The Mormon Menace Part 13

Deliverance was very tempting, yet I did not like the name of running away from trouble. It would convey the impression of fear, if not of guilt. So I chose to face the music and abide the consequences. A little after sunrise I saw Justice Walls coming, and some men with him. At this my heart leaped for joy. Among so many I was satisfied all were not against me, as some of them had attended lectures and were favorably impressed.

After a short interview with Col. Tucker, Justice Walls informed me that Col. Tucker demanded from him a warrant for my arrest for having baptized his wife without his consent. I asked Col. Tucker if he ever forbid me to baptize his wife; whether he had not invited me to his house and asked me to stop there when I returned. I told him I had not seen him, after this conversation, until his wife was baptized; that I had not urged her to be baptized - she had come to me and demanded to be baptized. I told the Justice that I had violated no law of Tennessee. The law allows a wife much greater privileges than being baptized without the consent of her husband; she could sell one-third of his real estate, and her deed would be good. The Justice said I was right, and told the Colonel it would be useless to issue a warrant without lawful cause.

The Colonel then demanded a warrant for my arrest on the charge of a.s.sault and battery. He said I had abused his person, and that he was sore and scarcely able to walk. The Justice told the Colonel that it seemed to him that he was the one who made the a.s.sault; for he snapped a loaded gun at me and attempted to take my life, while what I had done was in self-defense. He told Col.

Tucker he would talk with him again. He then beckoned me to follow him, and I did so. We went into a room by ourselves, when he said to me,

"Parson Lee, you have warm friends here. I have been much interested in your lectures. I believe you to be honest and firm in your faith, and will do all I can for your benefit. Col.

Tucker is a desperate man when aroused. As a matter of policy, to humor him, I will give him a writ; but I will manage to delay the time, so as to enable you to get out of the county. I will send for my law books, with instructions to delay in getting them here, and will argue with the Colonel that I must have my books to examine the law. It is only four miles to the county line, where you will be all right. Take the trail over the mountain, and they will not know which way you have gone. When you get into your own county, remember me on election day. This county and Rutherford County send three members to the Legislature. I am a candidate, and the vote of your friends in these counties will secure my election. When I send for my books appear and bid us good-by, as though you were not afraid of any man. Col. Tucker has promised that he will use no violence if I give him a writ."

The Justice then gave me a token of the Brotherhood, and walked out to confer with Col. Tucker. He sent his nephew back for his books, instructing him in whispers to delay in getting them, so as to give me time to get out of the county before an officer could overtake me.

After the boy started, the Justice told the Colonel to keep cool and he would soon have a writ for me. I went into the dining-room and sat down to breakfast, and ate a little as a blind. Then taking up my saddlebags, I bade them all good-by. I walked to my horse, that stood hitched where the servant had left him.

As I left the house Justice Walls followed me as though he was much surprised, and said:

"Parson Lee, I hope you will tarry until this matter can be settled amicably."

Again I told him that I had violated no law; that my ministerial engagements compelled me to leave, and I should have done so before had not this unpleasant affair detained me; that I chose to serve G.o.d rather than fear the ire of man.

Thus saying, I placed my saddle upon my horse. Col. Tucker leveled his gun on me, and said:

"I knew you would run."

At this I turned and eyed him and told him to put up his gun; that I had borne all I intended to from him; that if he attempted violence he would never trouble another man. At the same time the Justice exhorted him to be careful, saying that he had made himself liable already. I mounted my horse and turned to the Colonel and told him he might guard that woodpile until the day of judgment, for all I cared. He again raised his gun, but was prevented by the by-standers from shooting. I rode off leisurely, and when about seventy-five yards away I stopped and watered my horse. Tucker again drew his gun on me, and I expected him to shoot every moment, but I dared not show fear.

My road lay along the mountain for two miles. When I pa.s.sed a house I would walk my horse, and sing and seem to be wholly unconcerned; but when I was out of sight I put my horse on the keen jump, and was soon out of Marshall County. Finding an out- of-the-way place, with good blue gra.s.s and plenty of shade, I swung down from my horse and returned thanks to my Father in heaven for my deliverance.

