| Show Secured 1 0 L OF JOSEPH SMITH lune iune ju JUNK r 1841 tuesday IS 15 letter from froin elder 0 elvde london june 15 1841 president smith sir with alvith pleasure tsure I 1 tike my pen lien to write you at this tho time and through you to the llie tims times aud and seasons Se asora and through it to the sains at large and to ali ail all whom it may macon con cern may 91 grace mercy and peace from god our father and zill rom m the tile lord jesus christ rest cupon you abundantly and enable you to serve servel him secure to 10 yourself that lionor bonor which cometh frem above guide the tile counsels of the llie saints in wisdom that pece and good will m mas may ay iy rein reig n predominant in zion and joy and giad glad iem ieh swell I 1 every grateful I 1 heart I 1 most test iest lost glad giad gladly ly would I 1 embrace einars an opportunity of a personal interview with you did one offer but such a lavor favor is beyond iny reach at this time I 1 have just seen the he uth number of the tile times and seasons containing tile tha minutes of or your conference tile the report of tile tiie presidency the celebration of llie ilia anniversary wry mrs of or lle ile lie hf church ard and the tho laying of the foundation of the temple this to me was a precious prec ions gem gein it brought from my ray own coti coil country and froin from tile p place ca rendered e doubly endearing from the fact that there is the home of mv my wife and eb children ildren lidren I 1 I 1 was sorry that thit elder page pace had hid been so tardy in liis his movements that objections were wern made to him most g ady would I 1 have hailed him as a companion to tile the oriental continent but my hopes of that ar at fled I 1 shall go alone or find some somo other person in all probability to go withee with me I 1 have written a book to in the tile german language selling forth our doctrine and f principles princ r I 1 lic tic io ioles es hi in us its clear and concise conc isoa isea a manner as 1 possibly could alter after giving a history of tile the rise of the church in something tile the manner that brother orson pratt du dij I 1 have written a snug little artick arlick upon every point of doctrine believed by the saints I 1 begin with the tiie priesthood and showed that the were not under the necessity of tracing baek bark the dark and bloody stream of dr papal superstition to find their authority in neither eith r were they ct compelled impelled to seek for itam oili tile tha floating and transient notions of protestant reformers but god has sent his holy angel directly erectly arm frim heaven creaven u with ith lih this tins seal and authority and conferred it upon men inen with chiq hi own hands quoting the letter and testimony testimony of ofa 0 cowdery Gowd erv next was on ide ida uc and anil validity of th tha 9 h holy 91 ii 1 I the church next on tin edilh faithie fatt fait hse et t forth foik r from the scriptures scrip lures lires and the tile book of or enve covenants nants then thien on repentance mien tien hrit brit ism irm m ing hig on of hind h ind then tilen the differ different elit ices icea odthe of the church next the power and y of each one and in fine the whole order doctrine and government of the Saint Sain hia fia 1 I 1 hav llave it as a law hw binding on the german saints but have taken t aken til ill hi course to illustrate aud and set forth the true principle principles of our doctrine to them theirl fully believing that it would meet with lle ile lie ilia cordi cordahl il tip sip on of those whom I 1 have the distinguished froble honor bonor on r t to represent could they but see it I 1 have written a lengthy preface hice lice and introduction to it I 1 hero here copy an extract from tiia ilia he introduction when in the course of dirbin divina providence it becomes our duty to record one of those remarkable i events which gives hirth birth to a new era and lays the fo foundation for tile lle ile lie re renovation on of the moral world it fills flits rill fill the mind with wonder astonish I and admiration how welcome aro are the rays rayf of the morning light after the shades of or darkness have clothed the tile earth in gloom so after a 1 long and tedious night of moral moal mo al darkness under which the earth has rolled and her inhabitants groaned for the last fourteen hundred years an in aagep an ant angel aneel el commissioned irom the ilia almighty malit descended and rolled back tile the curtains 8 of night from the minds of or bame same and caused the sunbeams sun beams beauts of arnth to cheer and warm the ilia hearts of many welcome welcome to our earth thou messenger of the I 1 most IF gh anil anti thrice welcome the tiie aidin tidings g gs ilich illch thou hast liast borne 0 gracious father I 1 ask ak thee in the name of thy holy child jesus to bless with thy roval royal favor the weak exertions of thy tily humble servant and make this production a blessing to tillee all ail leonle yle ile who wiio may ba be favored with a perusal of it its P page es wherever it shall go let it be a messenger of conviction to tile tiie wicked and a 1 I harbinger of peace to the righteous let its ils contents ba borne upon every breeze and wafted wafred to the remotest climes let the tha angel of tile tiie covenant go before