lived and said they would spill my blood if I did not leave the place immediately. The leaders of this company were John Cornet, Thomas Langley, and Hezekiah Warden; they lived in Jackson County.

This was in the cold winter, and our sufferings were great. I fled across the Missouri River to Clay County, where I lived three years, in which time I often heard Judge Cameron and others say that 'your Mormons cannot get your rights in any of the courts of the upper country;' and I had not the privilege of voting as a free citizen.

"I moved to Caldwell County, bought land and opened a good farm, and lived in peace until the summer and fall of 1838, when mobs arose in counties round about, and I with the rest was obliged to take up arms in self-defense; for the cry was that the mob law should prevail if we stood against them, until the army came and took us all prisoners of war. I with the rest was obliged to sign a deed of trust at the point of the sword. I with sixty others was selected out and marched to Richmond and Ray County, by the command of General Clark, where they kept us a number of weeks, pretending to try us as treasoners and murderers. At length I obtained my liberty and returned to my family in Caldwell County; and I found that there was no safety there, for there was no law, but all a scene of robbing, and plundering, and stealing. They were about to take me again, and I was obliged to leave my family and flee to Illinois. In about two months my family arrived, having suffered much abuse and loss of health and property. Soon after the arrival of my family, my son, a young man, died; and I attribute his death to the cruel barbarity of the mob of Missouri, he being a prisoner among them, and having suffered much because of them.

"My father was a soldier, and served in the Revolutionary War, under the great Washington, but I have not had protection on my own lands; and I have not been permitted to see my farm in Jackson County, Missouri, in seven years. Soldiers were stationed or quartered in different parts of Far West; and they treated us roughly, threatening to shoot us, and making use of anything they pleased, such as burn

ing house, timber, and rails, and garden fences, and stealing and plundering what they pleased.

"When I was at Richmond, a prisoner before Judge King, we sent for many witnesses; and when they came they were taken and cast into prison with us, and we were not permitted to have any witnesses. The day I came out of prison they compelled me to sign a writing which was not true, or remain in prison.

"Sworn to before D. W. Kilbourn, J. P."

"DAVID PETTIGREW.

-Millennial Star, vol. 17, pp. 662, 663.

CHAPTER 21.

1840.

COMMITTEE TO COLLECT EVIDENCE-MISSION TO PALESTINE CONFERENCE BUSINESS-HYDE AND PAGE START FOR JERUSALEMCOMMERCE CHANGED TO NAUVOO-MILLENNIAL STAR-BISHOP PARTRIDGE DIES-PROGRESS AT NAUVOO -FIRST EMIGRANTS FROM ENGLAND-JOSEPH SMITH RELIEVED FROM RESPONSIBILITYINSTRUCTS THE HIGH COUNCIL — KIDNAPPING-MAGNANIMOUS SPIRIT-J. C. BENNETT-DEATH OF THE PATRIARCH-BLESSES HIS FAMILY-BOGGS MAKES REQUISITION-CONFERENCE BUSINESS STAKES ORGANIZED TIMES AND SEASONS CHARTERS GRANTED-LIST OF PUBLICATIONS.

IN the early part of the year 1840 there was not much done in Nauvoo and vicinity, except the duties incident to preparing homes, preparing for spring farming, and other work; only the regular routine of church business and the preaching of the elders in the regions round about.

The High Council of the church for Iowa met at Montrose on March 6 and among other things passed the two following resolutions:

2d. That a committee of three be appointed, consisting of Wheeler Baldwin, Lyman Wight, and Abraham O. Smoot, to obtain affidavits and other documents to be forwarded to the city of Washington.

Committee

to collect evidence.

"3d. That the clerk of this council be directed to inform Judge Higbee, that it is the wish of this council that he should not, upon any consideration, consent to accept of anything of Congress short of our just rights and demands for our losses and damages in Missouri."-Millennial Star, vol. 17, p. 615.

Palestine.

The General Conference convened in Nauvoo, Illinois, Mission to April 6, 1840. The first day of the conference the mission to Palestine was considered as follows:"Elder Orson Hyde addressed the conference and stated that it had some years previous been prophesied of him,

that he had a great work to perform among the Jews; and that he had recently been moved upon by the Spirit of the Lord to visit that people and gather up all the information he could from them respecting their movements, expectations, etc., and communicate the same to this church and to this nation at large. Stated that he intended to visit the Jews in New York, London, Amsterdam, and then visit Constantinople and the Holy Land.

"It was then unanimously resolved that Elder Hyde proceed in his mission, and that his letter of recommendation. be signed by the president and clerk of the conference.

"Elder John E. Page then rose, and spoke with much force on the object of Elder Hyde's mission, the gathering together of the Jews, and the restoration of the house of Israel; proving in a short but convincing manner from the Bible, Book of Mormon, and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, that these things must take place and that the time had now nearly arrived for their accomplishment."-Times and Seasons, vol. 1, p. 92.

The resolutions quoted in chapter 19 were passed, as well as other business, of which the following are extracts:

Conference business.

"The President called upon the clerk to read the report of the Presidency and High Council with regard to their proceedings in purchasing lands and securing a place of gathering for the saints. The report having been read, the President made some observations respecting the pecuniary affairs of the church, and requested the brethren to step forward and assist in liquidating the debts on the town plot, so that the poor might have inheritances. . .

"Resolved that a committee of three be appointed to investigate the recommendations those persons may have who wish to obtain an ordination to the ministry and to ordain such as may be thought worthy; that Elder Samuel Bent, Joseph Wood, and Orson Hyde compose said committee.

"Resolved, that this meeting feel satisfied with the proceedings of the Presidency with regard to the sales of town. property, etc., and that they be requested to continue in their agency.

...

"He then spoke to the elders respecting their mission, and advised those who went into the world to preach the gospel to leave their families provided for with the necessaries of life, and to teach the gathering as set forth in the Holy Scriptures.

"That it had been wisdom too, for the greater body of the church to keep on this side of the river, in order that a foundation might be established in this place, but that now it was the privilege of the saints to occupy the lands in the Iowa, or wherever the Spirit might lead them.

"That he did not wish to have any political fluence, but wished the saints to use their political franchise to the best of their knowledge.

"He then stated that since Elder Hyde had been appointed to visit the Jewish people, he had felt an impression that it would be well for Elder John E. Page to accompany him on his mission.

"It was resolved, that Elder John E. Page be appointed to accompany Elder Orson Hyde on his mission, and that he have proper credentials given him.

"It was then resolved, that as a great part of the time of the conference had been taken up with charges against individuals which might have been settled by the different authorities of the church, that in future no such cases be brought before the conferences.

"The committee on ordination reported that they had ordained thirty-one persons to be elders in the church,,who were ordained under the hands of Alpheus Gifford and Stephen Perry, which report was accepted.

"F. G. Williams presented himself on the stand and humbly asked forgiveness for his conduct and expressed his determination to do the will of God in future. His case was presented to the conference by President Hyrum Smith, when it was unanimously resolved, that F. G. Williams be forgiven and be received into the fellowship of the church.

"It was reported that seventy-five persons had been baptized during the conference, and that upwards of fifty had been received into the quorum of the seventies."-Times and Seasons, vol. 1, pp. 92, 93, 94, 95.