she gathered her children around her, instructed them what to do in case this threat was executed, and then commending herself and little ones to the care of her God, she went peacefully to her nightly rest.

Can you bring from the annals of history a purer example of heroism than this? If so we would like to have it produced; but we forbear to speak further upon this point here, for our intention is to consider the work she was then doing, with reference to the results which have followed. She stood aloof from an unfriendly world and from an apostate church, and pursuing the even tenor of her way she raised her family in the practice and love of honor and virtue, and thus did for the work of God a service as great as any ever rendered to the cause of truth and Christianity by woman.

Years pass rapidly in their flight, and while in the vallies of the mountains are being cemented the chains of sin and misery, binding a once free and happy people to a system of vice and degradation, all the more horrible because done in the name of the Lord, upon the free prairies of the west God is moving upon the hearts of a band of his scattered ones, and by the voice of his Spirit proclaims to them that he calls upon them to lift up a standard against polygamy, and also declares that Joseph Smith, the son of the Martyr, should shortly take his father's place.

All unconscious of this, Joseph is mapping out his life in directions widely divergent, not seeming to feel that he, more than any other man, is called to a peculiar work in the latter day. The first serious impressions which came to him in regard to his having any responsibility in carrying on the work God had called his father to begin, was in the year 1853. In this year a severe spell of sickness brought him near to death, and during his recovery he had the following experience:

"One day, after my return to health was assured, I had lain down to rest in my room; the window was open to the south and the fresh breeze swept in through the trees and half closed blinds. I had slept and woke refreshed; my mind recurred to the question of my future life and what its work should be. I had been and was still reading law under the care of a lawyer named William McLennan, and it was partially decided that I should continue that study. While weighing my

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desires and capabilities for this work, the question came up, Will I ever have anything to do with Mormonism? If so, how and what will it be? I was impressed that there was truth in the work my father had done. I believed the gospel so far as I comprehended it. Was I to have no part in that work as left by him? While engaged in this contemplation and perplexed by these recurring questions, the room suddenly expanded and passed away. I saw stretched out before me towns, cities, busy marts, court-houses, courts and assemblies of men, all busy and all marked by those characteristics that are found in the world, where men win place and renown. This stayed before my vision till I had noted clearly that choice of preferment here was offered to him who would enter in, but who did so must go into the busy whirl and be submerged by its din, bustle and confusion. In the subtle transition of a dream I was gazing over a wide expanse of country in a prairie land; no mountains were to be seen, but as far as the eye could reach, hill and dale, hamlet and village, farm and farm-house, pleasant cot and home-like place, everywhere betokening thrift, industry and the pursuits of a happy peace were open to the view. I remarked to him standing by me, but whose presence I had not before noticed, This must be the country of a happy people.' To this he replied, "Which would you prefer, life, success and renown among the busy scenes that you first saw; or a place among these people, without honors or renown? Think of it well, for the choice will be offered to you sooner or later, and you must be prepared to decide. Your decision once made you can not recall it, and must abide the result.'

No time was given me for a reply, for as suddenly as it had come, so suddenly was it gone, and I found myself sitting upright on the side of the bed where I had been lying, the rays of the declining sun shining athwart the western hills and over the shimmering river, making the afternoon all glorious with their splendor, shone into my room instinct with life and motion, filling me with gladness that I should live. From that hour, at leisure, at work or play, I kept before me what had been presented, and was at length prepared to answer when the opportunity for the choice should be given."

To be continued.

CHAPTER I.

The Tower of Babel. The Jaredites' Origin.-They Start for the Promised Land.-Their Journey to the Sea-shore.-The Lord Instructs the Brother of Jared. -The Voyage Across the Indian and Pacific Oceans to the Coast of Mexico.-Their Subsequent History.

