-- Aug 10, 1833
Oliver Cowdery writes Missouri brethren: gratitude for their willingness to lay down their lives; Lord "well pleased" with treaty calling for them to leave Jackson; no other way to save lives; tribulation "would not have come uopn Zion had it not been for rebelion"-rebellion against Joseph and all officers down to the least. Oliver to W. W. Phelps, John Whitmer, Edward Partridge, Issac Morley, John Corrill, and Sidney Gilbert, and others (Independence), Aug. 10, 1833. Copy in hand of Edward Partridge.
therefore, brethren purge them out, & have no confidence in any except as such as will lay down their lives for this sacred cause for none others are worthy of it. there was no other way to cleanse the church. yet the elect will be saved, & Zion will be the joy of al saints & they will possess her forever & ever; the Son of righteousness will soon appear with healing in his wings, & he will apare his people as a man spareth his own son who serveth him. (1)
W. W. Phelps to send Joseph the manuscript for an Extra of the Evening and Morning Star to be published in Kirtland. The brethren are to write weekly, let him know who has apostatized. Don't be discouraged. May have to sell some lands in Jackson County, "but be wise, hold on to the sacred places." (1)
[Joseph:] P S Brethren if I were with you I should take an active part in your sufferings, and although nature shrinks, yet my spirit would not let me forsake you unto death god helping me oh be of good cheer for our redemption draweth near Oh God save my brethren in Zion Oh brethren give up all to god forsake all for Christ sake (1)
[Joseph Smith] Kirtland, Ohio. Joseph Smith wrote a letter to William Phelps, John Whitmer, Edward Partridge, Isaac Morley, John Corrill, Sidney Gilbert, and others. (2)
-- about (Wed) Aug 14, 1833
Oliver Cowdery arrived in Kirtland with the first news of the riot in Independence. About this same time western newspapers begin to arrive with the news that the Missouri Mormon leaders had agreed to leave Jackson county by the beginning of April. According to Lucy Mack Smith, her son then "called a council" in Kirtland in which it was resolved to assist the Missouri Saints with "money and clothing" (p. 198). (3)
-- mid-Aug 1833
Joseph Smith sent his secretary, Orson Hyde, from Kirtland to Jackson county to deliver messages and seek the assistance of the Governor of Missouri in maintaining the Mormons upon their property there. (3)
News of the Missouri Mormons being "regulated" by a "committee" in Jackson county spread among Kirtland area anti-Mormons. They discussed the pros and cons of this kind of action. Although the Ohioans did not elect to resort to the extreme illegalities and outrages perpetrated by the Jackson county "committee," they were no doubt impressed by the successful results of concerted group action against the congregating of large numbers of impoverished Mormons. (3)
-- prob. mid-Aug 1833
With reports of the serious Mormon setbacks in Missouri in all the newspapers, D. P. Hurlbut decided this would be a good time to extend his lecturing to the Mormon headquarters of Kirtland. He determined to move back to his old residence with the Ezekiel Johnson family there. With him he carried important statements he had just obtained from of John and Martha Spalding in Crawford county. Their statements said that John's late brother, the Rev. Solomon Spalding, had unknowingly written a large part of the published Book of Mormon text. (3)
-- (Fri) Aug 16, 1833
The Painesville Telegraph informed Geauga county residents that "a great riot took place" at "the Mormon colony in Missouri." The article also said that a "treaty of amity" had been accepted, in which the Mormons "agreed to leave the county as soon as they conveniently could." (3)
-- (Sat) Aug 17, 1833
The Chardon Spectator printed its "Mormonites" article, saying that "a great riot" had taken place at the Mormon "headquarters in Jackson county, Missouri...in which the inhabitants of that neighborhood attacked the Mormonites, endeavoring to make some of their leaders recant their faith -- refusing to do this, the people tarred and feathered them..." The Spectator reprinted part of the Missouri Republican's"Regulating the Mormonites" article of Aug 9th. The Spectator also said: "After their colony went to Missouri it was understood, they disagreed among themselves, and the society, without opposition, would have soon fallen to pieces, and resolved itself into the beggarly elements of which it was composed." (3)
-- (Sun) Aug 18, 1833
With all the news of the disaster in Missouri then available in the public press, it is likely that Joseph Smith preached in Kirtland, mentioning the the agreement the Misouri Mormons had made to leave "Zion." Smith reportedly told the Missouri Mormons that "the Lord would justify them to stand in their own defense -- sword in hand," (Donna Hill, p. 163) But Smith exempted Oliver Cowdery from that defense, saying "Oliver can stay here to good advantage..." (letter of Aug 8, 1833, cited in Legg, p. 74) (3)
-- Aug 18, 1833
D&C 98 raise standard of peace, not revenge.
it is the will of the Lord that the Store shou[ld] be kept and that <not> one foot of <land> [DEL: the :DEL] perchased should <be> be given to the enimies of god or sold to them but if any is sold let it be sold to the chirch we cannot git the consent of the Lord that we shall give the ground to the enemies we wait the Comand of God to do whatever he plese and if <he> shall say go up to Zion and defend thy Brotheren by <the sword> we fly Joseph to W. W. Phelps and others. PWJS, 311. (1)
[Joseph Smith] Kirtland, Ohio. Joseph Smith wrote a letter to the brethren in Missouri concerning the violence there. (2)
Footnotes:
1 - http://saintswithouthalos.com/dirs/d_c.phtml
2 - BYU Studies Journal, volume 46, no. 4: A Chronology of the Life of Joseph Smith
3 - http://olivercowdery.com/history/morchrn2.htm
Mormon History Timeline / Chronology
http://mormon-church-history.blogspot.com/
A lighter version of this timeline: http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
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