The Christian world, which has hitherto regarded Mormonism with silent contempt, unhappily may yet have cause to fear its rapid increase. Modern society is full of material for such a religion. At the death of the Prophet, fourteen years after the first Mormon Church was organized, the Mormons in all the world numbered about two hundred thousand souls (one-half million according to their statistics); a number equal, perhaps to the number of Christians when the Christian Church was of the same age. It is to be feared that, in the course of a century, some gifted man like Paul, some splendid orator, who will be able by his eloquence to attract crowds of the thousands who are ever ready to hear, and be carried away by the sounding brass and tinkling cymbal of sparkling oratory, may command a hearing, may succeed in breathing a new life into this modern Mahometanism, and make the name of the martyred Joseph ring as loud, and stir the souls of men as much, as the mighty name of Christ itself. Sharon, Palmyra, Manchester, Kirtland, Far West, Adam-ondi-Ahman, Ramus, Nauvoo and the Carthage jail, may become holy and venerable names, places of classic interest, in another age: like Jerusalem, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Mount of Olives, and Mount Calvary to the Christian, and Mecca and Medina to the Turk. And in that event, the author of this history feels degraded by the reflection, that the humble governor of an obscure state, who would otherwise be forgotten in a few years, stands a fair chance, like Pilate and Herod, by their official connection with the true religion, of being dragged down to posterity with an immortal name, hitched on to the memory of a miserable impostor. There may be those whose ambition would lead them to desire an immortal name in history, even in those humbling terms. I am not one of that number.
CHAPTER LXIV.
VOLUNTARY YIELDING TO PROCESS—JOSEPH AND HYRUM CHARGED WITH TREASON —FORD'S COWARDICE AND FALSE-HOOD—IN CARTHAGE JAIL—THE FIRST DAY AND NIGHT—PREACHING TO THE GUARDS—FORD LEAVES THE MARTYRS TO THEIR FATE.
When the morning came on the 25th of June, 1844, Joseph and his brethren voluntarily presented themselves to Constable Bettisworth, who had held the original writ against them. They sought and had an interview with the governor at his headquarters; and he then and there pledged his own faith and that of the state of Illinois that Joseph and Hyrum and the other prisoners should be protected from personal violence and should have a fair and impartial trial.
A few moments after 8 o'clock a.m., Joseph and Hyrum were arrested upon warrants issued by Justice Robert F. Smith, of Carthage, charging them with treason, upon the affidavits of Augustus Spencer and Henry O. Norton.
After making an inflammable speech to the rabble army, the governor led the brothers before the troops, as the mob had requested to have a clear view of Joseph and Hyrum. As they passed in front of the lines, Ford introduced the Prophet and Patriarch as Generals Joseph and Hyrum Smith. The Carthage Greys refused to receive them by that introduction, and some of the officers threw up their hats, drew their swords and said: "We will introduce ourselves to the damned Mormons in a different style." The Governor quieted them by saying:
You shall have full satisfaction.
An hour later the Carthage Greys revolted and were put under guard; they could not be content to wait another hour for the murder. But they were soon released.
Joseph had asked a private interview with Ford, but it had been refused. In declining, the governor looked down with shame.
In the afternoon several officers of the mob militia called upon Joseph at the tavern. They gazed upon him with much curiosity, and he asked them if he appeared like a desperate character. They replied that his outward appearance seemed to indicate exactly the opposite, but they could not tell what was in his heart. To this Joseph responded: