Such were the scenes enacted in Missouri during the stay of Elder Taylor in that state; and it was in the midst of such scenes as these, on the 19th of December, 1838, that he was ordained an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, by Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball.

Footnotes

[1]. Ether XIII, and III. Nephi XX and XXI.

CHAPTER VII.

BANISHED FROM MISSOURI—RETURNS TO FULFILL A PROPHECY—STARTS ON HIS MISSION TO ENGLAND—SICKNESS BY THE WAY—ARRIVAL IN NEW YORK.

The Saints, after their expulsion from the State of Missouri, found a temporary resting place in Quincy, Illinois, and to that city, after visiting the Prophet Joseph Smith in Liberty prison, the place of his incarceration, Elder Taylor made his way.

Several of the Apostles who met there held a consultation in respect to the revelation which had been given the July previous, commanding their quorum to take leave of the Saints in the city of Far West, on the 26th day of April, 1839, at the building spot of the Lord's house, previous to crossing the Atlantic on a mission to foreign lands. It had been the constant boast of the mob from the time the revelation was made known, that this was one of "Joe Smith's" revelations that should fail of fulfillment if no other did. But the several Apostles who took part in the above mentioned consultation, among whom was Elder Taylor, were determined that the revelation should not fail, and agreed to return to Far West by different routes, and meet at the temple site on the day appointed.

Their undertaking was successful. Five of the Apostles were at the temple site before daylight of the day appointed, together with a number of high priests, elders and priests. At this meeting they excommunicated a number of persons from the Church, ordained Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith apostles, and others were ordained to the office of seventy. Prayer was offered up by the apostles in the order of their standing in their quorum. It was a brilliant, moonlight night, according to Elder Taylor, and out on the still air, strong and clear rose that glorious song of Zion—

ADAM ONDI-AHMAN.[[1]]

This earth was once a garden place,
With all her glories common;
And men did live a holy race,
And worship Jesus face to face—
In Adam-ondi-Ahman.

We read that Enoch walked with God,
Above the power of mammon;
While Zion spread herself abroad,
And saints and angels sang aloud—
In Adam-ondi-Ahman.

Her land was good and greatly blest,
Beyond old Israel's Canaan;
Her fame was known from east to west,
Her peace was great, and pure the rest
Of Adam-ondi-Ahman.

Hosanna to such days to come—
The Savior's second coming,
When all the earth in glorious bloom
Affords the saints a holy home,
Like Adam-ondi-Ahman.