Brother W[ilford] Woodruff,

Sir, your letter,  of the 9th of March, directed to Bishop  [Edward] Partridge, Presidents Joseph Smith jr.  Sidney Rigdon, Hyrum Smith, and the  Saints in Zion, came safely to them,  some days since. And on account of  the press of business now on their  hands, and the request of J. Smith Jr.,  I have taken it upon me to answer it.

You say, that you have heard of the  deplorable state of things in Kirtland;  and it gave me much joy to learn by  your letter, that you received those  things in their true light. Great has  been the afflictions of the Saints in that  place, particularly our beloved breth ren Joseph Smith Jr. and Sidney Rig don.

In the past summer, I journeyed  from this place, in company with Wm.  Smith and D[avid] W. Patten, to Kirtland,  for the purpose of meeting in Confer ence there, with the twelve. On our  arrival, we soon learned the difficulties  that then existed there: these, however,  were all apparently settled, previous to  my leaving Kirtland: And W[arren] Parrish,  who has since become an unbeliever in re vealed religion, affected to repent and be come satisfied with Br. Joseph and the  church. Others also did the same:— But this settlement was not of long du ration. Soon after this, President Hy rum Smith and myself, left Kirtland  for the upper Missouri; and President  Joseph Smith, President S. Rigdon,  and Wm. Smith, soon followed us to  Far West: and during their absence,  it seems that Parrish, J[ohn] F. Boynton,  Luke Johnson, Joseph Coe, and some  others, united together for the over throw of the church. President Smith, [p. 36]