Insidious2 as was the attempt of Bennett upon the Prophet's life during the sham3 battle of the Legion on the 7th of May, 1842, it was not so cowardly as the stab which Bennett sought to inflict4 very soon after that. The first blow aimed solely5 at the Prophet's life; the second intended to slay6 his reputation and then to have him killed with a dishonorable stain upon his name. Bennett was lustful7 in his nature, though he had brought that disposition8 into subjection, or at least concealment9, for a little time after his arrival at Nauvoo. But he soon gave way to the whisper of the tempter. And to make his purpose successful, and to encloak himself with protection, he taught secretly to men and women that the Prophet countenanced10 sin between the sexes. Bennett's prominence11, and the intimacy12 that he represented as existing between the Prophet and himself deceived a few, and he found some followers13 in the city of Nauvoo. Men and women professing14 to accept his teachings as having emanated15 from the Prophet, gave themselves up to profligacy16. They excused themselves to their own souls and their fellow-beings by the pretense17 that the Prophet of God justified18 these immoralities. Bennett's converts were few; and these were only among the ignorant or the depraved, for everyone who was himself pure in soul and blessed with reasonable intelligence knew that nothing was more abhorrent19 to the Prophet than sexual impurity20. Joseph's teachings upon this point were emphatic21 and frequent. He regarded and taught that virtue22 in man or woman was dearer than life, and that adultery was a sin second only to the shedding of innocent blood.
But Bennett worked secretly and prevailed over several to yield to his desires, and induced a few men to engage in his awful course, securing concealment by the most adroit23 and outrageous24 falsehoods.
Among the persons addressed by Bennett were some pure minded brethren and sisters, who knew in an instant that his teachings were corrupt25, and knew by the Spirit of the Lord that the Prophet was no party to such an atrocious crime.
Bennett's sins were not long hidden from Joseph's knowledge. The Prophet acted promptly26 as was his wont27. He charged the sins of falsehood and seduction upon Bennett, and the latter was forced to confess. He humbled28 himself and with many tears begged for pardon. Of his own volition29 he went before Alderman Daniel H. Wells and made oath that Joseph Smith had never taught him "anything contrary to the strictest principles of the gospel, or of virtue, or of the laws of God or man, under any circumstance, or upon any occasion, either directly or indirectly30 in word or in deed." These sentiments he reiterated31 in public assemblages, declaring that so far as he knew and believed, Joseph's life was unspotted by one act or word of immorality32. On the 17th of May he resigned the office of mayor, being terrified by the indignation of insulted men and abused women. The council accepted his resignation and appointed Joseph to fill the vacancy33.
On the 25th of May, notice was given to John C. Bennett that his fellowship had been withdrawn from him and that notice must be given through the press to warn the public against his evil doings. Weeping, he fell upon his knees acknowledged his licentious34 conduct toward women in Nauvoo, confessed that he was worthy35 of the severest chastisement36; but supplicated37 the brethren to spare him for his poor old mother's sake, promising38 that he would sin no more and would endeavor to atone39 for his wrong-doing. Joseph, who had been deeply injured, was the one to plead for mercy for Bennett, and at his especial solicitation40 the public notice was temporarily withdrawn. But the tears were hypocritical, for Bennett renewed his machinations; and it became necessary to warn all people against him as a dangerous man, a liar41 and a seducer42. Some of the persons who had lent a willing ear to his corrupt counsels were also excommunicated. Evil reports soon began to come in from other places concerning Bennett, and it was discovered that he had pursued on former occasions the same sinful line of conduct which caused his fall at Nauvoo.
In June Bennett withdrew from Nauvoo and circulated lying publications against the truth and the Prophet, and endeavored to incite43 a mob to march up against Nauvoo. The hideous44 character of this man is fully45 shown by one circumstance: shortly after the Saints settled in Nauvoo he began to publish a series of letters over the nom de plume46 of "Joab, General in Israel," in which he recounted many of the atrocities47 of the Missouri persecutions. His articles breathed a spirit of resentment49 against the mobocrats and their official supporters, but these views belonged to Bennett personally and were not shared by anyone else. When he fled from Nauvoo after the exposure of his evil deeds, he called attention through the public prints to the sanguinary utterances50 of his own letters attributing them to the Saints and attempting by their sentiments to show that Joseph and his people were disposed to violence. Such an act of duplicity is almost unparalleled.
