Conference
of
the quorum of the Twelve Apostles
met [in] the Boston church at Boylston Hall
on the 9^th Day of Sept 1843

There were present of the quorum of the Twelve
Brigham Young Heber C. Kimball, P. P. Pratt
O Pratt [blank] J. E. Page, W. Woodruff
& G A Smith

Conference opened by prayer By Elder G A Smith
President Young called for Business

Elder E P Magin represented the Boston
Branch containing members 182
[Elder E P Magin represented the] Peterboro [Branch containing members] 88
strong in faith of gathering

Elder B. F. Gruid represented the
Lowel Branch consisting of members 48

Elder Snow represented the Salem Branch 75 or 80
12 or 15 to start west next Tuesday & another
company to start the 1^st of October which
will take about half of the Church

Elder Lewis Represented the Church in
New Bebford containing members 100
many of them not active not more than
one third of them come to meeting have
not had had a preacher lately if a good one
was to come good might be done

E P Magin represented the Church in
Gilsom N. H. containing members 42
among the No are two cousins of
President Joseph Smith one the postmaster
of the Place

Elder Bryant represented the Georgetown
Branch containing members 30
But not much of the spirit of gathering
Elder E Snow remarked he did not wonder
they had not the spirit of gathering when their
Presiding Elder Nathaniel Holmes & his son
Elder Milton Holmes has setteled down with
the Church manifesting No disposition to gather
themselves it was no wonder the Church had
not the spirit of it

Elder Jesse Haven represented the Church in
North Bridge members 41
they were scattered in several towns large
majority have the spirit of gathering one cut
off 1 died 1 set asid the majority in full faith

E P Magin represented New Salem Branch
from 45 to 50
And Wendall 40
And Leveratt 35
generally in good standing

Elders Rogers informs that several families was
to start from Leveratt next Wednesday
He represents the Westfield Branch members 39
Cabitsville 10
Northbridge Branch 37
Farmington Ct 12
Scattering 13

Elder P. P. Pratt arose and remarked that
some tell us that they have taught the gathering
according to the scriptures, but to teach the
gathering from the scriptures alone is not
sufficient for By this they would be left in
doubt they would not know whether to
gather to Jerrusalem to Africa or America.
It is right to teach ^the gathering^ according to the scripturs
but we are not left to this alone, we know &
all the Saints allught to know that God has
pointed out a place & time of gathering and
has raised up a Prophet to bring it about of
which we are witnesses, we have not got to go
a long round about the time & place is pointed
out the foundations of the city & Templ laid
and a people already gatherd & we know &whare
to go, & to reject the revelations of God that have
pointed out these things to us ownly brings condem
nations, & if this is not the case then our faith
is vain & our works & hopes are vain also
we have already got the opinions of men enough
concerning the coming of Jesus Christ. But
we need the voice of a Prophet in such a case
& we have it & I am willing to risk my all
upon it. And if the Elders understand the
principal of gathering and teach it correctly
the people would have the correct spirit of
gathering.

E. P. Magin arose & said he made the remark
that he had made taught the gathering according
to the scriptures, But he considerd all modern
revelations scripture as well as those given
anciently. P. P. Pratt sayed they agreed
their was no disagreement &c

Elder B. Young arose & said, he wished to
make a few general remarks concerning the
subject of our faith. We hear the Elders
represent the feelings of the Brethren concerning
the gathering. The spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ
is a gathering spirit & the its tendency is to gather
the virtuous & good the honest & meek of the
earth, & in fine the saints of God. The time has
come when the Lord is determin to fullfill his
purpose. Had we lived in the days of Jesus Christ
we would say we would receive his work. But
Judge ye if the people are better now than then
they are not. When the full set time iwas come
the Lord came in the flesh to do his work whether
the people were prepared or not. And now the full
set time is come for the Lord God Almighty to set
his hand to redeem Israel we are not bound to
make the people believe but to preach the gospel &
then our garments are clear. The Lord does not
require evry soul to leave his home as soon as he
believes but he requirs him to harken to council &
follow that course that the lord points out, the
spirit of the Lord & this work is on the elect, and
those that keep up with the work must be on
the alert also. When the Lord says gather
yourselves together why do you ask the Lord what
for, is it not the principle of the Saints to mingle
together to promote the great cause in which we
are engaged. Say you cannot the Lord save
us as well whare we are as to gather together. Yes
if the Lord sayes so but if he commands us to
come out & gather together, He will not save us
by staying at home. Have you not received the
gospel yes, then do you believe the gospel what
we say. Have you not received the Holy Ghost

