Derek leaned forward, staring into the fire. “Do you think Joshua would be willing to come in with us?”
Nathan thought about that. “I didn’t used to, but now, I’m not so sure. If he doesn’t, we can do it ourselves.”
Peter grinned. “But not nearly so easily, right?”
They all laughed at that. “Yes,” Nathan chuckled, “Joshua does have a bit more capital than any of us right now. But that’s not really it. It’s getting him and Caroline up with our family. Having Olivia and Savannah, and Will when they find him. That’s what really matters.” He stood up. “And that’s what I’d like to propose to Joshua.”
Derek’s head bobbed quickly. “Give them our love.”
“I will.” He frowned slightly. “And will you help Lydia understand why I’m doing all this?”
“Of course.”
The night was perfectly still except for the soft hum of the crickets and an occasional hoot from some unseen barn owl out in front of them. They moved carefully, strung out in single file, staying off the hard-packed dirt of the road so their footsteps would be muffled. Their heads moved constantly, eyes searching the moonlit landscape for any movement, ears straining to catch any sounds that might signal danger.
Nathan looked up at the moon. It was nearly full and seemed to be twice as large as normal. It felt like they were walking in broad daylight. He smiled grimly to himself, knowing it was fear that was influencing his perspective. The moon was nearly straight overhead now, which meant it was close to midnight. In a few minutes, if it wasn’t so already, it would be the twenty-sixth of April, the day the Lord had appointed for the Twelve to assemble in Far West and leave for their missions.
Ahead of them, now less than a hundred yards away, Nathan could see the first of the buildings of the city. They were silvery and ghostlike in the moonlight and left one feeling slightly eerie. It would be easy to mount an ambush from those abandoned cabins and buildings. Nathan reached up and let his hand rest on the butt of the pistol stuck in his belt, feeling his heart start to pound a little faster.
As they approached within the last thirty or forty paces of the nearest building—a cabin that had been de-roofed—Brigham stopped, raising one hand high so the others could see it. The others stopped instantly as well. They stood there for several moments, frozen into immobility as they scanned the night. Then Brigham cupped his hands to his mouth and there came the soft whistling call of a meadowlark. It was not a particularly good imitation, and the meadowlark was not a nocturnal bird, but it was a far sight better than calling out in a normal voice. Brigham whistled again. After a moment, there was an answering whistle, and ahead of them a figure appeared beside the cabin and waved.
“Heber?” Brigham whispered.
“Yes, it’s me. Is that you, Brigham?”
The rush of relief that swept over the party was almost as tangible as the evening breeze. Brigham walked forward swiftly, as a single figure stepped out into the road. Nathan and the others followed, feeling a great wave of triumph. They had made it! Their enemies would surely be here at daybreak, determined to prevent the Twelve—should they be daft enough to attempt a return—from fulfilling the Lord’s word. But their enemies were asleep now. And seven of the Twelve were here. By first light, they would be well on their way again.
Brigham and Heber embraced in a back-slapping bear hug. Then Heber broke free and held Brigham at arm’s length. “Brigham! Joseph and Hyrum are free!”
It was as though he had fired off a pistol. Everyone was stunned. “What?” Orson Pratt exclaimed.
“It’s true, I tell you! They were moving them from Daviess County to Boone County to get a new trial. They let them escape. They’ll be in Quincy by now.”
“The Lord be praised!” Brigham breathed.
Nathan closed his eyes for a moment, hardly able to believe it could be true. After all these months, Joseph freed and back among the people. Suddenly, Nathan was envious of his family. By now they would have seen Joseph and Hyrum again.
One of the men in Brigham’s party caught Heber’s eye. “It appears Far West has quite a hold on you, Brother Turley.”
Theodore Turley smiled. “Yes. When Brother Clark and I happened upon Brigham and the rest yesterday, we decided to turn and come back with them. I wouldn’t miss this for anything.”
Heber nodded, turning back to Brigham and the others. “Come,” he said, all business now. “We have everyone waiting.”
George A. Smith jerked back a little. “Everyone?”
