THE EVIDENCE OF MARTYRDOM.
The highest evidence that one man can give another of friendship is
that he sacrifices his life for him. "Greater love hath no man than
this," said Jesus, "that a man lay down his life for his friends."
[1] When a man does that he gives all that he has, and hence can give
no more. The highest evidence of sincerity that a man can give his
fellow-men--the highest proof that he has spoken the truth in any given
case--is that he perseveres in it unto death, and seals his testimony
with his blood. When he does that he affixes the broadest possible seal
to that of which he testified, and henceforth the truth so testified of
must be in force in all the world.
So important did such a testimony become in the estimation of Paul that
he said: "_Where_ a testament is there must also of necessity be the
death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead:
otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth." [2]
In the light of this principle, and when the importance of the great
testimony which he bore to the world is taken into account, it is not
to be wondered at that Joseph Smith was called upon to affix the broad
seal of martyrdom to his life's work. Something of incompleteness in
his work would likely have been complained of had this been lacking;
but now, not so; his character of prophet was rounded out to complete
fullness by his falling a martyr under the murderous fire of a mob at
Carthage, in the State of Illinois.
The circumstances attendant upon the prophet's death, briefly told,
are as follows: The extreme bitterness of his enemies culminated in
the spring and early summer of 1844, in a charge against himself as
mayor of Nauvoo, and some members of the City Council, of riot in
suppressing in their official capacity a scurrilous and libelous paper
known as the _Nauvoo Expositor._ A warrant for the arrest of Joseph
Smith and the City Council was issued by a Mr. Morrison, justice of
the peace, at Carthage, and made returnable to the justice at Carthage
"or some other justice of the peace." Mr. Smith and the City Council
being assured that it was unsafe for them to go to Carthage, insisted
upon being taken before "some other justice of the peace," as provided
in the warrant. To this the constable refused to assent, whereupon
the parties under arrest applied for a writ of _habeas corpus_ made
returnable before the municipal court of Nauvoo. A hearing was granted
and the case dismissed. Subsequently, however, at the instance of Judge
Thomas, the circuit judge of the judicial district which included
Nauvoo, Joseph and the City Council submitted to a new trial on the
same charge before Squire D. H. Wells, a justice of the peace, and were
again acquitted. But the course pursued by the mayor and City Council
was declared to be resistance to the law by the prophet's enemies, and
was made use of to influence the public mind against the saints.
Mobs assembled about Carthage and the work of violence was inaugurated
by kidnapping, whipping and otherwise abusing the saints living in
the outlying districts of Nauvoo. For protection the people thus
assailed fled to Nauvoo, and this was heralded abroad as the massing
of the Mormon forces. The Governor of the State--Thomas Ford--was kept
informed of all that was transpiring in Nauvoo by the city authorities,
and in answer to the question, "What course shall we pursue in the
event of an armed mob coming against the city," he replied that Joseph
Smith was Lieutenant-General of the Nauvoo Legion, and it was his duty
to protect the city and surrounding country, and issued orders to that
effect. Thus declared, qualified and directed to act by the Governor
of the State, the Nauvoo Legion was called together and measures were
taken for the defense of the city; and as the mob forces grew bolder
every day, Nauvoo was at last placed under martial law.
Meantime the mob forces were active in making misrepresentations to
the Governor, until finally in his perplexity he resolved on visiting
the scenes of the disturbances, and for that purpose went to Carthage.
Here he was met by a delegation from Nauvoo--Elder John Taylor [3] and
Dr. John M. Bernhisel [4]--to represent the mayor and City Council.
They presented to him a full statement of the case and submitted all
the documents. The Governor was of the opinion that in order to prove
to the people that the saints were willing to submit to the law, it
would be best for Joseph Smith and all concerned in the destruction
of the _Expositor_ to come to Carthage for examination. Elder Taylor
called the Governor's attention to the fact that they had already
been examined before two competent courts and acquitted; that they
had fulfilled the law in every particular, and that their enemies had
murderous designs and were only making use of this matter to get Joseph
Smith into their power. The Governor, however, insisted that the proper
thing for the prophet to do was to come to Carthage.