By receiving the gospel which we have brought
unto you, yes & thousands have & it stands as a
testimony that God has got a Prophet on the
earth, you might have been baptized seventy
times seven in any way except the way God had
ordained and pointed out & you would not have
received the Holy Ghost, this also is a
testimony to you. Are ye ingaged in the great
work with us ye will say yes, can ye do
any good? yes ye can. The sectarian world
send the Bible to the nations of the earth, the
people put in sixpence fifty cts or a dollar into
the box & send Bibles through the world.
Then cannot we do sumthing yes, the Lord
requires us to build a house unto his name
that the ordinances & blessings of his kingdom
may be revealed & that the Elders may be
endowed & go forth & gather together the Blood
of Ephraim the people of God from the ends of
the earth. Can you get an endowment in Boston
No & ownly in that place that God has pointed
out. Now query could moses have got the law had
he staid in the midst of the children of Israel had
he not gone to the mountains? The Lord says
go & do so & so stand before Phario, pull off your
shoes for the ground is Holy &c Moses obeyed
& obtained blessings, but if he had not obeyed
he would not have obtained the blessing. But why
query about it has the Lord spoken yes then
this is enough. I do not care whether the people
gather or not if they dont want to, I do not wish
to save the people against their will, I wish you
to have your choice either to gather with the
righteous or stay with the wicked, I would like
to have all people bow down to the Lord Jesus Christ
but it is one of the decrees of the Lord that all

persons shall act upon their agency, which
was the case even with the angels that fell
from heaven

Now will you help us
to build the Nauvoo House & Temple if so you
will be blessed if not we will build it alone
And if you dont harken you will not have
the spirit of the Lord, for the spirit of the
Lord is on the moove. The Apostles tried to
gather the people together in their day. Christ said he
would gather the Jews oft as a hen gathereth her
chickens under her wings but they would not [Matthew 23:37] [Luke 13:34]
God and Angels dont care whether men hear or forbear
they will carry on their work for the full set
time is come and we care about it we must
build a house & get an endowment & preach the
gospel, warn the people, gather the Saints, build
up Zion & finish our work & be prepared for
the coming of Christ. Now we want to send
missionaries to the Islands can you do sumthing
for them & that is not all we want you to
do we want you to give us sumthing to build
a temple we want what you have to spare.
But are you afraid that you will not have
enough for youself when you get there. But
how easy it is for the Lord to take it away from
you By fire & otherwise. E. P. Magin had an ^Ivory^ cane
I asked him for it but he din give it to me but
he soon lost it & it did neither of us any good
But the Lord can give & take away. Jacob with
his faith obtained all the best cattle that his
Father in law had. Who blesses you and all the
people God, but do the people acknowledge the hand
of God in all these things No, they turn away
from him & do not acknowledge him or realize
from whom their Blessings flow. Let me tell
you a secret when the Lord shakes the earth

And the Hills fall down & vallies are exhalted
then for Brass the Lord will bring gold for Iron
silver for stones Iron &c, then you will have
no use for gold, for money & gods as you now
have But the Lord will think as much of it
then as now. Let us have some of your gold
to take to Nauvoo to make a temple & Nauvoo,
House so that when the Kings Princs & Nobles
of the earth call at Nauvoo to enquire after
the wisdom of Zion that they may have a place
to entertain them, & that the weary travellor may
be refreshed, is their wisdom in Zion, we
think so & the world begin to think so, let the
world come forward & translate the plates that
have of late come forth, if they have wisdom
to do it. The Lord intends to take away the gods
of the gods of the gentiles the Lord pulleth down
& buildeth up at his own pleasure dont be afraid
of a dollar A hundred or a thousand dollars I
would not I have made a sacrafice a good many
times, the Lord has promised A hundred fold &
I have taken this course to get rich, to give all
I had & God has given many blessings in consequ
ence. If I have been to bold in asking, then be
to bold in giving give your all and God will repay
as much again adjurned untill half past 2 oclok

