"Hearken, O ye elders of my Church, saith the Lord your God, who have assembled yourselves together, according to my commandments, in this land which is the land of Missouri, which is the land which I have appointed and consecrated for the gathering of the Saints. Wherefore this is the land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion. Behold, the place which is now called Independence is the centre place, and the spot for the Temple is lying westward, upon a lot which is not far from the Court-house: wherefore it is wisdom that the land should be purchased by the Saints; and also my tract lying westward, even unto the line running between Jew and Gentile; and also my tract bordering by the prairies, inasmuch as my disciples are enabled to buy lands. Behold, this is wisdom, that they may obtain it for an everlasting inheritance."

By the Jew is here understood the Lamanite or Indian. The site of Zion having been thus duly fixed, the enginery of revelation was also put in motion to raise the means. From a number we select the fol

lowing:

"He that sendeth up treasures unto the land of Zion shall receive an inheritance in this world, and his works shall follow him; and also reward in the world to come." "Let all the moneys that can be spared, it mattereth not whether it be little or much, be sent up unto the land of Zion, unto them whom I have appointed to receive." (August, 1831.)

The following looks very much like "letters-ofmarque" against the Gentiles:

"Behold, it is said in my laws, or forbidden, to get in debt to thine enemies; but behold, it is not said at

any time that the Lord should not take, when he please, and pay as seemeth to him good; wherefore, as ye are agents, and are on the Lord's errand; and whatever ye do according to the will of the Lord is the Lord's business, and he has sent you to provide for his Saints in these last days, that they may obtain an inheritance in the land of Zion."

There is no disputing a logical sequence upon the premises here assumed. If the Saints were really upon the Lord's business, and that business really required a foray upon the flocks and herds of the Gentiles, it would seem to be a fair conclusion that the Lord should settle the bills when he pleased.

In obedience to these celestial mandates, the means were obtained, and a large tract of land purchased in Jackson county, Missouri. Arrangements were speedily made for the establishment of a store, a printingpress, and the usual mechanical operations necessary for the convenience of a town. William W. Phelps, a broken-down political hack in the State of New York, was placed at the head of the paper. The Saints flocked in, and a town sprang up as by magic. by magic. Joseph returned to Kirtland, where he proposed to remain five years, to make money for ulterior purposes.

During this period of separation the elements of discord began to appear. Rigdon was a discontented spirit. He knew that he had furnished an equal share of the capital in starting the adventure, and became exceedingly restive in being compelled, by the superior tactics of his co-partner, to occupy a subordinate position. Phelps, too, was an uneasy genius, and, like the frog in the fable, was determined to swell himself into

importance. He had a ready skill in the dialect of lampoons and half-way libels common to a class of editors at that period; knew something of the weak points of human nature, and could tease it as effectually as the horse is tormented by a hungry swarm of flies. These and other kindred spirits began to question the legitimacy of the powers assumed by the prophet over the Church, and accused him, " in rather an indirect way, of seeking after monarchical power and authority." They began in whispers and covert insinuations, but finally broke out into open accusations, and boldly opened a correspondence with him on the subject. The prophet could not have been more annoyed had a chestnut burr been securely fastened to a sensitive part of his body. He would willingly have put down this rebellion by hurling the thunderbolts of revelation at the heads of the audacious traitors; but he was absent from the seat of discontent, and did not know how extensive or deeply rooted it might be. His position was exceedingly embarrassing, and he manifested a curious mixture of grief and indignation. In answer to one of Phelps's letters, he writes (January 11th, 1833), "Our hearts are greatly grieved at the spirit which is breathed both in your letter and that of Brother G******s the very spirit which is wasting Zion like a pestilence; and if it is not detected and driven from you, it will ripen Zion for the threatened judgments of God." "Let me say to you, seek to purify yourselves, and also all the inhabitants of Zion, lest the Lord's anger be kindled to fierceness.”

In addition to these threats of divine vengeance, he caused a conference of high-priests to be held, and a

general epistle to be written, rebuking the rebellious spirit of the Mormon camp. In this epistle, signed by Orson Hyde and Hyrum Smith, "Brother Phelps' letter" is spoken of as betraying "a lightness of spirit that ill becomes a man placed in the important and responsible station that he is placed in." He is significantly reminded, "If you have fat beef and potatoes, eat them in singleness of heart, and not boast yourselves in these things;" and the malcontents are warned that "Brother Joseph will not settle in Zion until she repent and purify herself, and abide by the new covenant, and remember the commandments that have been given her, to do them as well as to say them.” The prophet, however, soon found that the rebellion was too serious to be put down by these "paper pellets of the brain," and he was eventually compelled, in compromise of the difficulty, to associate two others with him in the presidency of the Church. The oracle in this emergency runs in this wise: "And again, verily, I say unto you, thy brethren, Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams, their sins are forgiven them also, and they are accounted as equal with thee in holding the keys of this last kingdom" (March, 1833). Here we have the quorum of three, which has now become the most important department in the government of the Church.

In the mean time, the Saints went on gathering at Independence until they numbered about twelve hundred. "The Evening and Morning Star," under the management of Phelps, was established in 1832, and opened its batteries upon the Gentile world. Every thing seemed to go on swimmingly. The Saints, en

couraged by increasing numbers and the indications of prosperity, became arrogant and overbearing, and talked of ultimately possessing the whole land. They soon, too, acquired a doubtful reputation for licentiousness, stealing, and fraudulent practices under various forms. To cap the climax, the "Star" published some incendiary articles in regard to the colored population, which aroused the jealousy of the slaveholders for the safety of the peculiar institution. The people became uncontrollably excited, and held a meeting at Independence, July 20, 1833, in which they resolved on the expulsion of the Mormons. They required that the office of the Star should be closed, and that the Saints should pledge themselves to remove; in which case they were to be "allowed to remain a reasonable time, to sell their property and close their business without any material sacrifice." The Saints wished for time to consult with their brethren in Ohio, but this being regarded by the angry multitude as an evasion, they again assembled, after a few hours' delay, leveled the printing-office to the ground, and tarred and feathered two of the principal Saints.

On the 23d of July, three days after, the mob again assembled, well armed, and the Mormons, becoming alarmed for their safety, agreed to remove from the county in a reasonable time. An agreement to this effect was drawn up and signed, by which one half were to remove by the first of January, and the rest by the first of April following, in consideration of which the people agreed that no further violence should be offered. Had these terms been complied with, probably no further violence would have occurred in Jack