Having placed all things in order in Kirtland for the progress of the Lord's house, Joseph departed on the 16th of October, 1834, with his brother Hyrum and others to visit the Saints in the state of Michigan. They went by water, and on board the steamer they met a man who called himself Elmer. Not knowing who they were, in the course of conversation he said: "I am personally acquainted with Joe Smith; I have heard him preach his lies, and now since he is dead I am glad. I heard Joe Smith preach in Bainbridge, Chenango County, New York, five years ago, and knew him because he had such a dark complexion." Then he continued his exultations at the supposed death of the Prophet. This is an illustration of the malice and ignorance which prevailed at that time. Joseph was not dead; his complexion was not dark; he had never been in Bainbridge. Elmer had probably heard the tirade of some sectarian minister against Joseph Smith and thought he was praising God when he lied about the Prophet, and that he was doing Christ's service by exulting in his supposed death.
After preaching to the Michigan Saints for a brief time and giving and receiving comfort in their society, Joseph and his companions returned to Kirtland, reaching there about the last of October. During the month of November with so many labors upon his hands Joseph found every moment of time occupied. He was able to accomplish prodigious labors, because he obeyed the rule which he had established over his life and which he tersely states:
"WHEN THE LORD COMMANDS, DO IT."
His scrupulous regard for the interests of others is shown by a circumstance which occurred during the last of November, 1834. Some brethren and sisters representing a branch of the Church in the east called at Kirtland. They had in their possession means with which to purchase lands in Zion; but in view of the action of mobs and the inaction of officials, they could not well proceed to Missouri. The money was offered to the Church in Kirtland, or to Joseph as its President; but as this was not the purpose for which the means had been donated, he would only take it in trust to be paid back with interest in the ensuing spring; and he gave proper security for the fulfillment of these conditions. The means thus obtained was not devoted to his personal use, but was entirely employed in the furtherance of Church works.
It was with the close of 1834 that a pledge of tithing was first given, and the custom now in force was begun, the doctrine having been foreshadowed in previous revelations from the Almighty. The principle of tithing as now practiced very properly begun with the Prophet. On the 29th day of November, 1834, Joseph united in prayer with Oliver Cowdery for a continuation of divine blessings; and being filled with joy on this occasion, they entered into a covenant with the Lord as follows:
"That if the Lord will prosper us in our business, and open the way before us, that we may obtain means to pay our debts, that we be not troubled nor brought into disrepute before the world, nor His people; after that, of all that He shall give us, we will give a tenth, to be bestowed upon the poor in His Church, or as He shall command; and that we will be faithful over that which He has entrusted to our care, that we may obtain much; and that our children after us, shall remember to observe this sacred and holy covenant; and that our children and our children's children may know of the same, we have subscribed our names with our own hands.
"JOSEPH SMITH,
"OLIVER COWDERY.
"And now, O Father, as thou didst prosper our father Jacob, and bless him with protection and prosperity wherever he went, from the time he made a like covenant before and with thee; as thou didst, even the same night, open the heavens unto him, and manifest great mercy and power, and give him promises, so wilt thou do with us his sons; and as his blessings prevailed above his progenitors unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills, even so may our blessings prevail like his; and may thy servants be preserved from the power and influence of wicked and unrighteous men; may every weapon formed against us fall upon the head of him who shall form it; may we be blessed with a name and a place among the Saints here, and thy sanctified when they shall rest. Amen."