by Marian Wells
The final business of settling the disposition of the Mormons’ property was handled before General Clark rose to address the people. His stern voice rang with authority, and his message settled into the hearts of the people. “This state has suffered irreparably because of the character, conduct, and influence of these Latter-Day Saints. We have endeavored to restore our state to the best of our ability by the actions we have chosen to take against you. As you know, the orders of the governor of this state were that you be exterminated and not allowed to remain in the area. Had your leaders not surrendered, we would have, of necessity, been forced to follow through. Now I say you must leave.
“I don’t ask that you leave before spring, but do not delay for another season. The doom of your leaders is sealed. You have been the aggressors; these difficulties have been brought upon you by yourselves. I advise you to take it upon yourselves to become citizens of decent standing wherever you choose to live. To follow any other course will bring ruin upon you.”
Tom lingered beside Mark and Jenny while the Saints wandered about the town. There was confusion, disbelief and, on several faces, relief.
“Yes, people do look stunned,” Mark remarked softly to Tom. “I can hardly believe it myself. But it feels like the end of an era to me. Joseph’s church can’t endure this punishment and survive.”
Tom looked slowly around, studying the faces of his friends. He was thoughtful as he spoke. “Mark, religion aside, these people are fighters. They’re where they are today because they have no better sense than to dream big and not think about the consequences. Sure, they’re confused, but change?” He was shaking his head, “Once you pick a way to live, it becomes mighty hard to change. If by some fluke Joseph manages to survive this, he’ll land on his feet. Might come up with a better idea to make the whole promise of Zion even more attractive.” He paused for a moment, then added, “Joe’s still my friend, and I’m bettin’ on him. Right now I feel mighty sorry for the fella. I guess I’ll go sympathize and give him the latest news.”
Tom rode away as Mark and Jenny, Andy and Sally climbed back into their wagon. When Andy picked up the reins, Tom circled back to them. “By the way, Mark, don’t bother going back to your place. Them Missourians aren’t gettin’ much outta you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Burnt. Was up there last week and everything’s a big ash heap.” Tom turned his horse toward Richmond. “Going to visit the jail; gotta see the Prophet.”
When Tom was led into the enclosure which served as home and office to Joseph, he remarked. “Sure’s not many around; what’s happened to the others?”
Joseph stood up, saying, “Some had bailable offenses. I understand they posted bond.” He grinned slowly.
Tom said, “I’m guessin’ the state’ll see no more of them, right?”
“I ’spect.” After a moment, Joseph added, “We’ll be moving on to Liberty jail pretty soon.” Again he was silent, and Tom watched his features settle into a countenance of defeat.
“You’re thinkin’ this is the end of the road, no matter what you said in your brave speech?”
“It hurts to see men I trusted turning from me to save their own hides. I should’ve known I couldn’t trust a man as blood-thirsty as Avard. He told everything he could think of in court. All about setting up the Danites, even showed around the constitution. There’s things in it that makes the lawyers think they have grounds for charging treason against me. Judge King’s trying hard to prove we’re setting up a kingdom. A man without a speck of religion can’t even think like a man of God,” Joe said, moving restlessly about his small quarters.
Tom admitted, “There’s things we talked about in meetin’ that an outsider wouldn’t understand. Like how we swore to protect the secrets of the society.”
“He charged me with being the prime organizer of the Danites, and went on to say they were set up first to take care of the dissenters, then to fight the Gentiles and take over their property.”
“I can see where if a man wasn’t in the kingdom, he wouldn’t understand the Danites bein’ necessary.” He shot a glance at Joseph and continued, “I suppose he told all about how the first presidency was made up of all the officers, and how in your blessing you prophesied that the Danites would be the means of usherin’ in the millennial kingdom with God’s help. I’m supposin’ they wouldn’t be understandin’ a man feelin’ so strong about all this that he would swear his life to be forfeit if he was to reveal the secrets of the society?” Joseph didn’t answer, but Tom knew it wasn’t necessary.
