Episode 135: D&C 36 – Section 52
The first ever Big Important Business Meeting of the newly formed church has concluded. Joseph revelates 33 of his VIPs right out into the wilderness (Missouri), and lets us know that another Big Important Business Meeting will happen out there, eventually, when they get around to it. Rejoice, they’re about to take the land of their inheritence from the people who have lived on the promised land for that last millenia! Wait, perhaps rejoicing in the future takeover of Native American lands shouldn’t be rejoiced about? Oh man, American history is ugly AF.
Drink count – 11 (or about a beer and half)
![1f37a[1]](https://mybookofmormonpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/1f37a11-e1405273035787.png?w=540)
Edson Fuller and his religiously enthusiastic buddies are described in detail at https://history.lds.org/article/doctrine-and-covenants-religious-enthusiasm?lang=eng
Curious about any of the men listed in this chapter? Head over to these two websites and enter in their name:
lds.org
josephsmithpapers.org
Symonds Ryder’s gravestone is found at http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10388814
Read along with us at joelakuhn.com/dc-compare
Show dedication and podcastiarchal blessing – John P
Podcastriarchal blessing music is Our Happy Life by Maps and Transit
My Book of Mormon 
November 20, 2016 at 3:49 pm
You may find the following of interest.
http://www.scottwoodward.org/churchhistory_kirtland_4thConferenceEvents.html
November 20, 2016 at 7:53 pm
Holy crap. Lemon Copley leapt through a window straight as a board?? Oh, to be a fly on the wall when THAT happen.
November 20, 2016 at 10:37 pm
James, thanks for that link. That’s a great collection of quotes about that very strange meeting. Levi Hancock’s statement continues along the lines of the others present, but a bit different in some details, and lots of spelling errors:
‘Joseph put his hands on Harvey Whitlock and ordained him to the high priesthood. He turned as black as Lyman was white. His fingers were set like claws. He went around the room and showed his hands and tried to speak; his eyes were in the shape of oval O’s.
‘Hyrum Smith said, “Joseph, that is not of God.” Joseph said, “Do not speak against this.” “I will not believe,” said Hyrum, “unless you inquire of God and he owns it.” Joseph bowed his head, and in a short time got up and commanded Satan to leave Harvey, laying his hands upon his head at the same time.
‘At that very instant an old man said to weigh two hundred and fourteen pounds sitting in the window turned a complete summersault in the house and came his back across a bench and lay helpless. Joseph told Lyman to cast Satan out. He did. The man’s name was Leanon [Leman] Coply [Copley], formally a Quaker [Shaker]. The evil spirit left him and as quick lightning Harvey Green fell bound and screamed like a panther. Satan was cast out of him. But immediately entered someone else.
‘This continued all day and the greater part of the night. But to return to the meeting, Joseph said, “Now if you elders have sinned it will do you no good to preach if you have not repented. Heamon [Heman] Bassett you sit still the Devil wants to sift you. . .” Then he ordained Jacob Scott and some others to the High Priesthood. He came to Zebidee [Zebedee] Coltrin and myself and told us that we had another calling as high as any man in the house. I was glad for that for I was so scared I would not stir without his liberty for all the world. I knew the things I had seen was not made.’
From http://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/LHancock.html
A small point, but I think it’s interesting that Zebedee Coltrin remembered Harvey Whitlock’s mouth turning the shape of an “italic O”, and Levi Hancock recalled that his eyes turned the shape of “oval O’s”. It’s as if one of them, maybe, first suggested the idea of the O’s, and the other took it up as his own memory, but remembered it differently.
What I find more significant, if less fascinating, than all the demonic possession stories associated with this June 1831 conference is that, at the time, Joseph Smith spoke of this as the first time the Melchizedek Priesthood was conferred. But later on, he and Oliver Cowdery would talk about having received this higher priesthood from Peter, James, and John in June 1829. This is the story the church follows today, and it was merely the office of High Priest within the Melchizedek Priesthood that was first conferred in 1831.
November 21, 2016 at 2:16 am
IIRC, they were still using hallucinogens in their general conference meetings.
November 20, 2016 at 11:23 pm
I loved all the biographical information in this episode. Good work, Marie! I’m looking forward to hearing the non-Mormon historical details of the period you promised coming up.
Some more historical portraits for y’all.
Lyman Wight (with piercing eyes not unlike those of JRR Tolkien’s barrow wights):
Levi Hancock (sporting a surprisingly modern looking necktie):
(or sporting a more badass, 19th century look):
Zebedee Coltrin (wearing a properly dainty-looking, period appropriate necktie):
Isaac Morley (as portrayed by Edward G. Robinson?):
Samuel H. Smith (Joseph’s brother, who never got a proper portrait done?):
November 20, 2016 at 11:39 pm
You had me at JRR Tolkien.
November 23, 2016 at 8:05 am
As I have said before, all the fizz done went out o’ the church a long time ago. Hell, I might’ve joined in 1829-1831—and stayed till they started traipsing across the countryside every few months in the middle of winter. I think I would’ve stayed home with my shrooms while the rest of the crowd were wading across half-frozen rivers with balky horses. Somebody needs to be there to take a message in case God calls.
November 23, 2016 at 3:35 pm
You and I can hang out on my couch in my parents’ basement while we send Bryce out to do the hard work. Pass the 1830’s version of Doritos to me, please.
December 1, 2016 at 9:28 pm
Marie, I enjoyed the biographical information that you added as you read this section. Thanks for your links and those provided by James W. and The Duke. It would be interesting to know if any of the women who had joined the Church were experiencing similar manifestations as those which were described by the men. Just saying.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer
December 1, 2016 at 11:13 pm
I think the women did experience similar manifestations. See the following excerpt from the diary of midwife Patty Bartlett Sessions: https://www.sunstonemagazine.com/pdf/101-80.pdf
December 3, 2016 at 10:15 pm
James, thanks for the link; this excerpt from Mother Session’s diary was an interesting read…as Jerry Lee might would say, ” A whole lotta blessin [was] goin on!” Maybe God wanted to make a really big impression on these early Saints which included Mother Sessions and her contemporaries made up of prominent Mormen pioneer women: “the power of God was poured out upon us; I spoke great and marvelous things; I should live to stand in a temple…and I should see [Joseph Smith]; things were given to us that we were not to tell of but to ponder; then in the gift of toungues E R Snow sung a blesing to all the rest.” Mother Sessions seemed to be exercising a form of women’s priesthood (laying on hands and giving blessings) which I have read about before, but I have never witnessed in my former ward and/or Relief Society. I wonder what she would think of the modern LDS Church and the evolution of the priesthood. Would she be disappointed?
In my comment above I tried to post an image of Willow from Buffy, the Vampire Slayer with what I consider to be eyes in the shape of oval O’s…it didn’t work.
December 4, 2016 at 5:22 am
Several women in the early church were exercising a form of women’s priesthood. Joseph Smith approved the first women’s prayer circle and later circles required sanctioning by the President’s Quorum. About 1890-92 the Church formally discouraged the continuation of these circles.
Their laying on of hands and blessings were limited to other women. As a side note, Eliza R. Snow, first secretary of the Relief Society, admonished women not to discuss personal issues with their bishops but limit their discussion to the Relief President or her counselors.