The Latter-Day Prophet: History of Joseph Smith Written for Young People

by George Q. Cannon

Two days after this, on the 8th of August, the Prophet and Orrin Porter Rockwell were arrested by the sheriff and two deputies of Adams county, on the charge of murder. Three months before, Lilburn W. Boggs was found one night lying in his bed at his home in Independence, Jackson county, with three bullet wounds in the head. These were not fatal and he soon recovered. The report was spread that the Mormons had done this to punish Boggs for the murders of the Saints which he had sent the mob to do; but there was no evidence to show that any member of the Church had been in the slightest degree connected with the crime. In the latter part of July, almost three months after the shooting, Boggs swore out a complaint against Orrin P. Rockwell for having tried to murder him, and against Joseph Smith as his aid in the crime.

Boggs had applied to Governor Reynolds of Missouri, and Reynolds had applied to Governor Carlin of Illinois, for the arrest of the Prophet and Brother Rockwell as fugitives from justice. Thousands of people had seen Joseph at Nauvoo on the day that Boggs had been shot. Certainly he had not been in Missouri, and therefore had not fled from the state. According to his right, the Prophet demanded that they be taken to the city court of Nauvoo for a hearing. This the officers refused to allow but seeming not to know what their duties really were, they went back to Quincy to consult with Governor Carlin. When they came back, two days later, Brother Rockwell had gone east, and Joseph had hid himself, not wishing to be taken, contrary to law, back to Missouri. The sheriff tried to frighten Emma into telling where Joseph was, by threatening her if she refused, but it was of no use.

During more than four months the Prophet was hiding at Nauvoo and the neighboring country, though once he same suddenly before the people and preached to them. During this time he wrote important letters to the Saints, especially on the subject of baptism for the dead. All kinds of tricks were tried in order to capture him. A reward of $1,300 was offered for his arrest, and the threat was made that if he was not found the mob would come upon Nauvoo and burn the city. On hearing this last, the Prophet told Wilson Law, who had been made major-general, that though the Saints would make every sacrifice that God or man could require at their hands to preserve peace, yet they should defend themselves if necessary.

At length, relying on the advice of Mr. Butterfield, an able lawyer who had become Joseph's attorney, and the promise of Thomas Ford, who had been elected governor of Illinois after the end of Carlin's term, the Prophet permitted himself to be arrested by Wilson Law on the 26th of December, and, with a company of brethren, set out for Springfield, the capital of Illinois, to be tried before the circuit court.

On the last day of the year 1842, the Prophet was released by Judge Pope on two thousand dollar bonds to appear for trial the following week. The court house was crowded with people. Some were friendly to the Prophet and others were his enemies, but all wished to see him. After he was set free, he went to visit Governor Ford and on his way he passed between two walls of people. Soon after this a loose team went dashing past the State house and somebody called out, "Joseph Smith the Mormon Prophet is running away." The legislature at once dismissed and the members came running out of doors to take part in the excitement. The Prophet had grown to be a very interesting person to them. Next morning being Sunday, the State house was offered for the purpose of holding a meeting. Orson Hyde and John Taylor preached to a great congregation.

The trial was held on the 4th of January, 1843, and after a powerful argument by Mr. Butterfield, Judge Pope decided that the whole action of the Missouri and Illinois officers, in trying to take the Prophet and carry him away for trial, was illegal. By this decision Joseph was given his liberty again. He returned to Nauvoo on the 10th of January and the Saints were overjoyed to see him in safety again. The Twelve Apostles set apart the 17th of that month as a day of humility, fasting, praise, thanksgiving and prayer. This day was kept, and all were truly grateful to God for having preserved the Prophet's life. Next day Joseph and Emma gave a banquet to many of the Saints in honor of the fifteenth anniversary of their marriage.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

1843.

A BLOODY WAR PREDICTED—THE PROPHET'S INTERVIEW WITH STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS—A PROPHECY—THE CELESTIAL ORDER OF MARRIAGE—JOSEPH KIDNAPPED AND ABUSED—HE ENTERTAINS THE MEN WHO SOUGHT TO TAKE HIS LIFE.

When Judge Pope declared that Joseph was a free man again after the trial at Springfield, on the fifth of January, 1843, a few months of peace followed his long hiding. It was a happy, busy time for the Prophet—a time when many prophecies were uttered by him and much precious truth given to the Saints. In the early part of this year there was a great stir made about the prophecy of a man named Miller who said that Jesus and the day of judgment were to come on April 3rd. A committee of young men came from New York to see Joseph about this, and he said positively that the Lord would not come in the year 1843 to reign in this world. At a later time in a conference, he declared to the Saints that Jesus would not come before he, Joseph, was eighty-five years old.