TO CHURCH PRESIDENCY IN KIRTLAND
1838 MARCH 29

FC. Joseph Smith, Far West, Missouri to the Church Presidency in Kirtland, Ohio, 29 March 1838, in Joseph Smith, "Scriptory Book," MS, pp. 23-26, in hand of George W. Robinson, Joseph Smith Collection, LDS Church Archives.

Far West March 29th A. D. 1838

To the first Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Kirtland

Dear & well beloved brotheren.

Through the grace & mercy of our God, after a long & tedious Journey of two months & one day, I and my family arrived in the City of Far West Having been met at Huntsville 120 Miles from this by brotheren with teams & money to forward us on our Journey When within eight miles of the City of Far West We were met by an [p. 23] escort of bretheren from the City Who were T. B. Marsh John Corril Elias Higby & Severel others of the faithfull of the West Who received us with open armes and warm hearts and welcomed us to the bosom of their Sosciety On our arrival in the City we were greeted on Every hand by the Saints who bid us welcom[e]; Welcome; to the land of their inheritance. Dear bretheren you may be assured that so friendly a meeting & reception paid us will for our long seven years of Servictude persecution & affliction in the midst of our enimies in the land Kirtland yea verily our hearts were full and we feel greatfull to Almighty God for his kindness unto us. The particulars of our journey brotheren cannot well be writen but we trust that the same God w<h>o has protected us will protect you also, and will sooner or later grant us the privilege of seeing each other face <to> face & of rehersing all our sufferings We have herd of the destruction of the printing office529 which we presume to believe must have been occasioned by the Parrishites530 or more properly the Aristocrats or Anarchys as we believe, The Saints here have provided a room for us and daily necessary's which is brought in from all parts of the Co. to make us comfortable, so that I have nothing to do but to attend to my spiritual concerns or the spiritual affairs of the Church The difficulties of the Church had been Ajusted before [my] arrival here by a Judicious High Council With T. B. Marsh & D W Patten who acted as Pres. Pro. Tem. of the Church of Zion being appointed by the voice of the Council & Church Wm. W. Phelps & John Whitmer having been cut off from the Church,531 D Whitmer remains as yet. The saints at this time are in union & peace & love prevails throughout, in a word Heaven smiles upon the saints in Caldwell. Various & many have been the falshoods writen from thence [p. 24] to this place, but have prevailed nothing, we have no uneasiness about the power of our enimies in this place to do us harm Br Samuel H Smith & family arrived here soon after we did in go[o]d health, Br B Young Br D[aniel]. S. Miles & Br L[evi]. Richards arrivd here when we did. They were with us on the last of our journey which aded much to our sattisfaction. They also are well They have provided places for their families & are now about to break the ground for seed. Being under the hand of wicked vex<at>ious Lawsuits for seven years past my buisness was so dangerous that I was not able to leave it, in as good a situation as I had antisipated, but if there are any wrongs, They shall all be noticed so far as the Lord gives me ability & power to do so, Say to all the brotheren that I have not forgotten them, but remember them in my prayers, Say to Mother Beamon that I remember her, Also Br Daniel Carter Br St[r]ong & family Br [Oliver] Granger & family, Finally I cannot innumerate them all for the want of room I will just name Br Knights the Bishop &c.. My best respects to them all for the want of room & I commend them and the Church of God in Kirtland to our Heavenly Father & the word of his grace, which is able to make you wise unto Salvation I would just say to Br. [William] Marks, that I saw in a vision while on the road that whereas he was closely persued by an innumerable concource of enimies and as they pressed upon him hard as if they were about to devour him, It had seemingly attained some degre of advantage over him But about this time a chariot of fire came and near the place and the Angel of the Lord put forth his hand unto Br. Marks & said [p. 25] unto him thou art my son come here. And immediately he was caught up in the Chariot and rode away triumphantly out of their midst and again the Lord said I will raise th[ee] up for a blessing unto many people Now the particulars of this whole matter cannot be writen at this time but the vision was evidently given to me that I might know that the hand of the Lord would be on his behalf

J Smith Jr

I transmit to you the folowing motto of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints Recorded on Pages 16 & 17 of J Smith Jr Scriptory Record Book A:

We left Pres. Rigdon 30 miles this side of Parris Illinois in consequence of the sickness of Br. G. W. Robinsons wife, on yesterday br Robinson arrived here who informed us that his fatherin Law (S. Rigdon) was at Huntsville detained there on account of the ill health of his wife, They will proba[b]ly be here soon, Choice seeds of all kinds of fruit also Choice breed of Cattle would be in much demand also best blood of horses garden seeds of every description also hay seed of all sorts, all of these are much needed in this place

Verry respe[c]tfully I subscribe myself your Servent in Christ our Lord & Savior

Joseph Smith Jr

Prest of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints