I hope you ladies won't mind if I post in this forum. It just seems more appropriate to address women's ministry in this forum, which is what this chapter in my book From the Church to the Kingdom is really about. Much of the information found in this chapter was an eye-opener for me, and may be a surprise to some. I present it here for your reflection.
Chapter 8
The Role of Men and Women
A discussion on the role of men and women in the Kingdom is needed if we are to make some needed corrections. Much has already been written about the role of men over the years. What has been written about the role of women, in the tradition of Mormonism, has mainly focused upon home keeping and the raising of children. Although these things are vitally important, it does not cover all that women are called to do. Beyond the role of supportive wife and mother, the church has also traditionally relegated women to such things as ministry of music and the teaching of young children. Again, these things are good, but they are not all women are capable of.
Because much focus has already been placed upon the spiritual role of men, suffice it to say that men are the spiritual head in any marriage. That does not mean that the man is the boss of the women. In the decisions of every day life, husbands and wives should seek the will of God together. They should also seek each other’s counsel. Jesus plainly stated that those who follow Him were not to be one above another. When the disciples were debating who would be greater and jockeyed for position—like who would be at the right or left hand of Christ—Jesus chastised them.
Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; [Matthew 20:25-26]
Paul further built upon this premise saying:
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. [Galatians 3:27-28]
Being the spiritual head means simply to preside over the family in spiritual matters. I might have likened it to how elders preside over congregational meetings, except for the fact that few of us understand that role either. Having presided over two missions now, and assisted with a third, the Spirit of God has worked very hard with me, over time, to help me understand what it means to properly preside. The way I now preside may cause more traditional people to think I am not presiding.
Presiding is not ruling over the group, herding them along some set agenda, or jumping in and moving the meeting along whenever there is an uncomfortable silence. We preside this way because of our insecurities, fearing that we will not be seen as keeping things running smoothly. It is far too easy for a person who is presiding to “over-preside” to the point of leaving little room for the Spirit of God to lead. I have been in services where someone under the influence of the Holy Spirit literally had to interrupt in order to be heard, because no room was made for it. The real job of someone presiding is to assist the Lord in creating an environment that is conducive to the Spirit of God moving and operating among the people.
Likewise, the role of a husband is to assist the Lord by leading the way in helping create and maintain a home environment that will be conducive to the Holy Spirit. Decisions should normally be arrived at by the husband and the wife together. However, the husband will ultimately take responsibility, in the eyes of God, for the path he and his family take together. Therefore, he should preside thoughtfully and prayerfully over any discussions his family engage in regarding important life issues and decisions. He should be on his knees seeking the mind and will of God on behalf of his family. He should not exercise sovereign rule, but take the lead. This is not unlike when two elders are sent out. Generally, one will take the lead, but this does not place one elder above another. It is also important to note that in the marital relationship, a husband should be a minister to his wife, and she should be a minister to him.
Equality among all Christians is of paramount importance. Whenever we see groups moving away from this truth, they are in spiritual danger. God has warned us not to lean on the arm of flesh. He desires a personal relationship with us. We do not have to go through the priesthood, and women do not have to go through their husbands in order to hear from the Lord.
Equality is vitally important! However, equality is not sameness. People can be equal, but not the same. For example, one man can be white and the other black. One person can be a scientist and the other an engineer. Though they are different in their looks and the job they perform, neither is superior or more important than the other.
The physical creation bares testimony to spiritual truths. There are some distinct differences between the body of a man and the body of a woman. Likewise, there are some spiritual differences between men and women. This does not make them unequal, just not the same. Despite these obvious differences, when you look at the body of a woman, she actually has more in common with a man than not in common. Men and women each have two eyes, two ears, a mouth, a nose, two arms, two legs, ten fingers and toes, etc. Likewise, women actually share more in common with men, spiritually, than many of us have believed.
