[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] July 3d A special conference of elders was Called & one or two appointed to go to each county in the State of Illinois. An address was deliverd to the Elders By President Rigdon who made some useful remarks. Among others he Said, all that greatness consisted in in public speaking with any man was in delivering a chain of Ideas that the man had well matured speaking of things that he knew & not of things that he did not know. For should he speak of things he does not know he would set a trap to be caught in. But when a person understands the subject thorougholy upon which he is speaking he knows how to defend it. This is all the greatest man on earth can do is to tell the truth & speak of things he knows. The Elders were also addressed by Elder B Young. (1)
[Joseph Smith] Joseph meets with the Twelve to call about 100 elders to go on special missions throughout Illinois to counteract the widespread negative feelings resulting from Joseph's escaping his arrest. Charles C. Rich and 25 others return to Nauvoo having traveled 500 miles in seven days looking for Joseph during his kidnapping. (2)
-- Jul 3, 1843 (Monday Afternoon)
[Joseph Smith Sermon] (Location: Grove, Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, USA
Source: Willard Richards Diary -Words of Joseph Smith, 226) 10 A M attended at the grove near the Templeâ€"a large assembly listened to Eld O Hydeâ€"followed by J. Smith a few minutes. (3)
-- Jul 3, 1843 (Monday)
Charles C. Rich and a company of twenty-five men, who had been out searching for the Prophet, returned to Nauvoo, having traveled about five hundred miles on horseback in seven days. (4)
-- Jul 4, 1843
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] July 4th 1843 + As the Romans took particular notice of any singular event as ominous of good or evil so I will record a sma11 circumstance that took place in my house this morning. Soon after I arose in the morning on this 4th Day of July my Sword while hanging in its usual place unsheathed of itself & the scabbard droped upon the floor leaving the bear blade suspended from the peg upon which it hung.
As this is the 4th we call it a happy day for Nauvoo. At a vary early hour people began to assemble at the grove & at 11 o clock near 13,000 thousand persons had congregated, who were addressed in a vary able and appropriat manner by Elder Orson Hyde lately from Palestine, and who has recently been appointed on a mission to St Petersburgh, Russia. A Constant accession of Numbers Swelled the Congregation to 15,000 as near as could be estimated & at 2 oclock they were again addressed by Elder Parley P. Pratt in a masterly discourse followed By President Joseph Smith upon the subject of the late arest & persecution who clearly vindicated his innocence & showed the Corruption of his pursueers in a tru light.
Three Steamers arived in the afternoon--one from St Louis one from Quincy & one from Burlington --bringing altogether about 900 visiting ladies and gentlemen to our city. On the arival of each boat they were escorted to the stand by the Nauvoo band and the escort Companies whare convenient seats were provided & whare they were welcomed by the firing of cannon which brought to our minds the last words of the patriot Jefferson:--Let this day be Celebrated by the firing of Cannon &c. The legion was not out.
The following is a synopsis of the Address of President Joseph Smith while speaking in his own defence before about 15,000 souls:
If the people will give ear a moment I will address them, with few words in my own defence as touching my arest. In the first place I will state to these that Can hear me that I never spent more than six months in Missouri except while in prison. While I was there I was at work for the support of my family. I never was a prisioner of war during my stay for I had not made war. I never took a pistol, a gun, or sword & the much that has been said on this subject is false. I have been willing to go before any governor Judge or tribunal whare justice could be done & have the subject investigated. I could not have committee treason in that state while there. I had no controll any whare in temporal things while there but in spiritual. I was driven from that state by force of arms under the exterminating order of Govornor Boggs.
I have never commited treason. The people know vary well I have Been a peaceable Citizen but their has been a great hugh & Cry about Jo Smith Govornor Bogs being shot. No crime can be done but what it is laid to Jo Smith. Here I was again dragged to the United States Court, & was cleared & now it comes again. But as often as God sees fit for me to suffer I am ready. But I am as innocent of these crimes as the Angels in heaven. I am not an enemy to mankind. I am a friend to Mankind. I am not an enemy to Missouri nor any governors or people.
As to the military station I hold & the cause of my holding it is as follows. When we came here the State required us to bear arms & do military duty according to law, & as the Church had just been driven from the State of Missouri & robed of all their property & arms they were poor & destitute of armes: They were liable to be fined for not doing duty when they had not arms to do it with. They Came to me for advice. I advised them to organize themselves into independant companies, & demand arms of the State. This they did.
Again their were many Elders having licence to preach which by law exhonorated them from Military duty but the officers would not release them on this ground. I then told the Saints that though I was clear from Military duty by law in consequence of lameness in one of my legs, yet I would set them the example & would do duty myself. They then said they were willing to do duty if they Could be formed into an independant company & I could be at their head & upon this ground came the Nauvoo Legion & I holding the office of Lieutenant General not that I seek for power.
And with regard to elections some say we all vote together & vote as I say. But I never tell any man how to vote or who to vote for. But I will show you how we have been situated by bringing a comparison. Should their be a Methodist Society here & two candidates running for office: One says if you will vote for me & put me in [as] governor I will exterminate the Methodist take away their charters &c. The other candidate says if I am Govornor I will give all an equal privilege. Which would the Methodist vote for? Of course they would vote in mass for the candidate that would give them their rights; thus it has Been with us.
Joseph Duncan said if the people would elect him he would exterminate the Mormons & take away their Charters. As to Mr Ford he made no such threats, but manifested a spirit in his speaches to give every man their rights; hence the Church universally voted for Mr Ford & he was elected govor-nor. But he has issued writs against me the first time the Missourians made a demand for me & this is the second one he has issued for me which has caused me much trouble & expense.
President Smith Also rehearsed the account of his being taken By Reynolds & Wilson & the unlawful treatment he received at their hands. The multitude gave good attention & much prejudice seemed to be removed. (1)
Footnotes:
1 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993
2 - Conklin, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology
3 - The Woodland Institute, http://www.woodlandinstitute.com
4 - Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology
LDS History Timeline
About this site: http://bit.ly/mhist
No comments:
Post a Comment