Chapter I: Preface

In sending out this little work, the author hopes with all his heart that he has made interesting and instructive a subject that has been a source of inspiration to him. The book was called forth mainly by the need of the Sunday Schools for such a publication. In many schools the author's _Life of Joseph Smith_ is being used, but that book was not written as a text-book for children. This little volume can be put to such a use, and can be placed in the hands of the children themselves. Teachers may gather new material to give them from any source they desire, but the children have a foundation furnished here.

In this book there may be words that a child of ten or twelve years will not understand; but the child's vocabulary would never grow if he met no new words. However the author believes there are few if any places where an intelligent child cannot gather the meaning from the context. The work is purposely arranged in forty chapters, as that is the number of Sundays, fast-days excluded, in the year; but if possible, a little time once a month should be given to review work. Special attention is called to the chapter headings, which may be used as the topics on which different members of the class may prepare to talk. The maps and illustrations will be found valuable in aiding the child's understanding. While these suggestions apply to the use of this volume as a text-book, it has also been the aim to have the history suitable for general reading as well.

It has been the author's desire through life to aid in giving the young Latter-day Saints so much that is good and pure in literature that they will have no excuse for reading that which is trashy or improper. Good books, if not the strongest outside influence, are at least very strong in the building of character. The story of life upon the earth is beautiful and has absorbing interest if that life is natural, that is, in harmony with the will of our Father in Heaven. The real experiences of a bold missionary of Truth should be and are of the highest interest to all right-minded Mormon children of either sex. Hence the author has seen fit to regard this little work as the beginning of a series of biographies of the Presidents of the Church, which he has under contemplation. He believes that the data of the history of the Church can be given as completely in the lives of the men who have led it as in any other way. There are some additional advantages: a biography has greater unity and consequently children can grasp it better; they obtain a deeper understanding, too, of the Church and its principles, when they see the life-history and growth of a man under the influence of the Gospel; and they become intimately acquainted with the noblest characters that have ever lived upon the earth. Besides this, the history of the Church is divided into periods that correspond with the time that each man has been President. Each may almost be considered an epoch. The Church was organized and its members grew to be a strong people in the life of Joseph Smith; they became pioneers and colonizers in the life of Brigham Young; John Taylor's presidency was marked by the dark struggles which threatened the very existence of the Church itself. Wilford Woodruff's by the wonderful progress of the Saints when given liberty. Lorenzo Snow's already promises to mark a new and eventful period.

THE LATTER-DAY PROPHET is now sent forth, with the fervent prayer that it may create in the hearts of the children of Zion a greater love for the man who made of human life a thing so nearly divine, and help them to go bravely forward with the work he was chosen to begin.

THE AUTHOR.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Birthplace of the Prophet Joseph Smith--His Ancestors--Removal to New York State--A Religious Revival

CHAPTER II.

Joseph Inclined to Think Seriously upon Religion--Undecided as to which Church to Join--Gets Light from the Bible--His First Prayer--Answered by a Glorious Vision

CHAPTER III.

How the Account of his Vision was Received--His Further Inquiry for Light--Another Vision

CHAPTER IV.

The Morning Vision--Joseph Tells his Father--Visits Cumorah--The Plates Found--Moroni's Command

CHAPTER V.

The Four Years of Waiting--Joseph Works in Pennsylvania--Marriage--The Last Visit to the Hill--Outruns the Robbers

CHAPTER VI.

Persecution--Martin Harris Comes to Joseph's Aid--Anthon Fulfills a Prophecy--Martin becomes Scribe--Strange Book-Writers

CHAPTER VII.

Martin Harris Impatient--The Manuscript Lost--God's Wisdom Shown--Joseph Repents--Slow Progress of Translation

CHAPTER VIII.

Oliver Cowdery Becomes Scribe--Joseph and Oliver Pray for New Light--The Priesthood Restored--The First Baptisms--Kindness of Joseph Knight

CHAPTER IX.

David Whitmer Takes the Prophet to Fayette--Many Believe and are Baptized--Eleven Witnesses See the Plates and Bear Record--The Higher Priesthood Restored--The Translation Finished

CHAPTER X.

The Church Organized--Joseph Accepted as Leader--The Holy Ghost Conferred--Joseph Casts the Devil from Newel Knight--The First Conference

CHAPTER XI.

Baptisms at Colesville--Joseph Arrested--Davidson and Reid on the Defense--Suffering Like the Master--Narrow Escape from Mods

CHAPTER XII.

Fighting the Evil One--The Mob Blinded--President Alone to Receive Revelation for the Church--First Missionary Movement--Working in the West

CHAPTER XIII.

The Westward Move Begins--Kirtland--The High Priesthood Conferred--Joseph Goes to Missouri--Zion Dedicated

CHAPTER XIV.

The Two Stakes--Joseph Lives at Hiram--McLellin Tries to Write a Revelation and Fails--The Apostate Booth Stirs up Hatred--Joseph Tarred and Feathered

CHAPTER XV.

The Visit to Missouri--Joseph Poisoned--Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball come to Kirtland--Prophecy of Civil War--First Presidency Organized

CHAPTER XVI.

Trouble Begins in Missouri--The Elders Pray, the Mob Gets Drunk--July Mob Destroys Printing Office and Tar and Feather the Brethren--The Saints Promise to Leave--Appeal to Governor

CHAPTER XVII.

The Missouri Saints Hire Lawyers and the Mob Forms--Night Attack on Big Blue Branch--Two Days of Cruelty and Plunder--The Battle--Saints Give up Arms

CHAPTER XVIII.

