finally found its way into Kirtland,1 and into the business methods of the store. Large accounts were run at New York houses and elsewhere and the people were given time.2 Corrill says that these debts amounted to thirty thousand dollars and later to some fifty or sixty thousand dollars. When the great panic of 1837 struck the country, the Kirtland store was practically ruined in the crash. Within a few months the church leaders concluded to move to Missouri. Thus ended the main business enterprise of the United Order of Independence.*

1 S. A. Davis, editor of Glad Tidings, a Universalist publication, visited_Kirtland in 1837 and writes an account of his impressons, which are found in the Messenger and Advocate, April, 1837, pp. 409-411. He says: "They seem to have too much worldly wisdom connected with their religion-too great a desire for the perishable riches of this world-holding out the idea that the kingdom of Christ is to be composed of 'real estate, flocks, silver, gold, as well as of human beings. But let this pass." "

2D. L. Leonard, The Mormon Sojourn in Ohio, Ohio Church History Society Papers, vol. 1, p. 57.

3 Corrill, op. cit., pp. 26-27.

4 Writers unfriendly to Mormonism have found much material for comment in the later Kirtland period of Mormon history. This period follows the one in which the United Order was dominant. The present writer made a careful investigation of the Kirtland epoch in order to find additional material bearing on the years immediately preceding. It is with some measure of confidence, therefore, that the following comments are made: The Kirtland period is the darkest and in some ways the most questionable one in the history of Mormonism. The church had become entangled in debt, due in part to losses incidental to their expulsion from Jackson County, Missouri, and in part to undertakings more, in temple building, in printing of Mormon literature, and in affecting a gathering of the "saints," than the resources of the comparatively poor saints warranted. They found themselves in financial difficulties which increased instead of diminished. The Printing Establishment was a constant source of embarrassment and loss. Joseph Smith's diary reveals how big a share of his thoughts and struggles were devoted to this concern. It is quite evident, as one reads, that a gallant effort was made during these years to meet the many obligations that crowded heavier and heavier upon them. The steam sawmill was a legitimate, but as events proved, an unwise effort. The store, with Newel K. Whitney, an experienced business man, conducting it, was operated in a conservative, business-like manner until the nation-wide speculative spirit of 1836 struck Kirtland. It then followed the general example and departed from sound practice, both in the purchase of too large consignments of goods on time and in allowing too much credit to customers. The Kirtland Safety Society banking venture was not a church undertaking, but was organized by the leading men in the church. It was simply one of the many wild-cat banking ventures which sprang up everywhere in the states during the thirties. The principles underlying credit were not well understood then and the common belief was that "credit made money. Joseph Smith encouraged his people to take stock in the business and held out in anticipation the prospect of large profits. The society was handicapped by the legislature refusing to grant them a charter. Having already purchased plates, etc., they decided to change the name of the business to the Kirtland Safety Society Anti-Banking Co. and began to do business, issuing notes, without a charter. After issuing the notes and making loans, they found, in due course of time, that since they had issued the notes without a charter, they could not make collections on them. Failure was the inevitable result, though there is also claimed to have been some dishonesty on the part of Warren Parrish. When the trend of things became evident, Joseph Smith resigned his position as cashier. He also issued a warning to the public which was printed in the Messenger and Advocate, August, 1837, p. 55, telling them to beware of the notes for they were worthless. Joseph Smith left Kirtland hurriedly, January 12, 1838, and his business affairs and those of the church were in an unsettled state when he left; but he did not "run away from his debts,' as has frequently been charged. He appointed Col. Oliver Granger his agent "to close out all his business affairs in the Eastern States." When Granger died, he appointed Reuben McBride of Kirtland, agent "to wind up any remaining business which had been left in an unfinished condition." The brief span of extravagance in the church membership, in 1836-37, and the panic of 1837, caused the Mormons to lose practically all their property, including the temple. Their creditors did not fare so badly. So far as Joseph Smith and the church itself were concerned, honorable settlements were made, and such was also the case with the great majority of the members, who simply turned back their farms on which they had made part payment, and thus lost what they had put into them. Others who owned property came to the assistance of the church and made it possible to pay off the church debts.

It should be borne in mind that the United Order effort practically ceased to function at the time of the exodus from Jackson County. I have traced briefly the later history of the Kirtland branch of the United Firm because of its earlier connection with the United Order.

