| After being rebuked
in November for expressing dissatisfaction with the way funds had been distributed
among the Twelve, Orson learns that William Smith is a silent partner of
the church store and has received special consideration, while he (Orson)
has been denied even a modest credit line. He writes Joseph on December
15, 1835, insisting all be treated equally. |
Orson
hands Joseph complaint
Nepotism at store
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[Tuesday, December
15, 1835] This afterno[o]n Elder Orson
Hyde,
handed me a Letter, the purport of which is that he is dissatisfyed with
the committee in their dealings, with him in the temporal affairs that
is that they do not deal as liberally {in} <with> him as they do
with Elder William Smith, also requested me to reconcile the revelation,
given to the 12, since the return from the East. |
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Diary-2, 67–68.
Revelation of November 3, 1835
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That unless these things and others
named in the letter, could be reconciled to his mind his honour would not
stand united with them,—this I believe is the amount of the contents
of the letter although much was written, my feelings on this occasion were
much laserated, knowing that I had dealt in righteousness with him in all
things and endeavoured to promote his happiness and well being, as much
as lay in my power, and I feel that these reflection[s] are [68] ungrateful
and founded in jealousy and that the adversary is striving with all his
subtle devises and influence to destroy him by causing a division amon[g]
the twelve … |
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I pray … that he may be delivered
from the power of the destroyer, {and}that his faith fail not in this hour
of temptation, and prepar[e] him and all the Elders to receive an endument,
in thy house, even according to thine own order … |
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Joseph and Orson discuss the problem
on December 17. |
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Orson's letter |
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Dec 15th 1835 |
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President Smith |
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Diary-2, 70 –75. |
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[Orson writes because:] it is
generally the case that you are thronged with business and not convenient
to spend much time in conversing upon subjects of the following nature. …
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| Asks for a coat material
on credit |
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After the committee had received
their Stock of fall & winter goods, I went to Elder Cahoon and
told him that I was destitute of a cloak and wanted him to trust me until
Spring for materials to make one. |
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Stock: Store in MS history,
151. |
| Can't
promise to repay by January |
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He told me that [71]
he would trust me until January, but must then have his pay, as the payments,
for the goods become due at that time. I told him that I know not from
whence the money would come and I could not promise it so soon. |
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know: knew in MS history,
151. |
| Store
suddenly sells out |
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But in a few weeks
after I unexpectedly obtained the money to buy a cloak, and applyed immediately
to Elder C for one and told him that I had the cash to pay for it, but
he said the materials for cloaks were all sold, and that he could not
accommodate me, and I will here venture a guess that he has not realized
the cash for one cloak pattern. |
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| Asks
for shirt cloth on credit |
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A few weeks after this
I called on Elder Cahoon again and told him that I wanted cloth
for some shirts to the amount of 4 or 5 dollars. I told him that
I would pay him in the spring and sooner if I could. |
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| Workers
try to pay Orson with store credit |
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He {told me} let me
have it not long after, my school was established, and some of the hands
who laboured on the house and wished to pay me at the Committees Store
for their tuition. I called at the Store to see if any nego<ti>ation could
be made and they take me off where I owed them, but no such negotiation
could be made. These with some other circumstances of like character called
for the following reflections. |
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house and wished:
house attended and wished in MS history,
151. |
Paid
$275 to help start store, raised funds in the East
Now broke
Refused credit |
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In the first place
I gave the committee $275 in cash, besides
some more and during the last season have traveled thro the Middle
and Eastern States to support and uphold the Store and in so doing,
have reduced myself to nothing, in a pecuniary point. Under [72] these
circumstances this establishment refused to render me that accomodation
which a worldlings establishment would have gladly done and one too, which
never <received> a donation from {my} me nor in whose favour I never raised
my voice or exerted my influence. |
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pecuniary point: pecuniary
state in MS history,
151. |
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But after all this, thought I,
it may be right and I will be Still— |
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| Discovered
William gets everything he wants—around $700
Silent partner |
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Un[t]il
not long since I asertained that Elder Wm.
