--- title: Times and Seasons description: Issues of 1841 to 1842. authors: - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints editors: - Ebenezer Robinson - Don Carlos Smith - Smith, Joseph, Jr. - Taylor, John collections: - periodicals tags: - newspaper - times-and-seasons - nauvoo - nineteenth-century periodical: Times and Seasons volume: 3 number: 13 published: 1842-05-01 publisher: E. Robinson and D. C. Smith; later John Taylor publisher_place: Commerce and Nauvoo, Illinois language: en type: article reference: "“Letter from W. J. Appleby. Esq,” *Times and Seasons* 3, no. 13 (May 1, 1842): 777–780." printed_title: LETTER FROM W. J. APPLEBY. Esq. source: url: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1842-05-01_3_13 transcription: Text from the Centerplace.org transcription (https://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v3n13.htm), with its page breaks; this Internet Archive scan is the reference copy (its OCR was used only as a witness for OCR repair) identifier: per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1842-05-01_3_13 start_page: 777 end_page: 780 curator_note: A Mormon newspaper published by the church in Nauvoo; included for historical study. Inclusion does not imply endorsement. rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1842 (Nauvoo, Illinois); published before 1931, so public domain in the United States source: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1842-05-01_3_13 publication_year: 1842 --- # Letter from W. J. Appleby. Esq DEAR BROTHER:-It is with feelings of no ordinary kind, that I take my pen in hand, (aside from the bustle and cares of life) to communicate to you, thou servant and prophet of the most high, the pleasing and no doubt cheering intelligence of what the Lord of glory is doing in this part of the vineyard. When I take a retrospective view of the rise of the "Church of Christ" in these last days, and reflect what scenes of persecutions, trials, distress, and bloodshed, the saints of God have been called upon to undergo, for the testimony of Jesus and his holy word; and especially when I think of you, (the trials you have endured, the tribulations you have waded through, the cold damp prisons you have lain in, the galling chains you have been loaded with, the fetters, and bands of iron that have encompassed your limbs, and all for the sake of eternal truth,) I am ready to exclaim, how long Oh! just, righteous, and eternal Father wilt thou suffer thy prophet and seer, to be persecuted, his life sought after, his name and character villified [vilified], traduced, calumniated, falsified and slandered, by wicked and designing men; the emmisaries [emissaries] of Satan, but a soft still sweet voice whispers, "my grace is all sufficient for him" he is under my protecting care, and no power of hell and earth combined shall ever be able to overcome him if he is faithful. ("They that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.") And I pray my Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus, that you may be kept faithful unto the end, and may the saints by their faith and prayers always hold you up before our heavenly King, that you may never fall, though your path should be continually beset with the "fowler's snare" though you should be called upon to undergo more trials, perplexities, griefs, sorrows, disappointments, tribulations and afflictions; and at last seal your testimony with the effusions of you own blood; for the glorious, triumphant and eternal truth that God has made you an instrument in revealing to the children of men. May you never falter, but meet it all with a triumphant smile, obtain the victory over all your enemies; death, hell, and the grave;-fall asleep in the arms of Jesus;-and receive the crown, which thus far you have so nobly and gallantly contended and fought for like a true soldier of the cross, and follower of the Lamb; even when death (with all its appalling forms) stared you in the face, it found you true, and immovable to the glorious-inspiring-heaven born truths that have been revealed to you; and which I your humble servant and brother in the bonds of the everlasting covenant am rejoicing in. May Israel's God protect you, and his church, and people from all harm, and danger; and speed on his triumphant and glorious gospel. The ship of eternal truth is plowing with dignity and majesty through the yielding waves of sophism, infidelity and delusion; the waves of persecution are rolling high and dash vehemently against its triumphant bows, but they cannot impede its progress: base fabrications, slander, scorn, obloquy, vituperation, scurrillity [scurrility], and in fact all manner of the most glaring and unblushing falsehoods are heralded forth by priests and people; and reiterated and reechoed in every breeze, from one end of God's footstool, (if it were possible) to the other; but what does all their evanid declamating [declamations] amount to? the answer is definite and positive, NOTHING.