| Title: | James Sloan, Illinois to Andrew McReynolds, Detroit. |
|---|---|
| ID | 2488 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Sloane, James/4 |
| Year | 1842 |
| Sender | Sloane, James |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | businessman |
| Sender Religion | Latter Day Saints Church |
| Origin | Nauvoo, Illinois, USA |
| Destination | Detroit, Michigan, USA |
| Recipient | McReynolds, Andrew |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | cousins |
| Source | T 2304/1: Copy Presented by Illinois State Historical Society, Springfield, Illionis, USA. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 8850002 |
| Date | 27/03/1842 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by JM 18:10:1993. |
| Word Count | 2748 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | City of Nauvoo, Ills. [Illinois?] Mar. [March?] 27th. 1842 Andw. [Andrew?] T. McReynolds Esq. Dear Cousin Upon Monday last I recd. [received?] your affecte. [affectionate?] letter, in reply to mine, and believe me I rejoice in both its substance and Spirit although you have somewhat to contend with, as regards this Worlds Goods, all I shall say upon this Subject is, that you may have lived in affluent Circumstances according to your standing in Society, when Matters assumed a better prospect than they have of late, not that I mean to say that you may have went beyond reasonable Bounds, however it may be, but I find by experience that in such Cases of change of Times for the worse, it is a prudent plan to throw aside all equipage, and the like, that we can as well do without, and be content with a comfortable living, neither do I believe that because a Man acquires honorable Stations, that he should aspire to retinue to excess, or to any unnecessary excesses, because the like has to come down, perhaps in a short time, or the Torments of Sheriff & Bailiffs attend it, but I hope no such is the case with you, but you have, as well as me, seen such Things, therefore tis well to guard agst. [against?] it. when I wrote my former to you, it was to ascertain if any of you were alive, & to find your address, & believe me I do not recollect what I said in it, by reason of Writing to Brother George, Sister Sinclair, Uncle George, Andw. [Andrew?] Sloan, & some of my Wifes relatives, & my Cousins Anderson of Tullywiggan, & Cousins Atkinson Blackwatertown, long Letters, about the same time, not having time to keep copies, or even extracts, & if I repeat any of it, this is the reason, my gratification is great, that you do not forget me, but feel such an Interest in my Welfare, I am now full at Heart with recollection of numerous past events, both joyful, & sorrowful, which causes my Eyes to fill with Tears. I am deeply interested for the Welfare of you all, am glad to find your Mother is to provided for, & I do not doubt, but you are a good & Kind Husband, as well as a dutiful Son, for such Things the Lord has made promises of Reward. You did not say any thing of Brother John, or your Sisters, Cousins Geo. [George?] Watson, John Brown, & Robt. [Robert?] Bolton, all of whom we wish to hear of, also any of our old acquaintances who may be near you. I shall give you as full an a/c [account?] of my past Career, present situation, & religious pursuits, as time & Paper will admit, the latter of which I hope you have an Interest in, as regards the Salvation of youself, Family, relations & even your fellow Men, in Eternity, for I feel as if you have their temporal interest at Heart, as regards intoxicating Drinks. You are to understand then, that I became temperate, (by resolution), before I left Ireland, not having joined any Society for that purpose, but from a conscientious conviction of my own Errors. I have the honor of possessing two Testimonials of the respect in which I was held by some of the first rank in Society, say Revd. R. N. #PAGE 2 Horner, Robt. [Robert?] Evans Esq, Joseph Greer, Jackson Lloyd Esqrs, &c &c, presented of their own free Will, a large & elegant Silver Snuff Box, lined with Gold, & a large & elegant Sugar Bowl, with the following inscription upon each, written by Mr. Horner, & procured, & engraved, in Belfast, through Wood C. Heazleton, sent a Special Messenger, Value then, & there, abt. [about?] $100.00. - To James Sloan, Esq. Solr. [Solicitor?], who never abandoned the rightful Cause for want of a Fee, nor advocated the wrongful Cause for sake of a Fee, this token of respect is presented by his numerous Friends, Dungannon 1834. - I have continued temperate up to this Time, & am firmly resolved with Gods assisting Grace to do so during Life. I do not at present intend to practice in my Profession, am now in my 49th. Year, & have not had any time or opportunity to become acquainted with the Practice in this Country, & I must change my Mind most materially before I could think of leaving this place, that is, the Church to which I belong. the reason why I think George might have treated me better, was, because he alledged there was no use in my having Property after I joined this Church, yet his affection towards me has not abated, he has written me lately, that if he had known of a Person who was at his