TO OLIVER COWDERY
1834 DECEMBER

P. Joseph Smith, Kirtland, Ohio to Oliver Cowdery, Kirtland, Ohio, December 1834. MS not found, reprinted from Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate 1 (December 1834): 40.

Philastus Hurlbut, upon returning to Ohio from his New York and Pennsylvania trip to find materials that would discredit Joseph Smith, began lecturing on the origin of Mormonism. In his efforts to blacken the Smith name, Hurlbut had gathered signatures to a number of affidavits from people who claimed acquaintance with the Smith family in New York and Pennsylvania. Strangely repetitious in phraseology and generalities, the affidavits portrayed the Smiths as indolent deceivers, "entirely destitute of moral character and addicted to vicious habits."517

In spring 1834 Hurlbut sold his material to Eber D. Howe, the editor of the Painesville (Ohio) Telegraph, who published it in his Mormonism Unvailed in November of that year. Concurrent with the appearance of the Howe book, the Messenger and Advocate began publishing what was intended to be "a full history of the rise of the church" to counteract distorted reports that had circulated. Oliver Cowdery (editor of the paper) in his introduction, wrote that "no sooner had the messengers of the fulness of the gospel, began to proclaim its heavenly precepts, and call upon men to embrace the same, than they were vilified and slandered by thousands who never saw their faces, and much less knew aught derogatory of their characters, moral or religious -Upon this unfair and unsaint like manner of procedure they have been giving in large sheets their own opinions of the incorrectness of our system, and attested volumes of our lives and characters."518

Having learned of the prospective history, Joseph Smith sent Oliver Cowdery the following letter, which appeared in the December issue of the paper.

[December 1834]

Brother O. Cowdery:

Having learned from the first No. of the Messenger and Advocate, that you were, not only about to "give a history of the rise and progress of the church of the Latter Day Saints;" but, that said "history would necessarily embrace my life and character," I have been induced to give you the time and place of my birth; as I have learned that many of the opposers of those principles which I have held forth to the world, profess a personal acquaintance with me, though when in my presence, represent me to be another person in age, education, and stature, from what I am.

I was born, (according to the record of the same, kept by my parents,) in the town of Sharon, Windsor Co. Vt. on the 23rd of December, 1805.

At the age of ten my father's family removed to Palmyra, N. Y. where, and in the vicinity of which, I lived, or, made it my place of residence, until I was twenty one the latter part, in the town of Manchester.

During this time, as is common to most, or all youths, I fell into many vices and follies; but as my accusers are, and have been forward to accuse me of being guilty of gross and outragious violations of the peace and good order of the community, I take the occasion to remark, that, though, as I have said above, "as is common to most, or all youths, I fell into many vices and follies," I have not, neither can it be sustained, in truth, been guilty of wronging or injuring any man or society of men; and those imperfections to which I alude, and for which I have often had occasion to lament, were a light, and too often, vain mind, exhibiting a foolish and trifling conversation.

This being all, and the worst, that my accusers can substantiate against my moral character, I wish to add, that it is not without a deep feeling of regret that I am thus called upon in answer to my own conscience, to fulfill a duty I owe to myself, as well as to the cause of truth, in making this public confession of my former uncircumspect walk, and unchaste conversation: and more particularly, as I often acted in violation of those holy precepts which I knew came from God. But as the "Articles and Covenants" of this church are plain upon this particular point, I do not deem it important to proceed further. I only add, that I do not, nor never have, pretended to be any other than a man "subject to passion," and liable, without the assisting grace of the Savior, to deviate from that perfect path in which all men are commanded to walk!

By giving the above a place in your valuable paper, you will confer a lasting favor upon myself, as an individual, and, as I humbly hope, subserve the cause of righteousness.

I am, with feelings of esteem, your fellow laborer in the gospel of our Lord.

Joseph Smith Jr.