| 725 by this committee to the satisfaction of the church. At the April conference of 1879 he received a General Conference appointment to labor, as circumstances permitted, in Berrien County, Michigan. This appointment was continued the following year, since which we have no record of his being appointed as missionary by the General Conference.
At the same annual conference of 1879, together with William H. Kelley and Phineas Cadwell, he was appointed to examine the books and records of the Herald Office. This work was an arduous one, and resulted in bringing about better conditions, and possibly in saving to the church considerable means. At the same conference he was appointed a member of the Board of Publication.
In 1881, in company with William H. Kelley, he interviewed David Whitmer, at his home in Richmond, Ray County, Missouri, at which time Elder Blakeslee states that he was so moved by the divine power, while hearing Elder Whitmer relate the circumstances connected with the Book of Mormon, that he received additional confirmation and testimony of the truth of that record.
At the April conference of 1882, upon the resignation of Bishop I. L. Rogers, Elder Blakeslee was nominated, approved, and ordained Presiding Bishop of the church. He had for some time previous to this been acting as agent for Bishop I. L. Rogers in his home district. He chose as his counselors Elijah Banta and E. L. Kelley. In the capacity of Bishop he served the church the remainder of his life. Under his administration new life and vigor were infused into the financial department of church work. Together with his counselor, E. L. Kelley, he traveled largely throughout the church, expounding the financial law, and his interpretation of the financial law was accepted by the church as the correct interpretation of the law of God as touching those matters, and though meeting with some opposition in places, his teaching was quite generally received, and largely acted upon.
In 1882, in company with William H. Kelley, he visited Manitoba. During their short stay they did what they could to establish the work there.
(page 725) |
