Page:History of Utah.djvu/140



88 THE STORY OF MORMONISM.

9th Joseph and ten elders started down the river in sixteen canoes, the leaders arriving at Kirtland the 27th, ^^ after having suffered hardship and mortifi- cation through disaffection among the elders. Titus Billings, who had charge of the church property there, was ordered to dispose of the lands, and prepare to remove to Missouri in the following spring, together with part of the people, and such money as could be raised. It was provided that those wishing to buy land in Zion could do so by forwarding the purchase- money. The account of the new country written by Sidney Rigdon did not please Joseph, and he was or- dered to write another; if that should not prove satis- factory, he was to be deprived of office,^^

On the 12th of September Joseph removed to the town of Hiram, thirty miles away, and prepared to begin again the translation of the bible, with Rigdon as scribe. The farm of Isaac Morley was ordered sold, while Frederic G. Williams should retain his, for it was desirable to keep a footing at Kirtland yet for

fifteen thousand dollars. Their common-stock principles appear to be some- what similar to those of the shakers.' Howe's Mormonum Unveiled, 128-9.

'^ Booth intimates that Smith and Pdgdon preferred living in Ohio to en- during the hardships of Missouri. ' Before they went to Missouri their lan- guage was, "We shall winter in Ohio but one winter more;" and when in Slissouri, "It will be many years before we come here, for the lord has a great work for us to do in Ohio." And the great work is to make a thorough al- teration of the bible, and invent new revelations, and these are to be sent to Missouri in order to be printed.' Letter in Howe's Mormonism Unveiled, 199.

arisen between Joseph and his friend Sidney Rigdon before their return. It is probable, from the course of subsequent events, that Sidney, even at this time, aspired to greater power in the church than suited the prophet,. . . who saw fit to rebuke him by a revelation accusing him of "being exalted in his heart, and despising the counsel of the lord. They afterward became reconciled."' Smucker's Mormons, 75-6, confirmed by Millennial Star, v. 149; 7%mes and Seasons, v. 467. From this time till January 1832, Joseph con- tinued preaching in various parts of the United States, making converts with great rapidity. He found it necessary, however, further to check the pre- sumption of some new and indiscreet converts who also had i-evelations from the Lord, which they endeavored to palm off upon the public. Among others, one W. E. McLellan was rebuked for endeavoring to 'write a commandment like unto one of the least of the Lord's. ' Mackaij's Mormons, 07-8. See anecdote of 'The Swamp Angel;' also account of raising the dead by Smith, about this time. Ward's Mormon Wife, 10-11, 15-24. For text of rebuke, where the name of the offender is given William E. M'Lelliu, see Millennial Slar, v. 185- 6; Times and Seasons, v. 496.
 * ^ 'Some dispute, of which the nature is not clearly known, appears to have