IN NAUVOO, 1841.
Prophetic Insight.—Teachings of the Prophet.—Baptism for the Dead—Hyrum Kimball.
The life of Wilford Woodruff is a remarkable example of the manner in which those who are pre-eminently qualified as preachers of the gospel are required to fill out a well rounded life of experiences, touching most important phases of human conduct in almost all the walks of life. Had Wilford Woodruff belonged to some religious denomination of his day, it is consistent to suppose that he would have been exclusively a preacher, as he loved to expound the Scriptures and speak of the goodness of God and His wondrous ways. Mormonism, however, made of him both a preacher and a man of affairs, and his service in life covered a wide range of useful activities. He was, in the days of Nauvoo's municipal glory, a member of its city council. The responsibility of such a position at that time when municipal government was little understood was one of special weight.
On the 7th of November, 1841, on the Sabbath day he tells us that he made a call upon the Prophet Joseph and from there went to the home of Brigham Young. Later he attended a meeting of the Saints and listened to an address of a certain elder who was reprimanded by the Prophet Joseph. That reprimand carried with it such prophetic insight into the character of the man who still lives, that the incident is taken from Elder Woodruff's journal as follows: "Brother Joseph rose and reprimanded him as pharisaical and hypocritical, and he was told that he had not edified the people by his two hours' talk. The man's life has ever since been in keeping with this characterization of the Prophet. He aims to be a fellow well met with all denominations. He occasionally visits the Saints, and while with them professes faith in the gospel and claims brotherhood with them. The Prophet then addressed himself to the Saints, told them that if they would not falsely accuse one another, the Lord would not accuse them; and if they had no accusers, they should enterinto the Kingdom of Heaven. He also spoke at some length upon the character of sin and declared that many things which the denominations of that day taught as sins were really not sins at all, that many things were done in the purposes of God to break down superstitions of men and loosen from them the fetters of traditions by which their souls were bound."
The 21st of November, 1841, was a red-letter day in the history of Nauvoo. Elder Woodruff says, "The Twelve met in council at President Brigham Young's home. Afterwards there was a general meeting of the Saints who were addressed by John Taylor and Hyrum Smith. The Twelve then returned to Brigham Young's home and were occupied in counsel until four in the afternoon when they repaired to the baptismal font in the basement of the Nauvoo Temple." Again quoting from Elder Woodruff's journal we read: "It was truly an interesting scene. It was the first font built in this dispensation for the glorious provision in the gospel which provided for the redemption of the dead. It was dedicated by President Joseph Smith and the Twelve. A large congregation assembled to witness the baptism of about forty persons by Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and John Taylor. Elders Willard Richards, George A. Smith, and myself assisted in confirming them. Afterwards I passed the evening with the quorum of the Twelve at the home of Heber C. Kimball."
Along with these religious duties came the daily responsibilities of the material interests of the Church. At this time the Nauvoo House was in the process of construction. Elder Woodruff had charge of the provision store and through it took an active part in the construction of that important building. During these times, Saints were arriving in considerable numbers from England. Many of them had received the ordinance of baptism at his hands. They needed instruction, encouragement, and the sympathy of a brotherly love. They found in the messenger who had brought the word of the Lord to them as consistent a friend in their new home as he had been when an elder abroad.
On the 25th of November, 1841, about two hundred Saints from New York arrived in Warsaw. Their arrival was in the midst of a heavy snow storm. Elder Woodruff records the work of love at that time in providing for them every comfort thatcould be found. He mentions in his journal the names of those whose integrity and love he cherished. Those early friendships were always dear to his memory, and it mattered not to him what station in life a man occupied if he was loyal to God and true to his brethren. He speaks of Kington, Benbow, Ockey, Bruitt, and Pitt.
The words of the Prophet fell upon Elder Woodruff's ears as the voice of Scripture. He puts them in the journal because he believes that some day they will contain enlightenment and guidance for those who faithfully read them. He says about this time that the Prophet spoke of those who complained of him because he did not bring forth more of the word of the Lord. To those who professed to be able to receive more of the word of God than had been given them, he said: "A man might command his son to do a certain thing and before it was done he might for good and sufficient reason require him to do something else. The exercise of parental authority in such a manner is considered quite proper; but if the Lord gives a command and afterward revokes it and commands something else, there are those ready to cry out, 'A false prophet!' Those who will not receive chastisement from a prophet and apostles are often chastised by the Lord with sickness and death. Let not any man publish his own righteousness, others can do that for him. Let him rather confess his sins, and he will then be forgiven and bring forth more and better fruit. The reason we do not have more of the secrets of the Lord revealed unto us is because we do not keep to our own secrets, but reveal them and make our difficulties known even to our enemies. What greater love hath any man than that he will lay down his life for his friends? Why not then stand by them unto death?"
Elder Woodruff's journal containing an account of the utterances of the prominent men of that day clearly indicates the deep anxiety which President Brigham Young felt for the completion of the Temple. His interest in the building was scarcely less than that of the Prophet himself. The responsibility of its completion weighed heavily upon his mind and he gave himself up heart and soul to the construction of that great edifice. In view of the fact that some years later after the Prophet's death the responsibility of its completion and the ordinances to be performedtherein rested most heavily upon him, one can appreciate his heart-felt admonition on the subject when he was constantly urging the Saints before the death of the Prophet.
On Christmas day of 1841 Elder Woodruff says that he and other members of the Twelve visited the home of Hyrum Kimball, who, before they left, presented each of the Twelve with a lot to which he gave them the deed. On the 26th and 27th the Twelve visited the home of the Prophet, and on one of these days Elder Woodruff says in his journal that the Prophet showed him and others for the first time the Urim and Thummim.
During that year the subject of this biography had visited London, Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester, Staffordshire Potteries, Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Worcester, Hereford, Ledbury, Malvern Hill, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Oxford, Woolwich, and Monmouth. In America he visited and preached the gospel in New York, Portland, Boston, Hartford, New Haven, Albany, Buffalo, Detroit, Mackinaw, and Chicago. He held 83 meetings, attended 10 conferences, baptized 21 persons and assisted in the baptism of 18 others, confirmed 46, and ordained 38 persons to offices in the priesthood.
TROUBLES IN NAUVOO, 1842.
Building of the Temple.—Book of Moses.—Words of the Prophet.—Nauvoo Legion.—Business Trip to St. Louis.—Return of Orson Hyde.
Elder Woodruff was a messenger of peace, a man by temperament and faith pre-eminently fitted to be a missionary of the word of God to the nations of the earth. As one studies his life and the life of the early leaders of the Church, one is constantly reminded of their peculiar fitness and qualifications for the work needed in the Church in its early life.
