Correspondence

Bordentown N. J. Nov. 10th, 1844.

Dear Brother W. W. Phelps of Nauvoo, I take this method of addressing you through the columns of the Prophet, as it will save postage and is not so liable to be miscarried; hoping that it will receive due and immediate attention.

Dear Brother:-Situated as I am in this eastern land, and far from the great emporium of the west, (Nauvoo) and I might say my home, if there is any place on earth that I might with propriety call so. But, indeed, I could say with Abraham, I have no home this side the vale, but a pilgrim and sojourner here on earth; (not exactly in tents, as the good old Patriarch with flocks and herds) a stranger without purse or scrip among strangers to build up the kingdom of God, (a most unpopular theme) and bear some humble part of this last ministry to the nations of the earth?

Can you tell, dear brother, why it is, the saints of God in all ages, and especially in these last times, can have no more rest? persecuted as they are from city to city, and from place to place; I ask myself the question, is anything criminal in Mormonism-in the divine pretensions of the prophet? this cannot be, others have professed the same; there has been hundreds of prophets, true ones too, and men have declared that if they had lived in their day, they would not have killed them; and yet, what have they not done? ("for if they will do these things in the green tree, what will they do in the dry?") But. they say, none of these signs have followed and proven him a prophet, that followed and proved them of old. What say ye, can you answer this?

Tell us the crime, the time and place, when and where; was it finding the Nephite record? revealing to the world the origin of a lost and scattered people, a knowledge of which had been hid for ages in midnight darkness; lost from the deepest research of modern antiquarians. Was it for revealing to the world a knowledge of whose lands, and by whom the foundation of these mighty cities had been laid, and since discovered by Stephens and Catherwood; this none will doubt, yet a knowledge of the fact of these cities being built by skillful hands, hundreds of years ago, written in the Book of Mormon would be 'humbug.'

These discoveries, made by the these men, which are truly great and confirmatory [confirmation] of the truth of the Book of Mormon, and the inspiration of the prophet Joseph, was made since this book was found and published to the world in 1830; then the prophecy was made that the Indians were a remnant of the house of Israel, "had wandered through the wilderness, and came over the sea," inhabited North and South America, built large cities, and were a warlike people; that many had fallen in battle and cities had been destroyed, a remnant remained as the last vestige, to tell the sad tale and history of their fallen race. And who has proved this prophecy true? 'Stephens and Catherwood!'

You will bear in mind, also, that Joseph was but a youth at this time, without any possible means of knowing, as men naturally know of these things-a mere plough [plow] boy at the age of 17, 21 and 22; he never had by the aid of 'government friends,' or wealthy parents, the means to climb the Alpine mountains of the east-to traverse the holy land, and in Central America, stand and gaze upon the richly wrought pyramids, and with wonder and amazement exclaim, whose hands have laid these cities and reared these mighty monuments? Yet God had given him this knowledge; read the Book of Mormon and it will tell you; and mark, kind reader, that this book was published in 1830, and the discoveries and facts proved by Stephens and Catherwood in 1837 proving to a demonstration the inspiration of the prophet, and the divinity of the book.

But it is said in Mormonism there is a charm a mystery that the world cannot explain; I admit it; it has a charm more inviting than all the magicians and sooth sayers of Egypt, and a mystery that sectarians cannot unravel. Why? Because they have not the spirit of Christ, which is the spirit of prophecy. Mormonism has inferiors, but no superiors; it acknowledges no twin-sister but heaven; no superior but God; no king but Jesus: with unparalleled rapidity it has rolled on, "out-vied the muttering crowd," and accumulated its thousands who are now rejoicing in the fulness [fullness] of the gospel, revealed and brought to light by the prophet Joseph.

If it should be asked, then, is Mormonism true? a thousand intelligent voices reverberate yes! yes! yes!

Again, who has gathered their thousands? built a city? two temples? and embodied a code of morals garbed with immortality, that has made its way to the imperial thrones of the earth, embosomed itself in the golden rays and unbounded glories of heaven, crowned with

never fading laurels, (is it not Joseph?) Men of sound minds (not Millerites nor bigots) of all ranks, from all societies, of all the intelligence of the earth; combined in one word, the cream and salt of the same, and virtue of heaven; can this be, and Joseph Smith a false prophet?-again is heard from a thousand voices, no! no! no!

