Missouri Persecutions 1833 (1)
The first published report most Mormons received of "the savage barbarity and mobocracy" in Jackson county and the agreement church leaders there had made to leave the county. Absolves the Evening and the Morning Star from any guilt of heightening hostilities. Mob demands all Mormons leave immediately and burn the home/printing office of W. W. Phelps to the ground, tar and feather Edward Partridge and Charles Allen, and coerce A. S. Gilbert into closing the Lord's storehouse. Three days later local leaders agree all Mormons will leave the county by April 1, 1834. This article names Lieutenant Governor Lilburn W. Boggs and nine ministers as participants.
    HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH.
[Continued.] 
   Times and Seasons vol. 6 no. 4 (March 1, 1845), 816–819. John Taylor, editor.
Missouri mobocracy

Clerics prominent in mob

Pixley 		July, which once dawned upon the virtue and independence of the United States, now dawned upon the savage barbarity and mobocracy of Missouri. Most of the clergy, acting as missionaries to the Indians, or to the frontier inhabitants, were among the most prominent characters, that rose up and rushed on to destroy the rights of the church, as well as the lives of her members. One Pixley, who had been sent by the Missionary Society, to civilize and christianize the heathen of the west, was a black rod in the hand of Satan, as well as a poisoned shaft in the power of our foes, to spread lies and falsehoods.    
Pixley article on false prophets He followed writing horrible accounts, to the religious papers in the east, to sour the public mind, from time to time; besides using his influence, among Indians and whites, to overthrow the church. On the first of July, he wrote a slanderous article entitled, "Beware of false Prophets," which he actually carried from house to house, to incense the inhabitants against the church, to mob them, and drive them away.    
Star mild and pacific   The July number of the Evening and Morning Star, pursued a mild and pacific course, the first article therein, entitled, "Beware of false Prophets," was calculated to disabuse the honest, public mind, from Pixley's falsehoods;   The Evening and the Morning Star, vol. 2 no. 14 (July 1833), 1. W. W. Phelps, editor, countered Pixley with: "When men, as servants of the Lord … are building up mite societies, or any other societies … wherein money is the principal means of urging on the work of the Lord, (as it is termed) seeing that the blessed Savior never taught any such things as the gospel, or as appendage to it, we exclaim, Beware of false prophets …" 
Article should have silenced fears   and the caution against "Free people of color," settling in Missouri, was sufficient to silence the fears of every sober mind, yet, it was all in vain; the hour of trial must come: and, notwithstanding the constitution of Missouri, as published in the same paper, says:  
Missouri constitution on freedom of religion

Article 4th. That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences; and that no man can be compelled to erect, support, or attend any place of worship, or to maintain any minister of the gospel or teacher of religion; that no human authority can control or interfere with the rights of conscience; that no person can ever be hurt, molested, or restrained in his religious professions or sentiments, if he do not disturb others in their religious worship.

  
 

5th. That no person, on account of his religious opinions, can be rendered ineligible to any office of trust or profit under this state; that no preference can ever be given by law, to any sect or mode of worship:

    
Satan persecutes Saints for beliefs   yet, because the saints believed and taught differently from their neighbors, and according to the laws of heaven, in spiritual things, Satan said, let there be a mob and a mob there was, and they drew up and published a manifesto, which will appear in its place.    
Extracts from missionary letters Extracts, from the elder's letters, to the editor of the Evening and Morning Star, in the July number:    
 

"Palmyra, Missouri, May 16th, 1833.

    
Baptize 18

The Lord is opening the eyes of the blind, and blessing our labors. We have baptized eighteen members in this settlement.

    
  G. M. HINKLE,
ELISHA GROVES."		    
 

"Six miles off Quincy; (Mo) June 3, 1844.

    
Early June: persecution rages

Every few days there are some honest souls born into the kingdom of God. Persecution rages to a considerable extent. It seems as if every denomination, sect, party and club, were prepared to fight against the work of the Lord. I often think of Paul, when his friends let him down by the wall, in a basket; but, notwithstanding all that I suffer, I rejoice. I will live godly in Christ Jesus, though I suffer persecution.

   
Cholera  

A man has just told me, that in Palmyra, in forty eight hours, the cholera had taken forty-seven to their graves. The disease is in the country, as well as the town, and carries off all ages, colors and conditions, sparing none.

