Morning Star (39 page)

His arms were tight and warm, reassuring, Jenny decided. She sat up to look at him and in the glow of moonlight she could see the forced smile, the shadowed eyes. “Mark, now I see it as a terrible injustice to you, regardless. I do ask your forgiveness. I've hated it all.”

He pulled her head back to his shoulder and they continued to sit in the chair in silence. With a sigh Jenny sat up. “Would it help if I were to tell you that the day Sally was buried, I told Joseph I renounced it all—the church, him, the books, the revelations. All. I just don't accept it as being from God.” She spoke gently, “Mark, go up to bed. You're exhausted. I . . . I need to stay here for a time.”

Jenny wrapped the shawl about herself and, as Mark went up the stairs, she got back into the rocking chair.

She contemplated the quiet emptiness inside herself. With shame she said, “Oh, Lord Jesus. You told me to tell him; I would have saved us both so much grief if only I had said this weeks ago.”

She continued to sit in the chair. Drained emotionally, her thoughts drifted—not toward the disclosures of the evening but instead toward the spiraling change in her life. Mormonism had seemed a step upward from the craft. First she had renounced the craft, and now Joseph's church.

But there was emptiness. She contemplated the flatness of her disappointment. The Bible had promised joy, peace. She felt only emptiness.

Then came the familiar nudge. Now words welled up, and this time she listened as Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” And then in a moment she was murmuring the words, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

She sat up straight. “Jesus Christ, You are God and You came to this earth to die for my sins. I believe that I don't have to do anything but accept Your gift to me.”

Jenny began to cry, but when she could, she ran upstairs. “Mark!” She shook him, burrowing in with him and putting her arms around him. “Mark! Why didn't you tell me about how I'd feel?”

He came up out of the pillows and blinked at her. Seeing the joy in her eyes, he pulled her into his arms and said, “Thank you, Lord Jesus.” Then he grinned down at Jenny. “Why, I suppose I thought the Lord ought to have that privilege.”

Chapter 39

Joseph marched into the office the next morning. Dropping the stack of papers on Mark's desk, he said, “Here it is. The petition to Congress, just like I promised you. Look it over, and let's get it off. I'm asking them to make me an officer in the Army. I'm going to need power to raise a hundred thousand volunteers—and that's what it'll take in order to do a decent job of guarding the western borders of the United States. With what I've promised them, I don't see how they can possibly refuse.”

He paced the office, cracking his knuckles as he enumerated, “I'm going to hold out hope of deliverance to Texas, as well as protect Oregon. They're being threatened by England and France. In short, my stand is for deliverance from tyranny and oppression for all the people.”

“It's a pretty ambitious petition,” Mark stated, picking up the paper.

“Not out of line. Hyde said Stephen A. Douglas gave him the word that if he were in my shoes, he'd resign from Congress and be on his way to California in a month's time.”

Joseph headed for the door and then turned, “Mark, there's a Council meeting tonight—the Fifties. Be there. It's important.”

After supper that evening Mark rode into town with Orson. When their horses met at the roadway, Mark said, “If we keep getting these meetings, I guess we'll have to encourage our wives to spend more time together. John Mark keeps Jenny busy, and I know she doesn't like him up late, but still—I don't like to leave her alone.”

“Haven't seen that brother-in-law of yours lately.”

“Joseph's sent him back to Texas with Woodworth. I guess things are looking pretty good there.” He slanted a glance at Orson who gave him a twisted grin.

“Naw, I don't think there's a danger of our being pushed out. I don't think the Prophet does, either. Things have simmered down. Bennett seems to have quit his dirty work. Time will tell. If there're as many people flocking into Nauvoo this year as there were last, I'd say that's a barometer of goodwill toward him.”

The meeting got underway promptly at eight. Joseph was chuckling when he came into the room, and Mark relaxed.

Shaking his head, Joseph said, “Trust Rockwell to come up with that idea. Wonder if his pigtail was responsible.”

