To the Church at Eugene:
Dear Brethren:—It is truly painful to be under the necessity of writing on a subject which engages our attention at this time, viz: the case of John Smith, and Eden Smith, his son. We have just received a letter from you concerning their standing in the Church. We do not hold them in fellowship. We would inform you that John Smith has been dealt with, and his authority taken from him; and you are required not to receive his teachings, but to treat him as a transgressor, until he repents and humbles himself before the Lord, to the entire satisfaction of the Church: and also, you have authority to call a conference, and sit in judgment on Eden's case, and deal with him as the law directs.
We feel to rebuke the Elders of that branch of the Church of Christ, for not magnifying their office, and letting the transgressor go unpunished. We, therefore, enjoin upon you, to be watchful on your part, and search out iniquity, and put it down wherever it may be found. You will see by this, brethren, that you have authority to sit in council on the Smiths; and if found guilty, to deal with them accordingly. We have this day directed a letter to John Smith, thereby making known to him our disapprobation of the course he has pursued. We commend you to God and His grace, ever praying He will keep and preserve you blameless till He come.
Joseph Smith, Jun.,
Sidney Rigdon,
F. G. Williams.
Postscript by Bishop Whitney, same date:
Dear Brethren:—Yours of the 3rd of June, came safe to hand the last mail, and John Smith's, which was directed to Brother Joseph. Now, my brethren, on this sheet you have Brother Joseph's sanction to my proceedings, and the letter I last wrote you, and you will govern yourselves accordingly, for you have full power and authority to call the two brothers Smith to an account for their conduct; and, unless they repent and make satisfaction, not only to your branch of the Church, but also to this branch, they must be cut off from the body; for under existing circumstances, we have no fellowship with them. Brother John Smith's authority, as an officer in the Church, was taken from him before he left, and he ought to have given up his license; but he went away without doing so, and it seems he has made use of it to impose upon you. As to the two sisters you spoke of in your last, if there is no testimony on either side, all you can do is to forbid them to partake of the Sacrament unworthily; and pray much, and God will bring all things to light.
N. K. Whitney, Bishop.
Footnotes
1. The first of the following deed-forms was used in consecrating property to the Church; the second, in securing the stewardships to those entering into the law of consecration and stewardship, sometimes called the Order of Enoch, because it was the law under which the Patriarch Enoch and his people lived. These deed forms were found in the private papers of Bishop Edward Partridge.
I.
Be it known, that I, Titus Billings of Jackson county, and the state of Missouri, having become a member of the Church of Christ, organized according to law, and established by the revelations of the Lord, on the 6th day of April, 1830, do, of my own free will and accord, having first paid my just debts, grant and hereby give unto Edward Partridge of Jackson county, and state of Missouri, Bishop of said Church, the following described property, viz.:—sundry articles of furniture valued fifty-five dollars twenty-seven cents; also two beds, bedding and extra clothing valued seventy-three dollars twenty-five cents; also farming utensils valued forty-one dollars, also one horse, two wagons, two cows and two calves, valued one hundred forty-seven dollars.
For the purpose of purchasing lands in Jackson county, Mo., and building up the New Jerusalem, even Zion, and for relieving the wants of the poor and needy. For which I, the said Titus Billings, do covenant and bind myself and my heirs forever, to release all my right and interest to the above described property, unto him, the said Edward Partridge, Bishop of said Church.
And I, the said Edward Partridge, Bishop of said Church, having received the above described property, of the said Titus Billings, do bind myself, that I will cause the same to be expended for the above mentioned purposes of the said Titus Billings to the satisfaction of said Church; and in case I should be removed from the office of Bishop of said Church, by death or otherwise, I hereby bind myself and my heirs forever, to make over to my successor in office, for the benefit of said Church, all the above described property, which may then be in my possession.
In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals this........... day of......., in the year of our Lord, one thousand, eight hundred and thirty .....
In the presence of
Signed,
Titus Billings.
Edward Partridge
II.
Be it known, that I, Edward Partridge, of Jackson county, state of Missouri, Bishop of the Church of Christ, organized according to law, and established by the revelations of the Lord, on the 6th day of April, 1830, have leased and by these presents do lease unto Titus Billings, of Jackson county, and state of Missouri, a member of said Church the following described piece or parcel of land, being a part of section No. three, township No. forty-nine, range No. thirty-two, situated in Jackson county, and state of Missouri, and is bounded as follows, viz:—Beginning eighty rods E. from the S.W. corner of said section; thence N. one hundred and sixty rods; thence E. twenty-seven rods; twenty-five links; thence S. one hundred and sixty rods; thence W. seventy-seven rods; twenty-five links, to the place of beginning, containing twenty-seven and one-half acres, be the same more or less, subject to roads and highways. And also have loaned the following described property, viz:—Sundry articles of furniture, valued fifty-five dollars twenty-five cents; also two beds, bedding and clothing, valued seventy-three dollars twenty-seven cents; also sundry farming utensils, valued forty-one dollars; also one horse, two cows, two calves, and two wagons, valued one hundred forty-seven dollars, to have and to hold the above described property, by him the said Titus Billings, to be used and occupied as to him shall seem meet and proper.
And as a consideration for the use of the above described property I, the said Titus Billings, do bind myself to pay the taxes, and also to pay yearly unto the said Edward Partridge, Bishop of said Church, or his successor in office, for the benefit of said Church, all that I shall make or accumulate more than is needful for the support and comfort of myself and family. And it is agreed by the parties that this lease and loan shall be binding during the life of the said Titus Billings, unless he transgresses and is not deemed worthy by the authority of the Church, according to its laws, to belong to the Church. And in that case I, the said Titus Billings, do acknowledge that I forfeit all claim to the above described leased and loaned property, and hereby bind myself to give back the lease, and also pay an equivalent, for the loaned [articles] for the benefit of said Church, unto the said Edward Partridge, Bishop of said Church, or his successor in office. And further, in case of said Titus Billings' or family's inability in consequence of infirmity or old age to provide for themselves while members of this Church, I, the said Edward Partridge Bishop of said Church, do bind myself to administer to their necessities out of any fund in my hands appropriated for that purpose, not otherwise disposed of, to the satisfaction of the Church. And further, in case of the death of the said Titus Billings, his wife or widow, being at the time a member of said Church, has claim upon the above described leased and loaned property, upon precisely the same conditions that her said husband had them, as above described; and the children of the said Titus Billings, in case of the death of both their parents, also have claim upon the above described property, for their support, until they shall become of age, and no longer; subject to the same conditions yearly that their parents were; provided, however, should the parents not be members of said Church, and in possession of the above described property at the time of their deaths, the claim of the children as above described, is null and void.
In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this.......... day of.......... in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty.... In presence of
Signed,
Edward