CHAPTER VII.
Beginning Of Active Hostilities
Result of Smith's Domineering Course--Jealousy caused by the Scattering of the Saints--Founding of Adam-ondi-Ahman--Rigdon's Famous Salt Sermon--Open Defiance of the Non-Mormons--The Mormons in Politics--An Election Day Row--Arrests and Threats
SMITH had shown his dominating spirit as soon as he arrived at Far West. In April, 1838, he announced a "revelation" (Sec. 115), commanding the building of a house of worship there, the work to begin on July 4, the speedy building up of that city, and the establishment of Stakes in the regions round about. This last requirement showed once more Smith's lack of judgment, and it became a source of irritation to the non-Mormons, as it was thought to foreshadow a design to control the neighboring counties. Hyde says that Smith and Rigdon deliberately planned the scattering of the Saints beyond the borders of Clay County with a view to political power.1
1 Hyde's "Mormonism," p. 203.
In accordance with this scheme, a "revelation" of May 19 (Sec. 116), directed the founding of a town on Grand River in Daviess County, twenty-five miles northwest of Far West. This settlement was to be called "Adam-ondi-Ahman," "because it is the place where Adam shall come to visit his people, or the Ancient of Days shall sit, as spoken of by Daniel the Prophet." The "revelation" further explains that, three years before his death, Adam called a number of high priests and all of his posterity who were righteous, into the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and there blessed them. Lee (who, following the common pronunciation, writes the name "Adam-on-Diamond") expresses the belief, which Smith instilled into his followers, that it "was at the point where Adam came and settled and blessed his posterity, after being driven from the Garden of Eden. There Adam and Eve tarried for several years, and engaged in tilling the soil."2 By order of the Presidency, another town was started in Ca rroll County, where the Saints had been living in peace. Immediately the new settlement was looked upon as a possible rival of Gallatin, the county seat, and the non-Mormons made known their objections.
2 "Mormonism Unveiled," p. 91.
With Smith and Rigdon on the ground, if these men had had any tact, or any purpose except to enforce Mormon supremacy in whatever part of Missouri they chose to call Zion, the troubles now foreshadowed might easily have been prevented. Every step they took, however, was in the nature of a defiance. The sermons preached to the Mormons that summer taught them that they would be able to withstand, not only the opposition of the Missourians, but of the United States, if this should be put to the test.3
3Corrill's "Brief History of the Church," p. 29.
The flock in and around Far West were under the
influence of such advice when they met on July 4 to lay the corner-stone of the
third Temple, whose building Smith had revealed, and to celebrate the day.
There was a procession, with a flagpole raising, and Smith embraced the
occasion to make public announcement of the tithing "revelation"
(although it bears a later date).
The chief feature of the day, and the one that had most
influence on the fortunes of the church, was a sermon by Sidney Rigdon, known
ever since as the "salt sermon," from the text Matt. v. 13: "If
the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth
good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of
men." He first applied these words to the men who had made trouble in the
church, declaring that they ought to be trodden under foot until their bowels
gushed out, citing as a precedent that "the apostles threw Judas Iscariot
down and trampled out his bowels, and that Peter stabbed Ananias and
Sapphira." It was what followed, however, which made the serious trouble,
a defiance to their Missouri opponents in these words: --
"It is not because we cannot, if we were
so disposed, enjoy both the honors and flatteries of the world, but we have
voluntarily offered them in sacrifice, and the riches of the world also, for a
more durable substance. Our God has promised a reward of eternal inheritance,
and we have believed his promise, and, though we wade through great
tribulations, we are in nothing discouraged, for we know he that has promised
is faithful. The promise is sure, and the reward is certain. It is because of
this that we have taken the spoiling of our goods.
"Our cheeks have been given to the
smiters, and our heads to those who have plucked off the hair. We have not
only, when smitten on one cheek, turned the other, but we have done it again
and again, until we are weary of being smitten, and tired of being trampled
upon. We have proved the world with kindness; we have suffered their abuse,
without cause, with patience, and have endured without resentment, until this
day, and still their persecution and violence does not cease. But from this day
and this hour, we will suffer it no more.
"We take God and all the holy angels to witness
this day, that we warn all men, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come on us no
more for ever, for, from this hour, we will bear it no more. Our rights shall
no more be trampled on with impunity. The man, or set of men, who attempt it,
does it at the expense of their lives. And that mob that comes on us to
disturb us, it shall be between us and them a war of extermination, for we
will follow them to the last drop of their blood is spilled, or else they will
have to exterminate us; for we will carry the seat of war to their own
houses, and their own families, and one party or the other shall be utterly
destroyed. Remember it then, all men.
"We will never be aggressors; we will infringe on
rights of no people; but shall stand for our own until death. We claim our own
rights, and are willing that all shall enjoy theirs.
