Part 24 (1/2)
”Being thoroughly satisfied that the prisoners had escaped, we turned back towards Far West. When we arrived at Tenney's Grove a man came to me and presented an order drawn on me by Joseph Smith for $500, saying it was for horses furnished him. I immediately raised $400, which I paid him, when he proceeded to Richmond, Ray County, where he paid out some of the money to secure lands that we had been driven from.
”Brother Roundy and myself started a few hours after for Richmond, being on our way to Far West, for the purpose of visiting Parley P.
Pratt and others, in jail. On our arrival at Richmond, I went directly to the prison to see Parley, but was prohibited by the guard, who said they would blow my brains out if I attempted to go near him. In a few minutes Sister Morris Phelps came to me in great agitation, and advised me to leave forthwith, as Parley P. Pratt had told her that a large body of men had a.s.sembled with tar, feathers and a rail, who swore they would tar and feather me, and ride me on a rail, suspecting I was the one who a.s.sisted Joseph and the other prisoners to escape. I immediately informed Brother Roundy, we jumped on our horses and fled towards Far West, which was distant; we rode all night, and reached Far West about the break of day, expecting Brother Brigham Young and the Twelve to arrive there that day.”
April 26th, 1839, was the day appointed by revelation for the Apostles to take leave of Far West on the building spot of the Lord's House. As usual, when times and seasons are given--for foreknowledge is power, with evil spirits as well as good--Satan had diligently sought to make the word of G.o.d of no effect. The mob, with their apostate allies who had betrayed to them the secrets of the kingdom, had sworn that this revelation should not be fulfilled; and having driven the Saints from their homes, leaving only a few scattered families in and around Far West, and imprisoned the Church leaders, they flattered themselves that their wicked oath had been verified.
Little knew they the men they were dealing with, still less that G.o.d whose word they had vainly sought to falsify; Him who hath said: ”Heaven and earth shall pa.s.s away, but my word shall not pa.s.s away.”
Heber continues: ”I kept myself concealed in the woods, and pa.s.sed round the country, notifying the brethren and sisters to be on hand at the appointed time for the laying of the corner stone.
”April 25th. This night, which was a beautiful, clear moonlight, Elders Brigham Young, Orson Pratt, John E. Page, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, George A. Smith, and Alpheus Cutler, arrived from Quincy, Illinois, and rode into the public square early on the morning of the 26th. All seemed still as death.
”April 26th, we held a conference at the house of Brother Samuel Clark, cut off 31 persons from the Church, and then proceeded to the building spot of the Lord's house, where, after singing, we recommenced laying the foundation, agreeably to the revelation given July 8th, 1838, by rolling a stone, upwards of a ton weight, upon or near the south-east corner.
”In company with Brother Brigham Young, we ordained Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith (who had been previously nominated by the First Presidency, accepted by the Twelve, and acknowledged by the Church at Quincy) members of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles; and Darwin Chase and Norman Shearer, (who were liberated from Richmond prison on the 24th inst, where they had been confined about six months for the cause of Christ) Seventies. They sat on the south-east corner stone while we ordained them.
”The Twelve then individually called upon the Lord in prayer, kneeling on the corner stone; after which 'Adam-ondi-Ahman' was sung.
”The brethren wandered among our deserted houses, many of which were in ruins, and saw the streets in many places grown over with weeds and gra.s.s.
”We went to Father Clark's, breakfasted, and before sunrise departed.
I accompanied my brethren, riding thirty miles that day. We continued our journey to Quincy, where I found my family well and in good spirits, on the 2nd of May.
”On reading the words of inspiration which I had written, my wife bore record to the truth of that part which says, 'trouble not thyself about thy family for they are in my hands; I will feed them and clothe them, and make unto them friends; for they never shall want for food nor raiment.' I learned from her that my family continued with Brother Brigham until they crossed the Mississippi, to the town of Atlas, in Illinois, where, through the instrumentality of George Pitkin, my wife got introduced to a widow Ross, who let her have a very nice comfortably fitted up room, and who was as kind to her as an own mother or sister; here my wife tarried seven weeks. At the end of that time John P. Greene took his horses and wagon and carried my family up to Quincy, forty miles, and rented a good house, where I found her on my leaving Missouri. She had had no lack of friends, and had every comfort bestowed on her that she could have had among her own kindred.
And I can say in my heart, G.o.d bless them all, and my Brother Brigham for his great kindness in a.s.sisting them into Illinois. In relation to that part which said I should have many sons and daughters, she rather doubted that, as the thought had never entered into her head, or mine, that the Lord would establish in this Church the doctrine of plurality of wives, in my day; still I believed it would be restored to the earth in some future time.
”May 3rd, I went in company with Elder Brigham Young, Orson Pratt, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith, and rode four miles to Mr. Cleveland's to visit Joseph and Hyrum, who were as glad to see us as we were to see them, once more enjoying their liberty. I spent the day with them, and it was one of the greatest days of rejoicing in my life, to once more have the privilege of conversing with the Prophet, in freedom.
”May 4th, I attended a general conference of the Church near Quincy, at which the Saints from all the regions round about a.s.sembled. It was a time which will long be remembered by the Saints, being the first conference held after their expulsion. The cases of Brothers William Smith and Orson Hyde were brought up. The conference granted them the privilege of appearing personally before the next conference of the Church to give an account of their conduct, but in the meantime they were suspended from exercising the functions of their office. The conference sanctioned the proceedings of the Twelve on the Temple block at Far West, and also sanctioned the intended mission of the Twelve to Europe.
”The meetings continued for three days. Elder Rigdon was appointed delegate to go to Was.h.i.+ngton and lay the grievances of the Saints before the general government. It was also resolved that a number of Elders should accompany the Twelve on their mission to Europe.”
CHAPTER x.x.xVI.
NAUVOO THE BEAUTIFUL--HEBER'S PREDICTION OVER THE FATED CITY--ELDER RIGDON'S ALARM--HEBER'S SECOND ENCOUNTER WITH EVIL SPIRITS--PARLEY P.
PRATT ESCAPES FROM PRISON, FULFILLING HEBER'S PROPHECY.
The scene now changes to Commerce, afterwards named Nauvoo, the famous gathering place of the Saints in Illinois. Situated in a graceful bend on the east bank of the Mississippi, on an eminence commanding a n.o.ble view of the broad river and beyond, Nauvoo, even as the site of the lovely city it soon became, well merited its appellation of ”the Beautiful.”
It was forty miles above Quincy, in which hospitable town the exiled Saints had found a resting place and kindly welcome, after their expulsion from Missouri.
In this region the Saints had commenced gathering, and, having purchased lands, were now busily engaged building up the new stake of Zion. The Church had been purified by its baptism of fire, and much of its human dross ”burnt and purged away.” Most of its members that remained were of the pure gold, refined by suffering, and throughout the community a better feeling prevailed than ever before.
Heber's first visit to Commerce was on Sunday the 12th of May. On the 25th he again went up the river, with several others of the Twelve, and spent the day in council with Joseph and the brethren. While on the water, standing by the railing of the boat, gazing in admiration at the beautiful site of Nauvoo, Heber observed: ”It is a very pretty place, but not a long abiding home for the Saints.”
This remark was carried to the ears of Elder Rigdon and his family, who were comfortably quartered in a nice stone house built by Dr.
Isaac Galland, from whom the Saints had purchased some of their lands.