Читать книгу Essentials in Church History - Joseph Fielding Smith - Страница 173

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Before they were through with the ordinance the mob began to gather. They surrounded the house of Joseph Knight, Sen., prepared to do violence, but through the blessings of the Lord the Saints were protected, but were subjected to numerous insults and threatenings. A meeting was called for that evening for the purpose of attending to the confirmation of those baptized in the morning. When they met at the appointed hour, they were all surprised at the appearance of a constable, who, with a warrant, arrested Joseph on the charge of being “a disorderly person, setting the country in an uproar by preaching the Book of Mormon.” The constable frankly informed him that the arrest was for the purpose of getting him into the hands of a mob, then lying in ambush for him, but he would save him from their hands as he, the constable, had discovered that Joseph was not the sort of person he had been led to believe. As Joseph accompanied the constable in a wagon, they encountered the mob, not far from the home of Joseph Knight. The mobbers waited for the prearranged signal from the constable, but he, whipping up his horse, obtained a lead. The mobbers followed as best they could. In the flight one of the wagon wheels came off, and before it could be replaced the mobbers were again in sight. However, the wheel was replaced in time and with renewed energy Joseph was able to escape.

The constable took Joseph to South Bainbridge, Chenango County, and lodged him in a tavern, where he kept guard all night. The following day a court convened to investigate the charges. Great excitement prevailed because of falsehoods which had been circulated freely among the people. Joseph Knight, Sen., engaged the services of two respectable farmers who were versed in the law, namely, James Davidson and John Reid, and brought them to South Bainbridge to defend the Prophet.