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Letter to Church Leaders in Geneseo, New York, 23 November 1833

Source Note

JS on behalf of the , Letter, Kirtland Township, Geauga Co., OH, to “Dearly beloved brethren,” , Livingston Co., NY, 23 Nov. 1833. Retained copy, [between ca. 23 and 27 Nov. 1833]; handwriting of ; three pages; CHL.
Bifolium measuring 12⅜ × 8 inches (31 × 20 cm). The text of the letter is on the recto and verso of the first leaf and on the recto of the second leaf. The letter was originally cataloged with Minute Book 1, though its provenance is unknown.

Historical Introduction

, Livingston County, New York, was the home of a small congregation of the in the early 1830s. By fall 1832, , , and , and had all preached in the , and the latter three helped found the congregation in Geneseo. Kimball remembered that during that fall, “I was an by Joseph Young and in company with himself and his brother Brigham I labored in Genesee, and Lyonstown, where we baptized many and built up churches.” , who had recently been baptized into the Church of Christ—likely by Kimball or one of the Young brothers—also preached in Avon and Geneseo that fall and brought “eighteen or twenty” persons into the congregation. Kimball reminisced that, on at least one occasion, “the fell upon” the Geneseo church members. After the Youngs and Kimball departed from the region, Landon became the presiding officer over the Geneseo congregation.
On 23 March 1833, and , who had spent most of 1832 proselytizing in the East, received another “, through the prophet” to preach and visit the churches in the eastern . They left , Ohio, on 26 March to fulfill their mission. Sometime before 1 May 1833, they arrived in and discovered that refused to accept JS’s vision of the three degrees of afterlife glory as a revelation. He had also persuaded others in the congregation to reject the vision as well.
, another missionary who left about the same time as and , was also in the area at the time. In his journal, Murdock recorded that on 1 May 1833, “Br L Johnson came to me said he & O Pratt had visited in who denied the vision & other Revelations & other members joined him & they wanted to get help[.] Br & my self went with him.” According to Murdock, Landon claimed that the “vision was of the Devil & he believed it no more than he believed the devil was crucified . . . & that he Br Landing would not have the vision taught in the church for $1000.” Over a two-day period, Pratt, Johnson, Murdock, and Rich labored with Landon and other members of the branch. Eventually Landon declared that “he heartily received all we taught & would teach it to the church & said he would not for $2000 be put back where he was before we came to him. We forgave him allowing him to stand in his office We taught the same things to the church they promised obedience to all the commands of God.” Landon retained his leadership position, and the missionaries continued their journey through the eastern in mid-May 1833.
However, in September 1833, when and stopped in on their way back to , Pratt noted that “some of the brethren received not our teachings among whom was .” Pratt and Johnson arrived in Kirtland on 28 September and reported on their missionary efforts, mentioning the unbelief of Landon and his congregation, to JS and others. As the letter featured here indicates, on 23 November, a council of tasked Pratt and Johnson with a special assignment to visit Geneseo and other churches in the East. Four days after the council of high priests met, Pratt and Johnson departed Kirtland with JS’s letter of introduction, featured here, authorizing them as official representatives of the Church of Christ sent to settle the disharmony among the church members in Geneseo. The letter made clear that disagreement with church doctrine, and particularly disbelief in JS’s revelations, was grounds for excommunication.
Nearly a month after they left , and again arrived in . On 29 December 1833, Pratt attended a meeting with , who was still preaching in the area. Pratt recorded in his journal, “ did not ask us to preach but preached himself however Bro. John did say a few words to the congregation after Bro. Landen had got through. after meeting we went to visit Bro. Landen & found that he still rejected the vision & said that it was of the Devil in the evening Bro. Murdock preached upon the Priesthood.” Murdock confirmed that Landon continued to speak against JS’s vision. Pratt, Johnson, and Murdock scheduled a of elders for 31 December to discuss Landon’s attitudes and actions. At the conference, Johnson served as the moderator and Pratt as the clerk. Landon, however, refused to attend—an act that was interpreted as treating the visiting church representatives “with contempt & ridicule.” After examining Landon’s case, the elders at the conference “unanimously gave their voices against him & he was cut off from the church the same day we demanded his but he refused to give it up.” Johnson reported to The Evening and the Morning Star that Landon had been “silenced by the voice of said conference for promulgating unscriptural principles, and refusing to give proper satisfaction for his conduct.” The Star further reported that when Landon refused to give up his elder’s license, he was excommunicated “according to the rules and regulations of the church.”
influenced others in the congregation, and over the next month, over two dozen other people in were also cut off from the church. The congregation, however, continued to function under the leadership of . In March 1834, JS and others traveled to Geneseo while recruiting men for the expedition. During their visit, JS attempted to reclaim Ezra Landon and show him “his rong,” but his effort was “all in vane.” JS, however, was successful in recruiting men from the Geneseo area for the Camp of Israel expedition.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Noble and Noble, Reminiscences, [3]–[4], [17]–[18].