In the afternoon I arrived at the house of Capt. Redd, where, when in that county, I generally made my home. The brethren all came to welcome me back, and I related to them my experience and deliverance. A short time after this James K. Polk and Col.

Jones, both candidates for the office of Governor of Tennessee, and the candidates for the Legislature, including my friend Walls, met at Murfreesborough and held a political meeting. Walls gave me the sequel of what happened with Col. Tucker.

When Justice Walls' nephew went for the law books he permitted his horse to run away, and it was nearly ruined in the brush and grapevines. Col. Tucker did not blame the Justice at all, but rather sympathized with him in his misfortune. Mrs. Tucker to the end remained firm in her faith.

The kindness of Justice Walls in my hour of peril was not forgotten. I spoke of it in all my meetings, and to my friends in private. And to this act of justice and humanity he owed his election, as he was elected by a majority of only five votes.

Next I visited the branch on Stone River and made arrangements to return to my family at Nauvoo, the City of Joseph. The two branches now numbered about sixty members. I organized a branch west of Murfreesborough, and ordained Brother John Holt to the office of Elder. I baptized a young girl at Readysville, by the name of Sarah C. Williams, of rich parentage. I lectured at Murfreesborough for ten days, and about the beginning of October, 1843, I took the steamer at Nashville for my home in Nauvoo, arriving there on the 14th of October.

CHAPTER XII - OF PECULIAR INTEREST IN NAUVOO

Upon my return home I found my family well. Work on the Temple was progressing finely, every effort being made to push it ahead.

About this time a man named Bennett came on a visit to the Prophet, and soon after joined the Church. At that time he wielded quite an influence in government affairs. He grew in the graces of the Prophet and became his right-hand man. He endeavored in connection with Stephen A. Dougla.s.s to obtain a charter for the city of Nauvoo.

Bennett organized the Nauvoo Legion, and was elected Major General. Through his influence, backed by Dougla.s.s, arms were obtained for the Legion from the government. A Free Mason's lodge, and the privileges of Masonry, were extended to the Legion. Judge Cleveland, of Springfield, was very friendly, and frequently visited the Prophet. A fine Masonic lodge was built in Nauvoo, and many were admitted as members. The Prophet Joseph and Hyrum Smith held high positions in the brotherhood.

The inst.i.tution flourished during our stay in Nauvoo, and was frequently visited by the Grand Wors.h.i.+pful Master from Springfield; lectures were given and a library established. I was librarian of the order. I was also Wharf Master of the city, and held the position of Major in the Nauvoo Legion; also, I commanded the escort in the Fifth Infantry. I was made the general clerk and reader for the Seventies, and issued the laws to that body. I held the office of a Seventy, and was collector of the delinquent military tax.

The same fall I was appointed on a committee, with Brigham as counselor, to build a hall for the Seventies, the upper story to be used for the Priesthood and the Council of Fifty. Previous to my being appointed on the committee two committees had been named, but accomplished nothing. We commenced without a dollar.

My plan was to build it by shares, of the value of five dollars each.

Hyrum Smith, the Patriarch, told me that he would give the Patriarchal Blessing to any that labored on the foundation of the building. The Seventies numbered about four hundred and ninety men. I was to create the material. That is, when I could get a contract to take lumber from the river, as rafts would land at the city, I would take common laboring men, and the portion of the lumber that we got for our pay we piled up for the building.

In this way we got all the lumber needed. The bricks we made ourselves, and boated the wood to burn them and our lime from the island.

In the month of March, 1844, we had the building up on the west side nearly two stories high. One day when the wall was built up nine feet high and forty-five feet long, and was, of course, green, a tornado blew the wall down, breaking columns and joists below, doing a damage of several thousand dollars. I was inclined to be down in the lip, but Brigham laughed at me, and said it was the best omen in the world; it showed that the devil was mad, knowing that the Seventy would receive the blessings of G.o.d in that house; since they were to be special witnesses to the nations of the earth, they would make his kingdom quake and tremble. Brigham reminded me that when Noah was building the ark he was mobbed three times; but he persevered, and finally his tormentors said:

"Let the old fool alone, and see what he will accomplish."

