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Times and Seasons, 15 September 1842

Source Note

Times and Seasons (, Hancock Co., IL), 15 Sept. 1842, vol. 3, no. 22, pp. 911–926; edited by JS. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.

Historical Introduction

JS served as editor for the 15 September 1842 issue, the twenty-second issue in the third volume, of the Times and Seasons, a newspaper published in , Illinois. He was assisted in his editorial responsibilities by and . Together, these three men produced the semimonthly newspaper, including composing its editorial material. While the extent to which JS was involved in the creation and publication of this issue is unclear, as the newspaper’s editor he was responsible for its content.
The 15 September 1842 issue contained both non-editorial and editorial material. Non-editorial content in the issue included an installment of the “History of Joseph Smith,” a description of Mount Sinai from an English clergyman, an extract of a letter from on the desire of many converts in to immigrate to , and a letter from the “to all the Saints in Nauvoo.” In addition, the issue contained a notice that a concordance of scripture and writings about the church’s ecclesiastical history published by in was available; a reprinting of a letter from church member William Rowley reporting on his missionary efforts in , England; a reprinting of an article in the Antigua Herald on an earthquake on the Caribbean island of Antigua; a brief letter to the editor from and ; and a notice that copies of hymnbooks and of the Book of Mormon were available for purchase.
The issue’s editorial content, featured here with introductions to each passage of text for which JS was ultimately responsible, included commentary on the Book of Mormon in light of recent archaeological discoveries, reflections on the risks of philosophizing about religious matters, a condemnation of the way government officials condoned the expulsion of church members from in 1838, and a report of a recent discourse delivered by to church members in . The issue also included editorials encouraging church members living outside the city to send donations to facilitate the construction of the Nauvoo temple, urging traveling elders to arrange for the free delivery of the Times and Seasons and the Wasp through the postal service, and insisting that JS was consistent in condemning vice and promoting virtue.
Note that only the editorial content created specifically for this issue of the Times and Seasons is annotated here. Articles reprinted from other papers, letters, conference minutes, and notices, are reproduced here but not annotated. Items that are stand-alone JS documents are annotated elsewhere; links are provided to these stand-alone documents.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See Historical Introduction to Times and Seasons, 1 Sept. 1842.

  2. [2]

    This First Presidency letter is featured as a separate document in this volume. (Letter to “All the Saints in Nauvoo,” 1 Sept. 1842 [D&C 127].)

  3. [3]

    This letter is featured as a separate document in this volume. (Letter from Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, 12 Sept. 1842.)

  4. [4]

    “History of Joseph Smith,” “Ascent of Mount Sinai,” “Extract of a Letter,” “Tidings,” “Winchester’s Concordance,” “Letter from William Rowley,” “Earthquake at Antigua,” and “Books of Mormon, &c.,” Times and Seasons, 15 Sept. 1842, 3:915–920, 923–926.

  5. [5]

    See “Editorial Method”.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Times and Seasons, 15 September 1842 *Times and Seasons, 15 September 1842 *Times and Seasons, 15 September 1842 *Times and Seasons, 15 September 1842 *Times and Seasons, 15 September 1842
*Times and Seasons, 15 September 1842
*Times and Seasons, 15 September 1842 *Times and Seasons, 15 September 1842 *Letter from Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, 12 September 1842 Times and Seasons, 15 September 1842 History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843] “History of Joseph Smith” *Letter to “All the Saints in Nauvoo,” 1 September 1842 [D&C 127] Journal, December 1841–December 1842 Times and Seasons, 15 September 1842 Doctrine and Covenants, 1844 History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page 923

dry up his tear, that he should have all the desires of his heart: and that if he would go to bed and rest, he should be comforted over his sick daughter, for in the morning she should be getting better, and should get well. That the Lord had said unto her, because that her had dedicated her to God, and prayed to him for her, that he would give her back again. This ceremony of dedicating and praying, took place when she was struggling in death, and continued to the very moment of her departure; and she says the Lord told her, that it was because of this that that she must go back again, though she herself desired to stay.
She said concerning , as he had denied the faith, the Lord had taken away one of his eye-teeth, and unless he repented, he would take away another. And concerning , that he was a wicked man, and that the Lord would tread him under his feet. Such is a small portion of what she related.
observed, that there had been many idle tales and reports abroad concerning him, stating that he had denied the faith, but he would take the opportunity to state that his faith was and had been unshaken in the truth. It has also been rumored that I believe that Joseph Smith is a fallen prophet:—In regard to this, I unequivocally state, that I never thought so—but declare that I know he is a prophet of the Lord, called and chosen in this last dispensation, to roll on the kingdom of God for the last time.
He closed by saying, as it regards his religion, he had no controversy with the world, having an incontrovertible evidence, that through the obedience to the of the religion he now believes, the Lord had actually given back his daughter from the dead.— No person need therefore come to reason with him, to convince him of error, or make him believe another religion, unless those who profess it, can show that through obedience to its laws, the dead has been and can be raised;—if it has no such power, it would be insulting his feelings to ask him to reason about it. And if it had it would be no better than the one he had, and so he had done with controversy—wherefore, he dealt in facts, and not in theory.
 
