History of Joseph Smith, the Prophet and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Joseph F. Smith

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СКАЧАТЬ Williams, Councilor Orson Hyde and the clerk; after which President Rigdon gave a decision that our brethren be advised to tarry in this place during the winter; in which the council concurred.

      The two brethren then arose respectively and said they were perfectly satisfied with the decision of the council.

      The amount donated by the church in Lewis is, according to their letter, in cash, $473.29. The amount in Star property is $375.11. Total, $848.40.

      The council then decided that President Joseph Smith, Jun., take such amount of said money as those brethren can part with for the present, by giving sufficient security, to be paid with interest by the 15th of April, 1835.

      It was ascertained by the council that Sister Caroline Tippits held $149.75 of the money mentioned in said letter, she was accordingly called into the council, and expressed a willingness to loan the same.

      One note of $280 was drawn in favor of John H. Tippits, and another of $150, in favor of Caroline Tippits, each due April 15, 1835. Signed by Joseph Smith, Jun., Oliver Cowdery, and Frederick G. Williams.

      Oliver Cowdery, Clerk.

      The following letter was presented by John H. Tippits, and formed the subject for consideration by the preceding council, written to President Joseph Smith, Jun., and the High Council in Kirtland, by Alvah L. Tippits, to be sent greeting:

      President Smith will recollect the time I left Kirtland last winter in order to come to dispose of the property I had in possession, which I have been striving to do from that time till about the first of September last, but I have felt very uneasy while the commandment has gone forth for the eastern churches to flee unto the West.

      The 1st, or about the 1st of September, with two of my brethren, I took the revelation concerning the redemption of Zion and read it, and then we agreed to ask God to enable us to obey the same. As we live in the eastern states, our minds were impressed with these important lines:

      "Therefore, a commandment I give unto all the churches, that they shall continue to gather together unto the places which I have appointed; nevertheless as I have said unto you in a former commandment, let not your gathering be in haste, nor by flight; but let all things be prepared before you: and in order that all things be prepared before you, observe the commandment which I have given concerning these things, which saith, or teacheth, to purchase all the lands with money, which can be purchased or money, in the region round about the land which I have appointed to be the land of Zion, for the beginning of the gathering of my Saints; all the land which can be purchased in Jackson county and the counties round about, and leave the residue in mine hand. Now, verily I say unto you, let all the churches gather together all their monies; let these things be done in their time, but not in haste, and observe to have all things prepared before you. And let honorable men be appointed, even wise men, and send them to purchase these lands; and the churches in the eastern countries, when they are built up, if they will hearken unto this counsel, they may buy lands and gather together upon them; and in this way they may establish Zion."⁴

      After further consideration and much prayer, we carried the case before the church in this place, which met the approbation of the same.

      Accordingly we strove to become of one heart and one mind, and appointed a day for fasting and prayer, and asked the Lord to enable us to collect all our monies; and appointed a day for the church to come together for counsel.

      Accordingly we came together, and after conversation, chose a moderator and clerk to keep the records of the church; counseled concerning property owned by the church, and commenced to make sale and collect pay according to the voice of the church in order to collect all monies owned by the church, and send by the hands of wise men, who were appointed by the voice of the church; one Elder and one Priest, according to the will of God.

      ALVAH L. TIPPITS.

      Lewis, County of Essex,

      New York, October 20, 1834.

      The members of a branch of the Church of the Latter-day Saints, agreeable to the requirement of heaven, have striven to unite their hearts and views, in order to be found spotless before the blazing throne of the Great Jehovah when He comes to make us His jewels, and for this end to send property by the hands of wise men, appointed by the voice of the church, agreeable to the revelation concerning the redemption of Zion, for the purpose of purchasing land in Jackson county, or counties round about, for the inheritance of the Church. Agreeable to this, we give our names with the affixed sums annexed:

      Cash Property

      Joseph H. Tippits $98.67 $120.37

      Alvah Tippits 34.63 80.00

      John H. Tippits 171.05 51.93

      Henry Adams 11.13 8.75

      Zebulon Adams 1.75

      Caroline Tippits 151.06 107.00

      David Bragg 5.00 1.06

      Gustavus A. Perry 6.00

      Total, $848.40; $100.00 for boots and shoes, to be left in Kirtland.

      The wise men appointed are John H. Tippits and Joseph H. Tippits.

      The Covenant of Tithing.

      On the evening of the 29th of November, I united in prayer with Brother Oliver for the continuance of blessings. After giving thanks for the relief which the Lord had lately sent us by opening the hearts of the brethren from the east, to loan us $430; after commencing and rejoicing before the Lord on this occasion, we agreed to enter into the following covenant with the Lord, viz.:

      That if the Lord will prosper us in our business and open the way before us that we may obtain means to pay our debts; that we be not troubled nor brought into disrepute before the world, nor His people; after that, of all that He shall give unto us, we will give a tenth to be bestowed upon the poor in His Church, or as He shall command; and that we will be faithful over that which He has entrusted to our care, that we may obtain much; and that our children after us shall remember to observe this sacred and holy covenant; and that our children, and our children's children, may know of the same, we have subscribed our names with our own hands.

      (Signed)

      Joseph Smith, Jun.

      Oliver Cowdery,

      A Prayer.

      And now, O Father, as Thou didst prosper our father Jacob, and bless him with protection and prosperity wherever he went, from the time he made a like covenant before and with Thee; as Thou didst even the same night, open the heavens unto him and manifest great mercy and power, and give him promises, wilt Thou do so with us his sons; and as his blessings prevailed above his progenitors unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills, even so may our blessings prevail like his; and may Thy servants be preserved from the power and influence of wicked and unrighteous men; may every weapon formed against us fall upon the head of him who shall form it; may we be blessed with a name and a place among Thy Saints here, and Thy sanctified when they shall rest. Amen.

      A Prophecy.

      November 30.—While reflecting on the goodness and mercy of God this evening, a prophecy was put into our hearts, that in a short time the Lord would arrange His providences in a merciful manner and send us assistance to deliver us from СКАЧАТЬ