THE

IIE great flood in the days of Noah took place twenty-three hundred and forty-eight years before the birth of Christ, or thus the time has been counted. After Noah and his sons with their wives came out of the ark, and after sons and daughters were born unto them, the next account we have of any wonderful event is that of the building of the Tower of Babel. Just how long after the deluge this work was performed we do not know, but God was not pleased with the purpose of the people and he confounded their speech; that is, he made them to speak in various languages instead of the one tongue in which they had all spoken before that time. Thus they could not understand each other; and the confusion resulting, when they tried to talk together, caused them to separate and, as the Bible says, to scatter "abroad upon all the face of the earth," only those who understood the same language going together to the different parts of the world, Asia, Africa, Europe, America and the islands of the sea. The saying of the Scriptures elsewhere agrees with this idea that the people from Babel were "scattered abroad" upon every part of the earth, and that, too, by divine appointment and leading. In the seventeenth chapter of the Acts the statement is made by Paul that God made of one blood the nations of men to dwell on "all the face of the earth," and that he had "determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation." (a)

At this time, something over two thousand years before Christ was born into the world, the earliest story of the Book of Mormon begins, as we find from the Book of Ether.

When the great confusion took place at Babel (which means confusion), there lived a man named Jared, who had great faith in God. He had a brother, a large and mighty man, who was also a man of great

faith, and one highly favored of the Lord. His name is not given: he is mentioned only as the brother of Jared. Jared asked his brother to beseech the Lord that their language and that of their families, their kindred and their friends, might not be confounded that they could not understand each other. He did so, and because of their faith and their righteous desires and purposes, the Lord permitted them to retain the use of the original language. Then Jared advised his brother to call upon the Lord to know if he would tell them where they should go, thinking that perhaps he might favor them by showing them a choice land to dwell in; and saying: "If he shall do so, let us be faithful unto the Lord, that we may receive the land for an inheritance;" that is, they desired that it might be given them to remain a possession unto them and unto their descendants.

The Lord heard the prayer of the brother of Jared, and told him to gather together their families, the families of Jared and his brother, and the families of their kindred and their friends, and also to take their flocks and herds, and to carry of every kind of the seeds of the earth, and that they should all go into the valley that led northward from where they had dwelt. There he would meet them, and would go before them in their journey, and would lead them into a land which was choice above all the rest of the earth. And God said he would bless them so that they should become a great nation in the land of promise. Therefore they did as the Lord commanded them; and having made all things ready, they went northward into the valley of Nimrod. There the Lord came down in a cloud and talked with the brother of Jared, instructing him and all those who were with him as to the way they should go through the wilderness.

And when they started he did go before them, and he talked with them as he stood in the cloud, so that no man saw him. And thus they traveled through a strange land. When they came to rivers, or other water, they built boats in which

to cross them, being continually directed of the Lord as to their journey and its course. We are not told how long they were in making their journey; but they finally came to the seashore and camped there for four years, dwelling in tents. While they were there they became careless and neglectful of serving God, so much so that they no longer called upon him in prayer.

But the Lord was merciful to them, and at the end of the four years he came again to the brother of Jared and talked with him from the cloud, rebuking him because he no longer remembered to call upon him. Then the brother of Jared repented and prayed to the Lord in behalf of himself and his brethren. And the Lord forgave them; but he told them that they should in the future be more careful to keep his commandments; because the land to which he would lead them was choice above all other lands; that it had been preserved for a righteous people; and that whosoever should dwell upon it must serve him, the only true God, or, when they should become ripe in iniquity, they should be swept off. For the anger of the Lord should be against them, because he would not permit a wicked people to inhabit that land of promise; and it was his will that no one should be in bondage upon that land, but that all should be free.

Then the Lord told the brother of Jared to build vessels in which to cross the great water to the land of promise; also he gave him instructions how to build them So Jared and his brother and companions did as the Lord had commanded. And when the boats were finished they were tight, so that no water could enter; also when the door was closed there was no light within them. Then the brother of Jared besought the Lord for something that would give them light, that they might not be in darkness during their long voyage. The Lord spoke to him and asked him, saying: "What will ye that I should do that ye may have light?" Then Jared's brother went to a mountain and there fashioned out of the rock sixteen small, clear stones, two for each of the eight vessels, and going up into the mountain he cried again unto the Lord, asking him to make them to shine, so that they would give them light in the darkness. The Lord put forth his finger before the

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brother of Jared and touched the stones, and immediately they became bright and shining. And the eyes of Jared's brother were opened so that he saw the finger of the Lord; and after that, because of his exceeding great faith in the word of the Lord, he saw his whole person, and talked with him face to face.

