--- 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: 20 published: 1842-08-15 publisher: E. Robinson and D. C. Smith; later John Taylor publisher_place: Commerce and Nauvoo, Illinois language: en type: article reference: "“Letter from L. D. Wasson,” *Times and Seasons* 3, no. 20 (August 15, 1842): 891–893." printed_title: LETTER FROM L. D. WASSON. source: url: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1842-08-15_3_20 transcription: Text from the Centerplace.org transcription (https://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v3n20.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_1842-08-15_3_20 start_page: 891 end_page: 893 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_1842-08-15_3_20 publication_year: 1842 --- # Letter from L. D. Wasson Philadelphia, July 30, 1842. DEAR UNCLE AND AUNT.- With feelings of no ordinary character, and under peculiar circumstances, I now attempt to break the seeming long silence that has not been interrupted since I left your hospitable cottage, and the society of those rendered dear to me by their virtues, their benevolence and their glorious institutions. That, with the assistance of my heavenly Father, has formed my character and habits for the society of saints and angels. I am in the enjoyment of good health, and I believe entirely free from that miserable, contemptible disease that destroys the constitution of man, (namely ague and fever,) and what causes me greater rejoicing, I have, by the grace of God, abolished the more dangerous malady-one that binds the mind of man in midnight darkness, and obscures their future destiny and eternal happiness in mistie [misty] clouds of uncertainty and doubt, namely, sectarian cupidity. I have just returned to this city from a short excursion of four weeks through the south part of Jersey. Brother I. Ivins and myself were the first that ever proclaimed the everlasting gospel in that region of country; and to the disappointment of the people, and consternation of hireling priests, we preached Christ, and him crucified, and presented new and important truths from their own bibles that they never saw or heard of before. The people of this section are principally Methodists and Presbyterians, but they were inclined to believe the truth as it was presented, until the decrees of their long robed gods went forth commanding them not to hear or entertain these impostors, as we were called-O delusion! O blind philosophy! how long will thy unfortunate dupes be gulled by the ipse dixit of learned fools and holy knaves? We were frequently obliged to leave the scriptures, or subject under consideration and give lessons on good manners, and advise disorderly priests not to disgrace their parents by showing their bad breeding. We held a discussion with a college bred advocate of Calvinism on the 23d; he would not show that Mormonism was false, as he had stated, so we took him up on Calvinism, and I assure you he found himself in poor picking before we got through. We left many believing our testimony, and intend to return next week and give them the second edition of the same important subject. When I arrived in Philadelphia the saints were in a tremendous flustration [frustration] for the welfare of brother Joseph, and their friends at Nauvoo. The disclosures of J. C. Bennett and his sattelites [satellites] had just arrived, and the faith of some was failing-others doubting, and those founded on the rock were contending against such unheard of falsehoods and slanders, and turning the reproach where it belongs--upon the heads of those black and midnight fiends who have made this bold attempt to destroy a virtuous people. Great excitement in this city at this time-there is a discussion in progression between our beloved brother Adams and Dr. West, the celebrated lion (liar) of sectarianism. It is really amusing to see these two champions contend with stentorian voice, eloquence, and language; and all the tact of argument that God lavishes upon the defenders of truth, and the devil upon his lawyers, is arrayed in this debate. It is appalling to hear the groans of priests-the clamors of infidels, and apparently the last dying struggles of modern Babylon, beneath the ponderous weight of truth. May the time speedily arrive when she shall have kicked her last, and liberty, truth and happiness be the principles that stand as a watch word for the faithful, who by their virtues make glad the city of God. Although I have left the society of tried friends--the joyous circles of the young and gifted-the endearments of domestic happiness, surrounded with brothers and sisters--an affectionate mother in tears--and the society of those that would deem it a pleasure to administer to my necessities when sickness or adverse fortune had laid upon me her withering hand-I have done it for the cause of truth, and not for worldly gain, applause, or pleasure-but it is my greatest delight to defend the truth against the attacks of holy hypocrites and bible infidels-and by the assistance of God I intend to bring our relatives into the good work unless they persist in believing a lie that they may be damned. I intend going to Harpersville and Harmony this fall, unless I am advised to the reverse. Uncle, if you want any thing of me write to Toms River, N. J. I should be pleased to hear from you all. If I can be of auy [any] service in this Bennett affair I am ready. I was reading in your chamber last summer--yourself and Bennett came into the lower room, and I heard you give J. C. Bennett a tremendous flagellation for practicing iniquity under the base pretence [pretense] of authority from the heads of the church-if you recollect I came down just before you were through talking. There are many things I can inform you of, if necessary, in relation to Bennett and his prostitutes. I am satisfied of your virtue and integrity. I have been with you to visit the sick, and time and again to houses where you had business of importance, you requested me to do so--many times I knew not why, but I am satisfied it was that you might not be censured by those that were watching you with a jealous eye, and I now solemnly protest before God and man, I never saw a thing unvirtuous in your conduct. With sentiments of high esteem to the children and family, I am your most obedient nephew. L. D. WASSON. Mr. Joseph Smith. Mrs. Emma Smith. SITUATION OF THE OPERATIVES IN ENGLAND.