Women have seldom been treated as equals in the church. The effect of this is that a vital and holy ministry from women has been largely suppressed in the church over the years. This is not in harmony with the Scriptures and has only served to further cripple the church. Another effect of this error was that it served as powerful ammunition by Satan to promote a movement in the church that went beyond seeking equality for women, and sought to make them the same as men. Ultimately, both sides in this conflict are in error. The legitimate ministries of women are not the same as the priesthood of men. They are unique. And yet they will also share many things in common with men, which are in common among all believers. As we move from the Church Age to the Kingdom Age, this suppression of women’s ministry will not be allowed to continue.
We will now examine the scriptural record to see if the suppression of women’s ministry (beyond traditionally accepted roles) is in harmony with the Word of God, or if it is merely the traditions of men.
In the time of the Judges in Israel, there was a prophetess named Deborah.
And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. [Judges 4:4-5]
During this time, the people of Israel were sorely oppressed by Jabin, king of Canaan, who had 900 chariots of iron. The children of Israel came to Deborah seeking a redress from the Lord. As a result, Deborah delivered the word of the Lord to Barak (Israel’s military general), instructing him to face Sisera (the commander of Jabin's army) in battle. Barak agreed to the battle only after Deborah agreed to accompany him into battle. She answered him saying, “I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” The Israelites went out to meet the army in battle. When Deborah saw the army, she cried out, "Up, for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee?” Just as Deborah prophesied, the Lord gave the victory to the Israelites.
I should think that the idea of a prophetess, alone, would be in conflict with how we have traditionally viewed the role of women. It was because the children of Israel chose to follow the word of the Lord delivered through the mouth of a woman with a prophetic gift that they were delivered from their oppressor. Israel’s general, a man, took the counsel of a woman and because of it, a nation was saved.
Deborah was not unique. There are other prophetesses mentioned in the Old Testament, including a reference in Isaiah 8:3, where it is recorded that Isaiah went in unto a prophetess. As a result, she conceived a son for Isaiah. Then there are the references to Miriam, the prophetess,[1] the prophetess Noadiah,[2] and Huldah, the prophetess.[3] All of these were legitimate female prophets of the Lord.
Prophetesses are not relegated to the Old Testament only. There is also the mention of prophetesses in the New Testament.
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him [Jesus] to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. [Luke 2:36-38]
Here we have a prophetess who went about Jerusalem, when Jesus was just a babe, preaching that Jesus, the Savior of Israel, had finally come.
As I prepared myself for the writing of this book, I wasn’t at first aware of the fact that I would be addressing the issue of women’s ministry. However, the Spirit of God began to impress upon my mind the importance of the ministry of woman. As I pondered this, Priscilla and Aquila from the New Testament kept coming to mind. I didn’t understand why, but I got the sense that they would be important to this subject. They were a husband and wife missionary team acquainted with the Apostle Paul.
The paragraph below is some of what Wikipedia had to say about these two.[4]
Priscilla and Aquila were a first century Christian missionary couple described in the New Testament. They became the honored and much-loved friends and ministry partners with the Apostle Paul. He was generous in his recognition and acknowledgment of his indebtedness for them. They have been called the most famous couple in the Bible since they are mentioned seven times and are always named as a couple. Of those seven times, five times Priscilla's name is mentioned first.
Again and again, Priscilla and Aquila would come into my thoughts over the weeks before I sat down to begin writing this book. I recall my wonderment that God would continue to bring them to my mind, because at the time, I was only aware of one relatively small passage about them in the Bible. When I finally got around to looking them up on my Bible program, I was surprised by how many times they were mentioned outside of the context of the one verse I was familiar with. Below are some examples.
Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers in Christ Jesus; Who have for my life laid down their own necks; unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. [Romans 16:3-4]
Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. [2 Timothy 4:19]
The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. [1 Corinthians 16:19]
I came to understand that they were celebrated ministers among the Christian churches of the era. Being a husband and wife ministry team, they also worked side by side as missionaries. Below are the verses I was originally familiar with about the couple.
