Chapter XXXIII. The Whereabouts of the Twelve, Birdseye View of their Work in Great Britain

Death of Don Carlos Smith. Orson Hyde on the Mount of Olives. Removing the Curse from Israel.

Called home by the Prophet in the Summer of 1 841, the Twelve began to return from the nations. Orson Hyde, however, continued on his apostolic mission to Jerusalem, while Lorenzo Snow remained in charge of the work in London, and Parley P. Pratt remained to conduct the general affairs of the British mission in conjunction with his editorship of the Millennial Star.

On the 1st of July, 1841, President Young, with Heber C. Kimball and John Taylor, arrived in Nauvoo, where they were cordially welcomed by the Prophet. Others followed. And concerning their joint work, Joseph thus summarizes :

" All the quorum of the Twelve Apostles who were expected here this season, with the exception of Willard Richards and Wilford Woodruff, have arrived. We have listened to the accounts which they give of their success, and the prosperity of the work of the Lord in Great Britain, with pleasure.

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"They certainly have been instruments in the hands of God of accomplishing much, and must have the satisfaction of knowing- that they have done their duty. Perhaps no men ever undertook such an important mission under such peculiarly distressing, forbidding and unpropitious circumstances. Most of them, when they left this place, nearly two years ago, were worn down with sickness and disease, or were taken sick on the road. Several of their families were also afflicted, and needed their aid and support. But knowing that they had been called by the God of heaven to preach the gospel to other nations, they conferred not with flesh and blood, but, obedient to the heavenly mandate, without purse or scrip, commenced a journey of five thousand miles entirely dependent on the providence of that God who had called them to such a holy calling.

"While journeying to the seaboard they were brought into many trying circumstances. After a short recovery from severe sickness they would be taken with a relapse, and have to stop among strangers, without money and without friends. Their lives were several times despaired of, and they have taken each other by the hand, expecting it was the last time they should behold one another in the flesh.

" Notwithstanding their afflictions arid trials, the Lord always interposed in their behalf, and did not suffer them to sink into the arms of death. Some way or other was made for their escape ; friends rose up when they most needed them, and relieved their necessities, and thus they were enabled to

pursue their journey and rejoice in the holy one of Israel. They truly went forth weeping, bearing precious seed, but have returned rejoicing, bearing their sheaves with them."

With this may properly be coupled the birdseye view which Brigham gave of the Apostolic work in Great Britain. He said :

" It is with a heart full of thanksgiving and gratitude to God, my heavenly Father, that I reflect upon his dealings with me and my brethren of the Twelve during the past year of my life which was spent in England. It truly seems a miracle to look upon the contrast between our landing and departing from Liverpool. We landed in the Spring of 1840, as strangers in a strange land, and penniless ; but through the mercy of God we have gained many friends, established churches in almost every noted town and city of Great Britain, baptized between seven and eight thousand souls, printed five thousand Books of Mormon, three thousand hymn books, two thousand five hundred volumes of the Millennial Star, and fifty thousand tracts; emigrated to Zion one thousand souls, establishing a permanent shipping agency, which will be a great blessing to the saints, and have left sown in the hearts of many thousands the seed of eternal life, which shall bring forth fruit to the honor and glory of God ; and yet we have lacked nothing to eat, drink or wear. In all these things I acknowledge the hand of God."

In the month of August following, Don Carlos Smith died, and his brother, the Prophet, in a general order to the Nauvoo Legion, used the

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following characteristic language concerning that event :

" It becomes our painful duty to officially notify the troops of our command of the untimely decease of that noble chief, Brigadier General Don Carlos Smith. He fell, but not in battle; he perished, but not by the weapons of war. At his* burial you paid him honor, but he is gathered to his fathers to receive greater honor."

But the apostolic record of 1 840-1 would be markedly incomplete without the strikingly suggestive and significant picture of Orson Hyde on the Mount of Olives, blessing the sacred land of the prophets, and removing from it the curse of ages. In his report from Alexandria, Egypt, Nov. 2 2d, 1 84 1, he says :

" On Sunday morning, October 24th, a good while before day, I arose from sleep and went out of the city as soon as the gates were opened, crossed the brook Cedron, and went upon the Mount of Olives, and there, in solemn silence, with pen, ink and paper (just as I saw in the vision), offered up the following prayer to him who lives forever and ever:

" O Thou who art from everlasting to everlasting, eternally and unchangeably the same, even the God who rules in the heavens above, and controls the destinies of men on the earth, wilt thou not condescend, through thine infinite goodness and royal favor, to listen to the prayer of thy servant which he this day offers up unto thee in the name of thy holy child Jesus, upon this land, where the Sun of Righteousness sat in blood, and thine Anointed One expired.

