Sunday, 18 April 1841.

Emma Hale Smith.

Reed’s expansion of these notes in the Congregational Journal reads “His subject was, the complaints of the Mormons against their leaders. The first complaint he noticed in this strain:—‘Some of the brethren were very much troubled because brother Joseph wore a ruffle shirt. He surely could not be a good man. Why, it’s a fact, that some poor fellow run off to Quincy and denied the faith, because brother Joseph wore a ruffle shirt. Didn’t wear a ruffle shirt—ha’int got any. What was it then? Why, it was an old woman’s ruffle.— My wife pinned it in my bosom; I told her it was a first-rate idea, that it would make some of these poor fellows, that steal hams out of brother Joseph’s smoke-house, deny the faith. I would to god some more of them would do it.’ He added that he would wear a ruffle shirt and he ‘hoped some more of the poor devils would kick up their heels and go.’” ([Julius Alexander Reed], Fairfield, Iowa Territory, 2 Feb. 1843, Letter to the Editor, Congregational Journal, 16 Mar. 1843, [2], italics in original.)

Congregational Journal. Concord, NH, 1841–1862.

JS was later accused of encouraging Latter-day Saints in Hancock County to steal from those who were not members of the church. (“Thieves,” “Hyrum Smith’s Affidavit,” and “Pres’t. J. Smith’s Affidavit,” Times and Seasons, 1 Dec. 1841, 3:615–618; Affidavit, 29 Nov. 1841.)

Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

An 1833 JS revelation stated “that inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or Strong drink among you behold it is not good, neither mete in the sight of your Father.” Later, the revelation reiterated that “strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies.” (Revelation, 27 Feb. 1833 [D&C 89; 5, 7].)

Reed’s expansion of these notes in the Congregational Journal reads “Some were troubled because he had said,—‘Send the rich to me and I will pick their pockets.’ ‘I thought any fool would know I was speaking ironically. I would’nt take a cent wrongfully from any man. I dont say, I hope I shan’t, I think I wont, I’ll try not to, but I wont, I know I wont. How do you know it? Why, my temptation is not from that quarter. A great haul would be no temptation.’ ‘What is your temptation then?’ ‘Whiskey—whiskey—whiskey!! I could live on it, grow fat and feel well, if God didn’t say it was a sin.’” ([Julius Alexander Reed], Fairfield, Iowa Territory, 2 Feb. 1843, Letter to the Editor, Congregational Journal, 16 Mar. 1843, [2].)

Congregational Journal. Concord, NH, 1841–1862.

Bennett was trained as a physician. (Bennett, History of the Saints, 10–14; Smith, Saintly Scoundrel, 3–5.)

Bennett, John C. The History of the Saints; or, an Exposé of Joe Smith and Mormonism. Boston: Leland and Whiting, 1842.

Smith, Andrew F. The Saintly Scoundrel: The Life and Times of Dr. John Cook Bennett. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1997.

TEXT: Possibly “Cured”.

TEXT: Possibly “send <​save​>”.

Reed’s expansion of these notes in the Congregational Journal reads “Dr. Bennett, (now General) was censured for his treatment of a fractured limb. In his defence of the Doctor, Smith said, ‘Many refuse to employ a physician till it is too late, and when they find the doctor can do nothing for them (grievingly) they send for br. Joseph to heal them. I can do it, but I wont; that is the idea.’” ([Julius Alexander Reed], Fairfield, Iowa Territory, 2 Feb. 1843, Letter to the Editor, Congregational Journal, 16 Mar. 1843, [2].)

Congregational Journal. Concord, NH, 1841–1862.

See James 5:14–15; Revelation, 9 Feb. 1831 [D&C 42:43–44]; and Woodruff, Journal, 22 July 1839.

Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

JS later recounted that he had reason to scrutinize Bennett’s behavior soon after the latter came to Nauvoo in 1840. Around that time, Bennett “began to keep company with a young lady” whom he apparently intended to marry. JS, however, received a letter “which cautioned us against him [Bennett], setting forth that he was a very mean man, and had another wife, and two or three children” in Ohio. JS subsequently “threatened to expose him if he did not desist” in his designs toward the young woman, which proved sufficient inducement for Bennett to end the relationship. (Letter to the Church and Others, 23 June 1842.)

Bennett’s biographer reported that “he stood about five feet six inches tall and weighed approximately 142 pounds.” (Smith, Saintly Scoundrel, 56.)

Smith, Andrew F. The Saintly Scoundrel: The Life and Times of Dr. John Cook Bennett. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1997.

See 1 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Timothy 1:20, JS, Journal, 11 Mar. 1842.)

See Matthew 13:24–30.

See 1 Peter 4:8.

See Matthew 23:24.

