Elder Erastus Snow arrived with a company from Massachusetts.
The Prophet's Anxiety concerning the History of the Church.
Tuesday, 7.—Mr. Cole moved the tables back into the hall, when Richards and Phelps called to report that the noise in the school disturbed them in the progress of writing the History. I gave orders that Cole must look out for another place, as the history must continue and not be disturbed, as there are but few subjects that I have felt a greater anxiety about than my history, which has been a very difficult task, on account of the death of my best clerks and the apostasy of others, and the stealing of records by John Whitmer, Cyrus Smalling and others.
Preliminary Steps to Publish in Nauvoo Edition of Doctrine and Covenants.
The quorum of the Twelve—viz., President Brigham Young, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, George A. Smith, and Willard Richards, assembled in the mayor's office, and voted to raise $500 to get paper, &c., to print the Doctrine and Covenants. Also voted that Parley P. Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, and John Taylor be a committee to borrow or get the money, and that President Young go along with them.
Wednesday, 8.—From nine to eleven, a.m., had an interview with Richards and Phelps, read and heard read part of my history, then attended to settling some accounts with several individuals. In the afternoon, I examined a sample of fringe designed for the pulpits of the Temple; and from two to three, conversed with Phelps, Lewis, John Butler and others.
The Neighbor has the following:—
Misrepresentations Corrected.
We know that statements made by the Carthage mob in their resolutions, as published in the late Warsaw Message, were false. We also felt convinced that the parties themselves were apprized of that fact, and that it was a thing generally understood by the public; and therefore we did not trouble ourselves about it. But having the following testimonies and affidavits sent us for publication, we insert them for the information of those who may not have had opportunities of informing themselves relative to this subject.
STATE OF ILLINOIS
LEE COUNTY. ss.
We the undersigned citizens of the town of Dixon, county of Lee, State of Illinois, being duly sworn according to law, depose and say that we have seen the article entitled "Statement of facts connected with the arrest of Joseph Smith and his discharge therefrom," published in the Warsaw Message of the date of 15th of July, A.D. 1843; and have also seen an editorial article in the same number of said paper, in which it is stated that said statement of facts was furnished by E. Southwick, one of Mr. Smith's attorneys in said case; and that we know the fact stated in that statement—to wit, that Reynolds, for a considerable length of time immediately after his arrival at Dixon, did peremptorily refuse to allow Smith a private interview with his counsel; and that said Reynolds did expressly state that no conversation could be had with Smith by his attorneys, unless he, Reynolds, was present at such conversation.
The length of time which such refusal to allow said private conversation continued, was, in the belief of these deponents, at least one hour; and that such private conversation was not permitted by Reynolds, until after being informed by at least two of these deponents (Messrs. Dixon and Sanger) that such private interview must be allowed Mr. Smith, as that was a right he had guaranteed to him by law.
JOHN DIXON, J. D. McCOMSAY,
ISAAC ROBINSON, J. ALBERT HELFENSTEIN,
L. P. SANGER, S. G. PATRICK,
E. SOUTHWICK.
Sworn and subscribed to before me at Dixon, this 29th day of July, 1843.
FREDERICK R. DUTCHER,
Justice of the Peace for Lee County, Ill.
We, the undersigned, state under oath that we traveled in company with Joseph H. Reynolds, the agent of the State of Missouri, from Dixon to Nauvoo, at the time he had Joseph Smith in custody with the intention of taking him to Missouri, between the 26th of June last and the 1st instant; and that the Mormons, friends of Mr. Smith, who met us on said journey, before we arrived at Nauvoo, conducted themselves, so far as we could perceive and were able to judge, with the strictest propriety; and to our knowledge made use of no means of intimidation towards either H. T. Wilson or said Reynolds; but, on the contrary, several of them, and said Smith among that number, pledged themselves that said Wilson and Reynolds should be personally safe; and that said Mormons, none of them as we could perceive, were armed, so far as was discernible; and further, that the statement made in the Old School Democrat of the 12th instant, over the signature of T. H. Reynolds, that he and said Wilson were disarmed soon after they were arrested on the trespass suit commenced against them by said Smith, and that their arms were not returned to them until after the said Smith's discharge at Nauvoo, was incorrect. And in relation to this, these deponents say that said Wilson and Reynolds were arrested on said action of trespass at Dixon, on Saturday morning, the 24th of June last. That they were not disarmed by the sheriff of Lee county, who had them in custody, nor by any other person, until the following day, at Paw-paw Grove, thirty-two miles distant from Dixon; and that the arms of said Wilson and Reynolds were restored to them by the said sheriff of Lee county, who had them in custody for default of bail, at their (Wilson and Reynolds') own request, while on the journey from Dixon to Nauvoo, before the company had arrived within at least eighty miles of Nauvoo.
