# Letter to William W. Phelps, 27 November 1832
# Date: November 27, 1832 | Source: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-to-william-w-phelps-27-november-1832/1
# Scribal status: mixed holograph/dictated (portions in JS's hand, portions dictated to Frederick G. Williams -- the letter itself states 'while I dictate this letter'; all wording composed by JS)
# Spelling: original (Joseph Smith Papers verbatim transcript); deletions, editorial glosses/footnotes, and address panels removed

Kirtland Nov 27th 1832—
Brother Wm W Phelps I say brother because I feel so from the heart and altho it is not long since I wrote a letter unto you yet I feel as tho ugh you would excuse me for writing this as I have many things which I wish to communicate some things which I will mention in this letter which are laying great with weight upon my mind I inform you I am well and family God grant that you may enjoy the same and yours and all the brethren and sisters who remember to enquire after the commandments of the Lord and the welfare of Zion and such a being as me and while I dictate this letter I fancy to myself that you are saying or thinking something simmiler to these words my God great and mighty art thou therefore shew unto thy servant what shall becom of all these who are assaying to come up unto Zion in order to keep the commandments of God and yet receive not there inhertance by consecration by order or deed from the bishop the man that God has appointed in a legal way agreeable to the law given to organize and regulate the church and all the affairs of the same; Bro Wm in the love of God having the most implicit confidence in you as a man of God having obtained this confidence by a vision of heavn therefore I will procede to unfold to you some of the feelings of my heart and procede to answer the question. firstly, it is the duty of the lord’s clerk whom he has appointed to keep a hystory and a general church reccord of all things that transpire in Zion and of all those who consecrate properties and receive inhertances legally from the bishop and also there manner of life and the faith and works and also of all the apostates who apostatize after receiving ther inhertances

seccondly it is conterary to the will and commandment of God that those who receive not the inherttenc by consecration agreeable to his law which he has given that he may tithe his people to prepare them against the day of vengence and burning should have there names enrolled with the people of God, neither is the geneology to be kept or to be had where it may be found on any of the reccords or hystory of the church there names shall not be found neither the names of ther fathers or the names of the children writen in the book of the Law of God saith

the Lord of hosts

yea thus saith the still small voice which whispereth through and pierceth all things and often times it maketh my bones to quake while it maketh manifest saying and it shall come to pass that I the Lord God will send one mighty and strong holding the scepter of power in his hand clothed with light for a covering whose mouth shall utter words Eternal words while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth to set in order the house of God and to arange by lot the inheritance of the saints whose names are found and the names of their fathers and of their children enroled in the Book of the Law of God while that man who was called of God and appointed that puteth forth his hand to steady the ark of God shall fall by the shaft of death like as a tree that is smitten by the vived shaft of lightning and all they who are not found write in the book of remmemberance shall find none inheritence in that day but they shall be cut assunder and their portion shall be appointed them among unbelievers where is wailing and gnashing of teeth these things I say not of myself therefore as the Lord speaketh he will also fulfill and they who are of the high Priesthood whose names are not found writen in the book of the Law or that are found to have appostitized or to have been cut off out of the church as well as the lesser Priesthood or the members in that day shall not find an inheritence among the saints of the most high therefore it shall be done unto them as unto the children of the Priest as you will find recorded in the second chapter and sixty first and second verses of Ezra now Broth— William if what I have said is true how careful then had men aught to be what they do in the last days lest they are cut short of their expecttations and they that think they stand should fall because they keep not the Lords commandments whilst you who do the will of the Lord and keep his commandments have need to rejoice with unspeakable Joy for such shall be exalted very high and shall be lifted up in

triumph above all the kingdoms of this world but I must drop this subject at the begining Oh Lord when will the time come when Brothe William thy servent and myself behold the day that we may stand together and gase upon Eternal wisdom engraven upon the hevens while the magesty of our God holdeth up the dark curtain until we may read the round of Eternity to the fullness and satisfaction of our immortal souls Oh Lord God deliver us in thy due time from the little narrow prison almost as it were totel darkness of paper pen and ink and a crooked broken scattered and imperfect language I would inform you that I have obtained ten subscriboers for the star and received pay their names and place of residence as follows, John Mc.Mahhan, James Mc.Mahhan, James White, William Brown, Henry Kingery, Micayer Dillions, Abraham Kingery, John A Fisher, David Houghs, Thomas Singers, the papers and and all to be sent to Guyandotte Post office Verginea except David Houghs his is to be sent to Wayne County Worster Township Ohio, Vienna Jaqis has not received her Papers pleas inform her Sister Hariet that shee is well and give my respects to her tell her that Mr, Angels Brother came after her and the child soon after shee went from here all he wanted was the child No More my love for all the Brotheren yours in bonds Amen
Joseph Smith Jr—
William W Phelps

PS send the evening and morning star to Brother Joseph Wakefield Watertown Jefferson County New York all to be from first No—
Jos Sm
