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PREFACE 
 
 Memory is the magician that enables us to re- 
 construct the past. Where memory fails, imagi- 
 nation with the aid of historical records "carries 
 on." This volume by no means represents an 
 effort to write an historical textbook. Imagina- 
 tion, stirred by the romantic records of the past, 
 has endeavored rather to revivify and relive 
 some of the strange events of the past occurring 
 in that most unique city of modern history, 
 Nauvoo. 
 
 The story, "Timbers for the Temple," first ap- 
 peared in Autumn Leaves in 1917 and 1918. 
 Since then many inquiries have been received as 
 to the identity of leading characters. David H. 
 Smith served to an extent as model for the char- 
 acter of David Nobleman. Frederick G. Smith 
 likewise helped to suggest the character of John 
 Nobleman. But as a matter of course, the par- 
 ticular events set forth in the book did not ac- 
 tually take place in the lives of either of these 
 men some of the events as a matter of fact oc- 
 curring before they were born. Other characters 
 not obviously historical are imaginary. 
 
 Born in the city of Nauvoo, in the "Mansion 
 House," close by the Father of Waters, under 
 the shadow of the hill crowned by the ruins of 
 
the temple, the writer has always found a stirring 
 of the pulse at the very mention of the word 
 Nauvoo; romance, poetry, adventure, religious 
 fervor, sacrifice, tragedy, melancholia the faces 
 of all these rise before the mind's eye at the 
 sounding of that word. But hope and faith also 
 appear, leading from the blight and ruin of the 
 past, from the irretrievable collapse of high en- 
 terprises, the canker of disappointment, and the 
 cynicism of disillusionment, along a safe and sure 
 road into a future that will materialize all that 
 was sought for and lost by our fathers at Nau- 
 voo. If even one reader shall be fortified in his 
 determination to help build the living temple 
 first, a redeemed people the home and habitation 
 of God, that the temple of wood and stone may 
 not be in vain, the labor of love represented by 
 this book will not be lost. 
 
 ELBERT A. SMITH. 
 INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI, October 24, 1922. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 1. In the Rose Garden 9 
 
 2. The Shadow Land of Memory 18 
 
 3. The New Name 42 
 
 4. Off for the Pine Forests 55 
 
 5. A Letter from John Nobleman 60 
 
 6. A Visit from Kis-Kish-Kee 73 
 
 7. Letters to John Nobleman 79 
 
 8. Kis-Kish-Kee Returns 92 
 
 9. David Meets the Methodist Preacher 103 
 
 10. More Letters to John Nobleman 130 
 
 11. Mr. Prior Returns 147 
 
 12. Nauvoo as Seen by Reverend Prior 165 
 
 13. Another Fourth of July in Nauvoo 173 
 
 14. Letters from Nauvoo 194 
 
 15. The Tragedy at Carthage 211 
 
 16. John Nobleman Returns 220 
 
 17. The Rift in the Lute 230 
 
 18. An Apostolic Summons 242 
 
 19. The Wedding and the Farewell 258 
 
 20. Closing Scenes 273 
 
 21. Glad Tidings 291 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 Frontispiece, Ruins of the Temple at Nauvoo 
 
 Haun's Mill massacre 32 
 
 Nauvoo from below the city 73 
 
 "The trysting place" 128 
 
 The Nauvoo House 168 
 
 The "Mansion House" 200 
 
 Carthage Jail 217 
 
 The Expulsion from Nauvoo 272 
 
 President Joseph Smith 288 
 
Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Chapter One 
 
 IN THE ROSE GARDEN 
 
 THE young artist stepped back from his 
 work with a profound sigh of relief. "Well, 
 it is done," he said. "It is as good as I can 
 make it, but it will hardly bear comparison with 
 the original." 
 
 He flung back the long damp locks from his 
 forehead, and inhaled another draught of the 
 sunny June air. The girl who had been sitting 
 on a rustic bench posing for the miniature, leaped 
 to her feet and ran forward to scan the likeness. 
 
 "May I see it now?" she cried. "I have posed 
 for days and days, it seems most like forever, and 
 you have never let me look at the painting even 
 once." 
 
 She was a slip of a girl, probably seventeen 
 years of age, with blue eyes and yellow hair, and 
 a sweet and winsome face. 
 
 "Yes, little sister," the artist replied, "you may 
 see it now. But I fear you will be disappointed." 
 
10 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 The girl came to the little table where the artist 
 worked. It was strewn with brushes and paint 
 tubes. And before her lay the object of her 
 curiosity, a miniature in oil on ivory. 
 
 She clapped her hands with delight when she 
 saw it, and gayly hopped about in girlish aban- 
 don. "Why, it is lovely!" she exclaimed. "Only 
 it is ever and ever so much better looking than I 
 am. David, you will be a great painter sometime 
 why, you are a great painter now, come to 
 think about it!" 
 
 A third person came forward from the shad- 
 ows of the rose garden where he had been loung- 
 ing, watching the two. He seemed a little older 
 than either of them. He was tall and strong, 
 with handsome and regular features. 
 
 He stood with the easy, confident poise of an 
 athlete. A soft black slouch hat rested upon his 
 head, partly covering the long black locks that he 
 wore in the fashion of the time. 
 
 He stood behind his brother David and 
 scanned the miniature, while the girl, having ex- 
 pressed her enthusiasm by an ebullition of excla- 
 mations and praises, resumed her seat. 
 
 "It is indeed fine work, brother mine," said 
 John Nobleman, when he had scrutinized the 
 
In the Rose Garden 11 
 
 miniature. "Old La Fraunce has taught you 
 well, and they say he learned his art in Paris." 
 
 "Yes," replied David, eagerly, "the credit, if 
 there is any, belongs to Monsieur La Fraunce. I 
 am so grieved that he is now dead. If I could 
 only have continued under him and then I miss 
 him for himself." 
 
 "Well, I shall certainly not give Monsieur La 
 Fraunce all the credit. He did well but with 
 a good pupil. It takes brains to paint such a 
 picture, brains mixed with paints, no matter 
 what the training has been. And it takes artis- 
 tic genius. I could never paint such a picture- 
 not in a thousand years. An academy of La 
 Fraunce in ten millenniums could not teach me 
 to paint." 
 
 "Ho no, perhaps not to paint," replied David 
 Nobleman, "but think of the things you can do. 
 You are so strong and brave and handsome. I 
 can paint, true, but I could not trounce Big Bull 
 Steiner as you did when he terrorized the chil- 
 dren at the picnic Saturday. I cannot lie at full 
 length on the ground and spring to my feet with- 
 out touching hands to the soil. I cannot shoot a 
 running deer, or row a boat all day up stream, 
 or break the hearts of half the girls in - 
 
 But John Nobleman clapped his broad hand 
 
12 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 over his brother's mouth and silenced him. "That 
 is enough on that chord," he said. "You are mu- 
 sician as well as painter, and should not harp all 
 day on one string. I can do a lot of physical ex- 
 ploits, true, but what is that to the pictures you 
 paint, the poems you write, the music you com- 
 pose, the - 
 
 But he in turn was silenced. The girl, pre- 
 tending to pout, said, "Must you two now fall 
 into your usual mutual admiration society of two 
 members while I sit neglected all the day?" 
 
 With one accord the two brothers sprang for- 
 ward, bowing before her, and with assumed court- 
 liness that but partly concealed their real tender- 
 ness, they ranged themselves on either side of her 
 and assisted her to her feet and escorted her to 
 the table for another look at the miniature. 
 There the three stood with arms intertwined. 
 
 "The painting is fair," conceded the young ar- 
 tist, "but see what God has painted," and he 
 turned and touched his finger gently to the 
 flushed cheek of his foster sister. 
 
 But the girl broke gayly from his grasp and 
 ran into the house, laughing. Left to themselves, 
 the two brothers fell to chatting. The out-of- 
 doors studio had been arranged under a broad 
 spreading maple tree, bordered by a rose garden. 
 
In the Rose Garden 13 
 
 The June air was even then fragrant with the 
 perfume of the roses. 
 
 Behind them lay the beautiful city of Nauvoo, 
 rising terrace above terrace to the brow of the 
 hill on which stood the foundations of the temple, 
 upon which workmen were even then busy. Be- 
 fore them, as they looked from their garden down 
 the slope to the river, spread the expanse of the 
 Mississippi, sweeping in a splendid, far-flung 
 curve about the city. Across the river they could 
 discern the wooded shores of Iowa. 
 
 "It hardly seems possible that so much should 
 have been accomplished in so short a time," John 
 was saying. "Here are brick houses, stores, 
 flower gardens, where so recently there was but 
 a wilderness with a few rude dwellings." 
 
 "Yes, truly it is yet a day of miracles," replied 
 David, ever of a reverent turn of mind, "and 
 here faith and works are combined to produce 
 the miracles and there have been sacrifices, too 
 living sacrifices. Sometimes I think these very 
 roses are red with the blood of the Saints." 
 
 A spasm of pain racked his fine features, and 
 again he tossed back the brown locks from his 
 forehead, ere he continued, "Our own father and 
 mother lie buried here, stricken by that dread 
 fever when first the city was begun. The mortar 
 
14 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 in all these houses has been mixed with tears. 
 But so it must be, I presume. Every great and 
 righteous undertaking uprears itself in struggle 
 and in sacrifice. Faith without works is dead. 
 If only we shall now be permitted to remain and 
 complete our work. They say the temple must 
 be built, and that speedily, or the church will 
 come under condemnation." 
 
 "That reminds me," replied John Nobleman, 
 looking keenly at his brother, to see how the news 
 might be taken, "the expedition up the river to 
 the Wisconsin pineries to cut timbers for the 
 temple will start in a few weeks." 
 
 He paused, and went on slowly, "There will 
 be two boats and about fifty men. I have been 
 asked to take charge of one boat; French LaBar- 
 ron will assist me." 
 
 "Oh, John, are you going?" came the quick 
 query. 
 
 "I think that I shall," the brother answered. 
 "Grandfather has given his consent. We have 
 little money to spare nowadays to assist in the 
 temple building; but there is enough for the fam- 
 ily to live on, and I can give my time and labor 
 in that way." 
 
 A cloud had crossed the brow of the younger 
 brother, but it cleared almost instantly, and he 
 
In the Rose Garden 15 
 
 replied: "We shall miss you very much as the 
 June day the sunshine. But what a project, to 
 go right into the forest and hew timbers from 
 the great trees; timbers for the temple." 
 
 "Yes, by all means go. I too will see what I 
 can do. Possibly I shall get to work on my long- 
 planned painting of the angel's visit, to hang in 
 the temple when it is done. I may even be able to 
 compose a hymn for the choir to sing; who 
 knows? With God all things are possible, I- 
 even I may do something for the temple, while 
 you tread rivers, wrestle with forests, conquer 
 floods, and bring great timbers for the temple. 
 Timbers for the temple I could write a book 
 on that theme." 
 
 The big brother smiled down at his slighter 
 companion, and said, "Your work will be greater 
 than mine. I may possibly chop down a few pine 
 trees and hew out some rough timbers for skilled 
 workmen to shape and place in the temple. But 
 you will yet complete some fine work of art to 
 adorn her walls." 
 
 But the younger brother shrugged his shoul- 
 ders deprecatingly. "I shall no doubt potter 
 with paints," he answered, "and strum the harp. 
 But now I feel like resting. This last job is 
 
16 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 done. Now I can sleep of nights. I have been 
 tossing about half the night for a fortnight, mix- 
 ing paints and trying to catch the illusive like- 
 ness. I have done my best to compass and gird 
 it and bind it upon ivory in oil and now my mind 
 is free for the time being." 
 
 The older brother frowned. "You should not 
 get so wrought up," he admonished. "You are 
 too temperamental. Take time to eat and sleep. 
 You will work better and live longer." 
 
 "Yes," laughed the other, "no doubt. All good 
 advice. But tell the winds to be still. If I had 
 your stomach and your nerves I could eat three 
 hearty meals every day and sleep soundly all 
 night long." 
 
 "I suppose that is true," agreed the other, "but 
 then you would not paint any miniatures or write 
 any verses. I suppose if Milton had slept soundly 
 of nights he would not have lost paradise or re- 
 gained it. A violin cannot behave like a dinner 
 horn if it would, tooting thrice daily, then re- 
 posing, but must needs thrill and vibrate to thou- 
 sands and tens of thousands of harmonies, and 
 discords as well. 
 
 "But take care of your miniature, now it is 
 
In the Rose Garden 17 
 
 quite finished. Put it in a safe place to dry. It 
 is worth a gold mine to me." 
 
 David picked it up tenderly. "Whatever its 
 virtues," he averred, "they are there because it is 
 a labor of love. If there are faults, it is because 
 I have not truly portrayed the original." 
 
 TT 1 
 
18 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Chapter Two 
 
 THE SHADOW LAND OF MEMORY 
 
 Sunday, July 8, 1842: This morning I preached at the grove to 
 about eight thousand people. The subject matter of my discourse 
 was from the Prophet Daniel's saying, that in the last days the 
 God of heaven would set up a kingdom, etc. In the afternoon I 
 heard Brother Hyrum preach at the grove. Joseph Smith's Diary. 
 
 A SABBATH stillness pervaded the air. A 
 stranger walking down the hill from the 
 temple lot in Nauvoo might have noted at 
 his right, just before he turned south towards the 
 river, a great grove of trees. In this grove a 
 stand had been erected and seats were arranged 
 to conform to the natural slope of the hillside. 
 
 If indeed groves were God's first temples, here 
 was a temple not less holy than the one then 
 building on the hill. A concourse of people was 
 assembled in this pleasant out-of-door kirk, un- 
 belled and unsteepled, with its dome of blue sky 
 decorated with tracery of green leaves and umber 
 bough. 
 
 The sound of a hymn borne along upon many 
 voices issued from this primitive auditorium, and 
 presently the audience, dispersing, came pouring 
 
The Land of Memory 19 
 
 out towards the highway to scatter in various di- 
 rections, some towards the hill, some towards the 
 "flat," as it was called. 
 
 Among those who took the road towards the 
 river was one young couple, David Nobleman 
 and his foster sister, Mildred. They paused at 
 the turn of the road and David removed his hat 
 and held it in one hand with a gesture of rever- 
 ence, while with the other hand he pointed to the 
 wonderful panorama before them. 
 
 "Look, sister mine," he said. "When I pass 
 this way I always pause at this particular spot by 
 night or by day to look at this scene. Some day 
 I must paint it, when the range of my capabilities 
 justifies me, or the inflation of my egotism be- 
 trays me to such an undertaking." 
 
 "Isn't it lovely!" agreed the sister, warmly. 
 "No wonder the Prophet Joseph named this city 
 Nauvoo that means, I believe, the 'beautiful 
 city.' You must paint it indeed you must 
 and I am sure that you could. You see we set 
 no limit at all to your capabilities." 
 
 "And indeed you need not to do that," laughed 
 her companion. "Nature has set sufficiently rigid 
 limits. But you are well justified in admiring 
 this scene. I have talked with the travelers from 
 far and near. With steamboat captains from 
 
20 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Saint Louis and New Orleans. With French 
 voyageurs from up the river, even from the Saint 
 Lawrence. Yes, with men who have seen Venice 
 with Monsieur La Fraunce, who knew Paris, 
 the Seine, all France. With old McTag, who 
 lived in the Scotch highlands, and with Callahan, 
 who lived by the lakes of Ireland. All tell me 
 this is the most beautiful spot for a city that they 
 have ever seen in all their wanderings. 
 
 "See this noble hill upon which the temple is to 
 stand. See this terraced slope in the foreground, 
 with its homes and farms. In the middle dis- 
 tance see that wonderful expanse of water, in its 
 great semicircle about this out- jutting cape of 
 land. See those forests and rolling wooded hills 
 in the background, clear to the distant horizon. 
 There roam the wild Indians, even to this day 
 children of incorrigible Laman. What romances 
 and tragedies those forests and this great river 
 have witnessed!" 
 
 "Do you truly stop at this point every time 
 you travel this road?" queried the girl, as they 
 pursued their way again. 
 
 "Yes, always." 
 
 "Then I shall call it 'David's Lookout/ and I 
 too shall always stop here and admire the scene, 
 and so I may grow like you, good and true, and 
 
The Land of Memory 21 
 
 ever love the beautiful. I want to be your really 
 truly sister." 
 
 The boy laughed jubilantly. "You could not 
 be more a sister," he declared, "had we rocked 
 in the same cradle. And as for growing good and 
 true you embarrass me. Better take note of 
 John; he it is who will deserve the family name 
 of Nobleman." With a characteristic gesture he 
 tossed the brown locks back from his high, white 
 forehead. 
 
 They continued their walk until they had 
 reached the Nobleman home. They came in 
 through the back way, pausing in the rose gar- 
 den. 
 
 "How grandfather toiled to make this gar- 
 den," said the girl, musingly. "He transplanted 
 these rose bushes fully grown and brought them 
 all the way from Quincy, and made this lovely 
 garden, because grandmother so lamented the 
 rose garden that she used to have in far-off Kirt- 
 land." 
 
 They entered the home and passed through to 
 the veranda that ran along the front of the house. 
 Upon the veranda, in an easy chair, sat an aged 
 woman, apparently asleep. Her hair was white 
 as snow and her face delicate and waxlike. 
 
22 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 As they approached, she roused herself and 
 called, "Is that you, William?" 
 
 "No, grandmother," answered the girl, "it is 
 not grandfather. It is David and Mildred." 
 
 "Sit down, children," the grandmother bade 
 them. "This past year my eyes have failed me 
 more and more. I can no longer distinguish one 
 from another of the family. Is John with you?" 
 
 "No," answered David, as he stood by her side 
 and stroked her snowy hair. "John stayed be- 
 hind to talk with the brethren about some mat- 
 ters." 
 
 "What day is this?" queried the aged woman. 
 
 "This is Sunday, grandmother." 
 
 "Yes, yes. I remember. And the date?" 
 
 "It is the third day of July." 
 
 "And the year?" 
 
 "It is the third day of July, 1842," answered 
 the boy, smiling. 
 
 "Yes, yes. It is hard for me to remember the 
 times. One day is like another now. And one 
 year is like another. Where have you been?" 
 
 "We have been to the meeting." 
 
 "Where do they meet now, children?" 
 
 "In the grove, grandmother," replied the girl, 
 who had taken a seat at her side. "You should 
 have seen the people. It was like a great confer- 
 
The Land of Memory 23 
 
 ence. It was said that there were eight thousand 
 people present ; but David thinks there were not 
 so many. But it was wonderful. So many flock- 
 ing in from every direction." 
 
 "Who preached to-day, Mildred?" 
 
 "Brother Joseph Smith preached this morning, 
 and Brother Hyrum preaches this afternoon. 
 David and I have agreed to fast to-day, so we 
 will need no dinner, and we will sit here and talk 
 with you, grandmother dear." 
 
 "What did Brother Joseph preach about, 
 child?" 
 
 "He told us about the sayings of the Prophet 
 Daniel, that in the last days God would set up 
 a kingdom that should never more be thrown 
 down. It was a wonderful sermon. And he 
 looked so good and so grand as he delivered it 
 with such force and power, and everyone sat so 
 still, as if they were afraid they would miss a sin- 
 gle word. And after he had finished they all 
 settled back and relaxed and a great sigh went 
 up from the whole audience. Surely a man not 
 inspired of God, and never taught to preach, 
 could not hold such an audience that way. How 
 can men think that he is a bad man? If he were, 
 it would show in his face. But instead all is 
 frankness, light, and purity." 
 
24 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 "But men who hate cannot see," interjected 
 David. "They say that love is blind. But it is 
 hate that is blind. When Paul hated the Chris- 
 tians he was blind ; but when he fell in love with 
 Jesus scales fell from his eyes and he saw clearly. 
 Some day I will paint a picture of Love restor- 
 ing sight to blind Hate then she will hate no 
 
 more." 
 
 "I have been thinking about the past," mused 
 the grandmother. "There is little else I can do 
 now. Do you mind if I tell you what I have been 
 thinking about?" 
 
 The two young people had heard her story 
 again and again. But they assented gravely. 
 They knew that now she lived wholly in the past 
 the shadow land of memory. 
 
 "I have told you," began the grandmother, as 
 one who groped for a beginning to her story, 
 "of our persecution in Independence, Missouri; 
 how the mob came upon us let me see, it was 
 in July. It must have been nine years ago this 
 month. It seems longer. 
 
 "They warned us to leave the country at once. 
 I remember that some of the men begged for 
 time. And they said, Yes, they would give us 
 time; that we might have fifteen minutes. Then 
 they took Bishop Partridge and another man and 
 
The Land of Memory 25 
 
 tarred and feathered them. And they destroyed 
 the publishing house. I was there the next day 
 when the mob came again, and six of the brethren 
 offered their lives as a ransom, if the mob would 
 leave the rest of us in peace and spare our lives." 
 
 "Who were those men?" asked the girl. 
 
 "They were Edward Partridge, John Corrill, 
 W. W. Phelps, John Whitmer, A. S. Gilbert, 
 and Isaac Morley." 
 
 "They were all noble men," commented David. 
 "Greater love hath no man than this, that he 
 should lay down his life for his friend. Such an 
 offer should have drawn forth a chivalrous recog- 
 nition." 
 
 "But it did not," answered the grandmother. 
 "That was but the beginning of our troubles. We 
 were all driven out. Every one. We suffered 
 much at the hands of the mobbers. For a time 
 we found shelter in Clay County, and later we 
 began to gather into Caldwell County, which had 
 been set aside by the State for our own uses, at 
 Far West and other places. 
 
 "But the very worst of our troubles, it seemed 
 to me, came at Haun's Mill. John and David 
 and their father and mother were at Far West at 
 that time. But your Grandfather William, and 
 I, were moving in a covered wagon and we had 
 
26 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 stopped for a little while at Haun's Mill to rest 
 our horses and grind some corn. 
 
 "Twenty or more families had collected at that 
 place, where there was a mill and a blacksmith's 
 shop. Some were living in rude shacks, some in 
 tents, and some in emigrant wagons. We were 
 like the disciples of old who Paul says were 
 obliged to hide in the caves and dens of the earth. 
 The edict of Governor Boggs had gone forth that 
 we were to be driven from the State or extermi- 
 nated. The mobs and the militia had merged 
 with one purpose our murder." 
 
 She paused for a moment and seemed lost in 
 reverie, then resumed her narrative, apparently 
 talking to herself more than to her young audi- 
 tors: "Yet we were happy yes, you may think 
 it strange, but we were happy. We had our little 
 prayer meetings. And we got the children to- 
 gether in classes and taught them to spell and 
 read. 
 
 "I remember it was in the Indian summer 
 yes, it was in October October 30. The forest 
 trees under which we had camped were all golden 
 and scarlet so beautiful. There was a soft haze 
 in the air, and everything seemed so peaceful that 
 we were lulled into a false sense of safety. I was 
 old, even then, to be camping out and to be driven 
 
The Land of Memory 27 
 
 from place to place. But I was still quite strong 
 and active. It was about four o'clock in the af- 
 ternoon. 
 
 "The sun hung low and red in the lovely In- 
 dian summer sky. I had made preparations to 
 cook the evening meal over our camp fire. Men 
 and women were at work in the camp and about 
 the mill. Children were laughing and playing 
 everywhere. 
 
 "But suddenly from out the timber to the 
 north and west of us burst three companies of 
 armed men, over two hundred in number. They 
 began immediately to fire upon us. Oh, what a 
 scene of terror followed. I wish that I could 
 forget it! But I cannot! 
 
 "Our men ran out and swung their hats and 
 cried for quarter but there was no mercy. 
 Women and children ran to and fro, screaming 
 and trying to hide in the woods and under the 
 banks of Shoal Creek. Some of our men seized 
 guns and ran into the blacksmith shop, which 
 was of logs, and tried to defend the camp. But 
 the logs were far apart and the building was soon 
 riddled with bullets. Those who were not 
 wounded or dead fled to the woods." 
 
 Again the aged narrator paused, seeming to 
 be lost in the dreadful memories of the past. 
 
28 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 David and Mildred hoped that she might desist, 
 and they tried to attract her attention to other 
 matters. But her mind was not to be diverted. 
 It seemed that she could not draw away from the 
 terror-haunted memories if she would. She con- 
 tinued: 
 
 "The attacking party then ran forward and 
 with corn knives butchered the wounded and mu- 
 tilated the dead. Little Sardius Smith, a ten- 
 year-old boy, a dear little fellow, had hidden un- 
 der the bellows in the blacksmith shop. They 
 shot him there as he lay cowering and trembling. 
 
 "Brother Thomas McBride, an old Revolu- 
 tionary soldier, seventy-eight years old, was shot 
 down. He surrendered his gun, and the cruel, 
 cruel men hacked him to pieces with a corn knife. 
 
 "After they had finished their work and plun- 
 dered the camp, the mob fled away, scarcely hav- 
 ing taken more than an hour and a half at the 
 dreadful business. I had hidden under the bank 
 of the creek near the mill dam. Mildred was with 
 me. She had become separated from her father 
 and mother. 
 
 "When we dared to venture forth again, what 
 an awful change had taken place. The ground 
 was strewn with dead and wounded. Night was 
 falling. Oh, what an awful night ! Can eternity 
 
The Land of Memory 29 
 
 blot out the memory of it! The sun had set and 
 a great blood-red moon had taken its place. A 
 cold gray fog crept up from the stream and lay 
 like a face cloth over the pallid countenances of 
 our dead. There were dreadful sights in the 
 moonlight oh, there were dreadful sights ! And 
 dreadful sounds! 
 
 "The dogs of the camp were howling dismally 
 over the still forms of their masters. The cattle 
 had smelled the blood and raved and bawled. 
 Little children were sobbing and moaning and 
 the wounded were crying for help. 
 
 "One by one the fugitives crept back to camp, 
 and those who were able to do so began to care 
 for the wounded. We had no surgeons and few 
 medicines. But we did what we could. And by 
 and by, when we had restored order as best we 
 might and had made the sufferers comfortable so 
 far as was possible, the men who were left alive 
 gathered us all together and we passed the 
 night in prayer and singing a dirge Moroni's 
 lamentation. Was there ever such a night in 
 free America? 
 
 "The next day we were in constant terror of 
 the mob that it might return. Our dead we 
 must dispose of. Nature allows no respite in 
 such matters. We could not dig graves. So we 
 
30 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 were obliged to carry them one by one to an old 
 shallow well and drop them in. The dead were 
 at rest but the living were broken-hearted. We 
 buried seventeen thus, in one common sepulcher 
 among them the form of the little boy, so small, 
 so pathetic, and the mangled remains of the old 
 veteran of the Revolution. 
 
 "I had found my husband among the wounded. 
 He is still lame from the wound. But Mildred's 
 father was dead. And her mother was so over- 
 come that she never recovered. She died some 
 weeks later." 
 
 The young people had listened to this dread- 
 ful story, too horribly true, with strained faces. 
 They had heard it before, and fain would not 
 have* listened again and yet it seemed to hold 
 them fascinated. 
 
 But at the mention of her father and mother 
 Mildred suddenly doubled forward and crumpled 
 down in her chair as though stricken by mortal 
 agony. Hard sobs racked her slight young 
 frame. 
 
 "Great God," cried David, sweeping the brown 
 locks back from his brow, "what memories for an 
 old woman to carry to her grave!" 
 
 "Yes, and great God, what memories for a girl 
 to carry with her all her life long," said John 
 
The Land of Memory 31 
 
 Nobleman as he stepped upon the veranda, ac- 
 companied by his grandfather. 
 
 The old woman had paused in her narrative, 
 and seemed now to recover herself from her ab- 
 straction. She reached forth one trembling, wax- 
 like hand and touched the shoulder of the weep- 
 ing girl. 
 
 "What have I done, Mildred?" she queried. 
 "I have broken your heart afresh. How can you 
 ever forgive a poor old woman who lives in the 
 past? It is not right for me to cloud your young 
 life with the memory of wrongs that I have long 
 ago forgiven and that I should forget but can- 
 not. Forgive me, Mildred, if you can." 
 
 "Oh, grandmother," sobbed the girl, "forgive 
 you! You, who took me in when I was left home- 
 less, and made me your daughter! You, who 
 gave me these noble brothers! You, who saved 
 me from the awful mob and brought me here to 
 this lovely place! Why, I can never, never repay 
 you in this world!" 
 
 "Hush," said the grandmother, laying her 
 right hand upon the golden hair of the girl. "Do 
 not talk so. For now the debt is ours. Since I 
 have become so helpless and blind we all depend 
 upon you. You are now the little housewife, and 
 one among a thousand. What could I do with- 
 
32 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Ql 
 
 out you? What could these big boys do without 
 you? Who would write grandfather's letters for 
 him if it were not for you?" 
 
 Turning her unseeing eyes from the girl, she 
 felt about her with her left hand in the manner 
 of the blind, and inquired, "Has father come 
 
 yet?" 
 
 "Yes, mother," answered William Nobleman, 
 stepping forward to her side and taking the ex- 
 tended hand, "I am here." 
 
 He was an old man, with white hair and beard, 
 and he limped because of the old Haun's Mill 
 wound, but his form was still very erect and vig- 
 orous. One glance at his countenance revealed 
 the source of David Nobleman's spiritual herit- 
 age. There was the same clean pallor of com- 
 plexion; the same high, white forehead; the 
 dreamy eyes ; the fine, sensitive features ; the spir- 
 itual quality. 
 
 Having assured his wife of his presence by 
 voice and touch, he then turned his attention to 
 the weeping girl. Gently stroking her bowed 
 head, he said to her: "Little daughter, do not 
 grieve so. It is true that your mother sleeps in 
 an unmarked grave somewhere in Missouri, and 
 your father reposes in a strange and unnatural 
 sepulcher with others of his brethren; yet they 
 
HAUN'S MILL MASSACRE 
 
 "But suddenly from out the timber to the north and west of 
 us burst three companies of armed men, over two hundred in num- 
 bers. . . A scene of terror followed." 
 
The Land of Memory 33 
 
 died in a good cause. They have suffered no 
 more, rather less than was suffered by the dis- 
 ciples of old. Certainly no more than Jesus suf- 
 fered for them and for us. And Jesus said: 
 'Blessed are you when men shall revile you, and 
 hate you, and persecute you, and say all manner 
 of evil against you falsely, for my sake/ ' 
 
 He paused and looked out over the river. He 
 seemed to see afar off, and a rapt, mystical ex- 
 pression that was characteristic of him at times, 
 came into his eyes. He continued: "Your reli- 
 gion has cost you much, and so it will mean much 
 to you. Therefore you will receive great bless- 
 ings. You are more fortunate than some of those 
 who do not suffer, neither do they serve. I fore- 
 see that in years to come when the name Latter 
 Day Saint may be lightly borne, many young 
 people who bear it will forget its significance, be- 
 cause they find it so easily borne." 
 
 The grandmother had not followed the con- 
 versation. She had again lapsed into her reverie 
 and once more began her narrative: "That very 
 winter we were driven from the State. I walked 
 across the ice of the Mississippi yes, I, in my 
 old age. And with me was Mildred. And also 
 there was Emma, the wife of the Prophet, fleeing 
 
 from the wrath of the mobbers, carrying her child 
 TT 2 
 
34 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 in her arms, and little Joseph, her son, clinging 
 to her skirts. 'Twas a sad journey." 
 
 At a sign from his grandfather, John Noble- 
 man stepped forward. "Grandmother," he said, 
 "the air is growing chilly, even if it is now July. 
 Let me help you into the house." 
 
 Thus the painful scene closed. With easy 
 grace he gathered her into his strong arms and 
 carried her into the house and placed her care- 
 fully upon a couch. She did not again at that 
 time revert to her interrupted story. 
 
 The room into which John Nobleman had car- 
 ried his grandmother was well furnished. The 
 walls were lined with books, and there were 
 paintings, some of them from David's brush. The 
 books and furnishings had been stored in Kirt- 
 land during the Missouri troubles and had been 
 brought to Nauvoo quite recently. 
 
 Relieved of his slight burden, John Nobleman 
 straightened his tall, athletic form, and paced 
 about the room restlessly, fiercely. His face was 
 hard and set, his hands clenched. 
 
 He burst forth : "It makes my blood boil, when 
 I hear about those fiendish atrocities. It makes 
 me wish that I had been there with a thousand 
 good men, well armed. Oh, to have been there 
 
The Land of Memory 85 
 
 with a good rifle. Must such things go un- 
 avenged? 
 
 "Yes," he continued, "and even now there is 
 talk all through the country of more mobs at 
 Warsaw and at Carthage. Let them come ! This 
 time we will defend ourselves, since none will de- 
 fend us. We will protect our women and our 
 children and our homes. That is why we have 
 the Nauvoo Legion. You have never consented 
 to my joining; but a uniform awaits me to- 
 morrow if you do not feel too badly about it." 
 
 The old man regarded his grandson fixedly for 
 a time. Then he replied, "John, no good can 
 come of this preparation among the Saints for 
 armed defense." 
 
 The rapt abstracted gaze returned to his eyes. 
 "I see," he went on, "nothing but sorrow piled 
 upon sorrow if it is persisted in. Jesus said, 'My 
 kingdom is not of this world, else would my serv- 
 ants fight.' " 
 
 "But grandfather," cried the youth, "the 
 Prophet Joseph is in favor of the Legion." 
 
 "I know, I know," answered the old man, "but 
 any man, no matter though he may be inspired in 
 spiritual matters, may make mistakes in some 
 directions. Even the prophets are far from in- 
 fallible, as history plainly shows. I tell you this 
 
36 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 arming is a mistake. So far as it was tried in 
 Missouri it brought us only trouble. Even though 
 we were regularly enrolled as State militia, we 
 were treated as rebels when defending our own 
 homes and farms, our wives and children. 
 
 "But what legal objection can there be?" de- 
 manded the youth. "The Nauvoo Legion is or- 
 ganized and commissioned under the State of 
 Illinois. It is as regular as any body of troops. 
 Every member is sworn to support the Constitu- 
 tion. We are required to serve in the militia any- 
 way. And you know that Brother Joseph wrote 
 to Governor Thomas Carlin and asked him to 
 advise us what to do in case the mob should come 
 upon us again. 
 
 "Well, Brother Joseph has received the reply. 
 I saw it myself, to-day. And he tells us to de- 
 fend our persons and our rights by force, if nec- 
 essary. And why not? It is the first law of na- 
 ture. Even Christ did not say that we should 
 turn the other cheek again and again. At one 
 time he told his servants to buy swords. What 
 for? For toothpicks, think you?" 
 
 "I know," replied the old man, "you can make 
 out a perfectly legal and moral case. We are 
 violating no law. All good citizens should sup- 
 port us in that position. But still I affirm I 
 
The Land of Memory 87 
 
 know; intuitively that we shall suffer for it. 
 Our work is spiritual. If for no other reason, I 
 am opposed to this preparation because it will 
 be so futile. 
 
 "The world is against us. If the appeal is to 
 arms, they will crush us by force of numbers. 
 We must conquer the world by truth, by love, by 
 humility, by charity, by forgiveness. What if 
 we die undefended and unresisting! Martyr 
 blood is a thousandfold more potential than bul- 
 lets! You shall see!" 
 
 "I cannot agree with you," replied John. "I 
 must depend upon my own judgment. May I, 
 or may I not join the Legion?" 
 
 "You are of legal age," replied the old man. 
 "You must take your own course in the matter. 
 If you wish to ride in the parade to-morrow I 
 shall make no further objections. But still I 
 affirm that no good will come from it." 
 
 "Possibly not," answered the youth. "And of 
 course it is true that I am soon to go to the Wis- 
 consin forests. But still I feel that I must have 
 my membership in the Legion. I can go on 
 leave." 
 
 David and Mildred joined them a little later, 
 and David reverted to the former subject of con- 
 versation: "Grandfather, why did the church suf- 
 
38 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 fer from persecution in Missouri? Were our peo- 
 ple at fault?" 
 
 The old man answered thoughtfully, "No 
 doubt our own people must share a part of the 
 blame, in this way: There were some among 
 them who were unwise and did not live up to their 
 profession. And there were some who boasted 
 great things and thus irritated their neighbors. 
 But nothing that they did furnished even an ex- 
 cuse for their treatment. Those were not capital 
 offenses. 
 
 "It is the old story of persecution. Jesus said 
 that as he had been persecuted so should his fol- 
 lowers be persecuted. That has been the history 
 of the church in all ages. They hated Jesus with- 
 out a cause; and as he said, the servant is not 
 greater than the Master. Even as he predicted, 
 the time came when those who killed the dis- 
 ciples thought that they were doing God service." 
 
 The old man paused a moment, then continued: 
 "There are always contributing causes, differing 
 probably in each instance." 
 
 He went to his desk and took out some yellow 
 papers. "I have here a copy of the circular dis- 
 tributed by the Jackson County mob. It says 
 here in one place: 'Pretending as they did and 
 now do to hold personal communion and con- 
 
The Land of Memory 89 
 
 verse face to face with the most high God; to re- 
 ceive communications and revelations direct from 
 heaven; to heal the sick by laying on of hands; 
 and, in short, to perform all the wonder-working 
 miracles wrought by the inspired apostles and 
 prophets of old.' 
 
 "You see to a large extent it was a matter of 
 prejudice against our attitude on revelation, 
 healing, and so on. It was religious bigotry. 
 
 "And here is a copy of the resolution adopted 
 by the citizens of Clay County. Notice this one 
 statement in particular: 
 
 " 'The religious tenets of this people are so 
 different from the present churches of the age 
 that they always have and always will excite deep 
 prejudices against them in any populous country 
 where they may locate.' 
 
 "Then, too," the old man added, "our men 
 were ardent Abolitionists, while we were sur- 
 rounded by slave sentiment." 
 
 David lifted his head proudly. "Well, I am 
 glad that we were on the right side of the ques- 
 tion," he declared. "The Book of Doctrine and 
 Covenants says that it is not right that one man 
 should be in bondage to another." 
 
 "Yes," replied grandfather, the far-away look 
 returning to his eyes, "and I fear that this coiin- 
 
40 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 try will yet be purged with suffering and 
 drenched with blood because that true principle 
 is not recognized. 
 
 "But here is another statement: 
 
 " 'These are some of the reasons why these 
 people have become objects of the deepest hatred 
 and detestation to many of our citizens. They 
 are eastern men, whose manners, habits, customs, 
 and even dialect are essentially different from our 
 own; they are nonslaveholders, and opposed to 
 slavery, which, in this peculiar period when aboli- 
 tion has reared its deformed and haggard 
 visage in our land, is well calculated to ex- 
 cite deep and abiding prejudices in any com- 
 munity where slavery is tolerated and prac- 
 ticed/ " 
 
 "I see," said David, "ours was the offense of 
 the 'outlander.' We were guilty of the crime 
 of being different. We were foreign devils/ 
 as the Chinese would say. Well, with religious, 
 political, and sectional prejudice against us, no 
 wonder we got into trouble." 
 
 "True," replied the grandfather; "but the 
 greatest of these is religious prejudice. Reli- 
 gious bigotry is the blackest root that ever grew 
 up and blossomed and bore the bloody fruit of 
 martyrdom, as it did at Haun's Mill and Far 
 
The Land of Memory 41 
 
 West. And I greatly fear that another harvest 
 is ripening for us to reap here at Nauvoo." 
 
 David Nobleman had listened attentively to 
 his grandfather's conversation, but now he 
 turned to Mildred and said: "Come, little sister, 
 dry your eyes and come with me to the rose 
 garden. The past we cannot help. Let it not 
 rob us of the present and the future. See, here 
 is one big, late-blooming rose, sweet and fra- 
 grant as the breath of morning. Let me hold 
 it here by your cheek and coax back the colors 
 that have fled away." 
 
 Thus he cajoled the girl and petted her until 
 indeed the color came back to her cheeks and 
 the sparkle to her eyes. And presently her clear 
 laugh rippled forth in response to his quips. 
 
42 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Chapter Three 
 
 THE NEW NAME 
 
 Monday, July 4, 1842. The Legion appeared on parade under 
 command of Brigadier-General Wilson Law, ranking officer of 
 the line. . . . Immense numbers of spectators were present, includ- 
 ing the passengers of three steamers from neighboring cities and 
 villages. . . . A few Lamanites were present, There was little 
 drinking. Two individuals were fined ten dollars and twenty-five 
 cents for offering whisky for sale. Joseph Smith's Diary. 
 
 r~plHE NEXT morning the Nobleman house- 
 hold was awakened early by the crack of 
 rifles and the sound of cannon that shook 
 the house and rattled the windows. Mrs. Noble- 
 man started up in bed, her sightless eyes star- 
 ing into space. "The guns, the guns!" she cried. 
 "The mob, the mob!" 
 
 But her husband quieted her alarms : "Do not 
 be frightened, mother. This is Independence Day 
 the Fourth of July. The people are celebrat- 
 ing. The guns are fired by neighbors friends." 
 
 She lay down again, trembling. "I cannot 
 bear the sound of guns," she complained. "I 
 heard too many guns at Haun's Mill." 
 
 The young people were soon astir. It was a 
 great day, for these people, though driven and 
 
The New Name 48 
 
 oppressed, not properly protected by their Gov- 
 ernment in time of dire need, were yet patriotic, 
 and eagerly celebrated the anniversary of Ameri- 
 can independence. 
 
 As efficient and dutiful as she was sweet and 
 dainty, Mildred prepared the morning meal, and 
 did other necessary housework. John Noble- 
 man went away with some other young men to 
 prepare for the parade of the Legion and to ob- 
 tain his uniform. 
 
