TO HEBER C. KIMBALL AND BRIGHAM YOUNG
1839 JANUARY 16

FC. Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Hyrum Smith, Liberty Missouri, to Heber C. Kimball and Brigham Young, Far West, Missouri, 16 January 1839, 2 pp. Joseph Smith Collection, LDS Church Archives. The opening lines are in the hand of Robert B. Thompson. Two others finished writing the letter.

Built in 1833 at a cost of $600, the jail at Liberty, Missouri, was a two-story structure approximately 22 feet square and built of rough-hewn limestone. Inside the outer wall was another wall of oak logs. The two walls were separated by a twelve-inch space filled with loose rock, the whole presenting a formidable barrier four feet thick. The interior of the jail was divided into upper and lower rooms, the lower room, or dungeon, lighted by two small windows grated with heavy iron bars. It was here on 1 December 1838 that Joseph Smith and five others were confined.554

Soon after their imprisonment, Heber C. Kimball and Alanson Ripley began petitioning local legal authorities for a court hearing in behalf of the prisoners. At the same time, with their leaders in prison, local Church officials were meeting at Far West making plans to comply with the November injunction that the Latter-day Saints "leave the state forthwith." In this setting, the Church presidency wrote to two of the Twelve, Heber C. Kimball and Brigham Young, who were highly involved in Church administration at that time.

Liberty Jany 16th 1839

Bros H C Kimball and B Young

Joseph Smith Jr Sidney Rigdon and Hyram Smith prisoners for Jesus Sake sends greeting.

In obedience to your request in your letter we say to you as follows. It is not wisdom for you to go out of Caldwell with your Families yet for a little season untill we are out of Prison after which time you may act your pleasure, but though you take your Families out of the state yet it will be necessary for you to Return and leave as before designed on the 26 of Apriel555. In as much as we are in priso<n> and for a litle season if need be the managment of the affairs of the church devolves on you that is the twelve the gathering556 of necessity stopt. but the convertion of the world need not stop, but under wise management can go on more rapidly than ever. wher churches are built let them continue wher they are until a door is open to do other wise. and let every Elder ocupy his own ground. and where he builds a church let him preside over it. and let not others run in to trouble him. and thus let every man prove h<i>mself unto God that he is worthy. If we live we live, and if we die for the testimony of Jesus we die. but whether we live or die let the work of God go on. Let the churches in England continue there, till further orders. till a door can be opened for them. except they choose to come to America. and take their chance with the saints here. if they do that, let them come, and if they choose to come the[y] would do well to send wise men before them and buy out Kirtland, and the regions round about. or they may settle whare they can till things may alter. It will be necessary for you to get the twelve togather ordain such as have not ben ordained, or at least such of them as you can get and proceed to regulate the Elders as the Lord may give you wisdom. We nominate George A Smith and Lyman Sherman to take the place of Orson Hyde and Thomas B Marsh.557 Brethren fear not but be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. What is man that the servent of God should fear him, or the son of man that he should tremble at him. Neither think [it] strange concerning the firy trials with which we are tried as though some strange thing had happened unto us. Remember that all have ben pertakers of like afflictions. Therefore rejoice in our afflictions by which you are perfected and through which the captain of our salvation was perfected also. Let your hearts and the hearts of all the saints be comforted with you, and let them rejoice exceedingly for great is our reward in he<a>ven. for so percicuted the wicked the prophets which were before us.

America will be a Zion to all that choose to come to it. And if the churches in foren countries wish to come let them do so. Say to Br P P Pratt that our feelings accords with his.558 he is as we are, and we as he may peace rest upon him in life and in death. Brethren pray for us, and cease not. till our deliverence comes. which we hope may come. we hope we say, for our famalies sake. Let the elders preach nothing but the first principles of the gospel. and let them publish our afflictions. the injustice and cruelty thereof upon the house tops. Let them write it and publish it in all the papers where they go. charge them perticularly on this point

Brethren we remain yours in hope of Eternal life

Sidney Rigdon
Joseph Smith Jr
Hyrum Smith

N.B. Appoint the oldest of those of the twelve who were firs[t] appointed, to be the President of your Quorum. 559

J S
S R
H S