Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1841-03-20

''0hs ~ VI SCtNlCC W tI1C IONCTS vi
truth; especially to the inhabitants of
your city. The following is a true CO.
py of the original w. PARRISH.
"KrRrLASD, May 23, 1887.
"PREs. j. SMITH, Jr.
"Dear Brother,-As it is difficult to
obtain personal interview with you at
all times, by reason of the multitude of
business in which you are engaged, you
will excuse my saying in writing what
| would otherwise say by word of
mouth.
"Having long pondered the path in
which we as people, have been led in
regard TO our temporal management, |
have at length become fully convinced
that the whole scheme Of speculation in
which we have been engaged, is of the
devil. allude to the covctous, extra
ordinary specializing spirit which has
reigned in this place for the last season:
which has given rise to lying, deceiving,
and taking advantage of ones neighbor,
and in short, every evil work.
"And being as fully convinced that
you, and President Rigdon, both by
precept and example, have been the
principal means in leading this people
astray, in these particulars, and having
myself been led astray, and caught in
the same snare by your example, and
by false prophesying and preaching,
from your mouths, yea, having done
many things wrong, and plunged my
self and family, and others, well nigh
into destruction; | have awoke to an
awful sense Of my situation, and now
resolve to retrace my steps, and get out
of the snare, and make restitution as
far as can.
"And now, dear brother, if you are
still determined to pursue this wicked
course, until yourself and the Church
shall sink down to HE'LL, beseech you
at least to have mercy on me and my
family, and others who are bound with
me for those three lots which you sold
10 me at the extortionary price of $4,000,
which never cost you 500. For if it
stands against me it will ruin me and
my helpless family, as well as those
bound with me: for yesterday president
Rigdon came TO me and informed me,
that you had drawn the money from the
bank, on the obligations which you
hold against me, and that you had left
it to the mercy of the bank, and could
not help whatever course they might
take to collect it; Notwithstanding the
most SACRED PROMISES on your part, that
| should not be injured by those wri-
tings. / offered him the three lots for
the writings; but he wanted my house
and home also.
"Now, dear brother, will you take
those lots and give me up the writings,
and pay me the S75 which | paid you
on the same? Or will you take the adj
vantage of your neighbor because he is
in your power! lfyou will receive this
admonition of one who loves your soul
and repent Of your extortion and cove.
tousness, in this thing, and make resti.
tuition, you have my fellowship and es
TEEN, as far as it respects our dealings
between ourselves.
"But if not, | shall be under the pain
ful necessity of preferring charges a
| gainst you for eXtortion, covetousness
and taking advantage of your brother
by an undue religious influence. Fol-
it is this kind of influence which led u!
to make this kind of trades in this socie
ty. Such as saying it was the will o
God that lands should bear with such ;
price; and many other prophesyings
preachings and statements of like ma
ture. Yours with respect,
"P. p. PRATT."
Accompanying the above, Mr.. Par
rish has sent us the following letter
which first appeared in the Painesvill
(Ohio) Republican:
KlRTLAND, Feb. 5, 1888.
SlR,-I have taken the liberty to sen,
you synopsis of some of the leading
features of the characters of JosepI
, Smith. jr. and Sidney Rigdon, who ar
styled leaders of the Mormon Church
, and if you are disposed, and think
: would be of service TO the public, yo
are at liberty TO publish il. | have fo
several years past been a member of tn
: Church of latter day Saints, commonl
called Mormons, belonging to the quo
rum ofseventy high priests, and an int
A mate acquaintance of Jos. Smith J
v and Sidney Rigdon, the modern propi
cts, and have had an opportunity of al
: certaining to as great an extent, the r.
J, al characters of these men, as any OF
d er individual. have been Smith
y private secretary, called to fill this his