 David and Mildred, arrayed for the holiday, 
 strolled about the streets watching the teeming 
 crowds congregate. Attracted by the hoarse 
 blast of steamboat whistles, they hastened down 
 to the water's edge. Up the river they could 
 see heavy clouds of smoke, and soon it became 
 evident that two excursion steamers were racing 
 for the landing. 
 
 The race was a close one. The steamers were 
 black with excited passengers. The crowds upon 
 the bank cheered wildly and waved handkerchiefs 
 and flung hats in air. The steamers drew inshore 
 and the winner tied up at the coveted spot, while 
 the other swung in a little farther down stream. 
 The crowds began to pour down the gangplanks. 
 Bands played, flags waved, all was excitement. 
 The arrival of a third excursion boat a few 
 
44 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 minutes later still further augmented the crowds 
 and the commotion. If Sunday had been a 
 quiet day of worship, this was to be a noisy day 
 of bubbling patriotism. 
 
 Across the great stream, a mile and a half 
 away, long canoes were putting out from the 
 Iowa shore. Mere specks they looked to David 
 and Mildred. But in a very short time they had 
 traversed the expanse of water and came gliding 
 gracefully towards the landing. They were filled 
 with Indians warriors, squaws, papooses. Some 
 of them were gayly decked in their native cos- 
 tumes, with bright blankets and gaudy head- 
 dresses. 
 
 The braves dipped their paddles into the shin- 
 ing stream, apparently without effort, yet the 
 boats shot forward in a way that indicated skill- 
 fully applied power. These children of the forest 
 and plain, true sons of wayward Laman, came 
 ashore and mingled with the crowds during the 
 entire day. Silent and statuesque they stalked 
 about, apparently interested in nothing, yet see- 
 ing everything, and adding a picturesque qual- 
 ity to the gathering. 
 
 As they passed David and Mildred, one of the 
 chiefs paused and looked fixedly at them a long 
 time. He was a tall and rugged specimen of 
 
The New Name 45 
 
 humanity, with typical Indian features of the 
 nobler type the great Roman nose and high 
 cheek bones of the fighting Indian. They felt 
 that he must be aged, yet could not have drawn 
 that conclusion from his raven hair or virile 
 movements. 
 
 "That your squaw?" he inquired, indicating 
 the girl. 
 
 "Mine to-day," laughed the young man. "Who 
 can answer for to-morrow?" 
 
 "Heap fine squaw," was the guttural comment, 
 apparently with great approval. 
 
 He looked again long and hard at the young 
 man. "My name Kis-Kish-Kee," he said. 
 "Brother to Black Hawk." 
 
 Drawing something from his belt, he handed 
 it to David. "Take this," he said. "Man from 
 far north give it me many moons ago. Look 
 like you." 
 
 The old Indian strode on, and David looked 
 with wonder at the object that had been handed 
 him. It was a hunting knife, with finely carved 
 handle and blade of tempered steel. He turned 
 it over in his hand and read the trade-mark on 
 the blade, an English firm. And then his eye 
 was attracted to a name upon the blade. "D. 
 
46 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Nobleman." The eyes of the two young people 
 opened still wider in blank astonishment. 
 
 Soon they were attracted by the sound of 
 martial music from the hill, and hastened to a 
 point of vantage from which to view the parade 
 of the Legion. 
 
 "There they come," cried Mildred. "How 
 many there are of them! They say there are 
 twenty-six companies about two thousand men. 
 It looks as if they were all out to-day." 
 
 Crashing music approached them, with an un- 
 dertone of regular hoof beats. The commanding 
 officers, mounted on horseback, led the way. 
 Then came the bands, and next the cavalry 
 and infantry. . It was a fine body of men. 
 
 With eager eyes the two watched for John 
 Nobleman. At last he appeared, riding a big 
 black charger, and looking more handsome than 
 ever in his new uniform. He doffed his hat as 
 he spied them, and careless of discipline, Mildred 
 ran at his side for a few paces. 
 
 He stooped down and whispered to her, 
 "Where can you meet me at three o'clock?" 
 
 "At David's Lookout," she answered. 
 
 "Where is that?" he queried, laughing. 
 
 "At the bend of the road, below the Temple 
 Lot." 
 
The New Name 47 
 
 "Oh, I know! I have seen the lad there often 
 enough, dreaming over the landscape. It is a 
 good name for the place." 
 
 Long before three o'clock that afternoon the 
 eager girl had taken her place at David's Look- 
 out. She clapped her hands joyfully when John 
 Nobleman came riding down the hill alone on 
 his big black horse. 
 
 He drew rein at her side, practicing for her 
 delectation his newly learned salute. He seemed 
 made for the saddle for the uniform and with 
 easy grace swung to the ground at her side. 
 
 "Up with you, Midget, onto Thunderbolt, and 
 I will walk," he said. "See how light you are," 
 and with hardly an effort he caught her and 
 tossed her to the saddle. 
 
 Holding the reins with one hand, and putting 
 the other arm about her, he walked by her 
 side. "Where to?" he queried. 
 
 "Where do you wish to go?" she asked. 
 
 "Wherever you please," he answered. "Up 
 on the hill over the hill down to the river 
 into the river anywhere you say." 
 
 "Well, then, let us take the road to the river." 
 
 So they took their way down the long, long 
 hill towards the great, great river. 
 
 As they moved along she took his hat from 
 
48 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 his head and ran her fingers through his long, 
 black hair. "John Nobleman," she said to her- 
 self, "John, noble man." 
 
 "Do you think as much of me as brother David 
 does?" she asked aloud. He looked at her oddly, 
 and countered. "Can love be weighed or meas- 
 ured?" 
 
 "You have not answered my question, 
 Yankee," she persisted. "One question does not 
 answer another." 
 
 He tightened his arm about her almost 
 roughly, but replied in his habitually low, even 
 tones, "I think more of you than I do of any 
 other creature in all this broad land, or in any 
 land beyond the seven seas, or on any ship on 
 any of the seven seas." 
 
 The girl laughed joyously, "Why, you and 
 David are of one piece!" she said. "You, too, 
 are a poet. Saul is numbered with the prophets." 
 
 He laughed in response. "No, I am not a 
 poet, like David. I could not write a verse or 
 paint a picture, and I could scarcely carry a tune 
 on a platter." 
 
 "No, you do not write poems or paint pictures, 
 but you think them, and when you talk, which 
 is none too often, you talk them. But why do 
 you never call me Little Sister, as David does?" 
 
The New Name 49 
 
 He looked at her oddly again. "This little 
 sister business is bound to play out sometime," 
 he replied, quietly. "It will play out for one, 
 and the other will be obliged to keep it up. If 
 I am the one to keep it up, there will be time 
 enough to begin later." 
 
 She looked at him with wide blue eyes, clear 
 and innocent. "I don't know what you are 
 driving at," she affirmed. "But I like to hear 
 David call me Little Sister." 
 
 "But I have another name for you." 
 
 "Tell me; what is it?" she cried, eagerly. 
 
 "No one has ever heard it," he answered; "it is 
 not for public use." 
 
 He drew her head down to him, and putting 
 his lips to her ear, whispered a word. She 
 laughed delightedly, and the blood surged to 
 her cheeks. 
 
 "Is it a good name?" he asked. 
 
 She nodded her head energetically. 
 
 "Will you always remember it?" 
 
 "Always forever truly." 
 
 "What did they do on the hill?" she asked, 
 presently. 
 
 "Oh, Brother Joseph reviewed the troops and 
 
 made a speech." 
 TT 3 
 
50 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 "He did? What did he say?" 
 
 "Well, he said that the Legion had been organ- 
 ized to defend the public institutions of the coun- 
 try, and the Flag, and should be a source of 
 strength to the Government on this wild west- 
 ern frontier. He also said that it was designed 
 to protect the Saints in case another mob should 
 come against them and try to destroy them. He 
 declared that we must protect our constitutional 
 right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, 
 and our right to worship God according to the 
 dictates of our own consciences." 
 
 "Did anyone else speak?" 
 
 "Yes, General Swanzey, of Iowa, spoke. He 
 expressed friendship towards Nauvoo, and com- 
 plimented us on the discipline of our troops." 
 
 "Grandfather does not agree with you in 
 these matters?" queried the girl. 
 
 "No, he thinks we ought not to arm to defend 
 ourselves." 
 
 "And David?" 
 
 "Well, he stands with grandfather on that 
 question. He argues that we cannot defend our 
 cause with guns, but that with the truth one man 
 can whip a thousand. It sounds fine, but I fear 
 it is not practical." 
 
The New Name 51 
 
 "But David and grandfather would not be 
 afraid to fight!" the girl declared. 
 
 John laughed. "Afraid? No! They are both 
 Puritan. David would walk up to an armed 
 mob any day if he thought it his duty. And he 
 would probably go smiling and singing. And 
 the funny part of it is the chances are they would 
 let him go through. He never has any rows with 
 the other young fellows. He just goes his high 
 and serene way and takes what he thinks belongs 
 to him, and they make way for him. If you 
 think he has not a masterful spirit behind his 
 gentle ways, you are mistaken. 
 
 "And as for grandfather, he does not know 
 what fear is. Yet you never see him angry." 
 
 "I did once," replied the girl, laughing at the 
 recollection. "Only the once. And then he was 
 so quiet and controlled that I did not know for 
 a while he was just boiling inside. 
 
 "He got a letter from that scoundrel, J. C. 
 Bennett. It had some sort of bribe in it. There 
 were bills inclosed. 
 
 "Grandfather told me to get pens and paper 
 and write a letter for him. I asked him if it 
 would be a long letter if I should need more 
 than one quill. He said, 'No, I think it will be 
 rather short.' 
 
52 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 "So I got the paper and ink and pen and sat 
 down, and this is what he dictated: 
 
 " 'Mr. J. C. Bennett. Sir; I am returning 
 herewith, intact, your inclosure, as nearly as pos- 
 sible untouched. I being a gentleman, and my 
 amanuensis being a lady, I cannot tell you what 
 I think of you ; but you, being neither, can read- 
 ily imagine what I would like to say.' " 
 
 The two took their way leisurely down to the 
 river front. Thunderbolt wet his feet at the brink 
 and drank from the mighty stream. They loi- 
 tered there until the crowds came down to the 
 river and the excursion boats put off. Some of 
 these excursionists had come from idle curiosity, 
 some merely to celebrate and have a good time, 
 others, from Warsaw and neighboring hostile 
 towns, to spy out the city of the Saints. 
 
 Presently the Indians, too, came from town 
 and filed into their canoes. Old Kis-K'ish-Kee 
 paused and looked hard at John Nobleman, and 
 at Mildred mounted on Thunderbolt. "Huh," he 
 grunted, " 'nother man's squaw so soon!" 
 
 As they turned, each with a sigh, towards 
 home, John said, "This has been the very hap- 
 piest day of my life," and looking up at his foster 
 sister he whispered again the name that was 
 known only to the two, 
 
The New Name 58 
 
 As the family assembled for the evening meal, 
 William Nobleman remarked, "Well, children, 
 it has been an eventful day. But it has been 
 orderly and sober. I am glad that Nauvoo lives 
 up to her good resolutions regarding strong 
 drink." 
 
 "Yes," said David; "early in the day two men 
 offered whisky for sale, but they were taken in 
 and fined ten dollars and twenty-five cents. That 
 seemed to dampen the ardor of the rumsellers." 
 
 Something occurring to his mind, he sprang 
 up and brought the knife that Kis-Kish-Kee had 
 given him, and placed it in his grandfather's 
 hand. 
 
 "Where did you get this?" the elder man in- 
 quired. 
 
 David told his story of the gift. The old man 
 scrutinized the knife closely. A far-away look 
 came into his eyes. "I had a brother named 
 David Nobleman who looked much like you," 
 he said. "He came to America in an early day 
 to Canada. He never returned, and we were 
 told that he died somewhere in the West. I have 
 no doubt at all that this is his knife. I remember 
 that he had one something like it. 
 
 "How strange that this inanimate thing should 
 
54 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 come back to the family in this way, while the 
 owner should have lost himself to all our search- 
 ing. Many and many the strange story that 
 might be told about the adventurous wanderers 
 who came to this new land and disappeared in 
 the Indian country never to return." 
 
Timbers for the Temple 55 
 
 Chapter Four 
 
 OFF FOR THE PINE FORESTS 
 
 Wednesday, July 6, 1842. Transacted business in the city, and 
 rode to La Harpe with Emma. Two keel boats, sloop-rigged and 
 laden with provisions and apparatus necessary for the occasion, 
 and manned with fifty of the brethren, started this morning on 
 an expedition to the upper Mississippi, among the pineries, where 
 they can join those already there, and erect mills, saw boards and 
 plank, make shingles, hew timber, and return next spring with 
 rafts, for the Temple of God, and Nauvoo House, to beautify the 
 city of Nauvoo, according to the Prophets. Joseph Smith's Diary. 
 
 THE placid face of the Mississippi was 
 veiled with a silvery fog, from which at 
 times could be heard the shouts of hidden 
 boatmen, and the rattle of oarlocks. Boats of 
 the fishermen drawing inshore, appearing at 
 first sight ghostlike, suddenly materialized, as 
 though newly created from the fog and river 
 chaos. 
 
 David, looking at the scene, repeated a verse 
 that had come to him: 
 
 'A shout rises up from the face of the river, 
 
 For a great white fog has come up from the sea, 
 
 And the ships in passing are hailing each other, 
 As friends might be." 
 
56 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 At the foot of Main Street men were busy 
 making last preparations for the departure of the 
 expedition up the river to the Wisconsin forests 
 to cut timber for the temple. John Nobleman 
 was among them, working busily as any, and as- 
 sisted by his friend, French LaBarron, a French 
 Canadian, skilled in woodcraft and river lore. 
 
 There were two keel boats, sloop-rigged, and 
 laden with provisions for the expedition. Camp 
 equipage, saws, axes, bedding, littered the shore. 
 Busy hands were packing this duffel to the boats. 
 
 Everything in readiness, the men scattered to 
 their homes, to reassemble at an appointed hour. 
 John Nobleman walked homeward with his 
 brother David. Mildred met them at the door 
 with a sober face. She had prepared a pleasant 
 farewell breakfast, but no one seemed very 
 hungry, and no one was very talkative. 
 
 "We may as well not attempt to tell you how 
 we shall miss you," said the grandfather; "it 
 would be too long a story. You would not get 
 started to-day, I fear. But you are going on a 
 noble mission, and a good, clean, healthful one, 
 too." 
 
 "I imagine you would much rather I were in 
 the forests than drilling with the Legion," re- 
 plied John, with a smile. "Well, I have arranged 
 
Off for Pine Forests 57 
 
 with a friend to keep Thunderbolt, my uniform 
 is packed away, and I leave nothing in sight to 
 remind you of my connection with the militia." 
 
 The meal finished, the young man kissed his 
 aged grandmother good-by, and shook the hand 
 of his grandfather warmly. David prepared to 
 accompany him to the boat. Beckoning Mildred 
 to his side, John Nobleman said: "Will you go 
 to the landing to see us off?" 
 
 "No," she replied, with down drooping eyes, 
 "I don't believe that I can bid you good-by be- 
 fore all those men. But I will be at David's 
 Lookout. Watch for me there." 
 
 He shook her hand but did not kiss her, and 
 did not whisper the word. A constraint seemed 
 to have fallen upon them. Turning his back 
 resolutely upon them, he walked away with 
 David, carelessly tossing his rifle across his shoul- 
 der as he did so. The girl watched him go down 
 the path, swinging along so easily and gracefully. 
 
 Then her eyes turned to his brother David, 
 walking at his side, slighter in form, but certainly 
 not less picturesque, as he talked with animation, 
 making an occasional characteristic gesture 
 with his left hand. He turned a moment and 
 blew her a kiss, saying, "Farewell for an hour, 
 
58 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 little sister, while I see this gallant pioneer safe 
 aboard his vessel and off upon his adventure." 
 
 The morning fog had cleared away and the 
 sun was shining. A great many people had as- 
 sembled to see them off. Joseph Smith was there 
 to shake the hand of each of the fifty men who 
 were to form the expedition. 
 
 Prayer was offered, hymn was sung, and they 
 clambered aboard with shouts and jests. When 
 all were set and fixed they cast off, John Noble- 
 man's boat in the lead. The oars dipped in the 
 water in rhythmic succession. A small sail was 
 run up on each of the boats to claim the help of 
 such winds as blew. John Nobleman waved a 
 farewell to David, who stood bareheaded upon 
 the shore. 
 
 " "Take care of Mildred," he shouted, and 
 added, "I would give a farm if I had that 
 miniature to take with me." 
 
 "Why did you wait so long to ask for it?" 
 cried David after them. But they had passed 
 beyond hearing. And as the boats swung up 
 stream the men began to sing : 
 
 "The morning breaks, the shadows flee; 
 Lo! Zion's standard is unfurled!'* 
 
 As they forged around the great bend of the 
 
Off for Pine Forests 59 
 
 river and drew away from the city, John Noble- 
 man looked back and scanned the hillside. But 
 he was not looking at the terraced hill, or the 
 many homes, or the foundations of the temple. 
 He was looking towards David's Lookout. And 
 there he spied a girlish figure and caught the flut- 
 ter of a white handkerchief. 
 
 He stood up in the boat and waved his big 
 black slouch hat, and so standing watched the 
 girl until intervening trees hid her from his view. 
 
 When Mildred turned from her vigil, no 
 longer able to discern the two boats, she found 
 David standing silently at her side. They joined 
 hands and walked down the hill together, but 
 neither spoke. 
 
50 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Chapter Five 
 
 A LETTER FROM JOHN NOBLEMAN 
 
 Thursday, October 18, 1842. The brethren arrived from Wis- 
 consin with a raft of about 90,000 feet of boards and 24,000 cubic 
 feet of timber for the temple and Nauvoo House. Joseph Smith's 
 Diary. 
 
 THE hot months of summer passed slowly 
 away, and at last October came with cool 
 breezes and the zest of life that returns 
 with the first hints of approaching autumn. A 
 dash of ruddy and golden colors began to creep 
 into the leaves of oak and maple. And David 
 and Mildred, strolling down the hill from the 
 temple, often paused and stood hand in hand 
 contemplating the beauties of the foliage, or 
 loitered at David's Lookout to scan with never- 
 failing enthusiasm and admiration the great 
 shining river below them and the encircling for- 
 ests and plains. 
 
 It had become with them almost a religious 
 observation to visit this spot at least once each 
 day, when the weather was at all favorable. Some- 
 times indeed they climbed the hill to the Lookout 
 when the weather was most inauspicious, and 
 
A Letter From John 61 
 
 standing closely wrapped, in the driving rain, 
 watched the storm roar across the waters whose 
 white billows they saw at times through the swirl. 
 
 Or again they would time their visit by the full 
 moon, and standing beneath its effulgent radi- 
 ance, look out upon a scene too strange and 
 lovely to seem real. 'Twas like an enchanted 
 dream to them. Long they stood in silence, on 
 such an occasion, too awed to speak, until with a 
 little catch in her throat Mildred said, "Let us 
 go home, David." And he replied, "All right, 
 little sister. I feel as Paul did when he looked 
 into the third heaven and saw things not lawful 
 to be uttered." 
 
 And so they took their wonder way home while 
 the moon climbed her golden stairs among the 
 stars and at last stood serenely above the newly 
 begun temple on the hill and river and valley 
 and hill, from the plashy brink of the great 
 stream to the cornerstone of the temple, were 
 flooded with molten glory, yea, and all the blue 
 vault of heaven far-arched above them was filled 
 with pristine glory. It was not hard for them 
 at such times to believe in modern revelation. 
 They could well imagine this to be the city of 
 the Saints and could feel God's presence there 
 in power and might. 
 
62 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 At such times David would quote reverently 
 from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, from 
 a revelation given in 1832 (85: 2, 3, 12) : 
 
 "This Comforter is the promise which I give 
 unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the 
 celestial kingdom; which glory is that of the 
 church of the Firstborn, even of God, the holiest 
 of all, through Jesus Christ, his Son; he that as- 
 cended up on high, as also he descended below 
 all things, in that he comprehended all things, 
 that he might be in all and through all things, the 
 light of truth, which truth shineth. This is the 
 light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the 
 light of the sun, and the power thereof by which 
 it was made. As also he is in the moon, and is the 
 light of the moon, and the power thereof by 
 which it was made. As also the light of the stars, 
 and the power thereof by which they were made. 
 And the earth also, and the power thereof, even 
 the earth upon which you stand. 
 
 "And the light which now shineth, which 
 giveth you light, is through him who enlighten- 
 eth your eyes, which is the same light that 
 quickeneth your understandings; which light 
 proceedeth forth from the presence of God, to 
 fill the immensity of space. The light which is 
 in all things ; which giveth life to all things ; which 
 
A Letter From John 63 
 
 is the law by which all things are governed ; even 
 the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, 
 who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the 
 midst of all things. . . . 
 
 "The earth rolls upon her wings; and the sun 
 giveth his light by day, and the moon giveth 
 her light by night ; and the stars also giveth their 
 light, as they roll upon their wings, in their glory, 
 in the midst of the power of God. Unto what 
 shall I liken these kingdoms, that ye may under- 
 stand? Behold, all these are kingdoms and any 
 man who hath seen any or the least of these, hath 
 seen God moving in his majesty and power." 
 
 On the thirteenth day of October they were 
 about to take their way homeward from their ac- 
 customed tryst at the Lookout, when Mildred 
 stopped with a little cry, and pointing far up the 
 river exclaimed, "See there, David! What is 
 that?" 
 
 Looking intently they soon discovered that the 
 thing that had attracted her attention appeared 
 to be a raft. They watched it patiently for some 
 time. At last David ran down the hill to their 
 home and returned breathlessly with a field glass. 
 With its aid they could discern quite plainly the 
 raft, with boats trailing behind, with cooking and 
 sleeping cabins, with men guiding it on its course 
 
64 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 and even assisting its progress with long poles. 
 They could perceive signals apparently set to 
 attract the attention of those on shore. 
 
 They ran down the hill, joined as they went 
 by others. Passing the Mansion House they 
 arrived at the river front, where a great crowd 
 soon assembled. And in due time the raft made 
 its way inshore. Men put off in boats and soon 
 it was learned that this was a company of the 
 brethren from the party that had gone to the 
 Wisconsin pineries some time prior to the de- 
 parture of John Nobleman and his companions. 
 
 They had brought with them a raft consisting 
 of ninety thousand feet of boards and twenty- 
 four thousand cubic feet of timbers, for the tem- 
 ple and the Nauvoo House; the first fruits of 
 the pineries. 
 
 One of those who leaped ashore from the first 
 boat to land, sought out David and Mildred and 
 delivered into their care a letter sealed with John 
 Nobleman's seal, the red wax bearing an impress 
 of a dove with a letter in her beak, and the words, 
 1 'Reply quickly." The missive was directed in 
 John Nobleman's hand, the letters heavy and 
 strong, without compromise, yet rather graceful 
 and handsome despite their vigor and careless- 
 ness. 
 
A Letter From John 65 
 
 With this precious missive they sped for home. 
 Nor did David notice Mildred's silence and her 
 heightened color. Quite preoccupied, himself, he 
 thought only to get at the contents of the letter, 
 and knowing that all the family would be equally 
 interested, he sought the home circle. 
 
 Having reached the home and apprised the 
 aged grandfather and nearly blind grandmother 
 of their good fortune, he broke the seal and pre- 
 pared to read the letter. It was headed, "In the 
 pine forests of Wisconsin Territory, on the 
 Black River," and ran on in the characteristically 
 informal manner of personal letters of corre- 
 spondence: 
 
 "Dear David: This letter is for all the family, 
 though I address you as the young man of the 
 household, meaning thereby no disregard to 
 Grandfather Nobleman. I take this occasion to 
 write you a few lines, as I can send them down 
 stream by some of the brethren who are taking 
 out a raft of lumber for the temple. 
 
 "I have already described our trip in a former 
 letter. I hope that it did not miscarry. I can 
 now only attempt to give you in a rambling way 
 some idea of my manner of life and present con- 
 dition. I certainly never was in better health or 
 
 TT 4 
 
66 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 spirits than now. The hard work and the fresh 
 air combined seem to be the best physicians a 
 man might employ, and their prescriptions are 
 much relished, not at all like those strange mix- 
 tures that are put up at the apothecary's shop, 
 that smell so abominably and taste so much worse 
 than they smell, and I suspect, have a worse 
 effect even than one might judge from their smell 
 and taste. 
 
 "I am writing this in the bunk house by the 
 light of a pine torch. Presently I shall tumble 
 into my bunk, and then I will not waken or 
 scarcely stir until I am called, all too early, to 
 turn out and eat breakfast before the sun rises 
 and then away into the woods for a hard day's 
 work. If I nod over this letter, forgive me, I 
 am tired. But I will try to keep awake long 
 enough to write at least a few pages. 
 
 "There are many interesting scenes to be wit- 
 nessed here. For instance, last week about fifty 
 canoes laden with Indians came filing up the 
 river. It was rather an inspiring spectacle. They 
 made camp at a little distance below the mills. 
 
 "The next day a party of the head men came 
 for a* council. They came in six canoes, and were 
 all resplendent in paint and feathers and all kinds 
 of gaudy trappings. As the bright sun shone on 
 
A Letter From John 67 
 
 them they appeared as though ornamented with 
 gold and silver a bright pageant in many col- 
 ors 'twould have delighted the artist soul of 
 brother David. 
 
 "A stranger might have imagined they were 
 come to war, but LaBarron said they were peace- 
 ful. He speaks their lingo. They are Winne- 
 bagos. They landed and came to the mill and we 
 met with them, and shook hands, and they said, 
 'How! How!' And truly a great powwow en- 
 sued. They smoked their pipes, and afterwards 
 made speeches in turn. Some of the speakers 
 were very dignified and eloquent. When a good 
 point was made the others all shouted, 'Hear! 
 Hear!' Much as some religious white people 
 shout amen, or clap their hands. 
 
 "But it is not all romance. After the council 
 we heard a terrible screaming and ran out to 
 see what the trouble was. A squaw was running 
 about crying and an Indian brave stood with his 
 blanket over his head. But as we came out he 
 uncovered his head and spat something out of 
 his mouth. It was his wife's nose. He had bitten 
 it off, as a matter of discipline, as near as I can 
 judge. 
 
 "None of the other Indians took the slightest 
 notice of the affair. Evidently they thought he 
 
68 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 might very well do as he pleased with his own 
 property 'twas merely a matter of biting his 
 own nose off a matter of taste, as it were. 
 
 "I was headed for the rascal when LaBarron 
 stopped me. He said it was poor policy to in- 
 terfere in little family differences ; that I couldn't 
 hope to settle all the Indian domestic troubles 
 in Wisconsin Territory, so better not begin. Be- 
 sides, he said if I interfered I might have the 
 whole tribe, including the wife, on my back. 
 
 "Not a very romantic incident, was it? I hope 
 it does not make Mildred sick to read about it. 
 It must have been two days later that LaBarron 
 broke out snickering to himself. I asked him 
 what the matter was, and he said, 'I wonder, 
 Monsieur John, how she blow de nose now, ha! 
 ha! Maybe she let de wind blow eet.' LaBar- 
 ron's jokes are not always the most refined in 
 spite of, or perhaps because of, his aristocratic 
 parentage who can tell? 
 
 "Not all the Indians, however, may be judged 
 by the acts of a few ruffians. They are much 
 like white folks in that regard some are good 
 and some are bad. There is a great diversity of 
 character among them, when one gets enough 
 acquainted to see the differences. Of course 
 at first they all look much alike. Some of them 
 
A Letter From John 69 
 
 are honest and temperate and good-natured, 
 while others are quarrelsome and lazy and thiev- 
 ing. But I fear that few of them take much 
 thought about cleanliness. 
 
 "They came into our camp trying to sell fish 
 and venison and maple sugar. I was for buying 
 some sugar, but LaBarron told me that often 
 they strain the maple sap through their blankets. 
 I took one look at their blankets and foreswore 
 maple sugar of the Indian vintage. LaBarron 
 laughed hugely, and said, 'It give heem de ver* 
 reech flavor an' so beau-tee- ful color/ 
 
 "They weave very fine baskets and stain them 
 in designs, using stamps or dies cut out of raw 
 potatoes. They use fruit juices for their colors 
 and get some really pretty baskets as a result. I 
 will bring one of them home to Mildred for her 
 trinkets. 
 
 "We do not need to buy food from the Indians. 
 The streams are full of fish. Nearly every eve- 
 ning I take my line and fish for an hour. The 
 woods are full of deer. I was out yesterday with 
 my gun and brought in two fine fat bucks. And 
 to-day I killed my first bear. I came upon him 
 in a berry patch. It is a question which was the 
 more surprised, Bruin or myself. But I recov- 
 ered first. To-night we will have bear steak. It 
 
70 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 is necessary that we should replenish our provi- 
 sions in this way; so David need have no com- 
 punctions when he reads my account of hunting. 
 
 "Also there are great flocks of passenger pig- 
 eons. Many of them are brought into camp and 
 help to supply our table. The woods are full of 
 berries of various kinds, in their season. And 
 there are wild crabapples, but I guess the latter 
 are not yet edible. I tried to eat one yesterday 
 and it took me some time to get my features back 
 into plumb again. 
 
 "As you know, we found the party of brethren 
 that was sent up here last September, below 
 Black River Falls. They had obtained the mill 
 site from one Jacob Spaulding. At the time of 
 their arrival there was a log cabin, a small mill, a 
 blacksmith shop, and the foundations for a larger 
 mill. 
 
 "The big sawmill is now up and in running 
 order, and a warehouse in course of erection. 
 There are also a number of rude dwellings, and 
 bunk houses. 
 
 "There is one place near here that I must de- 
 scribe. It is a level plat of several acres. Pine 
 trees have grown up thickly, so thickly that the 
 trunks shoot up for many feet without a limb, 
 then branch out, forming a solid canopy that 
 
A Letter From John 71 
 
 shuts out the sunlight and leaves a quiet, dusk- 
 like twilight. Everywhere one looks he sees the 
 straight columns of the pine tree trunks. Under- 
 foot is a three-inch carpet of pine needles ac- 
 cumulated over many years past, deadening the 
 footfall. It is as quiet and dim there as the in- 
 terior of some great cathedral or temple. There 
 is not a sound save perhaps the low sweet sound 
 of the mourning dove. 
 
 "It is easy to be reverent there, alone in such 
 a quiet place, with God. I go there every Sun- 
 day for my devotions, and often of an evening I 
 slip away to that place for a few moments. I 
 wish you could meet with me there. Such trees 
 as those from such a place ought to fit well into 
 our temple. They seem to me to be already dedi- 
 cated and made holy. No wonder the Indian 
 feels the presence of the Great Spirit in such a 
 place." 
 
 The letter finished, three of the little family 
 group broke out in animated conversation, and 
 questions, observations, and conjectures followed 
 in quick succession. They tried to picture the 
 writer seated by his bunk, writing by the light of 
 the pine torch, the dark primeval forests crowd- 
 ing close about his cabin. They visualized the 
 gaudily decorated Indian visitors. 
 
72 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 But there was one who was silent. And pres- 
 ently Mildred inquired timidly: "Was there no 
 word at all for me?" 
 
 "Why, no," replied David, "I think not. Let 
 me look again." 
 
 Unfolding again the wrapper of the larger 
 missive, he discovered a smaller letter directed to 
 Mildred and sealed with the familiar seal. Mil- 
 dred seized this missive and ran to her room. 
 
o 3 .55 
 
 bo 
 
 C " 
 
 a .3 2 
 
 CQ 
 
Timbers for the Temple 78 
 
 Chapter Six 
 
 A VISIT FROM KIS-K1SH-KEE 
 
 About forty Indians of the Sacs and Foxes came up in front of 
 the Mansion House, and four or five of them dismounted, among 
 whom was Black Hawk's brother, Kis-Kish-Kee. I was obliged to 
 send word I could not see them at present. They encamped in the 
 Council Chamber afternoon and night. . . . At 3 p. m., the Indians 
 commenced a war dance in front of my old house. Our people 
 commenced with music and firing cannon. After the dance, which 
 lasted about two hours, the firing of cannon closed the exercises, 
 and with music we marched back to the office. From Joseph 
 Smith's Diary. 
 
 SOME TIME after the receipt of the letter 
 from John a strange visitor presented him- 
 self at the Nobleman home. He came unan- 
 nounced and stood in the doorway, darkening the 
 room, before his presence was observed. It was 
 the tall and powerful old Sac and Fox Indian, 
 Kis-Kish-Kee. 
 
 As David came forward to greet him, the stern 
 features of the old man softened. His great Ro- 
 man nose and high cheek bones of the fighting 
 Indian of the West gave him a look of distinc- 
 tion and dignity well supported by his erect car- 
 riage and his general appearance of intelligence. 
 
74 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Having exchanged greetings, the family in- 
 vited him to eat, as it was the hour for the eve- 
 ning meal. All of them felt a very lively curios- 
 ity, but he did not choose to enlighten them as to 
 the object of his visit, and ate in silence, except- 
 ing as he briefly answered casual questions. 
 
 They had not seen him since the day of the 
 parade, when he had so unexpectedly bestowed 
 upon David the mysterious hunting knife. But 
 they respected his reticence and curbed their 
 curiosity until the meal was finished. 
 
 After the old Indian had eaten his fill, David 
 brought the knife and showed it to him. "Where 
 did you get this, Kis-Kish-Kee?" he asked. 
 
 The old man looked at it gravely. "Long time 
 ago man look like you give it to me," he an- 
 swered. 
 
 "Tell us the story, Kis-Kish-Kee." 
 
 The old man sat for a time in silence. Then 
 he began: 
 
 "Many moons ago, before the great Father at 
 Washington drove us across the great river into 
 Iowa, we camp on the Rock River, in Illinois. 
 Game scarce and hard times for Indian. Bimeby 
 come bad sickness." 
 
 He passed his hand across his face, indicating 
 the pock marks that marred his visage. 
 
Visit From Kis-Kish-Kee 75 
 
 "I see!" said William Nobleman. "Small- 
 pox!" 
 
 The Indian continued. "Many Indians die. 
 Many sick. Not able to hunt. No bury dead. 
 No water for dying. Beat drums. Pray Great 
 Spirit. Make strong medicine. Pray white man's 
 God. No good. All die fast, like rabbits. Many 
 men pass, but none stop. All hurry on. No look 
 back at Indian camp. All afraid get sick, die. 
 Bimeby come white man up river in canoe. 
 
 "This man stop. Look like him," pointing to- 
 wards David. "Walk about, look in lodge. No 
 scared. Indian tell him look out. He just laugh, 
 like him," again indicating David. "He bring 
 water from river for sick squaws and papoose. 
 Go in forest, kill meat for Indian. Make broth. 
 Roast meat. Grind corn. Bring sugar, salt, from 
 canoe. Bring medicine. Make very strong 
 medicine. 
 
 "Bimeby Indians get better. All happy sing 
 all dance. All praise white man. All love 
 him. Make big feast. Make strong medicine. 
 Praise Great Spirit that send this good man to 
 Indian." 
 
 The old man dropped his head a moment, then 
 lifted it and went on sadly. "Then white man 
 get bad sickness. Bimeby pretty bad. Very hot. 
 
76 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Wild like crazy horse. All Indians wait on him. 
 Bring water, drink much; bring meat, no eat. 
 He get worse. Indian pray, beat drum all night. 
 Make very strong medicine. No good. Send 
 runner down river white doctor. No good. 
 
 "Bimeby white man die. Indian feel bad 
 here," putting his hand on his heart. "Feel worse, 
 lose father, mother, wife, child. White man think 
 he die, give Kis-Kish-Kee this knife. Say bimeby 
 find white man look like him. Say give it him. 
 He your father maybe?" 
 
 William Nobleman stepped forward, "He was 
 my brother," he said huskily. "He was a good 
 man, like David. He was always kind-hearted 
 and never afraid of anything." 
 
 "He good man," assented the Indian. "Meet 
 many white men. Drink firewater, kill Indian, 
 lie, steal, speak with crooked tongue, take Indian 
 land. But this man good man. Die for Indian. 
 Indian ready die for white man," and with a dig- 
 nified bow towards David, the old man indicated 
 that he was ready to die for kin of the man who 
 had served him so long before. 
 
 "No, no!" said David, unconsciously imitating 
 the Indian's curt style. "You no die for us. 
 That do us no good. You live for us. Some 
 
Visit From Kis-Kish-Kee 77 
 
 day maybe you do us good. Some day we tell 
 you good news about your fathers." 
 
 The old man considered the proposition 
 gravely. He seemed to be turning something 
 over in his mind. Finally he inquired: 
 
 "Older brother go far up river, maybe? To 
 the land of the Winnebagos? White man say so." 
 
 How he had heard they did not know. But 
 they explained to him where John Nobleman had 
 gone and the object of his trip. 
 
 The old man nodded gravely, "Yes, yes. Cut 
 big trees. Build big church on the hill. You 
 send letter; Kis-Kish-Kee maybe take it. I go 
 on visit to friends among the Winnebagos. Sacs 
 and Foxes and Winnebagos very old friends." 
 
 The listeners looked at each other question- 
 ingly. Mildred clapped her hands and cried en- 
 thusiastically. "Do let him take a letter to John. 
 What fun that would be. He shall be our cour- 
 ier, our special messenger." 
 
 David turned to Kis-Kish-Kee, and forgetting 
 his late attempt at Indian vernacular, said, "Kis- 
 Kish-Kee, your offer is appreciated very much. 
 We will think the matter over and if you will re- 
 turn in a few days we may have some messages 
 to send." 
 
 Pressing some presents of food upon the old 
 
78 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 man, they bade him good-by and watched him 
 go down to the river and paddle silently away 
 across the broad expanse of water towards the 
 Iowa shore. His canoe merged into the shadows 
 of the willows on the far side of the stream and 
 he was gone to his own domain. 
 
 But about a week later he called again, on 
 Sunday, and the following day took his depar- 
 ture up the river with letters to John Nobleman, 
 also with many other missives for various mem- 
 bers of the expedition, from friends and relatives 
 in Nauvoo. 
 
 John Nobleman, returning from his work in 
 the forest, was surprised to find his path blocked 
 by the tall and commanding figure of the old 
 Indian. He looked at the man keenly for a mo- 
 ment and then his face lightened as he remem- 
 bered Kis-Kish-Kee. The Indian shook hands 
 heartily, and after John had fed him at the cook 
 house, condescended to indulge in speech and 
 explain his errand. 
 
Timbers for the Temple 79 
 
 Chapter Seven 
 
 LETTERS TO JOHN NOBLEMAN 
 
 Friday, October 28, 1842. This day the brethren finished lay- 
 ing the temporary floor and seats in the temple, and its appear- 
 ance is truly pleasant and cheering. 
 
 Sunday, Octber 30, 18^%. The Saints met to worship on a tem- 
 porary floor, in the temple, the walls of which were about four 
 feet high above the basement; and notwithstanding its size, it 
 was well filled. It had been expected that I would address them, 
 but I sent word that I was so sick that I could not meet with 
 them; consequently Elder John Taylor delivered a discourse. In 
 the evening I went to visit the sick. Joseph Smith's Diary. 
 
 EAGERLY possessing himself of the prof- 
 fered letters, John Nobleman selected those 
 addressed to himself and put the others to 
 one side to be delivered to the proper persons. 
 One missive, addressed in a feminine hand, and 
 breathing forth a delicate perfume, he slipped 
 into his inner pocket, next his heart, to be read 
 last, as being evidently most choice. The other, 
 directed in David's handwriting, much like his 
 own, only a little more irregular and fantastic in 
 style, he opened at once. His face lightened with 
 the most intense pleasure as he read: 
 
80 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 "Dear John John the Beloved: 
 
 "After your departure well might we have 
 said with Hamlet: 'How weary, stale, flat, and 
 unprofitable seem all the uses of the world.' 
 
 "Yet such is human nature, with a bright sun 
 to warm our backs and food to cheer the stomach, 
 the quick blood mounts to our heads and the very 
 animal spirits will rise within us, mocking drab 
 melancholy. And nobler thought, the spirit of 
 this work cheers our hearts so we may work in 
 joy> y u in the piney deeps of Wisconsin; I by 
 the slopes of the templed hill. 
 
 "Various incidents have occurred since your 
 departure ; some of them sad, some exciting, some 
 more or less dramatic. Our good Bishop Vinson 
 Knight passed from this life July 31, after a 
 short illness. 
 
 "But most absorbing to the public interest 
 perhaps was the effort to apprehend the Prophet 
 Joseph Smith on a trumped-up charge to the 
 effect that he had instigated an attempt to assas- 
 sinate ex- Governor Boggs of Missouri he of 
 the Extermination Order. 
 
 "It seems that this man Boggs was wounded 
 by some miscreant while sitting in his own dwell- 
 ing in Independence, Missouri. Though he had 
 a host of political and dear personal enemies, 
 
Letters to John 81 
 
 probably his treatment of the Saints weighed 
 most heavily of many and increasing burdens 
 upon his conscience; so at once, by a process of 
 reasoning or lack of reasoning best known to him- 
 self, he concluded that Joseph Smith must have 
 been at the bottom of the affair. 
 
 "To be sure, there was no evidence or reason 
 on which to base such a conclusion ; but that was 
 a minor obstacle. The affair would do as a pre- 
 text on which to attempt again to gain possession 
 of the person of the prophet. Accordingly a de- 
 mand was made on the governor of Illinois, Gov- 
 ernor Carlin, by Governor Reynolds of Missouri, 
 for the extradition of Joseph Smith. 
 
