The Lions of the Lord: A Tale of the Old WestWilson, Harry Leon
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The Lions of the Lord: A Tale of the Old West
Wilson, Harry Leon
Historical fiction; Latter Day Saint pioneers -- Fiction; Western stories
To this settlement early in November came the last train from Nauvoo,
its members wearied and wasted by the long march, but staunch in their
faith and with hope undimmed. It was told in after years how there had
leaped from the van of this train a very earnest young man, who had at
once sought an audience with Brigham Young and certain other members of
the Twelve who had chanced to be present at the train’s arrival; and
how, being closeted with these, he had eagerly inquired if it might not
be the will of the Lord that they should go no farther into the
wilderness, but stand their ground and give battle to the Gentiles
forthwith. He made the proposal as one who had a flawless faith that
the God of Battles would be with them, and he appeared to believe that
something might be done that very day to force the matter to an issue.
When he had made his proposal, he waited in a modest attitude to hear
their views of it. To his chagrin, all but two of those who had
listened laughed. One of these two, Bishop Snow,—a man of holy aspect
whom the Church Poet had felicitously entitled the Entablature of
Truth,—had looked at him searchingly, then put his hand upon his own
head and shaken it hopelessly to the others.
The other who had not laughed was Brigham himself. For to this great
man had been given the gift to look upon men and to know in one slow
sweep of his wonderful eyes all their strength and all their weakness.
He had listened with close attention to the remarkable plan suggested
by this fiery young zealot, and he studied him now with a gaze that was
kind. A noticeable result of this attitude of Brigham’s was that those
who had laughed became more or less awkwardly silent, while the
Entablature of Truth, in the midst of his pantomime, froze into
amazement.
“We’d better consider that a little,” said Brigham, finally. “You can
talk it over with me tonight. But first you go get your stuff unloaded
and get kind of settled. There’s a cabin just beyond my two up the
street here that you can move into.” He put his large hand kindly on
the other’s shoulder. “Now run and get fixed and come to my house for
supper along about dark.”
Somewhat cooled by the laughter of the others, but flattered by this
consideration from the Prophet, the young man had gone thoughtfully out
to his wagons and driven on to the cabin indicated.
“I _did_ think he was plumb crazy,” said Bishop Snow, doubtfully, as if
the reasons for changing his mind were even yet less than compelling.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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