All meetings were held in the Grove.

The Fifteenth meeting was held on August 4th, 1842:

More discussion about worthiness, forgiveness, and objections began the meeting.

Emma also mentioned her trip to Quincy, to the Governor. This trip was to hand over a petition for the protection of the prophet. The governor was polite and promised to comply with this request, all the while planning another raid and arrest.

Sadly, he must have been very condescending to Emma, but she never realized it.

The Sixteenth meeting was held on August 31st, 1842

Pres. Joseph Smith attended this meeting, thanking the sisters for the petition, and their support. He was hiding at this time, yet feeling pretty optimistic.

Joseph said, “I shall triumph over my enemies—I have begun to triumph over them at home and I shall do it abroad.” All those who speak against Joseph are full of iniquity.

He continue, “Altho’ I do wrong, I do not the wrongs that I am charg’d with doing. The wrong that I do is thro’ the frailty of human nature like other men. No man lives without fault.” He compared himself with the Savior. Everyone watched the Savior; finding fault against Him.

We must all guard against those things that can do the most evil—“little evils do the most injury to the church.”

“If you have evil feelings and speak of them to one another, it has a tendency to do mischief—these things result in those evils which are calculated to cut the throats of the heads of the Church.”

He left them with a commandment: “I command you, if you know anything, hold your tongues, and the least harm will be done.”

“The Female Society has taken the most active part in my welfare against my enemies. He was grateful for the petition that was handed to the governor.

“I have come here to bless you. The Society has done well—their principles are to practice holiness. God loves you, and your prayers in my behalf shall avail much. Let them not cease to ascend to God in my behalf. The enemy will never get weary. I expect he will array everything against me—I expect a tremendous warfare.”

“By seeing the blessings of the endowment rolling on and the kingdom increasing and spreading from sea to sea, we will rejoice that we are not overcome by these foolish things.”

He had things to say about Baptisms for the Dead, but they would have to wait. He did say a recorder must be present, so proper recording could be made “for the Grand Councils, that these things be testified.” (The Recorder, at the temple, is not a calling, nor is a volunteer in charge of it. It is a paid position. In this way, it is given strict importance and order.)

No minutes from a Seventeenth meeting is documented.

At the Eighteenth meeting, held on Sept 28th, Emma was not present. Women were voted into the Society, after which the meeting adjourned.

The Minute Book is now online at www.josephsmithpapers.org