(related by himself, as seen by him at Nauvoo, Illinois earlu in the spring of 1844)
I was engaged in working on the Temple and had gone home to dinner. After dinner I started back to work, it being about one o'clock. The day was a beautiful, clear and pleasant one, when suddenly the heavens became overcast and assumed the appearance of a drizzly day, like unto an approach of an equinoctial storm. The saints looked very downcast and overcame with sorrow. The twelve Apostles were counseling the saints to prepare for a great journey to the West. The people were running to and fro on the streets of Nauvoo, preparing wagons, outfits, etc. for this journey. Many hundreds started and their wagons extended to the West as far as the eye could reach. This journey appeared to be a great undertaking. After they arrived at the end of their journey, they began to prosper and were cheerful again. Suddenly a dark cloud appeared in the East and was driven to the West, like a great tornado that seemed as if it would destroy everything before it. It halted when it came to the mountains. One of the brethren remarked, "It is going to break away." As we looked it broke up and began to scatter and go around the mountains. Then the sky began to grow and a hazy mist went over from the four points of the compass, gathering up like the approach of a big storm, which continued until everything was enveloped on extreme darkness; and it continued to grow blacker until it appeared to me that all our enemies were against us, the elements were against us, God and his prophet had forsaken us and there was no ray of hope, or light to give us comfort. It seemed as though we would all be destroyed.
All at once President Brigham Young, unexpectedly came into the midst of the Saints and said, "Brethren, stand still and see the salvation of God." He tried to comfort and cheer the saints but his words had no effect upon the people. He then turned in haste and had the Church in a body, encircled by three strong bands (I saw no women or children in this circle) which he commenced driving with a masonic mallet, followed by the Twelve Apostles.
Each tap of their mallets drew the hoops tighter and tighter. This was the first time I had noticed the absence of Brothers Joseph and Hyrum, and I felt much troubled and weighed down, in consequence of their absence. Brother Brigham and the twelve continued driving the hoops, their countenances being very resolute and determined, showing no signs of mercy. I thought to myself the brethren could not stand it when suddenly, the hoops burst asunder and about two-thirds of the men scattered and ran away. I looked up and saw an opening in the clouds above, and also the heads of four or five heavenly personages above the clouds, looking down through their aperture upon us. I cast my eyes around and saw Brother Brigham smiling and then knew our troubles were over.
Those Heavenly personages came down in the midst of those who remained and blessed them with all that their hearts could desire and life was a pleasure. When the clouds burst asunder, they turned with a tenfold vengeance upon the heads of our enemies, and I noticed that those of our brethren who had run away were of that class of complaining rebellies, and had not lived up to their privileges. I felt in my heart that the Lord ought not to put us to such a severe trial when one of the angels came to me and said it was actually necessary to bring the church through such as close a place as that in order to sift out those who were among us that were unworthy of the blessings we now enjoy. I saw that Brother Brigham had a large table, spread with all the luxuries of life, and as starvation had seemed to stare us in the face, I thought this trial was a good scare-crow as no person was hurt, being only frightened enough to make them run away.
Language cannot describe how happy and contented we all were, being of one heart and one mind; we enjoyed every blessing we desired. Soon Brother Brigham jumped up and cried out, "Now boys, for Jackson County". We were all in the move in a short time.
The next scene I remember, I was within short distance of Jackson County, arm-in-arm with one of the brethren, walking directly South, being in the West side of the street or road. We saw an old mobocrat walking toward us, looking the very picture of despair. When he came opposite us, he raised his head and as our eyes caught naught. The vision closed and I found myself in the street where I was when it commenced.
For comparison's sake, here is the JoD version:
I will venture here to relate an open vision had by brother Stephen M. Farnsworth, of Pleasant Grove, Utah County, while he was residing in Nauvoo, previous to the death of the Prophets Joseph and Hyrum. Some may possibly think and say, it was manufactured for this occasion. But there are many here under the sound of my voice who heard brother Farnsworth relate the vision years ago. I will tell it as correctly as my memory will allow me.
