“Chapter 45: More Mobs in Missouri: 1838–1839,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories (2002), 167–71
“Chapter 45,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 167–71
Chapter 45
More Mobs in Missouri
1838–1839
Many Saints were living in Far West, Missouri, including Joseph Smith. The people built homes and schools and were happy.
But the Saints did not have peace for very long. Again, other people in Missouri began to make trouble for them.
A mob met to plan ways to hurt the Saints.
The mob did many bad things. They chased the Saints out of their homes.
They burned their homes and destroyed their farms.
They beat the men and put some of them in jail.
The mobs hurt some of the women.
The Saints asked Governor Boggs of Missouri for help. But other people were telling the governor lies about the Saints, and he would not help.
The problems between the Saints and the mobs continued to get worse. Thinking the Saints were to blame for these problems, Governor Boggs told some soldiers to kill the Saints if they did not leave Missouri.
Some Saints lived in a town named Haun’s Mill. One day a mob came and attacked them.
Some of the Saints ran into the woods. Others ran into a log building for protection. The mob shot through the cracks in the walls. Then the mob entered the building and fired many more shots.
The mob killed 17 people at Haun’s Mill and injured 13 others. Some children were shot and killed.
Then the mob robbed the homes and wagons of the Saints.
Later some soldiers captured Joseph Smith and other Church leaders. The soldiers were told to shoot Joseph and his friends.
But one leader of the soldiers would not obey. He said it would be murder to shoot Joseph and the others.
A trial was scheduled for Joseph and his friends. Before and during the trial, they were imprisoned in the town of Richmond, Missouri. The guards put chains on them. Joseph and his friends had to sleep on the cold floor.
The guards were very mean to the prisoners. They swore and told bad stories. They told how they had robbed and killed the Saints. They told how they had hurt the women and children. One night they laughed and bragged for several hours.
Joseph hated what they were saying. He didn’t want to hear any more, so he stood up and commanded them to stop. “Silence,” he said. “In the name of Jesus Christ I … command you to be still; I will not live another minute and bear such language. Cease such talk, or you or I die this instant!” The guards were afraid and told Joseph they were sorry. They sat in a corner and were quiet the rest of the night.