Kirtland Aug 28th 1840

We are in the dark concerning the mission and procee dings of Elder J[onathan] Dunham, who recently passed through  this place. He presents himself first by a letter dated  Waterford, Washington Co. Ohio, Muskingham river  directed to Hiram Kellogg of Kirtland. Ohio. (in “haste”).

The following are some of the Items contained in the letter  in his own words “Dear brother in the gospel and new  Covenant, I feel it a duty to inform you that I am on  my way and mission to the State of New York, I have  just returned from the Far West! by way of Commerce  Nauvoo, Springfield &c. I started in company with  three other Elders who have all got sick & I have been  obliged to leave them, two of whom have gone back &  the other I left in Covington K.Y. opposite Cincinatti.  My mission is urgent indeed. I am now left alone”  I did want you to select out if possible three or four Lam anite preachers and have them ready when I arrive to  go to Catteraugus Buffalo Tonawanda, Tuscaroras  Alleganys Onendagas and Oneidas:— I want the  bretheren if possible to assist me in getting to the Onida  Castle by water for I am in haste to return to Nauvoo  at Oct. Conference, & then to my station in the Terri tory of Missouri 9 miles from the Garrison (Leving worth), from whence, I have just come. A new  scene of things are about to transpire in the west, in f ulfilment of prophecy, &c I want your prayers & also  the prayers of the bretheren that I may have my health to  accomplish my mission. I am not sent to the Gentiles  neither to the Cities of the Sameritans, but to the promised  people of the house of Jacob, who if they go through &c”

To this letter he signs his name “J Dunham Lamanite”  Hyrum Kellogg being absent, his son Henry Kellogg, a  Univerlsalist preacher takes the letter out of the Post Office  and reads it & replies “the mormons ought to be seen to  or words to that amount”; &c— soon afterwards Elder  Dunham arrives & confirms the letter by preaching much  stronger meat than it contains, both in publick and  in private: in publick he says. “This nation is about  to be destroyed” and suggests to the bretheren that there [p. 174]