| Show I 1 copyright secured HISTORY OF yoseph JOSEPH JOSEPH B JUNE ufa 1844 the th e filo following w ing ang letters were aiso alao written i nauvoo june 1844 to his excellency gov ford sic sir sin triou though bli hil I 1 have not the honor bonor of a aj personal ers onal ac acquaintance with you yon 1 take the fi liberty of stating staling to you that I 1 arrived heie hrc from the city cly cay anew york about aryear aty ear since where I 1 V wab was as ea aged in the practice of medicine for many many fivars years that gen smiths letter to you of this date ate has been read in in my hearing ind ing th atthe statements contained therein in in reta refa relation tion to the proceedings of the municipal I 1 authorities for the removal of the press whence cherice 1 is sueda scandalous sheet entitled the I 1 nauvoo E expositor 1 are correct having been an eye a and ean ear witness of them the whole affair was conducted by the city marshal and his posse in the most quiet and orderly marincil manner marin pil iel without the least noise riot or tumult and whenn the nuisance was abate abated i they immediately retired and were dismissed i 1 having been a boarder boarden boar derin denin Jn gen smiths smitha faini farni 1 ly for more than nine months and having therefore had abundant opportunities of contemplating tem plating his character and observing his i conduct conducts I 1 have concluding to give you a few of my in impressions of him oen gen joseph smith is naturally a man of strong mental powers and is possessed of much i energy and decision of character great pene penel 1 tra tion arid a profound knowledge of human i nature he is a man of calm judgment en j barged views view s and is eminently distinguished by his love of justice ile he is kind and obliging generous and benevolent sociable and cheerful che reul and is possessed of a mind of a contemplative and reflective character he is honest frank I 1 fearless and independent and as free from 1 dissimulation as any man to be found but it is in the gentle chantina chant lea iea of domestic life as the tender temer and affectionate husband and parent the warm and sympathizing friend J that the prominent traits of his character are revealed and his heart is felt to be keenly alive A ito to the kindest and softest emotions of which human nature is susceptible and I 1 feel assured that his family and frienda friends formed one of the greatest consolations to him while the viala oala of wrath were poured upon his head while spile hla hia I 1 footsteps were pursued by malice dailee and envy and reproach and blander slander were strewed in in his path as well as during numerous and cruel persecutions and severe and protracted A 1 ings in chains and loathsome prisons for wor i shipping god god according 1 I to the dictates dicta teb tea of his I 1 own conscience he is a tru elover of his country and a bright and shining example of integrity and moral excellence in all the tbt relations of life As a religious teacher as well aa as a man he be is greatly beloved by this people cople it is almost superfluous to add that t the fie rie numerous ridiculous 1 and scandalous reports in circulation respecting spec ting him have not the least foundation in truth i in haste I 1 have the honor bonor to be your excel i lences len cys most kioa st obedient and humble servant johs JOHN JOHNM M BERNHISEL 11 city of nauvoo june 1844 honorable gov thomas ford being a stranger in the city of nauvoo but fully acquainted with the facts as stated in gen smiths letter ietter of june I 1 asbert assert that they are true in every ever particular and that the press in the mind minds so of all ali 1 unprejudiced 11 people 1 was a nuisance 0 of the worst character and 1 that the authorities acted perfectly proper in ill i destroying s it I 1 and in accomplishing the act there was no noise tumult or riot not r feer meer more having remained for a few weeks at gen smiths house I 1 think it my duty to state that I 1 have seen nothing in his deportment but what is correct in all tib hib his domestic relations being a kind husband and an affectionate fa ather ther and all his bis affairs both domestic and on oll i cial have not only been free from censure but I 1 praiseworthy and ought to be imitated by ever every one d desirous af pf hod good order and peace Yours bir sir most obediently f J R WAKEFIELD MD 11 post office nauvoo 1111 iii lii 1 june I 1 1844 5 his hla hia Excelle excellency ney nev thamas ford dear sirl siri sir I addres addris this letter to your excellency ay iy by the tte hand of mr mi S jaine james in one quence of the e difficulties now exi exl existing stin in in tuis is in which I 1 have haino had no concern ani and fearing aa as I 1 no that ill in the midst of an excitement so great as I 1 have understood now exists in this county counti counti say understood ivor liar lor for it is by lepor report only that I 1 c cm in speak there my clay be attempts made to prejudice your mind ito sto 0 take sot some e measures of a violent character ahat at may se seriously asly added affect the citizens of this liace blace ace and injure ini 1 ure innocent and ind unoffending per kong uong ons ong which I am satisfied would grieve your I 1 1 excellency as well weil as every other thinking and humane man There