To , and to the , in Illinois, and to those scattered abroad, throughout all the regions round about.

Your humble servant Joseph Smith jr. prisoner for Christs’ sake, and the saints, taken and held by the power of Mobocracy under the exterminating reign of his excellency Governor , in company with hisfellow prisoners and beloved brethren, , , and , send unto you greeting: May the grace of God the Father, and the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, rest upon you all, and abide with you for ever; and may faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly-kindness and charity dwell in you and abound, so that you may not be barren or unfruitful.

We know, that the greater part of you are acquainted with the wrongs, high toned injustice and cruelty which is practised upon us, we have been taken prisoners, charged falsely with all kinds of crimes and thrown into a prison enclosed with strong walls, and are surrounded with a strong guard who are as endefategable in watching us, as their master is in laying snares for the people of God. Therefore under these circumstances, dearly beloved brethren, we are the more ready to claim your fellowship and love. Our situation is calculated to awaken our minds to a sacred remembrance of your affection, and kindness, and we think that your situation will have the same effect; therefore, we believe, that nothing can separate us from the love of God, and our fellowship one with another; and that every species of wickedness and cruelty practised upon us, will only tend to bind our hearts and seal them together in love.

It is probably, as unnessary for us to say, that we are thus treated and held in bonds without cause as it would be for you to say, that you were smitten and driven from your homes without any provocation; we mutually understand and verily know, that if the citizens of the state of , had not [p. 99]