During the fall of 1853 a few disaffected ones in Michigan joined together and began the publication of a sheet called the Messenger of Truth. The mission of this sheet and its conductors seemed to be to tear down and defame instead of to build up. Many falsehoods were inserted in its pages, which annoyed us in our work in the message; and as it was our first experience with such an open attack, we thought it our duty to refute their slanderous statements. Doing this occupied time that should have been spent in advancing the truth committed to our trust, and suited well the purposes of Satan, who was undoubtedly the instigator of this opposition. And thus the state of affairs continued until the evening of June 20, 1855, when Elder White and his wife, Elder Cottrell, and myself had just closed a meeting in Oswego, N.Y. We had been annoyed in our meeting by one Lillis, who came in and circulated those slanderous documents among the people. Again the question as to our duty in this matter came up. All previous efforts at answering their falsehoods had only resulted in their manufacturing more. GSAM 325.2