CHAPTER IV.
RETURN TO NAUVOO—SENT TO JEFFERSON COUNTY ON A TITHING MISSION—RETURN WITH A THOUSAND DOLLARS—REMOVE WEST WITH THE CHURCH—STAY AT WINTER QUARTERS—ORDAINED BISHOP—SCURVY IN CAMP—HIRE OUT IN MISSOURI—ARRIVE IN SALT LAKE VALLEY—ELDER KIMBALL'S PROPHECY AND ITS FULFILLMENT.
The work in New Brunswick rolled on prosperously, but the time came when we had calculated to be at home. We had heard, too, that our beloved Prophet had been murdered in Carthage jail, and we naturally felt anxious to know how things were with our families and friends at Nauvoo.
Our parting with the Saints in New Brunswick was not very pleasant, as may be supposed. As we were leaving the place, while stopping by some water, waiting to cross by means of the ferry, we were overtaken by two persons, who requested us to baptize them. This we did, and confirmed them on the spot—such was the spirit of the work in that region.
We returned by way of Boston, where I left Brother Crosby.
I arrived at Nauvoo safely, but I had scarcely been there three weeks before I was again sent to Jefferson Co., this time on a tithing mission.
I got back in about four months, carrying with me about a thousand dollars which the Saints had donated towards building the temple of the Lord.
While I was on my mission to New Brunswick, the Church promised the mob to leave Nauvoo by the next grass time—spring, so that when I returned the second time the city was all excitement. All that could were selling out, some were disposing of their things by auction, for whatever could be got, while others would take cart-loads of furniture out into the country, and "swap" it for money or cattle; for, ready or not ready, the mob meant to have the Saints out by the time stated.
My property was rather more pleasantly situated than many others', and I succeeded in getting the munificent sum of $250 for my house and orchard, the nursery to which contained six thousand young grafted fruit trees, and was worth $3,000 at least.
Many of the Saints would have been glad to have got off with no greater sacrifice than myself, but as the time drew near, the prices offered for our property fell in proportion. Some of the Saints did not get half as much as I did, for property equally valuable. Others got nothing at all, but had to leave their houses just as they were, and those living in the outskirts of the city were saved the sacrifice of selling their houses for less than their worth, for the mob burned about three hundred of them down, and destroyed the property of the owners.