Minutes of the April 1861 General Conference

The Thirty-First Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, convened in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, April 6, 1861, President Brigham Young presiding. ¶

The morning session opened with Ezra T. Benson's testimony, taking for his text "Latter-day Saint" (filed separately as "Testimony and Religion of the Saints," JD 8:369-370), followed by President Daniel H. Wells, who continued the theme (filed separately as "Kingdom of God and the Governments of Men," JD 8:371-376). President Heber C. Kimball followed with remarks on unity, quoting John 15 on the vine and branches and urging the people toward independence in home manufactures (filed separately as "Spirit of Unity—Independence of Zion, &c," JD 9:6-8). President Brigham Young then delivered his "True Testimony—Preparation for Coming Events—Corruption of the Government, Etc." discourse (filed separately, JD 9:1-6), reflecting on the secession crisis then unfolding in the United States. ¶

In the afternoon, Elder John Taylor presented the General Authorities for the sustaining vote: Brigham Young as President with Heber C. Kimball and Daniel H. Wells as counselors; Orson Hyde as President of the Quorum of the Twelve, with Orson Pratt Sr., Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, George A. Smith, Amasa Lyman, Ezra T. Benson, Charles C. Rich, Lorenzo Snow, Erastus Snow, Franklin D. Richards, and George Q. Cannon as members; John Smith as Patriarch of the whole Church; Daniel Spencer as President of the Stake with David Fullmer and George B. Wallace as counselors; the High Council; John Young as President of the High Priests' Quorum; Joseph Young and the first seven Presidents of the Seventies; the Elders', Priests', Teachers', and Deacons' Quorum presidencies; and Edward Hunter as Presiding Bishop. President Young gave instruction on the organizational structure of the Seventies quorums and Apostolic seniority during the sustaining. Elder John Taylor also addressed the congregation on union in human and divine government (filed separately as "Union—Human and Divine Government, Etc.," JD 9:8-15), and Elder George A. Smith spoke on sectarian religion and democracy (filed separately as "Sectarian Religion—Democracy, Etc.," JD 9:15-20). ¶

The Sunday, April 7 morning session included Elder Lorenzo Snow's discourse on improvement and the restoration of the Priesthood (filed separately as "Improvement—Restoration of the Priesthood, Etc.," JD 9:20-23) and President Heber C. Kimball's discourse on appreciating divine gifts, the promised return to Jackson County, and home manufactures (filed separately as "Appreciation of Divine Gifts and Blessings—Return to Jackson County—Encouragement of Home Manufactures," JD 9:24-28). President Brigham Young followed with two discourses on temporal affairs and home manufactures, filed separately as "Home Manufactures" (JD 9:29-31) and "The Gifts of God—Home Manufactures—Word of Wisdom—Happiness" (JD 9:31-40); the latter continued into the Sunday afternoon session and touched on the Word of Wisdom, plurality of wives, and family government. ¶