History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

84 THE STORY OF MORMONISM.
somewhat of his former faith; whereupon a revelation
ordered him to go with Parley P. Pratt and preach to
the shakers, not according to his old ideas, but as
Parley should direct.
"And again, I say unto you that whoso forbiddeth
to marry is not ordained of God, for marriage is ordained
of God unto man; wherefore it is lawful that
he should have one wife, and they twain shall be one
flesh. Beware of false spirits. Given May 1831."
The saints from New York began to come in num-
bers, and Bishop Partridge was ordered to look after
them and attend to their requirements. It was ordered
that if any had more than they required, let
them give to the church; if any had less, let the church
relieve their necessities. The 6th of June a conference
of elders was held at Kirtland, and several received
the authority of the Melchisedec priesthood.
The next conference should be held in Missouri,
whither Joseph and Sidney should proceed at once,
and there it would be told them what to do. And
to the same place others should go, two by two, each
couple taking different routes and preaching by the
way. Among those who went forth were Lyman
Wight and John Corrill, John Murdock and Hyrum
Smith by the way of Detroit, Thomas B. Marsh and
Selah J. Griffin, Isaac Morley and Ezra Booth, David
Whitmer and Harvey Whitlock, Parley P. Pratt and
Orson Pratt, Solomon Hancock and Simeon Carter,
Edson Fuller and Jacob Scott, Levi Hancock and
Zebedee Coltrin, Reynolds Cahoon and Samuel H.
Smith, Wheeler Baldwin and William Carter, Joseph
Wakefield and Solomon Humphrey. With Joseph
and Sidney were to go Martin Harris and Edward
Partridge, taking with them a letter of recommendation
from the church. 13 "And thus, even as I have
13 'From this point in the history of this delusion,' says Howe, 'it began
to spread with considerable rapidity. Nearly all of their male converts,
however ignorant and worthless, were forthwith transformed into elders, and
sent forth to proclaim, with all their wild enthusiasm, the wonders and mys
teries of Mormonism. All those having a taste for the marvellous and de-