| 306 Western Iowa; C. N. Brown, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New York; J. W. Bryan, Texas; Joseph Luff, Missouri, Kansas, and Utah; G. E. Deuel, Utah; R. M. Elvin, Iowa and Nebraska; J. J. Cornish, Michigan; John Eames, Wyoming; James Kemp, Colorado; O. E. Cleaveland, Virginia; J. Lamoreaux, Ohio; and Robert Fuller, Ohio.
The church recorder reported a net gain in membership of six hundred fifty-one. The librarian reported four hundred three volumes in library.
Elder M. H. Forscutt, "musical editor," reported his readiness to furnish music for "The Harmony" when called for.
Board of Publication reported total receipts, $6,113.64; total expenditure, $5,755.41; leaving balance on hand of $358.23.
On the 8th a telegram was received from the Pacific Slope Mission conference, that the conference had divided the mission into four parts, as follows: Oregon, Nevada, Northern California, and Southern California. This action was indorsed [endorsed] by the General Conference and a message returned to that effect.
The following document was received from Elder J. W. Briggs and read:
Again, and I trust for the last time, I am impelled to ask at your hand redress for wrong inflicted upon me by the late semiannual conference of September, 1879.
The facts connected with the said act complained of I will briefly recite:
At the semiannual conference of September, 1878, certain charges were made against me of teaching contrary to the belief of the church, and an order made by said conference that the First Presidency appoint a court to adjudicate the case. To this I demurred, and gave my reasons to the annual conference of April 6, 1879, and demanded, as a right, to be heard before the Quorum of the Twelve in their capacity of a presiding high council. This was ordered by said annual conference, fixing the time for such investigation during the sitting of the next semiannual conference of September, 1879, at which time the quorum met, and the case was called, though the quorum declined to organize as such high council, or to be governed by the rules applicable to a high council. This was in contravention of my request, and the order of the said annual conference; and was so far, I think, a grave error, which entitled their findings to the character of a report only, and not a decision.
(page 306) |
