| |
A
Mission to Young Joseph
The Story of the Church
by Inez Smith Davis
Chapter 45
Five years having passed, November of 1856 came, and still Young
Joseph held aloof. The Saints in Wisconsin continued to send out
missionaries and held two conferences a year. There was much happiness,
a great deal of readjustment, and some sorrow. A few became tired
of waiting and wanted to choose a president other than Joseph,
but the growing majority still clung to their original plan. They
would wait till the "due time of the Lord." Occasionally
they were cheered by a message that the time was not far distant,
but years went by.
Samuel Powers and his wife had joined the ranks. Long years
before, these people had heard the gospel preached by Jehiel Savage
in Canada, but for some reason had never joined the church. They
finally moved to Wisconsin and lived near Beloit, where they again
came in touch with the church and this time were baptized by Zenas
H. Gurley. In July of 1854, Aaron Smith, James J. Strang's first
convert, one of his chief witnesses and counselor, having heard
of the new movement came down to Zarahemla (the name of the church
for the branch or "stake" at Argyle, Wisconsin) and
was there baptized.
 |
| William W. Blair |
But as the time approached for
the fifth anniversary of the first conference of the Reorganization,
the people began to think that they should do something themselves
to convince the expected successor. A proclamation was drawn up
with much fasting and prayer. All the best rhetoric at the command
of these men went into its making, and when it was finished and
read to the faithful little group, it seemed truly a masterpiece.
With hopeful hearts they outfitted two missionaries. They were
young men, as the first missionaries of the church had been young.
Samuel Gurley, eldest son of Zenas, was but twenty-five, and Edmund
Briggs, Jason's young brother, was a few years his junior. These
two young men made the trip from Wisconsin to Nauvoo with the
highest of hopes, stopping on the way to visit other Saints of
old time. One of those visited was a merchant in a country store
near Amboy, in Lee County, Illinois. His name was William W. Blair.
He was not a member of the old church but a son of an early pioneer
of Illinois, James Blair, who had settled near Amboy as early
as 1831, built a log cabin there, and sent for his family from
New York. William Blair was, as he grew older, skeptical on religious
matters, but finally became interested in the preaching of the
Latter Day Saints, then engaged with William Smith, John Landers,
Edwin Cadwell, Jason W. Briggs, Ira J. Patten, Aaron Hook, and
Joseph Wood and was baptized on October 8, 1851, just a month
before Jason W. Briggs became disgusted with this faction and
withdrew. At first he was very happy in his new association, but
as time went on, he began to feel he had made a mistake, and before
he had been with them a year, he and Edwin Cadwell publically
withdrew. He then investigated Baneemyism (the faction of Charles
B. Thompson) but was soon satisfied it was not the work of God.
In 1855 he united with the little group who with William Marks
had determined to stand apart from all factions and teach the
simple gospel principles as they had been taught before 1844,
leaving the results with their Master. These men were John E.
Page, John Landers, William Marks, John Gaylord, Russell Huntley,
and some others.
It was shortly after nightfall in November of that year, as
Mr. Blair was putting away his goods for the night, that two young
men entered his store. The moment they came in, he was impressed
that they were "Mormon elders," but they merely said
they had come to make him a call. He invited them home with him
for supper, and on the way they told him they were elders from
Zarahemla, Wisconsin, sent to hunt up all the old Saints and tell
them that the time was near at hand when the Lord was going to
call Young Joseph Smith to take his father's place as president
of the church.
"These things were strange and somewhat novel to me,"
says Blair, "and I had no confidence whatever in their truthfulness."
However, no sooner was supper out of the way than he took the
visitors into the parlor, where he could be alone with them, and
The Three Books were brought out. The two young elders and the
young storekeeper (himself not yet thirty) canvassed the question
of successorship until 3 o'clock in the morning, when they retired.