Met according to adjournment meeting opened by
singing & Prayer By Elder P. P. Pratt who arose
and said I have a few remarks to make concerning
the subject spoken of in the fornoon By Elder
B. Young who said your all we wanted all
your gold silver & precious things &c we
not ownly want your all as pertains to gold
silver &c but we want you, your wives &

children, & all you have. I dont know that
I can give you a better pattern of what we want
than the case of Joseph in Egypt. An Israel-
ite will get all he can, they are vary great to
go ahead. The Egyptians believed in dreams
& by this peculiar gift Joseph entered into a great
scheme of speculation, he used the gift of dreams
to become great in the eyes of the Egyptians,
had great political influence came out on the kings
horse in great splendor, & lade up corn in great
abundance during the seven years Plenty & in time
of famine got all the gold, silver, cattle, property
their own persons, this speculation was from
A Josephite and it was like an Israelite, it was
like Noah, Lot, Christ, &c & it is a fair sample of
our speculation. God is the origin of Power
the Sovreign, & he has a right to reign, & their
will be good times & goverment when the world
will acknowledge the God of heaven their lawgiver
& If I could live under his goverment I should
be thankful, then our prayer would be answered
may thy kingdom come &c untill that time we
must pray for it. This Joseph in Egypt the
speculator what a great & good man he was I
love him I admire his course, & I Believe a little
of his Blood is in my veins. But had Joseph
been like the religious world at the present day he
would not have rode the kings horse & wore his
robe & had nothing to do with gold & silver, & do no
good, save no corn, build no store houses, do none
of these things for fear of speculation. But He done
differently. And their is a prophesy about the modern
Prophet Joseph, being raised & supported by the power
of God to do a work on the earth. And he has been
raised up & the Lord has been with him & evry

formed against him has been broaken. He
has had rising of thirty law suits to pass
through & yet he has overcome & no accusation
has been susstained against him, but he will
lay a plan to speculate as large as Ancient Joseph
did, what Elder Young said is good, and even
now we want you to take that course that
will save you. Build up a city & Temples &
enjoy them & do as the Lord tells you & harken
to councils. we have a prophet to tell us what to
do, and we should get as much wisdom as the
world, if the world want a rail road built all
they have to do is to open Books the people
subscribe stock & a rail road is soon built & an
income is brought. And the Saints ought to
be as well united as the world, & do the things
that God has required, that a great nation may
be saved from all Nations. The old gentleman
that rules the nations has ruled long enough
and if I was an Infidel I would like to have
the Lord raise up a Joseph or Daniel or sumbody
to raise up a change for the good of the world
and thank Heaven he has begun to raise them
up to do the great work of God & it will continue
untill the saying goes forth that the Lord
has built up Zion. I read that Gold, silver, power
thrones & dominions will be connected with the
great work of God in the last days, then let us
wake up and enlarge our hearts & prepare for
the great & glorious work, does the Saints here
in Boston know that they are Identifyed
with laying the foundation of a great & mighty
work that is to enclude all the great and
glorious work that is to be fulfilled in the last
dispensation & fulness of times And

And I Prophecy in the name of the Lord
that whether Boston Saints or who may stand
for it or rise against it, that almost numberless
milions will selebrate that day when the founda-
tion of this work was laid.

G A Smith Arose and said that he was pleased
with the many remarks that had been made
this day you can see a similarity between the
two Josephs & the Laws that were given. Says
one who believes that God who dwells in heaven
will speak about building a house &c in this day
of religion & science But the day was when the salv-
ation or damnation of a whole world hung upon
a small circumstance even in the days of Noah the
building of an ark, had the Editors of this day
lived then I think they would have said and
written more against it than they have against
Joseph Smiths Revelations. You talk about God
condesending to speak of small things in the last
days but no more so than it was in the days
of Moses for we read in the bible how God comm-
anded the children of Israel when they found
a birds nest to take the young to themselves but
to let the dam go free, what for, wy that their
days might de [be] long in the land which their God
Lord their God giveth them, so come to the point
it was a great thing at last, yet connecting this with
the word of the Lord concerning eating Beetles &
grashoppers was as small business for the Lord to
talk about as it was for the Lord to command
the Saints to Build a tavern. This Boarding
house when done will do much good for
the spreading of the work to all nations. But
what good could arise from eating Beetles & grasshopers
I cannot say

