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Letter from Orson Hyde, 15 June 1841

Source Note

, Letter, , Middlesex and Surrey counties, England, to JS, , Hancock Co., IL, 15 June 1841. Featured version published in “Letter from Elder O. Hyde,” in Times and Seasons, 1 Oct. 1841, vol. 2, no. 23, 551–555. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.

Historical Introduction

On 15 June 1841, wrote a letter from reporting on his mission to serve as an ambassador to the Jews abroad. Hyde sent the letter to JS in , Illinois, and intended it to be published in the Times and Seasons.
After proselytizing and raising funds throughout the eastern for several months, arrived in , England, on 3 March 1841. The letter featured here was the second one Hyde sent to JS from Europe, and it detailed his efforts to meet with the leadership of the Jewish community in and his authorship of materials describing the origins and tenets of the . Also included in the letter were excerpts from a booklet Hyde wrote while in . The booklet, patterned after ’s 1840 pamphlet A[n] Interesting Account of Several Remarkable Visions, explained the founding of the church. Hyde copied the excerpts into this letter for JS to review; he planned to have the booklet translated and published once he arrived in .
also reported on his attempts to fulfill his original mission assignment to seek information regarding the “views and movements of the Jewish people.” After calling on the chief rabbi of Great Britain, , at the Great Synagogue of , Hyde was informed that the rabbi had suffered injuries from a recent accident and was unable to grant him an audience. In response, Hyde penned a letter—which he copied into his letter to JS—informing Hirschell of his “divine appointment” to meet with the Jewish communities in several major world cities. There is no evidence that Hirschell responded to Hyde’s letter.
’s original letter to JS is apparently not extant. The letter was published in the 1 October 1841 issue of the Times and Seasons; that version is featured here. Although there is no known response from JS, Hyde continued his communications to JS with another letter a month later.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Recommendation for Orson Hyde, 6 Apr. 1840; Letter from Orson Hyde, 17 Apr. 1841.

  2. [2]

    See Orson Pratt, A[n] Interesting Account of Several Remarkable Visions, 1840. Pratt’s and Hyde’s writings were the first published accounts of JS’s first vision of Deity and were among the earliest works to systematically outline church doctrine for foreign audiences.

  3. [3]

    In an earlier letter to JS from Orson Hyde and John E. Page, the two missionaries mentioned a “great work to be done in Germany” and asked for permission to write and publish a book on the church to be spread throughout the German-speaking lands. JS responded to their request with “no objections whatever.” (Letter from Orson Hyde and John E. Page, 1 May 1840; Letter to Orson Hyde and John E. Page, 14 May 1840.)

  4. [4]

    Recommendation for Orson Hyde, 6 Apr. 1840.

  5. [5]

    See Letter from Orson Hyde, 17 July 1841.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Letter from Orson Hyde, 15 June 1841 History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page 553

due time, thou shalt go to , the land of thy fathers, and be a watchman unto the house of Israel; and by thy hands, shall the Most High do a good work, which shall prepare the way, and greatly facilitate the gathering together of that people.’ Many other particulars were told me by him, at that time, which I do not write in this letter: But sufficient is written to show that divine appointment is claimed as the main-spring that has sent me forth from the embraces of an affectionate family, and kind friends as well as from the land that gave me birth.”
“My labors since that period, have been bestowed upon the Gentiles In various countries, and on both sides of the Atlantic, until, in the early part of March 1840, I retired to my bed one night as usual; and while meditating, and contemplating the field of my future labors, the vision of the Lord, like clouds of light burst into my view. (See Joel, 2. 28) The cities of , , Constantinople, and , all appeared in succession before me; and the spirit said unto me, ‘Here are many of the children of Abraham whom I will gather to the land that I gave to their fathers; and here also, is the field of your labors. Take therefore propper credentials from my people, your brethren, and also from the of your with the seal of authority thereon, and go ye forth to the cities which have been shown you, and declare these words unto Judah, and say, ‘Blow ye the trumpet in the land; cry, gather together, and say, assemble yourselves and let us go into the defenced cities. Set up the standard towards Zion—retire stay not; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction. The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way—he is gone forth from his place to make thy land desolate, and thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant.’
“Speak ye comfortably to , and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished—that her iniquity is pardoned for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.”
“Let your warning voice be heard among the Gentiles as you pass, and call ye upon them in my name for aid and for assistance. With you, it mattereth not whether it be little or much; but to me it belongeth to show favor unto them who show favor unto you.’
“The vision continued open about six hours, that I did not close my eyes in sleep. In this time, many things were shown unto me which I have never written, neither shall I write them until they are fulfilled in .”
“It appears, from the prophets, that has none to guide—none to take her by the hand among all the sons whom she hath brought forth and reared: ‘But these two sons are come unto thee! The sons of strangers shall build up thy walls.’
“Permit me now Rev. Sir, to trouble you with the reflections of a mind that feels completely untrameled from every party interest, and from every sectarian influence. When I look at the condition of your fathers in the days of David and Solomon, and contrast that with the present condition of their descendants, I am led to exclaim, ‘How are the mighty fallen!’ Then they possessed a kingdom—a land flowing with milk and honey—then the strong arm of Jehovah taught the surrounding nations to pay tribute and homage to them—then their standard was raised high, their banner floated on every breeze; and under its shade, the sons and daughters of Israel reposed in perfect safety; and the golden letters of light and knowledge were inscribed on its folds. But now, no kingdom—no country—no tribute of gain or honor—no standard—no security: Their sceptre has departed! and instead of that light and knowledge which once gave them a transcendant elevation above other nations, the height of their ambition, is now, (with some honorable exceptions) the accumulation of sordid gain, by buying and selling the stale refuse with which their fathers would never have defiled their hands,”
“Why this wonderful change? Is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, a just God? Most certainly he is. If, then, he is a just God, of course, he will mete out and apportion the chastisement or peanlty [penalty], to the magnitude of the offence or crime committed. Allowing, then, the law of Moses to be the standard by which actions are weighed: Were not idolatry and the shedding of innocent blood, the greatest sins which your fathers committed? and was not the penalty inflicted upon them for that transgression, captivity in Babylon seventy years? Have [p. 553]
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Page 553