    Noble, Joseph B., and Mary Adeline Beman Noble. Reminiscences, ca. 1836. CHL. MS 1031, fd. 1.

  2. [2]

    Kimball, “History,” 9.

    Kimball, Heber C. “History of Heber Chase Kimball by His Own Dictation,” ca. 1842–1856. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 2.

  3. [3]

    “History of Orson Pratt,” 16, Historian’s Office, Histories of the Twelve, ca. 1858–1880, CHL; Minutes, 23 Mar. 1833–B; see also Revelation, 25 Jan. 1832–A [D&C 75:14]. Pratt and Johnson left Kirtland on 3 February 1832 and traveled to and preached in Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Connecticut for over a year. (“History of Orson Pratt,” 12–16, Historian’s Office, Histories of the Twelve, ca. 1856–1858, 1861, CHL.)

    Historian’s Office. Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861. CHL. CR 100 93.

  4. [4]

    See Vision, 16 Feb. 1832 [D&C 76]. In a later autobiographical account, Warren Foote wrote that Landon and several others had difficulties accepting the vision “concerning the three glories.” It was not uncommon for early church members to struggle with and accept “the Vision.” For instance, Brigham Young later stated, “Many things which were revealed through Joseph came in contact with our own prejudices: we did not know how to understand them.” Young referred to “the Vision” and acknowledged that “it was directly contrary and opposed to my former education. I said, Wait a little. I did not reject it; but I could not understand it. I then could feel what incorrect tradition had done for me.” (Foote, Autobiography, 5; Brigham Young, in Journal of Discourses, 29 Aug. 1852, 6:280–281.)

    Foote, Warren. Autobiography, not before 1903. Warren Foote, Papers, 1837–1941. CHL. MS 1123, fd. 1.

    Journal of Discourses. 26 vols. Liverpool: F. D. Richards, 1855–1886.

  5. [5]

    Murdock, Journal, 1 May 1833; Letter to Church Leaders in Jackson Co., MO, 6 Aug. 1833; 1830 U.S. Census, Warsaw, Genesee Co., NY, 297; Benjamin Bancroft, Wethersfield Springs, NY, to Timothy Bancroft, Clay Co., MO, 29 Apr. 1834, Bancroft Family Correspondence, CHL.

    Murdock, John. Journal, ca. 1830–1859. John Murdock, Journal and Autobiography, ca. 1830–1867. CHL. MS 1194, fd. 2.

    Census (U.S.) / U.S. Bureau of the Census. Population Schedules. Microfilm. FHL.

    Bancroft Family Correspondence, 1821–1836. Photocopy. CHL. MS 16483.

  6. [6]

    Murdock, Journal, 1–2 May 1833.

    Murdock, John. Journal, ca. 1830–1859. John Murdock, Journal and Autobiography, ca. 1830–1867. CHL. MS 1194, fd. 2.

  7. [7]

    Pratt, Diary, 16 Sept. 1833.

    Pratt, Orson. Journal, 1833–1837. Orson Pratt, Autobiography and Journals, 1833–1847. CHL. MS 587, fds. 2–4.

  8. [8]

    Pratt, Diary, 28 Sept. and 27 Nov. 1833.

    Pratt, Orson. Journal, 1833–1837. Orson Pratt, Autobiography and Journals, 1833–1847. CHL. MS 587, fds. 2–4.

  9. [9]

    Pratt, Diary, 29 Dec. 1833.