Reed’s expansion of these notes in the Congregational Journal reads “Some suspected the moral conduct of their leaders: He said, ‘If you have confidence in your prophet, that he is guided by the great God, you cannot charge him with sin without charging God with it.’ He claimed ‘that they ought to be indulged a little in sin,’ they had suffered so much in ‘the cause;’ . . . ‘Why, charity covereth a multitude of sins;’ . . . . ‘Strain at a gnat and swallow a camel; what does that mean? Putting on a long face,’ (assuming an air of affected gravity and drawing his hand down his face) ‘and whining,’ (his voice corresponding with the sentiment,’ ‘and thinking sister —— must go to hell for wearing curls and at night stealing hams from brother Joseph’s smoke-house, and burning neighbor Dayle’s fences. That is straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel.’” ([Julius Alexander Reed], Fairfield, Iowa Territory, 2 Feb. 1843, Letter to the Editor, Congregational Journal, 16 Mar. 1843, [2].)

Congregational Journal. Concord, NH, 1841–1862.

JS’s dog was a mastiff named Old Major. (Baugh, “Joseph Smith’s Dog, Old Major,” 56–57, 65.)

Baugh, Alexander L. “Joseph Smith’s Dog, Old Major.” BYU Studies 56, no. 4 (2017): 53–67.

Possible reference to Marinda Nancy Johnson Hyde, whose husband, apostle Orson Hyde, was away on a mission to gather information about the Jews in New York, Europe, and the Middle East, where would also dedicate the Holy Land for the return of the Jews. (Letter from Orson Hyde, 17 Apr. 1841; Revelation, 2 Dec. 1841.)

Reed’s expansion of these notes in the Congregational Journal reads “‘It seemed as though some were ready to swallow a man, ‘through jealousy. He ‘did not know but, that if he were well greased all over, some one would swallow him. They stood just so,’ (stretching his mouth which is none of the smallest, to his full extent and spreading his arms.— Here he laughed, and a thousand Mormons laughed the chorus.) I can’t visit a sister nor attend to the wants of the poor, but some will think something is wrong.’ ‘There is sister Hyde (the wife of an apostle then in England) she has worn out a pair of good shoes breaking wood. She tried at first to cut it; she would strike a blow and the next she would strike a yard off’—suiting the action to the word. ‘I wish some of these poor lazy fellows would just go and see her fire heart. Why, speaking ironically, a rat couldn’t run across it in seven years. It’s all up and down, just so’—waiving his hand by way of illustration. ‘Crickets can’t live there. I did’nt see any. I did’nt see a place where one could run. It’s bluff on bluff, hill on hill, and mountain’—here his laughter stopped his utterance.” ([Julius Alexander Reed], Fairfield, Iowa Territory, 2 Feb. 1843, Letter to the Editor, Congregational Journal, 16 Mar. 1843, [2].)

Congregational Journal. Concord, NH, 1841–1862.

Reed’s expansion of these notes in the Congregational Journal reads “Addressing the thieves he remarked—’I know more about you than you think for. god tells me a great many things about you. Why dont you tell of them, then? God tells me not to. And my knowledge is not such as would be received in a Court of justice. But, you will find me a first-rate greyhound on the track. Greyhounds can smell where other dogs can’t you know.’” Reed added an additional paragraph in the Congregational Journal that does not appear in his notes: “Speaking of some with whom he was offended, he said: ‘They may go to old Boggs and the’—(laughing, scratching his head, and snapping his fingers,) ‘well, I knew when to stop once.’ The multitude laughed with him.” ([Julius Alexander Reed], Fairfield, Iowa Territory, 2 Feb. 1843, Letter to the Editor, Congregational Journal, 16 Mar. 1843, [2].)

Congregational Journal. Concord, NH, 1841–1862.

John C. Bennett was the mayor of Nauvoo. (Minutes, 3 Feb. 1841, Copy.)

This is a reference to Nauvoo’s militia, which was known as the Nauvoo Legion. This “Body of independent Military Men” had been organized in February 1841 in accordance with a provision in Nauvoo’s incorporating act. (Minutes, 3 Feb. 1841, Copy; Act to Incorporate the City of Nauvoo, 16 Dec. 1840.)

This is a reference to an interview JS and Elias Higbee had with President Martin Van Buren on 29 November 1839. JS and Higbee had traveled to Washington DC to seek redress for wrongs the Latter-day Saints had suffered during their recent expulsion from Missouri. JS reported that during their interview Van Buren “looked upon us with a kind of half frown and said, what can I do? I can do nothing for you,— if I do any thing, I shall come in contact with the whole State of Missouri.” (Letter to Hyrum Smith and Nauvoo High Council, 5 Dec. 1839.)

JS was the lieutenant general and commanding officer of the Nauvoo Legion. John C. Bennett was the major general, or second in command. (Minutes, 4 Feb. 1841.)