Letter from Liberty Jail (1839)

On March 20–25, 1839, after three and a half months of unjust imprisonment in Liberty Jail, Joseph Smith dictated a letter for members of the Church to scribes and fellow prisoners Alexander McRae and Caleb Baldwin. The poignant letter, reminiscent of the epistles of Paul in the New Testament, detailed the suffering of the Saints and offered comfort and instruction. All of the men in the jail, including Joseph and his brother Hyrum, signed the letter. In 1876, portions of the letter were added to the Doctrine and Covenants as sections 121, 122, and 123.