Tom had a question that had burned in his mind for weeks. “Joe, mind if I ask you something? I’ve been strugglin’ with my faith. It seems the spirit’s tellin’ me to ask you. You’ve been preachin’ how the Lord’s askin’ us to set up Zion, and how we’re goin’ to be successful and how the Lord’s goin’ to be fightin’ our battles for us.” He paused to take a deep breath; looking up at Joseph he said, “Joe, we’ve had one big pile of failure. How are we to believe now?” Tom watched the big man sitting opposite him. He was slumped forward, resting his arms on his legs and staring at the floor.
When Joseph lifted his face, Tom saw the despair. “Tom,” he spoke slowly and carefully. “I want you to understand what all this means. Simply, I’ve been betrayed. These men—not just Avard, but Wight, Pratt, Robinson, Marsh, Stout, Rich—you name them, from one end of the roster to the other, they’ve betrayed me. The church has betrayed me just like Christ was betrayed by Judas.”
Tom got to his feet, standing awkwardly and wondering how to take his leave. Joe looked at him. “Remember, Tom, no matter how you judge me, God intended for the army of Israel to be victorious, but these men were just not perfect enough to withstand so large an army.”
Joseph followed Tom to the door. “You know some of the things that contributed to the failure. There were those who wouldn’t consecrate their property, who wouldn’t obey council.” He added, “Come back. The Lord’s still working. I have a feeling that there’s still important things ahead for us.” A half-smile lit Joseph’s face, and Tom saw the dreamy expression in his eyes. For just a moment a tingling excitement, a promise of hope reached out to touch Tom, and he nearly forgot his disappointment.
Chapter 24
Mark pulled Jenny’s hand through his arm and cuddled it close to his side. The day was clear and pleasantly warm for November. “I’m glad you agreed to a walk this Sabbath day,” he murmured. “Seems the Morgan cabin is getting more crowded every day. Jenny, we need to be pushing out of the state.”
She raised troubled eyes and studied his face. “Mark, what did you think of all we were hearing this morning?”
“Are you talking about the letters Joseph wrote to us from prison?”
She nodded and then added, “Brigham Young is being a good fill-in for him. But he admitted he’d carried news to Joseph. I wish he hadn’t told him that some of the Saints are calling Joseph a fallen prophet. I wish he hadn’t troubled him with the news.”
“And you didn’t care for Joseph calling Hinkel a traitor, saying there was a parallel between him and the way the Savior was led into the camp of enemies? I saw you frown.”
“Well, something about it made me uneasy. I keep wondering who he will denounce next.” She was thinking of the label Oh, don’t men as she looked up at Mark. But he didn’t seem uneasy, and she sighed with relief. Then she added, “It couldn’t help Joseph to be spreading information about Isaac Russell’s setting up a little church of his own. And it’s too bad Brother Young had to admit to defending the Prophet before the high council of the church. Seems right now it would be best if we didn’t have to be airing our linen in front of the Gentiles.” She sighed.
“Well, there’s not much being aired, compared to what could be—” Mark abruptly ended his sentence and headed Jenny down the trail, away from the turnoff to Haun’s Mill.
“Do you suppose Brigham’s let Joseph know how his brother William’s going around tell
ing people that if he’d had his way, Joseph would have been hung years ago? What ever does he mean by that? I know there’s been trouble. William’s just jealous that Joseph is the Lord’s anointed.”
Slowly Mark said, “There’s some whisper of talk that Joseph has the position William was to have held.”
Jenny was silent for long minutes. When she spoke it was slowly and thoughtfully. “Are you saying that William was supposed to have been the anointed one instead of Joseph?” She turned away. Her shoulders drooped and Mark wondered what she was thinking.
They continued their walk, quietly, arms linked together as they wandered down the winter-crushed path. When Mark pulled Jenny to a halt under the spreading branches of a giant oak, he lifted her chin and studied her eyes. When he bent to kiss her, there was only a sad, dutiful pressure from her lips. He wrapped his arms around her and snuggled her close, but it was minutes before she relaxed against him.