And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue; whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. [Acts 18:24-6]
Here we have a husband and wife team instructing a man more perfectly. The man they taught more perfectly was known as having been “instructed in the ways of the Lord.” It also says he was “mighty in the Scriptures” and “fervent in the spirit.” This was not just a man, but a mighty servant of God. And Priscilla (a woman) had a hand in helping instruct him spiritually.
Despite the fact that Priscilla and Aquila were of great renown among the Christians of that era, and mentioned repeatedly in the letters of Paul, I have never heard a single peep about them in any sermon or class taught in the Restored Church over the years. I wonder if that is because we don’t really quite know what to do with them. Likewise, I don’t recall much ever being said about prophetesses and other non-traditional roles women have played in the Scriptures.
The Letters of Paul
Those who would suppress the ministry of women[5] have only one scriptural witness—citing two statements found in the letters of Paul.
But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. [1Timothy 2:12] Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. [1 Corinthians 14:34]
Paul also wrote other instructions regarding how women ought to conduct themselves, such as requiring them to pray with their head covered. However, few give any heed to these other instructions, though they will cling tenaciously to the words quoted above as a reason to deny women from participating in any ministry beyond the traditional roles.
What are we to make of Paul’s words?
Years ago, a friend of mine read a book on Jewish history written by a Jewish scholar. My friend, an elder in the church, told me that the author commented on Paul’s statement about women keeping silent in the church. According to him, Paul’s statement was best understood in the context of their cultural setting. He explained that the Synagogues of their day were very different from modern churches now. In Biblical times, men had large, extended families. Every family had a patriarch, and it was the duty of that patriarch to minister spiritually and to essentially conduct worship services and the spiritual education of the family members. They essentially had church in-home every day. The Synagogue, on the other hand, was not a place for families. It was the place where men, the spiritual heads of family, could go to study, worship, discuss, and learn together. Women were permitted to come, but they were segregated and not allowed to disrupt the men; it was a time for the men to have their spiritual needs met.
This is simply the opinion of one Jewish scholar. I don’t know whether this explanation explains Paul’s comments in 1 Corinthians. As I researched this subject on the Internet, I found some interesting explanations regarding Paul’s words. Wikipedia states that despite how Paul’s words appear to sound on the surface, “according to the New Testament, women did indeed teach men, served as leaders, and did not remain silent.”[6]
Another website suggested that “Paul himself took a woman on a missionary journey to Ephesus, called one woman a Minister, and praised another woman as an outstanding Apostle.”[7] I disagree about Junia being called an apostle. Paul actually says that she was his “fellow prisoner” who is “of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.”[8] To me, Paul is saying that she served with him on some missionary endeavors and ended up imprisoned as a consequence. I believe Paul is saying that her faithfulness and perseverance made her of note or “noticed” by the other apostles as someone very special—not that she was an apostle.
Regarding the admonition to Timothy, I found one website[9] that suggested that Paul left Timothy behind in Ephesus to stop certain false teachers. This is backed by the words of Paul in his letter.[10] The researcher goes on to state that the church in Ephesus, at that time, was fighting many false doctrines from the religion of Artemis. This is because Ephesus was the world center of her worship. They listed five false doctrines of Artemis widely believed in Ephesus:
- Eve was created before Adam and received "special knowledge" when she ate the forbidden fruit.
- Female "mediators" passed this "special knowledge" to men during sexual rites featuring intercourse.
- Warrior women, called Amazons, who were thought to be superior to men, founded the city of Ephesus and set up the worship of the fertility goddess Artemis.
- Artemis, whose name meant SAFE, could keep a woman safe during the dangers of childbirth.
Therefore, according this website, Paul’s letter was specifically arming Timothy against these evil doctrines and the two teachers who blasphemed.[11] One was a woman named Hymenaeus, and the other was a man named Alexander. In the letter, Paul addresses the heresy that women had special knowledge because Eve was created before Adam[12]. The doctrine of female mediators was likewise countered: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”[13] The researcher on the website contends, therefore, that a few verses later, Paul was taking action to stop those female teacher (mediators), such as Hymenaeus, by instructing: "I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence."[14] In other words, the men were not to be subject to these women teachers who pretended to pass on secret knowledge, (sometimes through sexual rites), and the female mediators were to be silenced. No matter who Paul was referring to in his letter to Timothy, he certainly was correct that a woman should not usurp authority over the man.
