Minutes and Discourses, 6–8 April 1844, as Reported by William Clayton
Source Note
General conference of the church, Minutes, and JS, Discourses, Nauvoo, Hancock Co., IL, 6–8 Apr. 1844; handwriting of ; dockets in handwriting of Robert L. Campbell and Jonathan Grimshaw; thirty-eight pages; General Church Minutes, CHL.
kill them but they run away. They were not yet weary of this— the[y] broke into my house. drag me out of my bed— out of the door my head beating on the floor. they dragd me over the wood pile. and on they went my head thumping on the frozen ground, after which they through threw tar and feathers on me— and endeavoured to throw aquafortis in my face but I turned my face and it missed me. The people talk about fears and troubles now but they have nothing to endure— that day has gone by. They blame us for working in secret— but if they will open the doors we will preach in their public places in their pulpits and on the house tops. Thinks he has said enough to shew that the church has come up through tribulation trouble sorrow dismay and all kinds of afflictions. There are men in your midst this day that have no fears of men or devils dont believe this people realize who stand in their midst There are men standing in your midst that you cant do any thing with than but cut their throat or hang them no power, principalities sword men or devils have power to turn them out of their course. If you want to get clear of them you must send them to their father in heaven— for you cant get them to hell— They feel an independence of soul and if there was no men upon earth to lift a voice for God but themselves they would do it. They have learned an eternal reality they have learned that there is a great God, a head to all creation— that he does not only take up the mountains &c but he takes up worlds. and holds the whole creation as a mere drop of his breath— He says to them fear not for I am your God and will take care of you— They dont fear death because they have seen the place where they are going when they die— they know the saviour is there— If they world dont want them they can send them to heaven and they can all go to hell together. There are men in your midst that you have either got to sustain or go to hell any how [p. [9]]