JOURNEY OF THE PROPHET INTO MISSOURI-THE LAMANITE SKELETON-THE SHOWER OF METEORS-FINAL REMOVAL OF JOSEPH FROM KIRTLAND, OHIO -PERSECUTIONS IN MISSOURI-MASSACRE AT HAUN'S MILL-THE DANITE BAND-EXPULSION FROM MISSOURI.

THE public authorities of the State of Missouri, and, indeed, all the principal people, except those of Jackson county, were scandalized at these lawless proceedings, and sympathized with the efforts made by the Mormon leaders to obtain redress. The Attorney-General of the State wrote to say that if the Mormons desired to be re-established in their possessions, an adequate public force would be sent for their protection. He also advised that the Mormons should remain in the State, and organize themselves into a regular company of militia, in which case they should be supplied with public arms. The "Prophet," having by this time returned to Kirtland, wrote to his people in their distress, though he did not take the bold step of personally appearing among them. He reiterated that "Inde

pendence," or "Zion," was the place divinely appointed by God for the inheritance of the Saints; that, therefore, they should not sell any land to which they had a legal title within its boundaries, but hold on" until the Lord in his wisdom should open a way for their return.' "He also advised that they should, if possible, purchase a tract of land in Clay county, for present emergencies. He also had a revelation in which the Lord was represented as saying that these calamities were a punishment on the Saints for their “jarrings, contentions, and envying, and strifes, and lustful and covetous desires." Zion, however, was the appointed place, and thither, in due time, the Saints should return "with songs of everlasting joy." The revelation, which was of unusual length, and contained a long parable, commanded the Saints to "importune at the feet of the Judge; and if he did not heed, to importune at the feet of the Governor; and if the Governor did not heed, to importune at the feet of the President of the United States; and if the President did not heed, then the Lord God Himself would arise and come forth out of His hiding-place, and in His fury vex the nation."

The Saints, however, did not succeed in their object. They never returned to their "Zion," but remained for upwards of four years in Clay county. It was mostly uncleared land where they settled or squatted, but being a most industrious and persevering people, they laid out farms, erected mills and stores, and carried on their business successfully. They also laid the foundation of the towns of Far West and Adam-On-Diahman; but their fanaticism here, as well as in their former location, soon proved the cause of their expulsion from the whole State of Missouri. The slavery question, the calumny about their open adulteries and community of wives, their loud vaunts of their supreme holiness, their continually repeated declarations that Missouri was to be theirs by Divine command, and the quarrels that were the constant result, led to the same ill-feeling in Clay county, as had been exbibited elsewhere. But before the final consummation, when, as one of their hymns says—

"Missouri,

Like a whirlwind in its fury,

And without a judge or jury,

Drove the Saints and spilled their blood"

various interesting events in their history took place. On the 5th May, 1834, Joseph resolved to proceed to Clay county, and put the affairs of the scattered and dispirited church into order. Having organized a company of one hundred persons, mostly young men, and nearly all elders, priests, deacons, and teachers, he started at their head for Missouri.

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They travelled on foot; several waggons with their baggage and provisions, and relief to the destitute Saints in Clay county, following behind. They were well provided with "fire arms and all sorts of munition of war of the most portable kind for self-defence." They were joined in two days by fifty more Saints," similarly armed. Their baggage waggons now amounted to twenty. Joseph divided his band into companies of twelve, consisting of two cooks, two firemen, two tent makers, two watermen, one runner or scout, one commissary, and two waggoners. Every night, "at the sound of the trumpet, they bowed down before the Lord in their several tents; and at the sound of the morning trumpet, every man was again on his knees before the Lord." They passed through extensive wilds, and forded many streams and rivers; and though, as Joseph says, "their enemies were continually breathing threats of violence, the Saints did not fear, neither did they hesitate to prosecute their journey, for God was with them, and his angels were before them, and the faith of the little band was unwavering. "We knew," he added, "that angels were our companions, for we saw them.'

On their arrival in June at the Illinois river, the people were very anxious to know who and what they were. Many questions were asked, but the Mormons evaded them all, and gave no information as to their names, profession, business, or destination. Joseph himself travelled incognito, and though the settlers in Illinois vehemently suspected the band to be Mormons, they did not think it prudent to molest them. Having been safely ferried over the river, with all their baggage, they encamped two days afterwards amid some mounds, or ancient burial-places of the Indians. Here Joseph played the "prophet," and gave his followers an additional proof of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon, and of the history of the Lamanites, the descendants of the Jews, therein recorded. This was a master-stroke of policy. "The contemplation of the scenery," says Joseph, "produced peculiar sensations in our bosoms. The brethren procured a shovel and a hoe, and removing the earth of one of the mounds, to the depth of about a foot, discovered the skeleton of a man almost entire, and between his ribs was a Lamanitish arrow. The visions of the past being opened to my understanding, by the spirit of the Almighty, I discovered that the person whose skeleton was before us was a white Lamanite, a large thick-set man, and a man of God. He was a warrior and chieftain under the great prophet Omandagus, who was known from the hill Cumorah, or Easter Sea, to the Rocky Mountains, His name was Zelph. He was killed in battle by the arrow found among his ribs, during the last great struggle of the Lamanites and Nephites." On the next day, refreshed by this incident, and marvel

lously confirmed in the faith by the wisdom and knowledge of their Prophet, they moved onwards, and crossed the Mississippi river, into the limits of the State of Missouri.