Kimball said, “It's your problem if you don't like it. You made such a to-do about it, he decided to keep it. Where's he tonight?”

“Outside,” Joseph remarked tersely. Briefly there was a shadow in his eyes. “He seems to think there's a need for real caution. That's why the frocks.”

There was an exclamation from the back of the room and Pratt said, “I'd heard someone saw Rockwell sneaking around town all dressed up like a lady. General, Port's too big to pass as any kind of a lady.”

The smile faded from Joseph's face as he said, “My life is in danger. It isn't the forces outside Nauvoo I fear. Some little dough-headed fool in this city causes me more anxiety than all the forces of Satan out there. It's the traitors within the circle who keep me awake nights. I've said before, I say again, we've a Judas within our group.”

Joseph shook his shoulders as if freeing them from a specter, and he passed on to other business. Catching Mark's eye, he told about the petition, adding, “I fully expect them to grant our request; so fellas, start planning your lives around this.”

When Joseph braced his feet and shoved his hands into his pockets, Mark moved uneasily. Joseph said, “Nauvoo's growing. It's no longer a peaceful little town. There's unrest, contention. I've asked Wight and Rockwell to expand the Angels. I'm feeling the tide moving against me and I intend to be prepared. There's rumors,” he paused and his restless eyes swept over the men.

“I've had some reliable sources advise me of a type of unrest we can't abide. Rattlers in the woodpile.

“So far I haven't been able to get enough money together to print the revised Bible. This is contrary to the wishes of the Lord. However, until that is done, I'll take upon myself to teach you on the subjects the Lord wants revealed at this time.

“In the revelation concerning celestial, or in other words, everlasting marriage, there is an item mentioned which we need to pursue. The Lord has revealed in this section the subject of destruction in the flesh in order to save the soul. If a man or woman under the shield of the new and everlasting marriage, commits a sin or transgression against the marriage, that person shall be destroyed in the flesh.

“Likewise, under the shield of this marriage, a wife caught with a man other than her husband shall be destroyed in the flesh. The purpose of this command is to show the sacredness of this everlasting union.

“In conjunction with this revelation, I wish to show another command which shall point out the seriousness of our standing before the Lord. In the book of Mark, chapter 9 and verses 43 through 48, we find the admonition, given in the new translation, in regard to cutting off the hand. That hand is your brother. Therefore, if your brother offend you, it is better for you that he be cut off than for the both of you to enter hell. Every man is to stand or fall by himself. So you see, what the Lord is telling us is that it is better to kill the offending brother than to let him pull you down into hell.

“Now, brethren, I must remind you again, you have been given the blessings of the priesthood. Go out and do the works of Abraham.”

“General,” came a timid voice from the back of the room. “Are you meaning to tell us we're
obligated
? One of the fellas the other day reminded us that the laws of Illinois are against plural marriage.”

“I have reminded you before that the laws of the state are an abomination. We shall not keep them when they go against the laws of God.”

Mark could no longer hold his tongue. “I just read the
Doctrine and Covenants
, section 58, verse 21, where we are advised against breaking the laws of the country. There is the promise given that by keeping the law of God, we have no reason to break the law of the country.”

The meeting ended and Mark headed for the door. He felt a hand on his arm and turned. It was John D. Lee and he was wearing a perplexed frown on his face. “A word, Mark.” When they were outside the building, Lee continued, “You know this group is the council of the gods. You don't seem to realize the seriousness of your attitude. Mark, don't you yet accept the teaching that without plural marriage a man can never attain the fullness of the holy priesthood and thereby be made equal with the Savior?”

When they parted company at the end of the street, Lee was still shaking his head.

Jenny was sitting in the rocking chair with her Bible in her lap. She looked up and smiled when he came in. Squatting on the floor close to her he said, “Before I left this evening I noticed you had something on your mind. What is it?”

