Bishop Edward Hunter. IV

BISHOP EDWARD HUNTER BY OSCAR F. HUNTER, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

IV. EARLY LIFE IN THE CHURCH. Soon after his baptism, Edward Hunter was visited by Elder Hyrum Smith, the Prophet's brother. He attended conference at Philadelphia, and subscribed liberally to the building of the Nauvoo House and the Temple. He says that he felt thankful and satis- fied and rejoiced very much in hearing the glad tidings of great joy; and felt also that he could not do too much to assist in building up the kingdom of God, for it was so different from anything that he had ever heard, and, at the same time, some- thing so precious that he felt it an answer to his earnest watching and praying. While he and Hyrum Smith were walking along the banks of the Brandywine, their conversation turned upon the subject of the dead. Brother Hunter inquired about his children whom he had lost, particularly a little boy, George Washington by name, to whom he was devotedly attached. "It is a pretty strong doctrine," said Elder Smith, "but I believe that I will tell it. Your son will act as an angel to you, not your guardian angel, but an auxiliary angel to assist you in extreme trial." The truth of this was manifested to him about a year and one-half later when his little boy appeared to him. He says in his record: I was very much depressed in spirit, way before me being the hedged. When I retired to rest, I prayed to the Lord for assistance that I might carry out the labor devolving upon me. As I was about going to my son, George W., appeared to me. His death, at the sleep,

age of three, he being my only son, was a great blow to me. In appear- ance, he was the same as in actual life, but more perfect, with the same blue eyes and light, curly hair, and fair complexion. While in vision, I was very anxious to have him come to us, and said to him, "If you will stay, I will direct you right, and carefully watch over you, and see that you do not depart from the path of truth; and chastise you if

BISHOP EDWARD HUNTER. 869

it is necessary." George smiled, and, with the same familiar voice, said to me, "George has many friends in heaven." He then departed from me. In September, 1841, Brother Hunter visited Nauvoo, and re- mained with Joseph and Hyrum much of the time, listening with great joy to the wise counsel, inspired by the Spirit of God, that fell from the lips of the Prophet and Patriarch. While there he purchased a farm and six town lots, and decided thereafter to make Nauvoo his permanent home. He then returned to Pennsyl- vania and disposed of two of his farms, investing much of the means in merchandise, and in June, 1842, removed to Nauvoo with his family. He brought along about seven thousand dollars in goods of kinds which he placed in the hands of the different Prophet to be used for the general advancement of the work of God. He immediately set about improving his property, in and about Nauvoo, furnishing many hands with employment. About this time the Prophet Joseph was pestered very much with law suits, and he also invested heavily in the purchase of land. Brother Hunter assisted the Prophet, according to the Prophet's own words, in one year, to the extent of fifteen thousand dollars, which amount was given cheerfully, for he was naturally liberal, and wrapped up in his religion for which he felt willing to make any sacrifice. He prospered upon his farm, making great improve- ments thereon, building hedges, and beautifying his city lots, fifteen innumber. One year he raised over seven thousand bushels of grain on his farm, which was situated east of Nauvoo. He was so liberal in his donations to the Church that Joseph finally told him that he had done enough, and to reserve the rest of his property for his own use. Like all the other Saints, he was a sharer in the persecutions that were directed against the people at that time, and it was only about a year after taking up his residence in Nauvoo, that he, with several of the brethren, was taken to Carthage accused of treason against his country. It must have been

a great trial to this patriot who had so tenaciouly observed the laws of his country from boyhood, and who regarded his native land with the greatest love and reverence, to be thus accused of the highest crime against his country. That it was a trumped-up charge, was evident not only from the patriotic feelings of this

noble man, but also from the fact that no one appeared against them. The charge was therefore dismissed, and they were set at liberty and returned home. Brother Hunter was at the trial of the Prophet at Spring- field when Judge Pope, after a verdict of acquittal had been rendered, ordered the clerk of the court to place it upon rec- ord that the "Mormon" leader should not be tormented any longer by such vexatious and false persecutions. During these trouble- some times, the Prophet was hid up for long periods in the house of Brother Hunter, who, being chosen as one of his life-guards, enjoyed his utmost confidence. The Prophet was hunted and persecuted by his enemies continually. It was while he was

under Bishop Hunter's roof, during one of these seasons of re- tirement, that the latter part of the revelation on baptism for the dead was received by the Prophet; and it was from the Prophet, during this period, that many blessings and promises, in recogni- tion of his friendship and fidelity, were given to Edward Hunter. On one occasion, the Prophet said to him: "It does me pleasure to say to you, Brother Hunter, that I have inquired of the Lord con- cerning you, and I find that you and yours are favorable in the sight of God." "I remarked," says Brother Hunter, "that I

hoped that it was so. He said, 'it is so,' and we rejoiced to- gether." Brother Hunter's record says, speaking of the Prophet: "He said to me that I could have of him what no other man could have," and further: "I prophesy that you shall bring all your father's house into the kingdom of God; this is according to the Spirit of the Lord;" and further: "I know your genealogy, you are akin to me, and I know what brought you into the Church; it was to do good to your fellow men, and you can do much good." It

was also while under Brother Hunter's roof that the latter often heard the Prophet say: "I will rest, and put the burden of duty on the shoulders of the Twelve." Brother Hunter was one of the city council of Nauvoo when the resolution was passed authorizing the abatement of the Nau- voo Expositor, a sheet established by apostates and bitter enemies of the Church, for the purposs of stirring up violence against the Latter-day Saints. The act of abatement was magnified by the enemies of the Saints, and invested with all the sensation of which

