the first serious apostasy and the first great missionary movement— dissensions at kirtland, and successful labors in england—joseph meets john taylor in canada—trials and murderous mobs at painesville—the prophet wades through swamps in the night, carrying sidney upon his back.
i say unto all the twelve, arise and gird up your loins, take up your cross, follow me, and feed my sheep.
exalt not yourselves; rebel not against my servant joseph, for verily i say unto you, i am with him, and my hand shall be over him; and the keys which i have given unto him, and also to youward, shall not be taken from him till i come.
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wherefore, whithersoever they (the first presidency) shall send you, go ye, and i will be with you.
this was a commandment given through joseph smith unto thomas b. marsh, at kirtland, on the 23rd day of july, 1837, concerning the twelve apostles of the lamb. it was necessary; for pride and disunion and the ambitions of the world were doing their work among some of their number, and they would heed neither the counsels of joseph nor the direct behest of the almighty.
not for many generations had men been favored of the lord as they had been. they had received heavenly manifestations sufficient, one would think, to keep them from ever turning away from the truth. but after receiving these glorious evidences of divine favor, like their master, jesus, they were "tempted of the devil;" yet not like their lord, some of these men yielded to temptation and fell from their high estate. they did not resist the allurements of satan. the desire for the glory of the world, the wealth of the world, the vain things of the world, overcame them. a mania to speculate, to make money, became almost universally prevalent. it was a general tendency in the united states, and especially in the west, at the time of which we write. forgetting the visions of eternity they had beheld; forgetting the holy anointing they had received; forgetting their high callings and their dedication to the ministry of the son of god, leading men became real estate dealers, merchants, organizers of "wildcat" schemes, and eventually deadly enemies of the work of god and of him whom he had chosen as his prophet. simultaneously with this spirit of speculation, came the spirit of apostasy and rebellion against the authority of heaven. so rife did this spirit become that those who rebelled were applauded, and even men were glad to find excuse in the example of the twelve and other leading men for their own wrong-doing. the few of the apostles who were willing to fulfill the requirements of the gospel in all things were ridiculed and every effort was made to dissuade them from the course they were pursuing. jealousy and hatred of the prophet cropped out on every hand. those who disobeyed were called wise by all the disaffected spirits; and those who made every required sacrifice in humility were called foolish. but the generation had not passed away before the lord repaid according to his promise. the men who had exalted themselves were abased into nothingness; while those who had bowed their heads in humility were exalted. today the names of the proud and the vain of that time are almost forgotten; while the names of the apostles who endured all things faithfully are held in most solemn and sacred remembrance by the congregation of israel.
it was a time of great trial. in the winter of 1836-7 preparations had been made to establish a bank to be known as the kirtland safety society—an institution wisely designed to ameliorate the financial condition of the community. the society was established; but the prophet's plan for its usefulness and the general prosperity failed through the envy and covetousness of some of the leading men. the sorrow which this brought to joseph cannot be described. he had labored and advised with no other object than the general benefit, carrying upon his own shoulders a greater burden than was imposed upon anyone else. he had not sought self-aggrandizement, nor would he willingly permit the avarice of other men to gain advantage over the community's welfare.
he took part in every labor; and had assumed personally a large share of the work and care of the printing office, which was at that time a great responsibility and expense.
so many evil surmisings, so much disunion and apostasy followed in quick succession the spirit of speculation to which reference has been made, that the prophet was led to exclaim:
it seemed as though all the powers of earth and hell were combining their influence to overthrow the church.
the integrity of all was tested. instances of fidelity to the prophet were not wanting, especially among the meek and humble, and when the prophet met with these their presence and words brought solace and encouragement to his wounded spirit. among the prominent men defection was too general. several of them yielded to a spirit of murmuring and fault-finding who afterwards bitterly repented of their unstable and weak conduct and lack of integrity and courage. the feeling which joseph had during these sorrowful days is illustrated by remarks which he made to elder wilford woodruff, when the latter called upon him in the spring of 1837, on the eve of his departure on a mission to fox islands. at that time elder woodruff was one of the first seventy. the prophet scrutinized him very closely, as though he would read his inmost thoughts, and remarked: "brother woodruff, i am glad to see you; i hardly know, when i meet those who have been my brethren in the lord, who of them are my friends, they have become so scarce."
when elder woodruff reported to sidney rigdon, who was then the prophet's first counselor, how strongly he was impressed to carry the gospel to fox islands, to a people who, he felt, were ready to receive it, sidney said: "that is right; i wish you would go; for if you do, some of the devils who are now here in kirtland will follow you, as they will every faithful man who goes out into the vineyard."
