While the Prophet was encountering and overcoming many difficulties to bring succor1 to the Saints, the latter were engaged in a vain struggle to secure their rights. Correspondence passed between their leaders and the civil officers from the judges up to the President of the United States. Many of the appeals brought polite replies, but they resulted in no effective aid. Governor Dunklin sent several communications recognizing and deploring2 the wrongs inflicted3, but stating he could not, without transcending4 his power, order a military force to maintain the Saints in their Jackson County possessions. The latter sentiment was also the substance of the reply from the Secretary of War in behalf of the President of the United States. It is worthy5 of note that in all of the correspondence upon this question not a single charge is made against the Saints. It proves that in all things they were the sufferers from wrong, and not the doers of wrong; because the men to whom they appealed would have been quick to offer an excuse for their failure to extend redress6.
Possibly the Governor thought he had done enough when he filled his correspondence with high-minded and sympathetic sentiments; but of what avail was it to the Saints for him to say to them as follows?
On the subject of civil injuries, I must refer you to the courts; such questions rest with them exclusively. The laws are sufficient to afford a remedy for every injury of this kind, and, whenever you make out a case, entitling you to damages, there can be no doubt entertained of their ample award. Justice is sometimes slow in its progress, but it is not less sure on that account.
This is but a repetition practically of what he had said before without avail. Was not this almost a mockery of the people's disasters? It was at least a satire7 upon the persistent8 denial of the judicial9 officers in Jackson County to do justice. Later a court of inquiry10 was convened11 at Independence, under military guard; but the mob defied all the authority of law, scoffed12 at the Governor's order, subdued13 the court into a state of terror, and laughed at the troops as they were withdrawn14. A court martial15 was convened and it found Colonel Pitcher16 guilty of calling upon the militia17 to repress an insurrection where there was no insurrection, and decided18 that he had taken arms from the citizens who were lawfully19 seeking to defend themselves against unlawful aggression20; but the Governor in vain commanded the officers to restore the arms to the people from whom they had been stolen. Although repeated orders were issued by his Excellency those arms never were and to this day have not been returned.
The assaults of the mob on the scattered21 Saints and their property in Jackson County continued. In the latter part of April, 1834, one hundred and fifty houses were torn to the ground by the rabble22.
Joseph and his party found a branch of the Church at Salt River, in the state of Missouri, where they encamped to spend Sunday, the 8th of June. Here they were joined by Hyrum Smith and Lyman Wight with another party which had been gathered in the State of Michigan and surrounding regions; and the Camp of Zion with this addition now numbered two hundred and five men and twenty-five wagons23 well laden24. Several days were devoted25 to much needed recuperation, for the greater part of this devoted band of men had traveled nine hundred miles in a little more than a month's time, the journey being largely made on foot amidst all the natural hardships of a wild country where constant watchfulness26 had to be exercised.
On the 18th of June they pitched their tents within one mile of Richmond in Ray County. Two days previous to this time a mass meeting had been held at the court house in Liberty, Clay County, to consider propositions made by the people of Jackson County to the exiled Saints. Flaming war speeches were delivered by civil officers and by sectarian priests from Jackson County, who had hoped to arouse the hospitable27 people of Clay against their inoffensive guests, the Saints. Because General Doniphan and the chairman of the meeting, a Mr. Turnham, counseled peace and decency28, the old spirit of savage29 violence broke loose with all its virulence30 on the part of the representatives from Independence, and the meeting ended with a stabbing affray between two members of the former mob, in which one of them was dangerously wounded. The leading men among the Saints presented an answer in which they asked for time and in which they deprecated any hostilities31 upon either side during the pendency of the negotiation32. It was at once manifest that the proposition of the mobocrats had been but a sham33 to cover further violence. The news of the approach of the Prophet and his brethren in an organized camp had reached the ears of these infuriated men, and they felt that he was putting himself in their power. They counted with entire certainty upon the inability of the officers of the law to prevent their carrying out any fell purpose which they might adopt against the Latter-day Saints. If there was an official who did not justify34 them in their attacks upon the believers in this unpopular religion, they expected to overawe him; but from the Governor down they knew they had secret sympathy if not their active aid. With all their innocence35 and excellence36, therefore, the Latter-day Saints could place no reliance upon the laws and the safeguards of civilized37 society to protect them if these desperadoes chose to attack them.
The sole purpose of Joseph and his brethren was to bring succor to their suffering friends; but this their inhuman38 enemies were determined39 they should not do. Fifteen of the most violent mobocrats, with Samuel C. Owens and James Campbell at their head started to raise an army to meet and overpower the Camp of Zion. James Campbell swore as he adjusted his pistols in the holsters, "The eagles and turkey buzzards shall eat my flesh if I do not fix Joe Smith and his army so that their skins will not hold shucks, before two days are past." That night as twelve of these mobocrats were attempting to cross the Missouri River their boat was sunk and seven of them were drowned. Among the lost was Campbell, whose corpse40 floated down the river several miles and lodged41 upon a pile of driftwood, where ravenous42 birds did indeed pick his flesh from his bones, leaving the hideous43 bare skeleton to be discovered three weeks later by one Mr. Purtle.
On the night of the 19th, unobserved by a large party of their enemies who intended to fall upon them and murder them, the members of Zion's Camp passed through Richmond in the darkness, and pitched their tents between two branches of Fishing River.
