Warren Parrish

“ While the court was preparing our bonds, another warrant was served on Elder Patten; the mob without and the mob within, whose intoxicating zeal, had risen to its zenith were threatening our lives, and seemed only waiting the dark shades of night, which were fast gathering round, to cover them while they should wreak their hands in our blood; the influence of our friends as instruments in the hands of God kept this gathering storm from bursting upon our heads. ”

“ This evening, while meditating upon the variegated scenes of human existence, the ever fluctuating current of mortal life, which sometimes threatens to overwhelm the way wandering son of men like an irresistible torrent, and hurry them to an untimely grave, while far separated from those who are bound by the dearest ties of consanguinity, my mind flits back to those happy seasons I have enjoyed in Kirtland, in the society of my brethren and friends.—The loss of this society is more than usually impressed on my mind from a combination of circumstances which have transpired since I last wrote. ”

“ They were armed with guns, dirks, pistols, clubs, sticks, &c. At a late hour, we prevailed on the Sheriff to have the court called, which consisted of three magistrates, one of whom was rejected from the judgment seat because some of his family were members of our church. The Sheriff then asked of the court the privilege of divesting us of our arms, if any we had; it was granted. Elder Patten had a pistol which he had taken that morning in consequence of our having heard that the mob did not expect to sustain a lawful charge against us; but intended to rise up and overpower us by their numbers ”