BISHOP EDWARD HUNTER. 871

it was capable, the brunt of the censure being laid upon the heads of the leaders of the Church. Mass meetings were held with the purpose of placing the responsibility upon the Prophet, that his enemies might do him the more harm, and better oppose the Church in general. At the Prophet's request, Brother Hunter visited Springfield to interview Governor Ford, and to present matters in Nauvoo in their proper light; and also to ask him to use his influence to allay the excitement which had now set in against the Saints. Brother Hunter continues: "He sent Porter Rockwell to tell me to call and see him. When I called upon Joseph, he said, 'I know that you always wished that you might have been with the Church from th.3 beginning.' He then said, 'if you will go to Springfield and see Governor Ford, it shall be with you as if you had been with the Church from the beginning.'" The parting words of the Prophet to Brother Hunter were these, "You have known me for several years; you say to the governor, under oath, everything good and everything bad you know of me." Brother Hunter was accompanied upon his errand by J. Bills and P. Lewis, and they were followed for miles by officers who sought to arrest them; but, having the promise of the Prophet: "You shall go and return in safety," they were nob overtaken, and ar- rived at their destination in due time. They called at Governor Ford's home where they met his wife, the governor having gone to Carthage. When she looked at the letter of introduction which they bore, she said, "I know you, Mr. Hunter, I saw you at Mr. Smith's trial." To which Brother Hunter replied, "Yes, I recollect seeing you with Judge Pope's daughter." She assured them, in a friend- ly way, that his excellency would not take action either for or against them, until he had seen Mr. Smith. Returning to Nauvoo, they found everything in commotion and excitement, and learned that Joseph and Hyrum had given themselves up and gone to Car- thage. Concerning his impressions, Brother Hunter says: "I felt that the Prophet had been killed, as there appeared to be a veil before our eyes. We met over one hundred citizens assembled together, intoxicated, and rejoicing over something that seemed to please them very much. I met one crowd and spoke to them,

and asked why there was so much commotion. They answered me by saying, 'We have got Joe and Hi Smith in jail.' I asked them

what they were going to do with them. 'Kill them, we expect,'

was the reply. We got along without being known as 'Mormons,' al- though we had to travel without food for ourselves and our animals.'' He and his companions reached Nauvoo safely and without be- ing detected, on June 27, 1844, on the day, and about the hour, that the Prophet and his brother Hyrum were killed. Brother Hunter's narrative proceeds:

Next day their bodies were brought from Carthage to Nauvoo. We formed two lines to receive them. I was placed at the extreme

right to wheel-in or counter-march after the corpses, and march to the mansion. As the procession passed the Temple, I observed crowds of Saints lamenting the loss of our beloved Prophet and Patriarch. The scene was enough to almost melt the heart of man. Colonel Brewer, a United States official, myself, and others, carried the body of Joseph into the Mansion House. When we went to the wagon to get the corpse, Colonel Brewer remarked, taking up the Prophet's coat and hat which were covered with blood and dirt: 'Mr. Hunter, look here, vengeance and death await the perpetrators of this deed !'

At midnight, Brother Dimick B. Huntington, G. Goldsmith, William Huntington, and myself, carried the body of Joseph from the Mansion House to the Nauvoo House, and put Joseph's and Hyrum's bodies in one grave. Their death was hard to bear, it was almost more than we could endure. Many were not then aware that Joseph had prepared for the kingdom to go on, by delivering the keys to the Twelve, and rolling off the burden from his shoulders on to theirs.

President Brigham Young and most of the Twelve were away at the time, and great sorrow and grief prevailed in the houses of the Saints. "On returning from the burial, we understood," says Brother Hunter, "that the Nauvoo Legion had given up all their fire arms and ammunition. The defense of the Polanders against Bonaparte came to my mind, and I called Sister Knowlton, and asked her if they had any fire arms." She said that they had four guns hidden in the wool rolls. I told her to gather all the scythes and fasten them on poles, as soon as we arrived at Nauvoo. I had a blacksmith shop, and we were all night fastening scythes to poles, preparing for the attack of the mob, but the counsel of Willard Richards was, "Leave the event with the Lord," which we were indeed willing to do. {To be continued.)