Excommunication of Wesley Hurlburt.

On the evening of the 2nd of January, a Bishop's court assembled in Kirtland to investigate the case of Wesley Hurlburt, against whom charges had been preferred by Harriet Howe and others to the effect "that Hurlburt had denied the faith, spoken reproachfully of the Church, did not believe Joseph was a true Prophet," etc. Hurlburt was in the place, but did not appear before the court, consequently was cut off.

Mob Threats at Kirtland.

The threats of the mob about Kirtland through the fall and winter had been such as to cause the brethren to be constantly on the lookout, and those who labored on the temple were engaged at night watching to protect the walls they had laid during the day, from threatened violence. On the morning of the 8th of January, about 1 o'clock, the inhabitants of Kirtland were alarmed by the firing of about thirteen rounds of cannon, by the mob, on the hill about half a mile northwest of the village.[[1]]

A Prayer.

On the evening of the 11th of January, Joseph Smith, Jun., Frederick G. Williams, Newel K. Whitney, John Johnson, Oliver Cowdery, and Orson Hyde united in prayer, and asked the Lord to grant the following petitions:

1.—That the Lord would grant that our lives might be precious in His sight; that He would watch over our persons, and give His angels charge concerning us and our families, that no evil nor unseen hand might be permitted to harm us.

2.—That the Lord would also hold the lives of all the United Order as sacred, and not suffer that any of them should be taken.

3.—That the Lord would grant that Brother Joseph might prevail over his enemy, even Dr. Hurlburt, who has threatened his life, whom Joseph has caused to be taken with a precept; that the Lord would fill the heart of the court with a spirit to do justice, and cause that the law of the land may be magnified in bringing Hurlburt to justice.

4.—That the Lord in the order of His providence, would provide the Bishop of this Church [at Kirtland] with means sufficient to discharge every debt, in due season, that the Order owes, that the Church may not be brought into disrepute, and the Saints be afflicted by the hands of their enemies.