NAUVOO.
From his prison in Missouri, Joseph had advised his brethren to buy land in
the state of Illinois and Iowa. Towards these states, therefore, the Saints
had fled, leaving merciless, blood-stained Missouri to the judgment of God.
Twenty years afterwards when the great war broke out between the North and
the South, Missouri was one of the fiercest battle grounds, and its people
suffered terribly for the misery and bloodshed they had brought upon the
Saints.
The people of Illinois received the homeless Saints kindly, and sold them
land upon which to live. At a small place called Commerce, situated on the
east bank of the Mississippi river, Joseph bought land, and there he
decided to locate the headquarters of the Church. The place was beautifully
situated in a bend of the river. Here a city was laid out and called
Nauvoo, meaning beauty and rest, and Joseph invited the Saints to settle
and build up the place. It was no small task to gather the scattered Saints
into one body again, but early in the summer of 1839 a number of houses
were erected in the new city.
[Illustration: THE NAUVOO HOUSE.]
Now came another trouble. Commerce was not a healthful place, but the
Saints were promised that that would be changed; however, it was not long
before a great many of the Saints became sick. Nearly every house was
afflicted, and Joseph himself also took the fever. On the morning of July
22nd, Joseph arose from his bed and commenced administering to the sick. He
began with those in his own house, then went to some camping in his yard.
The Prophet commanded the sick in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to
arise from their beds and be made whole, and the sick were healed on ever
side. He then went from house to house and from tent to tent upon the bank
of the river, healing the people. Many wonderful healings were performed.
Joseph would take the sick person by the hand, or stand in the door of the
tent and command the afflicted person to arise and be made whole. The
Prophet with some of the brethren who were now with him crossed the river
to the place where Brigham Young was lying ill. President Young was soon
healed and followed with the rest. As there were many whom the Prophet
could not reach, the Twelve were sent to administer to them. Joseph gave
Wilford Woodruff a silk handkerchief which he was to use in healing some
children. President Woodruff kept the handkerchief to the day of his death.
After this, there was very little sickness in Nauvoo. During the summer and
fall of 1839 the city grew rapidly. About this time seven of the Twelve
left for their mission to England, of which you have been told, and the
English Saints soon began to gather to Nauvoo.
Late in October, 1839, Joseph went to the city of Washington to lay the
troubles of the Church before the authorities of the nation. Joseph made
the acquaintance of many leading men, among them John C. Calhoun, and
Henry Clay. Martin Van Buren was president, and to him Joseph told of the
wrongs they had suffered from the people of Missouri. It was then that the
president made the famous remark: "Your cause is just, but I can do nothing
for you." His meaning, no doubt, was that the president of the United
States had no right to interfere with the affairs of a state; but that all
such troubles should be settled by the state itself.
[Illustration: THE NAUVOO MANSION.]
So Joseph returned without any help. Meanwhile, Nauvoo grew into a large
city. Ten wards were laid off and organized. April 6, 1841, the corner
stone of the temple was laid. Many public buildings were erected. Good
houses were built, and beautiful gardens soon bloomed around them. On the
outskirts of the city, fields of grain stretched as far as the eye could
reach. In 1842 there were 20,000 people in the city, and Nauvoo promised to
be one of the largest cities in the West.
The fame of Joseph and the "Mormon" city spread, and many people came to
see the wonder. Missionaries were sent out to preach, the _Times and
Seasons_ published by the Church, printed many Gospel truths and much
important history. The militia was organized and the city had a
well-drilled body of men called the Nauvoo Legion. Peace and prosperity
smiled upon them for a season, and it seemed that at last there would be a
permanent stake of Zion established.
But it was not to be. The hate that burned in the hearts of evil men had
not grown less, but was only waiting for a chance to show itself. Trouble
again arose. It would not be easy to understand the many causes that led to
these troubles, but a few may be noted.