New year of 1842 found him at home in Nauvoo enjoying with his family and friends the festive season. He had been a member of the Church eight years, but during that membership had been absent from home perhaps four-fifths of the time. He records the fact that he with the quorum of the Twelve passed the day at the home of Brother Stoddard.
Nauvoo was at this time taking on a new interest. The erection of the Temple awakened within such men a heartfelt desire, not only to take part in the work, but to enjoy its ordinances at the earliest possible opportunity. They felt that these ordinances would give to them a new spiritual life and that they would be better qualified in consequence as messengers of the word of God to the nations of the earth. In his journal he writes: "It is an interesting occasion for us to meet with our families during the festive season in the City of the Saints in the midst of peace and love. We prize more highly this privilege as we are so often separated in the vineyard of the Lord. It is a privilege to be at home for a season and provide for my family. This is the first time since I have been in the Church that I have been thus privileged as I have been on missions most of the time for eight years."
During the early part of January he paid a visit to his old time friend, John Benbow, who lived on the prairie six miles from Nauvoo. Elder Benbow had been a very liberal man in promoting the missionary work of Apostle Woodruff abroad. He was just as liberal when he joined the Saints near Nauvoo. Besideshis regular offerings, he loaned money to the Prophet to meet pressing obligations of himself and the Church. "This was the first time I had visited him since my return home. I passed the time there very pleasantly. His farm looked almost like a Garden of Eden. I have never seen more work done in one year on a prairie farm than was done on his. He had surrounded and crossed it with heavy ditches, and had planted thorn hedges. His dwelling, barns, sheds, garden, yards, and orchards were all beautifully arranged. The farm resembled very much the farms of old England. Elder Benbow had been a well-to-do-farmer on about three hundred acres of land. This place was a pleasant retreat for a summer's ride from Nauvoo. The little neighborhood consisted of five families from England. All were united except one family that had denied the faith. Before my return to the city I paid John Benbow two hundred dollars for President Smith and had it endorsed on his note."
The activity in and about Nauvoo directed toward the erection of the Temple must have presented the appearance of men who worked with a will to accomplish definite purposes. Elder Woodruff himself was engaged in hauling large stones from the river to Temple Hill. Whatever he set himself to do he did as though it were the occupation of his life and never a makeshift. It was that whole-souled devotion that enabled him to turn from one occupation to another without any disappointment or distaste. It is only the half-hearted that complain at interruptions, who are distracted when taken from one condition of life to another and are subjected to radical as well as frequent changes.
From the occupation of a rock hauler he was called to the printing press, and with John Taylor he took up the work of publishing the "Times and Seasons," which thereafter was to be under the direction of Joseph, the Seer. He began work in his new calling by taking charge of the business department of the paper. Joseph was editor in chief and John Taylor was his assistant.
About this time the Prophet was occupied in the translation of the Book of Moses from an Egyptian papyrus. Parts of the book were published in the "Times and Seasons," and its subject matter created a peculiar satisfaction in the heart of Wilford Woodruff. Wilford Woodruff was himself a student of HolyWrit, a man of pronounced religious convictions, untouched by the religious persuasions of his time. His complete surrender, and his perfect devotion to his new-found calling are sufficient in themselves to command attention and persuade others that there must have been something remarkable in his new-found faith, otherwise he would not have been one of its apostles. "I have been much edified of late," he says, "in listening to the Prophet converse upon the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. Surely the Lord is with him and is making him mighty in knowledge and wisdom. I am convinced that none of the prophets or seers have ever accomplished a greater work than the Lord will bring to pass through the instrumentality of the Prophet Joseph Smith."
Wilford Woodruff knew his Bible, he knew himself, and the simplicity and purity of his own soul fitted him for the reception of a new light. He was not a mere enthusiast, he was never fanatical, and was not easily touched by the sophistries of men. Such a testimony of the Prophet Joseph has therefore a peculiar significance to those who honestly and without bias study the life of Joseph Smith.
March 1st of that year, Elder Woodruff's natal day, he observed by making a feast for his friends. Sundry duties occupied his time. He was chaplain of the Nauvoo Legion; he took part in the organization of the Masonic Lodge of Nauvoo; and was present when it was addressed by the Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge of Illinois. He, with the Prophet and others, was a member of the Masonic fraternity. The fraternity sought for in that organization was superseded by a more perfect fraternity found in the vows and covenants which the endowment in the House of God afforded members of the Church. Besides, the Saints learned that they must surrender worldly affiliations, since the world was opposed to the mission of Joseph Smith and his followers. Those who seek their highest guidance in precedence quote the circumstance as an argument for the return to the condition of those times. The Church, however, rests upon the rock of revelation and must follow divine guidance rather than precedence.
Passing on in the journal of Wilford Woodruff we find recorded the synopsis of a discourse by the Prophet Joseph on death,the resurrection, and baptism. "We have," says the Prophet, "the warning voice again sounded in our midst, a voice which heralds the uncertainty of human life. In my leisure moments I have meditated and asked the question: Why is it that innocent children are taken away from us, especially those who seem to be the most intelligent? This world is a very wicked world, and it is a proverb that it grows weaker and wiser. If so it becomes more corrupt. In the early ages of the world the righteous man, the man of God and of intelligence had a better opportunity to do good, to be received and believed than at the present day. In these days such a man is opposed and persecuted by most of the inhabitants of the earth and has to pass through much sorrow, hence the Lord takes away many in infancy that they may escape the envy of man and escape the sorrows and evils of the world. They are too pure and too lovely to live on the earth; therefore, if rightly considered, we have reason to rejoice instead of mourning, as their death is their deliverance from evil and we shall soon have them again.
"What chance is there for infidelity when we are parting daily with our friends? There is none at all. The infidel will grasp at every straw for help until death stares him in the face and then his infidelity takes flight; for the realities of the eternal world are resting in mighty power upon him. When every earthly support fails him, he sensibly feels the eternal truths of the immortality of the soul.
"Respecting the doctrine of baptism, or sprinkling of children, in order that they may not be consigned to hell I wish to say, it is not true, nor is it supported by Holy Writ. It is not consistent with the character of God. The moment children leave this world they are taken into Abraham's bosom. The only difference between the old and young in death is that one lives longer in heaven and in eternal light and glory than the other and was freed a little earlier from this wicked world. Notwithstanding all this glory we for a moment lose sight of it and mourn our loss, but we mourn not as those without hope.
