Part 19 (2/2)
An election riot in Gallatin, Daviess County, on the 6th of August, 1838, where a combined effort was made to prevent the Mormons from voting, and several of the brethren were under the necessity of using force to defend themselves against their bullying a.s.sailants, was made the pretext for further outrages against the community to which they belonged. The Saints in that locality being helplessly in the minority, were at the mercy of the mob which now rose against them.
One of the methods employed by the leaders of the lawless banditti to enlist sympathy for their own cause, and arouse the public mind against their victims, was to destroy property belonging to non-Mormons, their own followers in some instances, and then ride through the country advertising it as the work of Mormons, against whom any tale, however false or atrocious, was readily believed. Some of the mob even fired upon a church while its occupants were wors.h.i.+ping on the Sabbath day, and then spread the alarm that the Mormons had ”riz” and were destroying property, demolis.h.i.+ng churches and interfering with free religious wors.h.i.+p.
These atrocious falsehoods, worthy only of fiends incarnate, bore legitimate fruit in deeds equally devilish and appalling. The people rose _en ma.s.se;_ the Saints were driven from their homes, their houses plundered and burned, their fields laid waste, and men, women and children fled for their lives in all directions, pursued by their merciless oppressors.
What followed, Heber's record thus relates:
”After hearing of the mobbing, burning and robbing in Gallatin, Daviess Co., and the region round about, the brethren of Caldwell went directly to Adamondi-Ahman, which is on the west fork of Grand River.
Thomas B. Marsh, David W. Patten, Brigham Young, myself, Parley P.
Pratt and John Taylor amongst the number. When we arrived there we found the Prophet Joseph, Hyrum Smith and Sidney Rigdon, with hundreds of others of the Saints preparing to defend themselves from the mob who were threatening the destruction of our people. Men, women and children were fleeing to that place for safety from every direction; their houses and property were burnt and they had to flee half naked, crying, and frightened nigh unto death, to save their lives.
”While there we laid out a city on a high elevated piece of land, and set the stakes for the four corners of a temple block, which was dedicated, Brother Brigham Young being mouth; there were from three to five hundred men present on the occasion, under arms. This elevated spot was probably from two hundred and fifty to five hundred feet above the level of Grand River, so that one could look east, west, north or south, as far as the eye could reach; it was one of the most beautiful places I ever beheld.
”The Prophet Joseph called upon Brother Brigham, myself and others, saying, 'Brethren, come, go along with me, and I will show you something.' He led us a short distance to a place where were the ruins of three altars built of stone, one above the other, and one standing a little back of the other, like unto the pulpits in the Kirtland Temple, representing the order of three grades of Priesthood; 'There,'
said Joseph, 'is the place where Adam offered up sacrifice after he was cast out of the garden.' The altar stood at the highest point of the bluff. I went and examined the place several times while I remained there.”
An episode of peace in time of war. A glimpse of heaven's blue through a rift in the gathering storm.
A fiery ordeal was before the Saints. The Church, tried with poverty and tempted by the prospect of wealth, had survived and maintained its integrity. It had also withstood the world's scorn, the wrath and ridicule of the unG.o.dly. Nor had fiery trials been wanting, whereby the faith of some had been proven, the supposed faith of others weighed in the balance and found wanting. A general test was now to be applied. The faith and integrity of the whole Church were about to pa.s.s through the fierce flames of affliction; between the upper and nether millstones of official tyranny and mob violence.
CHAPTER x.x.x.
TIMES THAT TRIED MEN'S SOULS--THE MOB GATHERING AGAINST FAR WEST--BATTLE OF CROOKED RIVER--DEATH OF DAVID W. PATTEN--DAYS OF DARKNESS AND DISASTER.
The fall and winter of 1838 was one of the darkest periods in Church history. Mobocracy on one hand, and apostasy on the other, dealt the cause of G.o.d cruel blows, such as no human work could hope to withstand. The tempest of persecution, briefly lulled, burst forth with tenfold fury; no longer a city or county--a whole state rose in arms against G.o.d's people, bent upon their destruction. ”The dogs of war” were loosed upon the helpless Saints, and murder and rapine held high carnival amid the smoking ruins of peaceful homes and ravaged fields.
Then fell the mask from the face of hypocrisy. Treason betrayed itself. Apostles, Presidents, and Elders fell from the faith and joined hands with the robbers and murderers of their brethren. Satan laughed! The very mouth of h.e.l.l seemed opening to engulf the Kingdom which He who cannot lie has sworn shall stand forever.
Truly, those were ”times that tried men's souls.”
Like a rock in mid-ocean, facing the storm, unmoved by wind or wave, stood Heber C. Kimball; among the truest true, among the bravest brave.
Referring to the time of his visit to Adam-ondi-Ahman, he says:
”In a few days an express came with the news that the mob was gathering in every part of Missouri to come against the Saints in Far West. We therefore returned to Caldwell County.
”Thomas B. Marsh left the day previous to the rest of the Twelve, pretending there was something very urgent at home, and when we arrived at Far West, October 22nd, we learned that he and Orson Hyde had left the city. Brother Hyde was sick when we went to Diahman.
”The Saints, tenacious of their liberties and sacred rights, resisted the unlawful designs of the mob, and with courage worthy of them guarded their families and their houses from their aggressions. But not without the loss of several lives, among whom was my much esteemed and lamented friend David W. Patten, who fell a sacrifice to the spirit of persecution and a martyr to the cause of truth. The circ.u.mstances of his death I will briefly relate.
”It being ascertained that a mob had collected on Crooked River, led by the Rev. Samuel Bogard, a Methodist preacher, a company of sixty or seventy persons immediately volunteered in Far West to watch their movements, and if necessary repel their attacks. They chose Elder Patten for their leader, and commenced their march about midnight, and came up to the mob at the dawn of October 25th. As the brethren were marching quietly along the road near the top of the hill, they were fired upon, when young O'Banyon reeled out of the ranks, and fell mortally wounded. Thus the work of death commenced, when Captain Patten ordered his men to charge the mob, who proved to be on the creek below. It was yet so dark that little could be seen, looking to the west; but the mob could see Captain Patten and his men in the dawning light, when they fired a broadside and three or four of the brethren fell. Captain Patten ordered the fire returned, giving the watchword, 'G.o.d and Liberty.' The brethren charged the camp, when the mob were soon put to flight and crossed the river at the ford. One of the mob fired from behind a tree, and shot Captain Patten, who instantly fell mortally wounded, the ball having pierced his abdomen.
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