III. THE PRINTING CONCERN

Cost. At a conference (place unmentioned, but probably at Hiram, Ohio,) W. W. Phelps was instructed, early in the fall of 1831, to stop at Cincinnati, on his way to Missouri, and purchase press and type with which to establish a paper in Independence to be known as the Evening and Morning Star.. Just how much he paid for this printing equipment is not stated. When the estimate of the loss, suffered in consequence of the destruction of the concern by the Old Settlers was made and incorporated in the petition to Governor Dunklin, its value was placed at $6,000. This included, besides the press and type, the home of W. W. Phelps3 in which the printing establishment was housed and items of furniture and fixtures which were destroyed, also books which had been printed, such as part of the first edition of the Book of Commandments.. To this was probably added something corresponding to "good will" and representing the capitalized value of the firm as a "going concern" with an established circulation and a growing business. That such items were figured in, is quite evident from a statement in Joseph Smith's Diary, Dec. 27, 1833, in which he says the establishment "with the book work and furniture had cost three or four thousand dollars." This latter estimate is probably nearer the actual outlay, although it gives only a very general idea of the exact cost. It is probable that no exact statement of cost was available to Joseph Smith for the reason that the labor involved in transporting the press, type, etc., from Cincinnati to Independence and of building a house which would be suitable for both a printing office and a home, was probably not translated into a money equivalent. Much of the labor of those days was of the voluntary kind which the burden of getting things started required, but which was not counted as wage or day labor. So only approximate estimates of cost are possible. Three or four thousand dollars represents, then, a rough, general statement of actual cost, which is probably as near the facts as it is possible to get.

1 Times and Seasons, vol. 5, No. 7, pp. 780-81.

2 Evening and Morning Star, vol. 2, p. 228.

3 A two-story brick structure, see Times and Seasons, vol. 1, p. 18.

4 Church History (Reorganized)-Joseph and Heman Smith, vol. 1, pp. 350-53. 5 Millenniel Star, vol. 14, p. 683.

Probable Income.-Figures of consequence on income are not available. A few published statements and general inferences only must serve to guide us to a few conclusions. The Evening and Morning Star was published monthly at $1.00 per year1 It is probable that a large proportion of the church membership subscribed for it, and in that case, the list may have reached some two or three hundred. Since no advertisements were printed in it, the subscriptions must have been the principal means of revenue so far as the Star itself was concerned. The August, 1832, number of the Star makes mention of another paper, in which advertisements were to have a part as follows: "In connection with the Star, we publish a weekly paper, entitled, the Upper Missouri Advertiser. It will contain sketches of the news of the day, politics, advertisements, and whatever tends to promote the interest of the great West." Meagre, indeed, are references to the Upper Missouri Advertiser in the Star or other later Mormon publications. It must have played but a minor role. This inference is borne out by the general conditions of the time: the business of advertising was not highly developed in those days; non-Mormon business houses in Independence and surrounding towns would not likely support a Mormon publication at a time when intense opposition was developing; and there was little business to advertise in Independence, either among the Mormons or non-Mormons. So very small must have been the income from advertising.

The printing of books remains as a possible means of adding something to the Star and Upper Missouri Advertiser subscriptions. The printing of the Book of Commandments was early determined upon. At a "special" Conference at Hiram, Ohio, held November 1, 1831, which was very soon after the press was purchased, it was decided to publish 10,000 copies of that book.* But such an undertaking had to abide its time in the young city when so many things called for the efforts of those who were attempting to found it. When the Central Board came into being in April, 1832, it was decided to cut down the number from 10.000 to 3,000 copies, but to publish also an edition of hymn books. This task was about finished" when the old settlers broke up

1 Evening and Morning Star, vol. 1, p. 1.

2 Extract printed in Joseph Smith, op. cit., p. 281.

3 The Upper Missouri Advertiser was not reestablished after the press was destroyed. "Joseph and Heman Smith, op. cit., p. 316."

4 Joseph Smith, op. cit., vol. 1, p. 22, also footnote.

5 Ibid., p. 270

6 See letter of Sidney Rigdon dated July 2, 1833, giving instructions concerning the consignment of a box of books to Kirtland, Millenial Star, vol. 14, pp. 451-52.

the establishment and appropriated the press and type and the book work which was nearing completion.1

Governor Dunklin's advice to make use of the courts for redress was followed, but with poor results. The lawyers employed, required $1,000 for their services. The Old Settlers turned the press and type over to Messrs. Davis and Kelly, of Liberty, Ray County, who began to publish a weekly paper called the Missouri Enquirer. These men paid the lawyers $300 for the Star property and it was applied on the $1,000 fee account."