He found himself wondering if repeating the gossip about Joseph had hammered a new wedge between the two of them. He thought of the cabin they had shared, and immediately the memory of Joseph standing in front of their fireplace intruded. Mark pressed his lips tightly together and tried to shove the picture out of his mind.
“Jenny, let’s go now, before the rest of the Saints start trailing out of here with their wagons. I’ll get a buggy to take us to the river. From there we can take a steamer to Saint Louis. I’ve a mind to look around Springfield, Illinois.”
She pulled back and looked up at him. Her eyes seemed to probe the very depths, making him uneasy with all his unspoken thoughts. He was aware that both of them were carrying problems they dared not discuss with the other. Mark found himself wondering if there would ever be a day when all of those questions could be faced.
She spoke, but she was ignoring his plea. “Why did Joseph say those things in the letter Brigham Young read today?”
“Well,” Mark said hesitantly, “I suppose he was apologizing, but he was also defending himself. I’m glad he had the manhood not to deny responsibility for the Danites. I suppose saying Avard was responsible for teaching erronous things is justifiable.”
Jenny interrupted, “But why did he bring up the subject of polygamy? No one has accused him of any such thing.”
Mark was surprised to hear sadness in her voice, not the indignation he expected. He studied her open, questioning expression. “Because,” he spoke slowly, deliberately, waiting for a change in her eyes, “there’s talk. Always the taint has followed Joseph.”
Jenny frowned slightly but she was still gazing steadily at Mark. “I don’t believe it. I can nearly assure you those are lies.”
He must push one last time. “Do you know Cowdery has stated that you visited Joseph in his office on more than one occasion?”
She reacted, but before the flush touched her face, astonishment flooded her features. “The office! I went there to get books, to—” She paused and then said, “Did he talk about all the old women who went in there too?”
“Jenny,” he caught himself, but he had her attention. When she looked up, he said, “Then you won’t mind settling in Springfield, will you?”
Mark’s question stayed with Jenny during the weeks that followed. But even more than the question was the dark expression in his eyes.
The little cabin was crowded. Its one room offered not the slightest privacy, and as winter settled in, even the quilt serving as a curtain between the bunks was discarded in an attempt to keep the occupants warm.
The pressures of living under those circumstances forced a routine on the two families. During the day the men were gone, mostly listening to the latest news from the state legislature concerning the Mormon problems. Just lately they carried back tales of Corrill’s attempt to win concessions with a petition to the legislature from the Mormon people.
Andy added, “After all the trouble Joseph and the people heaped upon Corrill, I’d have expected him to be gone without troubling himself anymore with the woes of the Saints. But he was right in there, bending the ear of anyone who would listen to him. It didn’t do any good, though, and the restrictions remain. We must all be gone before another spring planting.”
Mark retorted, “In his plea he was rather rough on Joseph and the Danite leaders, but all the talk didn’t do much. However, from reports drifting back it’s beginning to look as if there’s a good chance the legislature will grant a little stipend to help the Saints get out of the territory. I’m thinking it’s starting to look as if we might as well pull out as soon as we can.”
“Might as well,” Andy replied. “I intend to go as soon as I dispose of this place, and for what they’re offering, I’d be well off just to dump it.”
Several days later, while the men were in town, the two women were sewing. Their conversation had dwindled away and Jenny was busy with her own thoughts. While half-heartedly stitching together scraps of cloth to mend a torn quilt, she recalled the Sabbath walk and Mark’s conversation.
She was still remembering how he had looked at her. She was sure he believed she was lying to him. Her heart was sore. But, then, it had been for a long time. To discover he doubted her was only the capstone on the troubled feelings she had been having for months.
Never would she be able to explain to him all that was on her mind. One thing was very certain—she had discovered it in the cloudy, jumbled thoughts. There was no hope. Joseph’s dream of Zion had failed. Not even in the green book had she found one concrete evidence of hope. Looking back, she realized that since the day she had retrieved the green book from the cabin, life had begun to crumble around her.
