LITMIR.BIZ

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of the mob. In his diary Apostle Orson Pratt wrote that night, "Notwithstanding our sufferings, hardships and privations, we are cheerful, and rejoice that we have the privilege of passing through tribulation for the truth's sake."

      These Mormon pilgrims, who took much consolation on their journey in likening themselves to the pilgrim fathers and mothers of this nation, whose descendants many of them actually were, that night made their beds upon the frozen earth. "After bowing before our great Creator," wrote Apostle Pratt, "and offering up praise and thanksgiving to him, and imploring his protection, we resigned ourselves to the slumbers of the night."

      But the weather was more moderate that night than it had been for several weeks previous. At their first encampment the thermometer, at one time, fell twenty degrees below zero, freezing over the great Mississippi. The survivors of that journey will tell you they never Suffered so much from the cold in their lives as they did on Sugar Creek. And what of the Mormon women? Around them circles an almost tragic romance. Fancy may find abundant subject for graphic story of the devotion, the suffering, the matchless heroism of the "Sisters," in the telling incident that nine children were born to them the first night they camped out on Sugar Creek, February 5th, 1846. That day they wept their farewells over their beloved city, or in the sanctuary of the Temple, in which they had hoped to worship till the end of life, but which they left, never to see again; that night suffering nature administered to them the mixed cup of woman's supremest joy and pain.

      But it was not prayer alone that sustained these pilgrims. The practical philosophy of their great leader, daily and hourly applied to the exigencies of their case, did almost as much as their own matchless faith to sustain them from the commencement to the end of their journey. With that leader had very properly come to the "Camp of Israel" several of the Twelve and the chief bishops of the Church, but he also brought with him a quorum humble in pretensions, yet useful as high priests to the Saints in those spirit saddening days.

      It was Captain Pitt's brass band. That night the President had the "brethren and sisters" out in the dance, and the music was as glad as at a merry-making. Several gentlemen from Iowa gathered to witness the strange interesting scene. They could scarcely believe their own senses when they were told that these were the Mormons in their "flight from civilization," bound they knew not whither, except where God should lead them by the "hand of his servant."

      Thus in the song and (he dance the Saints praised the Lord. When the night was fine, and supper, which consisted of the most primitive fare, was over, some of the men would clear away the snow, while others bore large logs to the camp fires in anticipation of the jubilee of the evening. Soon, in a sheltered place, the blazing fires would roar, and fifty couples, old and young, would join, in the merriest spirit, to the music of the band or the rival revelry of the solitary fiddle. As they journeyed along, too, strangers constantly visited their camps, and great was their wonderment to see the order, unity and good feeling that prevailed in the midst of the people. By the camp fires they would linger, listening to the music and song; and they fain had taken part in the merriment had not those scenes been as sacred worship in the exodus of a God-fearing people. To fully understand the incidents here narrated, the reader must couple in his mind the idea of an exodus with the idea of an Israelitish jubilee; for it was a jubilee to the Mormons to be delivered from their enemies at any price.

      The sagacious reader will readily appreciate the wise method pursued by Brigham Young. Prayers availed much. The hymn and the prayer were never forgotten at the close of the dance, before they dispersed, to make their bed within the shelter of the wagon, or under it, exposed to the cold of those bitter nights. But the dance and the song kept the Mormon pilgrims cheerful and healthy in mind, whereas, had a spirit of gloomy fanaticism been encouraged, such as one might have expected, most likely there would soon have been murmuring in the congregation against their Moses, and the people would have been sighing for the flesh-pots of Egypt. The patriarchal care of Brigham Young over the migrating thousands was also something uncommon. It was extended to every family, every soul; even the very animals had the master friend near to ease and succor them. A thousand anecdotes could be told of that journey to illustrate this. When traveling, or in camp, he was ever looking after the welfare of all. No poor horse or ox even had a tight collar or a bow too small but his eye would see it. Many times did he get out of his vehicle and see that some suffering animal was relieved.

      There can be no doubt that the industrious habits of the Mormons, and the semi-communistic character of their camps, enabled them to accomplish on their journey what otherwise would have been impossible. They were almost destitute at the start, but they created resources on the way. Their pioneers and able-bodied men generally took work on farms, split rails, cleared the timber for the new settlers, fenced their lands, built barns and husked their corn. Each night brought them some employment; and, if they laid over for a day or two at their encampment, the country around was busy with their industry. They also scattered for work, some of them going even into Missouri among their ancient enemies to turn to the smiter the "other cheek," while they were earning support for their families.

      At one of their first camping grounds, on a ten-acre lot which the pioneer had cleared of timber, they made the acquaintance of its owner, a Dr. Jewett.

      The worthy doctor was an enthusiast over mesmerism and animal magnetism, so he sought to convert the Mormon leaders to his views. Brigham Young replied, "I perfectly understand it, Doctor. We believe in the Lord's magnetizing.

      He magnetized Belshazzar so that he saw the hand-writing on the wall." The Mormons, too, had seen the hand-writing on the wall, and were hastening to the mountains.

      The citizens of Farmington came over to invite the Nauvoo Band, under Captain Pitt, to come to their village for a concert. There was some music left in the " brethren." They had not forgotten how to sing the " Songs of Zion," so they made the good folks of Farmington merry, and for a time forgot their own sorrows.

      As soon as the "Camp of Israel" was fairly on the march, the leader, with the Twelve and the captains, divided it into companies of hundreds, fifties, and tens; and then the companies took up their line in order, Brigham Young directing the whole, and bringing up the main body, with the chief care of the families.

      The weather was still intensely cold. The Pioneers moved in the face of keen-edged northwest winds; they broke the ice to give their cattle drink; they made their beds on the soaked prairie lands; heavy rains and snow by day, and frost at night, rendered their situation anything but pleasant. The bark and limbs of trees were the principal food of their animals, and after doubling their teams all day, wading through the deep mud, they would find themselves at night only a few miles on their journey. They grew sick of this at last, and for three weeks rested on the head waters of the Chariton, waiting for the freshets to subside.

      These incidents of travel were varied by an occasional birth in camp. There was also the death of a lamented lady early on the journey. She was a gentle, intelligent wife of a famous Mormon missionary, Orson Spencer, once a Baptist minister of excellent standing. She had requested the brethren to take her with them. She would not be left behind. Life was too far exhausted by the persecutions to survive the exodus, but she could yet have the honor of dying in that immortal circumstance of her people. Several others of the sisters also died at the very starting. Ah, who shall fitly picture the lofty heroism of the Mormon women!

      It was near the Chariton that the organization of the " Camp of Israel" was perfected, on the 27th of March, when Brigham Young was formally chosen as the President; and captains of hundreds, fifties, and tens were appointed.

      Thus the Twelve became relieved of their mere secular commands, and were placed at the heads of divisions, in their more apostolic character, as presidents.

      The provisioning of the camp was also equally brought under organic management. Henry G. Sherwood was appointed contracting commissary for the first fifty; David D. Yearsley for the second; W. H. Edwards for the third; Peter Haws for the fourth; Samuel Gulley for the fifth: Joseph Warburton for the sixth. Henry G. Sherwood ranked as acting commissary-general. There were also distributing commissaries appointed. Their duties, says the President's diary, "are to make a righteous distribution of grain and provisions, and such articles as shall be furnished for the use of the camp, among their respective fifties."

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