St. Joseph, Missouri

“ August 2, 1831, under Joseph's direction, Sidney Rigdon dedicated the land of Zion by prayer as the gathering place of the Saints, and at the same time twelve men, in honor of the twelve tribes of Israel, carried and set in place a log for the first house to be built there. This was twelve miles west of Independence, about where Kansas City, Missouri, now stands. On the following day Joseph dedicated the spot where the temple is to be built, a little west of Independence. Eight men were present. ”

“ Why did not all in Ohio move to Missouri, the land which the Lord had said was Zion? He had good reasons for keeping some of the Saints at Kirtland, and you will understand them if you go on with this work.
Joseph was not rich, and though he could make money when he turned his mind to business, yet the Lord needed his energy and time for work of a good deal more importance. So instead of building himself a home he went to live at the house of John Johnson at Hiram, Portage county, about thirty-five miles south-east of Kirtland. ”

“ As I looked upon their peaceful, smiling countenances, I seemed almost to hear them say,—"Mother, weep not for us, we have overcome the world by love; we carried to them the gospel, that their souls might be saved; they slew us for our testimony, and thus placed us beyond their power; their ascendency is for a moment, ours is an eternal triumph."
I then thought upon the promise which I had received in Missouri, that in five years Joseph should have power over all his enemies. The time had elapsed and the promise was fulfilled. ”

“ He was waiting for them in the shade of the Masonic building while they finished up their business on the inside, when the subject of the Missouri persecutions came up and Joseph made a prophecy. He said that the Saints would continue to suffer much affliction and would be driven to the Rocky Mountains. Many would apostatize, others would be put to death or lose their lives through exposure and disease, but some of those present would live to go and help make settlements and build cities and see the Saints become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains. ”

“ The President of the Church can no longer preside because he has too many other duties, but the president of each stake holds the position in the council of his stake. These are very important because there are no money charges, and poor men can have justice, as all men can, for the judgments are given according to the laws of God.
Soon after this work was done Joseph began to seek volunteers for a journey to Missouri. The Lord had commanded him in a revelation to gather the young men and the middle-aged and to receive donations of money from the Saints. ”

“ May the awful and visible retribution visited upon Missouri teach all states and nations that when they feel power they must not forget Justice; may it teach all peoples that states and nations in their corporate capacity are such entities as may be held accountable before God and the world for their actions; that righteousness exalteth a nation, while injustice is a reproach to any people. May the retribution that was so palpably visited upon the state of Missouri satisfy and encourage the Latter-day Saints ”

“ In November, Far West was enlarged to include two square miles, and by this time the country was being rapidly settled and put under cultivation.
While the Saints in Missouri were showing the world an example of courage and industry seldom equaled, matters were not at a standstill at Kirtland. Few years in the history of the Church had been happier than the year 1836—the temple was dedicated, the Elders endowed and sent out to preach, Joseph went on a successful mission to the east, and converts were being made very fast. Among these were John Taylor, Lorenzo Snow and Willard Richards. ”

“ They, too, concluded that our cause was just, but that they could do nothing for us, as Missouri was a sovereign, independent state; and that the "Mormons" might appeal to her for redress, for, in their opinion, she neither wanted the power nor lacked the disposition to redress the wrongs of her own citizens. During Joseph's absence, Mr. Smith was at times very weak, and coughed dreadfully, so that some nights we had to lift him out of bed. On one occasion of this kind he expressed a fear that he should die with me alone. ”

“ THE LAST MISSOURI PERSECUTION BEGINS—FIFTEEN BRAVE MEN DEFEAT ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY COWARDS—PENNISTON AND BLACK SWEAR FALSEHOODS—JOSEPH AND LYMAN WIGHT PUT UNDER BONDS—MOB GATHERS.
And now our story plunges into the awful events that began in August, 1838, and did not end until the spring of 1839—the time during which the Latter-day Saints were driven from Missouri. How much dreadful history was made in those dark months! How many men showed the rottenness of their hearts; and how many men and women showed the unutterable suffering they would endure for the sake of truth! ”

