History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Vol. 1-7). Joseph F. Smith
But verily, I will speak unto you concerning your journey unto the land from whence you came. Let there be a craft made, or bought, as seemeth you good, it mattereth not unto me, and take your journey speedily for the place which is called St. Louis.
6. And from thence let my servants Sidney Rigdon, Joseph Smith, Jun., and Oliver Cowdery, take their journey for Cincinnati;
7. And in this place let them lift up their voice and declare my word with loud voices, without wrath or doubting, lifting up holy hands upon them. For I am able to make you holy, and your sins are forgiven you.
8. And let the residue take their journey from St. Louis, two by two, and preach the word, not in haste, among the congregations of the wicked, until they return to the churches from whence they came.
9. And all this for the good of the churches; for this intent have I sent them.
10. And let my servant Edward Partridge impart of the money which I have given him, a portion unto mine Elders who are commanded to return;
11. And he that is able, let him return by the way of the agent, and he that is not, of him it is not required.
12. And now I speak of the residue who are to come unto this land.
13. Behold, they have been sent to preach my Gospel among the congregations of the wicked; wherefore, I give unto them a commandment thus: Thou shalt not idle away thy time, neither shalt thou bury thy talent that it may not be known.
14. And after thou hast come up unto the land of Zion, and hast proclaimed my word, thou shalt speedily return, proclaiming my word among the congregations of the wicked, not in haste, neither in wrath nor with strife;
15. And shake off the dust of thy feet against those who receive thee not; not in their presence, lest thou provoke them; but in secret, and wash thy feet, as a testimony against them in the day of judgment.
16. Behold, this is sufficient for you, and the will of Him who hath sent you.
17. And by the mouth of my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., it shall be made known concerning Sidney Rigdon and Oliver Cowdery. The residue hereafter. Even so. Amen.
Prophet and Others Depart for Kirtland.
On the 9th, in company with ten Elders, I left Independence landing for Kirtland. We started down the river in canoes, and went the first day as far as Fort Osage, where we had an excellent wild turkey for supper. Nothing very important occurred till the third day, when many of the dangers so common upon the western waters, manifested themselves; and after we had encamped upon the bank of the river, at McIlwaine's Bend, Brother Phelps, in open vision by daylight, saw the destroyer in his most horrible power, ride upon the face of the waters; others heard the noise, but saw not the vision.
The next morning after prayer, I received the following:
Revelation, given August, 1831. 7
1. Behold, and hearken unto the voice of Him who has all power, who is from everlasting to everlasting, even Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.
2. Behold, verily thus saith the Lord unto you, O ye Elders of my Church, who are assembled upon this spot, whose sins are now forgiven you, for I, the Lord, forgive sins, and am merciful unto those who confess their sins with humble hearts;
3. But verily I say unto you, that it is not needful for this whole company of mine Elders to be moving swiftly upon the waters, whilst the inhabitants on either side are perishing in unbelief;
4. Nevertheless, I suffered it that ye might bear record; behold, there are many dangers upon the waters, and more especially hereafter;
5. For I, the Lord, have decreed in mine anger, many destructions upon the waters; yea, and especially upon these waters;
6. Nevertheless, all flesh is in mine hand, and he that is faithful among you shall not perish by the waters.
7. Wherefore it is expedient that my servant Sidney Gilbert and my servant William W. Phelps, be in haste upon their errand and mission;
8. Nevertheless I would not suffer that ye should part until you were chastened for all your sins, that you might be one, that you might not perish in wickedness;
9. But now, verily I say, it behoveth me that ye should part, wherefore let my servants Sidney Gilbert and William W. Phelps take their former company, and let them take their journey in haste that they may fill their mission, and through faith they shall overcome;
10. And inasmuch as they are faithful they shall be preserved, and I, the Lord, will be with them.
11. And let the residue take that which is needful for clothing.
12. Let my servant Sidney Gilbert take that which is not needful with him, as you shall agree.
13. And now, behold, for your good I gave unto you a commandment concerning these things; and I, the Lord, will reason with you as with men in days of old.
14. Behold, I, the Lord, in the beginning blessed the waters, but in the last days, by the mouth of my servant John, I cursed the waters;
15. Wherefore, the days will come that no flesh shall be safe upon the waters,
16. And it shall be said in days to come that none is able to go up to the land of Zion upon the waters, but he that is upright in heart.
17. And, as I, the Lord, in the beginning cursed the land, even so in the last days have I blessed it, in its time, for the use of my Saints, that they may partake the fatness thereof.
18. And now I give unto you a commandment that what I say unto one I say unto all, that you shall forewarn your brethren concerning these waters, that they come not in journeying upon them, lest their faith fail and they are caught in snares;
19. I, the Lord have decreed, and the destroyer rideth upon the face thereof, and I revoke not the decree;
20. I, the Lord, was angry with you yesterday, but today mine anger is turned away.
21. Wherefore, let those concerning whom I have spoken, that should take their journey in haste—again I say unto you, let them take their journey in haste.
22. And it mattereth not unto me, after a little, if it so be that they fill their mission, whether they go by water or by land; let this be as it is made known unto them according to their judgments hereafter.
23. And now, concerning my servants Sidney Rigdon, and Joseph Smith, Jun., and Oliver Cowdery, let them come not again upon the waters, save it be upon the canal, while journeying unto their homes, or in other words they shall not come upon the waters to journey, save upon the canal.
24. Behold, I, the Lord, have appointed a way for the journeying of my Saints, and behold this is the way—that after they leave the canal, they shall journey by land, inasmuch as they are commanded to journey and go up unto the land of Zion;
25. And they shall do like unto the children of Israel, pitching their tents by the way.
26. And, behold, this commandment you shall give unto all your brethren;
27. Nevertheless, unto whom it is given power to command the waters, unto him it is given by the Spirit to know all his ways;
28. Wherefore let him do as the Spirit of the living God commandeth him, whether upon the land or upon the waters, as it remaineth with me to do hereafter;
29. And unto you it is given the course for the Saints, or the way for the Saints of the camp of the Lord, to journey.
30. And again, verily I say unto you, my servants Sidney Rigdon, Joseph Smith, Jun., and Oliver Cowdery, shall not open their mouths in the congregations of the wicked, until they arrive at Cincinnati;
31. And in that place they shall lift up their voices unto God against that people; yea unto Him whose anger is kindled against their wickedness; a people who are well-nigh ripened for destruction;
32.