 "Now Brother Joseph did not fear trial in Illi- 
 nois before any unprejudiced tribunal, nor had 
 he any cause to fear such trial. But he did ob- 
 ject to being taken into Missouri where he, a 
 civilian, had been court martialed and condemned 
 to be shot on a charge not sustained by a particle 
 of evidence, and had been saved only by the hero- 
 ism of General Doniphan who had threatened to 
 hold the would-be assassins accountable before a 
 higher tribunal, and had refused to execute the 
 order, which he said was cold-blooded murder. 
 To go to Missouri at the present time would be 
 to meet almost certain death at the hands of the 
 TT 6 
 
82 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 mobs, or failing that, death at the hands of those 
 professing to act in the name of the law. 
 
 "So when an attempt was made to arrest 
 Brother Joseph, he appealed to the municipal 
 court for a writ of habeas corpus. The officers 
 refused to give him up to the municipal court, 
 though it was acting under the charter granted 
 by the State, and withdrew for the time being; 
 later, when they attempted to make the arrest, he 
 was not to be found. 
 
 "There were many rumors. Some said that he 
 had gone to Washington, some that he had gone 
 to Europe. It developed later that he was never 
 very far from home. His contention was that 
 the attempted extradition was illegal, for various 
 reasons; and he believed that he could only be 
 tried for the alleged offense in Illinois, as he had 
 not been out of that State, hence had committed 
 his offense, if at all, in the State, and should be 
 tried there. 
 
 "He felt it right to avoid the issue for the time 
 being, as Paul, who was let down over the wall 
 in a basket to escape his enemies when the gov- 
 ernor tried to apprehend him; or John Wesley, 
 who fled from Georgia while under indictment 
 before the court, and returned to England be- 
 
Letters to John 83 
 
 cause he knew that the court was composed of his 
 enemies and that justice could not be obtained. 
 
 "Just now the efforts to apprehend him have 
 abated. What the outcome will be we cannot tell. 
 But I will endeavor to inform you later. It is 
 hoped by the Saints that the legality of the pro- 
 ceedings may be tested properly before an Illi- 
 nois court. 
 
 "Already there has been much excitement. 
 Many threats have been made to bring mobs 
 against us. Armed men have ridden through 
 the city on several occasions and without warrant 
 or authority have searched various homes. Trag- 
 edy is imminent, and yet at times comedy arises 
 uninvited. 
 
 "Such a body of men found some boys flying 
 kites on the commons and asked them the where- 
 abouts of Brother Joseph. One of the boys, sus- 
 pecting their errand, and being irreverent, as 
 boys sometimes are, replied, 'He has gone to 
 heaven on his horse Charley, and we are sending 
 him his dinner on this kite.' After threatening 
 the boys the men rode on. 
 
 "But I have other more agreeable news for 
 you. Day before yesterday, being Friday, Octo- 
 ber 28, the brethren finished laying the tempo- 
 rary floor in the lower part of the temple, and 
 
 
84 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 seats were arranged, so that meetings might be 
 held there instead of in the grove as heretofore. 
 And to-day, being Sunday, October 30, 1842, a 
 memorable day, the Saints met in the temple. 
 The walls are now built up to about four feet 
 above the basement. 
 
 "Notwithstanding the size of the inclosure, it 
 was well filled. Brother Joseph was not able to 
 be with us, owing to illness, consequently Elder 
 John Taylor delivered the sermon in his stead. 
 How our hearts rejoiced on the occasion of this 
 our first meeting in the holy temple, even though 
 it is but begun, and in its present embryonic, 
 almost chaotic state, gives but a hint of the maj- 
 esty and beauty that must characterize the com- 
 pleted structure, judging by the designs. 
 
 "Yet I must confess that for a time as I sat 
 in the congregation by Mildred's side my mind 
 wandered far away. My eyes may have looked 
 very attentively at the speaker, and if he noted 
 me at all, he perhaps thought me much inter- 
 ested and edified by his discourse. If so, I was 
 unintentionally hypocritical, for my eyes saw him 
 not. Instead I saw you, John, as I fancied 
 you worshiping with a few of the brethren in the 
 Wisconsin forests. And I pictured you during 
 the week helping to fell and hew into shape those 
 
Letters to John 85 
 
 trees that are predestined to such great honor 
 that they shall form a part of the noble structure 
 called the temple. And as we walked home to- 
 gether we talked of you. But the Athenians, 
 who according to Luke did nothing but either 
 hear or tell some new thing, would not have given 
 ear to our conversation, for we had no new or 
 strange theme, we talk of you every day. 
 
 "Oh, yes, I must tell you that yesterday a com- 
 pany of Saints arrived from New York and 
 Long Island. They met in the store building not 
 far from here, over which Brother Joseph has his 
 office, and addresses were made by Elders Tay- 
 lor, Woodruff, and others. And finally Brother 
 Joseph spoke to them at some length. I was 
 much interested in his talk. 
 
 "He told them that he was only a man and 
 advised them not to expect perfection in him. 
 This might seem strange, unless we reflect that 
 some are prone to make that mistake, and set 
 him on too high a pedestal. He evidently wanted 
 to forestall any such mistake. 
 
 "He told them that if they were to expect per- 
 fection in him he might in turn demand it of them 
 and both would be disappointed; but if they 
 would bear with his infirmities and the infirmi- 
 ties of the brethren in a Christlike way, he would 
 
86 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 bear with their infirmities until all could have 
 time to correct their faults. After his address he 
 blessed them, and left, warning them that he 
 might again find it necessary to flee from injus- 
 tice and oppression. 
 
 "Brother John, I wish you could see Mildred 
 as I see her while writing this letter. She has a 
 new white dress made from goods brought all the 
 way from England by a dear old English sister 
 who came in a recent shipload. She fell in love 
 with Mildred at first sight very properly so, 
 demonstrating the excellent quality of English 
 brains and hearts. Well, with this dress she is 
 wearing a blue apron very deep blue a lovely 
 blue for I have just noticed that it is the exact 
 color of Mildred's eyes, as she sits opposite me 
 writing a letter to you and asking me how to spell 
 geodes wonder what she is writing, but I can 
 guess. Those are the big rocky fellows that we 
 find in the ravines back of the city and break 
 open and find them full of crystal. They are 
 like Brother Pratt's sermons: very hard to crack, 
 but full of fine things." 
 
 Having finished reading David's letter, John 
 turned with alacrity to the one that he had laid 
 aside, the one directed in Mildred's handwriting. 
 
Letters to John 87 
 
 Opening it carefully, as though performing a sa- 
 cred rite, he read: 
 
 "Dear John: David is writing you this minute, 
 so I will write a few lines to add to Kis-Kish- 
 Kee's burden. David will write of the church 
 news, which is first with most everybody here; 
 but I will write of some of our doings during the 
 summer just small talk about David and my- 
 self and our rambles. 
 
 "You will remember the ravine that comes into 
 the river a half mile or so below Main Street. It 
 runs back into the hills and woods and comes to 
 a place where the water leaps down over a rock 
 wall from a great height, making two or three 
 falls from shelf to shelf. The fall must be nearly 
 fifty feet high. (How much is that, I wonder?) 
 And at the foot of the falls there is a sort of am- 
 phitheater, with high rocky walls and big trees 
 and swing grapevines all around it, excepting on 
 the front, which opens down the stream towards 
 the river. 
 
 "We often go there, and David paints while 
 I read or amuse myself in other ways. And 
 when he tires of painting, he strolls about with 
 his hands in his pockets and his head thrown 
 back, spouting poetry or singing; or perhaps he 
 
88 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 keeps me laughing with his pranks and jests. 
 "I have named the place 'Prince David's 
 Chamber,' but David says it should be called 
 King John's Chamber, and that when you re- 
 turn we will crown you with forest flowers. He 
 has been reading 'As you like it,' and has some 
 of the lore of the Forest of Arden in his head at 
 present. And 'turning his merry note unto the 
 sweet bird's throat' he sings : 
 
 "Come hither, come hither, come hither; 
 Here shall you see no enemy 
 But winter and rough weather.' 
 "It is truly and truly a lovely place; so cool 
 and deep and still, excepting for the tinkle of 
 water and the singing of birds. One might think 
 it a long way from civilization, in some deep and 
 remote forest, it is so secluded. Yet it is only 
 the corner round, the hill over, the creek up, 
 from town, as Mr. Steiner would say. I wish 
 you could join us there some day. I wished it 
 on a four-leaved clover one day; and yesterday 
 with a wishbone from a wild turkey. David got 
 the short piece and it seems that he had the same 
 wish. Often we take a lunch with us and as we 
 eat we talk of you and your ways, and you 
 grow bigger and bigger. Oh, there are two here 
 who long for your return, John Nobleman. 
 
Letters to John 89 
 
 "Don't tell the pine woods, nor the wild bear, 
 nor the Indians, nor even the moon every night 
 I whisper to myself the new name that you gave 
 me, but so low that the angels could scarcely 
 hear, for it is mine, now, mine, mine, and no one 
 else has a right even to hear it. 
 
 "But I forgot to tell you another thing. David 
 has begun a wild flower garden back of the 
 house, beyond the rose garden. We have trans- 
 planted hundreds of wild flowers of every kind, 
 violets, both prairie and wood varieties, phlox, 
 columbine, wild roses, golden rod, asters, and 
 many others. 
 
 "David says that there are no flowers culti- 
 vated that he loves so well as the wild flowers. 
 He says that man has tended these domesticated 
 flowers, but God has planted and cultivated the 
 wild flowers, and that they know Him better and 
 tell of Him more plainly than any others. I do 
 not know about that, but I do know that they 
 have a delicate beauty and charm that the tame 
 flowers do not have. They are not so gaudy and 
 pretentious, but are more like Cinderella among 
 her haughty sisters; they are the real beauties 
 and seem to have captured the prince. 
 
 "Also we have transplanted, from the very 
 deepest and darkest ravines in the forest, lovely 
 
90 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 feathery ferns, and have made a great big bed 
 of them in a shady place. 
 
 "Another thing, we have found a good many 
 geodes big, round, rough fellows, as homely as 
 homely; but when we break them open they are 
 hollow and all lined with rock crystals that glis- 
 ten like diamonds. 
 
 "But now we are truly reminded by the falling 
 of the leaves of the approach of the enemy, 
 'winter and rough weather.' Then will the river 
 be closed and the roads blockaded, and Nauvoo 
 will be cut off unto herself. But for that time 
 at least she will be sufficient unto herself. Almost 
 daily come new arrivals overland, and all sum- 
 mer parties were coming up the river, many of 
 them from Saint Louis and beyond there, even 
 from England. It is a splendid spectacle when 
 a boatload of emigrants arrives, to see their de- 
 light, the embraces, to hear the glad songs. 
 
 "We can see the city grow. Almost we can 
 hear it. I lie awake at night listening to the mur- 
 mur of the big river along the French Rapids be- 
 low us, and it seems to me I can hear the city 
 grow. What a truly wonderful thing to see a 
 city grow! And such a city! To see the people 
 coming together from the ends of the earth to 
 build such a beautiful city in such a beautiful 
 
Letters to John 91 
 
 place. The very air is full of romance and 
 poetry. We are living an epic." 
 
 Having finished the second letter, John Noble- 
 man gave his attention to a small oval packet 
 that had accompanied the letters, but had not 
 been mentioned in them. Opening it and re- 
 moving many wrappers of tissue he came at last 
 to an oval miniature, done in oil on ivory. It was 
 the miniature. From it looked the blue eyes that 
 David had described, and every feature was so 
 lifelike and animated that the heart of the woods- 
 man gave a leap within his breast. It seemed as 
 if the girl herself were actually looking into his 
 eyes, and he smiled in response to the smile that 
 the miniature portrayed. 
 
 David had not forgotten the parting wish, and 
 with characteristic unselfishness had inclosed the 
 treasured miniature. 
 
92 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Chapter Eight 
 
 KIS-KISH-KEE RETURNS 
 
 Monday, February 20, 1843. About seventy of tht brethren 
 came together, according to previous notice, and hauled, sawed, 
 chopped, split, moved, and piled up a large lot of wood in my 
 yard. The day was spent by them with much pleasantry, good 
 humor and feeling. A white oak log, measuring five feet four 
 inches in diameter was cut through with a crosscut saw, in four 
 and a half minutes, by Hyrum Dayton and Brother John Tidwell. 
 This tree had been previously cut and hauled by my own hand* 
 and team. From nine to eleven this morning, I was reading in 
 German; and from eleven to twelve held mayor's court. . . . 
 Charles R. Dana versus William B. Drink. Joseph Smith's Diary. 
 
 WINTER descended upon Nauvoo early 
 in that year 1842. By the 17th of No- 
 vember the Mississippi was frozen over, 
 and on that date two men, Alpheus Harmon and 
 another, lost their way and were frozen to death 
 on the prairies between Carthage and Nauvoo. 
 
 Early in the year 1843 the matter mentioned 
 in David Nobleman's letter, that of the charge 
 against Joseph Smith made by ex-Governor 
 Boggs, was adjusted in a satisfactory manner. 
 
 Thomas Ford having been elected governor 
 to succeed Carlin, Joseph Smith took the matter 
 up with him, sending seven of the brethren to 
 
Kis-Kish-Kee Returns 98 
 
 Springfield to represent him. At their instiga- 
 tion, Governor Ford brought the case before six 
 judges of the Supreme Court. These gentlemen 
 were of the opinion that the requisition from Mis- 
 souri was illegal and the evidence insufficient, but 
 inclined to the opinion that Governor Ford could 
 not ignore the action of his predecessor. Accord- 
 ingly he advised Joseph Smith to come to Spring- 
 field at once, and assured him a just trial. 
 
 Accordingly Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, 
 and others started for Springfield, December 27, 
 1842, arriving there the 30th. 
 
 The case was heard before the Circuit Court 
 of the United States for the district of Illinois, 
 Judge Pope rendering the decision January 5. 
 He held that the proceedings were illegal, and 
 that Joseph Smith could not be considered a fu- 
 gitive from justice, and closed with the pleasant 
 words: "Let an order be entered that Smith be 
 discharged from his arrest." 
 
 Accordingly the prophet returned to Nauvoo 
 a free man, reaching that place the 10th day of 
 January. 
 
 It may be interesting to note that during this 
 visit to Springfield many men of prominence 
 were met, including Stephen A. Douglas, and 
 Justin Butterfield, and on the first day of Janu- 
 
94 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 ary, it being Sunday, the company of Saints held 
 preaching service in the House of Representa- 
 tives on invitation of the secretary. At the hour 
 of 11 a. m. they sang, "The Spirit of God like a 
 fire is burning," and Elder Hyde preached from 
 Malachi 3; and in the evening Elder Taylor 
 preached from Revelation 14: 6, 7. Most of the 
 members of the legislature were present, as well 
 as many of the heads of departments. 
 
 On a day in midwinter, to be explicit, Feb- 
 ruary 20, 1843, it being Monday, David Noble- 
 man came tramping into the home about four 
 o'clock in the afternoon. He was greeted by 
 Mildred and his grandfather, but going directly 
 to the aged grandmother, who sat with hands 
 folded in her lap, her sightless eyes closed, the 
 pathetic attitude of the blind, he kissed her fore- 
 head and stroked her white hair. 
 
 "Beautiful hair, grandmother; there is none 
 like it," he said. "It is like the snows of winter, 
 so clean and white while Mildred's is like the 
 golden sunlight in June we have December and 
 June under one roof." 
 
 The grandmother lifted her trembling and al- 
 most transparent hand and touched his cheek, 
 "Dear David," she murmured, "where have you 
 been all the day?" 
 
Kis-Kish-Kee Returns 95 
 
 "Well, you see," he said, as he hung over her 
 chair back and continued to stroke her hair, "I 
 have been down to Brother Joseph's place. This 
 has been a great day. About seventy of the 
 brethren came in on him and brought several 
 loads of wood. And all of us worked like beavers 
 chopping, sawing, and piling wood in his yard. 
 
 "But we didn't work all the time. We had no 
 end of fun jokes and stories, and at times a 
 serious spell when we would sing hymns to the 
 tune of the saws, and at the end a short season 
 of prayer. There were many tests of strength 
 and speed. Hyrum Dayton and John Tidwell 
 carried off the honors. If some of those people 
 who say that Brother Joseph and his followers 
 are lazy had been there to-day we would have 
 made them sweat to keep up with us at work." 
 
 "The idea," cried Mildred. "How can they 
 continue to call the Saints lazy and ignorant 
 when we are all working so hard here, as we did 
 in Missouri and Ohio, turning the wilderness into 
 a garden and building cities and making farms 
 and when we build schools the first thing wher- 
 ever we go. Why, the University of Nauvoo 
 was one of the first things provided for in the 
 charter of Nauvoo." 
 
 "Never mind, little granddaughter," replied 
 
96 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 William Nobleman; "Jesus says that we are 
 blessed when men say evil things against us 
 falsely. Do not worry when evil stories are false, 
 but only when they have some measure of color- 
 ing of truth." 
 
 But their conversation was interrupted. The 
 door swung open without warning, and on the 
 threshold, darkening all the doorway, stood the 
 old Indian, Kis-Kish-Kee, returned from the 
 pine forests. Upon the floor he threw a burden 
 that he had carried across his shoulders. When 
 they examined it they found it to consist of three 
 fat wild turkeys and a quarter of venison. 
 
 Having grunted his laconic greeting, Kis- 
 Kish-Kee indicated that he was both tired and 
 hungry. The family quieted its hubbub of greet- 
 ing, so strikingly in contrast to the Indian's stoi- 
 cal bearing, for in no way did he indicate that he 
 had not just returned from a moment's errand, 
 and Mildred said, "I must make a feast for all 
 in honor of Kis-Kish-Kee's return." 
 
 So she flew about getting the evening meal, 
 while David replenished the fire and set the table. 
 She cut big slices of the red venison and put them 
 to broil, the savory odor soon filling the room; 
 and prepared numerous vegetable dishes, beat- 
 ing up a cake as a special dainty. 
 
Kis-Kish-Kee Returns 97 
 
 Kis-Kish-Kee sat down in the traditional atti- 
 tude of the hunter returned from the chase and 
 waiting for the squaws to prepare food. He 
 sat with knees far apart, hands hanging across 
 them, relaxed, and head drooping heavily for- 
 ward, the natural posture of weariness and wait- 
 ing. They respected this attitude, which forbade 
 questions, as it had always done in the wigwam, 
 until strength should be stimulated and restored 
 by warm food. 
 
 When at last the meal was ready he sat at the 
 table with them, solemnly waiting while the 
 granddaughter returned thanks, and then he fell 
 to and ate prodigiously. They could well im- 
 agine that he had come a long and hard way and 
 probably had not eaten that day. They enjoyed 
 the juicy venison, but their chief interest was in 
 marveling at the amount of food one human 
 being could safely consume. 
 
 The meal finished, he nodded gravely at Da- 
 vid, and indicating Mildred, said, "Your squaw 
 good cook. Make very fine meal." A moment 
 later he added, apparently with serious inten- 
 tion to give warning, "You watch when big 
 brother come back from pine forest. You keep 
 urn squaw. Yes?" 
 
 David laughed and Mildred blushed, looking 
 
 TT 6 
 
98 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 first pleased at the praise and then vexed at the 
 warning. She left the room hastily, but returned 
 again in a moment, when Kis-Kish-Kee, at last 
 quite ready to deliver his messages, handed David 
 a packet wrapped in buckskin. These were let- 
 ters from John Nobleman including a sealed 
 missive for Mildred that others did not read. 
 
 Eagerly David read his letter to the family. 
 All listened most attentively. They learned that 
 John was well, and working hard with the other 
 men to get lumber and logs ready for the spring 
 drive. The letter was filled with notes on camp 
 life and was very interesting. 
 
 When it was finished Kis-Kish-Kee told them 
 briefly of his trip. He had come down the river 
 and through the forests by old trails known to 
 Indians, but quite impossible for white men to 
 follow at that season. He was weary and they 
 retired early, putting the Indian to bed in a 
 choice bed with a feather tick and plenty of quilts. 
 But they learned in the morning that he had 
 rolled himself up in a blanket and slept on the 
 floor. 
 
 They induced him to remain for a turkey din- 
 ner, as Mildred took a girlish delight in cooking 
 to win the praise of this stern and copper-colored 
 old warrior. She fancied her skill pitted against 
 
Kis-Kish-Kee Returns 99 
 
 that of Indian maidens who might have minis- 
 tered to his needs during a long and eventful 
 life, a life of hunting and fighting, of love and 
 hate, of trails and forests and plains, of feasting 
 and famine, of dancing and mourning. His 
 grave nod of approval over the dishes that she 
 coaxed him to taste was her reward. The old 
 man had clearly taken a great fancy to the girl 
 and was much concerned that David's claims 
 should not be in any way jeopardized. David 
 he seemed fairly to worship, and the family had 
 not a doubt that for him the old Indian would 
 freely keep his word and lay down his life. 
 
 The meal finished, the three, the old Indian, 
 the boy, and the girl, went for a walk to David's 
 Lookout. The day was bright and sunshiny. 
 Below them lay the valley of the Mississippi with 
 its white winter plains and its somber masses of 
 forests, and the great silver stream under its 
 coating of ice sweeping in a vast circle about the 
 slopes that rose from the river to their feet and 
 sweeping back of them to other heights formed 
 the hill city and temple crowned. 
 
 The scene was no less beautiful than in sum- 
 mer, and even more awe-inspiring. The statu- 
 esque Indian seemed to drink in of the spirit of 
 it. A great sadness was in his countenance. And 
 
100 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 finally he spoke. With a sweeping gesture he in- 
 dicated the vast panorama of forest and plain be- 
 fore him and said, "Long time ago my people 
 were everywhere in the forest and on the prairies. 
 Now they are scattered and gone. When I shout 
 in the forest my voice comes hack to me. There 
 is none to answer me in my language. 
 
 "My people have all gone to the west to- 
 wards the setting sun. But the graves of my 
 fathers are behind me towards the east. Their 
 bones are in the valley. Must we all go on and 
 leave them to be turned up by the white man's 
 plow? Long have we fought, but now we can 
 fight no more. Our bows are all broken. Our 
 arms are all weak. 
 
 "Many times have the white men promised us 
 land and written it in a book, but always when 
 we build our wigwams, a little later they tell us 
 to move on. There is no longer any place for 
 the Indian. The spirits of our dead weep for us. 
 Their tears come down in the raindrops and we 
 hear their weeping voices in the storm winds. 
 The big houses of the white men frighten them. 
 They hunt for the old wigwams and cannot find 
 them." 
 
 The Indian fell silent, apparently feeling that 
 words could not express or explain his feelings to 
 
Kis-Kish-Kee Returns 101 
 
 an alien breast. But David was all sympathy. 
 Putting his hand on Kis-Kish-Kee's arm he said, 
 "Listen, oh, chief, for I have news for you. I 
 would tell you of a book that contains the record 
 of your people and that has wonderful promises 
 for the future. You will not always be driven 
 and hunted, for the promises in the book are that 
 some day the hearts of the white man shall be 
 turned towards you. They will care for your 
 children. They will build great schools and edu- 
 cate them. They will give them farms. Your 
 children and grandchildren will learn many 
 things. They will put away the bow and arrow 
 and cease to fight one another. They will till the 
 soil and live in fine homes and be as white men 
 are; and they will obey the gospel and help to 
 build up Zion." 
 
 Thus standing in this strange pulpit, with the 
 vast valley before him filled with the old-time 
 haunts of the Indians, David preached to his sole 
 Indian auditor a stirring sermon on the Book of 
 Mormon, that wonderful record of God's deal- 
 ings with the prehistoric peoples of America, the 
 Lamanites. 
 
 The old Indian seemed much impressed and 
 promised to hear further of the matter and carry 
 the news to his fellows of the Sacs and Foxes. 
 
. 
 
 102 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Of the book he said, "The Indian has been afraid 
 of books. He does not write in books. White 
 man writes in books, and then we find ourselves 
 bound. We have given away our lands and did 
 not know it. It is down in a book, we are told. 
 The Great Spirit talks to us in the thunder, not 
 in books. But this must be a good book. It tells 
 of good things. If you say it is true it is true. I 
 know you do not lie. You are like the man who 
 died for Indian." 
 
 They returned to the home and after they had 
 given Kis-Kish-Kee a number of presents, he 
 took his departure. They watched him until he 
 had crossed the river and disappeared in the for- 
 ests on the Iowa side. 
 
Timbers for the Temple 103 
 
 Chapter Nine 
 
 DAVID MEETS THE METHODIST PREACHER 
 
 At length the city burst upon my sight, and how sadly was I 
 disappointed. Instead of seeing a few miserable log cabins and 
 mud hovels which I had expected to find, I was surprised to see 
 one of the most romantic places that I had visited in the west. 
 The buildings, though many of them were small and of wood, yet 
 bore the marks of neatness which I have not seen equaled in this 
 country. The far-spread plain at the bottom, of the hill was 
 dotted over with the habitations of men with such majestic pro- 
 fusion, that I was almost willing to believe myself mistaken; and 
 instead of being in Nauvoo of Illinois, among Mormons, that I 
 was in Italy at the city of Leghorn (which the location of Nau- 
 voo resembles very much). . . . 
 
 I passed on into the more active parts of the city, looking into 
 every street and lane to observe all that was passing. I found all 
 the people engaged in some useful and healthy employment. The 
 place was alive with business much more so than any place I 
 have visited since the hard times commenced. I sought in vain 
 for anything that bore the marks of immorality; but was both 
 astonished and highly pleased at my ill success. I could see no 
 loungers about the streets, nor any drunkards about the taverns. 
 I did not meet with those distorted features of ruffians, or with 
 the ill-bred or impudent. I heard not an oath in the place, I saw 
 not a gloomy countenance; all were cheerful, polite, and indus- 
 trious. Reverend Samuel A. Prior, Times and Seasons, No. 13, 
 vol. 4. 
 
 DAVID and Mildred were watching the 
 men at work on the temple. The cold 
 spring wind competed with the warm 
 spring sunshine and made their blood tingle and 
 dance. From high over the river came the clear 
 notes of wild fowl northward bound. Robins 
 
104 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 sang for the laborers in Zion, and the trees be- 
 gan to put forth their first fresh, green leaves 
 for the delectation of the young artist and his 
 foster sister. 
 
 They climbed up the staging and stood on 
 the top of the stone wall of the temple, looking 
 about them. Many things attracted their atten- 
 tion, but in time it became riveted upon a man, 
 evidently a stranger, and as they judged, a very 
 interested spectator of the work being done. 
 
 He was a man of medium height, with a dig- 
 nified appearance, well dressed, and rather portly 
 and florid. He wore side whiskers and spec- 
 tacles. They noticed that his eyes were slightly 
 crossed, giving him the baffling expression usual 
 in such cases. They thought at times that he 
 was looking directly at them, but again con- 
 cluded that they were mistaken. 
 
 He carried a cane, and his peculiar use of this 
 instrument, or implement, or adornment, fur- 
 nished them some amusement. He would stand 
 perfectly still for a while, looking intently at the 
 work going on. Then he would walk rapidly 
 back and forth for a block, or even completely 
 around the temple inclosure. 
 
 As he walked he grasped his cane by the crook 
 and whirled it around and around. Apparently 
 
David Meets a Preacher 105 
 
 he was wrapped in deep thought, and the harder 
 he thought the faster he whirled the cane and the 
 faster he walked. 
 
 David contended that the cane must serve as 
 an accelerator of mental processes, but Mildred 
 affirmed that it might be merely an indicator, or 
 that it might serve as a safety device to relieve 
 undue mental pressure. At last the man halted 
 directly in front of them and they imagined that 
 he was looking at them. But the peculiar cross 
 in his eyes baffled them, even when he began to 
 beckon to them. 
 
 But as no one else seemed to recognize ,the sig- 
 nal, they concluded that it must be for them. 
 So down they went to see what might be wanted. 
 The stranger excused himself, much with the air 
 of one who is accustomed to have his wishes con- 
 sidered deferentially, yet who scrupulously ob- 
 serves the rules of etiquette as a matter of prin- 
 ciple. 
 
 "My name is Prior," he announced, pausing 
 to give his cane a whirl, then hanging it on his 
 arm. "I am a Methodist minister. This is my 
 first visit to this wonderful city of Nauvoo, con- 
 cerning which I have heard so many strange and 
 conflicting stories, some of them dark and lugu- 
 brious, some of them actually iridescent with 
 
106 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 praise and glorification. Needless to say, I am 
 much, very much interested in what I see. Yet 
 I need an interpreter, a guide. You may be able 
 to answer some of my questions, young man, if 
 you will be so good." 
 
 David smiled, and having assured his visitor 
 that he would gladly accommodate him, intro- 
 duced himself and Mildred, "Nobleman? Noble- 
 man?" mused the Reverend Prior, looking at one 
 of them, or both, they could not be sure. "Well, 
 it is a good name. I have met a few noble men 
 in my life, but I was cautioned that I should not 
 expect to meet them in Nauvoo. Young man, 
 do you know what the world thinks of you and 
 your people?" 
 
 David lifted his hat and tossed his hair back 
 with a characteristic gesture, and smiled his en- 
 gaging smile as he answered, "Jesus said, 'If ye 
 were of the world, the world would love its own ; 
 but because ye are not of the world, but I have 
 chosen you out of the world, therefore the world 
 hateth you. If the world hate you, ye know that 
 it hated me before it hated you/ ' 
 
 The deep-set, baffling eyes of the stranger 
 twinkled appreciatively. He took a quick turn 
 down the walk a dozen paces, whirling his cane 
 vigorously, and then returned. "Well met, 
 
David Meets a Preacher . 107 
 
 young man. If your people meet every situation 
 with so apt a scripture they will be invincible. I 
 had been told that you reject the Bible, and here 
 I am hit on the head with a text the first time 
 I open my mouth in Nauvoo." 
 
 David laughed. "No, no; don't say that I 
 struck you on the head with a text," he said. 
 "But we are told that the word of the Lord is the 
 sword of the Spirit. We must use it in self- 
 defense at times." 
 
 "Young man, that being true, you seem rather 
 keen for sword practice," retorted the other. 
 "Have a pass at this, then. The day of temple 
 building is done. That ended with the Mosaic 
 economy. You people appear to be retrogres- 
 
 sive." 
 
 David smiled again and said, "At the risk of 
 being accused of assaulting you with the Bible a 
 second time, I quote Malachi: 'Behold, I will 
 send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way 
 before me: and the Lord whom ye seek, shall 
 suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger 
 of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he 
 shall come, saith the Lord of hosts/ 
 
 "You see the Lord is to come to his temple 
 after his messenger has prepared his way before 
 him. How come to a temple if all temples have 
 
108 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 fallen to ruin and there are to be no more 
 builded?" 
 
 The eyes of the stranger twinkled again. "Did 
 he say his name was David?" he asked of Mil- 
 dred. 
 
 "Yes," she answered demurely; "David Noble- 
 man." 
 
 "Well, he must think I am Goliath, and he is 
 determined to kill me out of hand with scriptural 
 pebbles. 
 
 "Your defense is ready, apparently, young 
 man, but are you sure that your scripture is 
 properly applied. Did not that text refer to his 
 first coming?" 
 
 "I think not," replied David. "I will give you 
 the next three verses: 'But who may abide the 
 day of his coming? and who shall stand when he 
 appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like 
 fuller's soap; and he shall sit as a refiner and 
 purifier of silver : and he shall purify the sons of 
 Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that 
 they may offer unto the Lord an offering in 
 righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah 
 and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in 
 the days of old, and as in former years.' 
 
 "All men could abide the day of his first coin- 
 ing. He did not at that time purify the sons of 
 
David Meets a Preacher 109 
 
 Levi, and they have never from that day to this 
 offered an acceptable offering, so far as the Le- 
 vitical priesthood among the Jews is concerned. 
 No; it refers to his second coming; to the great 
 and terrible day of the Lord that few can abide." 
 
 "Do you expect the Lord to come to this tem- 
 ple?" 
 
 "No; perhaps not to this one. But to a tem- 
 ple of his appointing he will surely come. The 
 church, being a spiritual temple ('Ye are the tem- 
 ple/ Paul said,) may very properly, at God's 
 command, house itself in a material temple, as 
 every spiritual body seeks a physical expression." 
 
 The eyes of the stranger twinkled again, and 
 he gave his expressive cane another whirl. "Are 
 you metaphysicians as well as theologians?" he 
 inquired. "That was not so bad. A physical 
 body for the spiritual body ; a physical temple for 
 the spiritual temple, the material temple but a 
 physical expression of the spiritual temple. Yes ; 
 that is rather good. Come now, tell me, honestly, 
 do you think these things up by yourself, or have 
 you all been instructed what to do and what to 
 say to every stranger within the gates?" 
 
 David looked at him keenly and answered, 
 "Did they teach you how to swing your cane at 
 Oxford?" 
 
110 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 The other laughed outright. "Well said, young 
 man," he applauded. "I see you have not been 
 stuffed. You are an original one. Well, I have 
 not been stuffed either, and I think for myself, 
 and swing my own cane in my own way, as I see 
 you do, too. But how did you pick me for an 
 Oxford man?" 
 
 "Just a venture," admitted David. "But come, 
 now, let us show you around the city a bit. Bear 
 in mind as we go that the city is only about four 
 years old, so do not expect perfection, nor the 
 polish of centuries. Some things must appear 
 crude and unfinished to your Eastern eyes." 
 
 The three spent the afternoon going from 
 point to point about the city, on the hill, on the 
 flat, along the river front. The two young peo- 
 ple took a decided liking to the reverend guest. 
 He seemed different from the usual denomina- 
 tional minister. They could discover little preju- 
 dice in his mind. They saw that he was rather 
 eccentric, yet very intelligent and original. They 
 liked his quizzical ways, and relished his occa- 
 sional references to foreign travel and matters 
 of interest in the intellectual world. 
 
 When they parted that night it was only after 
 having secured from him a promise that he would 
 call upon them the next day at their home. In- 
 
David Meets a Preacher 111 
 
 deed, he seemed delighted to give the promise, 
 for he assured them that he desired to cross-ques- 
 tion David further on matters of church history. 
 
 They watched him as he walked away up the 
 hill, swinging his cane violently, and occasionally 
 making a pass at some imaginary object. The 
 two young people laughed merrily, and joining 
 hands ran home to tell about their new friend, to 
 whom they had taken a great liking. 
 
 The following afternoon they were seated on 
 the veranda at the hour appointed for his visit. 
 Presently they saw him come down the street. 
 He was walking rapidly and swinging his cane 
 over and over. He seemed absorbed in deep 
 thought and passed by the gate without stopping. 
 He looked at the two on the veranda, or at least 
 they imagined that he did, but there was no rec- 
 ognition in his eyes, but rather a preoccupied, 
 dreamy look, as of one wholly absorbed in his 
 reflections. 
 
 "He didn't see us," cried Mildred. "He is 
 going right on down the street." 
 
 David ran after the reverend gentleman, call- 
 ing, "Oh, Doctor Prior; where were you going 
 in such a hurry?" 
 
 Their visitor halted abruptly and wheeled 
 about. His cane ceased its gyrations, and on 
 
112 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 his face appeared the dawn of returning percep- 
 tion, quickly followed by a whimsical look of 
 apology. He came back up the walk, laughing 
 as he did so. 
 
 "I was lost in a fog," he said. "Fortunately 
 you halted me or I do not know where I would 
 have brought up perhaps in the river. You 
 have discovered one of my weaknesses. I sup- 
 pose that I may have walked a thousand miles, 
 all told, retracing my steps to points that I had 
 started to visit and had passed in a mental haze." 
 
 "Perhaps it is the cane," suggested David. 
 
 "Perhaps so," replied the visitor. "There is 
 some connection between that cane and my men- 
 tal works, though I cannot figure out what it is. 
 But I am getting so I cannot think freely with- 
 out it, at least not in the open, and I prefer the 
 open. When I get out on the street and go along 
 swinging that cane my parishioners say, "There 
 goes Reverend Prior flailing out another ser- 
 
 mon.' 
 
 "David had no occasion to poke fun at you for 
 being absent-minded," consoled Mildred. "I 
 have seen him do all sorts of funny things. One 
 day grandfather sent him out to get a basket of 
 potatoes, and what should Sir David do but hang 
 the basket on the well curb and draw a bucket of 
 
David Meets a Preacher 113 
 
 water and pour it into the basket. He only came 
 to himself when the water ran out and wet his 
 feet." 
 
 The Reverend Prior lifted his hat and with 
 pleasant courtliness bowed low, while he grasped 
 David's hand. "I am delighted," he said, "to 
 meet a fellow sufferer in affliction, and to learn 
 that though your head may be off duty at times, 
 your feet still remain alert to the situation. I 
 have sometimes wished that I too had a few 
 brains in my heels." 
 
 Turning to Mildred he grasped her hand and 
 added, "And I am glad to meet so fair a cham- 
 pion. If I had you with me at times to plead my 
 cause with my flock when I make some absent- 
 minded blunder, it would be well with me." 
 
 He greeted the aged grandfather and grand- 
 mother genially and with deference, but refused 
 to be seated in the house. "Not on a day like 
 this," he insisted. "Let us all sit instead upon 
 the veranda, where we can look out over the river, 
 with which I am in love, while the young man 
 tells me about the history of your strange church 
 movement." 
 
 So presently they were seated upon the ve- 
 randa, where they could look out over the wide 
 river, glorious in the spring sunshine. 
 
 TT 7 
 
114 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 While the visitor listened intently, David be- 
 gan: "You must understand, first of all, Doctor 
 Prior, that our viewpoint is totally different from 
 that of any other church." 
 
 "So I imagine; so I imagine," assented the vis- 
 itor; "and it is your viewpoint I am after." 
 
 "We believe," went on David, "that God is 
 unchangeable ; and further, we accept the logical 
 conclusions based on such belief. No miracle, 
 revelation, or divine manifestation or interven- 
 tion that really occurred in the past would seem 
 to us improbable, absurd, or out of order to-day 
 if occasion called for it. It is still to us a day of 
 revelation and miracle, a day of prophets and 
 angelic visitations. 
 
 "Moreover we differ from nearly all Protest- 
 ant churches in that we believe in restoration in- 
 stead of reformation. We reason in this way: 
 That if there has been no complete apostasy dur- 
 ing the long Dark Ages, by which divine truth, 
 the organic form of the church, and authority to 
 act in gospel ordinances was lost, then all those 
 things have come down through the Catholic 
 Church. If that were true, the Catholic claim of 
 apostolic succession is correct and we should all 
 be Catholics. 
 
 "But if there was such a complete apostasy, 
 
David Meets a Preacher 115 
 
 and we hold that both history and scripture prove 
 that there was, then it became necessary for a 
 restoration under divine direction and revelation. 
 We believe, moreover, that the Bible indicates in 
 many places that in the last day there should be 
 such a restoration, prior to the second coming of 
 Christ. 
 
 "Such a work of restoration has actually taken 
 place under angelic administration. The ancient 
 primitive Jerusalem gospel has been restored; 
 the priesthood, or authority to act in the name of 
 God, has been restored ; also the old-time organic 
 form of church, and the gifts and blessings of the 
 gospel. 
 
 "In order that you may understand the steps 
 that lead up to that restoration I wish to read to 
 you Joseph Smith's own account of the early 
 events of church history as he sets them forth in 
 our church paper, the Times and Seasons/' 
 
 Picking up a bound volume of the Times and 
 Seasons for the preceding year, the young man 
 turned to a place that he had marked, and read: 
 
 " 'Sometime in the second year after our re- 
 moval to Manchester, there was in the place 
 where we lived an unusual excitement on the sub- 
 ject of religion. It commenced with the Method- 
 ists, but soon became general among all the 
 
116 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 sects in that region of country; indeed the whole 
 district of country seemed affected by it, and 
 great multitudes united themselves to the dif- 
 ferent religious parties, which created no small 
 stir and division amongst the people, some cry- 
 ing, "Lo, here," and some, "Lo, there." ... A 
 scene of great confusion and bad feeling ensued, 
 priest contending against priest, and convert 
 against convert, so that all the good feelings, one 
 for another, if they ever had any, were entirely 
 lost in a strife of words, and a contest about 
 opinions. 
 
 1 'I was at this time in my fifteenth year. My 
 father's family was proselyted to the Presby- 
 terian faith, and four of them joined that church; 
 namely, my mother Lucy, my brothers Hyrum 
 and Samuel Harrison, and my sister Sophronia. 
 
 " 'During this time of great excitement my 
 mind was called up to serious reflection and 
 great uneasiness; but though my feelings were 
 deep and often pungent, still I kept myself aloof 
 from all those parties, though I attended their 
 several meetings as often as occasion would per- 
 mit; but in process of time my mind became 
 somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I 
 felt some desire to be united with them, but so 
 great was the confusion and strife among the 
 
David Meets a Preacher 117 
 
 different denominations that it was impossible 
 for a person young as I was and so unacquainted 
 with men and things to come to any certain con- 
 clusion who was right, and who was wrong. My 
 mind at different times was greatly excited, the 
 cry and tumult was so great and incessant. . . . 
 'While I was laboring under the extreme 
 difficulties caused by the contests of these parties 
 of religionists, I was one day reading the epistle 
 of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which 
 reads: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask 
 of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and up- 
 braideth not; and it shall be given him." Never 
 did any passage of scripture come with more 
 power to the heart of man than this did at the 
 time, to mine. It seemed to enter with great 
 force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected 
 on it again and again, knowing that if any per- 
 son needed wisdom from God I did, for how to 
 act I did not know, and unless I could get more 
 wisdom than I then had would never know; for 
 the teachers of religion of the different sects un- 
 derstood the same passage so differently as to 
 destroy all confidence in settling the question by 
 an appeal to the Bible. At length I came to the 
 conclusion that I must either remain in darkness 
 and confusion, or else I must do as James directs ; 
 
118 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 that is, "ask of God," concluding that if he gave 
 wisdom to them that lacked wisdom and would 
 give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture. 
 So in accordance with this my determination to 
 ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the 
 attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful 
 clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hun- 
 dred and twenty. It was the first time in my 
 life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst 
 all my anxieties I had never as yet made the at- 
 tempt to pray vocally. 
 
