CHAPTER XXI.

THE TERRIBLE TEMPEST ON FISHING RIVER--VISIT OF COL. SCONCE--CHOLERA IN CAMP--JOSEPH SMITTEN--SIDNEY GILBERT'S DEATH--PROPHET VISITS ZION.

Shortly before sunset on the 19th of July, 1834, two hundred armed men stood on the southern bank of the Missouri river ready to cross. Seventy armed men waited for them on the opposite shore, and sixty more, also armed, were marching from Richmond, Ray county, to meet them. Many of these were ruffians of the worst stripe; they had tied up innocent men and whipped them almost to death, they had frightened women and children out into the darkness and cold, and torn down or burned their houses. Some of them were murderers and all now had murder in their hearts.

A few miles away was another band of two hundred men, just at this time pitching their tents and preparing to spend the night. These had some weapons also, but were not so heavily armed as were the others. What they had, however, were near at hand and ready for use, for an attack was expected at any moment.

This was a body of God-fearing men, who had come from afar, bringing food to the hungry and clothing to those in need. They hoped also to help their brethren and sisters home to their lands in Jackson county. These men held the Priesthood of the Lord of hosts; they had come at His command; they would not have harmed an animal purposely, and certainly not a human being; but they were determined not to be robbed and killed, and they were ready to fight to the death in self-defense.

If God in His wisdom had seen fit to let the mob come on, blood would have flowed like water and martyr and murderer would have died together. But He had another fate for His servants than to die there at the hands of blood-thirsty Missourians. This was the hour to show His power. He spoke to the winds and they went rushing over the whole heaven, bearing the black clouds that gathered at His call. He commanded the lightning and the rain and the hail, and they obeyed.

Within a few miles of the Camp of Zion on every side, the hurricane raged. The great hail-storm beat down fields of corn and cut off branches from the trees, and the wind in many places twisted the trunks to splinters. Lightning flashed through the heaven all night long in great zigzag streaks, thunder crashed, and the earth shook.

The puny, weak creatures that had a few hours before defied God's work lost all their boldness and quailed at the sight of His anger. The rain wet them to the skin and spoiled their ammunition. The hail cut holes through their clothing and bruised their bodies. All who could, ran to their homes or hunted nearer shelter. Forty of the two hundred from Jackson county had crossed the Missouri and the boat had gone back for more when the storm came up. Of course the forty were very anxious to go back home then, but they could not swim the great river, and so spent the night with the storm beating down upon them, thinking over their own bad lives.

In Zion's Camp no hail fell, and there was little wind and rain. A few tents were blown down and some of the brethren were wet. Many found shelter in an old meeting house, and Joseph sent them to pay for the use of this on the following day. The storm did not frighten the brethren. They knew the Lord had raised it, not to harm them but to keep them from harm. When morning came they found great streams of water flowing between them and their enemies. Big Fishing river which was only ankle deep the night before was now forty feet in depth, and men from the mob said that Little Fishing river rose thirty feet in thirty minutes.

That day the Camp moved about five miles to a place where it would be harder to attack them, and stayed three days. While there, Colonel Sconce with two other men rode up. They came into the Camp, and when they were face to face with Joseph and the brethren the officer trembled so much that he could not stand up. After his nervousness had somewhat passed away he rose and asked what the Camp intended to do. He said he had led armed men from Ray county to fall upon the Camp, but the storm had driven him back, and he knew that an Almighty Power was protecting this people.

The Prophet answered him. He said that the Camp had come one thousand miles to bring supplies to their friends and to help them back to their homes. They hated bloodshed and their firearms were brought only to defend themselves. They intended to obey all laws and harm nobody. He told the sad story of the pitiful sufferings of the Jackson county Saints, and when he ended Colonel Sconce and his friends were in tears. These men were like Paul, the Apostle; they had tried to destroy the truth, believing it was evil. As soon as they learned that they had done wrong they sought to undo it. They rode over the country and told the people the truth about Joseph Smith and his followers.

Cornelius Gillium, sheriff of Clay county, also visited them, and after learning why they had come he told them about the people and the country and advised them how to avoid trouble. After leaving, Mr. Gillium published a true report of what he had learned.

Again on the twenty-third of June the Camp moved, now going toward Liberty, Clay county. Before they reached the town General Atchison, who, as you know, was employed by the Jackson Saints as lawyer, met them. He with other leading men came out to urge Joseph not to pass through Liberty, as they feared trouble. Of course it would have been silly after this warning to run chances of rousing a mob, so the Camp turned, passed by Liberty, and pitched their tents that night at the end of their journey, on Rush creek, among the Saints.

You remember that when Sylvester Smith and others rebelled against the Prophet, about three weeks before this, Joseph told them the Lord would scourge the Camp. And now the scourge came in the form of cholera. Two or three cases had appeared as a kind of warning before the Camp reached Rush creek and Joseph foretold what would come. He said he was sorry, but he could not help it.

On the following day, June 24th, the terrible disease broke out in earnest and continued four days. There were about sixty-eight cases, and thirteen persons died. Elder John S. Carter tried to rebuke the disease, but it at once seized him and he died. Joseph laid on hands and commanded it to depart from one of those afflicted. The disease did leave but came upon the Prophet. At the same time Hyrum was struck down.

Three times they kneeled and prayed for their lives, and the last time they made up their minds to keep on until they were healed. While they were pleading with the Lord, Hyrum saw in vision their mother back in Kirtland praying for her absent boys. God listened to her prayer and theirs, and they rose up well and strong again.

The Prophet learned a great lesson at this time. He knew that the Lord was going to punish the Camp in this way and he should not have tried to interfere with the Lord's purposes by using his Priesthood to hinder them.

Among those who died was Algernon Sidney Gilbert, who had charge of the Lord's store-house. He was an able, useful man, and had shown much bravery in the Jackson county troubles, but now he brought his own death upon him. The Prophet called him to go with others to Kirtland and after receiving his endowments to go on a mission. Brother Gilbert had suffered much from those outside the Church and was filled with a wrong spirit toward them. He answered that he would rather die than preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. God took him at his word, the cholera came upon him and he died.

These were terrible days. Men who were standing guard about the Camp fell down at their posts, and groans from those in agony came from all sides. Many faithful men suffered as well as some who were to blame for the scourge. But the true and obedient ones who were smitten will have their reward. The Camp was not united, therefore it was punished. At last a cure was found for the disease, and that was to put a person into cold water or pour it over him.

But while the cholera was still raging in the Camp, excitement and unrest were running high outside. To stop this Joseph announced publicly that he would disband those who had come to Missouri with him, and this he did on the twenty-fifth of June, 1834, nearly two months after the first party left Kirtland. The Prophet knew, too, for the Lord revealed it to him, that though the Camp had been successful in bringing food and clothing to the Saints, it could not help them back to their homes. The Church in Missouri had failed to keep the saintly union and faith that must be possessed by those who build up and inherit the center stake of Zion.

On the first of July Joseph crossed the Missouri with some of the brethren and went to Independence. He saw the same land that the Lord had dedicated as Zion three years before, now entirely in the hands of the wicked. It must have made him sad, but he did not lose courage. It was not the part of a fearful man to go into Jackson county as Joseph