History of Joseph Smith, the Prophet and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Joseph F. Smith
eyes of the people, until the army of Israel becomes very great;
27. And I will soften the hearts of the people, as I did the heart of Pharaoh, from time to time, until my servant Baurak Ale (Joseph Smith, Jun.,) and Baneemy (mine Elders), whom I have appointed, shall have time to gather up the strength of my house,
28. And to have sent wise men, to fulfill that which I have commanded concerning the purchasing of all the lands in Jackson county that can be purchased, and in the adjoining counties round about;
29. For it is my will that these lands should be purchased, and after they are purchased that my Saints should possess them according to the laws of consecration which I have given;
30. And after these lands are purchased, I will hold the armies of Israel guiltless in taking possession of their own lands, which they have previously purchased with their moneys, and of throwing down the towers of mine enemies that may be upon them, and scattering their watchmen, and avenging me of mine enemies unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.
31. But firstly, let my army become very great, and let it be sanctified before me, that it may become fair as the sun, and clear as the moon, and that her banners may be terrible unto all nations;
32. That the kingdoms of this world may be constrained to acknowledge, that the kingdom of Zion is in very deed the kingdom of our God and His Christ; therefore let us become subject unto her laws.
33. Verily I say unto you, it is expedient in me that the first Elders of my Church should receive their endowment from on high in my house, which I have commanded to be built unto my name in the land of Kirtland;
34. And let those commandments which I have given concerning Zion and her law be executed and fulfilled, after her redemption;
35. There has been a day of calling, but the time has come for a day of choosing, and let those be chosen that are worthy;
36. And it shall be manifest unto my servant, by the voice of the Spirit, those that are chosen, and they shall be sanctified;
37. And inasmuch as they follow the counsel which they receive, they shall have power after many days to accomplish all things pertaining to Zion.
38. And again I say unto you, sue for peace not only to the people that have smitten you, but also to all people;
39. And lift up an ensign of peace, and make a proclamation of peace unto the ends of the earth;
40. And make proposals for peace unto those who have smitten you, according to the voice of the Spirit which is in you, and all things shall work together for your good;
41. Therefore be faithful, and behold, and lo, I am with you even unto the end. Even so. Amen.
Footnotes
1. This paragraph is a note in the "Addenda" of the Ms. Church History, page 13, Book A.
2. This refusal of Governor Dunklin to reinstate the Saints on their lands in Jackson county must have been a severe blow to the hopes of Zion's camp and the Saints scattered in Clay county. From the time of their expulsion from Jackson county the governor repeatedly said that the exiles had a right to be reinstated upon their lands, and had promised that he would call out the militia of the State to reinstate them whenever they were ready and willing to return. In his communication to Messrs. W. W. Phelps, Morley, et al., under date of Feb. 4, 1834 (see Ch. Hist. vol. I, p. 476) he said in answer to their petition to be reinstated: "One of your requests needs no evidence to support the right to have it granted; it is that your people be put in possession of their homes, from which they had been expelled. But what may be the duty of the Executive after that, will depend upon contingencies." Even a few days before his interview with Messrs. Hyde and Pratt, in his letter to Colonel J. Thornton, under date of June 6th, he had said: "A more clear and indisputable right does not exist, than that of the Mormon people, who were expelled from their homes in Jackson county, to return and live on their lands; and if they cannot be persuaded as a matter of policy to give up that right, or to qualify it, my course, as the chief, executive officer of the state, is a plain one. The constitution of the United States declares, that the citizens of each state shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several states. Then we cannot interdict any people, who have a political franchise in the United States, from immigrating to this state, nor from choosing what part of the state they will settle in, provided they do not trespass on the property or rights of others." (See p. 85.)
In the face of this and other utterances the position now assumed by Governor Dunklin was a manifestation of weakness truly lamentable.
3. This and the paragraph following concerning Martin Harris, are notes in "Addenda" of the Ms. History. p. 14, Book A.
4. How beautifully in harmony is this counsel with the words of the Savior to Lucifer when the latter took him up and stood him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said: "If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God" (Matt. 4:6, 7.) Moreover, in this last dispensation when the promise of the spiritual gifts was renewed to the Saints, including the promise that "the poison of a serpent should not have power to harm them"—yet, saith the Lord, "a commandment I give unto them, that they shall not boast themselves of these things, neither speak them before the world, for these things are given unto you for your profit and for salvation" (Doc. & Cov., Sec. 84:73).
5. This paragraph is a note in the "Addenda" of the Ms. History, Book A, p. 14.
6. This paragraph and the one preceding it, under same date, are notes in the "Addenda" of the Ms. History, Book A, p. 14.
7. This paragraph is a note in the "Addenda" of the Ms. History, Book A, p. 15.
8. Wilford Woodruff says that when the five men entered the camp there was not a cloud to be seen in the whole heavens, but as the men left the camp there was a small cloud like a black spot appeared in the north west, and it began to unroll itself like a scroll, and in a few minutes the whole heavens were covered with a pall as black as ink. This indicated a sudden storm which soon broke upon us with wind, rain, thunder and lightning and hail. Our beds were soon afloat and our tents blown down over our heads. We all fled into a Baptist meetinghouse. As the Prophet Joseph came in shaking the water from his hat and clothing he said, "Boys, there is some meaning to this. God is in this storm." We sang praises to God, and lay all night on benches under cover while our enemies were in the pelting storm. It was reported that the mob cavalry who fled into the schoolhouse had to hold their horses by the bridles between the logs, but when the heavy hail storm struck them they broke away, skinning the fingers of those who were holding them. The horses fled before the storm and were not found for several days. It was reported that the captain of the company in the school house said it was a strange thing that they could do nothing against the Mormons but what there must be some hail storm or some other thing to hinder their doing anything, but they did not feel disposed to acknowledge that God was fighting our battles. (Wilford Woodruff's note in Ms. History of the Church, Book A p. 332.)
9. It is said of the prophet Joseph that if he could but once get the attention even of his bitterest enemies his native eloquence, inspired by the truth and the pathos of his people's sufferings, usually overwhelmed them; and in no instance was his triumph more marked than in the one just related.
10. The prediction will be found at p. 80.
11. When he (the Prophet Joseph) spoke these things it pierced me like a dart, having a testimony that so it would be. (Extracts from H.C. Kimball's journal, Times and Seasons, Vol. 6, p. 804.)
12. Doctrine and Covenants, sec. 105.
CHAPTER VIII.
Zion's