INSTRUCTIONS ON BAPTISM FOR THE DEAD--CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN EMMA SMITH
AND GOVERNOR CARLIN--THE PROPHET'S FIRST LETTER TO JAMES ARLINGTON
BENNETT.
[Sidenote: Hyde's Pamphlet]
Some time this month [August, 1842] Elder Hyde published a pamphlet
in the German language, in Germany, entitled "A Cry out of the
Wilderness," &c., of about 120 pages, setting forth the rise, progress
and doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
About this time, while I was crossing from Montrose to Nauvoo in a boat
in company with Brother Hyrum, we passed through an immense shoal of
fish of considerable size. Hundreds jumped in and over the boat; but we
succeeded in catching about sixteen, which we brought to shore.
_Thursday, September 1, 1842_.--During the forenoon in the Assembly
Room, and in the afternoon at home, attending to business. Wrote the
following:
_A Letter from the Prophet to the Saints at Nauvoo--Directions on
Baptism for the Dead_. [A]
[Footnote A: See Doc. and Cov. cxxvii. See also _Times and Seasons_
vol. III, page 919.]
To all the Saints in Nauvoo.--Forasmuch as the Lord has revealed
unto me that my enemies, both in Missouri and this state, were
again in the pursuit of me; and inasmuch as they pursue me without
a cause, and have not the least shadow or coloring of justice
or right on their side, in the getting up of their prosecutions
against me; and inasmuch as their pretensions are all founded in
falsehood of the blackest dye, I have thought it expedient and
wisdom in me to leave the place for a short season, for my own
safety and the safety of this people.
I would say to all those with whom I have business, that I have
left my affairs with agents and clerks, who will transact all
business in a {143} prompt and proper manner, and will see that
all my debts are cancelled in due time, by turning out property,
or otherwise, as the case may require, or as the circumstances may
admit of. When I learn that the storm is fully blown over, then I
will return to you again.
2. And as for the perils which I am called to pass through, they
seem but a small thing to me, as the envy and wrath of man have
been my common lot all the days of my life; and for what cause it
seems mysterious, unless I was ordained from before the foundation
of the world, for some good end, or bad, as you may choose to call
it. Judge ye for yourselves. God knoweth all these things, whether
it be good or bad.
But, nevertheless, deep water is what I am wont to swim in; it all
has become second nature to me. And I feel, like Paul, to glory in
tribulation: for to this day has the God of my fathers delivered me
out of them all, and will deliver me from henceforth; for behold,
and lo, I shall triumph over all my enemies, for the Lord God hath
spoken it.
3. Let all the Saints rejoice, therefore, and be exceedingly
glad, for Israel's God is their God; and he will mete out a just
recompense of reward upon the heads of all your oppressors.
4. And again, verily, thus saith the Lord, let the work of my
Temple, and all the works which I have appointed unto you, be
continued on and not cease; and let your diligence and your
perseverance, and patience, and your works be redoubled; and you
shall in no wise lose your reward, saith the Lord of Hosts; and if
they persecute you, so persecuted they the prophets and righteous
men that were before you. For all this there is a reward in heaven.
5. And again I give unto you a word in relation to the baptism for
your dead.
6. Verily thus saith the Lord unto you concerning your dead: when
any of you are baptized for your dead, let there be a recorder; and
let him be eyewitness of your baptisms; let him hear with his ears,
that he may testify of a truth, saith the Lord.
7. That in all your recordings it may be recorded in heaven;
whatsoever you bind on earth may be bound in heaven; whatever you
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
8. For I am about to restore many things to the earth pertaining to
the Priesthood, saith the Lord of Hosts.
9. And again, let all the records be had in order, that they may be
put in the archives of my Holy Temple, to be held in remembrance
from generation to generation, saith the Lord of Hosts.
10. I will say to all the Saints, that I desired with exceedingly
great desire to have addressed them from the stand on the subject
of baptism for the dead, on the following Sabbath. But inasmuch as
it is out of {144} my power to do so, I will write the word of the
Lord from time to time, on that subject and send it you by mail, as
well as many other things.
11. And now I close my letter for the present, for the want of more
time; for the enemy is on the alert; and, as the Savior said, the
prince of this world cometh, but he hath nothing in me.
12. Behold my prayer to God is, that you all may be saved: and I
subscribe myself your servant in the Lord, Prophet and Seer of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
JOSEPH SMITH.
The following is from the _Times and Seasons_ of September 1st.
_Excerpt from a Communication from William Law_.