Elder John Taylor then stated that in consequence of the excitement
prevailing, it would be extremely unsafe for Joseph Smith and his
friends to come to Carthage; that they had men and arms to defend
themselves, but if their forces and those of the enemy should be
brought into close proximity the most probable result would be a
collision. In reply to this the Governor "strenuously advised us,"
says Elder Taylor, "not to bring our arms, _and pledged his faith as
Governor, and the faith of the State, that we should be protected, and
that he would guarantee our perfect safety._"
As soon as the delegation returned from Carthage a meeting of the
prophet and a few of his friends was called and the demands of the
Governor considered. It was finally determined that it would be unsafe
for the Prophet Joseph to go to Carthage, and he himself felt inspired
to go west. He crossed the Mississippi that night, and expected to
continue his journey as soon as arrangements could be perfected.
Some of the prophet's "friends," when they learned of his determination
to leave Nauvoo and seek an asylum for the church in the west, accused
him of taking the part of the unfaithful shepherd, who, when the wolves
were about to come upon the flock, was taking to flight. They entreated
him to return and give himself up, trusting to the pledges of the
Governor for a fair trial. Influenced by these entreaties and stung by
the charge of cowardice from those who should have known better and
aided his flight, the prophet said: "If my life is of no value to my
friends, it is of none to myself," And against his own better judgment,
and with the conviction in his soul that he would be killed he resolved
to return. He besought his brother Hyrum to leave him, but nothing
could induce Hyrum to forsake the prophet. Having stood by him through
well nigh all the storms of his career, it was not in Hyrum Smith's
nature to forsake the prophet in the darkest hour of his life.
Arriving at Nauvoo, the prophet promptly sent a message to Governor
Ford that he would be at Carthage next day. Early next morning the
prophet and a company of his friends set out for Carthage. _En route_
they met Captain Dunn, an officer of the militia of the state, with
a requisition from the Governor for the state arms in possession of
the people of Nauvoo. He earnestly entreated the prophet to return to
Nauvoo with him, thinking doubtless that his task would be easier of
accomplishment if the prophet was present, and Joseph Smith complied
with the request. It was on the occasion of meeting Captain Dunn's
company, some four or five miles out of Carthage, that Joseph uttered
these prophetic words: _"I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but
I am calm as a summer's morning. I have a conscience void of offense
toward God and toward all men. I shall die innocent, and it shall yet
be said of me, 'he was murdered in cold blood.'"_
Hyrum Smith that morning before leaving Nauvoo, and in spite of an
assumed cheerfulness, also left evidence that the fate awaiting his
brother and himself at Carthage had been foreshadowed in his mind. He
read a passage in the Book of Mormon, near the close of the twelfth
chapter of Ether:
"And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord that he would give
unto the Gentiles grace that they might have charity, and it came to
pass that the Lord said unto me, if they have not charity it mattereth
not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore thy garments shall
be made clean, and because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be
made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have
prepared in the mansions of my Father. _And now I bid farewell unto the
Gentiles, yea, and also to my brethren whom I love, until we shall meet
before the judgment seat of Christ, where all men shall know that my
garments are not spotted with your blood_."
On this passage he turned down the leaf, and there it is to this day, a
silent witness that he, too, knew that he was "going like a lamb to the
slaughter!"
The state arms secured as per the requisition of Governor Ford, the
prophet and his friends, attended by Captain Dunn's company of militia,
set out again for Carthage, where they arrived about midnight. One
militia company encamped on the public square--the Carthage Greys--were
aroused by the passing cavalcade, and gave vent to ominous threats and
a volley of imprecations.
The next morning Joseph Smith and a number of the Nauvoo City Council
appeared before a justice of the peace in Carthage, and were bound over
to appear before the circuit court at its next session on a charge
of riot. No sooner, however, was this matter so adjusted than Joseph
and Hyrum Smith were arrested on a charge of treason against the
state at the instance of Henry O. Norton and Augustine Spencer--men
of no character, and whose words were utterly unreliable. They were
arbitrarily thrust into prison, where they were at last completely at
the mercy of their enemies. The friends of the prophet protested to the
Governor against such treatment, but to no purpose. Governor Ford was
sorry that the thing had occurred--he did not believe the charge, but
thought the best thing to do would be to let the law take its course.
The day following, the 26th of June, there was a long interview between
the prophet and the governor in the prison. All the difficulties that
had arisen in Nauvoo were related by Joseph and the action of himself
and associates explained and defended. In concluding the conversation
the prophet said: "Governor Ford, I ask for nothing but what is
legal; I have a right to expect protection at least from you; for
independent of law, you have pledged your faith and that of the state
for my protection, and I wish to go to Nauvoo." "And you shall have
protection, General Smith," replied the Governor. "I did not make this
promise without consulting my officers, who all pledged their honor to
its fulfillment. I do not know that I shall go tomorrow to Nauvoo, but
if I do, I will take you along."