Further, some believe that when Paul stated in 1 Timothy 2:15 that women would be saved in childbearing, the Greek word translated here as saved can also be translated as safe. He may have been countering the false belief that the worship of Artemis would help a women safely give birth. The reference in the letter to Timothy regarding women being “saved through childbearing” may refer to physical safety rather than spiritual salvation. Paul may be saying that women who correctly put their faith in Jesus, not Artemis, will be kept safe in this way. This certainly makes more sense than connecting the act of giving birth to the obtaining of spiritual salvation. There is only one way to be saved! There have been many countless women who have diligently served the Lord, who could not have children. Certainly, their salvation is not tied to the ability to have children.
In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, where he says, “let your women keep silent,” [15] we should again consider the historical context of the city. “Corinth was a city of Greco-Roman culture whose inhabitants had a reputation for sexual immorality and depravity. The Corinthian church was characterized by divisions. First Corinthians was written to correct a number of problems and to answer a series of questions that were raised by the church members.”[16]
Corinth was also a short boat ride away from the world famous Oracle at Delphi. At this temple, women priestesses uttered babble that was interpreted and presented as messages from a pagan god. In Chapter 12 of Corinthians, Paul speaks on the subject of spiritual gifts—especially prophecy and tongues. It appears that someone in the Corinthian church may have delivered an especially shocking message while claiming to be speaking under the influence of the Holy Spirit, as Paul informs them that no one speaking by the Spirit of God can says that Jesus is accursed.[17] So, while Paul defends the spiritual gifts, he is letting them know that this particular "would-be” prophet or prophetess was not being directed by the Holy Spirit.
In Corinth, we find similar circumstances to those in Ephesus. The newly converted Greeks were somewhat bound to generations of tradition in having female pagan priestesses who acted as the oracles of the gods. Evidently, many of these practices were infiltrating the church and were hard to weed out. The Christian church has had a long history of being infiltrated and even adopting pagan elements, whether it is the Christmas tree, Easter, or the introduction of polygamy.
Again, I cannot say with any surety whether these historic circumstances might explain Paul’s words about women. But, however we choose to interpret Paul’s comments, his words must also be weighed in light of Paul’s frequent and very public praise of Priscilla, who is recorded as ministering, spreading the Gospel, and having instructed a man. Paul even calls her his “helper in Christ”[18]
We should also keep in mind that the words of Paul were not originally part of the Scriptures, but simply the letters of an apostle sent to various groups expressing his concerns toward them. I believe the letters of Paul are invaluable, and I believe most of what he wrote was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Whatever our beliefs about Paul’s comments on women, it is important to note that he is but a single witness.
In all three books of scripture, we are told of the vital importance of proper witnesses. God has said that He will establish His word in the mouth of several witnesses. Not a single statement was made by Jesus in any of our three books of scripture that would suggest anything like Paul’s statement about women keeping silent in the church. Neither are any of the other apostles recorded as having said anything against women teaching or ministering. John’s second letter is written expressly to an “elect lady,” whom he says he loves in the truth, and not he only, but also all they that have known the truth.[19]
While I am not in favor of simply dismissing those two verses in Paul’s letters, which we have talked about, I do believe they need to be understood in their proper context, and within the framework of the rest of our Scriptures.
Women Ministering in the Latter-Day Church
It may also be interesting to take note of some women in our own restoration history who were not unlike Priscilla. According to historical records kept in Utah, between 1830 and 1898, more than 220 women served as missionaries.[20] Many of these were wives of missionary elders, and nine were single women called to “assist the elders.”
