Report of Luke S. Johnson.
We had just retired to rest when the picket guard announced Luke S. Johnson. He came into our camp and made his report. He had visited a number of influential men, among the rest a Baptist minister, who expressed great anxiety that our company should be stopped, and went to a magistrate to inquire if there was not some law or pretext for stopping us. He, the priest, said to the magistrate, "That company march and have guns like an army. They pitch their tents by the side of the road; they set out guards, and let nobody pass into their camp in the night; and they are Mormons, and I believe they are going to kill the people up in Jackson county, Missouri, and retake their lands." The magistrate replied, "If you were traveling, and did not wish to put up at public houses, or there were none in the country, would you not camp by the road side in a tent? And if you were afraid that your horses and property would be stolen in a strange country, would you not watch and keep guards?" "Why, yes," said the priest; "but they are Mormons!" "Well, I can't hear but they mind their own business, and if you and this stranger (meaning Luke S. Johnson) will mind your own business, everything will be right." This Baptist priest treated Brother Luke S. Johnson with great politeness. He gave him his dinner, his wife washed his stockings; he gave him letters of introduction to men in Jackson county, and delivered to his charge some letters which he had received from Jackson county, which Brother Luke brought into the camp. He also stated that he had seen a man that morning who informed him that four hundred men were in readiness on the Missouri side, with ten hours' notice, to use up all the camp, and he was on his way to give them the notice.
A False Alarm.
A little before midnight we heard several guns fired to the west of us, which appeared to be answered by one directly east. There was no settlement west of us nearer than the state of Missouri. This appearing so much like a signal, in addition to the many threats of our being attacked on crossing the Mississippi, I considered sufficient cause of alarm to put out a double picket guard and put the camp in a state of defense, so that every man might be ready at a moment's notice. It however proved to be a false alarm.9
Continuing our journey on the 4th, we encamped on the banks of the Mississippi river. At this place we were somewhat afflicted, and our enemies strongly threatened that we should not cross over into Missouri. The river being a mile and a half wide, and having but one ferry boat, it took two days for us to pass over.10 While some were ferrying, others were engaged in hunting, fishing, etc. As we arrived, we encamped on the bank, within the limits of Missouri.
While at this place, Sylvester Smith rebelled against the order of the company, and gave vent to his feelings against myself in particular. This was the first outbreak of importance which had occurred to mar our peace since we commenced our journey.11
Footnotes
1. The circumstance here alluded to is that a Mr. Arthur, a respectable and wealthy planter of Clay county, sent one of his black servants into Jackson county with a large wagon load of whisky, flour and bacon. After the servant had crossed the river, a stranger came out of the woods and began to burst open the barrels and destroy the flour, threatening the life of the negro if he should ever come into that county again. Mr. Arthur, it is needless to say, was not a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints, nor a member of any other religious society. Whether he was taken for a "Mormon" or not does not appear. (See Evening and Morning Star, vol. 2, p. 319.)
2. The minutes of this conference are to be found in the Evening and Morning Star, vol. 2, p. 352. It will be observed from the heading that the Elders assembled in the conference are called the Elders of the Church of Christ. This is pointed out in order that it may be seen that while the conference adopted the title "The Church of the Latter-day Saints," and the Church was for some years called by that name, it was not the intention to regard the Church as any other than the Church of Christ. In an editorial upon this subject in the May number of the Star (minutes of the conference, however, designating the above name of the Church were not published until the July number of the Star was issued) the following occurs as a comment upon the action of this conference: "It is now more than four years since this Church was organized in these last days, and though the conferences have always shown by their minutes that they took no other name than the name of Christ, the Church has, particularly abroad, been called 'Mormonite.' As the members of this Church profess a belief in the truth of the Book of Mormon, the world, either out of contempt and ridicule, or to distinguish us from others, have been very lavish in bestowing the title of 'Mormonite.' Others may call themselves by their own, or by other names, and have the privilege of wearing them without our changing them or attempting so to do; but we do not accept the above title (Mormonite), nor shall we wear it as our name, though it may be lavished upon us double to what it has heretofore been. And when the bitterness of feeling now cherished in the bosoms of those who profess to be the followers of Christ, against the Church of the Latter-day Saints, shall cease to exist, and when fabrications and desipient reports concerning this society are no longer considered a virtue, it will take its rank, at least with others, and these stigmas will forever sleep with their inventors." (Evening and Morning Star, vol. 2, p. 317.)
3. The late President Wilford Woodruff, who was a member of Zion's camp, speaking at the celebration of the thirty-third anniversary (July 24, 1880,) of the entrance of the Pioneers into Salt Lake valley, speaking of Zion's camp, said:
"We were followed by spies hundreds of miles to find out the object of our mission. We had some boys in the camp. George A. Smith was among the youngest. When they could get him alone they would question him, thinking that he looked green enough for them to get what they wanted out of him. The following questions were frequently put and answered:
"'My boy, where are you from?'
"'From the East.'
"'Where are you going?'
"'To the West.'
"'What for?'
"'To see where we can get land cheapest and best.'
"'Who leads the camp?'
"'Sometimes one, sometimes another.'
"'What name?'
"'Captain Wallace, Major Bruce, Orson Hyde, James Allred,' etc.
"This was about the information the spies obtained from any of the camp that were questioned." ("The Utah Pioneers," p. 18)
4. On this point Elder Parley P. Pratt, in his Autobiography, relates a most interesting incident. Elder Pratt was chiefly engaged as a recruiting officer along the line of the camp's march, and would fall in with the camp from time to time, with additional men, arms, stores, money, etc., as opportunity afforded. And now his story:
"On one occasion, I had traveled all night to overtake the camp with some men and means, and having breakfasted with them and changed horses, I again started ahead on express to visit other branches and do business, to again overtake them. At noon I had turned my horse loose from the carriage to feed on the grass in the midst of a broad level plain. No habitation was near; stillness and repose reigned around me; I sank down overpowered in a deep sleep, and might have lain in a state of oblivion till the shades of night had gathered around me, so completely was I exhausted for want of sleep and rest; but I had only slept a few moments till the horse had grazed sufficiently, when a voice, more loud and shrill than I had ever before heard, fell on my ear and thrilled through every part of my system; it said: 'Parley, it is time to be up and on your journey.' In the twinkling of an eye I was perfectly aroused; I sprang to my feet so suddenly that I could not recollect where I was or what was before me to perform. I related the circumstance afterwards to Brother Joseph Smith, and he bore testimony that it was the angel of the Lord who went before the camp who found me overpowered with sleep, and thus awoke me." (Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, pp. 122, 123.)
5. Almon W. Babbitt was born October 1, 1813, in Berkshire county, Mass. He was the son of Ira and Nancy Babbitt.
6. In addition to confirming the above narrative of the services on June 1, Elder Heber C. Kimball,