations by several elders but does not preserve complete, separately bounded sermons.