July 9^th 1846

Camp of Israel Bluffs,

To all the Saints to whom these presence shall come:  Greetings

Dear Brethren:

Five Hundred men must be raised forthwith for the expedition to Callifornia, Do not delay till the return of President young, but Come forward boldly and readily and give in your names to Major Hunt, & the Bearer of this Letter for be assured it is the mind and will of God that we should improve The Oppertunity which a Kind providence has now opened for us to secure a permanant home;  in that country, and thus lay a foundation for a territorial or State Government, under the Constitution of the United States, where we shall be the first  Settlers and a vast majority of the people, and thus be independant of Mobs, and be able to maintain our Rights and freedom, and to assist in the Redemption of Our Country, and the emancipation of the world from Bondage.

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The season is passing rappidly away; and it will take some days to Organise five hundred men; even if they should all Come forward immediately. And be assured that the Council and Camp will not move for this place untill this thing is done.

Or should it fail to be done, we need not think of Gathering for we know of no place to Gather, with an assurance of peace unless we hearken to Council, and improve the means which our heavenly father has put within our Reach

Done in <behalf of the > Council

We Remain, dear Brethren
your Brethren in the
Bonds of the New and Everlasting Covenant

P. P. Pratt

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[Transcribed by Mauri Pratt and Tiffany Woods Whiting, Dec. 2015]

“Parley P. Pratt letter, Council Bluffs, to all the Saints, 1846 July 9,” MS 24678, folder 1, p. 1-2 (https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE950199 : Retrieved 3 Dec 2015), Church History Library, Salt Lake City, Ut.

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