On 16 November 1841, , , , and — leaders in , Ohio—wrote to JS and other church authorities in , Illinois, seeking clarification on ’s standing in the church and on efforts to expand the church in Kirtland. Despite the ’s published directive to the Saints to to Nauvoo and locations in , Babbitt, who had served as Kirtland’s presiding church authority since October 1840, openly encouraged church members to settle in Kirtland instead. By so doing, he created confusion among some church members who were deciding whether they should move to Nauvoo or continue to build the church in Kirtland. At the church’s October 1841 general in Nauvoo, spoke disapprovingly of Babbitt’s actions, and the conference voted to disfellowship Babbitt until he could “make satisfaction.”

Meanwhile, members and leaders of the church in moved forward with plans to establish a printing office there and to continue operating Kirtland as a “ of the church,” apparently believing they were acting in accordance with the desires of JS and other church leaders in . Kirtland leaders, for example, maintained that establishing a press would more effectually “promulgate the gospel; as it is already well known that the press can spread the principles of religion farther and faster, through the medium of mail, than the orator in the pulpit.” The press, they believed, would aid “the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in the great gathering of these last days; and the better to overcome error with truth, and evil with good, and to assist the saints to add to their faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity.”

responded to news of the church’s efforts to build up the city in a letter that was excerpted in the 1 November 1841 issue of the Times and Seasons. His letter reminded all church members that they were commanded to gather to . Referring to Kirtland’s church leadership, he declared that their actions were “not according to the spirit and will of God,” and he further discouraged establishing a printing press in Kirtland. In sum, Hyrum Smith contended that the continued building up of Kirtland contradicted the church’s efforts to gather the Saints to Nauvoo and to build the and its baptismal font there. He declared that any “proceedings otherwise than to put forth their hands with their might to do this work, is not according to the will of God.” On 2 November, JS revoked ’s legal authority to act as JS’s in Kirtland and replaced him with . With Babbitt’s standing in question, and , counselors in the Kirtland stake , took on the role of acting presidents of the stake.

and the other leaders mailed the 16 November 1841 letter featured here from the post office the same day they wrote it. The letter arrived in by at least 15 December 1841, when the First Presidency wrote a reply. In that response, the First Presidency encouraged leaders in Kirtland to “do what you can in Righteousness to build up Kirtland but do not suffer yourselves to harbor the Idea that Kirtland will rise on the ruins of Nauvoo.” The First Presidency reminded the Kirtland leaders that Nauvoo was the central gathering place and that it was “not right to attempt to persuade those who desire it, to stop short” of coming to Nauvoo.