Page:History of Utah.djvu/142



90 THE STORY OF MORMONISM.

was appointed 'bishop, to receive and account for church funds collected by the various elders. Many of the elders who went to Missouri were by this time at work in different parts of the east and the west.^^

On the 16th of February, 1832, while Smith and Rigdon were translating the gospel of St John, they were favored by a glorious vision from the Lord,^^ which gave them great comfort and encouragement. The revelations about this time were frequent and lengthy, their purport being in great part to direct the move- ments of missionaries. Simonds Kider and Eli, Ed- ward, and John Johnson now apostatized.

On the night of the 25th of March, Smith and Rigdon were seized by a mob, composed partly of the Campbellites, methodists, and baptists of Hiram, twelve or fifteen being apostate Mormons. The cap- tives were roughly treated, and expected to be killed; but after they had been stripped, beaten, and well covered with tar and feathers, they were released. Smith preached and baptized as usual the next day, Sunday, but Rigdon was delirious for some time after- ward.^^ This broke up for the present the translation

^^ ' Thirty or forty elders were sent off in various directions in pursuit of proselytes, and the year passed off with a gradual increase.' Howe's Mormon- ism Uiivdlcd, 128-9. The men, after baptism, are elders, and are empowered to perform the ceremony upon others. Carvalho's Incidents of Travel, 148. For names of apostates at this time, see Hmucker's Hist. 3Ior., 11. For in- stances of young women induced to unite with the sect about this time, see Ward's Moi-mon Wife, 42-81. Mackay erroneously states that the number of saints in Kirtland at this time, including women and children, was but 150. The Mormons, 71-2.

2^In January it was revealed that the work of translating should be pro- ceeded with by Smith and Rigdon until finished; and that several of the elders, among whom was Orson Hyde, a recent convert, should go forth in various directions in pairs as before, and preach. Smith and some of the elders attended a conference at Amherst, Loraine Co., after returning from which both himself and Rigdon were shown the devil in a vision, and had the revelation of St John explained to them. In March it was revealed that steps should be taken to regulate and establish storehouses for the benefit of the poor, both at Kii'tland and at Zion. More missionaries were sent out, and word was received that the emigrants had safely reached Missouri. Times and Seasons, v. 576-7, 592-6, 608-9.

'^'^ Times and Seaso7is, v. 611-12. Mackay, Mormons, 68-71, erroneously dates the outrage Jan. 25th. One account says aqua-foi-tis was poured into Smith's mouth. Deseret News, Aug. 6, 1862. Smith says 'they tried to force a vial into my mouth, and broke it in my teeth.' One reason assigned for this treatment was that they were attempting to establish communism and