Sadness

 

 

 

 

A Dark Day   (Taken from the Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, page 292)

“…I had been constrained by the Spirit to start prematurely for home, without knowing why or wherefore;…a strange & solemn awe came over me, as if the powers of hell were let loose.  I was so overwhelmed with sorrow I could hardly speak…I turned to my brother William and exclaimed, ‘Brother William, this is a dark hour; the powers of darkness seem to triumph and the spirit of murder is abroad in the land…

This was June 27^th 1844…it was the same hour that the Carthage mob were shedding the blood of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, …near 1,000 miles distant.  The steamer touched at a landing in Wisconsin…and here some new passengers came on board and brought the news of the martyrdom.  Great excitement prevailed & there being a general spirit of exultation and triumph at this glorious news, as it was called, much the same as is generally shown on the first receipt of the news of a great national victory in time of war.

Many passengers now gathered about me and tauntingly inquired what the Mormons would do now, seeing their Prophet and leader was killed…I replied that they would continue their mission and spread the work he had restored, in all the world…

At this reply many of them seemed astonished and some inquired who would succeed him and remarked to me.  ‘Perhaps you will be the man who will now seek to be leader of the Mormons in his stead.  ‘Who are you sir?’  I replied, ‘I am a MAN sir; and a MAN never triumphs and exults in the ruin of his country and the murder of the innocent.’

This was said in the energy of my soul and by constraint of the Spirit and a powerful and peculiar accent was thrown upon the word ‘MAN’ each time it occurred in the sentence.  This served as a sufficient rebuke and all were silent.

Landing in Chicago I found (there was) great excitement (over the martyrdom)…I now hastened on to Peoria, staying overnight…starting next day on foot across the country to Nauvoo, distance 105 miles…

I felt so weighed down with sorrow…that it was painful for me to converse or speak to anyone or even to try to eat or sleep…I had loved Joseph with a warmth of affection indescribable for fourteen years.  I had associated with him in private and in public, in travels and at home, in joy and sorrow, in honor and dishonor, in adversity of every kind.  With him I had lain in dungeons and in chains; and with him I had triumphed over all our foes in Missouri and found deliverance for ourselves and people in Nauvoo, where we had reared a great city.

As I walked along over the plains of Illinois, lonely and solitary, I reflected as follows:  I am now drawing near to the beloved city…How shall I meet the sorrowing widows and orphans?  How shall I meet the aged and widowed mother of these two martyrs?  How shall I meet and entire community bowed down with grief unutterable?

I walked onward, weighed down as it were unto death.  When I could endure it no longer, I cried out aloud saying: ‘O Lord!  In the name of Jesus Christ I pray Thee, show me what these things mean and what I shall say to Thy people?’ 

On a sudden, the Spirit of God came upon me and filled my heart with joy and gladness indescribable and while the spirit of revelation glowed in my bosom with a visible a warmth and gladness as if it were fire.  The Spirit said unto me: 

‘Lift up your head and rejoice; for behold it is well with my servants Joseph and Hyrum.. My servant Joseph still holds the keys of my kingdom in this dispensation and he shall stand in due time on the earth, in the flesh and fulfil that to which he is appointed.  Go and say unto my people in Nauvoo that they shall continue to pursue their daily duties and take care of themselves and make no movement in Church government to reorganize or alter anything until the remainder of the Quorum of the Twelve (arrives).  But exhort them that they continue to build the House of the Lord which I have commanded them to build in Nauvoo.’

This information caused my bosom to burn with joy and gladness and I was comforted above measure; all my sorrow seemed in a moment to be lifted as a burden from my back.

The change was so sudden I hardly dared to believe my senses; I therefore prayed the Lord to repeat to me the same things the second time; if, indeed, I might be sure of their truth and might really tell the Saints to stay in Nauvoo and continue to build the Temple.  As I prayed thus, the same spirit burned in my bosom and the Spirit of the Lord repeated to me the same message again.  I then went on my way rejoicing and soon arrived in Nauvoo and delivered this message both to the people and friends individually and in the great congregation.