"No man shall be at liberty to come in our
streets, to threaten us with mobs, for if he does, he shall atone for it before
he leaves the place; neither shall he be at liberty to vilify or slander any of
us, for suffer it we will not in this place.
"We therefore take all men to record this day, as
did our fathers. And we pledge this day to one another, our fortunes, our
lives, and our sacred honors, to be delivered from the persecutions which we
have had to endure for the last nine years, or nearly that. Neither will we
indulge any man, or set of men, in instituting vexatious lawsuits against us to
cheat us out of our just rights. If they attempt it we say, woe be unto them.
We this day then proclaim ourselves free, with a purpose and a determination
that never can be broken, no never, no never,
NO
NEVER."
Ebenezer Robinson in The Return (Vol I, p.
170) says: --
"Let it be distinctly understood that
President Rigdon was not alone responsible for the sentiment expressed in his
oration, as that was a carefully prepared document previously written, and well
understood by the First Presidency; but Elder Rigdon was the mouthpiece to
deliver it, as he was a natural orator, and his delivery was powerful and
effective."
Several Missouri gentlemen of note, from other
counties, were present on the speaker's stand at its delivery, with Joseph
Smith, Jr., President, and Hyrum Smith, Vice President of the day; and at the
conclusion of the oration, when the president of the day led off with a shout
of 'Hosannah, Hosannah, Hosannah,' and joined in the shout by the vast
multitude, these Missouri gentlemen began to shout 'hurrah,' but they soon saw
that did not time with the other, and they ceased shouting. A copy of the
oration was furnished the editor, and printed in the Far West, a weekly
newspaper printed in Liberty, the county seat of Clay county. It was also
printed in pamphlet form, by the writer of this, in the printing office of the
Elders' Journal, in the city of Far West, a copy of which we have preserved.
"This oration, and the stand taken by the church
in endorsing it, and its publication, undoubtedly exerted a powerful influence
in arousing the people of the whole upper Missouri country."
At the trial of Rigdon, when he was cast out at Nauvoo,
Young and others held him alone responsible for this sermon, and declared that
it was principally instrumental in stirring up the hostilities that ensued.
A state election was to be held in Missouri early in
August, and there was a good deal of political feeling. Daviess County was
pretty equally divided between Whigs and Democrats, and the vote of the Mormons
was sought by the leaders of both parties. In Caldwell County the Saints were
classed as almost solidly Democratic. When election day came, the Danites in
the latter county distributed tickets on which the Presidency had agreed, but
this resulted in nothing more serious than some criticism of this interference
of the church in politics. But in Daviess County trouble occurred.
The Mormons there were warned by the Democrats that the
Whigs would attempt to prevent their voting at Gallatin. Of the ten houses in
that town at the time, three were saloons, and the material for an election-day
row was at hand. It began with an attack on a Mormon preacher, and ended in a
general fight, in which there were many broken heads, but no loss of life;
after which, says Lee, who took part in it, "the Mormons all
voted."4
4 Smith's autobiography says, "Very few of the brethren voted."
Exaggerated reports of this melee reached Far West,
and Dr. Avard, collecting a force of 150 volunteers, and accompanied by Smith
and Rigdon, started for Daviess County for the support of their brethren. They
came across no mob, but they made a tactical mistake. Instead of disbanding and
returning to their homes, they, the next morning (following Smith's own
account)5 "rode out to view the situation." Their ride
took them to the house of a justice of the peace, named Adam Black, who had
joined a band whose object was the expulsion of the Mormons. Smith could not
neglect the opportunity to remind the justice of his violation of his oath, and
to require of him some satisfaction, "so that we might know whether he was
our friend or enemy." With this view they compelled him to sign what they
called "an agreement of peace," which the justice drew up in this
shape: --
"I, Adam Black, A Justice of the Peace of
Davies County, do hereby Sertify to the people called Mormin that he is bound
to suport the constitution of this state and of the United States, and he is
not attached to any mob, nor will not attach himself to any such people, and so
long as they will not molest me I will not molest them. This the 8th day of
August, 1838.
"ADAM BLACK, J. P."
5 Millennial Star, Vol. XVI, p. 229.
When the Mormon force returned to Far West, the Daviess people secured warrants for the arrest of Smith, L. Wight, and others, charging them with violating the law by entering another county armed, and compelling a justice of the peace to obey their mandate, Black having made an affidavit that he was compelled to sign the paper in order to save his life. Wight threatened to resist arrest, and this caused such a gathering of Missourians that Smith became alarmed and sent for two lawyers, General D. R. Atchison and General Doniphan, to come to Far West as his legal advisers.6 Acting on their advice, the accused surrendered themselves, and were bound over to court in $500 bail for a hearing on September 7.
6 General Atchison was the major
general in command of that division of the state militia. His early reports to
the governor must be read in the light of his association with Smith as
counsel. General Doniphan afterward won fame at Chihuahua in the Mexican War.