On 12 September 1842, and wrote a letter from , Illinois, to JS as the editor of the Times and Seasons in , Illinois, updating him and the on their preaching schedule during their mission in central . Two days earlier, Young and Kimball had departed from Nauvoo with fellow apostles and . At a of the church in August, they were assigned along with about four hundred other men to serve missions throughout the country. The missionaries’ purpose was to counter the claims was making about JS and the church on his lecture tour and in his publications and to simultaneously preach the gospel. By 12 September, the apostles reached the Latter-day Saints at Morley Settlement—situated approximately twenty-five miles south of Nauvoo and twenty-five miles north of , Illinois—and held a meeting at the home of church member . In this letter, Young and Kimball mentioned the meeting and described plans to hold similar conferences in five other locations.
The original letter is not extant, so it is unclear how and sent it to JS. The letter was received by JS, or perhaps by one of his editorial assistants in the , in time to appear in the 15 September 1842 issue of the Times and Seasons. The version printed in that issue is featured here.
JS’s primary editorial assistants in the printing office were John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff. From 10 August to 19 September, Woodruff was sick and confined to his home. Taylor was also sick for much of this time. In early September, other men were apparently working in the printing office as well, resulting in controversy over the delivery of JS’s mail. Emma Smith wrote a letter to postmaster Sidney Rigdon complaining that the post office was giving JS’s mail to anyone who claimed to be assisting JS in the printing office. (Woodruff, Journal, 10 Aug.–19 Sept. 1842; Emma Smith, Nauvoo, IL, to Sidney Rigdon, Nauvoo, IL, 12 Sept. 1842; Sidney Rigdon, Nauvoo, IL, to Emma Smith, Nauvoo, IL, 12 Sept. 1842, Emma Smith, Correspondence, CHL.)
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
Dear Brother:—Having commenced our mission to the east, yesterday we held our first at Br. ’s; we had a good time—the brethren here are in good spirits. We ordained 19 and 12. We expect next Saturday and Sunday to hold a two days meeting in , being the 17, 18th inst., on the 24, 25th at Payson, the 1, 2d of Oct. at . the 8, 9th of Oct. at Pittsfield, the 15, 16th Oct. at Apple Creek in Green co. From thence we shall proceed to , and .
If you please notice the above in your paper for the benefit of those friends scattered abroad.
Amasa Lyman recorded in his journal that the missionaries had “found fifty labourers for the ministry baptized” at the meeting. (Lyman, Journal, 11 Sept. 1842.)
On 18 September 1842, George A. Smith wrote to his wife, Bathsheba Bigler Smith, updating her on preaching efforts in Quincy, stating, “We have Preachd in the Court house seven times to vary attentive Congregations and Preach again in the Even[in]g.” (George A. Smith, Quincy, IL, to Bathsheba Bigler Smith, Nauvoo, IL, 18 Sept. 1842, George Albert Smith, Papers, CHL.)
Smith, George Albert. Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322.
On 3 October, George A. Smith wrote to his wife and reported that the missionaries “had Good Meetings at Payson & Pleasant Vale [Illinois].” Lyman recorded in his journal that he “preached to the brethren [and] had an interesting time” in Pleasant Vale, Illinois. (George A. Smith, Rockport, IL, to Bathsheba Bigler Smith, Nauvoo, IL, 3 Oct. 1842, George Albert Smith, Papers, CHL; Lyman, Journal, 15 Sept. 1842.)
Smith, George Albert. Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322.
On 9 October, George A. Smith wrote to his wife that “Br Young Preached Last Evening and I this morning Br A Lyman will this afternoo[n].” (George A. Smith, Pittsfield, IL, to Bathsheba Bigler Smith, Nauvoo, IL, 9 Oct. 1842, George Albert Smith, Papers, CHL.)
Smith, George Albert. Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322.
On 16 October 1842, Heber C. Kimball wrote to his wife Vilate Murray Kimball from the vicinity of Apple Creek, Greene County, Illinois, but did not mention the meeting held there on 15 and 16 October. (Heber C. Kimball, “Apple Creek,” IL, to Vilate Murray Kimball, Nauvoo, IL, 16 Oct. 1842, typescript, Heber C. Kimball Family Organization, Compilation of Heber C. Kimball Correspondence, 1983, CHL.)
Heber C. Kimball Family Organization. Compilation of Heber C. Kimball Correspondence, 1983. Unpublished typescript. CHL.
On 22 October, Kimball wrote a letter to his wife Vilate Murray Kimball informing her that he and Brigham Young were in Glasgow, Scott County, Illinois; that they had held all their scheduled conferences; and that on the following day they would travel to Jacksonville, Illinois, and then to Springfield, Illinois. He wrote that as a result of the conferences, “the prejdis [prejudice] is laid some conciderable some added.” (Heber C. Kimball, Glasgow, IL, to Vilate Murray Kimball, Nauvoo, IL, 22–23 Oct. 1842, Heber C. Kimball, Collection, CHL.)
Kimball, Heber C. Collection, 1837–1898. CHL. MS 12476.