Thus with fair prospects of peace and prosperity the year 1836 closed in Missouri.

Prospects of peace.

Those who have carefully investigated the history of these troubles, beginning in Jackson County in 1833, must admit that the saints did all in their power to promote peace, even at times to the sacrificing of the most sacred rights and privileges. While we do not claim that they were perfect, or at all times wise, we nevertheless wonder at the patience and fortitude which they displayed under these trying ordeals. From a natural standpoint their selfcontrol seems strange, and awakens the conviction if any. thing can, that they were largely taught and led by divine influences.

CHAPTER 4.

1836.

MISSION TO THE EAST GENERAL PROSPERITY - LABORS OF THE PATRIARCH AND HIS BROTHER-KIRTLAND BANK-CONFERENCE OF AUTHORITIES-LITERARY CONCERNS-WORK IN THE SOUTHGATHERING TO MISSOURI.

THE history of the church in the East, from July 25, 1836, to the end of the year, is briefly related by Joseph Smith, as follows:

Mission to

"On Monday afternoon, July 25, in company with Sidney Rigdon, Brother Hyrum Smith, and Oliver Cowdery, I left Kirtland, and at seven o'clock the same evening, the East. we took passage on board the steamer Charles Townsend, S. Fox, master, at Fairport, and the next evening, about ten o'clock, we arrived at Buffalo, New York, and took lodgings at the Farmers' Hotel.' Here we met with Elders O. Hyde and M. C. Nickerson, the former on his way to Canada, and the latter from that Province.

"To avoid the crowding, fisting, fighting, racing, and rioting of the packets, we took passages on a line boat for Utica, where we arrived about eight o'clock, a. m., of the 29th, just in time to take the railroad car for Schenectady, the first passengers' car on the new road. We were more than six hours traveling eighty miles. The locomotive had hardly stopped before the cry was 'Albany baggage cars start in five minutes.' Amid a scene of confusion, bustle, and crowding, we succeeded, after a good share of scuffling and pulling, in getting our trunks on board the luggage car for Albany, where we arrived the same evening.

"On the 30th, at seven o'clock, a. m., we went on board the steamer John Mason, which took us to the Erie, lying over the bar. While the passengers were stepping off the John Mason, the steamer Rochester passed us. 'Now for a race,’

was the cry from different parts, and a race and try of speed it was; however, as fate or steam power or engine would have it, the Erie, after touching at Catskill and West Point, where the Rochester did not, went into New York a few miles ahead.' By such undue pressure of steam the lives of thousands have been sacrificed, and I thanked God that myself and friends were safely landed.

"While here I visited the burnt district-that part of the city where it was estimated fifteen millions of property were consumed by fire on the 16th of December, 1835.

From New York we continued our journey to Providence, on board a steamer; from thence to Boston, by steam cars, and arrived in Salem, Massachusetts, early in August, where we hired a house, and occupied the same during the month, teaching the people from house to house, and preaching publicly, as opportunity presented; visiting, occasionally, sections of the surrounding country, which are rich in the history of the Pilgrim Fathers of New England, in Indian warfare, religious superstition, bigotry, persecution, and learned ignorance.

"The early settlers of Boston (the Emporium of New England), who had fled from their mother country to avoid persecution and death, soon became so lost to principles of justice and religious liberty as to whip and hang the Baptist and the Quaker, who, like themselves, had fled from tyranny to a land of freedom; and the Fathers of Salem from 1691 to 1693, whipped, imprisoned, tortured, and hung many of their citizens for supposed witchcraft; and quite recently, while boasting of her light and knowledge, of her laws and religion, as surpassed by none on earth, has New England been guilty of burning a Catholic convent in the vicinity of Charleston, and of scattering the inmates to the four winds; yes, in sight of the very spot where the fire of the American Independence was first kindled, where a monument is now erecting in memory of the battle of Bunker Hill, and the fate of the immortal Warren, who bled, who died on those sacred heights, to purchase religious liberty for his country; in sight of this very spot, have the religionists of the nineteenth century demolished a noble brick edifice, hurl

ing its inhabitants forth upon a cold, unfeeling world for protection and subsistence.

"Well did the Savior say concerning such, 'By their fruits you shall know them.' And if the wicked mob who destroyed the Charleston convent, and the cool, calculating religious lookers on, who inspired their hearts with deeds of infamy, do not arise, and redress the wrong, and restore the injured fourfold, they in turn will receive of the measure they have meted out till the just indignation of a righteous God is satisfied. When will man cease to war with man, and wrest from him his sacred rights of worshiping his God according as his conscience dictates? Holy Father, hasten the day. ...

"While here Brothers Brigham Young and L. C. Johnson arrived. Brother Young had been through New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts, in company with his brother, Joseph Young, having visited their connection in this country, and baptized a good number into the church. They staid in Boston two or three weeks, and baptized seventeen persons. We had a good visit with the brethren, for which I feel very thankful.

"Thus I continued in Salem aud vicinity until I returned to Kirtland, sometime in the month of September. During this month the church in Clay County, Missouri, commenced removing to their newly selected location on Shoal Creek, in the territory attached to Ray County.

"During the quarter ending September 3, fifty-two elders', six priests', three teachers', and two deacons' licenses were recorded in the License Records, in Kirtland, Ohio, by Thomas Burdick.

General prosperity.

The intelligence from Elder P. P. Pratt still

the elders abroad was interesting. continued his labors in Upper Canada, Toronto, and vicinity, with good success. Elder Lyman E. Johnson had been laboring in New Brunswick and other places on the seaboard; and on the 12th, 13th, and 14th of August a conference was held by Elders Brigham Young and Lyman E. Johnson, at Newry, Maine, where seventeen branches were represented, amounting to three hundred and seventeen members.

Labors of the

his brother.

"October 2, 1836. My father, and Uncle John Smith, returned to Kirtland, from their mission to the Eastern States, having traveled about two thousand four hundred Patrrch and miles, and visited nearly all the branches of the church in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania. During this mission, they baptized many, conferred blessings upon many hundreds, and preached the gospel to many thousands. They also visited their friends. and relatives in the land of their nativity. My cousin, George A. Smith, returned the same day from his mission to Richland County, Ohio. Brother H. C. Kimball returned to Kirtland, having been absent nearly five months, during which time he baptized thirty persons into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, this being in fulfillment of a blessing that I had conferred upon his head before he started on his mission.

"Through the month of October. my attention was particularly directed to the building up of Kirtland, and the spiritual interests of the church. And on the 2d Kirtland Bank. of November the brethren at Kirtland drew up certain articles of agreement, preparatory to the organization of a banking institution, to be called the Kirtland Safety Society.'

"President O. Cowdery was delegated to Philadelphia to procure plates for the institution; and Elder O. Hyde, to repair to Columbus, with a petition to the legislature of Ohio, for an act of incorporation, which was presented at an early period of their session, but because we were 'Mormons,' the legislature raised some frivolous excuse on which they refused to grant us those banking privileges they so freely granted to others. Thus Elder Hyde was compelled to return without accomplishing the object of his mission, while Elder Cowdery succeeded at a great expense in procuring the plates, and bringing them to Kirtland.

"Forty-four elders' licenses were recorded in the License Records at Kirtland, during the quarter ending December 1; also tive priests' and one teacher's licenses; by T. Burdick. . .