We read the kids a nail biting story "Conspiracy of Nauvoo" from this book tonight. Here's a shortened version of it in a talk by Elder Oaks here from 1987:
As
a boy, I was inspired by a story of courage in Nauvoo, which involved
my grandfather’s uncle. In the spring of 1844, some men were plotting
against the Prophet Joseph Smith. One of the leaders, William Law, held a
secret meeting at his home in Nauvoo. Among those invited were
nineteen-year-old Dennison Lott Harris and his friend, Robert Scott.
Dennison’s father, Emer Harris, who is my second great-grandfather, was
also invited. He sought counsel from the Prophet Joseph Smith, who told
him not to attend the meeting but to have the young men attend. The
Prophet instructed them to pay close attention and report what was said.
The
spokesmen at this first meeting denounced Joseph Smith as a fallen
prophet and stated their determination to destroy him. When the Prophet
heard this, he asked the young men to attend the second meeting. They
did so, and reported the plotting.
A
third meeting was to be held a week later. Again the Prophet asked them
to attend, but he told them this would be their last meeting. “Be
careful to remain silent and not to make any covenants or promises with
them,” he counseled. He also cautioned them on the great danger of their
mission. Although he thought it unlikely, it was possible they would be
killed.
"But be sure," Joseph continued, "that you make no covenants, not enter into any obligations whatever with them. ~ Boys, this will be their last meeting, and they may shed your blood, but I hardly think they will, as you are so young. If they do, I will be a lion in their path! Don't flinch. If you have to die, die like men; you will be martyrs to the cause, and your crowns can be no greater. But," he said again, "I hardly think they will shed your blood." (pg. 87)
Then, the Prophet Joseph Smith blessed Dennison and Robert by
the power of the priesthood, promising them that if their lives were
taken, their reward would be great.
In
the strength of this priesthood blessing, they attended the third
meeting and listened to the murderous plans. Then, when each person was
required to take an oath to join the plot and keep it secret, they
bravely refused. After everyone else had sworn secrecy, the whole group
turned on Dennison and Robert, threatening to kill them unless they took
the oath also. Because any refusal threatened the secrecy of their
plans, about half of the plotters proposed to kill these two
immediately. Knives were drawn, and angry men began to force them down
into a basement to kill them.
Other
plotters shouted to wait. Parents probably knew where they were. If
they didn’t return, an alarm would be sounded and a search could reveal
the boys’ deaths and the secret plans. During a long argument, two lives
hung in the balance. Finally, the group decided to threaten to kill the
young men if they ever revealed anything that had occurred and then to
release them. This was done. Despite this threat, and because they had
followed the Prophet’s counsel not to make any promises to the
conspirators, Dennison and Robert promptly reported everything to the
Prophet Joseph Smith.
For
their own protection, the Prophet had these courageous young men
promise him that they would never reveal this experience, not even to
their fathers, for at least twenty years. A few months later, the
Prophet Joseph Smith was murdered.
Many
years passed. The members of the Church settled in the West. While
Dennison L. Harris was serving as bishop of the Monroe Ward in southern
Utah, he met a member of the First Presidency at a Church meeting in
Ephraim. There, on Sunday, 15 May 1881, thirty-seven years after the
Prophet Joseph Smith had sealed his lips to protect him against mob
vengeance, Dennison Harris recited this experience to President Joseph
F. Smith (see Verbal Statement of Bishop Dennison L. Harris, 15 May
1881, MS 2725, Historical Department, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City; the account was later published in the Contributor,
Apr. 1884, pp. 251–60). Dennison Harris’s posterity includes many
notable Latter-day Saints, including Franklin S. Harris, long-time
president of Brigham Young University.
In the Spring of 1844 the social and political situation in Nauvoo was in chaos. The secret of polygamy had leaked out and many felt that Joseph was a "fallen prophet". The story bothers me because as it is written Joseph was willing to risk the lives of two young men to gather information on this enemies. Was it for a valuable religious purpose? (which would make them martyrs.) or for less righteous reasons?
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