| 755 preparatory for their missions, and ministry, according to a revelation on that subject, given March 8th 1833, and by unanimous voice of the conference, Hyrum Smith, Jared Carter, and Reynolds Cahoon were appointed a commitee [committee] to obtain subscriptions, for the purpose of erecting such a building.
CORRESPONDENCE.
Bordentown N. J. Nov. 10th, 1844.
Dear Brother W. W. Phelps of Nauvoo, I take this method of addressing you through the columns of the Prophet, as it will save postage and is not so liable to be miscarried; hoping that it will receive due and immediate attention.
Dear Brother:-Situated as I am in this eastern land, and far from the great emporium of the west, (Nauvoo) and I might say my home, if there is any place on earth that I might with propriety call so. But, indeed, I could say with Abraham, I have no home this side the vale, but a pilgrim and sojourner here on earth; (not exactly in tents, as the good old Patriarch with flocks and herds) a stranger without purse or scrip among strangers to build up the kingdom of God, (a most unpopular theme) and bear some humble part of this last ministry to the nations of the earth?
Can you tell, dear brother, why it is, the saints of God in all ages, and especially in these last times, can have no more rest? persecuted as they are from city to city, and from place to place; I ask myself the question, is anything criminal in Mormonism-in the divine pretensions of the prophet? this cannot be, others have professed the same; there has been hundreds of prophets, true ones too, and men have declared that if they had lived in their day, they would not have killed them; and yet, what have they not done? ("for if they will do these things in the green tree, what will they do in the dry?") But. they say, none of these signs have followed and proven him a prophet, that followed and proved them of old. What say ye, can you answer this?
Tell us the crime, the time and place, when and where; was it finding the Nephite record? revealing to the world the origin of a lost and scattered people, a knowledge of which had been hid for ages in midnight darkness; lost from the deepest research of modern antiquarians. Was it for revealing to the world a knowledge of whose lands, and by whom the foundation of these mighty cities had been laid, and since discovered by Stephens and Catherwood; this none will doubt, yet a knowledge of the fact of these cities being built by skillful hands, hundreds of years ago, written in the Book of Mormon would be 'humbug.'
These discoveries, made by the these men, which are truly great and confirmatory [confirmation] of the truth of the Book of Mormon, and the inspiration of the prophet Joseph, was made since this book was found and published to the world in 1830; then the prophecy was made that the Indians were a remnant of the house of Israel, "had wandered through the wilderness, and came over the sea," inhabited North and South America, built large cities, and were a warlike people; that many had fallen in battle and cities had been destroyed, a remnant remained as the last vestige, to tell the sad tale and history of their fallen race. And who has proved this prophecy true? 'Stephens and Catherwood!'
You will bear in mind, also, that Joseph was but a youth at this time, without any possible means of knowing, as men naturally know of these things-a mere plough [plow] boy at the age of 17, 21 and 22; he never had by the aid of 'government friends,' or wealthy parents, the means to climb the Alpine mountains of the east-to traverse the holy land, and in Central America, stand and gaze upon the richly wrought pyramids, and with wonder and amazement exclaim, whose hands have laid these cities and reared these mighty monuments? Yet God had given him this knowledge; read the Book of Mormon and it will tell you; and mark, kind reader, that this book was published in 1830, and the discoveries and facts proved by Stephens and Catherwood in 1837 proving to a demonstration the inspiration of the prophet, and the divinity of the book.
But it is said in Mormonism there is a charm a mystery that the world cannot explain; I admit it; it has a charm more inviting than all the magicians and sooth sayers of Egypt, and a mystery that sectarians cannot unravel. Why? Because they have not the spirit of Christ, which is the spirit of prophecy. Mormonism has inferiors, but no superiors; it acknowledges no twin-sister but heaven; no superior but God; no king but Jesus: with unparalleled rapidity it has rolled on, "out-vied the muttering crowd," and accumulated its thousands who are now rejoicing in the fulness [fullness] of the gospel, revealed and brought to light by the prophet Joseph.
If it should be asked, then, is Mormonism true? a thousand intelligent voices reverberate yes! yes! yes!
Again, who has gathered their thousands? built a city? two temples? and embodied a code of morals garbed with immortality, that has made its way to the imperial thrones of the earth, embosomed itself in the golden rays and unbounded glories of heaven, crowned with
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