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Show United States " "It is reduced to a solemn reality that the rights and property of us all as well as the common religious beliefs be-liefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cannot be protected pro-tected in the realms of the United States, and of course, from one to two hundred thousand souls must quit their freedom among free men and go where the land, the elements and the worship of God are free." Again, "May God continue the spirit of fleeing from false freedom and false dignity till every Saint is removed to where he can sit under his own vine and fig tree without having to molest or make afraid." Brigham Young himself said in regard to a proposition one Miller 'made for the Saints to go to the Nueces strip in Texas, "I told him his views were visionary. We should go to the Great Basin where we would gain a nucleus of power to cope with mobs." From apostle John Taylor this: "We owe the United States nothing, we go out as exiles from freedom." And Orson Pratt speaks of being exiles of a wicked nation. In a letter by John Bennion' to his parents in Liverpool, England, December 27, 1845, the following interesting comments are made: "This place (Nauvoo) was a wilderness a short time ago. Within about five years Ithjere has been about twenty thousand settled in the country This people have been at work to build up this place as : though they were going to stayl OUT OF THE UNITED STATES As antagonisms became more intense and actual conflicts between be-tween the Mormons and their opponents more frequent, Brigham Young began definite plans to fulfill ful-fill the prophecy of Joseph Smith that the Saints would yet become a "great and mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains." Moun-tains." In the fall and winter of 1845-46 preliminary arrangements were made for the great trek. Not only had there been careful study of all reports of the west, but action ac-tion was being taken to accomplish the great design. A general council of the church was called on September 9, 1845, at which it was resolved to select a committee of fifteen hundred to go to Salt Lake valley about which they had already learned so much. The Mexican area was certainly cer-tainly becoming an appealing objective. ob-jective. It seemed, for the present at least, they must leave the country coun-try they loved a country whose constitution they revered as divine di-vine and find an asylum elsewhere. else-where. And so such expressions as the following were given vent to "All things are in preparation for a commencement of the great move of the Saints out of the here generation after generation. . . . . The murder of two of our best men, the taking away of the city charter, the soldiering and burnings have gone up before the judge of all the earth who will do right. We now consider it best to j leave this wicked country." In the face of the persecutions mobbings and drivings the Saint endured it is no wonder that sun-such sun-such extravagant statements should be made. The consequent! of all this to follow. (The sixth of Dr. Wm. J. Snow's articles wit! appear next week.) |