The next day--the ever memorable 27th of June-the Governor broke the
promise he had made to Joseph Smith the day previous, viz: that if
he went to Nauvoo he would take him along. He disbanded the militia
except a small company he detailed to accompany him to Nauvoo, and
the Carthage Greys, a company composed of the very worst enemies the
prophet and his friends had--these he left to guard the prisoners! It
was the public boast of the disbanded militia that they would only
go a short distance from the town and then after the Governor left
for Nauvoo they would return and kill the prophet. When this fact was
stated to the Governor by Dan Jones, one of the Elders of the Church,
who heard the boasts, Governor Ford replied, that Jones was over
anxious for the safety of his friends.
The events of that day proved that the boasts of the prophet's enemies
were not idle. About five o'clock in the afternoon the prison was
suddenly surrounded by an armed mob, of from one hundred and fifty
to two hundred persons. They forced the prison doors and ruthlessly
murdered the brothers Smith. Hyrum was shot first and fell, calmly
saying, "I am a dead man!" For a moment the prophet bent over the
prostrate form of Hyrum, and said, "Oh! my poor, dear brother Hyrum!"
Then instantly rising to his feet he stepped to the half-open door,
through which the mob was firing their guns, and discharged at them a
pistol left in his hands that morning by Cyrus Wheelock, one of the
brethren who had visited him in prison. He then turned from the door
and attempted to leap from the window; as he did so he was shot and
fell to the ground, exclaiming, _"Oh Lord, my God!"_ Instant terror
seized his murderers and they fled.
By the side of the well-curb just under the window from which he had
half leaped, half fallen--the sands of the young prophet's life ebbed
away, and another soul was added to the number under the altar "that
were slain for the word of God and the testimony which they held."
Joseph Smith was innocent of any crime; his death was the direct result
of that bitter and relentless persecution which had followed him from
the time the Lord first appeared to him and made him a prophet to the
nations; and in his death, so tragic, and so pitiful, he affixed a
broad seal to the message he bore to the world--a seal that makes his
testimony of binding force--"For where a testament is, there must of
necessity be the death of the testator; for a testament is of force
after men are dead!" Not in vain fell the prophet! Not in vain did his
blood make crimson the soil of the great state of Illinois! It was
fitting that the prophet of the great Dispensation of the Fullness of
Times should complete his great work by sealing his testimony with his
blood, that his martyr-cry _"Oh Lord, my God!"_ might mingle with the
martyr-cries of so many of the prophets who, like him, were sent to
bear witness for God.
My task draws to a close--and yet I take my leave of it with regret
rather than joy; for I have learned to love the holy theme; and now
that I must think of it as a task completed, instead of having it the
sweet companion of my daily thought, and care, and joy, brings more
of sadness than of gladness, and I part with it as I would with some
dear friend whose affections and interests and very life had become
interlocked with my own. Moreover, I know that this book goes out into
a world that has little sympathy with it, and harsh treatment may await
it as harsh treatment was meted out to God's New Witness, of whom this
volume is a vindication, in that it bears testimony to the divinity of
his mission. But whatever the character of the reception accorded this
book, harsh treatment or cold neglect, the author is confident that the
time will come when the world will listen with respectful attention to
the message delivered by Joseph Smith.
And now let me say in conclusion--it is a fact; the world did need a
New Witness for God; the church of Christ was destroyed; there was an
apostasy from the Christian religion so complete and universal as to
make necessary a new dispensation thereof; the ancient prophets of God
did foretell the coming forth in the last days of a new dispensation
of the gospel--which was to be preached to all the world; God has sent
forth his angel with that new dispensation of the gospel; God did
raise up a New Witness for himself and divinely commissioned him to
preach the gospel, administer its ordinances and speak in his name, and
has given to the world abundant evidence of the divine authority and
inspiration of that Witness--THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH.
THE END.
Footnotes
1. John xv: 13.
2. Heb. ix: 16, 17.
3. John Taylor subsequently became the President of the Church,
succeeding Brigham Young in 1877.
4. Dr. Bernhisel afterwards was Utah's Delegate in Congress for a
number of terms.
THE WORKS OF B. H. ROBERTS.
A NEW WITNESS FOR GOD.