It was Saturday night. There was no store to keep the next day,
so immediately after breakfast they had prayer for guidance and
continued the discussion. The entire morning passed; it was 11
a.m., and still Blair opposed them persistently. They were young
and inexperienced and disappointed and crestfallen. Blair seeing
this told them that they manifested a gentle and kind spirit,
but he could not indorse their teachings:
I would not say they were wrong [said Blair], for I did not
know. I only knew I could not as yet see their claims to be
true. I felt and said that if their views and teachings were
of God, then I hoped to be able to know it, but as yet I had
no confidence in them. Soon after this, Elder Briggs rose up,
took the Book of Mormon off the stand and opened it hastily,
looking intently upon it as if he were reading it to himself.
After a moment's waiting, his countenance and his entire being
seemed highly animated, and he soon began speaking as if reading
from the book. As soon as he began speaking, the Spirit came
in mighty power—the same Spirit that bore witness to me
of the truth of the gospel five years before—bearing testimony
that they were the servants of God, and that their mission and
tidings were of God. The first words uttered by Elder Briggs
were these: "I, the Lord, will have mercy upon whom I will
have mercy; and I will forgive whom I will forgive," words
which are found nowhere in the Book of Mormon. Then he began
speaking in prophecy, declaring the coming of Joseph, my future
mission in the church, with many other things connected with
the church and myself. When he ceased speaking, Elder S. H.
Gurley arose and spoke in prophecy, testifying many things through
the Spirit. My doubts were now dispelled and my mind was fully
satisfied that the Lord would, in his own good time, call Young
Joseph to the Presidency of the church.1
The young missionaries went on their way to Nauvoo, and though
it would be December before they could make the trip, the Blairs
made preparation to visit Zarahemla (Argyle, now Blanchardville)
.
Of this unforgettable occasion, Blair spoke many years later:
I remember going up to Zarahemla in 1857, where I found a
little band of Saints upon the bleak hills of Wisconsin. It
was one of the poorest, most God-forsaken regions I ever did
go to, I think. I had a very dreary time in getting there; a
very cold time. But I found God among the Saints; the love of
God was there; and the doctrines of eternal life were there
with all their power. God gave the blessings of the Holy Spirit
to that people. The gift of tongues in prayer, in singing, and
in speaking were there. In various other ways was Christ among
them, the gift of the prophecy and vision was among them; and
it was like heaven on earth among that little band of Saints
at Zarahemla.2
W. W. Blair continued acting with the church until October 7,
1857, when having become dissatisfied with his baptism under William
Smith, he was rebaptized by Zenas H. Gurley and on the next day
was ordained a high priest.
The mission of Gurley and Briggs to Nauvoo was not so successful,
but at length the disappointment righted itself, faith triumphed,
and they still believed that in "the due time of the Lord"
Joseph would be called.
They found Young Joseph living on a farm near Nauvoo with his
bride of a few months. Not more than three or four weeks before,
the young man had been visited by George A. Smith of Utah, and
Erastus Snow. Now at his door were two more men with a most strange
story. They said they had been commissioned from the Reorganized
Church at Zarahemla, Wisconsin, to deliver the word of the Lord
to him. Here is the document which they brought with them:
The Church in Zarahemla, Wisconsin, to Joseph Smith:
 |
| Joseph Smith III |
Our faith is not unknown to you, neither our hope in the regathering
of the pure in heart enthralled in darkness, together with the
means to the accomplishment of the same; viz., that the seed
of him to whom the work was first committed should stand forth
and bear the responsibility (as well as wear the crown) of a
wise masterbuilder—to close up the breach, and to combine
in one a host, who, though in captivity and sorely tried, still
refuse to strengthen the hands of usurpers. As that seed, to
whom pertains this right, and heaven-appointed duty, you cannot
be unmindful nor indifferent. The God of Abram, Isaac, and Jacob
covenanted with them and their seed. So the God of Joseph convenanted
with him and his seed, that his word should not depart out of
the mouth of his seed, nor out of the mouth of his seed's seed,
till the end come. A Zerubbabel in Israel art thou. As a nail
fasteneth in a sure place, so are the promises unto thee to
make thee a restorer in Zion—to set in order the house
of God. And the Holy Spirit that searcheth the deep things of
God, hath signified to us that the time has come. For, through
fasting and prayer, hath the answer from God come unto us, saying,
Communicate with my servant Joseph Smith, son of Joseph the
Prophet. Arise, call upon God and be strong, for a deliverer
art thou to the Latter Day Saints. And the Holy Spirit is thy
prompter. The apostles, elders, and Saints who have assembled
with us, have beheld the vacant seat and the seed that is wanting.
