An Epistle given to the in Missouri

by Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith jr. while in Missouri Dec. 16th 1838

To the church of Latterday and all the Saints who are scattered abroad and are persecuted and made desolate and are afflicted in divers manners for Christs sake and the gospel and whose perils are greatly augmented by the wickedness and corruption of false brethren. May grace mercy and the peace of God be and abide with you notwithstanding all your sufferings, we assure you that you have our prayers and fervent desires for your wellfare and salvation, both day and night. We that that God who seeth us in this solitary place will hear our prayers and reward you seeth openly. Know ass[u]redly dear brethren that it is for the testimony of Jesus that we are in bonds and in prison but we say unto you that we consider that our condition better notwithstanding our sufferings than those who have persecuted us & smitten us and borne false witness against us— and we also most assuredly believe that notwithstanding our persecutors and those who bear false witness against us may seam to have a greate triumph over us for the present but we want you to remember Haman and Mordica.— You know Haman could not be satisfied so long as he saw Mordica at the Kings gate and he sought the life of Mordica and the people of the Jews; but God so ordered that Haman was hanged on his own gallows. So shall it come to pass with poor Haman in the last days those who have sought by their wicked<​ness​> unbelief and unbelief and by the principles of Mobocracy to destroy us and the people of God by killing and scattering them abroad and willfully and maliciously delivering us into the hands of murderers desiring us to be put to death thereby haveing us draged about in chains and cast into prison and for what cause? It is because we are honest men and are [p. [1]]