Monday, 14.—Spent the day at my office, transacting a variety of business, and continued to do the same from day to day till the 17th.

Thursday, 17.—I attended a special session of the city council, when an ordinance was passed authorizing and regulating marriages in the city of Nauvoo.

Letter of Alfred Cordon to Joseph Smith—Reporting Affairs in England.

Hanley, Stafford County, England, February 17, 1842.

President Joseph Smith:—The work in which we are engaged rolls on in this lands and in spite of all its enemies, moves onward in majesty and power; there are many who devote all their time and talent in endeavoring to overthrow it; but I discover that they can "do nothing against the truth but for the truth." Many tracts have been published against us, containing all manner of lies, but in the end good will be the result. "He that knoweth God, heareth us." Some of the tools of Satan are doing more in spreading the truth than we are able to do; one in particular, a Mr. Brindley, is publishing a periodical showing the "errors and blasphemies" of "Mormonism;" and in order to do this, he publishes many of the revelations of God given to us, and through this means, the testimony is visiting the mansions of the high and mighty ones—the "reverends, right reverends" and all the noble champions of sectarians receive them as a precious morsel; and they are read with much interest; whereas, if we had sent them, they would have been spurned from their dwellings, and would not have been considered worth reading.

The state of this country is very awful, and is, according to prospects, on the eve of a mighty revolution; all confidence is gone between master and man, and men are afraid of each other; peace is fast removing from this land; in the course of the last few days, in many parts of this isle, they have been burning the effigy of the great men of this nation—poverty, distress and starvation abound on every hand. The groans, and tears and wretchedness of the thousands of people are enough to rend the hearts of demons; many of the Saints are suffering much through hunger and nakedness; many with large families can scarcely get bread and water enough to hold the spirit in the tabernacle; many, very many, are out of employment, and cannot get work to do, and others that do work hard fourteen or fifteen hours per day, can scarcely earn enough to enable them to live upon the earth. Surely there is need of deliverance in Zion, and I am ready to exclaim, thanks be to Thy name, O Lord, for remembering Thy covenants! and that the "set time to favor Zion has come," and that He has chosen the west for a refuge for His people.

Wishing you all success, I remain, yours in the new and everlasting covenant.

Alfred Cordon.

Confidence in the Nauvoo Charter.

Friday, 18.—I attended an adjourned city council, and spoke at considerable length in committee of the whole on the great privileges of the Nauvoo Charter, and especially on the registry of deeds for Nauvoo, and prophesied in the name of the Lord God, that Judge Douglas and no other judge of the Circuit Court will ever set aside a law of the city council, establishing a registry of deeds in the city of Nauvoo.

Saturday, 19.—I was engaged in the Recorder's Office (in the first story of the Brick Store), on the tithings, and in council in my office with Elders Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball and others.

A severe shock of an earthquake threw down all the parapets, bastions, and guard houses constructed by Sir Robert Sale, and demolished a third part of the town of Jellalabad, India.

Sunday, 20.—I attended the meeting on the hill. About this time the ship John Cummins sailed from Liverpool for New Orleans with Saints. The Tremont sailed on the 12th of January with 143 passengers, mostly Saints. The expenses of passage from Liverpool to New Orleans averages from £3, 15s to £4, including provisions.

Monday, 21.—I was visiting in the city in the morning, and transacting a variety of business at the office in the afternoon and evening.

Announcement of the Trustee in Trust for the Church Respecting Work on the Temple.

To The Brethren In Nauvoo City: Greeting—It is highly important for the forwarding of the Temple, that an equal distribution of labor should be made in relation to time; as a superabundance of hands one week, and none the next, tends to retard the progress of the work: therefore every brother is requested to be particular to labor on the day set apart for the same, in his ward; and to remember that he that sows sparingly, shall also reap sparingly, so that if the brethren want a plentiful harvest, they will do well to be at the place of labor in good season in the morning, bringing all necessary tools, according to their occupation, and those who have teams bring them also, unless otherwise advised by the Temple Committee. Should any one be detained from his labor by unavoidable circumstances on the day appointed, let him labor the next day, or the first day possible.

N. B—The captains of the respective wards are particularly requested to be at the place of labor on their respective days, and keep an accurate account of each man's work, and be ready to exhibit a list of the same when called for.

The heart of the Trustee is daily made to rejoice in the good feelings of the brethren, made manifest in their exertion to carry forward the work of the Lord, and rear His Temple; and it is hoped that neither planting, sowing, or reaping will hereafter be made to interfere with the regulations hinted at above.

Joseph Smith, Trustee in Trust.

An Additional Word from the Twelve.

Recorders Office Febr. 21, 1842.

We would also say to all the churches, that inasmuch as they want the blessings of God and angels, as also of the Church of Jesus Christ, and wish to see it spread and prosper through the world, and Zion built up and truth and righteousness prevail,—let all the different branches of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in all the world, call meetings in their respective places and tithe themselves and send up to this place to the Trustee in Trust, so that his hands may be loosed, and the Temple go on, and other works be done, such as the new translation of the Bible, and the record of Father Abraham published to the world.

Beloved brethren, we as the messengers of the Lord feel to call upon you to help roll on the mighty work, it is our duty so to do, and it is your reasonable service—and the Lord will bless you in so doing.

We subscribe ourselves your humble servants, and standard bearers to the world. Brigham Young, President,

Willard Richards, Clerk of the Twelve.