Sept

All the prophesies have aimed at the gathering
of the people & saving of them in the last days.
But my advise is if you cannot take hold of
the work & go through the whole course to stop &
go no further, we do not want to deceive you
Our traditions have been to be variy religious
weare long faces, never tell a story or laugh &c
this was the case with the long faced Christians in
Mo & they were the first to strike a dagger to the
our hearts. If I wear a strange hat it is not
because of my religion for whare the religion
of a man is in his hat or coat it is not vary extensive
any whare els. And whenever I have seen Elders
trying to preach sumthing large to get a name the
mysteries &c I have believed that such have got yet
much to learn. As many are desireous of hearing
mysteries I will rehears a short sermon or misteriy
Elder Kimball has been of long standing in the
Church Preached much, done much good, brought
many souls into the kingdom & had great influene
&c. Elder Amasa Liyman & myself went into
a place to preach whare the Elders had preached
all the mysteries, they wanted us to preached
mysteries, we told them we were not qualified
to preach miysteries but if they would send
for Elder Kimball he could preache the mysteries
so they sent abot 40 miles for Elder Kimball
& brought him down as they were so anxious
to hear the mysteries & when he came, he
had a large congregation assembled & he arose
before them & remarked that he had understood
they had sent for him to come & preach the
mysteries to them. I am fully competent
to do it & am happy of having the privilege
And I want the attention of all, & when

evry mind was streached eager for the
mysteries. He says the first miystery I shall
present before you is this. Elder Amasa
Lyman wants a Pair of Pantaloons, & it is a
great mystery that an Elder in this church should
want a pair of Briches, & esspecially that
the people should know that they want it &
the remainder of his miysteries were like unto
& the consequence of this serman was that Elder
Lyman got a pair of Pantaloons & Elder Kimball
a Barrel of flour for his family.

Elder B. Young arose & said I will make an apology
for my remarks in the fore part of the day
some may think I spoke vary plain. But the
Apology I have to make is I will turn Tompsonian
doctor & give the composition without sweetning
This work is all, it is my all. If this work does
not live God knows I dont want to live, And I
want you to understand it, that he that gathereth
not with us scattereth. And they that have tasted
the Bitter cup feel it. Wake up ye Elders that
have sought to build yourselves up & not the king-
dom of God. Wake up ye that have daubbed
with untempered morter. Harken & hear me
for I say unto you that if you do not help us build
the Temple & Nauvoo House, you shall not inherit
the land of Zion. If you do not help build up
Zion & the cause of God you shall not partake of
their Blessings Many Elders seek to Build them-
selves up & not the work of God. But when any
one does this no matter who he may be he will
not prosper even if it was one of the Twelve
Those of the Twelve & others of the Elders that
have apostitized I have known their hearts

their breathings & known their moovments
they thought I did not know much But I knew
all about them, & when I see men preaching
to build themselves up & not Zion I know what
it will end in. But say you I am young I
dont care if you are young do you know what
you are about, if so preach & labour for
the building up of the city of Zion concentrat
your means & influence there & not scatter
abroad. Be faithful or you will not be chosen
for the day of chosing is at the door, why
be afraid of a sacrafice I have given my all
many times & am willing to do it again. I
would be glad to hear the Lord say through m
his servant Joseph, let my servant Brigham
give again all that he has. I would obey in a
moment if it took the last coat of[f] from
my Back

Elder Kimball sayes I get up of necessity to
say a few words I am quite unwell, But I feel
the importance of this work. I have been a
member of this Church 12 years I came out of
the Baptist church & Joined this & I have passed
through evry thing but death, & we have come
here to call for help to build the Houses & I
have spent $30 to get here & collected $15 dollars
We were commanded to come of the Lord But
it seems as though but few felt interested in it
Here I see three Brethren going to the far
distant Islands. I could weep for them they have
but little money to help themselves. I feel inter-
ested in this great work we have come out to
Reep but do we have time to Reep new grain

