P. S. My addres is 118 S. 1st Sst
Salt Lake City
I expect to be in S. L. EC next week.
The brethren here are building a new
small grist mill have raised over 20000
bushels of small grain. Prospects, good . . . E. S.
Cardston, Alberta Can.
.
President W. Woodruff
Dear Brother
I, am as you see—here in Canada, to see
the Saints, and a son and his family who live in this section of country
to bless and do them good. I am well, and feel well, and hope that those
choice blessings are enjoyed by you, and may continue with you unto the end.
Since I have bin on this trip I have been reading in course the Doctrine
& Covenants up to Page 168—and on page 108, Sec. 14, I find in a revelation given
to David Whitmer, Senaca, Co. N. Y. June, 1829. What attracted my attention more
particularly was in the 11 v. And behold, thou art David, and thou art called
to assist; which thing if ye do, and are faithful, ye shall be blessed both
spiritually and temporaly. . . . In May 15th, 1829, The Aronic Preisthood was
confered upon Joseph. Smith and O. Cowdry, in Harmony Pa. see sec. 13, and the
very one precedeing the one given to David Whitmer's—being called to assist, and the
very next month after the Aronic Preisthood was confered, one in May in Pa.
the other in June, and in N. Y. If you reccollect 14 years ago, I was called to go
on a mission to Tenn., at that time you and O. Pratt, sent a message by me
to David Whitmer then in Richmond, Mo. I had 3 different sittings
with him, occupying 10 [h]ours in all. Now what strikes me forcably, is,
David said soon after his return from his little mission to bring Joseph
the Prophet and company from Pa. Joseph Babtized him and Ordained him as the
3rd Elder in the Church. "Mark it," this was the very next month after
the confermation of the Aronic Preisthood in Pa. on the susquhanah River,
now I have always beleived that our Prophet recd. the Melchesedic
Edward Stevenson,
6 Oct. 1891
Recd 10 [Oct. 1891]
Preisthood soon after the Aronic, and at the same place—before going to Peter
Whitmers at Fayett senaca Co. Ny—to continue the Translation of the Book of Mormon.
Davids telling me that he was babtized in senaca Lake or River, in June ^1829^ and being
ordained, and imediately after called to assist in the great work June, 1829, is
good evidence to me.
Now again, he stated to me soon after he
was ordained, he preached and Babtized, and that thare were a number babtized
so that at the Organization of the Church, 6 Apr. the following year 1830 thare were
in his Fathers House, a double log thouse of 2 rooms, about 40 mostly members
of the Church. But, only "6 Elders"—hence the so often repeated saying that
the Church was organized with 6 members. I have beleived David, and if
misled in this, I am open to conviction, and request to be corrected, for I have been in the
Church since 1833—58 years and wish to inculcate correct doctrine's.
David also related that while comeing from Harmony Pa., about halfway
to Fayett, N. Y.—which was June 1829—they saw Maroni who at that time
appeared as an ordinary man and common attire with a knapsac on his back,
he asked him to ride with them, beut he replied I am only goind over to Cumorah,
steped back and disappeared. Olliver and David asked the Prophet to enquire of the Lord who
this misterious and distinguised visitor was. David told me that when he looked
back at the Prophet he looked to him nearly transprent and said that was Maroni
with the plates, &c. soon after their arrival at Fayett, David said his mother
saw Maroni and he also opened the plates turning them over leaf by leaf—
but there was some portion sealed with 3 gold rings.
my visit was
very much enjoyed and had a very good impression upon him. But not as
with Martin Harris, who I visited and brought to zion. Now Bro Woodruff
T. O—
I candidly beleive that David had in some way committed himself, so
that the Lord did not wish him to come and receive his blessings
in the House of the Lord. I have reasons to sustain this beleif—
I have felt thus to express myself thus on those subjects freely—
The Brethren in Alberta are feeling well, and are much more united
in their faith, without so much distinction and classification, as we have
in our Babylonish Pride and Classifycation of S. L. C. and other older settlements,
which proved a curse to both the Jaredites as well as the overthrow of the
Nephites.
since I have been here by request I have given 6 public
Lectures in Alberta on the subject of the early rise of the Church and the
comeing forth of the Book of Mormon Illustrated by 3 paintings one of the
Hill Cumorah 2nd Joseph the Prophet, and the Angle Maroni, delivering the precious
Record and the 3rd one with the 7 lines of characters coppied from the plates by
the Prophets, and sent to Prophessor Anthon N. Y. by Martin Harris from the
unusualy large Audiances, and the attraction and manifestations of the good spirit
it wonderfully well remunerates me for my expence and pains without other
compensation for all of those Lectures are Freely given as freely received I have
given about 150 of them free, now this in part answers the question asked
by you, when I visited you recently at the Gardo House on the unplesant
affair of Widdow Manwareing. What are you doing these times? on the 1st
day of May next, I shall (thank God.) be 72 years of age, and have spent 58 years of
that time in my Masters cause, and as a poor Widdows son, trying to save one soul—
conquer and save Edward. Stevenson, which if I succede I shall be sattisfied and well
repaid for all the battles fought.
As to sister Electa Manwareing my Daughter
by my 3rd Wife. I have often felt greived at the trouble you have been subjected to—
and I think I have been very poorly repaid, for with my own hands building a house
and makeing a presant of it and 10 acres of land to her, also of furnishing her coal, and
bread—and some money and other things, so that now I have concluded to turn the
matter over to her Brotherinlaw and her brothers and placeing in their hands 50000
for them to pay the interest to her they all agree to aid her (and I hold myself ready to see
and do through them other help). So I think this may cut the thread which has
subjected me to so much criticism by the 1st council of the Church,
and I hope in the future save you so much trouble with the Widow.
I beleive I have done pretty well for one who last year paid 30000 cash Tything
and Louie Stevenson 50000 cash dureing the last year I have also paid into defense fund 175.00/100
8000 14th Ward church school &c. &c—Praying Gods choice blessings to be and
abide with you I am your Brother in the covenant Edward. Stevenson.