New Struggle of Old War--Mob Turned loose on Saints--The Terrible Driving--Appeals to Dunklin and Jackson--Mob and Saints Hold Conference

CHAPTER XIX.

Foundation of the Kirtland Temple Laid--Joseph Goes on Mission to Canada--First High Council Formed--Zion's Camp Gathered--Wilford Woodruff a Member

CHAPTER XX.

Zion's Camp on the Way--Miracle of Bringing Forth Water--Zelph, the White Lamanite--Rebellion in the Camp--Stop for the Night on Fishing River--Campbell's Threat--The Mob Aroused

CHAPTER XXI.

The Terrible Tempest on Fishing River--Visit of Col. Sconce--Cholera in Camp--Joseph Smitten--Sidney Gilbert's Death--Prophet Visits Zion

CHAPTER XXII.

A Time of Peace Begins--Building the Temple at Kirtland--The Twelve Apostles Chosen--First Quorum of Seventy Organized--Joseph Translates Pearl of Great Price--William Smith's Sin

CHAPTER XXIII.

The Prophet's Growth in Knowledge--Glorious Visions in the Temple--Dedication--Keys of this Dispensation Conferred--Elders go out to Preach

CHAPTER XXIV.

The Saints in Clay County--Citizens Ask them to Leave--Caldwell County Formed--John Taylor--Lorenzo Snow--Willard Richards

CHAPTER XXV.

The Spirit of Speculation--Kirtland Safety Society Begins and Fails--Many Apostatize--The English Mission Opened--Satan Strikes Heber C. Kimball, but Fails to Stop the Work

CHAPTER XXVI.

Joseph Visits Canada--Carries Sidney Through Swamps to Escape Mob--Men Fall from High Places--Prophet Escapes to Missouri--David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery Cut off the Church

CHAPTER XXVII.

The Last Missouri Persecution Begins--Fifteen Brave Men Defeat One Hundred and Fifty Cowards--Penniston and Black Swear Falsehoods--Joseph and Lyman Wight Put Under Bonds--Mob Gathers

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Mob Attacks De Witt--Joseph Tries in Vain to Save the Town--Mob Driven Away from Adam-ondi-Ahman--Apostle Patten Killed in Battle of Crooked River--Extermination Begins at Haun's Mill--Alma Smith's Wound and his Mother's Faith

CHAPTER XXIX.

Hinkle Betrays Joseph and Brethren to Mob-Militia--Court-Martial Orders them to be Shot--Soldiers Sack Far West--Joseph Preaches in Independence--Brethren taken to Richmond for Trial--Clark Finishes Terrible Work at Far West and Adam-ondi-Ahman--Mock Trial and Imprisonment

CHAPTER XXX.

Petition the Legislature for Justice--John Taylor and John E. Page Ordained Apostles--Preparations to Leave Missouri--Treatment of Joseph and his Fellow-Prisoners--Illinois the next Gathering Place of the Saints

CHAPTER XXXI.

Prisoners in Liberty Jail Seek their Liberty--Taken to Gallatin for Trial--Ordered to be Taken to Boone County--Their Escape from the Guards--Conference at Far West--A Prophecy Fulfilled--Last of the Saints Leave Missouri

CHAPTER XXXII.

Saints Locate at Commerce, Afterwards called Nauvoo--An Unhealthy Place--A Day of Miraculous Healings--Apostles set out upon Missions to England--Their Labors in that Land

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Joseph and Companions Depart for the National Capital--The Prophet's act of Heroism--Visits President Van Buren--The Latter's Cowardice--Apostle Hyde's Mission to Jerusalem--Boggs' Demand for the Prophet and his Brethren--Death of the Prophet's Father--Nauvoo Chartered as a City--Nauvoo University and Legion

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Carlin sends out the old Order for Arrest--Joseph Nurses the Sheriff--The Trial--Don Carlos Smith Dies--Visit from Sac and Fox Indians--Baptism for Dead Begun--First Relief Society Organized

CHAPTER XXXV.

Bennett's Plots to Destroy the Prophet--A Prophecy--Joseph Charged with Being an Accessory to the Attempted Assassination of Boggs--His Arrest and Trial--Set at Liberty

CHAPTER XXXVI.

A Bloody War Predicted--The Prophet's Interview with Stephen A. Douglas--A Prophecy--The Celestial Order of Marriage--Joseph Kidnapped and Abused--He Entertains the men who sought to take his Life

CHAPTER XXXVII.

The Prophet a Model of Perfect Manhood--Apostasy of Men who had been his Friends--Christmas Day--The Prophet a Candidate for the Presidency of the United States--Prediction Concerning the Saints--The Work of his Enemies

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

The Plot of an Apostate--The Publication of the Nauvoo "Expositor"--Declared a Nuisance and Abated as such--Joseph's Last Public Speech--He and his Brother Hyrum leave Nauvoo--Return to the City--"I am Going Like a Lamb to the Slaughter"

CHAPTER XXXIX.

Under the Governor's Pledge of Protection Joseph and His Brethren go to Carthage--Arrested and Imprisoned--Occurrences at Carthage--Plot to Murder the Prophet--Governor Ford's Cowardice and Treachery

CHAPTER XL.

The Prisoners in Carthage Jail--Surrounded by a Mob with Painted Faces--The Martyrdom--The Return to Nauvoo--Funeral and Burial--Conclusion

THE LATTER-DAY PROPHET.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S

HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH.