TO THE NAUVOO HIGH COUNCIL
1840 JUNE 18

Ds. Joseph Smith, Nauvoo, Illinois, to the High Council, Nauvoo, 18 June 1840, 3 pp., in hand of Robert B. Thompson, Joseph Smith Collection, LDS Church Archives.

At the 20 October 1839, meeting of the Nauvoo high council, Joseph Smith was named Church treasurer with power to oversee the pricing and sale of land in Nauvoo.601 Subsequently, much of his time was involved in this work. On 18 June 1840 the Prophet petitioned the council for relief from the "anxiety and trouble necessarily attendant on business transactions" so that he might devote his time more effectively to spiritual concerns. The council responded by urging Joseph to continue as treasurer, since they knew of "no way to relieve him" from the responsibility of liquidating the debt on the city plot. They did, however, appoint Henry G. Sherwood to assist Joseph as clerk, and Alanson Ripley (recently appointed bishop of Iowa) to "provide for the wants of the Presidency."602

The 18 June petition is presented here along with two holograph documents: the first, dated 12 December 1840, to Newel K. Whitney, bishop of Nauvoo's Middle Ward; and the second, dated 14 May 1841, specifying a land transaction with Ebenezer and Elender Wiggins. The holographs indicate that temporal matters continued to concern Joseph after the action of the high council.

To the Honorable the High Council of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

The memorial of Joseph Smith Jr respec[t]fully represents.

That after the Church of Jesus Christ had been inhumanly as well as unconstitutionally expelled from their homes which they had secured to themselves in the State of Missouri, and having <they> found a resting place in the State of Illinois altho very much scattered and at considerable distances from each other.

That after the escape of your memorialist [Joseph Smith] from his enemies, he, (under the direction of the authorities of the Church) took such steps as has secured to the Church the present Locations viz the Town plat of Nauvoo and lands in the Iowa Territory

That in order to secure said locations your memorialist had to become responsible for the payment of the same and had to use considerable exertion in order to commence a settlement and a place of gathering for the Saints, but knowing that from the genius of the constitution of the Church and for the well being of the saints that it was necessary so that the constituted Authorities of the Church might assemble together to act or to legislate for the good of the whole society and that the saints might enjoy those priviledges which they could not by being scattered so wide apart, induced your memorialist, to exert himself to the utmost, in order to bring about an object so necessary and so desireable to the saints at large

That under the then existing circumstances your memorialist had necessarily to engage in the temporalities of the Church [p. 1] which he has had to attend to the present time which has greatly engaged his mind and taken up much of his time.

That your memorialist feels it a duty which he owes to God as well as to the Church to give his attention more particularly to those things connected with the spiritual welfare of the saints (which have now become a great people) so that they may be built up in their most holy faith and be enabled to go on to perfection

That the Church having erected an office where he can attend to the affairs of the Church without distraction, he thinks and verily believes that the time has now come when he should devote himself exclusively to those things which relate to spiritualities of the Church and commence the work of translating the Ejyptian Records the Bible and wait upon the Lord for such revelations as may be suited to the condition and circumstances of the church and in order to attend to those things, prays that your honorable body will relieve him from the anxiety and trouble necessarily attendant on business transactions by appointing some one of the Bishops to take charge of the City Plot and attend to the business transactions which have heretofore rested upon your Memorialist.

That should your Honors deem it propper to do so, your memorialist would respectfully suggest, that he would have no means of support whatever and therefore would request that some one might be appointed to see that all his necessary wants be provided for as weIl as sufficient means or appropriations for a Clerk or Clerks which he may require to aid him in his important work [p. 2]

Your memorialist wouId further represent that as EIder H. G. Sherwood is conversant with the affairs of the City plot, he thinks that he would be a suitable person to act as Clerk in that business and attend to the disposing of the remaining lots &c &c

Your Memorialist would take this opportunity of congratulating your Honorable body on the peace and Harmony which exists in the Church and for the good feelings which seem to be manifest by all the saints and hopes that inasmuch as every one devotes themselves for the good of the Church and the spread of the Kingdom that the Choisest blessings of Heaven will be poured upon us and that the GIory of the Lord will overshadow the inheritances of the Saints

Joseph Smith Jr

Nauvoo June 18th 1840 [p. 3]

To the Hon
The High Council of the
Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints [p. 4]