The following extracts from the journal or diary of one of the elders who accompanied the Prophet, will show the influence he exercised, and the manner in which his singular journey was conducted :—

"This day, June 3rd, while we were refreshing ourselves and teams, about the middle of the day, Brother Joseph got up in a waggon and said that he would deliver a prophecy. After giving the brethren much good advice, exhorting them to faithfulness and humility, he said, the Lord had told him that there would be a scourge come upon the camp, in consequence of the fractious and unruly spirits that appeared among them, and they should die like sheep with the rot; still, if they would repent and humble themselves before the Lord, the scourge, in a great measure, might be turned away: but, as the Lord lived, the camp would suffer for giving way to their unruly temper,' which afterwards actually did take place, to the sorrow of the brethren.

"The same day, when we had got within one mile of the Snye, we came to a very beautiful little town called Atlas. Here we found honey for the first time on our journey, that we could buy; we purchased about two-thirds of a barrel. We went down to the Snye and crossed over that night in a ferry-boat. We encamped for the night on the bank of the Snye. There was a great excitement in the country through which we had passed, and also a-head of us; the mob threatened to stop us. Guns were fired in almost all directions through the night. Brother Joseph did not sleep much, if any, but was through the camp pretty much during the night.

"We pursued our journey on the 4th, and encamped on the bank of the Mississippi river. Here we were somewhat afflicted, and the enemy threatened much that we should not cross over the river out of Illinois into Missouri. It took us two days to cross the river, as we had but one ferry-boat, and the river was one mile and a half wide. While some were crossing, many others spent their time in hunting and fishing, &c. When we had all got over, we encamped about one mile back from the little town of Louisiana, in a beautiful oak grove, which is immediately on the bank of the river. At this place there was some feelings of hostility manifested by Sylvester Smith, in consequence of a dog growling at him while he was marching his company up to the camp, he being the last that came over the river. The next morning Brother Joseph said that he would descend to the spirit that was manifested by some of the brethren, to let them see the folly of their wickedness. He rose up, and commenced speaking by saying, 'If any man insults me, or abuses me, I will stand in my own

defence at the expense of my life; and if a dog growl at me, I will let him know that I am his master.' At this moment Sylvester Smith, who had just returned from where he had turned out his horses to feed, came up, and hearing Brother Joseph make these remarks, said, "If that dog bites me, I'll kill him.' Brother Joseph turned to Sylvester and said, 'If you kill that dog, I'll whip you, and then went on to show the brethren how wicked and unchristian-like such conduct appeared before the eyes of truth and justice.

"On Friday, the 6th, we resumed our journey. On Saturday, the 7th, at night we camped among our brethren at Salt River, in the Allred settlement, in a piece of woods by a beautiful spring of water, and prepared for the Sabbath. On the Sabbath we had preaching. Here we remained several days, washing our clothes, and preparing to pursue our journey. Here we were joined by Hyrum Smith and Lyman Wight, with another company. The camp now numbered two hundred and five men, all armed and equipped as the law directs. It was delightful to see the company, for they were all young men, with one or two exceptions, and in good spirits."

Another entry in the same diary will be interesting to those who wish to trace the slight incidents upon which strong fanaticism supports itself. The meteors of the 13th of November, which are annually looked for by the observers of the heavens, were to the Mormons then, as they are now, convincing proofs of the truth of Mormonism, and signs of the Latter Days :

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'November 13th.-About 4 o'clock A M. I was awakened by Brother Davis knocking at my door, and calling on me to arise and behold the signs in the heavens. I arose, and, to my great joy, beheld the stars fall from heaven like a shower of hail-stones; a literal fulfilment of the word of God, as recorded in the Holy Scriptures, as a sure sign that the coming of Christ is close at hand. In the midst of this shower of fire, I was led to exclaim: How marvellous are thy works, O Lord! I thank thee for thy mercy unto thy servant; save me in thy kingdom, for Christ's sake. Amen.

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The appearance of these signs varied in different sections of the country in Zion, all heaven seemed enwrapped in splendid fire works, as if every star in the broad expanse had been suddenly hurled from its course, and sent lawless through the wilds of ether; some at times appeared like bright shooting meteors with long trains of light following in their course, and in numbers resembled large drops of rain in sunshine. Some of the long trains of light following the meteoric stars were visible for some seconds; these streaks would curl and twist up like serpents writhing. The appearance was beautiful, grand, and sublime beyond description; as though all the artillery and