The Work and the Glory (176 page)

He lay back, smiling in spite of himself. “That would be nice. For Rebecca
and
Derek.”

“Have you forgotten so soon?” 

“Forgotten what?”

“The night you and Heber went and blessed Parley.”

He was startled. “No, of course not. Why?”

“Don’t you remember what Heber said to you afterwards?”

Suddenly realization dawned. His eyes opened wide, and he turned to stare at his wife. “He said that not only would our mission to Canada open the way for the work to go to England, but out of that mission things would come that would . . .” His voice trailed off in wonder.

“That would be a great blessing to our family as well,” she finished for him. “And if you remember, he said that you would live to see the fulfillment of his promise.”

Nathan laughed softly, the amazement filling him with joy. “Well, I’ll be,” he exclaimed. “Rebecca and Derek. Wouldn’t that be something?”

She snuggled up against him. “We can’t say a word to her yet. Maybe we are wrong in this.” Then she had a thought. “But maybe it would be good to wait a little before they leave. Derek is so anxious to meet Brother Joseph. They should be back in a few weeks.”

Nathan shook his head. “By then the rivers could be frozen and the steamboats no longer running. No, if they’re going to go, it’s got to be now, or else they’re going to have to walk all the way. And in the winter . . . no, that’s not good.”

Lydia sighed. “I guess you’re right, but Rebecca is going to be very disappointed.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

January 20th, 1838, Kirtland, Ohio

Dear Father and Mother Steed,

I have much news, some of an urgent nature, so I hope this letter makes its way swiftly to you. We received your letter saying that our two wonderful boys from England arrived safely there early in December. That was a great relief to us. They found their way into our hearts so quickly, and we trust they will have done the same in yours. We prayed for their safe journey and were much comforted to learn the Lord watched over them. By the way, Rebecca said to be sure and send her greetings to Derek and Peter along with ours.

We are all in good health. Little Nathan still asks where “Gamah and Gampah” are. Emily and Joshua miss you fiercely and are counting the days when we can go west, but Nathan is too small to understand and just knows that you’re no longer around to play with him (and spoil him!).

Nathan thinks he has sold the house. We will get about ten cents on the dollar, but we shall do it anyway. Such things are of passing value anyway. If successful, this will give us some cash money to help with our removal to Far West. I have more to say about that, but first the news from here.

Not all is bad, so I will share some of the better things first. I wrote you in my last letter about Jerusha Smith. Her death was a shock to all of us, as I’m sure it was to you, Mother Steed. You can imagine Hyrum’s grief when he returned from Missouri. But a most interesting thing happened. A few days after their return, Joseph and Hyrum were together and happened to see Sister Mary Fielding passing by. Joseph turned to Hyrum and nearly bowled him over with his next words. “Brother Hyrum,” he said, “it is the will of the Lord that you marry this English girl without delay so that you may have a mother for your offspring.”

Well, you can imagine Mary’s surprise when she learned that. She was somewhat deterred by the thoughts of becoming the stepmother of five children, but she is of great faith and said that if it was the Lord’s will, she would accept it. Joseph married them on Christmas Eve, and so now it is no longer Mary Fielding, but Mary Fielding Smith. So far, she seems very happy.

Be sure and share the following with Peter and Derek. Just last week, Sister Vilate Kimball received a letter from her beloved Heber. The work continues with great success in En-gland. They have baptized upwards of seven or eight hundred people since arriving in July. He said that there are nearly three hundred members now in Preston alone, and branches have been organized in several of the surrounding villages.

On Christmas Day they held a conference in the “Cock Pit,” a large hall in Preston once used for cock fighting (can you imagine anything so horrid?). They preached the Word of Wisdom publicly for the first time there, which was well received. The temperance movement that has swept across England and the United States is strong in Preston, according to Heber. He believes it is an important factor that has helped prepare the people for the coming of the gospel. In fact, I found this interesting. Heber says it was a man in Preston who first coined the word “teetotaller.” Many in the temperance movement called on the people to reduce their drinking, but this man said that they should “totally” abstain from liquor. He wanted them to be tee (for “total”) totallers in swearing off spirits of any kind. It was already well known by then that the Mormons did not use tobacco, liquor of any kind, or tea and coffee. So when the missionaries read the Word of Wisdom to the people, it was really  very well received.

In fact, Heber said they are having such great success, the English clergy keep complaining that the missionaries are taking the very best of their flocks. You know Brother Heber. He just smiles and tells them that all we want is the wheat, they can keep the chaff.

Now for news of a blacker sort. With every passing day it becomes more evident that Satan’s opposition is without mercy. The Lord’s Spirit more and more whispers, “Get ye out of this place.” Kirtland has become a madhouse. The dissenters become more and more brazen. Parrish and company have now openly and publicly renounced the Church of the Latter-day Saints. They claim to be the “Old Standard,” and call themselves the Church of Christ, excluding the word “Saints” from their title. Joseph points out that they seem to have forgotten Daniel’s prophecy that in the last days it would be the Saints who possessed the kingdom. They publicly attack Joseph and anyone who remains true to him and the Church. They say we are heretics. Heresy seems a particularly ironic charge since it was reported that in a recent meeting, one of their number even went so far as to say that Moses was a rascal, all the prophets tyrants, Jesus a despot, the Apostle Paul a liar, and all religion fudge.

Such blasphemy would be bad enough, but they have become increasingly violent as well. They have now seized control of the temple, threatening to kill those who had the keys to the building if they did not give them up. And what happened to you, Father Steed, is now almost a daily occurrence. Men are beaten, women terrorized, even children threatened. The streets are no longer safe at night for any sympathetic to our cause.

