Letter from Lyman Wight and Others, 15 February 1844–A
Source Note
, , , , and , Letter, Black River Falls, Pine Co., Wisconsin Territory, to JS and quorum of the twelve, , Hancock Co., IL, 15 Feb. 1844; handwriting of Otis Hobart; four pages; JS Collection, CHL.
of the truth have born the most extreme burdens fatiegue and hunger to prosecute the Mission to procure lumber sufficient to build the two houses, to open the door to all the regions which we have named, which regions have never yet had an oppertunity to hear the Gospel and to be made acquainted with the plan of salvation; or shall they continue to suffer the fatiegues of hunger wet and cold in a rigid inclement climate for the pittiful Sum that it shall avail them after undergoing those hazardous perils. Or shall they, like Timothy and Titus, with Paul hazzard the perils of sea and land through the Southern States and West India Islands and all the Lamanite world, go forth and proclaim to them the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and teach them to build up Zion
Is there not thousands of the rich planters who would embrace the Gospel <and> if they had a place to plant their slaves, give all their proceeds of their yearly labor if rightly taught, for building up the Kingdom, being directed by the President of the whole church to make the right application? We answer yes, we believe they would— Your servants the committee are of the opinion that a concert and reciprocity of action betwen the North and the South would greatly advance the building up of the Kingdom. The committee is well informed of the Cherokee and the Chocktaw Nations who live between between the State of Arkansas and the of the owning large plantations and thousands of Slaves and that they are also very desirious to have an interview with the Elders of this Church upon the principles of the Book of Mormon. This Committee is of the opinion that they can choose soldiers for this expedition who are as undeviating in the principles of the doctrine of Christ and the Book of Mormon as the Sun in his daily course, and as indefatigable in their exertions in this cause as the earth is in [p. [3]]