{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_6720/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_6720","id":"gutenberg_6720","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/6720","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Biographies","Category: History - American","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Latter Day Saint churches -- Doctrines","Latter Day Saint churches -- History -- 19th century","Latter Day Saints"],"text":"Produced by Gutenberg@BYU and Philip MacCabe\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Wentworth Letter by Joseph Smith, Jun.\n\nas published in the Times and Seasons Vol. 3 No. 9, 1 March 1842\navailable in the United States Library Of Congress\nBX8605.1.T48 Vol. 3 pp 706-710\n\n\n\n\nCHURCH HISTORY\n\nAt the request of Mr. John Wentworth, Editor, and Proprietor of\nthe \"Chicago Democrat,\" I have written the following sketch of the\nrise, progress, persecution, and faith of the Latter-Day Saints,\nof which I have the honor, under God, of being the founder. Mr.\nWentworth says, that he wishes to furnish Mr. Bastow, a friend of\nhis, who is writing the history of New Hampshire, with this\ndocument. As Mr. Bastow has taken the proper steps to obtain\ncorrect information, all that I shall ask at his hands is that he\npublish the account entire, ungarnished, and without\nmisrepresentation.\n\nI was born in the town of Sharon, Windsor co., Vermont, on the\n23d of December, A.D. 1805. When ten years old my parents removed\nto Palmyra, New York, where we resided about four years, and from\nthence we removed to the town of Manchester.\n\nMy father was a farmer and taught me the art of husbandry. When\nabout fourteen years of age I began to reflect upon the importance\nof being prepared for a future state, and upon enquiring [of] the\nplan of salvation I found that there was a great clash in\nreligious sentiment; if I went to one society they referred me to\none plan, and another to another, each one pointing to his own\nparticular creed as the summum bonum of perfection: considering\nthat all could not be right, and that God could not be the author\nof so much confusion I determined to investigate the subject more\nfully, believing that if God had a church it would not be split up\ninto factions, and that if he taught one society to worship one\nway, and administer in one set of ordinances, He would not teach\nanother, principles which were diametrically opposed. Believing\nthe word of God I had confidence in the declaration of James; \"If\nany man lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth to all men\nliberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him,\" I retired\nto a secret place in a grove and began to call upon the Lord,\nwhile fervently engaged in supplication my mind was taken away\nfrom the objects with which I was surrounded, and I was enwrapped\nin a heavenly vision and saw two glorious personages who exactly\nresembled each other in features and likeness, surrounded with a\nbrilliant light which eclipsed the sun at noon-day. They told me\nthat all religious denominations were believing in incorrect\ndoctrines and that none of them was acknowledged of God as His\nChurch and kingdom. And I was expressly commanded to \"go not after\nthem,\" at the same time receiving a promise that the fullness of\nthe gospel should at some future time be made known unto me.\n\nOn the evening of the 21st of September, A.D. 1823, while I was\npraying unto God, and endeavoring to exercise faith in the\nprecious promises of scripture on a sudden a light like that of\nday, only of a far purer and more glorious appearance, and\nbrightness burst into the room, indeed the first sight was as\nthough the house was filled with consuming fire; the appearance\nproduced a shock that affected the whole body; in a moment a\npersonage stood before me surrounded with a glory yet greater than\nthat with which I was already surrounded. This messenger\nproclaimed himself to be an angel of God sent to bring the joyful\ntidings, that the covenant which God made with ancient Israel was\nat hand to be fulfilled, that the preparatory work for the second\ncoming of the Messiah was speedily to commence; that the time was\nat hand for the gospel, in all its fulness to be preached in power,\nunto all nations that a people might be prepared for the millennial\nreign.\n\nI was informed that I was chosen to be an instrument in the\nhands of God to bring about some of His purposes in this glorious\ndispensation.\n\nI was also informed concerning the aboriginal inhabitants of\nthis country [America], and shown who they were, and from whence\nthey came; a brief sketch of their origin, progress, civilization,\nlaws, governments, of their righteousness and iniquity, and the\nblessings of God being finally withdrawn from them as a people was\nmade known unto me: I was also told where there was deposited some\nplates on which were engraven an abridgment of the records of the\nancient prophets that had existed on this continent. The angel\nappeared to me three times the same night and unfolded the same\nthings. After having received many visits from the angels of God\nunfolding the majesty and glory of the events that should\ntranspire in the last days, on the morning of the 22d of September,\nA.D. 1827, the angel of the Lord delivered the records into my\nhands.\n\nThese records were engraven on plates which had the appearance\nof gold, each plate was six inches wide and eight inches long and\nnot quite so thick as common tin. They were filled with engravings,\nin Egyptian characters and bound together in a volume, as the leaves\nof a book with three rings running through the whole. The volume was\nsomething near six inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed.\nThe characters on the unsealed part were small, and beautifully\nengraved. The whole book exhibited many marks of antiquity in its\nconstruction and much skill in the art of engraving. With the\nrecords was found a curious instrument which the ancients called\n\"Urim and Thummim,\" which consisted of two transparent stones set in\nthe rim of a bow fastened to a breastplate.\n\nThrough the medium of the Urim and Thummim I translated the\nrecord by the gift, and power of God.\n\nIn this important and interesting book the history of ancient\nAmerica is unfolded, from its first settlement by a colony that came\nfrom the Tower of Babel, at the confusion of languages to the\nbeginning of the fifth century of the Christian era. We are informed\nby these records that America in ancient times has been inhabited by\ntwo distinct races of people. The first were called Jaredites and\ncame directly from the Tower of Babel. The second race came directly\nfrom the city of Jerusalem, about six hundred years before Christ.\nThey were principally Israelites, of the descendants of Joseph. The\nJaredites were destroyed about the time that the Israelites came\nfrom Jerusalem, who succeeded them in the inheritance of the\ncountry. The principal nation of the second race fell in battle\ntowards the close of the fourth century. The remnant are the Indians\nthat now inhabit this country. This book also tells us that our\nSavior made his appearance upon this continent after his\nresurrection, that he planted the gospel here in all its fulness,\nand richness, and power, and blessing; that they had apostles,\nprophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists; the same order, the\nsame priesthood, the same ordinances, gifts, powers, and blessings,\nas was enjoyed on the eastern continent, that the people were cut\noff in consequence of their transgressions, that the last of their\nprophets who existed among them was commanded to write an abridgment\nof their prophecies, history, &c., and to hide it up in the earth,\nand that it should come forth and be united with the bible for the\naccomplishment of the purposes of God in the last days. For a more\nparticular account I would refer to the Book of Mormon, which can be\npurchased at Nauvoo, or from any of our travelling elders.\n\nAs soon as the news of this discovery was made known, false\nreports, misrepresentation, and slander flew as on the wings of the\nwind in every direction, the house was frequently beset by mobs, and\nevil designing people, several times I was shot at, and very\nnarrowly escaped, and every device was made use of to get the plates\naway from me, but the power and blessing of God attended me, and\nseveral began to believe my testimony.\n\nOn the 6th of April, 1830, the \"Church of Jesus Christ of\nLatter-Day Saints,\" was first organized in the town of Manchester,\nOntario co., state of New York. Some few were called and ordained by\nthe spirit of revelation, and prophecy, and began to preach as the\nspirit gave them utterance, and though weak, yet were they\nstrengthened by the power of God, and many were brought to\nrepentance, were immersed in the water, and were filled with the\nHoly Ghost by the laying on of hands. They saw visions and\nprophesied, devils were cast out and the sick healed by the laying\non of hands. From that time the work rolled forth with astonishing\nrapidity, and churches were formed in the states of New York,\nPennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri; in the last\nnamed state a considerable settlement was formed in Jackson co.;\nnumbers joined the Church and we were increasing rapidly; we made\nlarge purchases of land, our farms teemed with plenty, and peace\nand happiness were enjoyed in our domestic circle and throughout our\nneighborhood; but as we could not associate with our neighbors who\nwere, many of them of the basest of men, and had fled from the face\nof civilized society, to the frontier country to escape the hand of\njustice in their midnight revels, their Sabbath breaking, horse\nracing, and gambling, they commenced at first to ridicule, then to\npersecute, and finally an organized mob assembled and burned our\nhouses, tarred and feathered, and whipped many of our brethren and\nfinally drove them from their habitations; who, houseless, and\nhomeless,  contrary to law, justice, and humanity, had to wander on\nthe bleak prairies till the children left the tracks of their blood\non the prairie, this took place in the month of November, and they\nhad no other covering but the canopy of heaven, in this inclement\nseason of the year; this proceeding was winked at by the government\nand although we had warrantee deeds for our land, and had violated\nno law we could obtain no redress.\n\nThere were many sick, who were thus inhumanly driven from their\nhouses, and had to endure all this abuse and to seek homes where\nthey could be found. The result was, that a great many of them\nbeing deprived of the comforts of life, and the necessary\nattendances, died; many children were left orphans, wives widows,\nand husbands widowers.--Our farms were taken possession of by the\nmob, many thousands of cattle, sheep, horses, and hogs were taken\nand our household goods, store goods, and printing press, and type\nwere broken, taken, or otherwise destroyed.\n\nMany of our brethren removed to Clay where they continued until\n1836, three years; there was no violence offered but there were\nthreatnings of violence. But in the summer of 1836, these threatnings\nbegan to assume a more serious form; from threats, public meetings\nwere called, resolutions were passed, vengeance and destruction were\nthreatened, and affairs again assumed a fearful attitude, Jackson\ncounty was a sufficient precedent, and as the authorities in that\ncounty did not interfere, they boasted that they would not in this,\nwhich on application to the authorities we found to be too true, and\nafter much violence, privation and loss of property we were again\ndriven from our homes.