Times and Seasons (, Hancock Co., IL), 1 June 1842, vol. 3, no. 15, pp. 799–814; edited by JS. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.
Historical Introduction
The 1 June 1842 issue of the periodical Times and Seasons was the seventh edited by JS. He had assumed the editorship of the newspaper beginning with its 1 March 1842 issue, and in that role he took responsibility for all of the published content, including this 1 June issue. The issue contained an article on the “Word of Wisdom,” which was a revelation JS dictated in February 1833 outlining a code of health for the Latter-day Saints; an installment from the serialized “History of Joseph Smith”; and reprints of articles from newspapers, including Latter-day Saint publications, on topics such as ’s missionary work in , JS’s work on the Book of Abraham, the necessity of baptism, the beliefs of church members, and ancient writings discovered in the . The issue also included a letter from the presidency and high council of the , Illinois, stake “to the saints scattered abroad.”
In addition to these items, the issue published editorial content that was presumably written by JS as editor or by his editorial staff. This editorial content, which is featured here, includes four items: commentary on the assassination attempt on former governor ; a lengthy statement disputing a speech , a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, made criticizing the Saints; a preface to an article about the Jews; and a notice to church members in the eastern about ’s planned fund-raising mission for the construction of the .
Note that only the editorial content created specifically for this issue of the Times and Seasons is annotated here. Articles reprinted from other papers, letters, conference minutes, and notices, are reproduced here but not annotated. Items that are stand-alone JS documents are annotated elsewhere; links are provided to these stand-alone documents.
seven long years; but I cannot hear him now, this is not my happy lot.
I must now close my letter, give my kind love to , tell her I have not forgotten her, and that I sympathise with her in her great loss.
Peace be with you and all that are saints, and preserve you from all your enemies; when you hear of a good sermon, think of a sincere friend and sister, in the new and everlasting covenant.
MATILDA R. BAILEY.
Mrs. .
Such then is the conduct of this great man; we wish that we could say otherwise of him, but we feel convinced that the high minded and patriotic citizens of the State of will make choice of another man as their head, legal representative, then the one who will cheat his laundress out of her hard earnings merely because she is poor, and then taunt her with her poverty—”Oh! shame where is thy blush!!!”
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COMMUNICATIONS.
AN EPISTLE
Of the of the , in , to the saints scattered abroad, greeting:
Dear Brethren: inasmuch as the Lord hath spoken; and the commandment hath gone forth for the gathering together of his people from Babylon, that they partake not of her sins, and receive not of her plagues;” it seemeth “good unto us, and also to the Holy Ghost” to write somewhat for your instruction, in obeying that commandment. That you have no need that we exhort you to the observance of this commandment, is evident; for yourselves know that this is that which was spoken by the Lord in the parable of the Tares of the field, who promised that in the harvest he would say to the servant, “gather the wheat into my barn;” the signs of the times proclaim this; the end of the world; and thus admonish us to the performance of this duty. “Yet notwithstanding the spirit testifieth of these things, and you desire with great anxiety to gather with the saints; yet are many of you hindered even to this day:” so that to will to obey the commandment is present; but how to perform, you find not.” Feeling therefore, the responsibility binding on you to observe the statutes and commandments of the Lord, and living in the midst of a generation that are ignorant what the mind of the Lord is concerning his people, and of the things that belong to their peace: we are well aware of the embarrassments under which many of you labor in endeavoring to obey the laws pertaining to your salvation. It is then no marvel that in this day when darkdess covers the earth, and gross darkness the people,” that this generation “who know not the day of their visitation, nor the dispensation of the fulness of the times in which they live, should mock at the gathering together of the saints for salvation, as did the antidiluvians at the mighty work of righteous Noah in building an ark in the midst of the land, for the salvation of his cause by water, seeing then that such blindness hath happened to the gentile world which to them is an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation,” and that of God, think it not strange that you should have to pass through the like afflictions which all your brethren the saints in all ages have done before you; to be reviled, persecuted, and hated of all men, for the name of Christ and the gospel’s sake, is the portion of which all saints have had to partake who have gone before you. You then can expect no better things than that there be men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the truth, who will evil entreat you, and unjustly despoil you of your property and embarrass you in pecuniary matters, and render it the more difficult to obey the command to gather with the saints pretending to do God service, “whose judgment now lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”
But brethren with all these considerations before you in relation to your afflications, we think it expedient to admonish you, that you bear and forbear, as becometh saints, and having done all that is lawful and right to obtain justice of those that injure you wherein you come short of obtaining it, commit the residue to the just judgment of God, and shake off the dust off your feet as a testimony of having so done.
Finally, brethren, as it is reported unto us that there be some who have not done that which is lawful and right, but have designedly done injury to their neighbor, or creditor by fraud, or otherwise thinking to find protecton with us in such iniquity: let all such be warned, and certified, that with them we have no fellowship when known to be such, until all [p. 809]