House coming off here so soon, he would have sent me a Trunk with so Dry Goods in it, all I had was in his power, & when I was coming away he limited me pretty much, & he cut off the making of a black Coat for me in his Store, as I had no such Cloth in my own, but finding I had left a coarse one to be made in Town to use on the road for Waggoning in wet or cold Weather, he made that a pretext for withholding it, he sent me Money to Phila. [Philadelphia?] to bring us out West, which he charged me with, & Int. [Interest?] thereon, he gave me a House as he said, Rent free, but afterwards charged me full Value, if not more, so that he did not lose any thing by me, he assisted me by procuring Credit &c, but not to lose Money by it, he wishes us back, & made me kind proposals, but I cd. [could?] not accept of them for the reasons afd. [aforementioned?]. I was Storekeeping 3 yrs near Geo. [George?], & made some Money, but fitted up a large Waggon [Wagon?] & dearbourne [dearborn?], having 7 Horses, & inexperience Travelling in that way, started for Missouri, with $100.00 Cash, Beds, Bedding & Clothing, & but little else, (no Furniture,) unless the Waggoner [Wagoner?] & family, & I was some Dollars in Debt before I got there, built a House, & paid for a piece of Land with 5 Horses & large Waggon [Wagon?], & the Church being then persecuted because of our religion we were driven out of that State, unless those who were Slaughtered for the cause of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, this driving & Mobbing business you must have got some knowledge of through the public Papers, if not otherwise. we are now on the Banks of the Mississippi 200M above St. Louis, 50M above Quincy City, in this State, & came here destitute, being obliged to leave a part of our Goods for want of Waggon [Wagon?], or means to bring them, but as Geo. [George?] writes friendly, & may yet assist me, I dont wish you to Write to him on the Subject, but if you do, don't give him to understand that I #PAGE 3 complained to you, lest it might disgust him. when I arrived in quincy had not means to pay the Ferry, nor to procure Victuals, got to Saw Firewood in the Streets, moved here 2 years past, had got some Credit there, & procured $300.00 worth of Goods through good Conduct, built a log House here, which with all of us having the Ague for 9 Mos. [months?], left us with little, but an unfinished House, I then got to work with a Shovel & Wheelbarrow, at 75 cts [cents?] p [per?] day & find myself, I cd. [could?] not chop, & writing I cd. [could?] not get to do, nor any thing else easier, & although I am now in the following Situations, yet I seldom have means to pay the Postage of a Letter, yet anxious to receive them, besides, may lose what little Furniture I have scraped together, unless some of my Relations can feel to lend me so much, or even part, which I would hope to soon faithfully repay, if I had it in Goods, it cd. [could?] soon be turned, in a new Country, amongst a distressed People these Situations are not profitable, although so much to do, I must write my Letters on Sunday. The Church in this City & vicinity amount to between 8 & 10 Thousand Souls, I was appointed general Church Clerk, by the unanimous voice of the Conference in Oct. [October?] last, my business is, to keep a Record of the Names of the Members, give Licenses to the Elders Ordained to Preach, & the like, not to say Amen while the Preacher reads the Service of the Day, as in other Churches, the Members of this Church may be baptized for their relatives & Friends who are Dead, of all these Baptisms I keep a Record, the Church is erecting a Temple to the Lord, of Stone, perhaps 140F [feet?] or 150F [feet?] long by 80F [feet?] wide, of Carved, hewn, & hammered Rock, to be 3 or 4 Stories high, elegantly finished inside, Copper or lead roof, now is up to the height of the Cellar rooms, (10 or 12 ft [feet?]) 4F [feet?] thick, it will Contain several Things such as were in Solomons, we expect to receive great Blessings in it, immediately from the Lord, when finished, we have Members here, from many parts of the Globe. There is a Nauvoo House now Erecting, for the reception of Strangers it is Cellar high of Stone, the remg. [remaining?] 3 or 4 Stories will be Brick, roofed as the Temple, will be, elegantly finished, & splendidly furnished, about 125F [feet?] long on each front, on a Corner, it is built by an association, under a Charter from the State. I am Secy. [Secretary?] to the Committee since July last, of course keep the Stock Certfs [Certificates?], Stock Book, Acct. [Account?] Books &c. There was a Charter granted incorporating this City in feby. [February?] 