————
Editorial Note
The sixth editorial selection in this issue, directed to “the Saints abroad,” encouraged members outside of to donate time and materials to the construction of the Nauvoo and the . Starting shortly after JS announced plans to build a temple and a boardinghouse in Nauvoo in 1840, many church members living in and around the city were expected to labor one in every ten days on the construction projects. In addition, church leaders instructed serving missions throughout the and in to secure donations from church members to support the ongoing construction. Nevertheless, financial and material support was not keeping up with the needs of the two related projects. With winter approaching, the editors brought particular attention to the need for clothing for those working on the temple.
TO THE SAINTS ABROAD.
“And this stone, which I have set a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou givest me, I will surely give the tenth unto thee.” Gen. 28:22.
We have placed this text at the head of this article, to stir up the minds of the Saints abroad, by way of remembrance, that the of God at is still in progress, for the salvation of the living and the dead; that winter, in its ordinary coldness is approaching; and that the laborers upon the will need clothes to continue the work, wherefore, we, whose hearts are warmed by the spirit of God, feel to call upon the saints abroad, in humility and meekness, to show their faith by their works, and if they believe in the God of Jacob, to be sure and give as much for “God’s house” as did that pilgrim of the former days.
Many brethren here, instead of a “tenth,” labor almost continually upon the , and where is the charity of the churches abroad if they neglect to furnish clothing, against the chilly winds of winter? Do ye not know that Paul said to Timothy:—Now the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned. What a joy and gratification it must be to the saints, who possess such principles as Paul, and have this world’s goods, to have a chance to manifest their love of the commandments and brethren, by sending cloth, clothes, or means that will bring them. Remember, brethren, that beautiful expression, “the laborer is worthy of his hire.”
When abroad among the churches, the tell us, that many say that “they would gladly labor their tenth, if they were here” Now, how much like lively members in the church of our blessed Redeemer, it will be, to send a tenth of your labors from home, as a reasonable portion, dedicated to the great work of the Lord in the last days. We do not wish to be always calling upon the brethren abroad to help us, it looks so much more virtuous, charitable, and God-like, for them to do of their own free will and accord. The reward of the faithful is great: the generation to come will rise up and call them blessed,—even so, blessed is the name of the Lord, and he that keepeth his commandments.
We would also say a word in favor of the ; for that building is going on by revelation, and we desire that those who are able should help in this as well as the . Brethren, come over from Macedonia and help us. The kingdom is the Lord’s, and for every good deed you do you shall in no wise lose your reward.
 
————
’S CONCORDANCE.
A manual synopsis of the holy scriptures, in the order of a concordance, and an appendix of ecclesistical history, for the , has recently been published by , in the city of . It contains 256 pages in small [p. 923]
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Times and Seasons, 15 September 1842
ID #
8156
Total Pages
16
Print Volume Location
JSP, D11:86–102
Handwriting on This Page
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Footnotes

  1. [51]

    Robinson had disassociated himself from the church during summer 1842, apparently for reasons related to JS’s alleged plural marriage proposal to Nancy Rigdon and JS’s public assertion that Robinson was associated with John C. Bennett’s efforts to discredit the church. (“G. W. Robinson,” Times and Seasons, 1 Aug. 1842, 3:878; Historical Introduction to Letter to George W. Robinson, 6 Nov. 1842.)

  2. [52]

    At this time, Bennett was engaged in a public campaign to discredit JS and the church. (See Letter to the Church and Others, 23 June 1842; Letter from James Arlington Bennet, 16 Aug. 1842; and Smith, Saintly Scoundrel, chap. 8.)

    Smith, Andrew F. The Saintly Scoundrel: The Life and Times of Dr. John Cook Bennett. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1997.

  3. [53]

    Elias Higbee, “Ecclesiastical,” Times and Seasons, 1 Feb. 1841, 2:296.

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

  4. [54]

    Hyrum Smith had recently reiterated instructions to elders to collect donations for the completion of the temple and sell stock for the Nauvoo House. Periodically, elders serving in England forwarded donations from church members there in support of the building projects. (JS, Journal, 29 Aug. 1842; see also, for example, Letter from Hiram Clark and Others, 21 Oct. 1842.)

  5. [55]

    The cornerstone of the Nauvoo temple was laid on 6 April 1841. At the time this editorial appeared, the outer walls were not yet completed, but by November 1841, the baptismal font in the basement had been dedicated and was being used to perform baptisms for the dead. In October 1842, a temporary floor was installed in the temple, and on 30 October, church members started to hold meetings in the unfinished building. (Clayton, History of the Nauvoo Temple, 21, 32.)

    Clayton, William. History of the Nauvoo Temple, ca. 1845. CHL. MS 3365.

  6. [56]

    In the 1 September 1842 issue of the Times and Seasons, the temple committee requested the donation of clothes for individuals constructing the temple. (Alpheus Cutler et al., “To the Churches Abroad and Near By,” Times and Seasons, 1 Sept. 1842, 3:909.)

  7. [57]

    See 1 Timothy 1:5.

  8. [58]

    See 1 Timothy 5:18.

  9. [59]

    See Proverbs 31:28.

  10. [60]

    See Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:22–24, 62–72].

  11. [61]

    See Acts 16:9.

  12. [62]

    See Psalm 22:28.

  13. [63]

    See Matthew 10:42; and Revelation, 1 Aug. 1831 [D&C 58:28].

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