    Pratt, Orson. Journal, 1833–1837. Orson Pratt, Autobiography and Journals, 1833–1847. CHL. MS 587, fds. 2–4.

  10. [10]

    Murdock, Journal, 29 Dec. 1833.

    Murdock, John. Journal, ca. 1830–1859. John Murdock, Journal and Autobiography, ca. 1830–1867. CHL. MS 1194, fd. 2.

  11. [11]

    Pratt, Diary, 31 Dec. 1833.

    Pratt, Orson. Journal, 1833–1837. Orson Pratt, Autobiography and Journals, 1833–1847. CHL. MS 587, fds. 2–4.

  12. [12]

    “To Whom It May Concern,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Feb. 1834, 2:134.

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

  13. [13]

    See Pratt, Diary, 2, 6, 11, and 23 Jan. 1834; and Murdock, Journal, 2, 6, 11, and 21 Jan. 1833; 8, 13, and 16 Feb. 1833; see also “Amasa Lyman’s History,” Deseret News [Salt Lake City], 8 Sept. 1858, 117; and Foote, Autobiography, 4–5.

    Pratt, Orson. Journal, 1833–1837. Orson Pratt, Autobiography and Journals, 1833–1847. CHL. MS 587, fds. 2–4.

    Murdock, John. Journal, ca. 1830–1859. John Murdock, Journal and Autobiography, ca. 1830–1867. CHL. MS 1194, fd. 2.

    Deseret News. Salt Lake City. 1850–.

    Foote, Warren. Autobiography, not before 1903. Warren Foote, Papers, 1837–1941. CHL. MS 1123, fd. 1.

  14. [14]

    Murdock, Journal, 15 Mar. 1834. According to his journal, JS was in Livonia, New York, on 15 March and in Geneseo the next day. (JS, Journal, 15–16 Mar. 1834.)

    Murdock, John. Journal, ca. 1830–1859. John Murdock, Journal and Autobiography, ca. 1830–1867. CHL. MS 1194, fd. 2.

  15. [15]

    See Revelation, 24 Feb. 1834 [D&C 103]; Noble and Noble, Reminiscences, [6]; and Pratt, Autobiography, 116–122.

    Noble, Joseph B., and Mary Adeline Beman Noble. Reminiscences, ca. 1836. CHL. MS 1031, fd. 1.

    Pratt, Parley P. The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Embracing His Life, Ministry and Travels, with Extracts, in Prose and Verse, from His Miscellaneous Writings. Edited by Parley P. Pratt Jr. New York: Russell Brothers, 1874.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Letter to Church Leaders in Geneseo, New York, 23 November 1833 Letterbook 1

Page [2]

to the saints by revelation, that discord, hardness, jealousies, and numberless evils will inevitably insue. When we reflect upon the holiness and perfections of our great Master, who has opened a way whereby we may come unto him, even by the sacrifice of himself, our hearts melt within us for <​his​> condescension. And when we reflect also, that he has called us to be perfect in all things, that we may be prepared to meet him in peace when he comes in his glory with all the holy angels, we feel to exhort our brethren with boldness, to be humble and prayerful, to walk indeed as children of the light and of the day, that they may have grace to withstand every temptation, and to overcome every evil in the worthy name of our Lord Jesus Christ. For be assured brethren, that the day is truly near when the Master of the house will rise up and shut the door, and none but such as have on a wedding garment will be permitted to enjoy a se[a]t at the marriage supper!
Therefore, dear brethren, we have sent our brethren aforementioned to you, hoping you will receive them in our name, and in the name of the in , and receive their teachings and instructions as from us, for they have been set apart to this work, to act in this author[i]ty, and have received the prayers of this , and this church.
We conclude this short letter by earnestly desiring an interest in your prayers, and commending you to the mercy and favor of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We subscribe ourselves your brethren in the bonds of the ,
Joseph Smith Jr Moderator of co[u]ncil
, Clerk [p. [2]]
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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter to Church Leaders in Geneseo, New York, 23 November 1833
ID #
190
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
JSP, D3:360–366
Handwriting on This Page
  • Oliver Cowdery

Footnotes

  1. [9]

    See Matthew 22:11; 25:10.

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