The High Council of The

CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST,

TO THE SAINTS OF

NAUVOO, GREETING:-

Dear Brethren,-As watchmen upon the walls of Zion, we feel it our duty to stir up your minds, by way of remembrance, of things which we conceive to be of the utmost importance to the saints. While we rejoice at the health and prosperity of the saints, and the good feeling which seems to prevail among us generally, and the willingness to aid in the building of the "House of the Lord," we are grieved at the conduct of some, who seem to have forgotten the purpose for which they have gathered. Instead of promoting union, appear to be engaged in sowing strifes and animosities among their brethren, spreading evil reports; brother going to law with brother, for trivial causes, which we consider a great evil, and altogether unjustifiable, except in extreme cases, and then not before the world.--We feel to advise taking the word of God for our guide, and exhort you not to forget you have come up as Saviors upon Mount Zion, consequently to seek each other's good,--to become one: inasmuch as the Lord has said, "except ye become one ye are none of mine." Let us always remember the admonitions of the Apostle:-"Dare any of you having a

matter, go to law before the unjust and not before the saints? Do ye not know the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matter?-Know ye not that we shall judge Angels? How much more things that pertain to this life? If, then, ye have judgment of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren. But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brother. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind. Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Cor. 6: 1-11. Who, observing these things, would go to law, distressing his brother; thereby giving rise to hardness, evil speaking, strifes and animosities amongst those who have covenanted to keep the commandments of God-who have taken upon them the name of saints, and if saints are to judge angels, and also to judge the world-why then are they not competent to judge in temporal matters, especially in trivial cases, taking the law of the Lord for their guide, brotherly kindness, charity, &c. as well as the law of the land. Brethren, these are evils which ought not to exist among us. We hope the time will speedily arrive when these things will be done away, and every one stand in the office of his calling, as a faithful servant of God-building each other up-bearing each other's infirmities, and so fulfil [fulfill] the law of Christ.

SAM L. BENT.

LEWIS D. WILSON,

DAVID FULMER,

THOMAS GROVER,

NEWELL KNIGHT,

LEONARD SOBY,

JAMES ALLRED,

ELIAS HIGBEE,

GEORGE W. HARRIS,

AARON JOHNSON,

WM. HUNTINGTON, Sr.

DANIEL CARRIER.

WILLIAM MARKS, President.

AUSTIN COWLERS, }

CHARLES C. RICH, }Councellors [Counselors].

Attest-Hosea Stout, Clerk.