Times and Seasons (, Hancock Co., IL), 16 May 1842, vol. 3, no. 14, pp. 783–798; edited by JS. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.
Historical Introduction
The 16 May 1842 issue of the Times and Seasons was the sixth issue of the newspaper JS edited. It featured a variety of items, including “A Fac-simile from the Book of Abraham. No. 3,” with an explanation of various figures depicted in the facsimile, a serial installment of the “History of Joseph Smith,” letters from British members, and reprinted articles from the Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star and Dollar Weekly Bostonian. In addition, the 16 May 1842 issue included three editorial comments, written by JS or the staff of the newspaper, which are featured here. JS’s level of involvement is unclear—he may have directed their creation or reviewed the material once written—but as editor he assumed editorial responsibility for all of the content in the issues of the paper published during his time as editor.
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.
A letter to the editor from an individual identified only by the initials “I. T.” related and refuted discussions of the church in the Baptist periodical the Cross and Journal, published in Columbus, Ohio.
“To Subscribers,” Times and Seasons, 1 Mar. 1842, 3:710. JS was identified as editor of the newspaper from 15 February to 15 October 1842. Although JS was named as the editor of the 15 February issue, he began editing the newspaper with the 1 March issue.
am a church-woman sir. What church do you usually attend? I never attend any sir.
After reprimanding the woman for pretending to be one of his flock, while she absented herself from the fold, he went to the house of a poor woman who had lately joined the saints. “I am a minister of the church of Jesus Christ in England, and have called to enquire what school you send your children to, and what religion you profess?’, The woman replied she was a “Latter Day Saint.” “Oh delusion! delusion!!” he rejoined, and began to rail against the saints; whereupon she handed him the bible, and requested him to read the place where she casually opened to, namely, the iii. ch. of Micah, and to preach her a discourse from that part of the bible; but he retreated from before her and has not troubled her since. The Lord Bishop of Chester, and the protestant Clergymen, have hired a person of the name of Brindley to go about lecturing againts the saints, and have commenced a monthly periodical in which the foul slanders heaped upon the saints in and elsewhere retailed out to satisfy the malice of the enemies of truth. The Courier has had several articles against our society and principles, and the old Spaulding Romance has been resusitated for the occasion. The Rev. Charles Burton, Doctor of Laws, minister of “All Saints,” has been several times to see me lately, and upon one occasion invited me to his house where I went and discussed our principles for several hours, until he was glad to withdraw from the contest; I found him ignorant in a great measure of what the bible contains respecting the latter days. He admitted that the saints would reign on earth.
The great work of the Lord is still progressing in spite of all the opposition of lying priests and their auxilaries of the newspaper press. I baptized Elizabeth Smith, who resided with us when you were in England, and she purposes coming out to along with us. There is very great distress among the operatives and the poor generally, and great excitement respecting the agitation of the repeal of the corn laws. Great fires have frequently occurred at the commencment of this year; a large carrier’s warehouse was consumed by fire, about from £200,000 to £300,000, ($1,000,000 to $3,000,000) worth of cotton and grain &c. destroyed. It was the Union Co’s. carrying warehouse, Piccadilly. There is great depression in almost every branch of manufacture, and great perplexity; and I am daily more and more convinced that the time is not far distant when Babylon the great will be fallen, and become a desolation, and the kings and the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her and she will be cast down even as a great millstone cast into the sea and will be found no more at all.
We were glad to hear of the safe arrival of the Tyrian ship’s company at by Brother Brotherton’s letter which arrived here about a week ago. was well a few days ago, as also Sister Frost and the children, although they have been sick of late, as also has Sister Olive Pratt, but she is now recovering. We should rejoice to hear from you; and Sister [Catherine Burgess] Walker desires that you will convey her love to , and Heber John, and she desires to hear from her. Please to present my kind regards to the highly favored individual even Br. Joseph the prophet of the Most High; and to the brethren whom I enjoyed sweet converse with in England. Especially present our kind regards to Brother Brotherton, and his family; to Brothers and Sisters McIlirick, and Barlow, Willis, Batemans, Wilsons and all the saints; Brothers Clark, , , &c.
I opened a place for preaching at Blakesly, about six weeks ago, and there were three baptized and confirmed there last week. I was with Elder John Brotherton at Middleton on Sunday last, where he and Elder Hardman had obtained a room to preach to the Chartists. We have also a place opened at Didsbury and Heaton. About three weeks ago there was a letter inserted in the Courier by a writer who signs himself R. P. calling upon the clergymen of the Church of England, and the respectable inhabitants, and the most respectable and intelligent of the police, to attend our meetings at the Carpenters Hall, as they had fondly hoped that the system would have fallen to the ground by the weight of its own absurdity; but they found that there was method and consistency in the apparrent madness of these deluded people, and that experiance had taught them that such expectations were vain; as they observed that there was considerable consistency displayed, and method attending [p. 788]