| 25 "LAMONI, Iowa, October 2, 1896.
"F. D. RICHARDS,
"Dear Sir:-I believe you are Church Recorder, and so write you for historical information. Will you favor me by stating what the approximate or exact numerical strength of the church was at the time of the death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith.
"I desire this simply to get at correct historical data.
"Respectfully,
"HEMAN C. SMITH."
To this we received the following reply:-
"SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 12, 1896.
"MR. HEMAN C. SMITH, Lamoni, Iowa,
"Dear Sir.-In reply to yours of the 2d inst. as to the numerical strength of the church at the time of the death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith.
"The nearest we can approximate the number was about 26,000 to 27,000 souls. Respectfully,
"F. D. RICHARDS."
To this we replied as follows:-
"LAMONI, Iowa, Oct. 17, 1896.
"F. D. RICHARDS."
"Dear Sir:-Yours of October 12, 1896, is at hand, stating the approximate numerical strength of the church at the death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith to have been 'about 26, 000 to 27, 000 souls.'
"I am surprised at the number being given so small by you. How do you explain the statements of Joseph Smith on this point? In a historical sketch written by him and published by I. Daniel Rupp in 1844 he writes: 'There are no correct data by which the exact number of members composing this now extensive, and still extending, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints can be known. Should it be supposed at 150,000 it might still be short of the truth.'-History of Religious Denominations, p. 409.
"In his reply to Henry Clay, May 13, 1844, he writes: 'Why, Great God! to transport 200,000 people through a vast prairie; over the Rocky Mountains, to Oregon, a distance of nearly two thousand miles, would cost more than four millions!'-Times and Seasons, vol. 5, p. 547.
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