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The Missouri Persecutions by Brigham Henry Roberts, 1857-1933 Published: 1900 George Q. Cannon & Sons, Salt Lake City J J J J J I I I I I Table of Contents Preface & Chapter I … The Facts in which the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had its Origin. Chapter II … The Mission to the Lamanites. Chapter III … In Search of Zion. Chapter IV … The Land and the City. Chapter V … Settlement of the Saints in Missouri. Their Errors. Reproofs and Warnings. Chapter VI … Storm Clouds. Chapter VII … The Storm Breaks. Chapter VIII … Threats of the Mob. Appeal of the Saints. Chapter IX … Again the Storm. Chapter X … The Passively Good. Chapter XI … A „Bloody Day“. Chapter XII … The „Honor“ of a Mob. Chapter XIII … Scenes on the Banks of the Missouri. Exiled. Chapter XIV … Aftermath of the Expulsion. Chapter XV … An „Attempted Vindication“ of Law. Chapter XVI … The Cause of Expulsion. Future Redemption. Chapter XVII … Importuning at the Feet of the Judge The Governor The President. Chapter XVIII … Zion‘s Camp. Chapter XIX … Zelph. Chapter XX … Dissensions in the Camp. Chapter XXI … Views Concerning Zion. Mob vs. Storm. Chapter XXII … Negotiations. Chapter XXIII … The Threatened Judgment—If—! Chapter XXIV … Attempt at Arbitration. Chapter XXV … The Pros and Cons of Arbitration Proposition. Chapter XXVI … An Interim. Blighted Hopes. Chapter XXVII … Peaceful Exodus from Clay County. Chapter XXVIII … Far West. Chapter XXIX … The Fall of David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery. Chapter XXX … The Apostasy at Kirtland. Chapter XXXI … Adam-ondi-Ahman. Chapter XXXII … The Fourth of July, 1838. Chapter XXXIII … Kirtland Camp. Chapter XXXIV … Gallatin. Chapter XXXV … Boggs in Action. Defense Construed into Offense. Chapter XXXVI … De Witt. Chapter XXXVII … Millport. Chapter XXXVIII … Crooked River. Chapter XXXIX … Exterminating Order of Governor Boggs. Chapter XL … Haun‘s Mill. Chapter XLI … The Betrayal of Far West. Chapter XLII … Sad Scenes at Far West. Chapter XLIII … A Prophet‘s Rebuke. Chapter XLIV … „A Strong Point for Treason“. Chapter XLV … Exodus from Missouri. Chapter XLVI … Again the Passively Good. Petitions. Chapter XLVII … The Escape of the Prophet from Missouri. Chapter XLVIII … A Prophecy that did not Fail. Chapter XLIX … A State‘s Shame. Appendices … Appendix I „Mormons“ in Jackson County. Appendix II „Mormon“ War. Appendix III The „Mormons“. Appendix IV Caldwell County. Appendix V „Mormon“ Difficulties. J J J J J I I I I I Preface My chief purpose in publishing this book, and the one which will immediately follow— The Rise and Fall of Nauvoo —is to place in the hands of the youth of the Latter-day Saints a full statement of the persecutions endured by the early members of The Church in this last dispensation, in the States of Missouri and Illinois, that they may be made acquainted with the sacrifices which their fathers have made for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. And I indulge the hope that by becoming acquainted with the story of the suffering of the early saints, the faith of the Gospel will become all the more dear to the hearts of their immediate posterity and all the youth of Zion for many generations to come. I think without depreciating at all any other narrative of these events in our Church literature, I may claim that the story of the Missouri Persecutions in these pages is told more thoroughly than in any other of our present publications. This arises from the fact that this book deals with but a brief period in the history of The Church—from 1830 to 1838—and therefore admits of such a consideration of details as could not possibly be given to that period in any general history of The Church. This detailed treatment of the subject, in the opinion of the author, is justified because of the very important events which the treatise covers, and also for the reason that it is a period of our history which has been very much misrepresented, upon which misrepresentations false accusations are made against The Church and its leaders to this day. Those who have thought themselves called upon to oppose, if not to persecute, The Church in later years, frequently attempt to justify their present opposition by insinuating that The Church was driven from Missouri and Illinois for other reasons than adherence to an unpopular religion. The impression is sought to be created that it was for some overt acts against the State or National government, or for some offense against the spirit of American institutions, or because The Church leaders „were determined to be a law unto themselves,“ in disregard of the rights of others. It is, in part, to correct these false statements, and guard our