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Orson Hyde, 15 June 1841
ID #
659
Total Pages
5
Print Volume Location
JSP, D8:167–180
Handwriting on This Page
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Footnotes

  1. [16]

    There is no extant copy of Hyde’s blessing from JS. In 1840, Hyde stated that the blessing was given “something near eight years ago,” suggesting that it occurred sometime around 1832. Hyde was in the eastern United States on a mission from 1 February through 22 December 1832, so if the blessing was given in 1832, it occurred in either January or late December. ([Rigdon], Appeal to the American People, 2nd ed., [iii]; Hyde, Journal, Feb.–Dec. 1832.)

    Hyde, Orson. Journal, Feb. 1832–Mar. 1833. CHL. MS 1386.

  2. [17]

    Hyde had served several proselytizing missions to the eastern United States, Canada, and England. (Revelation, 1 Nov. 1831–A [D&C 68:1]; “History of Orson Hyde,” 8–12, Historian’s Office, Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861, CHL.)

    Historian’s Office. Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861. CHL. CR 100 93.

  3. [18]

    During the summer of 1838, the apostles were called to “go over the great waters” and preach the gospel. Hyde became disaffected from the church at that time and was “suspended from exercising the functions of [his] office” as apostle during a conference in May 1839. After accounting for his actions, Hyde was restored to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in October 1839. (Revelation, 8 July 1838–A [D&C 118:4]; Minutes, 4–5 May 1839; Minutes and Discourses, 5–7 Oct. 1839.)

  4. [19]

    Hyde was given a letter of recommendation from JS in April 1840 and another from Illinois governor Thomas Carlin later that same month. (Recommendation for Orson Hyde, 6 Apr. 1840; Hyde, Voice from Jerusalem, v.)

    Hyde, Orson. A Voice from Jerusalem, or a Sketch of the Travels and Ministry of Elder Orson Hyde, Missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, to Germany, Constantinople, and Jerusalem. Liverpool: P. P. Pratt, 1842.

  5. [20]

    See Jeremiah 4:5–7; see also Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 500 [3 Nephi 21:12].

  6. [21]

    See Isaiah 40:2.

  7. [22]

    See Isaiah 51:18. Hyde had also published a letter in the Times and Seasons declaring that since Jerusalem “has no sons to take her by the hand . . . , Bro. [John E.] Page and myself feel that we ought to hurry along and take her by the hand; for we are her sons but the Gentiles have brought us up.” (Orson Hyde, Letter Extract, Franklin, OH, 7 July 1840, in Times and Seasons, Aug. 1840, 1:156–157.)

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

  8. [23]

    See 2 Samuel 1:27.

  9. [24]

    Hyde’s language here echoed pervasive stereotypes of Jews and their love of money. After his visit to Jerusalem, Hyde believed he recognized a divide between devout Jews and the “many Jews who care nothing about Jerusalem, and have no regard for God. Their money is all the god they worship.” (Hyde, Voice from Jerusalem, 15.)

    Hyde, Orson. A Voice from Jerusalem, or a Sketch of the Travels and Ministry of Elder Orson Hyde, Missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, to Germany, Constantinople, and Jerusalem. Liverpool: P. P. Pratt, 1842.

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