1841. I was then put in City Recorder, to continue 2 years, there is a Patriarch in the Church who pronounces Blessings upon Members, he appointed me his Clerk, & at that I have attended writing the Blessings (Verbatim,) as he pronounced them, three Days in the Week, since 6th. of Sept. last. There is a Military Body authorized here by Charter, (The Nauvoo Legion,) the Mayor of the City, (to whom I am Clerk of the Municipal Court,) who is Major General, a few days past, offered me the situation of War Secy [Secretary?], it belongs to his Staff, with the Rank of Col. [Colonel?] I accepted of it, altho [although?] without a Horse, or means of #PAGE 4 equipping myself at present, but being over age to be compelled, yet in good bodily Health, & eight Months for equipment, I ventured in hope, it, & the situation (I am told,) of Surgeon, are the only ones from which there will be any Emoluments, though this with other Things I am not in doubt of being able to pay, if I could but procure them on a Credit, & this I believe you could do for me, if you feel to depend on my Honor and Security, for puntuality in payment. I do hope to be in better Circumstances in life ere [before?] many years, perhaps Months, for I am a Slave to business to procure payt. [payment?] of the Debt I mentd.[mentioned?], which when done I will be content. I wish you to reply to this with little delay, & inform me what the plan is you have in contemplation respecting me, Geo. [George?] said in his Letter if I would not accept of any of his proposals to go to Ohio he would come here when he could find time and Enter some Land for my use, for Life, but that is uncertain both as to time & Life, the time for one to be a Friend is when their assistance is required, not a long hereafter, before which they may be Dead. let me know if you are a professor of Religion, and what Church, - I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints and We believe in faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance for our Sins, Baptism for the remission of them, by immersion, not Sprinkling, The laying on of Hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost, the resurrection of the dead, and Eternal Judgment, which is the Doctrine that was practised and taught by Christ and his Apostles, as appears clear from every Book in the New Testament, also in the Prophets in the Old Testament, in which, Christ said to the People if they would believe, they would believe in him. This Church is gathering here, which is called Zion, or the New Jerusalem, we have a Prophet, raised by the Lord for to lead his Church here upon the Earth, to receive Revelations for that purpose, that his People may be prepared for his coming at the ushering in of the Millenial Reign, to Reign with him a Thousand Years, of this Doctrine People in the present age are generally ignorant, although there is no part of Scripture more plain, than where it is spoken of, and the Situation of the Saints during that Time, you will find much said upon it in Isaiah, Ezekiel, Malachi, Zechariah, Joel, Daniel, Jeremiah, Michai, in short in all the Prophets, - and through all the Testament you will find the Doctrine of Immersion in Water to be the mode of Baptism used by John; and which form was the one adopted by Jesus himself upon which Occasion God was for the first time heard to say - thou art my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased. Jesus declared himself that he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned and told the Signs that should follow the believer, & in the second Chapter of Acts shows what the declarations of Peter were upon the Day of Pentecost, he told the People what the Signs were and to whom they should extend, to your Sons and your Daughters to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call, upon this Subject I wish you would even take a little recreation between your Studies although if all your time was thus spent in the service of God it would be much more advantageous in Eternity, that the practice of Common Law, I am an Elder, and High #PAGE 5 Priest in this Church which Office is high, and one that is of responsibility, & I have always been in good standing amongst my Brethren. I know of a Surety that this Church and Work is of God, and that by myself & not of Man alone, therefore I testify it unto you in the Name of that same Jesus whose Name and Crucifixion & second coming I hope to Preach ere [before?] long in our Native Land to the Salvation of many who have been and [are?] such Sinners as I have been, I know the Gifts of the Gospel to be with it in this Church which is the same Gospel the Apotles Preached, who said if any Man Preach any other Gospel than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed, or if we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you let him be accursed. He that lacketh Wisdom let him ask of God who bestoweth liberally and upbraideth not. I have put in good part of the Day at this, and feel fatigued, if you will say somewhat to me upon Religion I will esteem it a particular favour, if you hear of any of Our Elders, go & talk to them hear them Preach, dont despise them altho [although?] they may be poor, bring them under your roof, howbeit you might entertain Angels unawares, Paul said Faith comes by hearing, & exhorts to prove all things and hold fast to that which is good. I must now conclude by telling you we all send our love to you all, & count it a Blessing to have this oppy. [opportunity?] of holding some commn. [communication?], while yet on the Land of the Living. - forgive the length & disconnections, arising from haste. Yr. Eve Affecte. [your ever affectionate?] Cousin. James Sloan. |
