For the Times and Seasons

Dear Brother:-Herewith I forward you a few articles I brought with me from England, which I beg your acceptance of, as a very small remembrance and token of the high esteem and respect I feel towards you, on the remembrance, that through your instrumentality, I was led to embrace the fulness[fullness] of the gospel. The period I had so fondly anticipated, of once more beholding and conversing with you, has at length been realized, and I cannot forego to mention the pleasure and gratification it has given me, of meeting with you in that place of which 'the Lord hath spoken good concerning it.' You have, I am well aware been made acquainted, through the medium of a friend, that we bid adieu to our native land on the 15th of September last. Our company consisted of about 180 persons, chiefly saints. We had a fine commodious vessel called the 'Metoka,' commanded by McLarren, who with his officers and men, behaved with every attention and kindness during the passage, which we made in seven weeks to New Orleans, and finally arrived at Nauvoo on the 11th of November. We had only three deaths on board, one sister, and two children. I must not forbear to state that the provisions supplied by Messrs. Ward and Clarke, on our voyager were excellent in quality and quantity. You can, my dear brother, in some measure, anticipate the feelings that throbbed within our bosoms, on reaching our resting place, the city of Nauvoo. You may suppose we were most pleasingly surprised, after having had our ears continually assailed with the doleful accounts of 'the wretchedness of the place,' its 'log and mud' built 'cabins,' its 'knee deep' muddy streets, the 'poverty and starvation' that awaited us, the 'villainy and roguery' of its inhabitants, the 'awful delusion of Mormonism,' beware of old Joe Smith,' and a thousand other such like salutations; you may judge then, how much we were gratified at beholding the striking contrast; while gazing with rapturous delight, first upon the 'TEMPLE,' which already assumes a lofty bearing, from the commanding eminence on which it is being erected; then the 'Nauvoo House;' the 'Mansion House;' (the residence of him of whom the world is not worthy;) the 'Masonic' 'Music' and public halls, some completed, and others are being so, besides numerous well built and substantial brick stores, and private dwellings. The whole site and aspect of the city, presenting a most cheering picture of enterprise and industry of its inhabitants, exhibiting a remarkable difference to many of the western towns which we passed in coming up the Mississippi, of far longer standing and origin.

I shall not at the present dwell upon my feelings in thus being permitted to reach this land; a land above all lands, a choice land;-where the Lord hath commanded his people to gather unto; in order that they may be instruct [instructed] of him through the mouth of his seer and prophet. When I think of this unspeakable privilege and blessing of listening, like those of old, to the voice of the Lord's servants; receiving divine revelation and communication, from Him the source of all truth, when I know that he has thus spoken to, and honored his servant 'Joseph,' delivering him, time and time again, from the hands of his enemies, and will still continue to do so; and through him fulfilling those promises, relating to the latter day glory, and also the covenant to gather his ancient people should be accomplished; besides many other glorious truths to be realized in these last days, as well as making known other things, in which I truly rejoice, and which induces me to exclaim with the apostles of old: 'I count not my life dear, so that I may win Christ and be found in him, and the sufferings of this life are not to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed hereafter. On recalling the pleasurable emotions that have passed within the secret recesses of my heart, when holding sweet converse with those I loved and whom I have now left in my native land, and whose faces I may never again see in the flesh; or if I gather around me in 'fancy's mystic circle,' those my nearest and dearest relatives, and ponder upon a father and mother's fondest embrace; a brother and sister's tenderest affection; excited and called forth on taking a long and last farewell. If I thus look back upon the of rich and influential friends and connections, with others claims of a lucrative and secular nature; yet all these have been hushed and subdued in the contemplation of thus becoming a citizen in one of Zion's stakes, and my desire and prayer to God is, that she may still prosper and go on in glorious majesty and triumph, until the topstones of her palaces and dwellings be raised with one universal song of joy and gladness, to Him that reigneth forever and ever.

I remain, dear brother, yours, very sincerely in the new and everlasting covenant, W. ROWLEY.

Nauvoo, January 25, 1844.

SIR,

Having had occasion to visit New Orleans, a few weeks since. And being anxious to economise [economize], I went as a deck passenger, and on returning from thence, it was my good fortune,

to fall in with a company of Latter-day Saints, who had just arrived from England.

On sailing up the "Father of Waters," the mighty Mississippi, I was much amused at studying the variety of character, met with on board the Steam Boat: without entering at the present time, into a minute description of those, who formed the greater part of this motley company, I shall just relate an incident, that passed under my own observation, otherwise, I could not have supposed that in this "land of the brave."-this "Haven of rest;" a scene so disgraceful and revolting, as the one I then witnessed, could have transpired in a professed free country like unto America.

The incident alluded to was so repugnant to a free-born Englishman's mind and feelings, that had not principles of a higher and nobler, character, pervaded the bosom of the Saints, a general conflict must have ensued,

It was well known, that there was "Mormons," on board, and a party of Missourian farmers, and Dealers, took every occasion to teaze [tease] and insult them, especially on this occasion, one miscreant looking fellow, armed with a bowie knife, and without any previous provocation whatever, went up to the berth of one of the Saints and violently dragged him from thence, at the same time, ferociously striking him over the temples,-his colleagues looking on, and joining in a laugh of fiendish triumph at their supposed victory. It was evidently their intention, by this coward and dastardly act, to have excited the Mormons to retaliate and being far more in number, they had gloated over their fancied prey, with savage and relentless ferocity, that had most likely inspired them and others, on a former occasion when they drove an harmless and inoffensive people from their borders; robbing, plundering, and even murdering many an helpless, and even murdering many an helpless, and innocent victim, which the perusal of several heart-rending "Appeals", and documents, inserted in your highly respectable Columns, fully prove and substantiate.

When, I would ask, Mr. Editor, is there to be a stop put to such proceedings as these?

Can this be called "a Land of liberty and freedom," when such unheard-of cruelty and oppression is practised [practiced], and no redress available?

But fearful of further trespassing upon your room, I remain,

Sir,

Yours very respectfully.

JOHN HUSBAND.

Nauvoo Jan. 25th. 1844

P. S. The name of the gentleman, who was thus insulted, is Mr. Henry Needham of this city.