"Just so with you," concluded Brigham. "Double your diligence and put her up again. If you do not you will lose many a blessing."

After that I went to work with as many men as could labor to advantage. We threw the wall down flat, and commenced a new one, another brick thicker than the former. I borrowed fifty thousand brick, and made them and returned them when the weather was fine.

By the 1st of May we had the Hall closed in.

During the winter Joseph the Prophet set a man by the name of Sidney Hay Jacobs to select from the Old Bible such scriptures as pertained to polygamy, or celestial marriage, with instructions to write it in pamphlet form. This he did as a feeler among the people, to pave the way for celestial marriage. Like all other novelties, it met with opposition, though a few favored it.

The excitement among the people became so great that the subject was laid before the Prophet. No one was more opposed to it than was his brother Hyrum, who condemned it as from beneath. Joseph saw that it would break up the Church should he sanction it, so he denounced the pamphlet through the Wasp, a newspaper published at Nauvoo, as a bundle of nonsense and trash. He said that if he had known its contents he would never have permitted it to be published.

At the same time other leading men were advocating it on their own responsibility. The advocacy of polygamy by these leaders pleased the Prophet Joseph, albeit for policy's sake he pretended otherwise. Joseph said on the stand that, should he reveal the will of G.o.d concerning them, they - pointing to President W.

Marks, P. P. Pratt, and others - would shed his blood. In this way he worked upon the feelings and minds of the people, until they feared that the anger of the Lord would be kindled against them, and they insisted upon knowing the will of Heaven concerning plural wives.

The Prophet Joseph anxiously desired polygamy, but he dared not proclaim it, so it was taught confidentially to such as were strong enough in the faith to take the forward step. About the same time the doctrine of "sealing" for an eternal state was introduced. Also the Saints were given to understand that their marriage relations with each other were not valid, and that those who had solemnized the rites of matrimony had no authority of G.o.d to do so. The true priesthood had been taken from the earth with the death of the apostles and inspired men of G.o.d. Since then people were married to each other only by their own covenants, and if their marriage had not been productive of blessings and peace, and they felt it oppressive to remain together, they were at liberty to make a new choice, as much as if they had not been married. The Prophet taught that it was a sin for people to live together and beget children in alienation from each other. There should exist an affinity between the s.e.xes, not a l.u.s.tful one, as the latter can never cement the love and affection that should exist between man and wife.

Perhaps I should mention that Orson Hyde and W. W. Phelps turned against Joseph in Missouri, and forsook him in time of peril and danger and testified against him in the courts. After the troubles were over, and Joseph was again in place in the midst of the Saints, they both wished to be restored to fellows.h.i.+p and standing in the Church, confessing their faults. Joseph laid the case before the Church, and said that if G.o.d could forgive them he ought to, and would do so, and give them another chance. With tears he moved that we forgive and receive them back into fellows.h.i.+p. He then sent Elder Hyde to the land of Palestine, to dedicate that land for the gathering of the Jews. Also Hyde's wife, with his consent, was sealed to Joseph for an eternal state. Brigham's wife was likewise sealed to Joseph. Shortly before the death of Joseph Brigham told me that Joseph's time on earth was short, and that the Lord allowed him privileges that we could not have.

There was trouble between Joseph and Brother Law, his second counselor, on account of Law's wife. Law said that the Prophet purposed making her his wife, and she so reported to her husband.

Law loved his wife and was devoted to her, as she was an amiable and handsome woman, and he did not feel like giving her up to another man. He exposed the Prophet, and from that time became his enemy.

His brother, Wilson Law, sided with him. They were Canadians, and wealthy and influential men. They, in connection with Foster and Higbee, who were on the wane in the faith, established a paper at Nauvoo, called the Expositor. They set the Prophet up without mercy. They soon got after Brigham for trying to influence Martha Brotherton to be sealed to Joseph. Her father found it out and helped to expose them, which made it rather hot for them. The next move of the Prophet and his friends was to get the City Council to pa.s.s an ordinance declaring the Expositor to be a nuisance, unless the proprietors would close it up.

