1.2.25

See images of the original document at josephsmithpapers.org.

August 5, 1843 • Saturday

Sixth meeting of Society

Meeting of the

Fourth 〈First〉 Ward

August 5^th 1843

Meeting commenced with singing “Thou Lord through every changing scene”¹

Prayer by Sister Joshua [Sarah] Smith

Agreeably with a prior appointment the Members of the Society residing in the first ward and a few Individuals belonging to other wards conven’d at the dwelling house of Sister [Elizabeth] Jones

The House full

Mrs prest and her Councillors absent

Mrs Holms [Elvira Cowles Holmes] Treasurer absent

But deeming it important to hear the report of the Committee who were appointed at the Meeting of the 4^th ward to search out the poor, sick, and distress’d and to alleviate them also to receive the donations of th[e] first ward the Society proceeded to attend to most important business omitting all that could be omitted to a future time

Committee of the 4 ward reports as follows

Sister Joshua Smith found many sick in the 4 ward & some destitute in want of things to eat and to use went and visited Sister [Mary] M^cEwen and Sis Modley [Elizabeth Maudsley] found them and their families in suffering want they kneed attendance every day

Sister Meecum visited Nehemiah Harmons found them poor sick & distressd and no bedding nothing comfortable entirely destitute

Sister Meecum and Sister Billings solicited Donations for the same

		$
Sis Anderson	gave 1 pr stockings	00	25

[p. [103]]

Sister Far [Olive Farr]	a calico Dress and cape
Sister B Ammer	a peck of onions 1 lb sugar
Sister Clayton	14 lb flowr	$	52
Lydia Moon	one Shirt	00	50
Margaret Moon	one Shawl
Sarah Mendanhall	a pr of pillow slips	00	25
	one toweel one Shirt	00	50
Ester Ann Geen [Esther Ann Gheen]	3 pillow slips bolster slip 2 little shirts 2 mens shirts one dress 2 small dresses 2 aprons tape and thead	2	50
Abagail Forges	2 lb sugar—	00	14

Report of the committee of the first ward

Sister [Elizabeth] Jones— Sister [Harriet] Marcum and myself have visited our ward went to eve[r]y house found many sick but more comfortable than we expected found and Sister Miller and old Lady sick with bed or bedding no changes of cloothing found Sister Broomley very sick nothing at all to eat calld on Sister Morrisson who gave things for her relief

Sister Marcum— reports to corroborate with Sister Jones said they found few suffering ones

Sister [Lydia] Granger reports that there were 2 families by the river sick & no thing to eat nothing but one cup of coffee A Mrs Holt & Child are great sufferers

The Comittee of the first Second and third ward not prepad [prepared] to report

Sister Jane Michael representd a Br who had been sick some months

Sister Angel rose said she had lately found a sister late from England destitute a widow of late soon expecting to be confind who had just been to prest Hyram Smiths [Hyrum Smith’s] for help said she had no home had had 6 children lost several of them; her husband just before she [p. [104]] left England and one child on the water

Sister [Jane] Olmsted will give soap 50 worth & wash M^cEwen 〈family〉 for

Sister Jones will take her in and take care of her

	$
Mrs Woolly [Mary Woolley] will give 1 yd fine Muslin a flannel petticoat pinning blanket	00	60
Rosanna Lyman quarter lb tea	00	25
Sister Sweat will 50 cents worth soap
Sister German [Rachel Jerman] will give a suit of cloaths to old Mrs Miller 4 yds bleach’d muslin 3 yds Canton flannel 2 Spools cotton thr[ea]d	1	00
Sister Pratt representd Br Hendersons as destitute for cloathing offerd to cut and make old garments for them
Philinda Simpson cotton flannel & sugar	00	75
Catharine Miller 2 lb sugar		14
Delinda Parker Pair cotton stockings		25
Salvina Adams 3 yds cotton drilling		75
Martha Thomas soap & provisions	1	00

Sister Charles rich [Sarah Rich] then rose and reqestd requested a reccommend from the Soci[e]ty as she was soon to leave for Ottoway a vote was calld expressive of thei[r] minds and carried in her favo[r]²

Sister Chase then rose and spoke on the necessity of prayer and faith exhorted the Sisters to faithfulness to be much in prayer said she stood a living wittness for Jesus of Nazereth knew he had pourd his Spirit upon her Inasmuch as we visit the sick we shall be blesst I mean to do all that I can to releave their necessities we must be humble and and overcome the powers of darkness & live by faith

Meeting adjourned [p. [105]]

Notes

1. Hymn 58, Collection of Sacred Hymns [1841], 65.

2. A photograph of the recommend made out to Sarah D. Rich and dated August 5, 1843, was published in the June 1936 issue of the Relief Society Magazine. Similar to the recommend for Elizabeth Jones that is recorded in the Relief Society minutes for March 31, 1842, it reads: “Nauvoo Ill August 5 1843 | The ‘female relief society’ of Nauvoo recommends, Mrs Sarah D Rich— as a member of said society in good standing:— and she is hereby authoriz’d to recover all such donations as friends abroad shall feel dispos’d to put into her hands to be appropriated to the fund of the Institution for the Benefit of the poor the Widow and the Fatherless | By Order of the Board [signed] E R Snow Secretary | P M Wheeler assistant secretary.” (“An Interesting Old Document,” Relief Society Magazine 23, no. 6 [June 1936]; Document 1.2, entry for Mar. 31, 1842.)