A recent development has become particularly alarming to us. In just the past few days, several fires have been started in the cellars or basements of various houses—always of the faithful. Nathan believes it is nothing more than a shameless attempt to drive us from our property so the greedy and covetous can get it for little or no cost. So arson has been added to all the other terrors. Four nights ago, we were all awakened from our sleep when we realized it was as light as day outside. We ran to the window and to our horror we saw that someone had set fire to the printing office behind the temple. By then the building was almost totally consumed. Sparks and burning cinders were flying everywhere, and for a moment we thought it would catch the roof of the temple. But fortunately (or was it Providence!) the wind was blowing the flames away from the house of the Lord and it was spared.

Conditions are so terrible that even the leaders are leaving in order to save their lives. Just before Christmas, Brother Brigham stood in a meeting and fearlessly confronted Joseph’s enemies. He bore testimony that he knew by the power of the Holy Ghost that Joseph was God’s prophet. That so infuriated Warren Parrish and his group that Brigham had to flee for his life late that same night. He is now in Indiana. Sidney Rigdon has also been driven out. The powers of darkness truly reign in much of Kirtland now.

Brother Joseph had an especially close brush with death. There was a plot laid to assassinate him and Sidney. A member of the group, one of Joseph’s former friends (probably Luke Johnson) and thankfully someone whose rebellion stopped short of murder, ran to warn Joseph. Before Joseph could escape, however, a mob surrounded the house where he was. Luckily, there was a coffin in the cellar of the house. Those present nailed Joseph inside it and carried him out, saying that someone had died. Because the coffin was sealed, they were able to pass through the mob without Joseph’s being detected. We just received word this morning that he and Sidney are both safe. Emma and the children, along with Sidney’s family, have left to join them. They will spend some time with Brother Brigham, then plan to remove permanently to Far West. I’m sure you, and the rest of the Saints, will greatly rejoice at that news.

Mother Steed, I cannot help but say something of Emma here. Remember when Joseph and Emma came to Kirtland? It was early February. It was the dead of winter. Emma was carrying the twins and was only about three months from delivery. You’ll remember that, I’m sure, Father Steed. You were very critical of Joseph for taking Emma so far in winter weather when she was in that kind of condition. Well, as you know, Emma is with child again. She is now about four or five months along. And once again she is on her way to a new home in the dead of winter. So as she came to Kirtland, now does she leave. Only this time it is not in answer to God’s call, but in response to the howling cries of murderous men who would take the life of her husband. How much shall that marvelous woman be called upon to endure?

Which brings me at last to my real purpose in writing. Nathan and I sorely debated whether to write you in advance or whether to just show up on your doorstep and save you having to worry about us while on our journey. Yes, Mother and Father Steed, we are coming to Missouri. The situation has deteriorated so badly that we feel waiting until the baby comes and I am fit to travel is no longer acceptable.

Though our home is not one of those which the arsonists have struck, last week Nathan was awakened in the middle of the night by some noise. He discovered two men outside the back of our home and drove them off with a rifle. We know not their purpose, but we are certain it was not to our good. Rebecca, myself, and the children have moved in with Carl and Melissa. Nathan still sleeps at the house with two or three other brethren to stand guard, but each night is a terrifying experience, and I barely sleep until I see him safely again each morning. I simply cannot bear the strain of it for another two or three months. I would rather face the arduous journey even with the weather than live with this awful dread that hovers over us.

(By the way, I’m happy to report that while Carl is still very critical of the Church, he has been wonderful in this crisis. He has taken us in—all six of us—cheerfully and without a murmur. Melissa still stands firm on her decision to keep the Church at arm’s length. We shall miss them terribly.)

I can just hear what you are saying by now about the dangers of traveling when I am this far progressed in carrying another child. But if you remember, I too traveled to Kirtland when I was heavy with child, so I think I have an understanding of what this choice means. It will not be easy. But the thought of being with you in a place where there is safety and peace makes it worth whatever price is required to get there. Rebecca concurs fully in this decision. She will be a great blessing to us as we travel.

Our plan is to leave in a day or two. Every day’s postponement now will only add to our challenges, both here and on the journey. Nathan is out today trying to complete the sale of the house. But if we cannot sell it, we shall turn the key in the door and simply walk away. He is also trying to secure some form of transportation for us. We know not how long it may take us, so please be patient and remember us in your daily prayers. We mention you in ours both night and morning.

We long to see you and to stand together in the family circle again. Oh, how excited we are to see Matthew again!

With tenderest affections,

Lydia

Chapter Twenty-Nine

St. Joseph, Missouri, lay about fifty-five miles north of, or upstream from, Independence. Founded in 1826 by a French fur trapper named Joseph Robidoux, it was situated on the east bank of the Missouri River and was the first major settlement one encountered on coming down the river from the rich vastness of the Rocky Mountains. Though John Jacob Astor had established his headquarters for the fur trade in St. Louis, that was another three hundred miles downriver, and many of the mountain men preferred to do their trading in “St. Joe.”

A trapper’s prime time in the high country was in the dead of winter when the snows were deep. This forced the beaver, muskrat, fox, marten, mink, and other furbearing animals to stick to easily discernible trails and runs. Each spring along with the mountain runoff came the fur trappers. The waters flooded the Missouri River plain, and the mountain men flooded St. Joe.

Joshua Steed finished cinching up the girth of his saddle and fished a cigar out of his pocket. He turned to watch a group of three trappers go by as he lighted it. One had a jug of whiskey, the other two an Indian woman on each arm. Their buckskin shirts and breeches were filthy, their hair greasy and matted from months without a bath. Joshua shook his head, fighting back the temptation to grimace. When he had first come to Independence he had seriously flirted with the idea of becoming a mountain man. He had decided against it finally and turned to hauling freight instead. So now he came to St. Joseph every spring to buy the mountain men’s furs and wrinkle his nose at the smell of them.