    
  GEORGE M. HINKLE." … [817]    
    [Omitting Sylvester Smith excerpt from New York and excerpts from "The Elders Stationed in Zion," which was written before violence errupted—it will be reproduced elsewhere.] … [818] …    
Kirtland council July 13th. A council of elders, viz: G. H. Carter, Jacob Wood, Dennis Lake, Brigham Young, James Lake, N. K. Whitney, John Smith, Luke Johnson (h), with myself, assembled in Kirtland; Elder James Lake desired to know the will of the Lord, whether he should proceed on to Zion, or remain in Kirtland; it was decided that he should remain in Kirtland.    
  [Omitting the Star's Extra of July 16, which is in ¶ People of Color .]    
July 20 mob demands

Brethren refuse, mob burns print shop, turn Phelps family out		 On the 20th, the mob collected, and demanded the discontinuance of the printing in Jackson county: a closing of the store: and a cessation of all mechanical labors. The brethren refused compliance, and the consequence was, that the house of W. W. Phelps, which contained the printing establishment, was thrown down; the materials taken possession of by the mob; many papers destroyed, and the family and furniture thrown out doors.    
  The mob then proceeded to violence towards [819] Edward Partridge, the bishop of the church, as he relates in his autobiography;    
Taken from home to court house

George Simpson leader

Tarred and feathered for refusing to leave		  

I was taken from my house by the mob, George Simpson being their leader, who escorted me about half a mile, to the court house, on the public square in Independence; and then and there, a few rods from said court house, surrounded by hundreds of the mob, I was stripped of my hat, coat and vest, and daubed with tar from head to foot, and then had a quantity of feathers put upon me, and all this, because I would not agree to leave the county, my home where I had lived two years <.

    
Speech before being tarred

Before tarring and feathering me, I was permitted to speak. I told them that the saints had had to suffer persecution in all ages of the world, that I had done nothing which ought to offend any one. That if they abused me, they would abuse an innocent person. That I was willing to suffer for the sake of Christ; but, to leave the country I was not then willing to consent to it.

    
Attitude of crowd  

By this time the multitude made so much noise that I could not be heard: some were cursing and swearing, saying, call upon your Jesus &c.; others were equally noisy in trying to still the rest, that they might be enabled to hear what I was saying.

    
Filled with love

Until after I had spoken, I knew not what they intended to do with me, whether to kill me, to whip me, or what else I knew not. I bore my abuse with so much resignation and meekness, that it appeared to astound the multitude, who permitted me to retire in silence, many looking very solemn, their sympathies having been touched as I thought; and, as to myself, I was so filled with the spirit and love of God, that I had no hatred towards my persecutors, or any one else.

    
Charles Allen tarred Charles Allen was next stripped and tarred and feathered, because he would not agree to leave the county, or deny the Book of Mormon.    
Stopped

Sidney Gilbert agreed to close store		 Others were brought up to be served likewise or whipped, but from some cause, the mob ceased operations, and adjourned until Tuesday the 23rd. Elder Gilbert, the keeper of the store agreed to close that; and that may have been one reason, why the work of destruction was suddenly stopped for two days.    
Lilburn Boggs: leave In the course of this day's wicked outrageous and unlawful proceedings, many solemn realities of human degredation, as well as thrilling incidents were presented to the saints. An armed and well organized mob in a government professing to be governed by law, with the Lieutenant Governor, (Lilburn W. Boggs,) the second officer in the state, calmly looking on, and secretly aiding every movement, saying to the saints, "you now know what our Jackson boys can do, and you must leave the country,"    
Ministers: ought to be destroyed   and all the justices, judges, constables, sheriffs, and military officers, headed by such western missionaries and clergymen as the Reverends McCoy, Kavanaugh, Hunter, Fitzhugh, Pixley, Likens, Lovelady, and Bogard, consisting of Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, and all the different sects of religionists that inhabited that country; with that great moral reformer, and Register of the Land Office at Lexington, forty miles east, known as the head and father of the Cumberland Presbyterians, even the Reverend Finis Ewing publicly publishing that the "Mormons were the common enemies of mankind, and ought to be destroyed;"   Finis Ewing (1773–1841) attended Spring Hill Seminary in Tennessee and was ordained by the Cumberland Presbytery in 1803. Two years later, the Commission of the Synod of Kentucky declared Cumberland Presbytery ordinations invalid. Ewing took the lead of those defending the Cumberland Presbytery. In 1820 he moved to Cooper county, Missouri (a little northwest of the center of the state), and founded the New Labanon congregation. In 1836 he moved to Lexington, Missouri (about 30 miles west of Independence).
  
Mormons commited no crime   all these solemn realities were enough to melt the heart of a savage; while there was not a solitary offence on record, or proof that a saint had broken the law of the land.  
Man may torment body but God punishes the soul   And when Bishop Partridge: who was without guile, and Elders Charles Allen, walked off, amid the horrid yells of an infuriated mob, coated like some un-named, unknown biped, and one of the sisters cried aloud; "while you, who have done this wicked deed, must suffer the vengeance of God; they, having endured persecution, can rejoice, for henceforth, for them, is laid up a crown, eternal in the heavens;" surely there was a time of awful reflection, that man, unrestrained, like the brute beast, may torment the body; but God in return, will punish the soul.  
   

Missouri Persecutions (2)
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