Knowing that Lorenzo was rather leisurely that winter, the trustees solicited him to teach their district school. He consented, although, at the time, he well knew that he was taking an elephant by the bitts. The condition of that school was simply preposterous. A club of rough, ungovernable, rowdy boys, for some time previous, had prided themselves on whipping teachers and breaking up schools. The Saints being a small minority, could exercise no authority to remedy the evil, and the "old settlers" too indifferent on the subject of education to do so, and the roughs carried the day, insomuch that no teacher had been able to complete his term for some time before this, without serious difficulty.
Lorenzo was unaccustomed to defeat, and in this instance was willing to risk the chances. In the first place, he must obtain a school certificate of his moral character and proper qualifications, in order to secure the share of public money to which the district was entitled. Mr. Williams, a notorious mobocrat, was the one authorized to issue certificates, and to him my brother applied. The examination was not only brief, but very superficial—sufficiently so to exhibit Williams' profound ignorance, which was truly amusing.
The day arrived—he opened school—the belligerents were at their post, and as he proceeded in the arrangements, he noticed a half dozen of those boys grouped together, eying and scrutinizing him in that kind of earnestness that means business. Without a wise policy on his part, a battle was inevitable. "Stoop to conquer," was at this juncture his watchword. Physically they had decidedly the advantage of him, but mentally the advantage was altogether on his side. He resolved to win respect by conferring it. "Love, and love only, is the loan for love," and he addressed those boys as though they were most respectable gentlemen. Grown up without either moral or mental culture, they were larger, and some of them perhaps older than himself.
He took especial pains to impress them with a sense of the interest he felt in their behalf, and the efforts he purposed making to assist them forward in their studies, with his peculiar faculty for teaching—the ambition he felt in this direction, etc., etc. In this way, by kindness and persuasion, their feelings relaxed—their confidence was won, and with patient and continued exertions, the unscrupulous roughs were transformed into respectful students; and long before the expiration of the term, with surprising progress, they had become habitually studious.
The parents of those sons whom, through the wisdom that God had given, my brother had civilized, moralized and mentalized, were delighted with the wonderful changes, and expressed their high appreciation and deep gratitude for the interest he had taken in their behalf.
Patriarch Morley, the husband of our sister Leonora, presided over the Saints at Lima. A few families, mostly his family connections, had grouped together and formed a little neighborhood of their own, which was known as the "Morley Settlement." Here occurred the first violent outbreak of hostilities against the Latter-day Saints in the State of Illinois. It commenced in a sudden raid in which houses and other conbustible property were burned, to that extent that the Saints had to flee precipitately, and destitute, to Nauvoo, leaving their real estate possessions to a heartless mob.
CHAPTER XIV.
The Prophet instructs the Twelve.—They appoint a Delegation to seek a location for the Saints.—Lorenzo notified to be in readiness.—Change intervenes.—An unprecedented apostacy.—Joseph Smith's correspondence.—Calls for an expression from candidates for the Presidency.—Copy of Appeal.—Disgusted with their responses.—Offers himself as candidate.—Elders electioneer.—How Lorenzo succeeds.—Terrible news—Assassination.—Mournful Elegy.—Meeting mobocrats.
On the 20th of February, 1844, the Prophet Joseph Smith instructed the Twelve Apostles to send a delegation and make explorations in Oregon and California, and seek a good location to which we can remove after the Temple is completed, and "where we can build a city in a day, and have a government of our own."