While no woman was ever ordained to a priesthood office, there are accounts of women being ordained (set apart) to specific callings or ministries. There are also accounts of women who exercised powers and spiritual gifts, which are now mostly thought of as being exercised by men who hold the priesthood. These kinds of practices, and their endorsement by church leaders such as Joseph Smith, Jr., have left unanswered questions about what authority women are intended to hold. However, I think if we begin to examine these instances, see what Joseph and others had to say, and compare that to what the Scriptures say about the subject, we can begin to answer these questions.
In Kirtland, the Saints began to hold evening gatherings where blessings were bestowed. As patriarch to the church, Joseph Smith, Sr. pronounced prophecies and blessings upon the heads of the faithful. Caroline Barnes Crosby wrote of her and her husband Jonathan receiving their patriarchal blessings. Not only did Joseph Smith, Sr. pronounce a blessing, but so did Lucy Mack Smith. “These blessings cheered and rejoiced our hearts exceedingly … Mother [Lucy Mack] Smith was in the room. She added her blessing or confirmed what we had already received.”[21] It would appear that Lucy was a part of her husband’s ministry, offering up prayers, and confirming what her husband had received from the Lord.
Sarah Leavitt wrote her testimony[22] of a spiritual blessing her family received during this same period in Kirtland. Praying to the Lord for her seriously ill daughter Louisa, who was confined to her bed, she saw an angel who told her to get the girl out of bed and “lay hands upon her in the name of Jesus Christ and…she should recover.” Sarah woke her husband, related the experience, and asked him to prepare Louisa for the blessing. After her mother prayed over her, Louisa was soon “up and about.” Why not? This was a fulfillment of a scriptural promise.
And these signs shall follow them that believe; .... They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. [Mark 16:15, 19 KJV or 16:16,19 IV]
Sarah's experience may be the first recorded instance in the restored church of a healing blessing by a woman, but it was not the last. Joseph Smith, Sr., church patriarch, gave Eda Rogers a blessing in 1837 that clearly endorsed such powers: “In the absence of thy husband thou must pray with thy family. When they are sick thou shalt lay hands on them, and they shall recover. Sickness shall stand back.”
In regards to women being ordained, Emma Smith was ordained under the hand of her husband, Joseph, in agreement with a revelation they received by the voice of the Lord, which is recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants. According to this revelation, not only was Emma Smith to support her husband and make a selection of hymns for the church, but she was to serve as a scribe in the translation of the Book of Mormon when Oliver Cowdery was unavailable, and she was to “expound Scriptures, and exhort the church, according as it shall be given thee by my Spirit.”[23] This ordination was not to a priesthood office, but rather, to a specific calling and ministry she had.
I believe part of our confusion over these matters is in how we have defined words like “ordained.” In our tradition, this word has been inseparably linked to priesthood ordination alone. But just as there is one kind of laying on hands that elders do, another kind that priests do, and another kind that believers do, so likewise, there are different purposes in ordinations.
Relief Society
When Joseph Smith, Jr. helped organize the Nauvoo Relief Society, he gave women a surprising amount of autonomy. From the words recorded in the meeting minutes, Joseph envisioned the Relief Society as an organization for women somewhat parallel to the priesthood hierarchy for men. Eliza R. Snow wrote a constitution and by-laws for the organization. After reviewing the documents, Joseph Smith, Jr. called them "the best he had ever seen" but said, "this is not what you want. Tell the sisters their offering is accepted of the Lord, and He has something better for them than a written constitution. ... I will organize the sisters under the priesthood after a pattern of the priesthood."[24]
The priesthood would be their spiritual covering, even as a husband is the spiritual covering for his wife in ministry. However, they would have their own ministry, purpose, and calling that would be after the “pattern” of the priesthood. An example of this would be at the third meeting of the Relief Society on March 30, 1842, when Joseph instructed the sisters to elect their own president, who would then select her counselors. Then he “would ordain them to preside over the society … just as the Presidency preside over the church … If any officers are wanted to carry out the designs of the Institution, let them be appointed and act apart, as Deacons, Teachers &c., are among us.”[25]
At the fourth meeting of the Relief Society on May 17, 1842, Newell K. Whitney accompanied Joseph Smith, Jr. According to the minutes, Newell told the women: “In the beginning, God created man, male and female, and bestowed upon man certain blessings peculiar to a man of God, of which woman partook, so that without the female all things cannot be restored to the earth—it takes all to restore the Priesthood.”[26] Joseph did not object, but supported this statement.