She had not quit trying, but everything she had attempted had failed. All the herbs and charms, all the incantations and chants had failed. Even the final promise of contacting Adela for help had disappeared. Adela Martindale was not Adela of the red chiffon.
“Ouch!” Jenny stared at her pricked finger and watched the blood drip onto her sewing. Blood. Sabbat. Was she receiving a message? The memory swirled before her. She hadn’t thought of the event for many, many months. But suddenly without warning the sickening memory of the sabbat made her jump to her feet.
For a moment she stood paralyzed as the remembered smell of blood overwhelmed her. Against her closed eyelids she saw the silver chalice floating in front of her.
“Jenny!” Sally’s needle was poised. “It isn’t fatal,” she said dryly. Her attempt at wit didn’t touch Jenny, and she added, “Jenny, what’s the problem? I’ve been watching you and Mark for a week now. You won’t even look at each other.”
Jenny sat down and squeezed her finger. She tried to think of an answer, but there was only truth. “Mark thinks I’ve been unfaithful to him.”
Cautiously Sally asked, “What has made him say that?”
When she lifted her head, their eyes met and Jenny whispered, “Sally, don’t look at me like that. I’ve done nothing. It isn’t what he said, it’s the way he looks. There’s Cowdery’s story about my going to the office in Kirtland. I saw then that Mark believed me unfaithful. Sally, before all this, we would have laughed. Now everything is twisted and ugly.”
Sally’s hands were limp and motionless in her lap. Slowly a strange expression crossed her face. She focused on Jenny and said, “You mustn’t let it discourage you. Regardless of what Mark says, you must be true to your religion. Your whole eternity depends upon that.”
Puzzled, Jenny studied the curious expression and tried to pick sense out of the pieces of information being thrust at her. “Sally, you know Mark’s apostate from the one true religion, but he didn’t bring religion into it. It was us. Me—he was doubting me. I love Mark with all my heart. It hurts terribly to have him treat me this way.”
Abruptly Sally crossed the room and knelt beside Jenny. Clasping her arm in a surprisingly strong grasp, she said, “Look at me, Jenny. You must give him up. I’ve heard him pressuring you to go to Springfield. He’s trying to get you to leave the church. He’s thinking that
now’s the time to force you to go.” Abruptly she dropped her hands and rocked back on her heels. “Or do you?”
“Do I what?”
“Believe, like some of the others, that Joseph is a prophet fallen from grace, that he no longer holds the keys of the kingdom. You know what his letter said. The Lord himself assured Joseph that he still holds the keys of the kingdom, and, furthermore, Zion is not dead but alive!”
Sally’s voice rose in a cry of triumph that sent prickles of excitement over Jenny. She searched her friend’s face. “Sally, if only I could recapture my faith. I’m so dead inside. After Haun’s Mill I didn’t believe you would ever be happy again. Now I’m the one whose faith is faltering and whose hope is gone.”
Sally threw her arms around Jenny. “Oh, I will pray for you that the Lord will make you strong enough to do His will, even if it means you must renounce Mark himself.”
Jenny leaned back and slowly asked, “Do you remember what Joseph has taught? That God has put the right way within us, and that it is natural and easy to follow along the way we should go, that God will make us have a witness to the way?”
Sally leaned forward, her face was shining as she whispered, “Yes, Jenny. I remember. I really believe it. We are to follow that inner light. Sometimes it comes across only as a big desire, but I know it is right.”
Jenny looked at her curiously for a moment. Now cocking her head, she was lost in a response that surprised herself. Slowly she said, “Sally, I don’t think that’s totally correct. At least right now, this moment, I’m feeling some strange tuggings taking me every which direction.
“For a moment, mostly because I loved so much and because I know Mark is so wrong, I believed that I must give him up, run forever from the pull he has on my life. But there’s something else.”