| 898 with their family, household goods, and some provisions; while others knew not the fate of their friends and had lost all their goods. The scene was indescribable, and would have melted the hearts of any people upon earth, except the blind oppressor, and prejudiced and ignorant bigot. Next day the company increased, and they were chiefly engaged in felling small cotton wood trees, and erecting them into temporary cabins, so that when night came on, they had the appearance of a village of wigwams, and the night being clear, the occupants began to enjoy some degree of comfort.
Lieut. Gov. Boggs presented a curious external appearance; yet, he was evidently the head and front of the mob; for, as may easily be seen by what follows, no important move was made without his sanction. He certainly was the secret spring of the 20th and 23rd of July; and, as will appear in the sequel, by his authority the mob was moulded [molded] into militia, to effect by stratagem what he knew, as well as his hellish host, could not be done by legal force. As Lieutenant Governor, he had only to wink, and the mob went from mal-treatment to murder. The horrid calculations of this second Nero were often developed in a way that could not be mistaken. Early on the morning of the 5th, say at 1 o'clock, A. M. he came to Phelps, Gilbert and Partridge, and told them to flee for their lives. Now, unless he had given the order so to do, no one would have attempted to murder, after the church had agreed to go away. His conscience vacillated on its rocky moorings, and gave the secret alarm to these men.
The saints who fled, took refuge in the neighboring counties, mostly in Clay county, which received them with some degree of kindness. Those who fled to the county of Van Buren were again driven, and compelled to flee, and those who fled to Lafayette county, were soon expelled, or the most of them, and had to move wherever they could find protection.
November 13th. About 4 o'clock A. M. I was awakened by Brother Davis knocking at my door, and calling on me to arise and behold the signs in the heavens. I arose, and to my great joy, beheld the stars fall from heaven like a shower of hail stones; a literal fullfilment [fulfillment] of the word of God as recorded in the holy scriptures as a sure sign that the coming of Christ is close at hand. In the midst of this shower of fire, I was led to exclaim, how marvellous [marvelous] are thy works O Lord! I thank thee for thy mercy unto thy servant, save me in they kingdom for Christ's sake: Amen.
The appearance of these signs varied in different sections of the country: in Zion, all heaven seemed enwrapped in splendid fireworks, as if every star in the broad expanse, had been suddenly hurled from its course, and sent lawless through the wilds of ether: some at times, appeared like bright shooting meteors with long trains of light following in their course, and in numbers resembled large drops of rain in sunshine. Some of the long trains of light following the meteoric stars, were visible for some seconds; those streaks would cut and twist up like serpents writhing. The appearance was beautiful, grand and sublime beyond description; as though all the artillery and fire-works of eternity were set in motion to enchant and entertain the saints, and terrify and awe the sinners on the earth. Beautiful and terrific as was the scenery, which might be compared to the falling figs or fruit when the tree is shaken by a mighty wind; yet, it will not fully compare with the time when the sun shall become black like sack cloth of hair, the moon like blood; Rev. 6:13; and the stars fall to the earth-as these appeared to vanish when they fell behind the trees, or came near the ground.
November 19th, 1833. I wrote as follows, from Kirtland, to Moses C, Nickerson, Mount Pleasant, Upper Canada:
Brother Moses:
We arrived at this place on the fourth ultimo, after a fatiguing journey, during which we were blessed with usual health.-We parted with father and mother Nickerson at Buffalo, in good health, and they expressed a degree of satisfaction for the prosperity and blessings of their journey. Since our arrival here, Brother Sidney has been afflicted with sore eyes, which is probably the reason why you have not previously heard from us, as he was calculating to write you immediately.-But though I expect he will undoubtedly write you soon, as his eyes are evidently better, yet, lest you should be impatient to learn something concerning us, I have thought that perhaps a few lines from me, though there may be a lack of fluency according to the literali [literally] of the age, might be received with a degree of satisfaction on your part, at least, when you call to mind the relation with which we are united by the everlasting ties of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We found our families and the church in this place, well generally. Nothing of consequence transpired while we were absent, except the death of one of our brethren; a young man of great worth as a private citizen among us, the loss of whom we justly mourn. We are favored with frequent intelligence from different sections of our country respecting the progress
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