"We should take warning and not wait for deathbed repentance. Let it be a warning not to procrastinate repentance, not wait for death. It is the will of God that men should repent and serve him in health and strength and in the power of their mindsin order to secure divine blessings. God has made certain decrees which are fixed and unalterable. He set the sun, the moon, and the stars and gave them their laws, conditions, and bounds which they cannot pass except by His command. They all move in perfect harmony in their spheres and are as wondrous lights and signs to us. The sea also has its bounds which it cannot pass without His command. God has set many signs in the earth as well as in the heavens. The oaks of the forest, the herbs of the field, the fruit of the tree all bear signs that seeds have been planted. It is a decree of the Lord that every tree or herb bearing seed shall bring forth after its own kind. Upon the same principle I contend that baptism is a sign and ordinance of God for every believer in Christ in order that he may enter into the Kingdom of God. The Savior said: 'Except a man be born of the water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.' It is a sign and a commandment that God hath given whereby man may enter into His Kingdom. Those who seek to enter in any other way will seek in vain. God will never receive them nor will angels acknowledge their works if they have not taken upon themselves those ordinances and signs which God ordained in order that man might receive the celestial glory. God has decreed that all who will not obey His voice shall not escape the damnation of hell. And what is the damnation of hell? It is to be numbered with the society of those who have not obeyed His commandments. Baptism is a sign to God and to the angels and to heaven that we do the will of the Father; and there is no other way ordained of God for man to come unto Him. The laying on of hands is a sign given for the healing of the sick and we do not obtain the blessing by pursuing any other course. The same is true in reference to the gift of the Holy Ghost. There is a difference between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized, but he could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he had been baptized. Had he not received the ordinance of baptism, the Holy Ghost, which convinced him of the truth of God, would have left him until he had obtained the ordinances of baptism and received the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands.
"It mattereth not whether we live long or short after we cometo a knowledge of the principles of the gospel and obey them. I know that all men will be damned if they come not in the way which God has ordained. Concerning the resurrection I will say merely that we will come from the grave as we lie down, whether we die old or young. Not one cubit will be added to or taken away from our stature. 'Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, for they rest from their labors and their works do follow them.'"
"The Prophet," says Elder Woodruff, "then called upon the people to assemble themselves in prayer before God and call upon Him in mighty faith, prayer, and fasting that the inhabitants of the city might escape the power of the destroyer which rageth upon the face of the earth, and that the earth might be sanctified under their feet." Here the Prophet clearly sets forth the principle that the blessings of our spiritual lives, the blessings of the world hereafter are the result of obedience to spiritual laws, or divine command, just as the consequences in the material world are based upon God's laws and so-called laws of nature. "All," says the Doctrine and Covenants, "who will have a blessing at my hands shall abide the law which was appointed for that blessing and the conditions thereof as they were instituted from before the foundation of the world."
After this discourse, we are told that the Prophet went into the river and baptized about eighty persons for the remission of their sins. Among them was L. D. Wasson, a nephew of the Prophet's wife. He was the only one of her kindred thus far who had accepted the faith.
"At the close of this interesting scene the Prophet lifted up his hands to heaven and implored the blessings of God upon the people, and verily the spirit of God rested upon the multitude to the joy and consolation of our hearts." At various times, at intervals between the meetings, large numbers received at the hands of the Twelve in the Temple font the ordinance of baptism for the dead.
During these times the emigration from England brought to Nauvoo a great many people. Lyman Wight had just returned from the East with one hundred and seventy Saints, and brought with him three thousand dollars worth of property for the benefitof the Temple and the Nauvoo House. The annual conference of that year was full of interest to the people, though the season was a rainy one. On the second day of the conference when Elder John Taylor was addressing the assembled multitude, other elders were baptizing in the font and elsewhere. Elder Woodruff and six others of the Twelve were ordaining elders. "We ordained 275 elders, the most that we ever ordained in one day before in the Church."
The day following conference was the funeral of Ephraim Marks. In the course of his remarks at the funeral, Elder Woodruff quotes the Prophet as saying: "Some have supposed that the Prophet Joseph could not die. This is a mistake. It is true there have been times when I have had the promise of my life to accomplish certain ends. These ends have been accomplished, and at present I have no lease upon my life. I am as liable to die as other men."
Shortly after this we have the following quotation from a discourse delivered by the Prophet who addressed the people at the grove after William Law had spoken to them. "I wish to say a few words to suit the condition of the general masses, and I shall speak with the authority of the priesthood in the name of the Lord. Notwithstanding this congregation profess to be Saints, I stand in the midst of all kinds of characters and all classes of men. If you wish to go where God is, you must be like Him or possess the principle which He possesses. If we are not drawing toward God in principle, we are going from Him and drawing toward the devil. Search your hearts and see if you are like God. I have searched mine and I feel to repent of all my sins. We have among us thieves, adulterers, liars, and hypocrites. If God should speak from the heaven, He would command you not to steal, not to commit adultery, not to covet, not to deceive, but to be faithful over a few things. As far as we degenerate from God, we descend to the devil and lose our knowledge, and without knowledge we cannot be saved. While our hearts are filled with evil there is no room in them for good. Is God good? Then be ye good. If He is faithful, then be ye faithful. Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and seek for every good thing. The Church must be cleansed and I proclaim against all iniquity. A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge, for if he does not getknowledge he will be brought into captivity by some evil power. In the other world evil spirits have more knowledge and consequently more power than many men on earth have. We, therefore, need revelation to assist us and give us knowledge of the things of God. The priests of the world cloak their iniquity by saying there is no more revelation. When revelation comes from God they are universally opposed to it, if it reveals their wickedness and abominations."
Turning from the work of teaching and instructing the Saints, we find the Prophet and the people taking part in a grand military parade. On the seventh of May the Nauvoo Legion of nearly two thousand men in uniform marched through the streets of Nauvoo to the inspiring strains of music by the militia band and under the leadership of Joseph Smith. The Prophet and the people were fulfilling their obligations to the state by the maintenance and discipline of a militia that did so much to become an honor to the people of Illinois. What they did, they did well, but even this citizens' duty of maintaining a splendid milita was used for the purpose of creating prejudice in the eyes of the people throughout the country. The enemies at home never lost any opportunity to inflame the public mind, and to justify themselves therefore by the consummation of a conspiracy to encompass the life of the Prophet. One day some of the elders found themselves in martial array, the next day in the font baptizing for their kindred dead. All things the faithful sought to do for the honor and glory of God and for the salvation of their souls.
