hurlburt's efforts to destroy joseph—high councils organized—the camp of zion—a hard journey—rattlesnakes in camp—the prophet's philosophy—elder humphrey's experience.
with the opening of the year 1834, joseph recorded his prayer that the lord would deliver zion and gather in his scattered people to possess it in peace, and that, in their dispersion, he would provide for them that they might not perish of hunger and cold.
at the same time he was pursued by threats against his own life. the apostate, doctor p. hurlburt, was determined to wreak his rage upon joseph's person. hurlburt had circulated vile falsehoods and presented lying affidavits among the people in the towns surrounding kirtland, in the hope of exciting mobocratic violence. if personal considerations alone had been involved in these attempts of hurlburt's to destroy him, the prophet might have taken no steps to restrain him or to bring him to justice. but his duty to the church demanded his preservation, and by his consent process of court was secured against hurlburt, and later, on the 9th of april, 1834, that infamous creature was found guilty of threatening to kill, and was by a court at chardon, ohio, placed under bonds.
many high councils exist in the church at the present time, there being one in every stake of zion. it was on the 17th day of february, 1834, at kirtland, however, that the prophet organized the first high council of the church. this tribunal consisted of twelve high priests, and it was presided over by the prophet and his two counselors, sidney rigdon and frederick g. williams. its duty was to hear all matters of dispute between members of the church who sought equity, and to decide such issues according to the principles of eternal justice. the plan of settling disputes and preventing litigation among brethren, which the prophet was then inspired to introduce, has grown with the growth of the church, and the high council has performed an important mission in the years which have followed. it has worked without fees; it has known no coercion; the honesty of its decisions have been beyond question; and often it has been appealed to by men not of the faith, that their disputes might be settled with fairness and economy. it has never usurped the function of the criminal courts; it has never sought to enforce its judgment by any civil process. it has only decreed according to clear and unmistakable justice and has left the parties to accept the judgment, and if not complied with or appealed from, to have church fellowship withdrawn from them. the rules which the prophet established to control its proceedings under divine guidance were delivered to it at the time of organization, and they, speaking of all the high councils which have since been organized, are still governed by them. to confirm the twelve chosen men in their places the prophet laid his hands upon each one's head and blessed him with the gifts and authority necessary for his calling.
the first act of the high council at kirtland was to declare joseph smith the president of the church with sidney rigdon and frederick g. williams as the other members of the first presidency.
all this time the cry of the exiled saints in missouri was ascending to heaven for the redemption of their homes and for their own release from oppression. in a revelation given to the prophet february 24, 1834, the lord made known that the wicked had been permitted to fill up the measure of their iniquities that those who are called after his name might be chastened for a season; because in many things they had not hearkened unto his commandments. he declared that in his own due time the punishment of his wrath should be poured out upon the persecutors of his saints, and he promised the elect that they should repossess the goodly land from which they had been driven. the prophet was commanded to gather up the strength of the lord's house to journey to the land zion to assist the scattered saints. two days later he departed for the east to obtain assistance for the work of the lord. other elders were also called to perform similar missions. the prophet traveled as far as geneseo, new york, reaching there on the 15th day of march, 1834. on the way he preached to many of the congregations of saints and also to many assemblages of unbelievers. on the 19th of march he began his return journey to kirtland, which place he reached on the 28th. on the 18th day of april, 1834, while joseph was journeying in company with sidney rigdon, oliver cowdery and zebedee coltrin to new portage for the purpose of gathering up help for zion, an effort was made by a party of men to capture them as they traveled along the road after darkness had fallen. by driving rapidly they escaped the hands of the bandits who sent a torrent of curses after the prophet's party.
it was the 5th day of may, 1834, when joseph, having gathered clothing and food for his brethren and sisters in missouri who had been robbed and plundered of their effects, departed, with a company of brethren, from kirtland to find and succor the distressed saints. his party consisted of about one hundred men, nearly all young and nearly all endowed with the priesthood. at new portage they were joined by fifty men, some of whom had gone in advance of the main body from kirtland. a careful and harmonious organization of the company was made that the progress of this camp of zion might be in steadiness and order.
the wagons of the party numbered twenty and were filled with provisions and clothing, and such arms as the company needed for the securing of game and for defense. nearly all of the men were compelled to walk, and joseph cheerfully led their journey. they traveled sometimes forty or fifty miles in a day, resting always on the sabbath and holding religious services. every night they retired to their tents at the sound of the trumpet, and every man bowed to the lord in thanksgiving for the blessings of the day and in supplication for the welfare of the families they were leaving behind and the poor saints they were going to meet. and every morning at the sound of the trumpet every man arose and fell upon his knees before heaven, invoking its watchful care during the day.
the march was necessarily one of great hardship. the men waded rivers, struggled through marshes and tramped across hard stretches of hill and sandy plain. many of them suffered from bruised and bleeding feet. often they were harassed by evil men who suspected their mission and sought to prevent its fulfillment.
a few persons in the camp had proved unruly, and while they were in the vicinity of the illinois river, joseph was led to utter a solemn warning against the dissensions of some of his brethren. he exhorted them to faithfulness and humility, and told them that the lord had revealed to him that a scourge must come upon them in consequence of their disobedience. still if they would repent and humble themselves before the lord, a part of the severity of the scourge might be turned away.
joseph and his brethren reached the banks of the mississippi on the 4th day of june, and encamped at a point where the river was a mile and half in width. having but one ferry boat two days were required in which to make the passage of the entire party from illinois into missouri. besides, they were delayed, though not prevented, by the menace of numerous enemies who swore that they should not pass beyond the mississippi.
one of the instructions given by the prophet during this journey was that his brethren should not kill an animal of any kind, unless it became absolutely necessary to save themselves from starvation. on one occasion, while the prophet's tent was being pitched at camp the men saw three rattlesnakes and were about to kill them, but joseph forbade the act. he asked the elders how would the serpent ever lose its venom while the servants of god made war upon it with desire to kill. he said: "men themselves must first become harmless before they can expect the brute creation to be so. when man shall lose his own vicious disposition and cease to destroy the inferior animals, the lion and lamb may dwell together and the suckling child play with the serpent in safety." it was a deep philosophy and contrary to the preconceived notions and early lessons of his brethren; but they obeyed. and soon they experienced the truth of his words. one of the members of the camp by the name of solomon humphrey lay down on the prairie one day to rest. he fell asleep with his hat in hand. while he slumbered a large rattlesnake crawled up and coiled between him and his hat, and when elder humphrey awoke he found the serpent's head not a foot from his own. he did not harm it, and when some of his brethren would have killed it, he stayed their hands, saying: "no, i will protect him, for he and i have had a good nap together." although the rattlesnake was roused it made no effort to strike.
