| 144 "'I certify the foregoing to be a true copy from the original.
"'OLIVER COWDERY, Clerk of the High Council.
"'All the effect the above letter had upon the council was to convince them more of the wickedness of those men by endeavoring to palm themselves upon the Church as her Presidents after the church had by a united voice removed them from their presidential office for their ungodly conduct; and the letter was considered no more nor less than a direct insult or contempt cast upon the authorities of God and the Church of Jesus Christ; therefore the council proceeded to business.
"'A number of charges were sustained against these men, the principal of which was for claiming two thousand dollars church funds, which they had subscribed for building an house to the Lord in this place, when they held in their possession the city plot, and were sitting in the presidential chair, which subscription they were intending to pay from the avails of the town lots; but when the town plot was transferred into the hands of the Bishop for the benefit of the church, it was agreed that the church should take this subscription from off the hands of W. W. Phelps and John Whitmer; but in the transaction of the business they bound the Bishop in a heavy mortgage to pay them the above two thousand dollars in two years from the date thereof, a part of which they had already received, and claim the remainder.
"'The six counselors made a few appropriate remarks, none of whom felt to plead for mercy, as it had not been asked on the part of the accused, but all with one consent declared that justice ought to have her demands.
"'After some remarks by Presidents Marsh and Patten, setting forth the iniquity of those men in claiming the two thousand dollars spoken of, which did not belong to them any more than any other person in the church, it was decided that William W. Phelps and John Whitmer be no longer members of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints, and be given over to the buffetings of Satan, until they learn to blaspheme no more against the authorities of God, nor fleece the flock of Christ.
(page 144) |
