| 151 that the Mormons wished to gain possession of the United States and rule the world; no one feared the immediate consummation of their pretentious hopes. Granted that among them were adulterers, thieves, and murderers: the Gentiles were the stronger, and had laws by which to punish the guilty. It was not a noble sentiment which had actuated the people of Missouri; it was not a noble sentiment which now actuated the people of Illinois, thus to continue their persecutions during the preparations for departure, and drive a whole cityful from their homes out upon the bleak prairie in the dead of winter."
The Times and Seasons for November 1,1845, stated editorially, as follows:-
"After we had begun to realize the abundance of one of the most fruitful seasons known for a long time, and while many hundreds of saints were laboring with excessive and unwearied diligence to finish the temple and rear the Nauvoo House, suddenly, in the forepart of September, the mob commenced burning the houses and grain of the saints in the south part of Hancock County. Though efforts were made by the sheriff to stay the torch of the incendiary and parry off the deluge of arson, still a 'fire and sword' party continued the work of destruction for about a week, laying in ashes nearly two hundred buildings and much grain. Nor is this all: as it was in the sickly season, many feeble persons, thrown out into the scorching rays of the sun, or wet with the dampening dews of the evening, died, being persecuted to death in a Christian land of law and order; and while they were fleeing and dying, the mob, embracing doctors, lawyers, statesmen, Christians of various denominations, with the military from colonels down, were busily engaged in filching or plundering, taking furniture, cattle, and grain. In the midst of this horrid revelry, having failed to procure aid among the 'old citizens,' the sheriff summoned a sufficient posse to stay the 'fire shower of ruin,' but not until some of the offenders had paid for the aggression with their lives.
"This, however, was not the end of the matter. Satan sits in the hearts of the people to rule for evil, and the surrounding
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