Show HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH JANUARY 1838 1938 A new year dawned upon the church in kirtland in all the bitterness of the spirit of apostate which continued to rage and grow hotter and hotter until elder ri kig don and myself were obliged 0 to o flee from its deada deadly tin influence fluence as did the apostles and prophets of old and as jesus said when cowhen they persecute you vou in one city flee to another and ana anthe on the evenin evening of the of january about 10 we left kirtland on horseback to escape mob violence which was about to burst upon us under the color of legal process to cover their hellish designs and save themselves from the just judgment 0 of the law we continued our travels travel s during the night and at 8 on the morning of the arrived among the brethren in norton township medina county ohio a distance of 60 miles from kirtland where we tarried about 36 hours anen our on pursued our journey with our families camilie s in in covered wagons toward the city of far west in missouri passing through dayton eaton ac to dublin indiana where we tarried nine days and refreshed ourselves the weather was extremely cold and we were obliged to secrete ourselves in our wagons some times to elude the grasp of our pursuers who continued their race more than miles from kirtland armed with pistols ac seeking our lives they frequently crossed our track I 1 twice they were in the houses where we stopped once we tarried all night in the same house with them with only a partition between us and them and heard their oaths and imprecations cat ions and threats concerning us if they could catch us and late in the evening they came in our room and examined us but decided we were not the men at other times we passed them in the streets and gazed upon up them and they on us but they knew us not one lyons was one of our pursuers I 1 parted with brother rigdon at dublin and traveling different routes we met at terre haute where after resting we separated again and I 1 pursued my journey crossing the mississippi river at quincy illinois minutes of the proceedings of the committee of the whole church in zion in general assembly at the following places to wit at far west feb ath 1838 thomas B marsh moderator john cleminson clerk after prayer the moderator stated the object of the meeting giving a relation of the recent organization of the church here and in kirtland he also read a certain revelation given g iven in kirtland september ad 1837 which made known that john whitmer and W W phelps were in transgression and if they repented not they should be removed out of their places also read a certain clause contained in the appeal published blushed in the old star on the page as follows and to sell our lands would amount to a denial of our faith as that is the place where the zion of god shall stand according to our f faith ith and belief in the revelations of god elder john murdock then took the stand and showed to the congregation why the high council proceeded thus was that the church might have a voice in the matter and that he considered it perfectly legal according to the instructions of president joseph doseph smith junior elder G M hinkle then set forth the way ay in in which the presidency of far west had been labored with that a committee of three of whom he was one had labored with thorn them he then read a written document containing a number of accusations against the three presidents he spoke many things against them setting forth in a plain and ener energetic getie manner the iniquity of phelps and whitmer in u using the monies which were loaned to the ch church also david Whit mers wrong in in pe persisting rai sting in the use uee 0 of tea coffee and tobacco bi bishop 01 S h 0 P partridge then arose aud and endeavored to rectify r e C t y some mistakes of minor importance made by elder hinkle also the B bishop imig is ortance op spoke against 1 I 1 the proceedings of the meeting as bei being ng hasty 1 and illegal for he though thought t they ought to be I 1 had before 0 the oo 00 common m mon council and said that he could not lift his hand against the presidency at present he be then read a I 1 letter e ater from president joseph smith 3 junior A letter was then read by T B marsh from william smith who made some com comments mants on the same and also on the letter read by bish bih j op partridge elder george morey who was a one of the committee sent to labor with the presidency spoke setting forth in a very energetic manner the proceedings of the presidency as being iniquitous elder grover benc also 10 being eing i one of of the committee spoke a against I 1 the conduct of the presidency and oliver cowdery on their visit to labor with them elder elderd D W patten then spoke with much zeal against the presidency and in favor of joseph smith junior and that the wolf alluded to in his letter were the dissenters in kirtland elder lyman wight stated that he considered all other accusations cusat ions of minor importance compared to their selling their lands in jackson county that they phelps and whitmer had set an example which all the saints were liable to f follow ol 01 he said that it was a hellish principle and that they had flatly denied the faith in so doing elder elias higbee sanctioned what had been done by the