I will not, however, refer to any one of these divine books; but will give my readers an instance of the consequence of disobedience which occurred to me in my early experience in the Church, in the commencement of the year 1839.
At that time I was living with the Saints in Far West, though I owned property, which I had been driven from, at the Three Forks of Grand River, distant from Far West about thirty miles.
As I wished to learn whether I could dispose of this property or not, I asked Father Joseph Smith and President Brigham Young for counsel about visiting Grand River for this purpose. They counselled me not to go; but to stay at home.
I had been driven from my property by the mob that came against the Saints, and as the Saints were obliged to leave the State I desired to go with them to Illinois. But I did not want to be burdensome to others. If I could sell my property on Grand River I would not be, so I concluded that there could not be much harm in my going to Grand River, and I set out.
How I succeeded the following extract from my journal will show.
December 31, 1838, being anxious to obtain means to make a team, that I might be able to go with the Saints, I this morning mounted the only horse I had left, and started for the Three Forks of Grand River.
I arrived at my farm on new year's day, and learned that a man by the name of George Washington O'Niel had it in his possession.
I passed on two miles further to a family by the name of Day, who had come in from the Eastern States a few weeks before I was driven away. This family had taken no part with the mob. I found the lady at home, and received from her a history of my property. She informed me that O'Niel and Culp, Missouri mobbers, had said that if ever I came to the place they would kill me; and that one Henderson and others would help them.
When on my farm I had sold store goods to a number of the citizens, who were to pay me for them at Christmas. She said she had heard many of them say that if I came there, they would pay me just as "Mormons" should be paid.
Just at this time O'Niel and Culp came into the house. They demanded of me my reasons for being there. I told them that I was attending to my business. They said I had no business there, and if I got away from there I would be smart.