The joy and peace of toil on his prairie farm were not left long uninterrupted. The Saints were constantly disturbed by the never ceasing demands made by the Governor of Missouri for the body of the Prophet. The chief executive of that state made another call on the Governor of Illinois to deliver Joseph to the state of Missouri. The Prophet was twenty miles away from home when information reached him.
On Sunday, June 25th, Hyrum Smith came into a meeting and requested the Masonic Fraternity there to meet him in the lodge room within half an hour. It was an occasion of great excitement. When the members of the lodge convened, the people, who were full of anxiety, also gathered. Not a fourth of them could secure entrance to the house. They thereupon formed in a hollow square upon the green and Hyrum conveyed to them the information that Joseph had already been arrested with drawn pistols, by Wilson of Carthage and Reynolds of Missouri. Stephen Markham went courageously to the Prophet's assistance and threatened to knock their pistols down, but they pointed their pistols at the Prophet and threatened if he did so to kill the Prophet and he therefore desisted. They took Joseph to Carthage and then started for Missouri. "They had gone about ten miles," says Elder Woodruff, "when they were stopped by citizens in the country who swore they should not take Joseph Smith any farther without giving him a hearing before the law. Writ of habeas corpus was taken out in behalf of Joseph and against sheriffs Reynolds and Wilson. A company was then called for to go to the Prophet and to see that he had his rights. Hyrum called for volunteers and the whole city spoke together in response. A choice was then made of about a hundred mounted men under the command of Generals Law and Charles C. Rich. Besides the mounted men about one hundred went down the river by steam-boat, The Maid of Iowa.
"Five days later at one p. m., the citizens of Nauvoo went out in great numbers on horseback, on foot, and in carriages to meet the Prophet. The whole scene was a demonstration of great joy. He was escorted home by a band of music and by the great multitude that had gone out to meet him. Reynolds of Missouri, and Wilson of Carthage, who had taken him by force of arms, were brought to Nauvoo with him. They looked as though they had the ague. The Prophet, however, heaped upon their heads coals of fire by reason of the great kindness he showed them. They had treated him inhumanely, and in return they were taken to the Prophet's home, seated at the head of the table and treated to the best his home afforded. Joseph's wife, who had been denied by these men the privilege of seeing her husband after his arrest, treated them with the utmost kindness. After dinner they repaired to the court room where Joseph was delivered to the municipal court for trial. Before he went into the court he mounted a wagon and spoke to the assembled multitude. 'I am out of the hands of the Missourians, thank God!' He thanked the people for their kindness and love to him. He said he would address them at four p. m. in the grove near the Temple. At that hour nearly seven thousand people assembled full of joyful anticipation in the thought of hearing the words that should fall from their Prophet's lips."
These were, indeed, exciting times; the depths of the human soul were reached by the constant recurrences of the joys and sorrows of those times. Anxiety, however, rested upon the Saints. They could feel the increasing spirit of opposition; its murderous intent was more fully revealed to them as time went on. Their joys were constantly broken by the sorrows that were ever increasing and the dangers that constantly threatened their peace of mind. They felt the approach of a coming storm that might do irreparable harm to their peace of mind as well as to their physical well being. The hearts of the more faithful men were saddened by both the growing demands and the increasing power of the enemy. The thought that the evil one was gaining power over them saddened their lives, and their only support and courage came from the assurance they had in the ultimate triumph of God's purposes. The lessons of their sadness and the admonition that comes to us through the gloom of those days have been our gain. Assurance of God's deliverance in the past has always been helpful to men and women in the support of their faith; what a tender and loving God in the consummation of His purposes had once done, He would do again. In all those trials there was greater buoyancy in the life of the Prophet whose death was sought by his enemies than in the lives of any other men of those times. He was their leader, the hope and assurance of his words inspired others with confidence in his leadership. He was their guiding star, and while his life lasted, its brilliancy eclipsed the lights of all those about him. They knew that he was not a fallen Prophet. There was no tremor in his voice; he never faltered by the way-side. He stood up in the midst of his high and holy calling and rebuked sin and sinners. It was a marvelous life, every detail of which grows in importance as time goes on, and the greatness of the Church affords the highest guarantee of the fulfillment of the glorious predictions he made concerning it—thanks to the pen of Wilford Woodruff. It gives us deeper and better insight not only into the spirit of those times but into the life of the man, who, as days go on, is becoming more and more a glorification of the age in which he lived.
CHAPTER 18.
MISSION TO THE EAST, 1843.
Address of the Prophet on Constitutional Rights.—Orson Hyde's Call to Russia.—Prophet Explains His Position with Respect to Missouri.—Origin of Nauvoo Legion.—Political Explanation.—Departure of the Twelve for the East.—Brigham Young's Fidelity.—Phrenological Chart by O. S. Fowler.—Return of the Twelve to Nauvoo.—W. W. Sealed to Wife.—Adultery.—Governor of Missouri Again Issues Requisition for Prophet.—Endowments.
The people of Nauvoo during these exciting times were greatly agitated over the safety of their Prophet and leader. In keeping with his promise, Joseph Smith addressed the assembled multitude who anxiously awaited the words which were to fall from his lips. There were no stenographic reporters then, and Wilford Woodruff's account of what was said is without doubt the fullest and most accurate statement on record. The following is taken from his journal, wherein he recorded the words of the prophet: "I meet you with a heart full of gratitude to Almighty God, and you doubtless feel as I do. I hardly know how to express my feelings. I feel as strong as a giant. I pulled sticks with the men coming along, and with one hand I pulled up the strongest man on the road, and two could not pull me up. I continued to pull till I pulled them to Nauvoo. Notwithstanding the excitement, I feel cool and dispassionate through it all. Thank God I am now in the hands of those who preside over the municipal court, not in the hands of the Missourians. Relative to our right of habeas corpus we have full power. If there is not power in our charter and courts, then there is none in the state of Illinois, nor in Congress, nor in the constitution of the United States. Congress gave to Illinois her constitution, and Illinois has given to Nauvoo the charter which protects us in our vested rights.