| 1040 TIMES AND SEASONS.
"TRUTH WILL PREVAIL."
VOL. VI. NO. 18.] CITY OF NAUVOO, ILL. DEC 1, 1845. [WHOLE NO. 126.
HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH.
(CONTINUED.)
April 1st 1834. This day at Brother Riders, in Chardon. The Court has not brought forward Hurlbert's trial yet, and we were engaged in issuing subpoenas for witnesses. My soul delighteth in the law of the Lord, for he forgiveth my sins, and will confound mine enemies. The Lord shall destroy him who has lifted his heel against me, even that wicked man, Doct. P. Hurlbert; he will deliver him to the fowls of heaven, and his bones shall be cast to the blasts of the wind, for he lifted his arm against the Almighty, therefore the Lord shall destroy him.
Wednesday the 2nd and Thursday the 3d, attended the Court. Hurlbert was on trial for threatening my life. Friday morning I returned home. And in the evening attended council of which the following are the minutes.
"Kirtland, April 4th 1834.
This evening a council of High Priests assembled at the house of President Joseph Smith, Jun., to reconsider the case of Brother George F. James. Pres. Joseph Smith Jun, presiding.
Brother George said that he had often promised to take up his cross and magnify his calling, but had failed, and had ought to have written to the President ere this time, and given him the information that his pecuniary affairs called his attention at home, which prevented his fulfilling the promise he made to president Joseph in going out to proclaim the gospel, and he sincerely asked pardon of the Lord, and of his brethren, and particularly of Brother Joseph. He also said he was willing to ask the forgiveness of this church. He said that relative to certain charges, which were that he "had not attended meetings," and had treated lightly some of the weak" &c.; that he had attended meetings, generally; and as for speaking or treating lightly any brother because of his weakness, was foreign from his mind, and was that which he had never done, nor could ever find such principles in his bosom. President Joseph said he had no hardness; he only wished brother George to consider this as a chastisement, and that the council were bound to notice his conduct heretofore; but now if Bro. George was willing to walk according to the new covenant, he should have his hand of fellowship. The council then expressed their satisfaction at Bro. George's confession.
Signed OLIVER COWDERY, Clerk.
Saturday, March 5th; I went to Chardon, as a witness for Father Johnson, and returned in the evening. Mr. Russell, the State's Attorney, for Portage county, called on me. He appeared in a gentlemanly manner, and treated me with great respect.
April 7th. Bishop Whitney, Elders Frederick G. Williams, Oliver Cowdery, Heber C. Kimball, and myself met in the council room, and bowed down before the Lord, and prayed that he would furnish the means to deliver the Firm from debt, that they might be set at liberty; also that I might prevail against the wicked man, Hurlbert, and that he might be put to shame.
The Presidency wrote Elder Orson Hyde, who yet remained in the State of New York, as follows:
Kirtland, April 7, 1834.
Dear Bro Orson:-
We received yours of the 31st ultimo, in due course of mail, and were much grieved on learning that you were not like to succeed according to our expectations. Myself, Brothers Newel, Frederic and Oliver, retired to the translating room, where prayer was wont to be made, and unbosomed our feelings before God, and cannot but exercise faith yet that you, in the miraculous providence of God will succeed in obtaining help. The fact is, unless we can obtain help, I myself cannot go to Zion, and if I do not go, it will be impossible to get my brethren in Kirtland, any of them, to go; and if we do not go, it is in vain for our eastern brethren to think of going up to better themselves by obtaining so goodly a land, (which now can be obtained for one dollar and a quarter per acre,) and stand against that wicked mob; for unless they do the will of God, God will not help them, and if God does not help them, all is vain.
Now the fact is, this is the head of the church, and the life of the body, and those able men, as members of the body, God has appointed to be hands to administer to the necessities of the body. Now if a man's hand refuses to administer to the necessities of his body, it must perish of hunger; and if the body perish, all the members perish with it; and if the head fails, the whole body is sickened, the heart faints, and the body dies, the spirit takes its exit, and the carcase [carcass] remains to be devoured by worms.
Now Brother Orson, if this church, which is assaying to be the church of Christ, will not
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