Sioux City Academy of Science and Letters. 93 
In February Thompson published a notice, that 
thereafter there would be three solemn assemblies of his 
organization which he called “Schools of Preparation of 
Jehovah’s Presbytery of Zion,” to-wit: on April 15, Au- 
cust 29th, and December 27th of each year, the first one 
to be held April 15, 1852, at St. Louis. This assembly met 
at Thompson’s house, and this appears to have been its 
first regular organization. Thompson was Chief Teacher 
and they elected one man a Chief of Quorum of Travel- 
ling Teachers, and another Second Chief of Travelling 
Teachers. 
Wm. Marks, Richard Stevens and Harry Childs, 
“having been appointed by revelation,” as Thompson 
puts it in his records, were accepted as a committee to 
locate a present place of gathering for the “Schools of 
Jehovah’s Presbytery of Zion,” and they were directed 
to report to Thompson as soon as they had selected a 
place. At this meeting these travelling teachers were 
sent on their mission to the eastern states, from New 
York and Pennsylvania to Missouri and Iowa. The com- 
mittee on location, who were not all present at this meet- 
ing, conferred by letter, and were to meet and start on 
their journey for selection the latter part of June, 1852. 
A part of the committee got as far as St. Joseph, Mo., in 
August, 1852, but one was sick, and land was so high 
priced there, they reported they would be compelled to 
go farther north. 
The Solemn Assembly again met at Thompson’s 
house in St. Louis, August 29, 1852, with greatly in- 
creased numbers, and all during this year their teachers 
were active and had organized schools and churches in 
many states, and Thompson’s paper was given an in- 
creased circulation. His organization seemed to be gath- 
ering in the Mormons who had been scattered by the 
breaking up of the Nauvoo colony, or who refused 
allegiance to the new Brigham Young faction which 
preached polygamy, or had not gone with the Rigdonites 
to Pittsburg, or with the Strangites to an island in Lake 
Michigan. 
September 1, 1852, Wm. Marks and Harry Childs, of 
the location committee, reported by letter from Kanes- 
ville, Iowa, (Council Bluffs) that they had selected the 
