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e-mail: ricksindexing@hotmail.com
LETTER OF JOSEPH SMITH TO JAMES J. STRANG.
Nauvoo, June 18th, 1844.
My Dear Son:--Your epistle of May 24th, proposing the planting a Stake of Zion in Wisconsin and the gathering of the Saints there, was duly received, and I with most of the brethern whose advice I called in were of opinion that you was deceived by a spirit not of this world, great but not good. Brother Hyrum however thought otherwise, and favored the project, not doubting it was of God. I however determined to return you an unfavorable answer for the present. But Oh the littleness of man in his best earthly state! Not so the will of the Almighty. God hath ruled it otherwise, and a message from the throne of grace directed me as it hath inspired you, and the faith which thou hast in the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel, hath been repaid to thee a thousand fold, and thou shalt be like him; but the flock shall find rest with thee, and God shall reveal to thee his will concerning them.
I have long felt that my present work was almost done, and that I should soon be called to rule a mighty host, but something whispers me it will be in the land of spirits, where the wicked cease from troubling and the bands of the prisoner fall off. My heart yearns for my little ones, but I know God will be a father to them, and I can claim face to face the fulfillment of promise from him who is a covenant keeping God, and who sweareth and performeth and faileth not to the uttermost.
The wolves are upon the scent, and I am waiting to be offered up if such be the will of God, knowing that though my visage be more marred that that of any it will be unscarred and fair when archangels shall place on my brow the double crown of martyr and king in a heavenly world.
In the midst of darkness and boding danger the spirit of Elijah came upon me, and I went away to inquire of God how the Church should be saved.
I was upon the hill of the Temple. The calm father of waters rolled below changeless and eternal. I beheld a light in the heavens above, and streams of bright light illuminated the firmament varied and beautiful as the rainbow, gentle, yet rapid as the fierce lighting.
The Almighty came from his throne of rest. He clothed himself with light as with a garment. He appeared and moon and stars went out. The earth dissolved in space. I trod on air and was borne on wings of Cherubim. The sweetest strains of heavenly music thrilled in my ear, but the notes were low and sad as though they sounded the requiem of martyred Prophets.
I bowed my head to the earth and asked only wisdom and strength for the church. The voice of God answered, My servant Joseph, thou hast been faithful over many things and thy reward is glorious, the crown and sceptre are thine and they wait thee. But thou hast sinned in some things, and thy punishment is very bitter. The whirlwind goeth before and its clouds are dark, but rest followeth and to its days there shall be no end. Study the words of the vision for it tarrieth not.
And now behold my servant James J. Strang hath come to thee from far for truth when he know it not, and hath not rejected it but had faith in thee, the Shepherd and Stone of Israel, and to him shall the gathering of the people be, for he shall plant a stake of Zion in Wisconsin and I will establish it; and there shall my people have peace and rest and shall not be moved, for it shall be established on the prairie on White River in the lands of Racine and Walworth, and behold my servants James and Aaron shall plant it for I have given them wisdom, and Daniel shall stand in his lot on the hill beside the river looking down on the prairie, and shall instruct my people and shall plead with them face to face.
Behold my servant James shall lengthen the cords and strengthen the stakes of Zion, and my servant Aaron shall be his counselor, for he hath wisdom in the gospel and understandeth the doctrines and erreth not therein.
And I will have a house built unto me there of stone, and there will I show myself to my people by many mighty works, and the name of the city shall be called Voree, which is, being interpreted, garden of peace, for there shall my people have peace and rest and wax fat and pleasant in the presence of their enemies.
But I will again stretch out my arm over the river of waters, and on the banks thereof shall the house of my choice be. But now the city of Voree shall be a strong hold of safety to my people, and they that are faithful and obey me I will there give them great prosperity and such as they have not had before, and unto Voree shall be the gathering of my people, and there shall the oppressed flee for safety and none shall hurt or molest them.
And by this shall they know that I have spoken it: the people there and the owners of the land shall show kindness to them, for great calamites are coming on the church and such as have not been, and if they scatter the ungodly of the world shall swallow them up, but if they gather to my city of Voree there will I keep them under the shadow of my wings, and the cities from whence my people have been driven shall be purger with a high hand for I will do it, and my people shall be again restored to their possession, but dark clouds are gathering, for the church is not yet wholly purged.
And now I command my servants, the Apostles and Priests and Elders of the Church of the Saints, that they communicate and proclaim this my word to all the saints of God in all the world, that they may be gathered unto and round about my city of Voree and be saved from their enemies, for I will have a people to serve me.
And I command my servant Moses Smith that he go unto the saints with whom he is acquainted and unto many people, and command them in my name to go unto my city of Voree and gain inheritances therein, and he shall have an inheritance therein for he hath left all for my sake, and I will add unto him many fold if he is faithful; for he knows the land and can testify unto them that it is very good.
So spake the Almighty God of heaven. Thy duty is made plain, and if thou lackest wisdom ask of God in whose hands I trust thee, and he shall give the unsparingly, for if evil befall me thou shalt lead the flock to pleasant pastures. God sustain thee.
Joseph Smith.
This letter was received at Burlington by regular course of mail, coming through the distributing office at Chicago, and bears the Nauvoo post mark of June 19, the day following its date. It arrived at Burlington July 9th, and was immediately taken from the office by C. P. Barnes, Esq., a distinguished lawyer at that place who, in consequence of the rumors of persecution and civil war against the Mormons, and a general anxiety to hear the latest news, immediately carried it to Mr. Strang with the request to be informed of any news of public interest which it might contain. It therefore became public the same evening.
As much pains has been taken to belie this document and to derogate from its authority, it is proper to add that from the day of its reception to this (April 1848) it has always been kept open to public inspection, and not an iota of evidence has yet been produced derogatory to its authenticity. The Brighamites and other apostates have reported far and near that it had a black post mark, and that such were not used in the office at Nauvoo. this report is a falsehood. The post mark is red. They also stated a story that no proper entry of the mailing of such a letter could be found in the register of "mails sent" from Nauvoo But Mr. Strang caused the register to be examined, and under date of June 19th, 1844, the proper entry was found of such a letter to the distributing P. O. at Chicago, and the register at Burlington of "mails received" contains the proper entry from Chicago. In the winter of 1845-6 these facts were publicly proclaimed in the Temple at Nauvoo by Moses Smith, Samuel Shaw and others; an examination of the registers called for. The next day crowds were at the P.O. to inspect the register. But though the register of every other quarter from the establishment of that P.O. was safely there, that particular quarter was no where to be found. It has never since been produced.-Comment is unnecessary.
More on the letter of appointment from the Book of the Law of the Lord.
Now that this letter has gone out for the world to read, and its authenticity can't be disputed, there are now usurping priests and others who make the claim that Joseph Smith Jr. appointed James J. Strang as a stake president and not as his legal successor. Don't be fooled by these liars who have taken it upon themselves to deceive the public for gain.
The Letter of Appointment clearly states that James J. Strang would be like Joseph Smith Jr. who was "the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel." And to make this even more clear, the letter goes on state that Joseph Smith Jr. was the "the Shepherd and Stone of Israel."
Let there be no doubt that Joseph Smith Jr. appointed James J. Strang through revelation to be like him (Joseph Smith Jr.), "the Shepherd and Stone of Israel."
e-mail: ricksindexing@hotmail.com