In the spring of 1844, brother Farnsworth started out after dinner, to go to work on the Temple as usual. The sun shone brightly as he walked down Parley-street towards the place of his labour, when suddenly the sky became overcast, and a dizzling [sic] rain set in. He stood amazed, and saw a tumult and excitement among the people about the Temple, and a great excitement in the lower part of the town. He wondered what it could mean. Presently he was told that the Saints had to leave Nauvoo and take a great journey to the west. So great was the journey that it seemed almost impossible for him to perform it. Now he could see numerous trains of covered waggons and teams crossing the Mississippi river, and bending their course westward as far as the eye could reach. He also hitched up and joined the trains, and the journey did not seem so arduous as he first anticipated. He saw the Twelve Apostles in the crowd; but saw neither Joseph nor Hyrum.
They journeyed westward a great distance, and finally came to a place where they intended to locate. They stopped, and began to make improvements: but distress and starvation stared them in the face, and it really seemed to him that they must perish; but soon there began to be plenty of everything to eat, &c. This lasted quite a time: then there began to be scarcity again, and famine seemed to prevail; yet he saw none die of starvation, yet great distress among the people. Then there began to be plenty again--enough to eat of everything desirable. The people all appeared in one place, with large, strong hoops around them in a body. The Twelve followed brother Brigham with mallets and fierce countenances, and vigorously drove those hoops upon the people until it did seem that they would be pinched or squeezed to death. Still they resolutely continued to drive the hoops. Dark clouds now began to arise, and a general gloom prevailed. The hoops were all the time being driven tighter and tighter.
About this time, an army or force of the enemy came into the neighbourhood and offered protection to all who wished it. The darkness of the clouds, and their awfully-threatening aspect are now past description. The people burst those hoops and sallied out like a flock of sheep, and more than one-half of them went to the enemy for protection. The scene was so awfully frightful that he was just on the eve of flying himself; but a thought occurred to him to hold on a little longer. He did so. Dark, angry, and frightful were the clouds, indeed! Now is your hour and the power of darkness! Presently the cloud over the Saints burst, and light beamed upon them.
This cloud rolled off upon the enemy and those who had fled to them for protection; and oh! the scenes of death, lamentation, and mourning that occurred in the enemies' camp beggar all description. The burning wrath of earth, heaven, and hell, in fiery streams of molten lava seemed to leave not one alive to tell the take. It did not stop here, but rolled throughout the United States, carrying the same desolation in its track. The faithful band of brethren left, then followed brother Brigham up into a large open cave, where there was everything good to eat and drink that heart could desire. The shouts of hosannahs!--the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God for the deliverance wrought for them rent the air and made the mountains echo the praises of our God. From this cave they journeyed, I need not say where; but, suffice it to say, no opposition had any effect upon them. The power of God was with them, and His voice was in their camp.
There is much more to this vision which I deem unnecessary to write. But after it was all over, brother Farnsworth came to himself, standing in Parley-street on a beautiful sunshiny day. No covered waggons or excitement in town or about the temple. When he came to himself, he concluded that his exercises were of the Devil, from the fact that he saw neither Joseph nor Hyrum in all the scenes; but it was Brigham, brother Kimball, and the Twelve. Before these scenes began to really take place, Joseph and Hyrum were killed at Carthage, and consequently were not seen by brother Farnsworth.
I relate this from memory, being some months since I heard brother Farnsworth tell it at his residence in Pleasant Grove; but, in the main, it is as he told me, so far as I have related it. There are those here to whom brother Farnsworth told it more than twelve years ago, and they know whether I tell it as he did.
I have considerable confidence in this vision, for two reasons. First, brother Farnsworth is a correct man: his character is without spot or blemish. Secondly, this vision corresponds with a hundred and one other sacred things written in ancient and modern times. And I may add a third reason,--it has all been fulfilled to the very letter, so far as time would allow.
