Birthplace of the Prophet Joseph Smith—His Ancestors—Removal to New York State—A Religious Revival Joseph Inclined to Think Seriously upon Religion—Undecided as to which Church to Join—Gets Light from the Bible—His First Prayer—Answered by a Glorious Vision How the Account of his Vision was Received—His Further Inquiry for Light—Another Vision The Morning Vision—Joseph Tells his Father—Visits Cumorah—The Plates Found—Moroni's Command The Four Years of Waiting—Joseph Works in Pennsylvania—Marriage—The Last Visit to the Hill—Outruns the Robbers Persecution—Martin Harris Comes to Joseph's Aid—Anthon Fulfills a Prophecy—Martin becomes Scribe—Strange Book-Writers Martin Harris Impatient—The Manuscript Lost—God's Wisdom Shown—Joseph Repents—Slow Progress of Translation Oliver Cowdery Becomes Scribe—Joseph and Oliver Pray for New Light—The Priesthood Restored—The First Baptisms—Kindness of Joseph Knight David Whitmer Takes the Prophet to Fayette—Many Believe and are Baptized—Eleven Witnesses See the Plates and Bear Record—The Higher Priesthood Restored—The Translation Finished The Church Organized—Joseph Accepted as Leader—The Holy Ghost Conferred—Joseph Casts the Devil from Newel Knight—The First Conference Baptisms at Colesville—Joseph Arrested—Davidson and Reid on the Defense—Suffering Like the Master—Narrow Escape from Mods Fighting the Evil One—The Mob Blinded—President Alone to Receive Revelation for the Church—First Missionary Movement—Working in the West The Westward Move Begins—Kirtland—The High Priesthood Conferred—Joseph Goes to Missouri—Zion Dedicated The Two Stakes—Joseph Lives at Hiram—McLellin Tries to Write a Revelation and Fails—The Apostate Booth Stirs up Hatred—Joseph Tarred and Feathered The Visit to Missouri—Joseph Poisoned—Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball come to Kirtland—Prophecy of Civil War—First Presidency Organized Trouble Begins in Missouri—The Elders Pray, the Mob Gets Drunk—July Mob Destroys Printing Office and Tar and Feather the Brethren—The Saints Promise to Leave—Appeal to Governor The Missouri Saints Hire Lawyers and the Mob Forms—Night Attack on Big Blue Branch—Two Days of Cruelty and Plunder—The Battle—Saints Give up Arms New Struggle of Old War—Mob Turned loose on Saints—The Terrible Driving—Appeals to Dunklin and Jackson—Mob and Saints Hold Conference Foundation of the Kirtland Temple Laid—Joseph Goes on Mission to Canada—First High Council Formed—Zion's Camp Gathered—Wilford Woodruff a Member Zion's Camp on the Way—Miracle of Bringing Forth Water—Zelph, the White Lamanite—Rebellion in the Camp—Stop for the Night on Fishing River—Campbell's Threat—The Mob Aroused The Terrible Tempest on Fishing River—Visit of Col. Sconce—Cholera in Camp—Joseph Smitten—Sidney Gilbert's Death—Prophet Visits Zion A Time of Peace Begins—Building the Temple at Kirtland—The Twelve Apostles Chosen—First Quorum of Seventy Organized—Joseph Translates Pearl of Great Price—William Smith's Sin The Prophet's Growth in Knowledge—Glorious Visions in the Temple—Dedication—Keys of this Dispensation Conferred—Elders go out to Preach The Saints in Clay County—Citizens Ask them to Leave—Caldwell County Formed—John Taylor—Lorenzo Snow—Willard Richards The Spirit of Speculation—Kirtland Safety Society Begins and Fails—Many Apostatize—The English Mission Opened—Satan Strikes Heber C. Kimball, but Fails to Stop the Work Joseph Visits Canada—Carries Sidney Through Swamps to Escape Mob—Men Fall from High Places—Prophet Escapes to Missouri—David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery Cut off the Church The Last Missouri Persecution Begins—Fifteen Brave Men Defeat One Hundred and Fifty Cowards—Penniston and Black Swear Falsehoods—Joseph and Lyman Wight Put Under Bonds—Mob Gathers Mob Attacks De Witt—Joseph Tries in Vain to Save the Town—Mob Driven Away from Adam-ondi-Ahman—Apostle Patten Killed in Battle of Crooked River—Extermination Begins at Haun's Mill—Alma Smith's Wound and his Mother's Faith Hinkle Betrays Joseph and Brethren to Mob-Militia—Court-Martial Orders them to be Shot—Soldiers Sack Far West—Joseph Preaches in Independence—Brethren taken to Richmond for Trial—Clark Finishes Terrible Work at Far West and Adam-ondi-Ahman—Mock Trial and Imprisonment Petition the Legislature for Justice—John Taylor and John E. Page Ordained Apostles—Preparations to Leave Missouri—Treatment of Joseph and his Fellow-Prisoners—Illinois the next Gathering Place of the Saints Prisoners in Liberty Jail Seek their Liberty—Taken to Gallatin for Trial—Ordered to be Taken to Boone County—Their Escape from the Guards—Conference at Far West—A Prophecy Fulfilled—Last of the Saints Leave Missouri Saints Locate at Commerce, Afterwards called Nauvoo—An Unhealthy Place—A Day of Miraculous Healings—Apostles set out upon Missions to England—Their Labors in that Land Joseph and Companions Depart for the National Capital—The Prophet's act of Heroism—Visits President Van Buren—The Latter's Cowardice—Apostle Hyde's Mission to Jerusalem—Boggs' Demand for the Prophet and his Brethren—Death of the Prophet's Father—Nauvoo Chartered as a City—Nauvoo University and Legion Carlin sends out the old Order for Arrest—Joseph Nurses the Sheriff—The Trial—Don Carlos Smith Dies—Visit from Sac and Fox Indians—Baptism for Dead Begun—First Relief Society Organized Bennett's Plots to Destroy the Prophet—A Prophecy—Joseph Charged with Being an Accessory to the Attempted Assassination of Boggs—His Arrest and Trial—Set at Liberty A Bloody War Predicted—The Prophet's Interview with Stephen A. Douglas—A Prophecy—The Celestial Order of Marriage—Joseph Kidnapped and Abused—He Entertains the men who sought to take his Life The Prophet a Model of Perfect Manhood—Apostasy of Men who had been his Friends—Christmas Day—The Prophet a Candidate for the Presidency of the United States—Prediction Concerning the Saints—The Work of his Enemies The Plot of an Apostate—The Publication of the Nauvoo "Expositor"—Declared a Nuisance and Abated as such—Joseph's Last Public Speech—He and his Brother Hyrum leave Nauvoo—Return to the City—"I am Going Like a Lamb to the Slaughter" Under the Governor's Pledge of Protection Joseph and His Brethren go to Carthage—Arrested and Imprisoned—Occurrences at Carthage—Plot to Murder the Prophet—Governor Ford's Cowardice and Treachery The Prisoners in Carthage Jail—Surrounded by a Mob with Painted Faces—The Martyrdom—The Return to Nauvoo—Funeral and Burial—Conclusion |