Part 18 (1/2)
”How do you know that?” said he. I then told him my dream, and we walked on.
When we got in sight of the tent there stood Lieut. James Pace, just as I had seen him in my dream. This did not surprise me, for I knew he would come. Brigham said:
”What on earth has brought you back?” He replied:
”Col. Allen is dead. The battalion is without a commander, and I have returned by order of the officers to report to you, and ask you who shall now lead us.”
”Why did you not elect one of your captains?” said Brigham.
”The officers prefer to let Col. Smith, of the United States army, lead us, if you will consent to it. But some of our men object, so I came for orders from you.”
The matter was taken under advis.e.m.e.nt by Brigham until next morning. In the morning he came to me in my tent and said:
”John, how would you like to go back with Brother Pace and get the remittances of the soldiers?” I said:
”My family is large, I have no houses for them; they are without provisions, and I have no means to shelter them from the winter storms. I have not hay cut to feed my stock through the winter. I must attend to keeping my stock in order or I will have nothing left to take me and my family over the plains next spring. But,”
said I, ”there is no one more willing to sacrifice himself and his own interests for the benefit of the Church than I am.”
Brigham waited and heard me through; then he said:
”Thus sayeth the Lord. You shall go, my son. Prosperity shall attend you during your absence, and you shall return in safety; not a hair of your head shall be hurt.”
”It is enough to know your will; I will go. But who will take care of my family in my absence?”
”I will see to your family, and attend to all you are interested in during your absence,” said Brigham.
At that, I was satisfied, and proceeded to carry out Brigham's will. I had cut considerable hay in company with the brethren, but as it had to be divided, I felt sure I would not have much to my share, especially after I had divided with the lazy poor. I never went much on this copartners.h.i.+p system of labor. There are always a number who will not work, and yet they are always present when there is a division to be made of the proceeds of the labor.
Joseph the Prophet cla.s.sed the poor into three divisions. He said:
”There are three kinds of poor. The Lord's poor, the devil's poor, and the poor devils.” I never objected to share with the Lord's poor, but when it came to dividing with the devil's poor and the poor devils, it was more than I desired; it took away the profits.
My outfit for the intended journey to Santa Fe consisted of a snug light wagon, a span of good mules, a spygla.s.s, and such guns and traps as a man needs on the plains. I also took Dr. Willard's dog with me to watch while I was asleep. I was ordered to keep my business secret from everyone, for fear of being robbed on my return home. I was not allowed to even tell my wives where I was going, or how long I would be gone. I went to St. Joseph, Missouri, and put up at John Green's, and stayed while fitting out for the trip.
While there I met Luke Johnson, one of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon. I had a curiosity to talk with him concerning the same. We took a walk on the river bank. I asked him if the statement he had signed as to seeing the angel and the plates was true, and whether he did see the plates from which the Book of Mormon was printed or translated. He declared it to be true. I then said:
”How is it you have left the Church? If the angel appeared to you, and you saw the plates, how can you live out of the Church?
I understand that you were one of the twelve apostles at the first organization of the Church?”
”I was of the twelve,” said he; ”I have not denied the truth of the Book of Mormon. I and several others were overtaken in a fault at Kirtland, Ohio - Wm. Smith, Oliver Cowdrey, one or two others, and myself. We were brought up for the offense before the Church authorities. Sidney Rigdon and Wm. Smith were excused, and the matter hushed up. But Cowdrey and myself were proceeded against and our choice given us between making a public confession or being dropped from the Church. I refused to make the public confession unless Rigdon and Smith did the same. The authorities said that that would not do, for Rigdon was counselor to the Prophet, and Wm. Smith the brother of the Prophet, and also one of the twelve; but that if Cowdrey and I confessed, it would be a cloak for the other two. I considered this unjust and unfair. I left the Church for that reason. But I have reflected much since that time, and have come to the conclusion that each man is accountable for his own sins; also that the course I have been pursuing injures me alone, and I intend to visit the Saints and again ask to be admitted into the Church. Rigdon has gone to destruction, and Wm. Smith is not much better off to-day than I am.”
This conversation was a comfort to me.
We went to Fort Leavenworth, where we learned that Col. Smith had taken command of the battalion and marched away with it. Lieut.
Pace got another good horse here, and what oats and provisions we needed. We then struck out after the command.
We overtook the battalion on the Arkansas River about fifty miles below Bent's Fort. Our brethren were rejoiced to see us. Many had grievances to relate, and all had much to tell and inquire about.
That morning they had buried one of the battalion named Phelps.
The men said his death was caused by a.r.s.enic which the doctor had forced him to take. They claimed that Colonel Smith was a tyrant - that he was not the man that Col. Allen had been. The command was on the march when we came up with it. There was a fifty-mile desert before us, and little water on the route.
Col. Allen had allowed the men to pray with and for each other when sick and had not compelled them to take medicine when they did not want it. But Col. Smith deprived them of their religious rights and made them obey the doctor's orders at all times. The doctor examined the sick every morning and made them take medicine. When they refused to take it they were compelled to walk; if unable to walk and keep up with the others they were tied to the wagons like animals. The doctor was called ”Death”; he was known to all by that name.