History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834]

  • Source Note
  • Historical Introduction
Page 319
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will see by this, brethren, that you have authority to sit in on the Smiths; and, if found guilty, to deal with them accordingly. We have this day directed a letter to John Smith, thereby making known to him our disapprobation of the course he has persued We commend you to God and his grace, ever praying he will keep and preserve you blameless till he come.
Joseph Smith Jr.)
)
)
Postscript by , Same date.—
Dear Brethren; yours of the 3d of June, came safe to hand the last mail, and John Smith’s which was directed to Bro Joseph. Now, my brethren, on this sheet you have Bro Joseph’s sanction to my proceedings, and the letter I last wrote you, and you will govern yourselves accordingly, for you have full power and authority to call the two Bro. Smiths to an account for their conduct; and, unless they repent and make satisfaction, not only to your of the , but also to this branch, they must be cut off from the body; for, under existing circumstances, we have no fellowship with them. Bro. John Smith’s authority, as an officer in the church, was taken from him before he left, and he ought to have given up his ; but he went away without doing so, and it seems he has made use of it to impose upon you. As to the two sisters, you spoke of in your last; if there is no testimony on either side, all you can do is to forbid them to partake of the unworthily, and pray much, and God will bring all things to light.
. Bishop— [HC 1:371]
July 1833
July, which once dawned upon the virtue and Independence of the , now dawned upon the savage barbarity and Mobocracy of . Most of the clergy acting as missionaries to the Indians, or to the frontier inhabitants, were among the most prominent characters, that rose and rushed on to destroy the rights of the Church, as well as the lives of her members.
One Pixley, who had been sent by the mission[HC 1:372]ary society, to civilize and christianize the the heathen of the [p. 319]
will see by this, brethren, that you have authority to sit in on the Smiths; and, if found guilty, to deal with them accordingly. We have this day directed a letter to John Smith, thereby making known to him our disapprobation of the course he has persued We commend you to God and his grace, ever praying he will keep and preserve you blameless till he come.
Joseph Smith Jr.)
)
)
Postscript by , Same date.—
Dear Brethren; yours of the 3d of June, came safe to hand the last mail, and John Smith’s which was directed to Bro Joseph. Now, my brethren, on this sheet you have Bro Joseph’s sanction to my proceedings, and the letter I last wrote you, and you will govern yourselves accordingly, for you have full power and authority to call the two Bro. Smiths to an account for their conduct; and, unless they repent and make satisfaction, not only to your of the , but also to this branch, they must be cut off from the body; for, under existing circumstances, we have no fellowship with them. Bro. John Smith’s authority, as an officer in the church, was taken from him before he left, and he ought to have given up his ; but he went away without doing so, and it seems he has made use of it to impose upon you. As to the two sisters, you spoke of in your last; if there is no testimony on either side, all you can do is to forbid them to partake of the unworthily, and pray much, and God will bring all things to light.
. Bishop— [HC 1:371]
July 1833
July, which once dawned upon the virtue and Independence of the , now dawned upon the savage barbarity and Mobocracy of . Most of the clergy acting as missionaries to the Indians, or to the frontier inhabitants, were among the most prominent characters, that rose and rushed on to destroy the rights of the Church, as well as the lives of her members.
One Pixley, who had been sent by the mission[HC 1:372]ary society, to civilize and christianize the heathen of the [p. 319]
Page 319