Chapter XXXIX. The Elements of Joseph's Doom

Anti-Mormon Demonstrations. Missouri Proposes to Invade Illinois. Gov. Ford Resists. Famous Correspondence. Appeals to Congress and his Native State. A Christmas Jubilate.

Aside from the natural and inevitable opposition that seems to spontaneously hedge the path of every affirmative movement, there were in " Mormonism " so many points of marked divergence from the generally recognized landmarks of orthodoxy, that to the dispassionate historian, grasping the entire situation, little wonder appears in the fierce persecution which it met. Its fundamental assertion of renewed communication with heaven was as startling as it was innovative, and its bold affirmation that each and every of the churches were in apostacy, was infinitely offensive to their self-pride. Of course, in the same proportion that the interest of the new movement centred in its chief personage, the animus of the opposition also focalized upon him ; hence the fierce malignity that sought his life. Like Christ before, Joseph was emphatically an innovater and iconoclast ; indeed, he was the iconoclast of fifty years ago — Jehovah's thunderbolt against the priestcraft of his day.

But with, and out of, the rapidly increasing numerical strength of the saints, developed another element of danger, namely, their political power. Here their very unity and brotherhood — so emphatically elements of strength in other regards — were actually elements of peril. Voting as a unit, they held the balance of power in Illinois, and their solid front became at once a conspicuous target for the malignant shafts of the defeated politicians.

Thus did their peril broaden from a simply religious opposition into the fierce and unscrupulous enmity of a religious and political coalition. The Anti-Mormon sentiment at once began to take organic, and consequently formidable, shape. On Saturday, August 19th, just following the State election, in which the Democratic party had won the day by aid of the " Mormon " vote, the first of a series of Anti-Mormon meetings was held at Carthage. The ball, once in motion, gathered force and strength, being quickly reinforced by meetings elsewhere, all skilfully manipulated and organized, and from which was launched the standard Anti-Mormon venom of the day, in the disguise of the conventional "whereas" and the solemn "resolved."

Rumors also grew rife and anxiety-provoking, to the effect that the Missourians were about to organize a military force for the purpose of making a dash into Illinois and capturing the Prophet by force of arms. But Governor Ford being applied to in the matter, made no uncertain reply, saying: "I will consider it my duty to prevent the invasion of this State, if in my power, by any persons elsewhere for

any hostile purposes whatever." But for the Governor's prompt espousal of the cause of law and order on this occasion, it is not unlikely that the attempt would have been made, so heated and malevolent was the popular feeling in Missouri.

In the meantime the shadows of fate gather thicker and thicker around him, and again he is heard prophesying his death. But as though colored by the robust strength of his own nature, the prophecy is couched in defiant language : " I defy all the world to destroy the work of God ; and I prophesy they never will have power to kill me till my work is accomplished and I am ready to die."

And on the same occasion he said : " I proclaim, in the name of the Lord God Almighty, that I will fellowship nothing in the church but virtue, integrity, and uprightness."

For what, then, was this generation about to crucify him ? Let the examples of the past make answer!

Ever thoughtful for the welfare of his people, and letting no opportunity pass in which he perceived a promise of benefit to them, we next find him interx'ogating the several Presidential aspirants of that year, as follows :

Nauvoo, III., Nov. 4, 1843.

Dear Sir: — As we understand you are a candidate for the Presidency at the next election, and as the Latter-day Saints (sometimes called " Mormons," who now constitute a numerous class in the school politic of this vast Republic) have been robbed of an immense amount of property, and

endured nameless sufferings, by the State of Missouri, and from her borders have been driven byforce of arms, contrary to our national covenants; and as in vain we have sought redress by all constitutional, legal, and honorable means, in her courts, her executive councils, and her legislative halls ; and as we have petitioned Congress to take cognizance of our sufferings, without effect, we have judged it wisdom to address you this communication, and solicit an immediate, specific, and candid reply to, " What will be your rule of action relative to us as a people," should fortune favor your ascension to the Chief Magistracy?

" Most respectfully, sir, your friend, and the friend of peace, good order, and constitutional rights,

Joseph Smith.

In behalf of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

A copy of the above was sent to John C. Calhoun, Lewis Cass, Richard M. Johnson, Henry Clay, and Martin Van Buren, the replies to which will appear hereafter.

At about this time also occurred a somewhat remarkable interchange of views, by letter, between James Arlington Bennett and the Prophet. An abstract of each is worthy of preservation. Mr. Bennett said he had had a most interesting visit from President Brigham Young, with whom he had had a glorious frolic in the clear blue ocean. This fact had left a very genial impression on his mind, but, said he, " Nothing of this kind would in the least attach me to your person or cause. I am capable of being a most undeviating friend, without being governed by the smallest religious influence.

* * * But my mind is of so mathematical and philosophical a cast, that the divinity of Moses makes no impression on me, and you will not be offended when I say that I rate you higher as a legislator than I do Moses, because we have you present with us for examination, whereas Moses derives his chief authority from prescription and the lapse of time. I cannot, however, say but you are both right, it being out of the power of man to prove you wrong. It is no mathematical problem, and can therefore get no mathematical solution. I say, therefore, Go ahead : you have my good wishes. You know Mahomet had his ' right hand man!