Let none suppose that God is angry with His Saints because He
suffers the hand of persecution to come upon them. He chasteneth
those whom He loveth, and trieth and proveth every son and
daughter, that they may be as gold seven times purified. Rejoice
then, ye Saints of the Most High; for the God of Abraham is your
God, and He will deliver you from all your enemies. Seek diligently
to know His will, and observe to do it. Be zealous in the cause
of truth, in building up the kingdom of Christ upon the earth,
in rearing up the Temple of God at Nauvoo, and in all works of
righteousness. And say not "The Lord delayeth His coming;" for
behold the day draweth near; the hour approacheth; be ye ready.
Be virtuous, be just, be honorable, be full of faith, love and
charity; pray much and be patient; wait a little season and the
voice of God shall thunder from the heavens. His voice shall be
very terrible; then the wicked shall tremble and fall back; they
shall be taken in their own snares, and fall into the pit that they
have digged for others; but the just shall live by faith, and shall
shine forth as the stars in the firmament; their glory shall be as
the brightness of the sun; for they are God's.
WILLIAM LAW.
_Friday, 2_.--Spent the day at home. A report reached the city this
afternoon that the sheriff was on his way to Nauvoo with an armed force.
_Saturday, 3_.--In the morning at home, in company with John F.
Boynton. [B]
[Footnote B: John F. Boynton, as will be remembered, was at one time a
member of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the Kirtland period of
Church history; see Vol. II, pp. 187 and 191.]
{145} [Under this date, the Prophet's secretary wrote the following:]
_An Attempt to Arrest the Prophet_.
A letter was received from Brother Hollister to the effect that
the Missourians were again on the move, and that two requisitions
were issued, one on the governor of this state, and the other on
the governor of Iowa. Their movements were represented as being
very secret and resolute. Soon after 12 o'clock, Pitman, the deputy
sheriff, and two other men came into the house. It appears that
they had come up the riverside, and hitched their horses below
the Nauvoo House, and then proceeded on foot undiscovered, until
they got into the house. When they arrived, President Joseph Smith
was in another apartment of the house, eating dinner with his
family. John Boynton happened to be the first person discovered by
the sheriffs, and they began to ask him where Mr. Smith was. He
answered that he saw him early in the morning; but did not say that
he had seen him since.
While this conversation was going on, President Joseph Smith passed
out of the back door, and through the corn in his garden to Brother
Newel K. Whitney's. He went up stairs undiscovered. Meantime Sister
Emma went and conversed with the sheriffs. Pitman said he wanted
to search the house for Mr. Smith. In answer to a question by
Sister Emma, he said he had no warrant authorizing him to search,
but insisted upon searching the house. She did not refuse, and
accordingly they searched through, but to no effect.
This is another testimony and evidence of the mean, corrupt,
illegal proceedings of our enemies, notwithstanding the
Constitution of the United States says, Article 4th, "The right
of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and
effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be
violated, and no warrants shall issue but upon probable cause,
supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the
place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized."
Yet these men audaciously, impudently and altogether illegally
searched the house of President Joseph Smith even without any
warrant or authority whatever. Being satisfied that he was not
in the house, they departed. They appeared to be well armed, and
no doubt intended to take him either dead or alive; which we
afterwards heard they had said they would do; but the Almighty
again delivered His servant from their bloodthirsty grasp.
It is rumored that there are fifteen men in the city along with the
sheriffs, and that they dined together today at Amos Davis's. Soon
after sundown, Thomas King and another person arrived at the house
and {146} demanded to search, which they immediately did; but,
finding nothing they also went towards Davis's. Some of them were
seen about afterwards; but at about ten o'clock all was quiet.
It is said that they started from Quincy yesterday, expecting
and fully determined to reach Nauvoo in the night, and fall upon
the house unawares; but report says they lost the road, and got
scattered away one from another, and could not get along until
daylight. This, in all probability, is true, as they appeared much
fatigued, and complained of being weary and sore from riding.
President Smith, accompanied by Brother Erastus Derby, left Brother
Whitney's about nine o'clock, and went to Brother Edward Hunter's,
where he was welcomed, and made comfortable by the family, and
where he can be kept safe from the hands of his enemies.
_Sunday, 4_.--Hyrum Smith and William Law left for the Eastern States.
_Monday, 5_.--The sisters wrote as follows:
_Petition of the Female Relief Society to Governor Carlin_.
_To his Excellency Thomas Carlin, Governor of the State of
Illinois:_
We, the undersigned members of the Nauvoo Relief Society, and
Ladies of Nauvoo, hearing many reports concerning mobs, threats
of extermination, and other excitement, set on foot by John C.
Bennett, calculated to disturb the peace, happiness and well-being
of this community, have taken the liberty to petition your
Excellency for protection.
