Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-06-27
THE MARTYRDoM.


Sixty-four years have passed since
The martyrdom of the prophet Joseph
and the Patriarch, Hyrum, his beloved
brother But in the minds of the rev
still living witnesses OF the scenes
and events that eliminated in the
tragedy of Carthage, the impressions
remain ineifaceable. 10 the triends
OF the martyrs the 27th OF June loa4'
) was a day Of trial and sorrow day
. of crucifxion with its anguish apd
despair, it's darkness and awe. 10
the enemies II was day OF terror
They led though no one pursued.
was "a day the memories OF which fol-
lowed the actors and spectators OF the
drama to the end of their lives--a day
which history Will mark us one OF the
most memorable in the annals OF man.
An impartial Inquirer who should
try, at this time, to understand the
real motives underlying the murder OF
the martyrs. would find several. In the
first place. he would have to dismiss
as utterly false the accusations OF ais
LOYALTY, immortality, dishonesty. ana
imperial, or hierarchical. plots. In
which the apologists for the assassins
have found an excuse for their deed.
Tho murderers were certainly not con-
cerned about loyalty honesty ana
morality. He would find, instead.
various other motives. The Missouri
nlob-leaders were naturally forced, as
n consequence of their previous mis-
deeds, to pursue their victims over
the border. The existence OF the
Saints in Nauvoo, in peace and pros
perity, was standing rebuke of their
inhuman and unrAmerican conduct IN
numbering, outraging, and expellins
thousands of the best citizens from
the state. It became necessary. they
thought, to Justify their conduct by
bringing about in Illinois the condi-
tions that existed In Missouri at the
time of the trouble there. To gain that
end they committed outrages in the
sneighboring state, which they charged
to the I.atter-day Saints. Such proceed
ure IS common in the world of crime
One crime very often leads to another
And as the mob-leaders of Missouri
commenced operations of persecution
in Illinois. they were aided by the
lawless element that saw another
chance to enrich itself on the fruits
of the labors of the Latter-day Saints.
They were aided by apostates who. be-
cause they had committed various
transgressions and had been dealt with
according to the rules OF the Church,
had sworn to be avenged. They were
aided by ministers who undoubtedly
Imagined they were serving the Lord
by joining the lawless mobs in war
of determination of men whom they
regarded as impostors. They were
aided by politicians who feared the
Prophet because he was righteous
man who demanded honesty and sim
cerlty In the performance of public
duties. as in private conduct They
feared that such a man might be-
come a dangerous rival.
But underlying all these motives
was the one In which they all origin
nted. the eternal struggle between light
and darkness, truth and error, the
Kingdom of God and the World The
Prophets of this dispensation We're
the ambassadors of the Almighty TO a
rebelious world That Is the great
reason why they were slain. They
were slain fol, the same reason that
Abel met death at the hands OF his
brother. and numerous Christians
were turned into burning torches in
the days OF Nero They were slain
for the same reason that Polycarp
was glvcn over TO the flames by the
rinced Tor the same reason that Huss.
Savonarola, and thousands OF other
Frcut reformers ana bearers of n di-
vine message to man have been
slaughtered in All ages and every land
under the sun,
II tho Church could be destroyed
by man It would have terminated With
the tragedy Of Carthage. The Pro-
phet ana Patriarch were slain. The
leaders were scattered. But the
Lord raised NJ new leader ana the
Saints who knew the voice of tho
shepherd we're gathered, aud new
era dawned for the Church with the
martyrdom. After wears the Church
stands beacon of light upon tho
mountains. 10 all the world and the
testimony rings out clear and unhesi-
tatingly that Joseph smith was a
Prophet of the Lord, holy and pure in
his life, ana triumphant in death.