Communications

To the Editors of the Times and Seasons:

Dear brethren, I request you, if consistent with your sense of propriety, to publish the following correspondence.

Br. S. Rigdon, Dear Sir, I take the liberty to address a few lines to you, which I wish to have you answer.

John Rigdon, the Campbellite preacher, and his friends, are very busy in circulating in the south part of this country, that you challenged him to a discussion of Mormonism last summer. You were to meet him on bear creek, and appointed the day, and when he came to the place, he found a letter there from you, stating that you would not attend, but you said you would attend at another time; or send a man to meet him, and you appointed the time. He appeared again at the time, and found another letter from you stating that you would not attend. he says he has the letters that he can show from you to support this fact. I find it a hard point to settle with the people. I want you to state the facts in relation, and send to me at Columbus Adams county.-yours in the new and everlasting covenant. H. W. MILLER

Nauvoo, July 8 th , 1840.

BR. H. W. MILLER: Your letter of July 2nd, is received, and as my health has improved a little, I this morning answer it. My health continues very bad, and it is only at intervals that I am able to write. All I can say, or need say, about the reports of John Rigdon, and his satellites, as reported in your letter, are that they are a tissue of falsehoods, from first to last. I never challenged John Rigdon, nor any other

man to a debate on religion, in my life. But if my information be correct at a meeting had by the Campbellites, some where on Bear creek, John Rigdon, after a pretty good display of bombast which is the principle ingredient in the Campbellite religion, and this the canded [candid] and thinking part of them is begining [ beginning] to discover; and the consequence is, they are embracing the truth, gave a public challenge to all the saints for a debate on religion. He was taken up, on the spot, by Br. Alaxander [Alexander], and notwithstanding, his boldness in challenging, he had to meanly creep out, and declined acting on his own challenge, saying to Br. Williams that he would not argue with any of mine or Br. Smiths understrappers, but he would meet either of us. In this management, he displayed as much cunning as I supposed was in him. And I also discovered, that by his connection with A. Campbell, he had inhailed [inhaled] the meanness of his leige [liege] lord, and the master whom he serves, [A. Campbell] the bombast was made, for the purpose of making proselytes, not at all with the design or expectation of ever having it placed in such a situation, that I nor Br. Smith could not consistently, with the dignity and character of both ourselves and the church to which we belong, meet him. John Rigdon knew perfectly well, that he himself was as much the understrapper of A. Campbell, as Br. Williams was our understrapper, and that, if it were a condescention [condescension] for him, to meet our understrappers, or as he meanly called them, it was equally a disgrace for us to meet an understrapper of A Campbell's. Having thus fortified himself, as he supposed, by stratagem, as well as a porcupine is by his quils [quills] he wrote me a letter, stating his conviction of the necessity of his and my meeting and investigating the subject of the difference of our religious sentiments [sentiments]. Previous to the time of his writing, he had assertained [ascertained], that myself and a number of my family were laying very sick, and the probability was, we or at least some of us would never recover, which proved to our great affliction to be true. He also knew before he wrote his letter, that it would be out of my power, if well, to meet him at that time, as he knew of my previous engagements to go to Washington city, and he knew that it was my sickness alone that had hindered me from being gone before he wrote: to this letter I told a young man by the name of Higbee to reply, and tell him of my sickness and that of my family, not knowing, at that time, that he knew of it, and also of my engagements to go to Washington. This last I knew he knew before. And I have since found out that he knew of the other, at the time of his writing.

I am convinced when I put the whole of this maneuvering together, that there was no intention on the part of John Rigdon, or his friends, to have a debate, but only to open a door for bombast, which seems to be their particular business, otherwise, he would not have put it out of my power, at the begining [beginning], to meet him.