Thus ended the Independence career of the Printing Concern. Seven hands had been employed in the office and three families had depended upon the establishment as a means of livelihood.3

4

It

Work Accomplished by the Printing Establishment.—A consideration which weighed very heavily on the leaders of Mormonism in the early days was the getting of the "revelations," and other church literature, printed so that it could come before the people. The press at Independence contributed somewhat towards the accomplishment of this purpose. Each issue of the Star contained some of the "revelations," various hymns, and also extracts from the Book of Mormon, or other such works. contributed also substantially towards bringing about a successful gathering of the church membership to Independence and an orderly building up of that place through instructions and counsel that were printed from time to time. It assisted materially in uniting the church together by spreading information and by overcoming in part the difficulties resulting from the considerable distance which separated the two centers of the church. It further gave various members of the church an opportunity to use their literary talents. The publication of the Book of Commandments was practically accomplished, and along with it the first edition. of hymn books. It was a real accomplishment simply to operate a press as far west as Independence. W. W. Phelps & Co. was 120 miles farther from civilization than any other press in the state, and was only 12 miles from the western boundary of the states at that time. All in all, bearing in mind the fact that the concern was in operation only about fourteen months, Messrs. Phelps and Cowdery made considerable progress with their small establishment.

Since the affairs of the second printing concern of the church were conditioned, in part, by the loss of the first, and since considerable light is thrown on the conditions of the time by it, Our

1 Joseph Smith, op.cit., vol. 1, p. 390.

2 Millennial Star, vol. 14, p. 683.

3 Joseph and Heman Smith, op.cit., vol. 1, p. 376.

4 See for example an account of a prayer meeting held at Kirtland, Jan. 1, 1834, Millenial Star, vol. 14, p. 685.

5 A copy of this first edition is to be found in the New York City Public Library. 6 Evening and Morning Star, vol. 1, June, 1832, p. 8.

inquiry may profitably be extended to include it, although the first United Order effort was practically a thing of the past at this time. On Sept. 11, 1833, a printing firm, known as Frederick G. Williams and Company was established at Kirtland, Ohio, to edit a newspaper, the Messenger and Advocate, and to print the Evening and Morning Star until such time as the latter could be re-established at Independence, Mo. Oliver Cowdery, who was a member of the Literary Firm, was appointed to conduct the concern.1 On October 19, 1833, a council at Kirtland decided to discontinue work on the temple until spring and immediately to build a printing office, "to be thirty feet by thirtyeight on the ground, the first story to be occupied for the School of the Prophets this winter, and the upper story for the printing press." In the meantime, Oliver Cowdery went to New York with $800.00 with which to purchase a new press and type. He and Bishop Whitney returned to Kirtland with their purchases about Dec. 1, 1833. Work on the Evening and Morning Star was commenced immediately and the December number was soon thereafter issued. On Dec. 18, 1833, the press, etc., was dedicated.* From this time on the concern followed a difficult course. Oliver Cowdery continued as editor until the middle of May, 1835, when John Whitmer succeeded him. On June 7, 1836, Oliver Cowdery again became editor." Eight months later Warren A. Cowdery succeeded him, or rather became agent for Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon who were to act as editors. During this period the paper changed names several times. From December 1833, to September, 1834, the Evening and Morning Star continued to be printed. By this time it had become evident that the return to Independence would have to be postponed indefinitely, so the Independence paper was superseded by the Messenger and Advocate, which continued to be published until October, 1837, when the first number of the Elders' Journal appeared. Two numbers only of this paper were printed before the fire came which destroyed both the building and the press. 10 Not only was the name of the paper changed several times, but the firm passed through a number of different hands, though the church owned a considerable interest in it throughout. Frederick G Williams seems to have been the principal owner at the beginning, in Sep

1 Millenial Star, vol. 14, p. 504.

2 Ibid., vol. 14, pp. 519-20.

3 Times and Seasons, vol. 6, p. 915.

4 Millennial Star, vol. 14, p. 681.

5 Ibid., vol. 15, p. 283.

6 Messenger and Advocate, June, 1836, p. 329.

7 Millennial Star, vol. 15, p. 845.

8 Church History, Joseph and Heman Smith, vol. 1, p. 525.

9 Millennial Star, vol. 16, p. 55.

10 Ibid., vol. 16, pp. 109, 130.