have for a length of time difficulties existed between a number of the citizens of this place which kept increasing one of the parties had recourse to the warsaw signal as a medium through which they communicate their difficulties difficult i es to the world those productions were inflammatory to a high degree and the party thus assailed charged the matter aa as libe ilbe joes JoBs and highly I 1 abusive to 6 these exposures responses appeared in in the papers of this place charging the matter aa as bein being false and the authors a as retainers detainers defa deta meria iners and slander slanderers erb ers things continued thus until a paper was established in this place called the nauvoo expositor the first number of this paper made its appearance and it wag vas inflammatory and abusive to an extreme this raised the excitement cit ement to a degree beyond control and threatened serious consequences at this thin particular juncture all the authorities of the city feeling a common interest in the peace and quiet of the place and fearing the worst consequences must follow if some thing were not done the city council met and took the matter into consideration and after afeei deliberating on the subject and examining the charter came crime to the conclusion to hazard all the consequences of 0 declaring the press a nuisance and accordingly ordered its removal the city marshal in obedience to this order went and removed the prepa and destroyed it this was done without tumult or di disorder order when the press was destroyed all returned home and everything has been perfectly quiet ever since within the last three days warrants have I 1 been issued from a justice of the peace in carthage calling for the bodies of the persons wb who 0 destroyed the press the officer having the matter ill lil in charge refuses the persons a hearing bearing before any other justice of the peace than til the e one issuing the warrants with this demand they refused to com comply y as there is a large assembly of persons assembled at carthage making threats of violence and the they aay say and II 11 I 1 hareno have no doubt veril verll verily believe that by going othere there their lives will be e in danger and from the intelli intelligence ence I 1 received last evening from a pe person reon no way connected with the a affair and one of undoubted veracity I 1 must think so myself this gentleman informs me that he has been in carthage since monday last at the land sales and he heard threaten ings by the persons assembled there that if they citey could get into nauvoo that they would murder indiscriminately and those who wanted to escape must leave this your excellency will abhor as I 1 do the citizens of this county who do not reside in nauvoo and those of other counties have indeed no interest of a personal kind bind at stake in this matter there are arc no persons disturbing them nor a going to do BO go and this great excitement does savor of something else tome to me than a regard ateward for the laws why not let iet the parties as in all other cases of the hind bind settle their difficulties as the laws of the country in such cases have provided have the citizens of nauvoo ever interfered with cases of difficulty existing in other parts of the county held public meetings to inflame the public alic mind in favor of one party and prejudice judia c e it against the other party mort moet assuredly they have not why then men must the citizens of thi this s place be scourged urged with such attempts if the citizens of hancock want the supremacy of the laws maintained let these tumults ous assemblies disperse and let the civil officers if resisted do as aa in other cases call for aid instead of assembling in advance and theo they call for persons to be brought into their midst as 88 prisoners boners amidst threats and insults from the confidence I 1 have in your excel lences superior intelligence and boand discretion I 1 doubt not but your Excel excellency lepey will arrive at just conclusions when the matter is submitted to your consideration as I 1 understand it is about being I 1 call can see no ne need ed for executive interference in this case but dis disperse perse all uncalled for assemblies sem blies and let t thie thia e laws have the their regular irregular course which they can hav have it if these assemblies will disperse it if not I 1 fear the conse quen ces I 1 send this to your excellency as all confidential as I 1 wish not to take any part in the affair or be known in it I 1 with consideration of high regard I 1 am dear sir sil your excellences most obedient servant va ii t SIDNEY RIGDON 11 I 1 read the doings of the city council to dr wakefield and ind gave a bi him ma a volume of the times and seabon seasons sr about bout 4 pm I 1 rode out with dr Berri berni bernhisel bisel pleas pleasant nt and warm day to warda wardia night some clouds A lir mr norton was tried before esq aaron aaton johnson JP on a charge of birin firing 11 fosters printing office and acquitted saturday la 15 at home two brethren came from lima llma and said that col levi williams had demanded the arms belonging to the cormons mormons Mor mons in that igei neighborhood they wished my advice on the subject I 1 told them that when they cave gave up their them arms to give up their