“ These the mob swore they would take, and then burn every one of them. Accordingly, they obtained an execution upon them for an unjust debt of fifty dollars; but, by various stratagems, we succeeded in keeping them out of their hands.
The persecution finally became so violent, that Joseph regarded it as unsafe to remain any longer in Kirtland, and began to make arrangements to move to Missouri. One evening, before finishing his preparations for the contemplated journey, he sat in council with the brethren at our house. ”

“ The history of the Mormon difficulties in Missouri, is of too recent an origin not to be well known to the governor. A few years since, when they had settled in the Far West, and had gathered around them the comforts and conveniences of life, and were beginning to reap the just reward of their industry and enterprise, a mob attempted to drive them from their homes; as peaceable citizens, enjoying all the rights guaranteed to them by a republican Constitution, they had a right, and did call on the governor of Missouri for protection. ”

“ You know something of what they suffered. They lost their lands, houses, cattle and almost all that they had, and worse than this, they were robbed of their rights as American citizens to worship God as they saw fit and to live peacefully wherever they chose to live.
In the fall of 1839, in company with Elias Higbee and Sidney Rigdon, Joseph went east to Washington to lay the matter before the President and Congress, and to ask that claims against Missouri for about one and a half million dollars' worth of property be paid. ”

“ I mentioned, in a foregoing chapter, that when Joseph and Emma left Manchester, they went to Macedon. Here, he commenced his ministerial labors, and continued, for some time, to preach successively, in this place, Colesville, Waterloo, Palmyra, and Manchester, till, finally, he sent to Pennsylvania for his goods, and settled himself in Waterloo. Soon after which, a revelation was given, commanding Parley P. Pratt, Ziba Peterson, Peter Whitmer, and Oliver Cowdery, to take a mission to Missouri, preaching by the way. ”

“ If the President of the United States could refuse to give ear to the appeal of the thousands who had been so wilfully and maliciously wronged; and if Congress could advise that the proper place for redress was back in Missouri, and that, too, at the hands of the very officials who had so wickedly and unconstitutionally expelled, robbed, and murdered the Saints, what was there for Missourians to fear? Was not this evidence that the “Mormons,” everywhere hated, were the common prey of their mortal enemies? ”

“ You will call to mind that the Prophet Joseph, with the brethren in Zion's Camp had visited the Saints while in Clay county. In the spring of 1838 Joseph arrived at Far West from Kirtland, and from that time on the Prophet remained with the main body of the Saints in Missouri and Illinois.
The Saints now had peace again for a season. They gathered to Far West and surrounding places from Kirtland and other eastern localities. Farms were made, houses built, towns laid out, and it seemed as if the Saints could at last live and enjoy their rights as Americans. ”

“ No sooner did Joseph Smith declare that he had received a revelation from God than it brought upon him the ridicule and wrath of many who heard of it. The stream of hatred grew broader and deeper as the work progressed. Joseph himself endured many vexatious persecutions, and those who believed in his teachings were doomed to share them. The first general persecution of the church, however, occurred in Missouri.
2. The people among whom the Saints settled in Jackson county, Missouri, were ignorant, jealous, bigoted, and superstitious. ”

“ In answer, a revelation was given instructing Joseph to gather the young and middle aged men of the Church and organize them into a company which was to march to Missouri to bring aid to the Saints and to assist them to again get possession of their homes. Five hundred men were to be obtained, but one hundred would do if no more could be raised. ”

“ It is difficult for the most fair-minded critic to find in the character of Joseph Smith anything to commend, except an abundance of good-nature which made him personally popular with the body of his followers. He has been credited with power as a leader, and it was certainly little less than marvellous that he could maintain his leadership after his business failure in Ohio, and the utter break-down of his revealed promises concerning a Zion in Missouri. ”

