--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Robinson, Joseph E. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 14 number: 4 published: 1911-02 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Joseph E. Robinson, "Apostrophe to Water," *Improvement Era* 14, no. 4 (February 1911): 296.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1404unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera1404unse start_page: 296 end_page: 296 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1911-02) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1404unse publication_year: 1911 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1911, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Apostrophe to Water The Nephite Shepherd. A Book of Mormon Story, in Two Parts. BY ARTHUR V. WATKINS. Part Two. III. — Plans of the Secret Band Revealed. The next day the city was more in an uproar than ever. The streets were thronged with people. hastening to the temple grounds. The flat-topped roofs were covered with spectators, viewing the strange sight; and from every door and window, insulting taunts and coarse jokes were hurled at those in the street. The plans of the secret band were partially revealed. Lamoni, by chance, had overheard a remark of one of the captains, to the effect that a slaughter was planned for those who believed in the tradition that Christ should be born. From other things he had seen and heard, and from the admission of officers themselves, when confronted with the information, he knew that his worst fears would, perhaps, be realized. Discovering the fact early in the morning, he had, with the assistance of other officers of the church, warned the people of God of the impending danger, appointed the temple as a gather- ing place, and hence the strange sights. Families were torn asunder — the sons and daughters of some parents turning against those who gave them birth. No pity was to be shown the aged and infirm, the sick and the helpless, nor even the infant children of the condemned — all alike were to suffer. The believers in the tradition must be wiped out, root and branch. The grounds surrounding the temple presented a pitiful sight.