(Journal of Discourses: Volume 5 Orson Hyde n.d. , 140)
Here is his life history from Family Search. The price these guys paid to live what they believed in..... And people believe that we live, or have lived in a "free" nation. Whatevs......:
Moses Franklin Farnsworth - Manti Temple
Moses Franklin Farnsworth was the first recorder of the Manti temple. You may remember that he became a recorder in the St. George temple in 1877. He wasn't the first recorder there, they had had several, but none really caught the vision of how the recorder should work. He redesigned the forms they used, and implemented other forms, and got things going right. He wasn't there at the time the signers of the Declaration of Independence appeared to Wilford Woodruff, that was before he got there. During the time that he was in St. George, the "crusade" as they called the prosecution of those who practicing polygamy was rampant, and many of the leading brethren, including M F Farnsworth were in hiding to avoid arrest. I quote the following from his history: "In order to have a little more peace it was finally decided to leave St. George, and with a view of my probably going to New Zealand [sic] to assist in putting the manuscript copy of the Book of Mormon in the Maori language through the press. "I was sent for at Pine Valley where I was staying with Father Bracken, and arrived at St. George about 11:00 P.M., May 1, 1885, and went where I had an interview with President Woodruff at the home of President McAllister. We talked the matters over. He told me what I thought was best. I accepted the counsel and at 12 o'clock that night he gave me a blessing and ordained me a High Priest, and certificate of which is as follows: 'This certifies that M.F. Farnsworth was ordained a High Priest and set apart for a mission to New Zealand under the hands of Wilford Woodruff, J.D.T. McAllister, and William Thompson, pronounced by Wilford Woodruff, St. George, Utah, May 1 1885. Signed, Wilford Woodruff' "I should state that previous to this, as my wives Lovina J. and Clara C. [Bartlett's mother, he was born in 1881, so he was 4 at this time] had to go into exile, I took them to the Temple and President Woodruff gave them each a blessing. He was full of the spirit of prophecy and blessing, and he gave them most precious promises which at that time could not be written. He told them to be careful and prayerful, to listen to the promptings of the spirit, and to counsel of their husband, and they should not be brought before the courts. They will tell you that all these promises er fulfilled. "I left St. George that night as soon as I got the appointment and started for Salt Lake City. I went by team to Milford where I took train and arrived in the city on the 7th. The crusade was in full blast then. I had an interview with Apostles Erastus Snow and Franklin D. Richards. They had my message conveyed to President John Taylor. Matters were talked over and President Taylor said, 'Tell Brother Farnsworth that if it is necessary for him to leave Utah, to go somewhere close by, where we can get him when we want him. Let younger men take those hard laboring mission.' " He then departed for Logan, where he had letters of introduction from both Elder Snow & Elder Richards. Mariner W. Merrill, also a member of the twelve, was president of the Logan temple, and Elder Richards suggested that M.F. Farnsworth could help out with the recording the the Logan temple. However, Pres Merrill thought that if he stayed there any length of time their enemies might track him down and raid the temple, which they were trying to avoid at all costs. He went back to SLC and stayed in hiding about 4 months then returned to St. George. One excerpt from his stay in SLC: "...wrote a number of articles for the Evening News, which aroused the wrath of some curt officials and others, but as all the past is buried now, so 'Chronicles and Marcus' 'died'" He returned to St. George and worked in the temple until called to Manti when the temple was dedicated in 1887. J D T McAllister was called to be the new temple president in Manti and M F Farnsworth was called as the chief recorder. They attended the private dedication ceremony which was held May 17, where Wilford Woodruff dedicated it. Then a public dedication was held May 21, 22, & 23, 1887. He remained the chief recorder there until his death on 25 Feb 1906. He is buried in the Manti cemetery, at the foot of the Manti Temple. One of his interesting neighbors is Isaac Morley, known as Father Morley in the Nauvoo period, and is mentioned more than once in the Doctrine & Covenants. He felt his great contribution was his publication of The Farnsworth Memorial, but I think this following paragraph which closes his history demonstrates a better memorial "Pour over the records in St. George and Manti [temples] from 1877 until now [1905] and you can witness my works. Without egotism, I might say, the beating heart and busy brain assisted in arranging, developing, bringing into more perfection those crude records, so that my monument and labors are imperishably written in the minds and hearts of thousands who have been assisted in this great labor of love through my untiring efforts. I ask not for name and fame among men, men's works live and close, and though I have weaknesses and faults, yet let the mantle of charity cover them while you look on the brighter side, and never let the clouds of error or folly overshadow the bright sunshine of truth, and then your pathway will grow brighter and brighter until the perfect day."
I have to think that the two are related - and that there may have been partial fulfillment in 1857 with Johnson's Army - but that the actual event, where the Feds will send 100,000 troops to Utah is still in the future and that, when that persecution is over, and the yellow-bellied of the Saints who chose to not stand on the side of truth and good principle, will be consumed by fire. Then this nation, as well. The Spirit has witnessed this several times to me. The only question remains exactly WHEN and then exactly HOW it will go down.
No comments:
Post a Comment