“ There was much rejoicing when the Prophet reached Nauvoo, for all expected that this would be the end of persecution from Missouri.
In July and the following months, six of the Apostles came home from their mission to England, and this brought joy to the heart of Joseph. The burden of governing the Church was growing very heavy, and he needed these true, prudent men about him to aid in the great work. They were all dear friends of his, and he bore them a love that only faithful followers of Jesus can feel for one another. ”

“ How the matter would have terminated in the event of the Saints having been permitted to remain in Missouri—what would have been the political alignment of {XXIX} the members of the Church I mean, no one can say. The only political utterance made by any Church leader was that given out by the Prophet Joseph soon after his arrival in Missouri, and called at the time "The Political Motto of the Church." I quote it:
"The Constitution of our country formed by the Fathers of Liberty; peace and good order in society; love to God, and good will to man. All good and wholesome laws ”

“ Preceding Joseph's return from Missouri, the brethren called a council with the view of investigating the subject of building a meetinghouse, to accommodate the increased congregation.
In this council, Joseph requested that each of the brethren should give his views with regard to the house; and when they had all got through, he would then give his opinion concerning the matter. They all complied with his request. Some were in favor of building a frame house, but others were of a mind to put up a log house. Joseph reminded them that they were not building a house for man, but for God ”

“ Just before the Camp passed from Illinois across the Mississippi river into Missouri, Joseph with Brigham Young and others went up on one of the mounds in the neighborhood to obtain a view of the great river, called the Father of Waters. Here they found an altar built according to the ancient style, and from its foot they dug up the skeleton of a man. They were surprised to find an arrow-head between the ribs. It was revealed to the Prophet that this was the remains of Zelph, a white Lamanite and a mighty man of God, who had fought as a chieftain under the Prophet Omandagus. ”

“ They have, without a cause, without a trial been deprived of life, liberty, and property. They have been persecuted for their religious opinions. They have been driven from the state of Missouri, at the point of the bayonet, and prevented from enjoying and exercising the rights of citizens of the state of Missouri. It is the theory of our laws, that for the protection of every legal right, there is provided a legal remedy. What, then, we would respectfully ask, is the remedy of the Mormons? Shall they apply to the legislature of the state of Missouri for redress? ”

“ If you never learned manners in Missouri, we’ll teach you that gentlemen are not to be imposed upon by a nigger-driver. You cannot kidnap men here, if you do in Missouri; and if you attempt it here, there’s a committee in this grove that will sit on your case; and, sir, it is the highest tribunal in the United States, as from its decision there is no appeal! ”

“ After enjoying the hospitality of the Governor, Joseph withdrew and had only proceeded a little distance on his homeward journey, when Carlin sent Thomas King, sheriff of Adams County, Thomas Jasper, constable of Quincy, and several others, as a posse, with an officer from Missouri to apprehend the Prophet and deliver him up to the emissaries of Boggs. This large party pursued Joseph and on the 5th day of June overtook and arrested him at Heberline's hotel, Bear Creek, about twenty-eight miles south of Nauvoo. ”

“ It was on the 19th day of June, 1831, that Joseph Smith departed from Kirtland, Ohio, to go up into Missouri, the place promised as an inheritance for the Saints and at which the New Jerusalem should sometime be established. The Prophet was accompanied by Sidney Rigdon, Martin Harris, Edward Partridge, W. W. Phelps, Joseph Coe and A. S. Gilbert and wife. As rapidly as possible they journeyed by wagon and stage and occasionally by canal boat to Cincinnati, Ohio. ”

“ During the spring and summer the Prophet was busy forming stakes and providing for the Saints that were coming from Kirtland where confusion and violence reigned even in the Temple. On the sixth of July five hundred and fifteen of the faithful set out for Missouri under the leadership of the Seventy quorums. The third number of the Elders' Journal was published by Joseph at Far West in July. ”