it and prepare its way let its heavenly influence be distilled upon the rich and fertile soil of or humble antl and honest hearts hearte go forth therefore little volume to other nations ond and tongues ton bev and mw anny the almighty speed your way way and like a sharp two edahl edged sword cut thy way through the prejudices of tah generation encamp with dl nil thy virtues virtue in the hearts of the tho people and them there let thy principles be enthroned one thing thine thin I 1 was pleased with which I 1 noticed in it tila ilia th 3 times and seasons the remarks made on oil the tise use of intoxicating spirits in my heart they foul foud d a corresponding echo I 1 should not bel bra willing wi liing to the tha thou thought glit for a moment that the saints in fit nauvoo would quietly stand still and stee see a brother gorge gorga himself with that strong drimer which makes a hell of or his home and rolls tile the fiery flood of ruin over the affections of ills this IL once happy family no they will dash from his ills lips tile the cup of wretchedness and sharply rebuke the homicide that sells to him the tiie wine of wrath and measures to him his wires tears by the pint quart lion ilon gallon and may the of heaven for ever blast 1 I had almost said those brewers of strong drink which send forth their corrupt and pois poisonous onous streams to sweep down iu in their filthy current men meil of erling eterling Lt talents to an untimely grave may the ilia saints of god stand as far from them as lot stood from ledom in its ils evil day this dizzy flood has sometimes entered lle ile he fie house of or worship vor ship invaded the sacred desk and hushed in agath death for ever the voice that could plead like an ail angel the cause of god and man I 1 have just re received elved a note from dr S hirschell president rabbi of the hebrew community in this country in fit reply to a very polite note which I 1 sent to him requesting the indulgence of or a peirson personal al interview with wilh him but in fit consequence of a very severe accident which bebel him lie is confined to his room and unable at this tah time lime to grant the llie asked indulgence indulgences lils liis ills his leg is broken I 1 have addressed to him a communication upon the subject of my iny mission a copy of which I 1 transmit to you it may altogether uninteresting te to the saints ad and friends in america rev sir I 1 cannot but express my sorrow and regret at the misfortune under which you labor in consequence of the severe accident which begel you and by which you are confined to your room please accept sir the sincere wishes of a stranger that you may speed speedily fhy fly recover from the injury you sustained in consequence of the accident and resume tile the labors labots which your bi high h and responsible station calls call cali you to perform I 1 feeling that I 1 kiy not enjoy the privilege and happiness of a per personal sonai interview with you I 1 hope you will indulge the liberty which I 1 I 1 now presume to take like in III addressing a vv written ritten communication ni to you I 1 embracing some of those things bich aich I 1 hid fondly hoped would have been bren the foundation of a mutual interchange of thought between us but as providence has laid an embargo upon that distinguished pr lege I 1 must forego at this time tile tho pleasure of a verbal relation of or those things pertaining to your nation with which my mind is deeply affected since I 1 have arrived to years of more mature reflection and become religiously inclined the writings of the jew jeu lewish jewish ish prophets have won my affections and the lle ile lie scattered and oppressed condition of that people giai haq enlisted the finest sympathies of my MV heart Bt dell deil living ving therefore that the words of hosea the prophet 2 23 connected wi h your magnanimity will prohibit til tile e indulgence of any prejudice pr judice in III your feelings against theauthor the tho author of this tilis production lri iri consequence of his ilia not being able by any exit exial ng document or record to identify himself itil rith fill your nailon nation about nine agi years Ts ago a youl young g man with whom I 1 had 1 bod hod ad a short acquaintance and one too in whom dwelt much wisdom aily ally and knowledge in whose bosom the almighty had depos deposited ltd many secret secrets laid his hands bands upon my head and pronounced these remarkable words in due time thon thou shall shail go to jerusalem the land of thy fathers and be a wate watchman ilean liTan unto the houe housa of israel and by thy tily lland hand shall the most high do a great work worl which shall prepare the way and greatly facil facilitate itale llie the gathering together of that people many manx other particulars were told me by him at that time which I 1 do not write in this letter but sufficient ia ii written to show that divine appointment is claimed as the main pring spring that lias has S sent me tile forth from th embraces of an affectionate family and kind friends as well as from the land that gave mo me birth i my labors sine ship sin shi e P that period h havo hivo avo ave been bestowed oe stowed upon the tho gentiles in fit various countries and on both sides of the atlantic until in the eaily early