Heber grinned. “Of course. There are about sixteen of us. How can you have a conference without Saints?” He looked at Brigham. “I spent most of the day quietly going around to the few who are left. They’re waiting for us now.” He laid a hand on his fellow Apostle’s shoulder. “Some weren’t sure you would come, but I told them Brigham would be here or I personally would carry them out of Far West upon my back.”
“Thank you, Heber,” Brigham said, his voice touched with gratitude. “It is the Lord’s will that we be here, so let’s get on with what has to be done.”
To Nathan’s amazement, it wasn’t just men who were waiting for them at Father Clark’s house. In spite of the terrible threat, three or four sisters were there, come with their husbands to see Brother Brigham and the other Apostles and to be present for this prophetic conference of the Church. They all crowded into the main room of the Clark home, then carefully covered the windows before lighting a single candle at each end of the table.
Even more surprising than the presence of the women was the presence of Orson Hyde. Hyde had been called as one of the first Apostles in the new dispensation, but in the final days of Far West, he wavered. He had been deeply influenced by Thomas B. Marsh’s apostasy, and had gone to Richmond when Marsh turned against the Prophet. Nathan’s surprise deepened even more when he saw that Brigham was not startled by the presence of his former companion in the Quorum. Heber saw it too and spoke up quickly. “Brigham, I want to speak in behalf of Brother Hyde.”
Brigham stepped forward and stuck out his hand. “I received your letter, Orson,” he said slowly. “But I’d be pleased to hear Heber’s plea in your behalf as well.” He turned to Heber. “Speak on.”
“A short time ago, Brother Hyde returned to Far West,” Heber began. “He came to me penitent and filled with sorrow.”
Orson Hyde was watching Brigham’s face intently, but was content to let Heber tell his story.
“He said that he had been very ill during those weeks when Brother Marsh set his face against Joseph. He was not in his best state of mind. He realizes it was folly for him to follow after Thomas and has come back to ask what he should do in order to make amends for his error.”
Brigham nodded. That had been the thrust of Orson Hyde’s letter that Brigham had received just days before they had left Quincy. “I understand.”
“He has been running a school down south in order to provide for his family. I told him to close the school, return with his family, and prepare to gather with the rest of the Church to Illinois.” Now Heber let his eyes move to the face of each of his fellow Apostles. “He said he was willing to do so, even though it would be difficult for him. He then asked me if I thought that Joseph and the brethren could ever forgive him. I said, ‘Yes.’ ”
Now Heber looked back at Brigham. “I told him I would speak in his defense,” he said firmly.
Brigham was silent for several moments, and the room was filled with tension. Then his face softened and he looked at Brother Hyde. “I am pleased to find that the spirit which filled your letter to me is present here tonight as well.” He held out his hand again. “Of course we can forgive you.”
Hyde’s eyes were shining, and he stepped forward and took the proffered hand.
“Welcome back, my brother,” Brigham said softly. “When we return to Illinois, we shall put the matter in Joseph’s hands as to if and when you should be restored to your place in the Quorum.”
“That is all I ask,” Hyde said humbly. “It is more than I hoped for.”
They stayed at the Clark cabin only long enough to conduct the first order of business, which was the excommunication of thirty-one members of the Church—eighteen men and thirteen women—who had apostatized and turned against the Saints. It was a sobering thing for Nathan. He knew most of those on the list to some degree and many of them well. They were not bad people. They had simply buckled under the tremendous pressures being put on the Church. By renouncing their faith, they had instantly eliminated any threat to themselves. Nathan didn’t feel inclined to overlook their loss of faith, but it certainly wasn’t difficult to understand what had driven them to it.
It was clear that Brigham found the matter depressing too, for as soon as the consenting vote was taken on the excommunications, he proposed they adjourn and reconvene at the temple site on the public square.
To everyone’s surprise Brigham called for the meeting to begin with a hymn. To that point, they had moved in the utmost quiet and communicated only in whispers. They sang softly, many of them looking around furtively as they did so, and then Heber gave the prayer.
“Brethren and sisters,” Brigham said with great dignity, “this is an inspiring sight. We are here in direct fulfillment of the Lord’s commandments. One of those commandments was that we should here assemble. Today is April twenty-sixth, and let it now be noted that we are here as directed.”
