Origin of the Plan for the Exodus

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ORIGIN OF THE PLAN FOR THE EXODUS. BY ELDER SAMUEL W. RICHARDS, SALT LAKE CITY.

. [Elder Samuel W. Richards, a veteran of the Church, and a missionary of great experience, who was born in Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, August 9, 1824, making him now eighty years of age, gives the following testimony relating to that interesting historical occurrence in the Church, the exodus to the west. His testimony clearly shows that it was the Prophet Joseph who conceive i and promulgated the thought of the migration of the Saints to the Rocky Mountains. Editors.]

The children and family of the Prophet, and others upon their testimony, have published extensively, both through the press and otherwise, that the movement of the Saints to the Rocky Mountains was not any plan or purpose of the Prophet Joseph, but that the plan or movement was entirely that of Brigham Young; but it is well known that he and his co-workers of the twelve were on missions abroad, and did not return to Nauvoo until sometime after the Prophet's martyrdom, and hence knew nothing of the movement planned, only as informed by others after their return. The refusal of the people at a general conference to accept Sidney Rigdon as their leader, and the appointment of Brigham Young as Joseph Smith's successor to lead the people, placed the latter where he was entitled to the inspiration of the Spirit to be his guide, and this led him to act in harmony with the Prophet Joseph's plans, which were well known to those who had been with him, and who had become the counselors and advisers to Brigham Young, now chosen and standing in the Prophet Joseph's place before the people. As is well known, after the people had expressed their choice

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in general conference that Brigham Young should be their leader and adviser, measures were at once adopted to carry out what was known to be the revealed will of God to Joseph concerning the removal of the Saints to the mountains, which was successfully accomplished, and which has placed them in the midst of prosperity; both temporal and spiritual, giving evidence of God's approval. I

testify to the following facts which I know personally to be true: In the winter of 1843-4, in the city of Nauvoo, 111., the then gathering place of the people known as Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith, the Prophet and leader of that people, selected and organized a company of twenty-five, mostly young men, for a pioneer company to visit the Rocky Mountains and southern California, to find a suitable place for the Saints to remove and gather to, where

they could be free from those who viewed them as enemies, and were constantly hunting him, as their leader, to take his life. This, then, seemed to be a necessary movement, as the people had already been driven from their former homes in Missouri, with a considerable loss of life attending, and a like event now threatened those who were gathering in and about Nauvoo. In view of such a condition and emergency, the Prophet deemed it advisable to have the western wilderness explored, before the exodus of the people from their present homes and gathering place be advised. One of the apostles of the Church, viz., Willard Richards, who was with the Prophet at his martyrdom, was an almost constant companion of the Prophet, was sent to me to learn if I would be one of the number. Upon being assured that it was the wish of the Prophet Joseph Smith, I readily consented, and my name was placed upon the list. My former experience, under the influence of that man's personal, prophetic power, would have caused me to say, yes to almost anything he could have asked. Arrangements were made for the purpose, and weekly meetings were held, during the latter part of the winter, for the purpose of instructing the company in what would be expected of them, in filling the mission for which they were now being set apart. These meetings were held under the presidency of the Prophet's brother, Hyrum, Joseph being so closely hunted for his life that

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he was seldom with us. His brother Hyrum, Sidney Rigdon, and those of the twelve apostles then present in the city, were in attendance at these meetings, which were otherwise of a strictly private nature. At these meetings, the spirit of prophecy was abundantly enjoyed by those giving instructions. Upon one occasion, after Sidney Rigdon had been speaking, the president of the meeting arose and said, "The spirit weighs down mightily, there has been enough said," and dismissed the meeting without further ceremony.

I had attended two or three of these meetings before I heard of what the Prophet Joseph had said while selecting the parties for the company, that he wanted young men of faith who could go upon the mountains of Israel, and talk with God face to face as Moses did upon Mount Sinai, and learn where he would have his people locate for their future welfare, and the kingdom's development. Upon hearing this, the first response of my soul was, "I am not the one wanted, and I will decline at once;" but as I was about to offer my resignation, a voice whispered to me, "Wait! no hasty action!" I complied with the whisperings of the voice, went home and retired for the night, after first pleading most earnestly with the Lord to let me know what I should do in the matter, which seemed to me the most important of my life. I retired to my bed, and during the four hours of my sleep, my

prayer was more than answered; and in the morning, I was ready to continue my relation with the company, and prepare the outfit required for the journey. I performed the journey in my sleep, and had shown to me important events to transpire, and the condition of the earth itself to the complete restoration of its Eden beauty and grandeur, as when man was first placed upon it, in a state of innocence and immortality, to which condition all must come in the restoration of all things spoken of by prophets and holy men, since the world began. It was no ordinary dream to be obscured, and to pass away

from memory with the returning light of morning, but it was an impress upon the spirit which left the body and traversed the regions of space, while it surveyed the work of a thousand years in the

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restoration of the earih, and man upon it; an impress never to be obliterated from the mind. Upon returning to my natural condition of wakefulness and human thought relating to my pioneer call, my whole soul responded: "Here am I, Lord," and I continued my attendance at the meetings, and my preparations for the journey. During these meetings, many things were spoken of concerning future development, perfectly in accord with what had been shown to me, and I felt more than ever assured of the divine approval of the Prophet Joseph's determination in the matter. When all things seemed to have been satisfactorily arranged, and future movements of the company determined, Joseph took his departure from Nauvoo, crossed the river, and was making

ready to visit awhile among the Indians, thinking it would be safer than to remain in Nauvoo; and, as I understood, that he might be ready to join the pioneer company when they should leave, and be their leader in search of a resting place for the Saints to be gathered to, as he well knew that where he should make a home, the Saints would cheerfully, under his direction, locate. But this was not to be realized. As soon as it was known that the Prophet had left the city, with a view of a prolonged absence, a company of the brethren followed him, and insisted upon his return to the city. They felt that if he went away, and it was known, that not only would the work stop, but enemies who had been hunting his life would at once drive the people from their homes, and destroy and lay waste, as had been done in Missouri. This committee said things to him that grieved him very much, calling him a coward and other like reflections, so that he told them, "If my life is not worth anything to you, it is not to me — if I return, I go as a lamb to the slaughter." But this did not change their determination that he should return, which he did, and the result is well known. This turn of affairs changed the entire program which had been arranged for the pioneer company, and the Church was to take their departure without the information desired, as to where it would be most desirable for them to make an abiding place for future growth and development. While at Nauvoo, on his return, he addressed the people of

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the city, as he was about to be taken to Carthage for safe keeping, as promised him by the Governor of the state. Here he made a similar statement to the people, that he went as a lamb to the slaughter, which proved so verily true, as the world well knows. At a meeting held February 21, 1844, in the Mayor's office,

Nauvoo, the following names were accepted as pioneers to explore the Rocky Mountains and Lower California:

volunteers:

Jonathan Dunham, Phineas H. Young, David D. Yearsley, David P. Fullmer.

REQUESTED TO GO:

Alphonzo Young, James Emmett, Geo. D. Watt, Daniel Spencer.

At a meeting on the 23rd of February, 1844, these names were accepted, Joseph Smith, Hyrum, and Sidney Rigdon being present:

VOLUNTEERS

Samuel Bent, Joseph A. Kelting, Samuel Rolfe, Daniel Avery, S.W. Richards, Seth Palmer, Amos FieldiBg, Charles Shumway, John S. Fullmer, Ira S. Miles,

Almon L. Fullmer, Hosea Stout, Moses Smith, Rufus Beach, Thomas Edwards. Witness my signature: Samuel W. Richards. Witness: A. Milton Musser.