History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

92 THE STORY OF MORMONISM.
lished in connection with the Upper Missiouri Advertiser,
appeared the first number of the Evening and
Morning Star, under the auspices of W. W. Phelps,
whose printing-press was the only one within a hundred
and twenty miles of Independence. On the 6th
of May Smith, Pigdon, and Whitney again set out
on their return to Kirtland. 26 On the way Whitney
broke his leg. Smith was poisoned, and that so badly
that he dislocated his jaw in vomiting, and the hair
upon his head became loosened; Whitney, however,
laid his hands on him, and administered in the name
5 "7
of the Lord, and he was healed in an instant.
Some three or four hundred saints being now gathered
in Missouri, most of them settled on their own
inheritances in this land of Zion, besides many others
scattered abroad throughout the land, who were yet to
come hither, it was deemed best to give the matter of
schools some attention. Parley P. Pratt was laboring
in Illinois. Newel K. Whitney was directed in
September to leave his business in other hands, visit
has given this generation. Smith also published other revelations, which are
contained in a little book called The Pearl of Great Price.' De Smet's Western
Missions, 393. 'This book abounds in grammatical inaccuracies, even to a
greater extent than the book of Mormon.' Mackay's The Mormons, 43. A
bungling statement is made by Mather, Lippincott's Mag., Aug. 1880, to the
effect that in 1835 'Rigdon's Book of Doctrine and Covenants and his Lectures
on Faith were adopted.'
2(i Arrangements were early made for the establishment of a store. Ferris'
Utah and Mormons, 75. When the printing press was bought—see Deseret
News, June 30, 1869—a supply of goods was purchased; and arrangements
were made at the May council to keep up the supply, which, with few exceptions,
were considered satisfactory. On April 27th considerable business was
transacted 'for the salvation of the saints who were settling among a ferocious
set of mobbers, like lambs among wolves. ' On the 28th and 29th Smith
visited the settlement above Big Blue River in Kaw township, 12 miles west
of Independence, including the Colesville branch, and returned on the 30th,
when it was revealed that all minors should be supported by their parents,
but after becoming of age 'they had claims upon the church, or in other
words, the Lord's storehouse,' as was also the case with widows left destitute.
Times and Seasons, v. 625-6.
27 On May 6th, leaving affairs as he supposed in a nourishing condition,
Smith started for Kirtland to look after the mill, store, and farm in that
neighborhood, but owing to an accident which resulted in the breaking of
Whitney's leg, Smith was delayed 4 weeks en route. Rigdon, who was also of
the party, proceeded through without stopping, and the other two arrived
some time in June. The season was passed by Smith in his work of translating
the scriptures, and in attending to business affairs. Times and Seasons,
v. 626.