In his account of the first day of the conference, William Clayton explained: “On the 7th I was organized with the High Priest quorum and set with them during the conference. I was much pleased with the order of the meeting. When any case was to appear before the church it was first put by the Bishop to the quorum of the Lesser Priesthood. Then by the president of the Elders to that quorum—then the 70 then High Priests—then High Council and lastly to the presidency. If any objection arose it had to be tried by that quorum who objected but a majority of the quorums decided the matter.” (Clayton, Diary, 7 Apr. 1841.)

Clayton, William. Diary, Vol. 1, 1840–1842. BYU.

That is, the general conference. Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines congress as “a meeting of individuals . . . to concert measures for their common good, or to adjust their mutual concerns.” (“Congress,” in American Dictionary.)

An American Dictionary of the English Language; Exhibiting the Origin, Orthography, Pronunciation, and Definitions of Words. Edited by Noah Webster. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1845.

John Hicks was named as president of the elders quorum in the 19 January 1841 revelation. (Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:137].)

The Quorum of the Seventy was led by seven presidents. Young had been a president of the Seventy since his call in February 1835. (Historical Introduction to Minutes and Blessings, 28 Feb.–1 Mar. 1835; Minutes, Discourse, and Blessings, 1 Mar. 1835.)

That is, the Nauvoo high council.

Rigdon had been frequently ill during the previous year. In an August 1840 letter, JS wrote that “Elder Rigdon is very sick, and has been for nearly twelve months with the fever and Ague which disease is very prevalent here at this time.” In Robert B. Thompson’s report of the 6 April 1841 cornerstone ceremony, he noted that Rigdon had long been afflicted and had a “weakness of body.” John C. Bennett gave significant political assistance to the Latter-day Saints; he was particularly instrumental in securing the charters for Nauvoo. Bennett had also been elected as the first mayor of Nauvoo just two months earlier. (Letter to John C. Bennett, 8 Aug. 1840; Robert B. Thompson, “Laying the Corner Stone of the Temple,” Times and Seasons, 15 Apr. 1841, 2:381; Historical Introduction to Act to Incorporate the City of Nauvoo, 16 Dec. 1840; Historical Introduction to Minutes, 3 Feb. 1841.)

Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

In April and May 1840, John Hicks was tried before the Nauvoo high council on a complaint by John P. Greene that Hicks had been “slanderously accusing him of lying” and “wrongfully assailing his character.” The high council directed Hicks to publish an article admitting that he had “wrongfully accused him [Greene] of lying” and saying he was “sorry for what he has done.” At this April 1841 conference meeting, “objections were made to him [Hicks] relative to a trial which had been between him and Elder John P Greene. . . . Some were dissatisfied with him thinking that he had not abided the decision of that Council. But however after the matter had been explained and the subject discussed at some length he was approved by a majority.” (Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 19 Apr. 1840; 2 May 1840; 7 Apr. 1841.)

Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

During a conference intermission, the Nauvoo high council met “to approve or disapprove of certain men who had been objected” to by the conference. According to the high council minutes, objection had been made to Alanson Ripley, a bishop, “for his drinking and immoral habits which necessaryly follows and his abusing his brethren while under the influence of Liquor.” Ripley’s “situation and character was discussed at considerable length,” upon which “he was approved by a majority.” Despite this decision by the high council, Ripley was rejected by other quorums later during the conference. An objection had been made to John E. Page, an apostle, for “having written certain abusive letters, criminating certain individuals, wrongfully.” Page’s case was “spoken on, at considerable length,” whereupon “he was unanimously, approved.” An objection had been made against Noah Packard, a counselor in the presidency of the high priests quorum, “for his rash and ignorant expressions.” This, however, was “soon reconciled,” and he “was approved.” Objection was also made to Newel K. Whitney, one of the bishops in Nauvoo, for unspecified reasons. After brief consideration Whitney was “unanimously, approved.” (Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 7 Apr. 1841.)

Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

During the church’s October 1840 general conference, Alpheus Cutler, Reynolds Cahoon, and Elias Higbee were assigned to be the building committee for the temple. (Minutes and Discourse, 3–5 Oct. 1840; see also Receipt from Reynolds Cahoon, 11 Feb. 1841.)

Patten was killed in the Battle of Crooked River during the 1838 Mormon War in Missouri. (See Introduction to Part 3: 4 Nov. 1838–16 Apr. 1839.)

Nauvoo stake president William Marks informed the high council on 30 March 1841 that he had chosen Austin Cowles and Charles C. Rich to be his counselors. Marks then “proceeded to ordain them.” (Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 30 Mar. 1841.)

Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

In his account of the conference, William McIntire noted that Rigdon “quoted Peter ‘By the sprit he went & preached to the spirits &c also for this cause was the Gospel preached to them that are Dead! for what cause? why that they might [be] Judged Just Like a man in the flesh; but Live acording to God in the Spirit & Jesus said Except a man be Born of the watter & of the Spirit he Cannot Enter in to the Kingdom of God Now if heaven & Earth should pass away My word shall not fail But all be fullfilled &c.” William Clayton wrote in his journal that Rigdon showed “the propriety and absolute necessity of such an ordinance.” (McIntire, Notebook, [19]–[20]; Clayton, Diary, 8 Apr. 1841.)

McIntire, William Patterson. Notebook, 1840–1845. CHL. MS 1014.

Clayton, William. Diary, Vol. 1, 1840–1842. BYU.

McIntire noted that Bennett “spoke on Baptizm in the sectairian mode of interpretation.” (McIntire, Notebook, [20].)

McIntire, William Patterson. Notebook, 1840–1845. CHL. MS 1014.