It may be considered irrelevant for ladies to petition your
Excellency on the above-named subject, and may be thought by you,
Sir, to be officious, and that it would be more becoming for our
husbands, fathers, brothers and sons to engage in this work, and in
our defense. This, Sir, we will admit, in ordinary cases is right,
and that it would be more consistent with the delicacy of the
female character to be silent; but on occasions like the present,
our desires for the peace of society, the happiness of our friends,
the desire to save the lives of our husbands, our fathers, our
brothers, our children, and our own lives, will be a sufficient
palliation, in the estimation of your Excellency, for the step
we have taken in presenting this petition, in support of the one
already sent your Excellency by the male inhabitants of this city.
We would respectfully represent to your Excellency that we have not
yet forgotten the scenes of grief, misery and woe that we had to
experience from the hands of ruthless and bloodthirsty mobs in the
state of Missouri. The cup of misery was prepared by lying, slander
{147} and misrepresentation. It was wrung out and filled by tyranny
and oppression, and by a ruthless, inhuman mob. We had to drink it
to the dregs.
Your Excellency will bear with us if we remind you of the
cold-blooded atrocities that we witnessed in that state. Our
bosoms heave with horror, our eyes are dim, our knees tremble,
our hearts are faint, when we think of their horrid deeds; and if
the petitions of our husbands, brothers, fathers, and sons will
not answer with your Excellency, we beseech you to remember that
of their wives, mothers, sisters and daughters. Let the voice of
injured innocence in Missouri speak; let the blood of our fathers,
our brothers, our sons and our daughters speak; let the tears of
the widows and orphans, the maimed and impoverished speak; and
let the injuries sustained by fifteen thousand innocent, robbed,
spoiled, persecuted, and injured people speak; let the tale of woe
be told; let it be told without embellishment, prejudice or color;
and we are persuaded there is no heart but will be softened, no
feelings but will be affected, and no person, but will flee to our
relief.
Far be it from us to accuse your Excellency of obduracy or
injustice. We believe you to be a humane, feeling, benevolent and
patriotic man; and therefore we appeal to you.
Concerning John C. Bennett who is trying with other political
demagogues, to disturb our peace, we believe him to be an
unvirtuous man and a most consummate scoundrel, a stirrer up of
sedition, and a vile wretch unworthy the attention or notice of any
virtuous man; and his published statements concerning Joseph Smith
are bare-faced, unblushing falsehoods.
We would further recommend to your Excellency, concerning Joseph
Smith, that we have the utmost confidence in him, as being a man of
integrity, honesty, truth, and patriotism. We have never, either
in public or private, heard him teach any principles but the
principles of virtue and righteousness. And so we have knowledge,
and we know him to be a pure, chaste, virtuous and godly man.
Under these circumstances, we would petition your Excellency to
exert your privilege in an official capacity, and not to suffer
him (should he be demanded) to go into the state of Missouri; for
we know that, if he should, it would be the delivering up the
innocent to be murdered. We would represent to your Excellency
that we are a law-abiding people, a virtuous people, and we would
respectfully refer your Excellency to the official documents of the
state during our three years' residence in it, in proof of this.
If we transgress laws, we are willing to be tried by those laws,
but we dread mobs, we dread illegal process; we dread fermentation,
calumny and lies, knowing that our difficulties in Missouri first
commenced with these things.
{148} We pray that we may not be delivered into the hands of mobs,
or subjected to illegal proceedings of the militia, but that we
may have the privilege of self-defense, in case of attack, without
having to contend with legalized mobs as in Missouri; and we
therefore appeal to the honor, philanthropy, justice, benevolence
and patriotism of your Excellency, to afford us all legal
protection and to grant us our request; and we, as in duty bound,
will ever pray.
_Tuesday, September 6, 1842_.--I wrote as follows:
_Letter of the Prophet to the Church--Further Directions on Baptism
for the Dead_. [C]
[Footnote C: See Doc. and Cov. sec. cxxviii.]
NAUVOO, September 6, 1842.
_To the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, greeting:_--
1. As I stated to you in my letter, before I left my place, that I
would write to you from time to time, and give you information in
relation to many subjects, I now resume the subject of the baptism
for the dead, as that subject seems to occupy my mind, and press
itself upon my feelings the strongest, since I have been pursued by
my enemies.
2. I wrote a few words of revelation to you concerning a recorder.
I have had a few additional views in relation to this matter, which
I now certify. That is, it was declared in my former letter that
there should be a recorder who should be eye-witness, and also to
hear with his ears, that he might make a record of a truth before
the Lord.
3. Now, in relation to this matter, it would be very difficult
for one recorder to be present at all times, and to do all the
business. To obviate this difficulty, there can be a recorder
appointed in each ward of the city, who is well qualified for
taking accurate minutes; and let him be very particular and precise
in taking the whole proceedings, certifying in his record that he
saw with his eyes and heard with his ears, giving the date, and
names, &c., and the history of the whole transaction; naming also,
some three individuals that are present, if there be any present,
who can at any time, when called upon, certify to the same, that in
the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
4. Then let there be a general recorder, to whom these other
records can be handed, being attended with certificates over their
own signatures, certifying that the record they have made is true.
Then the general church recorder can enter the record on the
general church book, with the certificates and all the attending
witnesses, with his own statement that he verily believes the above
statement and records to be true, from his knowledge of the general
character and appointment of those {149} men by the Church. And
when this is done on the general church book, the record shall be
just as holy, and shall answer the ordinance just the same as if he
had seen with his eyes, and heard with his ears, and made a record
of the same on the general church book.
5. You may think this order of things to be very particular; but
let me tell you that it is only to answer the will of God, by
conforming to the ordinance and preparation that the Lord ordained
and prepared before the foundation of the world, for the salvation
of the dead who should die without a knowledge of the gospel.
6. And further, I want you to remember that John the Revelator was
contemplating this very subject in relation to the dead, when he
declared, as you will find recorded in Revelation xx, 12: "And I
saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were
opened; and another book was opened, which was the book of life;
and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in
the books, according to their works."
7. You will discover, in this quotation, that the books were
opened; and another book was opened, which was the book of life;
but the dead were judged out of those things which were written
in the books; according to their works: consequently, the books
spoken of must be the books which contained the record of their
works; and refer to the records which are kept on the earth. And
the book which was the book of life is the record which is kept in
heaven; the principle agreeing precisely with the doctrine which
is commanded you in the revelation contained in the letter which I
wrote to you previously to my leaving my place, that in all your
recordings it may be recorded in heaven.
8. Now, the nature of this ordinance consists in the power of
the priesthood, by the revelation of Jesus Christ; wherein it is
granted that whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Or in
other words, taking a different view of the translation, whatsoever
you record on earth shall be recorded in heaven, and whatsoever
you do not record on earth shall not be recorded in heaven; for
out of the books shall your dead be judged, according to their own
works, whether they themselves have attended to the ordinances in
their own _propria persona_ or by the means of their own agents,
according to the ordinance which God has prepared for their
salvation from before the foundation of the world, according to the
records which they have kept concerning their dead.
9. It may seem to some to be a very bold doctrine that we talk
of--a power which records or binds on earth, and binds in heaven:
nevertheless, in all ages of the world, whenever the Lord has
given a dispensation of the priesthood to any man by actual
revelation, or any set of men, this power has always been given.
Hence, whatsoever those men {150} did in authority, in the name
of the Lord, and did it truly and faithfully, and kept a proper
and faithful record of the same, it became a law on earth and in
heaven, and could not be annulled, according to the decrees of the
great Jehovah. This is a faithful saying--who can hear it?
10. And again, for a precedent, Matthew xvi: 18, 19. "And I also
say unto thee, that thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build
my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it:
and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and
whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
11. Now the great and grand secret of the whole matter, and the
_summum bonum_ of the whole subject that is lying before us,
consists in obtaining the powers of the holy priesthood; for him to
whom these keys are given, there is no difficulty in obtaining a
knowledge of facts in relation to the salvation of the children of
men, both as well for the dead as for the living.
12. Herein is glory, and honor, and immortality, and eternal life:
The ordinance of baptism by water, to be immersed therein in order
to answer to the likeness of the dead, that one principle might
accord with the other. To be immersed in the water and come forth
out of the water is in the likeness of the resurrection of the
dead, in coming forth out of their graves. Hence, this ordinance
was instituted to form a relationship with the ordinance of baptism
for the dead, being in likeness of the dead.
13. Consequently, the baptismal font was instituted as a simile of
the grave, and was commanded to be in a place underneath where the
living are wont to assemble, to show forth the living and the dead,
and that all things may have their likeness, and that they may
accord one with another,--that which is earthly conforming to that
which is heavenly, as Paul hath declared, I Cor. xv: 46, 47, and 48.
14. "Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which
is natural, and afterwards that which is spiritual. The first man
is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven. As
is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy; and as is the
heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly." And as are the
records on the earth in relation to your dead, which are truly made
out, so also are the records in heaven. This, therefore, is the
sealing and binding power, and, in one sense of the word, the keys
of the kingdom, which consist in the key of knowledge.
15. And now, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure
you that these are principles, in relation to the dead and the
living, that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our
salvation. For their {151} salvation is necessary and essential
to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the fathers, "that they
without us cannot be made perfect;" neither can we without our dead
be made perfect.
16. And now, in relation to the baptism for the dead, I will give
you another quotation of Paul, I Corinthians xv: 29: "Else what
shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not
at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?"
17. And again, in connection with this quotation, I will give you
a quotation from one of the prophets, who had his eye fixed on the
restoration of the priesthood, the glories to be revealed in the
last days, and in an especial manner this most glorious of all
subjects belonging to the everlasting gospel, viz., the baptism
for the dead; for Malachi says, last chapter, verses 5th and 6th,
"Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the
great and dreadful day of the Lord; and he shall turn the heart of
the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their
fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."
18. I might have rendered a plainer translation to this, but it
is sufficiently plain to suit my purpose as it stands. It is
sufficient to know, in this case, that the earth will be smitten
with a curse, unless there is a welding link of some kind or
other between the fathers and the children, upon some subject or
other: and behold, what is that subject? It is the baptism for
the dead. For we without them cannot be made perfect; neither can
they without us be made perfect. Neither can they nor we be made
perfect without those who have died in the gospel also; for it is
necessary, in the ushering in of the dispensation of the fullness
of times, which dispensation is now beginning to usher in, that a
whole, and complete, and perfect union, and welding together of
dispensations, and keys, and powers, and glories should take place,
and be revealed, from the days of Adam even to the present time;
and not only this, but those things which never have been revealed
from the foundation of the world, but have been kept hid from the
wise and prudent, shall be revealed unto babes and sucklings in
this the dispensation of the fullness of times.
19. Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received?
"A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven, and a voice
of truth out of the earth; glad tidings for the dead; a voice of
gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy.
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that bring
glad tidings of good things, and that say unto Zion, Behold! thy
God reigneth. As the dews of Carmel, so shall the knowledge of God
descend upon them."
20. And again, what do we hear? Glad tidings from Cumorah! Moroni,
an angel from heaven, declaring the fulfillment of the prophets
{152}--the book to be revealed. A voice of the Lord in the
wilderness of Fayette, Seneca county, declaring the three witnesses
to bear record of the book. The voice of Michael on the banks of
the Susquehanna, detecting the devil when he appeared as an angel
of light. The voice of Peter, James, and John, in the wilderness
between Harmony, Susquehanna county, and Colesville, Broome county,
on the Susquehanna river, declaring themselves as possessing the
keys of the kingdom and of the dispensation of the fullness of
times.
21. And again, the voice of God in the chamber of old Father
Whitmer in Fayette, Seneca county, and at sundry times and in
divers places, through all the travels and tribulations of this
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And the voice of
Michael, the Archangel, the voice of Gabriel and of Raphael, and
of divers angels from Michael or Adam down to the present time,
all declaring their dispensation, their rights, their keys, their
honors, their majesty and glory, and the power of their Priesthood;
giving line upon line, precept upon precept; here a little, and
there a little; giving us consolation by holding forth that which
is to come, confirming our hopes.
22. Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward
and not backward? Courage, brethren, and on, on to the victory!
Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceeding glad. Let the earth
break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of
eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained before the
world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their
prisons; for the prisoners shall go free.
23. Let the mountains shout for joy, and all ye valleys cry aloud;
and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your eternal
King. And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills flow down with gladness.
Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and
ye solid rocks weep for joy. And let the sun, moon, and the morning
stars sing together, and let all the sons of God shout for joy.
And let the eternal creation declare His name for ever and ever.
And again I say, how glorious is the voice we hear from heaven,
proclaiming in our ears, glory, and salvation, and honor, and
immortality and eternal life, kingdoms, principalities and powers.
24. Behold the great day of the Lord is at hand; and who can abide
the day of His coming, and who can stand when He appeareth? For He
is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap; and He shall sit
as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He shall purify the sons
of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer
unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Let us, therefore, as
a Church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the
Lord an offering in righteousness, and let us present, in His holy
Temple, when it is finished, a {153} book containing the records of
our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation.
25. Brethren, I have many things to say to you on the subject, but
shall now close for the present, and continue the subject another
time.
I am, as ever, your humble servant, and never deviating friend,
JOSEPH SMITH.
[Sidenote: The Letter's Effect]
The important instructions contained in the foregoing letter made
a deep and solemn impression on the minds of the Saints; and they
manifested their intentions to obey the instructions to the letter.