There was a soft ripple of sound as several murmured their assent to that statement. There was not a person here but what was aware of what it had cost to bring this assembly to this place at this time.
Brigham waited for a moment, then went on. “The Lord also gave us another commandment, and that was that we build a temple here in Far West. As you know, the cornerstones for that temple were laid July fourth last, under the direction of our beloved prophet, Joseph Smith. We should here like to recommence laying the foundation of that house, which, in a revelation to his prophet, the Lord has commanded take place on this very day. We may never finish this work, but let it not be said that we did not at least begin it.”
He turned and motioned a person forward. “We have brought Brother Alpheus Cutler, the man designated to be the builder of that temple, with us for that purpose, and that shall be the first order of business. Brother Cutler.”
Alpheus Cutler came forward. He had left Father Clark’s early to come ahead of the group and locate a large stone, similar to the ones placed the previous July. Now, calling on several of the brethren, Cutler had them roll the stone to the southeast corner of the temple site, where very carefully, sighting on the line of the previous stones and excavation work, he had them place it. Satisfied, he turned back to Brigham. “It is done, Brother Brigham.”
Brigham nodded, then reached inside his pocket and withdrew a sheet of paper. Nathan looked closer and saw that it was the same sheet from which Brigham had read to the priesthood leaders at the conference in Quincy. It was a copy of the revelation given in July of the year before. Turning so as to catch the moonlight better, Brigham looked at the revelation in silence for a moment, then read the first paragraph. “ ‘Verily, thus saith the Lord: Let a conference be held immediately; let the Twelve be organized; and let men be appointed to supply the place of those who are fallen.’ ”
Nathan looked around for Orson Hyde and saw that he was staring at the ground. Like those referred to in the revelation, he had fallen, but gratefully, he was coming back.
“As you know,” Brigham continued, “in that same revelation, the Lord named four to join the Quorum—Brothers John Taylor and John Page, who were ordained last December, and Brothers Wilford Woodruff and Willard Richards. Since the revelation was given, our beloved Apostle and brother David W. Patten gave his life for the kingdom, the first apostolic martyr in this dispensation. Therefore, in addition to those mentioned here, Brother George A. Smith’s name has been brought forward and approved for his ordination to the holy apostleship. We should now like to proceed with the ordination of Brother Woodruff and then Brother Smith.”
There was a sudden droll smile. “Brother Willard Richards is also awaiting his ordination, but has asked that he might be excused.”
That brought an appreciative chuckle. Willard Richards was in England working in the mission there. He would not be ordained until the Twelve reached their destination.
First Wilford and then George A. sat on one of the cornerstones of the temple while their fellow Apostles laid their hands on their heads and ordained them, with Brigham acting as voice for Wilford’s ordination, and Heber for George A.’s. When they finished with George A., Brigham again faced the congregated Saints. “Brethren and sisters, since one of our purposes in coming here is to signal the time of departure for the Twelve on a mission across the Atlantic, I would now like to call upon the Twelve to pray with us, in order of seniority. I shall begin.”
Nathan knelt down on the damp grass as everyone around him did the same. Brigham moved forward, knelt on the cornerstone, and began. He spoke in a low but firm voice. In moments, it was obvious to everyone present why the Lord had brought Brigham to the place that he now occupied. He spoke with simple humility and yet great power. He poured out his heart in gratitude to the Lord that Joseph and his fellow prisoners were free, and asked that those who were still imprisoned, such as their fellow Apostle Parley Pratt, might be liberated soon. He turned his prayer to the Twelve’s upcoming mission, pleading for the Lord’s Spirit to be with them as they journeyed to a far-off land to serve the Lord. He prayed for their families, that the Lord would watch over them while their husbands and fathers left to serve the Lord. He asked that each of the Twelve, and any who accompanied them, would be filled with power and humility and that they would serve honorably.
“We know that through this work, O Lord,” he continued, “many people shall be brought to a knowledge of the Restoration. Their hearts shall be turned to thee, and they shall enter thy kingdom. It is a time of gathering, O Lord, and the Saints here in the land of America shall be blessed as hundreds, yes, even thousands, shall gather to Zion to join them in the work.