Letter from Mephibosheth Sirrine, 25 May 1842

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Letter from Mephibosheth Sirrine, 25 May 1842
Source Note

Mephibosheth Sirrine
27 Oct. 1811–25 Apr. 1848. Carpet weaver. Born in Philipstown, Putnam Co., New York. Son of Isaac Sirrine and Sarah. Married first Mariah Wheeler, by 1835, likely in Putnam Co. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by Aug. 1838. Served...
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, Letter,
Canton
Township located approximately twenty miles west of Detroit. Formed 1834. Population in 1854 about 1,900. Mephibosheth Sirrine corresponded with JS from township in 1842 regarding missionary work in state.
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, Wayne Co., MI, to JS, [
Nauvoo
Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....
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, Hancock Co., IL], 25 May 1842. Featured version published in Times and Seasons, 1 July 1842, vol. 3, no. 17, 838–839. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.

Historical Introduction
On 25 May 1842,
church
The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...
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member
Mephibosheth Sirrine
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wrote from
Canton
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, Michigan, to JS in
Nauvoo
Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....
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, Illinois, updating him on the state of the church in and around Canton and reporting on his proselytizing efforts. Sirrine had left
New York City
Dutch founded New Netherland colony, 1625. Incorporated under British control and renamed New York, 1664. Harbor contributed to economic and population growth of city; became largest city in American colonies. British troops defeated Continental Army under...
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in 1838 to preach in southeastern
Michigan
Organized as territory, 1805, with Detroit as capital. De facto state government organized within territory, 1836, although not formally recognized as state by federal government until 1837. Lansing became new state capital, 1847. Population in 1810 about...
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, where he organized a
branch
An ecclesiastical organization of church members in a particular locale. A branch was generally smaller than a stake or a conference. Branches were also referred to as churches, as in “the Church of Shalersville.” In general, a branch was led by a presiding...
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.
1
Mephibosheth Sirrine, [Washtenaw Co., MI], 8 Feb. 1840, Letter to the Editors, Times and Seasons, Mar. 1840, 1:73–74.
Comprehensive Works Cited
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
By 1840, he was still living in Michigan with his wife, Mariah Wheeler, and three children.
2
1840 U.S. Census, Superior, Washtenaw Co., MI, 92.
Census (U.S.) / U.S. Bureau of the Census. Population Schedules. Microfilm. FHL.
In 1841, Sirrine presided over a church
conference
A meeting where ecclesiastical officers and other church members could conduct church business. The “Articles and Covenants” of the church directed the elders to hold conferences to perform “Church business.” The first of these conferences was held on 9 June...
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in Michigan.
3
Rufus Beach, Livonia, MI, 2 Mar. 1841, Letter to the Editor, Times and Seasons, 1 Apr. 1841, 2:366.
As indicated in this May 1842 letter, he relocated with his family to
La Harpe
Located about twenty-five miles east of Nauvoo. Settled 1830. Originally called Franklin. Developed, platted, and renamed La Harpe, by 1836. Immigration and missionary work led to creation of branch of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in area, ...
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, Illinois, sometime between June 1841 and February 1842, after which he returned to Michigan to proselytize.

In the letter featured here,
Sirrine
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’s proselytizing report focused on a public debate he had recently had with a Methodist minister.
4
Sirrine had previously debated a Baptist, a Methodist, and two Universalist ministers in January 1840. (Mephibosheth Sirrine, [Washtenaw Co., MI], 8 Feb. 1840, Letter to the Editors, Times and Seasons, Mar. 1840, 1:73–74.)
Sirrine’s letter was published in the 1 July 1842 issue of the Times and Seasons and was one of several letters reporting on missionary work that JS, during his tenure as editor, published in the church newspaper.
5
See, for example, Letter from William Appleby, ca. Mar. 1842.
The original letter from Sirrine is apparently not extant.
Footnotes
[1]
Mephibosheth Sirrine, [Washtenaw Co., MI], 8 Feb. 1840, Letter to the Editors, Times and Seasons, Mar. 1840, 1:73–74.
[2]
1840 U.S. Census, Superior, Washtenaw Co., MI, 92.
[3]
Rufus Beach, Livonia, MI, 2 Mar. 1841, Letter to the Editor, Times and Seasons, 1 Apr. 1841, 2:366.
[4]
Sirrine had previously debated a Baptist, a Methodist, and two Universalist ministers in January 1840. (Mephibosheth Sirrine, [Washtenaw Co., MI], 8 Feb. 1840, Letter to the Editors, Times and Seasons, Mar. 1840, 1:73–74.)
[5]
See, for example, Letter from William Appleby, ca. Mar. 1842.
Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Letter from Mephibosheth Sirrine, 25 May 1842
Times and Seasons, 1 July 1842
Page 838
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Canton
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, Wayne co Mich. May 25, 1842.

President Smith—Dear Sir:—I sit down to write a few lines to you to inform you of the spread of truth in this
State
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.

