CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE PROPHET ON THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JUDGE ELIAS HIGBEE—LIFE AND RESURRECTION—EXPLANATION Of ELECTION DAY TROUBLES—GOVERNOR FORD'S REFUSAL TO PLAY INTO THE HANDS OF MISSOURI—ANTI-MORMON AGITATION AT CARTHAGE—ELDER JONATHAN DUNHAM'S REPORT OF HIS WESTERN EXPLORATIONS.
Sunday, August 13, 1843.—I went to the stand on Sunday morning, August 13, 1843, and preached on the death of Judge Higbee, a synopsis of which was reported by my clerk, Dr. Willard Richards.
The Prophet's Remarks at the Funeral of Judge Higbee.
BRETHREN AND SISTERS, you will find these words in II Peter iii:10, 11:—"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness."
I am not like other men. My mind is continually occupied with the business of the day, and I have to depend entirely upon the living God for every thing I say on such occasions as these.
The great thing for us to know is to comprehend what God did institute before the foundation of the world. Who knows it? It is the constitutional disposition of mankind to set up stakes and set bounds to the works and ways of the Almighty.
We are called this morning to mourn the death of a just and good man—a great and mighty man. It is a solemn idea that man has no hope of seeing a friend after he has lost him. But I will give you a more painful thought. It is simple; for I never design to communicate any ideas but what are simple; for to this end I am sent. Suppose you have an idea of a resurrection, etc., etc., and yet know nothing at all of the gospel, nor comprehend one principle of the order of heaven, but find yourselves disappointed—yes, at last find yourselves disappointed in every hope or anticipation, when the decision goes forth from the lips of the Almighty. Would not this be a greater disappointment—a more painful thought than annihilation?
Had I inspiration, revelation, and lungs to communicate what my soul has contemplated in times past, there is not a soul in this congregation but would go to their homes and shut their mouths in everlasting silence on religion till they had learned something.
Why be so certain that you comprehend the things of God, when all things with you are so uncertain. You are welcome to all the knowledge and intelligence I can impart to you. I do not grudge the world all the religion they have got: they are welcome to all the knowledge they possess.
The sound saluted my ears—"Ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant" (Hebrews xii, 22, 23, 24). What would it profit us to come unto the spirits of the just men, but to learn and come up to the standard of their knowledge?
Where has Judge Higbee gone?
Who is there that would not give all his goods to feed the poor, and pour out his gold and silver to the four winds, to go where Judge Higbee has gone?
That which hath been hid from before the foundation of the world is revealed to babes and sucklings in the last days.
The world is reserved unto burning in the last days. He shall send Elijah the prophet, and he shall reveal the covenants of the fathers in relation to the children, and the covenants of the children in relation to the fathers.
Four destroying angels holding power over the four quarters of the earth until the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads, which signifies sealing the blessing upon their heads, meaning the everlasting covenant, thereby making their calling and election sure. When a seal is put upon the father and mother, it secures their posterity, so that they cannot be lost, but will be saved by virtue of the covenant of their father and mother.
To the mourners I would say—Do as the husband and the father would instruct you, and you shall be reunited.
The speaker continued to teach the doctrine of election and the sealing powers and principles, and spoke of the doctrine of election with the seed of Abraham, and the sealing of blessings upon his posterity, and the sealing of the fathers and children, according to the declarations of the prophets. He then spoke of Judge Higbee in the world of spirits, and the blessings which he would obtain, and of the kind spirit and disposition of Judge Higbee while living; none of which was reported.
Remarks by President Joseph Smith, on Sunday afternoon, August 13, 1843, reported by Dr. Willard Richards:
The Prophet's Explanation of Election Day Troubles.
President Joseph Smith complained of the citizens of Nauvoo. He reproved some young men for crowding on to the ladies' seats on the meeting ground, and laughing and mocking during meeting; and, as mayor, he instructed the marshal to keep that portion of the grove clear of young men. "The city is enlarging very fast. We have many professedly learned men in this city, and the height of their knowledge is not to know enough to keep in their place."
He then complained of the treatment he had received from Walter Bagby, the county assessor and collector, who has exercised more despotic power over the inhabitants of the city than any despot of the eastern country over his serfs. I met him, and he gave me some abusive language, taking up a stone to throw at me: I seized him by the throat to choke him off. He then spoke of Esquire Daniel H. Wells interfering when he had no business, and of the abuses he received at the election on the hill. They got a constable by the name of King. I don't know what need there was of a constable. Old Father Perry said, "Why, you can't vote in this precinct."
King took me by the collar and told me to go away. (All our wrongs have arisen under the power and authority of Democracy; and I have sworn that this arm shall fall from my shoulder, and this tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth before I will vote for them,) unless they make me satisfaction, and I feel it sensibly. I was abused and neglected at the ground, and there was not a man in the crowd to say, "This is Brother Joseph, or this is the Mayor." He then spoke of the grog shops, and the disturbance of the crowd in the street by Moeser's grocery. "I have been ferreting out grog shops, groceries, and beer barrels. I have warned the rum and beer dealers to be scarce after this time, and the peace officers to watch the grog shops and give me seasonable notice of any disorder. If they are conducted as they have been, I will rip them up."
He then sat down, but resumed—"I had forgotten one thing. We have had certain traders in this city, who have been writing falsehoods to Missouri; and there is a certain man in this city who has made a covenant to betray and give me up to the Missourians, and that, too, before Governor Carlin commenced his persecutions. That man is no other than Sidney Rigdon. This testimony I have from gentlemen from abroad, whose names I do not wish to give.
I most solemnly proclaim the withdrawal of my fellowship from this man, on condition that the foregoing be true; and let the Saints proclaim it abroad, that he may no longer be acknowledged as my counselor: and all who feel to sanction my proceedings and views will manifest it by uplifted hands.
There was a unanimous vote that Sidney Rigdon be disfellowshiped, and his license demanded.
The Twelve Apostles held meetings in various parts of Philadelphia.
Monday, 14.—Rode out at nine a.m. At home at one p.m. In the evening, attended the funeral of Lydia Walker, who died at my house yesterday.
I copy from the State Register as follows:—
A Post-Election Denial of Governor Ford Menacing the Citizens of Nauvoo.
We have seen and heard a statement that Governor Ford had delayed making a decision upon the demand of Missouri for the militia to arrest Joseph Smith, until after the election, so as by intimidation to compel the Mormons to vote the Democratic ticket.
The authors of this desperate and reckless slander take counsel from their own corrupt hearts, and judge others by a knowledge of what they would do in like case. No doubt but that they would do this, and more too, if necessary, to secure the success of their party; and hence their readiness to believe evil of others.
If, however, they had been in the least degree inclined to judge correctly, they would have gone, as we have done, to the records of the secretary's office, where they would have ascertained that all these suspicions were groundless, and that the governor had actually decided not to call out the militia eleven days before the election.