| 618 their aims and ends, leave us among the missing,-perfectly contented to chuckle over the subterfuge of having used us as a passport to honor, profit, fame and wealth for their own gracious benefit, and then shove us aside to guess our way to respectability, competency, privilege and even a moderate share of morality-clandestinely acting the "Levite," that we may drag out and draw along a scrimpt [scrimped] existence in exile, among what is highly lauded to the nations of the earth, as a great, mighty free people,-THE ASYLUM OF THE OPPRESSED!!
Such conduct manifested to us as a people, is cruel, unjust, and oppressive; and, as not one of the candidates now before the nation for the high office of Chief Magistrate, has given us a pledge, that if he be elected to that exalted station, he will use all honorable means, constitutionally, lawfully, physically and forcibly to grant us redress and redemption for all wrongs: and as our candidate for this high office, has been butchered in cold blood, for aught [ought] we know to the contrary, to prevent him from being elected, and the murderers running at large with impunity; and as we are not abolitionists and will not go against one half the interest of the nation-what shall we do as honest and consistent men? Shall we honor the "views of the powers and policy of the government," as published by the now martyred Gen. Joseph Smith? We will. Therefore let every man of our faith be left free to choose and act for himself, but as a people we will honor the opinions and wisdom of our martyred General; and as a matter of propriety, we cannot vote for, or support a candidate for the presidency, till we find a man who will pledge himself to carry out Gen. Smith's views of the powers and policy of the government as he published them. Patriotism and integrity demand this course from the true Latter day Saint. Unus pro omnium.
A WORD TO THE WISE.
In order to have the saints understand their duty and the requirements of the Lord, we have thought it advisable to publish the following revelation concerning tithing: and after this we think the saints will not want to know what their duty is: He that runs may read, and a fool need not err.
REVELATION.
Given at Far West, July 8th, 1,838, in answer to the question: O Lord shew [show] unto thy servants how much thou requirest of the properties of thy people for a tithing?
Verily thus saith the Lord, I require all their surplus property to be put into the hands of the bishop of my church of Zion, for the building of mine house, and for the laying the foundation of Zion, and for the priesthood, and for the debts of the presidency of my church; and this shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people: And after that, those who have thus been tithed, shall pay one tenth of all their interest annually, and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood, saith the Lord.
Verily I say unto you, it shall come to pass, that all those who gather unto the land of Zion shall observe this law, or they shall not be found worthy to abide among you. And I say unto you, if my people observe not this law, to keep it holy, and by this law sanctify the land of Zion unto me, that my statutes and my judgments, may be kept thereon, that it may be most holy, behold, verily I say unto you, it shall not be a land of Zion unto you: and this shall be an ensample unto all the stakes of Zion: even so, Amen.
AN EPISTLE OF THE TWELVE.
To the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in Nauvoo and all the world ... GREETING.
Beloved Brethren:-Forasmuch as the saints have been called to suffer deep affliction and persecution, and also to mourn the loss of our Prophet and also our patriarch, who have suffered a cruel martyrdom for the testimony of Jesus, having voluntarily yielded themselves to cruel murderers who had sworn to take their lives, and thus like good shepherds have laid down their lives for the sheep, therefore it becomes necessary for us to address you at this time on several important subjects.
You are now without a prophet present with you in the flesh to guide you; but you are not without apostles, who hold the keys of power to seal on earth that which shall be sealed in heaven, and to preside over all the affairs of the church in all the world; being still under the direction of the same God, and being dictated by the same spirit, having the same manifestations of the Holy Ghost to dictate all the affairs of the church in all the world, to build the kingdom upon the foundation that the prophet Joseph has laid, who still holds the keys of this last dispensation, and will hold them to all eternity, as a king and priest unto the most high God, ministering in heaven, on earth, or among the spirits of the departed dead, as seemeth good to him who sent him.
Let no man presume for a moment that his place will be filled by another; for, remember he stands in his own place, and always will; and the twelve apostles of this dispensation stand in their own place and always will, both in time and in eternity, to minister, preside and regulate the affairs of the whole church.
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