--- title: Times and Seasons description: Issues of 1844 to 1845. 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: 5 number: 19 published: 1844-10-15 publisher: E. Robinson and D. C. Smith; later John Taylor publisher_place: Commerce and Nauvoo, Illinois language: en type: article reference: "“Writing Letters,” *Times and Seasons* 5, no. 19 (October 15, 1844): 672–674." printed_title: WRITING LETTERS. source: url: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1844-10-15_5_19 transcription: Text from the Centerplace.org transcription (https://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v5n19.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_1844-10-15_5_19 start_page: 672 end_page: 674 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 1844 (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_1844-10-15_5_19 publication_year: 1844 --- # Writing Letters The art of writing is one of the greatest blessings we enjoy. To cultivate it is our duty, and to use it is our privilege. By these means the thoughts of the heart can act without the body, and the mind can speak without the head, while thousands of miles apart, and for ages after the flesh has mouldered back to its mother dust. Beloved reader, have you ever reflected on this simple, this useful, this heavenly blessing? It is one of the best gifts of God to man, and it is the privilege of man to enjoy it. By writing, the word of the Lord has been handed to the inhabitants of the earth, from generation to generation. By writing, the inventions and knowledge of men have been received, age after age, for the benefit of the world. By writing, the transactions of life, like the skies over the ocean, are spread out upon the current of time, for the eyes of the rising multitudes to look upon. And while we are thus summing up some of the blessings and enjoyments which result from this noble art, let us not forget to view a few of the curses and mischiefs which follow an abuse of this high privilege. While we behold what a great matter a little fire kindles, let us not stand mute. Let us not forget to set a better example, when we see the slanderer dip his raven's quill in gall, to blot the fair fame of some innocent person. Let us weep, for so will the heavens do, when the great men of the earth write their glory in the tears of the fatherless and the widow. Let us mourn while this world's vanity is written for deception, in letters of gold. But enough, for the wicked are writing their own death warrant, and the hail of the Lord shall sweep away the refuge of lies. We, as the disciples of the blessed Jesus, are bound by every consideration that makes religion a blessing to the inhabitants of the earth, while we see this exalted privilege abused, to set a more noble example: To do our business in a more sacred way, and, as servants of the Lord, that would be approved in all things, hide no fault of our own, nor cover any imperfection in others; neither offend, lest we bring a reproach upon the great cause of our holy Father. It is pleasing to God to see men use the blessings which he gave them, and not abuse them. For this reason, if the saints abide in the faith wherewith they have been called, the earth shall yield her increase, and the blessings of heaven shall attend them, and the Lord will turn to them a pure language, and the glory of God will again be among the righteous on earth. All things are for men, not men for all things. Beloved brethren, before we can teach the world how to do right, we must be able to do so ourselves: Therefore, in the love of him who is altogether lovely, whose yoke is easy and whose burden is light, who spake as never man spake, let us offer a few ideas on this subject, for the consideration of such as mean to love their neighbors as themselves, for the sake of righteousness and eternal life. 1 Never write a letter to a friend or foe, unless you have business which cannot be done as well in some other way; or, unless you have news to communicate, that is worth time and money. In this way you will increase confidence and save postage. 2 Never write any thing to friend or foe, that you are afraid to read to friend or foe, for letters from a distance, especially one or two thousands miles, are sought for with great anxiety; and, as no one is a judge of men and things, you are liable to misrepresent yourself, your country, your friends and your enemies, and put in the mouth of the honest, as well as the dishonest, a lie, which truth, in her gradual but virtuous way, may not contradict till your head is under the silent clods of the valley. 3 Never write any thing but truth, for truth is heavenly, and like the sun, is always bright, and proves itself without logic, without reasons, without witnesses, and never fails. Truth is of the Lord and will prevail. 4 Never reprove a friend or foe for faults in a letter, except by revelation; for in the first place, your private intentions, be they ever so good, are liable to become public, because, all letters may be broken open, and your opinion only on one side of the question, can be scattered to the four winds; and he to whom you meant good, receives evil; and you are not benefitted [benefited]. Again, we can hardly find language, written or spoken on earth, at this time, that will convey the true meaning of the heart to the understanding of another; and you are liable to be misunderstood, and to give unpleasant feelings: and you merely, to use a simile, bleed an old sore, by probing it for proud flesh, when it only wanted a little oil from the hand of the good Samaritan, in person, to heal it. No matter how pure your intentions may be; no matter how high your standing is, you cannot touch man's heart when absent as when present. Truly, you do not cast your pearls before swine, but you throw your gold before man, and he robs you for your folly. Instead of reproof give good advice; and when face to face, rebuke a wise man and he will love you; or do so to your friend, that, should he become your enemy, he cannot reproach you: thus you may live, not only unspotted, but unsuspected. 