August 13, 1843 • Sunday

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Minuets of proceedings of the

Seventh Meeting of Society

Second Ward

At the House formerly occupied by Father Snow¹

August 13 1843—

Present Councillor [Elizabeth Ann] Whitney and Mrs Billings

Meeting opend withe Singing

Prayer by Sister Chase

Coun— Whitney said she had hoped the Prest would be present this afternoon desird the Sisters would remember her in th[e]ir preyers that she was pleasd with our last Meeting (viz of the First ward then address’d the Society on the priviliges and blessings of this Kingdom

Sister Billings rose said I can say with Sis Whitney we are called to rejoice notwithstanding the trials Sickness and death thro which we have been calld to pass thro in Missouri I am thankful we have lived it through and now it becomes us to be faithful and to walk humbly befor God I feel my unworthiness desire that I may war a good warfare and at last be receivd into the Kingdom of God exhorted the sisters to be bold not timid or fearful in bearing their testimony

Sister Orson [Catherine] Spencer rose said she had been appontd [appointed] as one of Comm^ttee— of the 2d city ward was willing to do all in her power for the relief of the poor sick and distressd but that her health was delicate 〈&〉 could not do much said she had thought we were taking the Bishops place in looking after the poor & solicitting donations² &c said as the wards were extensive felt she was not adequate to the burthen desird some on[e] might be appointed in her place reportd a sick family which she had visited and hand[e]d in her donations [p. [106]]

P. [Phebe] M. Wheeler of the 2d city ward reports as follows I visited some few families some were sick, some not Sick found one family Br. Chatmans—; verry poor and destitute would represent them to the charity of the relief society Br Chatman is constantly employd on the walls of th[e] Temple he has 4 small children not quite 5 nearly destitute for cloathing also would reccommend to the charity of of this society Sis Francis Lew Law who is sick & without a home an aged widow Lady at present destitute of money

Sister Reed offerd to take her and Nurse her if some one would provide her board

Sis [Drusilla] Hendricks then rose said she had understood that she was one of the Comm^tee. appointed to look after the poor but said she had a great burthen uppon her, did not know what she could d do felt that as her family was situated she could not do much desird that some one might be appointed in her place

Coun Whitney verry feelingly remarked that they were only directed to 〈do〉 the little that they could without Injury to themselves &c

Sister Billings said none were ♢requird to go beyond their strength

Sister [Elizabeth] Jones of Comm^ttee of the first city ward reports that many were sick and suffering the necessarry Comforts of life and receivd Donations as follows

		$
Sister Wolly [Mary Woolley]	11 lb flowr	00	28
Sister [Margaret] Smoot	6 lb flour	00	15
Sis German [Rachel Jerman]	1¾ lb butter		—8
Sister Chase donated a Calico dress to Sis Miller		1	50
Sis Rice gave 4 lb butter loaf bread 5 lb flour		00	40

said as Committee of the 3d city ward she meant [p. [107]] to go forward in this benevolent work said she had found the people as far as she had gone generly comfortable

Sis Olive Frost represented a a sick family whom the Com^ttee had overlooked a Br Burgess & family

Eliza Duel	donates 2 lb Sugar		12½
Sis Jones	a Chicken to Sister Longden	00	6
Sis Simpson	1 lb butter	00	8
	and Sundry articles	00	40
~~Sister Wolly~~	~~10 lb flowr~~	00	25
~~Sis Smoot~~	~~6 lb flowr~~	00	15
Mrs Dan	gave several small articles for a child	00
Mrs Dan	gave several small articles for a child	00	30
Mrs Coolage [Elizabeth Coolidge]	3 yds Shirting	00	37
Widow Nights [Martha Knight]—	cash	00	15
Mrs Cowls	crackers	00	25
Mrs Mc entile	8 lb flowr	00	20
Mrs [Catherine] Orr	sundry articles for the sick	00	31
	also 3 y^ds. cotton cloth	00	30
Mrs Orson Spencr	sundry articles for the sick	00	51

The following names were then presented to the Society and the persons receivd as Members

Eunice S Baxter	Belinda Newel
Mary Stewart	Louisa Sangers
Maria Ferry	Phebe Groves³ [Graves]
Sarah L Mendenhall	Eliza A Groves⁴ [Graves]
Thirsa McNoll	Elizabeth Thompson