Smith could go to the Store and get whatever
he pleased, and no one to say why do ye so, until account has amounted
to Seven Hundred Dollars or there abouts and that he was a Silent partner
in the concern yet not acknowledged <as> such fearing that his creditors
would make a hawl upon the Store. |
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until account: until his account in
MS history, 152. |
| Didn't
know William had special consideration |
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While we were abroad
this last season we Strain[e]d every nerve to obtain a little Something
for our familys and regularly divided the monies equally for ought that
I know, not knowing that William had such a fountain at hom[e] from whence
he drew his Support. |
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he drew: to draw in MS history,
152. |
Revelation
chastened three, citing parable of twelve sons
As if written for us |
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I
then called to mind the revelation in which myself, McLellin and Patten
were chastened, and also the quotation in that revelation
of the parable of the twelve sons: as if the original meaning refer[e]d
directly to the twelve apostles of the church of the Latter day Saints. |
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¶
Revelation of November 3, 1831
Original: McLellen |
Are the Twelve equal at the store?
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I would now ask if each one of
the twelve, has not an equal right to the same accomodations from that
Store provided they are alike faithful. |
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If not, with such a combination
[73] mine honour be not thou united. |
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| Treat us equally |
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If each one has same right, take
the baskets off from our noses or put one to Williams nose or if this
cannot be done, reconcile the parable of the twelve Sons with the superior
priviliges that William has. |
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| Parable or parody |
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Pardon me if I speak in parables
or in parody. |
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| Orson's
parable of the shepherd's sons |
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A certain Shepherd
had twelve Sons and he sent them out one day to go and gather his flock
which were scattered the mountains and in the vallies afar off they were
all obedient to their fathers mandate, and at Evening they returned with
the flock, and one Son received wool enough to make him warm and comfortable
and also recd of the flesh and milk of the flock, the other eleven
received not so as much one kid to make merry with their friends. |
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scattered the: scattered
upon the, 152. |
Cannot
study Hebrew
Withdrawing from the class |
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These facts with some
others have disqualifed my mind for studying the Hebrew Language at present,
and believing as I do, that I must sink or swim, or in other words take
care of myself, I have thought that I should take the most effecient
means in my power to get out of debt; and to this end I proposed taking
the school, but if I am not thought competent to take the charge of it,
or worthy to be placed in that Station, I must devise some other means
to help myself, altho having been ordained to that office under your
own hands with
a promise that it should not be taken from me.—
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Public
crib
All alike
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[74] Conclusion of
the whole matter is Sutch I am willing to continue and do all I can
provided we can share equal with the other, and upon no other principle
whatever. If one has sup[p]ort from the "public crib" let them
all have. But if one is pinched I am willing to be, provided
we are all alike.
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share equal with: share
equal benefits one with,
principle: principles, 153. |
| Impartiality
and equality |
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If the principles of
impartiality and equality can be observed by all I think that I will
not peep again.—
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| Has
turned down secular positions |
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If I am damned it will
be for doing what I think is right.—There has been two applications
made to me to go into business since I talked of taking the school, but
it is in the world and I had rather remain in Kirtland if I can consistently[.]
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All I ask is Right |
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I am Sir with |
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Respect Your obt. Servt. |
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Orson Hyde |
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Having had the letter copied
into his journal, Joseph adds: |
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[75] Elder O. Hyde called and read
the foregoing letter himself and, I explained upon the objections, he had
set forth in it, and satisfyed his mind upon every point, perfectly and
he observed after I had got through that he was more than satisfyed, and
would attend the hebrew School, and took the parting hand with me with
every expression of friendship that a gentlemen, and a Christian could
manifest, which I felt to reciprocate, with {the} cheerfulness and entertain.
the best of feeling for him, and most cheerfully forgive him the ingratitude
which was manifested in his letter, knowing that it was for want of corr[e]ct
information, that his mind was disturbed as far as his reflection related
to me. |
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"Elder Hyde remarked after they had got through,
that he was more than satisfied with his explannations, and would attend
the Hebrew School and on parting gave him his hand, with every expression
of friendship that a gentleman and a christian could manifest, which
our author reciprocated with cheerfulness … and most cordially
forgave him the ingratitude which was manifested in his letter …"
MS history, 154. |
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But on the part of the committee,
he was not treated, right in all thing[s], however all things, are settled
amicably, and no hardness exists between us or them[.] |
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Orson Hyde
Orson Hyde (h)
Orson Hyde's 1840 Letter of Introduction
Kirtland 1835
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