 " 'After I had retired into the place where I 
 had previously designed to go, having looked 
 around me and finding myself alone, I kneeled 
 down and began to offer up the desires of my 
 heart to God. I had scarcely done so when im- 
 mediately I was seized upon by some power 
 which entirely overcame me, and had such aston- 
 ishing influence over me as to bind my tongue 
 so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gath- 
 ered around me, and it seemed to me for a time 
 as if I were doomed to sudden destruction. But 
 exerting all my powers to call upon God to de- 
 liver me out of the power of this enemy which 
 had seized upon me, and at the very moment 
 when I was ready to sink in despair and abandon 
 myself to destruction, (not to an imaginary ruin, 
 
David Meets a Preacher 119 
 
 but to the power of some actual being from an 
 unseen world who had such a marvelous power 
 as I had never before felt in my being,) just at 
 this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of 
 light exactly over my head, above the brightness 
 of the sun ; which descended gradually until it fell 
 upon me. It no sooner appeared than I found 
 myself delivered from the enemy which held me 
 bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two 
 personages (whose brightness and glory defy all 
 description) standing above me in the air. One 
 of them spake unto me, calling me by name, and 
 said (pointing to the other) , "This is my beloved 
 Son, hear him." 
 
 " 'My object in going to inquire of the Lord 
 was to know which of all the sects was right, that 
 I might know which to join. No sooner there- 
 fore did I get possession of myself, so as to be 
 able to speak, than I asked the personages who 
 stood above me in the light, which of all the sects 
 was right, (for at this time it had never entered 
 into my heart that all were wrong,) and which 
 I should join. I was answered that I must join 
 none of them, for they were all wrong, and the 
 personage who addressed me said that all their 
 creeds were an abomination in his sight; that 
 those professors were all corrupt; "they draw 
 
120 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 near to me with their lips, but their hearts are 
 far from me; they teach for doctrine the com- 
 mandments of men, having a form of godliness, 
 but they deny the power thereof." He again for- 
 bade me to join with any of them: and many 
 other things did he say unto me which I cannot 
 write at this time. When I came to myself again 
 I found myself lying on my back, looking up into 
 heaven. 
 
 " 'Some few days after I had this vision I hap- 
 pened to be in company with one of the Method- 
 ist preachers who was very active in the before- 
 mentioned religious excitement, and conversing 
 with him on the subject of religion I took occa- 
 sion to give him an account of the vision which 
 I had had. I was greatly surprised at his be- 
 havior, he treated my communication not only 
 lightly, but with great contempt, saying it was 
 all of the Devil; that there were no such things 
 as visions or revelations in these days; that all 
 such things had ceased with the apostles, and 
 that there never would be any more of them. I 
 soon found, however, that my telling the story 
 had excited a great deal of prejudice against me 
 among professors of religion, and was the cause 
 of great persecution, which continued to increase ; 
 and though I was an obscure boy only between 
 
David Meets a Preacher 121 
 
 fourteen and fifteen years of age, and my cir- 
 cumstances in life such as to make a boy of no 
 consequence in the world, yet men of high stand- 
 ing would take notice sufficient to excite the pub- 
 lic mind against me, and create a hot persecution. 
 . . . However, it was nevertheless a fact that I 
 had a vision. I have thought since that I felt 
 much like Paul when he made his defense before 
 King Agrippa and related the account of the 
 vision he had when he "saw a light and heard a 
 voice," but still there were but few who believed 
 him; some said he was dishonest, others said he 
 was mad; and he was ridiculed and reviled; but 
 all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. 
 He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all 
 the persecution under heaven could not make it 
 otherwise ; and though they should persecute him 
 unto death, yet he knew and would know unto 
 his latest breath, that he had both seen a light and 
 heard a voice speaking to him, and all the world 
 could not make him think or believe otherwise. 
 So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, 
 and in the midst of that light I saw two person- 
 ages, and they did in reality speak unto me, or 
 one of them did, and though I was hated and 
 persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, 
 yet it was true.' " 
 
122 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 When he had finished reading, David threw 
 the book aside and said, "Well, there you have 
 an account of the first or initial revelation in the 
 work of restoration. We might discuss that be- 
 fore we consider others." 
 
 The Reverend Prior had been sitting listening 
 intently. Now he aroused himself, and looked at 
 David with his baffling crossed eyes, in which 
 there lurked the characteristic twinkle, as he said, 
 dryly, "Well, I notice that it was a Methodist 
 preacher who first started the argument by brand- 
 ing the revelation as from the Devil." 
 
 David laughed. "True," he replied; "but that 
 need cause no hard feelings; it might have been 
 a preacher from any other denomination. All 
 would have given the same answer, for all held 
 that divine revelation had ceased, though 
 strangely enough they seemed to think that the 
 Devil was still active while God had become 
 quiescent." 
 
 They were silent a moment; then he added, 
 "Don't you think a mistake was made in brand- 
 ing it as from the Devil on the ground that no 
 revelation could be received from God? Would 
 it not have been better to have examined it on 
 its merits, admitting that it might be from God?" 
 
 "Perhaps so," admitted the visitor, "but then 
 
David Meets a Preacher 128 
 
 you must concede that it was a very strange claim 
 to make to a world that had long resigned itself 
 to the idea that there was to be no more revela- 
 tion." 
 
 "Yes; but was it more strange than when the 
 angel spoke to the father of John the Baptist 
 after the four hundred years of silence following 
 Malachi? Was it more strange than Paul's ex- 
 perience on the road to Damascus? You remem- 
 ber that even the Christians declined to believe 
 his claims at first, and when he told it to the 
 Romans they said that he was mad." 
 
 The listener shook his head. "Perhaps no more 
 strange," he said. "All revelation is strange. 
 Truth is stranger than fiction, it is said. We can- 
 not reject a thing merely because it seems 
 strange. But how about that declaration that all 
 the professors were corrupt? Does that discredit 
 every Christian believer, my pious mother in- 
 cluded, who was a good Presbyterian and a great 
 reader of the Bible?" 
 
 "No, no," cried David. "It could not be held 
 to refer to all individual Christian believers, many 
 of whom were most excellent and pious people. 
 It referred to the professional clergy, those who 
 teach for doctrine the precepts of men, and draw 
 near to God with their lips only. It might even 
 
124 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 be held strictly to refer to those professional 
 clergymen who had gotten up the revival in 
 question and who later betrayed their own hy- 
 pocrisy." 
 
 "Well, then," persisted the visitor, "there is 
 that reference to the creeds as being wrong ; some 
 of them even abominable. How do you justify 
 that?" 
 
 David stepped into the library a moment and 
 returned with a volume. "Let me read from the 
 Calvinistic Statement of Faith as set forth in 
 the Westminster Confession," he said: 
 
 " 'III. By the Decree of God for the manifes- 
 tation of his Glory, some Men and Angels are 
 predestinated unto everlasting Life, and others 
 fore-ordained to everlasting Death. 
 
 " 'IV. These Angels and Men thus predesti- 
 nated, and fore-ordained, are particularly and 
 unchangeably designed, and their number is so 
 certain and definite, that it cannot be either in- 
 creased or diminished. 
 
 'V. Those of Mankinde that are predesti- 
 nated unto Life, God, before the foundation of 
 the world was laid, according to his eternal and 
 immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and 
 good pleasure of his Will, hath chosen in Christ 
 unto everlasting Glory, out of his meer free 
 
David Meets a Preacher 125 
 
 Grace and Love, without any fore-sight of Faith 
 or good Works, or perseverance in either of them 
 or any other thing in the Creature, as Conditions 
 or Causes moving him thereunto, and all to the 
 praise of his glorious Grace. 
 
 " 'VI.' As God hath appointed the Elect unto 
 Glory, so hath he by the eternal and most free 
 purpose of his Will fore-ordained all the means 
 thereunto: Wherefore they who are elected, be- 
 ing fain in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, are 
 effectually called unto Faith in Christ by his 
 spirit working in due season, are justified, 
 adopted, sanctified, and kept by his power, 
 through Faith, unto salvation. Neither are any 
 other redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, 
 justified, adopted, sanctified and saved, but the 
 Elect only. 
 
 " 'VII. The rest of mankind God was pleased, 
 according to the unsearchable Counsel of his own 
 Will, whereby he extendeth or withholdeth 
 mercy, as he pleaseth, for the glory of his sov- 
 ereign power over his creatures, to pass by and 
 to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their 
 sin, to the praise of his glorious Justice/ 
 
 "These men and angels who are eternally 
 damned," commented the reader, "are not 
 
126 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 damned because God foresaw that they would do 
 wrong; nor are others saved because he foresaw 
 they would do right, because the creed says that 
 it was all arranged regardless of such considera- 
 tions. It was all arbitrary, resting on the whim 
 of divinity, and for his glory. Could you con- 
 scientiously consider that as anything but abom- 
 inable in the sight of God, who we are assured 
 would have all men repent and be saved?" 
 
 The visitor shook his head, and answered dryly, 
 "On that point I will not quarrel with the reve- 
 lation. But think how much comfort men used 
 to get out of that creed. Every pious old soul 
 imagined that he was of the elect, to be saved, 
 and he took no end of pleasure thinking about 
 what his neighbors were to get later." 
 
 He thought for a moment, and then added, 
 "But that does not brand all creeds as wrong. 
 Take my own church, for instance. I am minded 
 to challenge you to point out a single error in it 
 touching vital things." 
 
 David smiled, "I would not like to become per- 
 sonal and make an attack upon your church. We 
 do not war against churches, but against error. 
 We are friends, so far ; let us not become involved 
 in disagreeable matters." 
 
 "Tut! Tut!" chided the listener. "Don't spoil 
 
David Meets a Preacher 127 
 
 a good story for relation's sake. If there is an 
 error in my creed, drag it out and let me see it." 
 Again David visited the library and returned 
 with a smaller book. "Since you insist," he said, 
 "I will read from your Discipline: 'Whereof 
 is one Christ, the very God and very man, who 
 truly suffered, was crucified, dead and buried, to 
 reconcile his Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, 
 not only for original guilt, but also for the actual 
 sins of men.' 
 
 "Now," he added, "compare that with 2 Corin- 
 thians 5: 18-20: 'And all things are of God, who 
 hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, 
 and hath given to us the ministry of reconcilia- 
 tion; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling 
 the world unto himself; not imputing their tres- 
 passes unto them; and hath committed unto us 
 the word of reconciliation. Now then we are am- 
 bassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech 
 you by us; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye 
 reconciled to God' 
 
 "That surely is a vital point. Jesus did not 
 come to reconcile a vicious and angry God who 
 had to be bribed by the sight of the sufferings of 
 his Son. God was always a loving father, and 
 had not gone astray. Jesus came to reconcile 
 
128 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 man to God, not God to man, for it was man who 
 had gone astray." 
 
 The Reverend Prior removed his spectacles, 
 and wiped them carefully with his spotlessly 
 white kerchief, then replaced them. Behind their 
 protecting sheen his twinkling eyes studied 
 David. 
 
 "Well?" he said, questioningly. 
 
 "Well?" echoed David. "What do you think 
 of it?" 
 
 He shook his head, mockingly. "Being a 
 Methodist minister, I will not express an opin- 
 ion," hd said dryly, "But if I were not a Meth- 
 odist minister I would say that this is an aston- 
 ishing case of getting the cart before the horse. 
 I will issue no more challenges to a David." 
 
 Turning to Mildred, he continued, "I did not 
 come expecting to have my own creeds dissected 
 and my idols rudely disturbed. Send this young 
 inquisitor after a bucket of water, that he may 
 wet his feet and thus cool his head, while we ad- 
 mire the river view." 
 
 All joined in the laugh that followed, but 
 David insisted, "I hope you will not miss an im- 
 portant point: The personage who spoke to 
 Joseph Smith called his attention to Jesus 
 Christ, and said, 'This is my beloved Son, hear 
 
"THE TRYSTING PLACE" 
 
 A sylvan scene near Nauvoo, overlooking 
 the Mississippi River 
 
Kis-Kish-Kee Returns 129 
 
 him/ That was the keynote of the revelation. 
 It was a call back to Jesus and his teachings. 
 Men had listened too long to the precepts and 
 doctrines of learned men. The keynote of our 
 work is a return to the teachings of Jesus." 
 
 After they had talked a little longer it was 
 arranged that the visitor should return again and 
 hear further about the early history of the church. 
 Bidding them all good-by, he took his departure. 
 They saw him walking down the street, his cane 
 over his arm. But presently he grasped it by 
 the crook and it began to revolve swiftly as he 
 walked. The watchers laughed, for they knew 
 that he was thinking seriously. 
 
 TT 8 
 
180 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Chapter Ten 
 
 MORE LETTERS TO JOHN NOBLEMAN 
 
 April 6, 1843. The first day of the fourteenth year of the 
 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Sun shone clear, 
 warm and pleasant. The snow has nearly all disappeared. . . . 
 The ice is about two feet thick on the Mississippi, west of the 
 temple. A considerable number of the brethren crossed from the 
 Iowa side of the river to the conference, on the ice. The walls of 
 the temple are from four to twelve feet above the floor. 
 
 April 7. The ice, which had made a bridge across the river since 
 last November, moved away in immense masses. 
 
 April 12. The steamer "Amaranth" appeared in sight of the 
 temple, coming up the river, and about noon landed her passen- 
 gers at the wharf opposite the old post office building, consisting 
 of about two hundred and forty Saints from England. About 5 
 p. m. the steamer "Maid of Iowa" hauled up at the Nauvoo House 
 landing, and disembarked about two hundred Saints. These had 
 been detained at Saint Louis, Alton, Chester, etc., through the 
 winter, having left Liverpool last fall. Dan Jones, captain of the 
 "Maid of Iowa," was baptized a few weeks since; he has been 
 eleven days coming from Saint Louis, being detained by the ice. 
 
 May 12. At sunrise, Bishop George Miller arrived with a raft 
 of 50,000 feet of pine lumber for the Temple and Nauvoo House, 
 from the pinery on Black River, Wisconsin. From, Joseph Smith's 
 Diary. 
 
 ONE of the first boats up the river in the 
 spring carried new letters to John Noble- 
 man, to be taken as far as Prairie Du 
 Chien and thence forward up the Black River. 
 The first of these was from David and bore the 
 date of April 13, 1843: 
 
More Letters to John 181 
 
 "Dear John; Now is the 'winter of our dis- 
 content' come to an end. And truly we have 
 great reasons to rejoice. By the way, as you 
 may have observed, Miller's day of judgment, 
 April 3, when he was to have the world come to 
 an end, passed over and nothing at all happened 
 except that those poor mortals who had given 
 their property all away and stood around on hill- 
 tops waiting for the end to come, went sadly 
 home, doffed their ascension robes, donned work- 
 ing clothes, and went sorrowfully to work we 
 trust. How foolish, when Jesus says that not 
 even the angels know the hour nor the day of his 
 coming. But these rush in where angels fear to 
 tread, and endeavor to fix the very time. It is 
 our business to watch and pray and be ready at 
 all hours ; and I think that any dress that covers 
 an honest man or a virtuous woman is a good 
 enough ascension robe. 
 
 "You will want to know about the conference. 
 Well, the first day of the fourteenth year of the 
 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 
 April 6, dawned on schedule time, clear and 
 warm. The snow had disappeared, excepting on 
 the northern hill slopes. But there were still two 
 feet of hard ice on the river, and a great number 
 of the brethren came across from Montrose on 
 
132 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 the ice to attend the annual conference, which 
 according to our regular custom began that day. 
 
 "The conference met on the floor of the temple. 
 The walls are now up from four to twelve feet 
 above the temporary floor. President Joseph 
 Smith, who is mayor, was detained for a time 
 on account of a case that was on trial, Thompson 
 versus Dixon, but came in with Elders Rigdon 
 and Hyde at ten minutes before twelve, and al- 
 most immediately addressed the meeting. He 
 asked the conference to express itself regarding 
 sustaining the First Presidency. A motion was 
 presented sustaining him as president and an- 
 other person put it to vote. It looked like a sea 
 of hands raised in support of the motion. Sidney 
 Rigdon was sustained as counselor in the Presi- 
 dency, also William Law. 
 
 "At twelve minutes before two the conference 
 adjourned for one hour. At three o'clock it re- 
 assembled and Brother Hyrum Smith, presiding 
 patriarch, addressed the people. He said that 
 there exists a band of dishonest men who steal 
 and make counterfeit money, and by pretending 
 to be members of the church throw suspicion on 
 us. Thus they escape punishment. He restated 
 the position of the church on matters of such 
 kind, reading the law from the church books. We 
 
More Letters to John 183 
 
 are constantly made to suffer for the sins of such 
 men in this wild frontier country. Every crime 
 that is committed for a hundred miles around is 
 laid at our door. 
 
 "Conference met again the seventh, at ten 
 o'clock, and again at half past two. Brother 
 Joseph remarked to Elder Rigdon, while the 
 choir sang so beautifully, that it was truly a day 
 of millennium within the temple walls all was 
 so peaceful, so holy, so solemn. 
 
 "On the seventh we witnessed a sublime spec- 
 tacle. The ice which has formed a heavy cover- 
 ing of the river ever since the seventeenth day of 
 last November broke up and went out. The 
 breaking up of the ice is certainly terrific and 
 awe-inspiring. It went crashing and grinding 
 and roaring down the river in great jagged 
 masses. Nearly all night we could hear the sound 
 of it, like heavy cannonading. Grandmother was 
 much disturbed, fearing another mob, and could 
 not sleep. As for Mildred and me we did not 
 care to sleep, but for hours walked up and down 
 the bank, watching the strange scene under the 
 moonlight. We even went up to the point that 
 she has christened David's Lookout, where we 
 could overlook the whole valley and the river for 
 miles. The old river is wonderful in its every 
 
134 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 mood, but most wonderful to me it seemed that 
 night. 
 
 "Even the next day when conference assem- 
 bled we could look from the stand in the temple 
 and see masses of ice floating down stream. A 
 strong west wind was blowing and interfered 
 with the poorly protected assembly room, roaring 
 in upon us around the unfinished walls, so much 
 so that at the afternoon session we were obliged 
 to make a stand at the east end of the temple 
 walls, where Elder Taylor addressed us, and 
 Orson Hyde followed, reporting that he had re- 
 turned from his mission to Jerusalem, having 
 traveled in four quarters of the globe and visited 
 peoples speaking fourteen or fifteen different 
 languages. 
 
 "The General Conference closed on Sunday, 
 the 9th, and an elders' conference ensued. Yes- 
 terday, before the elders' conference had closed, 
 all were much interested and excited when from 
 the temple we espied the steamer Amaranth com- 
 ing up the river. She landed about noon at the 
 wharf opposite the old post office building and 
 discharged her cargo of about two hundred and 
 fifty Saints who had sailed for Zion from Liver- 
 pool last January. 
 
 "Brother Joseph and a great company of 
 
More Letters to John 135 
 
 Saints were there to greet them and clasp their 
 hands. Needless to say, Mildred and I were 
 there also. Oh, what a scene it was! Some of 
 them laughed and some of them wept, so great 
 was their joy to have completed their long and 
 hard journey and to meet their brothers and 
 sisters in this strange land. Most eager were 
 they to greet Brother Joseph, whose hand was 
 shaken until his arm must be sore to-day. 
 
 "To add to our rejoicing, the steamer Maid 
 of Iowa hauled up at the Nauvoo House land- 
 ing at five o'clock in the evening and discharged 
 about two hundred more passengers who had 
 left Liverpool last fall and were detained at 
 Saint Louis and other points during the winter. 
 They had been eleven days coming from Saint 
 Louis, on account of the ice. 
 
 "We learned with joy that the captain of the 
 boat, Dan Jones, as we call him, familiarly, had 
 been baptized a few weeks earlier. Among those 
 who landed were Sister Mary Ann Pratt, wife 
 of Parley P. Pratt, with her little daughter, only 
 four days old. 
 
 "To-day at ten o'clock all these emigrants and 
 a great multitude of others met at the temple. 
 The choir sang a lovely hymn and Brother 
 Joseph addressed us all, giving us much good 
 
186 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 advice, especially useful to the newly arrived 
 Saints." 
 
 There was also a short letter from Mildred, in 
 which she said: 
 
 "David, as usual, is writing the news. All 
 that I can write is personal chatter. Things 
 are moving on about as usual in Nauvoo. All 
 is growth and activity. Missionaries are push- 
 ing out into all parts of the country and to for- 
 eign fields and we see the harvest gathering in 
 almost daily. Particularly is this true of Great 
 Britain constantly emigrants are arriving from 
 that field. 
 
 "Grandmother and grandfather are both fairly 
 well, but they show evidences of age and the hard- 
 ships they have endured. I sometimes fear that 
 they will not be with us long. Grandmother 
 prays daily that they may go together. Each 
 of them has a dread of being left alone. They 
 have been such inseparable companions. It is 
 pathetic to see the tender solicitude with which 
 grandfather waits upon her, making his eyes 
 serve both and reporting everything to her. He 
 tries to make her see the river, the valley, the 
 temple, the incoming ships, the new leaves of 
 spring, all the wonderful things about us. 
 
More Letters to John 187 
 
 "David is the same David. That is all I can 
 say. There is none like him, as you know. 
 
 "He says such quaint things. They sound 
 purely fanciful, yet often there is a strain of 
 philosophy under them, if you get his meaning. 
 A few nights ago a spring shower came dashing 
 in over the river. He went out and stood with 
 his hair tossed back from his forehead, in the 
 way you remember, with the first big drops fall- 
 ing around him. 
 
 "Seeing me, he called, 'Come out, little sister, 
 and get some holy water/ 
 
 "I answered, 'Holy water? That's what the 
 Catholic priest sprinkles on people, isn't it?' 
 
 "But he said, 'No, that is not holy water; this 
 is the only really holy water. Earth has dis- 
 tilled it, and God has caught it up to heaven 
 and blessed it, and now sends it down to purify 
 the world.' 
 
 "Yesterday we were transplanting flowers for 
 our wild flower garden. We had tramped the 
 woods and hills all day and were working in the 
 garden with our treasures, when grandfather 
 came out to join us. He is very methodical and 
 exact, and he said, 'Children, why don't you plant 
 these flowers in orderly rows?' 
 
 "David was planting them in groups and 
 
138 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 clumps here and there as fancy seemed to direct. 
 He replied, 'God doesn't plant his flowers in 
 rows. These are flowers of God's planting. It 
 may be all right to plant verbenas and hollyhocks 
 in rows, but if I should plant these in rows they 
 might become suspicious of me, or perhaps fade 
 away and die. It would be as bad as to put an 
 Indian maiden fresh from the forests into stays 
 and high-heeled shoes.' ' 
 
 A lumber raft came slipping ghostlike through 
 the early morning river fog on the morning of 
 May 12. It swung in towards Nauvoo at about 
 sunrise, but it was some hours before it could be 
 landed and tied securely. This raft contained 
 fifty thousand feet of lumber for the temple and 
 Nauvoo House, and was in charge of Bishop 
 George Miller. 
 
 So soon as he could well do so, John Noble- 
 man quitted his work on the raft and hastened 
 homeward. Evidently the family had not dis- 
 covered the arrival of the raft and company from 
 the pineries. It pleased him mightily to be able 
 thus to surprise them. 
 
 He strode up the front walk with the easy 
 swing that characterized him and pushed the 
 
More Letters to John 139 
 
 front door open softly. William Nobleman was 
 sitting at his wife's side, reading to her. He 
 looked up in surprise, but with a gesture John 
 suggested silence, and stepping quietly behind 
 the chair of the aged grandmother he took her 
 faded cheeks between his two big hands and said, 
 "Who comes here, grandmother?" 
 
 Without moving, she replied in the high, qua- 
 vering voice of the aged. "Is it David? No; it 
 can't be David. The hands are too big for 
 David. Can it be John? Is it you, John?" 
 
 "Yes, grandmother," he answered, as he kissed 
 her forehead. "It is I, back from the pine forests 
 for a little while. Smell the resin. My system 
 is full of it. I have cut pine trees and slept on 
 pine needles and chewed pine gum and breathed 
 pine-scented air until I am half pine." 
 
 His ban of silence lifted, he greeted his grand- 
 father warmly and inquired for David and Mil- 
 dred. He learned that they had gone to the 
 woods at sunrise for wild flowers for their garden. 
 
 Confident that he knew where to find them, he 
 strode down the river to the familiar ravine and 
 thence took his way back into the forest. He left 
 the ravine, now grown deep and precipitous, and 
 taking his way by a circuitous route, through the 
 
140 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 trees and up steep slopes, he approached the falls 
 from above. 
 
 There he gained a vantage ground, and cau- 
 tiously making his way to the brink of the upper 
 falls, he reached "a point where he could thrust 
 aside swinging grapevines and look directly down 
 into the amphitheater that Mildred had named 
 Prince David's Chamber. There at the foot of 
 the falls on a little slope of green, so close that 
 the spray from the cataract reached them at in- 
 tervals, kneeled the objects of his search, David 
 and Mildred, their heads close together, intent 
 upon a basket of wild flowers that they had dug 
 from the forest and were now arranging for the 
 home garden. 
 
 The visitor from the north stood looking at 
 them very intently. Something of the keen joy 
 of anticipation faded from his face. It seemed 
 to him that he was not greatly needed here. And 
 at last, without making his presence known, he 
 turned and quietly departed. 
 
 But scarcely had he gone, when David, as 
 though moved by some dim telepathic message, 
 scarcely perceived, arose and scanned the summit 
 of the falls carefully, and moved restlessly about. 
 
 "Some one has been watching us," he declared. 
 "Come, let us go home." 
 
More Letters to John 141 
 
 So they took their way homeward, David car- 
 rying the basket of flowers and Mildred follow- 
 ing, trowel in hand, with her torn sunshade 
 swinging over her shoulder. 
 
 They entered the home in this fashion, but 
 scarcely had David crossed the threshold when 
 he paused and seemed to assay the very atmos- 
 phere with some hidden sixth sense, and finally 
 asked sharply, "Has Brother John been here?" 
 
 A moment later his eye fell upon a familiar 
 black slouch hat thrown carelessly on the floor. 
 With a cry of joy the two ran into the kitchen, 
 but as they entered, John slipped from the rear 
 door. They ran into the rose garden, but he had 
 dodged around the house and entered the front 
 door. At last, by dividing their forces, and en- 
 tering at both doors, they ran him to earth in the 
 reading room. 
 
 David fell upon him and hugged him raptur- 
 ously. But Mildred, having assisted in his cap- 
 ture, suddenly was seized with a spirit of shyness 
 and mischief combined. And when John would 
 turn to greet her he must needs become the pur- 
 suer. He caught a glimpse of her bright dress 
 whisking from the door, and when he ran into 
 the garden he heard her low laugh in the house. 
 
 Finally, however, he cornered her in the rose 
 
142 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 garden, and she threw herself panting and laugh- 
 ing into the rustic seat where she had posed for 
 the miniature one year before. John Nobleman 
 sat down by her side and with his arm about her 
 shoulders fell to upbraiding her with mock seri- 
 ousness. 
 
 "You ought not to make me exercise so," he 
 declared. "My heart is very bad; it is all I can 
 do to saw through a five-foot pine without stop- 
 ping to take breath." 
 
 "If your heart is bad you should have a doc- 
 tor," she replied, struggling to get free. "Let 
 me go and get you one. I can get a calomel doc- 
 tor from the flat, or a lobelia doctor from the hill, 
 or a doctor from Warsaw who will bleed you." 
 
 "Yes," he answered, grimly, "no doubt there 
 are many doctors in Warsaw and Carthage who 
 would very gladly bleed me and a whole lot more 
 of us if they but had the opportunity. But we 
 bled enough in Missouri. No, I would prefer 
 your lobelia doctor if I must have one, but I 
 think my ailment is mostly spiritual." 
 
 "Oh, then, you need a minister. I will get you 
 Brother Hyrum, or Brother Sidney Rigdon, or 
 I may even be able to procure a real doctor of 
 divinity, a Presbyterian or a Methodist from the 
 hill." 
 
More Letters to John 143 
 
 "No doctor is wanted," he replied, flatly; 
 "neither M. D.'s nor D. D.'s. What I need is a 
 nurse and a cook " 
 
 "Very well," she cried, breaking away and 
 running into the house, "I will send for old 
 Mammy Brown ; she is a good nurse and a good 
 cook." 
 
 When he had captured her again, the whole 
 family assembled in the rose garden and ex- 
 changed news, compared notes, all or nearly all 
 of them talking at once, as is the rule at such 
 times. John inquired for the latest news and 
 received it in detail. That very day the Maid of 
 Iowa was to begin running regularly as a ferry 
 boat between Nauvoo and Montrose, Captain 
 Dan Jones in temporary charge, though Captain 
 Jones himself was expected to take a mission to 
 Wales a little later. Addison Pratt, Noah 
 Roger, Benjamin F. Grouard, and Knowlton F. 
 Hanks had been appointed but yesterday by a 
 council to go on a mission to the Pacific Isles; 
 James Sloan to Ireland, John Cairns to Scot- 
 land, and a number to England. Two had been 
 directed to go to Germany and Switzerland. 
 
 The Twelve were to go eastward to Maine, 
 preaching and collecting money for the Temple 
 and the Nauvoo House. A music hall was to 
 
144 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 be established on lot four, block sixty-seven, 
 much to the joy of David. Peter Haws had 
 called for twenty-five men to go with him to the 
 pine country. Joseph Smith had preached a 
 sermon in memory of Lorenzo D. Barnes, the 
 first missionary of the church to die in a foreign 
 field, he having died at Bradford, England, the 
 previous December. Apple trees had been in 
 bloom for two days, as he might observe if he 
 would look about and smell the fragrant air. A 
 bluebird was nesting in the hollow maple. And 
 so on and on until all had said all they could 
 think of to say. 
 
 The three must take a walk to David's Look- 
 out and have a glance at the river, and at the 
 time while David pretended to admire the river 
 John must steal a glance into those wonderful 
 blue eyes that David had written about. Some 
 way he found them much more wonderful than 
 David's pen had pictured them; far more thrill- 
 ing even than the eyes in the miniature which 
 John Nobleman had studied daily. 
 
 Then they took their way to the water front 
 and out on the big raft. Crowds of spectators 
 lined the bank and men were preparing to break 
 up the raft. John explained in detail to them the 
 work in the pineries; how the trees were cut, 
 
More Letters to John 145 
 
 hauled, sawed, floated down stream, made into 
 rafts, guided down the mighty river, and again 
 on and on. Then back home they went and Mil- 
 dred prepared one of her famous dinners. John 
 ate more sparingly than Kis-Kish-Kee, 'tis true, 
 but with even greater appreciation, and with 
 more subtle ways of expressing his praise, so 
 that she blushed more prettily than for the old 
 Indian, and was very, very happy ; so happy that 
 her heart hurt within her and a little tear came 
 to her eyes. 
 
 After the dinner John brought his gifts from 
 the boathouse on the raft. He had great bricks 
 of maple sugar, made under the supervision of 
 French La Barron, who took no risks that the 
 Indian should strain the sap through their dirty 
 blankets. And there were dried venison, and 
 dried berries, and pretty pine cones, and baskets 
 manufactured by the Indians, and blankets, and 
 bows and arrows and whatnot? 
 
 And last of all John Nobleman reclaimed 
 Thunderbolt, and helping Mildred into the sad- 
 dle, put his arm about her, and walking by her 
 side went down to the river just as the sun was 
 setting. The big black horse, stepping daintily, 
 wetted his feet in the big and solemn river, and 
 TT 9 
 
146 .Timbers for the Temple 
 
 drank at his leisure. A solitary Indian putting 
 out in his canoe shook his head dubiously. Old 
 Kis-Kish-Kee liked to see no one but David with 
 the young white squaw who could cook venison 
 so delightfully. But Mildred did not see the old 
 Indian, nor did John; for John was whispering 
 and Mildred listening to the new name known 
 only to the two. 
 
Timbers for the Temple 147 
 
 Chapter Eleven 
 
 MR. PRIOR RETURNS 
 
 ONLY a few days after his first visit the 
 Reverend Mr. Prior appeared again at 
 the Nobleman home. He seemed subdued 
 and troubled in mind and they learned upon 
 questioning him that he had attended a prayer 
 service the evening before at which the gifts of 
 the gospel in prophecy and tongues had been 
 manifested. Evidently he had felt a power 
 present that he had never before experienced, 
 and it had impressed him very deeply. 
 
 "Suppose you should decide that the power 
 you felt was of God, what would you do?" asked 
 David, curiously. 
 
 The visitor shook his head in a perplexed man- 
 ner, but something of the old twinkle appeared 
 in his eyes as he answered: "It is too early for 
 me to express an opinion, but you can imagine 
 how a dyed-in-the-wool Methodist preacher 
 would feel under those conditions. There are my 
 early education, my prejudices, my lifelong 
 friends, my position (for I know nothing but the 
 
148 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 ministry), my living as a preacher, all arrayed 
 on one side of the question what is on the other 
 side? What have you to offer?" 
 
 David answered soberly: "We are making no 
 offers. We are not urging you at all. Take all 
 the time you wish to investigate. If you find 
 that we have the truth, remember the woman who 
 sold all she had and bought the pearl of great 
 price. You may lose your friends at least you 
 would be in a position to find out which of them 
 were loyal and you might lose your salary. But 
 I am sure God would suffer you to meet with no 
 more affliction than might be good for your own 
 soul and you would find other friends." 
 
 "That was about what I expected you to say," 
 answered the visitor. "If you had said, Come 
 right on in and we will fix you up with a good 
 salary, I should have felt suspicious." 
 
 Soon they were seated on the veranda again, 
 and David said: "We might continue the story 
 where we dropped it a few days ago. The next 
 manifestation granted to Joseph Smith came 
 some three years later. I will read his descrip- 
 tion of it from The Times and Seasons, if you 
 wish. He says : 
 
 " 'While I was thus in the act of calling upon 
 God I discovered a light appearing in the room, 
 
Mr. Prior Returns 149 
 
 which continued to increase until the room was 
 lighter than at noonday, when immediately a 
 personage appeared at my bedside standing in 
 the air, for his feet did not touch the floor. He 
 had on a loose robe of most exquisite whiteness. 
 It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I 
 had ever seen; nor do I believe that any earthly 
 thing could be made to appear so exceedingly 
 white and brilliant; his hands were naked, and 
 his arms also a little above the wrist. So also 
 were his feet naked, as were his legs a little above 
 the ankles. His head and neck were also bare. 
 I could discover that he had no other clothing on 
 but this robe, as it was opened so that I could 
 see his bosom. Not only was his robe exceedingly 
 white, but his whole person was glorious beyond 
 description, and his countenance truly like light- 
 ning. The room was exceedingly light, but not 
 so very bright as immediately around his person. 
 When I first looked upon him I was afraid, but 
 the fear soon left me. He called me by name, 
 and said unto me that he was a messenger sent 
 from the presence of God to me, and that his 
 name was Nephi. That God had a work for me 
 to do, and that my name should be had for 
 good and evil, among all nations, kindreds, and 
 
150 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 tongues ; or that it should be both good and evil 
 spoken of among all people." 
 
 David did not read further in this account, as 
 he did not wish to weary his hearer with too much 
 reading. He preferred to summarize the remain- 
 der of the story of this remarkable vision, which 
 he did. 
 
 As David finished, the visitor said slowly, "The 
 angel surely told the truth when he said that 
 Joseph Smith's name should be had for good and 
 for evil among all nations. That prediction is 
 already fulfilled. And possibly the prediction 
 you mention regarding the return of the Jews 
 may be fulfilled in time." 
 
 "It surely will be," answered David. "You note 
 that the angel quoted the eleventh chapter of 
 Isaiah. The eleventh and twelfth verses of that 
 chapter read: And it shall come to pass in that 
 day, that the Lord shall set his hand again, the 
 second time to recover the remnant of his people, 
 which shall be left, from Assyria, and from 
 Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and 
 from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, 
 and from the islands of the sea. And he shall 
 set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assem- 
 ble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together 
 
Mr. Prior Returns 151 
 
 the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of 
 the earth/ " 
 
 After they had discussed various topics raised 
 by the reading, David continued, "I would like 
 to show you how step by step God revealed him- 
 self and how every step was taken in harmony 
 with a 'thus saith the Lord.' 
 
 "We believe, as you already know, that au- 
 thority must be had to preach the gospel and 
 administer the ordinances. Jesus said: 'And no 
 man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that 
 is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ 
 glorified not himself to be made a high priest; 
 but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to- 
 day have I begotten thee.' 
 
 "It is not a matter of deciding to go out and 
 preach. A call and an ordination are necessary. 
 Jesus said, again: 'Ye have not chosen me, but I 
 have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should 
 go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit 
 should remain.' 
 
 "Men may attempt to trace their authority 
 back to the apostles, and for those who reject 
 restored authority, that is the only recourse, but 
 in so doing they will invariably trace it back to 
 the Roman Catholic hierarchy, as Wesley did 
 when challenged, but that is not enough, for we 
 
152 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 hold that the Roman Catholic priesthood lost all 
 authority long ago, under the terms : ' Whosoever 
 transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of 
 Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the 
 doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and 
 the Son.' (2 John 9.) 
 
 "We believe that priestly authority once be- 
 stowed by direct revelation, later lost during the 
 great apostasy, has been again restored by direct 
 revelation. I will read again from Joseph 
 Smith's account : 
 
 " 'We still continue the work of translation, 
 when in the ensuing month, (May, eighteen hun- 
 dred and twenty-nine,) we on a certain day went 
 into the woods to pray and inquire of the Lord 
 respecting baptism for the remission of sins, as 
 we found mentioned in the translation of the 
 plates. While we were thus employed, praying, 
 and calling upon the Lord, a messenger from 
 heaven descended in a cloud of light, and having 
 laid his hands upon us, he ordained us, saying 
 unto us, "Upon you, my fellow servants, in the 
 name of Messiah, I confer the priesthood of 
 Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering 
 of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and 
 of baptism by immersion, for the remission of 
 sins, and this shall never be taken again from the 
 
Mr. Prior Returns 158 
 
 earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an 
 offering unto the Lord in righteousness." He 
 said this Aaronic priesthood had not the power of 
 laying on of hands, for the gift of the Holy 
 Ghost, but that this should be conferred on us 
 hereafter, and he commanded us to go and be 
 baptized, and gave us directions that I should 
 baptize Oliver Cowdery, and afterwards that he 
 should baptize me. 
 
 * 'Accordingly we went and were baptized. I 
 baptized him first, and afterwards he baptized 
 me, after which I laid my hands upon his head 
 and ordained him to the Aaronic priesthood, and 
 afterwards he laid his hands on me and ordained 
 me to the same priesthood, for so we were com- 
 manded. . . . 
 
 1 'Immediately upon our coming up out of the 
 water, after we had been baptized, we experi- 
 enced great and glorious blessings from our 
 heavenly Father. No sooner had I baptized 
 Oliver Cowdery than the Holy Ghost fell upon 
 him and he stood up and prophesied many things 
 which should shortly come to pass: and again so 
 soon as I had been baptized by him, I also had the 
 spirit of prophecy, when, standing up I prophe- 
 sied concerning the rise of the church, and many 
 other things connected with the church, and this 
 
154 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 generation of the children of men. We were 
 filled with the Holy Ghost, and rejoiced in the 
 God of our salvation.' ' 
 
 When David paused in his reading, the visitor 
 attempted to speak, but the reader stopped him, 
 saying, "Pardon me, Mr. Prior; allow me to read 
 Oliver Cowdery's account of the same event, and 
 then you may comment. It is as follows: 
 
 ' 'On a sudden, as from the midst of eternity, 
 the voice of the Redeemer spake peace to us, 
 while the vail was parted and the angel of God 
 came down clothed with glory, and delivered the 
 anxiously looked for message, and the keys of 
 the gospel of repentance. 
 
 'What joy! what wonder! what amazement! 
 While the world was racked and distracted 
 while millions were groping as the blind for the 
 wall, and while all men were resting upon un- 
 certainty, as a general mass, our eyes beheld 
 our ears heard. 
 
 " 'As in the "blaze of day"; yes, more above 
 the glitter of the May sunshine, which then shed 
 its brilliancy over the face of nature! Then his 
 voice, though mild, pierced to the center, and his 
 words, "I am thy fellow servant," dispelled every 
 fear. 
 " We listened we gazed we admired! 'Twas 
 
Mr. Prior Returns 155 
 
 the voice of the angel from glory 'twas a mes- 
 sage from the Most High! and as we heard we 
 rejoiced, while his love enkindled upon our souls, 
 and we were rapt in the vision of the Almighty! 
 
 " * Where was room for doubt? Nowhere; un- 
 certainty had fled, doubt had sunk, no more to 
 rise, while fiction and deception had fled forever! 
 
 " 'But, dear brother, think, further think for a 
 moment, what joy filled our hearts and with what 
 surprise we must have bowed, (for who would 
 not have bowed the knee for such a blessing?) 
 when we received under his hand the holy priest- 
 hood, as he said, "Upon you my fellow servants, 
 in the name of Messiah, I confer this priesthood 
 and this authority, which shall remain upon earth, 
 that the sons of Levi may yet offer an offering 
 unto the Lord in righteousness." 
 
