| 494 Mr. Joseph Smith, and the whole society of Latter Day Saints. Again, how frequently it is, that a large portion of the community form their opinion about a man, or a society, from the assertions and opinions of some learned philosopher, or pretended religious champion. The history of the present age affords us a very striking example of this woful [woeful] state of affairs; for no sooner does the sound of calumny, and the cry of delusion, imposter [impostor] , and a score of other equally harsh imputations, proceed from the lips of some famous individual, than thousands immediately join in the vulgar cause, and reiterate these epithets from one end of our country to the other.
And now we ask, what has Mr. Smith, or the society of Latter Day Saints done, or what does the world know of either, that should in the least, militate against their characters? We answer, no more than the Jews knew against Christ and his disciples. What kind of men were leaders of primitive church? We reply; that they were virtuous, honorable, untarnished in the sight of heaven, and uncorrupted with the schemes of intrigue, and plans of wickedness, that the great men were daily inventing; and who were their calumniators?-We answer, the high priests of the Jews, doctors of the law, learned rabbies [rabbis], kings, philosophers, and statesmen. Who was this Celsus, that wrote so many bitter things against the Christians? One of the literati of Rome, which nation at this time, in regard to literature stood foremost in the world; one who held an influence over the whole nation. Who was the celebrated Porphyry, that wrote so much against Christians in the third century? A Roman philosopher.
Indeed, we are inclined to believe that when our enemies pour down upon us such a torrent of epithets, and put in circulation a battalion of falsehoods about us, that but little do they think, they are the same that was lavished upon the primitive Christians. It is a poor rule that will not work both ways. If the Latter Day Saints should be discarded because the tide of slander, abuse, and the false imputations of the learned, set in against them, then by the same rule we should set it down, that all the ancient Christians should be look [looked] upon as deceivers.
Minutes of a conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, held at Batavia, Gennessee county, N. Y., March 2, 1844, according to previous appointment.
Nathan Haskins was called to preside, and R. L. Young appointed clerk.
After prayer by the president, and singing by the audience, the president proceeded to examine the officers of the different branches.
Seventies present, three; Elders, 17; one priest.
The representation of branches was then called for, which were as follows:
Batavia branch, represented by J. L. Bartholf; has 25 members, including eight elders; two added since last conference.
Alexander branch, represented by A. Sheffield, has 28 members, including 10 elders; two cut off since last conference.
Atica branch, represented by R. Shadboll, has 16 members, including three elders.
Hume branch, represented by P. Weaver, has 20 members, including three elders and one priest.
Weatherfield branch, represented by R. L. Young, has 12 members, including two elders, four added since last conference.
In Cataraugus county, there are 10 members, represented by William Hyde.
Brother G. Thompson, who had been excommunicated from the Alexander branch and who had taken an appeal to the Batavia conference, was examined, and the proceedings of the branch decided to be illegal. He was reinstated to his former standing.
Conference adjourned till next morning, 10 o'clock, which was the first day of the week .
Met agreeable to adjournment.
Elder William Hyde was called upon to preach. He addressed the meeting on the coming of the Son of Man. Elder Redfield followed him in the afternoon on different parts of the scripture, and exhorted the members to be faithful. Some other remarks were made appropriate to the occasion, and the audience seemed much humbled and edified.
Voted that this conference be adjourned to the neighborhood of brother Weaver and Wight, in Hume, Alleghany [Allegheny] county, to be held on the first Saturday and Sunday in July next.
Resolved, That these minutes be sent to Nauvoo for publication.
The Gennessee conference consists of many more branches and members, but none of them being present, it was thought best to say nothing about their numbers.
NATHAN HASKINS, Pres.
R. L. Young, clerk.
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