| 515 RICHMOND, Ray County, Missouri, March 20, 1850.
Doctor Warren Cowdery; Sir: In compliance with a request made by your brother Oliver, and from you, feeling it my duty both to the dead and the living, I address you upon a subject which is solemn, yet carries with it a consolation. Although we have been called upon to mourn we are not left to despair. We have been called upon to inter his remains in the silent tomb where it will not be seen any more until the morning of the resurrection, yet the principles which he avowed deserve to be written in letters of gold, never to be obliterated.
I will give you a description of his illness and death. On the 22d of January, 1849, brother Oliver came to Richmond. The weather was severe and he caught a bad cold, which gave rise to a tight, dry cough. When warm weather came on, he had better health until the first of August when he was attacked with a fever; after the fever left, the chills came on; after this his health was on the decline. In December he was attacked with inflammation of the throat. Some time in February, 1850, the inflammation settled in his stomach, attended by a severe cough, which wore him down; and on the 3d day of March, 1850, we had to part with him. But he gave evidence of his acceptance with God, declaring that he knew his sins were forgiven, and that he had become sanctified. I held him up till he could take the parting hand with all present; then he said to me, "Lay me down, and let me sleep in the arms of Jesus."
During his sickness his mind was strong; although his bodily strength failed, his mind was clear and active.
Questions.-Did he die holding to his former testimony as he taught it, or did he die as some of the sectarians without any special faith in any church? Did he express any opinion about Strang and his followers, or Brewster and his followers, or the Twelveites, or any others that pretend to embrace the Mormon faith? He did frequently express his opinion of those different factions pretending to hold the authority of the primitive church of Christ, who do not cleave to the standard of truth. Of those he said they are either deceivers, or deceived; but he said there are many among them who are honest and will receive the truth when they hear it; and any organization that does not agree with the order laid down in the Bible and Book of Mormon in the gospel dispensation, is to be rejected; knowing that for us to support such errors would be opposing the order of God, and would be worshiping [worshipping] the man of sin. Among his last words, was to reaffirm his testimony to the Book of Mormon.
Your brother in Christ,
HIRAM PAGE.
On Tuesday, January 26, occurred the death of General David R. Atchison, in Clinton County, Missouri. General Atchison will be remembered kindly as one of the few Missouri officials who treated the Saints with justice and consideration.
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