The Brigham Young Center

Salt Lake City
July 21st 1869.

Bishop Nichols
Brigham City:

Dear Bro.-- While looking over your Tithing Ledger a few days ago I found charged to you over Twelve Hundred dollars Tithing produce of which Six Hundred & 17/100 dollars was wheat, oats, barley & corn drawn by you from Tithing Office since March '68. I have taken pains to urge the Bishops and Clerks to spare the grain and forward all to the General Tithing Office in view of its being so scarce, and so sorry that notwithstanding the President's kindness to you, you did not let it alone, but helped yourself without permission from him. Suppose the Bishops were to make a general practice of doing so, how do you think the Public hands would fare, especially in scarce times like the past three years. If you were in a situation to do so, I would ask an immediate surrender to the wheat you have thus unwarrantably used.

You must not blame me for acting thus rigidly in this matter. It is expected that I will in my travels urge the careful handling, storing and forwarding of Tithing produce, examine and audit accounts, and to check any and every abuse of position in Tithing matters, so you must not blame me for this writing. Now, recollect no more using Tithing produce without direct permission of Prest. Young.

Respy & C
A. Milton Musser