Bennett published a book filled with dark falsehoods about the Prophet and the Saints. It created a momentary51 excitement; but its author was despised by everybody and soon sank into obscurity and distress52. He lived some years in agony, being wrecked53 in mind and body and died in poverty and distress.
On the 6th day of May, 1842, ex-Governor Lilburn W. Boggs was shot and dangerously wounded in his house at Independence, Jackson County, Missouri. His little boy had found him lying near an open window, weltering in blood, with three buckshot in his head. Outside of the window were footprints and a smoking pistol. The case was clearly one of attempted assassination54. At first no hope was entertained that Boggs would recover; but he subsequently took a favorable turn and his life was saved. A rumor55 at once went forth56 charging the affair upon the "Mormons," although there was not the slightest circumstance to connect them with the deed. Boggs had plenty of enemies of a desperate character; he had shown the utmost disregard for law, and had glutted57 his vengeful spirit by murder and excitement to murder. What more natural than that he who had invoked58 massacre59 should fall by the hand of a ruffian taught by the example of Boggs himself to hold human life in light esteem60! At first the charge against the Saints was a general one. It was safer to say that "Mormons did it," than to designate the particular hand which fired the shot.
It was stated that the Prophet had predicted a violent death for Boggs; and this rumor was circulated by his enemies to confirm suspicion against the Saints. But he promptly denied having expressed any such idea.
While this falsehood was being spread through that region, John C. Bennett and David and Edward Kilbourn conspired61 to kidnap Joseph and get him into Missouri. All the evil forces and powers of persecution48 united themselves at this hour.
Under the Prophet's direction, Governor Reynolds of Missouri and Governor Carlin of Illinois were informed of the efforts which were being made in both states to precipitate62 mobocratic attacks upon the Saints; Joseph being determined63 that the officials should not permit this movement to gain head except by their wilful64 acquiescence65 or neglect.
About the 1st of July, 1842, the first "Anti-Mormon" political convention was held in Hancock County, Illinois. Its resolutions read like a page out of recent Utah history. The complete set of candidates were pledged to a man to receive no support from and to yield no quarter to the "Mormons;" and then the ticket was commended to the suffrage66 of all the citizens of Hancock County. The Prophet punctured67 the bubble by a vigorous exposure of the hypocrisy68, intolerance and stupidity of such a campaign.
On Sunday, the 3rd day of July, eight thousand people assembled in the grove69 to hear the Prophet and his brother Hyrum preach. Joseph addressed the vast assemblage in the morning and Hyrum in the afternoon.
In the Prophet's journal, under date of July 11th, 1842, he records the fact that he bought a horse of Harmon T. Wilson, which he afterwards named Joe Duncan. This was the famous and beautiful steed which Lieutenant-General Smith afterwards rode at the head of the Nauvoo Legion. The Prophet had a great fondness for animals. His horse Charley was widely known among the people, and with the boys of Nauvoo he was a great favorite. Speaking of the horse Charley brings to mind an occurrence which created considerable amusement at the time. A boy named Wesley Cowle was flying a kite in one of the streets of Nauvoo. One or two strangers came up to him and asked him where the Prophet could be found. At that time officers were said to be coming from Carthage for the purpose of serving papers upon Joseph and arresting him. "Wes." Cowle did not know but the strangers were officers. He said the Prophet was not in the city. He and Hyrum had gone to heaven on "old Charley" and he was flying his kite to send them their dinner.
On Saturday, the 6th day of August, 1842, while Joseph was conversing70 with several of his brethren at Montrose, Iowa, he uttered a remarkable71 prophecy which, like every other prediction from his lips, has been literally72 fulfilled. He declared that the Saints would continue to suffer much affliction and would finally be driven to the Rocky Mountains. Many would apostatize; others would be put to death by their persecutors or lose their lives in consequence of their exile; and many of those who listened to him would live to assist in building cities and to see the Saints become a mighty73 people in the tops of the Rocky Mountains.
That prophecy was uttered publicly and was placed on record at the time.