When I moved to Nauvoo I had one wife and one child. Soon after I got there I was appointed as the Seventh Danite. I had superiors in office, and was sworn to secrecy, to obey the orders of my superiors, and not let my left hand know what my right hand did.

It was my duty to do as I was ordered, and not to ask questions.

I was instructed in the secrets of the Priesthood, and taught that it was my duty, and the duty of all men, to obey the leaders of the Church, and that no one could commit sin so long as he acted as directed by his Church superiors.

One day the Danite Chief came to me and said that I must take two more Danites whom he named and watch the house of a widow woman named Clawson. I was informed that a man went there nearly every night about ten o'clock, and left about daylight. I was to station myself and my men near the house, and when the man came out knock him down and mutilate him; it would not be inquired into if we killed him.

It was my duty to report unusual orders that I received from my superiors to the Prophet, Joseph Smith, or in his absence, Hyrum.

I went to the house of the Prophet to report, but he was not at home. I then called for Hyrum, and he gave me an interview. I told him the orders I had received from the Chief, and asked him if I should obey or not. He said to me:

"Brother Lee, you have acted wisely in listening to the voice of the Spirit. It was the influence of G.o.d's Spirit that sent you here. You would have been guilty of a great crime if you had obeyed your Chief's orders."

Hyrum then told me that the man I was ordered to attack had been sealed to Mrs. Clawson, and their marriage was a most holy one; that it was in accordance with a revelation which the Prophet had recently received direct from G.o.d. He explained to me fully the doctrines of polygamy, wherein it was permitted, and why it was right. I was greatly interested in the doctrine. It accorded exactly with my views of the Scripture, and I at once accepted and believed in the doctrine as taught by the revelations received by Joseph the Prophet. As a matter of course I did not carry out the orders of the Chief. I had him instructed in his duty, and Mrs. Clawson's husband was never bothered by the Danites. A few months after, I was sealed to my second wife. I was sealed to her by Brigham, then one of the twelve.

In less than one year after I first learned the will of G.o.d concerning marriage among the Saints, as made known by Him in a revelation to Joseph, I was the husband of nine wives. I took my wives in the following order: First, Agathe Ann Woolsey; second, Nancy Berry; third, Louisa Free; fourth, Sarah C. Williams; fifth, old Mrs. Woolsey (she was the mother of Agathe Ann and Rachel A. - I married her for her soul's sake, for her salvation in the eternal state); sixth, Rachel A. Woolsey (I was sealed to her at the same time that I was to her mother); seventh, Andora Woolsey (a sister of Rachel); eighth, Polly Ann Workman; ninth, Martha Berry; tenth, Delithea Morris.

In 1847, while at Council Bluffs, Brigham sealed me to three women in one night, viz., eleventh, Nancy Armstrong (she was what we called a widow, that is, she had left her first husband in Tennessee, in order to be with the Mormon people); twelfth, Polly V. Young; thirteenth, Louisa Young (these two were sisters).

Next, I was sealed to my fourteenth wife, Emeline Vaughn. In 1851 I was sealed to my fifteenth wife, Mary Lear Groves. In 1856 I was sealed to my sixteenth wife, Mary Ann Williams. In 1858 Brigham gave me my seventeenth wife, Emma Batchelder. I was sealed to her while a member of the Territorial Legislature. In 1859 I was sealed to my eighteenth wife, Teressa Morse. I was sealed to her by order of Brigham. Amasa Lyman officiated at the ceremony. The last wife I got was Ann Gordges. Brigham gave her to me, and I was sealed to her in Salt Lake by Heber C. Kimball.

She was my nineteenth, but, as I was married to old Mrs. Woolsey only for her soul's sake, and she was near sixty years old when I married her, I never considered her really as a wife. After 1861 I never asked Brigham for another wife. By my eighteen real wives I have been the father of sixty-four children. Ten of my children are dead and fifty-four are living.

To return to Nauvoo: The Prophet Joseph had written a letter to Martin Van Buren, wis.h.i.+ng to know his views in regard to the grievances and wrongs of the Mormon people, and what would be his action should he be elected President. He replied that he believed their cause was just, and Congress had no right to interfere; that it was a State matter, and must be left to the Executive.