council speaking against the presidency elder stated that sufficient had been said to substantiate the accusations cusat ions against them elder solomon hancook hancock plead in favor of the presidency stating that he could not raise his hand against C them elder john corrill then against the proceedings of the high council and labored hard to show that the meeting was illegal and that the presidency ought to be had before a proper tribunal which he considered to be a bishop and twelve high priests he labored in favor of the presidency andraid and said that he should not raise his hands against them at present although he did not uphold the presidents in their iniquity simeon carter spoke against the meeting as being hasty elder grover followed brother carter in like observations elder patten ag again ain took the stand in vindication of the cause caus e 0 of f the meeting elder morley spoke sp oke against the presidency at the same sam e time pleading mercy titus Billin billings gd said he could not vote until they had a hearing in the common council elder marsh said that the meeting was according to the direction of brother joseph he therefore considered it legal leo al elder moses mosea martin spoke in favor of th the e legality of the meeting and against the cond conduct ot 0 of i the presidency with pith great energy alleging alleging that the present corruption corruptions corrupt ions of the church herel here were owing ato to the wickedness and mismanagement mis management 0 of f h her er leaders the moderator then called the vote in favor of the present presidency aney the negative was then called and the vote against david whitmer john whitmer william W phelps was unanimous excepting 8 or 10 and this minority only wished them to continue in office a litile longer or until joseph smith junior bior came up in S carters settlement the saints assembled on the ath instant when they unanimously rejected the three above named presidents on the ath the saints assembled at edmund darphus agreeable to appointment where the above named presidents were unanimously rejected also on the ath at nahum curtiss Our dwelling house they were unanimously rejected by the assembly assembly y also at cawns mills on the ath the saints unanimously rejected them at a me meeting eting of the high council the bishop and his council february 1838 it was moved seconded and carried that oliver cowdery william W phelps and john whitmer stand no longer as chairman and clerks to sign and record licenses voted that thomas B marsh and david W patten be authorized to attend to such business for the time being also voted that thomas B marsh and david W patten be presidents pro tempore of the church of latter day saints in missouri until presidents jose joseph p h smith junior and sidney rigdon arrive in in the land of zion J MURDOCK moderator T B MARSH clerk the high council of zion met in far west 0 on n saturday march 1838 agreeable to adjournment when after discussion it was resolved that the high council recommend by writing to the various branches of this church that all those who wish to receive ordination di procure a recommend from the branch to which he belongs and have it pass through the hands of the different quorums for inspection previous to his ordination ad resolved that the high council recommend to all those who hold licences licenses licen ces between the ages of 18 and 45 43 and do not officiate in their respective offices to be sub subject jot to military duty A charge was then preferred against william W phelps and john whitmer f for or persisting in conduct six coun were appointed to speak viz simeon carter isaac higbee and levi jackson Jack aon on the martof part of the accuser and jared carter thomas grover and samuel bent on the part of the accused when the f following ollo wint 0 letter was read by brother marcellus cowdery bearer of the same belon beloni belonging g i ng to thomas B marsh previous to giving it i t to its rightful owner FAR WEST march 1838 SIR it is contrary to the principles of the revelations of jesus christ and his gospel and the laws of the land to try a person for an oi of fence by an illegal tribunal or by men prejudiced against him or by authority that has given an 0 pinion opinion or decision beforehand before hand or in his absence very respectfully we have the honor to be david whitmer W W phelps john whitmer presidents of tle church of christ in missouri to T B marsh one of the traveling og counsel lors attested oliver cowdery clerk of the high council of the church of christ in missouri I 1 I 1 certify the forgoing to be a true copy from the ori original othnal OLIVER IVER COWDERY 1 clerk of the high council I 1 all the effect the above letter had upon the I 1 council was to convince them more of th the c wickedness of those men by endeavors endea endeavoring vori 13 to palm themselves upon the church chui ch I 1 as her presidents wre I 1 si after the church had by a united voice I 1 removed them from their presidential I 1 office for their ungodly conduct and the letter was considered no more nor less than a direct insult or contempt cast upon the authorities of god and the church of jesus christ therefore the council proceeded to business A number of charges were sustained against these men the principal of which was for claiming claiming 