The Latter-Day Prophet: History of Joseph Smith Written for Young PeopleCannon, George Q. (George Quayle)
History
The Latter-Day Prophet: History of Joseph Smith Written for Young People
Cannon, George Q. (George Quayle)
Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844 -- Juvenile literature
Upon hearing of this the enemy grew very angry. The Saints had been so
long-suffering that they were no longer expected to use the right of
every human being to defend himself. The mob said openly that Monday
would be a bloody day. Many of the leaders were religious men, and were
required to be at Sunday service. Perhaps because they did not wish to
miss anything, the murder was put off until Monday instead of being
carried out at once.
This general slaughter was probably prevented by the determination of
the brethren that they would fight, if fight they must. A company of
thirty carrying seventeen guns met sixty of the mob who had turned
their horses in Whitmer's cornfield and were hunting a little body
of brethren who had fled. The mob cursed and opened fire, wounding a
number of the Saints. The fire was quickly returned and two of the mob
fell dead, and the rest, leaving their horses and dead companions,
broke into flight.
Two of the brethren, Andrew Barber and Philo Dibble, were wounded
very seriously. Philo Dibble was healed by the blessing of God and
lived to come to Utah with the Saints. He passed away only recently.
Brother Barber died next day and he became the first martyr in this
dispensation--unless we call the little foster-babe of Joseph's a
martyr. It died, you remember, from the effects of mob violence.
How different was Brother Barber's death from that of the two
mobocrats! He gave his life in defense of his brethren, and greater
love than that no man hath. The others died while trying to murder
innocent men. And when the brethren went to them as they lay dead and
deserted in their own blood, they were filled with strange feelings,
for they remembered what one of these, Hugh Brazeale, had said during
his life: "With ten fellows I will wade to my knees in blood, but that
I will drive the Mormons from Jackson county."
This battle took place about sunset. Rumors were at once hurried off to
all parts of the country with all manner of false reports, such as that
the Mormons had taken Independence and were joined by the Indians from
across the border. The people rose in arms. Some prepared to come in
the morning, others gathered in Independence that night.
They ordered the arrest of Sidney Gilbert and others who had caught the
thief McCarty the preceding Friday night, charging them with assault.
Of course they knew that this was not justice--it was the easiest
method of persecution. While the brethren were being tried, the mob
gathered and cursed and made the worst threats, and the prisoners were
taken to jail to save their lives. They were fired on but were not hit,
and the next morning were all set free.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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