 When David had finished reading, the Rev- 
 erend Prior removed his glasses, polished them 
 carefully, readjusted them, and said: "If true, 
 that was a most wonderful experience. I wish 
 that men might indeed have such experiences 
 now ; it would make our faith so much more vital 
 and powerful." 
 
 He paused, and David said, " 'For our gospel 
 came not unto us in word only, but in power, 
 and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance.' ' 
 
156 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 "To be frank," went on the visitor, "I have 
 at times grown rather tired of explaining why 
 the churches do not have many things that they 
 should have. I am tempted to believe that the 
 day has come spoken of by Paul, wherein men 
 should have a form of godliness, but deny the 
 power thereof. I have felt the need of power and 
 spiritual gifts but to find them here at Nau- 
 voo among the Mormons with old Joe Smith 
 " he shook his head in consternation. 
 
 "But, young man, you surely are ready in 
 your defense, and zealous. I marvel to find 
 your people, even the young members, so well 
 versed in scripture and so fluent in argument 
 in support of their position. It is not so among 
 the people with whom I have labored. The 
 young seem to have no interest in Bible topics, 
 and they know no more than the man in the 
 moon what the doctrines of their church may be, 
 and apparently care less. The moon peeks in at 
 my study window every night, but I could hardly 
 drag one of them into my presence, while here 
 even the young people are missionaries eager to 
 preach the gospel as they believe it. 
 
 "But go on with your history, I am mightily 
 interested. Though I suppose next you will be 
 undermining my favorite doctrine, to-wit, That 
 
Mr. Prior Returns 157 
 
 men are saved by faith and not by works is a 
 wholesome doctrine and very full of comfort." 
 
 David laughed, "Not I," he answered. "I will 
 let you wrestle with God, who says that every 
 man shall be judged and rewarded according to 
 his own works. I will go on with other mat- 
 ters. I wish next to read an account of the 
 organization of the church, as follows: 
 
 " 'Whilst the Book of Mormon was in the 
 hands of the printer, we still continued to bear 
 testimony, and give information, as far as we 
 had opportunity; and also made known to our 
 brethren, that we had received commandment to 
 organize the church, and accordingly we met to- 
 gether for that purpose, at the house of the above 
 mentioned Mr. Whitmer, (being six in number,) 
 on Tuesday, the sixth day of April, A. D. one 
 thousand eight hundred and thirty. 
 
 ' 'Having opened the meeting by solemn 
 prayer to our heavenly Father we proceeded, 
 (according to previous commandment) to call on 
 our brethren to know whether they accepted us 
 as their teachers in the things of the kingdom of 
 God, and whether they were satisfied that we 
 should proceed and be organized as a church ac- 
 cording to said commandment which we had re- 
 
158 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 ceived. To these they consented by unanimous 
 vote. 
 
 " 'I then laid my hands upon Oliver Cowdery 
 and ordained him an elder of the "Church of 
 Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." After 
 which he ordained me also to the office of an 
 elder of said church. 
 
 " 'We then took bread, blessed it, and break 
 it with them, also wine, blessed it, and drank it 
 with them. 
 
 'We then laid our hands on each individual 
 member of the church present that they might 
 receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and be con- 
 firmed members of the church of Christ. The 
 Holy Ghost was poured out upon us to a very 
 great degree, some prophesied, whilst we all 
 praised the Lord and rejoiced exceedingly.' 
 
 "You will see that in this, as in all other mat- 
 ters, they moved only by commandment from on 
 high. They were in that quite unlike other 
 church builders who have moved out in their own 
 wisdom, not even claiming the least manifesta- 
 tion of divine direction, yes, even denying the 
 possibility of anyone receiving such revelation. 
 
 "To make a long story short, the work of or- 
 ganization went forward rapidly. Men were 
 called and ordained to the various offices until 
 
Mr. Prior Returns 159 
 
 all the officers mentioned in the New Testament 
 Scripture as a part of the church were in their 
 places. Let me read a few passages of scripture 
 on that point, from Corinthians: 
 
 " 'And God hath set some in the church, first 
 apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, 
 after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, 
 governments, diversities of tongues.' 
 
 "Again from Ephesians: 
 
 " 'And he gave some apostles; and some, 
 prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pas- 
 tors and teachers ; for the perfecting of the saints, 
 for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of 
 the body of Christ ; till we all come in the unity 
 of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of 
 God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of 
 the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we 
 henceforth be no more children, tossed to and 
 fro, and carried about with every wind of doc- 
 trine, by the sleight of men, and cunning crafti- 
 ness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.' 
 
 "In other places, elders, bishops, deacons, sev- 
 enties, are mentioned. You will notice that these 
 officers were set in the church. God set them 
 there. We are told elsewhere that God set the 
 sun in the heavens. It still shines and will con- 
 tinue to do so until its work is done. These offi- 
 
160 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 cers will be a part of the church till their work is 
 done, and that work is to help perfect the saints 
 of God and bring them to a unity of the faith." 
 
 The Reverend Prior rumpled his hair reflec- 
 tively, and said with a smile, "Well, I must admit 
 that unity and perfection are yet to come. But 
 I had always held that the apostles and prophets 
 mentioned here are still in the church. That is, 
 that those who lived in the days of Jesus are still 
 doing their work through their record in the 
 Bible." 
 
 "But I believe that you insist on having 
 pastors, evangelists, deacons, bishops," replied 
 David, dryly. "Why draw the line so as to ex- 
 clude living prophets and apostles?" 
 
 The visitor turned his gaze upon Mildred, who 
 was an attentive listener to their discussion, and 
 who at times caught a fleeting and friendly 
 glance from the baffling brown eyes. "Again I 
 ask you to call this young inquisitor away," he 
 pleaded, "so that we may enjoy the river view. 
 He is determined to spoil my theology." 
 
 "No, I would not spoil your theology," re- 
 plied David. "I am merely explaining our own 
 theology. If in contrast you find defects in your 
 own, do not say that I have spoiled it. I did not 
 
Mr. Prior Returns 161 
 
 formulate it. If it is of God it cannot be spoiled 
 by me. 
 
 "There are only two more points to which 1 
 will call your attention. The first is that of doc- 
 trine : the church began at ' once teaching the 
 fundamental doctrines mentioned by Paul in He- 
 brews 6 : 'Theref ore leaving the principles of the 
 doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; 
 not laying again the foundation of repentance 
 from dead works, and of faith toward God, of 
 the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of 
 hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of 
 eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God 
 permit/ 
 
 "You will remember that Jesus said that he 
 had selected Paul to be an especial messenger to 
 Jew and Gentile. He must therefore have a spe- 
 cial message for us. In fact, he condenses for us 
 in those passages the six fundamental principles 
 of the doctrine of Christ. 
 
 "It is complete and all-inclusive, when you 
 stop to analyze it. It takes a man from the first 
 dawn of faith in God, through repentance, and 
 through the waters of regeneration in baptism 
 and the reception of the Holy Spirit, up through 
 the resurrection and into the presence of God in 
 the eternal judgment. 
 
 TT 10 
 
162 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 "The other point that I wished to mention is 
 that of the gifts : early in the history of this move- 
 ment the gifts were restored prophecy, speak- 
 ing in tongues, healing the sick, miracles, and all 
 the ancient blessings. They have been freely en- 
 joyed, as many thousands of living witnesses will 
 testify. This is in harmony with the promises. 
 Let me read again: 
 
 " 'But the manifestation of the Spirit is given 
 to every man to profit withal. For to one is 
 given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to an- 
 other the word of knowledge by the same Spirit ; 
 to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the 
 gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another 
 the working of miracles ; to another prophecy ; to 
 another discerning of spirits; to another the in- 
 terpretation of tongues; but all these worketh 
 that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to 
 every man severally as he will. For as the body 
 is one, and hath many members, and all the mem- 
 bers of that body, being many, are one body: 
 so also is Christ.' ' 
 
 When David had finished, their visitor drew 
 from his pocket a few sheets of paper and a 
 gold-banded pencil. Having adjusted the point 
 of his pencil, he made numerous notes. In ex- 
 planation, he said: "I am noting the chief points 
 
Mr. Prior Returns 163 
 
 of difference between your people and others, 
 such as authority, organic form of the church, 
 doctrine, belief in gospel gifts, revelations, and 
 so on. I shall study these things carefully. 
 
 "In the meantime I may admit that I have felt 
 a power, a sweet and singular power here in this 
 place that I cannot account for. If it is indeed 
 of God, 'twould be heaven to live here. I could 
 then understand why you endure persecution and 
 are willing to die for your faith, and why you are 
 so eager to preach it, and why you come together 
 here from the ends of the earth." 
 
 He bade them a feeling good-by, and they im- 
 agined that there was a tear in his eye as he took 
 his departure. "I may see you again, and I may 
 not," he told them. "The chances are that I shall 
 be called away soon." 
 
 He went down the walk, with his head bowed, 
 but soon he lifted it and increased his stride, and 
 they noted that he had begun to swing his cane 
 vigorously. 
 
 "Will you convert him, David?" asked Mil- 
 dred, anxiously. 
 
 David shook his head, "I think not," he an- 
 swered. "He is much impressed, and he has the 
 mark of the Spirit upon him, but I am afraid he 
 will go away sorrowing, like the rich young man. 
 
164 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 He would have to make a great sacrifice, from his 
 viewpoint, to unite with our people." 
 
 The grandfather Nobleman had listened to the 
 conversation, and now remarked, "You will find, 
 David, that we make many more converts than 
 we ever baptize. That is, many are convinced as 
 to the soundness of our position, but they do not 
 come to the point of making an open confession. 
 They are like Nicodemus, they come and they go, 
 and we hear no more of them. 
 
 "If all who are convinced were baptized the 
 roll of the church would be enormous. As it is, ' 
 our teaching is bound to affect the theology of 
 the world profoundly, through these men who 
 are impressed but who still hold aloof. Fifty 
 or a hundred years from now the effect will be 
 more apparent. Many of our unpopular teach- 
 ings will then be more generally accepted, such 
 for instance as divine healing and the second ad- 
 vent of Christ." 
 
Timbers for the Temple 165 
 
 Chapter Twelve 
 
 NAUVOO AS SEEN BY REVEREND PRIOR 
 
 SOME little time after the departure of the 
 Reverend Mr. Prior, David came home 
 from the Times and Seasons office with the 
 latest edition of that periodical so much prized 
 by the Saints in those days, and so rich in his- 
 toric interest now. It was evident that he had 
 discovered something of interest in the new num- 
 ber. 
 
 When he had called the family together he 
 said, "Mr. Prior may have left us rather ab- 
 ruptly, but he has written a very interesting ac- 
 count of his visit to Nauvoo, or a part of it at 
 least." 
 
 "A VISIT TO NAUVOO 
 
 "By SAMUEL A. PRIOR, a Methodist Minister. 
 
 "Mr. Editor; I feel somewhat unwilling to go 
 from this city, until I have returned my sincere 
 thanks for the kind treatment I have received 
 from all with whom I have had any intercourse, 
 since I first came into this place. I must confess 
 that I left home with no very favorable opinions 
 
166 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 of the Latter Day Saints. I have had the mis- 
 fortune to live always among that class of peo- 
 ple who look upon a Mormon as a being of quite 
 another race from the rest of mankind and hold- 
 ing no affinity to the human family. 
 
 "My ears had been so often assailed by the 
 tales of their vice and immorality, that I could 
 not but reflect, in spite of my determination to 
 remain unprejudiced, that I should witness many 
 scenes detrimental to the Christian character, if 
 not offensive to society. My friends crowded 
 around me, giving me many cautions against the 
 art and duplicity of that deluded sect, as they 
 called them, and entreated me to observe them 
 closely, and learn the true state of their com- 
 munity. . . . 
 
 "On my arriving at Carthage, I accidentally 
 met an old, and much-beloved friend, who was 
 himself a member of the church. Having been 
 apprised of my design in visiting the church of 
 Latter Day Saints, he very kindly offered to ac- 
 company me to Nauvoo, the city of the prophet, 
 but stated that he would be compelled to visit 
 a little town called Macedonia, before he could 
 go up, and wanted me to go with him, as it was 
 only eight miles distant. . . . 
 
 "The next day at eleven o'clock, I had the 
 
Nauvoo and Mr. Prior 167 
 
 honor for the first time in my life, to hear the 
 prophet preach; a notice of which had been cir- 
 culated the evening before. I will not attempt 
 to describe the various feelings of my bosom as I 
 took my seat in a conspicuous place in the con- 
 gregation, who were waiting in breathless silence 
 for his appearance. While he tarried, I had 
 plenty of time to revolve in my mind, the char- 
 acter and common report of that truly singular 
 personage. 
 
 "I fancied that I should behold a countenance 
 sad and sorrowful, yet containing the fiery marks 
 of rage and exasperation I supposed that I 
 should be enabled to discover in him some of 
 those thoughtful and reserve features, those mys- 
 tic and sarcastic glances which I had fancied the 
 ancient sages to possess. I expected to see that 
 fearful, faltering look of conscious shame, which, 
 from what I had heard of him, he might be ex- 
 pected to evince. 
 
 "He appeared at last but how was I disap- 
 pointed, when, instead of the heads and horns of 
 the beast, and false prophet, I beheld only the 
 appearance of a common man, of tolerably large 
 proportions. I was sadly disappointed, and 
 thought, that although his appearance could not 
 be wrested to indicate anything against him, yet 
 
168 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 he would manifest all I had heard of him, when 
 he began to preach. 
 
 "I sat uneasy and watched him closely. He 
 commenced preaching, not from the Book of 
 Mormon, however, but from the Bible; the first 
 chapter of First Peter was his text. He com- 
 menced calmly and continued dispassionately to 
 pursue his subject, while I sat in breathless si- 
 lence, waiting to hear that foul aspersion of the 
 other sects, that diabolical disposition of revenge, 
 and to hear that rancorous denunciation of every 
 individual but a Mormon. 
 
 "I waited in vain I listened with surprise I 
 sat uneasy in my seat, and could hardly persuade 
 myself but that he had been apprised of my 
 presence, and so ordered his discourse on my ac- 
 count that I might not be able to find fault with 
 it, for instead of a jumbled jargon of half -con- 
 nected sentences, and a volley of imprecations, 
 and diabolical and malignant denunciations 
 heaped upon the heads of all who differed from 
 him, and the dreadful twisting and wresting of 
 the Scriptures, to suit his own peculiar views, 
 and attempt to weave a web of dark and mystic 
 sophistry around the gospel truths which I had 
 anticipated, he glided along through a very in- 
 teresting and elaborate discourse, with all the 
 
H 3 
 
Nauvoo and Mr. Prior 169 
 
 care and happy facility of one who was well 
 aware of his important station, and his duty to 
 God and man, and evidencing to me that he was 
 well worthy to be styled, 'a workman rightly 
 dividing the word of truth,' and giving without 
 reserve, 'saint and sinner his portion in due sea- 
 son' and I was compelled to go away with a 
 very different opinion from what I had enter- 
 tained when I first took my seat to hear him 
 preach. 
 
 "In the evening I was invited to preach and 
 did so. The congregation was large and respect- 
 able they paid the utmost attention. This sur- 
 prised me a little, as I did not expect to find any 
 such thing as a religious toleration among them. 
 After I had closed, Elder Smith, who had at- 
 tended, arose and begged leave to differ from me 
 in some few points of doctrine, and this he did 
 mildly; politely, and effectingly; like one who 
 was more desirous to disseminate truth and ex- 
 pose error, than to love the malicious triumph of 
 debate over me. . . . 
 
 "But there was one thing yet remaining. I 
 had not yet seen Nauvoo, and so often having 
 heard that it was the most degraded place in the 
 world, the very sink of iniquity, and that all who 
 lived there were liars, thieves, and villains, who 
 
170 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 were the refuse of society, and the filth of the 
 world, that in spite of my better judgment, I 
 expected to see some traces at least, of that low 
 prostitution which I had so often heard charged 
 upon them. 
 
 "At length the city burst upon my sight, and 
 how sadly was I disappointed. Instead of see- 
 ing a few miserable log cabins and mud hovels, 
 which I had expected to find, I was surprised to 
 see one of the most romantic places that I had 
 visited in the West. The buildings, though many 
 of them were small and of wood, yet bore the 
 marks of neatness which I have not seen equaled 
 in this country. 
 
 "The far-spread plain at the bottom of the hill 
 was dotted over with the habitations of men with 
 such majestic profusion, that I was almost will- 
 ing to believe myself mistaken; and instead of 
 being in Nauvoo of Illinois, among Mormons, 
 that I was in Italy at the city of Leghorn, (which 
 the location of Nauvoo resembles very much,) 
 and among the eccentric Italians. I gazed for 
 some time with fond admiration upon the plain 
 below. Here and there arose a tall, majestic 
 brick house, speaking loudly of the genius and 
 untiring labor of the inhabitants, who have 
 snatched the place from the clutches of obscurity, 
 
Nauvoo and Mr. Prior 171 
 
 and wrested it from the bonds of disease ; and in 
 two or three short years rescued it from a dreary 
 waste to transform it into one of the first cities 
 in the West. 
 
 "The hill upon which I stood was covered over 
 with the dwellings of men, and amid them was 
 seen to rise the hewn stone and already accom- 
 plished work of the temple, which is now raised 
 fifteen or twenty feet above the ground. The 
 few trees that were permitted to stand, are now 
 in full foliage, and are scattered with a sort of 
 fantastic irregularity over the slope of the hill. 
 
 "But there was one object which was far more 
 noble to behold, and far more majestic than any 
 other yet presented to my sight and that was 
 the widespread and unrivaled Father of Waters, 
 the Mississippi River, whose mirror-bedded 
 waters lay in majestic extension before the city, 
 and in one general curve, seemed to gallop gal- 
 lantly by the devoted place. 
 
 "On the farther side was seen the dark green 
 woodland, bending under its deep foliage, with 
 here and there an interstice bearing the marks 
 of cultivation. A few houses could be seen 
 through the trees on the other side of the river 
 directly opposite, of which is spread a fairy isle, 
 covered with beautiful timber. This isle and the 
 
172 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 romantic swell of the river soon brought my mind 
 back to days of yore, and to the bright emerald 
 isles of the far-famed fairyland. The bold and 
 prominent rise of the hill, fitting to the plain with 
 an exact regularity, and the plain pushing itself 
 into the river, forcing it to bend around its ob- 
 stacle with becoming grandeur, and fondly to 
 cling around it to add to the heightened and re- 
 fined luster to this sequestered land. 
 
 "I passed on into the more active parts of the 
 city, looking into every street and lane to ob- 
 serve all that was passing. I found all the people 
 engaged in some useful and healthy employment. 
 The place was alive with business much more 
 so than any place I have visited since the hard 
 times commenced. I sought in vain for anything 
 that bore the marks of immorality; but was both 
 astonished and highly pleased at my ill success. 
 
 "I could see no loungers about the streets, nor 
 any drunkards about the taverns. I did not meet 
 with those distorted features of ruffians, or with 
 the ill-bred or impudent. I heard not an oath 
 in the place; I saw not a gloomy countenance; 
 all were cheerful, polite, and industrious." 
 
Timbers for the Temple 173 
 
 Chapter Thirteen 
 
 ANOTHER FOURTH OF JULY IN NAUVOO 
 
 July 4, 184$. At a very early hour people began to assemble 
 at the grove, and at eleven o'clock nearly thirteen thousand per- 
 sons had congregated, and were addressd in a very able and ap- 
 propriate manner by Elder Orson Hyde, who has recently been 
 appointed on a mission to Saint Petersburg, Russia. At two 
 o'clock they were again addressed by Elder Parley P. Pratt on 
 redemption, in a masterly discourse, when I made a few remarks. 
 A constant accession of numbers swelled the congregation to fif- 
 teen thousand, as near as could be estimated. Three steamers 
 arrived in the afternoon; one from Saint Louis, one from Quincy, 
 and one from Burlington. . . . On the arrival of each boat the 
 people were escorted by the Nauvoo band to convenient seats pro- 
 vided for them, and were welcomed by the firing of cannon, which 
 brought to our minds the last words of the patriot Jefferson, "Let 
 this day be celebrated by the firing of cannon." 
 
 July 8. Bishop Miller arrived from the pinery with one hun- 
 dred and fifty-seven thousand feet of lumber and seventy thousand 
 shingles for the temple. 
 
 July 91. The "Maid of Iowa" sailed for the pinery in Wiscon- 
 sin, with Bishop Miller, Lyman Wight, and a large company, 
 with their families. Joseph Smith's Diary. 
 
 A" r OUNG man came whistling down the 
 street from the temple and turned in at the 
 Nobleman home. He walked bareheaded, 
 with his long, black locks flung back from his 
 high, white brow. He was tall and slight, with 
 a faint flush of health showing under the clear 
 
174 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 pallor of his skin. His eyes were dreamy, with 
 the habitual abstraction of the poet. But they 
 lightened suddenly at the vision that greeted him. 
 
 A young girl sat near the maple trees in the 
 front yard, drying her hair in the bright July 
 sunshine. The hair was as yellow as the sunlight, 
 and it fell over her shoulders, a rippling cascade 
 of golden sunlight. 
 
 The young man stepped to her side and passed 
 his hand gently over the shining strands while 
 he smiled tenderly into the blue eyes upturned 
 to meet his gaze. 
 
 "Little sister, you are fast becoming a woman," 
 he said. "The days fly past so swiftly here in 
 busy Nauvoo that you will be quite grown up 
 and very dignified before we know it." 
 
 "And you, David," answered Mildred, "are 
 becoming a man. First we know you will be off 
 on a mission to China or to the islands of the sea, 
 like Brethren Grouard and Rodger." 
 
 But on this peaceful scene burst a third person, 
 John Nobleman, apparently very much in a 
 hurry and laboring under some stress of feeling. 
 Though in the tense attitude of his figure there 
 was a hint of resolute purpose, yet he spoke in 
 his usual low and even tones, when he said : 
 
 "I have just come from the Temple Lot, where 
 
Another Fourth of July 175 
 
 Hyrum Smith had called a meeting of the breth- 
 ren. We have learned by special messenger that 
 Brother Joseph was assaulted and kidnapped by 
 armed men while visiting relatives at Inlet, near 
 Dixon, in Lee County. With guns to his breast 
 and under threat of death they compelled him 
 to go with them. It is supposed that they intend 
 to carry him to Missouri, where he will surely be 
 killed. But the citizens at Dixon have interfered 
 and spoiled their plans for the time being. A 
 great many of the brethren have volunteered to 
 go at once to endeavor to see that he is protected, 
 and if there are officers, to see that he has proper 
 legal counsel and a fair hearing. I am going as 
 soon as I can get Thunderbolt." 
 
 In a very few minutes he reappeared, riding 
 down the alley, and waved them good-by as he 
 went tearing up the hill road on the black 
 horse, making the pebbles fly in his haste to join 
 the other men on this errand. 
 
 Thereafter they did not see him for five long 
 and anxious days, whereupon he came riding 
 down the hill again, apparently in a mood as 
 leisurely as it had been hurried at l^s departure. 
 His tired horse and travel-worn appearance in- 
 dicated that the ride had been hard and long. 
 
 After informing them that Joseph was safely 
 
176 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 in Nauvoo again, he would not talk further until 
 he had stabled his faithful nag, washed himself, 
 and changed his clothing. Then, seated at the 
 table, for it was then three o'clock and he had not 
 yet eaten, he told his story: 
 
 "It seems," he said, "that two men, Reynolds, 
 of Jackson County, Missouri, and Wilson, of 
 Carthage, Illinois, came after Brother Joseph 
 with a writ charging him with treason against 
 the State of Missouri. They appeared suddenly 
 at the home of the Wassons, where Joseph was 
 staying, and finding him in the yard, fell upon 
 him and abused him vilely, prodding with pistols 
 and threatening to shoot him. 
 
 "They refused to show any papers and threat- 
 ened all who approached. They would scarcely 
 permit his wife to bring him a hat and coat; in- 
 deed they did not do so until Brother Stephen 
 Markham interfered at the risk of his life and 
 held the horses' bridles until Sister Emma could 
 bring the hat and coat. They put him in a wagon 
 and hurried off towards Dixon, still holding pis- 
 tols at his sides and threatening to kill him. 
 
 "Every request for legal counsel was met with 
 the threat of death. At Dixon they went to Mc- 
 Kennie's tavern and thrust him into a room, or- 
 dering fresh horses to be ready in five minutes. 
 
Another Fourth of July 177 
 
 They intended to rush him into Missouri without 
 a hearing. Seeing a person passing his window, 
 he called out, *I am being falsely imprisoned 
 without counsel. I want a lawyer.' Accordingly 
 Lawyer Southwick came, but the door was 
 slammed in his face and he was told that he would 
 be shot if he interfered. Lawyer Patrick came 
 and received the same treatment. 
 
 "This being noised about town, raised the ire 
 of the citizens, who soon gathered about the tav- 
 ern and told Reynolds and Wilson that such pro- 
 ceedings would not be endured, that Brother 
 Joseph must have counsel if he wished it. Ac- 
 cordingly, with very poor grace, they admitted 
 Lawyer Southwick, and Brother Joseph asked 
 for a writ of habeas corpus." 
 
 "What is a writ of habeas corpus?" asked Mil- 
 dred, who had been listening, round-eyed, to the 
 story. 
 
 John paused and smiled, with the air of satis- 
 faction that a man wears when about to en- 
 lighten the feminine mind on subjects of law or 
 politics. "A writ of habeas corpus," he replied, 
 "is a writ designed to protect against false im- 
 prisonment. It requires one who is holding 
 another in custody to bring him before a court, 
 to 'produce the body,' before a court, as the term 
 
 TT 11 
 
178 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 means, that the legality of his detention may be 
 inquired into. It grew out of early attempts to 
 safeguard personal liberty, and runs back in 
 common English law nearly to the Magna 
 Charta. 
 
 "Well, finally the party was detained by the 
 citizens until the next day, when the master-of- 
 chancery arrived with a writ of habeas corpus re- 
 turnable before the Honorable John Caton, of 
 the Ninth Judicial Circuit, at Ottawa, LaSalle 
 County, and the writ was served on Reynolds 
 and Wilson. To add to the legal complications, 
 Brother Stephen Markham sued out a writ 
 against Reynolds and Wilson for threatening his 
 life, and writ was taken out against them by 
 Brother Joseph, this time from the circuit court 
 of Lee County, for private damages to the sum 
 of ten thousand dollars, and Reynolds and Wil- 
 son were placed in charge of the sheriff of Lee 
 County, not being able to give bonds. 
 
 "The party then started on towards Ottawa, 
 going as far as Paw Paw Grove, about thirty- 
 two miles. Here they halted and quite a crowd 
 gathered in the room where Brother Joseph was 
 lodged. They wished him to speak, but Reynolds 
 objected, whereupon some of the bad blood that 
 at times appears between States was manifested. 
 
Another Fourth of July 179 
 
 An old man by the name of David Town, who is 
 lame and carries a heavy walking stick, advanced 
 upon Reynolds, and said, 'Sit down, you infernal 
 Missouri puke. Don't open your head until Mr. 
 Smith has spoken. If you never learned man- 
 ners in Missouri we'll teach you that gentlemen 
 are not to be imposed upon by nigger drivers. 
 You can't kidnap men here. We have a com- 
 mittee here in the grove that may sit on your 
 case, and it is the highest tribunal in the United 
 States, for from its decision there is no appeal/ 
 So Brother Joseph, though a prisoner, was per- 
 mitted to preach to them. 
 
 "At Paw Paw Grove they learned that Judge 
 Caton was absent on a visit to New York, so the 
 party doubled back to Dixon. The writ issued 
 returnable before Judge Caton came back in- 
 dorsed, 'Judge absent,' and a new writ was 
 granted. This time returnable before the 'near- 
 est tribunal in the Fifth Judicial District, au- 
 thorized to hear and determine writs of habeas 
 corpus,' and the sheriff of Lee County served it 
 on Reynolds and Wilson. 
 
 "To cut a long story short, they determined to 
 start for Quincy, and go before Judge Stephein 
 A. Douglas. Accordingly on the 26th, three days 
 after the trouble began, they rode about forty 
 
180 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 miles and put up for the night. The next day 
 they went on, taking dinner at Geneseo. A little 
 later the first of our men from Nauvoo met them, 
 the expedition having been divided into two or 
 three companies. The party moved on to An- 
 dover and put up for the night. The next day 
 the party moved as far as a farmhouse about six 
 miles out of Monmouth. During the night Rey- 
 nolds and Wilson arranged with the son of the 
 landlord to slip away to Monmouth, raise a mob, 
 and come and take Joseph by force and convey 
 him to the Mississippi. The sheriff of Lee 
 County becoming aware of the plan, ordered 
 them to an upper room, and set a guard. 
 
 "The next day the party proceeded, leaving 
 Monmouth on the left and Oquaka on the right. 
 It was then learned, on consulting legal advice, 
 that the Municipal Court of Nauvoo was the 
 nearest court competent to pass upon a writ of 
 habeas corpus, and much to the chagrin of Rey- 
 nolds and Wilson the party turned its steps in 
 that direction. That night was spent at the home 
 of Michael Crane on Honey Creek, where 
 Brother Joseph exhibited to us his sides still 
 black and blue from being prodded with the pis- 
 tols of Reynolds and Wilson, and this morning 
 the whole company, now quite large, because of 
 
Another Fourth of July 181 
 
 the addition of our party, started for Nauvoo at 
 eight o'clock. At half past ten we stopped at 
 Big Mound and decorated the bridles of our 
 horses with the flowers of the prairies, and soon 
 met other citizens come out to greet us. Brother 
 Joseph was permitted to get out of the buggy 
 and mount his old horse Charley, his favorite 
 riding horse, and the band played, and we had 
 quite a triumphal entry. 
 
 "What threatened to be a tragedy became a 
 sort of comedy. Reynolds and Wilson had been 
 outwitted at the game of writs, and their show 
 of force had been frustrated by the citizens of 
 Dixon. So now all came to the last place they 
 had thought of visiting, Nauvoo. Brother Joseph 
 was the prisoner of Reynolds and Wilson, and 
 they in turn were prisoners of the sheriff of Lee 
 County, so that no one could escape The case 
 will be heard before the municipal court, and ap- 
 peal may be taken to a higher tribunal, so justice 
 will not be thwarted." 
 
 "Where is the party now?" inquired David. 
 
 "Well, just now, Brother Joseph and his fam- 
 ily and about fifty friends are at dinner. He 
 invited Reynolds and Wilson to dine with him, 
 and they are seated at the head of the table and 
 Sister Emma is serving them with the best she 
 
182 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 has at hand, in return for their cruel treatment 
 when they refused to permit her to say good-by 
 to her husband at Inlet. I think they are sadder 
 but wiser men.7 
 
 "Hurrah for Brother Joseph and Sister Em- 
 ma!" cried David. "That is the idea heap coals 
 of fire on their degenerate heads. If they have 
 no hearts why, appeal to their stomachs." 
 
 The aged grandmother had listened with 
 strained attention to the recital. She settled 
 back in her chair, looking more frail and wax- 
 like than ever, her sightless eyes turned heaven- 
 ward: "How long, O Lord, how long must we 
 be hated and driven and murdered?" she whis- 
 pered. "I see that these men will never rest until 
 they have spilled the blood of the Prophet and 
 driven us from this place where we thought to 
 find rest. Is there no peace anywhere for the 
 children of God?" 
 
 They tried to comfort her, and at last she took 
 a more cheerful view of the situation. 
 
 "I am glad that Brother Joseph was returned 
 to freedom by legal means and that our men re- 
 strained themselves and used no show of force," 
 she said. "Some of our men are so quick spoken 
 and positive that I feared great trouble. When 
 Joseph and Hyrum Smith, and Lyman Wight, 
 
Another Fourth of July 183 
 
 and Sidney Rigdon, and others were taken pris- 
 oners in Missouri by Generals Lucas and Wil- 
 son, General Wilson took Brother Wight to one 
 side and said to him, 'Wight, I believe you to be 
 an honest and brave man. If you will turn 
 state's evidence and swear to what you know 
 about Joe Smith we will spare your life.' Brother 
 Lyman replied, 'Very well. I will testify that so 
 far as I am acquainted with Joseph Smith I know 
 no one more honest or more philanthropic, hav- 
 ing a greater zeal and love for his country and its 
 laws, or one who would strive more for the peace 
 and happiness of mankind than Joseph Smith/ 
 The general then began to swear and said, 'If 
 you testify in that way you will be shot with the 
 others.' 
 
 "I do not think Brother Wight should have 
 replied just as he did, but he was a man who 
 feared nothing on earth, and it was a time that 
 tried men's souls." 
 
 "How did he reply?" asked John, curiously. 
 
 "He said, 'Shoot, and be damned!' " 
 
 John laughed. "I would not call that an oath," 
 he said, grimly. "I would call it a prophecy. He 
 evidently felt sure under the circumstances that 
 if they did shoot they would be damned." 
 
 The grandmother went on : "Those men, seven 
 
184 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 in number, were all tried by court martial with- 
 out any opportunity for proper defense, and 
 were sentenced to be shot at the public square, at 
 Far West, at the very spot where the Saints had 
 planned to build a temple. 
 
 "The order to General Doniphan read, 'You 
 will take Joseph Smith and the other prisoners 
 into the public square of Far West, and shoot 
 them at nine o'clock to-morrow morning.' 
 
 "But General Doniphan, may the Lord re- 
 ward him, was a brave and true man. He re- 
 plied, 'It is cold-blooded murder. I will not obey 
 your order. My brigade shall march for Liberty 
 to-morrow morning, at eight o'clock; and if you 
 execute those men, I will hold you responsible 
 before an earthly tribunal, so help me God!' 
 
 "General Doniphan's action was all that saved 
 them. He was a brave man, and ran the risk 
 himself of court martial. But we all felt that 
 Providence had used him to intervene in our be- 
 half. The order was never executed, for they 
 must have feared his threat. They knew that 
 he was right and they wrong." 
 
 "Thus does conscience make cowards of us 
 all," quoted David. "They were afraid because 
 they were in the wrong. But you cannot blame 
 
Another Fourth of July 185 
 
 Brother Joseph for refusing to be dragged into 
 Missouri again. " 
 
 The attempt to kidnap Joseph Smith created 
 great excitement in all parts of Illinois, but par- 
 ticularly so in Nauvoo, as was quite natural. 
 With no rapid means of conveying news, as we 
 now have in the telephone system, the city was 
 left long in doubt and anxiety, and different ex- 
 peditions sent in search of the prophet scoured 
 the country far and near. One expedition had 
 gone out on the MM of Iowa down the Missis- 
 sippi River to the Illinois River and up the Illi- 
 nois River as far as Peru, LaSalle County, hav- 
 ing heard that an armed force from Saint Louis 
 had gone up that river on the Chicago Belle with 
 the intent to seize Joseph Smith and make way 
 with him. 
 
 They passed the Chicago Belle hard aground 
 in an island chute just above Pekin, and went 
 on their way as far as Peru. They did not get 
 back to Nauvoo until Sunday, July 2, two days 
 after the safe return of Joseph Smith. 
 
 Last of all, on the third, about noon came 
 trailing in a company of men under Charles C. 
 Rich. With them was French La Barron, who 
 immediately sought out his friend, John Noble- 
 man, to recount his adventures. 
 
186 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 The little French Canadian was as joyous as 
 ever, his round face fairly beaming. His account 
 greatly amused David and Mildred, and added 
 a touch of the ridiculous to the incident. 
 
 "We go from de main body Monday mornin' 
 at McQueen Mills," he said, "all on horseback, 
 wit* de one baggage wagon an' de instructions to 
 prozeed to Peoria, and so on to Ottawa. We 
 travel all de first day until de next mornin' at 
 t'red o'clock when we mak' de camp. But all early 
 at sunrise we were gone again, all day an' mos' of 
 de night, mos'ly wit'out de road of any kin'. We 
 camp again, an' so on, t'rough a little village, so 
 small, where ev'y one gape an' stare an' run after 
 us wit' many questions. Till at de last Doctor 
 Ells, who was behin', an' carry de so long face, 
 lak de horse, an' look so ver' pious, turn an' spik 
 to all those who ask de question, 'We all go hunt 
 de nest of de wheelbarrow.' ' 
 
 David and Mildred laughed until tears came 
 into their eyes, for they could picture the solemn- 
 faced Doctor Ells drawling out this ridiculous 
 answer to the mystified villagers, so disturbed by 
 the passage of a company of mounted men. Thus 
 encouraged and with a broad grin on his face, 
 French La Barron continued his story to the end. 
 
 Really it had been no laughing matter. These 
 
Another Fourth of July 187 
 
 men had traveled five hundred miles, almost with- 
 out sleep, and without change of horses, during 
 a period of excessive heat. They had reached 
 Ottawa before turning back. Yet they came 
 back laughing and rejoicing, and having com- 
 posed a new song en route, they gathered in front 
 of Joseph's home on their arrival and sang it for 
 his edification. 
 
 The municipal court discharged Joseph Smith 
 from custody and a complete copy of all proceed- 
 ings was forwarded to Governor Ford. That 
 official later denied the request of Reynolds and 
 Wilson for state troops to take Joseph Smith 
 from Nauvoo, and decided that the proceedings 
 connected with his release had been entirely legal. 
 
 In such an atmosphere Independence Day 
 dawned upon Nauvoo in 1843. At its close, in 
 the gloaming of the evening came David and 
 Mildred to report the day to their Grandmother 
 Nobleman, as was their custom. 
 
 "It has been a wonderful, wonderful day," 
 cried Mildred, throwing her arms about the neck 
 of the white-haired grandmother. "You should 
 have seen John, so tall and big and grand, riding 
 in the procession on Thunderbolt." 
 
188 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 "Where were the meetings held?" asked the 
 grandmother. 
 
 "In the grove. It was estimated as early as 
 eleven o'clock that nearly thirteen thousand per- 
 sons had assembled." 
 
 "I think," said David, "that the estimate may 
 be too high. We are always inclined to overesti- 
 mate a crowd; but there was certainly a tremen- 
 dous gathering. There must have been at least 
 ten thousand at that hour, and three steamers 
 came in the afternoon, one from Saint Louis, one 
 from Quincy, and one from Burlington, bringing 
 eight or nine hundred more people with them." 
 
 "It was grand to see them come in," broke in 
 Mildred again, taking up the thread of her story. 
 "As each boat came in, the band met it and con- 
 ducted the passengers to the grove, where they 
 were saluted by cannon and were located in sec- 
 tions provided for them." 
 
 "Elder Orson Hyde spoke at eleven o'clock 
 and a collection was taken up to help him build a 
 house, so that he may be free to go on his pro- 
 posed mission to Saint Petersburg. And in the 
 afternoon Elder Parley Pratt spoke, and after- 
 ward Brother Joseph made a few remarks, deal- 
 ing with his late experiences." 
 
 "What did Brother Joseph say?" 
 
Another Fourth of July 189 
 
 "I can give you a part of what he said," replied 
 David, "for I wrote it down while he was talk- 
 ing." 
 
 Taking some notes from his pocket he read : 
 
 "If the people will give ear a moment, I will 
 address them with a few words in my own defense 
 in relation to my arrest. In the first place, I will 
 state to those that can hear me that I never spent 
 more than six months in Missouri, except while 
 in prison. While I was there, I was at work for 
 the support of my family. I never was a pris- 
 oner of war during my stay, for I had nothing to 
 do with war. I never took up a pistol, gun, or 
 sword: and the most that has been said on this 
 subject is false. 
 
 "I have been willing to go before any gov- 
 ernor, judge, or tribunal where justice would be 
 done, and have the subject investigated. I could 
 not have committed treason in that State while I 
 resided there, for treason in Missouri consists in 
 levying war against the State or adhering to her 
 enemies. Missouri was at peace, and had no 
 enemy that I could adhere to, had I been dis- 
 posed; and I did not make war, as I had no com- 
 mand or authority, either civil or military, but 
 only in spiritual matters, as a minister of the 
 gospel. 
 
190 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 "This people was driven from that State by 
 force of arms, under the exterminating order of 
 Governor Boggs. I have never committed 
 treason. The people know very well I have been 
 a peaceable citizen; but there has been a great 
 hue and cry about Governor Boggs being shot. 
 No crime can be done but it is laid to me. Here 
 I was again dragged to the United States Court 
 and acquitted on the merits of the case, and now 
 it comes again. But as often as God sees fit for 
 me to suffer, I am ready; but I am as innocent 
 of crime alleged against me as the angels in 
 heaven. I am not an enemy to mankind ; I am a 
 friend to mankind. I am not an enemy to Mis- 
 souri, nor to any governor or people. 
 
 "As to the military station I hold, the cause 
 of my holding it is as follows: When we came 
 here the State required us to bear arms and do 
 military duty according to law ; and as the church 
 had just been driven from the State of Missouri, 
 and robbed of all their property and arms, they 
 were poor and destitute of arms. They were 
 liable to be fined for not doing duty when they 
 had not arms to do it with. They came to me for 
 advice, and I advised them to organize them- 
 selves into independent companies and demand 
 arms of the State. This they did. 
 
Another Fourth of July 191 
 
 "Again: There were many elders having 
 license to preach, which by law exonerated them 
 from military duty; but the officers would not 
 release them on this ground. I then told the 
 Saints that though I was clear from military 
 duty by law, in consequence of lameness in one 
 of my legs, yet I would set the example and 
 would do duty myself. They then said they were 
 willing to do duty, if they could be formed into 
 an independent company, and I could be at their 
 head. This is the origin of the Nauvoo Legion 
 and of my holding the office of lieutenant-gen- 
 eral. 
 