-It goes ahead with a steady pace, every day gives it a new impetus, and every moment accelerates its speed, and why? the God of heaven is at the helm, and he will steer the ship and the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ; yes, the mighty kingdoms of China, Austria, Russia, Prussia, France, England and America not excepted, with all the sectarian denominations of the present day will be utterly overthrown;-and Christ will come with all his Saints, and establish his kingdom upon their ruins. But I said I was going to inform you what the Lord of glory was doing here, this I will endeavor to do. There is a branch here containing 22 members, including 1 elder, and 1 priest, and more believing. It is but a few weeks ago since I baptized a gentleman and his lady here at 9 o clock at night, and broke the ice to do it, but they never minded ice nor weather when truth was to be obtained; the gentleman was of the persuasion of friends, the lady was formerly a member of the Church of England, from Philadelphia, they both are now rejoicing in the truth, and thankful that they have eradicated the mark of the Beast. I have been home but a few days from a tour of nearly two weeks along the sea shore (i.e.) Toms River and Forked River &c. There were six baptized at Toms River while I was there and more believing; there are something near two hundred members here and in Cream Ridge, and Toms River exclusive of those who have gone west. I was informed by Br. Winner that Elder Divine baptized 18 in one day a few weeks ago at Long Branch, and that there had been 60 baptized there within a short time. There are calls here for preaching on the right and left, we would like to see Br. Page or some other efficient elder, here as soon as you have an opportunity of sending one, I have understood you purposed coming east in the spring if you are I wish you to inform me as soon as you receive this and at what time you expect to be in Jersey, as Br. Isaac R. Robbins is coming to Nauvoo this spring, and wishes to see you, but if you are coming here perhaps he may wait until you arrive. Brs. John R. Robbins, and Lafetras, with their families expect to leave here for Nauvoo sometime in April; but I must bring my letter to a close as the bright luminary of day has long since sunk behind the western hills, and another day has rolled into (to us) the ocean of eternity, to help fill up the vacuum of years yet wanting to commence the sabbath of rest;-the sable shades of night are hovering over the earth, her dark mantle is spread upon the hills and vallies[valleys]; while bright Phaebus the queen of night is riding in glorious majesty, with all her attendant train of satellites, twinkling in ether blue, and all nature is nearly hushed in slumbering silence, and enjoying that heavenly repose which the great Author ordained for the creatures of his care; therefore with the sublimest emotions of praise and gratitude to my God do I close by saying may God bless you and yours, Br. Hyrum, and all the Saints throughout the world: and may Zion prosper and become the joy of the whole earth. With sentiments of profound respect do I subscribe myself your well wisher and brother in the Lord, W. J. APPLEBY. We have received a communication from Elder Eli Maginn, and from E. Snow, Mass. Elder Maginn has forwarded twenty four dollars subscription money, and twenty dollars for the temple, he writes as follows. (Salem, Mass. March 22nd), 1842 PRES'T SMITH SIR. I avail myself of this opportunity of transmitting the following subscribers for your valuable paper. * * I shall endeavor to forward from 100 to 200 dollars by fall, for the House of the Lord, as it appears to be of the most vital importance that the Saints should assist in a work so desirable, which is looked forward to with anxious anticipation by all the faithful laborers in the kingdom. We shall do all that we can to forward the work. * * * Dear Brother, I feel to rejoice in the prosperity of the work of the God of the Saints, which is truly prosperous in New England, the engine of eternal truth has been called into successful opposition against the crafts, and systems of "The like occupation," and notwithstanding the contest has been exceedingly fierce, the enemy being active in the usual way with falsehood, and misrepresentation, the victory is the Lord's; truth has triumphed, and is spreading its benign influence abroad like the rays of the king of day, as if unconscious of the elements of oppression and opposition which have been so unsuccessfully employed from the first, up to the present time. I am on a visit to assist Elder E. Snow