Constable—His Unjust Trial—He is Acquitted.

CHAPTER IV.

Joseph's Second Arrest—Cruelty of His Guard—His Trial—I, with Others, am Called as a witness—Chagrin of Prosecuting Attorney—Eloquence of Joseph's Lawyers—The Constable Begs Joseph's Forgiveness for His Cruel Conduct—He Delivers the Prophet from the Hands of the Mob—The Acquittal—At My House Our Leaders are Again Persecuted—Their Escape—Names of Our Leading Opponents.

CHAPTER V.

I Visit Joseph at Harmony—Revelation Concerning the Sacrament —Persecutions at Harmony—The Brethren Visit Me—God Blinds the Eyes of Their Enemies—The Prophet Moves to Fayette—False Revelation—Bogus Stone—False Doctrine Overcome—Hyrum Smith Visits Me—I Labor in the Ministry with Him—My Aunt's Affliction—Remarkable Manifestation of God's Power.

CHAPTER VI.

Sidney Rigdon's Conversation—Third Conference of the Church—The Saints Commence to Gather—An Accident—My Aunt's Dream—Its Fulfillment—Missouri Chosen for a Gathering Place—My Mother's Wish—Reflections on the Past and Present—Temple Site Located—Labors Commence—The First Death.

CHAPTER VII.

My Appointment—A Visit from Joseph—According to Joseph's Promise, My Wife Bears Me a Son—New Revelations—My Aunt Overcome by the Evil One—She Misleads Many—Her Anguish and Restoration.

CHAPTER VIII.

Mr. Pixley's Bitterness—Our Enemies Make Plans for Our Overthrow—Their Resolutions—Our Printing Office Destroyed—Brethren Tarred and Feathered—Our Appeal to the Governor—His Advice—Saints Driven—Unexpected Engagement—Several Killed and Wounded.

CHAPTER IX.

McCarty's Case—Justice Denied Us—The Sufferings of the Saints—The Brethren Disarmed—Joseph's Opinion of Governor Boggs—Correspondence Between the State Officials and Our People—Our Petition to the Governor.

CHAPTER X.

Court in Jackson County—Officers Awed by a Mob—Zion's Camp—Mob Meeting—"A Man Stabled"—Campbell's Horrible Fate—God Interposes in behalf of Zion's Camp—The Cholera—I Go to Kirtland—My Labors There —Return to Clay County.

CHAPTER XI.

Saints Move to Caldwell County—Persecutions Begin Anew—Captain Bogart and His Mob—The Battle—Hawn's Mill Massacre—Colonel Hinkle's Treachery—The Brethren Imprisoned.

CHAPTER XII.

I Move to Commerce—No Safety for the Saints—John C. Bennett's Wickedness—Threats of the Mob—We Start for the West—Death of the Author.

SKETCH OF AN ELDER'S LIFE.

CHAPTER I.

BIRTH AND PARENTAGE OF ELDER JOHN TANNER—HIMSELF AND TWO CHILDREN ARE BITTEN BY A MAD DOG—THEY ARE HEALED—HE BECOMES WEALTHY—AFFLICTED WITH UNKNOWN DISEASE—PHYSICIANS FAIL TO CURE HIM—"MORMON" ELDERS VISIT HIM—HE IS CONVERTED—IS MIRACULOUSLY HEALED—GOES TO KIRTLAND— FREELY GIVES MONEY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CHURCH—HIS ELDER'S CERTIFICATE.

Elder John Tanner, son of Joshua and Thankful Tanner, and grandfather of Apostle F. M. Lyman, was born August 15th, 1778, in the state of Rhode Island. At the age of thirteen years his parents moved to Greenwich, Washington county, New York, where, at the death of his father, who was a farmer, he took charge of the business and settled his father's estate. Early in the year of 1800, he married Tabitha Bently, by whom he had a son, Elisha, born March 23rd, 1801. The mother died on the 9th of the following month. He afterwards married Lydia Stewart, by whom he had nine children, eight sons and one daughter.

One evening in 1808, when he returned home from his work, he found that two of his children had been bitten by his dog, which had gone mad, and in attempting to confine the dog, he also was bitten on the calf of the leg. Realizing immediately that he had no time to lose, he grasped a pair of sheep-shears, and cut out the affected parts and filled the wound with salt. He thus succeeded in saving his own life; and, with the aid of a prescription he obtained, was also successful in curing his children.

In the Spring of 1818, he moved with his large family to North West Bay, where a son and daughter were born. In 1823 he moved into the town of Bolton, and here, in 1825, he had another son born, but in May of that year his wife, Lydia, died. He then married a third wife, Eliza Benwick, by whom he had four sons.

At this time, notwithstanding all the care, labor and expenditure of raising his numerous family, he had acquired wealth, and had become a man of much influence, was extensively known and universally respected. His name was synonymous with benevolence, honesty and integrity.

In the mysterious dispensations of Providence, a terrible calamity was appointed him in the form of a painful disease, which, according to the most consummate human skill, was incurable, and entirely unknown to the medical faculty. His left leg from the thigh down was covered with black sores, through which the muscles of the limb, having formed into hollow tubes, or pipes, projected outward to the surface, out of which, matter was constantly oozing.

He had employed seven of the most eminent physicians in the country, but all their efforts were unavailing; the last one, Dr. Black, frankly told him that he could run up a heavy bill for medical attendance; "but," said he, "you are beyond the reach of medicine, and I can do you no good!"

For six months Mr. Tanner had neither let his diseased limb hang down nor his foot touch the floor, but was obliged to keep the leg in a right angle with his body, resting it on pillows placed on some object directly in front of him. And yet, with all his bodily suffering, his mind was active and his noble, generous heart, ever sympathizing with his fellow-man, beat with untiring zeal for the welfare of humanity. Feeling assured that he must soon die, he sought opportunities for doing good.

He had a vehicle so constructed that he could move himself from place to place without assistance. In the fore part of September, 1832, a notice was circulated in the place where he lived, that two Latter-day Saint Elders would preach on a certain evening, at a place specified, not far from Mr. Tanner's residence. He hailed the announcement with delight. It afforded him an opportunity (he thought) of doing an immense amount of good. He was conversant with the Bible and felt himself amply qualified to battle with heresy, especially that of the Latter-day Saints, and by doing so, he could confer lasting benefit on his fellow-creatures. That was his aim and such his anticipations when