2000 church funds which they had subscribed aed for building an house to the lord in this place when they held in their possession as assion the city plot and were sitting in th the cpr presidential e si dennial chair which subscription they were intending to pay I 1 I 1 0 I 1 I 1 from the avails of the town lots lota but ut when tho ibo town plot was transferred laa the hands bands of 0 the bishop for the benefit of the church it wail waa agreed that the church should take ii this sub Z from off the hands of W W phelps and john whitmer but in the transaction of the business they bound the bishop in a heavy mortgage to pay them the above 2000 in two years from the date thereof 9 a part of I 1 which they had already received and claim the remainder remain deri the six counsellors Coun Conn made ta a few appropriate remarks none of whom felt to plead for mercy as it hd ha 9 not been aspedon ask edon the part of the ac accused cased but all with i sent declared that justice ought to have her demands e mands I 1 I 1 after some remarks by presidents marshand batten patten settin setting 9 forth the iniquity of those men in in claiming the 2000 spoken of which did not belong to them any more than any other I 1 ciperson P erson in i n the church it was decided that I 1 I 1 william W phelps and john whitmer be no longer members of the church of christ of latter day saints and be given over to tho the i of satan until they learn to blas 1 pheme no more against the authorities of god 1 i nor fleece the flock of christ the council was then asked if they concurred with the decision if so to manifest it by rising when ay I 1 I 1 all arose the vote was then alien put to the congregation cone fr gre r e g gation aaion which was carried unanimously the he negative was called but no one voted brother marcellus s cowdery arose and said he wished to have it understood that he did not vote either way because he did not consider it a legal tribunal he also offered insult to the high council and to the church chura by reid read ing a letter belonging belon tim ing to thomas B marsh before giving givin g it to him and in speaking against the atiteo authorities cities of the church A motion was was then made by president patten that fellowship be withdrawn from marcellus cowdery until he make satisfaction which was seconded und and carried unanimously thomasb thomas B marsh and david W patten presidents Ebe ebenezer nezir robinson clerk of high council when I 1 had bad arrived within miles of far west the brethren met me with teams and money to help me forward and when 8 miles from the city we were met by an escort viz thomas B marsh and others who received us with open arms and on the of march I 1 with my family and some others put up at brother Barn barnarda barnards ards for the night here we were met by an escort of the brethren from the town who came to make us welcome to their little zion on the as we we were about entering far west many of the brethren camer came out to meet us who also with open arms welcomed us to their bosoms we were immediately received under the hospitable roof of brother george Z W harris who treated us with all possible po a 1 I le kindness k aness and we refreshed ours ourselves elyes wath fth mu much ch satisfaction after our long and tedious journey the brethen bringing in such things as we had need of for our comfort conff ort and convenience c fience after being here two t wa or three days my brother samuel arrived with his camuy shortly after his arrival while walking w with I 1 T him and certain other brethren the following fo owing sentiments occurred to my mind MOTTO N of the CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS I 1 the rhe constitution of our country formed by the fathers of liberty peace and good order in society love to god and good will to man all good and wholesome wh laasi laws virtue and truth above all things and live forever af M but woe to tyrants mobs aristocracy all anarchy aroby and and all those who invent or seek out unrighteous and vexatious law suits under the pretext and color of law or office either religious or political exalt the standard of democracy down with that of raft and let all the people say amen that the blood of our fathers may not cry from the ground against us sacred is the memory 0 of o that blood ballod which bought for us our liberty joseph smith junior thomas B marsh david 11 d W patten brigham young samuel H smith george W Hil hinkle kle john corrill rill george W robinson I 1 QUESTIONS ON SCRIPTURE 1 1 who is the stem of jesse spoken of in tha 1st ast ad ad ath and ath verses of the 11 chapter oi of isaiah verily thus saith the lord it is christ what is the rods rod spoken boken of in the first verse of the alth chapter of isaiah that should come of the stem of jesse behold thus saith the lord it is a servant in the thelan hand dj of christ chri 8 t who is partly a descendant of jesse as as ephraim or of the house of joseph on whom who m there is laid much power what is the r root oot of jesse spoken of in the verse of the alth chapter behold thus saith the lord it is a descendant of jesse as well as of joseph unto whom rightly belongs i the priesthood and the keys of the kingdom for an ensign and for the gathering of my I 1 people peo 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