 "All the power that I desire or have sought to 
 obtain has been the enjoyment of the constitu- 
 tional privilege for which my fathers shed their 
 blood, of living in peace in the society of my wife 
 and children, and enjoying the society of my 
 friends and that religious liberty which is the 
 right of every American citizen, of worshiping 
 according to the dictates of his conscience and 
 the revelations of God. 
 
 "With regard to elections, some say all the 
 Latter Day Saints vote together, and vote as I 
 say. But I never tell any man how to vote or 
 whom to vote for. But I will show you how we 
 have been situated by bringing a comparison. 
 
192 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Should there be a Methodist society here, and 
 two candidates running for office, one says, 'If 
 you will vote for me and put me in governor, I 
 will exterminate the Methodists, take away their 
 charters/ etc. The other candidate says, 'If I 
 am governor, I will give all an equal privilege/ 
 Which would the Methodist vote for? Of course 
 they would vote en masse for the candidate that 
 would give them their rights." 
 
 The day had been pleasant, the weather fine, 
 and nothing had disturbed the peace of Nauvoo 
 for the time being. But the Saints little dreamed 
 that this was to be the last peaceful and happy 
 Fourth of July that they would celebrate in Nau- 
 voo. 
 
 The next two weeks were busy and happy 
 weeks for the Nobleman family. John and David 
 helped in the work of hauling the lumber from 
 the raft to the hill where it was to be used in the 
 temple. Their evenings were spent in excursions 
 to Prince David's Chamber, or in loitering at 
 David's Lookout. But the summer was hot and 
 dry, with never a drop of rain, so that their ex- 
 cursions were somewhat marred, and the wild 
 flower garden languished. 
 
 Often, too, they rowed upon the river in the 
 evening, enjoying the wonderful moonlight as it 
 
Another Fourth of July 193 
 
 flooded the wide and wild expanse of waters, or 
 admiring the dim outlines of the temple, begin- 
 ning to take form on the great hill. 
 
 But at last these happy days came to an end, 
 and on the twenty-first day of July John Noble- 
 man again took his departure for the Wisconsin 
 pinery, this time going on board the Maid of 
 Iowa,, with Bishop Miller, Lyman Wight, and a 
 large company with their families. 
 
 TT 12 
 
194 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Chapter Fourteen 
 
 LETTERS FROM NAUVOO 
 
 September 28, 1843. Bishop George Miller returned from the 
 pinery. He reported the water in the Black River so low that 
 they could not get their raft into the Mississippi. 
 
 November 23, 1843. Met in council in the old house; then 
 walked down to the river to look at the stream, rocks, etc., about 
 half past eleven a. m. Suggested the idea of petitioning Congress 
 for a grant to make a canal over the falls, or a dam to turn the 
 water to the city, so that we might erect mills and other machinery. 
 
 December 81, 1848. At early candle light, went to prayer meet- 
 ing; administered the sacrament; after which I retired. At mid- 
 night, about fifty musicians and singers sang Phelps's New Year's 
 Hymn under my window. 
 
 February 20, 1844- At ten a. m. went to my office, where the 
 Twelve Apostles and some others met in council with Brothers 
 Mitchell and Stephen Curtis, who Uft the pinery on the Black 
 River, January 1. 
 
 March 8, 1844. Very heavy rain all night, accompanied by 
 thunder. Bishop Miller arrived from the pinery. Joseph Smith's 
 Diary. 
 
 On the right hand, as we entered the house, was a small and 
 very comfortless-looking barroom; all the more comfortless, per- 
 chance, from its being a dry barroom, as no spirituous liquors were 
 permitted at Nauvoo. . . . 
 
 The clouds had parted when we emerged from the chamber . . . 
 and there was time to see the temple before dinner. General 
 Smith orderd a capacious carriage, and we drove to that beautiful 
 eminence, bounded on three sides by the Mississippi, which was 
 covered by the holy city of Nauvoo. The curve in the river in- 
 closed a position lovely enough to furnish a site for the Utopian 
 communities of Plato or Sir Thomas More, and here was an 
 
Letters From Nauvoo 195 
 
 orderly city, magnificently laid out, and teeming with activity and 
 enterprise. From Figures of the Past, by Josiah Quincy, who 
 visited Nauvoo April 25, 1844. 
 
 r ^iHE course of events in Nauvoo is boldly 
 sketched in a letter from David to John 
 Nobleman, dated March 10, 1844: 
 
 "Dearest Brother John: Bishop Miller ar- 
 rived from the pinery day before yesterday, 
 bringing letters and packages from you. We 
 were much interested in the beaded moccasins 
 that you sent and in the buckskin coats, the 
 blankets, and the furs. Bishop Miller visited us 
 and gave us many interesting items concerning 
 you and the life in the pine woods. We could 
 still smell the breath of the forests on his person. 
 He says that Brother Wight estimates that you 
 can deliver nearly one million feet of lumber in 
 Nauvoo by the last of next July. How hard you 
 must have worked. That will be enough to build 
 both the Nauvoo House and the temple. All 
 efforts now, however, will be to complete the 
 temple. The Nauvoo House must wait its turn. 
 
 "Having read your letters we must needs get 
 out the ones received September 23 last, when 
 Bishop Miller arrived on his former trip down 
 the river. And having finished those we turned 
 for comfort to the packet received the 20th of 
 
196 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 February when Mitchell and Stephen Curtis 
 came down. 
 
 "Then when we had finished them all, every- 
 one was perfectly silent for a long time, until Mil- 
 dred heaved a big sigh that sounded so tragie 
 that we all laughed rather hysterically. Of course 
 she blushed rosy red, because the sigh had sur- 
 prised her as much as any of us, though it some 
 way expressed the feeling of the whole family. 
 Then we all fell to talking at once, even grand- 
 mother, who is whiter and more waxlike than 
 ever. 
 
 "Well, for the news. Did we write you that 
 we have a young men's debating society? Well, 
 we have. Organized last November, the 23d. 
 Memorable day. For who knows how many 
 Socrateses and Demostheneses and Ciceroses or 
 Patrick Henry's may come out of it. We meet 
 regularly to discuss various topics religions, 
 politics, agriculture, history, current events, what 
 not. Some wonderful themes are discussed, I 
 assure you, and some remarkable views aired. 
 'Twould make you laugh no doubt to hear us 
 callow youths state our mature views with all the 
 conviction of inexperience. 
 
 "But truly it is doing us good. It trains us to 
 think on our feet, and to express ourselves. Prob- 
 
Letters From Nauvoo 197 
 
 ably no one of us will ever set the world afire, 
 which is fortunate, because we might not know 
 enough to put it out again, but at least we will 
 acquire some confidence in ourselves, and will 
 learn some things, as we have to study, I assure 
 you, to defend ourselves, for we have some mem- 
 bers who are as sharp as tacks and as quick as 
 lightning. 
 
 "Yes, and we have city police. Forty of them 
 were sworn in on the 29th of December last, with 
 Captain Jonathan Dunham as high policeman 
 and Charles Rich and Hosea Stout as first and 
 second lieutenants. That same day, Joseph 
 Smith as mayor, gave them their charge. Among 
 other things he said: Territ out all grogshops, 
 gambling houses, brothels, and disorderly con- 
 duct.' 
 
 "You see some of the scum of the earth is 
 gathered up in the whirlpool, and lodges here in 
 Nauvoo. But it must be put down. 
 
 "Some might think that because this is a city 
 of the Saints, only Saints should be found here. 
 But light a candle and every moth under heaven 
 is drawn by its rays. Some of the most rattle- 
 brained creatures in all the realms of lunacy are 
 attracted here ; and some of the most wicked men 
 on earth come here to ply their trades in alcohol, 
 
198 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 gambling, thieving, and even murder, and the 
 church gets the blame for it, though all her teach- 
 ings are honest and virtuous and temperate. And 
 we are blamed, too, for every desperate and evil 
 deed done by men anywhere in the regions round- 
 about. Not a horse can be stolen between here 
 and Timbuctoo but it is blamed to Joseph Smith. 
 "But enough of this. As was wisely observed 
 at our debating society last week, 'Reputation is 
 what people think of us ; but character is what we 
 are.' If we do our duty and live our religion we 
 need not worry overmuch when all manner of 
 evil is said against us falsely in fact, I believe, 
 come to think of it, Jesus said that we should re- 
 joice under those conditions, for so we become 
 in a way, partners with him. That was his lot. 
 He, too, was called a glutton and a winebibber. 
 
 "The new year began with us very happily, 
 though we missed you very much. Sunday night, 
 the very last day of the year, prayer service was 
 held, and Brother Joseph administered the sac- 
 rament. We had a very pleasant yet solemn 
 meeting and thought it a fine way to close the 
 year. After the meeting Brother Joseph went 
 home and went to bed. But about midnight fifty 
 of us gathered under his window and serenaded 
 him. We sang Brother Phelps's New Year's 
 
Letters From Nauvoo 199 
 
 hymn. It was very impressive, down there by 
 the river, at midnight, of the New Year. The 
 night was warm, with occasional rain. 
 
 "Brother Joseph, you know, is now living in 
 the * Mansion House,' as it is called, where he has 
 been with his family since last September or some 
 time thereabout. The Mansion House is run 
 as a sort of lodging house, in order that visitors 
 from abroad, of whom there are many, and most 
 of whom wish to inquire about our work, may be 
 properly housed and cared for and receive a 
 decent and truthful account of our belief and ac- 
 tivities. It is one of the few taverns all up and 
 down the river where no intoxicating liquors are 
 allowed. 
 
 "You will be interested in the temple. When 
 the autumn frosts set in we had made good prog- 
 ress. The walls are now above the windows of 
 the first story, and some of the circular windows 
 are laid. It is hoped that the walls may be com- 
 pleted and the roof put on another summer. 
 Many are careless, but on the other hand many 
 are very zealous. Hundreds of the sisters have 
 banded together and pay a penny a week to help 
 buy the nails and glass. It is all some of them 
 can do, but if thousands are induced to do like- 
 wise it will make no inconsiderable sum. 
 
200 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 "God has said that he will give us ample time 
 to complete this temple. It is a sort of test; if 
 we are careless and slothful, and do not prosecute 
 the work, we can only expect to be chastized, per- 
 haps driven and scattered again. 
 
 "Many practical as well as spiritual things 
 engage our attention. Brother Joseph has sug- 
 gested a dam across a part of the river, to the 
 island, to develop power for factories and mills, 
 and a canal around the rapids to Keokuk to ac- 
 commodate river traffic. 
 
 "Also meetings are to be called for the pur- 
 pose of organizing cooperative stores and indus- 
 tries, so as to give more employment to our own 
 mechanics, and bring the comforts and necessities 
 of life within the reach of all at reasonable cost. 
 Our ambition is to build a city where equality and 
 justice shall prevail; one like the city of Enoch, 
 where there shall be no rich and no poor, but 
 where every man who is willing to work may 
 receive according to his real needs and just 
 wants, and where the poor and helpless will be 
 cared for. 
 
 "We may fail now, but sometime the church 
 will realize that ideal. Pray God that Jt may be 
 our lot to succeed. 
 
 "To-day is Sunday. There was a frost last 
 
THE "MANSION HOUSE 
 
 August 31, 1843. "I commenced removing into the Nau- 
 voo Mansion." Joseph Smith's Diary. 
 

Letters From Nauvoo 201 
 
 night, but to-day it is clear and beautiful, with a 
 south wind blowing. Morning meeting was held 
 at the stand in the open air, near the temple, and 
 Brother Joseph preached on the work of Elijah. 
 "In the afternoon the Presidency, Twelve, 
 Bishop Miller, and the temple committee met 
 in council at the Mansion House. It is reported 
 that a communication from Lyman Wight and 
 others who are with you in the pine country was 
 read. Probably most of the things in it are 
 known to you, but not to me, excepting that it 
 is said that they want advice about preaching the 
 gospel to the Indians. 
 
 "At the service to-day the choir and all the 
 congregation sang the hymn, 'Israel is free' : 
 
 "Israel, awake from thy long, silent slumber, 
 
 Shake, off the fetters that bound thee so long; 
 Chains of oppression; we'll break them asunder, 
 And join with the ransomed in victory's song! 
 Arise! for the time has come, 
 Israel must gather home, 
 
 High on the mountains the Ensign we see; 
 Fall'n is the Gentile pow'r, 
 Soon will its reign be o'er, 
 Tyrants must rule no more, 
 Israel is free! 
 
 "Tremble, ye nations of Gentiles, for yonder 
 
 The hosts of the despot in battle array, 
 With engines of war shake the earth with their thunder 
 The bright sword is drawn and the sheath thrown away; 
 
202 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Sound the alarm of war, 
 Through nations near and far, 
 
 Let its dread tones be heard o'er land and sea; 
 Zion shall dwell in peace, 
 Israel will still increase, 
 Liberty ne'er shall cease, 
 
 Israel is free ! 
 
 "Hail to the land of the mountain and prairie, 
 
 Gather to Zion's fair home in the west; 
 Free are her sons as the breeze round the aerie 
 Birthplace of prophets and home of the blest. 
 There will the Saints be one, 
 Thither we'll gather home, 
 
 Zion, thy beauties we're yearning to see; 
 Saints raise the heav'nly song, 
 Join with the ransomed throng, 
 Angels the notes prolong, 
 Israel is free! 
 
 "My, what a thrill went through my being to 
 the swing and majesty of that typical hymn of 
 the latter days: 'Israel, awake from thy long, 
 silent slumber/ 
 
 "And then imagery of the wars that are to 
 come on the earth : 
 
 "When the engines of war shake the earth with their thunder 
 The bright sword is drawn and the sheath thrown away." 
 
 "Surely the Spirit testifies that great wars 
 shall come upon the earth in the last days, and 
 war shall even be poured out upon our own 
 nation. It is well known that so long ago as '32 
 
Letters From Nauvoo 203 
 
 Brother Joseph prophesied that war should come 
 upon this land, beginning at South Carolina, and 
 that the Southern States should be divided 
 against the Northern States and that many souls 
 should perish and that afterward war should be 
 poured out upon all nations. Possibly you and 
 I shall live to see some of these things. 
 
 "There is romance, religion, the spirit of 
 poetry in the air. At times I can feel it breathe 
 it. Fate has thrown us among strange scenes. 
 How humdrum other lives appear by compari- 
 son. Here we live in a wonder city created al- 
 most over night, a city of ideals, a city of Saints 
 drawn suddenly together from the very ends of 
 the earth, yet all knit in one common belief. A 
 city where prophets commune with Jehovah. A 
 city where men 'hazard their lives for Christ Je- 
 sus,' as Paul said of old. A city around whose 
 borders cruel enemies rage. A city where mar- 
 tyrs build their characters and harden their fiber 
 to resist the terrors of death. 
 
 "Wonderful city, so lovely under the silvery 
 moon, held so lovingly in the great arm of the 
 Mississippi; a city so beautiful under the noon- 
 day sun. A city where men build temples as 
 Solomon did of old, obedient to the command- 
 ments of God. My heart leaps within me. My 
 
204 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 spirit exults, that I am permitted to live in such 
 a city at such a time, and to be part and parcel of 
 such a people. The world may say what it 
 pleases of them, but you and I know how true 
 and honest and sincere they are. Pray God that 
 designing leaders may never lead them into 
 iniquity. Yet sometimes I feel that such a time 
 may come. 
 
 "To-night Mildred and I went to David's 
 Lookout and watched the sunset. There was 
 such a wonderful display of colors, orange, old 
 gold, violet, purple. Flanking the sunset was a 
 line of dark clouds of fantastic shapes from which 
 we could select animals and wonderful creatures 
 of unearthly shapes to suit our fancy. 
 
 "A caravan of camels, for instance, filed past 
 over a yellow desert and disappeared under palm 
 trees. A wonderful city with golden domes grew 
 up in a few moments and then faded away. And 
 then finally came a great black monster such as 
 John might have seen, one with diverse heads and 
 many horns, and with one of his huge mouths he 
 swallowed up the blood-red sun and sank below 
 the horizon. Shall we ever see the sun again? 
 
 "So Mildred and I ran home and lighted the 
 early candles for grandmother, and now Mildred 
 is reading to her and to Grandfather Nobleman 
 
Letters From Nauvoo 205 
 
 while I write. Mildred is the best and loveliest 
 girl in the world. Mildred but then you do not 
 like a tune on one chord, so I forbear." 
 
 A later letter written, dated June 23 : 
 
 "Dear Brother John: I am writing this very 
 late at night. Alarming events have occurred in 
 Nauvoo of late. Added to the constantly increas- 
 ing threat of mob violence from Warsaw, Car- 
 thage, and other points, we are even more 
 alarmed by defections within the city, for it seems 
 that we have harbored some traitors, and, alas, 
 the discovery of their treachery has so stirred our 
 people that measures possibly too drastic have 
 been adopted, and the traitors thereby have been 
 given an added power to appeal to the wrath of 
 the mobs while the mobs have been given a new 
 pretext to justify their violence. 
 
 "Among those who have turned against us 
 within the city are Robert Foster and William 
 and Wilson Law, who were expelled from the 
 church for unchristianlike conduct last April, and 
 Francis M. Higbee and a few others expelled 
 about the middle of March. 
 
 "It seems that these men had become sour and 
 disgruntled for various reasons, among others 
 
206 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 disappointment in certain commercial ventures 
 they have indulged in. All the time they were se- 
 cretly plotting the ruin of the Saints. Their ex- 
 posure and expulsion but added to their fury, 
 and on the seventh day of this month they came 
 out with the first issue of a paper called the Nau- 
 voo Expositor. 
 
 "This paper was filled with the most vile, slan- 
 derous, and scurrilous stories imaginable, calcu- 
 lated in nature to inflame the whole surrounding 
 country and bring the mob upon us at once. 
 
 "The city council met to consider the case. 
 They were not willing to sit by and allow such 
 work to continue. It seemed sufficient to them 
 that they should be threatened from without, and 
 this danger from within they determined to re- 
 move. By formal vote they declared the paper a 
 public nuisance and ordered the mayor to have 
 the paper and establishment removed. 
 
 "Accordingly the mayor, Joseph Smith, issued 
 an order to the marshal, John P. Green, who 
 with a posse went to the office and destroyed the 
 type, press, and fixtures. 
 
 "Francis M. Higbee immediately posted away 
 to Carthage and caused the arrest of Joseph and 
 Hyrum Smith and some fifteen others on a 
 charge of riot. They were tried before the munic- 
 
Letters From Nauvoo 207 
 
 ipal court and discharged. Subsequently those 
 arrested submitted to rearrest, on the advice of 
 Judge Thomas, and were tried again before 
 Daniel H. Wells, justice of the peace, not a 
 member of the church, as you know. They were 
 again acquitted. 
 
 "On the fourteenth Brother Joseph made a 
 full report of the entire matter and offered to 
 appear before any legal tribunal at the State cap- 
 ital, providing the governor had any doubts of 
 the legality of the proceedings. 
 
 "But all this time the press at Warsaw and 
 elsewhere was opening its pages to the most 
 awful stories that you could imagine, so that pub- 
 lic indignation is constantly increasing. It is 
 evident that many will not be satisfied with any- 
 thing short of the murder of Joseph Smith and 
 the destruction of the city. Yet this day Joseph 
 and Hyrum decided to go to Carthage and sur- 
 render themselves for trial, trusting to Governor 
 Ford to protect them, and hoping thus to save 
 the city from attack. 
 
 "They have gathered horses for an early start 
 to-morrow. Brother Joseph expressed a desire 
 to preach to the Saints once more, even if it were 
 to be by starlight, as he seems to feel that he 
 
208 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 may never see them again; but for some reason 
 his wish was not gratified. 
 
 "Captain Dan Jones is just in with his boat, 
 from Warsaw. He says that great excitement 
 prevails there. The mob had a cannon and 
 threatened to fire into his boat. They told him 
 that Nauvoo would soon be destroyed and every 
 man, woman, and child in it put to death. 
 
 "The most awful hatred is manifested. I can- 
 not account for it all excepting that the powers 
 of darkness are at work clouding the minds of the 
 people. They seem to feel, as Jesus said, that 
 they would be doing God service to kill us all. 
 Of course some of this hatred is due to commer- 
 cial jealousy. Nauvoo is growing by leaps and 
 bounds. She is leaving Carthage and Warsaw 
 far behind in growth and prosperity, in initiative 
 and enterprise. This is keenly felt. 
 
 "Then there is jealousy between the Carthage 
 Greys and other local bodies of militia as against 
 the Nauvoo Legion. And certain Missourians 
 have never given up the pursuit of Joseph and 
 have sought to inflame the people of Illinois 
 against him, and have repeatedly sought to kid- 
 nap or kill him. And perhaps greatest of all is 
 the fact that our religious belief is so repugnant 
 to many. We believe in continued revelation 
 
Letters From Nauvoo 209 
 
 and divine blessings of every character, and this 
 seems to be taken as a personal affront by mem- 
 bers of every church, all of whom deny these 
 things. They seem to feel that if we are right 
 they are wrong, and accordingly they turn 
 against us. As grandfather says, religious big- 
 otry is truly the blackest root that ever grew up 
 and bore the bloody fruit of martyrdom. 
 
 "But all of these things together do not ac- 
 count for the situation, even after allowing fully 
 for the mistakes that our own people undoubt- 
 edly have made. Possibly a mistake was made 
 in the Expositor matter, but certainly it is not a 
 capital offense. It could be settled in the courts. 
 It should not endanger the lives of men and the 
 existence of the city. It is used only as a pre- 
 text. 
 
 "But the powers of evil seem disposed to de- 
 stroy us by some means and to bury our message 
 under such a mass of calumny and filth that 
 none will ever care to give it even a hearing. 
 That is exactly what we might expect if indeed 
 our claims regarding a restoration be true. It 
 is but an added evidence. The Devil is acting as 
 we might expect him to act in view of the nature 
 of our work. If we were of the world the world 
 
 TT 13 
 
210 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 would love us, for as Jesus says, the world loves 
 its own. 
 
 "I do not know how I will get this to you. In 
 this time of alarms our mail service is practically 
 suspended. I have not seen old Kis-Kish-Kee 
 of late. He has formed the habit of calling on us 
 periodically, walking in unannounced, and usu- 
 ally bringing some woodland offering. But for 
 some time he has not been here, or I might get 
 him to carry a message to you. 
 
 "This letter is hastily written and my candle 
 burns low. I wished to acquaint you with the 
 troubled condition of the Saints. I fear for the 
 lives of those who go to Carthage to-morrow. 
 The air is full of alarming rumors. 
 "Yours, 
 
 "DAVID NOBLEMAN/' 
 
Timbers for the Temple 211 
 
 Chapter Fifteen 
 
 THE TRAGEDY AT CAETHAGE 
 
 / am going like a lamb to the slaughter; but I am calm at a 
 summer's morning. I have a conscience void of offense toward 
 God, and toward all men ... 7 shall die an innocent man . . . 
 and it shall yet be said of me, He was murdered in cold blood. 
 Joseph Smith's farewell. 
 
 Joseph Smith, claiming to be an inspired teacher, faced ad- 
 versity such as few men have been called to meet, enjoyed a brief 
 season of prosperity such as few m,en have ever attained, and 
 finally, forty-three days after I saw him, went cheerfully to a 
 martyr's death. Josiah Quincy, in "Figures of the Past." 
 
 A" SIX o'clock on the morning of June 24, 
 1844, a cavalcade of some twenty-five horse- 
 men gathered on the field near the home of 
 Joseph Smith. Eighteen of these men, includ- 
 Joseph and Hyrum Smith, were under arrest, 
 charged by Francis M. Higbee with riot in the 
 destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor press. They 
 were going voluntarily and without guard to sur- 
 render themselves for trial at Carthage, the 
 county seat of Hancock County, eighteen miles 
 away. Their road lay through a hostile territory 
 where many men sought their lives, yet they were 
 not provided with an armed escort by the powers 
 
212 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 that summoned them, and they were forbidden to 
 take an armed escort from the city. 
 
 There was the inevitable delay, bustle, and con- 
 fusion, tightening of saddle girths, subduing of 
 refractory mounts, running of errands for for- 
 gotten articles, and finally the party got under 
 way at half past six and rode up the hill at a 
 smart gallop. 
 
 At the top of the hill, as they reached the tem- 
 ple, they halted for a time while Joseph looked 
 long and lovingly at the temple, the beautiful 
 city on the slopes of the hill, and the broad river 
 shining in the early morning light of a June day. 
 With a sigh he turned away at last and the party 
 passed silently out of the city, but paused at the 
 home of Esquire Wells, a nonmember of the 
 church, who was ill at the time. Joseph bade him 
 good-by, according to report saying, "Esquire 
 Wells, I wish you to cherish my memory, and not 
 think me the worst man in the world, either." 
 
 The party then proceeded on its way, expect- 
 ing to go directly to Carthage, knowing that a 
 hostile populace awaited their arrival, but trust- 
 ing to the fair promise received from Governor 
 Ford, that they would be protected. They had 
 traveled at an easy gait about fourteen miles, 
 or to a point about four miles west of Carthage, 
 
Tragedy at Carthage 213 
 
 near the farm of Albert G. Fellows, when they 
 were confronted by a party of armed men about 
 sixty in number. 
 
 This spectacle caused some excitement, but 
 Joseph said, "Do not be alarmed, brethren, for 
 they cannot do more to you than the enemies of 
 truth did to the ancient Saints they can only 
 kill the body." 
 
 It was soon learned, however, that this was a 
 company of militia commanded by Captain 
 Dunn, who desired an order from Joseph for the 
 State arms at Nauvoo. This he signed, expect- 
 ing to continue his journey. Here Joseph said 
 good-by to Henry G. Sherwood, who was return- 
 ing to Nauvoo, and it was then that he is re- 
 ported to have said to the company about him: 
 
 "I am going like a lamb to the slaughter; but 
 I am calm as a summer's morning. I have a con- 
 science void of offense toward God, and toward 
 all men. If they take my life I shall die an inno- 
 cent man . . . and it shall be said of me, 'He was 
 murdered in cold blood.' ' 
 
 But the heart of Captain Dunn failed him and 
 he begged the company to return to Nauvoo with 
 him and oversee the gathering of the arms. So 
 to their surprise the little cavalcade of horsemen 
 found themselves returning to Nauvoo they 
 
214 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 were caught in the seesaw of injustice that 
 seemed to play with their destiny for a time. 
 
 The people at Nauvoo were loath to give up 
 the State arms, as they regarded the entire pro- 
 ceeding as a preparation for another massacre 
 such as they had experienced in Missouri. But 
 they respected the demand made in legal form, 
 and by six o'clock that evening the arms had been 
 collected, much to the surprise and pleasure of 
 Captain Dunn. 
 
 Organized bodies of militia throughout the 
 country, hostile to the Saints, were permitted to 
 keep State arms, and to use them, but the Nau- 
 voo Legion having been previously disbanded, 
 was now disarmed. Twice during the gathering 
 of the arms Joseph rode down to his home by the 
 river and bade his family a lingering good-by. 
 He was solemn and depressed and seemed to 
 sense that he would never return alive. His little 
 cavalcade again started for Carthage somewhat 
 ahead of Captain Dunn's troops. 
 
 They stopped again at the Fellows farm, at 
 nine o'clock in the evening, and ate their suppers. 
 Here they were joined an hour later by Captain 
 Dunn and his company. 
 
 They rode into Carthage at five minutes be- 
 fore midnight, having been in the saddle most of 
 
Tragedy at Carthage 215 
 
 the time since early morning. Among all the 
 twinkling lights of the prairie town not one shed 
 forth a friendly gleam of welcome, and as they 
 passed the town square where the Carthage 
 Greys were in camp, ribald shouts and jeers 
 greeted them. 
 
 "Where is the damned prophet?" they yelled. 
 "Stand away you McDonough boys (Dunn's 
 men) and let us shoot the damned Mormons. 
 Damn you, old Joe, we've got you now. Clear 
 the way and let us see Joe Smith, the prophet of 
 God! He has seen the last of Nauvoo!" 
 
 These were the men who were selected later by 
 Governor Ford to guard the jail where the Saints 
 were confined. 
 
 Followed by this hooting, yelling, cursing rab- 
 ble, the cavalcade proceeded to the door of Ham- 
 ilton's Tavern, where the men finally found 
 lodging for the night, under the same roof that 
 sheltered some of their bitterest enemies, and 
 their doubtful protector, Governor Ford. 
 
 Naturally the people in Nauvoo were left in a 
 state of great mental distress and anxiety. Their 
 two leading spiritual directors and advisers were 
 under arrest. They learned that an added charge 
 of treason had been filed against Joseph and 
 
216 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Hyrum and that they had been lodged in jail. 
 Rumor brought them threats that these two men 
 would never be allowed to escape ; that some real- 
 izing the charge of treason could not be sustained 
 had decided to take the law into their own hands, 
 and had epitomized the hostile sentiment some- 
 thing like this: "The law will not reach these 
 men, but powder and bullets will." For once 
 rumor was too well founded. 
 
 Nauvoo was virtually in a state of siege. The 
 mails had been discontinued for some days. Mes- 
 sages came in and out only by special express. 
 Twelve or thirteen hundred enemies were armed 
 and encamped at Carthage. There were six hun- 
 dred more at Warsaw. Other bodies of men 
 were preparing to come from points in Missouri. 
 
 The Nauvoo Legion had not proved a means 
 of defense. In fact, its very existence had been a 
 detriment, because it created alarm and hatred 
 among those who did not understand its purpose, 
 and the most intense jealousy among rival forces 
 of militia, such as the Carthage Greys, while in 
 the hour of danger word had come from the State 
 authorities to disband and disarm, and they, not 
 being willing to act contrary to the State, were 
 left powerless and defenseless. 
 
 Thus the time wore on in alarm and distress 
 
Tragedy at Carthage 217 
 
 until the twenty-seventh day of June dawned. 
 On this day Governor Ford made his now fa- 
 mous visit to Nauvoo. Finding to his own satis- 
 faction that the militia under his charge were not 
 to be depended upon, as they were in fact an 
 organized mob determined to kill Joseph Smith 
 and sack and burn Nauvoo, and fearing that they 
 might carry out their plans, he had disbanded 
 most of them, excepting the Carthage Greys and 
 a personal escort. 
 
 With a strange perversion of judgment, if 
 indeed he wished to save the men whose lives he 
 had pledged his sacred word as governor to pro- 
 tect, he left the Carthage jail guarded by but 
 eight men, members of the Carthage Greys, and 
 marched away to Nauvoo with his guard. 
 
 He arrived at that place about four o'clock in 
 the afternoon and called the people of Nauvoo 
 together to hear an address. He gave them some 
 warnings, some threats, and some more fair 
 promises that their leaders should be protected 
 and given a just trial. He asked them if they 
 were willing to obey the laws of the land even in 
 opposition to their leaders, and putting the ques- 
 tion to vote was much delighted to find that all 
 voted to sustain the law under all circumstances. 
 He did not know that a cardinal principle of the 
 
218 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 church had been announced by Joseph Smith, 
 namely, "He that keepeth the laws of God hath 
 no need to break the laws of the land." 
 
 Having accepted the hospitality of Emma 
 Smith, wife of the Prophet, at the Mansion 
 House, he finally departed with his train, just 
 las the sun was sinking to rest. At half past six 
 they passed up Main Street, the guard indulging 
 in sword exercises, clearing the street with passes 
 and thrusts, designed to impress the Saints. 
 
 But while he had been partaking of the hos- 
 pitality of Emma Smith and haranguing the 
 Saints on obedience to law, strange and violent 
 scenes of lawlessness had occurred at Carthage 
 where he had left his prisoners unprotected 
 among the wolves. In fact, as he rode from the 
 town of Nauvoo the governor halted two mes- 
 sengers hastening in with tragic news, and very 
 much frightened he gathered them into his train 
 and fled towards Carthage. 
 
 The men confined in the jail, Joseph and Hy- 
 rum Smith, John Taylor, and Willard Richards, 
 had passed the day as best they could, with read- 
 ing, writing, and singing. Yet they knew their 
 peril, and ere the night fell all knew that their 
 fears were justified. 
 
 At about five o'clock, probably at the time 
 
Tragedy at Carthage 219 
 
 when Governor Ford was haranguing the people 
 at Nauvoo, a mob of men numbering one hun- 
 dred and fifty or more, painted black and yellow, 
 slipped from the fringe of woods adjoining 
 Carthage, and ran forward to the jail. They 
 quickly encircled the building on their deadly er- 
 rand, paying no attention to the mock guard 
 which yelled and fired its guns over their heads in 
 sham defiance. They burst open the door, and 
 some charged the stairway, while others covered 
 the windows with guns. 
 
 In a few minutes of shouting, cursing, shoot- 
 ing, and confusion, in an excess of fury and con- 
 centrated hatred, their work was done, and sud- 
 denly panic-stricken they fled away, leaving the 
 dead and wounded victims of their passion behind 
 them. Their panic soon communicated itself to 
 the city, and ere long whole families were leav- 
 ing the town, fearing a revenge that the peo- 
 ple of Nauvoo neither contemplated nor ever 
 sought for. 
 
220 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Chapter Sixteen 
 
 JOHN NOBLEMAN RETURNS 
 
 IN mid afternoon of June 28, 1844, a canoe 
 swung lightly around the bend in the river 
 above Nauvoo and drew in towards the shore. 
 In the frail bark, so graceful in design and so 
 light upon the water, rode Kis-Kish-Kee and 
 John Nobleman. 
 
 They landed, and John Nobleman leaped 
 ashore, and stretched his cramped limbs. He 
 looked about him in surprise, noting that the 
 landing was absolutely deserted, a thing most 
 unusual. He lifted his black slouch hat from his 
 head and wiped the sweat from his brow, for he 
 had paddled rapidly. 
 
 Then after a word to his aged Indian com- 
 panion he ran up the river bank and hastened 
 homeward. But again he was surprised to find 
 the door ajar and the premises apparently de- 
 serted. He passed through the living room and 
 the kitchen, and into the rose garden, calling, 
 "David; oh, David! Mildred! Mildred! where are 
 you?" 
 
 Receiving no answer, he went upon the street 
 
John Nobleman Returns 221 
 
 again, but could see no one in the neighborhood. 
 Suddenly alarm fell upon him. It seemed at 
 once as though a black pall of sorrow settled 
 down around him. Or rather the joy of his home- 
 coming that had made him impervious to the at- 
 mosphere of the city was dispelled, and suddenly 
 he sensed that he stood in a city of appalling 
 gloom, though the nature of the trouble he could 
 not guess. 
 
 Thoroughly alarmed, he ran up the street to- 
 wards the hill. Soon he saw others on the street, 
 all going in the same direction. He overtook 
 an old man, breathless and hatless, hastening 
 towards the temple. John caught him by the 
 shoulder and demanded to know the nature of 
 the disaster that seemed to have overtaken the 
 city. But the old man only looked at him with 
 vacant eyes and fought him off, apparently un- 
 able to answer. 
 
 He pressed on rapidly, again determined to 
 come to the root of the matter. On Mulholland 
 Street he found thousands of people assembled 
 on either side of the street, as far as he could 
 see. He asked breathless questions of several, 
 but all looked at him with the same strained faces 
 and abstracted gaze, without replying. 
 
 He heard the note of a trumpet and the muf- 
 
222 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 fled roll of a drum. And presently far down 
 the street, whither every eye was turned, he 
 espied the front of a procession. As it drew near, 
 a shudder seemed to run through the crowd. 
 Sobs and lamentations, not loud but deep, heart- 
 rending, seemed to accompany it, like the waves 
 following in the wake of a funeral barge. 
 
 The procession drew abreast of him. There 
 was a wagon, bearing some burden, covered with 
 green boughs. There were many men on horse- 
 back, the city council, former members of the 
 Legion, and citizens. And suddenly he knew 
 intuitively that the burden in the wagon under 
 the green boughs was the mortal remains of 
 Joseph and Hyrum Smith. They had come that 
 day from Carthage, accompanied by Samuel 
 Smith, Willard Richards, and Mr. Hamilton. 
 
 Standing rigid, stricken by the monstrous news 
 that he had gripped from the air, the shuddering 
 groans of the people in his ears, John Nobleman 
 suddenly became aware of a hand that had 
 grasped his firmly. He looked around abstract- 
 edly, as others had done before him, and saw 
 David Nobleman and Mildred standing at his 
 side. He drew his hand across his brow as though 
 to brush away a phantasy of the mind, but the 
 procession still persisted. 
 
John Nobleman Returns 228 
 
 David smiled, pityingly, understandingly, and 
 said, "Yes, they have killed Joseph and Hyrum. 
 Their work is done, their testimony sealed with 
 their blood. As the last positive proof of their 
 sincerity they have given their lives. They might 
 have fled away and escaped at any time up to 
 the day when they went to Carthage; but they 
 did not, and I am glad they did not." 
 
 The three followed the procession down the 
 hill to the Mansion House, where the uncon- 
 scious forms were carried behind the doors of 
 that place which had been home to them while 
 living and where their weeping families awaited 
 them. The eight or ten thousand people who 
 had assembled were addressed by Doctor Rich- 
 ards and others, and all resolved, as advised, to 
 trust the law for redress for the wrongs they had 
 suffered. They put from them any thought of 
 violence or revenge and dispersed. 
 
 Behind the closed doors sad scenes were 
 enacted. The bodies were washed and dressed 
 by Dimick B. Huntington, William D. Hunt- 
 ington, and William Marks. It was a happy in- 
 cident that Marks, president of the Nauvoo 
 Stake, who had been so faithful to Joseph in life, 
 and who was to become counselor to his son in 
 later years, should assist in this last sad function. 
 
224 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 The cruel bullet wounds, of which there were 
 many, were filled with cotton, saturated with 
 camphor, and the bodies were covered with clean 
 white shrouds arrayed in white raiment, typical 
 of the righteousness of Saints, and then the fam- 
 ily came in to review the silent clay that had so 
 recently been intelligent and animated. 
 
 Then came little Joseph, the oldest son, des- 
 tined to continue his father's work in later years, 
 and falling upon his knees laid his cheek against 
 the cheek of his father, who had never before re- 
 fused to respond to his caress, and kissing him, 
 cried, "Oh, my father, my father!" 
 
 Came also his aged mother, crying in her dis- 
 tress, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken 
 this family!" and hearing the answer, "I have 
 taken them to myself, that they might have rest." 
 
 Came also the faithful wife, even then over- 
 shadowed by impending motherhood, thus cruelly 
 overwhelmed after so many years of trial. But 
 let us draw the curtain on these sad, intimate 
 scenes. 
 
 The following day, Saturday, at eight o'clock 
 the doors of the Mansion House were thrown 
 open, that the Saints might come and take a 
 last look at their Prophet and Patriarch. All 
 day long, until five o'clock that evening a steady 
 
 
John Nobleman Returns 225 
 
 stream of weeping humanity flowed in at the 
 west door of the Mansion and out at the north 
 door. 
 
 A public funeral was held; but later, privately, 
 and at night, the bodies were buried in a secret 
 grave, the exact location of which even to this 
 day, is known only to a few. Even in death their 
 bodies were not safe from the hatred and wrath 
 that had pursued them. In this unknown grave 
 they rest, on the hill slope, close to the murmur- 
 ing waves of the Mississippi. 
 
 We can hardly imagine the gloom that settled 
 over Nauvoo following the assassination of the 
 Prophet and Patriarch. The Saints felt that 
 they were left, for the time being, at least, as 
 sheep without a shepherd, and at the mercy of 
 the wolves. 
 
 Winged slander that had precipitated the 
 tragedy still flew to and fro in the land. For in- 
 stance, Governor Ford himself tells how the com- 
 mittee at Warsaw called the citizens together by 
 the ringing of bells and related to them that a 
 company of Saints had attempted to rescue Jos- 
 eph and Hyrum Smith; that the governor with 
 his party had been attacked in Nauvoo and was 
 even then besieged, and had sent word that he 
 could hold out for two days but would surely be 
 
 TT 14 
 
226 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 massacred unless help arrived ere the end of that 
 time. 
 
 On the strength of this wild report an armed 
 party actually embarked on a steamboat from 
 Quincy to go to the rescue of the governor. This 
 story was of a piece with all the wicked and silly 
 rumors that had inflamed the countryside and 
 fanned public opinion to the pitch where nothing 
 but the expulsion or extermination of the people 
 at Nauvoo would ever bring satisfaction and 
 after that, sober second thought would never, 
 never find satisfaction. 
 
 Like all other homes in Nauvoo, the Noble- 
 man home was a home of sorrow. At night the 
 members of the household sat in the big living 
 room, before the open fireplace. The flickering 
 light of the wood fire threw dark shadows along 
 the walls, or dimly revealed the books and paint- 
 ings and the subdued occupants of the room. 
 
 Grandmother Nobleman sat in her accustomed 
 chair, her nearly sightless eyes gazing into space, 
 seeing none knew what scenes of the tragic past. 
 Grandfather Nobleman paced back and forth, 
 back and forth, across the room, as was his habit, 
 tall and straight, limping slightly from his 
 
John Nobleman Returns 227 
 
 Haun's Mill wound, his fine old face sad and 
 thoughtful. 
 
 In another chair sat John Nobleman, and on 
 the one arm of the great homemade chair perched 
 Mildred, while on the other sat David. Each 
 had an arm about the neck of the returned brother 
 one was the arm of a brother, the other the 
 arm of an angel, but a passionate angel, an angel 
 of fire and light. John Nobleman did not think 
 of it as the embrace of a foster sister. And as 
 he thought of the dangers that threatened Mil- 
 dred, as they threatened every woman in the 
 mob-menaced city, he clenched his hands and a 
 great rage welled up in his breast. 
 
