| 137 more, he can have a chance at the publics humble servent [servant].
Yours as ever SIDNEY RIGDON.
MR. H. W. MILLER.
P. S. Br. Miller, I have taken the liberty, to lay your communication before the public, without your leave. I hope you will pardon me for so doing, as I had no opportunity of getting word to or from you: as also to answer it through the papers. I hope the readers of the Times and Seasons, will cause this correspondence to be read among the public, as mush as possible. S. R.
To all saints in Christ Jesus, who are in the east, in the west, in the north and in the south; grace be unto you, and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
As many of our brethren have written upon the subject of our persecution in Missouri, and have clearly set forth the powerful influence which the saints have had to contend with every since its organization: I shall not attempt to fathom the depths of our persecution, though volumns [volumes] be written on the subject which would tell a tale that would make the savage of the wilderness blush, or the barbarian hide his head for shame.
The appeal of the church to the American people, clearly and understandingly set forth the outrages practised [practiced] upon the saints by the mob in the State of Missouri, a parallel of which cannot be produced in the annals of history since the days of our saviour [Savior]; for we were stoned, we were whipped, we were robbed, we were imprisoned, and plundered, of all we possessed, and many of the saints sealed their testimony with their blood. But thanks be to our God, we take the spoiling of our goods, and the wasting of our substance joyfully, knowing that we have a building of God, a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens, and being expelled as we were from our homes, and plundered of all our property, renders us almost destitute of means to carry on the works which the Lord our God has commanded us to do, in order to bring about our redemption, to fulfill the words of the prophets, and to carry on the work of translation, that we may be thourougly [thoroughly] furnished with every good word and work, and that we may be instrutced [instructed] in principle, in doctrine, and obtain correct ideas of the prophecies which have been corrupted by that abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many precious parts which are plain, and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken.-Book of Mormon, page 30, 1st ed.
Now under these existing circumstances brethren, groaning under poverty as you see that we are, and being under a solemn obligation to our God; and to the inhabitants of this generation, to promulge the pure doctrine of our Lord and saviour [Savior] Jesus Christ, what is to be done? shall the work stop for the want of means? no, God forbid, for we will propel the wheel of the kingdom by the power of union, until we acomplish [accomplish] all things whatsoever our God has commaded [commanded] us: and we firmly believe that the brethren who have funds will notice this appeal and come to our aid, and give us influence, so that they may be heirs with those who offered their all in sacrifice, and by this obtain a knowledge that the course of life which they pursue is according to the will of God.-See book of covenants, lecture 6, 9th paragraph.
It is vain for persons to fancy to themselves that they are heirs with those, or can be heirs with them who have offered their all in sacrifice, and by this means obtained faith with God and favor with him, so as to obtain eternal life, unless they, in like manner offer unto him the same sacrifice, and through that offering obtain a knowledge that they are accepted of him.-We have already expended twenty thousand dollars, in importuning at the feet of the rulers of this goverment [government]; and we will again appeal to the authorities of this nation, for the redemption of our property in the State of Missouri: for inasmuch as congress was not authorized to handle our case, we are determined to hunt alternately, until we can find a tribunal (if on earth) that will redress our unparallelled [unparalleled] wrongs, from a set of demons in the shape of men; then if we cannot find a tribunal on earth qualified for that purpose, the chief Magestrate [magistrate] holds the destiny of eternal
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