Elder [Reynolds] Cahoon⁵ who had been invited to attend rose and said that he felt a delicacy in rising to address the society but was rejoiced to see their Benevolent exertions said he was as perfectly satisfied withe the order of this society as that of the gospel on the commencement of this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints [p. [108]] said there are many Benevolent Societies abroad designd to do good but not as this ours is according to the order of God connected with the priesthood according to the same good principals & knowledge will grow out of it reproved the Sisters for their fearfulness said they were not acting in the Bishop’s place nor intruding upon them in their calling That the ♢eelief Society was organised according to the mind of God that Emma had directed to the appointment of this Com^tee that Joseph had appointed Emma to direct—; the society had covenanted to follow Joseph that they had nothing to do but to move forward said the objects and principles of this society are vast not fully understood a most important part of the Church to look after the sick without— Notwithstanding th[e] Bishops there would be a lack in the Church the Order of th[e] Priesthood is not complete without it; let every one act in their place, then all will move on most gloriously the purposes of God will be accomplished chided the Committee who had expressed fears of acting out of their place— In the Bishop’s place sa[i]d they were in their place and those who would act perseveringly in their place— Should be bless’d with great blessings more than they could conceive The organisation of this Society & the Church is similar according to the mind & order of God in it every want may be suppli[e]d every place filled— take couredge and use every exertion within your power Every on[e] has their duty and place you may do much good in cheering the hearts of the pilgrim Saints who come to Zion as stran[g]ers a word of consolation may ennable them to rise up in the Spirit of God with cheerfulness How long will it be before a this society will want a store house to store the[i]r goods I am far from thinking the Bishop will have th[e] only [p. [109]] Storehouse⁶ The time will come when all persons will find reliefe thro this Society— Why should not this prospect buoy you up above the difficulties which may cross your way I am unable to express my feelings on this vast subject The Lord has set his hand to accomplish this very object Then act with all cheerfulness I contend you have a perfect right to relieve the poor in the name of the Lord to claim assistance of each other for this object without any hesitation This is the design in the almighty in forming it you kneed not doubt but this Society is raisd by the Lord to prepare us for the great blessings which are for us in the House of the Lord in the Temple be faithful and comfort and edify one annothe [another] in all things be faithful in reporting the sick that each may know and do their duty in all things That; that, Can be Shaken will be shaken hereafter⁷ we shall have enough to try every power of our Souls here is the use of the word of Comfort

I have no more to say

The committee then rose (namely) sister O Spencer Sister Hendricks and P M Wheeler said they had not understood clearly what was expected of the Committee but would do what they could most cheerfully P M Wheeler presented case of Sister Lew to the Society Siste[r] [Harriet] Marcum said she had no more; to no more objections to make in doing her duty as a com[mit]tee

The Com^ttee all seemd to have gaind new courage desird to remain in their places and do with their might all they could do—

Meeting closed

Prayer by Elder Cahoon

[p. [110]]

Cite This Page

August 13, 1843 • Sunday, The First Fifty Years of Relief Society, accessed November 18, 2024 https://chpress-web.churchhistorianspress.org/the-first-fifty-years-of-relief-society/part-1/1-2/1-2-26

Footnotes

[1]The house was likely that occupied until June 1842 by Eliza R. and Lorenzo Snow’s father, Oliver Snow, who was sometimes referred to as “Father Snow.” The house stood on the corner of Knight and Partridge Streets, on the southwest corner of block 79, two blocks west of the temple site. (“List of Property in the City of Nauvoo,” 1841, Nauvoo, IL, Records, 1841–1845, CHL; “A Record of the Names of the Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, as Taken by the Lesser Priesthood, in the Spring of 1842,” after 1844–after 1846, in Far West and Nauvoo Elders’ Certificates, 1837–1838, 1840–1846, CHL, [16].)
[2]From the appointment of the first Latter-day Saint bishop in February 1831, stewardship over the temporal affairs of the church—particularly care of the poor—was a primary aspect of the bishop’s role and responsibilities. (Doctrine and Covenants 42:31; 84:112; 107:68; 119; and 120.)
[3]text: Possibly “Graves”.
[4]text: Possibly “Graves”.
[5]Cahoon was a member of the temple committee. (“Church Appointees,” in JSP, J2:509.)
[6]Joseph Smith’s revelations exhorted church members to “remember the poor, and consecrate of thy properties for their support.” The monies, goods, and properties accumulated were to be kept in a “storehouse, to administer to the poor and the needy.” The bishop was appointed to distribute this “residue,” and the storehouse became known as the “bishop’s storehouse.” (Doctrine and Covenants 42:30, 34; see also Doctrine and Covenants 51:13; 58:24; and R. Quinn Gardner, “Bishop’s Storehouse,” in Encyclopedia of Mormonism, ed. Daniel H. Ludlow, 5 vols. [New York: Macmillan, 1992], 1:123–125.)
[7]See Hebrews 12:27.