part of all ali march arch IS 10 1 retired to my bed one night 1 as usual and while meditating and contemplating the field of my future labors labor the vision of tb the lord like clouds of light burst into my view see joel fill ii 28 the cities of london amsterdam constantinople and jerusalem all appeared in succession beform before me and the spirit said unto me here hero are many of the tile cl children ildren of abraham whom I 1 will eather gather to the land find that I 1 gave to their fathers and here also is the field of your labors take therefore proper credentials from my people your brethren and also from the governor of your state with the seal of authority thereon and go yo ye forth foth to the cities which have been sho shown wil nii you and declare these words unto yudah judah and say blo bio blow 1 v ye the trumpet in the land a 11 d c cry ry gather together and say siy sly bly assemble yourselves and let us its go into the de fenced cities set up the stand standard ard 3rd towards zion retire stay not for I 1 will bring evil from the north narth and a great destruction the lion is come up from his thicket and the tile destroyer of the gentiles is on his way he id 14 gone forth from his hia place to make thy land desolate and thy cities shall bo be laid waste without an inhabitant speak ye V comfortably to jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned for she hath received of the lords hand double for all her sins let your warping warning voice be heard beard among the Cen gen gentiles tiles as hs you pass and call ye upon them in my name for aid and for assistance with vou you v ou it matt ereth not whether it belittle be little or much but to me it belo beio belonge ngeth lh to show favor unto them iwho who show favor unto yola yo 11 tile the vision con cou linued in aed oien open open about six hours that I 1 did not close shy my eyes in sleep Inthis in this time many things wele werm were chewn unto me which I 1 have never writ written tel tei neither shall I 1 write writa them until they are arc fulfilled in fit jerusalem it appears from the tho prophets that jerusalem has none to guide none to take her by the land hand and iud among mong all the tile sons whom she hath brought forth and reared but these teo two sons are come unto the tons of strangers shall build up thy wall walls permit me now rev sir to trouble you with the tha reflections of a mind that feels completely un trammelled from every party interest inter esty estt and 1 1 1 from every sectarian influence when I 1 look at the condition of your fathers in the days of david and solomon and contrast hat that with the present condition of their descendants ail ali is I 1 am led to exclaim how are the mighty falen fal dal en 11 then they possessed a kingdom a land dlo flo flowing whig with milk and honey then the strong arm of jehovah taught the surrounding nations to pay tribute and homage to them thern then their standard was raised high their banner floated on every breeze and under its shade the sons and daughters of israel reposed in perfect safety and tile tho goiden golden letters of light and knowledge were inscribed on its folds but now no kingdom no country no tribute of gain or honor bonor no sta standard n dard daid no security their sceptre has departed and instead of that light and knowledge which once gave them a transcendent elevation above other nations tile he height of their ambition is now with some borne honorable exceptions the accumulation of sordid gain by buying and sell seil selling 9 the stale refuse with which their fathers would never have defiled their hands why this wonderful change Is the god of abraham isaac and jacob a just god most certainly he heis hels is if then he lie is a just god of course 0 lie he will mete out and apportion the chastisement or penalty to the magnitude of the offence or crime committed allowing then the law of moses to bo be the ilia san standard dard by which actions are re weighed weg hed were not idolatry and the is shedding bedding of innocent blood the tile irea greatest test sins which your fa committed and was not the penalty inflicted upon them for that transgression captivity in it bab dab babylon ion lon seventy years have they ever been guilty of idolatry at all since their return from babylon no have chev been guilty of shedding innocent blood to that extent since their return that hey they were before they were taken captin by the jew says bays no very well there will none deny with any claim upon our credulity but that the disaster and overthrow that herel betel the jewish nation in fit tha iha days of vespasian very far exceeded in fit sevel severity ltv in almost every particular the disaster and overthrow that berei beret be rel fel th them em in the days of now then if god be ae just and mete out and apportion the tile chastisement or penalty to the ilia magnitude of the offense offence ar crime committed it follows of course that your fathers committed some far greater crime subsequent to their return from babylon than ever they before committed be that crime whatever it may know ye that for it or because of it the roman armies were permitted to crowd their conquests to the heart of your our city burn your temple tempie kill hill your men women and children |
