---
title: Times and Seasons
description: Issues of 1840 to 1841.
authors:
  - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
editors:
  - Ebenezer Robinson
  - Don Carlos Smith
  - Smith, Joseph, Jr.
  - Taylor, John
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - newspaper
  - times-and-seasons
  - nauvoo
  - nineteenth-century
periodical: Times and Seasons
volume: 2
number: 11
published: 1841-04-01
publisher: E. Robinson and D. C. Smith; later John Taylor
publisher_place: Commerce and Nauvoo, Illinois
language: en
type: article
reference: "“A Poem on the Suffering of the Saints in Missouri,” *Times and Seasons* 2, no. 11 (April 1, 1841): 374."
printed_title: A POEM ON THE SUFFERING OF THE SAINTS IN MISSOURI,
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1841-04-01_2_11
  transcription: Text from the Centerplace.org transcription (https://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v2n11.htm), with its page breaks; this Internet Archive scan is the reference copy (its OCR was used only as a witness for OCR repair)
  identifier: per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1841-04-01_2_11
start_page: 374
end_page: 374
curator_note: A Mormon newspaper published by the church in Nauvoo; included for historical study. Inclusion does not imply endorsement.
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1841 (Nauvoo, Illinois); published before 1931, so public domain in the United States
  source: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1841-04-01_2_11
  publication_year: 1841
---

# A Poem on the Suffering of the Saints in Missouri

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By Joel H. Johnson

Why do the Heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing, the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision. And break them with a rod of iron; and dash them in peices [pieces] like a potters vessel.-David.

No wonder why old David cried. Yes destitute of food and clothes,

"Why do the Heathen rage!" 'Mong strangers seek employ;

When we look round on every side While earthly fiends and hellish foes,

And see them all engage: Still seek them to destroy.

To persecute the saints of God, While some have bled upon their lands,

And take them for a prey; Their testament to seal-

Bind them in chains and shed their blood That they believed in God's commands,

And drive them far away. And what he does reveal.

Their lands and houses left behind, And were resolved t' obey the same,

Thus from their homes are cast; Though hell against them raise;

While Matrons, maids, and infants find And so have died for Jesus, name,

No shelter from the blast. Like saints in ancient days,

No orphans cry, nor widows tear How long O Lord shall men prevail,

Can pity now receive; To kill and drive thy saints?

In weather cold and winter drear, Let not, O God, thy promise fail,

Their firesides have to leave. But hear thou their complaints!

And let thy judgments be made known

(page 273 [373])

Until oppression cease, And now we do thy promise claim

And wickedness shall all be gone, And will not give the rest;

The earth be filled with peace. Until thou dost fulfill the same,

And make thy people bles't.

For thou hast promised in thy word

That when the wicked rage,

And press upon them like a flood,

Thou woulds't for them engage.