Letter to John Hewitt, 14 June 1835
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Source Note
[Kirtland (including JS)], Letter, , Geauga Co., OH, to John Hewitt, , Geauga Co, OH, 14 June 1835. Featured version copied [not before 25 Feb. 1836] in Minute Book 1, p. 92; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Minute Book 1.
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Historical Introduction
On 14 June 1835, wrote this letter to John Hewitt on behalf of the , Ohio, , which JS presided over. The high council directed to deliver the letter to Hewitt in , Ohio, where Hewitt was apparently teaching school, and discuss with him “the subject of the Religion which he professes.” Hewitt had represented himself as a preacher from , and Cowdery understood him to be a member of the Catholic Apostolic Church, founded in part on the teachings of Edward Irving, a former Presbyterian minister, who had died in late 1834. Irving and his co-religionists believed in the restoration of spiritual gifts as displayed in the time of ancient Christianity and in the imminent second advent of Jesus Christ. By mid-1835, the Catholic Apostolic Church, which was centered in England, was led by twelve apostles and had such officers as elders, deacons, and bishops.On 10 June 1835, Hewitt presented a letter of introduction written by Thomas Shaw to “certain elders of the church” in . The letter stated that he had served four years as pastor of the Barnsley Independent Church in before beginning to preach the doctrines of his new religion. In addition, the letter indicated that Hewitt had been appointed by a council of pastors to visit the Saints and see the people that God was “raising up . . . for himself in that part of the New World.” The letter further explained that if Hewitt “approve[d] of the country,” “many [would] follow” who would “help the cause because the Lord hath favoured them with this world’s goods.” While the letter never stated what religion Hewitt belonged to, it implied that he represented the Catholic Apostolic Church. However, members of that church later stated that there was no record that either Hewitt or Shaw belonged to the church and that the letter was thus a forgery.During Hewitt’s initial visit to , JS and others explained to Hewitt “freely and frankly” their beliefs, with which Hewitt seemed to agree, except that he did not believe in the Book of Mormon. Hewitt said that his church “believed in the gift of tongues, visions, &c. and that himself had been favored with communications from heaven.” A later JS history noted that the “interview was short” and that Hewitt “left with the understanding he would call again, and renew his investigation.” By 14 June, however, Hewitt had not returned. was therefore directed to give Hewitt the letter from the high council, which stated that church leaders wished to continue a discussion of religion with him.In accordance with these instructions, went to on 15 June 1835, but Hewitt was absent. Cowdery conversed with Hewitt’s wife, who stated that “her husband; had frequently spoken of his wish to become further acquaint[e]d with this people” and had not returned to for further discussions only “in consequence of rain.” Cowdery left with the conviction that Hewitt would eventually return to Kirtland to continue his dialogue with JS and others, especially since Hewitt was “contemplating on teaching” in the vicinity “for at least a few months.” However, it does not appear that Hewitt ever made a returning visit; instead, he distanced himself from the church. According to Cowdery, sometime later in 1835 or early 1836, Hewitt published a notice in the Painesville Telegraph stating that he was not an Irvingite and that he had never delivered a letter of introduction to the Saints. Cowdery appears to have been referring to a March 1836 letter from Hewitt, published in the Telegraph, which explained that he had visited church members in Kirtland but was “dissatisfied” with the church and did not believe in the Book of Mormon. As late as May 1836, was hopeful that adherents of the Catholic Apostolic Church in general would be receptive to the preaching of the Saints, but Hewitt clearly was not. As declared, “This mr. Hewet did not obey the gospel neither would he investigate the matter. Thus ended the mission of mr. Hewet.”, ’s brother, copied the letter to Hewitt into Minute Book 1, probably sometime in 1836. He may have copied the original letter that the high council gave to Oliver, or he may have made the record using another copy of the letter that Oliver had made.
Footnotes
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1
Phelps signed the letter as clerk. A later JS history states that Phelps wrote the letter on behalf of “a council of the presidency.” (JS History, vol. B-1, 594.)
JS History / Smith, Joseph, et al. History, 1838–1856. Vols. A-1–F-1 (original), A-2–E-2 (fair copy). Historian’s Office, History of the Church, 1839–ca. 1882. CHL. CR 100 102, boxes 1–7. The history for the period after 5 Aug. 1838 was composed after the death of Joseph Smith.
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2
Letter from Oliver Cowdery, 15 June 1835. Although Oliver Cowdery’s 15 June letter specifically states that the Kirtland high council instructed him to visit Hewitt and present to him “your letter,” there are no extant minutes of a council—either the high council or a council of the presidency—recording this direction to Cowdery.
