Briggs called on Young and acquainted him with the nature of his "mission." The Prophet became very angry; refused him the use of the Tabernacle, or any other building
in the city; forbade him preaching to the people, and said if he remained in the city, he (Young) would not be responsible for his personal safety. Briggs declined to avail himself of this polite hint to leave; and notwithstanding these thunders from the Vatican, he went boldly to work, and "daily ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ."
He talked with the people, visited them at their houses, prayed with them, and sang with them.
The effect was electrical. Singly, by dozens, and by scores, the people began to fall off from the great apostasy, and to return to the mother-church. Persecution commenced from the first day of his labors. He and McCord were forbidden all the houses of the city, by an order of Brigham which none dared to disobey. One house, that of a gentile, was still open to them, and there they held their meetings, which were well attended.
Before spring their numbers had increased to over three hundred. About half of that number returned across the Plains in the spring of 1864, and so strong was the excitement, and so bitter the persecution and enmity of the "saints" toward this comparatively handful of seceders from Brigham's authority and dominions, that Gen. Connor deemed it necessary and advisable to send a strong escort with them as far as Green River, about 145 miles.
Besides this number who departed for the region of the rising sun, large numbers of the westward-bound emigration were stopped, and having their eyes opened by missionaries of the same stamp, were induced to withhold their steps, at least until another season.
The Josephites in Salt Lake, although the subjects of bitter and unrelenting persecution from the Mormons, found favor and protection from Gen. Connor and the military under his command.
They will doubtless continue to flourish and increase, and it is possible that in this way Utah may be brought to loyalty and good citizenship, without bloodshed or commotion. It is
but a possibility, however, as Brigham will not see himself thus undermined without desperate efforts to prevent it.
In Europe whole churches have already changed, or "gone over," from the apostasy of Brigham to the old church, with Joseph at its head.