I left the town of
Laharpe
Located about twenty-five miles east of Nauvoo. Settled 1830. Originally called Franklin. Developed, platted, and renamed La Harpe, by 1836. Immigration and missionary work led to creation of branch of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in area, ...
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Hancock co.
1
Tax records indicate that Sirrine owned land in La Harpe in 1842. (Nauvoo, Hancock Co., IL, Tax Lists for District no. 3, Tax Record for 1842, p. 181, microfilm 7,706, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL.)
U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.
on the 15th of February in company with
Elder
A male leader in the church generally; an ecclesiastical and priesthood office or one holding that office; a proselytizing missionary. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto...
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C[randell] Dunn,
2
In the fall of 1839, while Crandell Dunn was living in or near Livonia, Michigan, he heard Latter-day Saint teachings for the first time when he attended a sermon by apostle Orson Pratt. On two occasions during the next six months, Dunn listened to Sirrine debate theology with Universalist and Methodist preachers. Sirrine baptized Dunn in July 1840 in Superior, Michigan. Dunn moved to Illinois in the summer of 1841, arriving in La Harpe in July. He was ordained an elder in October 1841 and set off with Sirrine on his first mission the following February. (Dunn, Journal, vol. 1, pp. 2–6.)
Dunn, Crandell. Journals, 1842–1858, 1878–1880, 1881–1882. Crandell Dunn, Papers, 1842– 1895. CHL.
and after a journey of three weeks, preaching occasionally on the way, arrived at Br. [Ira] Rice’s
3
See Dunn, Journal, vol. 1, p. 6; and 1840 U.S. Census, Superior, Washtenaw Co., MI, 94. Rice joined the church sometime around 1840. (Rice and Rice, Footprints of Ira Rice, 9.)
Rice, Eva A., and Loretta C. Rice. Footprints of Ira Rice. Logan: Utah State University, 1973.
town of Superior, Washtenaw co. Michigan. I then visited the different
churches
The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...
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in this part of the
State
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, and found them in a prosperous condition generally speaking. I then fell in company with Elder
W[illiam] Burton
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, who had been laboring in this
State
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for about five months,
4
William Burton and his wife, Elizabeth Oates, were baptized in December 1837, and in the fall of 1838 they moved to Illinois. Burton served two missions in 1840 and 1841, preaching in Illinois, Indiana, Canada, Michigan, and Ohio. Beginning in fall 1841, he began to focus his labors in Michigan. In 1842, he and Sirrine preached at the same meeting on various occasions. (Burton, Autobiography, 1–4; Burton, Journal, Nov. 1839–Mar. 1840; Aug. 1841–Oct. 1843; Joseph Wood, Perry, IL, 26 Mar. 1840, Letter to the Editor, Times and Seasons, Apr. 1840, 1:87.)
Burton, William. Autobiography, no date. William Burton, Papers, ca. 1837–1851. CHL.
Burton, Wiliam. Journals, 1839–1840, 1841–1846, 1848, 1850–1851. William Burton, Papers, ca. 1837– 1851. CHL.
we then commenced to hold two days meetings on Saturdays and Sundays, in several counties in this part of the
State
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; great excitement began to prevail in the minds of the people, prejudice gave way, and many believed and obeyed the truth, and we have
baptized
An ordinance in which an individual is immersed in water for the remission of sins. The Book of Mormon explained that those with necessary authority were to baptize individuals who had repented of their sins. Baptized individuals also received the gift of...
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more or less at all our meetings, during this time the priests of the various orders were howling an[d] [p. 838]
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Page 838
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Mephibosheth Sirrine, 25 May 1842
ID #
806
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D10:94–97
Handwriting on This Page
Printed text
Footnotes
[1]
Tax records indicate that Sirrine owned land in La Harpe in 1842. (Nauvoo, Hancock Co., IL, Tax Lists for District no. 3, Tax Record for 1842, p. 181, microfilm 7,706, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL.)
U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.
[2]
In the fall of 1839, while Crandell Dunn was living in or near Livonia, Michigan, he heard Latter-day Saint teachings for the first time when he attended a sermon by apostle Orson Pratt. On two occasions during the next six months, Dunn listened to Sirrine debate theology with Universalist and Methodist preachers. Sirrine baptized Dunn in July 1840 in Superior, Michigan. Dunn moved to Illinois in the summer of 1841, arriving in La Harpe in July. He was ordained an elder in October 1841 and set off with Sirrine on his first mission the following February. (Dunn, Journal, vol. 1, pp. 2–6.)
[3]
See Dunn, Journal, vol. 1, p. 6; and 1840 U.S. Census, Superior, Washtenaw Co., MI, 94. Rice joined the church sometime around 1840. (Rice and Rice, Footprints of Ira Rice, 9.)
Rice, Eva A., and Loretta C. Rice. Footprints of Ira Rice. Logan: Utah State University, 1973.
[4]
William Burton and his wife, Elizabeth Oates, were baptized in December 1837, and in the fall of 1838 they moved to Illinois. Burton served two missions in 1840 and 1841, preaching in Illinois, Indiana, Canada, Michigan, and Ohio. Beginning in fall 1841, he began to focus his labors in Michigan. In 1842, he and Sirrine preached at the same meeting on various occasions. (Burton, Autobiography, 1–4; Burton, Journal, Nov. 1839–Mar. 1840; Aug. 1841–Oct. 1843; Joseph Wood, Perry, IL, 26 Mar. 1840, Letter to the Editor, Times and Seasons, Apr. 1840, 1:87.)
Burton, William. Autobiography, no date. William Burton, Papers, ca. 1837–1851. CHL.
Burton, Wiliam. Journals, 1839–1840, 1841–1846, 1848, 1850–1851. William Burton, Papers, ca. 1837– 1851. CHL.