, Letter, , Geauga Co., OH, to the Kirtland (including JS), , Geauga Co., OH, 15 June 1835. Featured version copied [not before 25 Feb. 1836] in Minute Book 1, pp. 92–93; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minute Book 1.
Historical Introduction
On 15 June 1835, at the request of the , Ohio, , which JS was president of, traveled to , Ohio, to converse with John Hewitt and to give him a letter. Cowdery made the approximately twelve-mile journey to Fairport but did not find Hewitt at home and instead conversed with Hewitt’s wife, giving her the letter. Upon his return to Kirtland that evening, Cowdery reported on his assignment in this letter to the high council. recorded the letter in Minute Book 1 following a copy of the 14 June 1835 letter from the high council to Hewitt.
For more information on Hewitt and the context of these instructions and the letter, see Historical Introduction to Letter to John Hewitt, 14 June 1835.
Page 92
To the of the in :
Dear brethren in the Lord,
Agreeably to your instructions to me on the evening of the 14th inst. that I should proceed immediately to , for the purpose of holding an interview with the Rev. John Hewitt, late of , on the subject of the Religion which he professes, and further present him your letter, I have to say, that he I did proceed with said letter, the preceding of which is a copy.
When Warren Cowdery recorded this letter in Minute Book 1, he placed it directly after the 14 June 1835 high councilletter to Hewitt. It is possible that Oliver Cowdery had first copied that 14 June letter and then written his report directly thereafter. If so, Warren Cowdery may have made his Minute Book 1 copy from that. It is also possible that Warren inserted “the preceding of which is a copy” when he copied the report into Minute Book 1 and that the phrase was not part of the original report.