| Newspaper account of elders named
in a June 3, 1831 revelation to start immediately for Missouri. They
are endowed with miraculous gifts to preach, raise the dead, heal the sick,
cast out devils. New Jerusalem to be established 500 miles up the Missouri
river. Most not expected to return. |
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Mormonism on the Wing. |
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Painesville
Telegraph, June 14, 1831. Link to source at Dale
Broadhurst website. |
June
3, 1831 meeting
28 to go to Missouri
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After all the good followers of Jo. Smith from York state
had got fairly settled down in this vicinity, which Rigdon had declared
to be their "eternal inheritance," Jo must needs invent another
'command from God.' At a meeting of the tribe on the 3d. inst. the fact
was made known to them that 28 elders must be selected and ordained, to
start immediately, for Missouri. Jo accordingly asked the Lord in the assembly
whom he should select, and the Lord named them over to him, as he made
them believe. |
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command from God : D&C
52. The Book of Commandments names 30 elders. Most of the namesoccur
as follows: "Let my servants [name] and [name], also take
their journey." But Joseph and Sidney are named with Edward
and Martin: "And again, let my servant Edward and Mzrtin take their journey
with my servants Sidney and Joseph." If publisher Eber D. Howe relied
on a repetitive structure when counting the number of elders, Sidney
and Joseph may have been overlooked.
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| Endowment of power |
|
The ceremony of endowing them with miraculous gifts, or supernatural
power, was then performed, and they were commanded to take up a line of
march; preaching their gospel, (Jo's Bible) raising the dead, healing the
sick, casting out devils, &c. |
|
Ezra Booth emphasizes expectations prior
to the conference in Letter
4 of his published letters (1831) and expectations enroute to Missouri
in Letter
5. |
| Leading men to go |
|
This squad comprises Jo himself, Rigdon, Martin
Harris, Gilbert, Morley,
Murdock, Partridge, and all the other leading and influential men among
them. |
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| Leave members to
fend for themselves |
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The flock are to be left to shirk for themselves the best way they can. |
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shirk [italic
in original]: "SHIRK, a different spelling
of shark, which see."
"SHARK, v.i. To play the petty thief; or rather to
live by shifts and pretty stragagems. [In New England, the common pronunciation
is shurk, but the word rarely implies fraud.]" Webster's 1828 |
New Jerusalem on
the MIssouri
Do not expect to return
Doubt others will go
|
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It is said they are about to commence an establishment some 500 miles
up the Missouri, where they contemplate building the New Jerusalem, and
they have expressed doubts whether few if any of them will ever return
to this "land of promise"; but in due time a command will be
sent for the remainder of their deluded and infatuated followers to move—we
opine however, that very few will obey the summons. |
|
Zion—the
New Jerusalem |
| Travel in pairs
on foot except Joseph, Sidney, Martin |
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The chosen few are to be off during the present week, going by pairs
in different routes, all on foot, except Jo., Rigdon, and Harris, the contrivers
and commanders of the expedition. |
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Ezra Booth was similarly struck by the disparity in travel
arrangements. Letter 5 |
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First Conference in Kirtland
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