Joseph Smith's Last Prophecy

Joseph Smith's Last Prophecy

By Edwin F. Parry, Bishop of the Sixteenth Ward, Salt Lake Stake of Zion

Joseph Smith once said, "A prophet is a prophet only when he is acting as such." It appears from what has been said and written of him that he possessed the spirit of prophecy upon many occasions. Frequently when speaking, either publicly or privately, he would prophesy concerning the future. Some of his predictions were of great importance to the Church, to the nation and to the world, while others were made to individuals for their per- sonal benefit or guidance. His last recorded prophecy of a specific nature was uttered on the night of June 26, 1844, in Carthage jail. I quote the following from the History of the Church, volume six, chapter thirty-two, beginning on page 600:

9:15 p. m— Elder John Taylor prayed. Willard Richards, John Taylor, John S. Fullmer, Stephen Markham, and Dan Jones stayed with Joseph and Hyrum in the front room. During the evening the Patriarch Hyrum Smith read and commented upon extracts from the Book of Mormon, on the imprisonments and de- liverance of the servants of God for the Gospel's sake. Joseph bore a powerful testimony to the guards of the divine authenticity of the Book angels, and of Mormon, the restoration of the Gospel, the administration of that the kingdom of God was again established upon the earth for the sake of which he was then incarcerated in that prison and not because he had violated any law of God or man. They retired to rest late. Joseph and Hyrum occupied the only bed- stead in the room while their friends lay side by side on the inatresses on left him in the the floor. Dr. Richards sat up writing until his last candle gun close by caused Joseph to arise, leave the dark. The report of a fired his left and John bed, and lay himself on the floor having Dan Jones on S. Fullmer on his right. Joseph laid out his right arm and said to „ Jom} Brother John; and S Fullmer "Lay your head on my arm for a pillow, when all were quiet they conversed in a low tone about the prospects ot several presentiments that he their deliverance. Joseph gave expression to and said "I would like to see my family again, and I would to had to die, Fullmer God that I could preach to the Saints in Nauvoo once more. tried to rally his spirits,saying he thought he would often. have that priv- Joseph thanked him for the remarks and good feelings ex- ilege, when pressed to him. Joseph had left, and Soon after Dr. Richards retired to the bed which asleep, Joseph whispered to Dan Jones, Are when all were apparently fast you? Engaged "Has time come, think you afraid to die?" Dan said, that such a cause I do not think that death would have many terrors. Joseph in

798 IMPROVEMENT ERA replied, "You will yet see Wales, and fulfill the mission appointed you before you die."

— ********* 5:30 a. m. Arose. Joseph requested Dan Jones to descend and inquire of the guard the cause of the disturbance in the night. Frank Worrel, the officer of the guard, who was one of the Carthage Greys, in a very bitter spirit said, "We have had too much trouble to bring Old Joe here to let him ever escape alive and unless you want to die with him you had better leave before sundown; and you are not a damned bit better than him for taking his part, and you'll see that I can prophesy better than Old Joe, for neither he nor his brother, nor anyone who will remain with them will - see the sun set today." Joseph directed Jones to go to Governor Ford and inform him what be had been told by the officer of the guard. While Jones was going to Governor Ford's quarters he saw an assemblage of men, and heard one of them, who was apparently a leader, making a speech saying that "Our troops will be discharged this morning in obedience to orders, and for a sham we will leave the town; but when the Governor and the McDonough troops have left for Nauvoo this afternoon, we will return and kill those men, if we have to tear the jail down." This sentiment was applauded by three cheers from the crowd. Captain Jones went to the Governor, told him what had occurred in the night, what the officer of the guard had said, and what he had heard while coming to see him, and earnestly solicited him to avert the danger. His Excellency replied "You are unnecessarily alarmed for the safety of your friends, sir, the people are not that cruel." Irritated by such a remark, Jones urged the necessity of placing better men to guard them than professed assassins and said, "The Messrs. Smith are American citizens, and have surrendered themselves to your Excellency upon your pledging your honor for their safety; they are also Master Masons, and as such I demand of you protection of their lives." Governor Ford's face turned pale, and Jones remarked, "If you do not do this, I have but one more desire and that is if you leave their lives " in the hands of those men to be sacrificed "What is that, sir?" he asked in a hurried tone. "It is," said Jones, "that the Almighty will preserve my life to a proper time and place, that I may testify that you have been timely warned of their danger." Jones then returned to the prison, but the guard would not let him enter. He again returned to the hotel, and found Governor Ford standing in front of the McDonough troops, who were in line ready to escort him to Nauvoo. The disbanded mob retired to the rear, shouting loudly that they were only going a short distance out of town, when they would return and kill old Joe and Hyrum as soon as the Governor was far enough out of town. Jones called the attention of the Governor to the threats then made, but the Governor took no notice of them, although it was impossible for him to avoid hearing them. Jones then requested the Governor to give him passports for himself and friends to pass in and out of the prison, according to his promise made to the prisoners. He refused to give them, but he told General Deming to give one to Dr. Willard Richards, Joseph Smith's private secretary. While obtaining this, Jones' life was threatened, and Chauncey L. Higbee said to him in the street, "We are determined to kill Joe and Hyrum and you had better go away to save yourself."

Twice on that fatal 27th of June, Captain Jones' life was

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threatened, and it was said that he would not get away from Carthage alive, as armed men had gone out to waylay him as he proceeded to Nauvoo. The mob about Carthage learned that he had a message from the Prophet to deliver, and, supposing it was an order to bring the Nauvoo Legion to rescue him, they were anxious to intercept Captain Jones. The Captain, how- ever, secured a horse and started on his journey. Fortunately for him, he took the wrong road, and thereby escaped the men who lay in wait for him, and his life was preserved, notwith- standing the repeated threats of his and the Prophet's enemies. Captain Dan Jones was born in North Wales. He was edu- cated in his native land and emigrated to America about the year 1840. He became owner of a river stream called the Maid of Iowa, which plied up and down the Mississippi. He became acquainted with the Latter-day Saints and a convert to their faith. The Prophet Joseph Smith bought an interest in the Maid of Iowa, and the craft was subsequently used as a ferry boat between Nauvoo, Illinois, and Montrose, Iowa. Captain Jones was one of the men who accompanied the Prophet and his brother Hyrum from Nauvoo to Carthage when they gave them- selves up for trial upon various charges made against them. As already related, Jones spent the night of June 26, 1844, with the Prophet and his friends in Carthage jail. The year following the tragic martyrdom of the Prophet and Patriarch, Captain Dan Jones went upon a mission to Great Britain, and was assigned to labor in Wales. He went to Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, and there began his ministry. In the course of two years there were about two thousand souls baptized into the Church in that little country. Captain Jones left Great Britain, February 26, 1849, with a company of two hundred and forty-nine emigrating Saints. After landing in America, he conducted them to the western frontier at Kanes- ville, Iowa. Here they joined a company of western pioneers led by George A. Smith, and came to the valley of the Great Salt Lake that same year. Thus was the inspired declaration made by the great Prophet Joseph Smith to Captain Dan Jones while lying upon the floor of Carthage jail on that perilous night just before the martyrdom fulfilled: "You will yet see Wales, and fulfil the mission appointed you before you die." Elder Jones later fulfilled a second successful mission to his native country, and also performed useful service in the Church in Utah. He was recognized as the founder of the Welsh mis- sion. His death occurred January 3, 1861.