[It is thought proper that this volume, which brings the HISTORY OF THE CHURCH to close of its first Period—the administration of its First President, and, by way of pre-eminence the Prophet of the New Dispensation of the Gospel, should close with the official statement of the Martyrdom of the Prophet and the Patriarch. A statement so true, and conservative, and excellent that now for a long time it has been published in the "Doctrine and Covenants.">[

MARTYRDOM OF JOSEPH SMITH, THE PROPHET, AND HIS BROTHER HYRUM.

(From the Doctrine and Covenants).

To seal the testimony of this book and the Book of Mormon, we announce the Martyrdom of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and Hyrum Smith the Patriarch. They were shot in Carthage jail, on the 27th of June, 1844, about 5 o'clock p.m., by an armed mob, painted black—of from 150 to 200 persons. Hyrum was shot first and fell calmly, exclaiming, "I am a dead man!" Joseph leaped from the window and was shot dead in the attempt, exclaiming, "O Lord, my God!" They were both shot after they were dead in a brutal manner, and both received four balls.

John Taylor and Willard Richards, two of the Twelve, were the only persons in the room at the time; the former was wounded in a savage manner with four balls, but has since recovered; the latter through the providence of God, escaped, "without even a hole in his robe."

Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more (save Jesus only) for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. In the short space of twenty years he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fullness of the everlasting Gospel which it contained to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city; and left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people, and like most of the Lord's anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood—and so has his brother Hyrum. In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated!

When Joseph went to Carthage to deliver himself up to the pretended requirements of the law, two or three days previous to his assassination, he said:

"I am going like a lamb to the slaughter; but I am calm as a summer's morning; I have a conscience void of offense toward God and towards all men. I shall die innocent, and it shall yet be said of me—he was murdered in cold blood."

The same morning after Hyrum had made ready to go—shall it be said to the slaughter? Yes, for so it was,—he read the following paragraph near the close of the fifth chapter of Ether, in the Book of Mormon, and turned down the leaf upon it:

"And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord that He would give unto the Gentiles grace that they might have charity. And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me, if they have not charity, it mattereth not unto you, thou hast been faithful: wherefore thy garments are clean. And because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shall be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father. And now I . . . bid farewell unto the Gentiles; yea, and also unto my brethren whom I love, until we shall meet before the judgment-seat of Christ where all men shall know that my garments are not spotted with your blood."

The testators are now dead, and their testament is in force.

Hyrum Smith was forty-four years old, February, 1844, and Joseph Smith was thirty-eight in December, 1843: and henceforward their names will be classed among the martyrs of religion; and the reader in every nation will be reminded that the Book of Mormon and this Book of Doctrine and Covenants of the Church, cost the best blood of the nineteenth century to bring them forth for the salvation of a ruined world; and that if the fire can scathe a green tree for the glory of God, how easy it will burn up the "dry trees" to purify the vineyard of corruption. They lived for glory, they died for glory; and glory is their eternal reward. From age to age shall their names go down to posterity as gems for the sanctified.

They were innocent of any crime, as they had often been proved before, and were only confined in the jail by the conspiracy of traitors and wicked men; and their innocent blood on the floor of Carthage jail, is a broad seal affixed to "Mormonism" that cannot be rejected by any court on earth; and their innocent blood on the escutcheon of the State of Illinois with the broken faith of the State, as pledged by the Governor, is a witness to the truth of the everlasting gospel, that all the world cannot impeach; and their innocent blood on the banner of liberty, and on the magna charta of the United States is an ambassador for the religion of Jesus Christ that will touch the heart of honest men among all nations; and their innocent blood with the innocent blood of all the martyrs under the altar that John saw, will cry unto the Lord of Hosts, till He avenges that blood on the earth. Amen.

(END OF PERIOD I.)

INDEX TO VOLUME VI.

A

Affidavits of Delmore Chapman, [100]; of Richards and Lewis, [103]; Sission Chase, Avery Case, [109]; of Willard Richards, Nauvoo in danger, [119]; of Amos Chase, Elliott affair, [121]; of Philander Avery, [122]; of the Hamiltons, [123]; of Orson Hyde, [145]; of Daniel Avery, [145]-[148]; of Abiathar B. Williams, on conspiracy, [278]; of M. G. Eaton on conspiracy, [279]-[280]; of Aaron Johnson, [350]; Margaret J. Nyman et al. against Chauncey L. Higbee, [407]; H. T. Hugins, Nauvoo threatened, [423]; Thomas G. Wilson, on mob movements, [480]-[481]; of Stephen Markham, Nauvoo to be attacked, [492]; of Truman Gillett, [500]; of Canfield & Belknap, [502]; Call et al., [505]-[506]; Carlos W. Lyman, [507]; Mount and Cunningham, [508]; of Allen T. Wait, [509]; Morley et al., [510]; Solomon Hancock et al., [511]; James Guyman, [511]-[512]; Obediah Bowen, [512]-[513]; of Alvah Tippetts, [514]; Greene & Bernhisel, [516]; John P. Greene, Jackson's threats, [522]; of Joseph Smith, on conspiracy, [523]; of Joseph Jackson, threats against the Prophet, [524]; of Edward Robinson, threats against Nauvoo, [528]; James Olive, mob movements, [529]; George G. Johnstone, move on Nauvoo, [530]; Gideon Gibbs, on mob, [530]; Luman Calkins, on conspiracy, [531]-[532]; of Alfred Randall, threats against the Prophet's life, [586]; of Jonathan C. Wright, on conspiracy against Prophet, [587]; of O. P. Rockwell on Ford in Nauvoo, [588]; of William G. Sterrett, on Ford in Nauvoo, [589]-[590].

Apostles in conference, [11]; return of to Nauvoo, [60]; epistles of to Elders and Churches abroad, [63]-[64]; action of on publications, [66]; minutes of council meeting of, [223]; instructed to send delegation to California, [222]-[224]; minutes of meeting of, [230]; Appoint conferences in U.S., [334]-[335]; called home, [519].

Apostates in Nauvoo, excommunication of, [341]; Plans for organization of new Church, [346]-[347]; collection of at Carthage, [560]; reported intention to plunder, [564].

Arms, public, for Legion, [31].