Appendix I: Letter of Joseph Smith to Hyrum Smith

Kirtland Geauga County Ohio
March the 3 1831

Brother Hyrum

We arived here safe and are all well I have been engaged in regulating the Churches here as the deciples are numerous and the devil has made many attempts to over throw them it has been a serious Job but the Lord is with us and we have overcome and have all things regular the work is brakeing forth on the right hand and on the left and there is a great call for Elders in this place we have received a leter from Oliver dated independence Jackson County Missouri January the 29th 1831 these are the words which he has written saying—My dealy dearly beloved brethren after a considerable lengthy journy I arived avail myself of the first opertunity of communicating to you a knowledge of our situation that you may be priviledged of writing to us for we have not heard anything from you since we left you last fall we arived here at this place a few days since which is about 25 miles from the Shawney indians on the south side of the Kansas River at its mouth & delewares on the north I have had two interviews with the Chief of that the delewares who is a very old & venerable looking man after haveing laying before him & eighteen or twenty of the Council of that nation the truth he said that and they he and they were very glad for what I their Brother had told them and they had received it in their hearts &c- But how the matter will go with this tribe to me is uncirtain nether can I at present conclude mutch about it the wether is quite severe and the snow is considerable deep which makes it at present quite dificult traveling about I have but a short time to write to you my beloved Brotheren as the mail leves this place in the morning but I wish some of you to write to me immediately a full letter of all your affairs and then I will write to you the situation of all the western tribes &c thus reads most of the letter. Saying to us the God of my father Jacob be with you all amen I remain in Christ your Brother forever

Oliver

My Dearly Beloved Brother Hyrum I have had much concirn about you but I always remember you in my prayers calling upon God to keep you safe in spite of men or devils I think you had better come into this country immediately for the Lord has commanded us that we should call the Elders of this Church to gether unto this place as soon as possable March forth this morning after being called out of my bed in the night to go a small distance I went and had and an awful strugle with satan but being armed with the power of God he was cast out and the woman is ^[387] clothed in hir right mind the Lord worketh wonders in this land

I want to see you all may the grace of God be and abide with you all even so Amen

       Your Brother forever
Joseph Smith Jr

P.S. if you want to write Oliver direct your letter to independence Jackson County misouri¹

[There is also an addition to the letter which says:]

Harrison [Samuel Harrison Smith] and Orson prat arrived here on Feb. 27th they left our folks well. David Jackways has threatened to take father with a supreme writ in the spring you had beter come to fayette and take father along with you Come in a one horse wagon if you can do not come threw Bufalo for they will lie in wait for you God protect you I am Joseph. ^[388]