 But it was followed by a greater sorrow, and 
 afterward by peace, for the gentle touch soothed 
 his spirit at last, and even in danger and doubt, 
 just over the horizon the eyes of youth saw hap- 
 pier days. 
 
 They recounted their experiences. John No- 
 bleman told how old Kis-Kish-Kee had suddenly 
 appeared in the camp with the peremptory de- 
 mand that John come with him "Younger 
 brother need you very much bimeby," was all he 
 would say. "Much trouble in Nauvoo soon!" 
 
 He had yielded to the Indian's command and 
 they had made a rapid trip down the river. Mil- 
 
228 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 dred and David in their turn told all that they 
 knew about the events that had happened. 
 
 "We must prepare to defend ourselves," cried 
 John Nobleman. "We must get the Legion to- 
 gether again. Surely there are many private 
 arms not belonging to the State that we can 
 gather up. I am told that Governor Ford has 
 sent word that we are now at liberty to defend 
 ourselves if the worst comes to the worst. He 
 realizes too late our danger. He must see now 
 who are the aggressors, who the lawbreakers, 
 who guilty of treason." 
 
 William Nobleman paused in his walk. In his 
 eyes in the dim light they could see the prescient 
 look of second sight that sometimes characterized 
 him and David. 
 
 "I am not concerned about the mobs," he said. 
 "Jesus said that we should not fear him who has 
 power only to kill the body. I fear for the 
 church in her period of doubt and uncertainty. 
 There will be ambitious leaders arise. There will 
 be false teachers. Already some have sought to 
 teach false doctrine, as Bennett with his spiritual 
 wife system, and only a few weeks ago Brother 
 Joseph was obliged to publish a notice in the 
 Times and Seasons expelling an elder who had 
 taught polygamy. 
 
John Nobleman Returns 229 
 
 "I fear for the integrity of the Saints, lest they 
 be betrayed by designing leaders, and the wolves 
 that Paul mentioned in his day enter in and 
 despoil the flock. We should arm ourselves 
 against such dangers not against flesh and 
 blood, but against principalities and powers and 
 spiritual wickedness in high places/' 
 
230 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Chapter Seventeen 
 
 THE RIFT IN THE LUTE 
 
 r I "iHE chill of late autumn was in the air de- 
 
 1 spite the brilliant fall sunshine. As David 
 
 and Mildred walked the streets of Nauvoo, 
 
 now lingering in the shadow of the temple walls, 
 
 now loitering along Mulholland Street, again 
 
 standing long at David's Lookout, they noted 
 
 constantly the sound of feverish industry. 
 
 There was everywhere the insistent ring of the 
 hammer, the musical clangor of the anvil, the roar 
 of the forge. Yet there was a new sound in this 
 chorus of industry. It was not as when hammer 
 and saw and trowel blended their notes in the 
 happy labor of home building. The difference 
 filled the hearts of the two with foreboding. 
 Feeling impending danger, as though sensing 
 possible separation, they drew closer together. 
 Mildred slipped her hand into David's arm and 
 gripped it tight, as though imploring him to hold 
 her from some unseen but real peril. He patted 
 the hand and smiled into her eyes reassuringly, 
 but the somber look in their depths was not light- 
 ened. "Oh, David!" she whispered, under her 
 
Rift in the Lute 281 
 
 breath, and caught at her bosom with her free 
 hand. 
 
 All those hard-working men in all those busy 
 shops were manufacturing wagons, and the ac- 
 couterments for wagons. David spread out his 
 hands and smiled ruefully. They were calloused 
 and blistered, for he, too, had taken his turn at 
 the work, dividing his time between hammer and 
 paint brush. 
 
 Every blacksmith shop, every wagon shop, 
 every forge was busy. Cooperages had been con- 
 verted into wagon factories. Scores of private 
 dwellings and barns had experienced the same 
 fate. Men were shaping wheels, beating out and 
 welding tires, fashioning wagon tongues, draw- 
 ing and bending wagon bows, building wagon 
 beds, cutting and shaping wagon covers. The 
 noise of the hammer, the anvil, the forge had 
 been in their ears almost day and night. 
 
 And there were committees hurrying to and 
 fro, disposing of property: selling it at a song, 
 trading it for road gear, almost giving it away. 
 Every visible activity .portended an exodus. The 
 two shivered as though smitten with a chill, and 
 the sober, anxious look on Mildred's countenance 
 deepened. 
 
 "David," she said, "I cannot decide who is 
 
282 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 right in this matter; you or John. I wish we 
 could go back only a few years to the old days 
 when we saw eye to eye ; when we were so happy ; 
 when Brother Joseph was here and there were no 
 forebodings and whisperings of strange things 
 to come; no divisions among the faithful." 
 
 After they had looked their fill at the river 
 below them, the two turned from David's Look- 
 out and went down the hill towards home. At 
 the open door of a carpenter shop they paused 
 and hailed those within. John Nobleman came 
 to the door. His sleeves were rolled to the elbow, 
 he wore a carpenter's apron, and his clothing 
 was flecked with sawdust. The floor under his 
 feet was littered with resinous, sweet-smelling 
 shavings. In his hand he held a drawing knife, 
 and they could see that he had been working on 
 the spokes of a half -finished wagon wheel. 
 
 He smiled and greeted them gayly, no hint of 
 their trouble in his eyes. He seemed stronger, 
 more athletic, self-poised, and confident than ever 
 before. 
 
 "Come, put by your work for the day, brother 
 John," urged David. "You will be sure to come 
 back and work in the evening. Lay off now for 
 a while and come home with us." 
 
 Mildred joined in the plea, and finally John 
 
Rift in the Lute 288 
 
 Nobleman doffed his apron, swung himself easily 
 into his coat, clapped his big black hat on his 
 head and set off with them, one on either side of 
 the foster sister Mildred, now in very fact a 
 young woman, possessed of every charm that her 
 girlhood had promised. David and Mildred 
 walked hand in hand, and at times John Noble- 
 man seemed to scan them with a speculative, 
 brooding eye, as though he would determine their 
 exact relationship to his own satisfaction, yet 
 seeming to find no satisfaction. 
 
 They reached the home and, entering, paid 
 their respects to the aged grandmother, now en- 
 tirely confined to her bed, and to the tall, straight- 
 shouldered, white-haired grandfather who at- 
 tended her every want so faithfully. 
 
 "Is that you, David?" queried the grand- 
 mother, in the quavering, high-pitched voice of 
 the aged. She reached forth her hand and 
 touched his face to verify his answer. 
 
 "I hear strange things these days, David," she 
 went on. "They try to keep things from me, I 
 am so old and blind and deaf and useless. But 
 I hear things. I hear things. I hear hammers 
 and saws. I hear talk about another drive. I 
 hear about the attack on our settlements in the 
 country in September. They say the 'fire and 
 
234 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 sword party,' as it is called, burned nearly two 
 hundred of our homes and turned the men and 
 women and children out in the night. I hear, 
 too, that all the people have decided that we must 
 go or be killed. They were quiet for a time after 
 Joseph and Hyrum were murdered. But now 
 they are thirsty again for blood. The folks try 
 to keep these things from me, but I hear them. 
 And I lie here and think about many things. 
 Must I be driven again, David, in my extreme 
 old age?" 
 
 David placed his hand tenderly upon her sil- 
 vered hair, and while tears obscured his vision 
 and a catch came into his voice, he answered, 
 "No, grandmother, you shall not be moved again 
 unless you consent. You shall stay here if you 
 wish to do so, even if you and I fill one grave 
 together." 
 
 The aged woman sank back again apparently 
 satisfied. John Nobleman listened closely to this 
 dialogue and a troubled look came into his eyes, 
 but it was followed by one of almost stubborn 
 determination. However, he did not speak. 
 
 David passed out into the rose garden back of 
 the house. The maple tree, like the rosebushes, 
 was devoid of leaves. They had showered down 
 in scarlet and golden profusion and now lay un- 
 
Rift in the Lute 235 
 
 der his feet, brown and sere. Yet he had kept up 
 his painting at intervals, using the garden as a 
 studio, in spite of the lateness of the season. He 
 loved to work here, where first we met him at 
 his business of painting the miniature. 
 
 There stood his easel, as he had abandoned it 
 earlier in the day. It supported a canvas of no- 
 ble proportions. Evidently this was one of his 
 most ambitious undertakings. In fact, it was 
 his picture of the building of the temple, or as 
 he had named it, "Timbers for the temple." He 
 sat upon his stool and scanned his work thought- 
 fully, then paced to and fro in the garden, paus- 
 ing at times to look at the canvas. 
 
 The scene portrayed the familiar temple site. 
 There were the unfinished walls of stone. Busy 
 men were toiling upon the walls. In the fore- 
 ground workmen were shaping rugged timbers, 
 recently from the forest, soon to be fitted some- 
 where into the interior of the temple structure. 
 
 In the background, dimly seen, spiritual in 
 aspect, appeared the faces of the ancient prophets 
 who had foreseen the great restoration. And 
 at one side, apparently unnoticed by the workers, 
 stood a heroic figure, that of the Savior. With 
 thoughtful gaze he watched the strenuous labor- 
 
286 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 ers, apparently by silent will power directing 
 their activities. 
 
 The young artist had begun this picture some 
 years earlier, and it had grown with the temple. 
 At first he had worked with rapturous abandon. 
 Every stroke had been sure. The design was 
 clear in his mind. A spiritual blessing seemed to 
 overshadow him as he worked on. The colors 
 flowed from his brush as words of truth from the 
 tongue of an inspired preacher. 
 
 But of late a sad change had come. Confusion 
 seemed to have come upon his work. In spite of 
 himself he had painted into the face of the Savior 
 a sad expression, that became almost agonized 
 as the picture grew. The faces of the prophets 
 receded. The forms of the laborers became more 
 animal. The spiritual element vanished. And 
 strangely, he discovered that almost uncon- 
 sciously he had painted in another figure that be- 
 gan to eclipse the figure of the Savior. A domi- 
 nant, brutal, insistent figure that would not be 
 resisted, whose shadow fell blackly across the 
 foreground. The same figure that was now ris- 
 ing colossal to dominate for a time the destinies 
 of the church, the sinister figure of a powerful, 
 unscrupulous man. 
 
 When John Nobleman first saw this figure he 
 
Rift in the Lute 287 
 
 looked curiously at David and said, "That is a 
 remarkable picture of Brigham Young. But you 
 are giving it too much prominence. It takes at- 
 tention to the exclusion of Jesus." 
 
 David had tossed back his hair with his char- 
 acteristic gesture, and laughing sardonically, re- 
 plied, "I think that I am not giving it more 
 prominence than events justify. We shall see," 
 and with another stroke of the brush he strength- 
 ened the militant and brutal jaw of the domi- 
 nant figure, whereat the figure of the Master 
 seemed further to recede into the background. 
 
 John had looked at him frowningly and said, 
 "You don't trust Brother Brigham, but I tell 
 you he is a great man. A wonderful man. He 
 is our only hope now." 
 
 "Our only hope?" queried David. "Then my 
 types are not confused. My picture progresses 
 true to the situation." And poising his brush for 
 a moment, with a few sure passes he further ob- 
 scured the face of the Savior. 
 
 "David," cried John Nobleman, angrily, strik- 
 ing his fist into his palm, "what has come over 
 you? I cannot understand you at all." Checking 
 himself, mindful that this was not their first un- 
 pleasant controversy, he strode away. 
 
 Now David recalled this altercation. He paced 
 
238 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 to and fro and studied the picture in the fading 
 light. "It is no use," he exclaimed at last. "A 
 change has come, or at least is coming. If the 
 temple were finished, which it will not be, it 
 would no longer be the temple of God. If I 
 were to finish this picture it would not be a pic- 
 ture of the temple of God." 
 
 Picking up the big knife that Kis-Kish-Kee 
 had given him and which he often used about his 
 work, he thrust it through the canvas, and run- 
 ning the blade rapidly around within the frame, 
 stripped the canvas from its setting, leaving the 
 frame empty. He held the canvas a moment in 
 his hands, and then with quick, strong gestures 
 tore it into strips which he threw upon the 
 ground. 
 
 "Some day," he soliloquized, "I will paint an- 
 other picture, quite a different one, of temple 
 building. But then my timbers shall be men and 
 women, and Jesus will be the architect, and no 
 man shall dare to intrude upon his work." 
 
 At that instant Mildred came running from 
 the door, and, seeing the havoc which he had 
 wrought, gave a cry of distress and fell upon 
 her knees on the dead grass before the empty 
 frame. 
 
 "Oh, David, what have you done? What have 
 
Rift in the Lute 239 
 
 you done?" she cried, disconsolately. "You have 
 ruined the splendid picture over which you have 
 worked so long." 
 
 At her call John Nobleman joined them and a 
 moment later Grandfather Nobleman came has- 
 tening out, limping more than formerly, for his 
 Haun's Mill wound troubled him greatly. They 
 stood looking in wonder at the empty frame. 
 
 "What does this mean?" demanded John No- 
 bleman, accusingly, a challenge in his voice. 
 "What new freak has seized you?" 
 
 Unabashed, his brother ran his fingers through 
 his hair with his accustomed gesture, and an- 
 swered, "Too much Brigham if you must know. 
 I started out to paint the temple, but it became 
 a portrait too good a portrait. I am glad it is 
 off my hands." 
 
 John turned upon his heel, evidently too angry 
 to trust his voice, and strode into the house. David 
 stooped and tenderly helped Mildred to rise. He 
 led her sobbing to the house. 
 
 "Don't weep, little sister," he begged. "I had 
 to do it. Some day you will understand why I 
 painted as I did, and why I destroyed the pic- 
 ture." 
 
 A moment later the face of French LaBarron 
 appeared at the door. He flashed his white teeth 
 
240 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 in a smile of greeting and beckoned to John No- 
 bleman. Without a word John joined him and 
 they went away. Their pleasant evening had 
 been ruined. Indeed there seemed to be no more 
 pleasant evenings in the Nobleman home. 
 
 After John had gone, William Nobleman 
 stood for a long time, his fine old face shadowed 
 with melancholy thoughts and the look of second 
 sight in his eyes. Finally he turned to David and 
 said, "You painted the picture too well, David. 
 This man Brigham is assuming the position of a 
 dictator in a church that God designed to be dem- 
 ocratic to the extent that it is not theocratic in 
 which common consent should rule under the 
 divine guidance. He is maturing his plans to 
 elevate himself to the position of president of 
 the church, and will do so as soon as he gathers 
 the reins in his hand securely enough to suit his 
 purposes. Without the prophetic gift or calling 
 he will usurp the prophetic office, or try to do so, 
 to the exclusion of the one properly called and 
 set apart to that place, who will yet be revealed 
 in the due time of the Lord." 
 
 The old man paused a moment and then con- 
 tinued, "Yes, and he will privately bring in dam- 
 nable heresies, even as Peter predicted. I fore- 
 see that great shame and loss will come to the 
 
Rift in the Lute 241 
 
 people because of him. Families will be divided, 
 as ours is being divided, and that will be but a 
 type of the church. Blessed are those who shall 
 stand firm and maintain their integrity in the 
 times that are before us. I shall not live to see 
 the full development of these things, nor will 
 your grandmother, but you will, David, and you 
 will stand firm, for you have an inkling of the 
 situation. But your brother John is blinded, and 
 it is useless to reason with him." 
 
 TT 15 
 
242 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Chapter Eighteen 
 
 AN APOSTOLIC SUMMONS 
 
 THE thin edge of dissension had entered be- 
 tween the two brothers ; the wedge that was 
 to split families asunder and scatter the 
 church during the "dark and cloudy day." The 
 rapidly occurring events of that fall and winter 
 of 1845-46 soon brought matters to a crisis in the 
 Nobleman home. 
 
 It was only a few days after the incident of the 
 ruined picture when David, returning from the 
 temple, passed through the rose garden and en- 
 tered the home from the rear. His attention was 
 attracted by the sound of conversation. 
 
 "Who is here?" he asked of his grandfather. 
 
 "Brigham Young," the older man answered, 
 and continued uneasily, "He has been talking 
 with Mildred for an hour." 
 
 Without hesitation David walked on to the 
 veranda. He found Mildred seated on a corner, 
 and by her side, in such a way as to prevent her 
 withdrawal, sat Brigham Young, talking to her 
 in an earnest but smiling manner. The girl 
 looked disturbed. Her woman's intuition had 
 
An Apostolic Summons 243 
 
 warned her in some subtle way. But her rever- 
 ence for a supposed high and holy spiritual leader 
 was in conflict with her intuitions. She heard the 
 warning but hesitated to accept it. 
 
 "Mr. Young/' said David, bowing, "pardon 
 me for disturbing your conversation, but my sis- 
 ter has a very important engagement at once. I 
 am sure you will forgive her if she leaves you." 
 
 The brow of the visitor darkened, and he hesi- 
 tated. The girl leaped to her feet with apparent 
 relief, and having made an apology, withdrew. 
 Brigham stared hard at the intruder with min- 
 gled insolence and anger in his glance, but 
 neither spoke further. And a moment later 
 David joined his sister. 
 
 "Where to, David?" she said. "Where is this 
 engagement?" 
 
 "In King John's chambers," he replied, gayly. 
 "I made the date for you with the sunshine and 
 breezes." 
 
 "But what will Brother Young think?" 
 "I don't know; I'll not attempt to say what 
 he thinks nor what I think. I am going thus far 
 by faith and not by sight by intuition and not 
 by reason. But promise me, Mildred, never trust 
 yourself again in that man's presence alone. Give 
 
244 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 no heed to any advances that he may make in the 
 name of religion or under any other guise." 
 
 They took their way along the river bank and 
 up the deep ravine to the secluded cloister among 
 the rocks and trees, known by them as Prince 
 David's Chambers, or King John's Chamber, as 
 David sometimes called it. 
 
 Clambering up the rocky side of the falls they 
 went to the summit and sat down side by side 
 where they could look down into the tree-shel- 
 tered, rock-walled chamber, out over the river 
 valley through the branches of the trees, and up 
 into the blue heavens. 
 
 David sighed happily. "Out here in the 
 woods," he said, "every care leaves one. We get 
 a spiritual quickening here." 
 
 He was silent a moment and continued, "I 
 wonder if all men are so sensitive to color. I 
 presume not, or they would talk more about it, 
 though no doubt all are affected by it. But 
 sometimes masses of color in nature seem to seize 
 me suddenly and rivet my every attention. They 
 run through my being like music. There is the 
 same harmony in color that there is in music. 
 The two are related; some day their relation will 
 be studied out, no doubt; the chromatic scale and 
 
An Apostolic Summons 245 
 
 the musical scale are certainly in some sort of 
 accord. 
 
 "Look now at the delicacy of color in those 
 bare branches of the trees outlined against the 
 blue sky. See those great masses of white clouds 
 all through the sky. How ravishingly deep blue 
 the sky back of them in contrast ! A divine artist 
 piled those clouds. How white they are, as clean 
 and pure as an Easter lily; and how cool and 
 clean and blue the sky. Why, you can look right 
 into it and up and up, immeasurably, to God. 
 It seems that we can see into heaven from here." 
 
 He was silent, and Mildred did not speak, for 
 she loved to hear him talk when he was in such 
 a mood. Again he continued : 
 
 "I had a peculiar experience at one time in 
 these woods alone. I cannot describe it so that 
 you can appreciate it. But to me it was very 
 real. I was wrapped in contemplation, and it 
 seemed to me that my spirit became independent 
 of my body, or was quickened in some way so as 
 to come in touch with all animate things about 
 me. It seemed that every leaf and twig and 
 blade of grass, every butterfly and bird, every 
 flower and fern became vocal, and I could hear 
 them praising God. 
 
 "Even inanimate matter became vocal and I 
 
246 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 could realize its struggle upward towards life 
 and expression. I sensed, felt, heard, the strug- 
 gle for life. I saw, too, that all these things were 
 governed by law, and were subject to limita- 
 tion ; and I saw their relationship to other things, 
 the stars for instance, how that all creation is 
 bound together by law and related and interre- 
 lated. I never before sensed so clearly the unity 
 of all things and the overlordship of God." 
 
 The two talked for a long time, and returned 
 homeward rested and strengthened from their 
 forest vigil. But the next day there was re- 
 newed trouble. Coming as before from the 
 town, David found the family engaged in some 
 sort of council. Mildred held in her hand a note 
 which she was regarding with troubled counte- 
 nance. 
 
 "What have we here?" demanded David as he 
 entered. 
 
 Mildred looked up. "It is a summons from 
 Brother Brigham Young to appear at his office," 
 she answered. "He wishes to see me alone. What 
 can it be?" 
 
 "You shall not go," replied David positively. 
 "Certainly not alone." 
 
 "But I must go," the girl answered. "We have 
 
An Apostolic Summons 247 
 
 been told much of late to obey counsel, and this 
 request comes directly from Brother Brigham." 
 
 "Say rather command," retorted David, with 
 unaccustomed shortness. "And do not brother 
 this Brigham too much till you have learned the 
 nature of his business." 
 
 "David, you are far too suspicious," remon- 
 strated John. "Can not you trust our own 
 churchmen? What earthly harm can there be in 
 her answering Brother Brigham's request? Prob- 
 ably he wishes to see her about some temple work 
 among the women, or something of the kind." 
 
 "If it is so innocent, I must hear it myself," 
 scoffed David. "I am suddenly become as curi- 
 ous as a woman. Get your hat, little sister, and 
 we will go together and investigate this matter." 
 
 "I insist that you are too suspicious." 
 
 "And I that you are too blind. Do you remem- 
 ber what the fool said to King Lear about the 
 geographical location of a man's nose in the mid- 
 dle of his face?" 
 
 "I don't remember. No." 
 
 "Well, he said that a man's nose is in the mid- 
 dle of his face to keep his eyes on either side of 
 his nose, so that what he cannot smell out he may 
 spy out." 
 
 He was stubborn in his decision and in the 
 
248 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 end went away with Mildred to the office of 
 Brigham Young, now occupying a tower room 
 in the temple. 
 
 As they approached the door they were halted 
 by a sentry. David recognized him as Porter 
 Rockwell, a man for whom he entertained a 
 profound detestation, a man thus described by a 
 certain historian: "In stature Rockwell was 
 small, but heavy and compactly built. His eyes 
 were little blue peepers, his features small, and 
 his florid face always wore an expression of min- 
 gled disgust and contempt, as if something were 
 constantly offending his olfactory nerves. He 
 usually dressed in Brigham's homespun, and he 
 wore a faded felt hat turned up at both sides." 
 
 The sentinel halted them. "Have you the pass- 
 word?" he inquired. 
 
 "Yes," answered David, looking squarely at 
 him. "I have every password that is needed 
 among brethren in any honest business." 
 
 "The girl may pass," replied Rockwell; "she 
 has an engagement with Brother Young. You 
 will wait here, please." 
 
 Pushing past him, David swung the door open 
 and walked in, followed by Mildred. 
 
 At a paper-littered desk sat Brigham Young 
 
An Apostolic Summons 249 1 
 
 and one of his associates. He looked up from 
 his work and stared at David. 
 
 "I beg your pardon, Brother Nobleman," he 
 said at length; "have you some business with us?" 
 
 David removed his hat, tossed his brown locks 
 back from his high forehead, and replied coolly, 
 "I believe not. Your business, I understand, is 
 with my sister Mildred." 
 
 Brigham bowed smilingly to the girl, and in- 
 vited her to be seated. Then he turned again 
 frowningly to David and said, "We wish to talk 
 with Miss Mildred alone. You will be good 
 enough to retire?" 
 
 The two looked squarely at each other for a 
 moment, but David did not flinch. "I am here 
 by her permission," he answered. "I prefer to 
 
 remain." 
 
 Wrath was gathering on the apostolic brow, 
 but Brigham restrained himself, and said again, 
 "Our business is with your sister. It is of a pri- 
 vate nature. It does not concern you." 
 
 The young man answered, "You can have no 
 business of a legitimate nature with my sister 
 that I may not hear discussed. I shall most cer- 
 tainly not leave the room until she is quite ready 
 to depart." 
 
 The girl sat with blanched cheeks. She twisted 
 
250 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 her fingers together nervously, and with her eyes 
 begged David to remain. Throwing off his mask 
 of politeness Brigham struck the desk with his 
 fist. "Young man," he shouted, leveling a finger 
 at David, "you will do well to learn to obey 
 counsel." 
 
 "I have already learned to do that," the youth 
 replied, "but I have taken Jesus Christ as the 
 man of my counsel." 
 
 "You will surely lose your membership in the 
 church," warned Brigham. 
 
 "Even so, I may save my soul." 
 
 The autocrat struck the table again viciously, 
 and went on in a threatening tone, "If you per- 
 sist in your attitude of rebellion this will not be a 
 safe town for you to live in. Look to yourself! 
 I will not be responsible for your safety!" 
 
 A smile flitted across the face of the younger 
 man. "I fear not him that has power to kill my 
 body, but rather him that would cast both body 
 and soul into hell," he answered. 
 
 Without another word Brigham whirled back 
 to his desk, turning his back upon them. David 
 looked at him a moment, almost quizzically, then 
 turned, and donning his hat, bowed to Mildred 
 to precede him out of the door. 
 
An Apostolic Summons 251 
 
 "Go down the street one block," he whispered 
 to her, "then turn and wait for me." 
 
 He paused outside the door and engaged the 
 sentinel in conversation until he saw Mildred 
 turn and knew that she was watching. Then he 
 turned his back on the sentinel and joined her. 
 They turned the corner sharply and hastened 
 home. 
 
 "Why did you have me walk ahead in such a 
 funny way?" the girl asked. 
 
 He laughed gayly, and replied, "That was 
 what our military friends would call a strategic 
 withdrawal." 
 
 But he soon became conscious that he was a 
 marked man. Former friends turned from him, 
 apparently reluctantly, but as though under com- 
 mand or duress. Little groups engaged in pleas- 
 ant conversation suddenly fell silent and dis- 
 persed when he approached. A new word began 
 to trail him. It was the word apostate* 
 
 And there were even more painful experiences 
 falling to his lot, as to the lot of others who had 
 dared to oppose the rising spiritual czar of the 
 future western empire. One of these was best 
 described by French LaBarron. 
 
 He met William Nobleman on the hill and 
 
252 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 halted him. Looking cautiously about him, he 
 said: 
 
 "David meet de whittling squad. Dey whittle 
 de steek an' try whittle heem out of de town." 
 
 "What do you mean?" asked the older man. 
 "What is this about whittling David out of town? 
 Is this some of your jokes, LaBarron?" 
 
 "Is it de joke I mak? For what I joke about 
 David? You not know de whittle out of town 
 beezness. What you call it de gang of men 
 meet de apostate he is so call and wit' de so 
 sharp bowie knife all together whittle de stick in 
 his direction an' keep heem on de move ver' fas 
 out of town. He come not ver' often back for de 
 keek, you call heem de hint suffice." 
 
 "Good heavens! Is that kind of work really 
 going on? And did they try that on David?" 
 
 "I have said et." 
 
 "What did the boy do? Where is he?" 
 
 "Zat iss de joke. He jes lift de haid lak' he 
 do, and smile all serene an' he say, 'You mus 
 tink mee de poor steek, to be whittle* away so 
 easy lak dat.' An' he walk right toward de knife 
 an' dey all part and let heem walk troo, an' he go 
 home whistling. No one touch heem wit' de 
 knife no one follow heem." 
 
 William Nobleman's old eyes lighted with a 
 
An Apostolic Summons 253 
 
 fleeting gleam. "That was David," he said; "he 
 never would ride in the Legion, but he was as 
 brave as any of them. But who ordered this das- 
 tardly deed?" 
 
 LaBarron looked about him again, and step- 
 ping to the old man's side whispered a word. 
 
 "Are you sure? Are you telling me 1 the 
 truth?" 
 
 The Frenchman stepped back. "Did I evair 
 tell you de lie?" he asked. 
 
 "Never, LaBarron, never. But you are sure it 
 was Brigham " 
 
 The Frenchman checked him with a gesture. 
 "Say not de name," he said. "De var' fields an* 
 vineyards have ear. But I know vat I say. Nef- 
 fer min' how I know." 
 
 He paused a moment and continued, "Would 
 you know de proposition he would mak' to mad- 
 emoiselle, de sister?" 
 
 William Nobleman looked at the man again 
 keenly. "Yes," he answered. 
 
 The Frenchman stepped to his side again and 
 whispered a half dozen sentences in his ear. Wil- 
 liam Nobleman started and his face paled, and 
 then grew black with unaccustomed passion. 
 
 "Once more, LaBarron, do you know this to 
 be the truth?" 
 
254 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 The Frenchman laughed. "Shall you require 
 de oath, de grip, from your frien'?" 
 
 "No," the other answered hotly. "Curse the 
 oaths and grips. There has been too much in- 
 trigue here of late." 
 
 The Frenchman laid a hand on the other's arm. 
 "Have a care," he admonished. "Counsel wit' 
 Monsieur David. Let not de tongue betray de 
 haid." 
 
 John Nobleman refused to believe the story, 
 and when David came tramping in late that night 
 from an excursion to the woods he upbraided him 
 for his suspicions and unbelief. 
 
 "Take care lest you become an apostate," he 
 warned David. 
 
 "One can only apostatize when he abandons 
 truth and accepts error instead," replied David. 
 "Have a care for yourself, brother, lest under 
 the insidious leadership of others you permit the 
 brand of apostasy to burn your own soul. Now 
 is the time to stand by the old truths, to be guided 
 by the three books." 
 
 "David, you harp too much on the books. 
 Brother Brigham tells us to go by the living ora- 
 cles. Are you become a Methodist, with nothing 
 but books to talk of? Where then is the spirit of 
 revelation?" 
 
An Apostolic Summons 255 
 
 "The spirit of revelation will lead in harmony 
 with the books, and if we walk not by the books 
 there will soon enough be no more divine revela- 
 tion, but only false and evil ones," David an- 
 swered. 
 
 "Brother Brigham can explain it all," said 
 John eagerly. "I had a talk with him to-day." 
 
 "I do not care for his explanations," replied 
 David. "His arguments are too personal. One 
 of them passed through my hat rim as I came in 
 the back way to-night." 
 
 He removed his hat and showed a bullet hole 
 through the rim. 
 
 John looked troubled and angry, but persisted, 
 "The work of some Gentile assassin! It would 
 go hard with him if I were to catch him. But 
 you must put the blame upon your own brother." 
 
 "Brother me not to Brigham," retorted David. 
 "Have we fellowship with seducers?" 
 
 The older brother was clearly angry, but re- 
 strained himself with an effort. "You are too 
 suspicious, too harsh," he remonstrated. "Brother 
 Brigham explained it all to me. He wished to 
 see Mildred on an innocent matter; but he re- 
 sented your suspicions. He wished to test her. 
 And those ruffians with knives were not acting 
 under his orders." 
 
256 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 David shrugged his shoulders hopelessly. He 
 marveled at the singular power this man had ob- 
 tained over his brother, and the, to him, evident 
 darkness that had fallen upon his brother's mind. 
 He was yet to learn how fully that strange power 
 was to be exercised over many capable and good 
 men, to their ruin and shame. 
 
 "You will yet see," he contended, "that evil 
 will come out of this man's leadership. I know 
 his purpose with Mildred, if you do not. And 
 I know that with this Brigham in power the lives 
 of those whom he may choose to brand as apos- 
 tates will be worth little. Things are not as they 
 were in this church under Brother Joseph, when 
 virtue and truth and mercy and brotherly charity 
 were daily watchwords. I greatly dislike these 
 whisperings I observe, these grips and signs and 
 oaths, these secret mysteries we feel but cannot 
 grasp. I love the old-time gospel that was open 
 and free as air and sunshine, whether in grove or 
 temple. That was a gospel of simplicity and 
 directness, complete and sufficient in itself. God 
 works not in secret chambers. But already, as 
 we were warned in Ohio, evil is at work, in secret 
 chambers. What, oh, what will come out of this 
 travail?" 
 
An Apostolic Summons 257 
 
 "Are you quite done with your sermon?" asked 
 the older brother, caustically. 
 
 "Yes, quite done for the present. I seem not 
 to win converts in my own home." 
 
 "Perhaps you would take to yourself the state- 
 ment, 'A prophet is not without honor save in his 
 own country and among his own people,' " gibed 
 the other. 
 
 But the younger brother did not reply. He 
 marveled at the change come over his idolized 
 older brother. It cut him to the heart that their 
 old-time tender comradeship should be so strained 
 and perverted. 
 
 On the other hand, John was deeply troubled. 
 He had the noble trait of loyalty to a very marked 
 degree. His leaders used this trait to their own 
 purposes, and its very strength and purity be- 
 trayed him and bound him. A soldier at heart, 
 he was capable of exacting obedience from those 
 under his charge, and he rendered it too readily 
 to those above him. 
 
 His brother's conduct seemed to him per- 
 verse, willful; the very spirit of apostasy, treason, 
 and rebellion, which Brigham declared it to be. 
 Was David going over to the enemies of his own 
 people? In that thought he suffered not less 
 than his brother. 
 
 TT 16 
 
258 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Chapter Nineteen 
 
 THE WEDDING AND THE FAREWELL 
 
 IT WAS a strange spectacle that riveted the 
 attention of David and Mildred as they stood 
 upon the banks of the Mississippi and shiv- 
 ered in the raw winds of February. The banks 
 and the streets leading to the river were crowded 
 with covered wagons, oxen, horses, cattle, and 
 all the impediments of overland travel in those 
 pioneer days. 
 
 Lines of boats of every description were ply- 
 ing busily back and forth across the mile and a 
 half of dark waters that separated Nauvoo from 
 the Iowa shore. There were skiffs, flatboats, keel 
 boats, ferryboats, and steamboats a veritable 
 fleet of water craft. 
 
 Men, women, and children were crowding into 
 the smaller boats. Prairie schooners drawn by 
 oxen or horses and followed by cattle and extra 
 draft animals were loaded upon flatboats and 
 others of the larger vessels to be ferried across 
 the Father of Waters and set down on the west- 
 ern shore. 
 
 Men were shouting, dogs barking, whistles 
 
Wedding and Farewell 259 
 
 sounding, children laughing, women weeping, 
 and at intervals there was the sound of a hymn 
 or a prayer. The exodus had begun. 
 
 John Nobleman was in the thickest of the 
 work; and David gave a hand wherever he saw 
 one in distress or in need. In the confusion of 
 departure his attitude was forgotten, and some 
 welcomed his help who a short time before had 
 hated him, believing him to bear the brand of the 
 apostate. 
 
 This thing had been going on for some time. 
 And gradually it had become very evident that 
 in the Nobleman home there must soon come an 
 understanding and a definite cleavage. John 
 Nobleman had fully settled in his mind that he 
 would follow the fortunes of Brigham Young. 
 The westward pioneer movement appealed to 
 him powerfully. The appeal was so insistent that 
 he had no feeling left to analyze spiritual mat- 
 ters. David knew that he could not change John. 
 
 On the other hand, David Nobleman had care- 
 fully analyzed the situation, and guided by his 
 own spiritual directions and the intuitions of his 
 grandfather, he had definitely rejected the 
 leadership of Brigham Young, and was deter- 
 mined to have no part in the recession from the 
 moral and doctrinal standards of the church that 
 
260 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 he felt sure was soon to follow, if indeed it had 
 not already begun. John Nobleman knew full 
 well the quiet force of his younger brother's de- 
 termination. He knew that he could not move 
 him from his decision, yet he hoped that some- 
 thing might yet happen to change his attitude, or 
 that he might in time even be forced to join the 
 exodus. 
 
 Thus matters progressed, with frequent clashes 
 and many sad and sober discussions of the situa- 
 tion. The splendid family unity depicted in the 
 opening chapter of this story was shattered. The 
 final decision that Mildred should reach remained 
 a matter of conjecture. She listened sadly to the 
 discussions but did not express her opinion. 
 
 On the fifteenth day of February Brigham 
 Young and his leading associates crossed the 
 river to the Iowa side, and on the 17th those who 
 had previously been encamped at Sugar Creek 
 awaiting his arrival broke camp and the west- 
 ward journey began. 
 
 After this date the spirit of John Nobleman 
 became even more restless than formerly. He 
 still assisted the stream of emigrants that con- 
 tinued to flow across the river, now crossing upon 
 the ice, as the weather had become extremely in- 
 clement. But while there were powerful forces 
 
Wedding and Farewell 261 
 
 calling him to the trail there were strong ties that 
 bound him to Nauvoo. 
 
 One of these ties, however, was broken when 
 in the midst of that trying winter the gentle spirit 
 of Grandmother Nobleman took its departure, 
 almost without warning, and without struggle. 
 One moment troubled with fear of the threaten- 
 ing mob violence, which seemed to have cast a 
 shadow over all her life, blind, deaf, bedridden; 
 the next moment she was at peace, free, beyond 
 the violence of man. 
 
 They buried her in the old cemetery, happy in 
 the thought that come what might she would not 
 again be driven. This event changed every as- 
 pect of the home life, and that fact John Noble- 
 man seemed the first to perceive; at least he was 
 the first to comment upon it. 
 
 Turning from the side of the open grave he 
 slipped his arm about the shoulders of the weep- 
 ing Mildred and led her away. They walked a 
 long time in silence. The girl was sorely dis- 
 tressed by the death of the woman who had come 
 to her rescue in the time of her greatest need. 
 
 But as they walked homeward John Nobleman 
 comforted her until her tears ceased to flow, and 
 finally as they entered the home gate, he whis- 
 pered, in a strained yet eager voice, "Mildred, 
 
262 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 do you remember the new name that I gave you 
 . that Fourth of July nearly four years ago?" 
 
 A flood of rich color sprang into the pale face 
 of the girl. She dropped her head so that he 
 could not see her face, as she answered, "Yes, I 
 have never forgotten it." 
 
 "Then repeat it," he insisted, and she did so, 
 with a deepening of color. 
 
 "I must talk with you about a serious matter," 
 he continued, "but first I must talk with David." 
 So they parted and he sought his interview with 
 David. 
 
 Without waste of words, he came directly to 
 the point. "David," he said, "of late there has 
 come a division of sentiment between us, but still 
 none the less we love each other, and we must 
 continue to play fair with each other. Are you 
 agreed to that?" 
 
 "Why, most certainly, brother mine," cried 
 David, his generous spirit springing to meet his 
 brother's advances. "We could never do other- 
 wise. Our differences are differences of the head. 
 We must not let the heart become involved." 
 
 But John Nobleman shook his head. "The 
 heart is already involved," he answered. "I told 
 Mildred four years ago that this brother and 
 
Wedding and Farewell 263 
 
 sister business would play out some day. Well, 
 it has played out. That's all. 
 
 "Grandmother is gone now. There is no other 
 woman in the home. Whatever we may say, 
 Mildred is not our sister. And I for one have no 
 desire to think of her as a sister. And I fear that 
 you are much like myself in that matter. Now 
 this is my proposition : One of us should become 
 more to her than a brother. One of us should be 
 in a position to protect her arid shield her from 
 any reproach. If I have surmised correctly, you 
 do not regard her with an affection exactly 
 brotherly. If I am correct, and you are ready to 
 take the more sacred responsibility, well and 
 good. I am then free and can take my departure 
 for the West with a free mind. What do you 
 say, David?" 
 
 The face of the younger man had grown pale 
 during this conversation, and now tears gathered 
 in his eyes. He put his hand upon the arm of his 
 bigger and older brother with an affectionate 
 pressure. 
 
 "That is like you, John Nobleman," he said. 
 "You would give me every advantage, and 
 quietly slip away. But would it be like me to 
 accept such a sacrifice?" 
 
 "Perhaps not," replied the older man; "no, 
 
264 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 most certainly not. But then you have been with 
 Mildred constantly for years, while I have been 
 away. I thought at one time that she loved me 
 more than she would naturally love a brother, 
 but all that may have changed during my ab- 
 sence. Quite likely it has changed. She has been 
 with you a great deal, and I have noticed her 
 tender regard for you. It is only natural that it 
 should be so. Come, David, speak to her and 
 have the matter arranged, so that I may be free 
 to go." 
 
 Even while the tears welled up in his eyes, 
 laughter ran over his features, as David an- 
 swered, "Are we not a little presumptuous thus 
 to proffer each other the heart of a maiden? I 
 have heard that such estate is of uncertain tenure 
 at the best. Possibly she will have nothing of 
 either of us excepting as brothers. Or if either, 
 surely she is the one to choose; not you or I. 
 Come, now, if you must have the matter adjusted 
 before the sun goes down, let us both speak to 
 her. It may not be usual for two to go wooing 
 at one and the same time, but all things are un- 
 usual in these times and places. We must soon 
 have an understanding. We cannot go on as we 
 
 are." 
 
 'But I do not feel free to speak to her until I 
 
Wedding and Farewell 265 
 
 know how you feel towards her," insisted the 
 older brother. "And you have never told me." 
 
 "No, I believe that is so," replied David, 
 slowly, "and I am not likely to do so, either. 
 But after all, it does not matter how you feel or 
 how I feel, but how Mildred feels. Her hap- 
 piness must be the first consideration. Listen to 
 reason, which in this instance surely is all on my 
 side. We are men, and either of us can hide a 
 wounded heart if need be. But Mildred," he 
 seemed to linger lovingly on the name, "Mildred 
 must not suffer. She must be free to choose and 
 her happiness must be our first consideration. 
 Come, let us speak with her." 
 
 So it came about that the two brothers sought 
 the foster sister, and David as spokesman placed 
 the matter before her in a few frank words. 
 
