[Joseph Smith Diary] ... To the first Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Kirtland
...Being under the hand of wicked, vex/at/ious Lawsuits for Seven years past, my buisness was so dangerous that I was not able to leave it in as good a Situation as I had antisipated, but if there are any wrongs They shall all be noticed so far as the Lord g[iv]es me ability and power to do so.
... I would just say to Br[other] Marks that I Saw in a vision while on the road that whereas he was closely persued by an innumerable concource of enemies and as they pressed upon him hard as if they were about to devour him and had seemingly attained some degre[e] of advantage over him, But about this time a chariot of fire came near the place and the Angel of the Lord put forth his hand unto Br[other] Marks and said unto him, "Thou art my son come here." And immediately he was caught up in the Chariot and rode away [p.169] triumphantly out of their midst and again the Lord Said, "I will raise the[e] up for a blessing unto many people."
Now the particulars of this whole matter cannot be writ[t]en at this time, but the vision was evidently given to me that I might know that the hand of the Lord would be on his behalf.
J[oseph] Smith, Jr.
[P.S.] I transmit to you the following motto of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints Recorded on Pages 16 and 17 of J[oseph] Smith, Jr., Scriptory Record Book A.
... [insert] The Political Motto of the Church of Latter-day Saints. The Constitution of our country formed by the Fathers of liberty. Peace and good order in society. Love to God, and good will to man. All good and wholesome laws, virtue and truth above all things, and aristarchy, live for ever! But woe to tyrants, mobs, aristocracy, anarchy, and toryism, and all those who invent or seek out unrighteous and vexatious law suits, under the pretext and color of law, or office, either religious or political. Exalt the standard of Democracy! Down with that of priestcraft, and let all the people say Amen! that the blood of our fathers may not cry from the ground against us. Sacred is the memory of that blood which bought for us our liberty. JOSEPH SMITH, JUN.
[Source: Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1838, http://amzn.to/jsdiaries]
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