When all things were ready, the people of Jared went on board their boats, taking with them a variety of beasts and birds, also sufficient provisions to last them on their journey across the deep, over those great bodies of water now known to us as the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The Lord caused the wind to blow upon them to waft them across the sea. also preserved them in safety that none of them were lost; and they thanked and praised him for his care. After three hundred and forty-four days upon the water they arrived at their destination, landing, as we understand from the narrative, upon the western coast of what is now called Mexico.

He

After they came upon the shore they bowed themselves before the Lord and gave thanks to him; and they sang praises and wept for joy because of God's great mercies unto them during all the journey from Babel and upon the sea. They settled there and began to cultivate the ground, and to spread abroad in the land. Jared had four sons and eight daughters. His brother had twenty-two sons and daughters, and those who came with them had also many sons and daughters. And all were taught to serve God, to walk humbly before him, and to live in peace and righteousness.

When Jared and his brother were growing old the people desired that a king should be appointed over them. This was displeasing to the brother of Jared, for he saw and foretold to them that it would bring evil upon them; but Jared was willing that they should have a king. None of the sons of Jared's brother would permit themselves to be chosen king, neither would any of the four sons of Jared, except the youngest, named Orihah. they anointed him king. Soon after this both Jared and his brother died. Under Orihah's reign the people prospered; for he did righteously unto them, executing justice and teaching them the commandments of the Lord and how great things God had done for their fathers. Orihah

So

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lived to a great age, and he had twentythree sons and eight daughters.

After he died his son Kib became king. But Corihor, the son of Kib, was a wicked man, and, rebelling against his father, he went away into another part of the country where he was joined by many of the people. And when he had gathered together any army he came back into his father's land and took him captive. But, by and by, another of Kib's sons, who was named Shule, grew to manhood. Then he arose against his brother Corihor, and, being a man of strength and skill, he was able to lead his followers successfully. He prepared weapons for them, and they overcame Corihor and his forces and obtained the kingdom.

Then Kib, being very old, bestowed the crown upon Shule, and Shule executed justice as Orihah had done, and was a righteous king. He spread the bounds of his kingdom, and his people became very numerous, and great in wealth and power. Corihor repented of his evil doings, and Shule gave him authority in his kingdom. After a time Corihor's son Noah rebelled against his uncle Shule, even raising an army and fighting against him. And he made Shule captive and took a part of the kingdom, namely, that portion in which the people had originally settled. But the sons of Shule came by night, slew Noah and took their father and set him upon his throne again. Cohor, the son of Noah, held part of the kingdom, so the country was divided, Shule being king over one part and Cohor over the other. Cohor was succeeded by his son Nimrod, who gave up his portion to Shule, so that it became one kingdom again. By this time many of the people had become wicked and the Lord sent prophets to warn them that, unless they repented, their evil ways would bring a curse upon them, and calamities would befall them. But the wicked ones reviled the prophets, and rejected their teachings and their warnings. However, Shule judged these evil-doers by the law and caused them to be punished, whereupon the people repented of their sins and they began again to prosper.

Shule executed righteousness all the days of his life, and died at a very great age. Then his son Omer became king. Omer's son Jared was a bad man, so much so that he rebelled against his father.

He raised an army, took his father prisoner, and held him in captivity for many years. But, during Omer's captivity, sons were born to him, who, when they grew to manhood, opposed their brother Jared. Many people joined with them and fought against Jared and his army and defeated them. They slew his men and were about to kill Jared also, but he pleaded to be spared, and they had compassion and let him live. However, he still so much desired to possess the kingdom that he made a covenant with a man named Akish, that he would give him his daughter to be his wife, if Akish would bring him the head of his father Omer. So Akish caused his kinsmen to take an oath that they would do whatever he should require of them; and it was the oath of a secret covenant to murder and do any manner of evil that they might desire. And whoever should make known the secrets were to lose their lives, for so they who thus combined together made oath it should be. But it was a great abomination in the sight of God for them to make a combination with secret covenants. These covenants of crime, involving their own lives and those of others, came down to them from Cain, who was a murderer from the beginning. (b)

But the Lord warned Omer in a dream and told him to go eastward to another part of the land. So he and his friends and their families traveled across the continent until they came to the eastern seashore, to what is now known as the Atlantic Ocean.