I find the above statement to be amazing. It is also a confirmation to what the Spirit revealed to me some time ago. My wife is a vital part of my ministry. She completes my priesthood as much as she completes me as a man. If I were not married, the Lord would uphold me in that area of my life, but because I chose to be married, my wife and I became one in the eyes of the Lord. This oneness extends into my priesthood in ways I have barely begun to understand. She is now my regular prayer partner in matters of ministry. She upholds me when I go out. Whenever possible, I take her with me. I know that as she steps out in faith and develops her spiritual gifts, she will play a vital role in helping me accomplish my ministry. It causes me to wonder how exciting it would be for us to become like Aquila and Priscilla.
On April 28, 1842, Joseph Smith, Jr. explained to the women that “the keys of the kingdom are about to be given to them that they may be able to detect everything false, as well as to the Elders.” Then Joseph Smith said, “I now turn the key to you in the name of God and this Society shall rejoice and knowledge and intelligence shall flow down from this time.”[27] These exact words were recorded in Joseph's own journals and in the meeting minutes, but the wording was changed later in church history. In 1851, George A. Smith, tasked with revising and updating the official history of the Utah church, change Joseph’s words from, “I now turn the key to you in the name of God,” to “I now turn the key in your behalf…” It seems that the idea of women holding or using keys for the sake of the Kingdom did not sit well with some of the men. Therefore, history was revised to make it look as if Joseph had to use or turn the key for them.
Previous to the organization of the Relief Society, women had exercised such spiritual gifts as speaking in tongues and blessing the sick. After the close of the Relief Society’s fourth meeting, Emma Smith, Sarah Cleveland, and Elizabeth Whitney ministered to a Sister Durfee. The exact manner in which they did this was not recorded. However, I have no doubt that the authority they acted under would have been different from the ordinance of the elders. The following week, Sister Durfee testified that she had “been healed and thought the sisters had more faith than the brethren.” After that meeting, Sarah and Elizabeth blessed another Relief Society member, Abigail Leonard, “for the restoration of health.”
In their next meeting, Joseph Smith, Jr. addressed the subject of the women exercising the gift of healing. It appears that reports of the women laying hands on one another and obtaining healings that way may have caused a stir among some of the men. Joseph addressed this by stating: “If God gave his sanction by healing … there could be no more sin in any female laying hands on the sick than in wetting the face with water.” In that same meeting, he expressed support for the fact that some women were called by God to be able to heal the sick, and that it was their privilege to do so. Joseph ended his comments stating that “if the sisters should have faith to heal the sick, let all hold their tongues.”[28]
And these signs shall follow them that believe.... They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. [Mormon 4:87]
As I made preparations for this book, and all during the time in which I wrote it, I continued to feel the impress of the Spirit of God regarding the extreme importance of the ministry of women in these last days as part of the Kingdom birthing process. I came to understand that the suppression of women, to keep them from working in the gifts and bringing forth their special ministry, is part of the bondage we are currently under, which has prevented us from moving forward. It is my prayer that this book may help make some difference in regards to this important issue.
[25] Minutes of the Nauvoo Female Relief Society, 17 Mar. 1842, (Microfilm of holograph, Joseph Smith Collection [hereafter Minutes], LDS archives.)
[26] Minutes of the Nauvoo Female Relief Society, 17 May. 1842. (Microfilm of holograph, Joseph Smith Collection [hereafter Minutes], LDS archives.)
[27] Minutes of the Nauvoo Female Relief Society, 17 Mar. 1842. (Microfilm of holograph, Joseph Smith Collection [hereafter Minutes], LDS archives.)