the enemies of the cause abroad were united with the spirits of dissension at kirtland, to produce disaffection against the prophet himself and to attribute to him those evils which were solely caused by disobedience to his counsel and the command of god expressed through him. as we have seen, some of the twelve were so far blinded that they joined secretly with the enemy; but there was not a quorum in the church that was entirely exempt from the evil influence.
joseph was stricken with illness in june, 1837. and while he was wrestling with the adversary to overcome the physical affliction, the doubting members of the church were taught by apostates that his woes had been sent upon him because of his transgressions. when the prophet was once more restored through prayer and the blessing of the almighty to his condition of health and power, he humbly said of his enemies:
the lord judge betwixt me and them, while i pray my father to forgive them the wrong.
while satan was spreading this spirit of dissension through kirtland, the lord was directing to joseph the magnificent missionary movement to the old world. about the first day of june, 1837, that devoted and ever-constant apostle heber c. kimball was set apart by the spirit of prophecy and revelation to preside over a mission to england—the first in that dispensation. with him were associated apostle orson hyde and elders willard richards and joseph fielding; and when they reached new york they were joined by three brethren from canada, john goodson, isaac russell and john snyder. they sailed from the united states on the 1st day of july, 1837, on the ship garrick, and landed in liverpool on the 20th day of that same month.
this was the commencement of a glorious work, which has brought the honest-in-heart by tens of thousands from foreign lands, and which yet continues and must continue until the elect shall be gathered and the judgments of god are poured out upon the nations. though this was the first missionary work of the church performed in another hemisphere, self-denying brethren had up to this time been diligent in laboring in canada, in the states and among the indians on the border, that the people of this continent might have an opportunity to hear and obey.
it was a glorious overcoming of the evil which menaced the church at that hour. drawing strength and means from abroad to the cause, the missionary movement also opened a glorious opportunity for elders in zion to forsake speculations, vanities, dissensions, and to prove their faith by their devoted efforts for the salvation of their fellow-men.
apostles kimball and hyde, and elder richards and companions landed on this foreign shore absolutely moneyless. they did not have so much as a cent or a farthing, but they were not dismayed. the prophet of god had pronounced upon their heads blessings which they knew could not fail. immediately after landing at liverpool they advanced to preston, thirty miles distant. when they alighted from the coach they found unfurled above their heads a large flag bearing this inscription in letters of gold:
"truth will prevail."
the banner was floating in compliment to queen victoria who had but recently ascended the throne after the death of king william iv; but it was accepted as a promise and a good omen by the elders, and they were not disappointed.
elder joseph fielding had a brother who resided at preston, and with whom he and his sisters, one of whom afterwards became the wife of president hyrum smith, and the mother of his son, joseph f. smith, had corresponded. he was a minister of religion, and was styled rev. james fielding. three days after the elders landed in england they preached in mr. fielding's church, at preston, and seven days later they baptized nine persons in the river ribble near that place. the continuation of their work was marked by a noble zeal on their own part and a prosperity under the divine assistance almost without parallel.
the hatred against the prophet took violent form at this time. every possible effort was made by apostates and mobocrats to harass and injure him. on the 27th day of july, 1837, he departed from kirtland with elders brigham young, albert p. rockwood, sidney rigdon and thomas b. marsh for the purpose of performing a mission among the saints in canada. a considerable work was being done there, and the prophet desired to give personal counsel and assistance to the saints. but when they reached painesville, a few miles from kirtland, writs in civil action and warrants of arrest were served upon joseph for the purpose of detaining him. these suits were vexatious and without any foundation in law or justice. their purpose was stated by sheriff kimball, the man who served the papers upon the prophet, to elder anson call as follows:
we don't want your prophet to leave kirtland, and he shan't leave.
two or three times during that day the civil suits against him were dismissed, and he was discharged from the criminal warrants, their trumped-up character being evident. but this was only to make a show of justice; for the sheriff went after the prophet as he was leaving painesville, sprang into his carriage and served another writ upon him. though this case was manifestly unjust as the others, he was held to bail in the sum of $700—quite a large amount in those days, considering the poverty of the people and the petty nature of the suit. it was decided by the court that no one who lived in kirtland should be accepted as sureties upon the bonds. this order was made for no other purpose than to prevent the giving of bail, as it was hoped that joseph could not secure it elsewhere and that his person would remain in the hands of his enemies. it was anson call, then living at madison, who gave the necessary security for the prophet's liberation, thereby permitting him to return to kirtland. some weeks subsequently, at the time appointed for the trial, the prophet appeared in the court at painesville; but as no one was there to maintain the charge against him, the falsifiers having in the meantime become frightened at their own perjury, he was acquitted.
