TO LYMAN WIGHT AND OTHERS
1834 AUGUST 16

FC. Joseph Smith, Kirtland, Ohio to Lyman Wight, Edward Partridge, John Corrill, Isaac Morley, and others, Clay County, Missouri, 16 August 1834, in Joseph Smith's Letterbook 1, pp. 84-87, in hand of Frederick G. Williams, Joseph Smith Collection, LDS Church Archives.

When news reached Jackson County that a Mormon army was being organized in Ohio to help reinstate their exiled brethren to their Jackson County lands, the reaction of the old citizens was immediate. Zion's Camp had not left Kirtland on 4 May 1834 before some 170 Mormon buildings in Jackson County were burned.504 As the camp neared Clay County, threats of violence and opposition intensified. In this setting, Mormon representatives informed Governor Dunklin that they were ready to avail themselves of the promised military guard to reinstate them upon their lost lands.505 According to Parley P. Pratt, the governor acknowledged the justice of the demand "but frankly told us he dare not attempt the execution of the laws in that respect, for fear of deluging the whole country in civil war and bloodshed."506

Without the promised support of state troops promised by the governor and faced with the futility of trying to protect the entire Mormon population with such a small force, Joseph Smith terminated the mission of Zion's Camp.507

After organizing a high council and regulating local Church affairs in Clay County, the Prophet returned to Kirtland, arriving about 1 August 1834 "after a tedious journey from the midst of enemies, mobs, cholera, and excessively hot weather."508 On the 16th, he dictated the following letter to Church leaders in Missouri.

Kirtland August 16th 1834

Dear Brethren Lyman Wight Edward Partri[d]ge John Carrill [Corrill] Isaac Morley and others the high council of the Church of the Latter Day Saints—

Afte[r] so long a time I dictate a few lines to you to let you know that I am in Kirtland and that I found all well on my arival, as pertaining to health &c but found our common advisary had taken the advantage of our brothe[r] Sylvest[er] Smith and others who gave a false colloring to allmost every transaction from the time that we left Kirtland untill we returned, and thereby stirred up a great difficulty in the Church against me509 accordingly I was met in the face and eyes as soon as I had got home with a catalogue that was as black as the author himself and the cry was Tyrant,! Pope!! King!!! Usurper!!!! Abuser of men!!!!! Ange[1] !!!!!! False prophet!!!!! Prophecying Lies in the name of the Lord and taking consecrated monies!!!!!!! and every other lie to fill up and complete the cattelogue that was necissary to perfect the Church to be meet for the devourer the shaft of the devouring <distroying> Angel! and in consequence of having to combat all these I have not been [p. 84] able to regulate my mind so as to write to give you counsel and the information that you needed, but that God who rules on high and thunder[s] Judgments upon Israel when they transgress has given me power from the time that I was born (into this kingdom) to stand and I have succeeded in putting all gainsayers and enemies to flight unto the present time and not withstanding the advisary laid a plan which was more subtle than all others, I now swim in good clean pure water with my head out! as you will see by the next star.510

I shall now procede to give you such council as the spirit of the Lord may dictate you will reccollect that your business must be done by your high council:511 you will reccollect that the first elders are to receive their endowment in Kirtland before the redemption of Zion you will reccollect that your high council will have power to say who of the first Elders among the Children of Zion are accounted worthy; and you will also reccollect that you have my

testamony in behalf of certain ones previously to my departure you will reccollect that the sooner that these ambassadors of the most high are dispatched to bear testamony to lift up a warning voice and to proclaim the everlasting gospel and to use every convincing proof, and facculty with this generation while on their Journey . . . <to Kirtland>512 They should awaken <the> sympathy of the people I would reccommend to brother Phelps (If he is yet there) to write a petition such as will be approved of by the high council and let there be every signer obtained that can be in the State of Missouri and while they are on their Journey to this country that peradventure we may learn [p. 85] whethe[r] we have friends or not in these United States,

This petition to be sent to the Govonor of Missouri to solicit him to call on the President of the United States for a guard to protect our brethren in Jackson County upon their own Lands from the insults and abuses of the MOB

And I would reccomend to brother Wight to enter complaint to the Govonor as often as he receves any insults or injury, and in case that they procede to endeaver to take life or tear down homes, and if the citizens of Clay co, do not befriend us to gather up the little army and be set over Immediately into Jackson County and trust in God and do the worst <best> he can in defending maintaining the ground, but in case the excitement continues to be allayed and peace prevails use every effort to prevail on the churches to gather to those regions and situate themselves to be in readiness to move into Jackson Co. in two years from the Eleventh of September next which is the appointed time for the redemption of Zion, If Verely If I say unto you If the Church with one united effort performs their duties If they do this the work shall be complete if they do not this in all humility making preperation from this time forth like Joseph in Egypt laying up store against the time of famine every man having his tent, his horses, his charrots his armory his cattle his family and his whole substance in readiness against the time <when> it shall be said To your tents O Isral!! and let not this be noised abroad let every heart beat in silence and every mouth be shut.

Now my beloved brethren you will learn by this we have a great work to do, and but little time to do it in and if we dont exert ourselves to the utmost in gathering up the strength of the Lords house that this thing may be accomplished behold their remaineth a scorge513 [p. 86] also, Therefore be wise this once O ye children of Zion! and give heed to my councel saith the Lord!

I would inform bro Edward that the bill I recieved of him was good and when I can get <our> other money changed for another I will mail it to him the brethren as yet have generally been arived from Clay Co. in health notwithstanding the warm season. I would also inform bro Edward that I am not satisfied with bro Hulett conserning the colt and so long as unrighteousness acts are suffered in the church it cannot [be] sanctified neither Zion be redeemed.

And also, that I was obliged to leave the consecrated horn in Illinois also bro William E McLelin who was sick we expect when he recovers that he will come to Kirtland he was humble, and I entertain no doubt as to his standing while he continues so we have a desire to Learn conserning the Cholera and whether sister Bunnel is yet alive; as well as all deaths, the names and standing of those who are called away &c. The Cholera is raging in Detroit Cleaveland Fairport Buffalow and other places, we found it in Chariton as we came through and almost every other place,514 it <is> an awful and solomn day, but this is only the forebodings of what is to come, The church seems to be in a languid cold disconsolate state, and as the revolution of the earth is once in 24 hours so we may look for revolutions among this wicked and perverse generation and also in the Church of Christ! When the head is sick the whole body is faint, for when the church lifts up the head the Angel will bring us good tidings even so Amen

Joseph Smith Jr