On the 22nd of May that year, Elder Woodruff baptized George A. Smith for the restoration of the latter's health. In those days in performing the ordinances for the dead, men were baptized for women, and women for men. Later on, however, the Prophet was shown that in the sacred ordinances of baptism men and women should be baptized for their ancestors, each for his own sex. It seems very remarkable that in view of these temple ordinances men should seek to attribute the origin of these ordinances to Brigham Young. Elder Woodruff, in his journal, records the temple work, unconscious that its practice would ever be questioned in generations to come.
On the 18th of June a large congregation of Saints assembled in the grove near the Temple. "To these thousands there assembled,"Elder Woodruff says, "Joseph, the prophet, arose and spoke in great plainness upon the corruption and wickedness of John C. Bennett. He also prophesied that if the merchants of the city and the rich did not open their hearts and contribute to the poor they would be cursed by the hand of God and cut off from the land of the living." The words of the Prophet were fulfilled. There had been organized an agricultural and manufacturing society in view of giving aid to the poor.
On the 24th of June that year there was a meeting of the Nauvoo Masonic Lodge for the celebration of St. John. A number of the leading men of the Church took part, and Sidney Rigdon delivered an appropriate address. All efforts to stand upon a common ground with the citizens generally of Nauvoo were, however, unavailing. John C. Bennett, who had been cut off the Church, became vindictive and took advantage of the political conditions to create an agitation abroad against the Saints.
About this time most of the Twelve were sent forth again into the world to preach the gospel. As Apostles Taylor and Woodruff were publishing the "Times and Seasons" they remained at home. In his work as the business manager of that publication he labored with his usual zeal. He speaks of a voyage he took down the Mississippi by steamer to purchase material in St. Louis. He was sick on the way and after reaching the city had only twenty-four hours in which to make his purchases, load his material on board, and begin his homeward journey. To accomplish this he says, "I walked till ten o'clock at night, and I went to bed weary and sick and in severe pain and did not sleep till two in the morning. I was awakened shortly after that hour with the bleeding of the nose, through which I must have lost a pint of blood. Notwithstanding my weakness from fatigue and loss of blood, I began work before breakfast the following morning. In the afternoon my supplies were all on board the boat. I ate dinner and went to bed tired and sick. The boat left at six in the evening and arrived in due time at Keokuk."
From there he went to Montrose by stage and crossed the river to Nauvoo, where he found the printing press stopped for want of paper. Notwithstanding his impoverished physical condition, Elder Woodruff took a skiff and rowed down the river to the steamboat which had been delayed for five days, unable to goover the rapids. He obtained there sufficient paper for immediate use.
Returning over the rapids he reached home about midnight, still in a feverish condition and suffering from a severe cold. "Since the boat had landed our freight and I had seen it distributed to the several departments, I went home where I was confined to my bed and passed through the severest siege of sickness I ever had in my life." He was confined to his room and most of the time to his bed for forty days. Upon his partial recovery he found himself again actively engaged in his work. During his recovery he was once taken by Brigham Young in his carriage to attend a meeting of the Council of the Twelve. He had been in the house only a few minutes when his strength began to fail him. He lay down upon a bench and became unconscious. His breath ceased for a few moments, but he revived through the administration of his brethren. Remarkable testimonies came to him respecting the healing power which was then in the Church. Apostle Woodruff suffered much less from sickness than he did from his inability to meet the Prophet and to listen to the glorious truths which he had to impart to the brethren.
The Prophet was then much of his time in hiding, owing to the accusation that he was accessory to the shooting of Governor Boggs and therefore wanted in Missouri.
Those were trying times; many of the people questioned their leader and the wisdom of his policy. They argued among themselves that the Prophet Joseph had done nothing wrong, he had nothing to fear. They wanted him to clear himself with the world and with his enemies; that was the honorable thing, as they saw it, to do. Nothing less would satisfy them. But the Prophet knew very well the sentiment behind those who demanded his presence in Missouri. The fear of the enemy was less trying to him than the folly of many of his brethren who were swayed by the spirit of the age and the peculiar sophistries of those times. They were sophistries as full of folly and recklessness as many that have prevailed in the Church since then, and are now prevalent in many places.
On the 30th of October, 1842, for the first time, the Saints held a meeting in the Nauvoo Temple. A temporary floor was laid within the unfinished walls; and about three thousand Saints,full of joyful anticipations, assembled to hear the Prophet of God. They were disappointed, as sickness and other causes prevented his appearance on that occasion.
Those who were faithful and true were sad over the enforced absence of their leader. Steps were taken by the city council with the view of passing a bill granting the right of the writ of habeas corpus within the city. They thought such a law would be a protection to Joseph and other leading men who were constantly harrassed by their enemies without a cause. The writ of habeas corpus was a burning question in those days, as the liberties of the elders were constantly menaced.
On the 7th of December that year, Elder Orson Hyde returned from his mission to Jerusalem, where he had gone by appointment through revelation to dedicate the Holy Land for the return of the Jews. After performing the mission he returned home to give an account of his experiences and of the country. The Holy Land came within the hopes, promises, and blessings of the new dispensation. The promise of its redemption had been made. Many of the elders rejoiced in what they hoped would be its early fulfillment. As children in their new found calling, they possessed the impatience of youth, and the fulfillment of God's purposes they hoped speedily.
Most of the year 1842 found Elder Woodruff at home, with his family. He was engaged in all sorts of occupations, and his journal records a great variety of work. On the 19th of September he had cut an acre of corn and stacked it. During the days immediately following he was occupied in hauling wood to his door. He had traveled only 450 miles that year, a modest journey for him. During those times he had learned to know more of the Prophet, more of the doctrines which he taught, and more of the spirit by which he was actuated. Joseph Smith, himself, was a revelation to President Woodruff; he was a marvel and wonder to his mind. He was no less than a prophet of God, equally important with the prophets of old; aye! more so. The privilege of associating with the Prophet of God was the most glorious opportunity of his life, and his journal contains unnumbered manifestations of sublime satisfaction over the dispensations of his Heavenly Father.
TEACHINGS OF THE PROPHET JOSEPH, 1843.
Change in Governors of Missouri and Illinois.—Prophet's Release.—Discourse on Authority.—Signs in the Heavens.—New Arrivals of Saints.—Death of Lorenzo Barnes.—Discourse on Knowledge.—Great Truths.—Prophet's Knowledge of Men.—Wilford Woodruff's Bond for Temple Funds.—Opposition to Revealed Truth.—Hell Defined.—Prophet Arrested.—His Release.
Elder Woodruff celebrated New Year's day, 1843, by a sleigh ride over in Iowa. There he had gone fifteen miles to perform a marriage ceremony in behalf of Abraham Newbury and Miss Eliza Duty.
