TO OLIVER GRANGER
1841 JANUARY 26

Ls. Joseph Smith, Nauvoo, Illinois, to Oliver Granger, Kirtland, Ohio, 26 January 1841, 3 pp., in hand of Robert B. Thompson, Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Under the impression that Oliver Granger, the agent sent to settle Church debts in Kirtland, was planning to return to Nauvoo in fall 1840, Joseph Smith learned belatedly that Granger had no such intentions. In the meantime, a Church conference had convened in Nauvoo on 3 October 1840, at which Almon Babbitt had been appointed to preside over the stake at Kirtland -an appointment that would probably have fallen to Granger had his correspondence to the Prophet arrived before the conference.618 Upon receiving the delayed correspondence, Joseph wrote to Oliver Granger on 26 January.

City of Nauvoo Jany 26. 1841

Dear Brother Granger.

I wrote you a few days ago in answer to a letter recently received from you, expressing my surprise that I dad not received the letters you mentioned; Since that time, I have to inform you that I have received two letters giving me an account of the proceeding of the Church in Kirtland and some of your business transactions. I am extreemly sorry that the person by whom you sent those letters did not hand them over to me sooner, however, I assure you, I was glad to peruse <read> them and felt very much satisfied with the perusal. I was likewise very much pleased with the spirit which was manifest by the saints in Kirtland and for their desire to promote the interests of the Kingdom.

If those letters had been received in their propper time, we probably might have acted differently at the last conference, but not having the information we desired, we acted to the best of our understanding, which I hope will prove advantageous to all parties. I hope you will not let any of the proceedings of last conference disturb your mind, for we understood you were intending to come here last fall, and consequently thought it advisable to appoint some one to preside in Kirtland. I should be glad if you would cooperate with Elder Babbit and both lay your shoulders to the work, and if you do so I think you will be a blessing to the Church, and prosperity will smile upon you.

I should be much pleased [p. 1] to receive a letter from you as oft as you can make it convenient and give me all the intelligence in your power. I am yet in the dark respecting the New York debts I should be much pleased to hear that they were settled.

Since writing the above I received yours of the 9th inst, and I assure you I was very much gratified to hear of your success in redeeming the "Lords House" &c I hope Dear Brother that success will attend all your efforts for the prosperity of the cause, so dear to the saints and that you will be abundantly rewarded by that God whose has called us to be co-workers with him and his holy spirit in these last days.

Be assured of my continued regard for your welfare and for the prosperity of the Saints in Kirtland, and I pray that they may prosper in every good word and work and after the afflictions and tribulations of mortality be crowned with everlasting joy in the celestial Kingdom of our God.

We continue to prosper in this place and expect to have a large encrease of inhabitants the next season. We are making preperation for some large and extensive buildings which we intend to erect soon.

With sentiments of respect, I am very respectfully yours,

Affectionately
Joseph Smith [p. 2]

P. S. With respect to giving advise to the saints moving to Kirtland I would say, that I feel desireous that the Eastern brethren should come to this place but at the same time, those who had rather move to Kirtland than to this place are at liberty to do so.

I am pleased you have secured the keys of the Lords House, and should advise you and you are hereby requested to hold them until [I] come. wh I cannot say when I shall pay you a visit but I think not before the New York debts be settled, so if you are desireous to see me, you will have to exert yourselves to get the debts settled.

Please to write me all the particulars of your transactions and let me know when we shall have the pleasure of seeing you here

J.S.

Dr Galland accompanied by some one of the brethren (perhaps Hyrum) intend to leave this place in a few days for the east, on business for the church, they will call at Kirtland and will be glad to see you as you may possibly give them such information as will be necessary for them in their business transactions.

J.S.