BUILDING OF A HOUSE--JOSEPH AND HYRUM RETURN FROM MISSOURI--THEY
REHEARSE THE HISTORY OF THEIR TROUBLE.
Previous to taking leave for Missouri, the brethren commenced building
a house, which was designed for both a meetinghouse and a school.
This was left in the hands of Brother Reynolds Cahoon for completion;
and was to be in readiness for use by the commencement of the ensuing
winter. It is true we held meetings in it during the summer, but then
it only served as a shelter from the sun. We were now unusually anxious
to meet together as often as possible, in order to unite our faith and
prayers in behalf of our brethren; but, for a length of time after they
left, almost every meeting was broken up by a storm. In consequence of
this, together with the near approach of winter, we began to urge upon
Brother Cahoon the necessity of hurrying the building, but he said that
he could do nothing about the matter, as he had neither time nor means.
This made me very sorrowful. I studied upon it a long time. Finally,
I told my husband, I believed that I could raise the means myself to
finish the building, and, if he would give his consent, I would try and
see what I could do. He said he would be glad if I could do anything
towards forwarding the work, and that I might take any course I saw
fit, in order to accomplish it. I then wrote a subscription paper, in
which I agreed to refund all the money that should be given, in case
it could not be appropriated to the purpose for which it should be
subscribed. This article I first took to each member of my family who
were at home, as also my boarders, then proceeded with it to Father
Bosley's. Here I received considerable assistance, and, as I was
leaving the house, I met Brother Cahoon, and informed him of what I was
doing. He seemed pleased, and told me to go on and prosper. And it was
even so, I did prosper; so that in two weeks I had everything in fine
order for commencing the work.
On the first of August, Joseph and Hyrum returned. They were overjoyed
to meet us again in health, more especially on account of the perils
which they had passed through during their absence. Joseph and Hyrum
sat down beside me, each holding one of my hands in his, while they
related the following story:
When we started on our journey, we made arrangements to have
every one made as comfortable as possible; but the sufferings
which are incident to such an excursion made some of the brethren
discontented, and they began to murmur against us, saying, "The
Lord never required them to take such a tiresome journey," and that
it was folly for them to suffer such fatigue and inconvenience
just to gratify us. We warned them, in the name of the Lord, to
stop their murmuring; for, if they did not, the displeasure of the
Almighty would be manifested in judgments in their midst. But many
of them paid no attention to what we said, until one morning when
they went out to harness up their horses, and found them all so
lame as to be unable to travel. We then told them that this was a
curse which had come upon them because of transgression; but, if
they would repent, it might be removed--if not, a greater curse
would come upon them. They believed what we said, and repented
of their folly. The consequence was, we were soon on our journey
again. It was not long, however, till the spirit of dissension
arose again, and was not quelled, so as to produce any degree of
good feeling, until we arrived at Missouri.
Soon after arriving at the point of destination, the cholera broke
out in our midst; the brethren were so violently attacked that it
seemed impossible to render them any assistance. They immediately
sent for us to lay hands on them, but we soon discovered that
this, also, was a judgment from the Almighty; for, when we
laid our hands upon them, in the name of the Lord, the disease
immediately fastened itself upon us, and in a few minutes we were
in awful agony. We made signals to each other and left the house,
in order to join in prayer to God that he would deliver us from
this dreadful influence; but, before we could get to a sufficient
distance from the house to be secure from interruption, we were
hardly able to stand upon our feet, and we feared that we should
die in that western wilderness without the privilege of blessing
our children, or giving them one word of parting counsel. We
succeeded in getting a few steps further, and then fell upon our
knees and cried unto the Lord that he would deliver us from this
awful calamity, but we arose worse than before. We kneeled down the
second time, and when we commenced praying the cramp seized us,
gathering the cords in our arms and legs in bunches, and operating
equally severe throughout our system. We still besought the Lord,
with all our strength, to have mercy upon us, but all in vain.
It seemed as though the heavens were sealed against us, and that
every power that could render us any assistance was shut within
its gates. We then kneeled down the third time, concluding never
to rise to our feet again, until one or the other should get a
testimony that we should be healed; and that the one who should get
the first intimation of the same from the Spirit, should make it
known to the other.
They stated further, that after praying some time the cramp began to
release its hold; and, in a short time, Hyrum sprang to his feet and
exclaimed, "Joseph, we shall return to our families. I have had an open
vision, in which I saw mother kneeling under an apple tree; and she is
even now asking God, in tears, to spare our lives, that she may again
behold us in the flesh. The Spirit testifies, that her prayers, united
with ours, will be answered."
"Oh, my mother!" said Joseph, "how often have your prayers been the
means of assisting us when the shadows of death encompassed us."
William was also taken sick of the same disease; but one of the sisters
took him to her house, and nursed him so faithfully that he soon
recovered. Jesse Smith, my nephew, was seized so violently that nothing
could be done for him, and he died immediately. Brother Thayre was also
taken with the cholera; he went to the river and commenced dipping
himself, and finding that it helped him, he continued until he was
quite restored. His example was followed by several others, and with
the same effect.
After hearing this recital, I took Joseph and Hyrum with me, and showed
them the new meetinghouse, with which they were highly pleased, and
they approved of all that I had done relative to the matter.[A]
[Footnote A: The house referred to was not completed for some time
after Joseph's return. Most of the carpenter work was done by Brigham
Young.--_Note by Geo. A. Smith._]