 "It is a shame, little sister," he concluded, 
 "that events should force us to thrust our atten- 
 tion upon you in this way; two big fellows com- 
 pelling you to make a choice between us or to 
 reject us both flatly. And I have proposed this 
 plan only because of the situation and because 
 I think that I know some things that Brother 
 John does not know. I think that I know what 
 your choice will be and that it will not be a mat- 
 ter of deciding on the spur of the moment either. 
 
266 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 Remember, too, that things cannot go on as they 
 have been in the past ; we have reached the turn- 
 ing point. John is determined to go, and I am 
 equally determined to stay; we cannot agree 
 upon our policies in relation to church matters." 
 
 The girl dropped her head sadly and said, 
 "David, my head says that you are right. All 
 that you have argued for in regard to the church 
 I believe." 
 
 But lifting her head proudly she continued, 
 "But while my head says you are right, my heart 
 is with John Nobleman. Tell me, David dear, 
 what shall I do? What ought I do ?" 
 
 Every tinge of color seemed to fade from 
 David's face, leaving it marble white. He re- 
 moved his hat and ran his hand over his brow, 
 suddenly grown cold. He looked at her steadily 
 a long time, and then answered, "Do not ask me 
 what you should do. Ask me what you will do." 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 "You will follow your heart. Perhaps that is 
 what you should do. You are a woman. But I 
 am a man, and I must follow my head." 
 
 "Your head is a stubborn head, David," said 
 John. 
 
 A fleeting smile crossed David's face. "We are 
 
Wedding and Farewell 267 
 
 then two of a kind well met," he replied. "You 
 will remember grandfather used to say of you, 
 * There are two ways to do everything. One way 
 is John's way, the other way is the wrong way.' 
 
 The girl went to David and, drawing his head 
 down to her, kissed his forehead and said, "You 
 have been the best, the noblest brother a girl ever 
 had. I love you dearly, David, but I must go 
 with John." And with heightening color she 
 ran to John Nobleman and sought refuge in his 
 arms. 
 
 But in a moment anxiety eclipsed her joy. 
 "What will become of you and grandfather?" she 
 asked anxiously. "We cannot leave you." 
 
 "We shall do very well," replied David, with 
 assumed carelessness. "We can get on very 
 nicely with such help as I can secure. It will 
 take a long time for the Saints to leave Nauvoo, 
 all of them. They cannot possibly all get away 
 much inside of a year. Surely the efforts they are 
 making to leave will satisfy the mob. If not, and 
 the worst comes to the worst, and the city is 
 sacked, I will take grandfather up or down the 
 river to a place of safety. Sometime we may 
 come to an agreement again and come together 
 once more. But I am determined to stay by Nau- 
 
268 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 voo to the last. But your place, Mildred, is with 
 your chosen companion." 
 
 The wedding day was also the day of farewell. 
 At the appointed hour, the two stood up quietly 
 before David, with French LaBarron and Wil- 
 liam Nobleman as witnesses, and David Noble- 
 man said the church service that made them hus- 
 band and wife. 
 
 But ere he did this, in a manner that was most 
 impressive, despite the simple surroundings, 
 charged as it was by the prophetic influence of 
 the Holy Spirit, he said, "John Nobleman, I 
 give you this most solemn charge : The daughter 
 of this home is about to go from under the roof 
 that has sheltered her heretofore. All of us here 
 together as a family have lavished upon her our 
 tenderest love. All together we have given her 
 our protection. But now she elects to pass en- 
 tirely into your care and under your protection. 
 
 "My charge as I give her into your hand is 
 that you shall ever be worthy of the trust thus 
 reposed in you. You are about to pledge yourself 
 to keep yourself for her and from all others. To 
 paraphrase Paul, Though we or any other man, 
 or even an angel from other regions, try to induce 
 you to enter into some other marriage covenant, 
 
Wedding and Farewell 269 
 
 let him be accursed. And if you should prove un- 
 true to this covenant on which the church sets its 
 seal, you, John Nobleman, shall most certainly 
 be accursed. Remember this in the land whither 
 thou goest ; and in the day when this church cov- 
 enant, which means that they two shall be one 
 flesh, shall be lightly spoken of, remember thou 
 this day and this charge; for it is written in the 
 church books, 'Thou shalt love thy wife with all 
 thy heart, and shall cleave unto her and none 
 else/ " 
 
 Thus the foster sister, who had become the 
 sweetheart, became a wife. What David's feel- 
 ings were no one present could even surmise. 
 
 French LaBarron and John had fitted up an 
 emigrant wagon, well-covered, and stocked with 
 provisions. This was drawn by an ox team, and 
 French LaBarron was the driver. The girl came 
 down the walk to join her husband when they 
 were quite ready to make their start. 
 
 But the joyous light on her face clouded sud- 
 denly and a swift gush of tears came to her eyes. 
 She ran back up the gravel walk and into the old 
 home. She went from room to room looking 
 tenderly at each familiar object. Then she ran 
 
270 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 out into the rose garden and falling on her knees 
 in the snow under the maple tree prayed silently 
 for a moment. 
 
 She came back, and apparently having mas- 
 tered her feelings, she kissed David and her 
 grandfather again. Then she climbed to her 
 place in the big wagon seat at the front. John 
 Nobleman mounted Thunderbolt. French La- 
 Barron cracked the big ox whip, and they were 
 off. But now it was John's turn to come back 
 for a moment. Without a word he pressed a 
 packet into David's hand. When David opened 
 it later he discovered it to be the miniature. 
 
 French LaBarron drove the outfit down to 
 the river, where they were joined by a half dozen 
 other wagons and all struck out over the ice to- 
 wards the Iowa shore. A cold north wind was 
 blowing and white flurries of snow beat about 
 them as they journeyed. Was there ever such 
 another wedding journey? Yet such is the power 
 of youth and love that soon melancholy and the 
 pain of parting melted away and the two young 
 people looked with eager eyes towards the 
 strange and unguessed adventures that lay be- 
 fore them in the wilderness. 
 
 John urged Thunderbolt alongside the big 
 
Wedding and Farewell 271 
 
 wagon and, leaning far over, put his arm about 
 the shoulders of his young wife and whispered 
 into her ear the new name that he had given her 
 so long before. 
 
 "Is it a good name?" he asked. 
 
 She nodded vigorously, and answered, "The 
 very best in the world, John. The only name 
 that could call me away from my home upon 
 such a journey." 
 
 A little shadow crossed his face. "You are 
 risking a great deal for me," he said. "You are 
 facing hardships unknown and dangers that we 
 cannot even guess. And you are going rather 
 against your convictions, too. But I promise you, 
 Mildred, that I will always be true to you and no 
 one shall ever come between us while the world 
 stands. My life shall be your protection. So 
 help me God. Amen." 
 
 On the lonely, wind-swept point, known as 
 David's Lookout, stood a solitary figure, watch- 
 ing the emigrant train. Now they were obscured 
 by the flying snow, again they emerged sharply 
 revealed against the icy highway. But at last 
 they had crossed the mighty stream, wrapped in 
 its winter sleep, and disappeared among the 
 
272 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 trees on the further shore. Then the solitary 
 watcher turned and descended the hill, his shoul- 
 ders slightly stooped as though under a recently 
 assumed burden. But as he walked he sang: 
 
 'My times are in thy hand: 
 My God! I wish them there; 
 
 My life, my friends, my soul, I leave 
 Entirely to thy care." 
 
Timbers for the Temple 273 
 
 Chapter Twenty 
 
 CLOSING SCENES 
 
 THE autumn of 1846 drew on apace, and 
 more than equinoxial storms portended. 
 
 September 10 a body of armed men one 
 thousand in number was encampel at Hunter's 
 farm, just a little way out of the city, with artil- 
 lery, wagons, and other military equipage. At 
 the head of this force was one Thomas Brock- 
 man, thus described by Governor Ford in his 
 history of Illinois: "This Brockman was a Camp- 
 bellite preacher, nominally belonging to the 
 Democratic Party. He was a large, awkward, 
 uncouth, ignorant semibarbarian, ambitious of 
 office, and bent upon acquiring notoriety. He 
 had been county commissioner of Brown County, 
 and in that capacity had let out a contract for 
 building the courthouse, and it was afterwards 
 ascertained had let the contract to himself. He 
 managed to get paid in advance, and then built 
 such an inferior building, that the county had not 
 received it up to December, 1846. He had also 
 been a collector of taxes, for which he was a de- 
 faulter, and his lands were sold whilst I was gov- 
 
 TT 17 
 
274 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 ernor, to pay a judgment obtained against him 
 for moneys collected by him." 
 
 Opposed to this body of invaders was a small 
 force of men left in the city. But these under 
 command of Colonels Daniel Wells and William 
 Cutler took a position on the edge of a wood in 
 the suburbs of Nauvoo, to the east of the once 
 peaceful city. 
 
 A deputation of citizens from Quincy visited 
 the camp of the besiegers, begging them to have 
 mercy on the Saints, but without avail. Perceiv- 
 ing that their plea fell upon deaf ears and stony 
 hearts they withdrew, and the attack began im- 
 mediately with a bombardment from a battery of 
 six-pounders. Nothing was accomplished that 
 day, and at sunrise the next morning the enemy 
 changed position, intending to take the city by 
 storm. 
 
 They were held in check by Captain Anderson 
 and his son, a lad of sixteen, with a company of 
 thirty-five men, known as the "Spartan Band." 
 The enemy had recourse to grapeshot, forcing 
 the embattled Spartan Band to retire out of 
 range; but darkness again put an end to the 
 struggle. 
 
 The morning of September 12 dawned upon a 
 city in distress. As David took his way up town, 
 
Closing Scenes 275 
 
 at intervals he paused or turned aside to enter 
 some home where he knew there were sick or un- 
 fortunate people to whom he might administer. 
 More than one blessed him for a kindness as he 
 passed. 
 
 Reaching the temple he entered it and climbed 
 to one of the tower rooms to take an observation. 
 As he looked over the peaceful landscape and the 
 broad, shining river, he could scarcely believe 
 that tragedy haunted every street, that armed 
 foemen were pressing upon them from the rear 
 of the city and that stationed across the river 
 were bands of desperate men flaunting the red 
 flag, and eager to massacre any who might seek 
 to escape in that way. 
 
 Yet to the east as he looked, among green trees 
 and open fields, he saw lines of men maneuvering 
 and he knew that there was to be another attack. 
 There seemed little hope that any would escape. 
 Bidding the watchman in the tower farewell, he 
 hastened to the street again and sought the place 
 where the "Spartan Band" had been located. 
 
 He found them in position. As he approached, 
 Captain Anderson offered him a rifle, but he put 
 his hands behind him and shook his head: "It is 
 useless," he said. And lifting his head in a char- 
 
276 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 acteristic manner, he added, "You fight men, but 
 I am come to fight for men." 
 
 Anderson tapped the stock of his rifle, and 
 waving a hand towards the temple said, "I shall 
 die to-day for the holy sanctuary." 
 
 "Possibly so," answered David. "We both 
 fight for the temple, each in his own way; you 
 for the temple of stone, I for the living temple. 
 You men will do well to surrender, whatever 
 the terms may be, rather than to shed blood. 
 Christ gave himself up to die; can we do less? 
 He endured the cross; shall we resist it?" 
 
 "Terms," replied Anderson; "there are no 
 terms. Brockman, the preacher, whose Camp- 
 bellite texts we heard whistle in our ears yester- 
 day, demands unconditional surrender. I have 
 replied that we will not surrender. We are fight- 
 ing for our homes and wives and children. We 
 have a right to defend ourselves! It is nature's 
 first law. Remember Haun's Mill!" 
 
 Soon David heard again the rattle of firearms 
 and the crash of six pounders, punctuated by the 
 yells of the attacking force. He smelled the 
 acrid smoke of gunpowder. 
 
 The besiegers were approaching the main body 
 of the defenders, who were posted behind barri- 
 cades some distance from Anderson's small com- 
 
Closing Scenes 277 
 
 mand. But when they had come within rifle 
 range Brockman's men suddenly wheeled to the 
 south, thinking to outflank the defenders and 
 gain possession of the temple square. 
 
 Anderson had anticipated this move, and lead- 
 ing his men at double quick, confronted them, 
 opening fire with revolving rifles. A furious ex- 
 change of shots ensued for an hour and a half, 
 and in the end the attacking force withdrew to 
 their camp. 
 
 David assisted the wounded as best he could, 
 bandaging their hurts, and bringing them water 
 and medicine. As though detached from his sur- 
 roundings, he heard the bullets whistle about his 
 head without conscious feeling of concern. He 
 was in the battle but not of it. 
 
 Among those who fell were Captain Anderson 
 and his son, the former dying, as he had pre- 
 dicted, in defense of the temple. 
 
 A member of the "Spartan Band" who helped 
 David carry the dying man to the rear, muttered, 
 "One of preacher Brockman's Campbellite texts 
 did that!" 
 
 But David silenced him: "Do not refer to his 
 church membership," he said. "Without doubt 
 the time will come when his own people will be 
 most heartily ashamed of him, for after all we 
 
278 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 are not driven from our homes or killed in ac- 
 cordance with law, but rather in violation of law." 
 
 David spent the entire night in comforting 
 frightened and sorrowing women and children, 
 caring for the sick and wounded, and fortifying 
 his heart with prayer against the morrow, for 
 the destruction of the city and the murder of her 
 inhabitants, or whatever fate might befall them. 
 
 "How very fortunate," he soliloquized, "that 
 Grandfather Nobleman went to his rest ere 
 things came to this pass. He sleeps now by the 
 side of his companion. No hostile shot can af- 
 fright their ears. They are beyond the power of 
 man's hatred to do them further violence. How 
 swift and sure a barrier death erects before man's 
 enmity. Thus far and no farther can they go." 
 
 He had loved the city and her ideals and the 
 people, and at times his spirit was almost cruci- 
 fied within him at the ruin and wreck so immi- 
 nent; but again a feeling of serene peace would 
 come upon him, counseling him to be of good 
 cheer, that in due time God would again reveal 
 his hand to the establishing of his people. 
 
 The next day was Sunday and the battle was 
 not renewed. It was now evident that the few 
 remaining Saints could not be either massacred 
 or driven out excepting at a price that the mob- 
 
Closing Scenes 279 
 
 bers hesitated to pay. Accordingly a committee 
 of one hundred was sent to the city to negotiate 
 terms, and on a promise that they would be pro- 
 tected, the inhabitants agreed to lay down their 
 arms and immediately cross the river. 
 
 The invaders then made their triumphal entry, 
 Brockman, the preacher, at their head. But no 
 sooner had they entered than they forgot the 
 promise that they had made. Homes were broken 
 open and robbed of every article of value. The 
 sick were driven from their beds and turned out 
 of doors at the point of the bayonet. Even the 
 rights of the dead were violated, and burial par- 
 ties broken up. At the temple the wildest scenes 
 of debauchery took place. Where song and 
 prayer had been heard of old, now were oaths and 
 obscene shoutings. 
 
 Burying their dead, bundling together such 
 poor possessions as they could take with them, 
 carrying their sick and wounded as best they 
 could, the remnant of the Saint T left their homes, 
 their beautiful city, and under cover of the rifles 
 of their despoilers crossed the river to camp mis- 
 erably among the reeds and rushes. By the 17th, 
 the exodus was completed, and the enemy was at 
 last in undisputed possession of the city that they 
 had neither builded nor purchased. Such a 
 
280 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 strange exodus has seldom elsewhere been re- 
 corded in history. 
 
 After David had assisted all that he could; 
 after he had helped the last boat to shove off, 
 almost unnoticed and unmolested, he took his 
 way homeward. 
 
 It is true, one drunken guard armed with a 
 musket and bayonet stopped him with the chal- 
 lenge, "Are you a damned Mormon?" 
 
 David looked at him a moment, and one of his 
 old-time smiles crossed his sad face fleetingly, 
 as he answered, "No, I hope not." He waited 
 to be interrogated further, but the guard was at- 
 tracted to other matters. His comrades fortu- 
 nately seemed busy at other places, and so the 
 young man passed on to his home. He found 
 that it had not as yet been violated. 
 
 He passed from room to room of the deserted 
 house, now so silent, yet seemingly haunted by 
 memories of the past and spirits of those gone 
 on. He passed out, closing the door, not know- 
 ing who might next enter, or what alien might 
 soon shelter under its rooftree, warm by its big 
 fireplace, read, perhaps deface, the dear books in 
 its library. 
 
 He passed to the rose garden, now disheveled 
 in autumn disarray, like his youthful hopes, 
 
Closing Scenes 281 
 
 dreams, loves. Blight and frost and canker 
 seemed to have fallen upon all. He stood under 
 the maple tree where he had so blithely worked 
 with oils and paints upon the miniature. 
 
 Leaving the garden, he took his way to the 
 secluded woodland cloister that Mildred had 
 named Prince David's Chambers. Here, too, he 
 found no peace. The waterfall was summer 
 dried. The ground was littered with falling 
 leaves. Romance had fled away youth seemed 
 gone. Love had eluded him. 
 
 He took his way down the ravine to the river 
 front and sat down upon a bowlder. He was a 
 tragic figure, sitting there alone, apparently lost 
 in reverie. 
 
 The sun went down and darkness fell, but he 
 seemed not to notice the change. At times the 
 moon shone forth between dark clouds, revealing 
 the black and swirling waters of the great stream, 
 as melancholy a spectacle as one might imagine. 
 
 Only at the sound of revelry did the lonely 
 watcher by the river stir and lift his head. Armed 
 men were encamped in and about the temple on 
 the hill, surrounded by their stacked musketry 
 and heavy ordnance. There men were now en- 
 gaged in a wild and drunken orgy. Even at that 
 distance, on the still night air he could hear their 
 
282 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 yells and jeers, oath-laden exclamations and rib- 
 ald songs. 
 
 At times in sheer excess of cruelty, it seemed 
 to him, some would climb to the belfry and whoop 
 and shriek or beat upon a drum, ringing in the 
 meantime a steamboat bell that they had carried 
 up for that purpose. 
 
 The lonely listener started to his feet, a look 
 of pain upon his face. "Truly the Devil has fully 
 entered in," he whispered to himself. "No won- 
 der that in the recent storm a lightning stroke 
 smote the belfry of the temple. Satan was put- 
 ting his mark upon it ere these came in. Yet it 
 must be that the Saints first erred or he could 
 not have thus entered in." 
 
 Presently he became conscious of the meas- 
 ured strokes of a paddle and perceived a canoe 
 approaching. It came directly towards him, 
 and landed at his very feet. Whether propelled 
 by friend or foe he could not guess. 
 
 But the occupant stepped ashore, and drawing 
 the canoe upon the bank, approached him. At 
 that instant the moon shone forth and he recog- 
 nized old Kis-Kish-Kee. 
 
 "You need me? I come!" said the latter, sen- 
 tentiously. "You come with me. I take you up 
 river to safe place." 
 
Closing Scenes 288 
 
 "Yes, Kis-Kish-Kee, I need you," the young 
 man replied. "I will go. I am tired. There is 
 nothing to keep me here longer." 
 
 The two stepped into the canoe and shoved off 
 without another word. They did not look back. 
 The hideous revelry at the desecrated temple was 
 their farewell. A patrol at the landing spied 
 them and fired a few shots when they did not 
 heed the command to halt. But the young man 
 sat wearily in the stern of the boat and the Indian 
 paddled stoically in the prow, and so they quickly 
 passed out of range. They took their silent 
 course up the river, threading their way among 
 the islands. 
 
 At last the young man aroused himself, and 
 ere they passed from sight of the few twinkling 
 lights of the city, he said, "Farewell, Nauvoo! 
 Farewell! I go, but I shall return. The temple 
 of stone without doubt will fall in ruins, or perish 
 by fire, thus being purged of the evil presences 
 that now inhabit it. But by and by we shall erect 
 again the living spiritual temple. 
 
 "Farewell, Nauvoo! Farewell! Rest as best 
 you may under the curse that has come upon you. 
 May God forgive your enemies who truly know 
 not what they do, and whose children shall yet 
 condemn them for that which they have done. 
 
284 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 May God forgive the follies of your people and 
 recall their virtues and sacrifices and in due time 
 be pleased to cause his gospel to shine forth again 
 and his church to be reassembled and reorgan- 
 ized. 
 
 "Farewell, Nauvoo! Peace be to the ashes of 
 your dead. Compassion be over the heads of 
 exiles ; and may the honest in heart among them 
 be led back again, perhaps not to Nauvoo, but 
 to the truth and to the beautiful city of the new 
 Jerusalem." 
 
 From an unprejudiced observer we have a 
 rather wonderful account of some of the scenes 
 mentioned in this chapter. Colonel Thomas 
 Kane visited Nauvoo in September, 1844, and de- 
 scribed that which he saw, his account appearing 
 in Smucker's History. This chapter cannot bet- 
 ter close than with with his words : 
 
 "I was descending the last hillside upon my 
 journey, when a landscape in delightful contrast 
 broke upon my view. Half encircled by a bend 
 of the river, a beautiful city lay glittering in the 
 fresh morning sun; its bright, new dwellings, set 
 in cool, green gardens, ranging up around a 
 stately dome-shaped hill, which was crowned by 
 a noble marble edifice, whose high, tapering spire 
 was radiant with white and gold. The city ap- 
 
Closing Scenes 285 
 
 peared to cover several miles; and beyond it, in 
 the background, there rolled off a fair country, 
 chequered by the careful lines of fruitful hus- 
 bandry. The unmistakable marks of industry, 
 enterprise, and educated wealth everywhere, 
 made the scene one of singular and most striking 
 beauty. 
 
 "It was a natural impulse to visit this inviting 
 region. I procured a skiff, and rowing across the 
 river, landed at the chief wharf of the city. No 
 one met me there. I looked, and saw no one. I 
 could hear no one move ; though the quiet every- 
 where was such that I heard the flies buzz, and 
 the water ripples break against the shallow of 
 the beach. I walked through the solitary streets. 
 The town lay as in a dream under some deaden- 
 ing spell of loneliness, from which I almost 
 feared to wake it; for plainly it had not slept 
 long. There was no grass growing up in the 
 paved ways; rains had not entirely washed away 
 the prints of dusty footsteps. 
 
 "Yet I went about unchecked. I went into 
 empty workshops, ropewalks, and smithies. The 
 spinner's wheel was idle; the carpenter had gone 
 from his workbench and shavings, his unfinished 
 sash and casing; fresh bark was in the tanner's 
 vat, and the fresh chopped lightwood stood piled 
 
286 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 against the baker's oven. The blacksmith's shop 
 was cold ; but his coal heap, and ladling pool, and 
 crooked water horn, were all there, as if he had 
 just gone off for a holiday. No work people 
 anywhere looked to know my errand. If I went 
 into the gardens, clinking the wicket latch loudly 
 after me, to pull the marigolds, heart's-ease, and 
 ladyslippers, and draw a drink with the water- 
 sodden well bucket and its noisy chain ; or, knock- 
 ing off with my stick the tall, heavy-headed 
 dahlias and sunflowers, hunted over the beds for 
 cucumbers and love apples, [tomatoes] no one 
 called out to me from any opened window, or 
 dog sprang forward to bark and alarm. I could 
 have supposed the people hidden in the houses, 
 but the doors were unfastened ; and when at last 
 I timidly entered them, I found dead ashes white 
 upon the hearths, and had to tread a-tiptoe, as 
 if walking down the aisle of a country church, to 
 avoid rousing irreverent echoes from the naked 
 floors. . . . 
 
 "Only two portions of the city seemed to sug- 
 gest the import of this mysterious solitude. On 
 the southern suburb, the houses looking out upon 
 the country showed, by their splintered wood- 
 work and walls battered to the foundation, that 
 they had lately been the mark of a destructive 
 
Closing Scenes 287 
 
 cannonade. And in and around the splendid 
 temple, which* had been the chief object of my 
 admiration, armed men were barracked, sur- 
 rounded by their stacks of musketry and pieces 
 of heavy ordnance. These challenged me to 
 render an account of myself, and why I had had 
 the temerity to cross the water without a written 
 permit from a leader of their band. 
 
 "Though these men were generally more or 
 less under the influence of ardent spirits, after I 
 had explained myself as a passing stranger, they 
 seemed anxious to gain my good opinion. They 
 told the story of the Dead City; that it had been 
 a notable manufacturing and commercial mart, 
 sheltering over twenty thousand persons; that 
 they had waged war with its inhabitants for sev- 
 eral years, and had been finally successful, only 
 a few days before my visit, in an action fought in 
 front of the ruined suburb ; after which they had 
 driven them forth at the point of the sword. The 
 defense, they said, had been obstinate, but gave 
 way on the third day's bombardment. They 
 boasted greatly of their prowess, especially in 
 this battle, as they called it ; but I discovered that 
 they were not of one mind as to certain of the 
 exploits that had distinguished it; one of which, 
 as I remember, was, that they had slain a father 
 
288 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 and his son, a boy of fifteen, not long residents 
 of the fated city, whom they admitted to have 
 borne a character without reproach. . . . 
 
 "They permitted me also to ascend into the 
 steeple, to see where it had been lightning-struck 
 on the Sabbath before; and to look out, east and 
 south, on wasted farms like those I had seen near 
 the city, extending till they were lost in the dis- 
 tance. Here, in the face of the pure day, close 
 to the scar of the Divine wrath left by the thun- 
 derbolt, were fragments of food, cruses of liquor, 
 and broken drinking vessels, with a brass drum 
 and a steamboat signal bell, of which I after- 
 wards learned the use with pain. 
 
 "It was after nightfall, when I was ready to 
 cross the river on my return. The wind had 
 freshened since the sunset, and the water beating 
 roughly into my little boat, I hedged higher up 
 the stream than the point I had left in the morn- 
 ing, and landed where a faint glimmering light 
 invited me to steer. 
 
 "Here, among the dock and rushes, sheltered 
 only by the darkness, without roof between them 
 and sky, I came upon a crowd of several hundred 
 human creatures, whom my movements roused 
 from uneasy slumber upon the ground. . . . 
 
 "Dreadful, indeed, was the suffering of these 
 
PRESIDENT JOSEPH SMITH 
 
Closing Scenes 289 
 
 forsaken beings; bowed and cramped by cold 
 and sunburn, alternating as each weary day and 
 night dragged on, they were, almost all of them, 
 the crippled victims of disease. They were there 
 because they had no homes, nor hospital, nor 
 poorhouse, nor friends to offer them any. They 
 could not satisfy the feeble cravings of their sick; 
 they had not bread to quiet the fractious hunger- 
 cries of their children. Mothers and babes, 
 daughters, and grandparents, all of them alike, 
 were bivouacked in tatters, wanting even cov- 
 ering to comfort those whom the sick shiver of 
 fever was searching to the marrow. 
 
 "These were Mormons, in Lee County, Iowa, 
 in the fourth week of the month of September, in 
 the year of our Lord 1846. The city it was 
 Nauvoo, Illinois. The Mormons were the own- 
 ers of that city and the smiling country around. 
 And those who had stopped their plows, who had 
 silenced their hammers, their axes, their shuttles, 
 and their workshop wheels; those who had put 
 out their fires, who had eaten their food, spoiled 
 their orchards, and trampled under foot their 
 thousands of acres of unharvested bread; these 
 were the keepers of their dwellings, the carousers 
 in their temple, whose drunken riot insulted the 
 ears of the dying. 
 
 TT 18 
 
290 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 "I think it was as I turned from the wretched 
 nightwatch of which I have spoken, that I first 
 listened to the sounds of revel of a party of the 
 guard within the city. Above the distant hum 
 of voices of many, occasionally rose distinct the 
 loud oath-tainted exclamation, and the falsely in- 
 tonated scrap of vulgar song; but lest this re- 
 quiem should go unheeded, every now and then, 
 when their boisterous orgies strove to attain a 
 sort of ecstatic climax, a cruel spirit of insulting 
 frolic carried some of them up into the high 
 belfry of the temple steeple, and there, with the 
 wicked childishness of inebriates, they whooped, 
 and shrieked, and beat the drum that I had seen, 
 and rang in charivaric unison their loud-tongued 
 steamboat bell." 
 
Timbers for the Temple 291 
 
 Chapter Twenty-One 
 
 GLAD TIDINGS 
 
 TWO people, a man and a woman, walked 
 the streets of Nauvoo, noting the changes 
 that years had wrought. The beauty of the 
 excellent city was marred and her crown was 
 gone, for the hill no longer bore the wonderful 
 temple that had been at once the city's adorn- 
 ment and her symbol of holiness. 
 
 Yes, the temple had been burned by fire, and 
 afterwards the hurricanes had smitten the ruined 
 walls, dashing them down in awful confusion, 
 leaving but three pillars to furnish the poet his 
 theme: 
 
 "Joseph, Alexander, David, three remaining pillars still; 
 Like the three remaining pillars of the temple on the hilL" 
 
 And in the ruins men had quarried, building 
 from these rocks hewn with such care for sacred 
 purposes, other buildings unhallowed. 
 
 As these *two walked about they noticed the 
 marks of ruin and of former greatness. They 
 saw many crumbling walls and foundations 
 where, by fire or violence or neglect, homes had 
 been destroyed. There were also many fine brick 
 
292 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 buildings still standing, some of them unoccu- 
 pied. Streets once well kept were overgrown 
 with grass and weeds, and the tinkle of cow bells 
 saluted their ears, for cattle grazed in the quiet 
 lanes where formerly thousands thronged. 
 
 The air that once pulsed with the thrilling 
 strains of that noble hymn, "The Spirit of God 
 like a fire is burning," now seemed saddened and 
 melancholy and the breezes wandering over hill 
 and valley seemed seeking for some token, some 
 remembrance of those other days. The old ceme- 
 tery was overgrown and the two could not locate 
 the graves of William Nobleman and his wife. 
 
 And yet the two wanderers from the past 
 found something to challenge their admiration. 
 The beauties of nature remained to justify the 
 taste of those who had selected this site for beau- 
 tiful Nauvoo. The river had lost none of its 
 majesty. The terraced slopes of the hill were 
 still lovely. And on these terraces were many 
 vineyards planted by French colonists who had 
 succeeded the exiled founders of the city, and 
 by thrifty German settlers who had come still 
 later. From these vineyards arose the fragrant 
 aroma of ripening grapes. And many grape 
 wagons were even now proceeding heavily laden 
 to the wine presses. 
 
Glad Tidings 298 
 
 As the noon hour drew on the two visitors se- 
 cured from a German vine grower a basket of 
 grapes and at another place a basket of big yel- 
 low peaches. From a little store on the hill they 
 purchased a loaf of bread and some butter. They 
 took their way down the quiet streets to the river 
 front, past the old Mansion House and the 
 Homestead. The woman spread out their lunch, 
 and here they ate, under an oak tree at the foot 
 of Main Street at the water's edge, the while 
 talking in subdued tones or silently watching the 
 sweep of the majestic river. 
 
 The lunch finished, the woman gave the gen- 
 erous remnants of their meal to some barefoot 
 boys who played in the water close at hand, 
 watching with curious eyes the two strange vis- 
 itors. Then while she sought for carnelians 
 among the sand and pebbles on the beach, the 
 man took pencil and tablet from the portfolio 
 that he carried, and composed himself to write a 
 letter, evidently. By the courtesy of the story 
 writer you are permitted to read that which he 
 wrote: 
 
 "Dear Brother John; Lift up your head and 
 rejoice, brother mine. I have good news for you. 
 I am doubly laden with blessings so that my cup 
 
294 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 runneth over. The spilled drops of my joy 
 anoint this letter. 
 
 "It seems so long ago, John, when I left Nau- 
 voo a city of sorrows and came away by night 
 with old Kis-Kish-Kee. Let me see it is fifteen 
 years for it is again autumn, but now it is 1861. 
 Some of those years have been very sad. We 
 call the time now past the 'Dark and cloudy day.' 
 To you I do not need to recount the ignoble 
 history of those who journeyed westward to 
 Utah. 
 
 "You know full well the great apostasy and 
 shame that developed under Brigham Young. 
 You know now without doubt the nature of the 
 proposition he would have made to our foster 
 sister Mildred, now your wife, the mother of 
 your children. 
 
 "It was even as our aged grandfather with 
 prescient spirit saw 'twould be. I rejoice that 
 I did not follow that strange procession west- 
 ward not that I escaped their misery en route, 
 for it would I have gladly shared and alleviated 
 but that I escaped their shame and ensnare- 
 ment in that great mirage of the desert, the false 
 Zion by the Salt Dead Sea in Utah. 
 
 "And I rejoice equally that you who elected to 
 go with them turned from them on the day when 
 
Glad Tidings 295 
 
 Brigham Young first publicly announced his 
 doctrine of polygamy, at the fall conference of 
 1852. 
 
 "You were a man, John. I knew it all the 
 time. At the risk of your life you repudiated 
 that doctrine and with Mildred came out of Utah 
 Vith great hardship and danger. 
 
 "Again we are one in heart, thank God- 
 brothers undivided. From your letters I am sure 
 you will accept the message that I am about to 
 divulge. 
 
 "More than once have I been back to old Nau- 
 voo and walked her semideserted streets, for she 
 is not as she was. I have agonized there over the 
 past, and watered the graves of the Martyrs with 
 my tears, till it seemed I might swell the flood of 
 Mississippi. And I have come away obsessed 
 with every blue demon of melancholy and de- 
 spair. 
 
 ' I have stood in the wailing place of the 
 Saints. 
 
 "I have beat my brows against the gates of the 
 past, but they will not open. 
 
 "But now I press forward like Paul and look 
 into the future. The past we cannot reconstruct, 
 revive, alter, or by debate change in jot or 
 tittle. 'Tis sealed with God's seal, done under 
 
296 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 his hand, and filed in the vaults of immutable 
 eternity. But the future is ours. 
 
 "Now for my double blessings. There runs a 
 golden thread of love through every human doc- 
 ument. Know this, brother: for many years I 
 loved a miniature done on ivory by an idealistic 
 lad who worked in a rose garden dear rose 
 garden now trampled out by alien feet, still fra- 
 grant in three hearts. 
 
 "I love the miniature, having lost the origi- 
 nal, giving her into your most worthy care with 
 my own hand. I can write it now then you 
 sought my confession vainly. 
 
 "But there came a woman whose smile healed 
 my heart, whose voice drove all melancholy from 
 my brain a woman, yes, the woman. We are 
 happy. Not more happy the angels in heaven. 
 
 "But to my other tidings, my tidings universal, 
 my tidings of great joy. 
 
 "God is moving again, most wonderfully. The 
 church is reorganized. The scattered ones who 
 would not go westward and who repudiated evil 
 teachings have come together on the old true 
 platform. 
 
 "And at Amboy, on the 6th day of April, 1860, 
 'Young Joseph/ as he is called, the son of that 
 Joseph who was so cruelly slain at Carthage, 
 
Glad Tidings 297 
 
 took his place as president and prophet of the 
 church. You will remember that we ourselves 
 were present in the bowery in Nauvoo when his 
 father told all the congregation that he should 
 so occupy. 
 
 "Listen: From the old city of Nauvoo, on 
 July 19, of this very summer he sent forth a gen- 
 eral epistle, truly prophetic and wonderful in 
 nature. I will quote from it : 
 
 " 'To All the Scattered Saints; In view of the 
 many reports now in circulation, and to show 
 to all the scattered Latter Day Saints that I am 
 a true son of a true father, I, Joseph Smith, 
 President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Lat- 
 ter Day Saints, this, my first General Epistle to 
 the membership of said church scattered in all 
 the land, send greeting. . . . 
 
 " *I would not that men should hastily run 
 without tidings, nor do I ask that any should 
 place the stake of their salvation upon an earthly 
 arm. "Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, 
 and maketh flesh his arm." I ask and desire that 
 all may place their stake of salvation upon the 
 author and finisher of our faith upon the prom- 
 ises and principles of the gospel, pure as 
 preached from the Savior's lips, for in him was 
 
298 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 no guile, and in his teachings there was no de- 
 ceit. 
 
 " 'In the name of the God of Abraham, of 
 Isaac, and of Jacob, I now call upon all the scat- 
 tered Saints, upon all the broad earth, to rise 
 and shake off the sleep that hath bound them 
 these many years, take on the armor of the just, 
 calling on the name of the Lord for help, and 
 unite once more for the emancipation of the hon- 
 est in heart from the power of false doctrines and 
 the shackles of sin. 
 
 " 'In the name of bleeding Zion, I call upon 
 all those who have been wandering in by and for- 
 bidden paths, and have been led astray by wicked 
 and designing men, to turn from their scenes of 
 wickedness and sins of convenience, to turn from 
 their servitude to Satan, in all his seductive de- 
 vices; from vice in every phase, and from the 
 labor of sin, the wages whereof are ever death, 
 unto their true and delightsome allegiance to the 
 principles of the gospel of peace, to the paths of 
 wisdom, to the homage of that God that brought 
 the children of Israel out of bondage; to turn 
 and remember the new covenant, even the Book 
 of Mormon; to lay hold anew upon the rod of 
 iron which surely leads to the tree of life ; to re- 
 member that those who live to the Lord keep his 
 
Glad Tidings 299 
 
 commandments, and that the promises are unto 
 the faithful, and the reward unto those that en- 
 dure to the end. 
 
 " 'And in the name of the Lord of hosts, I call 
 upon all the inhabitants of the earth to repent, 
 believe, and be baptized, for the time cometh 
 when the judgments of God are to be poured out 
 upon all nations, and the besom of God's wrath 
 shall smoke through the land; when men shall 
 know that there is a God in Israel, and he is 
 mighty to punish or to save; that the prayers of 
 those under the altar have been heard, and a swift 
 retribution is to come, when the despoiler will be 
 despoiled; when those who denied justice shall 
 be judged, and the measure meted unto others 
 shall be meted unto them ; when the prisoner shall 
 go free, the oppressed be redeemed, and all Israel 
 shall cry, "Glory to God in the highest be given, 
 for he that is long-suffering and slow to anger, 
 has arisen, and shall bring again Zion." Amen 
 and amen. " 'JOSEPH SMITH. 
 
 " 'President of the Church of Jesus Christ of 
 Latter Day Saints/ ' 
 
 "Has not that the right ring? The Saints are 
 flocking back to the truth. Those who still abide 
 in error shall suffer loss. But thousands will 
 heed the call. 
 
300 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 "Now we can get to work again preparing 
 timbers for the temple, living timbers, men and 
 women, spiritual temples. 
 
 "This is the first work. We must build the 
 spiritual temple aright and on a true foundation 
 first. For this is the order of creation. 
 
 "Then in due time we may erect our temples 
 of wood or stone, at Nauvoo or Independence, 
 for the Saints will surely gather back Zion shall 
 not be moved out of her place, is the promise, 
 and those who remain and are faithful shall re- 
 turn, they and their children, with songs of ever- 
 lasting joy, to build up the waste places. 
 
 "Come thou with me and help again to prepare 
 timbers for God's temple against the coming of 
 the Son of man in clouds of glory! 
 
 "DAVID NOBLEMAN/' 
 
 When the man had finished writing he put the 
 pencil and tablet into the portfolio and looked 
 up to find the woman standing behind him. She 
 stooped down and patted him gently on the 
 cheek, whispering, "Dear old David." Their 
 eyes met with that perfect understanding that 
 betokens absolute unity. He caught her hand 
 
Glad Tidings 801 
 
 in his and gave it the three quick pressures that 
 meant in their code, "I love you." 
 
 He stood up, tall, slender, handsome, a little 
 older, yet the same David Nobleman that we 
 knew of old. They climbed the slope and turned 
 into the yard of the Old Homestead. Under the 
 green locust trees and the "haven trees" they 
 paused, as nearly as they could determine by the 
 unmarked graves of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. 
 They stood silently for a few moments with 
 bowed heads, and then the man sang softly: 
 
 " 'I came to the spot where the two martyrs lay, 
 
 And pensively stood by their tomb, 
 When in a low whisper I heard something say, 
 'How sweetly we sleep here alone! 
 
 " "The tempest may rage and the loud thunders roll, 
 
 And gathering storms may arise, 
 Yet calm are our feelings, at rest are our souls, 
 The tears are all wiped from our eyes. 
 
 wc We wandered as exiles and pilgrims below, 
 
 To publish salvation abroad; 
 The trump of the gospel endeavored to blow, 
 Preparing a people for God. 
 
 " 'Go tell our companions and brethren most dear, 
 
 To weep not for Joseph, though gone; 
 Nor Hyrum, for Jesus through scenes dark and drear, 
 Has kindly conducted us home.' 
 
302 Timbers for the Temple 
 
 "I wept for the church, for her prophet was slain, 
 
 And I felt that deceivers were near, 
 Who would lead her from precepts of virtue so plain, 
 Once taught her by Joseph the Seer. 
 
 "But anguish gives place to a fullness of joy, 
 
 Revived are the hopes that were slain; 
 From th' seed of the Martyr, called by the Most High, 
 Comes a prophet to lead us again." 
 
 They turned away, and slowly, as in a dream, 
 they walked as those walk who have forgotten 
 the present and all earthly things and journey 
 into the past among the spirits of the departed. 
 They climbed the hill again and came to David's 
 Lookout. "I particularly wanted you to see this 
 place," said the man. 
 
 They stood for a long time looking at the mag- 
 nificent panorama spread out at their feet. It 
 was quite evident that the man had again lost 
 himself to the present world. But finally the 
 woman touched his arm, bringing him from his 
 reverie, as she said, "We must go now, David, 
 or we shall miss the ferry." 
 
 He turned abstractedly, and came slowly out 
 of his daydreams. They smiled again into each 
 other's eyes in perfect understanding and sym- 
 pathy, and with a farewell glance at the untem- 
 pled hill behind them, took their departure. 
 
: ;