youth against the influence of such calumnious insinuations, that I tell this story of the Missouri Persecutions; not that the history in these pages is written for the purpose of glozing over the defects in the character of the early members of The Church, or to claim for them absolute freedom from errors in judgment, or actual sinfulness in conduct. I have not written what may be called „argumentative history,“ only so far as a statement of the truth may be considered an argument. After these pages are read I feel sure that no one will be able to accuse me of failing to point out the errors of the early members of The Church; indeed, I have been careful to call attention to the complaints which the Lord made against their conduct; the reproofs of his inspired servants; and the repeated warnings sent to them by the Prophet Joseph Smith concerning the results of their conduct if there was not a speedy repentance. In Appendices will be found accounts of these same persecutions as told by writers of Missouri history. I quote these extracts from the History of Jackson County , published by the Union Historical Company of Kansas City, Missouri, 1881; the History of Clay County , published by the National Historical Company, 1885; the History of Daviess County , by D. L. Kort; the History of Caldwell County , by Crosby Johnson; and the History of Missouri , published by the Union Historical Company. While these alleged histories of the „Mormon War,“ „Mormons in Jackson County,“ „Mormon Exodus,“ etc., etc., are contemptible for their distortion of facts and misrepresentations, the reader by having them at hand will at least have both sides of the story presented to him, and will be able by the means of comparison thus afforded, to judge where the truth of the matter lies; and it will contribute to the making of this book a valuable work of reference to the student of Church history. One other thing I ought to say in justice to myself, both in reference to this book and The Rise and Fall of Nauvoo . Very much of the matter contained in the two volumes, indeed most of it, was published in a series of twenty-four articles some fifteen years ago, in The Contributor , under the respective titles now used. Since that time very extensive quotations have been made from those articles, sometimes with, but often without, acknowledgement of the authorship; and to such extent has this been the case, that I feel it necessary to make mention of it, that I myself may not be charged with using the matter prepared by others, when in reality I am but using my own. Having called attention to this subject, I feel that it will not be out of place to say something further upon it. The fault, not to say literary crime, of plagiarism is by far too common. Some men who would never think of stealing a man‘s property, or even of using it without his permission, sometimes do not hesitate in public speech or in written articles or books to take all sorts of liberties with another‘s writings, quoting without acknowledgement not only sentences and paragraphs, but whole pages, and often page after page. And thus they bedeck themselves, not with „old, odd ends stolen out of Holy Writ,“ but in borrowed phrases and sentences—the fruits of another‘s research and thought and genius, if the writer from whom they steal possesses any. It is true that plagiarism is not a crime under the law. A man, if he so elects, may steal both the ideas and the literary construction of another, without fear of fine or imprisonment, but no writer or speaker worthy of respect would be found pilfering the thoughts or expressions of another, any more than a self-respecting, honest man would be found with stolen goods upon his back. Gradually there is being built up in The Church a very considerable and stately literature, historical, doctrinal and poetical; and for one I hope to see it, first of all, of a character that will be in harmony with the great Dispensation of the Gospel which it celebrates, that is, that it be honest. THE AUTHOR. Chapter I The Facts in which the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had its Origin. The story of the persecutions endured by the Latter-day Saints in Missouri, one of the sovereign States of the United States of America, properly begins with the advent of a mission to the Lamanites, (1-1) at Independence, Missouri, in the winter of 1830. But in order that those not acquainted with the history of The Church may understand how there came to be a mission to the Lamanites in 1830, and how there came to be a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be persecuted, I think it proper to state briefly those facts in which The Church had its origin.

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