The letter closes with an intimation that the writer may settle in Illinois, and may run for Governor, and therefore his friendliness for the saints must be kept secret, to the mutual advantage of all concerned.

In his answer Joseph says: "How far you are capable of being ' a most undeviating friend, without being governed by the smallest religious influence,' will best be decided by your survivors. * * Without controversy, that friendship which intelligent beings would accept as sincere, must arise from love, and that love grow out of virtue, which is as much a part of religion as light is a part of Jehovah. Hence the saying of Jesus, ' Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for a friend.' * * *

"Your good wishes to ' go ahead,' coupled with Mahomet and a ' right hand man,' are rather more vain than virtuous. Why, sir, Caesar had his right

hand Brutus, who was his ' left hand ' assassin, — not, however, applying the allusion to you. * * *

"The summit of your future fame seems to be hid in the political policy of a ' mathematical problem ' for the Chief Magistracy of this State, which I suppose might be solved by ' double position,' where the errors of the proposition are used to produce a true answer.

" But, sir, when I leave the dignity and honor I received from heaven, to boost a man into power through the aid of my friends, where the evil and designing, after the object has been accomplished, can lock up the clemency intended as a reciprocation for such favors, and where the wicked and unprincipled, as a matter of course, would seize the opportunity to flintify the hearts of the nation against me for dabbling at a sly game in politics — verily I say, when I leave the dignity and honor of heaven, to gratify the ambition and vanity of man, or men, may my power cease, like the strength of Samson when he was shorn of his locks while asleep in the lap of Delilah. * * *

" Shall I, who have witnessed the visions of eternity, and beheld the glorious mansions of bliss, and the regions and the misery of the damned, — shall I turn to be a Judas? Shall I, who have heard the voice of God, and communed with angels, and spake as moved by the Holy Ghost for the renewal of the Everlasting Covenant, and for the gathering of Israel in the last days, — shall I worm myself into a political hypocrite? Shall I, who hold the keys of the last kingdom, in which is the dispensation of the fullness of all things spoken by the mouths of all

the Holy Prophets since the world began, under the sealing power of the Melchisedek Priesthood, — shall I stoop from the sublime authority of Almighty God, to be handled as a monkey's cat's-paw, and pettify myself into a clown, to act the farce of political demagoguery? No; verily no! The whole earth shall bear me witness that I, like the towering rock in the midst of the ocean, which has withstood the mighty surges of the mighty waves for centuries, am impregnable, and am a faithful friend to virtue, and a fearless foe to vice, — no odds whether the former was sold as a pearl in Asia, or hid as a gem in America, and the latter dazzles in palaces, or glimmers among the tombs.

" I combat the errors of ages ; I meet the violence of mobs ; I cope with illegal proceedings from executive authority ; I cut the Gordian knot of powers, and I solve mathematical problems of universities with truth — diamond truth; and God is my 'right hand man.'" * * *

The tide of popular clamor had by this time set in so strongly that some counter action was clearly necessary. Accordingly the city of Nauvoo petitioned Congress upon the matter at issue, and Joseph addressed a powerful appeal to the " Green Mountain Boys " of his native Vermont, which was, however, quite as applicable to the entire country. As a sample of this stirring plea, we excerpt the following- :

" I make this appeal to the sons of liberty of my native State for help to frustrate the wicked designs of sinful men. I make it to hush the violence

of mobs. I make it to cope with the unhallowed influence of wicked men in high places. I make it to resent the insult and injury made to an innocent, unoffending people by a lawless ruffian State. I make it to obtain justice where law is put at defiance. I make it to wipe off the stain of blood from our nation's escutcheon. I make it to show presidents, governors and rulers prudence. I make it to fill honorable men with discretion. I make it to teach senators wisdom. I make it to learn judges justice. I make it to point clergymen to the path of virtue. And I make it .to turn the hearts of this nation to the truth and realities of pure and undefiled religion, that they may escape the perdition of ungodly men ; and Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is my Great Counselor."

The year being now near its close, Joseph, in reflecting upon its events, thus summarizes : " I have already had thirty-eight vexatious law suits, and have paid Missouri $150,000 for land."

But in his diary record of Christmas day appears this delightful, homely relief from the record of oppression and persecution :

" Monday, 25th. This morning, about one o'clock, I was aroused by an English sister, Lettice Rushton, widow of Richard Rushton, accompanied by three of her sons, with their wives, and her two daughters, with their husbands, and several of her neighbors, singing, " Mortals, awake ! with angels join," &c, which caused my soul to thrill with pleasure. All of my family arose to hear the serenade, and I felt to thank my Heavenly Father

for their visit, and blessed them in the name of the Lord."

" Mortals awake ! with angels join," was a theme which none so well as Joseph, in that day, could understand. Truly a Godlike child was this mam whom his age knew not.