点击收听单词发音
1 withdrawn | |
vt.收回;使退出;vi.撤退,退出 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2 insidious | |
adj.阴险的,隐匿的,暗中为害的,(疾病)不知不觉之间加剧 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3 sham | |
n./adj.假冒(的),虚伪(的) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 inflict | |
vt.(on)把…强加给,使遭受,使承担 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 solely | |
adv.仅仅,唯一地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 slay | |
v.杀死,宰杀,杀戮 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 lustful | |
a.贪婪的;渴望的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 disposition | |
n.性情,性格;意向,倾向;排列,部署 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9 concealment | |
n.隐藏, 掩盖,隐瞒 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10 countenanced | |
v.支持,赞同,批准( countenance的过去式 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11 prominence | |
n.突出;显著;杰出;重要 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12 intimacy | |
n.熟悉,亲密,密切关系,亲昵的言行 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13 followers | |
追随者( follower的名词复数 ); 用户; 契据的附面; 从动件 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14 professing | |
声称( profess的现在分词 ); 宣称; 公开表明; 信奉 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15 emanated | |
v.从…处传出,传出( emanate的过去式和过去分词 );产生,表现,显示 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16 profligacy | |
n.放荡,不检点,肆意挥霍 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17 pretense | |
n.矫饰,做作,借口 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18 justified | |
a.正当的,有理的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19 abhorrent | |
adj.可恶的,可恨的,讨厌的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
20 impurity | |
n.不洁,不纯,杂质 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21 emphatic | |
adj.强调的,着重的;无可置疑的,明显的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22 virtue | |
n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23 adroit | |
adj.熟练的,灵巧的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
24 outrageous | |
adj.无理的,令人不能容忍的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
25 corrupt | |
v.贿赂,收买;adj.腐败的,贪污的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
26 promptly | |
adv.及时地,敏捷地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
27 wont | |
adj.习惯于;v.习惯;n.习惯 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
28 humbled | |
adj. 卑下的,谦逊的,粗陋的 vt. 使 ... 卑下,贬低 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
29 volition | |
n.意志;决意 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
30 indirectly | |
adv.间接地,不直接了当地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
31 reiterated | |
反复地说,重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
32 immorality | |
n. 不道德, 无道义 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
33 vacancy | |
n.(旅馆的)空位,空房,(职务的)空缺 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
34 licentious | |
adj.放纵的,淫乱的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
35 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
36 chastisement | |
n.惩罚 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
37 supplicated | |
v.祈求,哀求,恳求( supplicate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
38 promising | |
adj.有希望的,有前途的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
39 atone | |
v.赎罪,补偿 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
40 solicitation | |
n.诱惑;揽货;恳切地要求;游说 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
41 liar | |
n.说谎的人 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
42 seducer | |
n.诱惑者,骗子,玩弄女性的人 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
43 incite | |
v.引起,激动,煽动 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
44 hideous | |
adj.丑陋的,可憎的,可怕的,恐怖的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
45 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
46 plume | |
n.羽毛;v.整理羽毛,骚首弄姿,用羽毛装饰 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
47 atrocities | |
n.邪恶,暴行( atrocity的名词复数 );滔天大罪 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
48 persecution | |
n. 迫害,烦扰 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
49 resentment | |
n.怨愤,忿恨 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
50 utterances | |
n.发声( utterance的名词复数 );说话方式;语调;言论 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
51 momentary | |
adj.片刻的,瞬息的;短暂的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
52 distress | |
n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
53 wrecked | |
adj.失事的,遇难的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
54 assassination | |
n.暗杀;暗杀事件 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
55 rumor | |
n.谣言,谣传,传说 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
56 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
57 glutted | |
v.吃得过多( glut的过去式和过去分词 );(对胃口、欲望等)纵情满足;使厌腻;塞满 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
58 invoked | |
v.援引( invoke的过去式和过去分词 );行使(权利等);祈求救助;恳求 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
59 massacre | |
n.残杀,大屠杀;v.残杀,集体屠杀 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
60 esteem | |
n.尊敬,尊重;vt.尊重,敬重;把…看作 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
61 conspired | |
密谋( conspire的过去式和过去分词 ); 搞阴谋; (事件等)巧合; 共同导致 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
62 precipitate | |
adj.突如其来的;vt.使突然发生;n.沉淀物 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
63 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
64 wilful | |
adj.任性的,故意的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
65 acquiescence | |
n.默许;顺从 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
66 suffrage | |
n.投票,选举权,参政权 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
67 punctured | |
v.在(某物)上穿孔( puncture的过去式和过去分词 );刺穿(某物);削弱(某人的傲气、信心等);泄某人的气 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
68 hypocrisy | |
n.伪善,虚伪 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
69 grove | |
n.林子,小树林,园林 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
70 conversing | |
v.交谈,谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
71 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
72 literally | |
adv.照字面意义,逐字地;确实 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
73 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
欢迎访问英文小说网 |