I also presented a bill for "An ordinance in relation to appeals," which passed unanimously.

I also argued before the council the right of taxation, but that the expense of the city did not require it at present.

Sunday, 14.—I preached to a large congregation at the Temple.

Nine of the Twelve Apostles met in council, to prepare an epistle to the Saints in Europe.

Monday, 15.

An Epistle of the Twelve Apostles to the Saints Scattered Abroad in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, the Isle of Man, and the Eastern Continent, Greeting:

Beloved Brethren:—We rejoice and thank our Heavenly Father daily in your behalf, that we hear of your faithfulness and diligence in the great work unto which you have been called, by the Holy Spirit, through the voice of the servants of the Most High, who have been, and are now amongst you, for the purpose of instructing you in those principles which are calculated to prepare the children of men for the renovation of the earth, and the restitution of all things spoken by the Prophets.

Several months have passed away, since we bid adieu to our brethren and sisters on the islands of the sea, and passed over the great deep to our homes, our kindred, the bosom of the Church, and the stakes of Zion: but neither time nor distance can efface from our memories the many expressions of kindness which we have heard from your lips and experienced from your hands, which have so often ministered to our necessities, while we were wandering in your midst, like our Master, having no place to lay our heads, only as furnished by your liberality and benevolence; and it is a subject of no small consolation to us that we have this testimony of so many of you, that you are the disciples of the Lord Jesus;[[2]] and we give you our warmest thanks, and our blessing, that you have not only ministered unto us, but that you continue to minister to our brethren who are still laboring amongst you, for which an hundred fold shall be returned unto your bosoms.

After parting with the Saints in Liverpool, and sailing thirty days, much of the time against head winds, with rough seas, which produced much sea sickness among the brethren and sisters who accompanied us, we arrived in the city of New York, where we were received by the brethren with open hearts, and by whom we were entertained most cordially some days, till we were rested from the fatigues of the ship: we were then assisted on our journey, and taking different routes, and visiting many of the churches in different states, we have all safely arrived in this city.

In our travels in this land, we have discovered a growing interest among the people generally, in the great work of the Lord. Prejudice is giving way to intelligence; darkness to light; and multitudes are making the important discovery that error is abroad in the earth, and that the signs of the times proclaim some mighty revolution among the nations. The cry is from all quarters, send us Elders to instruct us in the principles of your religion, that we may know why it is that you are had in derision by the multitude, more than other professors are. Teach us of your principles and your doctrines, and if we find them true we will embrace them.

The Saints are growing in faith, and the intelligence of heaven is flowing into their understanding, for the Spirit of the Lord is with them, and the Holy Ghost is instructing them in things to come. The spirit of union is increasing, and they are exerting themselves to come up to the gathering of the faithful, to build up the waste places and establish the stakes of Zion.

Since our arrival in this place there has been one special and one general conference of the Church, and the Twelve have been called to tarry at home for a season, and stand in their lot next to the First Presidency, and assist in counseling the brethren, and in the settling of immigrants, &c.; and the first great object before us, and the Saints generally, is to help forward the completion of the Temple and the Nauvoo House—buildings which are now in progress according to the revelations, and which must be completed to secure the salvation of the Church in the last days; for God requires of His Saints to build Him a house wherein his servants may be instructed, and endowed with power from on high, to prepare them to go forth among the nations, and proclaim the fullness of the Gospel for the last time, and bind up the law, and seal up the testimony, leaving this generation without excuse, and the earth prepared for the judgments which will follow. In this house all the ordinances will be made manifest, and many things will be shown forth, which have been hid from generation to generation.

The set time to favor the stakes of Zion is at hand, and soon the kings and the queens, the princes and the nobles, the rich and the honorable of the earth will come up hither to visit the Temple of our God, and to inquire concerning His strange work; and as kings are to become nursing fathers, and queens nursing mothers in the habitations of the righteous, it is right to render honor to whom honor is due; and therefore expedient that such, as well as the Saints, should have a comfortable house for boarding and lodging when they come hither, and it is according to the revelations that such a house should be built.

The foundations of this house, and also of the Temple, are laid; and the walls of the basement stories of each nearly completed; and the finishing of the whole is depending on the exertions of the Saints. Every Saint on earth is equally interested in these things, and all are under equal obligations to do all in their power to complete the buildings by their faith, and by their prayers, with their thousands and their mites, their gold and their silver, their copper and their zinc, their goods and their labors, until the top stone is laid with shoutings, and the place is prepared to be filled with the glory of the Highest; and if there are those among you who have more than they need for the gathering, and for assisting the destitute who desire to gather with them, they cannot make a more acceptable offering unto the Lord, than by appropriating towards the building of His Temple.

