TO WILLIAM W. PHELPS
1840 JULY 22

FC. Joseph Smith, Nauvoo, Illinois, to William W. Phelps, Dayton, Ohio, 22 July 1840, Joseph Smith Letterbook 2:157-58, in hand of Robert B. Thompson, Joseph Smith Collection, LDS Church Archives.

Among the spiritual casualties during the trying times of 1838 in Missouri was William W. Phelps, one of the presidents of the Church in Zion. Accused of selling his land in Jackson County contrary to counsel and of using Church money for his own purposes, he was excommunicated in March 1838. Later that year, in the hearing before Judge Austin A. King at Richmond, he testified, among other things, that Joseph Smith had advocated resistance to all law and had engineered the burning and plundering of the towns of Gallatin and Millport.604 His testimony for the state, along with other dissenters, helped establish the case that committed the Mormon leaders to prison.

Following his excommunication, Phelps moved to Dayton, Ohio, where he was living when Orson Hyde and John E. Page, en route to Europe, found him penitent and poverty stricken. Encouraged by his visitors, William wrote to Joseph Smith on 29 June 1840, seeking to regain the fellowship of his former associates: "I am alive, and with the help of God I mean to live still. I am as the prodigal son, though I never doubt or disbelieve the fulness of the Gospel. . . . I have seen the folly of my way, and I tremble at the gulf I have passed. So it is, and why I know not. I prayed and God answered, but what could I do? Says I, ÔI will repent and live, and ask my old brethren to forgive me, and though they chasten me to death, yet I will die with them, for their God is my God. The least place with them is enough for me, yea, it is bigger and better than all Babylon.' . . . I know my situation, you know it, and God knows it, and I want to be saved if my friends will help me. . . . I have done wrong and I am sorry. The beam is in my own eye. I have not walked along with my friends according to my holy anointing. I ask forgiveness in the name of Jesus Christ of all the Saints, for I will do right, God helping me."605 Joseph Smith responded to his solicitations on 22 July.

Nauvoo Hancock Co Ill.
July 22nd 1840

Dear Brother Phelps

I must say that it is with no ordinary feelings I endeavour to write a few lines to you in answer to yours of the 29th Ultimo, at the same time I am rejoiced at the priveledge granted me. You may in some measure realise what my feelings, as well as EIder Rigdon's & Bro Hyrum's were when we read your letter, truly our hearts were melted into tenderness and compassion when we assertained your resolves &c

I can assure you I feel a disposition to act on your case in a manner that will meet the approbation of Jehovah (whose servant I am) and agreeably to the principles of truth and righteousness which have been revealed and inasmuch as long-suffering patience and mercy have ever characterized the dealings of our heavenly Father towards the humble and penitent, I feel disposed to copy the example and cherish the same principles, by so doing be a Savior of my fellow men

It is true, that we have suffered much in consequence of your behavior the cup of gall already full enough for mortals to drink, was indeed filled to overflowing when you turned against us: One with whom we had oft taken sweet council together, and enjoyed many refreshing seasons from the Lord "Had it been an enemy we could have borne it" In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day when Strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates and cast lots upon Far West even thou wast as one of them. But thou shouldst not have ["]looked on [p. 157] the day of thy brother, in the day that he became a stranger neither shouldst thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress" However the Cup has been drunk, the will of our heavenly Father has been done, and we are yet alive for which we thank the Lord. And having been delivered from the hands of wicked men by the mercy of our God, we say it is your privilidge to be delivered from the power of the Adversary be brought into the liberty of God's dear children, and again take your stand among the Saints of the Most High, and by diligence humility and love unfeigned, commend yourself to our God and your God and to the church of Jesus Christ

Believing your confession to be real and your repentance genuine, I shall be happy once again to give you the right hand of fellowship, and rejoice over the returning prodigal.

Your letter was read to the Saints last Sunday and an expression of their feeling was taken, when it was unanimously resolved that W. W. Phelps should be received into fellowship.

"Come on dear Brother since the war is past,

For friends at first are friends again at last."

Yours as Ever
Joseph Smith Jr