from generation to generation, saith the Lord; and let the name of the house be called the Nauvoo House, and let it be a delightful habitation for man" {Dodr. and Cov. sec. 103). Thus the spiritual and temporal power of Smith increased until he founil himself absolute ruler of over 20,000 persons, besides having many spiritual adherents in the different parts of this vast countrv, and no less than 10,000 in Great IJritain'. Smith's head was so far turned by his success that in 18 U he offered himself as a candidate for the Presidency of the Union. Probably, however, this proceeding was only meant as a bravado. lu Nauvoo itself he reigned supreme. The contributions of his votaries and the zeal of their obe- dience fed his appetite for riches and i)ower. liut op- position gradually sprang up; and though it was obliged to hide itself for a while, and could only be nourished secretly, it was yet growing, and it sooji was rumored among the Saints that Smith failed to restrain himself from tiie indulgence of more sensual passions, which ease and indolence had bred. As early as 1838 the Prophet, it is affirmed, had commenced to practically carry out his doctrine of the '• Celestial Marriage" (see below, p. 027 sq.), or of a *' Plurality of Wives;" but it was not till .July, 1843, that he formally received a rev- elation on the subject authorizing polygamy. "When the "revelation" became public, considerable indignation was felt even in Nauvoo, and serious disturbances took place. Several women whom Joseph and his apostles had taken a fancy to, and sought to win over under the new revelation, declined their proposals, and dis- closed them to their relatives. These circumstances roused into activity a latent spirit of resistance which had for some time been secretly gathering force. The malcontents felt themselves strong enough to beard the lion in his own den; they renounced Mormonism, and even ventured to establish an opposition paper, called the Expositor, and published in its tirst number the af- fidavits of sixteen women, who alleged that Smith, Hig- don. Young, and others, had invited tliem to enter iuTo a secret and illicit connection under tlie title of spiritual marriar/e. This open and dangerous rebellion was put down forthwith by the application of physical force. Joseph Smith ordered a body of his discii>Ics to '-abate
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the nuisance," and they razed the office of the Expositor to the ground. The proprietors fled for their lives, and when tlicy reached a place of safety sued out a writ from the legal authorities of Illinois against Joseph and Hyrum Smith as abettors of the riot. The execution of the warrant was resisted by the ])eople and troops of Nauvoo, under the Prophet's authority. On this the governor of the state called out the militia to enforce the law; and the ultimate result was that the Prof)hct and his brother Hyrum were thrown into prison at Car- thage. After a short time it began to be rumored, how- ever, that the governor of the state was desirous of let- ting the two Smiths escape, and thereupon a band of "roughs," about 200 in number, broke into the jail, June 27, 1844, and shot them (see accounts of eye-wit- nesses in Burton, appendix iii ; Mackay, p. 189 sq.").
The sudden removal of their leader and the manner of his death caused great agitation among the ;\Ior- mons, and the}' were much confused for a while. Tiiis status led the people of Illinois to the belief that the sect would rapiiily be broken up. The opinion seemed at first reasonable. There was much disputing as to the successorship, and it seemed very likely that the Church would thus be shattered into fragments. There were four claimants, and it was doubted whether any one of them could be persuaded to yield. And yet or- der was soon brought out of all this chaos, and disas- trous as this termination of his career was to Smith himself, it proved a most fortunate thing for the system which he founded. "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Clmrch." A halo of solemn and tender glory now encircles the memory of one who, whatever were his virtues or vices, stood greatly in need of this spiritual transfiguration. As IJurton tells us, the Saints came to revere the name of Smith beyond that of any other name. They speak of him '• with a respectful veneration,.^^/*) j-occ, as Christians name the founder of their faith." Hrigham Young had been Josejib's favor- ite, lie was known to have been such by the apostol- ical college, of which he was chairman, and he was therefore chosen Joseph's successor by a unanimous vote of that body. The choice made by the highest council, the Mormons had been taught, no one should gainsay,
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and consequently it was accepted by the great majority of the inhabitants of Nauvoo, and approved of by a general Council of the Church, summoned about six weeks after Joseph's death. The other pretenders were excommunicated, and the council even ventured to " de- liver over to Satan" the great Kigdon himself, one of the aspirants, although their sacred books declared him equal with the Prophet; who had, however, latterly shown a disposition to slight and humble him. The Mormons throughout the world acquiesced in all these decisions, and Brigham Young was established in the post of " seer, revelator, and president of the Latter-day Saints."