He that believeth shall not make haste, but let all the Saints who desire to keep the commandments of heaven and work righteousness, come to the place of gathering as soon as circumstances will permit. It is by united efforts that great things are accomplished, and while the Saints are scattered to the four winds, they cannot be united in action, if they are in spirit; they cannot all build at one city, or lift at one stone of the great Temple, though their hearts may all desire the same thing. We would not press the subject of the gathering upon you, for we know your hearts, and your means; and so far as means fail, let patience have its perfect work in your souls, for in due time you shall be delivered, if you faint not.

We are not altogether ignorant of the increase of difficulty among the laboring classes in England since our departure through the stoppage of factories and similar occurrences, and we would counsel those who have, to impart unto those who have not, and cannot obtain; remembering that he who giveth unto the poor lendeth unto the Lord, and he shall receive in return four fold.

The idler shall not eat the bread of the laborer; neither must he starve who would [labor] but cannot find employment. Inasmuch as ye desire the fullness of the earth, let not the cries of the widow, the fatherless and the beggar ascend to heaven, or salute your ears in vain, but follow the example we have set before you, and give liberally of your abundance, even if it be but a penny, and it shall be returned unto you. Good measure pressed down and running over, shall the Lord return into your store house.

Cultivate the spirit of patience, long-suffering, forbearance and charity among yourselves, and ever be as unwilling to believe an evil report about a brother or a sister as if it were about yourself, and as you dislike to be accused, be slow to accuse the brethren, for the measure you mete shall be measured to you again, and the Judge condemneth no man who is not accused.

Keep all the commandments, nothing fearing, nothing doubting, for this is virtue, this is wisdom, and the wise, the virtuous and the meek shall inherit the earth and the fullness thereof. In all things follow the counsel which you shall receive from the president and council who are among you; and inasmuch as you uphold Elders Pratt, Richards and Snow by the prayer of faith, you shall receive right counsel.

Remember that those whom John saw on Mount Zion were such as had come up through great tribulation; and do not imagine that you can ever constitute a part of that number without sharing a part of their trials. You must necessarily pass through perils and trials, and temptations and afflictions by sea and land in your journeyings hither, and if you cannot settle it in your hearts to endure unto the end as good soldiers, you may as well remain where you are to be destroyed, as to suffer all the privations and hardships you will be obliged to suffer before the walls of Zion shall be built, no more to be thrown down, and after all to turn away and be destroyed.

The ancient prophet has said, they shall wear out the Saints of the Most High. This has already been fulfilled to some extent, for many through the abundance of their persecutions have become exhausted, and laid their bodies down to rest, to rise no more till the morn of the first resurrection; and although the people of these states are at peace with us, yet there are those who would gladly wear out and destroy the weak in faith, through the influence of their foolish lies. When you arrive on our shores, and while sailing up our rivers, you need not be surprised if your ears are saluted by the false and filthy language of wicked and designing men who are ever ready to speak evil of the things they understand not, and who would gladly blast the character of the Prophet of the Most High God, and all connected with him, with their foul anathemas, beyond anything you ever thought of. We would not dishearten you, neither would we have you ignorant of the worst that awaits the righteous.

If the Saints are not prepared to rejoice and be glad when they hear the name of the Prophet and their own name cast out as evil, as gluttonous, wine-bibber, friend of publicans and sinners, Beelzebub, thief, robber and murderer, they are not prepared for the gathering. The wheat and tares must grow together till the harvest; at the harvest the wheat is gathered together into the threshing floor, so with the Saints—the stakes are the threshing floor. Here they will be threshed with all sorts of difficulties, trials, afflictions and everything to mar their peace, which they can imagine, and thousands which they cannot imagine, but he that endures the threshing till all the chaff, superstition, folly and unbelief are pounded out of him, and does not suffer himself to be blown away as chaff by the foul blast of slander, but endures faithfully to the end, shall be saved. If you are prepared for all these things; if you choose rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a little moment, come up hither; come direct to New Orleans, and up the Mississippi river, for the expense is so much less, and the convenience of water navigation is so much greater than it is by Montreal, New York or Philadelphia, that it is wisdom for the Saints to make New Orleans their general established port, and be sure to start at such times that they may arrive here during the cold months, for the change from the cold climate of England to this place in the hot season, is too great for the health of immigrants, till there is more faith in the Church.

