Tuesday, 22.—Attended to a variety of business as usual.
Wednesday, 23.—Settled with and paid Brother Chase, and assisted in the counting room in settling with Ebenezer Robinson, visiting the printing office, and gave Reuben Hedlock instruction concerning the cut for the altar and gods in the Records of Abraham, as designed for the Times and Seasons.
Thursday, 24.—Engaged in council with the brethren, attended to business at the general office. In the afternoon explained the records of Abraham to the recorder. Sisters Marinda, Mary, and others present to hear the explanations.
Letter of the Prophet's to an Unknown Brother on Tithing.
Nauvoo, Feb. 24, 1842.
Beloved Brother—Yours of the 24th ult. is received, in relation to certain tithings of your neighborhood being transferred to your account, which you hold against the Church to the amount of $305, including $150 of your own.
There are no receipts issued for property received on tithing; but an entry is made in the Book of the Law of the Lord, and parties living at a distance notified of the same.
If the parties named will pay you the sum specified in your letter, and you will endorse the same, i. e. $305, on the obligation you hold against the Church, and give me notice accordingly, with a schedule of individuals' names and payments, the same shall be entered to their credit on tithing. Yours, &c.
Joseph Smith,
Willard Richards, Scribe.
Friday, 25.—Engaged in counseling and general business.
Saturday, 26.—At the recorder's office engaged in the tithing, and at the court at the office of the Patriarch.
Sunday, 27.—Engaged in counseling the Saints.
Monday, 28.—I offered a settlement to Father Snow by Jenkins' notes, which he declined, choosing to take land in Ramus; paid Brother Robert Pierce $2,700, the balance due him for a farm Dr. Galland bought of Brother Pierce in Brandywine Township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, for $5,000, namely a deed for lot 2, block 94, $1,100, and lot 1, block 95, $800, and lot 4, block 78, $806, the remainder having been previously paid. The bond was cancelled and given up, and Brother Pierce expressed his satisfaction of the whole, in the Times and Seasons, as follows—
Note of Robert Pierce—Expressing Satisfaction at Financial Settlement.
Nauvoo, Feb. 28, 1842.
President Joseph Smith.
Dear Sir—I feel anxious to express my feelings concerning the business transactions between the Church and myself; as it is well known to many, that Dr. Galland, as agent for the Church, purchased my farm while I was living in Brandywine Township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, and many supposed, or pretended to suppose, I would get nothing in return; but I wish to say to all my old friends and enemies in Pennsylvania, through the medium of the Times and Seasons, that I have received my pay in full from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, through yourself, sir, as their trustee in trust, according to the original contract; and that from my acquaintance with yourself, and those brethren who are assisting you in the great and increasing business of the Church, I have the fullest confidence in all the transactions of the Church, and I request those papers in Philadelphia, who published concerning my sale and loss, with such bitter lamentations, to publish this also.
I am, sir, your brother and well-wisher,
Robert Pierce.
Thursday, March 1, 1842.—During the forenoon I was at my office and the printing office, correcting the first plate or cut of the records of Father Abraham, prepared by Reuben Hedlock, for the Times and Seasons, and in council in my office, in the afternoon; and in the evening with the Twelve and their wives at Elder Woodruff's, at which time I explained many important principles in relation to progressive improvement in the scale of intelligent existence.