Part 14 (1/2)
The Prophet addressed another letter to Wm. H. Harrison, on the same subject. His answer was but little more satisfactory.
Joseph then drew up a statement of his own, of the power and policy of the Government. A convention was called, and the Prophet nominated as a candidate for the Presidency. He set forth his views in the Nauvoo Neighbor, formerly the Wasp. He stated that if the people would elect him President it would be the salvation of the nation; otherwise, the Union would soon be severed. The two political parties would continue to influence the people until it would end in civil war, in which all nations would take part, and this nation be broken up. At this convention the elders were a.s.signed missions to different States. I was sent to stump the State of Kentucky, with ten elders to a.s.sist me.
”You had better shut up the Seventies' Hall and obey the last call of the Prophet,” Brigham said to me.
Things looked squally before I left, with little prospect of growing better. I left Nauvoo on the 4th of May, 1844, with greater reluctance than I had on any previous mission. It was hard enough to preach the gospel without purse or scrip; but it was as nothing compared to offering the Prophet Joseph to the people as a candidate for the highest gift of the nation. I would a thousand times rather have been shut up in jail than to have taken the trip, but I dared not refuse.
About one hundred of us took the steamer Ospray for St. Louis.
Our mission was understood by all the pa.s.sengers on board. I was not long kept waiting before the subject was brought up. I had made up my mind to banish fear and overcome timidity. I made the people believe that I felt highly honored by my mission to electioneer for a prophet of G.o.d. It was a privilege few men enjoyed in these days. I endeavored to make myself agreeable by mixing with the pa.s.sengers on the steamer. I told them that the Prophet would lead both candidates from the start.
There was a large crowd on the boat, and an election was proposed. Judges and clerks were appointed and a vote taken. The Prophet received a majority of seventy-five, out of one hundred and twenty-five votes polled. This created a tremendous laugh, and we kept it up till we got to St. Louis. Here the most of us took the steamer Mermaid.
The change of steamers afforded me a new field of labor. I met a brother of Gen. Atchison, one of the commanders of the militia that served against the Church at Far West. He became interested in me, and when we parted at Smithland he invited me to go home with him and preach in his neighborhood.
My destination being Frankfort, I could not accept his invitation. I started for Lexington, by way of Georgetown, lecturing as I went. I finally got to the capital, put up at a hotel, and endeavored to hire the State House to speak in, but found it engaged.
My funds were low, and my hotel hill was four dollars per day.
After three days' trial I hired the Court House. The people said that no Mormon had ever been able to get a hearing, though several had attempted to do so.
When evening came I had to light up the house and ring the bell.
Elder Frost a.s.sisted me. Soon the hall was filled with juveniles, from ten to fifteen years of age. I understood the trick. The people supposed I would leave, but to their surprise I arose and said I was glad to see the young ones out in such numbers; that I knew they had good parents, or they would not be there; that if they would take seats and be quiet we would sing them our Mormon songs.
Elder Frost was a charming singer. We sang two or three songs.
Our juvenile hearers seemed delighted. I then knelt down and prayed. By this time the hall was crowded with grown men, and I begged them not to crowd out my little friends. I then spoke an hour and a half upon the const.i.tutional rights of American citizens. I spoke of the character of the Southern people; how they were noted for their generous treatment of strangers; but I feared from the treatment I had received, I had missed my way in Kentucky. My sires were of Southern birth; my father was a relative of the Revolutionary Lee, of Virginia; my uncle was from Lexington, Kentucky, I had come a stranger into their midst, but I felt confident the right of speech would be extended to us, who were ministers of the gospel, dependent upon the generosity of the people for food and raiment. Nor did we preach for hire. If they wished, we would remain there and lecture, and if it met the approbation of the people they could have the gospel preached to them without money and without price.
The first man that spoke up was a saddler. He said he was a poor man, but we were welcome to his house, giving the street and number. About twenty more responded in like manner, among them the most wealthy men of the county. We went home with a rich farmer, and continued our labors, having more calls than we could fill.
We were sent for by a rich planter who lived about twenty miles away. I was anxious to extend our labors as much as was advisable. On our way to the planter's we found it difficult to obtain dinner. The orthodox people did not like to a.s.sociate with Mormons. I finally asked them to direct me to where some infidel or gambler lived. They wanted to know what on earth I wanted of such. I replied:
”To get something to eat. Infidels and gamblers are too liberal- minded to turn a stranger away from their door. The Saviour ate with publicans and sinners - for the very reason that we do, for the Scribes and Pharisees would not feed Him.”
They pointed us to the next house, where we were kindly received and entertained. The gentleman informed us that he belonged to no Church, but had an interest in a church, and said we were welcome to preach there. He made an appointment for us to preach.
We preached, and were received with kindness. I soon began to baptize, and calls came in from every side, when one day the papers brought us the news of the a.s.sa.s.sination of the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum.
We returned immediately to Frankfort, as I expected the elders there, to learn what to do. We all retired to Maple Grove, on the Kentucky River, and kneeled in prayer and asked the Lord to show us whether or not these reports were true. I was the mouth-in- prayer, but received nothing definite in answer to my prayer. I told the elders to follow their own impressions, and if they wished to do so to return to Nauvoo. Each of them made his way back. I spent the evening with a Mr. Snow. He claimed to be a cousin of Brother Erastus Snow, and was favorable to us. We spent the evening talking over the reported deed.
The next morning about ten o'clock my mind was drawn out in prayer. I felt as though the solemnity of eternity was resting with me. A heavenly, hallowed influence fell upon me, and continued to increase until I was electrified from head to foot.
I saw a large personage enter the door and stand before me. His apparel was as white as the driven snow and his countenance as bright as the noonday sun. I felt paralyzed, and was speechless and motionless. He remained with me but a moment, then receded through the door.
This bright being's influence drew me from my chair and led me south about three hundred yards, into a plot of clover and blue gra.s.s, and under a persimmon tree, which afforded a pleasant shade. I fell prostrate upon my face. While here I saw Joseph the Prophet and Hyrum the Patriarch, and the wounds by which they had been a.s.sa.s.sinated.
This personage spoke to me in a soft, low voice, and said that the Prophet and Patriarch had scaled their testimony with their blood. Our mission was like that of the apostles, and our garments were clear of the blood of the nation; I should return to Nauvoo and wait until power was granted us from on High; as the mantle of priesthood fell upon the Apostle Peter, so should it rest with the twelve apostles of the Church for the present.
Thus the vision closed, and I gradually returned to my native element.
Rising up I looked at my watch and saw that I had been there an hour and a quarter. Returning to the house my friend Snow asked me if I was ill. I replied in the negative. He said I was very pale, and that he saw my countenance change while I sat in my chair; that when I went out of doors it was as though every drop of blood had left me, or been changed. I then told him that the reports in the papers were true, and the two Saints, the Prophet and the Patriarch, were no more. I asked him to take me to the landing; I wished to get the evening packet, as my labors were done in that country. He importuned so hard that I told him what I had seen.
He saddled a horse for me and one for himself, and we started, in company with several others, for the landing. When we were about to embark on the steamer Mr. Steele, a brother of the captain, introduced me to the captain. About eight persons demanded baptism; I could not stop, but advised them to come to Nauvoo.