In the evening, William Clayton and Bishop Whitney called to see me
concerning a settlement with Edward Hunter. Also Brigham Young, Heber
C. Kimball, and Amasa Lyman, called to counsel concerning their mission
to the branches and people abroad.
_Wednesday, September 7_.--Early this morning Elders Adams and Rogers,
of New York, brought me several letters--one from Dr. Willard Richards,
who, referring to his visit with James Arlington Bennett, Esq., of
Arlington House, says, he "would be pleased to receive a letter of
President Joseph's own dictation, signed by his own hand;" which
request I was disposed to comply with, but deferred it till the next
day.
Governor Carlin wrote as follows:
_Governor Carlin's Letter to Emma Smith--Nauvoo's Charter and the
Writ of Habeas Corpus_.
QUINCY, September 7, 1842.
DEAR MADAM.--Your letter of the 27th ultimo was delivered to me
on Monday, the 5th instant, and I have not had time to answer it
until this evening; and I now appropriate a few moments to the
difficult task of replying satisfactorily to its contents, every
word of which evinces your devotedness to the interest of your
husband, and pouring forth the effusions of a heart wholly his. I
am thus admonished that I can say nothing, that does not subserve
his interest that can possibly be satisfactory to you; and before
I proceed, I will here repeat my great {154} regret that I have
been officially called upon to act in reference to Mr. Smith in any
manner whatever.
I doubt not your candor when you say you do not desire me "to
swerve from my duty as executive in the least," and all you ask is
to be allowed the privileges and advantages guaranteed to you by
the Constitution and laws. You then refer me to the 11th Section
of the Charter of the city of Nauvoo, and claim for Mr. Smith the
right to be heard by the Municipal Court of said city, under a writ
of habeas corpus emanating from said court, when he was held in
custody under an executive warrant.
The Charter of the city of Nauvoo is not before me at this time;
but I have examined both the Charters and city ordinances upon
the subject and must express my surprise at the extraordinary
assumption of power by the board of aldermen as contained in said
ordinance! From my recollection of the Charter it authorizes the
Municipal Court to issue writs of habeas corpus in all cases
of imprisonment or custody arising from the authority of the
ordinances of said city, but that the power was granted, or
intended to be granted, to release persons held in custody under
the authority of writs issued by the courts or the executive of the
state, is most absurd and ridiculous; and to attempt to exercise it
is a gross usurpation of power that cannot be tolerated.
I have always expected and desired that Mr. Smith should avail
himself of the benefits of the laws of this state, and, of course,
that he would be entitled to a writ of habeas corpus issued by the
Circuit Court, and entitled to a hearing before said court; but to
claim the right of a hearing before the Municipal Court of the city
of Nauvoo is a burlesque upon the city Charter itself.
As to Mr. Smith's guilt or innocence of the crime charged upon
him, it is not my province to investigate or determine; nor has
any court on earth jurisdiction of his case, but the courts of the
state of Missouri; and as stated in my former letter, both the
Constitution and laws presume that each and every state in this
Union are competent to do justice to all who may be charged with
crime committed in said state.
Your information that twelve men from Jackson county, Missouri,
were lying in wait for Mr. Smith between Nauvoo and Warsaw,
for the purpose of taking him out of the hands of the officers
who might have him in custody, and murdering him, is like many
other marvelous stories that you hear in reference to him--not
one word of it true; but I doubt not that your mind has been
continually harrowed up with fears produced by that and other
equally groundless stories. That that statement is true is next
to impossible; and your own judgment, if you will but give it
scope, will soon set you right in reference to it. {155} If any of
the citizens of Jackson county had designed to murder Mr. Smith,
they would not have been so simple as to perpetrate the crime in
Illinois, when he would necessarily be required to pass through
to the interior of the state of Missouri, where the opportunity
would have been so much better, and the prospect of escape much
more certain. That is like the statement made by Mr. Smith's
first messenger, after his arrest, to Messrs. Ralston and Warren,
saying that I had stated that Mr. Smith should be surrendered to
the authorities of Missouri, dead or alive; not one word of which
was true. I have not the most distant thought that any person in
Illinois or Missouri contemplated personal injury to Mr. Smith by
violence in any manner whatever.
I regret that I did not see General Law when last at Quincy. A
previous engagement upon business that could not be dispensed with
prevented, and occupied my attention that evening until dark.
At half-past one o'clock p. m., I came home, and learned that
the General had called to see me; but the hurry of business only
allowed me about ten minutes time to eat my dinner, and presuming,
if he had business of any importance, that he would remain in the
city until I returned.
