Part 6 (2/2)

”After burying these five brethren I was seized by the hand of the destroyer, as I went in the woods to pray. I was instantly struck blind, and saw no way whereby I could free myself from the disease, only by jumping and thras.h.i.+ng myself about, until my sight returned to me and my blood began to circulate in my veins. I started and ran some distance, and by this means, through the help of G.o.d, I was enabled to extricate myself from the grasp of death. This circ.u.mstance took place in a piece of woods behind Brother Gilbert's house.

”On the 26th Algernon Sidney Gilbert, keeper of the Lord's storehouse, signed a letter to the governor, in connection with others, which was his last public act, for he had been called to preach and he said he would rather die than go forth and preach the Gospel to the wicked Gentile nations. The Lord took him at his word; he was attacked with the cholera and died about the 29th.

”Brothers Erastus Budd and Jesse Johnson Smith, a cousin of the Prophet, died at Brother Gilbert's about the same time.

”While we were here, the brethren being in want of some refreshment, Brother Luke Johnson went to Brother Burgett to get a fowl, asking him for one to make a broth for Elder Wilc.o.x and others; but Brother Burgett denied him it, saying, 'In a few days we expect to return back into Jackson County, and I shall want them when I get there.' When Brother Johnson returned he was so angry at Burgett for refusing him, he said, 'I have a great mind to take my rifle and go back and shoot his horse.' I told Luke to never mind; that such actions never fail to bring their reward.

”Judge how we felt, after having left the society of our beloved families, taking our lives in our hands and traveling about one thousand miles through scenes of suffering and sorrow, for the benefit of our brethren, and after all to be denied of a small fowl to make a little soup for brethren in the agonies of death. Such things never fail to bring their reward, and it would be well for the Saints never to turn away a brother who is penniless and in want, or a stranger, lest they may one day or other want a friend themselves.

”I went to Liberty, to the house of Brother Peter Whitmer, which place I reached with difficulty, being much afflicted with the disease that was among us. I stayed there until my return home, receiving great kindness at the hands of the brethren.

”The destroyer having afflicted us four days, ceased. Sixty-eight were attacked by the disease, of which number fourteen members of Zion's Camp died.

”June 30th I started for home in company with Lyman Sherman, Sylvester Smith, Alexander Badlam, Harrison Burgess, Luke Johnson and Zera Cole.

They elected me their captain.

”We proceeded on our journey daily, the Lord blessing us with strength and health. The weather was very hot, but we traveled from thirty-five to forty miles a day, until about the 26th of July, when we arrived in Kirtland; having been gone from home about three months, during which time, with the exception of four nights, I slept on the ground.

”On my arrival home I found my family well, and I felt to rejoice in the Lord that He had preserved my life through so many dangers.

Concluding that I had finished my mission to which the Lord had called me, after resting a few days, I established my pottery and began business.”

Thus ended that remarkable expedition; remarkable for its object, for the issues involved, for its tragic episodes, examples of heroism and miraculous manifestations of divine power. What had it achieved? some may ask. Nay, might not many be tempted to query, Was not the mission of Zion's Camp a failure?

”What have you accomplished?” was the sneering taunt of the apostate and of those weak in faith, met by the remnant of the little band on their return to Kirtland. ”Just what we went for;” the meek, though firm reply of such men as Heber C. Kimball and Brigham Young.

And they were right. To them it was no failure. The trial of their faith was complete. Their offering, like Abraham's, had been accepted.

They had been weighed in the eternal balance, and were not found wanting.

But what of Zion and her redemption?

Let the word of the Lord, the G.o.d of Enoch, the G.o.d of Joseph give answer:

”THE REDEMPTION OF ZION MUST NEEDS COME BY POWER.”

Power dwells in unity, not in discord; in humility, not pride; in sacrifice, not selfishness; obedience, not rebellion.

Zion's Camp, if it failed at all in fulfilling its mission, failed for precisely similar reasons to those which had caused the expulsion of the Saints from Jackson County; reasons which, in ancient times, kept Israel wandering for forty years in the wilderness, within sight of their coveted Canaan, which they were not permitted in that generation to possess. Like Moses, these modern pilgrims beheld, as from Pisgah's top, their promised land: like Moses, on account of transgression, they were not permitted to ”cross over.” No doubt there were Calebs and Joshuas in the Camp, who were worthy. But the great event, in the wisdom of the Highest, was not then destined to be.

It was left for a future generation and its Joshua to go up in the might of the Lord and redeem Zion.

Yet not alone upon Zion's Camp must rest the responsibility of their failure to redeem Zion. It bears with at least equal weight upon those whom they came to succor.

What said the Lord concerning them?

”Behold, they have not learned to be obedient, * * * but are full of all manner of evil, and do not impart of their substance, as becometh Saints, to the poor and afflicted among them.”

Is not the episode of the fowl, related by Heber, a tell-tale straw before the wind in this connection? Can a people honey-combed with selfishness build up Zion?

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