| 94 so long an experiment, that no institution of the kind, established upon just and righteous principles, for a blessing not only to the church but the whole nation, would be suffered to continue its operations in such an age of darkness, speculation, and wickedness. Almost all banks throughout the country, one after the other, suspended specie payment, and gold and silver rose in value in direct ratio with the depreciation of paper currency. The great pressure of the money market is felt in England as well as America., and breadstuffs are everywhere high."-Millennial Star, vol. 16, p. 13.
Notwithstanding the depreciation of Kirtland bank notes, some of these speculators were imposing them upon the uninformed, when Joseph put himself squarely upon record by publishing a warning in the Messenger and Advocate for August, 1837. 1
A letter written by Elder E. L. Kelley from Painesville, Ohio, is valuable to history in this connection. It was written just at the time the church was in court suing for possession of the Kirtland Temple, which would naturally revive the old prejudice and opposition against Joseph Smith and the church. 2
1 In the August number of the Advocate I published the following CAUTION to the brethren and friends of the Church of Latter Day Saints:-
"I am disposed to say a word relative to the bills of the 'Kirtland Safety Society Bank.' I hereby warn them to beware of speculators, renegades, and gamblers, who are duping the unwary and unsuspecting, by palming upon them those bills, which are of no worth here. I discountenance and disapprove of any and all such practices. I know them to be detrimental to the best interests of society, as well as to the principles of religion.
Joseph Smith, Jr."
-Millennial Star, vol. 15, page 55.
2 Pres. J. Smith, Plano, Illinois:-
Dear Sir:-One week ago to-day I arrived in this city, to look after the interests of the Reorganized Church in its action in the State courts, to recover the possession of the Kirtland Temple property, in Lake County. The plaintiff's claim is based upon the grounds that the Reorganized Church is the lawful and legitimate successor of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints, organized by Joseph Smith, Jr., A. D. 1830, at Palmyra, New York, and to which the property in controversy was deeded in the year 1841. The cause was tried to the court, Judge Sherman on the bench, on the 17th inst., and is now held under advisement. Upon the final submission of the case the court referred to the evidence produced, as "showing a very wide departure from the laws and usages of the original church by that body of Mormons in Utah Territory," which make claim to be in the line of succession. Although no decision has been made in the case yet, plaintiff's counsel are confident that -
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