A work of 486 pages, treating of the divinity of the mission of the
Prophet Joseph Smith. The Committee appointed by the First Presidency
to read the manuscript of this work before it was published--viz.
Elders Franklin D. Richards, George Reynolds and John Jaques--say in
their report:
"Your committee, to whom you referred the consideration of Elder B.
H. Roberts's new work entitled "A New Witness for God," respectfully
represent, that they have read it with great care and believe it to
be a valuable addition to our church literature. They find nothing
therein calling for adverse criticism but to the contrary find that
it is orthodox and consistent with our teachings. There is harmony in
its chapters which gives much strength to its arguments, all of which
point directly to the evidences, first of the need of a New Witness
for God, and next that Joseph the Prophet was that witness. The truths
are emphasized on lines of reasoning different from those common to
our elders which carries to the work a freshness and an interest
that will, we think, attract students and develop in our youth and
others an increased love for the study of the great Latter-day work.
Brother Roberts' work collates and condenses a large amount of useful
and important information historical and theological which is often
not readily accessible to the Elders and members of the Church, but
which tends to broaden their views and enlarge and enlighten their
understanding of various vital matters connected with the gospel of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Full coth $1.75, Full leather gilt
$2.75, post-paid. Geo. Q Cannon & Sons Co., Salt Lake City, Utah.
SUCCESSION IN THE PRESIDENCY OF THE CHURCH.
A pamphlet of 125 pages, uniform in type and page with the "New
Witness" and the author's "Outlines of Ecclesiastical History." It
was written to refute the false claims of the so called "Re-organized
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," or the "Josephite
Church." It is a work with which every Elder and member of the Church
should be familiar. Price, paper cover 30 cts; full cloth 55 cts; full
leather 75 cts. Deseret News Company, Salt Lake City, publishers.
OUTLINES OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
A work now so well known that it is only necessary to say that a second
edition is just issued by Cannon & Sons Company, Salt Lake City. The
book is especially dedicated to the seventies, but is valuable to all
students of this department of knowledge, and will be of great service
to all quorums of the priesthood, the Mutual Improvement Associations
and advanced theological classes in Sunday Schools. Full cloth $1.75.
Full leather gilt, $2.75, post paid. Cannon & Sons Company, publishers,
Salt Lake City, Utah.
THE GOSPEL.
An exposition of the first principles thereof. The second edition
of this book, revised and enlarged, is now out, to which the author
has added a supplement on the subject of "Man's Relationship to
Deity." "The Gospel" by Elder B. H. Roberts answers more questions
arising among young missionaries in the space devoted to the
exposition of the first principles, than any work yet published among
us."--_Contributor._ Cannon & Sons Co., publishers.
LIFE OF JOHN TAYLOR.
Third President of the Church of Jesus Christ, in the Dispensation
of the Fullness of Times, is a handsome volume of four hundred and
sixty-eight pages, and containing ten illustrations finely executed,
and the portrait of President John Taylor as the frontispiece. These
are all well executed, and the steel engraving of the subject of the
work is a striking and pleasing likeness.
_Deseret News:_--"The literary ability displayed in the book is to be
highly commended. The volume is from the pen of Elder B. H. Roberts,
and he has treated his theme in an able manner. The interest of the
readers is maintained throughout. The life of President Taylor abounded
with incidents of uncommon import. They are presented in forcible and
pleasing style. The language is simple yet eloquent, and not overloaded
with rhetoric." Price, full cloth, $2.50; half leather, $3.00; full
leather, $4.00; Morrocco, extra gilt, $5.00.
ANNOUNCEMENT.
THE MISSOURI PERSECUTIONS AND THE RISE AND FALL OF NAUVOO.
--This book will doubtless be published during the next year. It will
be a reproduction in book form of a series of articles, by Elder
Roberts, published some years ago in the _Contributor._ The articles
will be carefully revised and enlarged, and will relate in greater
detail the story of those stirring times than any other publication
among us. It is the intention to have the work beautifully illustrated.
The author visited all the places in Missouri and Illinois where the
Church located and therefore adds the charm of description of places,
to the narration of events that transpired.
THE BOOK OF MORMON AS A WITNESS FOR GOD
is also in course of preparation and will be a companion volume to
the work now issued under the title of "A New Witness for God."
Incidentally the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon will be
thoroughly considered.
Transcriber's Note
Some obvious printer's errors in the original, including numerous
words with missing, substituted, or extra letters, have been
corrected as seemed appropriate.