Minutes of the April 1852 General Conference

MINUTES of the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, held at the New Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, April 6, 1852, 10 a. m., Prest. Brigham Young, presiding. ¶

Present of the Presidency—Brigham Young, H. C. Kimball, and W. Richards. Patriarchs—John Smith and Isaac Morley. Twelve Apostles—O. Pratt, W. Woodruff, G. A. Smith. Seventies—Joseph Young, Zera Pulsipher, A. P. Rockwood, Henry Herriman. Presidency of the Stake—Daniel Spencer, David Fullmer. High Priests' Quorum—John Young, Reynolds Cahoon. Presiding Bishop—Edward Hunter. Clerk of Conference—Thomas Bullock; George D. Watt, Reporter. ¶

The morning session opened with the dedication of the newly built Tabernacle on the Temple Block (dedicatory prayer by President Willard Richards, filed separately). President Young remarked that the new hall is the best he had ever seen on one floor, with 2,500 persons present that morning, every one able to see the face of the speaker, and then addressed the congregation at length (filed separately as "Weakness and Impotence of Men—Condition of the Saints—Dedication to the Lord—The Millennium"). In the afternoon, Elder Orson Pratt addressed the elders on the responsibility resting upon them to prepare for the morning of the resurrection and for celestial glory, referring to the work of God in England and Denmark; he was followed by Elder Orson Spencer, who rejoiced in the accounts presented and remarked that the people of the earth may as well attempt to stop the progress of the rays of light as to stop the power of truth. The Seventies met in the evening to hear instructions from President Joseph Young on continuing the building of the Seventies' Hall of Science. ¶

On Wednesday, April 7, the doors of the Tabernacle were thrown open at 9 a.m. to a crowd so great that all the alleys were crowded with men standing and many could not be admitted. President Young then presented all the authorities of the Church for sustaining vote: ¶

Brigham Young was sustained as President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and as Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, and Leader in Israel; Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards were sustained as his counsellors. John Smith was sustained as Presiding Patriarch. Orson Hyde was sustained as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, with P. P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, George A. Smith, Amasa Lyman, Ezra T. Benson, Charles C. Rich, Lorenzo Snow, Erastus Snow, and Franklin D. Richards as members. John Young was sustained as President of the High Priests' Quorum, with Reynolds Cahoon and George B. Wallace as counsellors. Joseph Young was sustained as First President of the Quorums of the Seventies, with Levi W. Hancock, Henry Herriman, Zera Pulsipher, Albert P. Rockwood, and Jedediah M. Grant as Associate Presidents; Benjamin L. Clapp's standing was laid over pending a confession of folly before the Conference. John Nebeker was sustained as President of the Elders' Quorum, with James H. Smith and Aaron Sceva as counsellors. Edward Hunter was sustained as Presiding Bishop, with Nathaniel H. Felt, John Banks, and Alfred Cordon as Assistant Presiding and Traveling Bishops. Lewis Wight was sustained as President of the Priests' Quorum, with John Groves and George Deckstader as counsellors. Return R. Hill was sustained as President of the Deacons' Quorum, with Andrew Bart and Oswell Barlow as counsellors. Brigham Young was sustained as Trustee in Trust, with Edward Hunter as Assistant Trustee. Willard Richards was sustained as Historian and General Church Recorder. Daniel H. Wells was sustained as Superintendent of the Public Works. Brigham Young was sustained as President of the Perpetual Emigrating Company, with Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards, Wilford Woodruff, Orson Hyde, George A. Smith, Ezra T. Benson, Jedediah M. Grant, Daniel H. Wells, Willard Snow, Edward Hunter, Daniel Spencer, Thomas Bullock, John Brown, William Crosby, Amasa Lyman, Charles C. Rich, Lorenzo D. Young, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, and Franklin D. Richards as assistants. Daniel Spencer was sustained as President of the Stake of Zion, with David Fullmer and Willard Snow as counsellors. Henry G. Sherwood was sustained as President of the High Council, with Eleazer Miller, John Kempton, Heman Hyde, William W. Major, Levi Jackman, Ira Eldredge, John Vance, Edwin D. Woolley, John Parry, Winslow Farr, and William Snow as members. ¶

Following the sustaining votes, remarks were given by George A. Smith and W. W. Phelps. In the afternoon, President Young laid before the Conference the amount of tithing received and expenditures, read by William Clayton, and occupied the remainder of the afternoon preaching (published in the Journal of Discourses as "The Lord at the Head of His Kingdom—Self-Discipline—Necessity of Cultivating a Knowledge of Science, and Particularly of Theology, Etc.," JD 6:314-322; filed separately). An Officers Meeting was held in the evening with remarks from George A. Smith, Zera Pulsipher, and President Young. ¶

On Thursday, April 8, remarks were given by Elder Orson Spencer, Elder Lorenzo Snow, and Elder W. W. Phelps, followed by President Young's discourse on "Education" (published as JD 1:66-71; filed separately). In the afternoon, President Heber C. Kimball and President Young spoke, followed by a Seventies meeting. ¶

On Friday, April 9, remarks were given by Elder Phineas H. Young, President Young, Elder John Banks, Elder John Young, and "Sister Bybee," followed by further remarks from President Young. In the afternoon, Patriarch Isaac Morley, Elder H. G. Sherwood, Elder William Hyde, and President Heber C. Kimball spoke. In the evening, an Elders Meeting was held at which President Young delivered a discourse on "Self-Government" (published as JD 1:46-53 under the fuller title "Self-Government—Mysteries—Recreation and Amusements, Not in Themselves Sinful—Tithing—Adam, Our Father and Our God"; filed separately). ¶

On Saturday, April 10, remarks were given by President Kimball, Elder Joseph Young, Professor Albert Carrington, and President Young. In the afternoon, Elder Daniel H. Wells, Elder William I. Appleby, Elder George D. Watt, Elder William Clayton, and President Kimball spoke. An Elders Meeting in the evening heard from Elder George A. Smith, Elder S. M. Blair, Elder Richard Cook, Elder Edward Hunter, Elder David Fullmer, and Elder John Banks. ¶

On Sunday, April 11, President Kimball and President Richards spoke in the morning session, and President Young gave closing notices and remarks in the afternoon. It was moved and seconded that the Conference, when adjourned, stand adjourned to the sixth day of October at 10 a.m. President Young gave notice of a special conference to be held the last Saturday in August, for the purpose of transacting business so that brethren sent on foreign missions could travel across the plains in September. ¶