In the letter written by Mr. Higbee I told him, to say to John Rigdon, that I would find a man who would dispute with him, I had my eye on Elder John Taylor, but before I was able to do any thing in the matter, Mr. T. had gone to England, there were two others on whom I designed to call, but before I had health and the circumstances of my family would admit of my doing any thing about it, they had both gone, one to England, the other to Philadelphia [Philadelphia] This I purposed to do, before I had knowledge of all the meanness of their maneuvering in this affair. Since I have been made acquainted with the low condescention [condescension] J. Rigdon in this matter, as well as that of his frothy satellites [satellites] I feel myself bound, to take a different course. I say frothy satellites, [satellites] I say so to make a distinction between the persons who profess faith in that religion; for among them there are gentlemen who would scorn to be found engaged in the low driveling and ribaldry, of those who take for their pattern bombastic leaders.

John Rigdon did at Carthage; if the statements made to me by Mr Harper, with whom he had a controversy at that place be true,. throw out insinuations, on this same subject, that were as mean as they were false. And also at your place, (Columbus) as declared to me by Mr. Driskill, a merchant of

Columbus, threw out insinuations, both low and contemptible, and the public will think so too, when they are made acquainted with the circumstances.-All these despisable insinuations, were thrown out to make an impression on the public mind, in favor of both himself and his religion, which truth never would make, by trying to make them believe that I was afraid to discuss the subject of religion with him. Now for the condescention [condescension] of this business-John Rigdon does know, and did know, that such was my health, that I was unable to hold a discussion on religion, or any other subject, all the time he was throwing out these foul insinuations; for it is known through the country, generally, that I am unable to get five miles from my house, let alone discuss a subject of importance with any person. And it is also a fact that my attendent [attendant], had forbid my using any exertions, either mental or physical, except very moderate exercise, as it will endanger my life.

Yet notwithstanding these known facts and that I have been so since August last, previous to the time I received any communication from him, this braggadocio has been attempting to avail himself of my sickness, to make a false impresion [impression] the public mind. Will not the public then justify me in saying that his condescention [condescension] is contemptable [contemptible] mean? surely they will: and he and his coajutors [coadjutors] to give better colering [coloring] to their falsehoods, reporting that I challenged John Rigdon to a controversy. I have learned from this and other similar things, that a stream never rises above its fountain. A. Campbell the Leige [liege] Lord of all the Campbellites, after the truth made its appearence [appearance] being conscious of the fallacy of his scheme, and knowing that it could not stand before the truth-for A. Campbell knows most assurdly [assuredly], that his religious scheme is false, and is not according to truth-, had recourse to publishing in his ignorant Periodical, foul slanders, base calumny, and infamous lies, knowing them to be such when he published them to injure the characters of certain individuals in the Church of Latter Day Saints. I ask why had Alaxaner [Alexander] recourse to these foul slanders? the answer is, truth would not answer his purpose, consequently he had to sacrifice truth and common decency, on the alter of his fabled religion. So leader, so disciple.

When Dr. Nelson sent his letter to this place, for the purpose of having a discussion at Quincy, his whole course was that of a gentleman; he felt willing to meet any brother of our faith, acknowledging every religious teacher of the same faith, as having equal claims on himself and on the public, and as such entitled to equal respect. There were no offensive and foul assertions, no contemptious [contemptuous] epithects [epithets], such as understrappers, as though he himself was some august personage, some character of wonderful dignity. In consequence of this manly and honerable [honorable] appeal, I felt myself bound to meet him, not as I would meet a braggadocio, but as a gentleman, of fine feelings, and honerable [honorable] deportment, and as such I feel myself still bound to investigate with him, when my health will admit, at his request.

But as relates to John Rigdon, my course is fixed, I say let him redeem his character in the first instance, let him meet Mr. A. Williams, who accepted his challenge, and whom he insulted foully because he accepted it, for never will meet him at the expense of the character and feelings of a gentleman, whom I as highly esteem as I do Mr. Williams. Let him take back his foul epithet of understrapper, and let him know by so stigmatizing, Mr. Williams, he reproaches himself also. And after he shall have done this, if necessary, I also will condescend to meet an understrapper, if he is not sufficiently satisfied with what Mr. Williams had done. I use this as his own language, and not mine, and God forbid it ever should be mine. Now, if he is warm for a debate, the way is open, and he can reach it by putting it into my power to meet him. Let him do this, or let him acknowledge that the whole was a peice [piece] of ledgerdemain [legerdemain], and for want of being a gentleman, he acted like a blackguard, or else in the midst of his confusion, at having his challenge accepted, he forgot himself.