While the members of the Camp were making preparations for the night five armed desperadoes appeared before them and, with many blasphemies44, said: "You will see hell before morning. Sixty men are coming from Richmond, and seventy more from Clay County to utterly45 destroy you." More than three hundred bloodthirsty men had engaged to concentrate at this point and attack Joseph. But to the subsequent unbounded thankfulness of the members of the Camp, the Lord interposed. When night came a mighty46 hurricane arose, throwing the plans of these savages47 into confusion, scattering48 them in the utmost disorder49, and melting their courage into abject50 fright in the presence of the awful elemental strife51. The severity of the storm was not felt to the same extent where Joseph and the camp had rested, but around them hail fell like grapeshot, spreading terror among the people and devastation52 amidst all the work of human hands.
While the surrounding region was in this state of consternation53, Joseph and his party took refuge in a log meeting house near their camp, being compelled to enter the building through a window. When the commotion54 was over and they emerged from their retreat, the Prophet gave orders that the parties to whom the house belonged should be visited and tendered an explanation of the intrusion and remuneration for any fancied damage. So scrupulous55 was he not to trespass56 upon the rights of others.
When the tornado57 burst only forty of the mob had been able to cross Fishing River. They afterwards swore that the little Fishing River rose thirty feet in thirty minutes, separating them from their companions, and making them glad to flee back among their lawless friends in Jackson County. The larger party of the mob, thus foiled in their purpose to cross the river, also fled. The Big Fishing River had risen nearly forty feet in one night. One of the mob had been killed by lightning.
On Saturday, the 21st of June, Colonel Scounce and two other leading men of Ray County visited Joseph, and begged to know his intentions, stating: "We see that there is an almighty58 power that protects this people." Colonel Scounce confessed that he had been leading a company of armed men to fall upon the Prophet, but had been driven back by the storm. The Prophet with all the mildness and dignity which ever sat so becomingly upon him, and which always impressed his hearers, answered that he had come to administer to the wants of his afflicted59 friends and did not wish to molest60 or injure anybody. He then made a full and fair statement of the difficulties as he understood them; and when he had closed the three ambassadors, melted into compassion61, offered their hands and declared that they would use every endeavor to allay62 the excitement.
On the 22nd day of June, 1834, while encamped on Fishing River, Joseph received a revelation in which the Lord declared that the Elders should wait for a season for the redemption of Zion; that he did not require at their hands to fight the battles of Zion, for he would fight their battles; and this he addressed to the Camp which had come up from Kirtland and other places into Missouri to do His will and with the hope that they might contribute to the redemption of His afflicted people. The Lord rebuked63 many among the Saints in the branches of the Church in the different states for their failure to join the Camp of Zion in response to the call which He had made upon them. The Lord had required the churches abroad to send up wise men with their moneys to purchase lands in Missouri, and thus assist in the redemption of Zion; but they had not hearkened unto His words. After renewing the promise that the day of redemption should surely come, and promising64 those who had hearkened to His words that He had prepared a blessing65 and an endowment for them if they would continue faithful, the revelation concluded:
And inasmuch as they [the Saints] follow the counsel which they receive, they shall have power after many days to accomplish all things pertaining66 to Zion.
And again I say unto you, sue for peace, not only the people that have smitten67 you; but also to all people;
And lift up an ensign of peace, and make a proclamation of peace unto the ends of the earth;
And make proposals for peace unto those who have smitten you, according to the voice of the Spirit which is in you, and all things shall work together for your good;
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收听单词发音
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1
succor
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| n.援助，帮助；v.给予帮助 | |
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deploring
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| v.悲叹，痛惜，强烈反对( deplore的现在分词 ) | |
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inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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4
transcending
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| 超出或超越（经验、信念、描写能力等）的范围( transcend的现在分词 )； 优于或胜过… | |
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5
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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redress
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| n.赔偿，救济，矫正；v.纠正，匡正，革除 | |
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satire
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| n.讽刺，讽刺文学，讽刺作品 | |
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8
persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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9
judicial
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| adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的 | |
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10
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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convened
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| 召开( convene的过去式 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合 | |
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12
scoffed
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| 嘲笑，嘲弄( scoff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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14
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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pitcher
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| n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手 | |
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militia
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| n.民兵，民兵组织 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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lawfully
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| adv.守法地，合法地；合理地 | |
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aggression
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| n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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rabble
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| n.乌合之众，暴民；下等人 | |
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23
wagons
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| n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车 | |
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laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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watchfulness
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| 警惕，留心； 警觉（性） | |
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hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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decency
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| n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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30
virulence
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| n.毒力，毒性；病毒性；致病力 | |
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31
hostilities
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| n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事 | |
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32
negotiation
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| n.谈判，协商 | |
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33
sham
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| n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的) | |
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34
justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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35
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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excellence
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| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
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civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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38
inhuman
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| adj.残忍的，不人道的，无人性的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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40
corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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41
lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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42
ravenous
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| adj.极饿的，贪婪的 | |
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43
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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44
blasphemies
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| n.对上帝的亵渎，亵渎的言词[行为]( blasphemy的名词复数 )；侮慢的言词（或行为） | |
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45
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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46
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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47
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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48
scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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49
disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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50
abject
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| adj.极可怜的，卑屈的 | |
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51
strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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52
devastation
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| n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤 | |
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53
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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54
commotion
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| n.骚动，动乱 | |
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55
scrupulous
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| adj.审慎的，小心翼翼的，完全的，纯粹的 | |
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56
trespass
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| n./v.侵犯，闯入私人领地 | |
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57
tornado
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| n.飓风，龙卷风 | |
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58
almighty
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| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
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afflicted
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| 使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60
molest
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| vt.骚扰，干扰，调戏 | |
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61
compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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allay
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| v.消除，减轻(恐惧、怀疑等) | |
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63
rebuked
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| 责难或指责( rebuke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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64
promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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65
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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66
pertaining
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| 与…有关系的，附属…的，为…固有的(to) | |
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67
smitten
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| 猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去分词 ) | |
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behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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