Dear brother if the thousand and one testimonies, miracles, records, antiquities, facts, bible truths, knowledge, revelation, fulfilment [fulfillment] of prophecy, God, men and angels do not prove any thing but a fallen prophet, and Mormonism so far beneath the notice of the would be great and wise men, of this age, I wish you would solve the mystery, for to me it is a mystery indeed.

And now, dear brother, I will; come to the point, having done with my preliminaries.-As many faint and incorrect descriptions have been given of Nauvoo and the temple, by travellers [travelers], passers-by, and others, until some have thought the temple built upon moonshine, and the city a barbarian-ugly, formal with head and horns, and stuck into the nethermost corner of the universe, where none but Indians, Hottentots, Arabs, Turks, Wolverines and Mormons dwell; and if you can find time to reply, I wish you would give me an ungarnished statement of facts respecting Nauvoo; its probable number of inhabitants, and finally, a graphic description of the whole place; give us the number of distilleries, liquor venders, and what gross immoralities have corrupted Nauvoo, cursed the city, the temple, the Twelve, &c., smote the daughters of Zion with scabby heads, and numbered the thousands of saints (that have gathered there to hear the word of the Lord, and be taught in his way) with goats, and cursed them above all horned cattle. An answer to these unaccountable problems, will, no doubt be eagerly grasped after, and be very interesting to many in the east, as we have many braying animals which have become quite obnoxious to the quiet rest of the innocent, and bray to the discomfiture of many, not on account of the soundness of their doctrine; but on account of blasphemies, the Twelve, the temple, the church at Nauvoo, and the great body of saints, their moral men and women, the abominable lies they tell, make people nervous sometimes when they do not know how things are; men who were once men of apparent intelligence, make these statements The place must have become materially changed in its morals since last spring, when I was there, a short time indeed for such a mighty change.

I did not intend to argue the question, what is the difference between Millerism and Mormonism now Millerism is dead. Please to answer how high the temple is to the eaves and top of steeple, (if any at all,) and how long, how many moons, suns, ears and heads, and what do they all represent, of what material and workmanship, how antique and of what order the pillars and structure? Is it a pattern of church and priesthood? Show us the order, the font with the length, the breadth, and the height thereof; the unity of the saints, the proper age of my mother, and her birth-place, also that of my father and his age at the time of his death, and the number of the family, (which you can obtain from the family records in my mother's possession,) embodied in one, in as concise a manner as possible. This will correct many errors, and confer a favor on your old and tried friend I must say, I wish I could think more of Nauvoo than I do, yet it is not Nauvoo! for when I reflect that there he the silver locks of an aged and martyred father, martyred by a Missouri persecution, in the grave, numbered with the dead; and four brothers, two of whom in my vision appear with mangled bodies, and garments red with crimson gore. Oh! the fatal steel and barbarous murder! Their blood is still unavenged, and the cruel murderers are lounging about seeking for more; what have others to expect? Yet Nauvoo contains almost all that is near to me. My poor old mother, almost worn out with years and trouble, and three sisters that remain, with myself, are all of that family, who were the founders of Mormonism and the church of Christ in these last days, through great persecution and trouble, having borne [born] the heat of the day; and how long the rest may be spared, God only knows.

Brother Phelps, will you call and see my mother, and give her a word of consolation from me. I hope she will live till I can get to see her. She may live to see all her sons laid in the grave. Remember me also to my sisters Sophronia, Catherine, Lucy and their husbands, and martyrs' widows-God bless them all for ever is my prayer. I wish also to be remembered to all the saints in Nauvoo, give them my prayer, that God may sustain them in all their trials, for truly they are great, and tell them to think of me their brother in affliction, and my sick family, which has kept me from their society in this their time of peril; and if the Lord does no interpose, they must ere long be numbered with the dead. Oh! that God would have mercy upon me and my sick family!

Will you pray for us, dear brethren at Nauvoo? Remember me to your family. Mrs. Smith sends her love to your wife, and wishes to be remembered to all her friends in that country,

as it will be a miracle if she ever sees them again. Write to me immediately.

With sentiments of respect and esteem I subscribe myself, your friend and brother in the gospel of Christ.

WM. SMITH