in his successful and extended field of labor, in this branch (Salem). Sixty five have been obedient to the faith of the gospel, and hundreds of others "almost pursuaded[persuaded]." In Boston near 40 have obeyed, through the faithful labors of Elder F. Nickerson. I have been absent from Peterboro two weeks, have preached three or four times in Boston, Salem, Marblehead, Chelsea &c. and purpose returning to Peterboro next Sunday, where I have been laboring with good success, thirty six have obeyed since last fall, at New Salem, Mass. thirty-five to forty obeyed since August last, Leverett eighteen or twenty, Gilsum N. H. twenty to thirty. I have preached from one to three times almost every day, and cannot fill one to twenty of the calls for preaching; there is the greatest excitement in this country that I ever beheld during my travels, since I left Nauvoo; a period of three years in which I have travelled [traveled] through eighteen States and British Provinces. The honest seeker after truth is rejoicing in its liberty; while "Our Crafts. men" are laboring and howling to see their sinking crafts crumbling to disolution [dissolution] and nonentity, without having power to repel the march of TRUTH which is onward with the velocity of electricity, spreading terror and dismay throughout their majestic empire. In haste E. P. MAGINN. P. S. Dear Brother, I long to see the time when I can return and again receive instructions from those whom God has chosen to council his saints with, "Thus saith the Lord," and not the traditions of men; I feel very anxious to return by fall, as I have been absent three years. I have disposed of more than $150 worth of books (and expect near that amount this day from New York and Philadelphia), the demand daily increases, some of the popular begin to take a decided stand in favor of the truth. E. P. M. We have received to day several numbers of the "Millennial Star" published in Manchester, England; we extract the following from the minutes of a conference held in Manchester "Twelve branches were represented consisting of 1589 members, with appropriate officers." "From the foregoing extract, it will be seen that the church in Manchester conference now numbers near sixteen hundred members, after excommunicating one hundred and twenty five and dismissing some hundreds by emigration. All these have been gathered into the fold in the course of about two years, and that from an obscure beginning, in a small cellar in Oldham-road; being the first place in which the fulness [fullness] of the gospel was preached within the bounds of what now composes the Manchester conference. "Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth!"-(Mil. Star, Nov.) From Elder Reed, Isle of Man- "I think that all the lies that have been hatched in America, England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, have been imported to the Isle of Man. Yet notwithstanding all these things the work of the Lord is advancing, as our congregation is on the increase. Seven have been added by baptism since I came; and the saints speak with tongues, and interpret, and have dreams, and visions and prophesy; and the gift of healing has been wonderfully made manifest among the saints, and among others. . . .The work is beginning to spread on this Island, and new places are presenting themselves to us on every hand."-(Mil. Star). From Elder Adams, Bedford England- "In looking back to the time that Jesus sent me here to take charge of the church which was in April last, I see great cause to rejoice and praise the name of the Lord. The church then numbered about fifty members, and three priests; now there are nearly four times that number of members. . . .Scores are believing in many of the adjoining towns and we are baptizing almost daily. "Last Sabbath was a day long to be remembered; there were seventeen confirmed, and several ordained to offices in the church. In the evening when I gave my farewell address, there were hundreds to listen, many of whom could not get into the chapel." (Mil. Star, Jan.) In Liverpool, London, Birmingham, Preston, and in different parts of England, Scotland, and Wales, the work of God is rolling forth with great rapidity. We have also received many interesting communications from different parts of the United States. The little stone rolls forth with unprecedented rapidity, and many are joining the standard of truth. We extract the following. Elder James Blakeslee writes from Utica N. Y.; and states that the work is rolling forth in all that district of country where he has travelled [traveled]; he has lately organized a branch in Utica, of 30 members, and wishes the saints, and traveling elders to be notified that their will be a CONFERENCE held in the City of Utica, on the 11th of June, commencing at 11 o'clock, P. M.