J. D. McCOMSAY,
L. P. SANGER,
E. SOUTHWICK,
S. G. PATRICK.
Sworn and subscribed to before me, at Dixon, this 29th day of July, A.D. 1843.
FREDERICK R. DUTCHER,
Justice of the Peace.
To the Editor of the Warsaw Message:
GENTLEMEN:—It appears from an article in your paper of the 15th of July under the editorial head, that there is a question of veracity therein raised, between Mr. H. T Wilson and myself, relative to the proceedings had after the late arrest by him of Joseph Smith. Now, in order that the public may no longer be deceived in the premises, be pleased to publish, together with this note, the above affidavits, that the charge of falsehood may attach where it properly belongs.
Very respectfully yours,
E. SOUTHWICK.
Dixon July 29, 1843.
I wrote to the Times and Seasons:—
Communication of President Joseph Smith to the Saints.
Messrs. Taylor and Woodruff:
It has been so long since I addressed the Saints through the medium of the Times and Seasons, that I feel confident that a few words from my pen, by way of advice, will be well received, as well as a "waymark" to guide the "faithful" in future. I was sorry to learn, by your remarks upon the resolutions of the "Twelve" concerning your papers, which appeared not long since, that many of the Saints abroad were more apt to patronize the common newspapers of the day than yours, for the important reason that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has the words of eternal life, and your paper, as it has hitherto done, must continue to publish such portions of them for the benefit of the Saints and the salvation of mankind as wisdom shall from time to time direct.
Freedom is a sweet blessing. Men have a right to take and read what papers they please; "but do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" It certainly is no more than just to suppose that charity begins at home; and if so, what must such as profess to be Saints think, when they patronize the splendor of Babylon and leave the virtue of Zion to linger for want of bread?
Beside which, if virtue is justified rather than vanity, the best of everything calculated to happify man and dignify society will—yea, must be in Nauvoo. And as the new commandment given anciently was to love one another, even so the works of the Saints at home and abroad will bear its own testimony whether they love the brethren.
In all the world the Times and Seasons is the only paper that virtually sustains, according to the forms of Scripture and prophecy, "Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists," and revelations. And what shall be said of him that, like the "Levite," passes on the other side of the way, when we behold men who "have borne the heat and the burden of the day" struggling against the popular opinions of a vain world, the burlesque of a giddy throng, the vulgarity of a self-wise multitude, and the falsehoods of what may justly be termed the "civilized meanness of the age," and not lending a helping hand? The 25th chapter of Matthew contains the simple answer.
Now, let me say once for all, like the Psalmist of old, "How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." "As the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon Aaron's beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments, as the dew of Hermon that descended upon the mountains of Zion," is such unity; for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore!" Unity is power; and when the brethren as one man sustain the Times and Seasons, they sustain me, by giving a spread to the revelations, faith, works, history and progress of the Church. The brethren who conduct the paper have been appointed to that important station, because they are worthy and well qualified; and what a blessed sign of a faithful friend to God and man is it to see the charity of a brother support his brethren, as an evidence that he means to pass from death into life?
Many of the articles which appear in the Times and Seasons are extracts of revelations, translations, or are the united voice of conferences, which, like "apples of gold in pictures of silver," are treasures more than meat for the called, chosen and faithful among the Saints, and should be more than drink to those that hunger and thirst after righteousness. As Nauvoo is rising in glory and greatness, so shall I expect to see the Times and Seasons increase in circulation by the vigilance of the Elders and Saints, so as to be a herald of truth and a standard of pure and undefiled religion. Finally, men and brethren, when you support my friends, you support me. In the bonds of the new and everlasting covenant,
I am your humble servant,
JOSEPH SMITH.