W. W. Phelps

“ In the love of God, and in the hope of the prosperity of the pure in heart, praying that the Lord will have mercy upon all that turn from the evil of their ways; having virtue for my aim; truth for my standard, and seeking eternity for an everlasting inheritance, I shall continue to defend the cause of goodness and humanity. ”

“ No wonder Lynch law is murdering throughout our once happy country; no wonder mob after mob is breaking the tender thread of law, and bursting the strong bands of society, to spread anarchy, confusion, destruction and death: no preference is made to virtue more than vice, by men in high places ”

“ We can hardly believe that an honest man would write such a foolish, figurative statement: but when a man has failed to dupe his fellow Jews, with a New Jerusalem on Grant Island, I suppose that you cannot "crimson" [his face] with shame, at the prostitution of his life and character, to vices, that are forbidden by the law of Moses, by the law of the land, and by every honest judge in Israel. ”

“ As they live in what is called a christian community, I should like to learn what reason they had, without the aid of law, to lay a plan publicly—to kill?—and, again, whether it comports with sacred or common rules, to ridicule, and bear false witness against their neighbors? ”

“ With my brethren who have labored in furthering the gospel, since this church was established by revelation, I have been employed in my small capacity to assist, and I am well aware, that an opinion is had abroad by many, that, as this church claims to be the genuine church of Christ, so the members of it aught to submit to persecution, and abuse, and slander, and any thing else that the wicked think best to inflict, without redress or mercy: and also, that the elders ought to preach and give a book of Mormon when requested, because the church is a common stock concern. ”

“ There is evidently a lying spirit abroad among the people, and one cannot do better, seeing their is manifestly such a pretention to something great, than to exclaim in the language of Paul, "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ has evidently been set forth, crucified among you?" ”

“ They had collected in Clay county, and built a number of boats, to cross their forces over. Last Monday was, no doubt, the time they intended to cross and would, most probably have done so, had it not been for the numbers who went from this county to oppose them. Jackson county could raise about 900 men, and 400 went from Lafayette: about 300 more would have marched in a day or two, if they had been required. I know we had neither law nor gospel on our side, but self-preservation urged us to pursue that course, for we knew that our county would be the next to suffer from their presence. ”

“ It must arise from the face, that Satan is an enemy to pure religion: for Cain slew his brother because the Lord had respect to the purity of Abel's heart: Religion though based upon eternal truth, and always flourishing in the regions of glory, is treated strangely in this world. ”

“ THE MORMONITES.—These egregious fanatics have produced quite an excitement in Missouri, and several of the western papers speak of them and their movements, as if Joe Smith, the Mormonite leader, were a modern Mahomet. The Tappanites have not excited more attention in the eastern cities. ”

“ This church has had to bear insults and injuries, as our fathers did taxation and bondage from great Britain, before they were able to claim and maintain their rights, but they that do good and they that do evil, have their rewards, for the judge of all the earth will do right. ”

“ They soon discovered a line of plank laid in a particular direction completely across the pond, sunk about four inches under the surface of the water. These were so fastened down, and locked together, and so daubed with mud, as to be quite imperceptible from the neighboring declivities. They resolved on preventing the miracle by sawing the concealed bridge in pieces, just where it crossed the deepest and most dangerous part of the pond. ”

“ Mormon War—It is stated on the authority of a letter received at Chardon, Ohio, direct from Missouri, that a body of well armed Mormons, under their chief or prophet, Joe Smith, on attempting to cross the river into Jackson county ”