-"England protects the manufacturers," say the Whigs. And how does she protect them? The following extracts from a late English paper will show, to some extent. The fact is, England protects CAPITAL, while labor is left to take care of itself;-and this is precisely what the whig capitalists of this country are now contending for. DISTTESS [DISTRESS] IN MANCHESTER.-A meeting of the shop keepers in Manchester, called to take into considerataon [consideration] the state of their trade, took place on the 13th of June. It appears that the working classes in that great capital of manufactures, are in a wretched condition-many of them, indeed, driven by their privations to a state of desperation and utter disregard of consequences. One of the speakers, Mr. Hampson, a grocer and provision dealer, gave a most graphic account of the appalling scenes he and his brother shop keepere [shopkeepers] were every day compelled to witness. 'It was only the other day, he said, a man came into his shop and seized a piece of cheese--being the first article of food near him on entering the shop. He (Mr. Hampson) jumped from behind the counter, and said to the man, 'Why are you doing this? The man said he was starving to death for food. He told the man he might as well let bread serve his purpose, and not take cheese; and the man, who seemed to be worked up to a pitch of great excitement, then seized hold of a four pound loaf, relinquishing his hold of the cheese. He said to the man, 'Why are you in such excitement, and look so angry? what have I done to offend you?' The man then repeated that he and his family were starving. He, (Mr. Hampson,) though he had an opportunity of preventing his escape, could not bring himself to it, but said, 'Well, then, we'll not call this stealing; the bread is yours'-and he went off with it. Nor was this a solitary case of levying provisions in this way. Within the last week, ten or a dozen men in a party had come to his shop and demanded relief, his wife gladly availing herself of the opportunity to put her own hand in the till to relieve them. Contributions on his neighbors through the street were levied at the same time and in the same manner. Now, these were small beginners-God knew where they would end! He added that the poor were dying around him in all directions. A Mr. Groom, linen draper, said the shopkeepers had not one fourth, nor even one sixth of the business they used to have. No fewer than five shops in his immediate neighborhood had been obliged to close. Various other tradesmen told the same melancholy tale, and it was finally agreed to call a public meeting of shop keepers on Tuesday evening next, in the town hall. Society seems on the point of dissolution in the manufacturing districts of Lancashire.-This state of things cannot possibly exist much longer. EXTRAORDINARY WHIRLWIND-A letter in the Rhone gives the following particulars of a whirlwind at Chauffailes, and its neighborhood on the 24th ult. Thirty houses were actually carried away. Six persons of the same family were killed, others mutilated, children were smothered in their cradles, carriages were carried entire over the roofs of houses, plantations were torn up, and the largest trees were carried to an immense distance. A manufactory for spinning thread had just been constructed within half a league of Chauffailes. All the mason-work was finished, and the carpenters were butting on the roof. Not one stone was left upon another; nor can it be discovered what has become of them. The roofs of houses were carried off to great heights, and left on eminences. The church has been injured to the extent of 3,000f. The crops which were not taken off by the whirlwind were cut to pieces by the hail, which was of extraordinary size, as large as hen's eggs in general, but at Chateauneuf of great bulk. The cere of that place took up hailstone which was three inches across. Not less than twenty persons have been killed. GREAT FIRE IN RUSSIA.-A letter from Peru, in the German papers, state that a dreadful fire burst out lately in the salt-works of Nowa Ussal, in Russia, the ancient property of the Strongonoff family. The flames first appeared in the house of one of the workman, and communicated almost immediately to some hay-gained such a head, that it was impossible to master them. The conflagration lasted three days, and reduced to ashes every thing within a range of 2 1-2 versts (nearly two miles.) A great number of salt pits in wood and stone, all the manufactories, fifteen stores filled with salt, 30,000 cords of wood, and the ancient and majestic cathedral, the stone dwellings and offices of the various employers, between 500 and 600 houses, and all they contained, fell a prey to the flames.-[Gallignani's Messenger. GEN. JOHN C. BENNETT. This person who has held such a conspicuous place among the Mormons has been excommunicated from the church of Latter Day Saints for seducing an innocent female at Nauvoo. The Nauvoo Wasp of June 25th gives a long account of that and other transactions of Bennett, which prove him to be a consummate scoundrel. The Mormons ought to be heartily glad they have rid themselves of him, as his influence might poisen [poison] a large community. Joseph Smith or any of his followers need not be in fear of any statements which can be made by Bennett, as the character of him is too infamous for his stories to be believed by any one.-Bostonian.