Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate/Volume 3/Number 4/Notices

At a Conference held in North Crosby branch of the church of Latter day saints, the following brethren were ordained: John Houghton, Elder; Thos. Judd, Priest; C. D. Barnum, Teacher; Oliver Houghton, Deacon. Joel Judd was appointed Clerk of said branch.

JOHN E. PAGE, Chair.

JOEL JUDD, Clerk.

Sept. 11, 1836.

At a Conference held according to appointment, Nov. 16, 1836, composed of the following elders: viz.

John E. Page, President.

Joel Judd, }

Wm. M. Weston, } Clerks.

James Blakesley, }

Conference was opened by prayer by the President. By revelation of God and vote of the church, John Landers, Arnold Stevens, and Lyman Stoddard were ordained to the office of Elders.

Murray Scamons, Artemus Judd, Joel Judd, Arza Judd, jr. and John Roberts were ordained Priests.

Benjamin Ellsworth, Billa Dixon and Ebenezer Landers, ordained Teachers.

Arza Judd, sen. Lodawick Ferry, Stephen Chipman, Zenus Lee and David Dixon were ordained Deacons.

After an adjournment for half an hour, the Conference was re-opened by prayer by elder James Blakesley; and followed by an able address from the President, from the 2d Gen. Epis. of Peter, chap. 1, ver. 20: "Know this first that no prophecy of the scriptures is of any private interpretation." The address led to elucidate and prove the saying of the ancient prophets respecting the gathering of the saints, and by what means. Conference adjourned.

Met again at 11 o'clock, on the 18th; prayer by elder James Blakesley, after which Eber Blakesly and Benjamin Gwright were ordained Elders. The President then addressed the conference from 20th chap. 28-29th ver. of Acts: "Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock." From which he expressed great sympathy for the flock, in warning the different officers ordained to be attentive to their duty, the fear of God, in their several callings, that the church may be built up in the most holy faith; elucidating the nature and duty of each officer in the church; and solemnly warning the members to be faithful and to live in the fear of God in order to be prepared to meet him on mount Zion.

At a conference held in Loughborough, on the 6th of Jan. 1837: John E. Page presiding; and Wm. Boice acting as Clerk; Martin Boice and John Vanlouven were ordained Teachers, and Wm. Boice, Deacon.

I arrived in Kirtland on the 20th of the present month, and purpose to return to Canada in the course of two weeks, to enter again upon my ministerial labors. A wide door is opening in that country for preaching; and I humbly trust that my brethren in the ministry will not be slothful in improving the opportunity to promulgate the truth, that the blood of souls may not be found in their garments. Truth is triumphing; error is falling; saints are rejoicing, and Babylon is howling, because of her losses. And for the same let thanksgiving and praise be ascribed to God and the Lamb.

Brethren pray for me. Yours in Christ.

JOHN E. PAGE.

Kirtland, Jan. 24, 1827 [1837].

TO THE CHURCHES ABROAD.

From information, both written and oral, we feel warranted in saying that our brethren in the far West, who have so long been afflicted and driven without a peaceable dwelling place, are now permitted to live quietly as other citizens: We hope they are grateful to God for all the benefits he bestows upon them or permits them to enjoy.—We also hope, they have that self respect, which will commend them to the favor and respect of all worthy citizens, and evince to intelligent men that the blessings of peace and the peaceable privileges of citizenship, are not received by them as a boon from their neighbors, but as a constitutional right. A salubrious climate, good water, cheap land, and a fertile soil, are among the inducements to the husbandman to emigrate to that delightful country.

TO ALL CONCERNED.

Owing to the multiplicity of Letters with which I am crowded, I am again under the necessity of saying, through the medium of the Messenger, that I will not, hereafter, take any letters from the Post office, unless they are post-paid.

JOSEPH SMITH, Jr.

Kirtland, Jan. 24, 1837.

Died in this town, on Monday Oct. 24th 1836, after a short illness, Hazen M. Sweat aged two years & fourteen days, and on Saturday the 30th following, Benjamin W. Sweat aged five years six months and six days. These were the only children of Benjamin and Ede Sweat, who had then but recently arrived in this place.

Died at Shoal Creek Mo. on the 23 of August last Roxana, consort of A. C. Lyon formerly a resident of Willoughby, Cuyahoga, Co. O. Sister Lyon was far on the declivity of life and has left the partner of her youthful days, a family of children and a circle of friends to deplore her loss. Surely the destroyer executes his office reckless of consequences.

TO OUR PATRONS.

Our readers need not be told that the publication of our paper has been delayed this month, longer than is usual for us;—longer by far than we could have wished. Yet it has not been for want of paper, it was not for want of compositors, nor for want of a pressman; but, still, there were a combination of causes not in our power to control, which operated to prevent our humble selves from seasonably preparing the articles to fill its columns.

We have sometimes prided ourselves on our punctuality the past year, and hope our brethren will not find this, in point of time, an exact specimen of the current year. We hope to be more prompt in future, and on the ground of repentance and reformation, we claim pardon. We are neither angling for praise nor meanly crouching as vassals, but we consider ourselves men; and entitled to an equal rank among our fellow beings,—entitled to censure for our wilfully evil deeds, praise for our good ones, sympathy for our sufferings, and to forgiveness, as we forgive those who trespass against us. With these few remarks, we close what we have to say by way of apology, and greet our friends and patrons with our good wishes and a happy new year. W.