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Letter to James Arlington Bennet, 13 November 1843

Source Note

JS, Letter,
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

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, IL, to
James Arlington Bennet

21 Dec. 1788–25 Dec. 1863. Attorney, newspaper publisher, educator, author. Born in New York. Married first Sophia Smith, 8 May 1811. Served as third and later second lieutenant in First U.S. Artillery, 1 Aug. 1813–14 Oct. 1814. Published American System ...

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,
Arlington House

Long Island residence of James Arlington Bennet, who corresponded with JS, 1842–1843. Bennet purchased a hundred acres of land in New Utrecht, New York, in 1825 and there built the residence known as “Arlington House.” He deeded it to his son, James H. A....

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, New Utrecht, NY, 13 Nov. 1843; handwriting of
William W. Phelps

17 Feb. 1792–7 Mar. 1872. Writer, teacher, printer, newspaper editor, publisher, postmaster, lawyer. Born at Hanover, Morris Co., New Jersey. Son of Enon Phelps and Mehitabel Goldsmith. Moved to Homer, Cortland Co., New York, 1800. Married Sally Waterman,...

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; dockets in handwriting of
Willard Richards

24 June 1804–11 Mar. 1854. Teacher, lecturer, doctor, clerk, printer, editor, postmaster. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Joseph Richards and Rhoda Howe. Moved to Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, 1813; to Chatham, Columbia Co...

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and
Thomas Bullock

23 Dec. 1816–10 Feb. 1885. Farmer, excise officer, secretary, clerk. Born in Leek, Staffordshire, England. Son of Thomas Bullock and Mary Hall. Married Henrietta Rushton, 25 June 1838. Moved to Ardee, Co. Louth, Ireland, Nov. 1839; to Isle of Anglesey, Aug...

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; nine pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes dockets.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Letter to James Arlington Bennet, 13 November 1843 History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844] “History of Joseph Smith”

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Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

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, Ill. Nov. <​13​> 1843.
Dear
Sir

21 Dec. 1788–25 Dec. 1863. Attorney, newspaper publisher, educator, author. Born in New York. Married first Sophia Smith, 8 May 1811. Served as third and later second lieutenant in First U.S. Artillery, 1 Aug. 1813–14 Oct. 1814. Published American System ...

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: your letter of the 24th ult. has been regularly received; its contents duly appreciated; and its whole tenor candidly considered; and, according to my manner of judging all things in righteousness, I proceed to answer you; and shall leave you to meditate whether mathematical problems founded upon the truth of revelation, or religion as promulgated by me or Moses can be solved by rules and principles existing in the system of common knowledge.
How far you are capable of being “a most undeviating friend, without being governed by the smallest religious influence,” will best be decided by your survivors, as all past experience most assuredly proves: without controversy, that friendship while intelligent beings would accept as sincere, must arise from love, and that love, grow out of virtue which is as much a part of religion, as light is a part of Jehovah. Hence the saying of Jesus: greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
You observe; “as I have proved myself to be a philosophical divine, I must excuse you, when you say that we must leave these influences to the mass.” The meani[n]g of “philosophical divine” may be taken in various ways: If, as the learned world apply the term, you infer that I have acheived a victory, and been strengthened by a scientific religion as as practised by the sects popular sects of the age, through <​the​> aid of Colleges seminar Bible societies, Mission<​ary​> boards, financial organozations, and gospel money then schemes, then you are wrong: such a combination of men and means, shows a form of Godliness without the power: for it is written “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit. after the rudiments of the world and not after doctrines [p. 1[a]]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter to James Arlington Bennet, 13 November 1843
ID #
1202
Total Pages
10
Print Volume Location
JSP, D13:258–270
Handwriting on This Page
  • William W. Phelps

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