Minutes of the April 1875 General Conference

Minutes of the Forty-Fifth Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, convened in the New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, April 6-11, 1875. First Presidency: Brigham Young, George A. Smith, Daniel H. Wells; Counselors Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon, Brigham Young Jr., Albert Carrington. Quorum of the Twelve: Orson Hyde, Wilford Woodruff, Erastus Snow, George Q. Cannon, Brigham Young Jr., Albert Carrington, Lorenzo Snow, Charles C. Rich, John Taylor, Orson Pratt, Franklin D. Richards. ¶

Tuesday, April 6 Morning Session: President Daniel H. Wells delivered [[1875-04-wells-the-saints-have-the-priesthoodthe-kingdom]], addressing the necessity of self-sustaining communities, and Elder Charles C. Rich delivered [[1875-04-rich-the-gatheringknowledge-of-salvation-enjoyed-by]] (both filed separately), emphasizing direct revelation and priesthood authority. ¶

Tuesday, April 6 Afternoon Session: Elder Orson Hyde delivered [[1875-04-hyde-education-necessarymormonism-is-truthconversion-of-indians]] (filed separately), stressing parental responsibility to educate children and noting remarkable Indian conversions. Elder George Q. Cannon spoke separately on education funding, opposing "free schools" as "a species of pauperism" (summary only). ¶

Wednesday, April 7 Morning Session: President Brigham Young spoke (summary only). ¶

Wednesday, April 7 Afternoon Session: President Joseph Young spoke on the history of the Saints (summary only). Elder Erastus Snow delivered [[1875-04-snow-self-reliancehelp-the-feeblekeep-out-of-debt]], advocating debt reduction and criticizing credit systems, and President Brigham Young delivered [[1875-04-young-temporal-affairsconsistency-necessary-in-business]] (both filed separately). ¶

Thursday, April 8 Morning Session: Elder John Taylor delivered [[1875-04-taylor-man-the-offspring-of-god-a]] (filed separately), on humanity as the offspring of God and the operation of the priesthood — a discourse that crosses a JD volume boundary, continuing from Volume 17 into the opening pages of Volume 18. ¶

Thursday, April 8 Afternoon Session: Elder George Q. Cannon delivered [[1875-04-cannon-there-is-cause-for-rejoicingthe-hand]] (filed separately). President Brigham Young also spoke (summary only). ¶

Friday, April 9: Elder Wilford Woodruff and Elder Lorenzo Snow spoke (summary only). ¶

Friday, April 9 Afternoon Session: Elder Charles W. Penrose spoke on the designs and purposes of the Almighty; missionary calls were read; and Elder George Q. Cannon spoke again, separately, on Zion prevailing regardless of trials (all summary only). ¶

Saturday, April 10 Morning Session: Elder Brigham Young, Jr. spoke on the Church organized under revelation (summary only), and Elder George Q. Cannon delivered [[1875-04-cannon-cooperation-a-true-principlesaints-must-be]] (filed separately). ¶

Saturday, April 10 Afternoon Session: The General Authorities of the Church were sustained by vote of the Conference, and President Brigham Young spoke (summary only). ¶

Sunday, April 11 Morning Session: Elder Orson Pratt delivered [[1875-04-pratt-gathering-of-israelthe-work-of-the]] (filed separately), on the gathering of Israel and the three Nephite apostles. ¶

Sunday, April 11 Afternoon Session: Kaulainamoku and Elder F. A. Mitchell bore testimony, closing the conference (summary only; never printed in full in JD). ¶

Key themes: community self-sufficiency, economic independence, St. George Temple construction, practical education, reducing outside commerce dependence through home industry, debt elimination, and parental responsibilities. ¶