1843-1844.
THE PROPHET A MODEL OF PERFECT MANHOOD--APOSTASY OF MEN WHO HAD BEEN
HIS FRIENDS--CHRISTMAS DAY--THE PROPHET A CANDIDATE FOR THE PRESIDENCY
OF THE UNITED STATES--PREDICTION CONCERNING THE SAINTS--THE WORK OF HIS
ENEMIES.
The last time of peace in the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith had
come, and even this peace was broken by the mutterings of a storm that
was about to break upon him and crush out his dear life. At this time
Joseph was as complete a man, and his life was as nearly perfect,
as can be found among mortal men in all the history of this world.
He had an almost faultless body. He was full of physical strength
and courage and possessed the best of health. His mind was great and
vigorous. He had a broader view of politics and philosophy than the
deepest politicians and philosophers of the world. He was living near
unto God, and enjoyed the presence of that best companion, the Holy
Ghost. He felt that his end was near and this seemed to raise him above
the conditions and weaknesses of mortal men. He had so many exalted
thoughts and doctrines to teach the Saints, and he strove so hard to
make them understand! Oh, his life was indeed beautiful!
There were many things that saddened these last few months. Meetings
were held by his enemies to rouse the spirit of hate against him, but
more serious and more sorrowful was the fall of some of the men who had
been his dear friends and companions. Wilson Law, who only a short time
before had spoken burning words of truth in defense of Joseph, having
given way to temptation, lost his former love and became a bitter
enemy. William Law, Francis and Chauncey Higbee, Robert and Charles
Foster, followed the same course. Even Sidney Rigdon lost the spirit of
the Gospel and would have been rejected by the Saints, if Hyrum had not
pleaded for mercy. Joseph knew too well Sidney's true condition and no
longer gave him his trust and confidence.
Early Christmas morning of 1843, Joseph and Hyrum awoke thinking they
heard the sweet singing of angels. The song was, "Mortals awake, with
angels join." They rose from their bed, and, going to the window saw
below them in the hazy light of dawn, a group of women and children who
were singing this Christmas carol. The melody filled their hearts with
tenderness and joy, and after the song was ended, Joseph pronounced
a blessing upon the singers. That same Christmas day, Orrin Porter
Rockwell, with long hair, looking rough and wild, appeared among
the company gathered at the Prophet's home. He had been set free
from the Missouri prison and came away honorably as the Prophet had
prophesied. He told a thrilling story of his adventures, and one little
circumstance he related shows his character.
Knowing that Joseph had great confidence in Porter, Reynolds had tried
to persuade him to go and lead the Prophet into a trap so that the
Missourians could catch him. They promised Brother Rockwell great
rewards and safety--almost anything he wished if he would but act the
traitor. Reynolds said to him, "You only deliver Joe Smith into our
hands and name your pile." But Porter replied, "I will see you all
damned first, and then I won't."
In the spring of 1844, many leading men asked Joseph to permit them
to name him as a candidate for the presidency of the United States.
After much thought and prayer he consented, and on the twenty-ninth
of January, he was nominated at Nauvoo. One week later he wrote an
address to the people of the United States, giving his ideas of what
the President and Congress should do. He was not the choice of either
the Democratic or Whig party, but he had principles of his own that
were far in advance of the politics of that day. He declared that
slavery was wrong, but said that the slaves should be bought and set
free by the government. Just think of the millions of lives that would
have been saved and the millions of dollars also, if his plan for the
freedom of the slaves had been accepted! In the spring some of the
Apostles and many of the Elders went out to the states to speak in
favor of Joseph's election.
While the Prophet was working for peace in the nation and working for
peace toward the Saints, his enemies were holding meetings to plan
for his destruction. One of these was at Carthage, on the seventeenth
of February, the very day that Joseph sent out an appeal to the good
people of the state for peace. The meeting was made up of men whose
later actions showed that they were willing to murder in order to do
away with the Prophet, and yet they appointed, awful as it was, a day
for fasting and prayer, thinking, no doubt, that this would make their
bloody work appear as righteousness to the world.
You remember a short time before this Joseph had prophesied that the
Saints would go to the Rocky Mountains, and there become a mighty
people. When he saw trouble gathering, his mind turned toward the West.
He directed exploring parties to prepare themselves and go out to look
for a suitable resting place for the Saints, when their next move
should come. In civilization there seemed no rest for them. Many times
he referred to the subject and directed the Apostles to secure strong,
prudent men and send them out. Many volunteered and prepared themselves
to go.
Joseph at this time prophesied that within five years the Saints should
be out of the power of mobs and apostates. He did not live to see this
fulfilled, but you know how true the prophecy was. By February of 1849,
five years from the time that the Prophet uttered it, the body of the
Church was in Salt Lake valley, one thousand miles from their old
persecutors.
A special conference of the Church was held at Nauvoo, beginning the
sixth of April, 1844. The seventh was Sunday and twenty thousand Saints
gathered to hear the Prophet speak. Elder King Follett, a faithful man
who had been in prison with Parley P. Pratt in Missouri, had died a
few days before, and Joseph's mind was drawn to the eternal glory that
this man and other faithful Saints will obtain. For three and a half
hours, in power rested the Holy Ghost upon him and he spoke. His voice
was like the voice of an angel, and the people sat motionless, almost
breathless, listening to hear every word.
The Laws and Fosters could no longer hide their wickedness and they
were publicly cut off the Church. Now began their lawless, murderous
course. Before the week had passed a number of them were arrested and
fined for the assault and resisting officers of the law. Joseph was
determined that they should not deceive innocent Saints, and before
they were cut off he laid open their wickedness in public, and their
thirst for his blood grew stronger within them. William Law and others
went to Carthage and swore to a complaint before the circuit court,
charging the Prophet with polygamy and perjury.
Joseph heard that an order for his arrest was out, and so on the
twenty-fifth of May, he went of his own free will to Carthage to give
himself up. He obtained lawyers there and wished to have the case tried
at once, but the other side succeeded in having it delayed until the
next term of court. Joseph was left in the hands of a sheriff, who
knowing the Prophet's honor let him go free. He learned from some of
the apostates, who were not so bitter as others, that a plot had been
formed to murder him that night at Carthage. Hyrum and others of his
friends were with him, and when the mob was not expecting it, they
left Carthage and went rapidly toward Nauvoo. Joseph rode his favorite
horse, a beautiful animal which he called Joe Duncan. They reached home
soon after dark by rapid riding.