\n\nWe next settled in Caldwell, and Davies counties, where we made\nlarge and extensive settlements, thinking to free ourselves from the\npower of oppression, by settling in new counties with very few\ninhabitants in them; but here we were not allowed to live in peace,\nbut in 1838 we were again attacked by mobs, an exterminating order\nwas issued by Gov. Boggs, and under the sanction of law an organized\nbanditti ranged through the country, robbed us of our cattle, sheep,\nhorses, hogs, &c., many of our people were murdered in cold blood,\nthe chastity of our women was violated, and we were forced to sign\naway our property at the point of the sword, and after enduring every\nindignity that could be heaped upon us by an inhuman, ungodly band of\nmarauders, from twelve to fifteen thousand souls men, women, and\nchildren were driven from their own fire sides, and from lands that\nthey had warrantee deeds of, houseless, friendless, and homeless (in\nthe depth of winter,) to wander as exiles on the earth or to seek an\nasylum in a more genial clime, and among a less barbarous people.\n\nMany sickened and died, in consequence of the cold, and hardships\nthey had to endure; many wives were left widows, and children\norphans, and destitute. It would take more time than is allotted me\nhere to describe the injustice, the wrongs, the murders, the\nbloodshed, the theft, misery, and woe that have been caused by the\nbarbarous, inhuman, and lawless, proceedings of the state of Missouri.\n\nIn the situation before alluded to we arrived in the state of\nIllinois in 1839, where we found a hospitable people and a friendly\nhome; a people who were willing to be governed by the principles of\nlaw and humanity. We have commenced to build a city called \"Nauvoo\"\nin Hancock co., we number from six to eight thousand here besides\nvast numbers in the county around and in almost every county of the\nstate. We have a city charter granted us and a charter for a legion\nthe troops of which now number 1500. We have also a charter for a\nuniversity, for an agricultural and manufacturing society, have our\nown laws and administrators, and possess all the privileges that\nother free and enlightened citizens enjoy.\n\nPersecution has not stopped the progress of truth, but has only\nadded fuel to the flame, it has spread with increasing rapidity,\nproud of the cause which they have espoused and conscious of our'\ninnocence and of the truth of their system amidst calumny and\nreproach have the elders of this Church gone forth, and planted\nthe gospel in almost every state in the Union; it has penetrated\nour cities, it has spread over our villages and has caused\nthousands of our intelligent, noble, and patriotic citizens to obey\nits divine mandates, and be governed by its sacred truths. It has\nalso spread into England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales: in the year\n1839 where a few of our missionaries were sent over five thousand\njoined the standard of truth, there are numbers now joining in\nevery land.\n\nOur missionaries are going forth to different nations, and in\nGermany, Palestine, New Holland, the East Indies, and other places,\nthe standard of truth has been erected: no unhallowed hand can stop\nthe work from progressing, persecutions may rage, mobs may combine,\narmies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will\ngo forth boldly, nobly, and independent till it has penetrated\nevery continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and\nsounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be\naccomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.\n\nWe believe in God the Eternal Father, and in his son Jesus\nChrist, and in the Holy Ghost.\n\nWe believe that men will be punished for their own sins and not\nfor Adam's transgression.\n\nWe believe that through the atonement of Christ all mankind may\nbe saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.\n\nWe believe that these ordinances are 1st, Faith in the Lord\nJesus Christ; 2d, Repentance; 3d, Baptism by immersion for the\nremission of sins; 4th, Laying on of hands for the gift of the\nHoly Ghost.\n\nWe believe that a man must be called of God by \"prophesy, and\nby laying on of hands\" by those who are in authority to preach the\ngospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.\n\nWe believe in the same organization that existed in the\nprimitive church, viz, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers,\nevangelists &c.\n\nWe believe in the gift of tongues, prophesy, revelation,\nvisions, healing, interpretation of tongues &c.\n\nWe believe the bible to be the word of God as far as it is\ntranslated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the\nword of God.\n\nWe believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now\nreveal, and we believe that he will yet reveal many great and\nimportant things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.\n\nWe believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the\nrestoration of the Ten Tribes. That Zion will be built upon this\n[the American] continent. That Christ will reign personally upon\nthe earth, and that the earth will be renewed and receive its\nparadisiac glory.\n\nWe claim the privilege of worshipping Almighty God according to\nthe dictates of our conscience, and allow all men the same\nprivilege let them worship how, where, or what they may.\n\nWe believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and\nmagistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.\n\nWe believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous,\nand in doing good to all men; indeed we may say that we follow the\nadmonition of Paul \"we believe all things we hope all things,\" we\nhave endured many things and hope to be able to endure all things.\nIf there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praise\nworthy we seek after these things.\n\n   Respectfully &c.,\n              JOSEPH SMITH","title":"The Wentworth Letter","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":2937}