The New Year brought relief to the Prophet and to the Church in consequence of a political change in the governorship of both Missouri and Illinois. While Governors Carlin and Reynolds held the office of governors of these states, justice was beyond all hope. They were bitter and would yield themselves gladly to the demands of those who were persecuting and hounding the Prophet.
The 17th day of January was appointed by general proclamation a day of humiliation, fasting, prayer, and thanksgiving. The deliverance of the Prophet from the hands of his enemies and his return to the Saints in Nauvoo were sources of unbounded joy to them. Elder Woodruff met, with others, at the Prophet's home and took part there in friendly and brotherly greetings with those who welcomed the liberty and return of their leader.
The day following, the Twelve were among those who met at Joseph's home where he and his wife entertained about seventy people. Among them were twenty men who had attended him at his trial in Springfield and returned with him to Nauvoo. There was an apparently universal joy over the outcome of his trial. The people in those days, however, like Israel of old associated certain worldly successes with their ideas of right, and misfortunes with their ideas of wrong. "Who hath sinned," Jesus was asked upon healing a man of His times, "he or his parents?" Those sacrifices, tribulations, trials, and persecutions accompany those who are valiant for their God and maintain His commandments.Men are prone, nevertheless, to attribute worldly misfortunes to wrong doing even though men suffer in the performance of some God-given requirement.
While Joseph was driven from his home and affairs into seclusion, and persecuted and afflicted by his enemies, there were those who were ready to listen to the sophistries and cunning arguments of the hypocrite and the Pharisee in their midst. In his absence and in his seclusion the powerfulness of his personalty was not so strongly felt, and the evil inclinations of men found opportunities for gratification and justification. Now that he had returned to their midst, free to preach, and free to rebuke, there was rejoicing among even those who have no higher conception of divine purposes than to associate worldly success with God's favors and misfortune with His displeasure.
On the 22nd of January, 1843, at the Nauvoo Temple the Prophet delivered a discourse to the multitude present. Elder Woodruff, ever faithful to his mission as a journalist of early Church history, gives a synopsis of the discourse from which the following is taken: "In consequence of rejecting the gospel of Jesus Christ and the prophets whom God hath sent, His judgments have rested upon peoples, states, and nations in various ages of the world. This was the case with the cities of Sodom and Gomorah which were destroyed for rejecting prophets.
"I will now give my testimony. I care not what man can do. I speak boldly and faithfully and with authority. Where there is no Kingdom of God there is no salvation. Where there is a prophet, or a priest, or a righteous man unto whom the Lord gives His oracles, there is the Kingdom. Where the oracles are not, the Kingdom of God is not. In these remarks I make no allusion to the kingdoms of the earth. We will keep the laws of the land; we do not speak against them, nor have we ever done so. We can scarcely make mention of the State of Missouri and our persecutions there without a cry going forth that we are guilty of treason. We speak of the Kingdom of God on the earth and not of the kingdoms of man.
"The plea of many is that we have no right to receive revelations, but if we do not receive revelations we do not have the oracles of God, and they who do not have His oracles are not His people. You ask. 'What will becomeof the world and the various professors of religion who do not believe in revelation and in the oracles of God as contained in His Church in the ages of the world when he had a people upon the earth?' I tell you in the name of Jesus Christ, they will be damned, and when you get into the eternal world you will find it so. They cannot escape the damnation of hell.
"As touching the gospel and baptism of John, I would say that John came preaching the gospel for the remission of sins. He had authority from God, and his oracles were with him, and the Kingdom for a season seemed to rest with John alone. He was a legal administrator. Those who were baptized were subjects for the Kingdom. The laws and oracles of God were there; so also was the Kingdom of God. No man could have better authority to administer than John, and even the Savior Himself submitted to that authority by being baptized of John. John was a priest after the order of Aaron and held the keys of that priesthood. He came forth preaching repentance and baptism for the remission of sins, but at the same time crying: 'There cometh one after me mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose.' Christ came, according to the word of John. He was greater than John because he held the keys of the Melchizedek priesthood and the Kingdom of God, and had before revealed the priesthood to Moses. Jesus says in his teachings: 'Upon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.' What rock? The rock of revelation. Yet Christ was baptized by John to fulfill all righteousness. He says, 'Except ye are born of the water and of the spirit ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; though the heavens and the earth pass away my word shall not pass away.' If a man be born of the water and the spirit he can enter into the Kingdom of God. It is evident that the Kingdom of God was upon the earth and that John prepared subjects for that Kingdom by preaching the gospel and by baptizing them. He preached the same gospel and baptism that Jesus and the apostles preached after him.
"The endowment of Pentecost was to prepare the disciples for their mission in the world. Whenever a man can find out the will of God and find an administrator legally authorized from Him, there is the Kingdom of God; but where these are not,there the Kingdom of God is not. All the ordinances, systems, and administrations on the earth are of no use to the children of men unless they are ordained and authorized of God. None others will be acknowledged either by God or by angels.
"I know what I say, I understand my mission, God almighty is my shield and what can man do if He is my friend.I shall not be sacrificed until my time comes, then I shall be offered freely.I thank the Lord for delivering me from my enemies. I have no enmity, I have no desire but to do all men good. I feel to pray for all men. We do not ask people to throw away any good which they have, we only ask them to come and receive more. What if all the world should embrace this gospel? We should then see eye to eye and the blessings of God would be poured out upon the people, which is my whole soul's desire. Amen."
We are not informed whether there were present men and women ready to criticize this address as a want of discretion in the Prophet for the use of such language. No doubt there were. He had just gotten out of trouble and they, no doubt, argued, why should he use language that would bring upon him more trouble. The Prophet was not thinking of trouble; he was not occupied in selecting the most discreet words. He had a mission that put upon him obligations; come what may, these obligations must be fulfilled. He was not concerned so much about his personal welfare and safety as he was about the welfare and salvation of mankind.
Not long after this, on the 10th of March, Elder Woodruff gives an account of peculiar signs which he witnessed in the heavens. The occurrence took place about seven o'clock in the evening and lasted for about three hours. There was a stream of light in the form of a drawn broadsword with the hilt downward and the blade pointing upward from the southeast at an angle of 45 degrees. This sign appeared for five successive evenings. On the evening of the 14th it moved to a position near the moon. It then formed itself into a large ring on the inside of which appeared balls of light, something like sundogs. Another half ring issued from these balls in the shape of a horseshoe. They extended outside of the ring with one line running through the center of the moon. Of this manifestation he quotes the Prophet as saying: "As sure as there is a God who sits in theheavens, and as sure as He ever spoke by my mouth, there will be a bloody war; and the broadsword sign in the heavens is a sign thereof."