In this region of country there are thousands and millions of acres of beautiful prairie unoccupied, which can be procured on reasonable terms, and we will hail the time with joy when these unoccupied lands shall be turned into fruitful fields, and the hands of those who are now idle for want of employment shall be engaged in the cultivation of the soil.

When the brethren arrive they will do well to call on some of the Twelve, inasmuch as they desire counsel, for by so doing they may escape the influence of designing men who have crept in unawares, and would willingly subvert the truth by conniving to their own advantage, if they have the opportunity.

The Church has commenced a new city twenty miles below this, and one mile below Warsaw, called Warren, where many city lots and farms in the vicinity can be had on reasonable terms; and it will be wisdom for many of the brethren to stop at that place, for the opportunity for erecting temporary buildings will be greater than at this place, also the chance for providing food will be superior to those who wish to labor for it.

Warsaw is at the foot of the Des Moines Rapids, and one of the best locations for mercantile purposes there is in this western country.

So far as the brethren have the means they will do well to come prepared with a variety of mechanical tools according to their professions, such as carpenters, joiners, cabinet-makers, hatters, coopers, masons, printers, binders, tanners, curriers, &c., and all sorts of manufactory and foundry implements convenient for transportation, so that when they arrive they may be prepared to establish themselves in business, and give employment to spinners, weavers, moulders, smelters and journeymen of every description; for all sorts of woollens, cottons, hardware, &c., will find a ready market in new countries, and a great field is now open to the capitalists in this vicinity, even though the capital be small, and we would urge the importance of the immediate establishment of all kinds of manufactories among us, as well for the best interests of the individuals concerned, as for the Church generally.

Cities cannot be built without houses, houses cannot be built without materials, or occupied without inhabitants, the inhabitants cannot exist without food and clothing; food and clothing cannot be had without planting, sowing, and manufacturing, so that Zion and her stores cannot be built without means, without industry, without manufacturing establishments unless the windows of heaven were opened, and cities and their appendages were rained down among us. But this we do not expect until the new Jerusalem descends, and that will be some time hence; therefore it is necessary and according to godliness and the plan of salvation in these last days, that the brethren should see to all these things, and clothe and adorn themselves with the labor of their own hands, build houses and inhabit them, plant vineyards and eat the fruit thereof.

Brethren, pray for us and the First Presidency, the leader of the people, even Joseph, that his life and health may be precious in the sight of heaven, till he has finished the work which he has commenced: and for the Elders of Israel, that every man may be faithful in his calling, the whole household of faith, and all subjects of prayer.

Brethren, farewell; may the blessings of heaven and earth be multiplied unto you in spirit and in body, in basket and in store, in the field and in the shop, on the land and on the sea, in the house and by the way, and in all situations and circumstances, until you shall stand on Mount Zion, and enter the celestial city; in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Brigham Young,

Heber C. Kimball.

Orson Pratt,

William Smith,

Lyman Wight,

Wilford Woodruff,

John Taylor,

Geo. A. Smith,

Willard Richards,

Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, Nov. 15, 1841.

The greater part of the city of St. John's, New Brunswick, and a large quantity of shipping, destroyed by fire.

Wednesday, 17.—Elders Brigham Young and Willard Richards went to La Harpe.

Thursday, 18.

Minutes of a Meeting at Ramus, Illinois—Alanson Brown, et al. Disfellowshiped.

Proceedings of a meeting of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, held at Ramus, November 18, 1841, opened by singing and prayer by Elder Brigham Young. The object of the meeting was then stated by the president, which was for the purpose of taking into consideration the cases of Alanson Brown, James B. T. Page and William H. Edwards, who stand indicted for larceny, &c.

After the evidence was brought forward, it was unanimously resolved, that said persons be expelled from the Church. Appropriate remarks for the occasion were then made by Elders Young, Richards, Savage, Gurley, and others.

A charge was then preferred against Thomas S. Edwards for assault and battery, with evidence that a warrant was issued for his apprehension, and against William W. Edwards for being accessory to the same. Unanimously resolved, that Thomas S. Edwards also be expelled from the Church; and that the proceedings of this meeting be published in the Times and Seasons.

Joel H. Johnson, President.

Joseph E. Johnson, Church Recorder.