5 Never write what you would be ashamed to have printed; or what might offend the chastest ear, or hurt the softest heart. If you write what you are ashamed to have printed, you are partial: If you write what would offend virtue, you have not the Spirit of the Lord; and if you write what would wound the weak hearted, you are not feeding the Lord's lambs, and thus you may know that you are not doing to others what you would expect others to do to you. The only rule we would give to regulate writing letters is this: Write what you are willing should be published in this world, and in the world to come: And would to God, that not only the disciples of Christ, but the whole world, were willing to follow this rule: Then the commandments would be kept and no one would write a word against the Lord his God. No one would write a word against his neighbor. No one would write a word against the creatures of God. No one would need write a word against any thing but sin; and then the world would be worth living in, for there would be none to offend. I continued the translation and ministering to the church through the fall, excepting a rapid journey to Albany, New York and Boston, in company with Bishop Whitney, from which I returned on the 6th of November, immediately after the birth of my son Joseph Smith, 3d. In answer to letters received from the brethren in Missouri, I wrote as follows: KIRTLAND, Nov. 27th, 1832. Brother William W. Phelps:-I say brother because I feel so from the heart, and although it is not long since I wrote a letter unto you, yet I feel as though you would excuse me for writing this as I have many things which I wish to communicate. Some things which I will mention in this letter, which are laying with great weight on my mind; I am well and my family also; God grant that you may enjoy the same, and yours, and all the brethren and sisters who remember to enquire [inquire] after the commandments of the Lord, and the welfare of Zion and such a being as me; and while I dictate this letter I fancy to myself that you are saying or thinking something similar to these words: 'My God, great and mighty art thou, therefore show unto thy servant what shall become of all those who are essaying to come up unto Zion, in order to keep the commandments of God, and yet receive not their inheritance by consecrations, by order or deed from the bishop, the man that God has appointed in a legal way, agreeably to the law given to organize and regulate the church, and all the affairs of the same.' Brother William, in the love of God, having the most implicit confidence in you as a man of God, having obtained this confidence by a vision of heaven, therefore I will proceed to unfold to you some of the feelings of my heart, and to answer the question. Firstly, it is the duty of the Lord's clerk whom he has appointed to keep a history and a general church record of all things that transpire in Zion, and of all those who consecrate properties and receive inheritances legally from the bishop, and also their manner of life, their faith and works; and also of all the apostates who apostatize after receiving their inheritances. Secondly, it is contrary to the will and commandment of God, that those who receive not their inheritance by consecration, agreeably to his law, which he has given, that he may tithe his people, to prepare them against the day of vengeance and burning, should have their names enrolled with the people of God; neither is their genealogy to be kept, or to be had where it may be found on any of the records or history of the church; their names shall not be found, neither the names of the fathers, the names of the children written in the book of the law of God, saith the Lord of Hosts, yea, thus saith the still small voice, which whispereth through and pierceth all things, and often times it maketh my bones to quake while it maketh manifest, saying: 'and it shall come to pass that I the Lord God will send one mighty and strong, holding the sceptre [scepter] of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, eternal words; while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth, to set in order the house of God, and to arrange by lot the inheaitances [inheritances] of the saints, whose names are found, and the names of their fathers, and of their children, enrolled in the book of the law of God: while that man, who was called of God and appointed, that putteth forth his hand to steady the ark of God, shall fall by the shaft of death, like as a tree that is smitten by the vivid shaft of lightening; and all they who are not found written in the book of remembrance, shall find none inheritance in that day, but they shall be cut asunder and their portion shall be appointed them among unbelievers, where is wailing and gnashing of teeth. These things I say not of myself, therefore, as the Lord speaketh, he will also fulfill. And they who are of the high priesthood, whose names are not found written in the book of the law, or that are found to have apostatized, or to have been cut off out of the church; as well as the lesser priesthood, or the members, in that day shall not find an inheritance among the saints of the most High; therefore it shall be done unto them as unto the children of the priest, as you will find recorded in the second chapter and sixty first and second verses of Ezra. Now, brother William, if what I have said is true, how careful had men ought to be what they do in these last days, lest they are cut short of their expectations, and they that think they stand should fall, because they keep not the Lord's commandments; while you, who do the will of the Lord and keep his commandments, have need to rejoice with unspeakable joy, for such shall be exalted very high, and shall be lifted up in triumph above all the kingdoms of this world; but I must drop this subject at the beginning. Oh Lord, when will the time come; when brother William, thy servant, and myself, shall behold the day that we may stand together and gaze upon eternal wisdom engraven upon the heavens, while the majesty of our God holdeth up the dark curtain, until we may read the round of eternity, to the fulness [fullness] and satisfaction of our immortal souls? Oh Lord God; deliver us in thine own due time from the little narrow prison, almost as it were, total darkness of paper, pen and ink;-and a crooked, broken, scattered and imperfect language. I have obtained ten subscribers for the Star, &c.; love for all the brethren. Yours in bonds; Amen. JOSEPH SMITH, Jun.