Several days later other remarkable signs were seen in the heavens. Orson Pratt, professor of mathematics in the University of Nauvoo, sketched a diagram of the halos and perihelion, or circles; and mock suns were discovered in the heavens on the morning of March 23rd, 1843; there were still other signs. As in the case of the sword there was seen on the opposite side of the horizon a streak of blackness, the other appeared like the blaze of a comet.
During these times the river banks along Nauvoo presented busy scenes. The city was full of activity and was constantly enlarging by reason of the emigration from abroad. On the 12th and 13th of March steamboats landed at Nauvoo bringing 480 Saints, 250 of these wintered in St. Louis. Parley P. Pratt and Dr. Levi Richards were among the returning elders. Many of the Saints were old acquaintances of President Woodruff who hailed them with delight and they in turn were happy to meet again the man who had first brought the gospel to them. They were made welcome by the authorities and the Saints in Nauvoo. The day after their arrival, they were addressed in public assembly by the Prophet.
About this time word came that Elder Lorenzo Barnes, then a missionary of the Church, had died in a foreign land. Speaking of the death of Elder Barnes, the prophet, in a discourse delivered on the 16th of April in reference to Elder Barnes, said: "I should have been more reconciled to the death of Elder Barnes could his body have been laid in the grave in Nauvoo or among the Saints. I have very peculiar feelings in the matter of receiving an honorable burial with my fathers. The ancient Saints were very particular about their burial places. Joseph, before his death, made his kindred promise to carry his bones to the land of Canaan, and they did so. They embalmed his body and buried him with his fathers. There is a blessing in such a privilege which many do not comprehend; still it is true that in the resurrection the Saints will all rise to meet the Lord and they will all be brought together though their bodies be scattered on the face of the whole earth.
"I wish the Saints to be comforted by the thought of the victory they will gain through the resurrection. The thought is sufficient to encourage the Saints to overcome obstacles in the midst of their trial, trouble, and tribulation. Though the thunders roar and the earthquakes roar or bellow; though lightnings flash and war be on every hand, suffer not a joint to tremble nor let your hearts faint for the great Eloheim will deliver you. If you are not delivered before the resurrection, you will be set free by it from all those things and from pain, sorrow, and death.
"I have labored hard and endeavored in every way to prepare this people to comprehend the things which God is unfolding to me. He hath given me a vision of the resurrection of the dead and I saw the graves open, and the Saints, as they rose, took each other by the hand and great joy and glory rested upon them."
On the 19th of that month Elder Woodruff with Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, Orson Pratt, and William Smith were appointed to missions in the East for the purpose of holding conferences and gathering funds for the completion of the Temple. Others were appointed to missions in England, and Addison Pratt, with three others, was called to carry the gospel to the Sandwich Islands.
May 14th a meeting was held in Lima where the Prophet addressed those present, among whom was Elder Woodruff. He records in his journal the following from the discourse of the Prophet: "It is not wisdom that we should have all knowledge presented to us at once, but a little at a time that we may comprehend it. The principle of knowledge is the principle of salvation. Any one who will not receive knowledge to be saved will be damned. The principle of salvation is given to us through the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Salvation is nothing more nor less than the triumph over all our enemies in this world and over all evil spirits in the world to come. In the case of Jesus Christ He was to reign until He had put all enemies under His feet, and the last enemy was death.
"There is a principle here that few men have thought of. No person can have this salvation except through a tabernacle. In this world men are naturally selfish and ambitious. They strive to excel, yet some are willing to build up others as well asthemselves. In the other world there is a variety of spirits, some of whom also seek to excel. This was the case with the devil when he fell. He was seeking things which were unlawful, he was, therefore, cast down and it is said that he carried away many with him. His punishment is great in that he is not permitted to have a tabernacle. Lucifer, planning to overthrow the decree of God, goeth up and down the earth seeking whom he may destroy. Any person who will yield to him, he will bind and take into possession his body and reign therein and glorify himself, forgetting that he has not a body of his own. By and by some one comes along having divine authority and casts him out and restores the tabernacle to its rightful owner."
Speaking upon the 19th verse, first chapter of Second Peter which reads: "We have also a more sure word of prophecy: whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto the light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn of the day star arises in your hearts." The Prophet said: "There is a grand secret here and a key that unlocks. Notwithstanding the apostle exhorts them to add to their faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, and so forth, he still exhorts them to make their calling and election sure. Though they had heard the audible voice from heaven bearing testimony that Jesus was the Son of God, yet they have a more sure prophecy. Wherein could they have a more sure word of prophecy than to hear the voice of God saying, 'This is my beloved Son?' This would be no evidence that their calling and election were made sure, that they do have a part with Christ and be a joint heir with Him. They would need that more sure word of prophecy that they were sealed in the heavens, and had the promise of eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Having this promise sealed unto them it was an anchor to their souls, sure and steadfast. This knowledge would support the soul in their hour of trial and tribulation.
"Knowledge through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the grand key which unlocks the glorious mysteries of the Kingdom. Compare this principle of knowledge with Christendom at the present time, and what becomes of their religion and piety. Christendom is crying out against prophets and apostles, angels, visions, and revelations; it is ripening for the damnation of hell, for it rejects the most glorious principle of the gospelof Jesus Christ; it rejects and disdains the key which unlocks the Heavens and puts into our possession the glories of the celestial world. The men of Christendom with all their professed Godliness will be damned unless they repent and turn unto the Lord. I would exhort you, then, to call upon God until you make your calling and election sure by obtaining this more sure word of prophecy and wait patiently until you obtain it."
These words contained no element of compromise. The language of the Prophet could not be mistaken. He was much less concerned about his personal liberty than about delivering the message which he had to give to the world.
Whatever the Prophet said was always of deep significance to the mind of Elder Woodruff, and he recorded the private sayings of his leader with the same fidelity that he recorded his public discourses. After the meeting where the discourse above mentioned was delivered, he took supper with the Prophet and others at the home of Calvin Beebe. In this social pastime the Prophet gave utterance to sentiments and ideas which he entertained. The following quotations from the Prophet find a place in Elder Woodruff's journal:
"The way to get along in any important matter is to call to yourself wise men, men of experience and age to give counsel in times of trouble."
"Handsome men are not usually wise and strong-minded. The strength of a strong-minded man will create coarse features like the rough, strong bough of the oak."
"You may always discover in the first glance at a man, in the outline of his features, something of his mind."
