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Times and Seasons, 1 July 1842

Source Note

Times and Seasons (
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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, Hancock Co., IL), 1 July 1842, vol. 3, no. 17, pp. 831–846; edited by JS. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.

Historical Introduction

The 1 July 1842 issue of the Times and Seasons was the ninth issue published under JS’s editorship. Much of the issue was devoted to the publication of correspondence regarding
John C. Bennett

3 Aug. 1804–5 Aug. 1867. Physician, minister, poultry breeder. Born at Fairhaven, Bristol Co., Massachusetts. Son of John Bennett and Abigail Cook. Moved to Marietta, Washington Co., Ohio, 1808; to Massachusetts, 1812; and back to Marietta, 1822. Married ...

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’s immoral conduct in
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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, Illinois. This correspondence included a letter that JS wrote telling
church

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

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members about Bennett and describing how church leaders had handled his situation. To corroborate JS’s statements in that letter, the issue included excerpts of correspondence from unidentified individuals and from
George Miller

25 Nov. 1794–after July 1856. Carpenter, mill operator, lumber dealer, steamboat owner. Born near Stanardsville, Orange Co., Virginia. Son of John Miller and Margaret Pfeiffer. Moved to Augusta Co., Virginia, 1798; to Madison Co., Kentucky, 1806; to Boone...

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, who had evidently been sent to verify information about Bennett in
Ohio

French explored and claimed area, 1669. British took possession following French and Indian War, 1763. Ceded to U.S., 1783. First permanent white settlement established, 1788. Northeastern portion maintained as part of Connecticut, 1786, and called Connecticut...

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. These statements, as well as JS’s letter, had been previously published in the 25 June 1842 issue of the Wasp.
1

See Wasp, 25 June 1842, [2]–[3]. This letter is published in this volume as a separate JS document. (See Letter to the Church and Others, 23 June 1842.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

The Wasp. Nauvoo, IL. Apr. 1842–Apr. 1843.

In addition to information about
Bennett

3 Aug. 1804–5 Aug. 1867. Physician, minister, poultry breeder. Born at Fairhaven, Bristol Co., Massachusetts. Son of John Bennett and Abigail Cook. Moved to Marietta, Washington Co., Ohio, 1808; to Massachusetts, 1812; and back to Marietta, 1822. Married ...

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, the 1 July issue contained an article by
William Law

8 Sept. 1809–12/19 Jan. 1892. Merchant, millwright, physician. Born in Co. Tyrone, Ireland. Son of Richard Law and Ann Hunter. Immigrated to U.S. and settled in Springfield Township, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, by 1820. Moved to Delaware Township, Mercer Co...

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, excerpts from the “History of Joseph Smith,” an article on the Jews, and a reprint of a letter published in the Dollar Weekly Bostonian recounting a meeting at which “
Mr. Adams

7 Nov. 1810–11 May 1880. Tailor, actor, clergyman. Born in Oxford, Sussex Co., New Jersey. Lived in Boston during 1820s and 1830s. Became Methodist lay preacher. Married Caroline. Moved to New York City, before 1840. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of...

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, the Mormon lecturer of the city of
New York

Dutch founded New Netherland colony, 1625. Incorporated under British control and renamed New York, 1664. Harbor contributed to economic and population growth of city; became largest city in American colonies. British troops defeated Continental Army under...

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” spoke. Also included were accounts of earthquakes that had occurred in Haiti and in Greece, a letter from
Mephibosheth Sirrine

27 Oct. 1811–25 Apr. 1848. Carpet weaver. Born in Philipstown, Putnam Co., New York. Son of Isaac Sirrine and Sarah. Married first Mariah Wheeler, by 1835, likely in Putnam Co. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by Aug. 1838. Served...

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to JS,
2

This letter is published in this volume as a separate JS document. (See Letter from Mephibosheth Sirrine, 25 May 1842.)


communications from
elders

A male leader in the church generally; an ecclesiastical and priesthood office or one holding that office; a proselytizing missionary. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto...

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preaching outside of
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....

More Info
, minutes of
conferences

A meeting where ecclesiastical officers and other church members could conduct church business. The “Articles and Covenants” of the church directed the elders to hold conferences to perform “Church business.” The first of these conferences was held on 9 June...

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in outlying
branches

An ecclesiastical organization of church members in a particular locale. A branch was generally smaller than a stake or a conference. Branches were also referred to as churches, as in “the Church of Shalersville.” In general, a branch was led by a presiding...

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, and a poem by
Eliza R. Snow

21 Jan. 1804–5 Dec. 1887. Poet, teacher, seamstress, milliner. Born in Becket, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Daughter of Oliver Snow and Rosetta Leonora Pettibone. Moved to Mantua, Trumbull Co., Ohio, ca. 1806. Member of Baptist church. Baptized into Church...

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about the
Female Relief Society of Nauvoo

A church organization for women; created in Nauvoo, Illinois, under JS’s direction on 17 March 1842. At the same meeting, Emma Smith was elected president, and she selected two counselors; a secretary and a treasurer were also chosen. The minutes of the society...

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. The issue also featured editorial commentary and notices written by the editorial staff. How involved JS was in composing the editorial material is unclear. While
John Taylor

1 Nov. 1808–25 July 1887. Preacher, editor, publisher, politician. Born at Milnthorpe, Westmoreland, England. Son of James Taylor and Agnes Taylor, members of Church of England. Around age sixteen, joined Methodist church and was local preacher. Migrated ...

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assisted him in editing the paper, JS, as editor, assumed primary responsibility for the paper’s content.
Note that only the editorial content created specifically for this issue of the Times and Seasons is annotated here. Articles reprinted from other papers, letters, conference minutes, and notices, are reproduced here but not annotated. Items that are stand-alone JS documents are annotated elsewhere; links are provided to these stand-alone documents.
3

See “Editorial Method”.


Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See Wasp, 25 June 1842, [2]–[3]. This letter is published in this volume as a separate JS document. (See Letter to the Church and Others, 23 June 1842.)

    The Wasp. Nauvoo, IL. Apr. 1842–Apr. 1843.

  2. [2]

    This letter is published in this volume as a separate JS document. (See Letter from Mephibosheth Sirrine, 25 May 1842.)

  3. [3]

    See “Editorial Method”.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Times and Seasons, 1 July 1842 *Times and Seasons, 1 July 1842 *Times and Seasons, 1 July 1842 *Times and Seasons, 1 July 1842 Letter from George Miller, circa 2 March 1842 Times and Seasons, 1 July 1842 *Letter to the Church and Others, 23 June 1842 Letter to the Church and Others, 23 June 1842, as Published in Times and Seasons Times and Seasons, 1 July 1842 History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842] “History of Joseph Smith” *Letter from Mephibosheth Sirrine, 25 May 1842 Times and Seasons, 1 July 1842

Page 834

From the Jewish Intelligencer.
THE JEWS.
LETTER OF THE REV. MR. CHEYNE.
Mount Carmel.
We left Alexandria on the 16th of May and arrived at
Jerusalem

Capital city of ancient Judea. Holy city of Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Population in 1835 about 11,000; in 1840 about 13,000; and in 1850 about 15,000. Described in 1836 as “greatly reduced from its ancient size and importance.” Control of city changed...

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in twenty-three days. The first part of our journey, as far as Darmatha, we rode upon asses, reminding us of the sons of Jacob when they carried corn out of Egypt; our track lay by the sea shore, so that we enjoyed a cool breeze, tempering the hot air of the desert.
We crossed the only two remaining branches of the Nile, and drank of the water. From Darmatha we sailed across lake Mazaleh, as far as San—the ancient Zoar. You may believe the ruins of this once ancient city afforded us matter for deep reflection. For about three miles there are immense mounds of brick and pottery—entirely covered with loose alluvial matter. At one spot we found immense blocks of granite, the remains, no doubt, of some ancient Temple, two sphynxes were laying close by one in a very good state of preservation, and a great many obelisks beautifully carved. There are also many petrified stones, as if the place had been destroyed by fire:—Isa. xix 12., Eze. xxx 14., Psa. lxviii 12. When God visited his marvelous works upon Pharaoah and his people. The country around is quite flat, rich soil; but without water, without cultivation—desolate. From Zoar to
Jerusalem

Capital city of ancient Judea. Holy city of Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Population in 1835 about 11,000; in 1840 about 13,000; and in 1850 about 15,000. Described in 1836 as “greatly reduced from its ancient size and importance.” Control of city changed...

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we rode camels. Before coming to the land of Palestine we found it all a waste, howling wilderness, “a land of drought, and of the shadow of death.” We suffered sometimes a good deal from heat—thermometer sometimes 95 degrees in our tent.
* * No object attracts your eye, there is only one wide ocean of sand round and round; no sound breaks on the ear, but the plaintive song of the Bedouin, cheering on his slow paced camel; we entered the land of the Philistines on the first of June; it may be described in one word, as an open pasture country, composed of vast undulating plains, or more graphically in the words of Zepheniah:—“dwellings and cottages for shepherds and food for flocks.” I have seen ten flocks of an immense size from a single eminence. We did not enter Gaza, as the plague was raging there; but as we stood on Sampson’s mount and looked down upon the town, encircled with gardens of figs and olives, we could trace the fulfillment of every word that God had spoken against it. The old city of Gaza seems to be buried beneath smoothe round hills of sand; “baldness is come upon Gaza.” The next day we found the reapers buisy in the valley of Eschol, and met many a camel carrying to the thrashing floor the ripe barley. Its vines and pomegranates are gone; some fine spreading fig trees yet remain.
Our first view of the hill country of Judea was truly heart-stirring. Emerging from a mountain pass, the immense plains of Sephela lay stretched like a map before us, the rays of the morning sun glanced on the brown walls of the many towns that lay beneath us; the hills of Judea rose in the back ground, tier above tier. We thought of the ark of God carried back by the oxen, of Asa’s battle with the Ethiopians, of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. That night we pitched our tent among the hills of Judea. Next morning we entered mountain defiles of the wildest decription. I have seen many mountain passes but never one of such romantic beauty. The flowers that appeared on the earth, the figtree putting forth its green figs, and the voice of the turtle heard in the land, gave it a holy loveliness. We thought that surely Solomon had often wandered here, and Isaiah too; for here was “in the wilderness, the shittah tree, the myrtle, and the oil tree, the fir tree, and the pine tree and the box tree together.” The terraced hills above all excited our admiration. You have no idea to what an extent that wonderful method of cultivation must have been carried on by the Jews; nor of the perfect condition in which the remains are to this day, we have scarcely seen a hill in the whole land however rocky or barren, that does not bear the traces, more or less perfect of having been terraced literally from top to bottom. We often counted fifty, sixty and seventy terraces on one rocky hill. No spot was left uncultivated, so that when the vines were planted and twined the words of the eighteenth Psalm were literally true: “The hills were covered with the shadow of it.[”] The question was continually rising on our lips: Where are all the vines that covered those hills with their fr[a]grant clusters? we found the answer in Hos. ii. 12; Joel i. 11 and 12, Isa. xxxi. 7—these mountains shall yet drop sweet wine—Amos ix. 15.
(To be continued.) [p. 834]
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Page 834

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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Times and Seasons, 1 July 1842
ID #
8151
Total Pages
16
Print Volume Location
JSP, D10:220–230
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