No for it takes all our time to try to save the
that is reap. you think that Elder Young
has put the flail on rather heavy. But it is
nothing to be compaired with the Threshing
you will get in Zion, & those that have the harde-
st heads have to be thrashed the hardest,
but dont be troubled about the chaff when
it comes to the barns God will prepare a great
wind Mill that will blow all the chaff away
I speak in Parables. I compare the Saints
to a good cow, when you milk her clean she
will always have an abundance of milk to give, but
you milk her a little & she will soon dry up
So with the Saints if they do but little in building
up Zion they soon have but little to do with, this
was the case in Cincinnati I had a dream concer[nin]g
the Saints there. I thought I was in a field of
wheat that was stacked up & we had got to draw
it into the barn come to open the stack the bun-
dles would all fall to peices & it was filled
with clusters of Rats & mice, who had been
eting up the grain. I thought these Rats &
mice were the Elders & official members who
had been in & lain on the Church, lived on the
wheat eaten then up instead of building up
New churches. So that when the Twelve
came along they could not get any thing for
the Temple or Nauvoo House, or Hardly a place
to stay the rats had eat up the wheat so & we
had to go to the world for a home to stay while
we were their, we are not Polished stones like
Elder Babbit, Elder Adams, Elder Blakesley &
Elder Magin &c But we are rough stones out
of the mountain, & when we roll through
the forest & nock the bark of[f] from the trees
it does not hurt us even if we should get a

cornor nocked of[f] occasionally for the more
the roll about & knock the corners of[f] the better we
are but if we were pollished & smooth when
we get the cornors knkocked of[f] it would deface
us. This is the case with Joseph Smith he
never professed to be a dressed smooth polished
stone but was rough out of the mountain
& has been rolling among the rocks & trees &
has not hurt him at all but he will be as
smooth & polished in the end as any other
stone, while many that were so vary poliched &
smooth in the beginning get badly defaced
and spoiled while theiry are rolling about.

P P Pratt said some are going to Zion the
rest want to know what they shall do. Isaiah
said, I will take one of a city & two of a family
& bring them to Zion & I will feed then with
Pastures after my own heardt that will feed
you with knowledge & understanding [Jeremiah 3:14-15]. And
inasmuch as you harken to council you will
know what the will of the Lord is concerning
you in all things.

O Pratt arose & said I do not know that
I can say any thing to impress the subject upon
your minds that has been spoken upon more
fully than has been done. There are some things
howevere I wish to mention; we have learned
from what we hear this day about the blessings
that will be given when the Temple is finished
I will speak of some of the consequences that
will follow if we do not obey. The Lord has
said he will reveal things that have been hid from
the foundation of the world.

No former age or generation of the world has
had the same things revealed. But the Lord
says if you build that house in that time you
shall be blessed, if not you shall be rejected as
a Church with your dead saith the Lord [Doctrine and Covenants 124:32##], so
if that house is not built, then in vain is all
our cares, faith, & works our meetings & hopes
are veign. But if few do their duty they
will get the Blessing, & we are determined to
do our duty & set these principles before the
Saints we will turn this responsibility upon
the heads of the Saints & clear our garments
& then the Lord is able to endow all the
faithful in some other place. The Lord
gave a revelation several years since & said
gather together your wise men & send up your
moneys & buy lands if not you shall not have
an inheritance but your enemies are upon
you. We went through & told the Saints thes
things but did the Churches do as god comm-
anded, No they did not & the Revelation was
fulfilled & the Saints driven out. The Lord
says the SChurch shall give heed to the
words of the Prophet as he is to hold the keys
of the kingdom of God in this life & the world
to come then it is of much consequence that
you give heed to his word, you can ask God if
the work is true & he will give you a testimony
I doubt in my own mind if any man can stand
what they will have to pass through unless they
do get a witness for themselves, & I pray
you to give heed to the words the Twelve have
taught you & ask God to help you

The Conference was Adjourned untill 10 oclock
tomorrow morning