Times and Seasons (, Hancock Co., IL), 1 July 1842, vol. 3, no. 17, pp. 831–846; edited by JS. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.
Historical Introduction
The 1 July 1842 issue of the Times and Seasons was the ninth issue published under JS’s editorship. Much of the issue was devoted to the publication of correspondence regarding ’s immoral conduct in , Illinois. This correspondence included a letter that JS wrote telling members about Bennett and describing how church leaders had handled his situation. To corroborate JS’s statements in that letter, the issue included excerpts of correspondence from unidentified individuals and from , who had evidently been sent to verify information about Bennett in . These statements, as well as JS’s letter, had been previously published in the 25 June 1842 issue of the Wasp.
In addition to information about , the 1 July issue contained an article by , excerpts from the “History of Joseph Smith,” an article on the Jews, and a reprint of a letter published in the Dollar Weekly Bostonian recounting a meeting at which “, the Mormon lecturer of the city of ” spoke. Also included were accounts of earthquakes that had occurred in Haiti and in Greece, a letter from to JS, communications from preaching outside of , minutes of in outlying , and a poem by about the . The issue also featured editorial commentary and notices written by the editorial staff. How involved JS was in composing the editorial material is unclear. While assisted him in editing the paper, JS, as editor, assumed primary responsibility for the paper’s content.
Note that only the editorial content created specifically for this issue of the Times and Seasons is annotated here. Articles reprinted from other papers, letters, conference minutes, and notices, are reproduced here but not annotated. Items that are stand-alone JS documents are annotated elsewhere; links are provided to these stand-alone documents.
their followers crying delusion, false prophets, Mormonism &c., but the honest in heart were believing the gospel of Christ, and began to say to the ministers, why dont you come out and meet them in a fair open discussion and prove them false, and then we shall be satisfied; so one of their noble champions by the name of C. Davy, a Methodist minister, challenged us for a discussion on the subject of the Book of Mormon, and said that he could prove it false from the writings contained therein and the scriptures. I accepted the challenge, the time was then appointed that the discussion should commence, which was Monday the 23d of May at 10 o’clock A. M. in the town of Royal Oak, Oakland co., great excitement prevailed amongst the people, and at the appointed time, there was an assembly of between 400, and 500 people: the question for discussion was to prove the Book of Mormon to be of divine origin, and that it came forth, according to the predictions of the prophets—decision to be given according to the weight of argument advanced, the limited time for each to speak was 20 minutes at a time. We each of us chose a man, and they chose the third, who were to sit as judges; the congregation was then called to order, and I opened the discussion. We then spoke three times on each side, there was given an intermission of half an hour, we then continued the discussion and spoke four times each and then submitted the question for decision, the judges then gave the decision in favor of the Book of Mormon; the congregation was then dismissed and I heard many of the Methodists say they wanted no more to do with Methodism, and many others that came that morning expecting to hear the Book proved false and Mormonism fall to rise no more because their teachers had thus flattered them it would be the case, but they had to return to their homes in despair, and their priests quit the field with shame and anguish of heart, because they had not gained their points, and thus the little stone cut out of the mountain without hands, rolls forth propelled by the power of Israel’s God and will continue to roll until it becomes a great mountain and fills the whole earth. Therefore I desire the prayers of all the Saints, that I may be upheld by the arm of Jehovah, and sustained through all the trials of subsequent life.
It becomes my duty to lay before the , and the public generally, some important facts relative to the conduct and character of Dr. , who has lately been expelled from the aforesaid church; that the honorable part of community may be aware of his proceedings, and be ready to treat him and regard him as he ought to be regarded, viz: as an imposter and base adulterer.
It is a matter of notoriety that said Dr. , became favorable to the doctrines taught by the of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and located himself in the city of , about the month of August 1840, and soon after joined the church. Soon after it was known that he had become a member of said church, a communication was received at , from a person of respectable character, and residing in the vicinity where had lived. This letter cautioned us against him, setting forth that he was a very mean man, and had a , and two or three children in , Morgan county, Ohio; but knowing that it is no uncommon thing for good men to be evil spoken against, the above letter was kept quiet, but held in reserve.
He had not been long in before he began to keep company with a young lady, one of our citizens; and she being ignorant of his having a wife living, gave way to his addresses, and became confident, from his behavior towards her, that he intended to marry her; and this he gave her to understand he would do. I, seeing the folly of such an acquaintance, persuaded him to desist; and, on account of his continuing his course, finally threatened to expose him if he did not desist. This, to outward appearance, had the desired effect, and the acquaintance between them was broken off.
But, like one of the most abominable and depraved beings which could possibly exist, he only broke off his publicly wicked actions, to sink [p. 839]