ilves lives with them as deairas dear a possible it is reported that a company of men were constantly training at carthage mr john af cane from warsaw said that several boxes of arms had bad arrived at warsaw from quincy there was some considerable excitement but i expected they were going 0 to walt wait the meeting at carha cacha carthage e which was fixed for the middle of week next week the maid of iowa arrived at 24 21 pm while I 1 was examining the painting pa intine of death on the pale horse 1 by benjamin west which has been exhibiting in my reading room for the last three days the maid had lost her lighter which was loaded at the time with corn and lumber it having 0 broken in two on a ana snag g in the iowa river this morning samuel james started for springfield to carry letters and papers to gov ford concerning the destruction of the expositor press about 7 pm I 1 rode out with 0 P rockwell I 1 received the following letter fort madison june 1844 gen jospph joseph smith dear sir I 1 have been informed that a writ was issued against the steam ferry new purchase for on tuesday last but no such writ has been served or shown to me and I 1 am anxious to learn the facts of the case if it is required I 1 will pay with the greatest of pleasure but I 1 would dislike to have cost to pay in addition I 1 expect to visit this place with my lipat at least once a week during the season you will confer a favor on me by informing me in in relation to the ordinances regulating ac it it has been rumored that the new purchase was employed to convey to nauvoo all an armed force to attack the citi citizens al ns in conn cohn exien with other companies on account of the late difficulties at your place but bub it itis is not true I 1 assure you that the boat will not be employed in any unlawful enterprise and I 1 further assure you that there larlo is no unkind feeling existing in our place against the people of your place I 1 remain o irs with respect A LADD captain of the new pug Pui purchase chabe chase gen joseph smith nauvoo 11 A conference was held at franklin michigan present of the twelve W woodruff and geo A smith elder geo A smith presided nine bran branches ciles clies were rep represented comprising mem members bers beKs 8 eiders elders 5 priests 5 teachers and 3 deacons there were ordained 1 high priest 9 elders 2 priests and 1 deacon under the hauda handa of elders AV woodruff geo A smith and C C rich sunday 16 1 I preached at the stand at 10 am before I 1 closed my remarks it rained severely the following synopsis was reported by elder thomas bullock whom I 1 had transferred from the duties of clerk of the maid of iowa lowal to my mv office THE GROVE EAST OF rhe THE TEMPLE JUNE 16 1844 1944 prayer by bishop N K X whitney choir eung surg 1 mortals N fort ais als awake 5 president joseph smith read the 3rd ard chap of revelations and took for hib hie text chap ath verse and bath made us kines kings and priests unto god and hib his father to him be glory and dominion forever for ever and ever amen it ia is altogether correct in the translation now you know that af of late some malicious and corrupt men have sprung up and apostatized from the church of jesus christ of latter day saint and they declare that the prophet believes in a plurality of gods and lo 10 and behold we have discovered discover id a very great secret they cr cry the prophet says there are many gods and this proves that lie he has fallen II 11 has been my intention for a long time to take fake up this subject and lay it clearly before the people and show what my faith is in relation to this interesting matter I 1 have contemplated tem plated the baying saying of jesus luke 17 ch 26 v and as it was in the days of noah so shall it be also in the days of the son of Afan 5 A and nd if it rains ill preach this doctrine for tor the truth eh allbe alibe be preached I 1 will preach on the plurality of gods I 1 have selected this text for that express pur purpose p 0 so I 1 wish to declare I 1 have al always ays i and tn all congregations when I 1 have p preached reached on the gube sube subject ct of the deity it has been the tile plurality of gods it has been preached by the eldera elders fifteen years I 1 have always declared god to be a distinct personage 1 jedus jesus christ a separate and distinct personage from god the father and that the holy ghost was a distinct personage and a spirit and these three constitute three distinct personages and three gods if it this is in accordance cor dance with the new tew testament am ent lo 10 and behold we have three gods anyhow and they are plural and who can contradict it our ofir text says and hall mide mude m nr ude ide ug us kings kinga and priests unto god and his father the apoi ties have discovered that there were gods above for paul says alys god was the father cf of our lord jebus jesus christ my object was to preach the scriptures and preach the doctrine they contain there being a god above the father of our lord jes jesus christ I 1 am bold to declare I 1 have taught all the strong doctrines publicly and always teach stronger doctrines in public than in pin private rate vate john was one of the men and the apostles declare they we remade kings and priests unto god the father of our lord jesus chris it reads just so in the |