"Excitement has almost become the essence of my life, when it dies away I feel almost lost. When a man is reigned up continually he becomes strong and gains knowledge and power; but when he relaxes for a season he loses much of his power."
"In all matters, whether temporal or spiritual, preaching the gospel or leading an army to battle, victory almost entirely depends upon moderation and good discipline. Let no confusion seize your breast, act firmly, strike a heavy blow, and conquer."
"A man can bear a heavy burden by practice and by continuing to increase it."
"The inhabitants of this continent were so constituted, thatis, were so determined and persevering in their righteousness or wickedness, that God visited them immediately, either with great judgment or blessings."
"If the present generation receive any assistance from God, they will have to obtain it by faith."
In the midst of his missionary activities, Apostle Woodruff began the construction of a new home. During all the years of his labor in the Church he had been without a home of his own. His unselfish devotion to the work of the Church and the circumstances with which he was surrounded led his brethren to encourage him in the erection of a house for his family. He took up the work with the same heart-felt enthusiasm that he gave to every undertaking. The home, when finished, was, for those days, modest and respectable. It stands to-day in Nauvoo with the homes of other leading brethren of those times in a fairly good state of preservation.
"On the 27th of May," he says, "the Twelve and the First Presidency met to try Benjamin Winchester for slandering the Saints in Philadelphia and for rejecting the counsel of the Lord given through His servants. His license to preach was taken away and he was required to repent or lose his standing in the Church." Speaking of this circumstance the subject of this biography says, "Hyrum pled for mercy; Joseph, for right; and the Twelve decided according to the testimony." During the trial, the Prophet gave the following instructions: "In all your counsels, especially where you have cases to try, observe the spirit relating to the subject, and discern the spirit by which either party is governed. The council should not be imposed upon by any unruly conduct."
"The Saints need not think because I am familiar and cheerful with them that I am ignorant of what is going on. Iniquity of any kind cannot be retained in the Church and it will not fare well where I am; for I am determined that while I lead the Church to lead it aright."
Before taking their departure on their missions to gather funds for the erection of the Temple, they each gave a bond in the sum of two thousand dollars for the faithful performance of their duties in making a strict return to the trustee-in-trust of all funds collected by them. There had been much false accusationand comment about the use of funds contributed for the erection of the Temple. These funds not only placed the Twelve under financial obligations, but did what was of perhaps more consequence, gave assurance to those who made contributions that their money would be strictly accounted for. The bond given by Elder Woodruff was signed by Aaron Johnson as bondsman.
"To all the Saints and honorable men of the earth greeting:
"Dear Brethren and Friends,—
"I, Joseph Smith, a servant of the Lord and Trustee-in-Trust for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, do hereby certify that the bearer hereof, Wilford Woodruff, an elder and one of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has deposited with me his bond and security to my full satisfaction according to the resolution of the conference held in this city on the 6th day of April, 1843.
"He, therefore, is recommended to all Saints and honorable people as legal agent to collect funds for the purpose of building the Nauvoo House and Temple of the Lord.
"Confident that he will honor this high trust as well as ardently fulfill his commission as a messenger of peace and salvation as one of the Lord's noble men, I can fervently say, may the Lord clear his way before him and bless him and bless those that obey his teachings wherever there are ears to hear and hearts to feel.
"He is, in the language of the Hebrews, 'The friend of Israel,' and worthy to be received and entertained as a man of God. Yea he has (as had the ancient apostles) the good word that leadeth unto Eternal Life.
"Wherefore, brethren and friends, while you hear the assurance of the integrity, fidelity, and ability of this servant of the living God I trust that your hearts and energies will be enlivened and deeply engaged in the building of these houses directed by revelation for the salvation of all Saints and that you will not rest where you are until all things are prepared before you and you are gathered home with the rest of Israel to meet your God. I feel strong in the belief and have a growing expectation that you will not withhold any means in your power that can be used to accomplish this glorious work.
"Finally, as one that greatly desires the salvation of man, let me remind you all to strive with a Godly zeal for virtue, holiness, and the commandments of the Lord. Be wise, be just, be liberal, and above all be charitable, ever abounding in all good works, and may health, peace, and the love of God our Father and the grace of Jesus Christ be and abide with you all is the sincere prayer of
"Your devoted Brother and Friend in the Everlasting Gospel,
"JOSEPH SMITH.
"City of Nauvoo
"June 1st, 1843."
On the 11th of June there was a meeting of the Saints in the Temple wherein the Prophet addressed those present upon various subjects such as baptism for the dead, spirits in prison, different degrees of glory, and the Godhead. The Temple ordinances were occupying the Prophet's mind and he was urging strenuously the completion of the Temple. To its sacred ordinances he attached the highest importance, and, indeed, he declared them necessary to a fulness of the glory of God. He began by reading the words of Jesus: "O! Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how oft would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not." "The main purpose in gathering the people of God was to build unto the Lord a house wherein He could reveal to them the ordinances and glories of His Kingdom. There are certain ordinances and principles which were taught and practiced which must be done in a temple of the Lord built for that purpose. This was ordained in the mind of God before the world was and through this purpose the Lord designed the gathering of the Jews, but they rebelled against Him. For the same reason the Lord gathers His Saints in the last days. One of the ordinances of the House of the Lord is baptism for the dead. God decreed before the foundation of the world that this ordinance should be administered in a house prepared for that purpose. If a man obtains the fullness of the gospel, he must do as Jesus did by keeping all the ordinances of the House of the Lord.
"Men will say, 'I will never forsake you but will stand by you at all times,' yet the moment you teach them some of themysteries retained in the heavens to be revealed in the last days they are ready to stone you and put you to death. It was the same spirit which crucified our Savior. The doctrine of baptism for the dead is clearly shown in the New Testament, and if the doctrine is not good then throw away the book; but if it is the Word of the Lord, let the doctrine be acknowledged as coming from Him.
"In regard to the spirits in prison much has been said, especially regarding the words of the Savior to the thief on the cross: 'To-day thou shalt be with Me in paradise.' The translators and commentators make Jesus say, 'paradise.' This is a modern word and does not answer at all to the original which Jesus used. There is nothing in the original of any language signifying 'paradise.' It should be, 'To-day thou shalt be with Me in the spirit world.' He did not say 'paradise or heaven.'
