| 229 shall have peace and joy, beyond that which you have before tasted in Zarahemla.'
"At the April conference following, it was resolved, unanimously, after some discussion, that manifestations of the Spirit, in anywise relating to the church as a body, should be written and submitted to a body of high priests before circulating or teaching them to the church, and only then on their being approved. . . .
"A degree of peace and harmony followed this conference and the elders did considerable labor, which was blessed with numerous additions to the church. Among these was Bro. Samuel Powers, who for some years had been an outside believer. In July, of this year, Aaron Smith, the first convert to James J. Strang, and one of his chief witnesses and counselor, came to Zarahemla and united with the church by baptism, at which time the question of rebaptism was first prominently brought forward. It happened that a very general attendance of the church at Zarahemla and the surrounding branches were present, among whom were Brn. Z. E. Gurley [Sen.], Deam, Cunningham, and J. W. Briggs, of the Twelve, and Ethan Griffith. . . . It was urged by some that we should begin anew, and all be baptized, and thenceforward make it a test of fellowship. Elders Deam, Cunningham, and Griffith favored this, and the latter, together with Bro. Aaron Smith, just received, urged it with great vehemence. On the other hand, Elders Z. E. Gurley and J. W. Briggs took the ground that where the evidence of a legal baptism once having been received, and in the absence of evidence of expulsion or apostasy, it was not admissible to require a rebaptism, to be identified with the Reorganization; but that in such cases it was optional with the persons themselves-a matter of conscience with them alone. This latter view had been acted upon generally up to this time, but now it was affirmed; and became a ruling precedent thenceforward. But from this day, it became the occasion of schism.
"At this point the divergence began, which developed the 'Deam party.' For between this and the October conference, they had taken steps to organize according to the
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