Jared was made king, but was soon after murdered by Akish, his son-in-law, who had control over the secret combination, and Akish made himself king. But Akish imprisoned and starved to death one of his own sons, because of jealousy. Another of his sons named Nimrah, being angry with his father for this, gathered a small number of people and they went over and joined Omer. Other sons

of Akish made war against their father, the most of the people joining them against the king, so that for many years there was war between Akish and his sons till but few were left in the land besides Omer and his people. Then they all united again, and Omer returned and became king once more. He lived to be very old, and before he died he anointed his son Emer to be king in his place.

Emer was a good man and a righteous king, so his people once more began to prosper greatly. And the Lord blessed them and taught them from on high. He told them that they must live in righteousness or they would be destroyed when they became ripe in iniquity; and so it should be with all who at any time should dwell upon this land.

After Emer's righteous reign his son Coriantum succeeded him, being anointed by his father four years before his death. Coriantum was also a good man, and as a king he executed justice to all the people so that they were happy and prosperous for very many years. The king caused many great cities to be built, and he established his people in great power, because of his great wisdom and excellent judgment.

He lived to be one hundred and forty-two years old. Then his son Com reigned forty-nine years.

But again the people began to be wicked and to enter into secret combinations to do evil. And Heth, the son of the king, joined with them, and, desiring to have the throne, he killed his own father with a sword, and made himself king. Then came prophets, sent of God to cry repentance unto the people, warning them that a famine would come upon them if they did not repent. But the people did not believe the prophets and they destroyed many of them, as Heth commanded them to do. Therefore the famine came upon all the land by reason of the rain being withheld by the Lord. And serpents increased throughout the land so that many people were destroyed by them, and many perished by starvation and dis

ease.

Numbers of the people fled into the "land eastward," but some remained in the north. In time they began to see their follies and their iniquities, and that the judgments were sent upon them because of their sins, and once more they repented and turned to the Lord. And they humbled themselves so much that the Lord sent rain, which caused the grain and fruit again to grow throughout the land. But King Heth and many of his people had perished long before this.

Then a descendant of Heth named Shez began to gather the people back to the ways of righteousness and of obedience to God's commandments; therefore they began to prosper again, and to spread over the land in towns and cities. Shez

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lived to a great age, and when he died his son Riplakish became king. Riplakish did not do that which was right; for he taxed the people heavily and put other heavy burdens upon them, erecting, just to please himself, great buildings and a beautiful throne. He also built large prisons, where he placed those who were not willing or not able to pay the heavy taxes imposed upon them. Then he caused those who were imprisoned to labor for him in making all kinds of fine articles of gold and silver, for his use and for the use of the many wives whom he took to himself. In these ways he distressed the people during a reign of forty-two years; then the people arose in rebellion and killed him, and drove his descendants out of the kingdom.

After many years there arose one of the descendants of Riplakish, whose name was Morianton, who sought to make himself king over the people. He put himself at the head of those whom he could gather into an army, and thus took possession as ruler over the land. Although he assumed authority, yet he lightened the burdens that had been placed upon the people, and he did justice to them during a long reign. But he himself sinned very greatly before the Lord, and was cut off for the evil, for the sin which was against himself. But he built many cities, and the people prospered to a great degree, so that they increased in riches, in gold and silver, in abundance of grain and in flocks and herds.

The

(a) The journey of the people of Jared, and their settlement in America, is fully in harmony with the grand idea expressed by Paul concerning the purposes and work of the Almighty in causing the whole earth to be dwelt in. divine providence overruled that the confusion of tongues at Babel should result in this very exploration and in the settlement of every habitable part and parcel of the earth, both of the continents and of the islands of the sea. proceed with this history we will see conclusive evidence that America was not left out of the grand designs of the Lord, but that it is, and ever has been in his sight, a precious land.

As we

(b) The prophet Moroni, in copying the history of the Jaredites from the twenty-four gold plates discovered by the Nephites, says of the secret covenants and of the oaths by which the partakers were bound together, that "the Lord worketh not in secret combinations; neither doth he will that man should shed blood, but in all things has forbidden it." He further writes: "It has been made known unto me that they (the secret oaths and covenants) are had