"Much has been said about the word 'hell.' But what is hell? It is another modern term. It is taken from Hades, the Greek, or Sheol, the Hebrew, and its true meaning is 'world of spirits.' The words 'Hades,' 'Sheol,' 'paradise,' and 'spirits in prison,' are used in the Scripture as one word. The righteous and the wicked all go to the same world of spirits. 'I believe,' says one, 'in one heaven and one hell. All are equally happy or equally miserable.' Yet Paul speaks of three glories: 'celestial, terrestial, telestial;' and the Savior says that in His Father's house there are 'many mansions.' Paul says he knew a man caught up to the 'third heaven.'
"The world believes that the Godhead physically is all embodied in the Lord Jesus Christ, but this is not true. Peter and Stephen say that Jesus sat on the right hand of God, and any person who has seen the heavens opened knows that there are three personages in the heavens holding the keys of power. As the Father hath power in Himself so also hath the Son power in Himself. Then the Father has at some time laid down His body and taken it again: so He has a body of His own, so also has the Son.
"The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, and if a man claimed to have that testimony and yet denied the spirit and principle of revelation and prophets, he is damned by his own mouth. 'A man may be happy in the belief that Jesus Christ is God, and yet not obey His commandments. A man of God shouldbe endowed with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in order to teach and lead the people. The blind may lead the blind and both fall in the ditch together.
"I will ask this assembly and all the Saints if they will build this house and receive the ordinances and blessings which the Lord has in store for them, or will they not, but let Him pass by and bestow His blessings upon another?"
Passing from the mysteries and glories of the Godhead, Elder Woodruff makes record of his work upon a plot of prairie land which he was bringing under cultivation. In all of his thoughts and labors, whether secular or spiritual, he sustained the same lofty inspiration. When he preached, he preached in the name of the Lord, when he plowed, he plowed for the glory of God's Kingdom. All that he said and all that he did was to him but a united whole in the dispensation of God's purposes. Life to him, in its highest and best sense, was the fulfillment of the Divine will. Wherever he was, whatever he was doing, he was thinking of his Maker with whom he worked, walked, and talked in this life. It was all glorious, it was all a part of God's decree. Work of the hands was with him a great privilege and he never let an opportunity pass by to exercise his body, and he rejoiced in the opportunity to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow. How could he think of work as a drudgery, how others could look upon it as such was incomprehensible to him. Being always ready to put his hand to the plow, he found many opportunities in the course of a long life to gratify his passion for work.
The joy and peace of toil on his prairie farm were not left long uninterrupted. The Saints were constantly disturbed by the never ceasing demands made by the Governor of Missouri for the body of the Prophet. The chief executive of that state made another call on the Governor of Illinois to deliver Joseph to the state of Missouri. The Prophet was twenty miles away from home when information reached him.
On Sunday, June 25th, Hyrum Smith came into a meeting and requested the Masonic Fraternity there to meet him in the lodge room within half an hour. It was an occasion of great excitement. When the members of the lodge convened, the people, who were full of anxiety, also gathered. Not a fourth of them could secure entrance to the house. They thereupon formed in ahollow square upon the green and Hyrum conveyed to them the information that Joseph had already been arrested with drawn pistols, by Wilson of Carthage and Reynolds of Missouri. Stephen Markham went courageously to the Prophet's assistance and threatened to knock their pistols down, but they pointed their pistols at the Prophet and threatened if he did so to kill the Prophet and he therefore desisted. They took Joseph to Carthage and then started for Missouri. "They had gone about ten miles," says Elder Woodruff, "when they were stopped by citizens in the country who swore they should not take Joseph Smith any farther without giving him a hearing before the law. Writ of habeas corpus was taken out in behalf of Joseph and against sheriffs Reynolds and Wilson. A company was then called for to go to the Prophet and to see that he had his rights. Hyrum called for volunteers and the whole city spoke together in response. A choice was then made of about a hundred mounted men under the command of Generals Law and Charles C. Rich. Besides the mounted men about one hundred went down the river by steam-boat,The Maid of Iowa.
"Five days later at one p. m., the citizens of Nauvoo went out in great numbers on horseback, on foot, and in carriages to meet the Prophet. The whole scene was a demonstration of great joy. He was escorted home by a band of music and by the great multitude that had gone out to meet him. Reynolds of Missouri, and Wilson of Carthage, who had taken him by force of arms, were brought to Nauvoo with him. They looked as though they had the ague. The Prophet, however, heaped upon their heads coals of fire by reason of the great kindness he showed them. They had treated him inhumanely, and in return they were taken to the Prophet's home, seated at the head of the table and treated to the best his home afforded. Joseph's wife, who had been denied by these men the privilege of seeing her husband after his arrest, treated them with the utmost kindness. After dinner they repaired to the court room where Joseph was delivered to the municipal court for trial. Before he went into the court he mounted a wagon and spoke to the assembled multitude. 'I am out of the hands of the Missourians, thank God!' He thanked the people for their kindness and love to him. He said he would address them at four p. m. in the grove near the Temple. At that hournearly seven thousand people assembled full of joyful anticipation in the thought of hearing the words that should fall from their Prophet's lips."
These were, indeed, exciting times; the depths of the human soul were reached by the constant recurrences of the joys and sorrows of those times. Anxiety, however, rested upon the Saints. They could feel the increasing spirit of opposition; its murderous intent was more fully revealed to them as time went on. Their joys were constantly broken by the sorrows that were ever increasing and the dangers that constantly threatened their peace of mind. They felt the approach of a coming storm that might do irreparable harm to their peace of mind as well as to their physical well being. The hearts of the more faithful men were saddened by both the growing demands and the increasing power of the enemy. The thought that the evil one was gaining power over them saddened their lives, and their only support and courage came from the assurance they had in the ultimate triumph of God's purposes. The lessons of their sadness and the admonition that comes to us through the gloom of those days have been our gain. Assurance of God's deliverance in the past has always been helpful to men and women in the support of their faith; what a tender and loving God in the consummation of His purposes had once done, He would do again. In all those trials there was greater buoyancy in the life of the Prophet whose death was sought by his enemies than in the lives of any other men of those times. He was their leader, the hope and assurance of his words inspired others with confidence in his leadership. He was their guiding star, and while his life lasted, its brilliancy eclipsed the lights of all those about him. They knew that he was not a fallen Prophet. There was no tremor in his voice; he never faltered by the way-side. He stood up in the midst of his high and holy calling and rebuked sin and sinners. It was a marvelous life, every detail of which grows in importance as time goes on, and the greatness of the Church affords the highest guarantee of the fulfillment of the glorious predictions he made concerning it—thanks to the pen of Wilford Woodruff. It gives us deeper and better insight not only into the spirit of those times but into the life of the man, who, as days go on, is becoming more and more a glorification of the age in which he lived.