| Show i C NAR MED LIfE Of FOR PIONEER Attempts to Kill Benjamin F Johnson for His Religion Proved Futile THE THE SAINTS PRAYED PRA D FOR HIM Canio Through the llio Kf Er I r forts of or Faithful Voting lor Irl The recent death of ot n mn min F Johnson In I a Ariz Arz recalls to the writer water nn an episode ePI of at the perse persa persecutions ot of f the Saints In to In 1838 In which the deceased decea eJ nag ras I a t prominent actor also niso a It lady lally greatly Ir beloved by nil who knew ow her who has also passed to that better lime clime I Mr fr Johnson then n i young yount man ot bt JO 30 leers had been taken prisoner by bythe bythe the horde hOl styled an army com corn commanded by Gen Clark Clarl and for tor days das kept k pt under guard at ut a n camp fire tire In la weather tensely Intensely I cold with lIh no shel shelter tel ter tram from t ra m the piercing p wl n d s h by y day in oj 1 night T r oell except a few tow boughs between be tween tw en his tits body hotly mid tho now noll which Max eta 11 above u st foot toot In III depth no IJO rover cover coverIng I Ing of ot any Y k kind n and his ills only anI resource rc y I against freezing freezing at lit night u II constant I I of ot tho the camp lire making g seep deep alt almost n oil Impossible f n nto In addition I to oil all this he wa was wall denied any ury food am mill and IM Bas tu only roily kept from starvation by the pity of ot the negro cook who stealthily gave gal him scraps left lett tram from meals vh ii he could do so unobserved The wretch who at nt Hauns Hauna Mill loll Blew in an old evolutionary was wars In the tamp camp tho the with will Which he had hod murdered the Iho old man mall mann sad n nd 3 which was IOS lIIl dyed with his blood Day Da art aft after r I day tiny he threatened Johnsons Juhn onti life ut with It saying Haying ho hc would get more morl Mormon On blood upon It when he got read ready and mil r others nf ni t the h e mob h frequent frequently I Ib ly b I told him Well Rell kill you v Burs ure d In a way to make you OU yell yel right smart KILLED III Whit sitting upon a n log IOK lo one day a brute brul came e to him with In hani Fy g You give 1111 tip liP l m right non nol or Iii shoot you Receiving a u de do decisive derisive refusal he exclaimed with lIh fearful oaths I ii send you to 10 hell right now took look alai aim not lIot 10 O feet leel and pulled the tho trigger No explosion occurred anti and he ho cursed fearfully f say lIay sayIng Ing lag he had used the gun IO O years and It had never nver before missed 1 lire tire Ho Ito ex ox examined the lock put ut In fresh priming and essayed to shout JOHnson but without effect and ami a third time with the Ihl same result A bystander told toil him to fix MX up his Isla gun a n little trod and then said Mid al l he M You can Kill the cuss CUSH CUS all lilt allright allright right Yes said ald the he mur murderer murderer murderer derer Ill put In a II fresh h loud load its Hc did so and again essayed to kill John Johll Johnson son lon Thy This time the thc gun sun and killed the tho wretch upon the spot and 11 II bystander waa was heard to say better not try tn to kill kilt thAt man And thus Ihus day lay after aftel day till Johnson was waa con call continually cony threatened with death FOIL FOIt HEI AHI But Dul help wa Will coming and that by byth th compassion p o of ot a young girl 1111 who Uio Milted every family In III the Mormon settlement nt hot many miles away and persuaded men and MOmen to meet at atthe atIlle atthe the Ille log v e and pray for tOl his hla release rel aBe They fhe slid did HO so sad ami that night next day and the following night kept unceasingly In prayer As Alf one reaped praying another began and then an on another another other and another Some went home to breakfast dinner or supper and nOli re returned returned returned turned again to pray pm tor for the release ot of their Ih lr brother At tt 1 length this Oils unceasing prayer was answered on About midnight of ot the flee eec ce ond and night tho the general In nn command caused aused Johnson to be bo brought t to lili hll tent and sold said to lo him Johnson I 1 Iho have ho had nil all I 1 could do 0 to tn avo Savo your OUI life lite until now nol but hilt I cant save Have you OU from Irom death any nn longer The rise men Inen sweat swear they will kill you tomorrow Give GIe m UJ jour our m and 1 I will adopt you rou as my ton lonI I have havo I am um wealthy wealth sal and you ou shall Inherit all ull I have and your four our life lite will Belli be he saved I WOULD Dir DU FInST Johnson said his religion watt wail more more rc to him than life lite and ho he would sooner die argument could coull not nol titer alter too young oung mans nans decision the general said sold Weil eil nil ad alii I can call do 10 Is to turn you j In the woods wools and und for tor you to escape If 1 you OU c dO n He lie ordered u It soldier sol to con duct J Johnson to a n deserted Mormon log h hear iii about half halt a mile from tamp camp dm leave kllc him there thero and return h ho hI did lillI hind and the tile young mass man was free tre Hut But what a n freedom In snow two tWI feet f et dc do p no blanket no arms urns to kill tam game i r for self Belt defense c trod and no food about two quarts of or parched tom tam tamAnd And ho hI must make hit his way ninny many mall miles for days dlly an n ha he le could not gr go h 10 to the tie Mormon village lIlu u nearest at III hand handas as he would be ho sought tor for there IM bu b retaken anti and murdered And nd so ho h 1 l through the woods halt hilf starved i and nd n having to tu wade wale sloughs and brooks brook tilled with snow SOO or Ice and no to 10 dry his hla frozen garments and limbs He lie finally reached a II Mouse house but could not remain rentals as liS he found 1 Ills his toe foes Jr Were hunting ti whole country for tOr hIm mm But Dut hero ho he obtained an nn old quilt two or three pones of or corn bread a JUnt and nl steel to make mako a II tiro firt with rind nn mother another man fiat started on au their J trat Journey that night to reach Fort Foil shout about 00 miles distant And Anil nil t tea 3 s refuge utter titter days da 11 of or fearful tt n they at last gained being r received and cared for Im And who o was tho Angel of ot Mercy In Ins human numan f form ruru 1 young young girl In her teens tee s Who no R g mod hl his release end saved Ra his We I trough the prayers of or the Saints It Was Eliza It Ii Snow his Inti mate male trued In It mt this title sketch I will say Hay 11 I Irr haro h 10 rr r rail ia ad the foregoing In Johnson s Journal and have also Ills j i It his own lips and have havo thought It tal for tor the thc horn In M wi lI i Ing fins i III peace nn I comfort t know nw of ot what their fathers n d J mothers have had to lo endure for tor the th K A 11 sake Bake JANE JANK II IL H |
