Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-04-19
BOOK OF MORMON MANUSCRIPT
HeOrERniHed Church Asserts Posses
sion of the Original Copy OF
the work.


LAMONT, Ia. April 1s-Cspecial Tele-
gram ELDER A II. Parsons Of the Inde-
pendence stake presidency was the speaker
at the morning service Of the Latter Day
Saints conference. President Joseph Smith
was in the chair at the opening Of the busi-
ness session this afternoon. but was soon
relieved by his second counsellor, Richard
C. Evans OF London. Ontario
Elders william Davis OF Michigan, Fred
r. Farr Of Kansas City and John Harp
OF Lamont were called to the office OF
seventy and the presidency authorized to
provide for their ordination.
Charles b. Fry of Omaha was chosen 10
succeed himself as member of the auditing
committee, whose duty It is to audit each
year all the financial accounts OF the
church. including the Bishops Herald Of
Lamont and the Ensign Independence ac-
counts. Elder Fry has acted upon this
committee for the last four years.
A committee was appointed to draw up
blanks for the preferring OF charges, ap-
peals, subpoenas etc. This church tries the
cases Of its members accused Of unchris-
tian-like conduct. first before an elders
court appointed by the branch where the
member under discipline resides. The deci~
sion of this court may he appealed from
1t then passes to the bishops court and
finally to the standing high council of the
church, the head of which is the first presi-
dency of the church. From the decision
Of this council Of fifteen there is no appeal.
The board of publication was authorized
to take immediate steps to publish the
Book of Mormon in the German language,
as the auxiliary societies have raised $500
for that purpose.
Upon separate votes the conference sus-
tanned the various quorums, officers, boards,
committees and organizations of the church.
The board of publication was unchanged
in it's personnel being composed Of Bishop
e. l.. Kelley and II. h. Mills of lndepend-
ence, Mo-, Fred B. Blair and Oscar Ander-
son of Lamont, Ia, and T. A. Houghes OF
Henderson, la
A resolution OF coincidence and respect
was passed referring TO the death Of Bishop
Thomas Taylor Of England.
Because of some rumors which have
been circulated that the BrighRmites have
the original manuscript of the Book OF
Mormon, the presidency stated that the en-
tire manuscript is in the custody Of the
first presidency and is in a safety vault in
Independence. President Smith stated that
a second copy Of the manuscript, or a por-
tlon Of it, had been placed in the corner
stone Of the Nauvoo House at Nauvoo, Ill
and that when It was razed by his step
father. Major Bldamon, he was presented
with few sheets These pages were fairly
legible at the time, but the action upon
them Of the water through the limestone
had been such that they soon crumbled tc
ashes, Joseph F. Smith, son Of HyTum
Smith and present head OF the Brighamite
church, was also presented with a few
pages, and unless he has been more fortu-
nate In preserving his than the Joseph
! Smith OF the reorganization was with his
| those people certainly have no manuscript
OF the Book Of Mormon.
The conference ordered the publishing o.
the NTH volume OF church history as soor
as practicable.
| Pending the finishing Of the reports Of
the first presidency and the twelve, con-
! cerning the missionary appointments fol
( the coming year, the meeting closed at ar
early hour. as the table was practically
/ cleared OF business.