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3
Bishops were referred to as “angels.” (Shaw, Catholic Apostolic Church, 35–36, 66, 72, 77–79, 90–91; Lively, “Comparative Study of Two Minority Millenarian Groups,” 62–71, 76, 81–84.)
Shaw, P. E. The Catholic Apostolic Church, Sometimes Called Irvingite: A Historical Study. Morningside Heights, NY: King’s Crown, 1946.
Lively, Robert L., Jr. “The Catholic Apostolic Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: A Comparative Study of Two Minority Millenarian Groups in Nineteenth-Century England.” PhD diss., University of Oxford, 1977.
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4
Editorial, LDS Messenger and Advocate, May 1836, 2:316.
Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.
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5
Thomas Shaw, Barnsley, England, to “the Saints of the Most High,” 21 Apr. 1835, CHL.
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6
In 1856, one member of the Catholic Apostolic Church stated: “Now, that this letter is a forgery, is as demonstrable as the wickedness of it is astounding: for we have no church at Barnsley, and never had any people there. Who Thomas Shaw is, who signs the letter, we know not: all we know is, that he never held office in any church of ours. And as for sympathy with Mormonism, I may say that we of all people have had least of that. From the very first we have believed it to be a work of the Enemy, mimicking in its claim to spiritual gifts the work of the Holy Ghost.” Records of nonconformist churches in Barnsley show no evidence of a John Hewitt’s involvement during the period in question, and there appears to be no record that would confirm the existence of a congregation of the Catholic Apostolic Church nearer to Barnsley than Sheffield, a distance of about fifteen miles. (Edward Irving and the Catholic Apostolic Church, 7–8, emphasis in original; Births and Baptisms for Ebenezer Chapel, Barnsley, Yorkshire, England, 1785–1837; Births, Baptisms, and Burials for Salem Chapel, Barnsley, Yorkshire, England, 1818–1837; Births and Baptisms, Westgate Chapel, Barnsley, Yorkshire, England, 1797–1836; Births and Baptisms for New Street Chapel, Barnsley, Yorkshire, England, 1797–1837, microfilm 816,604; Births and Baptisms for Primitive Methodists, Barnsley, Yorkshire, England, 1822–1837, microfilm 816,605, British Isles Record Collection, FHL; Census of Great Britain, 1851, ccxxxii; Lively, “Comparative Study of Two Minority Millenarian Groups,” 108, 260; see also “Note to Art. II. of No. 202,” 303.)
Edward Irving and the Catholic Apostolic Church, by One of Its Members. London: Bosworth and Harrison, 1856.
British Isles Record Collection. FHL.
Census of Great Britain, 1851. Religious Worship in England and Wales. Abridged from the Official Report Made By Horace Mann, Esq., to George Graham, Esq., Registrar-General. London: George Routledge and Co., 1854.
Lively, Robert L., Jr. “The Catholic Apostolic Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: A Comparative Study of Two Minority Millenarian Groups in Nineteenth-Century England.” PhD diss., University of Oxford, 1977.
“Note to Art. II. of No. 202.” The Edinburgh Review or Critical Journal 100 (July 1854): 303.
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7
Editorial, LDS Messenger and Advocate, May 1836, 2:316–317.
Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.
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8
JS History, vol. B-1, 594.
JS History / Smith, Joseph, et al. History, 1838–1856. Vols. A-1–F-1 (original), A-2–E-2 (fair copy). Historian’s Office, History of the Church, 1839–ca. 1882. CHL. CR 100 102, boxes 1–7. The history for the period after 5 Aug. 1838 was composed after the death of Joseph Smith.
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10
John Hewitt, “To the Rev. Ferris Fitch,” Painesville (OH) Telegraph, 4 Mar. 1836, [3]; see also Ferris Fitch, “For the Telegraph,” Painesville (OH) Telegraph, 26 Feb. 1836, [3].
Painesville Telegraph. Painesville, OH. 1822–1986.
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11
Editorial, LDS Messenger and Advocate, May 1836, 2:316–317.
Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.
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12
John Hewitt, “To the Rev. Ferris Fitch,” Painesville (OH) Telegraph, 4 Mar. 1836, [3]; see also Ferris Fitch, “For the Telegraph,” Painesville (OH) Telegraph, 26 Feb. 1836, [3].
Painesville Telegraph. Painesville, OH. 1822–1986.
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13
Parley P. Pratt, Toronto, Upper Canada, 9 May 1836, Letter to the Editor, LDS Messenger and Advocate, May 1836, 2:318.
Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.
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