And like Ezra of old with his brethren, by the direction of
the Holy Spirit have we sent faithful messengers to bear this
our message to you, trusting that you will by their hands notify
us of your readiness to occupy that seat, and answer to the
name and duties of that seed. For this have our prayers been
offered up without ceasing for the last five years. We are assured
that the same Spirit that has testified to us, has signified
the same things to you. Many have arisen perverting the work
of the Lord. But the good and the true are throughout the land
waiting the true successor of Joseph the Prophet, as President
of the church and of the priesthood. In our publications—sent
to you—we have shown the right of successorship to rest
in the literal descendent of the chosen seed, to whom the promise
was made, and also the manner of ordination thereto. We cannot
forbear reminding you that the commandments, as well as the
promises given to Joseph, your father, were given to him, and
to his seed. And in the name of our Master, even Jesus Christ,
as moved upon by the Holy Ghost, we say, Arise in the strength
of the Lord and realize those promises by executing those commandments.
And we, by the grace of God, are thy helpers in restoring the
exiled sons and daughters of Zion to their inheritances in the
kingdom of God and to the faith once delivered to the Saints.
Holding fast that which is good and resisting evil, we invoke
the blessings of the God of Israel upon thee and upon all Saints,
for whom we will ever pray.
J. W. BRIGGS,
Representative President of the Church
and the Priesthood in Zarahemla.
Zarahemla, November 18, 1856.3
Joseph, telling of it, says that the conversation was stormy,
and that he told them firmly that he would discuss religion with
absolutely no one; he would tolerate politics, weather, anything
else, but they must not bring up the subject of religion in his
house. He says:
The reception that these brethren met with was not a flattering
one. Elder Gurley stated their mission and presented the document
containing the message to me. I heard what he had to say; I
read the message that they brought, but could not accept it
as they had hoped. It was not to me the word of the Lord. Elder
Briggs vehemently urged the matter upon me, and announced the
culmination of the message in tones of thunder, and almost dictatorily
directed me to accept the message and do as directed therein
or reject it at my peril.
I met his vehemence indignantly, and almost turned these messengers
out of doors. But, through the calmer, humbler efforts of Elder
Gurley and the interposition of my wife, the storm abated; I
invited them to stay over night, and that when the morning came,
I would accompany them to town and would give them a final answer.
In the morning I went with them to Nauvoo, introduced them to
my mother and stepfather, went with them into a room, where
quietly and peaceably Elder Gurley and I talked the situation
over. I gave them my answer which was this: What they came to
bring might be the word of the Lord; I could not say that it
was not. I had, however, no testimony that it was. That I was
prepared to do what God required of me, if he would make it
known to me what it was; that I believed that he could reveal
himself if he would; that I believed that my father was called
of God to do a work; and that I was satisfied that that work
was true, whether I ever had anything to do with it or not;
that I did not then know whether I should ever be called to
take any part in that work; but that if I were, I was ready,
and that it would have to be made clear to me, in person, as
well as to others what that work was; that I could not move
upon the evidence given to others only. That they might be assured
that I should not go to Salt Lake to affiliate with them there.
And finally, that if it should be made clear to me that it was
my duty to cast the fortunes of my life and my labor with the
work and the people that they were representing, I should without
hesitation do it, but that I could not then do so.4
With that understanding they parted. Gurley returned to Zarahemla.
Briggs stayed in the vicinity of Nauvoo, preaching and working
his way at farm work. He had resolved not to return to Wisconsin
until Joseph came to the church.
|
|
