| 980 Presiding Elder. Since last Conference, the Grand Prairie Branch of nine members have united with this. One has been baptised [baptized] and two dismissed by letter.
Bertrand Berrien Co. Branch; eighteen members, two Elders, one Priest, Gideon Brownel Presiding Elder; seven added since last Conference.
Mottville Branch, St. Joseph Co.; eleven members, two Elders, Andrew Thompson Presiding Elder.
Pawpaw Branch, Van Buren Co.; nine members, two Elders; Benjamin Waldren Presiding Elder.
Bethel Branch co. Branch; twenty three members, one Elder; Moses Olmstead Presiding Elder; twenty three added, two died and fourteen removed to Nauvoo since last Conference.
Florence Branch, St. Joseph co.; nine members, one High Priest, and thirty scattering members not represented by the above.
Moved and seconded that brother Orrin Craw be ordained an Elder to preside over the Florence Branch. Carried unanimously. He was ordained under the hands of Elders C. Dunn, E. M. Weeb [Webb] and E. Lee. After which the President gave some appropriate instructions to the saints, followed by E. M. Webb.
Benediction by Elder E .M. Webb; adjourned till three o'clock P. M.
Met according to adjournment. A hymn was sung, and prayer by Elder Ezekiel Lee. Another hymn was sung.
A discourse was then delivered by E .M. Webb on the fulfillment of prophecy, in which he demonstrated beyond successful contradiction that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of the Most High God, and that this work (called Mormonism) came forth in fulfillment to the predictions of the ancient Prophets.
He was followed by Elder C. Dunn on the same subject. Benediction by Elder Dunn. Adjourned till nine o'clock to-morrow morning.
Sabbath, June 8th; met persuant [pursuant] to adjournment, and held a prayer meeting. Dissmissed [Dismissed] for ten minutes. At 10 o'clock, preaching by Elder C. Dunn on the subject of the gospel, in which he ably set forth the necessity of strict obedience to the same in order to insure a crown of life. He was followed by Elder P. Webb. Benediction by Elder E .M. Webb.
Adjourned one half hour.
Met according to adjournment. Prayer by E. Lee.
E .M. Webb then addressed the assembly on the subject of the resurrection and inheritance of the saints; followed by E. Lee.
Voted that the minutes of this Conference be published in the Times and Seasons.
Voted that the Conference adjourn to meet in the Town of Comstock, Kalamazoo co. Mich. the first Saturday and Sunday in Sept. next.
Peace and harmony pervaded the Conference;-the spirit of God was manifested and the sublimities of eternity rested upon the congregation; the saints were edified and built up in the most holy faith, and rejoiced with exceeding great joy in view of the prospects of eternal life and the rich inheritance of the saints for which to God be all the glory: Amen.
CRANDELL DUNN, Pres.
E. M. Webb, Clerk.
EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM BENJAMIN F. GROUARD, Dated-
Tahiti, December 6, 1844.
MY EVER DEAR AND RESPECTED WIFE:-
I joyfully embrace another opportunity of writing you a few lines, knowing you are ever anxious to hear from me; especially when we are so remote from each other. I hardly know what to write about first, I have so many things to say, and in fact a sheet of paper is a poor medium, to my notion, to communicate one's thoughts; still, as there is no other resource, while so widely separated, we must gladly accept of it. Still you must not expect that all I can say in this, is hardly an index to what I want to say. I sometimes think it quite strange that I have never received any communication from you since I left; still, I cannot attribute it to your neglect, for I fondly hope there are some on the way, and will soon reach me.-It is a long time though, that I have had to wait, and sometimes I get quite out of patience. It is now fourteen months since I have heard a syllable from you or the church, except some newspaper stories, or the like. One of those was, that Brothers Joseph and Hyrum had been assassinated. Such things, though we do not believe them, give us great uneasiness, and make our situation very unpleasant.
Nothing but the privilege of seeing you, would give me more pleasure at the present time, than to know your situation and circumstances; whether you are in Philadelphia or Nauvoo, and how you prosper? whether those who volunteered to befriend you, are friends indeed and how you are contented in my absence? whether you hold out faithful yet? I hope and trust you do.
Should they kill Brother Joseph, and half the church, we know it is the truth; and God's purposes will roll on, and be fulfilled in spite of all things. If he is killed, what has befallen him more than the rest of the prophets? Nothing. But I hope and trust it is not so.
My ignorance of your whereabouts troubles
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