Description
“Judas Will Rule Over You” – The Witness of Heber C. Kimball
It was late October 1838, and the state of Missouri had issued an extermination order demanding that all Mormons be driven from the State or exterminated for the public good. Several thousands Missouri militia advanced on the city of Far West, Missouri. Joseph Smith and others were betrayed and arrested. The next day, November 1, 1838, about 7000 militia surrounded Far West and demanded the surrender of the Mormons. They had no choice but to surrender. Colonel Samuel D. Lucas ordered the Mormon prisoners to ground arms and formed them into a hollow square and ordered them to sit on the ground and wait under guard. They would stay like that all night long. Heber C. Kimball says,
“The mob commenced plundering the citizens of their bedding, money, wearing apparel and everything of value they could lay their hands upon. Much property was destroyed by the burning of houses, logs, rails, corn cribs, boards, etc., the using of corn and hay, the killing of cattle, sheep and hogs, etc., and all this without regard to owners, or asking leave of any one. In the meantime, men were abused, and women insulted, and treated with violence by the troops, while the men were kept prisoners. We were compelled at the point of the bayonet to sign a deed of trust for the purpose of making our individual property liable, as they said, to pay all the debts of persons belonging to the Church, and also for all damages the old inhabitants of Daviess County might have sustained in consequence of the late difficulties in that County.”
While the prisoners were sitting certain apostates, those who Heber described had once been brethren and had piloted the mob into the city came forward. One of them, William E. McClellin, asked where Heber C. Kimball was. He was pointed out and McClellin walked over. Heber described the conversation.
“When he came up to me, he said, “Brother Heber, what do you think of Joseph Smith, the fallen prophet, now? Has he not led you blindfolded long enough? Look and see yourself poor, your family stripped and robbed, and your brethren in the same fix. Are you not satisfied with Joseph? I replied, “Yes, I am more satisfied a hundred fold than I was before; for I see you in the very position that he foretold you would be in—a Judas to betray your brethren, if you did not forsake your adultery, fornication, lying and abominations. Where are you? What are you about—you, and Hinkle, and scores of others? Have you not betrayed Joseph and his brethren into the hands of the mob, as Judas did Jesus? Yes, verily, you have! I tell you `Mormonism’ is true, and Joseph is a true Prophet of the living God, and you with all others that turn therefrom will be damned and go to hell, and Judas will rule over you!”
Copyright Glenn Rawson 2022
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