You remember a short time before this Joseph had prophesied that the Saints would go to the Rocky Mountains, and there become a mighty people. When he saw trouble gathering, his mind turned toward the West. He directed exploring parties to prepare themselves and go out to look for a suitable resting place for the Saints, when their next move should come. In civilization there seemed no rest for them. Many times he referred to the subject and directed the Apostles to secure strong, prudent men and send them out. Many volunteered and prepared themselves to go. Joseph at this time prophesied that within five years the Saints should be out of the power of mobs and apostates. He did not live to see this fulfilled, but you know how true the prophecy was. By February of 1849, five years from the time that the Prophet uttered it, the body of the Church was in Salt Lake valley, one thousand miles from their old persecutors. A special conference of the Church was held at Nauvoo, beginning the sixth of April, 1844. The seventh was Sunday and twenty thousand Saints gathered to hear the Prophet speak. Elder King Follett, a faithful man who had been in prison with Parley P. Pratt in Missouri, had died a few days before, and Joseph's mind was drawn to the eternal glory that this man and other faithful Saints will obtain. For three and a half hours, in power rested the Holy Ghost upon him and he spoke. His voice was like the voice of an angel, and the people sat motionless, almost breathless, listening to hear every word. The Laws and Fosters could no longer hide their wickedness and they were publicly cut off the Church. Now began their lawless, murderous course. Before the week had passed a number of them were arrested and fined for the assault and resisting officers of the law. Joseph was determined that they should not deceive innocent Saints, and before they were cut off he laid open their wickedness in public, and their thirst for his blood grew stronger within them. William Law and others went to Carthage and swore to a complaint before the circuit court, charging the Prophet with polygamy and perjury. Joseph heard that an order for his arrest was out, and so on the twenty-fifth of May, he went of his own free will to Carthage to give himself up. He obtained lawyers there and wished to have the case tried at once, but the other side succeeded in having it delayed until the next term of court. Joseph was left in the hands of a sheriff, who knowing the Prophet's honor let him go free. He learned from some of the apostates, who were not so bitter as others, that a plot had been formed to murder him that night at Carthage. Hyrum and others of his friends were with him, and when the mob was not expecting it, they left Carthage and went rapidly toward Nauvoo. Joseph rode his favorite horse, a beautiful animal which he called Joe Duncan. They reached home soon after dark by rapid riding. CHAPTER XXXVIII. 1844.