| William E. McLellin is surprized and gratified at the invitation of the Twelve to return to the quorum, but he lacks the means to return and asks for reassurance that they and Joseph will forgive him. |
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Letter of the Twelve
Joy and regret
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My dear old Friends, Jan. 24, 1837 |
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Helen Marr Kimball Whitney Papers, Church Archives, MS 9670, fd 42. |
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Your most excellent letter of Dec. 18. [1836] arived on yesterday, and I assure you it was received and read with a mixture of inexpressible joy and regret. |
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It is just such a production as I might have expected from those with whom I had formed so intimate an acquaintance—and in whom I always have had the most implicit confidence. |
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When I … read its contents, I seemed to enter into the tenderest part of your feelings and to sypathise with you. I saw with peculiar feelings the situation in which you had been placed by my leaving. |
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| Wronged the Twelve |
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It is just such a production as I might have expected from those with whom I had formed so intimate an acquaintance—and in whom I always have had the most implicit confidence. When I … read its contents, I seemed to enter into the tenderest part of your feelings and to sypathise with you. I saw with peculiar feelings the situation in which you had been placed by my leaving. |
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I imagined for a moment that I was one of you, and one of you in [2] in my situation. O! with what feelings could I have written!! Not better than you have written to me. |
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I tell you Brethren I do not [believe] if the world was searched that there could be another band of men found who have warmer hearts than you. |
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| Many anxious hours, a few happy |
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Your few lines brought fresh to my mind the many anxious hours, and the few happy ones we had spent and enjoyed together. |
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| Twelve invite him to return |
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You say in your letter to me “when you left Kirtland, you left home. Come home, Come home.” “If you will not come otherwise one or all of us will go after you.” |
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| Place among the Twelve still vacant |
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You say farther, and what I did not expect to hear “Your place is yet vacant.”—
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| Only lacks the means to return |
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Now Brethren, although you may have supposed that I was somewhat sceptical—yet, let me say to you, I believe every [3] word you say. And all that hinders me from quitting this state of retirement and death and speeding my way to your council chamber, to be <a> faithful partner with you… in the sacred ministry which was confirmed upon us by the holy anointing which we have received—is, the want of means. |
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| Sorry |
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My course I know has been novel in the history of the transactions of the anointed. The reasons of my conduct are few and I deem it unnecessary to make an attempt to asign them in this place. Suffice it to say,—I am sorry for the course that I have pursued.— |
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| Can you forgive? |
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Can you, Will you forgive me? Will Brother Joseph forgive me? And will the church forgive me? If so write to me immediately and let me know it. And please to [4] obtain from President Smith my licence and send it to me, so that I may again feel that I have authority to lift up my voice in the midst of this generation.— |
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I have so much that I would be glad to communicate to you that I cannot on paper begin to express my feelings, nor relieve my mind. Therefore I will cease to write and I shall certainly wait in a state of anxious suspense the result of what I have written. |
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I am your distant and unfortunate brother |
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W. E. McLellin |
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“Tis the voice of William E.
To Brigham Young & Heber C.
orson Hyde & Parley—P.
John and Lyman (all save three.” |
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We are enjoying very good health and have been since we left [-]. |
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W. E. M |
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William E. McLellin
Quorum of the Twelve
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