Letter to the Church and Others, 23 June 1842, as Published in Times and Seasons
Source Note
JS, Letter, , Hancock Co., IL, to the church and others, 23 June 1842. Version published in Times and Seasons, 1 July 1842, 3:839–842. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.
TO THE , AND TO ALL THE HONORABLE PART OF COMMUNITY.
It becomes my duty to lay before the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and the public generally, some important facts relative to the conduct and character of Dr. , who has lately been expelled from the aforesaid church; that the honorable part of community may be aware of his proceedings, and be ready to treat him and regard him as he ought to be regarded, viz: as an imposter and base adulterer.
It is a matter of notoriety that said Dr. , became favorable to the doctrines taught by the of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and located himself in the city of , about the month of August 1840, and soon after joined the church. Soon after it was known that he had become a member of said church, a communication was received at , from a person of respectable character, and residing in the vicinity where had lived. This letter cautioned us against him, setting forth that he was a very mean man, and had a , and two or three children in , Morgan county, Ohio; but knowing that it is no uncommon thing for good men to be evil spoken against, the above letter was kept quiet, but held in reserve.
He had not been long in before he began to keep company with a young lady, one of our citizens; and she being ignorant of his having a wife living, gave way to his addresses, and became confident, from his behavior towards her, that he intended to marry her; and this he gave her to understand he would do. I, seeing the folly of such an acquaintance, persuaded him to desist; and, on account of his continuing his course, finally threatened to expose him if he did not desist. This, to outward appearance, had the desired effect, and the acquaintance between them was broken off.
But, like one of the most abominable and depraved beings which could possibly exist, he only broke off his publicly wicked actions, to sink [p. 839]