The Saints now had great power at the polls, the same as in Missouri. The
"Mormons" would not vote for men who would not give them their rights, and
so many of these politicians became their enemies and stirred up the people
against the Saints by their many lies. Then, there were the jealousies of
the sectarian preachers; and perhaps worse than all, the evil work of
apostates. Then it happened that a band of thieves troubled the
neighborhood, and of course the "Mormons" were blamed. It was not a hard
matter to find excuses for a further persecution of the Latter-day Saints.
And now came again Governor Boggs, of Missouri. He, it seems, had not had
enough, so he asked Governor Carlin to deliver to him Joseph and the other
brethren who had escaped from Missouri. Governor Carlin of Illinois, made
out the papers for the brethren's arrest, but the officer could not find
them when he went to Nauvoo. He therefore returned without his prisoners,
and nothing more was done in the matter until nearly a year later, when
Joseph was visiting the governor at Quincy. Governor Carlin treated Joseph
kindly, but as soon as the Prophet had left, some of the officers were sent
after him. They overtook Joseph and arrested him on the old charge from
Missouri. However, they went on to Nauvoo, where the sheriff, being sick,
was taken good care of by his prisoner. As it was Joseph's right by law to
be tried in Illinois, he was permitted to have a hearing before Judge
Stephen A. Douglas, in Monmouth, Illinois. There was great excitement at
the trial, some of his enemies trying to excite a mob against him. At the
close of the hearing Joseph was set free by the judge.
Dr. J.C. Bennett was the mayor of Nauvoo, and held other high positions;
but he proved to be a very wicked man. At one time, when the Legion was
having a sham fight, Bennett tried to get Joseph into a position that he
might be shot without anyone knowing who did it. This did not succeed. Then
he began to commit sin, and say that Joseph upheld him in it. Bennett was
of course cut off from the Church, after which he wrote many false things
against Joseph and the Saints and was the means of bringing much
persecution on them.
In May, 1842, Ex-Governor Boggs of Missouri was shot at and wounded by some
person in Independence. Although at this time they were hundreds of miles
from Independence, Joseph Smith and O.P. Rockwell were charged with this
crime, and again papers were issued for their arrest. They were tried in
Nauvoo and acquitted. As the Missourians were trying many schemes to take
Joseph to Missouri and there kill him, he went in hiding for a time. Every
effort was made to take Joseph, and rewards were offered for his capture.
Elder Rockwell was kidnapped and taken to Missouri, where he was
ill-treated, but at last escaped.
Thomas Ford now became governor of Illinois and to him Joseph went. The
governor prevailed upon Joseph to stand another trial, which was held at
Springfield, Illinois. Joseph was again proved innocent and released.
But the fiends from Missouri would not give up. Once again he was taken
while away from Nauvoo, by two officers, who abused him shamefully. I
cannot tell you all about his exciting adventures--that you must read in a
larger history--but at last he arrived safe again in Nauvoo.
Persecution continued. Mobs now gathered around Nauvoo. Threats were made
that mobs would come from Missouri, and join with those of Illinois,
against the "Mormons." There was great unrest. When Joseph was spoken to
about the danger he was in, he said he was not exposed to as much danger
from outside enemies as from traitors within. "_We have a Judas in our
midst_," he said.
Thus ended the year 1843.
Topics.--1. Settlement at Nauvoo. 2. The healing of the sick. 3. City of
Nauvoo. 4. Attempts to take Joseph to Missouri.
Questions and Review.--1. Locate Nauvoo. 2. What was its name before it
was called Nauvoo? 3. Relate how Joseph healed the sick. 4. When did Joseph
go to Washington? 5. What was his mission there? 6. What answer did
President Martin Van Buren make? 7. Why was it useless to expect justice
from Missouri? 8. What kind of city did Nauvoo become? 9. What was the
Times and Seasons? 10. What was the Nauvoo Legion? 11. Name some of the
causes that led to the new persecution. 12. Who was Dr. Bennett, and what
did he do? 13. Tell of the efforts to get Joseph to Missouri.