An
American Prophets Record, The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith,
Edited By Scott H. Faulring. (Signature Books, Smith Research
Associates, SLC Ut 1998)
This publication is the wonderful labor of Scott H. Faulring. It opens
"treasures of knowledge" for those desiring to experience the daily life
and heart of our courageous Prophet and those other courageous friends
and participants of the Restoration around him.
I recommend your acquire your own copy and search its interesting, enlightening,
life enriching and spirit expanding pages. tlr
An American Prophets Record, The Diaries and
Journals of Joseph Smith
Page 445
Tuesday, Feb[ruary] 6[th]
[several lines left blank] Evening with Hyrum and Sidney and the 12 [Apostles]
and the wives at John Taylor’s at 5 P.M. for supper Very pleasant time.
I prophesied at the table that 5 years would not roll round before the
company would all be able to live without cooking. [rest of page blank]
{page 255}
Pages 446-447
Tuesday, Feb[ruary]
20t[th] 1844 At home. At 10 A.M. went to my office where the Twelve [Apostles]
and some others met in council with Bro[ther]s Mitchel Curtis and Stephen
Curtis who left the pinery, 1st of January, Black River. [They were] sent
by Lyman Wight and Bishop Miller to know whither Lyman should preach to
the indians. The Menominees and Chippeway having requested it. The Chippeways
had given Bro[ther] Wight some wampum as token of peace and the brethren
had given them 1/2 box flour and an ox to keep them from starving
and Wight had gone through to Green Bay with them to mark a road.
I told them to tell Bro(ther]
Wight I have no council to shed-blood* /give/ him. He is there on his own
ground and he must act on his own responsibility and do what he thinks
best and he shall never be brought into any difficulty about it by us.
(*Note "shed-blood" is struck through with line
- tlr)
Lyman
Wight is one of those 12 Apostles with their wives that were in attendance
in the home of John Taylor -- so he heard and understood the entire evenings
instructions (not recorded, per "{rest of page blank}"- see above)
and discussion (which displeased several Apostles, their wives and so many
other saints - per George Q. Cannon), so he is now concerned about
his desperate choice to slaughter his ox to save the lives of these
starving, freezing and already dying Gospel desiring native peoples
-- who were struggling for food in the awful situation that he and Bishop
Miller found them, left without stores consequent to the previous years
draught followed by the most brutal winter ever recorded.
Righteous
and caring, Apostle Wight needed to know that he had not displeased the
Lord, nor his Prophet, and that he was within the exception of "to save
your lives" as the Prophet had revealed to his Apostles and had expanded
upon in that evening at John Taylor's home, only two weeks before.
See
DC 89:13,15; DC 49:21; and footnote
21a: JST Gen 9:11 and The Teachings
of Joseph Smith, Page 71: Kindness to Animals. (tlr)
That day's entry continues...
I instructed the 12 [Apostles]
to send out a delegation and investigate the locations of California
and Oregon and find a good location where we can remove after the Temple
is completed and build a city in a day and have a government of our own
in a healthy climate (Note:
Utah was in California Territory - tlr)
Dr. Richards recieved a
letter from Ja[me]s A. Bennet which / pleased me much. At office./ Warm.
Ice began to come down from above in the river.
[written sideways on
the page] / Visited at James Irvins this P.M. and evening / {page 269}