It may be proper here, in order to afford you all the satisfaction
in my power, to reply to a question propounded to my wife by
General Law, in reference to Mr. Smith,--viz., whether any other
or additional demand had been made upon me by the Governor of
Missouri for the surrender of Mr. Smith. I answer, none. No change
whatever has been made in the proceedings. Mr. Smith has been held
accountable only for the charge as set forth in my warrant under
which he was arrested.
In conclusion you presume upon my own knowledge of Mr. Smith's
innocence; and ask why the prosecution is continued against him.
Here I must again appeal to your own good judgment; and you will
be compelled to answer that it is impossible I could know him
to be innocent; and, as before stated, it is not my province to
investigate as to his guilt or innocence. But could I know him
innocent, and were he my own son, I would nevertheless, (and the
more readily) surrender him to the legally constituted authority to
pronounce him innocent.
With sentiments of high regard and esteem, your obedient servant,
THOMAS CARLIN.
To Mrs. Emma Smith.
Brothers Adams and Rogers called again this afternoon, and I related to
them many interpositions of Divine Providence in my favor, &c.
{156} _Thursday, 8_.--I dictated the following:
_The Prophet's Letter to James Arlington Bennett--The Forthcoming
Book of John C. Bennett_.
NAUVOO, September 8, 1842.
I have just received your very consoling letter, dated August 16,
1842, which is, I think, the first letter you ever addressed to me,
in which you speak of the arrival of Dr. Willard Richards, and of
his personality very respectfully. In this I rejoice, for I am as
warm a friend to Dr. Richards as he possibly can be to me. And in
relation to his almost making a "Mormon" of yourself, it puts me in
mind of the saying of Paul in his reply to Agrippa, Acts xxvi: 29,
"I would to God that not only thou, but also all that hear me this
day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these
bonds." And I will here remark, my dear sir, that "Mormonism" is
the pure doctrine of Jesus Christ; of which I myself am not ashamed.
You speak also of Elder Foster, President of the Church in New
York, in high terms; and of Dr. Bernhisel, in New York. These men
I am acquainted with by information; and it warms my heart to know
that you speak well of them, and, as you say, could be willing to
associate with them for ever, if you never joined their Church
or acknowledged their faith. This is a good principle; for when
we see virtuous qualities in men, we should always acknowledge
them, let their understanding be what it may in relation to creeds
and doctrine; for all men are, or ought to be free, possessing
unalienable rights, and the high and noble qualifications of the
laws of nature and of self-preservation, to think, and act, and say
as they please, while they maintain a due respect to the rights and
privileges of all other creatures, infringing upon none.
This doctrine I do most heartily subscribe to and practice, the
testimony of mean men to the contrary notwithstanding. But, sir,
I will assure you that my soul soars far above all the mean and
groveling dispositions of men that are disposed to abuse me and my
character, I therefore shall not dwell upon that subject.
In relation to those men you speak of referred to above, I will
only say that there are thousands of such men in this Church, who,
if a man is found worthy to associate with, will call down the envy
of a mean world, because of their high and noble demeanor; and it
is with unspeakable delight that I contemplate them as my friends
and brethren. I love them with a perfect love; and I hope they love
me, and have no reason to doubt that they do.
The next in consideration is John C. Bennett. I was his friend; I
am yet his friend, as I feel myself bound to be a friend to all
the sons {157} of Adam. Whether they are just or unjust, they have
a degree of my compassion and sympathy. If he is my enemy, it is
his own fault; and the responsibility rests upon his own head;
and instead of arraigning his character before you, suffice it to
say that his own conduct, wherever he goes, will be sufficient to
recommend him to an enlightened public, whether for a bad man or a
good one.
Therefore whosoever will associate themselves with him, may be
assured that I will not persecute them; but I do not wish their
association, and what I have said may suffice on that subject, so
far as his character is concerned. Now, in relation to his book
that he may write. I will venture to prophesy that whoever has
any hand in the matter, will find themselves in a poor fix in
relation to the money matters; and as to my having any fears of the
influence that he or any other man or set of men may have against
me--I will say this is most foreign from my heart; for I never knew
what it was, as yet, to fear the face of clay, or the influence of
man. My fear, sir, is before God. I fear to offend Him, and strive
to keep His commandments. I am really glad that you did not join
John C. Bennett in relation to his book, from the assurances which
I have that it will prove a curse to all those who touch it.