I wish the public to know that I hold him to his challenge, let him meet Mr. Williams, on his challenge as publicly given, and if he wants any

more, he can have a chance at the publics humble servent [servant].

Yours as ever SIDNEY RIGDON.

MR. H. W. MILLER.

P. S. Br. Miller, I have taken the liberty, to lay your communication before the public, without your leave. I hope you will pardon me for so doing, as I had no opportunity of getting word to or from you: as also to answer it through the papers. I hope the readers of the Times and Seasons, will cause this correspondence to be read among the public, as mush as possible. S. R.

To all saints in Christ Jesus, who are in the east, in the west, in the north and in the south; grace be unto you, and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

As many of our brethren have written upon the subject of our persecution in Missouri, and have clearly set forth the powerful influence which the saints have had to contend with every since its organization: I shall not attempt to fathom the depths of our persecution, though volumns [volumes] be written on the subject which would tell a tale that would make the savage of the wilderness blush, or the barbarian hide his head for shame.

The appeal of the church to the American people, clearly and understandingly set forth the outrages practised [practiced] upon the saints by the mob in the State of Missouri, a parallel of which cannot be produced in the annals of history since the days of our saviour [Savior]; for we were stoned, we were whipped, we were robbed, we were imprisoned, and plundered, of all we possessed, and many of the saints sealed their testimony with their blood. But thanks be to our God, we take the spoiling of our goods, and the wasting of our substance joyfully, knowing that we have a building of God, a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens, and being expelled as we were from our homes, and plundered of all our property, renders us almost destitute of means to carry on the works which the Lord our God has commanded us to do, in order to bring about our redemption, to fulfill the words of the prophets, and to carry on the work of translation, that we may be thourougly [thoroughly] furnished with every good word and work, and that we may be instrutced [instructed] in principle, in doctrine, and obtain correct ideas of the prophecies which have been corrupted by that abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many precious parts which are plain, and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken.- Book of Mormon, page 30, 1 st ed.

Now under these existing circumstances brethren, groaning under poverty as you see that we are, and being under a solemn obligation to our God; and to the inhabitants of this generation, to promulge the pure doctrine of our Lord and saviour [Savior] Jesus Christ, what is to be done? shall the work stop for the want of means? no, God forbid, for we will propel the wheel of the kingdom by the power of union, until we acomplish [accomplish] all things whatsoever our God has commaded [commanded] us: and we firmly believe that the brethren who have funds will notice this appeal and come to our aid, and give us influence, so that they may be heirs with those who offered their all in sacrifice, and by this obtain a knowledge that the course of life which they pursue is according to the will of God.- See book of covenants, lecture 6, 9 th paragraph.

It is vain for persons to fancy to themselves that they are heirs with those, or can be heirs with them who have offered their all in sacrifice, and by this means obtained faith with God and favor with him, so as to obtain eternal life, unless they, in like manner offer unto him the same sacrifice, and through that offering obtain a knowledge that they are accepted of him.-We have already expended twenty thousand dollars, in importuning at the feet of the rulers of this goverment [government]; and we will again appeal to the authorities of this nation, for the redemption of our property in the State of Missouri: for inasmuch as congress was not authorized to handle our case, we are determined to hunt alternately, until we can find a tribunal (if on earth) that will redress our unparallelled [unparalleled] wrongs, from a set of demons in the shape of men; then if we cannot find a tribunal on earth qualified for that purpose, the chief Magestrate [magistrate] holds the destiny of eternal

worlds will hear the cries of innocent blood, and will let loose his indignation upon the rulers of this government, and vexation, and astonishment shall be the cry of this nation.

Now brethren I have thrown out a few hints of what has been done, and what remains yet to be done, therefore we will with our united effort both with our means and influence put shoulder to the wheel, and not rest until the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the great deep.

Now I leave the subject for your consideration firmly believing that our God will instruct you, and teach you the duty which you owe to Him to yourselves, and to the church, which he has set up by his revelations, even so Amen.

A RIPLEY, BISHOP.