on the night of july 28th, 1837, which was the day after the arrest at painesville, joseph started again for canada with the brethren formerly named. on the afternoon of the 29th of july, having reached ashtabula, they took a deck passage on board a steamer for buffalo. they had very little money, and their accommodations and fare were of the humblest. they lay all night on the upper deck of the boat with their clothes on and with their valises for pillows. despite the tribulations through which he had just passed and despite the rudeness of his couch, the prophet slept serenely and restfully. when they reached buffalo the party separated, elders brigham young and albert p. rockwood going to the eastern states, and joseph—with elders rigdon and marsh—departing for upper canada.
during the month of august, 1837, joseph traveled among the branches of the church in canada, ministering counsel and comfort to the saints. at toronto he met john taylor, who had been baptized by parley p. pratt, and who was then the president over the church in canada. the prophet and the future president had a time of rejoicing together. joseph was deeply impressed by the character of john taylor. the latter had been a preacher in the methodist church at toronto, and had in that organization taken rank as a religious reformer. he declared apostolic doctrines before he ever saw one of the latter-day saints, and had been brought to trial before a ministerial body for his heretical sermons. with the inspiration that was upon him he had refused to recant, although his courageous act brought ostracism upon himself and family. it was this brave and scholarly man who welcomed joseph and labored with him in canada. it was this same hero who, after seven years of trial—during which he never flinched—was with his beloved prophet at the martyrdom in carthage jail. joseph's association with john taylor, as with other leading men in the church, shows how the lord was directing the footsteps of his future apostles and seers of that generation, that they should come into communication and into living and loving companionship with the founder of the church.
when the prophet returned from canada he secured a horse and wagon at the city of buffalo, with which to make the journey to kirtland. sidney was with him, and they traveled to painesville without molestation; but while there, eating supper at the house of a mr. bissel who had been the prophet's advocate in the former law suits, a mob surrounded the house and yelled for joseph's blood. bissel knew that he himself might be a sufferer, but he was determined that murder should not be committed upon an unoffending man if he could prevent it. while the rabble was congregating in groups around the house, he led joseph and sidney quietly through the back door, and under cover of night they slipped between the assassin crowds and escaped. scarcely were they gone when the mob discovered the fact and, mounting horses, pushed out upon the mentor road. they posted sentinels and lighted bonfires all along this track, which they expected the prophet and his companion would travel to get into kirtland. but joseph took to the fields. sidney was weakened and almost helpless with illness and fear. many swamps lay in their way; and joseph waded through these and carried sidney upon his back. he kept away from the road far enough to be secure in the darkness, while the fires which had been intended for his detection really aided him to avoid his blood-thirsty pursuers. after a toilsome and rapid journey, during which joseph carried sidney most of the way, they reached the end of the mentor road which intersected with a highway leading two miles into kirtland. the mob had not posted their sentinels or built their fires further than this point; and, being well past their enemies, joseph and sidney were able to take the traveled road and to continue their journey with less pain and toil. it was very late on saturday night when they reached their homes in kirtland greatly exhausted. none but their families heard of their arrival until the next morning, when joseph appeared at meeting and preached a powerful sermon to the assembled saints.
immediately after this time, on september 3rd, at a conference held in kirtland, oliver cowdery, joseph smith, sen., hyrum smith and john smith were sustained as assistant counselors to the first presidency, the congregation having declined to sustain frederick g. williams in the position which he held as second counselor to the prophet. objection being also made to three of the apostles, luke johnson, lyman e. johnson and john f. boynton, they were by the voice of the saints shorn of their apostolic rank and were disfellowshiped; however, as they subsequently made protestation of their repentance, they were received back into the church and into their station. but their humility was either a mere pretense or was very volatile in its character; because not many weeks elapsed until they were once more engaged in an effort to ruin the church and the prophet.
thus the first serious apostasy and the first great missionary movement of the church started together. how unavailing the falsehoods and lack of fidelity have been and how glorious the efforts of the servants of god to spread the light of the gospel through every land, every chapter of the church's history from that time to this speaks in eloquent tones.
in the august number of the messenger and advocate was published a prospectus for the elders' journal to be edited by the prophet. in pursuance of this announcement the publication of the messenger and advocate was suspended with the september number, and in october, 1837, the elders' journal was begun; but only two numbers were issued when, through the destruction of the printing office by fire, in december, 1837, work of this character was stopped.