In relation to the honor that you speak of, both for yourself and
James Gordon Bennett, of the _Herald_, you are both strangers to
me; and as John C. Bennett kept all his letters which he received
from you entirely to himself, and there was no correspondence
between you and me, that I know of, I had no opportunity to share
very largely in the getting up of any of those matters. I could
not, as I had not sufficient knowledge to enable me to do so. The
whole, therefore, was at the instigation of John C. Bennett, and
a quiet submission on the part of the rest, out of the best of
feelings; but as for myself, it was all done at a time when I was
overwhelmed with a great many business cares, as well as the care
of all the churches. I must be excused, therefore, for any wrongs
that may have taken place in relation to this matter; and so far as
I obtain a knowledge of that which is right, it shall meet with my
hearty approval.
I feel to tender you my most hearty and sincere thanks for every
expression of kindness you have tendered towards me or my brethren,
and would beg the privilege of intruding myself a little while upon
your patience, in offering a short relation of my circumstances. I
am at this time persecuted the worst of any man on the earth, as
well as this people, here in this place, and all our sacred rights
are trampled under the feet of the mob. I am now hunted as a hart
by the mob, under the pretense or shadow of law, to cover their
abominable deeds. * * * * * * * *
{158} I now appeal to you, sir, inasmuch as you have subscribed
yourself our friend. Will you lift your voice and your arm with
indignation against such unhallowed oppression? I must say, sir,
that my bosom swells with unutterable anguish when I contemplate
the scenes of horror that we have passed through in the state of
Missouri, and then look, and behold, and see the storm and cloud
gathering ten times blacker, ready to burst upon the heads of
this innocent people. Would to God that I were able to throw off
the yoke. Shall we bow down and be slaves? Are there no friends
of humanity in a nation that boasts itself so much? Will not the
nation rise up and defend us? If they will not defend us, will they
not grant to lend a voice of indignation against such unhallowed
oppression? Must the tens of thousands bow down to slavery and
degradation? Let the pride of the nation arise and wrench those
shackles from the feet of their fellow citizens, and their quiet,
and peaceable, and innocent and loyal subjects. But I must forbear,
for I cannot express my feelings.
The legion would all willingly die in the defense of their rights;
but what would this accomplish? I have kept down their indignation,
and kept a quiet submission on all hands, and am determined to do
so at all hazards. Our enemies shall not have it to say that we
rebel against government or commit treason. However much they may
lift their hands in oppression and tyranny, when it comes in the
form of government we tamely submit, although it lead us to the
slaughter and to beggary; but our blood be upon their garments:
and those who look tamely on and boast of patriotism shall not be
without their condemnation.
And if men are such fools as to let once the precedent be
established, and through their prejudices give assent to such
abominations, then let the oppressor's hand lay heavily throughout
the world, until all flesh shall feel it together, and until they
may know that the Almighty takes cognizance of such things. And
then shall church rise up against church, and party against party,
mob against mob, oppressor against oppressor, army against army,
kingdom against kingdom, and people against people, and kindred
against kindred.
And where, sir, will be your safety or the safety of your children,
if my children can be led to the slaughter with impunity by the
hand of murderous rebels? Will they not lead yours to the slaughter
with the same impunity? Ought not, then, this oppression, sir,
to be checked in the bud, and to be looked down [upon] with just
indignation by an enlightened world, before the flame become
unextinguishable, and the fire devours the stubble?
But again I say I must forbear, and leave this painful subject. I
wish you would write to me in answer to this, and let me know your
views. {159} On my part, I am ready to be offered up a sacrifice
in that way that can bring to pass the greatest benefit and good
to those who must necessarily be interested in this important
matter. I would to God that you could know all my feelings on
this subject, and the real facts in relation to this people, and
their unrelenting persecution. And if any man feels an interest
in the welfare of their fellow-beings, and would think of saying
or doing anything in this matter, I would suggest the propriety
of a committee of wise men being sent to ascertain the justice or
injustice of our cause, to get in possession of all the facts, and
then make report to an enlightened world whether we, individually
or collectively, are deserving such high-handed treatment.
In relation to the books that you sent here, John C. Bennett put
them into my store, to be sold on commission, saying that, when I
was able, the money must be remitted to yourself. Nothing was said
about any consecration to the Temple.
Another calamity has befallen us. Our post office in this place is
exceedingly corrupt. It is with great difficulty that we can get
our letters to or from our friends. Our papers that we send to our
subscribers are embezzled and burned, or wasted. We get no money
from our subscribers, and very little information from abroad; and
what little we do get, we get by private means, in consequence of
these things: and I am sorry to say, that this robbing of the post
office of money was carried on by John C. Bennett; and since he
left here, it is carried on by the means of his confederates.
I now subscribe myself your friend, and a patriot and lover of my
country, pleading at their feet for protection and deliverance, by
the justice of their Constitution.
I add no more. Your most obedient servant,
JOSEPH SMITH.
{160}