“Oh, Mark, I suppose these last few weeks have given me the jitters. It's probably nothing. But after I left Relief Society meeting this morning, I headed down the street intending to shop. I saw one of the Whittlers out. He was sitting on a stump at the watering trough.

“When I passed he got up and walked along behind me. If I hadn't known about such men, I probably would have thought nothing of it.”

She paused to gulp and added, “It was all I could do to keep from running. I really don't think he intended to harm me, but he followed down the street, whistling that terrible flat tune and all the time whittling on that stick. I turned once and he was looking at me.”

“Jenny, the Whittlers are for the purpose of chasing the enemies or apostates out of town. There's no reason to fear, particularly since you are a harmless woman—not a threat to anyone.”

Mark continued to examine her face for a moment more, then uttered that request he had been holding back for over a year. “Jenny, shall we leave?” He watched the hope flare to life in her eyes.

She looked around the room. “Mark, this place has been such a big part of our lives; but yes, I'm ready to leave.”

He got to his feet and his thoughts turned back to the evening. “Jenny, will you trust me to get us out of here at just the right time? Also, please don't mention to anyone that we are planning to leave.”

When she stretched for his kiss, she hesitated, and he saw the fear in her eyes.

“What is it?” he whispered against her face.

She leaned back. Her eyes were searching his face. “Mark, now you trust me. There's still something I need to confront Joseph with.”

He hesitated, then said reluctantly, “All right. The Lord's brought us thus far.”

Her face lighted. “Ebenezer! Mark, I read it! Thus far—He'll still be there, won't He?” The wistful look was a question, and he caught her close.

In the morning when Mark reached the office, Clayton was there to meet him. Mark was surprised by the expression of genuine concern in the man's eyes. Leading the way into their office, Clayton faced him with a worried frown.

“Mark, I like you. You're nearly apostate, but there's something of value in you. I'm sure the Lord will use you in the kingdom if you will only listen to counsel.”

“Clayton,” Mark said mildly, “I have no intention of living differently than the Lord wishes me to. Now, what is the problem?”

“Your contrary speech last night. Anything the Prophet says is just as binding upon us as if God himself said it. Even if he gives advice opposed to previous advice, do it.”

Clayton took a deep breath. “Those of us close to the Prophet will be asked to carry a heavy load in the next year. Much will be demanded, but it will be the chance we've been waiting for.” He leaned confidentially closer. “It's been in our minds for some months. Now we're certain. Joseph will be running for president of the United States.”

The man paused to pace the floor in quick steps. “Phelps and I have been working on a platform. So far I believe we are doing very well. Now, when it gets down to writing campaign speeches, I don't believe I'll have the spunk that Phelps does.”

He looked at Mark, but despite his friendly grin, a shadow darkened his eyes. As Mark picked up his papers, he was very aware of the warning.

When Mark walked into the house that evening, he gave Jenny a quick kiss and said, “Just saw William Law. He's pretty worried. Seems to think word's leaked back to Joseph about our meeting. There's to be another meeting this evening, so let's head back to town as soon as possible.”

The warm April day was dissolving into dusk as Mark and Jenny reached the outskirts of Nauvoo. They were riding briskly down the street, headed for Higbee's store, when they both saw the dark-coated man disappearing up the stairs to Joseph's office.

Mark explained, “That's Clayton. I didn't tell you, but a conversation I had with him this morning gave me the distinct impression that he's caught wind of the meetings. Jenny, will you do something? Go upstairs and talk to Clayton for half an hour.

“I don't want him seeing the bunch of people heading up Higbee's back stairs. Would you, please?” He grinned. “Of all men in town, I trust you with Clayton. I'll take John Mark with me, and I'll leave the buggy at the stable.” Jenny nodded and Mark added, “The longer you keep him the better for us.”

As Jenny reached the top of the stairs, Clayton's alarmed face peered around the doorjamb. “Mrs. Cartwright, you gave me a start! Is something the matter?”

“No, Mark has business in town this evening. I want to look for a book to read.”