Robert McCorkle, Letter, Yorkville, Dyer Co., Tennessee, to JS, , Hancock Co., IL, 10 May 1844; handwriting presumably of Robert McCorkle; dockets in handwriting of and unidentified scribe; one page; JS Collection, CHL.
Page [3]
A question on my mind appears
Which has been hanging there for years,
And for to bring it to your view
My pen will write it all out new.
I come to you the truth to find,
All hearsays I will leave behind.
For this I know, that all’s not true
That I have heard about
Then let me hear the truth from you,
Bring nothing but the truth to view.
Do you possess the gifts of God.
As are recorded in his word?
To say these gifts are not for man,
To take this stand, I never can.
But this I only want to know,
Do you possess them at ?
If from on high, you have rec’d
The gifts of God, you’r[e] not deceiv’d.
Then is it so, that from the Lord
An angel’s brot a true record?
Does this record come with a grace,
Does it reveal the Indian’s race?
Your manly honor I invite,
To give an answer that is right.
My heart within me now doth burn,
To get an answer in return.
For if its true, that God has given
Late revelations, right from heaven,
I’ts also true, he’s set his hands
To gather Israel from all lands,
And if that’s so, we all may know
All kingdoms sure, God will o’erthrow.
Then dont deceive my honest soul,
I want Gods law, me to control,
Then if you are the chosen few
Show it to me, while at .
Your elders say, that you possess
The power of God, thro’ righteousness,
That you’ve rec’d the priesthood new
An angel gave it unto you.
This priesthood they pretend to say
Unveils the truth in this our day.
That by this power to man is given
An earnest of the joys of heaven.
If an angel of the Lord
Has come to man with a record,
Such record surely was design’d
To be a blessing to mankind.
Then if it were by God design’d
Sent as a blessing to mankind,
Then what am I, that I should stand
And raise objections to the plan?
But if it be a project plan
Invented by a cunning man,
This truth unveil, and set me free
An[d] show me who the Mormons be.
If you the special gifts enjoy
These blessing I would not destroy.
If with these power’s you have been bless’d
Your joy far triumphs o’er the rest—
Give me some reasons to decide
That you’r companions of the bride.
Or else come out; and plainly say
That you’r deceivers of our day.
If any questions I have form’d
Are calculated to do harm,
Then to such questions point your hand
And I will lay them to the land.
These lines convey my mind to you
Or any other in
If they deserve a moments time,
You will an answer form in rhyme
But if they like their author prove
Unworthy of your time, and love
In silence they’l remain unheard
By man! but answr’d from the Lord
R. A. H. M’Corkle [Robert McCorkle]
Dyer county Yorkville post offic. Tennessee [p. [3]]