" Be pleased, O Lord, to forgive all the follies, weaknesses, vanities, and sins of thy servant, and strengthen him to resist all future temptations. Give him prudence and discernment that he may avoid the evil, and a heart to choose the good; give him fortitude to bear up under trying and adverse circumstances, and grace to endure all things for thy name's sake, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall rest in peace.

" Now, O Lord, thy servant has been obedient to the heavenly vision which thou gavest him in his native land ; and under the shadow of thine outstretched arm, he has safely arrived in this place to dedicate and consecrate this land unto thee, for the gathering together of Judah's scattered remnants, according to the predictions of the holy prophets — for the building up of Jerusalem again after it has been trodden down by the Gentiles so long, and for rearing a temple in honor of thy name. Everlasting thanks be ascribed unto thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast preserved thy servant from the dangers of the seas, and from the plague and pestilence which have caused the land to mourn. The violence of man has also been restrained, and thy providential care by night and by day has been exercised over thine unworthy servant. Accept, therefore, O Lord, the tribute of a grateful heart for all past favors, and be pleased to continue thy kindness and mercy towards a needy worm of the dust.

" O Thou, who didst covenant with Abraham, thy friend, and who didst renew that covenant with Isaac, and confirm the same with Jacob with an oath, that thou wouldst not only give them this land for an everlasting inheritance, but that thou wouldst also remember their seed forever. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have long since closed their eyes in death, and made the grave their mansion.

Their children are scattered and dispersed abroad among the nations of the Gentiles like sheep that have no shepherd, and are still looking forward for the fulfillment of those promises which thou didst make concerning them ; and even this land, which once poured forth nature's richest bounty, and flowed, as it were, with milk and honey, has, to a certain extent, been smitten with barrenness and sterility since it drank from murderous hands the blood of him who never sinned.

" Grant, therefore, O Lord, in the name of thy well-beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to remove the barrenness and sterility of this land, and let springs of livingf water break forth to water its thirsty soil. Let the vine and the olive produce in their strength, and the fig; tree bloom and flourish. Let the land become abundantly fruitful when possessed by its rightful heirs; let it again flow with plenty to feed the returning prodigals who come home with a spirit of grace and supplication ; upon it let the clouds distil virtue and richness, and let the fields smile with plenty. Let the flocks and the herds greatly increase and multiply upon the mountains and the hills; and let thy great kindness conquer and subdue the unbelief of thy people. Do thou take from them their stony heart, and give them a heart of flesh ; and may the Sun of thy favor dispel the cold mists of darkness which have beclouded their atmosphere. Incline them to gather in upon this land according to thy word. Let them come like clouds and like doves to their windows. Let the large ships of the nations bring them from the distant isles ; and let kings become their nursing; fathers, and queens with motherly fondness wipe the tear of sorrow from their eye.

"Thou, O Lord, didst once move upon the heart of Cyrus to show favor unto Jerusalem and her children. Do thou now also be pleased to inspire

the hearts of kings and the powers of the earth to look with a friendly eye towards this place, and with a desire to see thy righteous'purposes executed in relation thereto. Let them know that it is thy good pleasure to restore the kingdom unto Israel — raise up Jerusalem as its capital, and constitute her people a distinct nation and government, with David thy servant, even a descendant from the loins of ancient David, to be their king.

" Let that nation or that people who shall take an active part in behalf of Abraham's children, and in the raising up of Jerusalem, find favor in thy sight. Let not their enemies prevail against them, neither let pestilence or famine overcome them, but let the glory of Israel overshadow them, and the power of the highest protect them ; while that nation or kingdom that will not serve thee in this glorious work must perish, according to thy word — 'Yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.'"

Is not this a magnificent illustration of the subject and themes presented previously? What a picture is this of the " Times of the Restitution of all things," spoken of by the ancient prophets! It is a prophecy, in the very action of the age, of the " New and Everlasting Covenant," to be made by Jehovah with all Israel. " Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished," was the very burden of that scene.